Foresters in Indiana are trying to control bush honeysuckle, a fast-growing shrub from Japan that is threatening native plants.  Bush honeysuckle leafs out at the first hint of spring warmth, giving them a jump-start on native plants.  "As you look out through the woods in the understory, you see all of that green, which is 99.9 percent bush honeysuckle. In a native forest, you would not see near that much green this early in the spring," said Don Rathfon, a forester for Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, based in Dubois County.  Foresters are concerned about the threat of bush honeysuckle because it quickly displaces native scrubs and understory plants. And in harvested forests, the invasive shrub actually prevents native trees from growing back.  Bush honeysuckle, which grows up to 8 feet tall, was first planted in Indiana in the 1950s to attract birds, with its red berries and flowers. They were also planted for highway beautification and greenways around cities, Rathfon said.  Since then, they have spread quickly across the state.  Hawthorn Park  in Vigo County has been involved in a study, using 19 different treatments to battle the bush honeysuckle. That includes different herbicides and different methods of applying those herbicides.  They have also tried to cut the shrubs off in late fall and spray the stumps with a herbicide to keep it from sprouting again.  Another method is called a streamlined application. A herbicide is mixed with an oil that is sprayed on the base of the stem.  The hope is that the oil will soak into the bark and carry the herbicide inside the stem and to the bush's roots, killing it.  Hopefully, the experiment in Vigo County  will lead to a manual on how to manage bush honeysuckle

There are a number of other invasive plants in Indiana, in ponds as well as along the roadsides, which have been brought in by unsuspecting residents.

Something Different
Incredible Edibles!

Edible flowers have become a new status symbol for restaurants.  They add a real splash of color, and some have a distinctive taste as well.  You don't have to dine at a fine restaurant to enjoy this special touch, though.  You can do it yourself!  Just be sure they are free from any pesticides.  Many flowers are edible, but some of the favorites are:

Harvest the flowers in the morning and keep them in the refrigerator in water or between damp paper towels.  Just before serving your salad, wash the flowers well and dry them between paper towels, inspect them for critters, and arrange attractively on the plate!  Again, be sure you know what kind of flowers you are eating (some are poisonous) and that they have never been sprayed with chemicals.

A - Yes, cats (either yours or your neighbors) can really be a problem in gardens. 
Kitties like to frequent the nice soft dirt, so you have to figure out ways to make 
it unpleasant for them. You did that in the barrels with the rose clippings. I 
have discovered that using shredded bark mulch on all my flower beds works 
great to deter the neighborhood cats! They do still prowl, but they do not use 
my gardens. I usually put down three or four sheets of newspaper first, then 
cover it with 2-3 inches of shredded bark mulch. The newspaper is not 
necessary, but it does help with weed control as well as helping to conserve 
moisture when the weather gets dry. I have large gardens and usually have my 
mulch delivered by the dump truck load, but the mulch is available at many 
nurseries in bags. Another source would be a sawmill. Good luck.

A - Any of the willows are easy to root.  You may have discovered by now that they have developed roots and leaf shoots while you have had them in water.  At this point you may plant them in the soil.  Willows do well in moist soil where they will get sun, but I have grown them also in soil that isn't particularly moist.  However, water them well especially the first year when they are just getting established.  The Maryland climate is similar to that of Indiana, and so it should be fine.  Another piece of advice (from experience) is to keep the bush pruned so the branches with the catkins will always be within reach and easy to pick.  The pruning should be done in the spring after blooming.  The pussy willows are easy to force into bloom very early in the spring.

A - Moles eat grubs and do not eat roots of plants and trees.  They do help to aerate a lawn with their tunnels.  However, they make mounds which are unattractive, and roots are often displaced, so I don't really like moles.  

There are two methods used to deal with moles--trapping and spraying-- and most of my resources indicate that the only sure way to rid your lawn of moles is to use traps.  I have never been successful with traps, but perhaps that is because I have not located them properly in the past.  I recently read that there are two kinds of tunnels--the main den tunnel and the tunnels that are dug to look for food.  The main tunnels are usually straight and range in size from 8' to 15' long, and the food tunnels branch off from that.  The tunnels that are dug for food are not reused, and that is why the tunnels in my yard seem to just meander.  If you push the tunnels down, the moles will push the den tunnels back up within two days, and that is where you need to set the trap.

Our mole problem has been so bad that, out of frustration, I decided I was going to use chemicals.  When I expressed my decision to a sympathetic ear, however, I was guided toward the use of the spray.  Sprays treat the soil to make it unpleasant to moles, thereby convincing them to move over to the neighbor's yard instead.  There are several sprays available, and the secret ingredient is castor oil.   One spray is called Whole Control.  Mole-Med is another such product.  These sprays require water to be effective--about 1/2 inch before applying, and about another inch after the application.   It is important to follow the directions, and, of course there is always the statement that if the infestation is heavy, you will probably have to make more than one application.  The product has been tested successfully and is effective for a period of 30 days up to four months.  The product does seem to work if you are persistent and re-apply it whenever you see mole activity.  The tests of Mole-Med   indicated that it is effective against voles and ground squirrels as well.  If   you prefer to save some dollars, you might want to try to make your own spray by mixing 6 ounces of castor oil, 2 Tbsp. of dish washing liquid ( a brand known for its degreasing capabilities) and 1 gallon of water.  Then apply it at a rate of 1 ounce/1 gallon of water.  Jerry Baker advertises in his recent catalog that he now has a product that works even better than castor oil.  I haven't tried it, but if your are interested, check out his website.    Good luck with your mole problem and know that I, too, will be trying to keep the pests out of my front yard while attempting to convince them to vacate my back yard as well this year..

A - With a grafted weeping cherry tree it is easy to see where it starts to "weep".  These trees stay small and seldom get over 10 feet tall.  I assume you have one that is not the grafted kind.  I, too, have one that is now forty years old and thirty feet tall.  We are planning to remove it this fall after the birds have vacated it.  At this point, I would use about a 4' stake for your tree -- just enough to give the trunk a little support and start it growing straight.  I hope you enjoy your weeping cherry tree as much as we have enjoyed ours over the years! 

A - Indoor citrus trees prefer temperatures around 65 degrees and need to be near a sunny window.  .They should be fed with a complete acid type fertilizer (azalea type food) every three months.  Do not over water.  Keep the soil moist, but not wet.   
Plant scale, mealy bugs, and spider mites are some of the pests that could be attacking your tree.  You didn't say whether or not your tree was grown from seed.  If so, it may not bear fruit.  It sounds like your tree is under stress and it probably will  not recover if you don't see signs of new leaf buds at this point.

A - I doubt that the ants had anything to do with the demise of your neighbor's althea.  I would tend to investigate growing conditions -- soil, light, and moisture.  If your friend wants to destroy the ants,  spot treat the area by sprinkling Diazinon  granules, lightly raking the area after the application and sprinkling with water (or drench the area with a diluted solution of such).  Follow the Diazinon label carefully for the amount to use, and keep children and pets away from the area.  More than one application may be necessary, but do not treat more than once per week.

A - The Sweet William is actually a biennial which reseeds itself, making it appear as a perennial. If it not allowed to set seed (by deadheading or cutting them), clusters of new plants will form around the old stalk. Sweet Williams will grow 1 to 2 feet tall in  ordinary garden soil and prefer a warm sunny area.  They are easy to grow from seed and germinate in 5-10 days at 70 degrees. As you have already discovered the Sweet William plant may also be propagated by cuttings and runner plants.  It sounds like you have had a lot of success with yours.  

A - Treat the area with insecticide. If you can see the ant hills, rake them flat and sprinkle diazinon granules onto the soil surface or drench the mound area with
Diazinon diluted solution. If granules or dust were used, rake the area lightly after application and sprinkle with water. Keep children and pets away from the treated area until the foliage around it has dried.  Read the Diazinon label for the amount to use.  It may be necessary to make more than one application may for satisfactory control. If so, do not treat more than once per week or as specified on the label. 

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A -  Your potted peonies have used this years store of energy and nutrients to grow and form buds, so it is not likely that they would not form new buds if you cut them back at this point.  They have been too comfortable in the green house so you might try reducing their growing temperature a little to try stalling the flowering.  You may end up losing the flowers, (they won't bloom if it is too cold), but the foliage should be fine and you can get blossoms next year.

A - The time to trim them would have been when you first put them in the bucket of water.  Do not cut them back now since they are rooting and leafing out.  Go ahead and plant them in dirt at this point.  However, down the road you will have to prune them or they will eventually reach an unmanageable height and the catkins will be too high to pick.  I know this from experience!  I love pussy willows, and they are so easy to force into bloom for the earliest of spring bouquets.

A - There are two pests that might bother your hosta.  Slugs can be a problem with hostas because they like the same growing conditions -- moisture.  Slugs are active at night, and there are a number of non-chemical methods for controlling them.  For example, if it is necessary to water, do so only in the morning so the soil will dry by night.   Try to improve air circulation among the plants.  Setting out jar lids filled with beer at night or laying down boards to attract the slugs are among the home remedies for slug control.  Or you might host an after dark  slug safari for hand picking the slugs.  Examine your hostas with a flashlight after dark, and if you don't see any slugs a  prime suspect would be the deer because they love to eat the hosta foliage.  I don't have a dog anymore, and the only thing I have found to really deter the deer around my house is an electric fence.  Perhaps your Great Pyrenees could be trained to help intimidate the deer.

A - You didn't say how large your tree is, but any tree eventually needs some shaping to make it attractive.  It is sad, though, when a tree is pruned in a way that completely destroys its shape.  Some trees never completely recover from such treatment.  Now, what can you do to save your tree?  To properly prune a tree, keep in mind that the lower branches are never going to be higher off the ground than they are right now because the growth on a tree occurs at the ends of the branches.  If you are sure some branches are dead, cut them out.  Get rid of the branches you consider too low. Remove side shoots from the trunk that cause a fork lower than you will ultimately desire. Even if the remaining shoot is somewhat crooked, it will eventually straighten and become the main shoot if it is called on to do so.  Do not use any wound dressing on trees.  They heal themselves.  The tree may not look as attractive for a couple of years, but willows do grow fast.  Good luck.

A - In Indiana butterfly bushes died back to the ground every winter and naturally sprout up again when the weather is right.  I imagine your bush will also start to grow again when the time is right.