Conway Lum, Plant problem and pest expert

Trap earwigs using a low-sided cat food or tuna can filled to 12mm (1/2 inch) fish oil, vegetable oil with some bacon grease, or oil-soaked bread crumbs. Cover traps with a large mesh screen (chicken wire) to keep out cats or other animals. Continual trapping should reduce populations.

Conway Lum, Plant problem and pest expert

Keep soil cultivation near plants shallow so as not injure plant roots. You will less likely bring up new seed weeds to the soil surface. Soil ecology is healthier by not disturbing your underground microbial organisms, e.g. earthworms, beneficial fungi, protozoa, insects, etc.

Conway Lum, Plant problem and pest expert

Keep digging out old raspberry roots when observed. Consider putting a very heavy mulch, e.g. leaves, to smother out, or at least weaken, the plants. With persistence and patience the raspberry roots will die out.

Conway Lum, Plant problem and pest expert

Divide blue fescue frequently, probably about every two to three seasons. Ensure the plant is growing in a very sunny location with sharp drainage. Some browned foliage could be combed out early in the season. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer as directed and water in well.

Carolyn Herriot, Organic gardening expert

As another expatriate, (from Guildford, England), I am well qualified to answer this question! The spring greens (as we used to call them), were always available from the farmers' market and the greengrocer's.

In Canada I grow collards for spring greens, as they are prolific non-heading cabbage greens that will not go soggy when steamed or cooked. I also grow 'First Early Market' cabbage for spring greens, as this non-heading cabbage has a slightly-wrapped heart, which is tender and sweet when diced and lightly steamed.

Conway Lum, Plant problem and pest expert

Ants in general do not chew on plants. They are just taking nectar from the flowers back to their colony.

Flowers dying or simply dropping off can be due to either temperature or soil moisture. Broad beans (Vicia faba) thrive in cool, moist conditions such as heavily manured soil that is well-drained. Best planted from Oct. to Nov. in milder areas or Feb. to May for other locales.

I do not believe temperature is an issue, either being too cool or too hot. We have not had any appreciative heat wave, e.g. over 30 C. But this has been a drier spring as our precipitation year to date (Vancouver Int. Airport) is below normal. Give plants a good soaking once or twice a week plus maintain a good layer of organic mulch to stabilize soil moisture.

Conway Lum, Plant problem and pest expert

The tulip tree ( Liriodendron tulipifera) generally has very few problems other than aphids (sticky honeydew which rains down onto you) and a very wide spreading root system. I will assume there aren’t obvious entry holes on the branches or trunk which might indicate the presence of an insect.

I believe it might be environmental stresses on the root system, e.g. competing for water with other plants, combined with limited space to absorb moisture or nutrient, e.g. lawns or paved areas. A good rule of thumb is to observe the amount of growth occurring at the end of the branches plus the size and color of leaves. For any plants, regardless of age, it should be consistent from year to year not gradually declining.

Try deep watering and feeding (using a root feeding tool, e.g. "Ross Root Feeder") or enlist a tree service company to feed your tree.

Conway Lum, Plant problem and pest expert

Unfortunately, there is not enough background information to do a proper diagnosis, e.g. how was the tree planted, what condition the soil was in prior to planting, what if any product was placed into the planting hole, if the tree was a ball and burlap or container grown, and others.

I will assume the roots on this plant were disturbed, e.g. original soil fell away from the roots. There were no excessive chemicals, e.g. several handfuls of 6-8-6 added to the planting hole except bone meal. No other chemical spray has been applied either to the tree in question or other weed killer.

Having made all these assumptions, the plant is in shock. Keep the soil moderately moist to touch. Use a bottle of liquid transplant solution as directed, e.g. once every other week. The product contains some fertilizer so no need to add any other fertilizer. I am hoping this tree will try to send new leaves before the end of summer. Otherwise it will not survive the winter. Or as a customer, exercise your right to return the tree back to where you purchased hopefully to get a more definitive answer. I would give the tree at least this summer to respond.

Wim Vander Zalm, Expert gardener

Propagating Roses Your rose, 'Summer Wine' is a great repeat blooming variety which is easily propagated.

Cuttings must be taken from young stems. I would suggest that you allow the stem with blossoms to finish blooming and then begin the process, which will probably be in June. Take a four to six inch cutting ensuring 2 to 4 leaves on that stem. Make the cut on a 45-degree angle just below and away from a node.

It is not necessary to use a rooting hormone however it will speed up and enhance root growth. Your next step is to insert the cutting into a 4-inch pot filled with 50% sand and 50% peat moss. Press it firmly into the medium filled pot.

You must continually keep the soil moist but not sopping wet. It’s also important to increase the humidity around the stems and leaves. Either covering the pots with a thin plastic or by inverting a large mayonnaise jar over the planted cutting. Regular misting also improves the success rate.

Now you need to find that perfect spot to keep the potted cutting until they’ve adequately rooted. The easiest description would be bright shade. You don’t want them in any amount of direct sun if possible until they’ve thoroughly rooted and have the ability to prevent dehydration.

You should find roots developing within 2 to 4 weeks.

Finally, only consider feeding the rose plants with an organic fertilizer after at least one set of new leaves has developed.

With regards to the pink flowering dogwood, I would recommend 'Cherokee Chief'.

Linda Gilkeson, Expert gardener

Firstly, "woodbugs":

So called "wood bugs" are actually land-living crustaceans, not insects. The name is used for both sowbugs or pillbugs, which are very similar: pillbugs are a bit larger and are the ones that curl up into a tight ball when disturbed. Both are active at night and in wet weather. They feed on fungi and rotting plant material so are beneficial in a compost bin. While sowbugs are pretty harmless, the larger pillbugs have stronger jaws and can be damaging when they chew on fine roots, seedlings and germinating seeds. They don’t harm well-grown plants but in wet spring weather pillbugs can make it very hard to establish a stand of carrots, lettuce, beans or other seedlings. They may also seriously damage melons and cucumbers by gnawing on vines and on the skin of the fruit.

These creatures are very susceptible to drying out so anything you can do to keep the environment drier will help (don’t over water seed beds; water in the morning so the soil surface dries before evening; keep mulches away from seedlings). Wait until the soil is quite warm before sowing corn and beans or start them indoors and plant out when they are a couple of inches high. Eliminate hiding places by raising planters on small blocks and by cleaning up woody debris or rotting wood around the garden.

"Earwigs": Earwigs are omnivores so they eat all kinds of things. They have a beneficial side as they prey on aphids and other soft-bodied insects, but are also pests when they chew holes in flower petals, tender new leaves and in soft fruit. They hide in crevices during the day, in compost bins, under planters and inside flower heads. Most of the time their presence is just a nuisance, such as when they drop out of a bouquet of cut flowers.

Raising planters and flower pots on small blocks removes one of their favourite hiding places. Where earwigs are a serious problem, you can make a large dent in their numbers by setting upside down flowerpots stuffed with crumpled newspaper between plants (rolled up corrugated cardboard also works). In the morning, shake the paper or rolled cardboard over a bucket of soapy water to drown the earwigs.