You asked a pro—he answered. Citytv's gardening specialist Frank Ferragine has solutions for our readers' green-thumb conundrums. Have a question that you don't see below? Don't worry; Frank will take more questions each month. Submit yours today.
Hi Frank,
My wife and I enjoy Breakfast Television on Citytv. Up at our cottage near Orillia we have dirt piles on our lawn (not ground hog). There are about 15 of them, I'm thinking maybe moles. Interestingly they don't really have an opening, just mounds of sand/dirt. What do you think they are and how do you get rid of them?
Thank you, John Epeever Orillia, Ontario
Hi John,
Dirt mounds can be markers of a mole, raccoon, or skunk in search of a grub. To see if you have grubs, dig a 1'x1' square and remove the sod. Dig down a few inches and if you find more than 6 grubs (white worm-like bodies with brown to red heads), you have a grub problem. Treat with Nematodes that can be purchased at your local garden centre or call your local lawn care company for chemical options.
In the meantime, rake the area, top dress with soil, and reseed to repair the damage.
Frankie
Hey Frankie,
I have a question with regards to Ligularia Dentata perennial! For the past year I've noticed that the leaves are being severely eaten by some pest that we haven't been able to track down. Again this year the leaves are already starting to be eaten and the plant has barely started its growth. Is there a product out there that I can put on the plant that would rid it of pests and not harm the perennial itself? The holes being left in the leaves are huge!! Many thanks for your time! Regards, Tom Sargent
Hi Tom,
Nine times out of ten, the culprits feasting on Ligularia Dentata are slugs! To reduce slug damage, only water your Ligularia Dentata in the morning. Also, place a generous amount of crushed egg shells or dio (this can be purchased at a garden centre) around the base of your plant—slugs will not walk across these remedies as it will result in death. For other slug control ideas, check out my blog at www.citynews.ca/blogs/frankieflowers.
Frankie
Hi Frankie!
I need to transplant my Japanese maple to a better (and less congested) area. What tips do you have so I don't kill my maple in the process?
Frankie, you rock! Thank you so much for your help!
Regards, Kathlyn
Hi Kathlyn,
The key to transplant any plant, be it a tree, shrub, or perennial, is to do it on an overcast day. You need to keep as much of the soil around the root ball as possible. The best time to move your plant is during spring or early fall. Before transplanting, make sure you have the new hole prepared and use a transplant fertilizer or bone meal to reduce shock. After transplanting, be sure to keep your Japanese maple well watered.
Frankie
Hi Frankie,
Please help!!! I've pruned my lilac tree too early. I've just learned that lilacs are to be pruned after flowering. I thought I should prune it during its dormant stage. If it is to be pruned after flowering, what's the damage I've done and how can it be fixed? Help!!!
Yvonne
Hi Yvonne,
By pruning early, you have removed the flower buds, meaning that you will not have any blooms this year. Just let it be, then next season be sure to prune after flowering. Remember, as a general rule of thumb, only prune your plants after they bloom—this is a key rule which will help you along the way!!
Frankie
Hi Frankie,
Both my husband and I have been following your gardening instructions for the last two years with great results.
I have two questions. One is about our Dipledania that made it through the winter, following all your instructions. We moved it outside, keep it sheltered from the wind, and move it into our shed when the temperature drops below 5 degrees. It was looking fantastic until the other day I noticed black spots on the leaves. I am wondering what they are, where they came from, and how to get rid of them.
My second question is about our grass. Our home is about 17 years old and when our grass was laid there wasn't a lot of base put down. My husband babies this grass and fertilizes every year, three times a year. Up until three years ago we were able to maintain a beautiful lawn, and then we saw a drastic change.
I started listening to your show and you explained that over time the soil needs to be replenished, so we started using your top dressing recipe. It worked really well and the grass thickened up nicely. Then we top dressed again last year with not as good results, and in August the crabgrass started to move in. We pulled as much as we could and seeded where we removed the grass, but it still seemed very weak. We top dressed again this year and it looks very weak again. We have a crabapple tree in the back and a maple tree in the front and the grass around the trees is even weaker.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks again. Kathryn
Hi Kathryn,
(A1) The black spots on the leaves of your Dipledania are just that—black spots. This is a fungal disease which is treated with a fungicide. An organic treatment that I recommend is Safer's Defender. Increasing air flow around the plant and keeping water off the foliage are two other great ways to reduce black spots.
(A2) Lawns took an extreme beating this year. Most lawns are made up of grass-type plants that love moisture and cool temps. Your maple and crabapple trees are bullies, meaning they are consuming most of the moisture and nutrients, leaving your lawn to struggle. To remedy this, I would recommend selecting a drought-tolerant grass seed and for shady areas select a drought-tolerant, shade-loving seed. Top dress, reseed, and thin out some of the branches on your maple to allow more light to help establish your lawn. The truth is, you will never have a golf-course-like lawn underneath a maple unless you really baby it often with moisture.
Good luck, Frankie
Hi Frank,
I just read an article about the yellow sticky pads used to kill fruit flies. I was wondering where I can purchase these sticky pads.
Thank you, Natalie
Hi Natalie,
Yellow sticky pads can be bought at most garden supply centres including private garden centres, mass merchants, and home improvement stores. You can also purchase these online. Did you know that yellow sticky traps are also used in large greenhouse growing operations to control insects and identify which insects are populating the greenhouse crop?
Keep Blooming, Frankie
Watch for Frank Ferragine's Q&A column in The Epoch Times on the first Thursday of every month, and catch Frank on "Frankie Flowers," a weekly edition of "CityOnline" airing every Friday at 12:30 p.m. EDT on Citytv Toronto and CP24 for more great gardening tips.
Submit your questions today to AskFrank@epochtimes.com or by fax to 416-298-1299, Attention: Frank Ferragine, or mail to Frank Ferragine c/o The Epoch Times, 103-201 Consumers Road, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4G8.
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