Q:I live in Essex County. This spring the tent caterpillars were so bad on our ornamental crab-apple tree that it lost all its leaves. Is this tree going to die without any leaves? What should we do to save this tree and prevent this problem in the future?

Answer: Tent caterpillars eat a lot of young leaves, but they rarely kill the tree. These insects spend the night inside the tent and leave it in the morning to feed on leaves. After a few weeks, they stop feeding and abandon the tree as they look for a place to make their pupa case.

Adult moths emerge from the pupa case, breed, lay eggs and die. Once the caterpillars are gone, the tree starts producing new leaves. It should do fine for the rest of the summer.

If the tree is small, you might be able to remove by hand the egg cases next winter. The egg cases are black and shiny and will be wrapped around small twigs almost like a cigar band. If you can reach them, they are easy to pull off and destroy.

If removing the eggs is not feasible, when the tents are the size of a tennis ball you can tear them open and spray Sevin or Bacillus thuringiensis inside the tent. As the caterpillars return at night, they will be infected by the insecticide; most will die in a few days.

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Q:We have a large beech tree in our front yard in Louisa, and the leaves are drying up and falling. What could be the problem?

 

Answer: Assuming there has been no construction near the tree or damage to the root system, beech trees are subject to injury by aphids. Aphids suck the sap from the leaves and secrete a sticky substance called honeydew.

After a heavy feeding by aphids, trees will kick off a lot of leaves. That could be the cause of the damage you are seeing.

It sounds like this tree is in a prominent place in your yard, so you may want to have it examined by a certified arborist.

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Q:Can you tell me what will grow in my soggy, stinky backyard? It gets morning and early afternoon sun. It's too wet for junipers and azaleas, which I've tried. Can you give me any suggestions for either flora or additives to the soil?

 

Answer: There are some soils that will be poorly drained regardless of the number of additives you incorporate. Consequently, you should look for plants that naturally grow in wet areas.

I have a wonderful publication written a number of years ago by Richard E. Bir, from North Carolina State University, called "Qualifiers for Quagmires: Landscape Plants for Wet Sites." It has a great list of plants that should grow well in your yard. You can access it at www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort. Click "Consumer Hort Leaflets," then look under "Trees."

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Q:A natural area in our backyard is being taken over by ivy. Any suggestions?

 

Answer: Ivy can be controlled with glyphosate. However, first you have to get rid of all the existing leaves by cutting the ivy down with a lawn mower or string trimmer. Once the ivy starts to grow back, treat it with the herbicide. I have had success treating it when the new leaves are about the size of a quarter. It should start to die in seven to 10 days. If it is an old, established stand of ivy, it is probably deep-rooted and may start sending up new shoots later in the summer. If it does, simply cut the leaves off as soon as you notice them. By removing the leaves, you'll continue the process of starving the roots.

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Q:Can you solve a mystery for me? My daughter bought me a poinsettia plant with large flowers before Christmas. I kept it in the window, and in mid-May it still had blossoms and leaves. I've never had one last so long. Is this a new variety?

 

Answer: The green industry is continuing to develop improved varieties of many plants, including poinsettias. It's hard to say whether your success this year is a result of the variety, our mild spring or the excellent location you selected for it. My guess is it was a combination of all three.

In any case, it was obviously a healthy plant to begin with, and you gave it good care. I'd suggest you find out where your daughter purchased it and be sure to buy your poinsettias there next Christmas.
Richard Nunnally is a freelance writer and speaker as well as host of WCVE's monthly gardening show, "Virginia Home Grown." Questions can be sent to tdgarden@comcast.net or P.O. Box 3690, Chester, VA 23831.