Cooperative Extension: Garden and Yard

Question: I have a huge burning bush. The last few years I have been battling aphids. Last year I didn’t do anything and realized the problem wasn’t that bad after not spraying it with soapy water as usual. This year, however, they are incredibly bad. They seem to have taken over the entire bush, including […]

Question: I have three spruces (weeping, dwarf Alberta, and dwarf blue) all within a few feet from each other in a dwarf conifer section of my garden. I’ve been told by a local tree service that the damage I see on them is due to Cooley Spruce Gall Adelgid and Eastern Spruce Gall Adelgid. I’ve […]

Question: A few autumns ago, I planted two allium bulbs in my garden–a gladiator and schubertii. They’ve come up each year and seemed healthy. This year, both started to grow and then stopped, and all of the foliage shriveled up and died, including a flower bud that had already started on one. I know this […]

Question: I have a white grub infestation in one of my perennial gardens. Am I safe to use nematodes without damaging my plants or harming bees? Everything I read supports the use of these beneficial organisms and that they are safe to both plants and animals and as long as I do not spray on […]

Question: Is the hosta disease, HVX, a problem in Maine? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Project Assistant  As you may know, Hosta Virus X is a contagious pathogen among hostas that causes disfiguring/unsightly leaf mottling, texturing, and, in extreme cases, tissue death. Not all cultivars are equally susceptible, and symptoms can be subtle in some hostas, […]

Question: What is happening to my clematis vine? It has yellowing leaves.  This is the second year in a row with the same problem. Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Project Assistant  There are several potential causes for yellowing in clematis foliage. The only pathological cause we would typically worry about is tomato ringspot virus, but it […]