As I meet with fellow gardeners, there are certain questions that come up frequently. I thought that I would share some of the questions that I have been asked this past week, along with their answers.

When can I cut off the leaves of my bulbs that have finished flowering?

Once the bulb has finished flowering, make sure that you remove the seed head, including the flower stalk only. It takes a lot of the bulb’s energy to produce seeds — the energy that would have gone to the seed head is better spent elsewhere.

Let the leaves remain there until they have completely turned yellow and have gone dormant. While the leaves are still green, they are processing sunlight through photosynthesis and turning the sunlight into food for the bulb. This food is stored in the leaves for a time.

So, if you cut off the leaves while they are still green, you are robbing the bulb of much-needed food. Once the plant starts going dormant and the leaves start turning yellow, this signals that the food is now making its way back down into the bulb.

Once the food has moved down to the bulb, the flower buds and leaves are set in the bulb for the next season. If the leaves are cut off prematurely, it robs the bulb of the food that it needs, resulting in smaller or no flowers for the next year.

The more food that the bulb receives from the leaves, the bigger the flowers will be. You can fertilize the bulbs with bonemeal once the bulbs have finished blooming.

When can I prune my early spring blooming shrubs?

Any early spring flowering plants (plants that bloom off old wood) should be pruned immediately after flowering and before leaves unfold, or as soon as possible after leaves unfold.

Plants that bloom in early spring set their flower buds in late summer or early fall, for the following spring. So, pruning these shrubs or trees in summer, fall or early spring will remove their flower buds for the next season.

Some examples of these plants are magnolia, forsythia, wisteria, serviceberry, lilac, quince, bridal wreath spirea, redbud, most viburnums and purpleleaf sandcherry.

Trees such as maples (including Japanese maples), flowering dogwoods, birch and elm will bleed if pruned in late winter or early spring. A better time to prune these trees would be mid-summer.

Is it true that it takes ants to open up the flower buds of peonies?

Even though ants and peonies seem to go hand in hand, ants are not required to open up the flower buds.

Peony buds secrete a sweet nectar as they are opening. This sweet nectar is what attracts the ants to the peonies. The flower buds will open just fine without the ants being there.

The ants do not harm the plant in any way. In fact, the peony may benefit from the presence of ants as they can ward off some pests that might otherwise damage the flower buds.

How often should I be fertilizing my lawn?

You should wait at least six weeks after the last time you fertilized your lawn before applying more fertilizer.

The best times to fertilize your grass are early spring, late spring, early fall and late fall. It is best not to apply fertilizer to your lawn in the heat of summer.

When do I start spraying my boxwoods to control box tree moth?

If you have boxwoods, you are probably already aware of the box tree moth. It is a relatively new insect in this area (the last five to six years) that has been causing damage or killing boxwoods at a fast pace.

Some of the signs that box tree moths are present are extensive defoliation, fine webbing on leaves and branches, and greenish frass (caterpillar poop) on plants. Severe infestations can kill the plant.

It is the caterpillars that cause the devastating damage. The caterpillars are yellowish-green with black stripes and spots. They can grow up to about one and a half inches long.

The best time to control this insect is when it is in the caterpillar stage. Regular inspection of your boxwoods will help you determine the best time to control.

The box tree moth has three generations a year, so repeat spraying is necessary. BTK is an effective biological control for young caterpillars.

The best time to treat is during the early stages of infestation, typically in late spring (mid-May to mid-June) and early summer (mid-July to mid-August or early to mid-September), when caterpillars are actively feeding.

Spray the plant as soon as the caterpillars are seen, ensuring thorough coverage of all foliage. Reapply BTK every seven to 10 days during the feeding periods to maintain control and prevent re-infestation. Regular monitoring and timely applications are essential for effective management of the box tree moth.

Joanne Young is a Niagara-on-the-Lake garden expert and coach. See her website at joanneyoung.ca