Q: In March and April there are little mounds of red dirt all over my lawn. I have seen little yellowish bees going down in the mounds. What do you suggest I use to eliminate the bees? — Gracie Williams, email
A: Don’t kill the bees! Ground bees are considered a “beneficial nuisance,” like the yellow jackets that consume caterpillars. But unlike yellow jackets, ground bees perform great feats of springtime pollination. The ones you see hovering above the ground are stingless male bees. The females fly quickly in and out of their soil tube homes, bringing in pollen to deposit with their eggs. They ignore intruders. Ground bee lives are short. The adults and the mounds are usually all gone by late April. Leave them alone or stand nearby and marvel at their industry.
Q: I have enjoyed and looked forward to my daphne blooming in the spring. It has such a sweet fragrance. This winter it lost all its leaves, but I thought it would rejuvenate. So far no sign of growth. Should I replace it? I loved it for over 10 years. — Judy Stoner, email
A: Despite following all of the recommendations for care, I only got 10 years out of my daphne, too. In my experience, that seems about average for most people. Still, you enjoyed yours for over 10 years.
I think we should have a name for plants that are not exactly annuals and not exactly perennials. I nominate daphne to be a “decadennial.” I think black-eyed Susan could also be a candidate. Landscaper Bruce Holiday nominates lavender; he usually replaces it after a few years. Garden designer Erica Glasener says that coneflower does not persist more than five years in her garden.
If you like, replace your daphne with another daphne, but I replaced my daphne planting three times with no success. Consider planting one of the smaller Hamamelis (witch hazel). If you temper your dreams with reality, you can have a great looking garden that will naturally change over time.
Q: My neighbor gave me a few cuttings of camellia. Is it possible to root them in just water? — Becky Hunsucker, Calhoun
A: Woody plants will almost never root in water. In order to root, a plant needs to form a callous from which roots emerge. It is difficult for woody plants to form a callous in water. The environment a camellia cutting needs is constant humidity but not immersion in water. The best way to root a camellia is to take a 6-inch cutting and fill a small pot with 1:1 potting soil and perlite. Cover the cutting with a glass jar and put it in a spot that gets reflected sunlight but never full sun. The process takes about three months.
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