Q: We have twig girdler beetles in our post oak trees. We worked
hard last year to keep these trees alive, and we don't want to
lose them now. Will these pests hurt the trees? How do we get
rid of them? A: Twig girdler adult beetles lay their eggs in the
end tissues of tree branches. Then they move back toward the
trunk and cut rings around the branch. The partially severed
twig or small branch dies and eventually falls to the ground.
While it's on the ground, the larvae emerge as flying adult
beetles, and the cycle repeats. They do no major damage, and
there is no effective control anyway, since the adult females
don't really feed on the plant tissues. Rake up the fallen twigs
and discard or destroy them. Q: My philodendron plants are
yellowed. I have fertilized them but still nothing. They're in a
variety of sunlight, so that's not the problem. Help! A: Your
photos are case studies in severe nitrogen deficiency. It can
sometimes show up because plants have ultimately poor drainage
or terrible soils, but usu