Q: Every July, huge hornets bore holes in my flower garden. They really make a large pile of dirt beside the hole. What can I do?

Q: 1. Do you know of ANY way to get (and keep) Bermuda grass out of monkey (mondo, whatever) grass?

Q: I have 6 crinum lilly plants that have been in the ground 7 or 8 years. Only 2 of them have ever bloomed. Two weeks ago in the 95+ temp. heat some of the leaves got sun burned ( bleached out looking ). Unfortunately they get mid day and afternoon sun as the house faces West. I see other crinums around town blooming now, why don't mine bloom?
Kate
Valdosta,Ga

Q: Our nurseries and stores sell red and gold varieties of lantanas. I'm looking for one that is multicolored, but can't find it. One nursery worker thought it was called 'Confetti.' Could you suggest other nurseries by mail that I might be able to find this plant? Thank you.

Q: I need help with two issues, the first is white fly. What can I use on tomatoes and other plants? My other issue is voles. We have used milky spore in the yard with great results. However, in the beds that is another story. I gave up on trying to have lilies, there seems to be nothing to keep them away. When I plant my tomatoes I put the root ball inside of a wire mesh gutter downspout, which works well. We have tried traps without any luck. Suggestions? Nancy

Having just returned from watching M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Happening,” I would like to make a few things perfectly clear.

Q: I have 2 very healthy hydrangeas -- 'Bluebird' and one Oakleaf hydrangea -- that have grown in size over the last 7 years but do not produce blooms. This year the 'Bluebird' variety has lots of flower clusters but only 5 or 6 little white flowers bloom on each cluster. I have not cut it back in a few years since I was afraid I was cutting away the new growth and therefore the blooms. The plants are in an east facing garden against the garage wall. The soil tends to be lots of clay. Any suggestions on fertilizer or pruning?
Thanks,
Jennifer Patterson
Owings, MD

Southern summers are hot. You could fry an egg on Bruce Willis’s head (well, you could probably fry an egg on his head anywhere, anytime, but that’s beside the point). So let me tell you the intriguing story of how I did the best imitation of Ice Cube ever today and almost ended up in the morgue.

Are you an ethically challenged golfer? You know the kind I mean -- the person who plays winter rules year-round, who doesn't take penalty strokes for losing the ball because losing it is penalty enough, and who proclaims that every putt under 30 feet is a gimme? Actually, this sounds a lot like me, which is why I know you know will love getting a Big Daddy Driver.

Q: Our neighbors have moles that have destroyed their lawns and about three weeks ago we noticed some tunnels.  Since then, we have more and now tunnels in our flowers beds at the front and back of the house.  We put down Triazicide in March and again just recently.  This was recommended by the local garden center.  Anything you can suggest?
Thanks for your help.
Jim and Brenda   (Who love a nice looking lawn and gardens)

Q: When I cut a bouquet of French hydrangeas the flowers begin to wilt as soon as I put them in vase with cool water.  What can I do to correct this?    I want to enjoy them in the house.

(Photo courtesy of Fu Man Jew via Flickr)

Well, the country is going through a serious lycopene withdrawal now that millions of tomatoes are being taken off the shelves. It seems that they carry a virulent strain of Salmonella bacteria. Just eating one can have you hurling for hours, similar to what happens after Tyra Banks conducts an interview.

Q: Help, do you have any idea how to get rid of sugar ants? They are invading my kitchen, coming in from outsidel I think.

Every year, the Grump searches for a new flower he’s never tried before, certain that it will disappoint him as so many hundreds of them have done before

Q: SEVERAL years ago you wrote in your column that you had been to Charlie
Thigpen's garden and saw yellow impatiens growing in his garden. It seems
like you even mentioned stealing some from him.  Well I have since then
looked for these in all my garden stores in my area of Central Florida with
no luck. I did finally speak with one garden center owner who said that 6
small pots did come in. They were snatched up immediately by some very lucky
gardener. What happened to the yellow impatiens that  I thought would surely
take over in the garden world? Please, please email an answer to this
question or I am going to have to track down Charlie!!!   Thanks for any
help you can give in advance.
Sincerely, Audrey Williams

Q: I'm fairly new to the South and I have a question that none of the natives have been able to answer for me.  I'm hoping you can.  What causes Spanish moss to grow on one tree when the tree next to it has none?  I know it sounds silly but this question is making me crazy!
Thanks,
Misty

Q: I live in Houston, TX and I have a few summer blooming hydrangeas planted in my front flower bed (which faces north). Some of them are browning on the leaves (even though they get water every day) and some are doing fine. Do you have a good tip for keeping them alive during the hot summer? I also have a bunch of Lily of the Nile. What is a good fertilizer for them? Melissa Comer

OK, people, I get the message. From the absolutely ZERO RESPONSE to my protestations about high prices for flowers these days (see “Sticker Shock”), I gather that I am the only person on the planet who resents having to pawn his wedding ring just to buy a lousy petunia.

Q: What is that tree you are hugging with the spikes? My husband and I just purchased a home with 9 acres and we have 2 of those trees and we don't what they are. Please help?

Patty Williford
Orange Grove, Texas