News

Dec 15, 2023

Butterfly bush can handle salt but not cold

Question: I am very interested in knowing the name of a plant that has yellow

Question: I am very interested in knowing the name of a plant that has yellow flowers that look like a butterfly. It is a large shrub with light green oval leaves. Is it something to consider for our garden? Do you know if it is salt- tolerant?

Michael

New Smyrna Beach

Answer: The mystery plant in your photo is called a butterfly bush or Cassia bicapsularis. It is a fast-growing large shrub that attracts yellow sulfur butterflies to lay eggs. It is moderately salt-tolerant. Cassia shrubs do nicely in gardens. Just make sure you have the room for them. They are not cold-tolerant, and you may find they only last a couple years in your yard, either from weak branches or cold damage.

Q: I have a potted tree that requires little or no water. I have seen some potted trees that use PVC tubes for watering. How does that work?

Roc

Deltona

A: A PVC pipe is sometimes used to disperse water across the plant and can help keep a plant from drying out. It's a small pipe with a cap on one end and holes along the length, so you only have to add water to one small opening for the whole plant to be watered. It is not necessary for larger plants but can be helpful for herbs, small flowering plants or plants in containers with many holes. For example, if you have a strawberry planter with many sides, and it is hard to water lower levels, you can use a PVC pipe system.

To make your own, use an inch-size PVC pipe about as long as your pot. Drill 1-inch holes along the pipe and plug the bottom. Place the pipe into the pot's center. Add water when the pipe is empty.

Q: I need to get rid of carpenter ants inside our irrigation control box. I don't think I can spray anything on or near the electronics. I have Amdro but am not sure it would work on carpenter ants. I also have boric-acid roach powder. Any suggestions?

Ginny

DeBary

A: The best way to control carpenter ants is to find the nest and treat it with an insecticide for indoor use, such as DeltaDust, Sevin or Tempo, and follow directions on the label. Using a commercial-grade boric acid for roaches may not help, because carpenter ants like products with lower levels of boric acid.

You can find the nest by tracking their trail of sawdust or waste back to the nest's entrance. Although you can find carpenter ants in a variety of places, they prefer an area with moisture, such as soft rotting wood.

If you are worried about spraying, you can use baits outside along the foraging trails instead. Although it is usually difficult to lure carpenter ants with baits, some new products may be worth trying — Whitmire Granular Carpenter Ant Bait, Maxforce Carpenter Ant Gel and Maxforce Outdoor Ant Killer Granules. If one bait doesn't seem to work at first, try it again in another month.

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