R. Wayne Mezitt

Is burning bush invasive? Learn more about this common landscape plant, plus several burning bush substitutes that pose no threat.

Beautiful flowerbeds can quickly become an eyesore if they’re suddenly home to multiple chipmunk tunnels. Learn how to get rid of chipmunks in your yard and garden (or at least how to try).

Should you remove ice and snow from trees and shrubs or let mother nature take her time? Get the answer from our garden expert.

Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is an invasive vine that’s become a serious threat to some of our natural habitats in New England. Find out how to control it from spreading too far.

Are deer causing damage in your yard or garden? Follow these tips to learn five ways to stop deer from eating plants.

Have you ever noticed Ping-Pong-sized balls dropping from oak trees? Find out how these “oak apple galls” form and if they’re a threat to the tree.

We’d like to get rid of voles in our yard without using poison, as we have rabbits and other animals around. — M.S., Westford, MA Voles (field mice) build tunnels in the landscape and lawn and can cause considerable damage to root systems, stems, and other plant parts. Vole populations are cyclical and encouraged by […]

I had gorgeous hollyhocks for years, but this year a half-inch bug took up residence in the double ones, beginning with the leaves. How can I prevent pest damage to my hollyhocks next spring? — Sister A.C., Lake Ronkonkoma, NY A number of insects can damage hollyhocks: among them, the hollyhock sawfly, the red-banded leafroller […]

The leaves on my lily plants are all tattered and chewed. I noticed small bright-orange/red beetles on them, and also gooey black insects under the leaves. What should I do? Both the grub (larva) and adult lily leaf beetle (also called the Asiatic lily beetle) feed on true lilies (not daylilies) in spring and summer. […]

A tall, grassy plant we call “bamboo” has been spreading like wildfire near a brook on our property, and we can’t control it. We don’t want to use anything that will affect our water, wells, or wildlife. — P.D.S., Agawam, MA Polygonum cuspidatum, commonly known as Japanese knotweed or Japanese bamboo, was introduced from eastern […]

The trees in the area next to my yard have been overrun by vines, and the ground is covered with evergreen undergrowth. The vines still have some orange berries from fall; the lower plants were topped with white flowerheads last spring. What can I do to save my woods? J.F., Worcester, MA Invasive plant species […]

Are daylily buds edible? How do you cook them? — F.P., Berlin, NH The flower buds, flowers, leaves, and even roots of the daylily (Hemerocallis) are universally considered edible. But with any new food, it’s always prudent to try a small amount first in case your system reacts differently. Some people, for example, may have […]