Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Thursday - July 30, 2009
From: Tuckerton, NJ
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Pests, Herbs/Forbs
Title: Worms on blackeyed susans and daisies in Tuckerton NJ
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
I have black eyed susans and white daisies planted together. Not sure if this makes a difference. Today I noticed that there are tiny worms on both the plants they are almost the size of silk worms. What can I spray on the plants to remove any bugs that won't damage the plants?ANSWER:
If you feel they are just "worm worms," not a caterpillar larvae of some beautiful butterfly you have been trying to attract, spraying or drenching the plants with a mild solution of soapy water should send the worms on their way, and certainly will not hurt the plants.
If, on the other hand, they are caterpillars, and you don't care if the DO grow up to be butterflies, here is an article from the St. Petersburg (Florida) Times, The Best Caterpillar Control, by John Starnes.
If you still don't feel your problem is solved, contact the Rutgers University Cooperative Extension office for Ocean County. If you are having problems, others probably are, too, and the University Extension people should be able to give you closer-to-home advice.
More Herbs/Forbs Questions
Ground cover under live oaks
June 18, 2012 - I have some areas under Live Oak trees (maybe 200 sq. ft.)that remain bare, in spite of trying Habiturf. Soil is dry, poor and shallow. Can you suggest a living ground cover that would not require m...
view the full question and answer
Plants to prevent erosion in IL
August 02, 2012 - We just got done building a house and have leveled all of the dirt piles. We do have a row of straw bales to help prevent the dirt from washing onto the neighbors property. It is the wrong time of ye...
view the full question and answer
Improving Bluebonnet seed contact with soil
November 06, 2015 - I have a five acre field in Blanco County, much of which is covered by bluebonnets. There are several species of native grasses as well. Would it be beneficial to disk or otherwise disturb the soil ...
view the full question and answer
Local native plant for grave marker in Washington
December 30, 2005 - Dear wildflower expert,
Our friend’s dog died, and is buried in western Washington, near the town of Monroe.
My wife is from central Texas, and thought a Texas perennial would be a nice marker.
...
view the full question and answer
Tropical Texas landscape from Houston
March 04, 2013 - Do you know of any public (or at least photographed) place in Texas that has been landscaped entirely with native "tropical-looking" (i.e. evergreen but NOT conifer and NOT succulent/arid) species? ...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |