Ask the Gardener: Garlic, Japanese beetles, mystery plant and more

Everybody Gardens editor Doug Oster gets asked a lot of questions. A lot. And he doesn’t mind offering gardening advice. But rather than just limiting those answers to the person who asked, we thought it might be a good idea to share that wealth of knowledge with everybody.

There are three ways to send in your questions:

Email askdoug@535mediallc.com
Submit your question on our “Your Garden” section of our site
Send us a message on Facebook.

(The questions may be lightly edited for grammar/clarity/etc.)

garlic

Question 1: Garlic

Kurt: A few weeks ago, two garlic plants developed a bulge a few inches up the stalks; now the two died back. Now they are harvested, and it looks like a second bulb. Any thoughts?

Doug: Yes, that’s the seed head, called a scape. It’s actually a clone of the garlic bulb below. They are usually removed when they appear to get bigger bulbs. That’s a nice one, and it’s edible just like the bulb. Scapes when they are young and tender are a seasonal treat. I like to grill them and make pesto out of them.

Question 2: Japanese beetles

Kim: Suddenly we are overwhelmed by more Japanese beetles than I have ever seen. Thousands! And I don’t use chemicals because I have a golden retriever. What can we do?

Doug: The first line of defense is handpicking if you can stomach it. Knock as many as you can into a jar of soapy water.
It sounds though that you’ll need Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew (available here). It’s organic and safe for you and your dog. It’s not a poison, the product disrupts the digestive system if the insect.

: A plant with pink flowers (left) and a hydrangea (right)

Question 3: Plant ID and hydrangeas

Jill: Can you identify this flowering pink plant? (I lost the tag from the nursery.) Also, the hydrangea in the pic won’t bloom. The leaves get green and then deer munch on it, and that’s it for the season. It hasn’t flowered in years. Any suggestions?

Doug: The plant is monarda or bee balm — a great pollinator plant. Yours has a little powdery mildew, but it’s just an aesthetic problem. When it’s done blooming, remove the flowers and it might rebloom for you with a little water and fertilizer.

The only way to get the hydrangeas to bloom is to keep the deer off them. You’ll need to either have a physical barrier or regularly spray with Bobbex (available here). Check out this video about hydrangeas to learn about another variety that’s less attractive to the deer.

Question 4: Weedkiller

Marge: We recently moved and there is a 6-foot by 10-foot (approximate) raised fenced bed that is completely filled with weeds. My hubby weeded it when we first moved in, but it’s gone crazy with all the rain we have been having. We are elderly, and I have severe allergies to too many products. I know you only use environmentally safe products. Can you recommend a product that we can spray on the weeds that doesn’t have an odor.

Doug: What’s growing in the bed? I was also thinking that you could use a string trimmer and wipe out the weeds, then put down 7-10 layers of newspaper and then mulch. If you want to use a weedkiller, try Avenger. This product is safe, but it will have a slight odor. You can find it at local garden centers.

Question 5: Weed wacker

Barbara Ann: Awhile back you tweeted about getting a weed wacker with an on/off button instead of having to pull a cord to turn it on. Would you let me know the brand you purchased? Do you still find it easy to operate?

Doug: I bought a battery-powered Black and Decker string trimmer, and I could not be happier. It’s quiet, powerful and lightweight, and it always starts. It’s very easy to use and the battery lasts a long time. It has settings for how much power you need. I also bought one of their battery-powered lawn mowers, and it’s finally made mowing the lawn fun!