Ask the Experts

Pros offer tips to help struggling plants, protect baby birds and more

Q My six yucca plants send up new leaves, but only two of them bloom. What can I do to get more flowers? Steve Richman ATHENS, PA Melinda: Yuccas thrive and flower best in full sun and well-draining soil. Make sure all six plants are receiving sufficient sunlight. Avoid excess fertilization, as too much nitrogen fertilizer promotes leaf growth and can interfere with flowering. See if the nonflowering plants are more exposed to fertilizer that’s applied to the surrounding area or lawn. Yuccas also tend to be biennial flowering plants, which means you may see flowers every other year, or different plants may flower in alternating years. Q By late summer my milkweed plants are attacked by milkweed bugs. How can I safely eliminate the bugs? Jan Mooney BALTIMORE, MD Melinda: Fortunately, milkweed bugs do…

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Birds & Blooms (Digital) - 1 Issue, August/September 2023

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