Daffodils on Easter? Don’t let them go to waste. Mort White

“The more you plan the more you set yourself up for disappointment. I let nature take her course and use gentle persuasion to get my way.” —Susan Dumaine, gardener-botanist

Q: What do I do with my Easter gift of a pot of daffodils?

—Joe, North Smithfield

A: You can plant it in the garden and remove the stems' top half. You can also store the bulbs after drying them in the sun and cut off the roots. If you store the bulbs in a cool dry place for the summer, you will have more energy in the bulbs and you can separate them for fall planting. Storing is more important for tulips than dafs.

Q: I have had blueberry bushes for 25 years. Lately they have been getting witches brooms and it seems to be progressive from year to year. What can I do for my 30 bushes besides cutting them out. —Valerie, Ashburnham, Mass.

A: We now know that witches broom irregular growth is the result of a rust. It winters over in cedars inn the nearby woods. Continue to eliminate the brooms and spray with a fungicide in the fall after harvesting. Since they are getting older, you might consider making cuttings to replace them.

Q: What can I use to get rid of moles in the lawn? —Gary, Lewisburg, W.Va

A: You need to get rid of the grubs that are part of the diet of the moles first. Grubicides can be applied when the soil is 65 degrees in fall and spring. Merit can be applied at anytime but the bugs are near the surface at this time. Sticks of fragrant gum can be put in their holes anytime. You will need to wear gloves to hide your scent. Cinnnamon powder is also a great deterrent. Cinnamon gum may drive them mad.

Q: The top half of my boxwood hedge in my front yard is yellow. Boxwood in the back of the house is not. I fertilized all this past fall with a soluble. What is wrong? —Jason, East Lyme, Conn.

A: My first thought is spring burn, which is easy cut off. Another possibility is grubs in the front lawn. You will need to apply a grubicide soon. You can dig down a few inches now, to see if they are feeding on the roots of the lawn and boxwood. Do not fertilize again for five years.