Does the fertilizer in potting soil such as MiracleGro stay stable over time or does it dissipate? If I use a bag of Miracle Gro potting soil that is a year or two old, is the fertilizer in it still equally effective?

I noticed these brown spots on some of the rhodie leaves. Is it from water, or sun, or nutrition, or pest? And should I remove them?

Hi. Recently had some tree work done that has opened up some of our backyard to dappled sun and shade. I'd like to scatter some seeds in there to germinate low growing wildflowers. The soil here is very poor, rocky clay, so I'm not looking to create a garden, just something to provide some ground cover in a primarily shady area. Thanks, Cheryl Sewell

These little bugs are in my apartment climbing up the walls, in/on the window and sills, in the groves of the sliding patio doors. The picture I am enclosing is of one in the bathroom sink. What are they and how do I get them out and keep them out?

Hi :) I'm growing as a gardener. One of the things that I know is important but I don't know a lot about is amending the soil. I'm on a city lot in Salem....just put garden boxes in the back with good soil...but also tilled up a bed on the side of my house and wondered if there is a way to test the soil and see what it needs to be more productive.

This spring we planted 10 "Hino Crimson" azaleas along the front of our house, replacing the scraggly ones we planted there in 2017 (Rosebud and Elsie Lee). The front of the house faces WNW, and gets mid to late afternoon sun. One of the original azaleas actually died and we pulled it out, last year or the year before. The 2017 azaleas we moved to the back of the house, where we back up to parkland and scattered tall trees give dappled sunlight - hoping they'll be happier there. The new shrubs looked good, on the verge of blooming when we put them in, and blooms popped open within a week, with the exception of one - in the same location as the one that died before. I'm trying to figure out why. Attached are a coup-le of photos. The sad one is number 7 from the front door, 4th from the end. It is not in front of the outdoor faucet (the 2 there are just fine) but is in front of the kitchen window, near the edge of the house and the downspout, which drains under bed off the side of the house. For now, I dug up the azalea, excavated a larger area around it, and filled it with 2 40lb bags of top soil with Holly-Tone mixed in, and replanted the azalea. When I dug out the dirt, I didn't find anything I thought unusual - a fairly large rock, some large thick roots from other long gone shrubs, and one very disappointed squirming cicada larva, but nothing else. The other shrubs' blooms are done, and I don't expect this one will do anything to catch up. I'm just hoping it won't die by next year like its predecessor. Is there anything else you can recommend we do to try and keep that plant healthy? Or do you have recommendations of something we need to fix or look at with that location besides what I've already done? Thanks! This is the 4th time I've sent in a question, and your team has always been responsive with, if not answers, at least great ideas and information! Thank you!

Hi! This is growing in my pard and I don't know what it is. Can you identify it for me? It might be a plant, but looks more like a tree. Thanks! Donna Poplawski Caledonia, MI

This healthy appearing native hive appeared in our old covered abandoned bird house 10yrs ago and has swarmed ever spring since to present. I need to demolish this shed now and rebuild. How do I transfer this hive to a new wax infused hive environ I just bought from from Amazon. Or do I wait until spring swarm and just kill the remaining native hive? I hate to do that though but need to rebuild...

I'm a bit confused after reading the Ohio Extension Bulletin titled "Raspberries for the home fruit planting". I have planted 9 black raspberry plants in a 2' x 24' raised bed garden (approximately 2.5' apart). I planted 3 Bristol, 3 Allen, and 3 Black Hawk plants. I am trying to decide whether to support them with a trellis. In the Raspberry Bulletin, it says that a trellis can be used, but is not necessary for black raspberries. It says for black raspberries, the trellis should be 40" off the ground, but under the pruning section, it says you should head back black raspberries when they reach 24". So my question is: If I support the raspberries with a trellis, should the trellis really be 40" off the ground? It seems like the plants would never get that tall if I headed them back to 24". If I do have a trellis, do I not head back the plants at all? Or do I head them back to a taller height? If I don't support with a trellis, will the black raspberries stay upright and be productive?

What should I do with my rhubarb, since it showed and froze