HI Vicki
Are you growing your Acuba (spotted leaf laurel) as a houseplant? Leaf drop may be from overwatering and cold temperatures.

Hi Lesley
Moss grows well in shaded area and it doesn’t sound like that’s what you have. The other factors for moss in the garden or grass is acidic soil, compacted soil, low soil fertility or poor drainage. Test the soil and if needed add lime to sweeten it. Loosen the soil by adding organic compost and fertilizer. In the case of moss in grass, core aerate which should help with drainage.
Mushrooms feed on decomposing organic material and are prevalent in high humid and excess moisture areas. They usually disappear when the weather dries up. You can remove the mushrooms to keep the spores from spreading or mow them. Some can be poisonous so wear gloves. The white puffy mushrooms that can grow as big as a basketball are called Puffballs. I’m not sure that’s what you’re referring to.

Hi Kirby
Storing your canna and glads in a garage would work. Put them in a styrofoam cooler to protect them from extreme cold. Another option is to store them in the refrigerator as most maintain a temperature of 39-40F.

Hi Janet
What you may have is a mushroom known as Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (Lepotia lutea)- a common houseplant mushrooms. It can be present in the soil or organic matter that is decomposing. Mushrooms like moist conditions to thrive. It will not harm the plant, in fact when it breaks down(dies) it will provide nutrients to the plant. They are known not to be poisonous to humans or animals but I would not eat them. Enjoy the novelty or remove them when they come up. For more info.http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/mulch.html

Hi Kanchan
There are several different ways to treat for slugs or snails such as diatomacious earth.

Hi Kanchan
There are no effective repellants. Trapping them is the best way. Use over ripe or rotten fruit as bait. Here’s some info on dealing with Armadillos. http://www.plantanswers.com/breakout/qa3231.html

Hi
Your crape myrtle is still adjusting to the new environment. Make sure they get enough water during the hot spell. To make your tree grow taller rather than bushier, you will have to choose the best main branches and cut the other weaker stems.. The tree will then focus all its energy into the remaining branches. Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring.

Hi Linda
Hardy mums should be pinched back when they are 6-8 inches tall (June) and again when they grow 6 more inches or before July 15. This will help produce compact, bushy plants with many flower buds. Just roll out the growing tip from the shoot when pinching. Early cultivars form flower buds after June 15 and later cultivars after July 15. Look at the growing tips, if there are tiny buds inside, then flowers are starting to form and its too late to trim back.

Hi Margie
Summer is not the best time to transplant a crape myrtle. You cannot water the tree on a planned schedule. If it is hot and dry and your soil drains well (no standing water) then you will need to water more often. The tree leaves will loose more water on a hot sunny day and the damaged roots cannot translocate it back to the leaves fast enough. So you get droopy, curled up “burned” leaves. What the tree needs right now is the least stressful conditions and keeping it thirsty won’t help. You might water it with a transplant solution (root starter) to help produce more roots. Mulch around the perimeter of the tree to maintain even moisture. Water deeply and less often and if you can provide some shade to the tree.

Standing water means that the soil is not draining properly which eventually will lead to root rot of the laurel hedge (Prunus laurocerasus) or English laurel. They prefer moist, well-drained soil with organic material added. Clay soil will hold water and not drain well. You need to amend the soil by adding organic material such as compost .