Ask the Expert

I have an angel's trumpet growing in a pot and don't know how to care for it during the winter. Neither does my sister, who's growing one in Kentucky. Will they freeze if left outside?

CONNIE BROWN

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

Angel's trumpet is only marginally hardy in Charlotte (although global warming might change this) and not at all in Kentucky. My advice is to grow your plants in pots and bring them indoors near sunny windows for the entire winter. You can prune them back as much as you like beforehand. Keep in mind that angel's trumpets are not like bulbs and will not go completely dormant. Keep the soil slightly moist, and do not fertilize. Take the plants back outside after your last spring frost.

The leaves of my French hydrangeas have some sort of black mold on them. Do I need to trim them off? I want to have lots of flowers next year. KRYSTYNA WARREN

FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA

Don't worry abut the leaves-they're going to fall off shortly anyway. To get lots of blooms, your hydrangeas need at least a half day of sun. Provide them with fertile, well-drained soil that contains a lot of organic matter. Don't prune them until new growth begins next spring, and then prune back to live wood. If you prune now, you may remove many flower buds, because most selections bloom on growth made the year before. To help prevent mold and mildew on the leaves next year, make sure that air flows freely around your plants and that you don't wet the foliage when you water.

ACCORDING TO STEVE

You'd think with all of the attention that's been paid to the evils of alcohol, every creature great and small would have gotten the message by now. Sadly, however, one group refuses to get on board-birds. Many of our winged friends are busy migrating at this time, which builds up quite an appetite. Rejecting all semblance of decorum and moderation, they wolf down great quantities of brightly colored autumn berries, such as those of hawthorn (shown here), holly, firethorn, and viburnum. The problem is that these fruits contain sugars that slowly ferment on the plant to create alcohol. Birds that consume too many spiked fruits get wasted. They sing boorishly at all hours, weave in and out of the flock, fail to signal before changing trees, and pose a hazard to themselves and others. It's time we say to the birds, enough is enough. Don't eat and soar. Don't give berries to underage birds. And if you're going to be out late partying with friends, pick a designated flier. -STEVE BENDER

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