Q: I need some information on pruning camellias at this time of year.

Ted Misenheimer, e-mail

A: Flower buds have already formed on camellia branch tips. If you want flowers next season, prune lightly now, trying to remove only the longest branches but leaving many smaller branches untouched. If you need to drastically reduce the size of the camellia, plan on making it a two-year job, removing a third of the height now and another third next May.

Q: I have a dogwood with great sentimental value. My husband's job is transferring us to Tampa. Do dogwoods do well in that climate? Is it possible to dig my tree up and replant down there?

Trish Zepp, Dunwoody

A: I'm not sure your dogwood would be happy in Tampa. Dogwoods are listed as growing OK in Hardiness Zone 9, but Tampa is in the hottest part of this zone. In my observations, dogwoods like to be cool at night. In addition, my bet is that the tree is more than 5 feet tall, making it very difficult to transplant. Your best option would be to have your picture taken with the tree before you leave, so you'll have a happy memory of it.

Q: I had a sweetgum tree growing underneath my power lines. The electric company came and cut it down. I have been trimming the stump sprouts like a shrub and it looks nice. Is there any reason that I can't keep it as a shrub?

Chris Eckles, Waleska

A: I see no reason why you can't maintain the sweetgum as a shrub. Keep your pruners handy; you'll need to shape it every month during the growing season. If you sell the house be sure to tell the new homeowner what you've done so they can decide whether to keep it.

Q: I am growing squash and zucchini. I have two large yellow squash that are slightly green on the end and I am not sure when to pull them off.

Marilyn Burnett, e-mail

A: You can pick yellow squash and zucchini at any stage after the bloom falls off until they reach 8 inches in length. Your yellow squash might be over-large at this point; that would explain the green ends. I think they'll be too tough to eat. Details on when to harvest vegetables at xrl.us/HARVEST.

Q: Several years ago, I planted six Houttuynia plants at the bottom of a slope that also contained English ivy. Now the Houttuynia is taller than the ivy and stinks like the dickens. Is there something I could spray on the Houttuynia while it is taller than the ivy that would kill it but not ivy?

Rhonda Jobson, e-mail

A: Houttuynia, also known as chameleon plant, is a garden thug. Once planted, it is almost impossible to eradicate. But since it is taller than the ivy, you might find success by wiping glyphosate (Roundup, etc) on its leaves using an old towel wrapped around the end of a garden rake. Spray chemical on the towel until it is damp and then swipe it over the infested slope. Otherwise, no chemical is smart enough to tell the difference between chameleon plant and English ivy.