'Paint' invader to spare azaleas

Q: Virginia creeper has invaded my azalea beds. What can I do to save my azaleas and kill the vine? — Steve Griffin, Colquitt

Put a rubber glove on one hand and use it to pull out and support the vine's leaves. Use a foam paintbrush to "paint" the herbicide onto the Virginia creeper.

Your azaleas will not be harmed, but the vine will die in a few weeks.

Q: When I was a boy during the 1930s in Savannah, I found a wild plant which, if the leaves were rubbed, yielded a soapy substance. What was that plant? — Frank Genastro

A: Wild plant expert Shannon Pable (shannonpable.com) says you likely found soapwort, Saponaria officinalis. This hardy perennial can be grown in a sunny bed, but it might spread more than you like. You can make a natural soap, or even shampoo, by boiling the leaves, roots and stems. Seeds can be found online.

Q: My husband and I are having a minor disagreement. He has become obsessed with weeds. He has learned their names and spends hours picking them. However, he pulls them and simply throws them back down. What is the best thing to do with the weeds once picked? — Lauren Reese

A: As with any marital dispute, the answer is "It all depends. ..."

In your case, it depends on how mature the weed is when your husband plucks it. If it has mature seeds on it, he should collect them in a little bucket and discard them in a safe place. It seems to me that he is very diligent and is probably eliminating them before they have mature seed. Perhaps you could ask him to toss them under a bush where they won't be seen. I applaud his obsession with identifying the weeds.

Every weed has a weakness that can be exploited. By knowing exactly what weed is present, your husband will have a much easier time finding an easy way to control them.

Q: Many of my rose flowers look like the buds are being eaten before they completely open. Just pink petals around a gooey brown center. — Dominique Duviella

A: I think you have an infestation of tobacco budworm.