QUESTION: I bought three Annabelle hydrangeas this spring. Two are planted in a pretty shady place; they get filtered sunlight and are doing pretty well. The other is planted in a sunnier spot and looked best until recently. Then I had a 30-foot Leyland cypress removed because it was teetering toward a neighbor's house and I think it may have provided the protection from the hot afternoon sun that now seems to be frying poor Annabelle.I have been faithful in watering this summer, especially during very hot stretches. However, Annabelle is wilting (which I know hydrangeas like to do in the summer) and leaves are yellowing. Do I need to move this plant, fertilize it or just give it up for dead?ANSWER: You are thinking of giving up much too easily. The Annabelle that went from a position in the shade of a Leyland cypress to hot summer sunshine shows evidence of drought stress (the wilting and the yellow leaves). This is due to the extra heat on the plant from direct sunshine. It is also due to the fact that it is newly planted.The roots are not sufficiently well-established for the plant to hold its own under such stressful circumstances. When you cut down the tree, you folded its shady umbrella.Now is no time to think about moving such a stressed plant. Continuing to water it with a slow drip that puts water into the root zone without runoff is the thing to do. Even if you think you are watering the plant well, it seems likely that it isn't getting into the root zone deeply enough. However, when autumn comes, I think you should consider moving Annabelle.Since it is being hit by hot afternoon sun, that is probably essential. In cooler morning sun, the plant should do fine as the roots get established after transplanting. Annabelle likes a shady spot with some glints of sunshine early in the day. Your problem demonstrates the challenge most gardeners face with shrubs planted in the spring. Very meticulous attention must be paid to watering them during hot, dry weeks. But shrubs and trees planted in the fall do much better. That is because root development continues during cool, even cold, months and the plant is ready to handle the stress of a hot summer.

QUESTION: I recently planted a Confederate jasmine and noticed the development of a thick white fluffy coating on the stems. I also noticed the same coating on a small rosebush nearby. Can you tell me what this is and how to handle it?ANSWER: Those are mealy bugs, a type of sucking insect that produces the white coating that you see on the stems of your plants. It's fairly common problem, and not too hard to deal with. Since you have just two affected plants, start with an all-out assault on the actual insect, which is probably hiding near where the leaves meet the stems. The insects are under the white waxy coating. Pinch them off and squish with your fingers.