QUESTION: How do you cut back aucuba? I know it is supposed to be in March, but don't know how to go about it.ANSWER: Aucuba is very receptive to cutting back. Just cut the stems back to the next branch or bud along the stem. You can hardly go wrong pruning aucuba.Once you do the trimming, put the better-looking cuttings in a vase or jar of water and let them surprise you by growing roots that are the start of extra plants for your landscape.

QUESTION: I started tomato and squash plants in flats on top of the refrigerator. While the tomato plants don't have their first set of true leaves, they are growing well.With the temps up as they are, is it safe to put them outside now overnight, or should I leave them inside?ANSWER: It is too cold to leave tomato and squash seedlings outdoors now. The chill would stunt their growth. However, they benefit from the stronger light outdoors during the day if the air is at least 60 degrees.

QUESTION: I moved late last fall, which was too late to do anything with the lawn. My yard is more weed than grass. I plan to redo the lawn this fall, but want to know what I should do now to make the best of a bad yard over the spring and summer.Would you recommend I use a fertilizer with pre-emergent weed killer now and hope that I have enough real grass among the weeds?If I do that, how long would I have to wait before I tried to thicken things up with some overseeding, or will it be too late in the spring for the grass to get established before the heat? Or do I fertilize now (no weed control) and hope that my weeds look enough like grass?ANSWER: I would fertilize the grass, but use no pre-emergent weed killer, and try to kick the fescue into growing pretty well. If you have any large bare spots, work on them with some seeds.Don't spend much money on the lawn now. Live with it. Save your energy, time and money for real lawn renewal in mid-September.However, as summer goes along, you should work on eradicating the weeds with spot weed control, particularly by getting them out before they bloom and set seeds.

QUESTION: How do I take care of peace lilies? The leaves are turning yellow and brown at the bottom. I water them once a week. Is that too much?ANSWER: Peace lilies require very moist soil and tend to develop yellow leaves when they dry out, and these yellow leaves turn brown and die. I would water them more often, because it is possible that the pot is packed with roots and there is not a lot of space for moisture to wait around until the plant needs it.If the plant shows rapid wilting within a day or two after watering, it is a sure sign that the plant requires repotting in a larger container. It is also possible that your plant has suffered from exposure to drafts of warm air from a furnace vent this winter.

QUESTION: I have a hibiscus that has been with me for many, many years. She is potted and I put her out in the warmer weather and all summer.Back in November, as the temps started to fall, I brought her in the house. Several weeks later, I noticed little black spots along the stems and on the new growth and older leaves, mostly under the leaf itself. I have sprayed the entire plant twice to no avail. What is it?ANSWER: It sure sounds like aphids. The spray only affected the adult aphids, not the eggs that hatched later. If the plant is small enough, put it in the kitchen sink and wash the stems and foliage to remove the eggs and adults. Follow up by spraying, and I suggest insecticidal soap to break the cycle of reproduction by these insects.You will have to keep spraying until you break the cycle. Aphids reproduce very fast.