Q: I have a Colorado spruce that is turning yellowish-gray on the needles toward the inside of the tree. Should I fertilize now?

A: Probably not. The problem is most likely caused by spider mites. These pests are very small (only about the size of a period at the end of this sentence). The damage they do can be extensive because they reproduce quickly and abundantly. To see if you have them, check if the dead and dying needles are clinging to the tree with a spider web. Shake a branch or two over a white or black sheet of paper and look for tiny moving dots (with a magnifying glass if necessary).

Mites suck out the green color of the leaf on many kinds of plants. The mite population explodes in the summer. If you see a plant turning a color it shouldn't be, checking the plant for mites is a good first step.

If the tree has mites, you can get rid of a lot of them by spraying with a vigorous blast of water from the hose. The blue cast on the new needles can be washed off, so be careful spraying the new growth. Insecticides usually don't kill mites, so check the labels of products before using them to see if mites are on the label.

Q: On the end of my tree's branches all of the leaves seem to be eaten by insects, but I can't find any bugs and don't know how to treat them.

A: A few weeks ago there were windstorms over much of the country. Many trees are still growing new leaves on the ends of the branches. These leaves are very susceptible to damage in windstorms. Depending on the direction of the wind and the protection the tree had from other trees and from buildings, not all branches will show damage.

Most of the damaged leaves have stayed on the tree but have dead sections or tattered edges. The dead sections are dry and brittle and are falling out, leaving holes that look like they have been chewed on. Until you can identify a pest, don't spray. The tattered leaves will remain all year but are not harmful to the tree.

Q: My friend put a bunch of pussy willow branches in a vase back in the spring. Most of them have rooted. I have never seen anything like this. Can they be planted directly into the garden? I have never seen an actual pussy willow plant. How big do they get and what kind of care do they need?

A: Aren't you lucky. This happens every once in a while on pussy willow and some other shrub branches that are occasionally brought in for spring color. Pussy willow plants are a drab green in the summer, drab yellow in the fall and have no winter interest, so they don't make great landscape plants. They grow to about eight or ten feet tall and can make a good screen in full sun locations that get a good amount of water.

The can be grown as single trunk plants, but are usually grown as multi trunked shrubs. If you can keep them watered in a sunny spot this summer, plant the stems in the ground at least a foot apart. If it would be difficult to keep them watered for the next couple of months, then you can plant them into a flowerpot with standard potting soil and then move them to the landscape in the fall.

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected]. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.