March 20, 2004

Question: Many of our hibiscus plants are getting quite woody, i.e., void of flowers and leaves. The hedge that we have behind our pool cage has been healthy for ten years and is now dying out. We have replaced some of the plants but they do not last long either. I have noticed a lot of burrowing around them and suspect armadillos. Perhaps they are going for the roots. Do you know of anything that we can put out that would discourage them?

- Lou T. , e-mail

Answer: If armadillos are feeding among your hibiscus, they would be consuming grubs and other soil insects, not plant roots. However, burrow, i.e., tunnels, suggest mole activities. Moles will eat the roots of certain plants undermining them. To discourage armadillos, treat the soil with insecticide to kill the grubs. To get rid of moles, purchase one of several products available at garden centers. Another, but more insidious garden pests are nematodes. These are microscopic round worms that feed inside the roots of susceptible plants and are omnipresent in soils. Over time, the population of nematodes may be so great that even new plants quickly succumb to their feeding. Ixoras are susceptible to nematodes. You may want to bring in a deceased plant for an Extension postmortem.