AboutTom Alonzo Expertise I have been a gardener for 20 years with perennials both growing from seed and from nurseries. I went through the Master Gardener Program from Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service and I answered questions on the Hotline a few years ago for the Wyandotte County Kansas Extension Service. I have also lived in the Florida, California, Hawaii, Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Missouri and am experienced with a variety of climates, soils and weather conditions.
Experience I have been growing perennials for over 20 years now. I am self-taught mostly except for a master gardener class. I have experimented with all kinds of perennials including many that are not common to my area. I have read hundreds of books and grown hundreds of varieties of plants and hope to make it a business some day. I have become versed in botanical names and growing conditions and what I don't know off of the top of my head I can usually easily find in my vast array of research material and botanical and horticultural contacts. I especially enjoy experimenting with growing plants out of zone.
Question I have noticed that there are ants crawling in and out of my stella do'oro flowers. The flowers seem to to wither before the day is out. It looks like they are being sucked dry. Is it possible that the ants are harming the flowers? If so, what can I do to prevent/stop this problem.
Answer Hi Linda,
Thanx for your question. The ants aren't sucking anything out of the flowers but there may be aphids that are. Ants typically will "herd" aphids and protect them from predators because aphids eliminate "honey dew" which is excrement produced from sucking fluids out of plants. Therein probably lies your problem. Use a horticultural soap which you can find at your local DIY or nursery. I hope this helps. By the way, day lily flowers are supposed to wither by days end hence the name "day lily".
