Q:My daughter's house is built on a concrete slab and from time to time she finds slugs in the house. She has two small children and doesn't like to use pesticides. Can you offer a remedy?

A. The slugs are probably living in the soil or mulched areas around the foundation of her house. At night they move out in search of food. However, during hot times or particularly wet periods, they will move looking for a dry spot or a cooler surface. My guess is they occasionally move into her house to avoid the heat.

To rid herself of slugs she can nestle a couple of large jar lids in the ground around the edge of the slab and fill them with beer. Slugs are attracted to the odor and will fall in and drown. While it sounds strange, it's very effective. It usually takes a few days for slugs to find the beer, but it will catch them for several more days. When you empty the dead slugs out of the lid, replace the beer to keep the odor fresh.

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Q:I would appreciate some advice about my chrysanthemums. I have four of them in a planter alongside the deck and already they are huge and one of the plants looks like it has tiny buds on it. They all bloomed last year in late August. Should I cut them back, and if I do, will they bloom this fall?

A. What you experienced last summer is quite typical if they aren't cut back two or three times during the summer. Many gardeners refer to this cutting back as pinching. By removing the terminal bud at the end of each branch, you force the lateral buds to develop resulting in a thicker plant. This also delays the blooms until fall. I normally recommend cutting mums back in May, June and July. By making the last cut in mid-July, the plants still have enough time to set bloom buds for fall color.

Since it's already mid-July, you could get away with cutting one time right now. Be sure to mark your calendar to begin the pinching process in May next year. You'll have thicker, fuller plants that will give you that great fall color we expect from chrysanthemums.

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Q:We are being infested with tiny insects called springtails. After trying various treatments they just won't go away. Do you have any suggestions?

A. Springtails are attracted to moist places. They can be found in moist garden soil, damp basements, or on the soil in potted houseplants. They don't do any serious damage, but they can be quite a nuisance. The first step is to do what you can to resolve the moisture issue. Imidichloprid may be effective in controlling them outdoors, but the best control indoors is to correct the moisture problem.

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Q:My son has two American boxwood plants that are roughly 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. He originally planted them five years ago. Can they be relocated, and if so, when would be the best time to do it?

A. Boxwood actually has a relatively compact root system, making them easier to move than many plants. However, I would wait until fall to move them. Anytime in late September or early October would be great. I'd suggest that he dig the holes in the new spot first to minimize the amount of handling he'll have to do with the freshly dug plants. Then be sure to take a good size root ball and wrap it securely in burlap to keep good soil contact with the roots. When replanting them, he will want to be sure to keep the base of the plant slightly higher than ground level. Plants this large will have heavy root balls and will be subject to settling.

Richard Nunnally is a freelance writer and speaker as well as host of WCVE's monthly gardening show, "Virginia Home Grown." Questions can be sent to tdgarden@comcast.net or P.O. Box 3690, Chester, VA 23831.