Let the birds eat the fruit

Q.  There are a lot of birds that keep visiting my eleagnus hedge. I see that it produces a small fruit. I assume that the birds are eating them. Can people eat the fruit?

 A. Eleagnus does produce an edible fruit. The fruit is quite small and tart. It also has a large seed so there is not much fruity flesh to eat. I would just leave the fruit for the birds and enjoy their activity.

 Q. I have some elephant ear plants that have done quite well this year. I want to know how to treat them for winter so they will come back next year.

 A. They have a large bulb which survives out winters even though the top freezes. Just make sure they are mulched heavily so when a hard freeze comes the bulb will not get damaged.