OVER THE GARDEN FENCE

April 9, 2005

Village Green, Putting Green, Salad Green, Bowling Green, Green Bay, Greenville; all interesting enough, but none compare to the spring greening of our great Michigan landscape. Kelly Green, Moss Green, Jade Green, and forest Green are certainly the most popular greens this April after a winter that seemed to never end. Magnificent green meadow, budding woodlands, lush lawns, parks, and sprouting gardens. I hope all of our green-thumb friends will be able to enjoy the Great Green Event of spring this weekend in your gardens and the many beautiful vistas in our area.

Working out in our gardens is the most enjoyable way to catch Spring Green Fever. This morning, lets take a stroll around our landscape and gardens to make notes of the more essential projects that will keep our garden and landscape green.

Remember last year when the leaves on the flowering crab fell off the tree in July and August? A spray of Lime Sulfur now and a spray of Halt Fungicide in May, June, and July will keep your flowering crab disease-free all year.

Be sure to spray roses in the next few days to clean up over-wintering diseases. Lime Sulfur again does the job.

Last June, some of the peony plants set bud but never grew or bloomed, the leaves then turned black. This is the work of anthracnose disease. Control anthracnose disease with two sprays of Halt Fungicide; one when new sprouts emerge from the soil and once again the first week of May.

Last weeks MSU Landscape Alert reminded me of the many homeowners who came into the garden center last July with reports of dead leader growth on White and Scotch Pine and spruce trees. The culprit is usually White Pine Weevil. White Pine Weevil becomes active in early April. Adult weevils lay eggs in tree tops, which develop into larvae that bore into terminal shoots, which subsequently die. Timing of your control program is very important. Spray 38Plus on terminal shoots when buds swell.

European Pine Shoot Moth damage on Austrian, Mugho, Scots, and Red Pine is very similar; killing terminal shoots. Pine Shoot Moth damage is recognized by curled dead branch tip ends. Control Pine Shoot Moth damage with sprays of 38Plus at bud-swell and again in late June.

Another damaging borer that must be controlled is the Zimmerman Pine Borer. Red, Scotch, Austrian, and Mugho Pine and Douglas fir are all affected by Zimmerman Pine Borer. Spray these valuable evergreens in early April and again the third week of May with 38Plus.

Last summer, there was an epidemic leaf spot infection of hard maple trees in many neighborhoods. Lawns were covered with fallen brown leaves. Norway, Crimson King, and Schwedler Maples were devastated. These trees should be cared for this spring. Fertilize hard maple trees now with Tree Tone and irrigate to activate. Destroy all maple leaves raked from lawn, garden, and from around landscape shrubs. Spray as much of your trees as possible with halt Fungicide every month April through August.

Now is the best time of year to address Dogwood health. Discourage borers by keeping all vegetation away from trunks. Apply Systemic Tree and Shrub Insect Control to the soil and water in thoroughly. Fertilize dogwood trees now with Holly Tone. Prevent Dogwood Anthracnose disease with sprays of Halt fungicide in May and June and one spray of Maneb during the forth week of September.

Many folks are again able to enjoy beautiful white birch in their landscape. How? Systemic Insect Control to the rescue! Just pour around the trunk of birch trees each spring and water in well. Systemic Insect Control controls both Bronze Birch Borer and Birch Leaf Miner. Fertilize birch yearly with Tree Tone. Keep ground under birch trees free of grass. Mulch with two inches of cedar chips. These care tips will keep your birch in tip-top condition and an asset to any landscape.

If your clematis isnt performing as well as you would like, consider these suggestions. Every April, feed clematis vines with one-half cup Sulfate of Potash and ten pounds of composted cow manure. Clematis vines are heavy feeders and appreciate frequent feedings of water-soluble Nursery Select high-potash plant food. One gallon of liquid Nursery Select every two weeks from April until flowers appear. Continue feeding through August. In July feed another one-half cup of potash. From April through September, a clematis vine requires at least four gallons of water per week. Mulch clematis vines with two inches of cocoa hulls to keep root zone cool and moist. Be sure to keep mulch four inches away from stem and crown. Spray clematis vines with Halt Fungicide to prevent wilt disease. Younger vines are most susceptible to the wilt. Spray Halt Fungicide every two weeks April and May, then once a month June through September. In September, fertilize clematis with one-half cup bone meal and fifteen pounds of composted cow manure around each vine. This formula will reward any gardener with arbors and trellises filled with beautiful clematis blooms.

Last summer, did some of your garden and landscape plants look a bit off-color with fewer leaves, smaller flowers, and a somewhat tired appearance? When our prized garden and landscape plants do not get the nutrients they need from their soil environment, they will show symptoms of the shortage. The symptom most often recognized by gardeners is leaf yellowing due to nitrogen deficiency. Because nitrogen is consumed faster by plants and is retained more poorly by soil particles, it needs to be replenished more often.

Other nutrients are either required in smaller amounts or dont move as easily through the soil, so they are added periodically or when a deficiency is noted. The deficiency of the following major and minor nutrients will lead to plant problems.

* The lack of nitrogen shows up in slow plant growth, uniform yellowing in leaves, and drooping of oldest leaves.

* Low phosphorus levels lead to stunting and poor flowering and fruiting.

* The lack of potassium in sufficient quantity causes slow plant growth, weak stems, brown leaf tips, and stunted fruits.

* Not enough calcium causes poor growth and death of sprouts and new growth tips.

* Lack of magnesium causes yellowing between veins of leaves and curling of leaf edges.

* Low levels of sulfur causes yellow leaves and stiff appearance of plant.

* Not enough zinc leads to yellowing of young leaves and abnormally small leaves.

* Insufficient amount of iron will cause young leaves to become yellow between veins with veins remaining green.

Copper Boron, Manganese, and other elements all make up the long list of nutrients that each plant requires, in differing quantities, for good health and growth.

If your plants or lawn have chlorotic leaves, anemic growth, weak stems, or poor blooming habits, seek help. Take soil, leaf, and branch samples to the local MSU Co-operative Extension Office or Wedels Garden Center for helpful suggestions.

Often, plant health can be assured by using Tone products in your garden and landscape. Plant Tone, Tree Tone, Flower Tone, Rose Tone, and Garden Tone all contain a long list of essential minor plant food elements that most plants will thrive on. Next time, when purchasing plant food, be sure to check the analysis to be sure minor trace elements are included; your plants will appreciate being fed well.

If you saved your amaryllis bulbs after they bloomed this past winter, now would be a good time to repot them before taking them outside for the summer. Increase the pot size by one inch. Always use a clay pot. Excellent drainage is required for amaryllis to thrive; I suggest repotting with Fertilome High Performance Potting Mix. Then soak in the newly potted amaryllis bulb with Root Stimulator. Scatter on surface soil of pot one tablespoon of Osmocote six-month fertilizer. After all threat of frost, about the 20th of May, place amaryllis pots in an east exposure for the summer. With very little summer care, the chances of winter blooms will be very good.

Did some of your iris show great promise last year and them sputter? Iris borers could have been the problem. Now is the time to control iris borers before they enter the iris tubers. Spray iris leaves thoroughly, using 38 Plus with a spreader sticker added. Three applications, one week apart, will give good control of iris borers.

Grub activity in turf is picking up in most neighborhoods. Chafer grubs and Japanese beetle grubs can be killed now. Dylox applied at this time to lawns will provide control before damage to turf is noticed. For 12-month grub control, apply Grubex in June or July.

Be sure to get a Lime Sulfur delayed dormant spray on raspberries when leaves are one-third open. Lime Sulfur applied at this stage of leaf development will help to control anthracnose.

Before hedge plants like honeysuckle, spirea, and privet leaf out any further, it would be good to prune and shape them. Cut out heavy old stems that so often become borer infested. Prune back to desirable height, and then be sure to fertilize. Fertilize evergreens, shade trees, and non-blooming deciduous hedge plants now with Espoma Evergreen and Tree Food.

Did your maple, birch, elm, and oak trees have that shot-hole look last year? Canker worms, or sometimes called inch worms, were mostly likely the culprit. Prevent inch worm damage to your shade trees this year by applying Tree Tanglefoot now. Bands of Tanglfoot on tree trunks will trap egg-laying moths that are active in early spring.