OVER THE GARDEN FENCE

April 16, 2005

We are all enjoying the mild temperatures the last two weeks, providing near perfect gardening conditions. We do have a very unusual condition to deal with, the soil is extremely dry. Most years, April showers keep our Michigan landscape and soils adequately moist. This Aprils rainfall is close to zero. Lawns are turning brown, there is little growth on shrubs, perennials, and trees. If normal spring blooms and growth is expected on all landscape plants, irrigate today. Fertilizer applied to any plant wont work until rain or irrigation is applied. Weed killers, mole repellents, crabgrass controls, and insect controls must have moisture present in the soil to activate them. It is a waste of time and money not to apply the needed moisture required either before or after application as the directions suggest. My suggestion is to irrigate today. Gardeners who havent irrigated yet this spring should apply at least one and one-half inches of water now.

We now enter the best time to apply crabgrass preventers on lawns. Crabgrass preventers applied between April fifteenth and May first give best all-summer control.

Many vegetable plants, seeds, and tubers lend themselves to early spring planting. When nighttime temperatures are consistently above 24 degrees and day temperatures are above 34 degrees, its time to plant. Start your garden right now with these vegetables: cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, collards, peas, carrots, beets, swiss chard, radishes, potatoes, and onions. Theres no need to wait until May, you can begin your vegetable garden now!

Before planting vegetable or flower gardens, check out the weed population. If perennial broadleaf weeds or grasses are numerous, I recommend spraying KillZall to clear them out before planting. Spray KillZall twenty-four hours after irrigating, then wait three days. After that, till the soil and water well, wait ten days for signs of any regrowth. If needed, spray again, wait three days, till the soil, then begin planting any time. Eradicating perennial weeds before planting will save hours and hours of weeding this summer.

Feeding our flowering bulbs is very important at this time. Scatter bulb fertilizer around hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, and all minor bulbs; then cultivate in to a depth of one inch. After blooms fade and foliage is still green, foliar feed with Bloom Booster water soluble fertilizer. These spring feedings will assure better flowers next year.

Finish cleaning up all the autumn tree leaves tangled up in shrub plantings before any more leaves appear. Finish cutting back any dead perennial stalks. Spray Grass Getter grass killer over perennial flower beds and pull out broadleaf weeds. Feed each perennial plant with my favorite fertilizer mixture: one cup bone meal, five cups Plant tone, and ten pounds of composted cow manure. Scatter one cup of this mix around each medium size perennial plant. Next, spray Weed Impede over perennial beds. Weed Impede will prevent most weed seeds from sprouting for four months. Last, mulch flower beds with cedar wood chips. This method will assure more blossoms this summer and far fewer weeds.

In this part of Michigan, the number one pest of long-needled pines is Diplodia Tip Blight. As the population of pines increases, so does the problem. Austrian and Scotch pine varieties are the most susceptible, Red or Norway pines occasionally are affected. Infected trees begin to show browning of branch tips in late June. The more moisture we have during the infection period, which is mid-April through mid-June, the more severe the damage. If left untreated, entire branches, and eventually the whole tree will die.

To prolong a useful life for Scotch and Austrian pine trees in the landscape, a tip blight control program must be implemented. Most important, a control program must be implemented before tip die back is notice. This means the first spray should be applied now. Spray 48% Liquid Copper mixed with Spreader Sticker on entire plant. Repeat applications every ten days through mid-June.

Often pines and spruce are planted too close together to allow for healthy plants. If branches overlap, remove enough trees so sunlight reaches all parts of the tree. This will also improve air movement and drying conditions.

Fertilize all pines, spruce, and fir evergreen trees once a year with Espoma Tree Tone and irrigate during summer dry spells. Preventing stress and encouraging growth is very important to insure your evergreen trees continued value in the landscape.

European shafer and Japanese beetle grubs are very active, feeding on grass roots at this time. As the soil temperatures warm, the activity will increase. To prevent further grub damage in our lawns, apply Dylox at this time. Always water lawn immediately after Dylox application.

Clumps of tall-growing, coarse, wide bladed grasses are showing up in many lawns. These weed grasses are usually tall fescue or quack grass. These pesky grasses are perennial varieties and should be removed from fine turf areas. The best eradication method is to spray with KillZall grass killer. After spraying, wait three days, scatter a peat-soil mix on treated areas, then spread Scotts Starter Fertilizer and a good grass seed blend. Rake lightly and then water in.

Homeowners that experienced the plague of canker worm and gypsy moth larvae last year will want to take some preventative measures now. Destroy gypsy moth eggs before they hatch; most of these will be located within four feet of the ground on tree trunks, house siding, sheds, or most any other outdoor fixture. Then, put bands of Tree Tanglefoot around all trees. The sticky Tanglefoot will trap countless canker worm moths and gypsy moth larvae after they hatch and travel up the tree trunks to devour leaves. If you live in an area with high concentrations of canker worms, control with sprays of 38Plus. Young gypsy moth larvae can be killed easily with sprays of B.T. or 38Plus.

Did some of your iris show great promise last year and then 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 38Plus with a spreader sticker added. Three applications, one week apart, will give good control of iris borers.

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.

Remember last year when the leaves on the flowering crab fell off the tree in July and August? A spray of Halt fungicide on crab trees monthly April through August will keep your flowering crab disease-free all year.