TIMELY GARDEN TIPS FROM OVER THE GARDEN FENCE

April 24, 2004

It's the 24th of April and gardens, landscapes, and farm fields are dry, dry, dry. I can remember some dry Mays in the past, but never so dry in April. Notice how wimpy some lawns appear, the short stems on many tulips, and poor growth on perennial flowers. I said some lawns and gardens, for those gardeners that are providing needed irrigation are enjoying good plant growth and turf growth is normal.

Why is irrigation so important? Why not wait for rain? Turf density will be severely diminished if good growth is not realized now when soil temperatures are lower. Perennial flowerbeds will show less vigorous growth and fewer flowers in late spring and summer without irrigation now. Without irrigation now, shrubs and trees will not produce needed growth for long term health. Early planted vegetable plants will get off to a much better start with needed sprinkling applied now.

How much moisture is needed? Lawns should receive one half inch of moisture twice a week. Perennial flowerbeds that are well mulched need one inch of water now then three-quarters of an inch throughout the growing season. Beds that are not mulched will need one inch per week. Trees and shrubs should have two and one half inches of irrigation today and one inch every other week throughout the growing season. Vegetable plantings will excel only if given one inch of irrigation each week throughout the growing season. Best advice is, don't wait for rain, but irrigate today!

Other timely projects that gardeners should consider today include the following.

If your white pine or spruce has shown leader branch damage in past years, now is the time to stop the cycle. White pine weevil larvae feed on the inner bark and sap wood of leading branches and terminal shoots. The leader shoot is destroyed and side branches distorted. Damaged branches will show up in June and July, appearing as curled, dead shepherd's crooks. To control white pine weevils on white pine and spruce trees, spray 38 Plus insect control now, three weeks later, and again in July.

Prevent anthracnose, leaf spot, and scab fungus diseases now. Red and white oak, sycamore, silver and sugar maple, dogwood, ash, crabapple, hawthorn, and poplar trees are all possible targets for these diseases. Leaf diseases make their presence known during the summer months with infected, yellow foliage that drops prematurely. Spring is when infection takes place, which makes this the best time for control. For anthracnose control, use Halt Systemic Fungicide. To control apple rust, leaf spots, and leaf scab fungus diseases, use Fertilome Liquid Fungicide. Galls on maple, oak, and ash tree leaves are to be controlled now while leaves are young. The reddish, green and brown lumps that freckle leaves and disfigure the tree can be controlled with a spray of Saf-T-Side Horticultural Spray Oil. Spray spruce trees now with Insecitcidal Soap or 38 Plus insecticide to control spruce gall aphid damage on choice plants.

Have lilacs in your landscape? If so, did the branch tips wilt, turn black, and die last spring? A copper spray now on lilacs will help prevent bacterial blight on lilac shrubs. Because of extremely dry weather, spider mites are multiplying well and infecting evergreens. Check for mite activity on spruce, arborvitae, and junipers by shaking branch over white paper or cardboard. If mites are found, spray with Malathion and Saf-T-Side Spray Oil or 10% Permethrin.

This spring many spruce and pine trees are showing a great deal of winter damage. Yellow and brown needles reduce their value. Check buds, if they are green and supple, the branch is no doubt alive. To restore affected pines and spruce to health, fertilize now with Tree Tone, mulch with two inches of cedar wood chips, and keep adequately watered this summer.

If evergreens near roadways show brown salt-injured needles, apply gypsum to soil and irrigate heavily to flush the salts from the soil. To help prevent damage to conifers next winter, be sure to irrigate well in the autumn and spray wind-exposed plants, especially those near roadways, with Cloud Cover in November. With a little more care, conifers could stay green all winter and be an asset to our landscapes all year. In salt-prone areas near roadways and parking lots, plant salt-tolerant plants. At Wedel's Garden Center, we sell several salt-tolerant trees such as Black Hills Spruce, Bald Cypress, Sycamore, Locust, Gingko, Hawthorn, and Norway Maple.

Areas of turf that are receiving adequate irrigation and are still looking dull brown could be infested with European chafer and Japanese beetle grubs. Kill these grubs quickly with an application of Dylox granules. Soak the Dylox in with one inch of water. Three days later, spread Lawn Pro Turf Food with Iron and irrigate with three-quarters inch of water. This will encourage regrowth. In late June or July, apply Grubex for 12-month grub control.

By the way, if there is ever a perfect time to apply crabgrass preventer, it would be now. Crabgrass seed has yet to germinate. An application of Scotts Lawn Pro Crabgrass Preventer now will give all-season control.

The dry weather and cool soil temperatures of late create some unique challenges for our lawns and gardens. Lack of rain and soil temperatures that are still under 50 degrees means crabgrass and many other annual weeds which populate our gardens and lawns have not germinated yet. Most perennial weeds seem to be growing and enjoying the cool weather. Most years, an application of one weed control to our lawns at this time would take care of the annual weeds that normally would have germinated by now, and the perennial weeds that overwinter. Not so this year! If you desire to have a lawn without dandelions, chickweed, buckhorn, or some of the other early spring flowering weeds, apply a weed control now. Fertilome Trimec Weed-Out is what I recommend for the best broad-spectrum lawn weed control. Another application in late May will kill the later germinating summer weeds. For hard-to-kill veronica and wild violets in lawns, spray Triclopyr. Two applications of Triclopyr will clean out these tough lawn weeds.

You will notice that I didn't suggest using a weed and feed. Many folks have put one application of fertilizer on the lawn already, making a weed and feed unadvisable. It is important not to stress out lawns with too much nitrogen. We risk overloading the lawn with fertilizer if a weed and feed is applied now. If you didn't put on a lawn food earlier, then a weed and feed application would be just fine at this time. Many folks have purchased an all-season lawn program and those lawn programs call for using a weed and feed. This year, delay that application until mid to late May. Spot spray Weed-Out Trimec Weed Control now to control early blooming perennial broadleaf weeds.

Clumps of tall-growing, coarse, wide-bladed grasses are showing up in many lawns. These weed grasses are usually tall fescue, nutsedge, orchard grass, or quackgrass. All four of these pesky grasses are perennial varieties and should be removed from fine turf areas. The best eradication method is spraying with Kill-Zall. After spraying, wait seven days, scatter a peat soil mix on treated areas, apply Scotts Seed Starter Fertilizer, then put on a good quality grass seed. Rake seed into soil and water well for thirty days.

Don't forget, this is the week to show our appreciation for trees. Stop in to Wedel's Nursery during Arbor Week and see the great and diverse selection of tree varieties. Bring the children and they each will receive a free white pine seedling today.