OVER THE GARDEN FENCE

May 7, 2005

When I was a youngster on the family farm, it was my responsibility to care for the chickens. On a warm spring day after the long winter, the chicken coop door was opened to the outside yard. I vividly remember how excited the chickens were, literally climbing over each other and racing around and around the yard enjoying the spring warmth, green grass, and sunshine. Sounds just like so many gardeners I know.

What, oh what, garden project should we tackle first? Most green-thumbers could reel off a list of exciting garden projects as long as their tallest canna, hollyhock, or sweet corn stalk. To help us stay focused, here are my suggestions for busy gardeners.

We still need a soaking rainfall and until we get one, keep the water flowing. Irrigate twenty-four hours before and after most garden chores. If soil is moist before planting, seeding, weeding and applying any insect or disease controls, fertilizers, or weed killers or preventers, your work becomes easier and garden products will perform better.

Folks with pine tree plantings in their landscapes should be on the lookout for the annual pine saw-fly larvae hatch. These are the little fellas that strip the needles of Scotch, Austrian, and Red pine are now active. A spray of Spinosad, Sevin, or 38 Plus will control the destructive pine saw-fly larvae.

Eastern tent caterpillars are now active on cherry, flowering crab, plum, cotoneaster, and other susceptible plants. Control tent caterpillars with a spray of Ultra-Safe Spinosad.

Its time to protect valuable trees from the destructive Gypsy moth larvae. Most folks can protect smaller trees and shrubs from this hungry pest with sprays of Spinosad or Sevin. Larger trees that are more difficult to spray can be protected from Gypsy moth larvae with Sticky Tree Bands. These bands form a barrier around the tree trunk that insects cannot cross. Sticky Bands are even available pre-coated. Have the Sticky Bands in place before the Gypsy moth larvae become aggressive and defoliate your prize trees.

Dead patches in lawns that havent responded to irrigations are likely the result of grubs eating the grass roots. Dont wait to control lawn grubs any longer. Its important to know that not all grub controls will work at this time of year. Twelve-month controls, such as Grubex, must be applied in mid to late June. The best grub control to use at this time is Dylox. Dylox applied now and irrigated well with three-quarters to one inch of water gives excellent grub control. Apply Grubex six to eight weeks from now and there will be no need to apply a spring control next year.

Birch trees have broken bud, which means birch leaf miners are active. Spray birch now with Spinosad or 38 Plus and again on July 1st to prevent birch leaf miner damage.

Remember to protect your spruce trees this week from spruce galls. Spray 38 Plus now and again in two weeks.

The most asked question this week was, Is it too late to apply crabgrass preventer? The answer is no, there is still time for Scotts Lawn Pro Step 1 Crabgrass Preventer to be applied and have 100% success. I would suggest irrigating the lawn after application to activate the crabgrass preventer.

The second most asked question this week was. Is it too late to sow grass seed? The answer is no, if you havent already applied a crabgrass preventer to the area to be seeded. Grass seed can be planted any time in spring, summer, or early fall if irrigation can be provided. Dont plant seed of any kind without providing moisture. If irrigation isnt possible, then sow grass seed on September 15th or November 15th. Remember when watering grass seed, it is frequency, not quantity, that is important. Keep the top half inch of soil, where the seed is, continuously moist with several light sprays of water daily. Spreading EnCap Seed Mulch with your grass seed will reduce the need to water as often.

The green-thumbers frost-free date for this part of Southwest Michigan is May 15th. Experienced gardeners are weather-wise; they will plant their above ground planters and pots now and cool-tolerant plants and seeds in the garden. Snapdragons, petunias, and alyssum are examples of annual flowers that can be safely set in the ground now. Peas, potatoes, lettuce, radishes, cabbage, broccoli and onions are vegetables that can be set out now. Nearly all perennial flowers can be set out now. For all woody trees, shrubs, evergreens, and vines, it is planting time. Dont succumb to the desire to enjoy the early blooms and fruits of summer by setting out plants that require warm soil. Wait until at least May 15th to plant sweet corn, beans, squash, melons, tomatoes, begonias, impatiens, zinnias, cockscomb, and other warm season plants.

The staff at Wedels Garden Center is fully thawed out after last weeks cool weather and really charged up working with the tremendous selection of plants in the nursery this spring. Perennial plant variety numbers have reached 750 now. Bedding plants in pots, flats, and hanging baskets have filled the greenhouses. The water garden department has hundreds of beautiful fish and dozens of water plant varieties to select from. Potted rose bushes were put on display this week; there are 58 hybrid tea and grandiflora varieties, 27 floribunda, 33 old fashioned and shrub roses, 17 climbing varieties, 10 miniatures, and 9 tree roses for a total of 154 named rose bush varieties, both patented and non-patented.

Our flowering shrub collection has grown to 169 varieties. Over 100 tree types fill the beds. There are 36 evergreen varieties with a shape and color for every location. Vines, ground cover plants, fruit trees, and berry plants are all on display. The list seems endless. Some of the new and exciting plants include the following.

Juliana tree-form weeping lilac with late spring lavender blooms

Weeping Ginko tree will be spectacular in many landscapes.

Tree-form Diablo Ninebark with purple leaves

Tree-form Wine & Roses Weigela has dark leaves and pink blooms.

Sutherland Gold Elderberry with schoolbus yellow leaves next to Black Beauty Elderberrys dark leaves will be quite a show.

Red Robin Potentilla shrub has all-summer red blooms.

Little Teddy Dwarf Arborvitae is huggable, adorable, and will perform well as a sunny border plant that grows less than twenty-four inches tall.

Tamu-Keyana Japanese Red Maple is new, hardier, and in weeping form.

Limelight Hydrangea is an award-winner with large lime flowers on a four to six foot shrub.

The ever-popular Blue Hydrangea is joined this year by Merits Beauty Dark Pink. These hydrangeas bloom all summer.

Have a formal garden? Look at DeGroots Spire Arborvitae. Its maximum growth of eight feet by two feet lends this conical green evergreen to many garden settings.

New roses for 2005 include the following.

The gold-flowering About Face
Pink and cream Elle
Chartreuse Lime Sublime
Lavender-pink Daydream and
Coral pink Lady Elsie May

Some new perennials include:
Jack Frost Brunnera
Ivory Heart Bleeding Heart
Gold Meadows Hosta
Ligularia, Brit-Marie Crawford and
Carmen Red Poppy

These new plant introductions and many more get plant enthusiasts really excited! For most gardeners, a visit to Wedels at this time of year is more exciting than a youngsters visit to a candy shop!