TIMELY GARDEN TIPS FROM OVER THE GARDEN FENCE

May 22, 2004

Near perfect gardening weather this week has offered unparalleled opportunities for spring planting. Green-thumbers are scurrying like bumblebees in the rhododendron shrubs because gardening never gets more exciting than right now.

Most gardeners look forward to the time when they are able to set out annual bedding plants. Before planting annual plants, applying these tips will assure success.

First, let¹s talk about what should be done with our once-beautiful beds of tulips, crocus, daffodils, and hyacinths where we plan to set out annual plants. After spring flowering bulbs have faded, snip off the dead flowers so they won¹t go to seed, but let the green foliage die back naturally, a process that takes several weeks. An exception to this rule is daffodils, which do not require dead-heading.

The six-week leaf die back time is a critical work period for leaves busy with photosynthesis, which is the process by which leaves combine chlorophyll and sunshine into the starches that recharge the bulb with food for the next year¹s bloom. Be sure to foliar feed bulb plantings during this time with Bloom Builder water-soluble fertilizer.

If dying foliage seems unattractive, the best solution is camouflage. Next autumn, interplant bulbs with hosta or pansy plants. They will grow up and around fading bulb plants and disguise the dying foliage of the bulbs.

Remember that some bulbs, such as tulips and hyacinths, do not always come back strongly in subsequent years. If the variety you planted wasn¹t a variety marked "good for perennializing ", then it¹s probably best to treat them as annuals and replant new bulbs in the fall.

I have found that tulip and hyacinth bulbs deteriorate quickly if left in flowerbeds where annual flowers are planted for summer beauty. The moisture levels necessary for marigolds, petunias, impatiens, and their friends is deadly for bulb plants. If your plans include summer annuals in bulb beds, dig up bulb plants when ripe, dry, cut off tops, put in onion bags, and hang in a well-ventilated garage or garden shed. They may then be replanted in the autumn.

Minor bulbs are usually planted where they can be left in the ground over the summer. Be sure to allow foliage on scilla, crocus, grape hyacinths, and other minor bulbs to ripen completely before cutting off.

Now that we have taken care of our tulip plantings and the so-called "frost free " date for our area is past, planting can begin. But wait! To realize the flowers and vegetable plantings of our dreams, there is pre-planting soil conditioning that should be done. Don¹t plant your bedding plants and seeds into unprepared soil. Flower and vegetable yields are multiplied greatly with proper soil conditioning. As needed, incorporate to the depth of four inches in planting beds sphagnum peat moss, perlite, composted cow manure, ground limestone, clay soil conditioner, gypsum, or Plant Tone.

Don¹t know what soil conditioners your garden soil needs? Bring one or two soil samples to Wedel¹s Garden Center or to the local MSU Cooperative Extension Office for testing. Conditioning planting beds prior to planting annual flower and vegetables will help gardeners realize the abundant blooms and harvest we all desire.

This spring, be very choosy about the bedding plants you buy. When selecting annual flowering bedding plants, look for young plants that are actively growing. These will root in the best. Tall, lanky plants never perform as well as short, stocky ones. Blooming petunias, marigolds, snapdragons, and many other bedding plants should have their flowers picked off at planting time to help encourage them to develop fuller, more bushy plants and a stronger root system which, in turn, will produce more blooms during the summer.

When planting bedding plants, be sure to feed them with Nursery Select Starter food. Then feed with water-soluble Nursery Select Growth Food every two weeks throughout the summer. Nursery Select plant foods are professional grade fertilizers with an impressive list of trace minerals to assure excellent growth, flower color, and overall outstanding results.

Other projects gardeners should consider this morning include the following.

Canker worms are very active on many trees including maple, crabapple, birch, beech, and linden. Canker worms, also called inchworms, can be controlled with Spinosad or Permethrin.

Cutworms are becoming numerous in most gardens now. They make their presence known by eating the foliage of almost any plant and cutting off new transplants at soil level. Control cutworms with Bug-B-Gon granules sprinkled on the soil.

We don¹t have to look very far to see aphid damage on shrubs, trees, and perennials. Curled and deformed leaves on the ends of branches are the tell-tale signs. Control aphids on ornamental plants with Isotox, Orthene, or Pyrethrin.

If gypsy moth caterpillars are to be controlled with BT spray, it must be applied now. After this week, use Sevin or Pyrethrin to kill the caterpillars. Gypsy moth caterpillars can also be controlled with sticky band traps wrapped around the trunks of affected trees.

The recent rains have been great for plants; unfortunately, slugs like damp weather also. Reduce slug numbers quickly with Bug-Getta granules. Slugs love daylilies, hostas, dahlias, and many other of our favorite plants. Just a few granules of Bug-Getta sprinkled around choice plants gives great results. Bug-Getta slug killer is a product every gardener shouldn¹t be without.

Strawberries are at various stages of bloom and fruit formation. To prevent gray mold, stem rot, and leaf spots, spray strawberries with Captan.

Spittlebugs are beginning to feed on pine trees, vegetables, and flower plants. Spittlebugs can be distinguished by the white foamy matter around the insect. Control spittlebugs with sprays of Pyrethrin.

Tent caterpillars are very active now on crab and cherry trees. Tent caterpillars may be controlled with sprays of Spinosad or Pyrethrin also.

Plants inclined to anthracnose and scab diseases are most likely to be infected because of the recent damp weather. To prevent further leaf infection and leaf drop, begin a spray program now. Sycamore, crab, oak, maple, mountain ash, serviceberry, rose bushes, and many others need to be sprayed now. Use Halt Fungicide to help suppress anthracnose and scab leaf diseases.

Haven¹t had time to kill the weeds in your lawn? Don¹t despair. Weed-Out Trimec Lawn Weed Killer can be applied now with excellent results.

Has a stranger popped up in your garden or landscape that you can¹t identify? Uninvited plants in our gardens and landscape at times disguise themselves as desirable plants. If you have questions about any plant, bring samples to Wedel¹s for identification. Our plant experts will help you with cultivation or eradication suggestions.

Euonymus scale is active and control measures should be taken now. Apply Horticultural Spray Oil mixed with Malathion then apply Bayer Systemic Insect Control on soil at the base of euonymus to control later scale infections. Feed euonymus yearly with Tree Tone.

Are you missing some newly planted flower or vegetable plants? Could be a pesky rabbit likes your choice of plants. Chase rabbits away with Repellex Rabbit Repellent.