Timely Tips from Over the Garden Fence
You can catch George Wedel on Over the Garden Fence, 9:05 am Saturdays on AM 590 WKZO.
And return here each week at www.wedels.com for the latest in Wedel's timely tips.
|
TIMELY GARDEN TIPS FROM OVER THE GARDEN FENCE JUNE 28, 2003
This past week summer weather arrived like the proverbial lion, really hot and dry. It's Wednesday as I'm writing these timely tips and hoping for some much-needed rain. This week, many of the questions and samples reviewed at Wedel's Plant Diagnostic Center were moisture related. As temperatures rise and rainfall decreases, some folks tend to over water or fail to irrigate, both of which can lead to plant problems. Because of the great need, let's review my "green-thumb" tested irrigation practices for summer: * Mulched perennial flower gardens need 3/4 inch of moisture every 7 days. * Unmulched perennial beds need 1/2 inch every 4 days. * Shallow rooted annual bedding plants require 1/4 inch every 2 days. If these beds are mulched, give 1/4 inch every 3 days. * Lawns require 1/2 inch of irrigation twice a week, ideally applied between 2:00 and 4:00 pm. * For most vegetable gardens, 1/2 inch of moisture twice a week is adequate. * Container and hanging baskets should be watered only after plunging fingers into the soil to check for moisture needs. * Most roses and small deciduous shrubs, if they are mulched, need 1 1/2 inches of water each week. * Larger, established trees should get 1 1/2 inches of irrigation over their entire root zone every 10 days. * Established evergreens need 1 inch every 2 weeks. * As always, take into account soil types; light and sandy soils will need more frequent irrigation and heavy soils will need less. * Finally, be sure to give plants growing under trees and building overhangs extra attention. Even hard downpours usually miss giving plants in these places enough moisture. Summer garden and landscape care always goes hand-in-hand with the topic of mulching. We have discussed the need for proper watering to have productive lawns, gardens, and landscape plants. There is no one thing that will increase the effectiveness of your irrigation, reduce the frequency needed, and lower the cost than using proper mulching techniques. Garden plants, shrubs, and trees all benefit from mulching. Two inches of shredded cedar wood mulch will keep soil cooler for more active roots, help stop weeds, and reduce the amount of water needed. To help preserve moisture and keep lawn soil adequately moist, raise mower cutting height to three inches. A higher mower setting will also discourage weeds. Now, let's look at today's garden highlights. Rose chafers are beginning to feed on roses and crabapples. Control rose chafers with sprays of 10% Permethrin. Spruce and arborvitae evergreens need to be inspected for mites. If present, spray spruce and arborvitae with Malathion and summer spray oil. Rose bushes are blooming really well now with huge bouquets on nearly every bush. To keep roses blooming all summer, be sure to prune off all dead flowers as soon as they fade. Prune back to first stem with five leaves. Fertilize roses the first day of every month from April to August with Rose Tone. If rose blossoms fail to open properly or not at all, thrips could be the culprit. Flower thrips cause the rose buds to ball up without opening and petals to turn brown. When infestation is heavy, few flowers open normally. To control, all infested buds should be picked off and destroyed, then spray with Orthenex. If roses haven't received several sprays of fungicide this season, they are certain to be infested with black spot fungus. Black spot fungus has been very active of late. Keep rose plants free of black spot fungus by spraying with Orthenex every two weeks. Gypsy moth caterpillars are now entering the last two weeks before they pupate. During this period, they consume the most vegetation. The best control measures now are Tanglefoot placed on bands around tree trunks and sprays of Sevin or Pyrethrin. Aphids are active on the tender new growth of many plants. Aphids also enjoy warm, humid weather. Gardeners should check their flower and vegetable plantings several times a week to prevent aphid build up. Control aphids with Pyrethrin or Malathion. Pesky four-lined plant bugs continue to plague our perennial gardens. Spotted, distorted, and curled leaves are sure signs that the four-lined plant bug is active in your flower garden. Plants most often damaged are geraniums, Shasta daisies, rudbeckia, caryopteris, and viburnum. Control four-lined plant bugs with sprays of Orthene or Pyrethrin. Well-irrigated gardens are sure to have slug and earwig damage showing up on hosta, dahlia, and other tender plants. Control these pests by applying Bug-Geta pellets under foliage on the ground. Put on one application of Bug-Geta pellets every three weeks. To prevent garden phlox and zinnia plants from becoming infected with mildew this summer, begin a preventative spray program. Spray phlox and zinnias twice a month with Ortho Funginex for clean foliage. Bronze birch borer adults are emerging from infested birch trees. The adult stage is a one-half inch long beetle. The beetles will nibble on birch leaves and begin looking for weakened trees to deposit eggs on. Suspect trees should be sprayed with 10% Permethrin or Cygon now. Most important is to keep birch trees healthy with a yearly feeding of Tree Tone, water during dry spells, and mulch with cedar chips to their drip line. Honeylocust plant bugs are creating more damage than usual on locust trees. Spray locust trees with Isotox every two weeks and deep water once a week to encourage new foliage. Be sure to fertilize locust trees every October with Tree Tone. To avoid many locust tree insect problems next year, apply Bayer Systemic Insect Control to roots in October. If your traditional blue hydrangea shrub's flowers are not as blue as they once were, the soil pH is probably not to its liking. For blue hydrangeas to keep their striking blue color, soil pH should be in the range of 4 1/2 to 5 1/2. To lower soil pH to the correct level, apply garden sulfur to assure bright blue hydrangea blooms every year. Tough summer vining weeds that are showing up in many lawns can be successfully controlled now. Spotted spurge, knotweed, clover, veronica, and ground ivy are best killed with a spray of Triclopyr Weed Killer mixed with Spreader Sticker. Apply one half inch of water to lawn 24 hours before spraying. A repeat application one week later will completely wipe them out. Young crabgrass plants are beginning to make their presence known in some lawns. As soon as young crabgrass plants are visible, spray with Fertilome Crabgrass Control. Be sure to keep mower cutting height set high, at three inches, to help discourage broadleaf weeds and crabgrass. Red Thread disease continues to be active in many lawns. The six-inch and larger spots can appear overnight, showing up as red-tinged dead spots. Prevent and eliminate Red Thread, Melting Out, and other lawn diseases with Scotts Lawn Fungus Control. Red Thread appearance in the lawn can also indicate low soil fertility. Apply slow release Scotts Lawn Pro lawn food or Turf Nurture, both of these are excellent summer lawn fertilizers. What can be done about mushrooms that are so abundant in many lawns? It's been 40 years since we have had a control for toadstools and Fairy Ring in turf areas. Mushrooms and other above ground fungi are the evidence of mycelia growing underground. The formula to restore good turf in toadstool-infested areas is to pick all fungi as soon as they appear, fertilize to keep turf growing, irrigate as needed, and spray Consan fungicide on area. Consan will be a great help to lawn owners who have suffered from toadstools and mushrooms. Now there is a solution.
George Wedel |
Timely Tips
Archive
07/05/03 09/21/02 09/14/02 09/07/02 08/31/02 08/24/02 08/17/02 08/03/02 07/27/02 07/20/02 07/13/02 07/06/02 06/29/02 06/22/02 06/15/02 06/08/02 06/01/02 05/25/02 05/18/02 05/4/02 04/20/02 |