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Hello,
I highly recommend Ellen's article "September's Garden To-Do List" which can be found in the Tips and Articles section of this newsletter.
Happy Gardening!
Susan
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Today's Photos
| Hatching Butterfly
I found this guy just in time to watch it hatch a day later. What a blessing! I haven't seen a butterfly hatch since grade school. It was green with a line of gold dots the first day. I didn't get pics because I didn't realize it was so close to hatching. By April from Buffalo, NY
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Today's Tips and Articles
Bugs on My Cherry Tree
Question:I have a new weeping cherry and it looks bad. I have water dripping all the time. I discovered red/brown lady like bugs without the black dots that fly and are eating the leaves on new tree. Bug-b-gone didn't seem to make them fly away.Hardiness Zone: 6a Stewart from Voorhees, NJ Answer:Stewart,It sounds like you have a severe infestation of aphids. Aphids are tiny soft-bodied insects that come in a variety of colors. Some species have wings, other do not. They are sucking insects that feed on the sap of young leaves. As they feed they excrete a sticky, sugary substance called honeydew. The "water" dripping all of the time on your cherry tree is the honeydew being produced by the feeding aphids. Although aphids will usually not seriously harm healthy established trees, heavy infestations can result in leaves turning yellow and wilting from excessive sap removal. Aphids are also vectors for several harmful plant viruses. Worse than the aphids themselves are the large amounts of honeydew they secrete. Not only does this make a sticky mess on the ground beneath your trees, but honeydew is a magnet for attracting a fungus called sooty mold. The mold accumulates on leaves and branches, causing them to turn black and inhibiting photosynthesis. The ladybug beetles on your cherry tree are actually your friends in this situation (incidentally, not all ladybug beetles have spots), so don't try to get rid of them. The more ladybug beetles you see the better. They are aphid-eating machines! Adult ladybugs eat aphids whole-as many as 1,000 in one day. Ladybug nymphs also eat aphids when they are in their larvae stage-stabbing them with their mandibles (biting jaws) and sucking out their juices (similar to how aphids suck sap from leaves). Since your tree is young and probably not very tall, try spraying the leaves with a strong jet of water from your garden hose every few days. This will help blast aphids off the leaves. The combination of water and ladybugs should work to solve your problem. If heavy infestations continue to persist, you may want to try applying a summer oil or an insecticidal soap formulated for fruit trees. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Killing Weeds With Vinegar
Question:When using vinegar as a weed killer, will it kill grass and /or plants such as lambs ear? If so, what do you recommend using to kill the weeds and not the plants or grass? Thanks so much!Hardiness Zone: 6a Val from Terre Haute, IN Answer:Val,Vinegar is non-selective, meaning it will kill anything it comes into contact with. This is usually limited to the above ground growth on a plant, which is why repeated applications are often necessary to completely kill weeds. How much damage a "desirable" plant sustains from contact with vinegar depends entirely on the amount of its exposure to it. The reason using vinegar is so popular is because it's inexpensive. It also doesn't have any permanent negative long-term effects on the soil, although it does alter its ability to support growth in the short term. The distilled vinegar commonly found in grocery stores is usually a weak concentration (5 %), so it's considered safe for use around children and pets. Higher concentrations of vinegar (20%) are available at some home or garden centers, but they can cause eye and skin irritation and should be used with extreme caution. I don't know of any "earth-friendly" chemicals that work on weeds without also harming grass and desirable plants. Surrounding weeds with a coffee can (bottom and top removed) or another type of barrier will prevent the vinegar from drifting onto desirable plants while your spraying. You can "paint" vinegar on individual weeds to avoid damaging grass. To prevent weeds from emerging on your lawn while simultaneously fertilizing it, try to time an application of corn gluten meal to coincide with emerging weeds. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Pruning a Crepe Myrtle Tree
Question:What month should you prune a crepe myrtle tree?Hardiness Zone: 7a LORRAINE from LINDENHURST Answer:Lorraine, Flowers are produced on new growth, so it's best to prune in the late winter or early spring while the tree is still dormant (February through April). Occasionally, Crepe Myrtle trees can also be encouraged to produce a second flush of flowers by lightly pruning them immediately after the first flowers fade. Keep in mind that heavy pruning isn't necessary to promote vigorous flowering. Light pruning is better. "Crepe Murder" is the amusing expression used to describe the wide spread, late winter mutilation of Crepe Myrtle trees commonly committed by well-intentioned gardeners each spring. Many gardeners and landscapers wait too long to prune. When vigorous growth results in heavy, yet weak (and broken) branches, they start to lop off the tree's limbs in an effort to control growth and fix its appearance. This practice of overzealous pruning almost always results in a proliferation of knobby stumps and crowds of sprouting suckers that over time, work to completely diminish the lovely flowing appearance of the tree. A regular regime of light pruning in various places will prevent this, while invigorating the tree and improving its overall strength. And while pruning isn't required for the health of your tree, a complete lack of pruning usually results in a weak spindly tree with fewer flowers. It's best to pick a variety that will grow to your desired height, and then prune it lightly to maintain its size. If necessary, remove limbs from inside the tree's canopy that cross or hang too low, by removing the entire branch so that it's flush with the tree's trunk. Remember that any stubs you leave while pruning will encourage new shoots.Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Hybrid Tea Roses Not Producing Roses
Question:I have two Assorted Hybrid Tea Roses that I purchased at Lowes. They have no thorns. They have not produced any roses but the bushes are very large and always putting on new growth. Should I prune them or what ? They do not say they are climbing roses. They are supposed to be a variety of colors.Thanks for any help. Hardiness Zone: 9a Toehead from Loranger, LA Answer:Toehead, There are three main reasons to prune roses: to train/maintain their shape, to keep them healthy and free from disease (by opening them up to greater air circulation) and to encourage larger or greater numbers of blooms. With Hybrid Tea roses, it's generally considered a good idea to remove any thin or non-productive wood less than a pencil's width in diameter in order to encourage blooming on the more robust canes. A hard pruning on Hybrid Teas tends to result in larger (but fewer) blooms. You don't mention how old your rose plants are, but first year plants should not be pruned (or at least pruned only very lightly) so that they can focus on establishing a strong, healthy root system. Before you prune young roses, make sure all of their basic growing requirements are being met. Any of the following conditions can contribute to a lack of blooms:
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| Garlic For Garden Pest Prevention
Put whole cloves of garlic around your plants that rabbits and other critters might be munching on. Put several around each plant, just lay on top of the ground. This is helping my friend, greatly. Her plants are are growing immensely, now. She found the best price on garlic to be at a warehouse store, like Sam's Club or Costco, over that of a grocery store. Post Feedback: Click Here |
Leaves Falling Off a Crepe Myrtle Tree Early
Question:I have a young crepe myrtle tree. It bloomed beautifully this spring, and I've trimmed the old flowers, and I'm already seeing new flowers. Many leaves of the tree are turning orange and falling off. When I first noticed this, I pruned to as to get rid of the bare spots. New growth has been vigorous. But I'm noticing that it's losing leaves again. We're dry here, but there's a good layer of mulch, and I don't think it's getting too much or too little water. Also, I fertilized it once this spring. Any idea why the tree seems to think it's autumn?Hardiness Zone: 8a Kim from Niceville, FL Answer:Kim, It's sometimes hard to explain why trees suddenly start to drop healthy leaves, especially in your case, when you're fairly certain you've been maintaining proper moisture levels. In certain trees (maple, birch, elm, tulip trees) this is actually considered normal behavior. It might be normal for your tree, too, as you said its new growth has been vigorous this year. After a period of hot, dry weather following an optimal spring with wet, lush growing conditions, trees can actually develop an overabundance of leaves. When the tree comes under stress (your recent dry spell), it sheds some of its leaves rather than trying to maintain all of the excess foliage. What it may be doing is trying to maintain a balance between its above ground (foliage)and below ground (roots) growth.What concerns me about your situation is the fact that your tree is young and that its leaves are turning color before dropping. The change in leaf color so prematurely is usually an indication that the tree is experiencing substantial stress-not necessary dying or even severely damaged, but in need of some special attention. You should check for signs of root or trunk damage and insect problems. A disease that causes premature discoloration and leaf drop is verticillium wilt. This disease causes blockages in the tree's vascular system. In the early stages, a few branches may start to decline and drop leaves. As it progresses, whole branches start to die. The disease can take several years to develop or it can happen all at once. Once underway, this disease is difficult to control in trees. Crepe Myrtle trees are not known to be susceptible to this disease, but it's something to watch out for. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Round Holes in My Lilac Bushes
Question:Something is eating my lilacs as well as my flowering crabapple trees leaves. The holes are perfectly round, like a hole punch. This starts well after the flowers are gone. Can bees be the problem?Hardiness Zone: 4b Thanks,
Answer:Nancy, If you've noticed bees around your crab apple tree and lilac bush, it's possible that you're seeing damage from leafcutter bees. They are similar in size to honey bees, but are darker in color with light bands on their abdomen. Leafcutter bees cut perfectly round or semicircular holes into the leaves and use the fragments to line the cells in their nests. These bees are actually important pollinators of wild plants and should not be considered pests. They are generally not aggressive unless handled and their sting is much milder and much less painful than that of honey bees or yellow jackets. Unlike their more social cousins the honey bees, leafcutter bees live a solitary life so you won't see big colonies or nests of them. The damage they do to leaves is only aesthetic and will not cause any lasting or permanent damage to your plants. In some cases, these bees have even been semi-domesticated and used for agricultural purposes to help pollinate alfalfa crops. They have many natural predators so you are likely to see their populations and activity vary from year to year.Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
Squirrel and Chipmunk Deterrents
Question:We are having a real problem with squirrels and chipmunks digging in our garden. What can I do other than traps? I don't have time to trap and release a few miles away. I don't want to kill them, just discourage them.Hardiness Zone: 5b Thanks,
Answer:Jeanne,The most effective way to prevent squirrels and chipmunks from digging in your garden is to cover your soil with metal screening or hardware cloth (using a 1/2 inch grid squares or smaller). Bury the screen just below the soil and use rocks to hold it in place. Of course, covering your soil with screen or mesh is really only practical if your garden is small or you're trying to protect individual pots. Some temporary deterrents you might want to try include predator urine, mothballs and other strong smelling scents-all readily available at garden centers. I don't recommend sprays or other products containing hot peppers. If these get into the animal's eyes, they can seriously injure or even blind themselves in an attempt to alleviate the pain caused by the oil in the peppers. I can think of nothing more horrifying than watching a half blind animal run frantically around the garden writhing in pain. My method of dealing with these garden critters isn't always popular with everyone, but it works for me. I've resorted to feeding them. Squirrels love corn, peanuts, peanut butter, fresh and dried fruit, dry dog food and black oil sunflower seeds. By feeding them during the height of my garden's productivity, I have successfully distracted them from deflowering and de-fruiting my plants. I use a simple wooden box on the ground placed about 50 feet away from my garden. As an added bonus, they seem to have lost all interest in my bird feeders, too. Good luck!
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Blooms Falling Off My Cucumbers
Question:I'm a new gardener. I planted cucumbers in a large pot on my patio. They appear to be doing well, but the blossoms bloom and fall off. What can I do? I don't see any cucumbers developing.Hardiness Zone: 6b Ray S from Jeannette, PA Answer:Ray, If this is the first flush of flowers on your cucumbers, try not to worry. This is common among the Cucurbitaceae family of vine crops (cucumbers, melon, pumpkins and gourds). These plants produce male and female flowers on the same plant, which must be pollinated in order to produce fruit. The first flush of flowers to develop is usually made up almost entirely of male flowers. These will naturally fall off as soon as they shed their pollen. The second flush will contain both male and female flowers. To help you identify the difference, the female flowers will have a slight bulge just below where the petals are attached (this is your future cucumber). Male flowers, on the other hand, simply sit on a stalk attached to the vine. If, on the other hand, all of your flowers are falling off, you could have a pollination problem. If pollination is poor or non-existent, the flowers simply abort (fall off) without producing any fruits. Pollination is usually carried out by neighborhood bees. Their activity can be reduced due to hot/cold weather extremes, pesticide use or natural fluctuations in their population, all of which can make successful pollination a hit or miss proposition. You might try pollinating your cucumbers by hand. To do this, simply pluck a male flower, and pull back the petals to expose the anthers loaded with pollen (it's very light colored so you may not be able to see it). Place the male blossom in the center of the female blossom so it comes into contact with the stigma (the pollen receptors) and gently twirl it around. You can also transfer pollen between the two using a cotton swab. Don't worry about getting it perfect, the transfer happens more easily than you would expect. Good luck!
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Propagating a Fig Tree
Question:I have a few fig trees and my friends wish to have branches to propagate. I have done this in the past on a hit and miss basis, but I would like to know what is the best way to start fig trees. When is the best time? We tried Winter and they did not grow. Is it best to start in water until rooted or to put in soil?Hardiness Zone: 8b Angelina from Glendale, California Answer:Angelina, In your climate, early spring or summer is a good time for propagation. Figs can be propagated from seed or by air layering, but taking stem cuttings and rooting suckers are probably the easiest methods for propagation. For stem cuttings, take the cuttings from a vigorously growing stem that contains some of last year's growth. You want the cuttings to be somewhat woody and not entirely green, as soft wood stems are more likely to rot. The cuttings should be 6-8 inches in length and about a pencil to a pinky finger in diameter. Remove the bottom leaves to expose 1-2 nodes and dip the cut ends into a rooting hormone. Insert the cuttings into a 4-inch plastic pot filled with a light, porous potting medium. (Plan on 1 to 4 cuttings per 4-inch pot.) Moisten the soil and cover the pot with a plastic bag or a 2-liter pop bottle to keep cuttings humid (cut off the bottom and leave the cap on). Place the pot under the protective shade of your mature fig tree. Once vigorous growth appears, remove the cap on the bottle to harden off the cuttings. Once hardened, they are ready to be given away (probably the following spring).To root suckers, wait until they are about 6 inches tall (mid summer is the point when they have usually developed roots), cut them out and insert them into pots containing moistened, well-drained soil. Cover the pots in the same way you would the stem cuttings and place them in the shade. Harden them off once vigorous new growth appears. Ellen Post Feedback: Click Here |
| September's Garden To-Do List
By Ellen Brown The shorter days and cooler nighttime temperatures of September are once again signaling that the end of another summer growing season is drawing to a close. It's not officially fall yet, but the tail end of summer is certainly here. As our vegetable crops start to dwindle and our summer perennials start to fade, are garden to-do list can get long quickly if we don't keep on top of things. View Full Article: Click Here |
| Winter Gardening In Car Top Luggage Carriers
A friend of mine with a truck who makes a fair living recycling curb-side cast offs began finding older heavy plastic (fiberglass?) Car-top Luggage Carriers. These were mostly from Sears, about 5' x 5' and 20" inches deep. He has been selling them to me for cheap, for various uses. I am preparing them for coldframes now, with winter gardening coming up, then spring seedlings. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Good Hedges Make Good Neighbors
By Ellen Brown Hedges are an attractive way to define the boundaries of your yard and garden. Unlike privacy fences, hedges can be used to create an almost impenetrable barrier around small or narrow lots. They also provide shelter from the sun and wind, add year round interest to the garden and let you retain a sense of openness with your neighbors. View Full Article: Click Here |
| Contest!
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New Requests
| Picking a Pineapple
I have a pineapple plant that is fully matured and the pineapple is ripe. How do I actually "pick it"? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Stubborn Lilacs
I have searched the Q&A for answers on lilacs. I have done all that is suggested, no cutting after July, right amount of nurients. All day light and still no blooms. It suckers like crazy, new sprouts all around the parent bush, but no blooms. What to do? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Garden Chipper Reviews
I'm looking for a garden chipper, i.e. a mulcher to chop up small branches, garden plants, etc. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Harvesting Horseradish
When and how do I harvest horseradish? How do I prepare the root? I have searched for this for two years, and can't seem to find any information. Any input would be appreciated. Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Rose Bushes With Brown Leaves
I have 4 rose bushes and I'm having trouble with brown leaves. Most of the leaves are green but, then I find on every bush some brown with white power looking stuff. The new growth the leaves are a yellow/green color. I live in AZ. Could it also be the heat? Also, every summer my front yard has 1 brown spot, what is this from? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Have I Waited Too Long To Harvest My Herbs?
All of my herbs have gone to seed. I was wanting to bring some inside for the winter. Have I waited too long? Post Feedback: Click Here |
| Getting Rid of Crabgrass
What is the best and easiest method for getting rid of crabgrass? This year is probably too late to do anything. What should I do for next year? My lawn was over run with crabgrass this year more than any other year. Post Feedback: Click Here |
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Growing Guides
| Growing: Petunias
By Ellen Brown
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| Growing: Tomatoes
By Ellen Brown
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| Growing: Dusty Miller
By Ellen Brown
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| Growing: Caraway
By Ellen Brown
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| Growing: Potatoes
By Ellen Brown Botanical Name:Solanum tuberosumDescription:The potato is a perennial plant from the nightshade family, grown for its starchy tuber.More Growing Information: Click Here | ||
| Growing: Celosia (Cockscomb)
By Ellen Brown
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