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Quote for the week:

  Crabgrass can grow on bowling balls in airless rooms,

and there is no known way to kill it that does not involve nuclear weapons. 

~Dave Barry

Quote for the week:

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man
than the way in which they can build
and yet leave a landscape as it was before.

Robert Lynd

Question: We want to start a strawberry patch in our garden – can you tell us how to begin?

Site preparation should begin at least one year before planting. This is the best time to control perennial weeds since removing them after planting is extremely difficult. Strawberry plants should be planted in early spring as soon as the soil can be thoroughly worked. Do not work the soil if it is wet. Try to plant strawberries on a cloudy day or during the late afternoon. Set the strawberry plant in the soil so that the soil is just covering the tops of the roots. Do not cover the crown. After four or five weeks, the plants will produce runners and new plants.

Properly stored plants may be planted as late as mid-June if soil moisture is good and irrigation is available. Strawberries planted late will not do as well the first season compared to stock planted earlier.

June bearing or spring bearing, everbearing and day neutral are the three types of strawberries grown in Wisconsin. Fruits of day neutral plants and everbearers are usually smaller than June-bearers fruit. June bearing strawberries produce a crop during a two-to-three week period in the spring. They will produce flowers, fruits and runners and are classified into early, mid-season and late varieties. Everbearing strawberries produce three periods of flowers and fruit during the spring, summer and fall. They do not produce many runners. Day neutral strawberries will produce fruit throughout the growing season. These strawberries produce just a few runners.

Everbearing and day neutral strawberries are great for gardeners who have limited space. They can also be used as an edging plant or a groundcover.

Strawberry varieties should be selected on the basis of dessert quality; preserving quality; disease resistance and season of maturation.

Strawberries are among the most widely grown fruit in the home garden. They prefer a well drained soil, high in organic matter. They need full sun for the highest yields, at least 6 hours per day. Do not plant strawberries where peppers, tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes have been grown. These plants could harbor verticillium wilt, a serious strawberry disease. Strawberries need about one inch of water per week during the growing season.

During the first growing season, remove flowers of June-bearing strawberries as soon as they appear. Removing the flowers promotes root and runner development thereby insuring a large crop the following year. For everbearing and day-neutral strawberries, remove the flowers until the end of June and then after that date allow the flowers to remain to set fruit for a summer/fall harvest.

Before planting apply one pound per 100 square feet of a 10-10-10 fertilizer and dig into soil at least six to eight inches deep. After the first harvest in the second season strawberries should be fertilized after renovation in July. Water the fertilizer in to get it down to the root zone. This application is made to keep the plants in a vigorous condition and to promote new growth causing the development of more fruit buds. Do not over fertilize. Over-fertilization will cause excessive vegetative growth, reduce yields; increase losses from frost and foliar disease and result in winter injury.

Strawberries are very susceptible to frosts in the spring. Mulches that have covered the plants during the winter months should be removed in the early spring but should be left in the aisles to cover the blossoms in the spring when frost is predicted. Old blankets or sheets can be used for protection against frost. In the fall between mid-November and mid-December before temperatures drop below 20 degrees; apply straw mulch three to four inches deep over the rows. This mulch will protect the plants from cold temperatures that can kill the buds and injure roots and crowns. Remove the mulch in the spring when the strawberry leaves show yellow. Leave some of the mulch around the plants to keep the fruit from soil contact and to conserve soil moisture.

Renovation is an important part of strawberry care. In order to insure good fruit production, June-bearing strawberries grown in the matted row system should be renovated every year right after harvest. A strawberry patch will continue to be productive for three to four years as long as the planting is maintained. The first step in the renovation process is to mow the old foliage with a mower, cutting off the leaves about one inch above the crowns. Rake the leaves and if disease-free, compost or incorporate into the soil. Fertilize with one pound of a 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet. Narrow the rows to six to twelve inches wide by spading, hoeing or rototilling. Remove all weeds. Thin the plants in the narrowed row to 4 to 6 inches between plants. Water with one inch of water per week to promote growth and to make new runners for next year's crop.

Question: The How to of Hostas

No wonder hostas are one of the most popular perennials.  Hosta plants are more often grown for their foliage than for their flowers. They are very easy, adaptable, and relatively fool-proof.  To know how to grow them successfully, you should know a couple of cultural needs.  We like to plant colorful annuls between them for contrast.  To know how to choose from the many available, and to grow them at their best, here are a few more facts.

When choosing hostas consider their ultimate size, the cost, and what they look like.  Size may be important if you have a small or limited space. Many new introductions can be quite expensive so, unless you are a collector and want the newest, you may choose some similar and much less expensive selections.  Finally, some just may be more appealing to you than others.

If you have dense shade, you might want more variegated ones to help brighten such areas.  Variegation in hosta plants is manifested in a couple of different ways.  Foliage is termed "medio variegated" when the lighter color (white, a lighter green, or yellow) occurs in the center of the leaf.  By contrast, when the lighter color occurs on the edge of their foliage, hosta plants are said to be "marginally variegated.   Keep in mind that many of these will have brighter colors in more light.  The blue-leafed hosta plants should all be grown in full shade.  Most blue hostas have better growth and color in cooler regions.  If you only have full sun, choose selections better suited for high light.  Hosta plants with gold leaves should be planted in full sun to bring out their color fully.  That color can range from a true gold to chartreuse, depending on variety, location in the yard, geographical region, etc.

After blooming, cut off the scape (the stalk that bears the bloom).  Otherwise, nourishment is wasted, traveling to the seed pods (you want it to go, instead, to the crowns of the hostas).

The two main points to growing hostas successfully concern light and water.  As mentioned under choices, leaf color of variegated cultivars may vary with the amount of light.  Often in the north, hostas can be grown in high light if provided plenty of water, otherwise leaves will burn (discoloring and turning brown on edges).

Keep in mind that to look their best, hostas generally need more water than the rain provides in an average year.  This is true especially if growing under trees which take up so much soil moisture.  Hostas need this extra water when they are growing, but not in winter when they are dormant. Heavy and wet soils in winter and spring can lead to crown and root rots.  Brodhead is a great place for growing hosta – they do well in well-drained soil, with plenty of organic matter.  This area has sandy soil and we have access to compost from the City.

Question:   I recently purchased my first home and my question is when shall I fertilize my lawn?  

Avoid early spring fertilizer applications (April) as they stimulate leaf growth at the expense of root growth.   For high-quality turf, an easy way to remember when to fertilize is to use the "holiday schedule", fertilizing around Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Halloween.   Low- and medium-quality turf is fertilized less frequently.

Question:   Can you tell me how short you should cut your grass?  

Mowing is the most important factor in keeping a lawn healthy.   There are a few considerations for good mowing technique.   Cutting height and the 1/3 rule.   Keep the lawn mowed to between 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches tall.   Use the lower mowing heights for higher quality lawns and the higher heights for lower input lawns.   Follow the "1/3 rule" for mowing:   never remove more than one-third of the leaf tissue at any one mowing.   For example, if the turf is 4 inches tall, set the mower to cut it no lower than 2-1/2 inches tall.   Removing more than one-third of the leaf tissue at one time makes the turf more susceptible to environmental stresses and pest damage, slows regrowth, and exposes the soil to light, which promotes germination of weeds.

Question:   Can you tell me when it is a good time to use crabgrass preventer?

Crabgrass germinates in late April, early May when the soil temperature at 4" stabilizes at 55 degrees (last weeks average soil temperature at 2" was 45 degrees).   If you don't have a soil thermometer apply your pre-emergent herbicide when the forsythia is blooming.   Usually when the common lilac is in early bloom the first crabgrass is sprouting.   What makes the Brodhead area a crabgrass haven is the sandy soil.   If you apply your herbicide now it is leached out when we have that real warm spell and we get a second flush of crabgrass germinating.   For total control it is best to apply a second application around Memorial Day.

All About Easter Lilies

We can thank the two world wars for most the world production of the Bermuda lily--better known as the Easter lily--in this country.

Native to the Ryukyu islands of southern Japan, this lily was discovered by the famous plant explorer Carl Peter Thunberg in 1777 and sent to England in 1819. Missionaries and sailors further carried it to Bermuda in 1853. Much commercial bulb production was in Bermuda during the late 1800’s, hence the other name for this bulbous plant. When a virus destroyed this crop there in 1898, production moved to Japan where it continued until the outbreak of World War II.

With the outbreak of this war, bulbs were of course scarce so the price increased greatly. The few with bulbs in this country who were growing them more for a hobby began growing “White Gold”, as they were called, for business. World War I also was integral to this bulb production on the southern Oregon coast, as it was the soldier in this war Louis Houghton who first brought a suitcase of these bulbs there to his friends.

This area along the California-Oregon border is often called the “Easter Lily Capital of the World” as it produces about 95 percent of all the bulbs grown in the world for the potted Easter lily market, and virtually all used in this country. After World War II there were about 1,200 commercial bulb growers in this area. Today the 10 growers of the Pacific Bulb Growers Association produce more than 65,000 boxes of bulbs, shipping them to commercial greenhouses in the U.S. and Canada. Almost 600 acres are planted to produce Easter lily bulbs, worth about $7 million a year for these bulbs alone. To help solve bulb production problems, these growers even have their own research station.

Most all Easter lilies are the cultivar (cultivated variety) ‘Nellie White’, selected by a grower and named for his wife. Bulb production begins in the fall, when scales or bulblets are planted. The lily bulb is actually composed of many scales—specialized leaves below ground that store food. These can be separated and planted. Bulblets are mini-bulbs produced along the underground stem which can be removed and planted. Both bulblets and scales will form new bulbs. Each fall bulbs are dug, the largest packed to sell, the smallest planted back to grow another year.

So how did Easter lilies, a plant that naturally blooms in summer in most of this country, become such a symbol of Easter? For this we can thank a woman visiting Bermuda in the 1880s, Ms Thomas Sargent. She loved the flowers blooming naturally in Bermuda in the spring, so brought some bulbs back home to Philadelphia. A local nurseryman there, William Harris, began growing them, forcing them into spring bloom, and selling to other florists. Many began buying this flower for Easter, as they do today, with it symbolizing the Resurrection.

So how are Easter lilies forced or “tricked” into bloom in time for Easter? Once greenhouse growers receive bulbs in the late fall, the bulbs are potted and placed in non-freezing cool temperatures. The bulbs must receive about 1000 hours of such moist cold in order to bloom, although additional light after they sprout can substitute for some cold.

Once the lily bulbs sprout, they are closely monitored by growers in order to time them for Easter. This can be difficult, as Easter can vary from March 22 to April 25. Temperature is used to speed up or slow down the crop. As each plant can respond a bit differently, many plants traditionally have been moved back and forth between warm and cold greenhouses, so are sometimes called a “wheelbarrow crop.” Growers track growth using such techniques as “leaf counting” in which rate of leaf unfolding is recorded.

When buying a lily, look for a plant with flowers in various stages of bloom from buds to open or partially opened flowers. Foliage should be dense, rich green in color, and extend all the way down to the soil line (a good indication of a healthy root system). Look for a well-proportioned plant, one that is about two times as high as the pot. You also should check the flowers, foliage, and buds for signs of yellowing (improper culture), insects, or disease.

At home, keep your lily away from drafts and drying heat sources such as appliances or heating ducts. Bright, indirect light is best with daytime temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees F. Water the plant only when the soil feels dry to the touch, but don’t overwater. To prolong the life of the blossoms, remove the yellow anthers (pollen-bearing pods) found in the center of each flower. If you get this staining pollen on fabrics, don’t rub it off, but remove it with sticky tape.

If you have cats, especially those that like to chew on leaves, keep your lily away from them. Any part of this lily, as many of its relatives, can cause kidney failure in cats. Eating even one leaf can be fatal to a cat, starting with them stopping eating, vomiting, and becoming lethargic. If you think a cat has eaten a leaf, call a veterinarian immediately as prompt treatment often can be successful.

How to Grow a Beautiful Lawn

A beautiful lawn is not maintained year after year without some effort. So, before you decide to put in a new lawn, consider whether or not it is worth the time and expense required to keep it beautiful. A lawn can be as low maintenance as mowing whatever grows and letting nature do the rest. At the other end of the spectrum is the lawn that needs monthly fertilization and regular watering. If the lawn is watered and fertilized regularly, it will need more mowing and dethatching. The maintenance required for these two types of lawns is vastly different.

The types of grass selected, the desired lawn quality, and the site determine the maintenance level of the lawn. But be aware that some landscape features are incompatible. For instance, you can have a very shady landscape or a high quality lawn, but not both. Grass does not grow well in the shade. A good lawn is possible when you plant a proper mix of grasses. Most lawns are combinations of Kentucky bluegrass, creeping red fescue, and perennial ryegrass. A mixture of three different grass species provides the maximum amount of pest resistance and environmental adaptability. Kentucky bluegrass is the most common lawn grass. Blends of Kentucky bluegrass cultivars can provide a very high quality lawn, but such lawns usually require above average maintenance levels. The spreading growth habit helps fill in bare spots, but the grass goes dormant during hot, dry, summer weather.

Creeping red fescue has thread-like leaves and is the most shade-tolerant of lawn grasses. This does not mean the grass grows only in shade or that it will tolerate total shade. It grows well in full sun and, in fact, requires some sun during the day.Only named cultivars of perennial ryegrass should be used in lawns. Common perennial ryegrass often dies during the winter and does not mow well. A fairly adaptable mix consists of 50 percent creeping red fescue, 30 percent Kentucky bluegrass, and 20 percent named perennial ryegrass. This mix, along with similar mixes, will provide a good quality lawn suitable for sun or partial shade that requires below average to average care. Try to avoid "problem grasses" such as annual ryegrass that is often sold as the major component of some very low priced grass seed. It will die out during the winter so essentially forms a lawn that lasts for a single season. Rough bluegrass is often found in shady grass mixes. It has a light green color and does not blend well with other lawn type grasses. It does, however, do well in moist, shaded sites.

Tall fescue is one of the two worst lawn weeds. Yet seed is available in most stores. The grass blades always seem to stay taller than the rest of the lawn. No selective control exists for this grass as the chemicals that kill tall fescue also kill other lawn grasses. Pure stands of this wear-tolerant grass are often used on playgrounds or roadsides. Finally, for sloping areas, you may want to purchase "conservation mix." This mix contains deep-rooted grasses that will aid in erosion control and prevent heavy rains from washing away soil on the slope.)

Question:   Can you tell me when is the best time to apply spray - dust and fertilizers?

Be wary of the "chemical fix".   When the season changes, you can almost feel it in the air - the urge to get out and do something in the yard.   Unfortunately, what many people end up doing sometimes leads to more harm than good.   Fertilizing without a soil test when the lawn really doesn't need it, using weed killers at the wrong time of year, spraying with insecticides "just to be on the safe side," even watering a little bit every day..are all wasteful and environmentally damaging practices.

Without thinking about it, some homeowners reach first for the "solution" that should be a last resort.   The serious warning labels on many pesticide products clearly indicate the hazards to songbirds, aquatic life, and humans.   In a sense, using such chemicals without proper diagnosis of the problem and careful application procedures is no different than a doctor prescribing medicine with potentially serious side effects for a condition that proper diet and moderate exercise could cure.   Resist the urge for a quick chemical fix.

Question:   I would like to plant an asparagus patch - can you tell me how to maintain this?  

Plant healthy, vigorous, one-year-old asparagus crowns or transplants in early spring.   Either use transplants or purchase one-year-old crowns.   Dig a 6- to 8- inch deep trench and place the crowns 18 to 24 inches apart in rows that are 3 feet apart.   Cover with 2 inches of soil and gradually fill in the remainder of the trench throughout the growing season.   Be sure to plant asparagus on well-drained soil.   Harvest asparagus beginning the third growing season, when spears are well developed but the tips haven't begun to open.   Pick spears that are about 6 to 8 inches tall and have a diameter approximately the size of your index finger.   Cut or break the spear near the soil.   Avoid harvesting skinny, woody spears.

Usually the asparagus harvest lasts for about two weeks the first year, and increases by about a week each year until the harvest last six weeks.   Stop harvesting when most spears are skinny.

I was wondering if you could tell me how to get rid of my problem with moss in my yard and garden?

Most mosses prefer damp, shaded areas, but a few (e.g. the silvery thread moss) can tolerate dry conditions and are often found in sunny areas. Mosses can only develop in bare areas. They do not kill turf, but merely grow where turf is not living. Often the very conditions that result in loss of turf (poor drainage, shade) are ideal for mosses. Moss is not the problem, it is an indicator of a problem.

The most effective, long-term control for moss is to change the environment to make it less suitable for moss and more suitable for turfgrass or gardens. First, make sure the site has adequate drainage. Low-lying areas can be built up by adding soil. Adding a slope to the affected area can help drain water away. Compacted soils should be core aerated to loosen the soil and encourage drainage, or add compost to the garden area. Reduce irrigation time or frequency to allow the soil surface to dry. Have a soil test performed to ensure that your turf has adequate levels of nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. Most turf grown in the shade requires less nitrogen than turf grown in full sun. Therefore, use a lower rate of nitrogen when you fertilize shaded turf (equal to about ½ lb. nitrogen per 1000 square feet). Do not cut turf too short. Plant turf species best adapted for shade such as a fine fescue, rough bluegrass, or supina bluegrass. Finally, if the site is excessively shaded you may want to consider pruning or removing surrounding shrubs, tree branches, or entire trees to increase air movement and sunlight.

You can purchase products for moss control from garden centers and retail outlets. These products usually contain iron sulfate (FeSO 4 ), potassium sulfate, or similar chemicals. Lime is usually not effective. The effects of these products are short-lived though, and long-term control requires changing the environment.

I have heard that yards that have a walnut tree are doomed for failure because of the toxicity of the tree to the surrounding area. Is this true? Our yard had a walnut tree, which was cut down years ago. Is there any hope that we could ever grow a lawn or garden in that area?

Black walnut trees can be attractive trees in the landscape. Walnuts are commonly found all over in Brodhead. This tree is popular with squirrels and wildlife as a food source. As you may or may not know, however, the black walnut can also be toxic to certain plants growing in the vicinity.

Having a walnut tree in your yard certainly does not mean the landscape will be barren. We have six walnut trees in our yard and haven't had any problems with landscaping. But if problems have occurred for tomatoes or other sensitive plants near a walnut, the tree is in fact the likely source of the problem.

Black walnuts contain a chemical known as juglone. Juglone occurs in all parts of the plant, but is most concentrated in the buds, nut hulls, and roots. Lesser amounts are found in the leaves and stems. Juglone does not move much in the soil. Greatest quantities are found in the area immediately under the walnut tree, where roots are concentrated and decaying nut hulls and leaves accumulate.

Problems occur for sensitive plants primarily when these plants are growing in the root zone area of the black walnut. This is known as allelopathy, or one plant producing a substance that affects growth of another. Affected plants may vary in symptoms from the toxicity. Symptoms range from stunting, yellowing, partial to total wilting, to complete death. You can reduce allelopathic effects by regular clean up of all fallen leaves and fruit from the black walnut tree, keeping debris away from desired landscape plants. Also, maintaining high organic matter levels in the soil is helpful because organic matter encourages healthy soil microbial populations that can metabolize toxins. Even if the tree is removed, as long as the roots remain in the soil problems could continue for sensitive plants.

Tomatoes and potatoes are two of the popular plants sensitive to juglone. Other species that may be affected include alfalfa, some apple varieties, grapes, rhododendron, white pine, white birch, eggplant, pepper, lilac, cotoneaster, and privet, among others.

Some plants are known not to be affected by juglone. Among the plants on this list are Kentucky bluegrass, forsythia, most maples, pachysandra, most viburnums, ferns, daffodils, daylily, winged euonymus, coral bells, clematis, phlox, sedum, sunflower, yarrow, primrose, daylily, hosta, geraniums, snap beans, corn, and onions to name a few.

The best advice when gardening near black walnuts or butternut is to use caution. If possible, locate gardens or landscape beds away from the root zone of the tree or plant tolerant vine ground cover and flowers. We have well-drained soils here in Brodhead and that helps with fewer toxicity problems than poorly drained soils. Avoid mulching garden areas with walnut leaves or nut husks. Root barriers to prevent walnut roots from advancing into garden areas may be helpful.

We just bought our dream home in the country. We spent hours working on our lawn last year and it was looking great. I have noticed after the snow melted this spring we have extensive mole damage - both to the yard and small shrubs. Is there anything we can do?

Moles are often blamed for the destruction of bulbs, seeds, garden plants, and lawns. In fact, moles rarely consume plants or plant parts, though they will occasionally take a few seeds. They dig their tunnels in search of earthworms, grubs, and other small creatures of the soil.

During the winter months, moles are not a problem. The shallow, winding trails that appear in your lawn when the snow melts are the work of meadow voles, not moles.

Voles, or meadow mice as they are often called, belong to the rodent group. They are heavyset, grayish-brown rodents with tiny ears, dark eyes, and a relatively short tail. Populations may periodically explode (usually about once every 4 years) and reach several hundred mice per acre in good, grassy habitats. This is a much higher density than thirteen-lined ground squirrels which typically infest an area at levels of 2-8 per acre and the relatively solitary moles and gophers. Unlike the other small mammal pests, voles do not burrow extensively underground.

Much of the damage caused by voles results from their girdling the bark from trees and shrubs. Damage is most severe in winter when food supplies dwindle and the voles are protected from predators while burrowing beneath the snow. Thin-barked trees are the preferred food of voles. Voles can also cause damage to turf by clipping the grass close to the roots when they construct surface runways beneath the snow. Turf damage usually isn't as bad as it appears. Rake away the dead grass in spring and surrounding grass will quickly fill in the area. Frequent mowing and maintaining a grass-free area around young trees will reduce damage and destroy hiding places.

Placing ¼ inch mesh hardware cloth around the base of young trees will physically exclude voles from feeding on the plants. Be sure to submerge the hardware cloth at least 2-3 inches beneath the ground to prevent voles from burrowing under. It should extend at least 18 inches above ground as well to prevent damage higher up the trunk during the winter when snow cover can afford the voles access higher up on the trunk of the tree.

Trapping is an effective way to eliminate voles in small areas. Mouse-size snap traps baited with peanut butter, oatmeal, or apple slices placed perpendicular to the runways will reduce vole populations in small areas. The best time to set such traps is in mid-October through mid-November before snow covers the ground. This may be impractical in some situations because of the presence of children. However, traps may be placed along building foundations behind boards or boxes or boxes leaning against the building to minimize problems with children and other animals.

My grapevines are 6 years old. I had a real good crop 2 years go but hardly any grapes last year. I fertilize regularly and I am not sure what went wrong?

There are many reasons why grapevines fail to bear fruit; spring frosts, winter cold injury, age of vines, too little pruning, or incorrect pruning.

From the age of your vines you probably have the #1 new grape growers problem. Five years ago you planted these little twigs on this big trellis - second year they might have made it to the top, third year you are in heaven - you have grapes! This is when your problems started. Bigger isn't better.

Many gardeners leave too many canes (and therefore too many buds) on grapevines. Too much vegetative growth limits the resources available for fruit growth. With too much cane growth the lower and inner parts of the vine are shaded.

While proper pruning and training might seem excessive to the novice, growers should yearly trim all but a fraction of the several hundred buds on a mature healthy grapevine to leave a proper balance of fruiting wood to vine growth for maximum production of high quality fruit.

Leaving all of the buds on the vine lets the plant overproduce; the vine expends most of its energy in excessive vegetative growth. Unpruned grapevines produce small berries, have delayed fruit ripening, and produce weak unproductive wood for the following season.

For vigorous American grapes, 50 to 60 buds left will usually produce crops of 16 to 20 pounds per vine or 5 to 6 tons of fruit per acre.

For detailed pruning and arbor construction please check Bulletin A1656 available at your local county extension office.

Quote for the week:

  Crabgrass can grow on bowling balls in airless rooms,

and there is no known way to kill it that does not involve nuclear weapons. 

~Dave Barry

Fragrance of Lilacs is in the Air

During the month of May the fragrance of lilacs is in the air.  Lilacs originated in Europe and Asia, and were brought to America in the mid 1700’s.  They have long been a garden favorite.  Before deciding what lilac cultivar you would like to plant, there are some factors to consider.

            Lilacs come in a range of color, with lavender being the most common.  Although color choice is often our focus, it is best to first consider the plant size.  Lilacs come in many sizes and shapes and thus offer a wide variety of landscape uses.  Small lilacs can be used as foundation plants near your home.  These dwarf cultivars mature to a height and width of 4-6 feet.  The larger varieties offer great privacy as a shrub border.  These lilacs can grow 12 feet tall and 10 feet wide.  They do this by sending up suckers which is new root growth.   

            The bloom period for lilacs ranges from 7 to 14 days.  The choice in cultivars provides for an early, midseason, and late bloom.  By planting a variety of species it is possible to extend the flowering period to 5 or 6 weeks.  It is also a good idea to consider the plant’s ornamental features.  Some plants have small, fine textured leaves while others may have variegated leaves.  This helps make the lilac a beautiful specimen plant that provides beauty beyond the bloom period.  Some species even provide good fall color. 

            Select a sunny site to plant your lilac, one that will provide at least 6 hours of direct sunlight each day.  This is important for setting flower buds for the spring bloom.  The planting area should have good drainage.  This can be improved by incorporating organic matter, such as compost, into the planting hole.  Lilacs need to be watered two or three times weekly for the first month and then provided about an inch of water once a week throughout the remainder of the growing season.  This will help the plant get well established.  Mulching around the base of the plant also helps retain moisture and keeps plant roots cool. 

            Pruning techniques are important in ensuring spring bloom.  Newly planted lilacs will not need much pruning for the first 2 to 3 years.  Pruning recommendations will depend on the plant’s bloom period, growth pattern, and location.  Ideally pruning should be done in March when the plant is still dormant.  During this time of year it is easier to see what you are cutting out, as well as not having to be concerned about insect and disease activity.  The drawback to pruning at this time is that some flowers will be sacrificed.  The next best time to prune your lilac would be right after flowering but before the plant sets flower buds for next year’s bloom. This simply means to try to get the pruning done within a week or two from the end of the flowering period.

            Lilacs grow well in our Wisconsin climate.  It is a flowering shrub that adds beauty and fragrance to your landscape.

Living with Bare Tree Roots

You may be frustrated by the surface roots found at the base of your trees.  They can make it difficult to grow and mow grass.  There are some solutions that will allow you and your tree to coexist while maintaining an attractive landscape.

Always leave surface roots in place.  Surface roots are a natural and important part of a tree's development.  They provide mechanical support as well as nutrient and water uptake for the tree.  Some species naturally produce more surface roots than others.  Other species develop surface roots due to compacted soils or improper watering.  All trees grow roots near the soil surface, not deep into the ground like a carrot.  The majority of tree roots can be found in the top 6 - 12 inches of the soil.  They also extend in all directions, for more than two times the height of the tree.

Cutting roots creates entryways for harmful insects and diseases.  Burying roots interferes with important root functions.  Even if the tree survives the treatment, it is only a temporary solution.  Since tree roots grow faster on the top than below, they will soon resurface.

Mulches and ground covers are two alternative treatments that can be used to deal with surface roots.

Mulches are the best solution.  A 3 - 4-inch layer of wood chips or shredded bark can be used to eliminate the need for maintaining grass near the surface roots.  Mulching also creates a better growing environment for your trees.  Best of all, it keeps weed whips and lawn mowers away from the trunk of the tree.  When this equipment hits the tree, it damages the trunk - creating entry ways for diseases and insects.  The larger the mulch area, the better for the tree.  Keep mulch away from the trunk. Do not use stone or gravel as a mulch.

Start by eliminating the existing grass.   Mechanical grass removal must be done carefully to avoid injuring the existing roots.  Total vegetation killers containing the active ingredient glyphosate, such as Roundup or Kleenup, can be used to kill the grass.  These kill the leaves as well as the roots.  Products which contain cacadylic acid kill only the leaves.  Be sure to read and follow all label directions carefully when using any pesticide.

Planting perennial ground covers is another attractive way to deal with surface roots.  The plants must be shade tolerant and able to compete with vigorous tree roots.  These include Goutweed, Bugleweed, Lady's Mantle, European Ginger, Chinese Astilbe, Bergenia, Siberian Bugloss, Lily-of-the-Valley, Sweet Woodruff, Perennial Geranium, Daylily, Hosta, Dead Nettle, Forget-me-not, Japanese Spurge or Pachysandra, Lungwort, and Periwinkle.

Do not mound up soil over the roots to create a raised bed planter.  Prepare the planting site as for mulching.  Minimize root damage by plug planting. Dig small holes, only as large as needed for planting.  Mulch with wood chips, shredded leaves, cocoa bean and rice hulls or other organic material. This will reduce weeds, conserve moisture and improve the soil for both the trees and ground cover.

Hosta Virus X

Many hostas are turning up that are infected with a virus called Hosta Virus X (HVX).  The most commonly seen ones are plants of 'Gold Standard', 'Striptease', and 'Sum and Substance', but other common varieties are being reported infected in large numbers.  While this disease does not kill plants, its primary danger lies in its proven ability to spread.  Because symptoms may take years to show after infection, HVX has infected tens of thousands of plants and is at epidemic levels around the world.  If a batch of hostas contains any individual plants that show HVX symptoms, the whole batch is infected and should be destroyed. 

New information about HVX from the conclusion of a study by Dr. Ben Lockhart indicates that it is common for the virus to not cause visible symptoms for three or more years after infection.  Reports are coming in about plants that were purchased 3-4 years ago that this year displayed symptoms for the first time.  Often an infected batch of plants will only contain a small number of plants showing symptoms, but because of the long period before symptoms are expressed all plants in the batch must be considered infected.  It has also been confirmed that plants that have been tissue-cultured can contain the virus if the original plant put into culture was infected.  Tissue culture itself does not guarantee clean plants.

The most commonly seen symptoms are found in gold and gold-centered plants. It is generally random green mottling, almost always accompanied by mottling that follows the veins.  It often has the appearance of ink on blotting paper soaking out from the line along the vein.  Other symptoms may also show, and they are still trying to get a clear idea of what the virus looks like in plants with green leaves and green centers.  Dr. Lockhart says there may be a variety of symptoms with very different appearances.  Because of this, any plants showing signs of any viral infection should be immediately disposed of. 

Although specific research has not been completed yet on how it is spread, there is good reason to assume that it cannot be spread by insects, fungi, nematodes, or pollen.  Limited research has indicated it may infect plants other than hostas, but it has not been observed in other plants at this time.  Transmission through seed is not considered very likely, but not ruled out.  The primary method of infecting plants is moving fresh sap from one plant to another.  There are any number of ways to do this, including the cutting of rhizomes, leaves, or scapes, lawn mowers and string trimmers, keeping plants with fresh cuts in contact with each other, and possibly animals feeding on leaves.  

In the garden, immediately burn or place in trash to be removed from property any plants which show symptoms of HVX.  If healthy-appearing plants came from batches which included plants showing symptoms discard those too rather than wait to see if symptoms appear.  Watch carefully for symptoms among other plants, especially those known to have been sold with HVX infection, and discard any that show symptoms.  Clean hands and tools before touching other plants after handling infected plants.  Do not under any circumstances keep these plants around, even if they appear to have been "cured".  Once infected, a hosta has HVX for life and can only spread it to healthy plants.  This is a contagious disease that has no cure and should be treated with care.  All parts of an infected plant should be considered infected with the virus and able to spread it to other plants.  Begin practicing the habit of sterilizing tools or washing hands after getting hosta sap on them before touching other hostas.  Keep string trimmers and lawn mowers away from hosta leaves also.

Question:   What shall I do for soil that grows annuals and perennials too long and leggy, with weak stems?  

My guess is you are using your lawn fertilizer that is formulated for your garden.    Your problem is too much nitrogen in the soil and not enough phosphorus and potassium.   Use a 0-10-10 fertilizer, or something similar, 1 pounds per 100 square feet for one or two applications.   Excess nitrogen usually disappears rapidly.

Question:   We live out in Decatur and have several pine trees in our yard.   We cleared a few of these from our yard and have needles from adjacent trees.   Should this make additional liming or other treatment advisable?

Pine needles produce acidity, hence constant use of lime may be required to counteract this condition.   Best thing to do is have a soil test taken.

Question:   Our soil is very sandy and is acidic.   What can we do so we can grow a vegetable garden?  

Increase the organic content of the soil by incorporating compost, farm manures, or other nonacid materials such as leaves, straw, plant refuse, or nonacid peat.   Apply lime as needed to modify the acidity. Any vegetable will grow in sandy soil if fertilized frequently.   Apply fertilizer high in phosphorus and potash.

How do I Prune Roses?

Prune in early spring and your rose can produce an abundance of flowers. Roses are among the easiest flowering shrubs to grow. No prima donnas, they can cling to life long after lesser plants give up.   They need proper care such as watering, fertilizing, pest control, and pruning.  Prune roses in early spring when buds when to swell.  Pruning has four main goals: remove dead twigs and branches; remove weak, damaged, and useless branches; open the plant to improve air circulation; and create an attractive shape. 

Nearly all roses are well equipped with sharp thorns, and some are very thorny. First of all, you need a pair of heavy leather gloves, preferably long enough to protect your arms. The next essential is hand shears. We prefer the scissors type over the anvil type for their clean, sharp cuts. Use shears to cut twigs, side branches, and main branches up to about 1/4 inch in diameter.  If you have older plants with many thick stems at the base, you'll also need a small pruning saw or loppers, or both.   Make cuts just above outward-facing buds. Cut about 1/4 inch above an outward-facing bud at a 45-degree angle. To prevent the entrance of cane borers, cover pruning cuts with wax, a thumbtack, or pruning seal (white glue will work) on the pruning cuts to seal them. Cutting above an outward-facing bud forces growth up and away from the center of the plant, improving air circulation, which reduces pest problems.   Cut back to live tissue.   After you cut, examine the pithy tissue in the center. Is it white and healthy clear through? If not, cut back farther.

Brown and shriveled canes stand out like sore thumbs. Cut them to the base, using a saw if necessary. Suckers are vigorous canes growing from the rootstock below the graft union on grafted roses. Cut these off to the main stem, even if you have to dig away some soil to get to them. The preceding guidelines would allow you to do a pretty good job of pruning any rose. But knowing the idiosyncrasies of the different kinds of roses also helps.

Hybrid teas and grandifloras.  Keep the thickest green canes evenly spaced around the bush. Prune out all canes with diameters less than a pencil width and old, brown canes that tend to be less productive. A new hybrid tea should have three to five canes left. Grandifloras and other older hybrid teas can support six to eight canes. Later in the season you'll be pruning again when you're make bouquets for indoors. Cut so that you've a long enough stem for a vase but don't remove too many leaves. Try to leave at least two 5-leaflet leaves on the remaining stem. Therefore the ideal place to cut is just above an outward growing bud and/or the uppermost 5-leaflet leaf.

Floribundas and polyanthas. Leave six to eight main canes, and remove most of the twiggy growth in the center of the bush. Compared to hybrid teas and grandifloras, leave more minor branches, especially toward the top of the plant. Prune the remaining canes to give the plant a rounded shape.

Climbing roses. Don't prune any climber, except to remove dead or broken branches, for two or three years. That's enough time for the plant to develop strong branches that can produce flowers for many years. On established plants, prune dead or damaged branches to the base. Train main branches to grow as horizontally as possible. How you do this varies with your situation. Imagine the arching canes of a climbing rose along a split-rail fence; canes arching in this fashion produce many more flowers than canes growing straight up. The two most common types of climbing roses are the naturally vigorous mutations (sports) of hybrid teas, grandifloras, and floribundas, and those simply called "large-flowered climbers." Both types produce flowers on long-lived side branches (laterals) off the main canes. Flowers develop on the side branches. In late winter or early spring, shorten those laterals to about 6 inches.

Miniatures. Some need no regular pruning at all. If you have a few plants indoors, use narrow-bladed pruning shears (or scissors) to prune and shape. For miniatures used as landscape plants, use hedge shears to maintain size. 

All questions were answered using the University-Extension Master Gardener Handbook.

Question:  How do I arrange plants in a new perennial garden? 

Make lists of the plants you intend to use, dividing them according to height, color, and blooming season.  Making a plan on paper is helpful, but you can do quite well just working with the lists.  Place the tall plants in the background, those of medium height in the midsection of the garden, and those of low height in the foreground.  Since there will be some variation in heights and habits of growth among the three, the final effect of this arrangement will not be frigid.  Even so, it is a good idea to drift some tall plants and some low plants toward the center of the garden.  For maximum effect, group three to five plants of one kind together, except for such large, accent plants.

Question:  I would like to start a herb garden, can you tell me which are annuals and which are perennials? 

The annual herbs most widely used are anise, basil, dill, summer savory, fennel, and coriander.  The perennial herbs include chives, thyme, lovage, lavender, lemon-balm, winter savory, marjoram, sage, mint, tarragon, horse-radish, and bee balm.  Parsley, angelica, and caraway are technically biennials, but are grown as annuals.  All of these grow in full sun and like a well-drained garden soil.  Sow annuals as early in the spring as the weather permits, either in rows or broadcast.

Question:   We would like to start a vegetable garden this year.   How do you recommend killing out the grasses that are in the area we want to put a garden?   Is Round-Up safe to use?  

Round-Up - which is a trade name for glyphosate herbicide, which is a non-selective, non-residual herbicide (it's green, you spray it, it's dead).   Round-Up has been on the market a long time and is well tested, and will work great for your application.   As with all chemicals, follow the label directions.

Question:   Is there a weed spray for my strawberry bed?  

Commercial growers use a weed spray but it is only available to licensed spray applicators. If it is grasses growing above the strawberries a hand wick applicator with Round-up will work, being careful not to touch the plants.   A good regiment of weeding - before the weeds flower and go to seed followed up with mulching your rows will give you the best long-term results.

Garden Pests

Birds and mammals can damage several vegetable crops - including bean, cabbage, lettuce, pea, sweet corn, tomato, and Swiss chard.

Red-winged blackbirds and common grackles damage corn by pulling sprouting seeds or eating kernels before they are ripe.   Keep these birds away by using flashing aluminum discs or strips hung on strings or wires supported by high stakes.

Robins and other fruit-eating birds damage berries and dwarf fruit.   Use commercial plastic netting to exclude these birds from trees and berry patches.

Cottontail rabbits eat beans, cabbage, Swiss chard and other vegetables.   Keeps these garden pests out with a low fence of 1-inch mesh chicken wire, about 18 to 24 inches high.   Bury the bottom of the wire or place it in close contact with the ground to prevent animals from burrowing or forcing their way under.   You can also capture rabbits easily in wire live-traps and remove them from the area, especially during winter.

Ground squirrels or striped gophers may feed on tomatoes.   Trap these animals with a wooden-base, snap-type, rat trap baited with peanut butter and placed near their burrow, or you can shoot them in areas where the use of firearms is permitted.   You can also fore them from their burrows with water.

Woodchucks often feed on several vegetables in rural gardens, but they are protected in Wisconsin.   Obtain permission to control woodchucks from your local DNR conservation warden.   Control methods include trapping with steel traps or shooting.

Raccoons are a common garden problem.   They are especially damaging to sweet corn and are difficult to control.   Live trap in suitable box traps and move the raccoons to other areas, or exclude them with a double-wire electric fence.   The first wire should be 5 inches above the ground and the second 10 inches above the ground.

Rats sometimes invade gardens, too.   Eliminate their living quarters and use an anti-coagulant rat poison to control them.

Deer are a serious problem in a variety of crops, but is difficult to control them.   Electric fences, repellents and scare devices may help somewhat.

Question: I have a birch tree that is dying from the top down - is this caused by winter damage?

The usual first sign of attack of a bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius Gory) is a thinning or die back of branches in the upper third of the tree. Leaves on infested branches may be unusually small or may show browning along the edges in May or June. This borer is a serious pest of birch trees in the Midwest . It can severely injure or kill most birch species; European white birch varieties are particularly susceptible. Larvae cause the damage by feeding under the bark and girdling the branches. Girdling prevents movement of food and water to tissues above the attack site. Extensive feeding may kill the branch by July or August.

Over time, attacks progress downward to lower branches and the trunk. Typically, borers kill trees in 3-4 years. Trees planted in very poor sites or planted in borer-infested areas may die in 1 year.

Like most wood-boring beetles, the bronze birch borer is really a secondary problem. It usually attacks trees under stress or in a weakened condition because of drought, disease, nutrient deficiency, construction injury, or excessive exposure to the sun. Planting birch in a poor location is the most common reason for problems with bronze birch borer in Wisconsin . Vigorous healthy trees, planted in favorable surroundings are less attractive to the borer and more likely to survive an attack.

Try to keep trees healthy. Because birches have a shallow root system, water them during droughty periods or if they are growing on light soil. It also helps to keep the soil around the birch cool by planting low-growing bushes or shrubs. Fertilize helps trees withstand light infestations and fight off borer attacks.

Bronze birch borers are often an ongoing problem. Borer damage means environmental stresses or other factors have made trees susceptible to attack in the past. Therefore, future attacks are possible.

If more than a third of the tree has died back, saving the tree will be difficult. Commercial arborists have rescued some infested trees using a combination of tactics. Consultation with an arborist may be helpful.

To prevent the breeding and spread of adult bronze birch borers, remove or destroy dead and dying trees. Use all birch firewood before the next spring.

Lightly infested trees often return to full health with a regular preventive insecticide program. Two insecticides are available to homeowners and professional applicators: Permethrin and Imidacloprid.

Permethrin acts as a chemical barrier that kills young larvae as they try to tunnel into the bark. It must be in place before the adults lay eggs. Because eggs are laid throughout the late spring and summer; spray three times - about May 20, June 15, and July 15 th . Infested branches and trunk must be thoroughly sprayed. You may need a commercial arborist to help treat large trees.

Can you tell me how to get rid of the gophers that I have in my yard?

I have fond memories in my childhood of drowning out gophers at the school grounds. We would pull wagons full of water and dump that down holes then chase them all over the football field with fishing nets! Found out a short time later that they weren't gophers after all.

The gopher, also called a pocket gopher, is a burrowing rodent that ranges from 6-12" long at maturity. It has a large head and robust upper body, which are necessary for excavating burrow.

Gophers can be distinguished from moles by their brown fur and robust bodies with powerful forelegs and long claws. Unlike moles, gophers are rodents with large chisel-like teeth, which they use to excavate their tunnels. These teeth can grow up to 14 inches per year. A reversible, fur-lined, external "pocket" in their cheeks used to carry food is where the common name "pocket gopher" is derived.

After inspecting your yard you have the same thing that I chased years ago which is the thirteen-lined ground squirrel. This is a common small mammal in Wisconsin . The damage caused by this species to turf and crops can be of economic significance as well as a considerable nuisance around homes and gardens. Control efforts are sometimes directed at the wrong animal because the thirteen-lined ground squirrel is often called a "gopher" or "mole". True gophers do inhabit western Wisconsin but their control is entirely different.

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is a small burrowing rodent belonging to the squirrel family (Sciuridae). It is 4-1/2 to 6-1/2 inches long, not counting its 2-1/2-5-1/4" tail. They are brown with a whitish belly and 13 alternating light and dark stripes or rows of spots running the full length of the back.

A thirteen-lined ground squirrel closely resembles a chipmunk in size and shape. But these two species can be distinguished easily. A thirteen-lined ground squirrel always carries its tail straight out behind it when running. A chipmunk holds its tail upright. Chipmunks also have a stripe extending through the eye area.

Any control measure implemented must be persistent since ground squirrels will readily re-infest an area from surrounding areas. Control should be initiated in the spring as soon as ground squirrels are apparent, before litters are born.

The thirteen-lined ground squirrel is a true hibernator. It enters its burrow in October and emerges in late March or April. Ground squirrels breed in early spring and give birth in May after a gestation period of 28 days. Average liter size is 7-10. The young quickly become independent and are capable of leaving their natal burrow at six weeks of age. While active during the summer months, ground squirrels are omnivorous and have a diet consisting of seeds, roots, and insects. They can be particularly disruptive in flowerbeds when they dig up newly planted seeds.

Unlike moles and gophers, thirteen-lined ground squirrels are not easily excluded from a site with the use of fencing.

Flooding the burrow with a garden hose will flush out the animal from a confined location but may not be practical on the large grassy areas in which many ground squirrels reside.

Snap traps and box traps are very effective in ground squirrel control. Locate the traps near burrows where thirteen-lined ground squirrels have been sighted. Snap-type rat traps are better for trapping adult ground squirrels than the smaller mousetrap. Mousetraps can be used in early summer along with the rat traps to trap the young ground squirrels. Bait the trap with peanut butter, grain, or nuts. Fasten nuts to the trigger to prevent the rodents from removing the bait without being caught in the trap. Check the traps frequently.

In areas where permitted, pellet guns work well to eliminate ground squirrels. It is important to use this alternative only when children are not present.

Rodenticides are inexpensive and effective but are a toxic means of controlling thirteen-lined ground squirrels. Zinc phosphide is registered for rodent control but is very toxic to non-target species and a restricted use pesticide at concentrations >2% which require the applicator to be certified. Anticoagulants are less harmful to non-target species particularly when the baits are placed inside the burrow. There are several varieties available at local coops or garden centers.

What are the benefits of wood mulch?

Wood mulch is typically available as chipped wood, or shredded or chunked bark, and can contribute to tree health in many ways. Mulch comes in bag or bulk, or is available at no cost from your compost center. When high quality, composted mulches are applied two to four inches deep in a ring three to six feet in diameter (or greater) from the trunk of a tree, mulch can help preserve moisture, control weeds, limit damage to the trunk from mowers and string trimmers and moderate the soil temperature. Use four inches of mulch when soils are light and well-drained, as we have in Brodhead, and two inches of mulch on heavier, clay soils.

Improper application of mulch can lead to problems. Piling wood mulch up against the trunk of a tree can keep the bark underneath excessively wet. This wetness can contribute to bark decay. In addition, use of thick mulch layers (greater than four inches) can lead to overly wet soils that are favorable for development of root rots (see University of Wisconsin Garden Facts X1070). To avoid these problems, make sure mulch is applied at least one to two inches away from the trunk of the tree and that the mulch layer is the appropriate thickness for the soil type in your landscape (see above).

The reason that we do not use wood mulch in our garden is that harbors or attracts insects. Insects such as earwigs, which is our number one problem, (see UW-Extension bulletin A3640), centipedes (see University of Wisconsin Garden Facts X1113), millipedes (see University of Wisconsin Garden Facts X1108) and sowbugs (see University of Wisconsin Garden Facts X1110) can feed on decaying organic matter in mulches. While these insects are often only nuisances, earwigs can feed on and cause damage to a variety of ornamentals, particularly to flowering plants and hostas. If mulch is used near entrances to a home or around basement windows, these unwanted insects may get inside.

The problem with most free wood chips that you may get from the City of Brodhead compost pile is that they may come from many sources, including trees and shrubs that have died from a wide range of diseases. To be harmful to your trees, disease-causing organisms (pathogens) would have to survive in mulch and these organisms would have to move from the mulch either directly, or through the soil, to their new host - your tree. There is currently very little research on this topic.

Growing Columbine

 A versatile perennial that is now beginning to bloom is the columbine.  A columbine blossom has five petals with a tubular base and flower colors of pink, white, yellow, red, blue, maroon, or purple.  It does best when it receives a few hours of shade each day, but it will do well in full sun as long as the soil is moist.  Its bloom period lasts until late spring.  A second bloom may occur if the first flowers of the season are deadheaded when they have completed their bloom.

The seed capsules of columbine are quite attractive.  This perennial will readily reseed in the garden.  This is welcome, as columbine is a relatively short lived perennial, lasting approximately 3 to 4 years.  New seedlings can be moved and planted in different sites or you can simply enjoy the many unexpected places where you will find this seed sprouting.

The most common pest of this perennial are leaf miners, the larvae of a small brown fly.  Leaf miner damage will cause the foliage to be light colored with fine-lined markings that wind throughout the leaf.  It is quite unsightly, and if infestation is not too severe, the leaves can be removed and destroyed.  If leaf miner damage is severe, the plant can be cut to the ground.  New growth may emerge in a few weeks or the plant may simply stay dormant until the following spring.

Columbine adapts well in many garden settings.  It is a favorite of the hummingbird as its flower design easily holds the nectar for the birds to feed.   It also provides wonderful color to the spring garden.

On another note, I would like to address a few questions that readers have had concerning tulips.  It has been a great year for tulips as they like the cool spring weather which prolongs their bloom period.  As your tulips finish blooming, remember to snap off the seed heads.  This will prevent the bulb from directing its energy toward seed production.  Do not remove the leaves until they have turned yellow.  This may take four weeks, but during this time the dying leaves are feeding the bulb for next year’s flower.

If you received a potted tulip plant and wish to try growing the bulbs in your garden, it may take two to three years for a bloom to appear.  The potted bulbs should be treated the same as existing garden bulbs.  The potted plant should continue to be watered until the leaves turn yellow.  Then withhold water and cut the leaves back.  The entire pot should be put in a cool dark place until August.  At that time the bulbs should be separated and planted outdoors.  Be sure to add some bulb food or bone meal to the planting site.

If you have any gardening questions, don’t hesitate to call the Green County U.W. Extension at 328-9440.  There are many Master Gardener Volunteers that will be able to assist you.

Question: We have three maple trees on our property - I am worried about the proposal of citywide sidewalks by the City of Brodhead regarding the trees.

Trees in old established neighborhoods are an asset that the City of Brodhead must be aware of. The City of Milwaukee found out the hard way. In 1978 the city of Milwaukee had just finished a sidewalk replacement project in a section of a long-established residential area. It had hundreds of mature trees. When a storm came through in August of that year, the city lost 90 trees in that area. When the officials learned the sidewalk reconstruction projects cut the support roots of the 50- to 150-year old trees and made them susceptible to blowing over.

As a master gardener answering questions for the Wisconsin Extension Service in Green County, we have seen a lot of tree problems and heard a lot of tree myths. The largest myth is tree roots are as deep as the tree is tall. Most root systems are only 9" to 24" deep and spreading well beyond the drip line of the tree. This is why cutting big thick support roots for sidewalks increase the chance that trees will be uprooted in a windstorm. Mature softwood trees such as maples do not regrow support roots, which are most likely to be cut when sidewalks are installed.

I haven't seen the City of Brodhead specs sheets to protect trees, although Jim Kringer - Milwaukee's Forestry Inspector says it is all in the specs. Kringer outlines the tree challenges on the job in the Special Provisions section of the spec and offers contractors ways to address them. "The methods outlined in the Special Provisions are based on what has been developed by the successes we've had through work with designers, engineers, and contractors. Contractors must consider those provisions as they prepare their bids", he says.

The Special Provisions section can run as long as six pages. It also outlines hefty fines if the contractor damages any trees during the job. The penalties reflect the lost value and the cost for tree repair or replacement and are deducted from the contractor payment.

"We estimate the insured value of a 30-inch diameter elm tree in a good neighborhood at $40,000. The common council authorizes a charge of $100 per diameter inch be assessed to the contractor if the tree needs to be removed. In addition, the removal process requires two men and a boom truck, two men and a chipper, a ladder operator and backfill crew just to remove the tree. Even though a new tree planting may only cost $400, the total replacement cost charged to the contractor can be as high as $10,000," he says.

"Contractors often view the value of the tree as what it would cost to replace it. But if you can work around trees, they accentuate the value of your work. If all of the beautiful trees stay, they add value to the project".

"The Milwaukee Municipal Sewer District wants to double the number of trees in the city. The MMSD estimates that trees save $21 million a year in runoff management by absorbing 15.5 million gallons of rainwater that would have to be processed through the storm sewer system. It also estimates that the trees provide $4.4 million in pollution abatement and the equivalent of $2.1 million in cooling cost savings. That's why trees are so important to the city. Besides, they help property values tremendously," Kringer says.

If you are doing the sidewalk yourself or having the City contract it you must be aware of the problems you might encounter.

This week's questions were answered using Wisconsin Urban & Community Forests Newsletter, Volume 12, and Summer 2004.

Question: I planted some tomato plants a few weeks ago and have been covering them nightly due to the colder weather. They were doing well but now are wilting. I do water them regularly also. Can you tell me what may be the problem? Also, my tomato plant label says "determinate cultivars" on it - can you explain that? Thanks for any help! T.S., Brodhead

The Extension Office recommends that April 15th is a good time to start tomatoes inside and setting them outside May 20th . Soil temperatures are more crucial than air temperatures. The warmth of the soil is something we're not commonly aware of because we live our days surrounded by air.

When soil temperatures are below 45 degrees F (7 degrees C), roots grow much slower and have a harder time taking up water and nutrients. When the sun comes out and air temperatures begin to heat up immediately after a cool period, you may see plants wilting even though there is ample moisture in the cold soil. This is because of the slow water uptake by roots in the cool soil even though the air is rapidly warming. The plants could be wilting just because they have cold feet. Check the soil moisture before you grab for the watering can.

There is a soil thermometer with a 5-inch probe that is made to measure your soil temperatures. These run around $15-$20. Soil thermometers are a great help in discovering environmental differences and in just seeing the relationship between air temperature and the soil. You'll find you will soon get a feel for little microclimates within your garden.

According to the daily soil temperature data from the Arlington Research Farm, the soil temperature dropped from 50 degrees on April 22nd down to 44 degrees on April 29th.

Per your question regarding "determinate cultivars" - several of the newer tomato cultivars are determinate (stop elongating early) because the main stem ends in a flower cluster after about four to five clusters. Fruit of determinate cultivars tend to ripen all at one time. They are good to grow when you need large quantities at one time - such as canning.

Plants of other cultivars are indeterminate (continue to elongate), with the flower clusters giving way to continued extension of the stems. Their fruits ripen throughout the summer. These cultivars are good to grow for fresh use.

Determinate cultivars include Campbell 1327, Celebrity, Floramerica, Heinz 1350, Small Fry and Springset.

Indeterminate cultivars include Beefmaster, Better Boy, Big Boy, Early Girl, Jet Star, and Wisconsin 55.

Let Your Weeds be Your Guide

In 1879, botanist William Beal decided to see how long weed seeds could remain viable. He buried 20 jars, each filled with 1,000 seeds.  Then, every five years, he dug up a jar and planted its contents to see which kernels would still sprout.  After he died in 1924, colleagues continued the work.  In 1979, they watched some 100-year-old seeds germinate.

Add longevity to productivity (some weed plants can produce as many as 40,000 seeds), and you'll realize why, left unchecked, weeds will usually out-compete your garden vegetables for sunlight, nutrients and water.

But weeds do have their good side. Under controlled circumstances, many of them can greatly benefit our gardens. They hold top-soil, pull up water and nutrients, provide food, help control insects and more.  Several flowering weeds such as Queen Anne's lace, goldenrod, evening primrose, wild mustard, amaranth and dandelion can attract beneficial insects that prey on harmful ones.

Then too, we often don't make the association between the beautiful wildflowers that erupt around us from spring through fall and the fact that most of them bloom on otherwise ordinary weeds. We should. To do otherwise would be like admiring butterflies but hating caterpillars.

Knowledge of what weeds you have, and what conditions they prefer, can be your guide to what may need correcting with your lawn, garden, flower beds, or landscape.   Change these growing conditions, and you will go a long way to preventing future weeds without the use of excess labor or herbicides.

Moss is one of the more common "problems" we hear about with lawns.  Actually this may not be a problem, as moss gardening has become quite popular.  Unless you really want or need a lawn, if you have a healthy crop of moss, perhaps you should consider this trend!  If you do have moss, this may indicate too low mowing, low pH, excess soil moisture, or shade.  Chickweeds may also indicate too low mowing, and mouse-ear chickweed may indicate substantial shade.

If you think low mowing may be the problem, simply raise the height of mower blades.  Most lawns generally should be mowed around two inches high, and with no more than one third of the grass blade cut off at any one time.  Annual bluegrass may indicate too low mowing, but may also appear in compacted soils, or those with excess moisture.  

If you think soils are compacted, you can rent or buy an aerator for you lawn.  This is merely a series of forks or spikes which make holes in the soil, helping to break the surface and to allow water and air to enter.  You can even buy shoe attachments with spikes (similar to golf shoes, only with longer spikes) to wear while mowing, aerating the soil as you walk.

Clover species may indicate low nitrogen.  Rabbit's foot clover may indicate drought or low pH (soil acidity).  Hop clover, on the other hand, indicates possible high pH.  We actually like some clover in our lawns, as in drought it will remain green.  It is also a legume-- a type of plant whose roots take nitrogen from the air and turn it into forms plants can use.  Having clovers in your lawn means you won’t need to add as much nitrogen fertilizer.

Birdsfoot trefoil and vetch, similar to the clovers, also indicate low nitrogen.  Docks, mullein, hawkweed, sheep sorrel, and wild strawberry may indicate low pH.  Mullein may indicate low fertility in general, as can wild carrot, wild parsnip, wild radish, foxtail grass, or mallow.  In addition spurge, dry soils may be indicated by the presence of crabgrass, pigweed, yarrow, yellow wood sorrel, and curly dock.

Like a good water dowser, certain weeds can tell you what's going on underground.  This can help you when you're shopping for land, choosing a new garden site or trying to improve an existing plot.  But don't assume you've determined the ground conditions just because you've spotted one or two weeds in a category.  Look for three or four, and check their health, as well.  I've seen lamb's-quarters and sow thistle, both of which love rich soil, growing in a gravel road, but they were doing a bonsai imitation.

So before you rush out to spend money on herbicides or a lawn care service, look at your weeds more closely.  Let them be your guide on what corrective measures to take first.  You merely may need to aerate a compacted soil.

Garlic Mustard

Garlic mustard has been a problem for years in the Brodhead woodlots. It is moving into town with well established patches around the city compost area, North Town, and in our own garden – beware! Garlic mustard is a cool-season biennial herb with stalked, triangular to heart-shaped, coarsely toothed leaves that ranges from 12 to 48 inches in height as an adult flowering plant. Leaves and stems emit the distinctive odor of onion or garlic when crushed (particularly in spring and early summer), and help distinguish the plant from all other woodland mustard plants. First year plants consist of a cluster of 3 or 4 round, scallop edged leaves rising 2 to 4 inches in a rosette in the summer season.. Rosettes remain green through the winter and develop into mature flowering plants the following spring, making it possible to check for the presence of this plant throughout the year. Second-year plants generally produce one or two flowering stems with numerous white flowers that have four separate petals. Garlic mustard is the only plant of this height in our woods with white flowers in May. Flowering plants of garlic mustard reach from 2-to 3-1/2 feet in height and produce small white flowers, each with four petals in the shape of a cross. In southern Wisconsin this species blooms from May through early June. Fruits begin to ripen in mid-July, and are disseminated through August. Viable seeds are produced within days of initial flowering.

Garlic mustard is an exotic species introduced from Europe presumably by early settlers for its supposed medicinal properties and for use in cooking. It is widely distributed throughout the northeastern and Midwestern U.S. In Wisconsin, the plant is currently concentrated in the southeastern and northeastern counties, although distribution records indicate its presence is nearly statewide

Garlic mustard poses a threat to native plants and animals in forest communities. Many native wildflowers that complete their life cycles in the springtime (e.g. wild ginger, bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, hepatica, and trilliums) occur in the same habitat as the garlic mustard. Once introduced to an area, garlic mustard out-competes plants by monopolizing light, moisture, nutrients, soil and space. Wildlife species that depend on these early plants for their foliage, pollen, nectar, fruits, seeds and roots, are deprived of these essential food sources also. People are also deprived of the vibrant display of beautiful spring wildflowers.

Garlic mustard produces hundreds of seeds per plant. The seeds are believed to be dispersed on the fur of large animals such as deer, horses, and squirrels, by flowing water, human activities, and by putting plants in our compost pile. In our areas, seeds lie dormant for 20 months prior to germination, and may remain viable for five years. Seeds germinate in early April. Garlic Mustard is a rapidly spreading woodland weed that is displacing native woodland wildflowers in Wisconsin. It dominates the forest floor and can displace most native herbaceous species within ten years. This plant is a major threat to the survival of Wisconsin's woodland herbaceous flora and the wildlife that depend on it. There are two modes of spread: an advancing front, and satellite population expansion possibly facilitated by small animals. Unlike other plants that invade disturbed habitats, garlic mustard readily spreads into high quality forests.

Controlling minor infestations can be eradicated by hand pulling at or before the onset of flowering, or by cutting the flower stalk as close to the soil surface as possible just as flowering begins (cutting a couple inches above ground level is not quite as effective). Cutting prior to this time may promote resprouting. Cutting flowering plants at the ground level has resulted in 99% mortality and eliminates seed production. A scythe, monofilament weed whip, or power brush cutter may be helpful if the infestation covers a large area. When pulling, the upper half of the root must be removed in order to stop buds at the root crown from sending up new flower stalks. Pulling is very labor intensive, and can result in soil disturbance, damaging desirable species, and bringing up seeds from the seed bank. These results can be partially prevented by thoroughly tamping soil after pulling. If, however, seed bank depletion is desired, leave the soil in a disturbed state to encourage further germination, and return annually to remove the plants. In general, cutting is less destructive than pulling as a control method, but can be done only during flower stalk elongation. Pulling can be done at any time when the soil is not frozen. If flowering has progressed to the point that viable seed exists, remove the cut or pulled plants from the area. Because seeds remain viable for five years, it is essential that an area be monitored and plants removed for at least five years after the initial control effort.

For larger infestations, fall or early spring burning may be effective. First year plants are killed by fire, if the fire is hot enough to remove all leaf litter. However, the bare soil enhances survival of seedlings that germinate after the fire, and the total population may increase after the fire. Dense populations may be controlled more effectively by fall burning, when leaf litter provides adequate fuel. Spring burns should be conducted early enough to minimize possible injury to spring wildflowers.

For very heavy infestations, where the risk to desirable plant species is minimal, application of the systemic herbicide glyphosate (e.g., Roundup) is also effective, although repeat applications will probably be necessary to deal with dormant seeds. The herbicide may be applied anytime that the temperature is above 50 degrees F and there is no rain for eight hours after application

Quote

But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow

where people want something else. 

In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit. 

Weeds are people's idea, not natures. 

~Author Unknown

June is for roses

June’s arrival signifies roses in bloom.  This plant with its exquisite flower is in a class of its own.  Garden centers and mail order nurseries offer a wide array of rose types.  Some of the most popular are shrub roses, floribundas, hybrid teas, climbers, and miniature roses.  A brief description of each of these types may help you in choosing your rose plant.

          Shrub roses are great landscape plants.  They require minimal spring pruning to shape the plant and remove old wood.  Most shrub roses are hardy in our 4b growing zone and thus require no winter protection.  I would suggest you read the plant tag carefully as it may indicate that winter protection to the base, or crown, may be recommended.   

          Floribundas grow more compact and have many blossoms per stem. They will produce flowers well into fall.  These are beautiful roses.  These roses are pruned similar to the shrub variety.  Winter protection is highly recommended.

          Hybrid tea roses are long stemmed roses.  These stunning roses put on quite a summer show.  Winter protection is a must as this variety is not as hardy in our growing zone.

          Most climber roses bloom on second year or older wood.  Thus you would want to find a climber that is hardy to a zone 3 or 4 to help insure winter survival, as the wood will be exposed to cold Wisconsin temperatures.

          Miniature roses need the same care as hybrid teas.  The plant can grow to a height of three feet.  The term miniature refers to the flower size only.

          Whatever type of rose you select, proper preparation of the planting site is vital in determining the success of your rose plant for years to come.  Make sure the planting site receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily.  Your rose plant should also receive sufficient air circulation.  This will help in keeping disease problems at bay.  When planting, loosen the top 18-24 inches of soil.  Work in ample amounts of compost, peat moss, and composted manure.  Sufficient organic matter in the planting area will help ensure that your rose will get off to a great start.  Yearly applications of compost are highly recommended.  Since roses are heavy feeders, you may also want to add a fertilizer that is specifically meant for rose plants.

          Roses do have their share of insect predators.  Insecticidal soaps and sprays may be used to control aphids and thrips.  A systemic insecticide can also be applied right to the soil.  This insecticide will be absorbed by the roots and carried to the plant foliage.  Insects will die upon feeding.  Be sure to read label directions carefully.  A systemic will need to be applied about 2 or 3 times a growing season.

          If you have a sunny site, I would highly encourage you to give a rose plant a try.  Its breathtaking beauty is well worth your gardening efforts.

Question:  How do we protect our gardens and landscape plants from rabbits?  We are interested in trapping them and not sure what to use for bait.

There are three kinds of wild rabbits in Wisconsin.  The cottontail, the snowshoe hare, and the jackrabbit.  Cottontails are small rabbits abundant in southern Wisconsin.  This is the true bunny rabbit whose name is derived from its white, cottony tail.  Cottontails are the chief "pest" rabbit in Wisconsin.

Good news is that rabbits typically live for less than one year.  However, because of their prolific breeding habits, cottontail rabbits are very abundant and make the most of their time.  Cottontails can raise up to six litters a year beginning in late March with an average litter size of six.  Once a female rabbit has given birth, she is capable of breeding again very quickly.  Under ideal conditions, a pair of rabbits can produce up to 36 offspring in one season. Fortunately, natural mortality factors such as weather, predators, and disease keep rabbits from realizing their full reproductive potential.

Rabbits can damage landscape plants throughout the year.  Flowers and vegetables provide food in spring and summer while woody plants are chosen in fall and winter.  Rabbits can cause extensive and expensive damage to woody plants by gnawing bark or clipping branches, stems and buds.  Although their diet is diverse, they prefer apple trees, barberry, basswood, blackberries, cherry trees, dogwood, honey locust, ironwood, red and sugar maples, mountain ash, nut trees, red and white oaks, plum, rose, black and red raspberries, sumac, and willow. Young trees with smooth, thin bark are favored over more mature trees.  Rabbits are easy to identify and their damage readily detected. The best time to catch rabbits in the act of feeding is at dawn or dusk.

To determine whether the culprit that may be girdling the bark off trees and shrubs is a rabbit or a vole look at the tooth marks near the edge of the damaged area.  If the problem was caused by rabbits you will see paired tooth marks at least inch.  Vole damage typically starts at the root collar area and is often restricted to the area beneath the snow.  If you are trying to discern whether pruning damage to woody plants is from rabbits or deer, carefully examine the damage. Deer tend to "tear" the twigs from the plant while rabbits cut them off neatly at a 45o angle - almost as if it were pruned with a pruning shears.  In the case of herbaceous flowers and vegetables, it’s a bit more difficult to identify the culprit based on damage alone.  Keep in mind the preferred host plants of rabbits when trying to make identification.  Rabbit droppings can be used as a means of identification.  They consist of small, hard, round, pea-sized pellets.  They may be found in piles or spread over an area.  In winter, rabbit tracks are an easy clue to their presence.

Trapping is the best way to remove rabbits.  The first step is to get a well-built and well-designed live trap.  Several excellent styles of commercial live traps are available.  Average cost is about $20.

Place traps where you know rabbits feed or rest.  Keep traps close to cover, so rabbits won’t have to cross large open areas to get to them.  In winter, face traps away from prevailing winds to keep snow and leaves from plugging the entrance or interfering with the door.  Check traps daily to replenish bait or remove catches – this is essential for effective control and to treat the animals humanely.  Move traps if they fail to make a catch within a week.

Finding bait is not a problem, even in winter, because cob corn is very good.  Place a cob broken in half on the nail at the rear of the trap (commercial traps may not have a nail).  Push the nail into the pith of the cob; this keeps the cob off the floor and visible from the open door.  Dried, leafy alfalfa or clover and dried apple are also good cold-weather baits.

Apple, carrot and cabbage are good baits in warmer weather.  These soft baits become mushy and ineffective once frozen.  Good summer bait for garden traps is a cabbage leaf rolled tightly and held together by a toothpick. 

You can release rabbits in a rural area several miles from where you trap them.  But don’t release them where they may create a problem for someone else.  Another alternative is to eat them – they make excellent meals.

Shooting is a quick and easy solution, but make sure that local firearms laws allow it and that it is safe.  In Wisconsin, the owner or occupant of a parcel of land may hunt rabbits all year on that land, except for a short time near the deer gun season.

Another option to protect your yard and garden is to put up a fence.  It doesn’t have to be tall or especially sturdy.  A fence of two-foot chicken wire with the bottom tight to the ground or buried a few inches is sufficient.

Note that we haven’t listed poisoning.  There are NO poisons registered for use against rabbits in Wisconsin.  Poisoning rabbits is NOT recommended.  It is dangerous to other animals and humans.  It is also illegal.

Question:   I have a patch of grass in my yard that is yellow until mid-May then greens up until early fall when it turns brown and has tripled in size in three years.   Is this a lawn disease?  

Dave, you don't have a disease - what you have is Zoysia grass.   It is a fine dense southern grass that is drought resistant and tolerates extreme heat.   In Wisconsin it looks partially brown most of the year.   I have been following Zoysia grass in the Brodhead area for the past three years.   The worst case being in North town where a homeowner had to spray Round-Up over the entire yard and reseed.   My estimate is that it was brought into the area in bird seed and spread that way.  

Question:   Can you tell me if snapdragons that came up from last years seeds flower and will they be the same color?

Seeds from an annual hybrid should flower the next year.   From a seed saver myself, I personally like the snapdragons the second year.   The color won't be true to the mother plant but you will be quite surprised with the color combination you will get.   My favorite was a yellow-red cross giving a beautiful second year red flower with a yellow border.   Volunteer seedlings coming up from last years plants works great for filling in your beds.

Question:   With more dead elms than ever, this was the worst mushroom hunting year we have had.   Is there a reason for this?

Maybe you quit too soon!   For many people the season is just starting.   There are over 5,000 mushroom varieties.   Just compare that to, say the 700 or so species of birds in North America.   In addition to their vast numbers,the fact is fungi only fruit for a short time under differing conditions.   The mushroom I think you are talking about is the morel, which is the most hunted variety.   Checking with several expert hunters they rated this year as average, but being later than normal - making ground cover taller, and the morels harder to find.   That is not factoring in that there is a lot more people out looking for this jewel.   The good news is if you are really interested in hunting mushrooms and enjoy the outdoors there are ten easily identified edible mushrooms you can find in Wisconsin:

• Morel - harbinger of spring, and is usually found in May to early June
• Hen of the Woods - this delicious mushroom grows at the bases of oak trees.   The "feathers" are usually grayish brown with white pores underneath
• Meadow mushroom - is a wild relative of the common white mushroom found in stores
• Chanterelle - is a gold colored mushroom which starts fruiting in July
• Shaggy mane - is one distinctive "inky cap" found in grassy areas in the fall
• Oyster mushroom - large pan shaped mushroom jetting straight out from high up on a tree trunk
• Sweet tooth - is a compact tooth fungus
• Bear's Head Tooth - is also a tooth fungus that hangs from a cluster of white branches
• Scaber stalk - is usually associated with Aspen or Birch trees
• Velvet stem - is a small firm mushroom that grows on clumps of wood.   Can be collected even in cold weather when other edible mushrooms are long gone.

Remember all mushrooms are edible at least once - but to live to enjoy them again get a good mushroom guide.   Make a positive identification and go with an experienced mushroom hunter.   For more information check out the Wisconsin Mycological Society for a complete list of guides.   Remember BE SAFE, BE SURE, OR LEAVE IT ALONE!

Question: We live in Whispering Pines south of the high school and our subdivision has a lot of dead pines.   What is causing this?

The main problem with your subdivision and several other subdivisions around town is that you are living in a monoculture that hasn't been taken care of, so Mother Nature is taking care of it for you.   All your pines were planted for quick tall growth for wind brake and pulp.   The past two-year drought, and dry winters have put stress on these trees.   This has made them susceptible to disease, in your case Sphaeropsis shoot blight and canker.  

Sphaeropsis shoot blight and canker, is one of the most common fungal diseases of Austrian pine in urban settings in Wisconsin.   This disease can also affect other pines including red, jack, Scots and mugo pine, as well as other conifers. The fungus survives in infected shoots and pinecones.   Initially you may notice branch tips that ooze a large amount of resin.   Eventually, these branch tips brown and die.   Often, the newest needles on these dead branches will be of different lengths.

To save a tree that is infected immediately remove and destroy diseased branch tips.   Prune branches 6-8 inches below the point where they are obviously infected.   Prune only in dry weather and clean your shears (e.g., by dipping them in a 10% bleach solution) between cuts so you don't move the fungus from branch to branch.  

For more information on Sphaeropsis shoot blight and canker:   See UW-Extension Bulletin A3643, or contact your County Extension Agent, or for help contact Whitney Tree Service which help with the diagnosis.

Squash flowers, but no squash

First time squash-growers become anxious when they see the first squash flowers drop off without leaving a sign of a baby squash behind, but there's usually no cause for concern.   Those first squash flowers are males, and their only purpose is to pollinate the female flowers.

A week after the male flowers appear, you will begin to see the first females.   If the female flowers also drop off without producing squash, they weren't pollinated.   Squash depend on bees for pollination, so if you don't have bees, you won't have squash.   Try pollinating them by hand.   You can do this with a q-tip or soft brush, or you can simply pick a male flower, remove the petals, and whirl it around inside the female flowers.

It's easy to identify the male and female blossoms.   Males have a single stamen in the center.   Females have a large swelling (the ovary) just beneath the blossom and a four-part pistil in the center.

Question:   Help!   My husband mowed off my young Harry Lauder's walking stick.   Will it grow back curly, as it was, or straight?  

Time will tell.   Harry Lauder's walking stick (Corylus avellana 'Contorta') is usually grafted, the curly form grown on rootstock that normally produces straight branches.   If the mower sliced off the graft, all new growth will be straight and you'll have to replace your shrub.   But if the mower cut it off above the graft, you may get both curly and straight shoots.   You might be able to see or feel a bulge where the graft was done, making it easy to tell what will happen.  

Question:   Will powdery mildew on my husband's grapes spread to my flower bed?  

In Wisconsin, powdery mildew is much less important than either black rot or downy mildew and usually causes little or no economic damage.   However, on susceptible cultivars and in warm (65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit), humid weather, it can reduce vine growth, yield, fruit quality, and winter hardiness.   A fungus that only attacks members of the grape family causes the disease.   Many other plants also are affected by powdery mildew, but each plant or group of closely related plants usually is attacked by a unique powdery mildew on one plant usually does not affect other unrelated plants.   However, powdery mildew on different plants develops under similar weather conditions.

Question:   I bought some small shrubs grown in containers at Wal-Mart.   On dumping them out, I found a tight ball of roots.   Should I plant them anyway?

Sometimes plants are grown too long in containers and when this happens the roots grow into a tight ball. Carefully open them, unwind them, even cut some roots where necessary, and spread them out normally in the prepared hole.   If planted in a tight ball, the roots might choke themselves as they enlarge and the plant would suffer seriously.

Question: How do I get rid of wild parsnips in the ditch along our road?

A great question for this time of the year. Wild parsnips should be dealt with caution. In our estimation there is more of a chance of contact with this than poison ivy. Ten years ago you hardly saw wild parsnips around - today it is rare to find a ditch with out it.

Wild parsnip ( Pastinaca sativa ) is an aggressive Eurasian member of the carrot family that grows in sunny areas and tolerates dry to wet soil types. It is often found along highways, in prairies or bordering farmed fields. The plant spreads primarily by seed. Sap from the plant can cause phytophotodermatitis, a light sensitive reaction on your skin. If the juice from broken stalks, leaves or flowers contacts your skin and then is exposed to sunlight, a skin rash will result 24-48 hours later. Symptoms range from slightly reddened skin to large blisters. The blisters may produce a sensation similar to a mild to severe sunburn. The blisters do not spread or itch, as poison ivy rashes do, but they are uncomfortable and leave brown scars that last for a number of months to two years. See your doctor if you develop burn symptoms.

At maturity, wild parsnip is about four to five feet tall. It bears many large flat clusters of yellow-green flowers on a thick stem. Flowers appear from the first of June through July in southern Wisconsin . Seeds form around the end of July. The plant will often have both flowers and seed capsules at the same time. Seeds are flat, oval and about the size of a sunflower seed. After flowering and producing seed, the plant turns brown and dies. The plants have a rosette of basal leaves, as well as leaves arranged alternately on the stem. The leaves are branched into leaflets and have heavily toothed margins. The plant can be confused with prairie parsley ( Polytaenia nuttallii ), an endangered native species in Wisconsin . Prairie parsley has sparse, light yellow flowers, and long leaves branched into leaflets with few teeth.

How can I control wild parsnip? Prevention is the best way to control wild parsnip. When wild parsnip is first detected in an area, it can be cut below ground level with a sharp shovel. Be sure to wear long sleeves, long pants and gloves when working with plants. Also, try to work after sunset so that exposure to sunlight does not occur. Plants can also be pulled by hand, if you wear protective gloves. If the wild parsnip population is fairly large, you may use a brush-cutter just after peak bloom and before the plant sets seed. Remove all the cut material. A few weeks later, repeat the treatment to prevent plants from re-sprouting. Treatments may need to be repeated over several years. Herbicides containing the active ingredient glyphosate are also effective against wild parsnip. In high quality natural areas such as prairies, the Department of Natural Resources recommends burning the site and then applying spot treatments of a 1-3% glyphosate solution to wild parsnip rosettes if they re-sprout after burning.

Question: I have noticed that some of my geraniums have small little bumps under the leaves - do you know if this is an insect that may be causing this?

After some research on this we suspect that your geranium may be suffering from Oedema. Oedema (edema) is a common problem that affects many greenhouse crops and houseplants; occasionally it also occurs outside. Geranium, particularly ivy geranium and certain cultivars such as 'Irene' are the most susceptible. Jade, palm, cactus, fern, ivy, pepperomia, and tomato are among other groups susceptible to Oedema.

Oedema can be a problem for professional and amateur growers. Symptoms appear primarily on foliage. Oedemic leaves have blister-like, water-soaked swellings or bumps primarily on the undersurface. In advanced stages the swellings often develop a corky texture and become light brown or tan. Individual swellings can be the size of a speck or large enough to be seen easily. They become a concern when large numbers develop and the foliage begins to collapse.

While symptoms are most common on leaves, you can also find them on petioles and stems. Severely affected leaves of less succulent species such as geranium may become cup-shaped. The entire leaf may turn yellow and die.

Oedema results when water congests in plant cells, apparently because of a disruption of the plant's water balance. Cells in the leaf enlarge and plug leaf pores and stomatal openings through which plants release water. The enlarged cells such against the leaf surface to form blistered areas. When blisters burst and rupture the leaf surface they cause dead corky tissue.

Conditions that predispose plants to Oedema are a combination of a warm, moist soil with a cook, humid atmosphere and/or a sharp temperature drop, for example at twilight. Low light intensity, poor air circulation and close spacing is also associated with Oedema on may species.

Changes in cultural practices or environment reduce problems with Oedema. In the greenhouse, adequate plant spacing, increased air circulation and ventilation all help reduce the problem. Pay close attention to watering. Use a soil that drains well such as peat-vermiculite mix with a minimum amount of mineral soil. Remove saucers under baskets and do not water susceptible plants heavily on cloudy days. Water early enough in the day so that crops dry off before twilight. However, once plants are badly affected do not let them suffer from drought.

Rather than watering on a predetermined schedule, water only when soil is dry. Some plants need water more often than others and some soils dry out faster than others. Do not treat them all the same. Many plants cease to develop Oedema when you move them to a spot where they receive more light. But other plants, such as ivy geranium, do better in a shady spot with good air circulation.

Question: My shrubs have brown edges on all the leaves and they did not bloom this spring. Can you tell me what may be the cause of this?

Salt Injury to Landscape Plants

Sounds like this is injury due to salt. This is most common on landscape plants growing near highways, streets, sidewalks, and driveways that are regularly salted during the winter for ice control. The salt used for deicing in Brodhead is sodium chloride - ordinary rock salt or table salt. Checking Brodhead salt use on our city streets from the first of the year, they used 330,000 pounds of salt - that is approximately 100 pounds per person.

On highways the major problem to plants is caused by salt spray kicked up by fast-moving traffic on wet, salted roads. The salt spray is deposited on nearby plants causing dehydration of the tissue.

In Brodhead, where traffic speeds are slower, the major problem is salt runoff washing into the soil or salt-laden snow plowed or shoveled onto terraces. Salt in the soil may be absorbed by the roots and cause direct toxic effects or may simply prevent roots from taking up water. The symptoms become evident as growth begins in the spring and may take several years to fully develop. Salt applications made after March 1, when plants are beginning to break dormancy, cause the most damage because plants are actively growing and taking up soil water. This is a larger problem in Brodhead with the lack of curb and gutter. Normally you are figuring 30-50 feet from the street however without a curb and the layout of your yard this is greatly increased.

Symptoms of salt injury often appear suddenly in early spring once the weather begins to warm. The symptoms may develop progressively over several years and often multiple symptoms occur simultaneously.

On deciduous plants, salt spray can kill buds and twigs. New shoots grow from the base of the branch producing a dense cluster of twigs knows as "witches' brooms." Often when flowering plants repeatedly fail to bloom, the cause may be attributed to bud injury by salt spray. When vegetative buds die, plants may become misshapen as the absence of branches on the side of the plant that receives salt spray becomes apparent. Landscape plants may also show slowed growth or thinning of the crown of twigs and sometimes large branches begin to die.

In conifers, salt spray causes browning or yellowing of the needles and twig dieback. These symptoms become evident in late February or early March. Initially, only the tips of the needles show discoloration. As spray damage worsens, the discoloration moves from the tip of the needle inward, eventually discoloring it completely. Once new growth begins to develop, affected trees appear to recover. However, close examination will reveal that the damaged needles remain discolored; only the new growth is green.

Salt spray causes dehydration of plant tissue, impairing the tissue's ability to survive over winter. For example, those same cold temperatures when subjected to salt spray may kill buds that normally tolerate cold temperatures.

Salt that enters the soil as in your case harms plants differently than salt spray. Salt disrupts the balance of nutrients and water between the soil and the plant, causing plant decline. Salt causes soil particles to absorb moisture in the same way a saltshaker at tracts moisture under humid conditions. Because the soil particles hold water more tightly, less water is available for uptake by the plant.

Damage caused when salt enters the soil is slower acting and plants may not show symptoms for several years. Symptoms on deciduous plants grown in soil with high salt concentrations include browning along the edges of leaves, as your shrubs are experiencing. Leaf burn usually appears in late summer or during periods of hot, dry weather when soil moisture becomes limiting, as this spring has been.

If you suspect salt injury, a soil test or tissue test should be done to confirm the diagnosis. Submit soil samples very early in the spring before rain washes salts down into the soil and out of the sampling area. Tissue samples should be collected in midsummer and submitted for chloride analysis. Be careful to avoid contaminating the sample. Use clean plastic gloves when handling the sample or prune the leaves directly into a clean bag. Contact your county Extension office for specific instructions on soil testing and tissue testing.

Planning before planting is the best way to prevent salt injury to landscape plants. When planting in areas subjected to salt spray or as in your case runoff, consider these suggestions to minimize damage.

• Select plants with high salt tolerance.
• Plant on berms to prevent salty runoff water from moving into root zones
• Place plants with low salt tolerance at least 60 feet from highways and 30 feet from city streets

Question: We have a sugar maple tree that is dropping it's leaves. Can you tell me what may be causing this?

Upon visiting your site to examine the tree Barb had collected a little white speck that moves, and a hand full of leaves, all without stems from the tree. She did everything right for a positive identification.

A sudden drop of many sugar maple leaves in May or June may be due to injury by maple petiole borer damage which is small wasp larva that burrows in leaf petioles (stems). The stems usually break at a darkened area near the leaf blade. Usually infestations are limited to sugar maples and only about 25% to 30% of the leaves fall to the ground. While spectacular, the leaf drop has little effect on tree health. Buildups of scales or aphids, or drought stress can cause leaf loss but these typically occur later in the year. Leaf drop due to borers is seen earlier in the season and the leaf blades may still be green. Leaves from trees stressed by sucking insects or drought usually have turned yellow before they drop. Splitting the petiole carefully near the leaf blade should reveal the larva or the tunnel.

There is one generation each year. Infestations begin as the adults, a small non-stinging wasp about 1/6" long, appear in May and lay their eggs in petioles near the leaf blades. Legless, white grubs with distinct light brown heads hatch from the eggs and tunnel inside the leaf stem for 20 to 30 days. The weakened stem breaks and the leaf floats to the ground.

The borer larvae generally remain in the portion of the stem left on the tree. About 10 days after leaf drop, the rest of the stem falls to the ground. The mature larva, about 1/6" long, leaves the stem through a hole in the side and burrows into the soil. It will change to the pupal stage and remain in the soil until the following spring.

Maple petiole borer infestations are infrequent and unpredictable. Also they do not appear to harm tree health so insecticidal control is not recommended. In addition, probably preventive treatments, applied well before leaf drop, would be necessary. It may be possible to reduce future infestations by picking up and destroying infested stems, the short sections without leaves, about 7 to 10 days after the first leaves fall. This sanitation program needs to be continued throughout the leaf drop period and must include all infested trees in the vicinity to be most successful. Raking and disposing of the leaves will not reduce the population because the insects are not in that portion.

Quote for the week:  

But a weed is simply a plant that wants to grow

where people want something else. 

In blaming nature, people mistake the culprit. 

Weeds are people's idea, not natures. 

~Author Unknown

You can grow African violets successfully in your home if you provide moisture, temperature, and light conditions similar to those under which the plants grow naturally.   This isn't as difficult as you may think, even though the African violet comes from the coastal and mountain regions of East Africa.   There the temperatures average 70 to 80 degrees F and never go below 50 degrees F for above 100 degrees F.   The plants flower profusely in the moist air and rich soil of shaded, rocky areas.   In homes we can control heat, light, and moisture to give our African violets "natural" growing conditions.

Check soil moisture before potting young plants and repotting older ones.   The mix should pack slightly when you squeeze it.   Please be sure that excess water drains easily from the pot.   If the soil is too wet, roots suffer because they don't get enough oxygen.

Pot the crown just slightly above the soil line.   If planted below the crown may rot rapidly.

African violets grow and bloom better if you repot them about once a year.   When repotting, remove some of the surface soil and soil from the root ball and replace with a good soil mix.

African violets grow best in a soil that is moderately moist at all times.   Avoid over watering or keeping the soil saturated; over watering often kills plants.   You can water from above or below.   To water from above, pour the water onto the soil until water runs out the drain holes.   Remove excess water.   To water from below, set the container in an inch of water.   When the surface becomes moist, take the container from the water and let it drain.

African violets will grow and bloom better if they get the right amount of light.   Plants won't flower with too much or too little light.   They do best in a well-lighted location that doesn't get direct sunlight during noon or afternoon hours.   Usually a north or east window gives good light for the plants.

Starting new African violets is easy with leaf cuttings.   Select a healthy, recently matured leaf and remove it form the violet's crown, leaving no stub.   Cut off all but 1-1/2 inches of leaf stalk.   To root the leaf, put it in water, sand, vermiculite, or a 50-50 mixture of perlite and peat moss.  

If you root leaf cuttings in water, place a piece of wax paper or plastic over the container's top and fasten it down with a rubber band.   Slip the stalk of the cutting through a hole in the wax paper and into the water.   You can add a few small pieces of charcoal to keep the water "pure".    In 2-4 weeks roots will form on the leaf stalk's cut surface.   When roots are ½-1 inches long, plant the cutting in a mixture of perlite or sand and peat moss.   Shallow planting lets the young plants develop quickly.   New plants from leaf cuttings often take 6-12 months before flowering.

Question:   What is the seed-like clump on my seedless ash branches?

What you have, and most other ash trees in Brodhead, are called Ash Flower Gall.   Galls are abnormal plant growth that can be caused by insects, mites, or plant diseases.   On Ash trees a tiny eriophyid mite causes the male flowers to grow into round greenish, ½ to 1 inch tumor-like structure.   Sometimes the lumpy growth also causes leaf distortion.   During the late summer the galls will turn dark brown and woody and will remain on the tree for more than one season.   Ash flower gall mites are too small to be seen with the unaided eye.   These worm shaped mites spend the winter under the buds and begin feeding and initiates gall growth early in spring.   Once the gall starts growing it is too late to treat the plant.   Ash flower gall does not harm the health of the tree but in some years will make a tree look unsightly.   In rare situations the weight of the gall tissue can cause branches to be strained.   Some trees seem to be more prone to the problem.   To control this problem timing is everything.   The mites must be killed before the galls are growing in the spring.   Look for the first signs of green in the opening flower buds.   Larger trees are difficult to treat, and because this is considered a cosmetic problem, treatment is rarely suggested.   Young trees differ in susceptibility.   Consider replacing highly susceptible trees.   An application of Sevin in the spring when the first blossoms begin to form will reduce the number of galls.

Question:   My new yard has a red powder on it?   Can you tell me what is causing this?

Bill, what you have is rust.   Rust occurs primarily on perennial ryegrass although all grass species are susceptible.   The fungus grows inside the plant, often turning the leaves yellow or causing yellow spots.   Spores from the fungus eventually erupt through the leaf surface, giving an orange cast to the turf.   The spores easily rub off on shoes and clothing.   This disease occurs during periods of slow turf growth in the late summer and fall.   In your case, it was probably due to frequent watering or watering at the wrong time giving your rust a head start.

The spores may be blown for hundreds of miles, so little can be done to keep the disease out of an area.   Turf usually outgrows this disease without any treatment.   To hasten recovery, apply a small amount of fertilizer (half rate as listed on retail fertilizer bags) and irrigate.

Question:   I want to add a water garden to my landscape, but I'm worried that I'll be overrun with mosquitoes.   Do you have any suggestions?  

Mosquitoes are usually a problem in standing, stagnant water.   This is not the case with most water gardens.   Growing plants, swimming fish and water pumps circulate the water and prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your pond.   Minimizing algae growth, using oxygenating plants and keeping your pond in balance also reduces the risk of mosquitoes.

If mosquitoes do become a problem, use Bacillus thuringiensis   'Israelensis'.   This naturally occurring bacteria kills mosquito larvae but won't harm other insects, fish, birds or people.   It's sold under several brand names, including Mosquito Dunks, at garden centers and in catalogs.

Question:   I heard there are a good algae I should leave in my water garden and bad algae that needs to be removed.   How do I tell the difference and what should I do to get rid of the bad stuff?   Darlene, Brodhead

There are three general categories of algae.   The free-floating algae makes the water green, and means you have too much carbon dioxide, excess nutrients or insufficient oxygen.   Keep the water garden free of debris like fallen leaves, reduce nearby lawn fertilization, avoid overfeeding your fish and reduce the number of fish in the pond if necessary.

Hair algae are long and stringy, and forms in all types of ponds, even those in balance.   Physically remove the algae and clean out any plant debris that has collected in the pond.

Green slime is found on the sides and bottoms of ponds.   This is actually a good part of the pond's ecosystem, providing as much as 60% of the oxygen in the water.   Avoid scrubbing off the slime during spring and fall cleanup.

Chemical and biological algae-control products are also available.   Use these only as a short-term solution for an out-of-balance pond.   Create a balanced growing system, and you'll have few problems with algae and little need for these types of control.

Do you have the Japanese beetle in the Brodhead area yet?   I live in New Freedom, Pennsylvania and last year we had to replace our entire yard because of the infestation.    What can we do to prevent this this year?  

The Japanese beetle is considered the single most important turfgrass-infesting pest in the United States. It was first discovered in the U.S. in southern New Jersey in 1916. Today, the Japanese beetle is the most widespread turf-grass pest in the United States. Efforts to control the larval and adult stages are estimated to cost more than $460 million a year. Losses attributable to the larval stage alone has been estimated at $234 million per year - $78 million for control costs and an additional $156 million for replacement of damaged turf. Japanese beetles occur in every state east of the Mississippi River except Florida. Arriving in the Chicago area 10 years ago, Rockford area 5 years ago, Janesville-Madison area 3 years ago with no reported hot spots in the Brodhead area yet. Please report if there is any. They are coming.  

Japanese beetle adults are slightly less than ½ inch long, and are shiny, metallic green. They have coppery-brown wing coves that do not entirely cover the abdomen. Males and females have the same markings, but females are typically slightly larger. Newly hatched larvae are approximately 1/8 inch long and translucent creamy white.  

Japanese beetle adults do not damage turf but are an important pest of many other plants. They feed on foliage or flowers, and are a major pest of over 300 species of plants, including fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, field and forage crops, and weeds. Norway and Japanese maples, birch, crabapples, purple-leaf plums, roses, mountain ash, and linden are highly preferred ornamental hosts. Trees receiving extensive feeding damage turn brown and become partially defoliated.

Japanese beetle grubs feed below-ground and chew on the roots of turf and ornamentals. As result, they reduce the plants ability to take up enough water and nutrients to withstand stresses of hot, dry weather.   The first evidence of grub injury in turf appears as localized patches of pale, dying grass that displays symptoms of drought stress.  

Japanese beetles have only one generation per year. In mid-June, as soon as they emerge, adult females mate and begin laying eggs. The adults are most active in the afternoon in full-sun. Eggs hatch in two weeks, after which grubs begin feeding on the roots of turfgrass. The grubs grow quickly and by late August are nearly full-grown (about 1" long).  Mid-summer rainfall and adequate soil moisture are needed to prevent eggs and grubs from drying out.  

To control the Japanese beetle you can physically remove by hand or trapping may provide adequate protection when beetle numbers are low. However, the presence of beetles on or in the proximity of a plant will attract more beetles. Consequently, Japanese beetle traps often attract more beetles and results in subsequent damage to plants. There are also several insecticides that are labeled for use. For optimal control, apply in the afternoon when the beetles are most active. The best time to treat grubs is early to mid-August.   Sevin, Diazinon, and Trichlorfon are three active ingredients that all provide control.

Question: Why does my cherry tree have sap on the trunk and some of the branches?

What you have Lisa is b acterial canker. This is a common and sometimes lethal disease of trees in the genus Prunus including cherry, plum and peach. Bacterial canker is also known as "gummosis", "blossom blast", "dieback", "spur blight" and "twig blight".

Often branch dieback is the first symptom of bacterial canker that homeowners notice. However, other more subtle symptoms of flowers, leaves, fruits and branches typically precede this dieback. Initially, infected trees are symptomless. Infected flowers often open, but then collapse. Infected leaves become spotted and yellowed. The centers of leaf spots often shot hole (i.e., fall out). If spotting is severe, leaves may fall off. Infected fruits develop dead spots surrounded by water-soaked tissue. Spots can eventually develop into a fruit rot. Branch or trunk infections often occur at pruning sites and lead to cankers (i.e., sunken, dead areas). As you have noticed on your cherry tree, cankers often produce a gummy, resinous ooze, and wood in the cankered area is typically discolored. Flower, fruit and branch infections can become systemic, leading to twig dieback, death of larger branches or even death of an entire tree.

Bacterial canker is caused by a bacteria. This bacteria over winter in cankers, in asymptomatic, systemically infected branches, and in buds of susceptible trees. It is also known to occur naturally on the leaves of many plants including many weed species. It also can subsequently be spread by rain splash, wind or insects. The bacteria can also be spread to healthy branches when contaminated pruning tools are used. Infections most often occur during cool, wet conditions.

Prune infected branches at least 12 inches below cankers or other dead tissue, and dispose of branches by burning or burying them. Disinfect pruning tools after each cut by dipping them for at least 30 seconds in a 10% bleach solution or alcohol (spray disinfectants that contain at least 70% alcohol can also be used) . Prune branches only during the winter (e.g., Jan. and Feb.) or during dry periods in late summer (e.g., Aug.). DO NOT prune during the cool, wet periods (e.g., spring and fall). We don't think there is anything that you can do for your tree other than removing it to prevent it from spreading to your other fruit trees.

Healthy trees are better able to slow the development of bacterial canker. Therefore make sure that trees are watered and fertilized properly. Keep weeds and other plants that may harbor bacterial canker pathogens from around the base of susceptible trees. Copper-containing sprays have been advocated for bacterial canker management.

Question: Most of our irises didn't bloom this year and I have noticed that they appear to have rotted inside - can you tell me what this is?

Iris borer is the most serious pest of iris in Wisconsin . Iris plants attacked by iris borer will discolor, wilt, and die during late June and July. On close examination of affected plants, a pinkish-white caterpillar can be found feeding on the inside of rhizomes. Affected rhizomes also often are rotted and have a foul smell.

The rotting is caused by soft rot bacteria that colonize the iris borer feeding areas. The unpleasant odor is caused by other bacteria that subsequently colonize the decayed tissue. Bearded iris is the type of iris most severely affected by iris borer. Siberian and dwarf iris typically have few problems with this insect.

Iris borers over winter as eggs on both iris and other types of plant debris. Eggs hatch in early May and larvae bore into leaves, often leaving a water-soaked spot. Larvae tunnel down through the leaves and eventually reach the rhizomes below ground. Larvae move into the soil and pupate. Adult cutworm moths emerge and lay eggs in late August and September.

Control: remove old plant debris near iris plants to destroy over-wintering sites for iris borer eggs. While important for controlling iris borer, this technique will not always eliminate iris borer problems. In the spring, watch for small (approximately ¼ inch long) larvae, as they begin to tunnel into iris leaves. These small larvae can be crushed by hand. If you decide to use an insecticide for control, select a product that contains permethrin, cyfluthrin bifenthrin, spinosad or imidacloprid. Insecticides must be applied when new iris shoots are four to six inches long, and a second application should be applied 10 to 14 days later. Be sure to read and follow all label instructions of the herbicide that you select to insure that you use the product in the safest and most effective manner possible. Products containing the parasitic nematodes Heterorhabditis or Steinernema also have been successful in controlling iris borer larvae when used as soil drenches in June or early July.

The Birds and Bees of Growing Gourds

Growing gourds is very much like growing squash - with some important differences. The biggest difference is that with squash and pumpkins, you harvest at a much earlier stage. Most gardeners have had the experience of finding a giant zucchini that had hidden itself away until it was a giant - tough, stringy and not very good to eat. But with gourds, tough is good. What gives trouble to most new growers, and even some veterans of the gourd patch, is knowing when to plant, getting good pollination, when to harvest and how to cure. Let's start with all gourds have in common. Like squash gourds like light, well-drained soil, but will settle for less. A soil test will show whether you need to lime or make nutritional additions. Gourds like pH range of 5.8-6.2.

Squash, pumpkin, and gourd ( Cucurbita species) plants are normally monoecious which means that there are both male and female flowers on the same plant. Male flowers produce nectar and pollen, and female flowers produce nectar. Female flowers produce more nectar and attract more bees compared to male flowers. Flowers open early in the morning and close around noon of the same day, never to reopen. Each gourd vine bears male and female flowers. The male flowers appear first. You can tell the difference because female flowers have a small gourd shape beneath petals. Both are funnel in shape but the female has a small round bulb at the base of its bloom. Male blooms develop two weeks before the female. The female blooms are open only a short time, about 24 hours. The blooms open in the early morning, early evening or on overcast days. The first vine that grows will have more male flowers than female. Cut the vine at about 10 feet long to get more female flowers - and more gourds.

Because these plants have separate male and female flowers, some agent - usually bees - is necessary to transfer pollen from male to female flowers. Pollen viability in a newly opened male flower is about 92% but by the time it closes that same morning the viability will have dropped to 75%, and by the next morning it will be only 10%. Thus, it is important for a female flower to be pollinated as early as possible on the day it opens while pollen is still viable. Squash bees and honeybees are the most important pollinators of Curcubita species. Honeybees work Curcubita flowers and effectively pollinate the crop. Compared to honey bees, squash bees make more contact with reproductive parts of a flower, work faster, and work earlier in the morning. However, squash bees are no more efficient than honey bees at setting fruit in spite of their desirable behaviors. Insects (and industrious gourd gardeners) carry pollen from male to female flowers. Bees are the most frequent pollinators. It is important to remember not to use the insecticide, Sevin, on blossoms, because it is hardest on bees. Other insects, even enemies like cucumber beetles and squash bugs, are frequent pollinators as well. The more pollinators, the better chance you will have more gourds and the more seed. Pollen can be gently transferred with an artists' paintbrush or a cotton swab or by picking the male flower and carrying pollen to the female. Generally, the larger the gourd, the fewer you will yield per vine.

Another thing to remember is don't kill the bees.

Growing gourds in Wisconsin is a bit tricky. Hardshells mature in 110-130 days, so plant as soon as the soil warms in the spring. If you plant too early your seed can rot, too late, and the gourd will not mature at frost.

Question: I noticed that on a few of our tomato plants have yellow wilting leaves - I have been watering them regularly so I don't understand what my problem may be? Thanks, Bill, Brodhead

After some searching we found that your problem be caused by either a Fusarium or Verticillium wilt.

Fusarium and Verticillium wilts once routinely devastated tomato crops. However, the availability of resistant tomato varieties has all but eliminated the problem. In Wisconsin , Verticillium wilt tends to be more common and serious disease.

Symptoms and effects

Fusarium wilt first appears near mid-growing season after the plant begins to flower. The oldest leaves turn yellow and begin to droop. Often, only the leaves on one side of the stem turn yellow, and wilting only occurs during the hottest part of the day. As the disease progresses, yellowing and wilting continue up the stem until all of the foliage is killed and the stem dies. If the disease attacks the plant early in the season and the air temperatures are above 82 degrees F for a long period, there may be little or not normal fruit. On plants attacked later in the growing season, the lower fruit clusters may be normal, but fruit growing on the upper part is small and inferior. The stem of a wilted plant shows no soft decay, but if sliced, brown discoloration of the water-conducting tissue is evident between the pith and the outer green part of the stem. In severely wilted plants, discoloration may extend the length of the plant.

Verticillium wilt may also initially affect one side of infected plants or leaflets on one side of a compound leaf. The older leaves turn yellow, then gradually wither and drop. As the wilt progresses, the plant is defoliated and stunted, and much of the crop is lost due to sunscald and yellow shoulder. Like Fusarium, careful inspection of a slit stem will show tan streaks in the water-conducting tissue just below the stem surface. This discoloration is most pronounced near the soil line, but sometimes extends all the way up.

You can identify these diseases with reasonable accuracy in the field especially if you slit the stem and examine it for discoloration. However, the symptoms of the two diseases are so similar that identifying the exact organism can be done with certainty only in the laboratory. Tomatoes grown near walnut or butternut trees may exhibit external symptoms similar to Fusarium and Verticillium wilt as a result of exposure to soil-borne toxins produced by these tree species. Plants affected by the toxins show no internal streaking.

Disease cycle

Fusarium wilt is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysproum f.sp. lycopersici . This species affects only tomato plants. By contrast, two species of Verticillium cause wilt: V.albo-atrum and V.dahliae , with the latter having a host range of nearly 200 plant species.

Fusarium is a warm-weather disease while Verticillium is more prevalent in cool weather. Both pathogens are soil-borne and can remain in the soil for many years. Infection occurs when the fungus enters root wounds caused by cultivation, secondary root formation, and nematode feeding.

The Fusarium and Verticillium pathogens are primarily introduced to fields through infested transplants or seeds. Within a field, the diseases move from area to area on reused stakes and by wind, splashing rain, and farm machinery.

Control

The best strategy is to plant varieties that are resistant to Fusarium and Verticillium. There are many tomato varieties with resistance to both - these are noted in seed catalogs and variety descriptions as VF varieties. Some are also resistant to root knot nematodes and are described as having VFN resistance.

Crop rotation out of susceptible species for 5-7 years will reduce the build-up of the pathogens in the soil. Because the fungi can survive in infected debris, remove and destroy all infected plant tissue.

Grow seedlings on clean soil, or buy from growers who practice good sanitation and grow the plants in a disease-free planting medium. Soil pasteurization can reduce the incidence of disease.

There is no practical or cost effective chemical control for either of the wilt diseases.

Quote for the Week:  

Gardening tills the soul

Question for our readers:  

Question:   Can you tell me about earwigs?   I turned on the lights last night and had these things all over my kitchen floor. I am not sure if they are an earwig or cockroach.   Thanks, Randy, Brodhead

Earwigs' nocturnal activity, quick movements, size, and color often cause them to be mistaken for cockroaches.   Earwigs have large, pincers-like protrusions at the rear of the body, which give them an evil appearance, but they don't harm people directly.

The first American report of a European earwig (Forficula auriculari) came from Newport, Rhode Island in 1901. Until 1982 European earwig reports in Wisconsin were limited to Lake Michigan shoreline. But in the years since, earwig infestations have spread fast across Wisconsin.  

Earwigs rarely fly and they are unable to crawl for long distances, yet they have spread rapidly. This is because they are accomplished "hitch-hikers". They wander about at night and crawl into any available hiding place before dawn. Thus they may be carried long distances in bundled newspapers, luggage, cut flowers, and produce. This is probably how they got into your house. I found three of them in my Shopping News I picked up on my front porch.

Like boxelder bugs, crickets and Asian beetles, the earwig is a pest as an accidental invader. They enter houses either by accident or when seeking shelter, especially in the fall. Earwigs inside the house do not cause any harm or destruction. They are merely an annoyance or nuisance because of their presence. If disturbed, earwigs may produce a noticeable foul odor.

Earwigs eat an omnivorous diet of other insects and plants. This diet can be beneficial: earwigs feed on aphids, mites, fleas, and insect eggs.  Unfortunately, in gardens they munch on dahlias, marigolds, lettuce, potatoes, and hostas. They will also feed on mosses, lichens, and algae. Earwigs are active at night and hide during the day in almost any dark, confined space, particularly if it is moist.

You can trap earwigs in rolled up newspapers or in old tuna fish cans baited with fish oil or vegetable oil.   Place traps near the problem areas and check them every morning. Shake live insects into a pail of soapy water to kill them.

Converting the backyard into a dry, sunny environment with few hiding places will also help control earwigs. Remove any shelter sites, prune low-growing bushes, avoid growing the earwigs' favored food plants, and destroy moss and algae. Avoid over watering and don't use thick organic mulch.

A variety of insecticides available to homeowners are labeled for earwig control. You can use the following materials as baits, liquids, sprays, granules, or dusts: Sevin, Orthene, or Baygon. Products containing diazinon or Dursban are being phased out for homeowner use, but existing stocks can be used up.  Read the label to determine the proper sites and usage restrictions.

Our raspberry patch is getting old and just isn’t producing many berries any more.  We are not sure how to prune the vines back either.  Do you think we should to start over?  Jackie, Orfordville

Raspberry plantings are usually kept to bear fruit between 10 to 12 years.  First of all, avoid the temptation to start new plantings from an existing planting.  These plants may harbor diseases and insects that are not readily apparent.  Purchase plants from a reliable nursery to be sure they are true to name, vigorous, healthy, and disease free.  Such plants grow better, produce more fruit, and live longer.  But remember, although these plants start out disease free, they are not immune to diseases.  You will still need to take precautions to avoid infecting the planting with viruses and other diseases that will weaken the plants.

Raspberries can be categorized as one of two fruiting types, summer-bearing or fall-bearing.  Summer-bearing types produce one large crop between early July and early August.  Many of the common red and most of the common black and purple cultivars are summer bearing.  Fall-bearing raspberries, sometimes incorrectly called ever-bearing, produce a large crop in the fall.

The difference between these two types is due to the fruiting cycle of the plants.  Raspberries have perennial (long-lived) roots and crowns but above-ground canes that live for only two summers.  In the first summer of growth, the new cane is called a primocane.  On summer-bearing raspberries, the primocane produces vegetative (non-fruiting) growth only.  Fall-bearing raspberries bear fruit on the tips of the primocanes sometime after August 1st.  Fruit development continues inward and downward on the primocanes until the first killing frost.

You also mentioned that you are not sure if you should prune your vines.  The short of it is summer bearing takes two years to produce fruit – pruning one half the canes each year and if you prune the wrong one you loose one year’s growth.  With fall bearing you have fruit on the same year’s growth, making fall-bearing our favorite. 

Fall-bearing raspberries produce the fall crop on primocanes, the current season’s growth.  For maximum yield, cut or mow off all canes at the soil surface in late fall when plants are dormant or in early spring, before growth resumes.  Use sharp tools or a heavy-duty mower with sharp blades to avoid damaging plant crowns.

The following spring, primocanes will begin growing.  These canes will produce fruit in early fall of the same season.  Fruit will continue to ripen until frost.  In southern Wisconsin, you can often extend the fall harvest into early November using sprinkler irrigation systems to protect the fruit against frost damage.

This pruning technique offers many advantages over other pruning practices.  It’s less time consuming to mow than to prune and it avoids problems with some common raspberry insects and diseases.  Additionally, damage from rabbits feeding on canes in winter and winter injury are not a concern.

If you prefer to harvest two crops per year, follow the pruning techniques described for summer-bearing cultivars.  Be aware, though, that many of the better fall-fruiting cultivars are not winter-hardy, so the second crop will be lost if the canes die back over winter.

Question:    I have houseplants that have a scales problem.   Can you give me some information on them?

Scales are probably one of the most difficult insects to control because of their protective covering. There are many species of scales, but they can all be categorized as either soft or armored. Common greenhouse scale species include the brown soft scale, hemispherical scale, and nigra scale. Ferns, orchids, schefflera, crossandra, zebra plant, weeping fig, citrus, ivy and holly are the common hosts.

Armored scales, as the name implies, have a hard, waxy shield. They rarely present a problem in greenhouses, but can be a concern in interior plantscapes and conservatories.

Female soft scales are what you typically think of when you think of a scale insect. They lack any recognizable body parts and are grey, brown or black and smooth and measure ¼ inch in diameter.   Young adults are lighter in color, but soon darken as they mature. The adult male scale resembles a tiny pale gnat, but they lack mouthparts and cannot feed. Brown soft scales are oval and flattened and pale in color with a grid-like pattern. Hemispherical scales, in contrast, are circular, convex, shiny, and brown, while the nigra scale can vary in appearance depending on its host.

Scales feed by sucking plant sap. Some scales inject toxins as they feed, further compounding the damage. Yellowed leaves and distorted foliage are indications of scale infestations. With soft scale infestations, honeydew (a clear, sticky plant sap) and sooty mold are also present.

Female scales produce 50 to 200 eggs or live young depending on the species.  Nymphs emerge from eggs in one to three weeks. The nymph stage is called a crawler and is the only mobile life stage.  Upon hatching, they immediately begin their search for a suitable host plant. Nymphs undergo three instars before settling and a hard or waxy covering envelops the females.  At this point the female's body degenerates into a feeding sack beneath the scale cover.

Visually inspect the lower leaf surfaces and stems for the presence of scales. Yellowed foliage may indicate that a closer look is warranted. Be sure to inspect all new plant shipments thoroughly for signs of scales. Ants may be present if copious amounts of honeydew have been secreted. Parasitized scales will be darker in color and have one or more holes in the shield.

Remove and destroy all heavily infested plants. Wash off honeydew and dislodge crawlers with water sprays. Inspect all new plant material on arrival. There are many natural enemies of soft scale, but few are commercially available for greenhouse use.  Start by scrubbing off the adult scales with a toothbrush dipped in soapy water. Insecticidal soap works well on young crawlers, but not on the adults. Spray adults with horticultural oil (Dormant Oil) that is approved for indoor use, such as Bonide All Seasons Spray Oil.   The carapace prevents most insecticides from reaching the adult insect and larvae that it might harbor, but the horticultural oil smothers them. Scrape off old carapaces so you don't confuse them with any new, living scale. You may also want to put some Fertilome Houseplant Systemic Granules in the soil to help prevent future infestations of scale.

Quote for the Week:

A garden is a friend you can visit anytime.

FALL IS FOR PLANTING

"Fall is for Planting" can be found in many garden centers and plant outlets at this time of the year. Fall happens to be one of the better times for planting many kinds of plants, not just bulbs. There are, however, some exceptions to fall planting, and those may depend upon your areas weather and zone, soil and site conditions and what kind of plant is being considered. What you don't want to do is wait too late into the fall season, the earlier you get started the better the plants survival will be. In general, a planting window from mid- to late-August to mid-October can be safely used for fall planting, for those in zones 4 or 5. The only plants you need to be concerned about planting in the fall are species that are difficult to establish, those that are very slow growers and small ground cover plants. If you plant any of these you will need to take extra care in planting and mulching.

While you might assume that it is safer to plant in the spring and summer rather than in the fall when the plants are beginning to shut down their metabolic functions for the year, this is true to some extent, however, despite the fact that the top of the plant may not continue to grow in the fall season, the root system of the plant does. Even deciduous plants that lose their foliage and seem to go dormant before the onset of the winter months will continue growth at their root systems and the roots will continue to grow and develop as long as the soil temperature remains warm. This period of root growth will vary, depending on your zone, and will allow root growth to continue and help to establish the plant well enough to survive the winter months.

If planted early enough (in the fall, that is), a plant established in the fall of the year has a better chance of survival during the sometimes-stressful summer months when air temperatures are higher and rain isn't as plentiful. This is because it has not only grown a bit (at the roots) in the fall and but it is ready to start growing as early as can in when spring arrives. This is not to say that plants cannot be successfully planted in the spring or summer, it is only that springs are generally short and often wet, which may limit our planting time and summers jump upon us with higher temperatures and unpredictable rains which may require us to water the plants throughout the season just to get them established. If this is not done, the plants are predisposed to stress which can affect them with insects or disease problems or survival through the upcoming winter months.

Despite the fact that the fall planting period is rather short, what makes it an ideal time to plant is the fact that air temperatures are generally more moderate and stable and soil temperatures and moisture levels are so, that promotion of rapid root development is enhanced.

As far as lawns go, you couldn't ask for a better time to seed than Fall. And remember, Labor Day is an excellent time to fertilize your lawn, although end of October is the best time.

Question: I love mums but every year they die out and I end up buying new ones. Is there any way to winter them over?

Gardeners are frequently disappointed with chrysanthemums because they winterkill easily. Be sure to select hardy varieties and avoid poorly drained locations. Freezing and thawing throughout the winter often destroys a large part of the plant's root system, but you can prevent this by mulching and mounding plants.

After the flowers and most of the leaves have browned from frost, mound up soil 8 inches high around the base of the plants. Simply place a few shovelfuls of soil over the center of each plant. Then cut the branches back to 10 inches above the mounded soil line.

Apply 2-4 inches of mulch around the plants a soon as the soil surface freezes. Mulching before this time invites plant-damaging rodents to make their homes next to the plants. Mulch with materials such as evergreen branches, marsh hay, clean straw or corn stalks. Leaves aren't good because they pack solid when wet.

In spring, remove the protective covering gradually. By the time the new green shoots are visible, the mulch and mound of soil should be entirely removed.

You can divide established plants every spring. Remove the clumps from the ground when new growth is 4 inches high and after danger of frost is over. The ber shoots are usually in the outside of the clump. Remove them with sufficient roots and replant them in the desired location. Set the growing tip of each division just above the ground level. For an attractive mass of color the first year, plant three shoots in a triangular pattern.

Both new and established chrysanthemum plants can be pinched in June to get compact bushy plants instead of tall plants. Remove the tops of young shoots when they are 7-9 inches long. Also pinch back any new shoots resulting from this first pinch when they are 7-9 inches long. Continue this pinching until mid-June for most early flowering varieties, late June for late September varieties, and early July for early October varieties. Late pinching delays blooming and may even prevent it if there is frost. Very high summer temperatures also may delay flowering.

Question: How do we keep our yard from being a devoured by deer? We love gardening but can’t keep ahead of the deer.

Deer damage to plants is the result of an increasing deer population trying to survive in a shrinking natural habitat. Wisconsin is home to 1.5 million deer, a population that has exploded since the turn of the century.

As food becomes scarce, particularly in winter and early spring, deer seek out alternative food sources such as ornamental plants grown near woodlands. Feeding damage can kill young plants and permanently ruin the shape of mature plants.

These beautiful and graceful animals have been in the news frequently because of the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease in some parts of the state, but deer can cause other kinds of problems too. Homeowners and farmers know that deer can do a lot of damage to crops, gardens and landscaping. Autumn is a time when this damage may become more frequent, according to Bob Tomesh, a University of Wisconsin-Extension horticultural specialist and member of the Extension Horticulture Team.

"Hungry deer will eat almost anything," Tomesh said, noting that they prefer new, tender and well-fertilized plants. In addition to the browsing, however, autumn brings another deer problem.

Tomesh has advice for homeowners who want to protect their landscaping from deer damage. He outlines several strategies for keep deer away from valuable plants:

• Plant stuff deer don't like. Some trees and bushes don't taste good to deer. For example, deer don't like ironwood, birch or lilacs. UW-Extension's publication "Plants not favored by Deer" can guide your planting decisions.
• Build a good barricade. Deer are good jumpers so a fence that will keep most of them out has to be at least 8 feet tall. You might also consider an electrified fence. You can also use wire or nylon netting to protect individual plants.
• A plant border of lilacs or some other shrub deer don't like may encourage deer to detour around your property.
• Scare them off. Motion detectors hooked up to lights, noises or water sprays will discourage deer from coming into the yard, but the effect wears off after the deer figure out that these tactics don't really hurt them.
• Use something stinky or nasty tasting. Deer will avoid repellents that smell like rotten eggs, but this solution will repel humans as well. Other repellents include fatty soaps and hot sauce sprays.

There are two kinds of repellents – contact and area. Apply contact repellents directly to plants; their taste repels deer. They are most effective on dormant trees and shrubs. In fall and winter, apply contact repellents on dry days when temperatures are above freezing. Treat young trees completely. On older trees it is economical to treat terminal growth within reach of deer. Repellents that help prevent deer form feeding on crops are useful in damage control programs. Some materials are chemical formulations designed to repel deer; others are readily available materials that affect deer behavior. Area repellents repel deer by odor. Apply area repellents near plants you want to protect. Border applications of area repellents may protect large areas at relatively low cost.

This is a list of perennial plants that are not favored by deer:

Yarrow, monkshood, anemone, columbine, Artemisia, butterfly weed, astilbe, false indigo, bergenia, marsh marigold, cornflower, delphinium, bleeding heart, foxglove, wood fern, purple coneflower, glove thistle, fleabane daisy, Joe-pye weed, spurge, blanket flower, crested gentian, baby’s breath, sneezeweed, coral bells, hibiscus, St. John’s wort, iris, red-hot poker, lavender, Shasta daisy, Liatris, lupine, Monarda, evening primrose, oriental poppy, Russian sage, obedient plant, Jacob’s ladder, Solomon’s seal, primrose, bracken fern, pasque flower, orange coneflower, perennial salvia, pincushion flower, yellow stone crop, goldenrod, lamb’s ear, painted daisy, spiderwort, and speedwell to name a few.

All questions were answered using the UW-Extension Publications. See Publication A3727 for a complete list of trees, herbs, grasses, vines, bulbs, groundcover, and annuals.

Collecting your own seed.

Have you ever thought of collecting your own seed instead of buying and planting seedlings from stores? Now is a good time to start! Seeds are easy to collect and often the ones you will buy are not always the ones you really wanted.

Collecting your own seed has many advantages. You can build up your collection of plants, grow what is suitable in your garden, cost effective instead of buying seedlings that may be inferior or weak, plant more plants and thin out the weak ones.

Choose seed from friends, family or acquaintances, which have a proven record for all the things you desire in your plants. This is especially true if the seeds are collected in your area.

To start don’t deadhead your plants after they are done blooming. Instead, let them form their seed heads or seedpods and then collect them dry and label them. Store in a cool, dark, dry place. Glass jars are not really suited to storing seeds. Paper bags, envelopes, or aluminum foil are good choices, or containers. If you are saving seeds that birds like, such as sunflower seeds, place a paper bag over the seed heads as they dry.

Collecting hybrids will not be true to seed, but they can be fun to play around with. We collected hybrid snapdragon seeds and this year we had beautiful lime-green and purple flowers. You can cut down on your gardening costs by starting with heirloom seed that you save from year to year. Some hybrids only grow and produce for a few weeks, then are finished. You want more out of your plants than that. You can also get seed from your local seed savers group. A small cost the first year but after that, you can collect each year and even swamp these seed with other that you want.

If you don’t have room to store seeds inside, then at least ensure the nest round of plants by scattering seeds from you favorite plants in your garden. We will have volunteer plants in the same place that will be hardier than anything I can start inside. We have let our larkspur go to seed and now have two generations going. One set blooms in spring, set seed and dies. By fall, the seeds have grown into small plants. Some of the parent plants bloom again in fall, along with a few of the baby plants.

Don’t forget that many plants are heavy reseeders and will do the work for you! Of course, they may not pop up where you ant them, but you an always move them later. We like to ensure the process of reseeding by manually reseeding (scattering) a desired plant in a desired area. Great plants that reseed themselves include larkspur, sunflowers, cosmos, sweet alyssum, dill cornflowers, parsley, yarrow, violets and pansies. But remember not to start digging to early in the spring. It is best to wait until the ground temperature to warm up to 55 degrees.

Question: I love what you have done with your yard and want to do something like that to ours with as much low maintenance as possible. Sara Stoneback

Considering that we have a fair amount of shade we use hostas for accent along with annuals for summer long color. Your lawn has too much sun for that type of planting. Our suggestion would be daylilies, which would provide color and likes the sun.

Daylilies are rugged, adaptable, vigorous perennials that endure in a garden for many years with little or no care. Daylilies adapt to a wide range of soil and light conditions. They establish quickly, grow vigorously, and survive winters with little or no injury.

Like their name Hemerocallis, “beauty for a day”, the individual daylily flower lasts only one day. However, a single plant may produce over 50 flowers. This large number of flowers can extend the blooming period of a plant for several weeks. With over 36,000 cultivars available and with periods of bloom available from very early to late in the season, daylilies can be blooming in a garden with the iris in the spring and continue through the fall chrysanthemums.

The individual daylily flowers can range from 2 to 8 inches in diameter. They may have a single ring of petals or double rows. The petals may be overlapped, recurved, frilled, crinkled or ruffled. The bell-type flowers may be deep and trumpet-shaped or more shallow and cup-shaped.

Flower color can range from creamy-white to deep mahogany, with nearly every shade of yellow, orange, and pink in between. There are also polychromes, with blends of related shades, and bi-color and eyed flowers that combine different hues. Many of these colors have been the result of extensive hybridization of this Asian native.

Unlike hostas, with a variety of different shades of leaf color daylilies have a wide range of heights. There are tall types that can reach up to 5 feet, dwarf types from 12 to 24 inches with full-size flowers, and midgets having smaller flowers, finer foliage, and growing 12 to 18 inches in height. Any combination of height, color and flower type may be possible.

Daylilies can find numerous uses in the garden and landscape. They can be very dramatic in a perennial border or in the foreground of shrubbery plantings. They can be spectacular as foundation plantings, cover an unsightly bank or serve as accents beside a pond. These flowers may be most effective when planted in sweeping drifts or masses. In this way they can add great amounts of color to a landscape naturalization project and are low maintenance.

Daylilies are able to withstand heat and drought better than many garden flowers. They are also completely winter hardy and have an excellent ability to survive floods and drought. Even with the ability to survive floods, they do not like waterlogged soils and require good drainage. Daylilies will grow well when planted on high banks near streams and ponds as well as in perennial borders and for naturalizing in less formal gardens. Low-growing types can be an excellent addition to rock gardens.

While tolerant of most soil types, daylilies will grow best in well-drained, sandy loam, which is what we have in Brodhead. Less than ideal soils can be amended with compost, manure or other organic matter mixed into the top 12 to 18 inches of soil. Generally, any soil that will grow good vegetables will grow excellent daylilies.

Daylilies are very easily propagated by the division of old clumps. Clumps should be divided when they become overcrowded, usually every 4 to 6 years. For very vigorous cultivars, division may need to be more often. The most favorable time for dividing old clumps and resetting divisions or new plants is from late summer to late autumn. For anyone wanting a low maintenance garden in a sunny location – daylilies would be an excellent choice.

All questions were answered using the UW-Extension Publications.

The tomato is the most popular garden vegetable in the United States. Tomatoes are fairly easy to grow but are susceptible to a number of problems. During the summer we have received many questions about tomato problems. The following are the most frequently asked.

Q. What causes the lower leaves of my tomato plants to roll up?

A. Leaf roll (curling of the leaflets) is a physiological condition that occurs most commonly when plants are trained and pruned. It should not affect fruiting or quality.

Q. What causes the flowers to drop off my tomato plants?

A. During unfavorable weather (night temperatures lower than 55°F or day temperatures above 95°F with drying hot winds), tomatoes do not set and flowers drop. The problem usually disappears as the weather improves.

Q. What causes the young leaves of my plants to become pointed and irregular in shape? I noticed some twisting of the leaves and stems after spraying the plants for the first time.

A. Judging from the description, it seems likely that your tomato plants have been injured by 2, 4-D or a similar growth-regulator weed killer. Never use the same sprayer in your vegetable garden that you use for weed control in your lawn. Drift from herbicides originating 1/2 mile or more away also can injure your tomato plants. For this reason, use extreme caution when applying lawn-care chemicals near vegetable or fruit plantings.

Q. My grandpa grew a heart-shaped, dark pink tomato that was thick and meaty, yet juicy with great flavor. Grandpa's gone and I can't find a source for the seed. What can I do?

A. Fortunately, there are a number of seed exchanges like Seed Savers Exchange, RR #3, Box 239, Decorah, IA 52101, which have been finding and rescuing old varieties. More old and heirloom varieties are also available from conventional seed sources these days. Perhaps, by doing some homework and contacting one or several of these sources, you can find a variety that is exactly (or very nearly) like those you remember from your grandfather's garden. As a guess, the variety sounds like one called Oxheart, which used to be fairly commonly offered and has recently become rare.

Q. I have noticed that my tomatoes are cracking. When I pick a ripe tomato and turn it over, there are large splits in the skin. I have always enjoyed growing tomatoes, but this year is disheartening because I continue to find beautiful tomatoes with cracks. What is causing the problem?

A. Most of us enjoy a good home-grown tomato. Your problem with cracking is associated with irregular watering in addition to sun exposure. This summer's growing season has had

it's share of hot days. Too much heat stresses tomato plants, causing the fruit to crack before ripening. Whitish or bleached areas may appear on the skins, which eventually start to rot.

To prevent sunburn, avoid thinning too many plant shoots as the plants are growing, allowing for sufficient foliage to shade the fruit. If a large number of tomatoes are burning, cover the plants with a shade cloth or any material to decrease the sun's intensity.

Fruit cracking can be reduced by providing a uniform supply of moisture to the plants. Mulch and water the plants during dry weather. Also, plant crack-resistant varieties, such as “Jetstar”.

All questions were answered using the UW-Extension Publications.

Question:  We have brown rust spots on our hosta leaves – do you know what this could be? 

In most years, hosta is usually disease free.  However, periodically, three disease problems – anthracnose, foliar nematodes and southern blight, might wreak havoc in hosta plantings.

We scanned a picture of your leaf and sent it to Mike Maddox from the Rock County Extension office.  His diagnosis is what is called anthracnose.  This is a fungal leaf disease that has been prevalent for the last several years.  Anthracnose, a foliar fungal disease appears as irregular brown spots during wet, humid, weather.  Symptoms of anthracnose infection include large irregularly-shaped, spots with darker borders.  The center of spots often falls out, and leaves become tattered and torn.  I have not seen this cosmetic disease kill plants, but it certainly has contributed to their aesthetic decline.  Some hosta, in response to infection, seems to produce a spreading dark green lesion that looks like frost damage. Usually a brown border surrounds the affected area. This border may or may not have a yellow (chlorite) halo. If you examine the leaves with a hand lens the day after a rain (or place the leaves in a moistened paper towel in a jar overnight), you can see little black hairs (called setae) of the fungus sticking out of the fruiting bodies.  The spots often lose their centers and leaves become tattered, similar to slug feeding. 

To provide a less ideal condition for the anthracnose fungus, increase air circulation and improve drying of foliage by thinning crowded plantings.  In addition, avoid overhead irrigation and water plants early in the day to help promote drying of foliage.  Since the anthracnose fungus has the ability to over-winter on dead leaves, remove dead leaves from the garden in the fall to reduce the amount of inculum for the following season.  Because this disease is common in warm, shady, wet conditions, good plant spacing is a key cultural control strategy. Allowing the plant to dry prevents the fungus from germinating and infecting new leaves. Removing and disposing of infected leaves may be enough to control this problem in smaller plantings.
Some fungicides are available to manage anthracnose.  Read the fungicide label carefully to be certain that hosta is listed as a host.  Some fungicides are phytotoxic to certain plants and may burn foliage.  If the disease is a chronic problem, or too many hostas are affected, fungicide use may be warranted. Copper fungicides are labeled for control of this problem in home settings. Because fungicides labeled for control of hosta anthracnose are protective (they prevent further disease and do not "cure" current problems), begin spraying when leaves begin to emerge and repeat throughout the wet season. In the fall, carefully remove the leaves prior to any mulching, to reduce the inoculums and prevent infection occurring next year!

Environmental factors also play important roles in managing anthracnose.  Pay close attention to past and current conditions such as rain and irrigation to determine if anthracnose development is favored.  Dry spring weather could mean that disease management is not necessary. A wet spring or an irrigation system that wets the foliage could result in disease outbreak that may warrant

Question: We have a tree in our yard that has bumps on the underside of it's leaves. Are these eggs from an insect or is this caused by disease?

After identifiying the tree as a Hackberry and looking at the leaf you have what is called “Hackberry nipple gall”. Hackberry is the only known host of this pest.

These galls or nipple shaped bumps are caused by tiny insects known as psyllids (sill-lids). Infestations of hackberry are extremely common, but do not seriously affect the vitality of the tree, although heavily infested leaves may drop prematurely.

Nipple galls, as the name implies, are medium sized (1/4 inch tall) nipple-shaped galls on the undersides of leaves. When a gall is split open, a yellow to orange nymph is visible. Leaves may be disfigured when infestations are heavy.

The adults of these insects are tiny and resemble miniature cicadas. They are dark reddish-brown with mottled wings. Most emerge from the galls during warm days in the fall and are very annoying as they gather around window screens seeking entry into the house. They are tiny enough to crawl through the openings in most screens. These are difficult insects to control. In the spring, the adults become active about the time the leaf buds open. The female lays her eggs on the underside of the developing leaves. Egg hatch occurs in 7 to 10 days and the young nymphs begin to feed immediately. The leaf reacts to the feeding by producing a pouch or gall that entirely encloses the nymph. Nymphs pupate in the fall and adults emerge in September.

Psyllid control indoors: A vacuum cleaner with hose attachment may be used to remove invading psyllids. A space spray may be applied using a household aerosol labeled for flying insects. Use a product containing synergized pyrethrins or one of the pyrethroids (various names, but they usually end with -thrin). Note, not all aerosols are intended for flying-insect control. Read and follow label directions closely. 

Preventing entry : Several steps can be taken during the fall just before frost to reduce entry. Turning off outdoor night-lights and reducing the amount of light shining through night windows helps. Consider using fine mesh (18) screens on windows that are kept open. Ordinary screens are 12 mesh to the inch. Caulk or plug up cracks and crevices. Keep windows and doors closed when psyllids are active. For temporary reduction, spray exterior surfaces such as window screens, shutters and sides of buildings where psyllids are resting. Look for residual insect sprays labeled to use on outdoor surfaces. Examples of ingredients with residual action include cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, permethrin, Baygon and tralomethrin.

All questions were answered using the UW-Extension Publications.

Quote for the Week:

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Prepare Your Garden For Fall

The cooler crisp weather in the fall can inspire any gardener to grab a rake and gather a pile of fallen leaves, but there's a lot more to do in the fall than just leaf cleanup.  Fall is a new season to garden. The time you put into your garden now lays the groundwork for a healthier start next spring.

Fall is a good time to rebuild or start a compost pile. You'll have plenty of supplies with all the plant debris and fallen leaves from your garden cleanup. Select a site where the pile will be shaded and moist and start layering brown material (fallen leaves, soil, bark or sawdust) with green material (grass clippings, weeds, old vegetables and annuals). Turning, aerating or poking holes into your compost pile will speed the process. The compost you start this fall will provide you with a rich mulch for the garden by spring.

Anything you do to chop the compost material into smaller pieces will help the pile digest the matter. Run the lawn mower over dry leaves, clip the woody stems of plants into small chunks or invest in a chipper-shredder to make your fall cleanup more efficient.

Mums, dahlias, asters and ornamental cabbage and kale add bright spots to the flower garden this time of year. Fall is also the time to dig and store tender bulbs before the first hard frost.

Dahlias, glads, caladiums and tuberous begonias should be carefully lifted from the soil as soon as the top growth is touched by a light frost. Cut the stems from the swollen roots and store the bulbs or corms in a cool, dry spot until next spring when they can be replanted into their beds. A garage, crawl space or basement makes a good spot for overwintering tender bulbs. Store the bulbs in a paper bag with dry peat moss.

The summer-blooming annuals or bedding plants can be pulled from their beds and added to the compost pile or dug into the soil so they can compost in place all winter long. Don't be too tidy or quick to cut back your perennial plants, however. You can snip off the faded flowers and stems from summer bloomers such as daylilies, coreopsis and daisies, but leave a few inches of stubble and all basal foliage around the crown of the plants. This method is nature's way of insulating the roots from the cold winter weather to come. In severe winter climes, mulch your flower beds with fir boughs or wood chips for added protection.

Spring-blooming bulbs will be available now at garden centers and by mail. Fall is the time to get daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and all the other spring favorites into the ground. Look for large, firm bulbs. September and October are the best months for bulb planting, but you can get away with adding bulbs to your garden as late as December, as long as the ground isn't frozen.

You will need to consider added protection for hybrid tea roses, some climbers and the tender tree roses.  Your local nurseries carry rose cones, burlap blankets and other methods of protection where winters are more severe.

Roses can be eased into dormancy in any climate by withholding fertilizer near the end of summer and allowing a few roses on each plant to develop rose hips. Just allow the petals to fall from a mature rose and the swollen seed pod that forms will send the "winter is coming" message to the plant. In October or November take a few snips with the pruning shears to shorten tall rose plants and prevent them from whipping about in winter wind.

Fall is the most important time to fertilize lawns of cool-season grasses. The nutrients you apply now will be washed to the roots by winter rains and available for quick green-up and weed-blocking strength early next spring. Be sure to choose a lawn food with slow-release nitrogen, especially made for fall and winter fertilizing.

Cool-season grasses should get three-fourths of their annual fertilizer allotment in autumn; warm-season grasses prefer their annual dose divided evenly between spring and fall. Cool-season grasses include Kentucky bluegrass, fescue and rye-grass.

Continue to mow your lawn as long as it grows this fall, and rake up thick leaf deposits to keep them from smothering the grass. Don't forget that autumn is a good time to apply dolomite lime to a lawn that is struggling to grow in acid soil. It is also helpful to aerate a lawn that is trying to grasp more moisture from compacted soil.

As soon as the leaves fall from your fruit trees, orchard pruning can begin. Thin out small and weak branches and study the overall framework of your fruit trees before making cuts to shape the trees.

Thin raspberries and blackberries by removing the canes that recently bore fruit. Shorten the old canes all the way to the ground but leave the young, one-year-old shoots alone or tie them to supports. These canes are the ones that will provide harvest next summer.

End the busy fall season with a tribute to those gardening tools that served you well. Wipe soil and moisture from metal parts to prevent rust and store tools away when you cover the outdoor furniture.  Lawn mowers and other power equipment should be drained of gasoline and stored as well.

Havesting Gourds

Gourds are easily grown in the home garden and can be used to make attractive ornaments or bird houses. Archeological records show gourds have been used by man for over 4,000 years. They were among the many interesting things found in early Egyptian tombs. Gourds can be come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and all can be easily preserved by following a few simple steps.

First, gourds do not cure well until fully mature so don't try to harvest too early. Usually seed packets state the number of days from seeding to harvest to give you an idea when the fruits are mature. At maturity, gourds should be completely colored and hard when pressed with a thumbnail. Large gourds are ready to harvest when the skin is hard and the stem is dry and brown, this usually requires approximately 130 days from seed to harvest. Harvest before the first frost by cutting the gourd's stem away from the plant, leaving 2-3 inches of stem attached. Handle the gourds carefully at this point to avoid scratching or bruising of the skin that could lead to rot during the drying process.

Wash the gourds with a mild borax solution and dry them with a soft cloth. This will help prevent diseases that cause spots on the skin. The first stage of drying will take about a week, during which the outer skin hardens and the color sets. Hang the gourds or place them in a single layer on a table or screen, not touching, in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place. If the gourds are place on newspaper, the papers should be changed daily. Any fruits developing soft spots or shriveling should be discarded.

Internal drying is the second stage and will take at least 3 to 4 weeks for small gourds. Large gourds, like bird-house gourds, will take much longer. Keep the gourds in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place and periodically turn them to discourage shriveling and promote even curing. Providing warmth during the internal curing process will accelerate drying and discourage decay. Gourds may become covered with a mold or crust at this time. This is normal, so those that develop crusting should be kept. When adequately cured, the gourds will be light in weight and the seeds will rattle inside the gourd.

Finally, the gourds should be washed in warm water, and steel wool used to remove any mold or crust. Allow the outer skin to dry completely, then the gourds can be sanded and polished or waxed.

This information was taken from the Horticulture Paradise Newsletter.

Question: I don't have luck or time to can tomatoes. Can you freeze them?

For most uses, canned tomatoes have a better flavor and texture than frozen tomatoes, but you can use frozen tomatoes for cooking. Tomato sauces freeze well and are a convenient alternative to home canning.

Whole tomatoes crack and collapse completely when they thaw. If you want to freeze fresh raw tomatoes, try a few with the following method: Slice tomatoes into at least one-half inch slices. Put two slices of moisture vapor-proof paper between them. Package in plastic airtight containers and fast freeze. Or, put slices on a tray or pan and freeze for two hours or until they are crisp on the outside. Then, package them.

Don't leave unwrapped in the freezer very long or they will dry up. Frozen sliced tomatoes are one product you should eat in a near-frozen state. You might also want to freeze a few cherry tomatoes. They are good on salads if you eat them while still partly frozen.

To prepare tomato juice for the freezer, use only sound, fully ripe, well-colored tomatoes. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and scald to loosen the skin. Remove the skins, cores and any green parts. Heat rapidly to boiling. Then simmer five to ten minutes until parts separate easily when poured through a strainer. If you wish, add one-teaspoon salt to each quart of juice. Cool and pour into labeled, rigid, airtight containers, leaving one inch headspace.

You must heat tomatoes to inactivate an enzyme they release when you cut or crush the fruit to make juice. This enzyme destroys vitamin C, causes juice to separate and makes the juice taste bad.

Freeze stewing tomatoes in the same way as juice with these exceptions: peel and quarter tomatoes before stewing. Use low heat. Simmer 10 to 20 minutes until tomatoes are tender. Cool quickly by placing container in ice-cold water. Package in labeled, rigid, airtight containers and freeze.

If you have a blender, you can easily make pureed product. Use three large or four medium-sized raw tomatoes peel and core. Place them in a blender; add one-half medium onion, one seeded green pepper, one-teaspoon salt or one-tablespoon sugar and blend. Celery and carrots can be added. Because of pieces being blended into tiny pieces and quickly frozen, there will be a definite separation of water from pulp upon freezing.

For better blending of pulp, water and flavor, heat to simmering, cool and package. This puree can be a good base for spaghetti sauce or an addition to chili and meat loaf. And, you can also drink it, with or without diluting it. Pour into labeled, plastic airtight containers and freeze.

You can also freeze the puree in an ice cube tray. Pack frozen cubes into plastic containers with 2 pieces of freezer paper between layers and seal tight and freeze. Thaw as many ice cubes of puree as you need.

Toad Comments!

In a story on toads written in 1923 in the Lippicott’s Silent Reader for second graders, it talked about how a farmer regarded toads as one of his best friends. According to the farmer, "one toad is worth five dollars a year."

Toads are as valuable today as they were in 1923. One source claims a toad can eat 86 flies in 10 minutes, several thousand insects in a month and 2,000 cutworms during a summer. Since they have been around for about 65 million years in pretty much the same form as we see them today, you could probably say toads are the original contributors to the concept of organic gardening.

Those who are not delighted by the appearance of the squatty little bug-eaters among their plants may be pleased to know that toads are nocturnal and usually seek cool damp shelter during daylight hours, thus keeping them out of view most of the time. Of course if you’re inclined, you might often observe their nightly meals being devoured near any light source because the light attracts many insects. As the Lippincott’s Silent Reader pointed out to its young readers, toads eat caterpillars, beetles, slugs and many other pests.

Frogs and toads belong to a classification of animals known as Anurans. Like frogs, "true toads" flick out their long sticky tongues more quickly than the human eye can see. Species of "true toads" number about 400, and the common American toad lives throughout the US and southeastern Canada. Since toads are awkward movers, their tongue speed and stickiness are extremely important in catching prey. Some toads even pull their eyeballs inwards and use the blinking action to swallow their food

Although toads have many enemies, they protect themselves with a poisonous milky substance released by the paratoid glands near their eyes. Predators that have caught a toad soon learn of this unpleasant substance and are usually more than happy to release their nasty-tasting prey. This same substance does not, however, cause warts as many people believe.

For the last several years we have noticed quite a few little toads hopping about devouring garden pests. The American toad can consume 86 flies in 10 minutes, several thousand insects in a month, and 2000 cutworms in a summer. Slugs and snails are on their menu as well as mayflies, midges, gnats and mosquitoes.

All amphibians like toads need wet places to maintain body moisture, since they breathe partly through their skin. When marsh or wetland areas are filled in for people to build housing developments and malls, toads and frogs experience a shortage of environment.

Toads have an amazing ability to cope with adverse conditions. In summer they burrow underground to avoid extreme heat (aestivation), and in winter they can survive several weeks with two-thirds of their bodies frozen. They thaw out and begin feeding on insects. Because of these talents to adapt, scientists disagree about methods of counting and years necessary to verify declining numbers.

Toads are an invaluable warrior against plant pests in the garden.  They are vulnerable to chemical fertilizers, pesticides, ozone depletion, and problems brought about by urban sprawl.

Toads are fascinating little creatures, worthy of a space in anyone’s garden. Should you decide to investigate them, you will, no doubt, find them to be a "toadally" absorbing topic!

Question: Can you tell me why my azalea and rhododendron bushes are getting new blooms on them this time of the year?

Some years, if there are unusual warm spells in the fall, it is not uncommon to see a few spring-flowering trees and shrubs burst into flower. Forsythia and azaleas especially do this. I have a magnolia tree that was full of blooms this year. What happens is their buds are quite exposed and respond to the warm sun. Of course, the ones that bloom now won't rebloom in the spring, but not to worry, there are a lot of other buds waiting for spring.

Question: Can you tell me the best way to winter over my geraniums?

Many gardeners like to keep their geraniums from one year to the next. This provides plants for the home in the winter and reduces the cost of new plants the following spring.

There are several methods of wintering over. One way is to take cuttings and root them in the fall, just prior to a killing frost. Geranium stem cuttings, often called "slips", should be four to six inches long. Take the slips from the tips of the healthiest stems. Remove the leaves on the bottom two inches of the cuttings. Stick the cuttings in coarse sand, perlite, vermiculite or a well drained potting soil. Cuttings will root faster if you dip the ends in rooting hormone powder.

Stick the cuttings two inches deep in the medium and water thoroughly. Place in a north or east window or underneath artificial lights until rooted. This generally takes three to four weeks.

After the cuttings have rooted, plant them in individual pots and put them in a well-lighted spot. Keep the soil evenly moist, and begin fertilizing monthly once new growth appears.

Rather than take cuttings, some people prefer to pot their best plants and bring them inside to overwinter. If this is your choice, cut the plant back to about one-third its original height. Carefully dig up the plant and pot it into a five or six inch flower pot. After you pot it, water thoroughly. Location and care is then the same as for rooted cuttings. A sunny, cool location is best.

One of the old, but very successful methods of carrying geraniums over winter, is to dig the entire plant prior to frost. Shake the soil from the roots and hang it from basement rafters. Years ago fruit cellars were quite common, and they made excellent places to hold the plants with this method. It will not work in many basements today because temperatures are too high and humidity too low.

Roses: Protection for Winter

Here in Wisconsin, you must protect roses not only against low winter temperatures, but also against fluctuating temperatures.

The first step to avoid injury is to keep your roses healthy during the growing season. Roses that have been fertilized and sprayed for insects and diseases are more likely to escape winter injury than plants that have lost their leaves early in the fall because of diseases or nutrient deficiencies.

Begin winter protection after hard killing frosts have set roses into dormancy. This is usually the week after Thanksgiving in Southern Wisconsin and one or two weeks earlier in Northern Wisconsin.

Pile soil eight to ten inches high around the canes. You should bring in soil from another part of the garden for this. If you dig the soil from the rose beds you may injure the roots of the rose plants. After mounding soil around the canes, tie all the canes together to keep the wind from blowing the canes about and loosening the root system.

You can also use rose cones to protect roses over winter. If you use rose cones, be sure to secure them well. They are usually made of Styrofoam or other light material that can be blown away easily by wind. When you use cones, prune the rose canes only enough to allow the cones to fit over the top of the plants. Canes that touch the cones will be injured or killed.

It is best to remove the top of the cone or punch holes in the side to provide air circulation. Without this, heat can build up within the cone and cause moisture problems or promote early growth. You may need to remove cones on warm days in winter and early spring.

Many people cover only the canes with cones. You can give your roses more protection if you first mound soil over the crowns of the plants and then place the rose cones on top.

Digging and Storing Cannas, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Caladiums, & Tuberous begonias

These bulbs will not survive Wisconsin winters. Each of these plants has a specialized underground storage organ such as a tuber, corm or tuberous root that you must dig up and store for the winter. You can replant them in the spring. Dig non-hardy bulbs after the leaves have yellowed, died back or have been killed by the frost. This provides the longest possible growing season so the plant can store food for next year's growth.

Dig all tender plants with a garden fork or shovel. Don't injure the bulbs when you dig. Injured roots, corms, rhizomes and tubers are subject to insect and disease problems and don't store well. Keep the different varieties separated and label them while digging, curing and storing to avoid any unexpected surprises in next year's garden.

Store non-hardy bulbs covered with peat moss or sand to prevent shriveling. Gladiolus corms have a natural protective covering so you can store them in an open-air situation. Successful storage depends on proper curing, storage temperature, air circulation and healthy disease-free bulbs. Discard insect and disease-infested bulbs while in storage.

After digging glads, cut the leaves close to the base leaving no more than 1 inch of the stem. Dry corms in a well-ventilated place for 3 weeks at 80 degrees or 4 weeks at 70 degrees. Once dried, carefully remove the excess soil and divide the corms. Discard stems, husks and the large, older corm at the top of the cluster. Store glads uncovered in a 40-degree site.

Cover dahlias when you store them. Cut back leaves to 3 inches above the root. Remove loose soil. Remove all damaged or diseased root portions, and place clumps upside down in the sun for several hours to dry. Store dahlia roots in a shallow container covered with sand, vermiculite or peat moss at 40 degrees. Waxing is a less common storage method for dahlias. Heat one part vegetable oil and 3 parts paraffin in a water bath until the paraffin melts. Quickly dip the root in the mix. The wax seals the tuber to prevent drying. It will flake off when you plant the tubers in the spring.

After you dig up tuberous begonias, cannas, and caladiums, air-dry them in a well-ventilated area at 70-80 degrees. Cannas and caladiums need one week to dry, while tuberous begonias need 2 to 3 weeks to dry. Once dried remove any foliage. Cover the tubers and tuberous roots with perlite, vermiculite, peat moss or sand. Store the cannas and begonias at 40-50 degrees. Store caladiums at 55 to 60 degrees.

All the bulbs do best when stored in a cool, dark and humid place with good ventilation. Fruit cellars and cool basements work well. Don't store bulbs in an attic or garage where they may freeze. Store begonias, cannas, and dahlias in shallow boxes. Check your bulbs throughout winter and discard any shriveled, diseased or insect-infested bulbs.

Question: What is the best way to get rid of yellow jackets?

Yellow jackets are considered beneficial around home gardens and commercially grown fruits and vegetables at certain times of the year because they feed abundantly on insect pests such as caterpillars and harmful flies. Unfortunately, in late summer and early fall when their populations peak, the yellow jackets’ normal insect diet disappears and their feeding habits become a problem to man. At this time of year, the yellow jacket has an appetite for much the same food and drink as those consumed by man. Also, yellow jacket stings can result in a life-threatening situation, especially if the person is allergic to yellow jacket venom.

The yellow jacket worker is about ½ inch long and has alternating yellow and black bands on the abdomen. Foraging yellow jackets are often mistaken for honey bees by the untrained eye because of their similar appearance and the fact that they are sometimes attracted to the same food source. Honey bees are slightly larger than yellow jackets and are covered with hair or setae, which are absent on yellow jackets. Foraging honey bees can be identified by the pollen baskets on the rear legs that are often loaded with a ball of yellow or green pollen. The yellow jacket has a smooth stinger that can be used to sting multiple times, whereas the honey bee has a barbed stinger than can be used to sting only once.

Yellow jackets are social insects that have a colony division of labor between undeveloped female workers, males and fully developed female queens. Newly mated queens are the only members of the colony that over winter (survive the winter). In Wisconsin, the yellow jacket colony’s life begins in late April or May when the over wintered queen emerges and begins the establishment of a nest which is normally located in a soil cavity such as an abandoned mouse nest or hollow tree. Other possible nest sites are in buildings, including attics, porches, eaves or sheds.

The queen builds a small paper nest and lays several eggs, which hatch and mature to adult workers. This first generation of infertile workers undertakes all tasks of nest expansion including foraging for food, defending the colony entrance and feeding the queen and larvae (immature forms). The colony rapidly increases in size and the number of adult yellow jackets may reach several hundred by August.

The diet of adult yellow jackets consists mainly of food rich in sugars and carbohydrates, such as plant nectar and fruit. Also, foraging adults search for meat that is high in protein, such as insects and fish, which they chew and condition in preparation for larval consumption. The larvae in return secrete a sugary substance that is consumed by the adults. This exchange of food between the adults and larvae is known as trophallaxis.

In late summer and fall, the normal food materials are in short supply, so the yellow jackets scavenge for alternate food sources which many times leads to major conflicts with human activities. Late-season foods include carbonated beverages, juices, candy, ham, bologna, fish, cakes, fruit, vegetables and ice cream. Large numbers of these pesky insects can totally disrupt a picnic and are often a nuisance around homes and outside restaurants.

Remember, yellow jacket colonies do not normally survive the winter, and the first hard freeze will eliminate most colonies. If a colony is located in an out-of-the-way place where human or pet contact is not possible, you may allow cold weather to freeze the colony. If this is not possible, as in your case Don, purchase a container of pressurized insecticide labeled for yellow jacket control from the local feed and seed or hardware store, or garden center.

An insecticidal dust (Sevin 5% Dust) should be applied only at night when all foragers are inside the nest. The nest entrance should be identified and marked during daytime in order to be easily located at night. Yellow jackets are attracted to light; so do not hold a flashlight while applying an insecticide to a nest.

Check the colony entrance the next day for activity and reapply again if necessary. If daytime control is necessary, the person should wear protective gear including a hat, veil, coveralls and gloves because returning foragers will likely attempt to defend the colony.

There are several inexpensive non-toxic bait traps available for yellow jacket control, including the Wasp Trap, the Oak Stump Farm "Yellow Jacket" Wasp Trap and the Yellow Jacket Inn. As you found out these don’t work for nest control – they are used commonly for picnic pest problems.

Traps should be placed around the perimeter of human recreational areas well in advance of outdoor activities. Traps may be placed along side dumpsters or restaurant loading docks. Most trap directions call for a reservoir to be filled with an attractant such as sugar water. Exhausted yellow jackets fall into the liquid and drown.

A yellow jacket does not leave a stinger in its victim, so therefore it can sting multiple times. To reduce swelling following a stinging incident, a person may use several sting remedies. A convenient material to place on the sting site is moistened table salt. Mound the dry salt on the sting entry point and moisten with a few drops of water. Leave the salt on the site for several minutes. This procedure must be applied within three to four minutes following the stinging incident to be effective.

Yellow jackets and other stinging insects often get inside moving vehicles, which may result in a very dangerous situation. The driver should carefully stop the vehicle on the side of the road and all passengers should exit on the front passenger’s side of the vehicle to avoid traffic. The driver should open all windows and leave the passenger doors open to allow the insects to exit the vehicle. Flying insects normally go immediately to the windows when inside a moving vehicle in an attempt to escape and are rarely in a defensive posture inside a moving vehicle unless provoked by an occupant. Persons should refrain from swatting the insect inside the vehicle.

All questions were answered using the University Extension Publications.

Controlling Creeping Charlie

Creeping Charlie is a broadleaf lawn weed that is difficult to control because you can’t pull it easily in lawns and many commercial broadleaf lawn weed killers have little or no affect on it. The most common active ingredient in granular and liquid broadleaf lawn weed killers is 2,4-D, but 2,4-D has little affect on Creeping Charlie.

Dicamba, is an active ingredient that does control ground ivy. Dicamba is also called Banvel. There are several lawn weed killer products available that contain dicamba. Most of them also contain 2,4-D. However, you may still need to make repeat applications with dicamba-containing products to completely control Creeping Charlie.

Early fall is actually the best time to control most broadleaf weeds because they are usually growing vigorously, and the weeds you don’t kill with the weed killer are often weakened enough to die over winter. Also, there are fewer problems with weed killer drift onto desirable landscape and garden plants in fall. For best control, apply weed killers in the fall.

The following tips will help in your attempts to control this in your yard:

• Mow your grass high, about 2-1/2”. This helps your grass compete better with Creeping Charlie and other weeds. Your lawn is more likely to be weedy if you consistently cut grass too short.
• Keep your lawn vigorous through proper fertilizing, watering, and mowing. Vigorous lawns complete better with weeds.
• Even with dicamba-containing product, you will probably need to make repeat applications to control Creeping Charlie. In fact, it may take you a full season or more to control it completely. To add to the difficulty, you should not use dicamba-containing products in the root zone areas of shallow-rooted trees and shrubs since the chemical can damage these plants.
• Broadleaf weeds are easiest to control when actively growing. This is when they are able to quickly absorb the weed killer.
• The more leaf surface there is, the more weed killer the weeds absorb. Avoid mowing too soon before or after you apply weed killers. Apply the weed killer several days after mowing, and wait at least two days after you apply it before you mow again.
• Don’t use broadleaf weed killers too late in the fall, after it stops growing, or during summer drought, when it goes temporarily dormant.
• Liquid weed killer products tend to be more effective than granular or dry products, including the granular weed-and-feed products, because they give better leaf surface coverage.
• Before you spray, check weather conditions. Best results are achieved when temperatures are in the mid 60’s to low 80’s and there is no rain for 24 hours following application. Don’t spray when conditions are too windy (to avoid injuring desirable plants with herbicide drift). If the area is turf, don’t mow for a few days before and after application. IAll questions were answered using the UW-Extension Publications.

Perennial Division - Fall

The three main reasons for dividing perennials are to control the size of the plants, to help rejuvenate them, and to increase their number. Dividing and replanting keeps rapidly spreading perennials under control. Dividing will rejuvenate old plants, keeping them vigorous and blooming freely. Dividing perennials is an easy and inexpensive way to gain additional plants for your garden or to share.

In general, it is best to divide spring and summer blooming perennials in the fall, and fall bloomers in spring. By dividing the plant when it is not flowering, all the plant’s energy can go to root and leaf growth.

Never divide perennials on hot, sunny days. Wait until a cloudy day, ideally with several days of light rain in the forecast.

Mid-September through early October is the preferred time to lift and divide many perennial flowers, particularly spring and summer-blooming perennials like peonies, iris, bleeding heart, hosta and coralbells. If divided in the fall, they'll still have time to reestablish before blooming next spring. If divided in spring, on the other hand, they may not bloom well until the following year.

Use a sharp garden spade to lift your perennials. Dig several inches out from the outer-most stems, and lift the clump out of the ground. Then, divide the clump into sections. With peonies, cut the root clump into sections that have at least three or four eyes. Use a sharp knife. Be sure to leave one of the long roots attached to each piece that has an eye on it. Don't divide peonies more often than once every three years.

Iris should be divided every four years or so. Lift the clump out of the ground and cut the leaves back to about six inches. Divide the clump into sections that have at least one fan of leaves per division.

How deep you replant the divisions is also important. Plant peonies and iris so the top of the root or rhizome is no more than two inches below ground level. If you plant them too deep, especially peonies, they may not flower. Adding a handful or two of bone meal to the planting hole will help your divisions reestablish better. It's also a good idea to sprinkle a little fertilizer on the soil surface after filling the soil lack in the planting hole. This will slowly work its way into the root area.

Water plants to be divided thoroughly a day or two before you plan to divide them. Prepare the area that you plan to put your new divisions in before you lift the parent plant.

Never allow divisions to dry out. Keep a pail of water nearby to moisten divisions until they are planted. Trim all broken roots with a sharp knife or pruners before replanting.

Plant the divided sections immediately in the garden or in containers. Replant divisions at the same depth they were originally. Firm soil around the roots to eliminate air pockets. Water well after planting.

Some plants resent being divided and it should be avoided if possible. These include butterfly weed, oriental poppies, baby’s breath, false indigo and columbine.

Quote for the Week:

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone,

but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.

Martin Luther King

Question: Can you tell me how to get rid of fruit flies in my kitchen?

Fruit flies are also known as pumice or vinegar flies. They range in size from 1/16 to 1/8 inches long, and are light to dark brown in color. Some of the common species of fruit flies have bright red eyes. Adult fruit flies can be found hovering around overly ripe fruit (e.g. apples and bananas), open beer or soft drink containers, bread, and near garbage disposals or waste cans.

Populations tend to be greatest in late summer and early fall as they infest fruits during the harvest season. Fruit flies are often found in the kitchen, especially when vegetable or fruit materials are present after major home canning efforts. Fruit flies can breed very quickly. Eggs are laid near the surface of fermenting and rotting material, and larvae feed on the yeast associated with the decaying or fermenting material. The complete fruit fly life cycle can be completed in eight to ten days. Eggs are laid near or on top of attractants (fermenting materials) such as beverages, decaying fruit and vegetable matter, garbage or slime in drains. The fruit fly is attracted to any area where moisture has accumulated including mops and wet rags. The larvae emerge from the eggs and feed near the surface of the fermenting material for 5-6 days.

Short-term adult fruit fly control can be achieved using a jar baited with ripe bananas, pears or wine, and with a top funnel to keep adults trapped in the jar. Old wine bottles that have residue inside will also capture adults. Indoor flying insect sprays containing pyrethrins will control adults that are present at the time of spraying, but offer no residual control.

The only way to completely stop problems with fruit flies is to find and eliminate breeding sites. The most common fruit fly breeding sites are overly ripe, fermenting fruits or vegetables. Check onions, potatoes, squash or other produce that may be stored out of sight. Banana peels or apple cores that are accidentally swept under furniture or appliances can support significant numbers of flies. In commercial restaurants, look for leaking pipes, drains or tubes around soft drink, beer, or milk dispensers. Improperly grouted floor or wall tiles that allow food-contaminated water to seep and collect can also allow breeding.

You often need to be a good detective to find breeding sites. Other places to look include:

•  The bottom of trash and garbage cans where caked vegetable matter may be located;

•  Drain pans from refrigerators or iceboxes;

•  Bottles and cans that are to be recycled (old catsup bottles are a common source);

•  Mops, rags, brooms or buckets that are soiled with garbage-laden water or are sour smelling;

•  Broken drain traps, or floor drains that contain fermenting organic matter;

•  Rotting bulbs, or wet, decaying plant material.

Lawn Fertilization

A well-maintained lawn is an important asset for the homeowner, the community, and the environment. Fertilization is one vital element of a management program that ensures a quality lawn. Grass, like humans, weakens and even dies if not provided with adequate nutrition.

The first step in developing an adequate nutritional program for your lawn is an assessment of its needs. The best tool for this is soil testing. Taking a good soil sample and sending it to a laboratory for analysis is a wise investment. For instructions on how to sample your lawn and where to send the samples for analysis, visit or telephone your nearest county Extension office and obtain a copy of Extension publication Sampling Lawn and Garden Soils (A2166).

The soil test report that you receive tells you the nutritional status of your soil and fertilizer recommendations for improvement and maintenance of your lawn. The report includes information on types of fertilizers to purchase and when to apply them. When you send in soil samples it is important to indicate whether the recommendations you want are for a lawn that you are about to establish or for an established lawn. The fertilizer and lime recommendations have been designed to be environmentally friendly. Nutrient recommendations adopt a gradual buildup approach for soils with inadequate levels of phosphorus and potassium. This means that adding common turf fertilizers at recommended rates will slowly increase soil test phosphorus and potassium levels to an optimum level for good turf growth.

The recommendation for increasing soil phosphorus is to apply turf "starter" fertilizer. While formulated specifically for "starting" new lawns, starter fertilizers can be used on established lawns as well. Because these fertilizers contain more phosphorus than turfgrass can use any one time, their use results in a gradual increase in the amount of phosphorus in the soil.

Soil testing also involves measurement of pH. This indicates how acid or alkaline your soil is. The lower the soil pH, the more acid it is. If the pH is determined to be too low, lime will be recommended to neutralize some of the acidity in the soil. Lime should only be applied to established turf if recommended on the soil test report. Lime is ground limestone. Its solubility in water is very low. To speed up its reaction with soil acidity, the lime needs to be finely ground. Lime should be applied in early spring or late fall

Nitrogen is the key nutrient for maintaining quality lawns once soil tests of phosphorus and potassium are at optimum levels. They are divided into two groups - those that dissolve in water (soluble) and those that do not (insoluble). Water soluble nitrogen is rapidly taken up the plants. Law requires that the percentages of the two forms of nitrogen be listed on the fertilizer bag. Look for a fertilizer in which about half of the nitrogen is water insoluble. These fertilizers contain enough water soluble nitrogen to give rapid color and enough water insoluble nitrogen to provide uniform growth over a period of several weeks.

Lawn fertilizer and the environment: Recent research has demonstrated that properly fertilized lawns have considerably less water runoff and nutrient loss. Precautionary measures need to be taken to make sure that the nutrient loss from home lawns remains low. These are some simple steps :

•  Fertilize your lawn every year - University of Wisconsin research has revealed that even a single season without fertilization can reduce grass stand density, increasing water runoff by as much as 70%.

•  Apply fertilizer three to four times per season.

•  Sweep up spilled fertilizers on sidewalks, driveways, or streets

•  Water lawns after applying fertilizer - this increases the effectiveness of the fertilizer

End of October is the best time to fertilize your lawn!!!!