Filed under: Fruits/Vegetables, Garden, Lawn, Pests, Uncategorized | Tags: blossom end rot, crabgrass, cucumber beetle, nutgrass, squash vine borer
Our lawns, vegetables, and flowers are showing signs of stress from the heat and lack of rain (though, we have had drier summers). If you are ambitious enough to get out and water early –good for you! your plants thank you– you probably still come back in the house hot and sweaty. On top of the weather, your lawns and gardens are probably feeling pressure from the many pests this time of year: weeds, bugs, birds, and animals. Here is a quick run-down of the current trouble-makers:
Weeds — Weeds of all sorts are thriving in these conditions. The better they do, the more moisture and nutrients are sapped from neighboring plants and grasses. In your lawns, nutgrass and crabgrass are really big issues. (See our previous post for more information on nutgrass). Crabgrass is a usual nuisance and this summer is no different. Crabgrass grows low to the ground, and radiates out from its center point. You will often see crabgrass growing in disturbed areas. Note for fall seeding: a thick, healthy lawn is your best defense against crabgrass (and many other weeds). With the temperatures in the 90s, there is little you can do to treat the weeds currently. Sprays will be largely ineffective at such high temperatures.
Insects — Striped cucumber beetles and squash vine borers are in many gardens this time of year. The cucumber beetles may be striped or spotted, depending on species, and feed on many cucurbits (squash, melons, cucumbers, etc.). They can be controlled with several sprays, including organic options. The squash vine borers are more troublesome, both in damage and in control. Borer larva enter the stems, where they eat the plant tissue as they develop. You may not be aware of their presence until your squash suddenly wilts and dies. Sprays are ineffective, as the larva are inside the stem. Prevention is your best tool: insecticides must be sprayed at the base of the plant before the larva enter the stem.
Birds and mammals — Birds, rabbits, and squirrels are always a bit of a problem in the garden, but they get much more bold when there is little water to be found. Our garden produce is full of water and becomes a convenient source for thirsty animals. Fencing may keep the animals out, but you may find it easier to provide a bowl of water or fill a birdbath for the birds. (Of course, remember to change the water frequently to prevent mosquito larva from hatching.)
Physiological problem — If your tomatoes have blossom end rot, chances are you already know it. As the name implies, a brown spot or lesion emerges on the blossom end of the fruit, making it appear that the tomato is rotting. This occurs when the plant is not obtaining enough calcium. Calcium uptake is interrupted when the plant experiences extreme fluctuation in soil moisture, so even a plant in calcium-rich soil may develop blossom end rot if it experiences watering problems. Blossom end rot can also affect peppers. To avoid this condition, maintain regular watering practices: never letting the soil dry out, but not keeping the soil soaking wet either. Mulch will help slow the evaporation of soil moisture.
The hot, hot summer weather may be unpleasant for most of us, but there are some things that thrive in such conditions… like Japanese beetles, and other pests and weeds. One such troublesome weed is nutsedge (a.k.a, nutgrass), which is aggressively growing in lawns all over our area. Don’t feel too badly if it is in your lawn, too, we’ve heard whispers that the Botanical Garden has some in their grass. You are not alone!
What exactly is nutsedge? Well, for starters, it is actually a perennial sedge, not a grass or a broadleaf weed. 
It has a triangular stem (you can feel this by rolling it between your fingers). It produces three, yellowish-green, grass-like leaves and feathery flower heads. The seed head will be spiky and look like a burr. However, most reproduction actually occurs via underground rhizomes, forming tubers that are called “nutlets.” This active underground network makes hand-weeding a nearly futile activity.
What do I do with nutsedge? Because nutsedge can spread so rapidly, it can become a real problem for your lawn. As we just mentioned, pulling nutsedge by hand is not your best option, as nutlets will remain belowground and produce new plants. You will need to pull nutsedge from that area many times throughout the year to eliminate your weed problem. Spraying a general herbicide will not work at all, since this is a sedge (most herbicides target broadleaf herbs and/or grassy herbs). You will need to apply an herbicide specifically meant for nutsedge. As you should when using any chemical in your yard and lawn, follow all directions on the packaging.
Fortunately, we have just received our new shipment of nutsedge herbicide. (There was such a run on it this last week that we temporarily sold out!) It is straightforward to use, and more importantly, effective. Good luck!
Filed under: Disease, Fruits/Vegetables, Garden, Lawn, Perennials, shrubs | Tags: fungus prevention, Zoysia
Zoysia summer care: Zoysia loves hot weather — the hotter the better — and you want to feed it now that the days are hot. High nitrogen fertilizers work best, but stay away from Ammonium nitrate and other nitrate fertilizers because they can burn very easily. Mow your Zoysia around 2 inches and mow regularly. Zoysia can take it dry, but for the best lawn water about an inch every other week. You need a sharp blade to get a good clean cut.
Fungus amoungus: with the recent rain and the warm night temperatures, we are seeing all sorts of fungus diseases popping-up. There are some cultural things to do before you reach for the fungicides. First, don’t water anything at night (lawns, flowers, vegetables, or shrubs). Water early in the morning before the sun is too high in the sky. Water the ground and not the plants, as moisture on the leaves can lead to fungus problems. Water thoroughly when watering, a deep soaking rather than a lot of little waterings daily. Remove damaged leaves from the plants and beds to reduce the spread of the disease. When you do use a fungicide, make sure it’s for the disease you’re trying to stop, follow the directions, spray in the cool part of the day, and make sure that you spray the ground around the plants so that spores cannot be splashed up on the leaves.
Good luck and try to stay cool!
Filed under: Disease, Fruits/Vegetables, Garden, Lawn, Pests | Tags: cabbage worm, canker worm, early blight, lawn fungi, sawfly, slugs, snails, thrips, tomato hornworm
Here’s what we’re seeing around our area right now:
Tomato hornworm
Caterpillars are all over. Cabbage worms, canker worms, and even tomato hornworms have been rearing their ugly heads in the last week. There are lots of organic controls for these garden-wreckers. You won’t find most caterpillars unless you are out at night (as, if they are out in the day, the caterpillars become bird food).
Slugs and snails are making their presence known. Again, unless you look for them at night, you probably won’t find them. Putting out trays of beer is good way to find out if slugs are your problem.
The thrips have moved on, but their place is being taken by sawfly larve that do pretty much the same thing (make the leaf look like swiss cheese).
Early blight has shown up on tomatoes and other vegetables.
Lawn fungi of all types have become a big problem in the last couple of weeks. With all the late afternoon and evening thundershowers and high night temperatures, the grass is a breeding ground for diseases.
We haven’t seen any Japanese beetles yet.
Over the next month or so, there are a few problems that may emerge in your lawn and garden. If the problems are locally severe, we’ll post more specific information at that time. Meanwhile, here’s what to watch for:
Japanese Beetles — see our earlier post
Bag worms on evergreen trees — see our earlier post for general bag worm information
Cancer worms (inch worms) – The storms blow them out of trees and they start eating whatever they land on. Signs of damage: leaves are eaten from the outside-in. Since they are nocturnal, look for these trouble-makers on the underside of leaves and stems during the day.
Slugs and snails — You’ll find these in wet areas. They love to eat hostas and flowers. Signs of damage: holes in the middle of leaves. Again, they are nocturnal, but you’ll probably be able to see their silvery trails during the day.
Early blight on tomatoes — Signs of infection: spots on lower leaves, yellowing, and wilting.
Botrytis (gray mold) — Botrytis can infect many different plants, frequently fruits and flowers. Signs of infection: leaf spots, flower buds not opening.
Powdery mildew — Signs of infection: gray and white residue on leaves.
Lawn fungus — warm, humid nights and nighttime rain can cause a number of diseases of the lawn. If you have had problems with lawn fungi before, now is the time to treat… don’t wait until you see spots.
Filed under: Fruits/Vegetables, Garden, Lawn, Pests, shrubs, trees | Tags: beetle traps, grubs, Japanese beetles
Adult Japanese Beetles have yet to emerge, but are likely to start munching on your favorite trees and shrubs in early- to mid-June. They are currently underground, either in the larval (grub) stage feeding on your grass roots or in the pupal stage preparing to morph into the adult stage.
We don’t yet know how bad the beetle outbreak will be this year, as populations can vary quite a bit from year to year. So, be on the lookout and be prepared for battle, if need be. Even if you have been treating your lawn for grubs, your neighbors might not have done the same, so you should not be surprised to see the beetles in your yard. (After all, the adults are quite mobile and don’t respect the fence-line!)
Japanese beetle traps have been popular in years past, but many people feel that using beetle traps attracts more beetles to your yard than you would have otherwise (the pheromones used in the traps can be detected by beetles near and FAR). In this case, the best approach to beetle eradication may be the simplest: pick them by hand. In the morning and evening, the beetles are less active and easy to pluck off plants. Just drop the beetles into a jar of soapy water and they are no longer a problem. Pesticide sprays, including some plant-derived compounds, may help to reduce the population, but you generally need to apply the pesticide several times. Always read and follow all instructions for pesticides.
Whichever method you attempt, act early. The sooner you eliminate the pests, the fewer eggs they will lay. You will help to reduce the number of grubs in your yard, and in turn, next year’s beetle population.
Filed under: Lawn, shrubs, Uncategorized | Tags: azalea, blueberry, fertilizing, holly, Holly-tone, rhododendron, Zoysia
Now that the Azaleas have finished blooming, you can fertilize them. Repeat the fertilization every 30 days until early August. Stopping the fertilizing then will give the plants plenty of time to slow growth and prepare for winter. Because Azaleas like an acidic soil, you want to choose a fertilizer made for acid-loving plants. Espoma’s Holly-tone is an excellent organic fertilizer. You can also use it on hollies (bet you guessed that one already), Rhododendrons, and blueberries.
It is also time to fertilize your Zoysia lawn with a high-nitrogen fertilizer. You can repeat the fertilizing in about 6-8 weeks. A perk of having a Zoysia lawn: you need less fertilizer than you would use on other grasses. Generally, you shouldn’t need to apply more than two pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet annually.
Grubs: Small creatures that strikes fear in the hearts of lawn enthusiasts. Alternative definition: the larva of beetles.
And yes, grubs really can cause significant damage to lawns by feeding on the roots of grasses. Additional damage can be caused by birds and mammals tearing up the lawn to feed on the grubs. But before treating your lawn for grubs, make sure you really have a problem. Here are some signs of grubs:
- Birds are pecking in a grid pattern over the same area
- There is an area where the grass grows more slowly than the rest of your yard.
- You can pull up your sod like a carpet.
If you see any of these signs, dig into the soil to confirm the presence of grubs. Examine a 12″ x 12″ area. One or two grubs is not a problem. Five to six grubs is not a problem, but approaching a problem. Ten to 12 grubs in a 1 sq. ft. area is a problem.
Should your lawn have a grub problem, treat it with Milky Spore. Milky Spore is a specific bacteria that infects the grubs, kills them, and infests the soil to kill future grubs. Three to four treatments over two years will protect for 10-15 years. The soil should not freeze after treatment for at least one week. Bonus: because Milky Spore is a specific bacteria, it is safe for use around children and pets, and it does not harm beneficial soil insects.
Filed under: Lawn | Tags: Bermuda grass, de-thatch, fertilize, Lawn, warm-season grasses, Zoysia
Zoysia and Bermuda lawns do not want to be forced into growth too early. Think about it: these grasses are “not from around here,” they are of tropical stock and aren’t ready to grow until the environment is consistently warm. Though are temps have been warm (hot!) lately, the soil is still chilly.
Wait to de-thatch, power rake, or aerate until mid- to late-May. Performing these mechanical treatments too early can damage the turf and lead to weed outbreaks, especially if we have a cold spell afterward (still not out of the question… this is St. Louis after all!).
Do not fertilize until the turf is at least 50% green.
You CAN mow it short in early April and lightly rake to remove winter trash (e.g., leaves, sticks).
Filed under: Lawn | Tags: crabgrass, herbicide, Lawn, pre-emergent, spring, weeds
As with so many things in life, crabgrass is easier to prevent than to treat. Once established, it can be quite difficult to kill crabgrass later in the season. If your lawn had crabgrass last year, or if you are concerned about crabgrass spreading from nearby yards, you NEED to apply a pre-emergent herbicide. Probably even twice, but we’ll get to that in a moment.
First, understanding the basics of the crabgrass life-cycle will help you make sense of the timing of pre-emergent herbicide applications. (Really, it will!) Crabgrass cannot survive freezing temperatures, so there are no crabgrass plants in your lawn right now. However, there are plenty of crabgrass seeds just waiting to germinate. For crabgrass to germinate, the soil temperature needs to be 60 degrees or more for 7-10 days. There are actually two types of crabgrass, each with their own season and germination times. A thin-leafed crabgrass germinates around Mother’s Day and a hairy-leaf crabgrass germinates around 4th of July.
The pre-emergent sets up a barrier in the soil that kills germinating seeds. (This includes seeds you want, like grass seed. So after you apply pre-emergent herbicide, don’t spread grass seed until the fall.) Freezing and thawing of the ground will reduce its efficacy, so don’t apply pre-emergent until spring is really under way. The first time you want to treat your lawn with pre-emergent is between mid-March and mid-April. This will prevent the early, thin-leaf crabgrass. Repeat this application sometime between mid-May to mid-June to prevent the later, hairy-leaf crabgrass.
So, here is your summary:
Crabgrass easy to prevent, hard to kill.
Pre-emergent herbicide prevents crabgrass seeds from germinating successfully.
Application 1: mid-March to mid-April
Application 2: mid-May to mid-June
