A Guide to Figuring How Much Mulch, Topsoil, Gravel, Plants, and Fertilizer for an Area.
Now that you’ve got spring fever and caught the planting bug, you need some practical advice on how much material you actually need for your ambitious landscaping projects.
First Step: Calculate the Area for square footage using one of these formulas.
Rectangle: Length x width
Triangle: Length x width\2
Circle: 3.14xradiusxradius
Odd Shapes:
Break it up into individual forms and then add them together.
Odd shaped areas can be broken down into a series of squares, rectangles, triangles or circles. Calculate the area of the individual components and add them together.
Step two: How many plants do I need? Once you know your total area (square footage), you can then use another calculation to figure how many plants you need.
Suppose our rectangular bed was 4’ wide by 10’ long. Using our area calculation we figure out that the square footage of this bed is 40 sq. feet (4x10=40). Now in this 40 sq. ft. area we want to plant impatiens. The next step is to decide how closely we want to plant the plants together. Obviously, the closer you plant the plants together, the faster it will look “full and lush”; conversely, the more plants it will require. For this scenario, let’s plant the impatiens 6 inches apart or on 6 inch centers.
Follow these steps:
Multiply: 6”x6” = 36 sq. inches
Divide: 144 (number of sq. inches in a sq. ft) by 36 sq. inches = 4 plants per sq. ft.
Multiply: 4 (number of plants per sq. foot) x 40 sq. ft. (our bed area) = 160 plants.
Divide: Total amount of plants by the number of plants in the flat of flowers (for example some flats have 36 plants per flat and some flats have 48 plants per flat). We’ll use 36 here.
160 plants divided by 36 plants in a flat = 4.44 flats of impatiens to plant our bed.
To take the same bed and plant it with the perennial daylily in a 1 gallon pot and plant them 16 inches apart. Calculate the same way.
Multiply: 16”x16”=256 sq. inches
Divide: 144 (number of sq. inches in a sq. ft.) by 256 sq. inches = .56 plants per sq. ft.
Multiply: .56 x40 sq. ft (our bed area) = 22.40 plants.
Now figure how much mulch we need for our 40 sq. ft. flowerbed?
Depends on how deep we want the mulch to be. To put mulch on this bed 3 inches deep, figure as follows:
Multipy: area (40 sq. ft. here) by the depth (3”/12 inches per foot=.25 feet)
40 x .25 feet deep (cubic feet)=10 cubic feet.
Divide: Total number of cubic ft. we need (10 in this case) by the number of cubic feet in a bag of mulch (most come in bags of 3 cu. ft.) 10 divided by 3 = 3.33 bags of mulch.
These same basic calculations work for gravel and topsoil. Remember that there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. If you are required to purchase the material by the yard, you will have to convert your cubic feet measurement into cubic yards by dividing the total amount of cubic feet by 27. For or rectangular 4’x10’ bed at 3 inches deep the calculations would look this this:
Lengthxwidthxdepth/27
4’x10’x.25 = 10 cubic ft./27 cubic ft. (cu. ft. in a cu. yard)=.37
This means we do not need a full yard (27 cubic feet) of material. We need 37% of a yard (roughly somewhere between a third to a half of a yard).
Now, let’s fertilize the lawn. For this exercise, let’s pretend the total lawn area is 20 feet x 20 feet or 400 sq. ft. and it is recommended that our lawn needs 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. We could use a formulation of 8-8-8 or 13-13-13 or 25-4-8 fertilizer, but the amount to apply would vary according to the amount of nitrogen (the first number in the formulation). To apply 13-13-13 to our 400 sq. ft. lawn at the rate of 1 lb. nitrogen per 1,000 sq. feet. Figure as follows:
Divide: the nitrogen (first number in the fertilizer formula) in this case 13 into 100 (available nitrogen per 100 lbs. of fertilizer), which would be 7.69 (100 divided by 13 = 7.69). So approximately 8 lbs of 13-13-13 would provide 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. feet. But we only have to do 400 sq. feet, so:
Divide: 400 divided by 1,000=.40 so we need 40% as much.
Multiply: 8 lbs. x 40%=3.20 lbs. of 13-13-13
If our yard had been 5,000 sq. ft., we would have multiplied 8 lbs. x 5 (5 times as much) for 35 lbs.
Knowing how to calculate how much material you need for any given area, helps prevent unnecessary purchases and leftover material.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Saturday, March 3, 2007
GREENHOUSE HAPPENINGS/MARCH
GREENHOUSE HAPPENINGS
M & M Greenhouse invites you to come on out and see what’s new and exciting. We have already received in new shipments of ornamental trees and shrubs. We have all your favorite spring blooming plants such as Lilac, Weigelia, Forsythia, Flowering Cherry, Dogwood, Wisteria, and more. Annual bedding plants will be arriving toward the end of March or first of April depending upon the weather.
Make plans now to attend FNBC’s Home and Garden Show on March 30th & 31st at the Sharp County Fairgrounds at Ash Flat, Arkansas. Be sure and look up our booth. We’d love to see all out good friends and customers and we’ll be holding drawings throughout the show.
Happy Gardening
M & M Greenhouse invites you to come on out and see what’s new and exciting. We have already received in new shipments of ornamental trees and shrubs. We have all your favorite spring blooming plants such as Lilac, Weigelia, Forsythia, Flowering Cherry, Dogwood, Wisteria, and more. Annual bedding plants will be arriving toward the end of March or first of April depending upon the weather.
Make plans now to attend FNBC’s Home and Garden Show on March 30th & 31st at the Sharp County Fairgrounds at Ash Flat, Arkansas. Be sure and look up our booth. We’d love to see all out good friends and customers and we’ll be holding drawings throughout the show.
Happy Gardening
MARCH CHORES
*Now is the time to apply the preventative systemic insecticide Imidacloprid sold as Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insecticide to your azaleas. This will provide season long protection for azalea lacebugs, scale and whiteflies. Read the label carefully and apply as directed. Remember, this is a preventative insecticide application and needs to be done before signs of insects or damage is noticed. This is a good strategy for those shrubs that you have yearly bug problems with, but not necessarily the best for all shrubs in your landscape.
*Fertilize bulbs now with a complete fertilizer such as 13-13-13 or 20-20-20 as you see the blades start to emerge from the ground.
*You can still apply pre-emergent herbicides for annual weeds (those that grow from seed each year, bloom, set more seed and die each season). Pre-emergent herbicides prevent the weed seeds from germinating, but will also prevent grass seed from germinating, so use only on established lawns. Pre-emergent herbicides will not take care of perennial weeds (those that come back year after year from the root system) so you will have to adopt another strategy for control of those weeds. These will require a post-emergent herbicide for control.
*Fertilize bulbs now with a complete fertilizer such as 13-13-13 or 20-20-20 as you see the blades start to emerge from the ground.
*You can still apply pre-emergent herbicides for annual weeds (those that grow from seed each year, bloom, set more seed and die each season). Pre-emergent herbicides prevent the weed seeds from germinating, but will also prevent grass seed from germinating, so use only on established lawns. Pre-emergent herbicides will not take care of perennial weeds (those that come back year after year from the root system) so you will have to adopt another strategy for control of those weeds. These will require a post-emergent herbicide for control.
SPOTLIGHT ON PLANTS - HOSTAS, HOSTA HAVE EM!!!
To divide or not to divide that is the question! Hostas are one of those perennials that get better with time. By dividing your plants now you can till in organic matter and improve the soil around the original plant. The divisions you make may be spread about in the landscape.
Hostas are the preeminent perennials for shady gardens coast to coast. They are easy to grow and thrive with almost no care, forming larger and bigger clumps year after year. Planted in mass in a woodland setting, they provide a cool airy haven during hot, uncomfortable summer days.
Grow Hostas in well-drained soil amended with plenty of organic matter. Hostas do best if the soil is constantly moist. They survive short dry spells without permanent damage, but don’t do well in arid climates. Spreading a generous layer of mulch around the plants helps retain soil moisture. If you see holes eaten in the leaves of Hostas, suspect snails and slugs as the shady, moist conditions favored by most Hostas are also ideal for slugs and snails.
Hostas come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, Most can be classified into these seven categories:
Blue-leafed types: Examples of these are Blue Cadet, Blue Mammoth, Halcyon, Hyacinthina, sieboldiana ‘Elegans’
Gold to cream edged types: Include Abba Dabba Do, Bold Ribbons, Golden Tiara, sieboldiana ‘Francee Williams’
Gold Leafed Types: Includes ‘August Moon’, ‘Gold Edger’, ‘Sum & Substance’, ‘Sun Power’, and ‘Gold Regal’
Gold to White Center variegated Types: ‘Fire and Ice’, ‘Geisha’, ‘Gold Standard’, ‘Great Expectations’, and ‘Guacamole’
White to Cream Edged Types: ‘Allan P. McConnell’, ‘Fire and Ice’, ‘Francee’, ‘Patriot’, ‘So Sweet’, ‘Wide Brim’ ‘Ground Master’
Green Leafed Types:
‘Fiesta Verde’, ‘Royal Standard’, ‘Fortunei aurea’, ‘Honey Bells’
Miniature Types: ‘Allan P. McConnel’, ‘Blue Cadet’, ‘Gold Edger’, ‘Abby’, and ‘Gold Drop’
Notice that some Hostas will fit into more than one classification.
While it is true of most Hostas that they prefer full shade to part shade. There are varieties that are listed as being tolerant of shade to full sun conditions such as:
‘Allan P. McConnell’, fortunei ‘albo Picta’, fortunei “aurea’, fortunei ‘Aureo Marginata’, ‘Gingko Craig’, ‘Gold Drop’, ‘Gold Edger’, ‘Gold Regal’, ‘Hycinthina’, ‘Iron Gate Delight’, ‘Lancifolia’, ‘Lemon Lime’, ‘Little Wonder’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Royal Standard’, ‘Silver Crown’, ‘Sun Power’, ‘Twist of Lime’, ‘Vanilla Cream’, venusta ‘Vera Verde’.
I even uncovered one variety in my research that was listed as full sun only: ‘So Sweet’ which was awarded “Hosta of the Year” in 1996 by the American Hosta Growers Group.
So whatever your situation and wherever you need a striking accent plant, try one of these excellent Hostas.
Hasta La Vista.
Hostas are the preeminent perennials for shady gardens coast to coast. They are easy to grow and thrive with almost no care, forming larger and bigger clumps year after year. Planted in mass in a woodland setting, they provide a cool airy haven during hot, uncomfortable summer days.
Grow Hostas in well-drained soil amended with plenty of organic matter. Hostas do best if the soil is constantly moist. They survive short dry spells without permanent damage, but don’t do well in arid climates. Spreading a generous layer of mulch around the plants helps retain soil moisture. If you see holes eaten in the leaves of Hostas, suspect snails and slugs as the shady, moist conditions favored by most Hostas are also ideal for slugs and snails.
Hostas come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, Most can be classified into these seven categories:
Blue-leafed types: Examples of these are Blue Cadet, Blue Mammoth, Halcyon, Hyacinthina, sieboldiana ‘Elegans’
Gold to cream edged types: Include Abba Dabba Do, Bold Ribbons, Golden Tiara, sieboldiana ‘Francee Williams’
Gold Leafed Types: Includes ‘August Moon’, ‘Gold Edger’, ‘Sum & Substance’, ‘Sun Power’, and ‘Gold Regal’
Gold to White Center variegated Types: ‘Fire and Ice’, ‘Geisha’, ‘Gold Standard’, ‘Great Expectations’, and ‘Guacamole’
White to Cream Edged Types: ‘Allan P. McConnell’, ‘Fire and Ice’, ‘Francee’, ‘Patriot’, ‘So Sweet’, ‘Wide Brim’ ‘Ground Master’
Green Leafed Types:
‘Fiesta Verde’, ‘Royal Standard’, ‘Fortunei aurea’, ‘Honey Bells’
Miniature Types: ‘Allan P. McConnel’, ‘Blue Cadet’, ‘Gold Edger’, ‘Abby’, and ‘Gold Drop’
Notice that some Hostas will fit into more than one classification.
While it is true of most Hostas that they prefer full shade to part shade. There are varieties that are listed as being tolerant of shade to full sun conditions such as:
‘Allan P. McConnell’, fortunei ‘albo Picta’, fortunei “aurea’, fortunei ‘Aureo Marginata’, ‘Gingko Craig’, ‘Gold Drop’, ‘Gold Edger’, ‘Gold Regal’, ‘Hycinthina’, ‘Iron Gate Delight’, ‘Lancifolia’, ‘Lemon Lime’, ‘Little Wonder’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Royal Standard’, ‘Silver Crown’, ‘Sun Power’, ‘Twist of Lime’, ‘Vanilla Cream’, venusta ‘Vera Verde’.
I even uncovered one variety in my research that was listed as full sun only: ‘So Sweet’ which was awarded “Hosta of the Year” in 1996 by the American Hosta Growers Group.
So whatever your situation and wherever you need a striking accent plant, try one of these excellent Hostas.
Hasta La Vista.
PLANT DISEASE RECOGNITION AND PREVENTION
Even if you aren’t an expert in plant pathology, you can usually tell if a plant looks “sick”. Yellowing leaves, spots, wilting or even oddly-shaped flowers are all signs the plant isn’t doing well.
Can you diagnose plant failure by yourself? For most situations, the answer is “Yes”.
What to look for. Plant pathologists usually group causes of plant failure into two categories: infectious (caused by a pathogen(s), or noninfectious (caused by environmental stress or improper cultural practices). As a general rule, noninfectious disease symptoms are distributed evenly over a large area or over several different plant species. You can sometimes associate the symptoms with some cultural practice, such as where herbicide applications were prepared or with some environmental events such as a frost or a hail storm. Infectious diseases, conversely, will develop sporadically or be distributed unevenly and are usually restricted to a particular plant species or cultivar.
While plant diseases may be caused by environmental factors, viruses, bacteria or other causes, by far the majority (more than 3/4) of plant diseases are caused by fungi. Fungal diseases are the athlete’s foot of the plant world. You can take action to prevent them from spreading, but at best you are practicing a form of prevention by spraying fungicide as most must be applied before infectious agents arrive.
Fungal diseases appear on leaf surfaces as discolorations such as black, white or rust-colored spots or as powdery or moldy growths. Bacterial diseases can cause similar symptoms, but generally kill plants rather quickly. Fungal diseases tend to cause a slow death. The best defense against fungal diseases is prevention—which we will address farther on in this article.
Viral diseases of plants are sub-microscopic, infectious particles that multiply only inside living host cells. Viruses are for the most part beyond the resolution capabilities of a light microscope and have to be determined primarily by electron microscopy and x-ray defraction. Symptoms along with other criteria are used to identify virus diseases. Symptoms would include abnormal leaf color, abnormal vein patterns of leaves, mottling in leaves, spotting patterns in leaves, and abnormal leaf shape as well as abnormalities of flower color, fruit size, shape and color.
Viruses can be spread from plant to plant by several means, including transmission from the parent plant to an offspring through the genetic structure of the plant or through vegetative propagation, grafting and budding, seed transmission and mechanical spread by insects and man. No effective chemicals will control virus diseases. Sanitation and use of resistant varieties of plants has been the most effective means of controlling plant viruses. Loss from disease can be reduced by removing diseased plants and replacing them with healthy replants. Reducing the population of insect vectors by insecticides or by other means, such as elimination of host plants for the insects has given partial control of virus diseases.
Bacterial diseases are microscopic, single-celled organisms that have a cell wall. While most bacteria in the environment are beneficial, several are able to cause leave spots, stem rots, root rots, galls, wilts, blights, and cankers.
Plant pathogenic bacteria generally survive in infected plants, in debris from infected plants, and, in some cases, in infested soil Most require a wound or natural opening in the plant to gain entry and require warm, moist conditions in order to cause disease. In most bacterial diseases, photosynthesis and respiration are severely altered to the detriment of the plant.
Bacteria reproduce very rapidly. They are splashed easily from the soil to the leaves and from leaf to leaf by overhead irrigation. They are also easily moved from soil or debris when a worker handles such material and then handles the live plant.
The strict sanitation practices required to control bacterial diseases include destruction of infected plants as well as cleaning and disinfecting tools, benches, flats and pots that are used repeatedly. Overhead irrigation should not be used in crops particularly susceptible to bacterial diseases.
Bacteria are normally present on plant surfaces and will only cause problems when conditions are favorable for their growth and multiplication. These conditions include high humidity, crowding and poor air circulation around plants. Too much, too little or irregular watering can put plants under stress and may predispose them to bacterial infection. Other stressors are low light intensity, fluctuating temperatures, poor soil drainage and deficient or excess nutrients. Once bacterial disease begins on the plants, chemical control is not effective.
Prevention is by and far the best defense against plant disease. Plant diseases are best stopped before they start.
Following are some key ways to prevent diseases before they start:
1. Have a good understanding of infectious diseases as outlined above. Diseases occur only when the following three components are present at the same time:
A. A susceptible host plant.
B. A pathogen capable of causing disease.
C. An environment conducive to disease.
Break the links in the triangle at any point and disease will not be as likely to occur. Ways to accomplish this are: plant a disease-resistant cultivar therefore removing a susceptible host and avoiding infection, clean up black-spotted rose leaves in the fall reducing the amount of black spot fungal inoculum, and adopt cultural practices that make the environment less conducive to infection. By eliminating overhead watering or limiting overhead watering to early morning so that plants can dry off quickly, you can discourage infection by foliar pathogens that thrive on damp leaves.
2. Select the right plant for the site you intend to use it in.
A. Read the site. Observe the site at different times to understand the sun and wind exposures.
B. Test the site. Don’t guess—soil test.
C. Know your plants. Find out how the varieties that you want to plant tolerate sun, wind, and various soil conditions.
D. Find out about common problems. Get a handles on the diseases of the plants you want to grow.
3. Use disease-resistant varieties. Selecting plants with genetic disease resistance is the best way to prevent disease. No plant will be completely disease-free, but some plants have fewer major disease problems. Get information from your local garden center or the Extension Service in your state.
4. Keep a clean garden: rouging, rotating crops, and sanitizing tools. Eliminating the pathogen that can cause disease is a time-honored approach to disease prevention. Sanitation for disease control is just as important today. An extreme form of sanitation is called rouging: removing infested plants as soon as they are noted. Rotating crops is another ways to prevent disease. Many soilborne pathogens remain in the ground for a considerable time, often for many years. Sanitize tools with alcohol between pruning cuts. Clean and remove soil from tools periodically.
5. Create a well-balanced soil. Soils with good texture and good organic matter content tend to have a healthy balance of soil organisms, from earthworms to bacterial and fungal microorganisms that cycle nutrients. Developing soils that have good overall texture and drainage characteristics and good organic matter content, which will optimize microbial activity. Adding compost to your soil will help you achieve these goals.
6. Keep plants healthy: proper watering, mulching, pruning and fertilizing.
You can limit the amount of stress your plants suffer and the likelihood that they will develop certain infectious and non-infectious diseases. Proper planting should be one of the first considerations. Once plants are installed, proper watering is crucial. Plants have individual needs that depend on the species, the size of the plant, and its stage of development. Soil type and weather conditions also come into play. Too little water can stress plants and excessive watering results in poor overall root function and greater susceptibility to root rot diseases. Many plants, including your lawn, need about one inch of moisture per week during the growing season.
Mulching is a crucial disease prevention practice. Mulches help cool soils and conserve and moderate moisture over long periods, which can help plants resist stress due to lack of water.
Pruning is another important disease preventive assuring better air movement and sun penetration of the canopy. Most fungi thrive under moist conditions, and fungal spores are more likely to germinate and infect leaf tissue when leaves remain wet.
Fertilizing plants will both prevent non-infectious diseases (disorders), such as nutrient deficiencies, and help plants tolerate the damage resulting from infectious diseases.
7. Don’t overwater, overmulch, etc. . .
You can overdo many good horticultural practices such as mulching. Too much mulch piled against the base of trees and shrubs will keep too much moisture against the trunks, encouraging fungal infections. Excessive mulch can reduce oxygen levels in the soil, leading to poor root metabolism and increased root rot disease. Add only enough to maintain a total depth of 2-3 inches.
Vigorous overwating is a common trigger of plant disease. Waterlogged soils cause root function to suffer because oxygen levels are low.
Overfertilizing is another case of too much of a good thing. Roots can suffer from overly high levels of fertilizer: they will lose water through osmosis when fertilizer salt concentrations are higher in the surrounding soil-causing “fertilizer burn” on roots.
8. Learn to tolerate some diseases
For instance, Lilac are infected by powdery mildew year after year, but it never seems to hurt the plant.
9. Fungicides are preventative not curative
Even when you do decide to use fungicides, prevention is still the key. All but a few fungicides must be applied before the fungus enters plant tissue to prevent infections and subsequent disease development. Timing is crucial: even with fungicides, prevention– not cure– is the name of the game.
Can you diagnose plant failure by yourself? For most situations, the answer is “Yes”.
What to look for. Plant pathologists usually group causes of plant failure into two categories: infectious (caused by a pathogen(s), or noninfectious (caused by environmental stress or improper cultural practices). As a general rule, noninfectious disease symptoms are distributed evenly over a large area or over several different plant species. You can sometimes associate the symptoms with some cultural practice, such as where herbicide applications were prepared or with some environmental events such as a frost or a hail storm. Infectious diseases, conversely, will develop sporadically or be distributed unevenly and are usually restricted to a particular plant species or cultivar.
While plant diseases may be caused by environmental factors, viruses, bacteria or other causes, by far the majority (more than 3/4) of plant diseases are caused by fungi. Fungal diseases are the athlete’s foot of the plant world. You can take action to prevent them from spreading, but at best you are practicing a form of prevention by spraying fungicide as most must be applied before infectious agents arrive.
Fungal diseases appear on leaf surfaces as discolorations such as black, white or rust-colored spots or as powdery or moldy growths. Bacterial diseases can cause similar symptoms, but generally kill plants rather quickly. Fungal diseases tend to cause a slow death. The best defense against fungal diseases is prevention—which we will address farther on in this article.
Viral diseases of plants are sub-microscopic, infectious particles that multiply only inside living host cells. Viruses are for the most part beyond the resolution capabilities of a light microscope and have to be determined primarily by electron microscopy and x-ray defraction. Symptoms along with other criteria are used to identify virus diseases. Symptoms would include abnormal leaf color, abnormal vein patterns of leaves, mottling in leaves, spotting patterns in leaves, and abnormal leaf shape as well as abnormalities of flower color, fruit size, shape and color.
Viruses can be spread from plant to plant by several means, including transmission from the parent plant to an offspring through the genetic structure of the plant or through vegetative propagation, grafting and budding, seed transmission and mechanical spread by insects and man. No effective chemicals will control virus diseases. Sanitation and use of resistant varieties of plants has been the most effective means of controlling plant viruses. Loss from disease can be reduced by removing diseased plants and replacing them with healthy replants. Reducing the population of insect vectors by insecticides or by other means, such as elimination of host plants for the insects has given partial control of virus diseases.
Bacterial diseases are microscopic, single-celled organisms that have a cell wall. While most bacteria in the environment are beneficial, several are able to cause leave spots, stem rots, root rots, galls, wilts, blights, and cankers.
Plant pathogenic bacteria generally survive in infected plants, in debris from infected plants, and, in some cases, in infested soil Most require a wound or natural opening in the plant to gain entry and require warm, moist conditions in order to cause disease. In most bacterial diseases, photosynthesis and respiration are severely altered to the detriment of the plant.
Bacteria reproduce very rapidly. They are splashed easily from the soil to the leaves and from leaf to leaf by overhead irrigation. They are also easily moved from soil or debris when a worker handles such material and then handles the live plant.
The strict sanitation practices required to control bacterial diseases include destruction of infected plants as well as cleaning and disinfecting tools, benches, flats and pots that are used repeatedly. Overhead irrigation should not be used in crops particularly susceptible to bacterial diseases.
Bacteria are normally present on plant surfaces and will only cause problems when conditions are favorable for their growth and multiplication. These conditions include high humidity, crowding and poor air circulation around plants. Too much, too little or irregular watering can put plants under stress and may predispose them to bacterial infection. Other stressors are low light intensity, fluctuating temperatures, poor soil drainage and deficient or excess nutrients. Once bacterial disease begins on the plants, chemical control is not effective.
Prevention is by and far the best defense against plant disease. Plant diseases are best stopped before they start.
Following are some key ways to prevent diseases before they start:
1. Have a good understanding of infectious diseases as outlined above. Diseases occur only when the following three components are present at the same time:
A. A susceptible host plant.
B. A pathogen capable of causing disease.
C. An environment conducive to disease.
Break the links in the triangle at any point and disease will not be as likely to occur. Ways to accomplish this are: plant a disease-resistant cultivar therefore removing a susceptible host and avoiding infection, clean up black-spotted rose leaves in the fall reducing the amount of black spot fungal inoculum, and adopt cultural practices that make the environment less conducive to infection. By eliminating overhead watering or limiting overhead watering to early morning so that plants can dry off quickly, you can discourage infection by foliar pathogens that thrive on damp leaves.
2. Select the right plant for the site you intend to use it in.
A. Read the site. Observe the site at different times to understand the sun and wind exposures.
B. Test the site. Don’t guess—soil test.
C. Know your plants. Find out how the varieties that you want to plant tolerate sun, wind, and various soil conditions.
D. Find out about common problems. Get a handles on the diseases of the plants you want to grow.
3. Use disease-resistant varieties. Selecting plants with genetic disease resistance is the best way to prevent disease. No plant will be completely disease-free, but some plants have fewer major disease problems. Get information from your local garden center or the Extension Service in your state.
4. Keep a clean garden: rouging, rotating crops, and sanitizing tools. Eliminating the pathogen that can cause disease is a time-honored approach to disease prevention. Sanitation for disease control is just as important today. An extreme form of sanitation is called rouging: removing infested plants as soon as they are noted. Rotating crops is another ways to prevent disease. Many soilborne pathogens remain in the ground for a considerable time, often for many years. Sanitize tools with alcohol between pruning cuts. Clean and remove soil from tools periodically.
5. Create a well-balanced soil. Soils with good texture and good organic matter content tend to have a healthy balance of soil organisms, from earthworms to bacterial and fungal microorganisms that cycle nutrients. Developing soils that have good overall texture and drainage characteristics and good organic matter content, which will optimize microbial activity. Adding compost to your soil will help you achieve these goals.
6. Keep plants healthy: proper watering, mulching, pruning and fertilizing.
You can limit the amount of stress your plants suffer and the likelihood that they will develop certain infectious and non-infectious diseases. Proper planting should be one of the first considerations. Once plants are installed, proper watering is crucial. Plants have individual needs that depend on the species, the size of the plant, and its stage of development. Soil type and weather conditions also come into play. Too little water can stress plants and excessive watering results in poor overall root function and greater susceptibility to root rot diseases. Many plants, including your lawn, need about one inch of moisture per week during the growing season.
Mulching is a crucial disease prevention practice. Mulches help cool soils and conserve and moderate moisture over long periods, which can help plants resist stress due to lack of water.
Pruning is another important disease preventive assuring better air movement and sun penetration of the canopy. Most fungi thrive under moist conditions, and fungal spores are more likely to germinate and infect leaf tissue when leaves remain wet.
Fertilizing plants will both prevent non-infectious diseases (disorders), such as nutrient deficiencies, and help plants tolerate the damage resulting from infectious diseases.
7. Don’t overwater, overmulch, etc. . .
You can overdo many good horticultural practices such as mulching. Too much mulch piled against the base of trees and shrubs will keep too much moisture against the trunks, encouraging fungal infections. Excessive mulch can reduce oxygen levels in the soil, leading to poor root metabolism and increased root rot disease. Add only enough to maintain a total depth of 2-3 inches.
Vigorous overwating is a common trigger of plant disease. Waterlogged soils cause root function to suffer because oxygen levels are low.
Overfertilizing is another case of too much of a good thing. Roots can suffer from overly high levels of fertilizer: they will lose water through osmosis when fertilizer salt concentrations are higher in the surrounding soil-causing “fertilizer burn” on roots.
8. Learn to tolerate some diseases
For instance, Lilac are infected by powdery mildew year after year, but it never seems to hurt the plant.
9. Fungicides are preventative not curative
Even when you do decide to use fungicides, prevention is still the key. All but a few fungicides must be applied before the fungus enters plant tissue to prevent infections and subsequent disease development. Timing is crucial: even with fungicides, prevention– not cure– is the name of the game.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
A CLEVER TAX SCHEME
This article written by Tom Purcell which was published recently in our local paper sums up what we have realized since we started our business in 1994:
"Let me get this straight. You've developed a fool proof scheme to dramatically reduce your taxes."
"You got it. I've been working to perfect it for a long time, but, boy, does it work."
"Get to it then."
"In the old days, I dreamed of getting rich. I started my own business and worked my tail off. It was then I learned I had silent partners."
"Silent partners?"
"Yes, the local, state and federal governments. They considered every dollar of profit a dollar of taxable income. When I realized how much my taxes were, I nearly ate my checkbook."
"But of course. When you were an employee, many taxes were hidden from you. When you become self-employed, all those taxes became painfully visible."
"Precisely. My employer had paid half my Social Security and Mediare taxes. My employer paid my workers' compensation,health insurance and other benefits. I had no idea that the total cost of employing me was roughly 30 percent more than my salary."
"At least 30 percent."
"Now I know that Social Security and Medicare eat up 15.3 percent of my income. Add in federal, state and local taxes and my total rate is shocking. the income I earn beyond $31,000.00 is taxed at 44.67 percent. Income beyond $75,000.00 is taxed at 47.67 percent."
"Serves you right for being 'rich'".
"Good one. I never understood why I was punished for making more. If I generated $100,000 in income, for instance, the taxes I'd pay on the first $50,000 would be roughly half as much as on the second $50,000. The higher my income, the higher the percentage taken by my_"
"Silent partners? That's the breaks in a progressive system."
"But why not encourage people to earn more? Why not a flat tax that rewards hard work? Then people work harder, earn more and pump more back into the economy. The economy booms and the government gets higher receipts on lower tax rates. It's not rocket science."
"You're speaking common sense, but when did common sense ever have anything to do with America's tax code?"
"Well, I got tired of working twice as hard to keep half as much. So I stopped working hard altogether. I started working part time. My revenue fell to half what it normally was."
"Half! That's no good."
"But it was great! I got an old car and a cheaper place to live. I spent more time at the park. I read more books at the library. Life was better than ever. And then I got an unexpected gift from my silent partners!"
"A gift!"
"Yes, a tax refund, the first I'd gotten in years. Because my income was down to half, my tax burden dropped significantly. It was then that I stumbled into my tax-reduction scheme."
"Go on."
"According to The New York Times, the top 20 percent of income earners paid 67.1 percent of all federal taxes. But families in the bottom 40 percent paid no federal income tax--yet they still received money back from the government."
"I'm listening."
"That's when it hit me. I'd worked so hard for so many years. I spent thousands on CPAs, trying to minimize my taxes to a reasonable amount. But the key to low taxes was right under my nose all along: just earn less!"
"Very clever."
"I know it's selfish of me to earn less. I know it's bad for the economy and the government. But that is what my silent partners have encouraged me to do. Democrats in Congress will surely raise taxes--they'll encourage me to work even less!"
"I hate to admit it, but your ideas are oddly sensible. where to from here?"
"I'm still perfecting my scheme, but next year I have big plans. My goal is to earn nothing!"
"Nothing?"
"We all have our dreams."
Tom Purcell is a humor columnist nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons. For comments to Tom, please email him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com
"Let me get this straight. You've developed a fool proof scheme to dramatically reduce your taxes."
"You got it. I've been working to perfect it for a long time, but, boy, does it work."
"Get to it then."
"In the old days, I dreamed of getting rich. I started my own business and worked my tail off. It was then I learned I had silent partners."
"Silent partners?"
"Yes, the local, state and federal governments. They considered every dollar of profit a dollar of taxable income. When I realized how much my taxes were, I nearly ate my checkbook."
"But of course. When you were an employee, many taxes were hidden from you. When you become self-employed, all those taxes became painfully visible."
"Precisely. My employer had paid half my Social Security and Mediare taxes. My employer paid my workers' compensation,health insurance and other benefits. I had no idea that the total cost of employing me was roughly 30 percent more than my salary."
"At least 30 percent."
"Now I know that Social Security and Medicare eat up 15.3 percent of my income. Add in federal, state and local taxes and my total rate is shocking. the income I earn beyond $31,000.00 is taxed at 44.67 percent. Income beyond $75,000.00 is taxed at 47.67 percent."
"Serves you right for being 'rich'".
"Good one. I never understood why I was punished for making more. If I generated $100,000 in income, for instance, the taxes I'd pay on the first $50,000 would be roughly half as much as on the second $50,000. The higher my income, the higher the percentage taken by my_"
"Silent partners? That's the breaks in a progressive system."
"But why not encourage people to earn more? Why not a flat tax that rewards hard work? Then people work harder, earn more and pump more back into the economy. The economy booms and the government gets higher receipts on lower tax rates. It's not rocket science."
"You're speaking common sense, but when did common sense ever have anything to do with America's tax code?"
"Well, I got tired of working twice as hard to keep half as much. So I stopped working hard altogether. I started working part time. My revenue fell to half what it normally was."
"Half! That's no good."
"But it was great! I got an old car and a cheaper place to live. I spent more time at the park. I read more books at the library. Life was better than ever. And then I got an unexpected gift from my silent partners!"
"A gift!"
"Yes, a tax refund, the first I'd gotten in years. Because my income was down to half, my tax burden dropped significantly. It was then that I stumbled into my tax-reduction scheme."
"Go on."
"According to The New York Times, the top 20 percent of income earners paid 67.1 percent of all federal taxes. But families in the bottom 40 percent paid no federal income tax--yet they still received money back from the government."
"I'm listening."
"That's when it hit me. I'd worked so hard for so many years. I spent thousands on CPAs, trying to minimize my taxes to a reasonable amount. But the key to low taxes was right under my nose all along: just earn less!"
"Very clever."
"I know it's selfish of me to earn less. I know it's bad for the economy and the government. But that is what my silent partners have encouraged me to do. Democrats in Congress will surely raise taxes--they'll encourage me to work even less!"
"I hate to admit it, but your ideas are oddly sensible. where to from here?"
"I'm still perfecting my scheme, but next year I have big plans. My goal is to earn nothing!"
"Nothing?"
"We all have our dreams."
Tom Purcell is a humor columnist nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons. For comments to Tom, please email him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com
Friday, February 9, 2007
GREENHOUSE HAPPENINGS/FEBRUARY
Linda has been poring over liner books searching out new and exciting varieties to grow to offer in future years.
We have bareroot perennials on order ready to be planted in late February for sales later this year.
Bareroot trees will be arriving soon to be potted and grown for future year’s crops.
The website has been a continuing project and is being finalized. It is up and operational, but not quite finished. We plan to have 1 year’s worth of Newsletters available as archives on the website. Check us out at www.mandmlandscapeandlawn.com and check out our blogspot at http://mandmlandscapeandlawn.blogspot.com
The Greenhouse is gearing up for another busy year. This will be our tentative schedule for the next year.
February Closed
March Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-3 Weekends 9-12
April Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-6 Weekends 9-3
May Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-6 Weekends 9-3
June Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-6 Weekends 9-3
July Open for retail Mon-Fri 8-1 Weekends 9-12
August Open for retail Mon-Fri
8-1 Weekends 9-12
September Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-3 Weekends 9-12
October Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-3 Weekends 9-12
We have bareroot perennials on order ready to be planted in late February for sales later this year.
Bareroot trees will be arriving soon to be potted and grown for future year’s crops.
The website has been a continuing project and is being finalized. It is up and operational, but not quite finished. We plan to have 1 year’s worth of Newsletters available as archives on the website. Check us out at www.mandmlandscapeandlawn.com and check out our blogspot at http://mandmlandscapeandlawn.blogspot.com
The Greenhouse is gearing up for another busy year. This will be our tentative schedule for the next year.
February Closed
March Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-3 Weekends 9-12
April Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-6 Weekends 9-3
May Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-6 Weekends 9-3
June Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-6 Weekends 9-3
July Open for retail Mon-Fri 8-1 Weekends 9-12
August Open for retail Mon-Fri
8-1 Weekends 9-12
September Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-3 Weekends 9-12
October Open for retail Mon-Fri
9-3 Weekends 9-12
SPOTLIGHT ON PLANTS - PYRACANTHA
Pyracantha. Py-ra-kan’tha. Firethorn.
Pyracantha is an evergreen thorny shrub with simple leaves, round clusters of white flowers, and red or orange berries. The berries are outstanding features in the landscape from fall through winter and into spring. The berries must not be very tasty to the birds as they won’t eat them until late in the winter when other food sources have been depleted. That just makes for a longer show of berries in the winter landscape.
Most cultivars prefer full to part sun and are not fussy about soil ph. Ordinary soil and watering, once established, are adequate for its needs.
Some varieties such as Pyracantha coccinea are more susceptible to fire blight, which makes the shoots die back from the tips; scab, which makes hard, dark spots on the berries and leaves; and various insects.
Tall, short, or prostrate forms are available. Try ‘Mohave’, a orange-red hybrid cultivar, for a tall, disease-resistant plant, hardy to zones 6-7.
‘Red Elf’ forms a dwarf, 2-3 ft. tall, compact mound with bright red fruits. Hardy to zone 7, but susceptible to fire blight.
‘Navaho’ makes a broad mound, 6ft. Tall, with orange-red fruits. This variety has proven to be disease-resistant, hardy to zone 6-7.
Pyracantha can be espaliered against a fence to give a blast of color to any winter landscape. The berries don’t strut their stuff until fall and winter.
Pyracantha is an evergreen thorny shrub with simple leaves, round clusters of white flowers, and red or orange berries. The berries are outstanding features in the landscape from fall through winter and into spring. The berries must not be very tasty to the birds as they won’t eat them until late in the winter when other food sources have been depleted. That just makes for a longer show of berries in the winter landscape.
Most cultivars prefer full to part sun and are not fussy about soil ph. Ordinary soil and watering, once established, are adequate for its needs.
Some varieties such as Pyracantha coccinea are more susceptible to fire blight, which makes the shoots die back from the tips; scab, which makes hard, dark spots on the berries and leaves; and various insects.
Tall, short, or prostrate forms are available. Try ‘Mohave’, a orange-red hybrid cultivar, for a tall, disease-resistant plant, hardy to zones 6-7.
‘Red Elf’ forms a dwarf, 2-3 ft. tall, compact mound with bright red fruits. Hardy to zone 7, but susceptible to fire blight.
‘Navaho’ makes a broad mound, 6ft. Tall, with orange-red fruits. This variety has proven to be disease-resistant, hardy to zone 6-7.
Pyracantha can be espaliered against a fence to give a blast of color to any winter landscape. The berries don’t strut their stuff until fall and winter.
EVERGREEN NEEDLE DROP
Broadleaved and needled evergreen plants shed their leaves. We’ve all seen the carpet of pine needles underneath a pine tree. This occurs as a result of both natural and environmental stresses. Each species of evergreen has their period of natural leaf drop or shed and this varies from one variety to the other.
Broadleaved evergreens (think Holly, Rhododendron, Euonymus or Southern Magnolia) usually shed their leaves in the summer or early fall. Juniper and Douglas fir needles will last for 10 or more years. Arborvitae and white pine will drop needles in the fall of their second year. Yew needles commonly will turn yellow and drop in their third year in the late spring or early summer. A Spruce tree can hold onto their needles for approximately 5-7 years. Eastern White Pine is one evergreen tree that is very noticeable as it loses its leaves in the fall. As stated above, the white pine sheds it’s needles in the fall of their second year, which leaves less growth at the tip of the branches to hide the needles that are shed making the fall needle shed seen more readily. The tree will appear particularly unhealthy when these yellow needles outnumber the green needles of the current season’s growth.
New needles will not regrow from the areas where they have dropped. However, new growth developing from terminal and lateral buds will mask the needle drop.
Natural needle drop occurs only on the inner needles. If your evergreen’s entire branches or needles/leaves at the tips of the branches are drying up and falling off, something else is happening.
Mites are often the culprit of non-seasonal needle drop. Generally, you will notice off-color needles becoming yellowish or brown. Sometimes, you will note the browning or yellowing starting in one particular area and gradually spreading throughout the plant. A light webbing is associated with heavy infestations. I good way to test for mites is to hold a sheet of white paper under a branch and shake or tap the branch. The mites will drop onto the paper where you can see them moving about. Aphids may also attack white pine needles. Bagworms are another common pest particularly on junipers and arborvitae.
Stress factors may intensify fall needle drop. Stress factors include drought, root damage, herbicide injury, disease, and, as addressed above, insect damage. The most common environmental factor being excessive soil moisture and drought. An excess of soluble salts in the environment such as occurs with the use of de-icing salts washing around the plant can also cause a large amount of dessication in some needled evergreens.
Some summer and fall leaf/needle drop is a natural condition varying in appearance depending upon weather conditions, plant health, and tree/plant species. Excessive needle/leaf drop at an inappropriate time may signal a cry for help. When in doubt, contact your nursery professionals or your County Extension Service for advice.
Broadleaved evergreens (think Holly, Rhododendron, Euonymus or Southern Magnolia) usually shed their leaves in the summer or early fall. Juniper and Douglas fir needles will last for 10 or more years. Arborvitae and white pine will drop needles in the fall of their second year. Yew needles commonly will turn yellow and drop in their third year in the late spring or early summer. A Spruce tree can hold onto their needles for approximately 5-7 years. Eastern White Pine is one evergreen tree that is very noticeable as it loses its leaves in the fall. As stated above, the white pine sheds it’s needles in the fall of their second year, which leaves less growth at the tip of the branches to hide the needles that are shed making the fall needle shed seen more readily. The tree will appear particularly unhealthy when these yellow needles outnumber the green needles of the current season’s growth.
New needles will not regrow from the areas where they have dropped. However, new growth developing from terminal and lateral buds will mask the needle drop.
Natural needle drop occurs only on the inner needles. If your evergreen’s entire branches or needles/leaves at the tips of the branches are drying up and falling off, something else is happening.
Mites are often the culprit of non-seasonal needle drop. Generally, you will notice off-color needles becoming yellowish or brown. Sometimes, you will note the browning or yellowing starting in one particular area and gradually spreading throughout the plant. A light webbing is associated with heavy infestations. I good way to test for mites is to hold a sheet of white paper under a branch and shake or tap the branch. The mites will drop onto the paper where you can see them moving about. Aphids may also attack white pine needles. Bagworms are another common pest particularly on junipers and arborvitae.
Stress factors may intensify fall needle drop. Stress factors include drought, root damage, herbicide injury, disease, and, as addressed above, insect damage. The most common environmental factor being excessive soil moisture and drought. An excess of soluble salts in the environment such as occurs with the use of de-icing salts washing around the plant can also cause a large amount of dessication in some needled evergreens.
Some summer and fall leaf/needle drop is a natural condition varying in appearance depending upon weather conditions, plant health, and tree/plant species. Excessive needle/leaf drop at an inappropriate time may signal a cry for help. When in doubt, contact your nursery professionals or your County Extension Service for advice.
MONTHLY GARDENING CHORES - JANUARY
Ideally you will have planted all your spring bulbs by now. All is not lost, however, if you find a bag of bulbs that you simply didn’t get around to planting yet. You really should get on it now as soon as possible. Remember most spring bulbs must go through a chilling process of at least twelve (12) weeks for best results. Check the bulbs. If they are excessively dry and brittle or mushy and/or soft, they are probably no longer viable. The bulbs should be firm to the touch.
DRESS YOUR ENTRYWAY FOR WINTER - NO PLANTING REQUIRED
Now that it’s cold outside, containers that were resplendent with summer flowers appear desolate and vacant. Winter can be equally attractive when you adapt these tips to your containers for a rich look that’s easy to replicate. Containers filled with boughs of evergreens and branches can create lush welcoming winter containers.
After the annuals have died down in your hanging baskets and containers, clear them away and use the moist soil left in the pots to stick cuttings into for winter attractive containers. The most attractive arrangements begin with a focal point, the one element that draws attention. A taller cutting placed in the center will serve as the anchor. Around this, focus on smaller textured foliage for substance and contrast. Evergreen hollies with attractive berries look very nice as accent pieces. Pictured here is a hanging basket filled with Leyland Cypress, Nandina, & Pyracantha cuttings. Make sure your containers can withstand freezing. Clay or ceramic pots will be susceptible to cracking. Your best bet would be to use containers made of resin or plastic. The soil left in the containers will keep your cuttings held upright when you insert them into the soil and will also keep the cuttings moist throughout the winter months. Water periodically to keep the soil continually moist.
After the annuals have died down in your hanging baskets and containers, clear them away and use the moist soil left in the pots to stick cuttings into for winter attractive containers. The most attractive arrangements begin with a focal point, the one element that draws attention. A taller cutting placed in the center will serve as the anchor. Around this, focus on smaller textured foliage for substance and contrast. Evergreen hollies with attractive berries look very nice as accent pieces. Pictured here is a hanging basket filled with Leyland Cypress, Nandina, & Pyracantha cuttings. Make sure your containers can withstand freezing. Clay or ceramic pots will be susceptible to cracking. Your best bet would be to use containers made of resin or plastic. The soil left in the containers will keep your cuttings held upright when you insert them into the soil and will also keep the cuttings moist throughout the winter months. Water periodically to keep the soil continually moist.
WHERE'S JEFF AND THE LANDSCAPE CREW?
Currently Jeff and the landscape crew are working on an entrance for a new development on the White River across the river from Gaston’s White River Resort.
While it’s a long way from home, Jeff felt the opportunity to design and install in this setting was worth the sacrifice.
In one of the water features, a large 7 foot waterfall will cascade over boulders. These boulders actually had to be placed with a “huge” excavator as they weigh 1,500 lbs. or more. Another water feature planned for the project is a shallow pool at the entrance to the development which will surround a rustic structure with a water wheel to move water across the surface of the pool.
Jeff says he’s looking forward to the finish of the project and the spring rush and to tell everyone, “See you soon, and thanks for your business”
While it’s a long way from home, Jeff felt the opportunity to design and install in this setting was worth the sacrifice.
In one of the water features, a large 7 foot waterfall will cascade over boulders. These boulders actually had to be placed with a “huge” excavator as they weigh 1,500 lbs. or more. Another water feature planned for the project is a shallow pool at the entrance to the development which will surround a rustic structure with a water wheel to move water across the surface of the pool.
Jeff says he’s looking forward to the finish of the project and the spring rush and to tell everyone, “See you soon, and thanks for your business”
ARKANSAS GREEN INDUSTRY - PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
In the December, 2006, Plant Arkansas Bulletin, published by the Arkansas Green Industry Association, President of the Association, Bobby King, states:
“Finding good help is difficult; especially when you’re trying to buy plants to do it yourself, hoping to find a knowledgeable, dependable individual or group to do your dream landscape, or simply deliver a quality maintenance job. This is sometimes extremely difficult unless you are fortunate enough to live in Arkansas and can have an ARKANSAS CERTIFIED NURSERY & LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL, ACNLP to guide you along this often mysterious way… I am amazed at what I see out there in the real world. This past spring, I saw something that gave a new twist to the guy in the pickup with a lawn mower. His sign read CHEAP LANDSCAPE AND CAR DETAIL
The great news is that we have a group of talented and educated individuals who have proven themselves to be better than the rest. They know their plants and pests, and can calculate the needs for a low-maintenance, beautiful landscape that is adapted to the climate zone. We have a great team of ACNLP administrators including Jim Robbins, PhD., who conducts the study course and administers the exam, and Russell Black, an AGIA past president and long standing chair of the ACNLP committee, and the committee too. These folks are committed and have continued to raise the standard of the industry in our state.”
“Finding good help is difficult; especially when you’re trying to buy plants to do it yourself, hoping to find a knowledgeable, dependable individual or group to do your dream landscape, or simply deliver a quality maintenance job. This is sometimes extremely difficult unless you are fortunate enough to live in Arkansas and can have an ARKANSAS CERTIFIED NURSERY & LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL, ACNLP to guide you along this often mysterious way… I am amazed at what I see out there in the real world. This past spring, I saw something that gave a new twist to the guy in the pickup with a lawn mower. His sign read CHEAP LANDSCAPE AND CAR DETAIL
The great news is that we have a group of talented and educated individuals who have proven themselves to be better than the rest. They know their plants and pests, and can calculate the needs for a low-maintenance, beautiful landscape that is adapted to the climate zone. We have a great team of ACNLP administrators including Jim Robbins, PhD., who conducts the study course and administers the exam, and Russell Black, an AGIA past president and long standing chair of the ACNLP committee, and the committee too. These folks are committed and have continued to raise the standard of the industry in our state.”
DO YOU NEED A LANDSCAPE PROFESSIONAL?
The answer is probably yes, if you want to improve the value of your home or get more pleasure from the beauty of your lawn and garden.
In today’s sluggish home sales market, the good news is that a well-landscaped home sells more quickly and at a higher price than a comparable home with poorly placed trees and shrubs or badly designed gardens.
According to Money magazine research, landscaping is one of the best home improvements you can make.
But a more important reason for having your property professionally landscaped is the pleasure you will derive in watching its beauty develop, season to season, year after year.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Ability to solve specific landscape and garden design problems.
Landscape professionals study design and horticulture, take ongoing courses and understand the aesthetics of gardening. When they confer with you, expect them to analyze your soil and consider your property’s drainage problems before making recommendations for the appropriate flowers, shrubs and trees.
Ability to set priorities, schedule your work in phases, adjust to your budget. Landscape professionals will work with you to find the best plantings. They will design a plan that fits your aspirations and stays within your budget.
WHO ARE THEY?
Landscape contractors. They install plantings and trees, and do some construction.
Landscape designers. Developing new landscapes or improving existing ones, they usually combine designer savvy with plant-care know-how learned through training and experience. Certification is not required.
Nursery staffs. More generalists than specialists, this group of horticultural professionals has a wide range of practical expertise, and they understand plant care. Expect them to be growers of greenhouse plants, nursery and garden center operators, master gardeners and landscape designers.
Aborists. Arborists will identify and correct tree problems, essential for larger trees. They can trim and prune, and are equipped to remove trees and stumps or move mature trees.
Landscape architects. Generally must pass a licensing exam to practice and use the title “landscape architect”. After analyzing your property, they draft plans of the site and confer with you on plant choices and placement.
Check your yellow pages, local nurseries or retail garden centers to find candidates who meet your requirements. Look for people certified by state associations who are members of the American Nursery and Landscape Association or other national or state landscape associations.
In today’s sluggish home sales market, the good news is that a well-landscaped home sells more quickly and at a higher price than a comparable home with poorly placed trees and shrubs or badly designed gardens.
According to Money magazine research, landscaping is one of the best home improvements you can make.
But a more important reason for having your property professionally landscaped is the pleasure you will derive in watching its beauty develop, season to season, year after year.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Ability to solve specific landscape and garden design problems.
Landscape professionals study design and horticulture, take ongoing courses and understand the aesthetics of gardening. When they confer with you, expect them to analyze your soil and consider your property’s drainage problems before making recommendations for the appropriate flowers, shrubs and trees.
Ability to set priorities, schedule your work in phases, adjust to your budget. Landscape professionals will work with you to find the best plantings. They will design a plan that fits your aspirations and stays within your budget.
WHO ARE THEY?
Landscape contractors. They install plantings and trees, and do some construction.
Landscape designers. Developing new landscapes or improving existing ones, they usually combine designer savvy with plant-care know-how learned through training and experience. Certification is not required.
Nursery staffs. More generalists than specialists, this group of horticultural professionals has a wide range of practical expertise, and they understand plant care. Expect them to be growers of greenhouse plants, nursery and garden center operators, master gardeners and landscape designers.
Aborists. Arborists will identify and correct tree problems, essential for larger trees. They can trim and prune, and are equipped to remove trees and stumps or move mature trees.
Landscape architects. Generally must pass a licensing exam to practice and use the title “landscape architect”. After analyzing your property, they draft plans of the site and confer with you on plant choices and placement.
Check your yellow pages, local nurseries or retail garden centers to find candidates who meet your requirements. Look for people certified by state associations who are members of the American Nursery and Landscape Association or other national or state landscape associations.
SPOTLIGHT ON PLANTS
Pyrus calleryana, Bradford Pear
Deciduous tree. Height: 30-50 ft. Grow in full or part sun. Tolerates unamended soil. Drought tolerant once established.
With spring right around the corner, the flowering ornamental pear trees will begin to show their beauty.
Bradford Pear trees have been planted by the thousands in recent decades and some older trees have earned a bad reputation for splitting off due to weak crotches and brittle limbs that are liable to break during storms. Do not give up on ornamental flowering pear trees.
Newer cultivars such as Chanticleer and Cleveland Select have been selectively bred for improved characteristics such as different crotch angles to make it much less susceptible to wind breakage than Bradford.
One ornamental flowering pear attracting attention in the nursery industry is Pyrus fauriei ‘Westwood’ pear or more commonly known as Korean Sun pear. The flowering pear has the same pure white flower display in mid-March as the more commonly known callery pear or Bradford pear, but its growth habit is distinctly smaller, 15-20 feet. The branches form wide, nearly horizontal angles, (crotch angle) making for terrific structure that is reliable in storms and severe winds. ‘Westwood’ pear is less likely to split, as it will not form codominant leaders and included bark.
Deciduous tree. Height: 30-50 ft. Grow in full or part sun. Tolerates unamended soil. Drought tolerant once established.
With spring right around the corner, the flowering ornamental pear trees will begin to show their beauty.
Bradford Pear trees have been planted by the thousands in recent decades and some older trees have earned a bad reputation for splitting off due to weak crotches and brittle limbs that are liable to break during storms. Do not give up on ornamental flowering pear trees.
Newer cultivars such as Chanticleer and Cleveland Select have been selectively bred for improved characteristics such as different crotch angles to make it much less susceptible to wind breakage than Bradford.
One ornamental flowering pear attracting attention in the nursery industry is Pyrus fauriei ‘Westwood’ pear or more commonly known as Korean Sun pear. The flowering pear has the same pure white flower display in mid-March as the more commonly known callery pear or Bradford pear, but its growth habit is distinctly smaller, 15-20 feet. The branches form wide, nearly horizontal angles, (crotch angle) making for terrific structure that is reliable in storms and severe winds. ‘Westwood’ pear is less likely to split, as it will not form codominant leaders and included bark.
TRADE SHOW TIME
Jeff and Linda McAnally, owners of M & M Landscape and Lawn, Inc., recently attended the Arkansas Professional Landscape and Nursery Trade Show with the Arkansas Turfgrass Association which was held in Hot Springs on January 17th and 18th.
While at the trade show, Jeff attended Pesticide Recertification Seminars which included Pesticide Safety, “Top 10 Diseases in the Landscape”, Spray Calibration and Top 10 Mistakes Made in Landscaping.
Linda attended seminars geared toward greenhouse growers including Designing and Utilizing Disease Suppressive Root Media, Diagnosing Plant Health Problems, and Monitoring Greenhouse Insect Pests, along with attending Retail and Management seminars.
These seminars are part of continuing education requirements to keep their ACNLP (Arkansas Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional) status current and to keep pesticide handling licensing updated.
While at the trade show, Jeff attended Pesticide Recertification Seminars which included Pesticide Safety, “Top 10 Diseases in the Landscape”, Spray Calibration and Top 10 Mistakes Made in Landscaping.
Linda attended seminars geared toward greenhouse growers including Designing and Utilizing Disease Suppressive Root Media, Diagnosing Plant Health Problems, and Monitoring Greenhouse Insect Pests, along with attending Retail and Management seminars.
These seminars are part of continuing education requirements to keep their ACNLP (Arkansas Certified Nursery and Landscape Professional) status current and to keep pesticide handling licensing updated.
February Garden Tasks
It’s cold outside and lawn and garden tasks are probably very low on your laundry list of things to do, but a little time spent now is well worth the effort in avoiding weeds and diseases later in the season.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
* Now’s the time to apply pre-emergent herbicides to your lawn and shrub beds.
For those of you with fescue lawns, weed & feed products are a convenient strategy for weed control. In our Bermuda grass and Zoysia grass lawns (warm season grasses), to avoid feeding the winter weeds, we want to delay fertilizer application until May, when the grass will actually be requiring and using fertilizer, and apply a pre-emergent herbicide in February or early March.
If you are seeing green in your Bermuda or Zoysia grass now, chances are it isn’t grass, but winter weeds. Take action now to kill these winter weeds, by applying a broadleaf herbicide such as 2, 4-D. As an alternative, provided the Zoysia or Bermuda lawn is still completely dormant , you can spot spray these winter weeds with roundup on a nice warm day. Never spray Roundup on your lawn if the grass is green and actively growing.
Now’s the time to get a head start on preventing summer weeds in your warm season grasses, by applying a pre-emergent herbicide such as benefin (Balan 2.5 Granule, pendimen thalin (Halts Crabgrass Preventer, Pendulum 69 DG), and bensulide, (Betasam, Presen, Betamec 4EC). Always read the label and be sure to apply the herbicide as accurately as possible for best results. Try to time the application of your pre-emergent before the Forsythias bloom in your neighborhood.
Remember that these products will not give full season control, and you will probably need to repeat application of your pre-emergent herbicide in 8 to 12 weeks.
For pre-emergent weed control for your shrub or ornamental landscape beds, try the pre-emergent herbicide Preen (active ingredient trifluralin).
* Late February is a good time for pruning trees and shrubs. Before pruning any shrubs, it is critical to know their time of bloom. Plants that bloom in the spring should not be pruned now, but after they flower. These include forsythia, weigelia, Lilac, and some varieties of roses that bloom only in the spring. They already have their flower buds set and pruning now would remove blooms. Plants that bloom all summer long will bloom on new or current season growth so you may prune these now. This includes plants such as abelia, althea, buddleia, clethra, and spireas.
You need to know when your rose bushes bloom to determine whether they need to be pruned now. Hybrid Tea roses that bloom all summer long may be pruned now to within 18”-24” of the ground. However, some climbing roses will repeat bloom and some are one shot wonders. Delay pruning on these until after they bloom. They won’t need a hard pruning so use a light hand on these.
The general rule for pruning plants is timing of their flowers.
Broadleaved evergreens that do not bloom can generally be pruned most any time, but use caution during extreme cold and extreme heat and do not cut them too severely.
Evergreen Azaleas will need to be pruned right after they bloom to avoid cutting off the next season’s blooms.
*Weed shrub beds and deadhead perennials.
*Plant trees and shrubs.
*Relocate deciduous plants to a different part of your garden. While plants are still semi-dormant is a wonderful time to give them a new home.
*Give your ornamental grasses a haircut. These can be cut back to the ground as close as you can. Be sure to look for new growth and don’t cut any green and growing foliage.
*Replace mulch as needed in shrub beds.
*Most perennials can be divided and moved now.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
* Now’s the time to apply pre-emergent herbicides to your lawn and shrub beds.
For those of you with fescue lawns, weed & feed products are a convenient strategy for weed control. In our Bermuda grass and Zoysia grass lawns (warm season grasses), to avoid feeding the winter weeds, we want to delay fertilizer application until May, when the grass will actually be requiring and using fertilizer, and apply a pre-emergent herbicide in February or early March.
If you are seeing green in your Bermuda or Zoysia grass now, chances are it isn’t grass, but winter weeds. Take action now to kill these winter weeds, by applying a broadleaf herbicide such as 2, 4-D. As an alternative, provided the Zoysia or Bermuda lawn is still completely dormant , you can spot spray these winter weeds with roundup on a nice warm day. Never spray Roundup on your lawn if the grass is green and actively growing.
Now’s the time to get a head start on preventing summer weeds in your warm season grasses, by applying a pre-emergent herbicide such as benefin (Balan 2.5 Granule, pendimen thalin (Halts Crabgrass Preventer, Pendulum 69 DG), and bensulide, (Betasam, Presen, Betamec 4EC). Always read the label and be sure to apply the herbicide as accurately as possible for best results. Try to time the application of your pre-emergent before the Forsythias bloom in your neighborhood.
Remember that these products will not give full season control, and you will probably need to repeat application of your pre-emergent herbicide in 8 to 12 weeks.
For pre-emergent weed control for your shrub or ornamental landscape beds, try the pre-emergent herbicide Preen (active ingredient trifluralin).
* Late February is a good time for pruning trees and shrubs. Before pruning any shrubs, it is critical to know their time of bloom. Plants that bloom in the spring should not be pruned now, but after they flower. These include forsythia, weigelia, Lilac, and some varieties of roses that bloom only in the spring. They already have their flower buds set and pruning now would remove blooms. Plants that bloom all summer long will bloom on new or current season growth so you may prune these now. This includes plants such as abelia, althea, buddleia, clethra, and spireas.
You need to know when your rose bushes bloom to determine whether they need to be pruned now. Hybrid Tea roses that bloom all summer long may be pruned now to within 18”-24” of the ground. However, some climbing roses will repeat bloom and some are one shot wonders. Delay pruning on these until after they bloom. They won’t need a hard pruning so use a light hand on these.
The general rule for pruning plants is timing of their flowers.
Broadleaved evergreens that do not bloom can generally be pruned most any time, but use caution during extreme cold and extreme heat and do not cut them too severely.
Evergreen Azaleas will need to be pruned right after they bloom to avoid cutting off the next season’s blooms.
*Weed shrub beds and deadhead perennials.
*Plant trees and shrubs.
*Relocate deciduous plants to a different part of your garden. While plants are still semi-dormant is a wonderful time to give them a new home.
*Give your ornamental grasses a haircut. These can be cut back to the ground as close as you can. Be sure to look for new growth and don’t cut any green and growing foliage.
*Replace mulch as needed in shrub beds.
*Most perennials can be divided and moved now.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Heat and Drought Tips and Tidbits for the Garden
From M & M Landscape and Lawn, Inc.'s July, 2006 Newsletter
As if gardening chores aren't strenuous enough by this time of year, Mother Nature's heat wave is making life even more difficult. It seems as if a mid-summer drought is a fact of life in the Southeast. In recent years drought periods have ventured into spring and fall. There are a few things you can do to ease your plants discomfort and ensure their livability during these periods of heat and drought.
Newly set transplants will require more frequent watering and will benefit by shading from midday sun to avoid wilting. In some cases, plants will wilt during midday despite all your effors simply because the leaves are losing moisture faster than the root system can take up water. In this case, the plants should recover in the evening and morning hours when temperatures are cooler.
Container plants on the patio will be streesed by the heat wave since they have much less buffering of temperature extremes on the root system. In addition to watering more frequently in hot weather, provide afternoon shade, if possible, to help keep them a bit cooler. Also, consider planting your container plants in some of the newer lightweight foam planters that are available. The thickness of the form containers will provide some insulation between the plant's roots and the heat of their environment. Be sure to drill drainage holes in the container if none are present.
HGTV personality and Master gardener Paul James fields view questions about hot-weather gardening:
Q. What does drought-tolerant really mean?
A. The term drought-tolerant is used to describe plants that will grow well with little, if any, supplemental water. However, what is often lacking in that description is one key phrase, namely, "once established". I'm not aware of a single landscape plant that you can simply stick in the ground and expect to grow without water, especially during that first critical year.
It's during the first critical year of growth that plants become established, meaning they develop a healthy root system and become acclimated to the soil, the weather, basically the whole environment. Some plants take longer than others to become established. So make sure you water new plantings routinely, as often as everday or as little as once a week, depending on the type of plant and it's requirements, until it seems capable of supporting itself with only the occasional watering or from rainfall alone.
Q. During the heat of summer, isn't it better to water landscape plants every day?
A. Watering daily during the summer is absolutely not a good idea, because even in the middle of summer, you can overwater plants. Even if you water lightly, the water won't penetrate very far which means roots will hover near the surfact of the soil. It's important to water once or twice a week in a manner that it percolates deep within the subsoil. By deep-soaking, you encourage roots to likewise venture deeper into the subsoil in search of water. And as a result, those plants are far better equipped to handle drought conditions.
Q. How can plants make the environment cooler?
A. Plants make the environment coller, thanks to a process called evapotranspiration. Take an oak tree, for instance. As it secretes, or transpires, moisture through it's leaves, this water draws heat as it evaporates, thus cooling the air in the process. Incredibly, a large oak tree can easily release up to 40 gallons of water in a single day. When combined with the shade it casts, trees can make a huge difference in energy costs when planted on the south and west sides of a house.
Q. What are some of the most heat-tolerant perennials?
A. Thankfully there are lots of them, and the following plants are a few of my favorites that are readily available, establish theselves quickly and grow magnificently throughout much of the country. Topping the list are the ornamental grasses. Once established, ornamental grasses are among the most drought-tolerant and carefree plants on the planet. Once more, they're beautiful in almost any setting throughout much of the year. Daylilies are another sure thing. Because they bloom for months you get a lot of bang for your buck. Despite it's dainty appearance, coreopsis is tough as nails and can really take the heat. The same can be said for coneflower (Echinacea) and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia). In fact, you could create a terrifc drought-tolerant garden with just those five plants. Of course, you could also add iris and a number of evergreens, such as junipers, spruces, and pines. Finally, there are the obvious choices, cacti and succulents which make outstanding additions to the landscape or look great in containers, too.
One last thought on heat and drought tolerance in plants. If you haven't already done so, mulch, mulch, mulch. Mulch is invaluable around the root zone of your plants to help hold in what moisture is avilable to the plants to help them through the heat and drought.
Try not to overdo the garden work in the heat, over-exerting yourself in extreme hot weather can be very dangerous to your health. Aim to complete your chores very early in the morning, take frequent breaks, and drink plenty of water to keep yourself from wilting.
Friday, January 12, 2007
VACATION TIME
July represents vacation time for many people and the McAnallys (of M & M Landscape and Lawn, Inc. fame) took theirs recently. One stop was particularly interesting and we thought we'd share some of it.
We toured Bellingrath Gardens in Theodore, Alabama, right outside Mobile. Tours are offered for both the Bellingrath Home and Gardens. They offer, in addition, a waterfront cruise of the surrounding estates and wildlife. The Bellingrath Home, completed in 1935, has been featured on "A&E's America's Castles". More than 70 years ago, Walter aned Bessie Bellingrath began a horticultural endeavor that would become one of the South's preeminent gardens. From it's humble beginnings as a fishing camp, Bellingrath Gardens showcase the natural beauty of the Mobile Bay area. Nestled among oaks, Spanish Moss and the scenic Fowl River, the 65 acre gardens of Bellingrath are said to boast a bloom every day of the year. We chose to take in only the gardens, and they were magnificent. True to their word, blooms did abound. Using mature evergreen Camellias and Azaleas reaching 8 feet tall as a backdrop, serpentine rows of colorful annuals weaved throughout a large portion of the gardens. The rose garden constructed in 1935 with it's adjoining Conservatory, contains more than 2,500 plants representing more than 50 varieties. Just image 2,500 roses in full bloom!
Pictured is a shot of "Rebecca at the Well" a bronze relief commemorating the Old Testament heroine described in Genesis 24:15. The fountain beyond marks the site of an artesian well dug during the Bellingrath's search for good drinking water.
The gardens were handicapped accessible with wide paved pathways throughout.
For more information on Bellingrath Gardens and Home: Phone: 800-247-8420 or go to their website at www.bellingrath.org.
We toured Bellingrath Gardens in Theodore, Alabama, right outside Mobile. Tours are offered for both the Bellingrath Home and Gardens. They offer, in addition, a waterfront cruise of the surrounding estates and wildlife. The Bellingrath Home, completed in 1935, has been featured on "A&E's America's Castles". More than 70 years ago, Walter aned Bessie Bellingrath began a horticultural endeavor that would become one of the South's preeminent gardens. From it's humble beginnings as a fishing camp, Bellingrath Gardens showcase the natural beauty of the Mobile Bay area. Nestled among oaks, Spanish Moss and the scenic Fowl River, the 65 acre gardens of Bellingrath are said to boast a bloom every day of the year. We chose to take in only the gardens, and they were magnificent. True to their word, blooms did abound. Using mature evergreen Camellias and Azaleas reaching 8 feet tall as a backdrop, serpentine rows of colorful annuals weaved throughout a large portion of the gardens. The rose garden constructed in 1935 with it's adjoining Conservatory, contains more than 2,500 plants representing more than 50 varieties. Just image 2,500 roses in full bloom!
Pictured is a shot of "Rebecca at the Well" a bronze relief commemorating the Old Testament heroine described in Genesis 24:15. The fountain beyond marks the site of an artesian well dug during the Bellingrath's search for good drinking water.
The gardens were handicapped accessible with wide paved pathways throughout.
For more information on Bellingrath Gardens and Home: Phone: 800-247-8420 or go to their website at www.bellingrath.org.
SPOTLIGHT ON CRAPE MYRTLE
Lagerstroemia indica, Lay-ger-stree'mee-a, Crape Myrtle. Deciduous tree or shrub, Zone 7. Heights: Range from true miniatures under 3 feet tall to tree form up to 25 feet tall.
Crape Myrtle has spectactular blooms from summer until frost.
Small flowers in large clusters have a texture like crepe paper and come in many shades of pink, rosy red, purple or white. The leaves are smooth ovals, 2-4 inches long, sometimes turning red, orange, or purplish in fall. Grey-tan outer bark flakes off the handsome muscular-looking trunks to reveal smooth mahogany inner bark. Cultivars vary in flower, color and ultimate size; some are dwarfs only 3-5 feet tall. Trees may be trained as single-trunked or multitrunked specimens. Dwarf shrubs add summer color to mixed hedges or borders.
How to grow: Full or part sun. Ordinary soil and watering. Thrives in hot weather and tolerates dry soil. Blooms on new growth; if shoots freeze back in a severe winter, it will recover the same year. Pruning and thinnning can produce larger flower clusters but aren't necessary. If you must prune, do so in November or December or while still fully dormant. It's better to plant a dwaft cultivar than to chop back a big tree form each year. Remove suckers at the base of large tree form varieties to expose and feature the trunks.
Some varieties of Crape Myrtle are naturally more susceptible to powdery mildew than others. Fungicide sprays such as Immunox, Daconil or Funginex will help.
Popular varieties of miniature weeping forms (reaching 2'-3' tall) are: Sacramento (red), Delta Blush (pink), New Orleans (purple), and World's Fair (watermelon red).
Popular varieties of true miniatures (reaching 12"-18" tall) are: Coral Filli (coral), Red Filli (red), and Pocomoke (rose-pink) which can reach up the 2'.
Popular dwarf varieties (reaching between 3'-6' tall) are: Pink Ruffles (light pink), Royalty (lavendar), Snow (white), Victor (dark red), and Tightwad Red (light red).
Popular medium varieties (reaching between 8'-10" tall) are: Acoma (white), Hopi (pink), Tonto (red), Zuni (lavender).
Popular tall varieties (reaching 20'-30' tall) are: Basham's Party Pink (lavender-pink), Natchez (white), Tuscarora (coral-pink), and Biloxi (pale pink).
Crape Myrtle has spectactular blooms from summer until frost.
Small flowers in large clusters have a texture like crepe paper and come in many shades of pink, rosy red, purple or white. The leaves are smooth ovals, 2-4 inches long, sometimes turning red, orange, or purplish in fall. Grey-tan outer bark flakes off the handsome muscular-looking trunks to reveal smooth mahogany inner bark. Cultivars vary in flower, color and ultimate size; some are dwarfs only 3-5 feet tall. Trees may be trained as single-trunked or multitrunked specimens. Dwarf shrubs add summer color to mixed hedges or borders.
How to grow: Full or part sun. Ordinary soil and watering. Thrives in hot weather and tolerates dry soil. Blooms on new growth; if shoots freeze back in a severe winter, it will recover the same year. Pruning and thinnning can produce larger flower clusters but aren't necessary. If you must prune, do so in November or December or while still fully dormant. It's better to plant a dwaft cultivar than to chop back a big tree form each year. Remove suckers at the base of large tree form varieties to expose and feature the trunks.
Some varieties of Crape Myrtle are naturally more susceptible to powdery mildew than others. Fungicide sprays such as Immunox, Daconil or Funginex will help.
Popular varieties of miniature weeping forms (reaching 2'-3' tall) are: Sacramento (red), Delta Blush (pink), New Orleans (purple), and World's Fair (watermelon red).
Popular varieties of true miniatures (reaching 12"-18" tall) are: Coral Filli (coral), Red Filli (red), and Pocomoke (rose-pink) which can reach up the 2'.
Popular dwarf varieties (reaching between 3'-6' tall) are: Pink Ruffles (light pink), Royalty (lavendar), Snow (white), Victor (dark red), and Tightwad Red (light red).
Popular medium varieties (reaching between 8'-10" tall) are: Acoma (white), Hopi (pink), Tonto (red), Zuni (lavender).
Popular tall varieties (reaching 20'-30' tall) are: Basham's Party Pink (lavender-pink), Natchez (white), Tuscarora (coral-pink), and Biloxi (pale pink).
BAGWORMS
Two insects are commonly called bagworms. The large tent forming caterpillars or webworms which are in actuality tent caterpillars, and the small bag forming insects known to plauge junipers and cedars, called bagworms.
Bagworms are caterpillars that make distinctive cone-shaped bags on a variety of trees and shrubs. The bags are formed from the plant material the insect is feeding on. While bagworms attack both deciduous trees and evergreens, they are most damaging to juniper, arborvitea, and cedar. Unless the plant is small or stressed to begin with, it usually takes a couple of years infestation of bagworms to completely strip a plant of its foliage and eventually cause it's death. Of course, large populations of the pest can accomplish this feat faster. Rarely do people notice the damage until it is past the time when sprays are effective and the damage is done for that year.
Bagworms are the caterpillar stage of a moth that is rarely seen. Only the males develop into typical moths capable of flight. The adult female is grub-like and remains inside the bag until just before she dies. Bagworms overwinter as eggs within bags fastened to twigs. Eggs hatch in May and early June. Almost immediately after hatching, caterpillars begin to spin tiny protective cases or "bags" around themselves. The bags are constructed of silk and needle fragments or leaaves. As the bagworm grows, leaf fragments are added to the bags which often grow to 2 inches in length by the end of summer. The bags protect the caterpillar from predators and insecticides. Adult males emerge from the bags in September as small black, clear winged moths, and fly around locating a female to mate with through the females bag entrance. The females are wingless and never leave the bag. The females can produce 500 to 1,000 eggs, after mating, which are deposited inside their bag. The female then dies, never leaving the bag. At this stage, spraying is ineffective. Hand pick and destroy the bags before next spring to prevent reinfestation.
If you are having a continual problem with bagworms, it may be necessary for you to begin spraying weekly from May through mid June with Dipel, Thuricide, or Sevin to attack the small larvae before they have a chance to make their bags.
Bagworms are caterpillars that make distinctive cone-shaped bags on a variety of trees and shrubs. The bags are formed from the plant material the insect is feeding on. While bagworms attack both deciduous trees and evergreens, they are most damaging to juniper, arborvitea, and cedar. Unless the plant is small or stressed to begin with, it usually takes a couple of years infestation of bagworms to completely strip a plant of its foliage and eventually cause it's death. Of course, large populations of the pest can accomplish this feat faster. Rarely do people notice the damage until it is past the time when sprays are effective and the damage is done for that year.
Bagworms are the caterpillar stage of a moth that is rarely seen. Only the males develop into typical moths capable of flight. The adult female is grub-like and remains inside the bag until just before she dies. Bagworms overwinter as eggs within bags fastened to twigs. Eggs hatch in May and early June. Almost immediately after hatching, caterpillars begin to spin tiny protective cases or "bags" around themselves. The bags are constructed of silk and needle fragments or leaaves. As the bagworm grows, leaf fragments are added to the bags which often grow to 2 inches in length by the end of summer. The bags protect the caterpillar from predators and insecticides. Adult males emerge from the bags in September as small black, clear winged moths, and fly around locating a female to mate with through the females bag entrance. The females are wingless and never leave the bag. The females can produce 500 to 1,000 eggs, after mating, which are deposited inside their bag. The female then dies, never leaving the bag. At this stage, spraying is ineffective. Hand pick and destroy the bags before next spring to prevent reinfestation.
If you are having a continual problem with bagworms, it may be necessary for you to begin spraying weekly from May through mid June with Dipel, Thuricide, or Sevin to attack the small larvae before they have a chance to make their bags.
Thursday, January 4, 2007
BLACK SPOT ON ROSES
If you've ever tried to grow a Hybrid tea rose, chances are you have had an encounter with Black Spot on Roses. Black Spot is caused by a fungus (Diplocarpon rosae) and is the most widespread disease of roses in Arkansas. Although the fungus may affect most rose varieties, Hybrid tea roses are by and large the hardest hit.
The optimum weather conditions for disease development are 75 deg. to 85 deg. farenheit with a relative humidity or rainy periods. When leaves remain wet for six or more hours, the fungus infects them. Canes can also be infected.
Symptoms:
Leaf spots are the most characteristic symptoms. The spots are round, with feathered edges and up to 1/2 inch across. Spots appear mostly on the upper surface of the leaf and often have a yellow halo around them. When many spots are present on the leaves, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Lower leaaves usually bcome infected first. Excessive leaf drop from this disease weakens the plant, resulting in other problems. New spots can appear in as little as five days when conditions are favorable for infection.
Cane symptoms are less obvious. Small, purple blister-like blotches appear on the canes. These blotches become black with age. Cane infections are very important in the survival of the fungus during the winter and are sources of infection in the spring as temperatures warm and rainfull increases.
Periods of rainfull or any other source of overhead water that wets the leaves can lead to a flare-up of black spot. During wet periods, the fungus produces thousands of microscopic spores on infected leaves and canes, which can be carried to fresh leaves by wind or splashing water. Infections may continue throughout the season as long as moisture is present on the plant.
Control:
Planting resistant varieties is the most effective way to prevent black spot. Even some of these varieties may develop a low level of black spot, but will require less maintenance than those that are susceptible.
Good sanitation is imperative in an effective control program, as the fungus can survive and continue to produce sports on fallen leaves and dying canes. Dying or dead canes and fallen leaves should be removed and disposes of before new growth begins in the spring. If feasible, spotted leaves still on the plant should be removed as these are also a source of infection.
Use of drip tubes or soaker hoses is the preferred watering method. If overhead irrigation is used, watering should be done in the early morning hours to minimize leaf wetness periods.
Plant in a sunny, well-drained area where there is good air movement.
Fungicide applications in combination with good sanitation may be required. Homeowner fungicides included Spectracide Immunox, Fertilome Liquid Systemic Fungicide, Ortho Funginex, and Greenlight Fung-Away.
The optimum weather conditions for disease development are 75 deg. to 85 deg. farenheit with a relative humidity or rainy periods. When leaves remain wet for six or more hours, the fungus infects them. Canes can also be infected.
Symptoms:
Leaf spots are the most characteristic symptoms. The spots are round, with feathered edges and up to 1/2 inch across. Spots appear mostly on the upper surface of the leaf and often have a yellow halo around them. When many spots are present on the leaves, the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. Lower leaaves usually bcome infected first. Excessive leaf drop from this disease weakens the plant, resulting in other problems. New spots can appear in as little as five days when conditions are favorable for infection.
Cane symptoms are less obvious. Small, purple blister-like blotches appear on the canes. These blotches become black with age. Cane infections are very important in the survival of the fungus during the winter and are sources of infection in the spring as temperatures warm and rainfull increases.
Periods of rainfull or any other source of overhead water that wets the leaves can lead to a flare-up of black spot. During wet periods, the fungus produces thousands of microscopic spores on infected leaves and canes, which can be carried to fresh leaves by wind or splashing water. Infections may continue throughout the season as long as moisture is present on the plant.
Control:
Planting resistant varieties is the most effective way to prevent black spot. Even some of these varieties may develop a low level of black spot, but will require less maintenance than those that are susceptible.
Good sanitation is imperative in an effective control program, as the fungus can survive and continue to produce sports on fallen leaves and dying canes. Dying or dead canes and fallen leaves should be removed and disposes of before new growth begins in the spring. If feasible, spotted leaves still on the plant should be removed as these are also a source of infection.
Use of drip tubes or soaker hoses is the preferred watering method. If overhead irrigation is used, watering should be done in the early morning hours to minimize leaf wetness periods.
Plant in a sunny, well-drained area where there is good air movement.
Fungicide applications in combination with good sanitation may be required. Homeowner fungicides included Spectracide Immunox, Fertilome Liquid Systemic Fungicide, Ortho Funginex, and Greenlight Fung-Away.
LATE SEASON GARDENS NEED NOT BE DULL
Think beyond pansies and mums. Other good options for fall color include perennial asters, toad lilies, goldenrod, chelone (turtlehead), Joe Pye weed, and Autumn Joy and Matrona Sedum. The salvia family really shines in the late season garden. From reds and pinks to blues and purples, there are numerous color options and plant sizes. Ornamental grasses such as fountain grass, maiden grass, zebra grass, and pampas grass are also just beginning to shine, and will continue to add textural interest in the garden throughout the winter months.
AUTUMN CROCUS
I know everybody is familiar with spring blooming crocus, but there are fall blooming crocus that will liven up your fall garden. To top that off, it blooms equally as well in sun, part sun or shade.
This wonder plant I'm talking about is colchicum (Autumn Crocus). Colchicum blooms in September and October and creates beautiful splashes of soft pink in the fall garden. For the best show, cluster at least three bulbs together in a small triangle, leaving about 6 inches between them. This will allow room for the foliage of colchicum which appears in the spring and persists until late May. The funnel shaped flowers of colchicum are not very large, topping out at about 8 inches, but for reliable, easy blooms in the fall, they are worth including in your plantings.
This wonder plant I'm talking about is colchicum (Autumn Crocus). Colchicum blooms in September and October and creates beautiful splashes of soft pink in the fall garden. For the best show, cluster at least three bulbs together in a small triangle, leaving about 6 inches between them. This will allow room for the foliage of colchicum which appears in the spring and persists until late May. The funnel shaped flowers of colchicum are not very large, topping out at about 8 inches, but for reliable, easy blooms in the fall, they are worth including in your plantings.
SOLARIZATION
Good sanitation can do wonders for your vegetable garden spot. If your vegetable garden has finished producing, now's the time to clean it up and consider solarization or, in the alternative, planting a cover crop.
If you plant your vegetable garden in the same spot year after year, diseases build up and hit the plants earlier and earlier. August is a prime time for solarization as it works best when it's hot, but September can still be a hot month, making it worth your effort. Till the garden spot as completely as you can, wet it down heavily, and cover the garden spot with black plastic, making sure the plastic and soil have firm contact. Leave it covered for at least six weeks or, alternatively, if you are done for the entire vegetable season, leave it covered all winter and remove the plastic and plant next spring.
This method works well for sites where you would like to plant wildflowers, also. After you have left the plastic on for at least six weeks, remove the plastic and sow your wildflower seeds. In northern hardiness zones 1-6, wildflowers seeded in late fall will remain in the soil and germinate the following spring. Or leave the plastic on all winter and remove in early spring and seed your wildflowers.
If you plant your vegetable garden in the same spot year after year, diseases build up and hit the plants earlier and earlier. August is a prime time for solarization as it works best when it's hot, but September can still be a hot month, making it worth your effort. Till the garden spot as completely as you can, wet it down heavily, and cover the garden spot with black plastic, making sure the plastic and soil have firm contact. Leave it covered for at least six weeks or, alternatively, if you are done for the entire vegetable season, leave it covered all winter and remove the plastic and plant next spring.
This method works well for sites where you would like to plant wildflowers, also. After you have left the plastic on for at least six weeks, remove the plastic and sow your wildflower seeds. In northern hardiness zones 1-6, wildflowers seeded in late fall will remain in the soil and germinate the following spring. Or leave the plastic on all winter and remove in early spring and seed your wildflowers.
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