Things to Do in June
Lawn Care: We have been fortunate to get rains in late May, but how much longer before we start our dry season? Do not let things dry out. It is times like this when you must mulch and apply more lava sand or polymers such as “Solid Water”.
Now is a great time to fertilize the lawn again. Nights are warm and grass is growing vigorously. Apply a complete lawn fertilizer like GreenSense 5-2-4 or 6-2-4.
This is also an excellent time to eliminate lawn weeds. It's not too late to reseed or over seed the lawn with Bermuda seed. This will help fill in paths that dogs made during winter months and crowd out weeds.
Improve your soil. This is a good time to aerate the lawn and apply a thin layer of compost and a rock powder like Humate, Lava sand or Texas Greensand. Minerals Plus is a combination of the three previously mentioned rock powders.
Apply GreenSense Microbial Treatment to your entire lawn and garden. These microbes will help in building stronger and deeper root systems, and increase organic matter in the soil for better water and nutrient availability.
Roses and Crape Myrtles Many customers are bringing in foliage from roses and Crape Myrtles that have mildew, aphid, black-spot or other insect or disease problems. Use Foliar Juice or Garrett Juice and add Neem Oil to your spray, the foliar spray will help fertilize and the neem oil will kill any insects as well as control fungal problems.
Potassium Bicarbonate works great for controlling fungal problems, spray on leaves of affected plants.
Corn Meal should be applied to the soil around the grass or plants that have brown patch or black spot at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square foot.
Remember: You must apply on a regular basis. One application of any fungicide is not enough and applications should be made until new growth appears that does not have symptoms of the disease.
Color in the Garden and Perennials: A great selection of Annual Color, or better yet Perennial color, is available now. Annuals are an ideal way to create instant color in the garden. In recent years growers have introduced blooming, large sized annual plants that they call 'Color Pots.' If you are like me, and do not like spending money, perennials are the way to go, and if you do your homework, you can choose a selection that will bloom throughout the year - this is an ideal time to select and plant the spring, summer and fall flowering varieties of perennials.
Remove spent flowers from annuals, and perennials, to encourage more bloom. Cut off faded iris blooms and stalks.
When cutting roses to take indoors, cut to an outside facing bud to encourage growth away from the center of the plant. This increases air circulation and discourages mildew.
Weeding: The cool, wet weather this spring has also encouraged the germination of weed seeds, so they are a real problem in many gardens. It is critical that these weeds be pulled, cultivated or eliminated in some form before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again. Otherwise, you will be fighting newly germinated weed seed for the next several years.
A lot of the winter weeds you have in the lawn should start to die now that it is getting hot. To kill stubborn weeds apply 10 or 20% Vinegar. Remember- One year to seed, seven to weed!
Vegetables: If you planted too many veggies now is the time to thin out the weaker ones so that they do not compete for nutrients and light. Enjoy your strawberries and raspberries now and remember that if you purchased them at Rohde’s we want some. The best way to avoid pest problems in the garden is to carefully choose what you plant. Purchase resistant and disease-free stock.
Bacillus thuringiensis is safe to use on food crops. Use according to label directions. You can make whitefly traps by spreading a thin coat of Vaseline on yellow poster board squares. Mount the cardboard traps on sticks and place them at blossom height.
Stake tall flowers to keep them from blowing over in the wind or being weighed down by rainfall or the weight of the flower. Add a stake to each planting hole as you're transplanting, and loosely tie the stem to the stake as the plant grows. Use a product that expands with the growth of the plant like “Miracle Garden Tie."
Prune suckers and water sprouts from all fruit trees; pull suckers at base of tree that grow from below the graft.
Snails, Slugs and Pillbugs
Bzzzzz
One of the biggest problems that customers are having this spring is damage caused by snails, slugs and pill bugs.
One day in May a customer came into the nursery to tell me about his last weekend. And how relaxing it was to spend a day in the garden.
It all started early Saturday morning when he came into buy his flowers for his garden, petunias, begonias and impatiens. After working for several hours he decided that he had done enough and would wait until Sunday morning to finish mulching his newly planted bed.
Since he had worked hard he slept well that night and woke up early to finish his landscape project. As he approached his beds he noticed that there were several plants that had fallen over, some of the plants had large pieces chewed off and he noticed a fine, shinny, slimy trail that covered the leaves of his impatience. That he knew was the trail left behind from snails and slugs.
He bent down to get a closer look and noticed thousand of pill bugs had gathered around his newly planted flower bed and had been busy eating them up. In disgust he screamed loud enough for one of his neighbors to hear him. He ran into his house and emerged a little while later with a bag from which he was throwing a white powder onto the plants.
Within minutes a police officer arrived and in a commanding voice told him to lie down on his stomach and spread his arms and legs away from his body. As he heard the command his knees buckled in fear and fell face first into this bag with the white substance. Within seconds more policemen arrived and shortly there after an ambulance also came. With the sounds of the sirens all of his neighbors came out to see what was happening. Someone said that you could see the red face through the white powder that was covering most of his forehead, cheeks and nose. After a few minutes of explaining that the white powder that he was throwing on the ground was not cocaine, but Diatomaceous Earth used to kill the pill bugs and snails, the police and paramedics went away leaving this embarrassed organic gardener to finish his job.
Diatomaceous Earth: easier to pronounce by just saying D.E. Used as an insecticide for control of insects in food sources and in dry locations. This single cell diatom has sharp edges that cut the underbelly of soft-bellied insects causing them to desiccate.
Another way to control snails, slugs and pill bugs is to use a thin bead of coconut oil or coconut soap flakes around the entire bed of flowers.
Placement of shallow cups like cottage cheese or buttercups that contain cheap beer or yeast around the outskirts of the flowerbed also works. The yeast attracts the three plant destroyers into the cups and they cannot get out.
You can also use apple cores, banana peels, and citrus rinds in the areas where you see an accumulation of these critters. After dark, place the fruit in the pest area and simply gather them up the next morning. There should be hundreds of these guys on the fruit pieces that you can easily throw away. To make sure that the insects are dead, take the gathered fruit to the kitchen and put down the waste disposal.
Bzzzzzzzzz
One of the easiest methods to control snails, slugs and pill bugs is to place a band of copper around the entire flowerbed.
Go to your local hardware store or Rohde’s Nursery and ask for a thin gauge strip like that used around door jams.
The copper will build up a slight electrical charge that will shock tiny insects and repel them.
Sure Fire ™ has a copper strip that has an adhesive on one side so that it can be attached to planters, furniture and other outside fixtures where the slimy creatures may try to climb.
Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Tis The Seasson!
I was working in the yard around the 15th of May when I received my first mosquito bite for the year. Hurrah, summer is here! All the rain we have had combined with the already high temperatures are ideal conditions for mosquito breeding!
Mosquitoes are part of the fly family. Their name actually does mean small fly in Spanish. Trust me on this one; I know a little bit of Spanish.
The big difference of course is in their mouthparts. The female has a long needle like proboscis. Where the female of the human species has the capability of sucking the money from her husbands cowhide wallet, the female mosquito can drain blood from the bodies of any warm-blooded animal. My wife, Sandra, has perfected this skill and is passing her knowledge on to our daughter, Assisi.
Having traveled through Asia, Australia, North, Central and South America, Europe and Africa I am sure that I have been stabbed by at least 200 of the more then 2500 different species of mosquitoes that are in the world. I am lucky that none of the mosquito bites have infected me with malaria, yellow fever or dengue, but my wife has given me a bad, bad case of monthly payments.
Some mosquitoes lay their eggs on the surface of fresh or stagnant water. The water may be in tires, trash cans, birdbaths, horse troughs, landscape ponds, plant saucers, unused swimming pools, gutters, creeks or ditches. Perfect breeding grounds are also groundcover beds and the area between the foundation of the house and the first row of shrubs.
If a mosquito were to pick an ideal breeding spot it would be in an area with tall grasses, weeds or other vegetation that would protect the wet area from winds.
The mosquito has four stages of its life cycle.
The adult mosquito lays her egg: These eggs are laid individually on wet soils or on the surface of water. It takes about two or three days for the eggs to hatch depending on temperature.
The mosquito larva: Larva lives in water but must come up for air. While in the water the larvae feed on smaller organisms and live for about 10 to 14 days.
The mosquito pupa: This stage last about two or three days, when finished it is an adult.
The mosquito adult: At this stage we learn how much of a pain the mosquito can be. Only female mosquitoes bite animals and drink blood. Male mosquitoes do not bite, but feed on the nectar of flowers.
Sometimes I think that Sandra, my wife, is a mosquito. When I am at work at the nursery, Sandra has the ability to suck money out of my wallet and then zip on over to the cool malls where she could live for days. Every time she goes to the mall I feel a sting on the right cheek of my backside.
On the positive side, Sandra and I will be celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary at the end of June. She has done most of the work on bringing up our two children, Assisi who is now 15 and Victor who is 12 years old.
It seems like I have been married to Sandra for only 16 seconds. UNDER WATER
Controlling Mosquitoes
Chemical controls should be avoided. I have recently seen many commercials or reports on products that may kill or repel mosquitoes, but are they really good for us?
Last year in New York State, officials decided that it was necessary to make an aerial application of an insecticide to kill mosquitoes. We know that thousands of birds were killed during this process. However we do not know how many mosquitoes were killed or what the residual effect has on humans. The millions of particles that fell upon park benches, swings, public telephones, cars, pets, swimming pools, and seeped into houses, did unknown amounts of damage to pets and people. Commercials on TV are recommending widespread applications over entire lawns, one even showed lawn chairs and patio tables. What is going to happen when our children go out to sunbathe and lay down on these lawn chairs exposing their skins to these toxins or when mom brings out snacks and the kids are at the patio table eating? They rest their hands on the table and pick up their food and bring the chemical to their mouths.
Several years ago there was an exposé on one of the extended news programs, on prime time television that was talking about DEET. They played a video of a young man just released from active duty, from one of the armed forces. He looked healthy as he wanders through the garden making preparations for a family barbecue. Since mosquitoes were bothering him he used an insect repellent on himself that contained DEET. This man died later that night from exposure to this chemical. This is not an isolated incident.
The manufacturers of pesticides are large companies that can afford to spend millions of dollars for advertising campaigns, telling us about the benefits of the products and how much more pleasant our outing will be when we use their products. But if we know that long term more harm is done then the benefits, why do we let other people use these products?
I recently was invited to a barbecue where the homeowner decided that he needed to spray a repellent to keep the mosquitoes away. After 30 minutes he came back outside and grabbed this can to reapply this product, I asked him to not spray anymore. As he did, I left. I know that some may consider my actions rude, my wife did, but if someone starts to smoke a cigarette don’t we ask them not to. And if they do don’t we try to get away from the noxious fumes? I could not stay.
Mosquito control can be achieved without noxious chemicals.
Citronella oils are one type of repellent that can be used for large spaces outdoors. Candles, torches, or coils that contain citronella may be burned to produce a smoke, which repels mosquitoes. They are not very efficient during heavy winds that cause the smoke to blow away.
Area Sprays that contain garlic are effective and the odor is not as strong as you may think. When garlic is applied hours before the gathering, mosquitoes usually go away.
When the mosquitoes are really bad, we will apply garlic in our greenhouse to repel them. Within minutes the mosquitoes go away and stay away for the rest of the day. It may not kill the mosquitoes, but we can stay in the area and be comfortable.
Products that contain Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensis are very effective for short-term control these ingredients kill the larvae of the mosquitoes and should be applied directly to the problem areas. Finding the problem areas is sometimes difficult and once found corrective measures are the best course of action. But, temporary use of Mosquito Dunks or Aqua Bac is very helpful.
In the yard look for open paint cans and buckets, old tires used for swing sets or discarded paper, cardboard or plastic bags or sheets that hold water or stay moist enough to be used for breeding should be disposed of.
Clean your rain gutters periodically windstorms bring dust and leaves that may accumulate and retain enough moisture to let mosquitoes breed. We maintain two homes where we clean gutters once a month.
If you use pot dishes for your planters make sure that you drain the water from these bases two days after watering.
Every attic has an overflow pipe for the air conditioner, years of dripping in the same location can cause small puddles, the same will happen under water faucets.
Birdbaths should get fresh water daily. Birds like clean water just like you and me. Use an inexpensive dripper to keep a fresh supply of water in your birdbath or clean daily. If you do not have the time to maintain your birdbath do not leave it in place, turn it on its side or give it to someone that can use it.
If you have older mature trees inspect the trunks and crotches for cavities. If you find any place some of the BTI products in them. In some cases you may drill a drain whole at the bottom of the cavity.
Tree stumps that are rotting should be covered with dirt or mulch to prevent breeding areas.
Ponds can be stocked with gambuzia a type minnow. Known as mosquito fish, these minnows will help control a lot of your problems. Creative Water gardens in Garland carry these fish.
Mosquitoes like tall unkempt areas. Cut down weeds adjacent to the foundation and in their yards, and mow the lawn regularly.
Repellents
Some of you are going to use repellents or mosquito insecticides and foggers. If you decide that you do not want to do any of the above at least do me one favor, for your sake and for the health of your children and friends:
Skin care products that contain citronella are very effective we sell a product called Skeeter Shooo™ that lasts for a long time, even during sports activities.
ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS FOR THE PESTICIDE YOU ARE GOING TO USE!
Not all chemicals are alike and even though you intended purpose is to kill mosquitoes these products will kill every bug they come in contact with. READ EACH LABEL!