If the cold weather kept you from working in the yard in January, now is a good time to get some things done.

Things to Do in February

One gallon of water weighs approximately 8 pounds. So, considering all the rain that fell in October and November, the rain and ice that fell the last week of December saturating the soil and compacted the black clay.

The Lawn: If the soil is not freezing all or some of the following chores can be done:

Apply an all-organic fertilizer such as GreenSense 6-2-4 or GreenSense 5-2-4. By applying the fertilizer now there will be plenty of time for the product to break down into to a form that is available to the plant.

Apply GreenSense Lawn & Garden Microbial Treatment. These microbes will go in to the soil and digest any carbon matter including the fertilizer that you may have just applied. At the same time they will make thousands of small tunnels that will help loosen soil compaction. Loose soils will help improve percolation and root growth.

Beneficial Nematodes will help decrease your insect population by attacking and destroying larvae and adult insects including roaches, fire ants, grubs, squash bores and more. BN should be applied in all soils including vegetable gardens. More information on Nematodes.

Trees: Take advantage of the cold weather and prune your trees. Now is a great time to prune Live Oaks and Red Oaks.

When damage occurs and you have uneven or jagged breaks prune back the branch to a crotch or back to the trunk of the tree. Look for the collar of the branch and try to stay above that..

Sap in trees will naturally flow to wounded areas to help the tree fight the pathogens that may try and enter the new cut or damaged wounds caused by winds or heavy accumulations if ice. This is called Woundwood: a response by different tissues on woody plants to callus over.

When you apply a pruning paint the natural flow of the tissue can decrease or be blocked and will not permit natural resistance.

Before pruning step back and look at the tree from a distance. Look for dead branches. Even if the trees do not have leaves you can tell the difference by looking at the colors on the bark. Look for branches that have fallen or broken away from the trunk and are resting on another branch, normally this will happen on fast growing trees like cottonwoods and willows, but I have seen it happen on pecans too.

If you have mulberries look for grouping of large branches that form at one spot. The combined weight of theses branches can weaken the joint and cause this area to break.

Let's say that you have just moved into a new house and the trees had been topped. Look for new growth of a grouping of branches that may look like a crown. Pick the dominant branch from this area of sprouting and remove the rest.

Or somebody removed all the lower branches of the tree so that the house would be more visible from the street. Some realtor suggested lifting the branches to show the house better. Now, you may have sprouting all along the trunk of the tree. Do not remove these immediately, see which ones will start to form branches and let them grow back.

Prunning live branches from a tree rarely benefits the tree but can reduce dangerous situations.

Removing dead or broken branches can improve the health of the tree.

A correct pruning cut removes the branch just outside of the collar. The collar is formed from good tissue and will roll over the wound and seal off the interior of the tree from insects and airborne diseases. Drastic temperature changes can cause damge to the new tissue leaving dead spots.

Incorrect pruning cuts that leave branch and leader stubs also start disease and defect problems. Do not leave stubs. Look for the collar.

Oak Wilt. More than You Want to Know.

Oak wilt is a fungal infection affecting oak trees. All species of oak are susceptible with red oaks being particularly vulnerable. In red oaks, oak wilt is almost always lethal and death can occur in as little as one month. There is currently no known cure and the best way of dealing with oak wilt is to isolate and then destroy the affected trees. This disease has been discovered in 21 eastern US states with the heaviest damage occurring in the mid-west states surrounding the Great Lakes. However, oak wilt has been reported as far south as Texas.

Oak wilt is caused by a fungus (Ceratocystis fagacearum) which clogs the vascular system of oak trees preventing the flow of water and nutrients. Once infected, the entire tree literally wilts and dies.

What Trees Are Affected

All oak trees are susceptible to oak wilt infection to a greater or lesser degree. Red oaks are the most vulnerable but the disease also attacks and kills white oaks and Texas live oaks.

Red oaks are more susceptible than members of the white oak family because they do not have the ability to produce the ‘tyloses’ or vascular plugs which white oaks create to contain damage due to breakage or disease. It must be noted, however, that in most cases the white oak’s natural defenses only slow, not stop, the spread of oak wilt, allowing the white oak to survive, perhaps, for years instead of months. And it should be remembered that, even in cases where a white oak survives an attack of oak wilt, the tree can remain a host for the fungus and give it a base from which to spread.

Leaf damage is the earliest indication of oak wilt. Leaves of infected trees begin to lose their green color, dulling and then browning or yellowing from the outer edges inward. The leaves may appear to be water-soaked and wilting and may begin to curl around the mid-rib. As the disease advances, leaves begin to drop, sometimes while still green, starting from the ends of the branches.

The speed of the progression of the disease depends upon the species of tree infected. Red oaks can die from oak wilt in as short a time as a month. Texas live oaks may survive as long as six months. White oaks may survive as long as several years after infection. In a small number of instances, Texas live oaks and white oaks appear to have survived oak wilt infection. However, it would be unwise to depend on this.

In red oaks, a ‘fungal mat’ may appear when large masses of fungal tissue break the bark. These mats give off a distinctive odor which attracts different species of insects.

Unfortunately, particularly in the case of red oaks, by the time symptoms are noticed, it is already too late to save the tree.

Transmission of Oak Wilt

Oak wilt is spread largely in two ways, insect transmission and root transmission.

Insect transmission is generally by means of the sap (Nitidulid) beetle. These beetles are attracted to the damaged parts of trees where sap may be present and to the fungal mats created by the oak wilt fungus. The beetles transfer fungal spores attached to their bodies as they move from tree to tree. This is of particular concern as they move from the spore mats (right) of infected trees to freshly damaged areas of healthy trees.

Root transmission is by the underground root systems that often connect one oak tree with another. The fungus simply migrates from oak to oak by travelling through the vascular system of the roots in the same way that it spreads within the tree itself.

Minimizing tree damage. The transmission by insects of spores from diseased trees to wounds on healthy trees is one of the key ways oak wilt is spread. It is important, therefore, to minimize pruning in the spring and early summer when the sap beetle is active and fungal mats most pronounced. If pruning is unavoidable, the wound should be covered with tree paint. Some wounds, of course, are the result of storm damage or other factors. As a precaution, oak trees on a property should be inspected regularly and wounds painted, if possible.

Oak wilt is a dangerous disease, but with proper tree maintenance, the threat to the beautiful and valuable oaks can be minimized.

International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)

Time to Prune those Fruit Trees

Don Trotter

Hello fellow Earthlings and welcome to the documentary "George Washington, America's first fruit tree pruning expert". I'm not sure how good he was at running the country, but he gave that cherry tree hell. This is the third and final installment on deciduous fruit trees. We have covered feeding, dormant spraying, and this installment is pruning for tree health as well as maximum fruiting. So let's take a stroll down to the fruit trees with all our pruning weapons in hand... Don't forget your gloves.

Fruit tree pruning is an art form that is not at all difficult to excel at, and it is very easy to mess up as well. The wonderful part about a messed up pruning job is that it only lasts for one year. The tree forgives you and gives you another chance the following year. I'm here to help you avoid those mishaps and to help you to help your tree be happy and fruitful in the spring and summer.

In this column we will be covering basic techniques for the most common types of fruit trees grown residentially. First we will touch on the pruning tasks that are universal to each of the fruit types we will cover here. If you have any questions that require a more detailed response e-mail or call me with your question at the numbers at that always appear at the end of my column.

When pruning deciduous fruit trees it is always helpful to remember three steps to a good basic pruning job.

1. Eliminate all dead or diseased wood.
2. Eliminate crossing or touching branches in favor of the stronger growth when possible.
3. Keep the center of the tree clear of branches for good air circulation.

These three steps will assure you of a pruning job that keeps your fruit to the outside of the tree for easy picking, keeps the center of the tree open for air circulation that will reduce pest and disease problems, and keep the tree tidy and free of decaying wood that serves no purpose. Some specific information regarding the most often grown fruit trees is as follows and speaks of the age of "fruiting" wood. For example, wood that was formed during last year's growing season will be considered second year wood and wood that was formed two seasons ago is referred to as third year wood. Wood that will be formed during the growing season coming will be call first year wood.

Apples and pears; Most fruit is formed on second and third year wood. Apples and pears produce a type of fruiting wood called a spur. Spurs are where a lot of fruit can be produced, they look exactly like stunted branchlets and should be saved unless dead or in a spot where they conflict (cross) with other growth. Apples and pears also produce fruit along the middle section of second year wood. Apples and pears do best when pruning is limited to cleaning and shaping. No more than 25% of the previous year's growth should be removed to maximize fruit production.

Apricot, Peach. Plum, Nectarine; Due to the briefness of this column, I must group these trees together. Most of the fruit for all of these fruit varieties is formed on second and third year wood. Plums can also form spurs like Apples and this growth formation should be saved whenever possible. Crossing branches should always be eliminated and the long whip-like growth that was formed last year on some branches can be reduced up to 60%. Apricots also produce these whips and they can be treated similarly. Most of the fruit is produced in the middle third of the growth that was formed last season (second year wood). All precaution should be taken to preserve this wood whenever possible. Having an open center is very important to all of these varieties of trees to reduce the possibility of disease and pest infestations. It is always a good thing to apply a dormant spray immediately after pruning to seal and disinfect and open cuts in the tree before next year's growth begins. My favorite pruning sealer is good old Elmer's white glue. Rub it or brush it on the open cults in your tree to seal out bad guys.

Pruning your fruit trees is not nearly as daunting a task as many like to make it. Simply cleaning your tree of dead wood, elimination of crossing branches, and shaping your tree is often enough for residential fruit trees so they maintain their shape and attractiveness in the garden. Next we will be spending the entire month of January on roses. I'll see you in the Garden!

More about Your Fruit Trees

Don Trotter

Hello fellow Earthlings and welcome to the second installment of "My Fruits' Better Than Your Fruit". In this installment we will be covering "Dormant Spraying" of our deciduous fruit trees in order to help with disease control and the controlling of some boring insect pests. So let's take a walk down by the fruit trees...

At this time of year we should remember that the things that we do now affect the fruit crop we are expecting this spring and summer. This is why we should place a great deal of importance on the dormant treatment of our trees. Now is the easiest time of year to fight insect and disease problems because they are as inactive as the tree is. The trees are much easier to work in when they are without leaves as well. Let's take a look at some dormant sprays at this time.

Copper Sulfate: This is the most versatile of the dormant spray products and it is approved for use in certified organic agriculture. This product can be used on all of your dormant spraying projects without fear of problems. Remember that copper is the trace element that makes fruit sweet, so don't worry if you are liberal with the application. As with all commercial products, use this material only after reading the label and application directions thoroughly.

Lime/Sulfur: Excellent dormant spray and this product is also good for use on active powdery mildew problems. Can be used on most dormant spraying applications, however do not use lime/ sulfur on your apricot trees. Lime/ sulfur also has some insecticidal value and can be used to control hibernating bad guys on your trees.

Baking Soda: This one is my favorite. Good old fashioned Arm and Hammer Baking soda mixed with water, a little copper sulfate and a couple of drops of dish soap is my favorite concoction for dormant spraying. If you just want to use the baking soda, go ahead, but you will need the soap as a wetting agent so the spray clings to the plants that you are spraying. Use the baking soda at an application rate of between six and eight tablespoons per gallon water. I also like to mix baking soda with three tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of prepared spray. The hydrogen peroxide effervesces and gets a lot of the overwintering fungi and disease causing bacteria in the cracks and crevices of the tree.

Always use prepared products per the instructions on the label provided by the manufacturer. This will assure proper usage of the product and better results in the garden.

Last time we discussed the treatment of the soil and feeding of our fruit trees. Now that that project has been completed and we've decided which type of dormant spray we will be using , this is probably as good a time as any to get to work. Take your hose end sprayer or your conventional pump sprayer down to the fruit trees and begin spraying. I like to start at the trunk of the tree and give it a real good coat of spray before I do the rest of the tree. This is the most important part of the tree to thoroughly coat , so I do it first. Coat the rest of the tree equally as well and then move on to the next. After all of the trees have been sprayed, clean up your sprayer and grab all the stuff, store it in a dry spot because we will be needing to repeat this operation two more times during the cool season. If you do not own a good pump sprayer, I strongly suggest you invest the money in one. They are normally less than thirty dollars and will last for years and years. I really like using pump sprayers for dormant spraying because they are more reliable than hose-end models.

I promise that this will not interrupt your plans for Super Bowl Sunday. By that time your fruit trees will be ready to go and all you'll have to do is water. Dormant spraying your fruit trees only takes a little while and the results will definitely please you in the coming summer.

Next time we will be covering pruning techniques for our fruit trees. That will be the final installment on this subject until mid-spring. We go to the rose garden for the entire month of January. See you in the Garden!

Got Questions? Email the Doc at Curly@mill.net Don Trotter's natural gardening columns are printed nationally in environmentally sensitive publications. Check out Don's books Natural Gardening A-Z and The Complete Natural Gardener for lots of other helpful tips to tend your garden without chemicals. Both are available at all bookstores and on line booksellers from Hay House Publishing.

Insects

by Bill Graves

We should take every effort to allow the insect world to play a major part in bio-diversity. Insects perform the vital task of breaking down organic material. The Earth would have long since suffocated itself with dead plants and animals if not for the work of insects.

Some people still consider insects “pests”. The presence of numerous insects on a given plant indicated not a problem in itself, but a symptom of a larger problem.

Healthy plants all emit a low level of electromagnetic radiation. Every variety has a distinct resonant frequency in the infrared band. A stressed plant cannot maintain resonance and emits at a dissonance, which signals to insects its imminent demise. The insects are simply doing their assigned task.

All insects are endowed with antennas. They use these to communicate in the infrared range, as well as to determine the location of stressed plants. Electronics engineers have designed all manner of antenna shapes, every single one of which can be found in the insect world.

Insects also utilize ultraviolet light to see at night through their multi-lensed eyes. The pioneering entomologist, Dr. Phillip Callahan, has revealed most of this to us.

Insects comprise by far the most widespread varied group of animals known to man. Their diverse adaptability finds them in every climate, environment, and habitat offered by our planet. There is evidence of insect life 400 million years ago, when giant dragonflies and huge cockroaches roamed the earth.

Many insects are beneficial to the natural community. Most are entirely harmless. Some decompose vegetation, some pollinate crops, and others are pest predators. A balance of pests and predators is not harmful to healthy, unstressed plants. Insects are part of a group of animals with ecto-skeletons-just like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp – knows as arthropods (creatures with jointed legs). They are all cold-blooded, divided into three sections, and have six legs. They breathe through openings along their bodies. These animals comprise the class Insecta.

Most insects develop through one of two patterns of metamorphosis (change of form). Complete metamorphosis progresses from egg, larvae, pupa, to adult. Incomplete metamorphosis forgoes the pupal stage, going from larval stage directly to adulthood.

Insects can eat almost anything. Some rely on particular/species of plant to eat, while others can digest practically anything. Many butterfly species are gone forever due to the disappearance of a particular host plant. Agri-business’ practice of mono-cropping, and the construction industry’s parring over more and more wild areas are correctible detriments to bio-diversity that contribute to this problem, but that’s another story.

There are generally five different methods insects utilize for their food selection. Plant-eaters eat leaves, stems or roots. Carnivores rely on certain other animals. Scavengers hasten decomposition by feeding on decaying plants or animals. Omnivores eat practically anything. Fungus-feeders are reliant on various forms of fungi.

Do Not Forget to Clean Under the Nails

I must start out with a warning. Just like I tell my kids and wife, you can’t wash your hands enough. And no matter how long you wash and scrub your hands you will not wear the skin off. Cleanliness is next to godliness. An ounce of prevention is worth ….yada-yada-yada.

American Nurseryman, a trade magazine, recently ran an article about two people on the West coast who became ill with Legionnaire’s disease linked to commercial potting soils. One of these, a woman, was admitted to a hospital for pneumonia. She reported that she had been working with potting soil a few days before getting sick. Someone tested the soil and found that it contained L. Ionbeachae, an organism linked to Legionnaires’ disease. The disease earned its name when it was first reported in 1976 at a convention of the American Legion. Its flu like symptoms make proper diagnoses difficult.

We have had many customers ask us for Bat Guano, yet we refuse to sell it. Why? Way back, when we first started selling organic products we heard of Jamaican Bat Guano. Growing up in Peru, I knew that bird droppings were referred to as guano so knew that bat guano was nothing but bat crap.

When I first heard the term Jamaican Bat Guano, I asked my brother who lived on a boat in the Caribbean for two years if he had heard of it. He confided that the only Jamaican he knew of was marijuana, but he had never inhaled! A wise move as it turns out, because we brought in some Jamaican guano and sold it for several months before receiving a call from a frantic husband whose pregnant wife had been rushed to the hospital. She had been working in the garden and was putting bat guano in each newly dug hole before she planted her vegetables. Apparently while she was working she sneezed and covered her nose and mouth with her hand. When she did this she inhaled some of the guano dust that was on her hand. Her husband had heard about a disease called Histoplasmosis, a fungal infection which can affect the whole body and is caused by inhaling dust or guano which contains the fungal spore. Spelunkers (cave explorers) in particular can easily become infected when exploring bat caves.

Some guano, including that from chickens, pigeons and bats, is prized by gardeners for its high nitrogen content. After checking around however, I found out that bat guano is the most dangerous of these. Although older, well aged bat guano may have less fungal spores, any addition of fresh guano will cause the spores to grow, even in composted or aged guano.

Because of her husband’s knowledge of this disease the doctors were able to treat the soon to be mother. To everyone’s relief, she and her child are doing well and are relieved to know that we no longer sell bat guano.

I was listening to Howard Garrett’s show the other day when a caller called in and told Howard that he was thinking about going organic. Howard asked what made him decide to switch over. The caller said he had used either Dursban or Diazinon on his lawn and two weeks later while mowing his yard, noticed that there was still a strong odor of the pesticide. Shortly thereafter he began to feel sick. Apparently he had gathered the excess clippings with his bare hands and had forgotten to wash them after. I can only speculate that because he was working in the lawn and was sweating that some of the chemicals must have entered his body through the open pores. My only comment is: duh! Why is he only thinking about switching over to organic methods if he knew that the pesticide present in his lawn after tow weeks was still strong enough to make him sick.

Whenever I help a customer load a bag of compost or a bag of fertilizer I go into the restroom and wash my hands immediately. At the end of the day you can go into the men’s room at our store and find a trash can full of paper towels. Whenever I work with soil I wash my hands. If you suspect that you may have worked in soil that may be contaminated or if you go into a nursery or garden center and suspect they have sprayed their plants with a chemical fungicide or pesticide, don’t wait until you get home to wash your hands. Do it there! And use plenty of soap and cold water. Hot water opens the pores in the skin permitting, chemicals on your skin and in the soap to enter your body easier.

So wash, wash, wash!