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How To Protect Your Thrips and Aphids

Although the Almanac says spring is supposed to last from March 21 to June 21, here in the South it is usually a much shorter season. A freeze may come as late as the last week in March, as it did last year, and by May summer weather has arrived. March is the time to do all those things we could not do in winter and which must be done before hot weather bears down upon us.

Dividing perennials – Even though gardening authorities tell us that late fall is a good time to divide and reset many of the perennials, most of us wait until spring. Daisies, eupatorium, golden-glow, phlox, physostegia, salvia and others which have already produced 3 or 4 inches of new growth can be divided and reset. It is these early growers which should have attention first.

While you can sometimes grow good garden chrysanthemums from plant divisions, it is much safer to start them from cuttings. When the plants have made 3 or 4 inches of new growth, take cuttings about 3 inches long and root them in the medium youve found best. I usually use coarse sand. In taking cuttings you run less risk of bringing disease into your planting than in using divisions of old plants. It is usually the base of the plant that carries disease, so, unless your cuttings were taken too low, they should be relatively disease-free.

In addition to safe pest control another point in favor of starting new plants from cuttings is that the succulent new growth is far less susceptible to pest attack than woody plant divisions. The cuttings that you take and root this month may be used as stock plants for the cuttings to be taken later on in the spring.

If you left your dahlias in the ground theyll probably be sending up new shoots this month. The clumps of tubers should be carefully lifted and separated before new growth develops.

Gladiolus planting – For you in the Southwest and mid-South the time for the main planting of gladiolus has arrived. If you are growing them for cutting, you may set the corms in a bed, spacing them 3 or 5 inches apart. When grown close together, the spikes will support each other, thus eliminating the necessity for staking.

The main obstacle in growing good gladiolus in most sections of the South is thrips. A simple preventive measure is dusting the corms before planting. Place a few dozen corms in a plastic bag along with carbaryl (Sevin) and shake the bag well. Later, after the corms have started growing, dust them again. Malathion tends to kill many of the natural enemies of aphids, its continued use may increase the number of these insects. Some of the newer remedies will check both thrips and aphids and are therefore often preferred.

April 16 2009 | Gardening | No Comments »

Shallow Planted Tulips And Narcissus

Midwest January

During the January thaw is a good time to start fighting common chickweed. It is in flower now having germinated in September and October. Soon it will be setting ripening seed. Walk across the lawn now pulling out the chickweed plants by hand while their fresh green leaves are conspicuous against the brown soil.

Protecting Shallow Planted Tulips and Narcissus

The long unseasonable fall experienced in the Midwest last year encouraged growth of tulips and narcissus. During February thaws they will begin to peek through the soil. Before they get nipped by frost, cover the bed with 2 or 3 inches of peatmoss or compost. Next fall plant the bulbs deeper.

Watering Evergreens

Even if rain and snow have fallen recently, it would be wise to check the soil under the evergreens. In many places last falls drought left the subsoil extremely dry. The evergreens require moisture during the winter.

Dormant Spraying

Dormant sprays can be applied whenever the temperature remains above freezing for at least twelve hours. If the trees are subjected to freezing temperatures less than twelve hours after application of the spray, they will be injured when the emulsion of oil and sulfur separates.

Starting Seed Indoors

Dont be tempted into starting seeds indoors unless a sunny window that can be kept fairly cool is available. But if you do have the right spot, you can start double petunias, Vinca rosea and other slow-growing annuals now. Dont start small-flowered petunias and marigolds and fast-growing plants until later.

Repotting Foliage Plants and Ferns

It’s time now to repot foliage plants and ferns, for soon the light will become stronger and they will start new growth. Also, the plants can stand more water and possibly some light fertilizer.

Timely Reminders

Apply fertilizers now, before the spring rush of garden work begins or even before the life cycle of mealy bugs start. Clean up the garden and destroy weed seeds at the surface as well as mealy bugs, and the ashes will supply valuable potash to the soil.

Even though the lawn might be frozen, dont make paths over it. Heavy traffic causes soil compaction and often destroys the grass.

If the evergreens are not already tied up, as a protection against snow damage, they should be taken care of as soon as possible.

April 04 2009 | Gardening | No Comments »