Garden Questions of the Week

“How often do I apply copper fungicide to my tomato plants to prevent bottom rot?”  You don’t!  Bottom rot (blossom end rot) is not a diseases, it’s the result of lack of calcium in the fruit.  A very common problem on tomatoes (can also happen on peppers, squash, melons, cucs, eggplant, etc), and can be the result of many factors:

-Water stress (uneven soil moisture available to the plant – when plants take up moisture from the soil, it goes to the foliage first, then to the fruits – lack of even moisture affects the fruit first.)  This also results in less calcium being carried to the fruit.  -Lack of calcium in the soil available for the plant to take up.  -Plants trying to get rooted in / established, producing new growth and fruit all the same time.  Root damages can cause this as well.  -High feedings of Nitrogen – High salt levels in the soil -Too low or too high pH.  -Cold air and soil temperatures – Soils high in salts -Again, this problem usually occurs early in the season (especially if wet spring, then dry ad fruit begins to set), and seems to taper off as the season progresses (plants become better rooted, etc.).  It is a physical problem, not a disease, so the ripened fruits can still be eaten (slice off the black spot) if desired.  So, how do you control it?  -Add calcium to the soil, using lime or gypsum, before planting the plants in the ground or containers (add to soil and till in).  These can also be added (top dress and light raking) once Blossom End Rot shows up on the fruit, to help correct future fruit from being affected.  -Regulate your watering, so the plant is receiving even soil moisture at all times.  Increased timely watering, as well as mulching tomatoes to retain soil moisture will help.  Proper watering and adding calcium are the two most important steps in controlling Blossom End Rot.  -Do not over feed the plants, especially with a high nitrogen fertilizer.  Excessive growth, stimulated by the high Nitrogen, increases foliage production, which increases the need for water and calcium to the leaves, and results in the lack of moisture and calcium to the fruits.  Use an all-purpose garden food, which is lower in N and higher in Potassium and phosphorus, as well as other needed nutrients, including Calcium.  –Check pH levels.

-Cold temperatures (soil and air) will also affect the flow of calcium / water to the plant and fruit.  Another good reason to not plant tomatoes too early in the season!  Plant when the temperatures get warmer. –Keep records as soon selections are more susceptible than others.  NOTE: Blossom End Rot may be more of a problem in containers – potting mixes do not contain calcium / harder to keep evenly moist.  Add calcium to the mix / use Soil Moist to help keep even moisture levels / water as needed.  The larger the pot, the less watering needed.  There are Blossom End Rot sprays, but are slow to be absorbed, it’s temporary, and you’re better of correcting the overall situation causing the problem.  Remember:  This very common tomato problem typically becomes less of a problem as the season progresses.  Do what we’ve recommended, be patient, and the Blossom End Rot should go away on your future fruits.  Then your tomatoes will be just right for the squirrels to take a bite out of them!

“I’m looking for alternatives to then usual line-up of chemicals for bugs and diseases and all that are safer for me and my family.  What do you suggest?”  – There are many old and new “eco-friendly” alternatives on the market today.  I’ll list a few for you, but make sure you do this first – positively identify what it is you’re dealing with (insect, disease, weed, etc), what types of damages it can cause, whether or not it even needs to be controlled, and then what products are available to use.  As always, make sure you read the label, make sure what you’re spraying for or controlling is on the label, and follow the directions.  Some eco-friendly alternatives to consider include:

For insects:

Insecticidal Soap – made from the fatty acids of soap, this is a contact pesticide and controls a wide range of insects and mites – used indoors and out – edibles and landscape plants.  Horticultural Oil – a lighter weight petroleum based oil used as a dormant or in season contact spray, covering a wide range of insects and mites.  Diatomaceous Earth – used indoors and out, its killing action is mechanical.  Insects that come in contact with it or ingest it literally dry up and die in 48 hours.  Tough on bugs, yet safe around humans, pets and livestock.  Spinosad – discovered in soil found at an abandoned rum factory, Spinosad is a broad-spectrum, organic insecticide…toxic to a wide variety of insects but, relatively non-toxic to mammals. Even though it is toxic to most insects, it is relatively safe to use around beneficial and non-target insect species because it is only toxic if ingested or if a treated surface is contacted while wet.  Bt – great for leaf eating caterpillars, this one’s been a goodie for years.  You’ll also find products with herbal oils, NEEM, Canola oil, etc.

For diseases: 

Sulfur – probably the oldest known fungicide in current use. It primarily is used for disease control, but also works on spider mites, psyllids, and thrips.  Most pesticidal sulfur is labeled for edibles and landscape plants as well.

For weeds and grasses: 

Corn Gluten Meal is an all natural pre emergent herbicide, that also adds a light shot of nitrogen to the soil.  And for killing weeds and grasses – Espoma’s 4n1 weed and grass control.  This is an all natural non selective herbicide to kill weeds, grass, moss and algae quickly and naturally.  Vinegar works great as a vegetation killer, too!

Now don’t forget hand picking insects and dropping in soapy water, hand smashing, blowing them off with a strong stream of water, and in some cases, two pieces of 2×4 and smashing bugs in between the wood!  Also hand weeding, hoeing, weed barriers and mulching for weed control.  Of course, cultural practices (soil amendments, right plant right location, etc) to keep the desirable plants as healthy as possible are a very good defense.  And when it comes to feeding, look at all the natural fertilizers!  There are so many more eco-friendly products available – be sure to check them all out

Garden Questions of the Week

“I heard you talking about late planting of the garden.  How late and what are you talking about planting?”  -Trees, shrubs, evergreens, roses, perennials, annuals, fruits and berries – these can be planted all summer and fall.  Landscape crews will plant as long as the ground is workable and the weather conditions favorable.  Annual vegetables can still be planted now as well, minus most of the early cole crops.  Tomatoes and peppers can be planted thru the 4^th of July producing late crops.  Look at it this way – we have about 120 days until our average first good frost.  Beans take 50-60 days, sweet corn 60-75 days, carrots 75 days, radishes 22 days, green onions can still be planted, even a late crop of cucumbers, squash, winter squash, and sweet and seed potatoes if you found them.  And don’t forget – late July and early August become great times to plant cole crops / greens for the fall season! 

“When do I apply a grub preventer to my lawn?”  -June and early July are probably the best times, so now is great!  Make sure that you are using a grub preventer, not a grub killer (use that later in the season as a one time kill).  Bonide’s ‘Grub Beater’ is a good one to use.

“Does your rule of thumb about the 1 inch of rainfall every 10 days apply to veggie gardens as well?”   -That is good, but veggie gardens usually need an inch every week and as we get warmer and plants become more productive, maybe an inch and a half or two, especially the tomatoes.  Water deeply and less frequently, try mulching, and usually best to water in the morning, keeping the water off the foliage.

“Can I use Roundup to kill the weeds in my perennial garden which slopes into a pond with fish?”   -Roundup only moves thru plant tissue and roots, not thru soils and mulch, but will also travel in water.  So keep it away from the pond, and try to not spray before a rain, or at least time the spray so it becomes rain-fast.  Otherwise, once it hits soil or mulch, it locks up, and breaks down.  By the way, use it on a ‘no wind day’ to prevent any drift from hitting your desirable plants or drifting into the pond.  To be safe, take a milk jug, cut out the bottom, place the jug over the plant to be sprayed, and spray thru the top of the jug.   For smaller desirable plants, do just the opposite.  Jug over the good plant to protect it, and then spray the weed. 

“I have that limey green grass growing up in my lawn and some of the landscape beds.  How do I get rid of that stuff?”  -It’s nutgrass, or also called watergrass or nutsedge, and it’s not a grass, but is sedge, and a tough sedge to get rid of.  It grows faster than the regular grass, and it loves moist areas or low wet spots, although it will grow anywhere.  It is a perennial, and reproduces from seeds, tubers, and nutlets, which is why it’s so hard to eliminate!  So here’s are a few tips for controlling nutgrass:  1.) Hand pulling younger plants (plants just sprouted from seed) may offer some control, but once the tubers and nutlets have formed in the ground, pulling may not work.  You get the top of the plant, but many of the tubers and nutlets remain in the soil to re-grow.  So be sure to dig out the plant, foliage, tubers and all.    If drainage is a problem (compacted poorly drained soils favor nutgrass growth), try to make necessary corrections to eliminate the problem.  2.) For open landscape beds, ‘Roundup’, or ‘Hi Yield Nutsedge Control’ are your best bets, as both will move down into the tubers and nutlets for complete control.  And it may take repeated applications before getting the nutgrass totally under control. Spray it, kill it, if it re-grows, treat it again, until control is had.  Only spray the nutgrass, use caution when spraying – and always read the label first.  3.) For the lawn, ‘Hi Yield Nutsedge Control’ does an excellent job controlling nutgrass without harming the turf. Spot treat the lawn areas infected with nutgrass and repeat if re-growth appears. Do not spray the entire lawn.  Spot treat only as needed.  4.) FOR OPTIMUM CONTROL – here’s the secret for the best success – Use a surfactant like ‘Turbo Sticker’ in the spray which helps these herbicides stick and penetrate the waxy foliage of the nutgrass, giving you better results.  It’s a must for spraying chemicals to control nutgrass.  Also helps many other herbicides, insecticides and fungicides work better.  Again, reads the label before using.

Garden Questions of the Week

 “We just got back from the south and love those Crape Myrtles.  Can we grow them here if we grow in pots for winter protection?”   -You can, and that does work great, but try growing them in the ground as well!  Yep, we’ve been planting them in the ground, successfully, for several years now.  If the winter is tough, they may die back to the ground, but pop right back up from the root – which is fine as they flower on new growth!  Last year, many of the crape myrtles flowered all summer long.  It was a great show.  ‘Natchez’ and ‘Pink Velour’ are a couple of our favorites.

“I have a serviceberry plant that’s loaded with berries.  Are these edible?”   –They are, and are perfect additions to your cereal in the morning, eaten fresh, or for making pies and jams.  But hurry before the birds eat them first!”

“I’ve had a rose for 5 years that was pink and white flowers.  Now we have red roses.  How do you explain this?”  -Follow the stems of the red roses back to where they come out of the plant or ground.  If the rose was a grafted rose, you’ll probably find the red rose stems coming out from below the graft, which is the root stock from another color rose.  So you now have two roses coming out of one plant.  Cut out the red roses if that’s the case and keep the canes from your pink / white rose. 

“My flowers are falling off my squash.  What to do?”  – Check to make sure you have male and female flowers.  If not the male or female flowers will fall off.  If you do have both, then you’re probably not getting good pollination.  Watch for honeybees.  If none, get out the q-tips and start playing honeybee taking the pollen from the male flower and dusting it inside the female flower for fruit set.  Works about every time.  (Cigarette afterwards optional. J )

“I have some dead branches on my Japanese maple.  When is it safe to prune those away from the tree?”  -Anytime is the right time.  Never leave dead branches on any plant.  They can harbor insects or disease, as well as slow down re-growth of the plant.  Anytime you see dead branches, get out the pruners and remove them – anytime.

“The lower branches on my trees are hanging down and have become too low.  When is the best time to remove those to limb up the tree?”  -Once again, whole branch removal can be done anytime.  Remember, for larger branches, remove most of the branch working from the outside in the get rid of the extra weight.  Then make your final cut with just a short piece of the branch remaining.  And make sure your leave the branch collar in tact – that’s the swollen area around the branch where it grows out of the tree trunk.  That branch collar is responsible for sealing that cut over when you’re finished.  Make sure it’s a smooth clean cut, and remember, do not use tree paint or tree wound dressing on this cut.  It actually slows down the sealing process.  Just let the branch collar seal it over naturally.

“Is it too hot to put down a weed and feed?”   -I like to do fertilizers and weed killers in the low 80’s or less just to be sure (labels will tell you temperature restrictions).  But may I suggest you feed when needed and use a water soluble broadleaf weed killer and spot treat when needed rather than the weed and feed?  Thanks.

“My husband accidentally sprayed the yucca with Roundup and now it’s all yellow and dead.  Can I plant Knock Out roses there or will the Roundup still be in the ground?”  Roundup only spreads thru the foliage and roots of plants, not the soil.  So when it hits the soil, it’s done.  Now the big question is whether or nor the yucca is dead, and I’ll bet it is not.  In most cases it takes more than that to kill it.  Make sure it’s dead before you pull them out and plant roses.  Not because you could be digging live plants – but making sure they don’t re-grow after you plant the roses!  “Yu-u-u-c-c-c-a-a-a!”