Ooohhhh, should have read the directions....

I recently read an article on Yahoo about a gentleman that destroyed 40,000 square feet of lawn…. 40,000 square feet! (Depending on where you live, that can be upwards $30,000 or more in sod costs!) He had applied an herbicide that stated that it would also kill grass leaving it unfit for new sod for 6 months.  However, he says that particular information was on page 2 of an 8 page booklet attached to the herbicide. He apparently didn’t read the whole booklet (which is what it is there for) which would have given him basic information, application rates & times, lasting effects and other pertinent information. Chemicals, fertilizers, additives to your landscape are a lot like medicine; you need to read the directions in order to use it effectively! Use these items incorrectly and you could “overdose” your landscape causing harm even death!

I cannot stress how important reading the whole label is! While you may not consider your lawn a weed, the chemical can’t tell that unless it is specifically formulated to NOT damage that particular type of grass. Even then, you may get a temporary discoloration of your lawn or even death if you don’t apply it properly. If you still have questions or concerns, most labels have a helpline you can call for clarity. 

Having said that, I admit sometimes the label can be a bit of a mystery with some of the terms. Here are a few terms you should know:

Non-selective herbicide: Means that it will kill or damage all plant material it comes in contact with! It may say weed killer, but it doesn’t know that you don’t consider your grass a weed.  This is formulated to eliminate most vegetation.

Selective herbicide: Formulated specifically for a particular species or family of plant material. These are made to react to something specific in that particular species, that is unique to it. Even selective herbicides can cause unintentional damage to plants if the spray drifts onto the leaves of a plant you don’t want damaged. If you are using a granular, then be cautious in your distribution. Overthrow with granules can damage plants and you may not have seen the granule land there in the first place. Once it gets watered in, the process has started. 

Pre-emergent: This means it should be applied prior to the particular plant that you want to eradicate showing up. It can be a seed-sterilant that will not allow seeds to germinate.  Note: once a seed starts growing roots, it is no longer a seed and a pre-emergent will not be as effective. It is very important to use this at the proper time, usually noted on the packaging.

Post-emergent: This is for after the plant has either started growing roots or poked its head above ground. It works usually by disrupting some portion of the plant’s nutritional system to kill it. There are some that just outright turn it into a crispy critter (vinegar & salt).

Stinging nettle - leaves are edible when
 steamed

Soil sterilant: This will sterilize the soil completely. This creates a condition where vegetation and often any insects, microbes, beneficial nematodes etc., may not thrive. Some only last a few weeks, some months, some for years! Decades ago it was a common practice to sterilize the soil prior to construction of certain structures and parking lots. The sterilants used could last 50 years or more. If the structure was taken down, the soil was useless for any landscaping unless it was scraped off and replaced.

Toxic: Whether it is toxic to you, to animals, birds, fish, etc., it is a warning that should be heeded! Toxicity can be as mild as a rash or as severe as coma/death. I’m not trying to scare you but the word is used for a reason. Also, contact with the chemical doesn’t mean just with your hands, any part of your skin can absorb a chemical! There are also your eyes, your nose (fumes) and the bottom of your feet.  This is why labels with often tell you to wear shoes, long pants, long sleeved shirts, glasses, etc. Your whole body can conduct the chemical into your system!

Dandelion plant : flowers can be used for wine,
Leaves are edible and roots can be used for
a coffee substitute

If you have an issue with weeds and want to eradicate them, use proactive measures. This can be spending a bit of time once or twice a week pulling what you see; keeping your lawn healthy and not mowing it too low is another way to control weeds. Taller grass can shade the soil, which weeds don’t like and with a healthy root system, it is harder for weeds to establish themselves. When you mow, you will also be removing the flowering portion of the weed which removes its seed making abilities and removing some leaves hinders quite a bit of its photosynthesizing capabilities. This helps kill off the weeds.

Shepard's Purse - a source
of nectar for insects

 Mulching can help in flower beds but you need to layer the mulch at least 3-4 inches for it to be effective. Too little creates a hothouse effect and makes a perfect environment for many weeds. Keep the mulch at least 3-5 inches away from the trunk or stem of any plant. If you don’t you can trap moisture against the stem/trunk and cause it to rot, which in turn can cause disease and/or death of the plant.

There are organic ways to eradicate weeds but you do need to be aware of how they are used and be cautious in applying. For instance vinegar & salt heated together until the salt dissolves then sprayed on the weed is quite effective as a post-emergent control. If you see weeds coming back up, hit them again. It is safe for animals, kids and the wildlife visiting your back yard because it dries quickly and is organic. You may have a smell of vinegar for a couple of hours, but that is less harmful than a chemical.

Common sowthistle - food source for
 beneficial insects

You can use corn gluten as a pre-emergent to sterilize weed seeds in the soil. However, it is a non-selective so it will sterilize any seed in the soil. I recommend this more for established lawns, flower beds, between flagstones, gravel walkways, places where you either have already planted and won’t be adding any seeds to or areas you want to eliminate any seed altogether. Also consider any bulb or corm you plant as a seed unless they have been in the ground long enough to establish roots.

Knowing which type of weed you have can also help you eliminate it. In knowing what you have, you can find out what its needs are and eliminate those. Some weeds like dry, low nutrient soil and some thrive in moist soil. So weed the area then in dry areas water a bit more in that area and add some compost to raise the quality of the soil. In damp or wet soil, see if you can drain it to dry it out some. It may take some time, but changing the composition of the soil can help with weed control. It’s not always foolproof, but it can lead to a better garden.

The type of lawn that you choose can also be a factor in how easy it is to limit weeds. One of the best is St.Augustine. It is hardy, self-repairing and can choke out just about any weed. No it's not the pretty, soft green grass of fairy tales, but in the long run, best for kids, dogs & high traffic. Requires less water & fertilizer once established. It can go dormant in winter, if the temperatures drop low enough.  The softer, greener grasses are beautiful, but also can be very high maintenence. These lawns require more water, more fertilizer, do NOT repair themselves if injured, and are susceptible to more disease than St. Augustine, bermuda and zoysia. These condition can give weeds an upper hand because the grass can stress so easily. They don't always do as well with foot traffic, animals, or sudden temperature changes. This is something to consider when you install a lawn; how much effort you want to put in to maintaining it and what it is being used for. (An injury to a lawn can be from kids running over it continually, dogs racing around, car or bike tires gouges to even mowing a wet lawn & the wheels leave ruts.)

Now, for something one of my professors liked to say “A weed is just a plant growing where you don’t want it to.” This is so true. There is no genus “Weed”, nor a species “Weed.” These plants have botanical names just like the plants you like and want in your garden. Some are beneficial to insects and animals, some are actually have medicinal qualities! They just had the audacity to show up in your yard uninvited!

Happy gardening!

Mary

Water Wise!

Some parts of the country are experiencing record heat temperatures. Many of the plants there are not geared towards the sudden heat and will stress. Here are a few tips to help get them through the heat of summer. This information is for plant material in the ground. The following is for plants in-ground. I address potted plants towards the end of the blog.

Water your plants and especially lawn deeply every few days, rather than every day. Unless they are annuals (plants that live for only a short time, such as pansies, marigolds, impatiens, etc. The showier stuff) which may need water every day depending on their location. (Sun or shade or mixture). As I've said, roots are lazy. If the water is always close to the surface that is where they'll stay. If you water deeply, every few days,      then they will follow the water down further into the soil. By going deeper, they will have added protection from heat and subsequent water loss from the first few inches of soil. That being said, if you notice some drooping or you know that the temp is going to be high, a bit of extra water typically won't hurt.

Water in the morning, whenever possible and always at the base of the plant. Your plant has to perform all its processes throughout the day, so a healthy drink in the am will give it a better chance. A good analogy is if you drank a glass of water before bed, then got up in the morning and worked all day without any additional water during your day, you'd be dehydrated by evening, if not sooner! Even if you are watering every few days, watering in the morning is best. 


When it is hot, plants will "shut down" for a bit to conserve their energies. This means a lot of afternoon and evening watering going to waste. If you have clay soil, cycle your sprinklers. This means running each station only 5-8 minutes, then allowing the next station to run, then repeat with the first. This allows the water time to soak in before it starts over. You have less run off this way. If you do not have more than one station, then allow about 10-15 minutes between waterings to allow the water to soak in. If your water isn't soaking in, allow for more time between stations.


Another way to protect your lawn is during the hotter months, fertilize a month or so before the heat is due and don't cut the grass as low as you do in cooler months. Fertilizing will promote growth and health and the taller grass will shield the roots a bit as well as slow evaporation of water from the soil. (Depending on the grass type, you don't want your lawn any taller than 2-4 inches. )You don't want to fertilize while the heat is on. It stresses the plant; while trying to "digest" the fertilizer, it will also be taking up water and trying to adjust to the heat.(Eat a large meal & then go jogging, same concept.) Also, some fertilizers, especially non-organic ones may have a tendency to release faster in the heat and can burn the root system...which can kill your plant outright or cause enough stress that it declines due to other issues, like heat.

If you are in a drought situation, there are a few ways to supplement your watering; If you run water to get hotter water, capture some of the run off in a bucket and use on your plants. However, NEVER water with hot water! It can hurt your plant. When using a hose to water, test the water first; if it is hot, capture that water until it cools enough to water and use it later. I've also used ice cubes when I have an overabundance from the ice maker in my fridge. If you are truly in need you can catch some of the "gray" water from the last rinse cycle from your washer. Use this only on non edibles and only if you don't use a fabric softener. If you use a water softening unit, do NOT use water from your household taps. Many water softening units contain salts that can kill your plants.

"Drought tolerant" is just that.. tolerant. Not "drought immune." This means that a drought tolerant plant can tolerate drier conditions that many other plants, but it still needs some water to survive. (The exception, to some degree, are succulents/cacti) If you have just planted a drought tolerant plant, it still needs extra water to help it establish and get to the "tolerant" stage. If you don't mind your existing drought tolerant plants looking a bit worse for wear, you can keep the water usage to a minimum. If you want them to do more than survive, give them a bit extra in the higher heat. Be cautious, some plants are designed to decrease their life in the heat and extra water may cause health issues for the plant. Many drought tolerant plants, especially desert varieties have an incredibly wide and deep root system. They do this to capture all available water that may come its way. Since that can be few and far between, they go "dormant" in the heat and too much water at this stage can cause "wet feet" which can rot their root system.

Potted plants are always difficult to determine watering needs one. Depending if they are clay, plastic, ceramic, wood or whatever, is an added factor in watering needs. Some are pretty porous (clay, wood) which can leach water from the soil, so you may need to water more. Some help retain water (thick plastic, ceramic) which can mean you have more leeway. Some pots can heat up too much and cause the water to evaporate quickly and burn the roots (metal, some thin plastic such as nursery pots you buy plants in). These all need to be evaluated individually and since you are on site, it will be up to you. You can also move some of your more susceptible pots to a location that has morning sun and light afternoon shade to help. Also make sure the potting soils you use aren't too porous. If you water and it runs right out of the bottom of the pot, it may need re-potting with a soil that has less sand, peat or perlite to one that has a bit more organic debris or soil.

I hope this helps your garden survive the upcoming months. If you have any questions, concerns or even criticisms, I'm always happy to hear from you!

Mary

What’s Bugging You?

Spots? Holes? Teeth marks? These are just a few of the indicators that you may have uninvited visitors to your garden. Some are ugly, some are annoying, some just plain obnoxious but some may be necessary. Yup, I said necessary! I’ll be talking about determining what you have, how bad it is and whether you need to do something about it.

Is the damage devastating your plant? With herbs & veggies it’s often a good idea to remove any critter, since these plants are often more susceptible to damage and the damage can get out of hand quickly.  If there are only few handful of leaves that are damaged (say 20% or less) I recommend you just let it go. I say this because often the insects are just passing through and by the time you note the damage, they are probably gone. If this is the case (as it often is with grasshoppers, for example) then spraying or using anything, organic or otherwise is useless. You’ll save time and money and not adding to the existing problem of chemicals in our water table.

Now to determine what it is you are looking for. Is it taking chunks out of the leaf or fruit? Is it leaving marks on your leaves? Is it creating a web or cocoon? Are there ants running up and down the branches?  What evidence the uninvited guest is leaving is a clue to where to look, whether it is a good guest or bad guest and how serious you may need to get.

Grasshopper damage

Chunks: This is an indication that what you are dealing with is a pest with jaws for eating plants. These could be from birds, grasshoppers, locusts, caterpillars, beetles, slugs and snails. Look carefully among the leaves and along the undersides of twigs, leaf stems and branches for these pests. Bird damage is often seen without the culprit being observed doing it and more often on fruit. Of course, different plants and different parts of the country have their own special set of guests, so it is good to look up what pests your plant might be susceptible to. Once you spot the little darlings, see if you can determine what kind of critter it is. A website called Bug Guide is a good starting place if you have trouble. It has a page where you can upload a photo of your "guest" if you don't find it on their website.

You can also spray the plant’s leaves with water and see if anything flies off. Usually grasshoppers will take off and this may be your answer. Grasshoppers, while they can take large bites out of the leaves don’t normally devastate a plant. They munch for a bit and then move on. Now, I don’t know if this is an old wives’ tale or not but I had heard they behave this way because if they stripped the plant, then the birds would be tipped off to their presence and swoop down and they would become dinner! However, this does not hold true for actual locusts, they don’t stop until they’re done. If they were your problem, you'd wake up to nothing but stems....if that!

Usually repeated applications of an organic insecticidal soap helps minimize any unwanted pests. This helps make the leaf unpalatable to them. Certain organic and synthetic mixtures will also have poison in them to kill off the pest. Just make sure you read the label in relation to using around edible plants as well as animals & kids. Remember also that many sprays and systemic treatments can often be non-selective. This means that any critter is fair game…. Good or bad!

Aphids - Can be a variety of colors

Discoloration or markings: Often a plant’s biggest problem is the sucking kind of pest, such as aphids, mites, scale, mealy bug, leaf hoppers, some beetles, leaf miners, just to name a few. Snails & slugs actually scrape the leaf surface to ingest it. These garden crashers will suck the sap out of the leaves, leaving them susceptible to other issues such as fungi, mold and other diseases. This behavior removes the sap from the plant leaf or stem and weakens it. This can cause it to die or creates a new problem such as disease.

Spots on the leaves or fruit can also be an indicator of disease, poor watering practice, chemical burn, fungus or nutritional deficiencies. There are so many possibilities that I can’t cover them all here. When watering, spraying chemicals or fertilizers; try to avoid getting any on the leaves or fruit and spray according to the label directions on strength and time frames. On foliar fertilizers or insecticidal soaps that need to be on the leaf to work, generally you spray early in the day before the sun hits the leaf directly. You want the liquid to dry so that the sun doesn’t turn it into a magnifying glass and burn the leaf. Also, if you spray too late in the day, the liquid may not dry sufficiently and you may create another problem – fungus or powdery mildew. This can happen when the evening/night temps are cool, or humidity is high.

There are ways to control these pests as well as some of the diseases, such as a systemic  or foliar spray for disease control, organic insecticidal soap or beneficial insects such as ladybugs, mantids or Lacewings. There are chemicals that can do this as well, but just remember that often you have to spray at specific intervals for it to be effective. Pay attention to the harvest times if you are using it on your edible plants! Some products can become ineffective if it rains, or if they are hit by the sprinklers. This is not as big an issue as it once was, but read your labels carefully. One of the brands that I think is working at becoming more responsible is Bayer. Yup, the aspirin one. They have a line of home & garden chemicals that are more environmentally responsible than most. If you don’t want to wait for the organics to work or cannot invest a lot of time in the organic route, check out Bayer. They are often carried by home improvement centers and your local nursery. They have one for fruit trees that is only necessary to use once a year (known as a systemic because it is poured at the base and taken up through the roots to the rest of the tree.) A systemic is not normally used on veggies or herbs since they are so short lived however the Bayer product can be used on specific ones and does give which plants it can be used on and harvest time frames. If you don’t find your particular plant, don’t use it until you’ve called their helpline, just to be safe.

Some pests actually work from the inside out. Like the leaf miner and some caterpillars. They tunnel into the leaf or stem and lay their eggs. The larvae hatch and proceed to eat their way through the area. This causes odd markings on the leaves or stems. In more difficult cases you may need to use a systemic, such as the Bayer Fruit Tree or even the Bayer Tree & Shrub systemic to help the plant fight it. Organics would need to be applied when the adult insect is expected to visit the plant to prevent them laying the egg that causes the damage.

Leaf miner damage

On a side note to all that live in So California and are experiencing the Citrus Leaf Miner problem: The Citrus Leaf Miner attacks new growth, so it’s difficult to eradicate. Even using a systemic (such as the Bayer Fruit tree one) can slow it down but rarely does it stop it completely. It is best to limit the pruning of the trees to avoid pushing new growth. If you must prune, it is best to do so in late fall to mid-winter. The pest is normally inactive then and any new growth you may get won’t be as susceptible. While it is unsightly, the damage normally isn’t that detrimental to a healthy tree and the time & money spent on prevention or eradication would not be worth it. Make sure you remove all dropped leaves and any clippings from pruning and place them either in a closed trash can or a bag you can close. This helps prevent any possible insects on these items to get back to the plant.

ANTS! I have had numerous people come to me upset because they see ants in their plants, running up and down the branches and leaves. They think the ants are killing their plants when in fact ants are actually an indicator that you have another issue. This could be mites, aphids, scale or mealy bugs, to name a few. The ants are actually harvesting the “honeydew” or excrement from these pests or feeding on the eggs or larvae. The ants become a problem when they protect the insects from predators that would normally take care of these insects. By eliminating the initial problem (the mites, etc) you will remove the ant problem. They won’t stay where they don’t have food.

A note on using beneficial insects: If you try to use them preventively you will probably fail. They will only remain if there is food for them to eat. (You wouldn’t go shopping at an empty grocery store, would you?) Wait until you actually see a problem before purchasing any beneficial insects, and then apply them as directed. Some beneficial insects, like ladybugs, need to be released in the evening so they don’t automatically fly away. You could also lure beneficial insects into your garden by planting a diverse palette of plants. If you only plant one or two species of plants all over your yard, you run the risk of losing them to an invasion of pests or being wiped out by disease particular to that plant. The healthier your plants are and the more variety you have, the chances are you will have fewer pest problems.

I know it seems a bit counterintuitive to allow pests to live in your garden, but aside from the damage they may be doing, you will also be feeding the beneficial insects which in turn feed larger animals (birds).  This brings diversity to your yard that is essential to healthy plants. It’s all part of the food chain!

Mary

A good reference book is Insect, Disease & Weed I.D. Guide by Jill Jesiolowski Cebenko & Deborah L. Martin as editors. It is published by Rodale Press

Some chemical controllers:

Bayer Fruit, Citrus & Vegetable Insect Control - Systemic

Bayer Tree & Shrub Insect Control - Systemic

Insecticidal soap

Beneficial insects- Check your local nursery for more info for your area

Ladybugs

Decollate snails – good for the brown snail & slugs. Decollates are carnivorous snails. Once done, they usually move on. If nothing is available for them to eat, they may resort to eating decomposing plant litter.

Mantid casings (Praying mantis cocoons, awesome for kids to observe! Each casing can hold upwards of 50+ mantid!)

Green Lacewings

Assassin Bugs

Stinkbug

Minute Pirate