August 15, 2002

Dear Editors:

Fall is just around the corner, with shorter days, cooler temperatures and the windup of the outdoor gardening season for this year. You’ll be ready with this packet of MSU lawn and garden stories on timely topics ranging from fall pests of ornamentals and homes to lawn care, recycling lawn waste and fallen leaves, extending the garden harvest and more. The Garden Corner, with its questions and answers, is also on hand, as usual.

It seems unbelievable, but the next lawn and garden packet will be the winter edition. It may be hard to think ahead that far when the weather is so summery, but now’s the time to suggest story topics or questions for The Garden Corner. Other comments and suggestions are welcome, too -- it’s good to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Leslie Johnson
Extension Lawn and Garden Editor
ANR Communications
312 Agriculture Hall, MSU
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
517-432-1555

LKJ/bl
Attachments

LAWN AND GARDEN RELEASES FOR SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER

8/15/02                                                                                              Contact: Leslie Johnson

THE GARDEN CORNER  

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Another summer gardening season is winding down, but there’s no shortage of lawn and garden questions for Michigan State University Extension specialists.

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Q. Last spring I saw a slope next to a road covered with daffodils, and it got me to wondering about planting daffodils and other bulbs in my lawn. Is this a good idea?

A. This practice is called naturalizing because the aim is to create a natural-looking meadow-type landscape without defined flower beds and regular rows. Planting bulbs in the lawn is problematical because lawns need to be mowed but bulbs need their foliage to build up energy stores for next year’s blooms. Unless the area where you plant them won’t have to be mowed until the bulb foliage fades in early summer, the second year after planting is likely to be hugely disappointing. On a slope that’s not mowed, mixed with daylilies and other perennial groundcovers, naturalized daffodils should perform year after year.

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Q. As the leaves fall from my trees, a gray, top-shaped thing a little larger than a football has become visible. Is this a hornet’s nest?

A. Yes. It’s a bald-faced hornet nest, and by the end of the summer, it could contain hundreds of the stinging insects. A treetop nest is sufficiently out of the way that people using the yard aren’t likely to set off a defensive reaction by the hornets and may be totally unaware that the nest is present until falling leaves reveal it. Cold weather will kill all but the overwintering queen, and weather will destroy the nest in a year or two. It will not be reoccupied next year.

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Q. My jade plant spent the summer outdoors, and now it has red leaf edges. Is this a sign of disease? The plant looks very healthy otherwise.

A. Red leaf margins indicate the plant has been exposed to high light levels. Don’t be surprised or alarmed if it adjusts to low light indoors by dropping a lot of leaves. This is a common response to an abrupt change from high-light to low-light conditions.

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Q. What’s that mulch that I’ve seen in lawns that looks like newspaper pellets?

A. It’s newspaper pellets. It’s used instead of straw to mulch newly seeded areas. There’s also a flaked newspaper product with grass seed in it that’s handy for reseeding bare spots. Both reduce the frequency of watering needed to keep the seed moist and promote germination.

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Q. What’s the alleged relationship between woolly bear caterpillars and winter weather?

A. Supposedly the width of the black band around the woolly bear’s middle predicts the severity of the winter weather -- a wide black band signals a cold, snowy winter, and a narrow one means a mild winter. In any year, however, these caterpillars naturally vary from all brown to all black, so the insight you get into the weather depends on which caterpillar you happen to come across. If it’s an all brown one, don’t throw away your snow shovel!

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Q. Is a strawberry begonia a true begonia? What sort of growing conditions does it need?

A. The strawberry begonia is no more a begonia than it is a strawberry. It belongs to a different plant family than either strawberries or begonias. The "strawberry" part of its name comes from its growth habit -- the central rosette of more or less round leaves sends out plantlets on runners, much as strawberry plants do. It grows best in areas with bright indirect light and high humidity. A hanging basket in a bathroom on the north or east side of your home or apartment would probably be ideal.

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Q. Do recently planted evergreens need any special winter protection?

A. Broadleaved evergreens such as rhododendrons and hollies are particularly susceptible to damage from drying sun and winter winds, but most evergreens, especially newly planted ones, will benefit from protection. An easy way to shade them and protect them against drying wind is to tack burlap to stakes on the south and west sides of plants in exposed areas. In fall, watering is a good idea so that evergreens go into winter with an ample supply of soil moisture. Plants located near salted roadways should be protected from flying salt spray, which can burn foliage and twig tips. Better yet, plant salt-tolerant species.

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Q. I’ve heard that fall is the best time to control dandelions and other broadleaf weeds. Why is that?

A. In the fall, weed growth is focusing on building up food stores in the roots for next spring’s top growth. When you apply a lawn herbicide in early October, it moves down through the plant to kill the roots. You may think nothing is happening because you aren’t seeing the tops die, but in the spring, the weeds will be gone. Another good reason to control weeds in the fall is that landscape plants are hardened off for winter and so less likely to be damaged by accidental exposure to herbicide. It’s a good idea to buy lawn herbicides early -- after Labor Day, garden centers start switching over to holiday merchandise, and lawn products may be hard to find.

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Q. Is early fall a good time to divide perennials?

A. Fall is usually recommended as the best time to divide and replant perennials such as iris, peony, daylily and hosta. The usual reasons for dividing perennials are to relieve crowding and to increase the number of plants by splitting large clumps into small ones. Some perennials, such as bearded iris, phlox and aster, need dividing every two or three years to prevent serious overcrowding; others, such as daylilies, should be divided every seven to 10 years. Some, such as peonies, may rarely need dividing unless you want to multiply your plants.

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Q. I had live ladybugs in my house last winter clear up to May, so I have a pretty good idea how ladybugs survive the winter. But what about other insects?

A. Some species of moths, such as gypsy moth, survive as eggs; others, such as cecropia moths, spend the winter as pupae, while some hibernate as adults under loose bark on trees. Many others, such as the woolly bear caterpillar, find a sheltered place, generate a little natural antifreeze, and simply wait it out. A few insects -- the monarch butterfly being probably the most famous -- go south. Some insects move in with people. Ladybird beetles, or ladybugs, have probably been the most visible of the nuisance home-invading insects the last couple years, but your home may also play host to boxelder bugs, cluster flies and clover mites. Hornets and other colony-forming insects largely die off except for the fertile queens, which hibernate in a sheltered spot and start new colonies in the spring. Insects such as cockroaches survive the winter in the same places they live the rest of the year -- in human habitations.

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Q. Last year my luck in storing winter squash in my basement left a lot to be desired. I had them in bushel baskets and a couple of plastic milk crates on the floor. The temperature down there is generally in the 50s. What should I do differently this year?

A. If your basement is damp rather than dry, the humidity will contribute to mold problems. But the main thing is to get the squash off the cold floor, where they will suffer chilling injury, and onto open shelves in single layers with the squash not touching one another. Store only fully mature squash free of dents, nicks and other mechanical injuries, and harvest before frost so fruits aren’t injured by cold. Use damaged and frost-nipped squash first -- they will be the first to show signs of deterioration in storage.

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Q. Snakes seemed more common than usual around my rural home this summer. They won’t follow the mice into my home as the weather cools down, will they?

A. Snakes generally find a belowground cavity -- under a rotting tree stump or next to a rough stone foundation, for instance -- to spend the winter in. Any that you find in your home are there by accident as they search for an overwintering spot. In view of the amount of damage that a few mice can do, you might be wise to do something about the mice coming and forget about the snakes.

#lkj#

ANR Communications                                                                    Contact: L. Johnson or R. Calhoun
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                  Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3275
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                       8/15/02

FALL A GOOD TIME
TO PAMPER LAWN

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Whether you watered your lawn during the summer’s dry weather or let it go dormant, fall is a good time to give it a little TLC.

"In many ways, fall is the most important time of the year for lawn maintenance," says Ron Calhoun, Extension turfgrass specialist at Michigan State University. "Fall rains and cool temperatures are ideal for growth. If you fertilize only once a year, now is the time. It encourages grass plants to grow and spread, thickening the turf and making it hard for weeds to get a foothold. The best defense against weeds is a thick, vigorous turf," he adds.

For fall fertilization, Calhoun recommends a mixture of quick-release and slow-release nitrogen. The plants will take up the immediately available nitrogen now, he explains, and the slow-release nitrogen will be available next spring when plants resume growth.

Vigorous fall growth can fill in small open areas in the turf, Calhoun says. If extensive areas need to be reestablished, the first half of September is an ideal time to seed or reseed a lawn, and sodding can be done well into October.

Newly seeded and sodded lawns need frequent watering, he points out, so be prepared to irrigate if rain is scarce.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or T. Ellis
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-8478
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

FALL-INVADING PESTS
CAN BE A NUISANCE

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- As temperatures cool off in the fall, your home may become home to a host of creatures looking for a place to take shelter for the winter. Among these are clover mites, houseflies and cluster flies, boxelder bugs, and even a wasp queen or two. But the one that has been getting the most press in recent years is the ladybird beetle, more commonly known as the ladybug.

"Everybody’s favorite cute insect isn’t quite so cute when it’s infiltrating your home by the dozen -- or hundred, or even thousand," observes Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. "Last winter, some folks had live ladybugs in their homes all winter into April. Every mild spell resulted in dozens of the hard-backed orange or mustard-yellow insects crawling on or near sunny windows."

The majority of these home-invading beetles are a species relatively new to the United States. It’s the multicolored Asian ladybug (Asian ladybug, for short). Though their introduction was probably accidental, they provide excellent biological control of aphids, scale insects, greenbugs and other leaf-feeding pests. Unlike our native ladybugs, which only smell bad when they’re disturbed, the Asian ladybugs bite.

"A ladybug bite is more surprising than damaging," Ellis notes, "but it doesn’t endear them to people who already aren’t keen on having hordes of insects move in on them."

Because ladybugs are predators that feed on damaging pests of flowers, vegetables, field crops and fruits, they’re generally considered beneficial. But, just as a plant out of place is a weed, "good bugs" in the home are a nuisance, especially in large numbers.

"Household insecticides will kill ladybugs, boxelder bugs and other home-invading pests," Ellis says, "but chemical warfare isn’t necessary or desirable. Flyswatters work, though squashed beetles may leave orange stains, so I usually recommend vacuum cleaners, especially those hand-held ones that have a dirt trap that can be emptied. A ride through a conventional vacuum into a bag is not guaranteed to kill ladybugs and other home invaders. Those that survive may find a way out."

Ideally, a long-term strategy for dealing with these pests is to seal up cracks and crevices in foundations, openings in siding or soffits, gaps around chimneys, windows and doors, and any other external opening that could admit a small creature looking for winter shelter, Ellis notes.

"This can be a fairly difficult task for homeowners, so a more practical approach may be to seal up pathways on inside walls and ceilings, especially where pipes and electrical and telephone wires enter living areas and basements," he adds.

"Chances are that you’ll never be able to close all the bug doors, but preventive maintenance can seal a lot of them," he says. "This can dramatically reduce the number of critters that get inside and have to be dealt with some other way."

#lkj#

ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or R. Calhoun
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3275
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

FALL IS THE TIME
TO CONTROL DANDELIONS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Remember how your lawn looked in the spring? If the image that comes to mind is a carpet of yellow flowers followed by a forest of pinkish stems topped with white fluffy seedheads and you don’t want to see it again next spring, fall is the time to do something to prevent it.

"Fall is the best time to control dandelions and many other hard to control perennial weeds, such as ground ivy," says Ron Calhoun, Extension turfgrass specialist at Michigan State University. "The seeds from the spring crop of dandelions germinate in the lawn in the fall," he explains, "and herbicides are very effective against these actively growing young weeds."

Fall weather usually provides ideal growing conditions for lawn grasses, he notes, so grass will quickly fill in spaces left by removing weeds.

Many herbicides are available for controlling dandelions and other broadleaf weeds in the fall. Applied following label directions, they will move through the plant and kill the root. This means no top growth and no flowers and seeds next spring.

Fall is the best time to kill troublesome weeds because of the way they grow as they prepare for winter, Calhoun explains.

"Growth goes from shoots to roots as plants prepare for winter," he says. "In spring, growth is going from roots to shoots, so if you apply a herbicide, you may kill off the top but not the roots, and the weeds grow new tops."

Fall-applied herbicides may appear to have no effect, he notes, because the tops don’t usually show any injury, but the next spring, the weeds will be gone.

Another reason for treating lawn weeds in the fall is that landscape plants are well on their way

to their winter dormant state and so are less susceptible to damage by accidental exposure to

herbicides. Vegetable crops and annual flowers are also finished for the year, so you don’t have to

worry about wiping them out along with the weeds.

Once dandelions and other persistent weeds are under control, your best defense against a weed re-invasion is to maintain a thick lawn, Calhoun points out. Many weed seeds need sunlight to germinate, and they can’t get it if the ground is shaded by a thick mat of grass.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or D. Smitley
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-3385
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

FALL WEBWORMS MAKE UGLY WEBS
BUT DO LITTLE DAMAGE TO TREES

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The silken webs of fall webworms start appearing on roadside trees and shrubs usually in August. Though large numbers of webworms can totally strip the leaves, the damage is rarely more serious than cosmetic. Less than 50 percent defoliation after mid-August won’t hurt the trees.

"By this time in the growing season, the leaves are near the end of their career as food factories," says Dave Smitley, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. "The leaves will soon fall anyway, so losing them a little early does little harm to the plant."

Early-season defoliation by pests such as the gypsy moth is more serious, he notes, because trees have to tap their food reserves to produce new leaves. Repeated early-season defoliation can weaken trees and make them more vulnerable to other insect pests, diseases and environmental stresses.

Fall webworms are small (1 inch long), pale-colored, hair caterpillars. They feed in groups within the webs they build. Webs begin on branch tips. As the caterpillars feed and grow, they enlarge the web, which becomes littered with excrement, molted skins and bits of leaves. If caterpillars are numerous, the web may totally encase small trees or shrubs.

Though they feed at opposite ends of the growing season, fall webworms are often confused with eastern tent caterpillars, which feed in the spring in silken tents built in the crotches of wild cherry, crabapple and other trees.

After fall webworms complete their development, they spin silken cocoons under bark or in ground litter. They’ll emerge as adult moths next July, when they’ll mate and lay eggs to start the cycle again.

When worms and webs are small, they can easily be removed from landscape trees by hand, Smitley points out. Spraying with Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, a bacterial disease of caterpillars formulated as a pesticide, is also an option. It affects only caterpillars, so it won’t harm beneficial insects that help control caterpillars and other insect pests. It will also not harm birds and other wildlife, pets or humans, even if it’s used on edible fruits right before harvest.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

FROST PROTECTION
CAN EXTEND HARVEST

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- An early fall frost can prematurely end the garden harvest.

Protecting tender plants against the first frost can extend it well into September or even October.

You don’t need to cover the whole garden, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University -- just the plants that won’t tolerate frost or freezing temperatures. These include peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, snap beans and squash. Cabbage family crops such as broccoli and cabbage, lettuce and spinach, chives, peas, carrots, parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes easily tolerate some frost.

Cucumbers, bush beans and prostrate tomatoes and other low-growing plants are easy to protect -- simply cover them with several sheets of newspaper, straw, old bed sheets, or canvas or plastic tarps, McLellan suggests. If tarps are heavy, support them with stakes so they don’t crush plants.

For caged tomato, eggplant and pepper plants, you can use paper grocery sacks or plastic trash bags.

"Covering protects plants against the cold by trapping heat from the soil in the air immediately around plants," McLellan explains. "Uncovering them the next day after temperatures warm a bit is almost as important as covering them, especially if you used plastic bags or tarps. Plastic will trap the sun’s heat and plants may cook."

An alternative to protecting plants is harvesting them when frost threatens.

Sprawling pumpkin and winter squash vines are very sensitive to frost, she points out. The fruits, too, will be damaged by frost. This may not be a problem if you’re going to pick them and process them for freezing or eating in a day or two, but if you want to store whole fruits for eating later or pumpkins for carving at Halloween, you need to protect the fruits against frost. Cold damage to the rinds will shorten their storage life, McLellan explains.

Pepper plants turn black at the first hint of frost, and the fruits get mushy and deteriorate quickly. If you can’t cover the plants, pick the peppers before frost.

Frosted tomatoes can be canned or frozen immediately, but they won’t store well or ripen further in the garden, McLellan says. Green tomatoes picked before frost can be stored and ripened for weeks.

Frost will kill snap bean plants. The quality of the pods goes downhill quickly, so if you don’t protect the plants, figure on picking and processing the beans right away.

The dramatic wilt of summer squash plants hit by frost is echoed in the quick loss of quality in the fruits. McLellan advises picking any fruits large enough to use before frost.

"A really hard freeze will reduce the keeping quality of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and other cabbage-family plants," McLellan notes, "but they don’t need protection from the first light frosts. In fact, Brussels sprouts actually taste better after a frost or two."

#lkj#

ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

HOUSEPLANTS THAT SPENT THE SUMMER
OUTDOORS NEED TO COME INSIDE

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Most plants grown as houseplants originated in the tropics, so temperatures dipping into the 40s and 50s mean it’s time to bring inside those that spent the summer outdoors.

These plants won’t survive frost, cautions Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, and some may be damaged by temperatures in the 40s or even the low 50s. As summer winds down into fall, days may be warm enough but nights too cold for them to stay outdoors.

It’s wise to examine plants closely when you bring them inside and keep them separate from other indoor plants for several weeks. Like outdoor plants, houseplants growing outdoors can become infested with insects, spiders and other pests or develop diseases. In the warm indoor environment, insects that hitchhike indoors on plants may thrive and multiply. Keeping plants that spent the summer outdoors separate for several weeks makes it easier to keep an eye on them, treat any problems that develop and keep them from spreading to other plants, McLellan suggests.

For minor infestations, try washing plants carefully with water or a mild soap solution. Houseplant insecticides are available at your garden center for more serious infestations. Rather than risk spreading the problem, you might choose simply to discard severely infested plants and replace them.

Plant diseases may be more difficult to treat than insects. Like insects, they can spread from plant to plant, McLellan points out, so discarding diseased plants may be the best choice.

Repotting may eliminate pests such as thrips or ants that took up residence in potting soil.

Plants that outgrew their pots over the summer will also need repotting. To check for crowded roots, hold the top of the plant with one hand and the pot with the other and rap the edge of the pot on a hard surface to loosen the root ball. If it consists of a mass of roots with very little soil showing, it needs repotting in a larger container.

If the root ball looks fine but the pot is topheavy from top growth, pruning may be in order. Broken or otherwise damaged plant parts should also be removed.

A common occurrence after plants come back indoors is leaf drop as they adjust to significantly lower light levels indoors. Putting plants where they’ll receive all the natural light possible and/or supplementing natural light with light from fluorescent tubes should reduce or prevent leaf loss.

Remember that plants growing indoors aren’t subject to the drying winds and warm temperatures that they experienced outdoors, and growth will slow down with the reduced light. The summer practice of frequent watering needs to be adjusted to avoid overwatering, McLellan advises.

"Water when the soil is beginning to dry out rather than on a regular schedule," she suggests. "And stop fertilizing altogether. Fertilizing when plants aren’t actively growing results in a buildup of fertilizer salts in the soil that can damage plant roots."

When you check the soil for moisture, use the opportunity to examine plants for developing insect or disease problems. Indoors, a minor problem can become a major one seemingly overnight.

#lkj#

ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

INDOOR BULBS: SOME NEED
COLD TREATMENT

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- You could be enjoying pots of blooming bulbs in your home this winter. Some require very little effort on your part. The others aren’t difficult -- the biggest investment in them is time.

The easiest indoor bulbs are paper-white narcissus and amaryllis, observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

"Basically, you put the bulbs in a container and stand back," she sums up.

Because these bulbs are ready to grow and bloom when you buy them, you can start them in November so they’ll be blooming around the year-end holidays or pot them for holiday gifts.

Paper-whites are usually grown in a shallow container partly filled with gravel, stones or marbles to which water is added. Kits containing everything you need make it easy, and the bulbs usually flower in a month or so.

Amaryllis bulbs can be purchased loose or already potted. They do best in a light, loose growing medium, such as a commercially prepared peat-vermiculite mix, and a container with a drainage hole. They’re usually potted singly in containers just a little larger than the bulbs. The top of the bulb should be level with the top of the pot, and the neck and shoulders of it should extend above the growing medium, McLellan advises. From potting (or initial watering, if you get a prepotted bulb) to flowering may take only four to six weeks.

The large flowers and tall stems of amaryllis may make them top-heavy, she cautions, and lightweight containers may tip over, especially if plants are leaning to one side. To keep plants growing straight, try turning them every day or two. Another way to keep pots from tipping over is to place lightweight pots inside heavier containers.

Paper-white narcissus bulbs are usually discarded after blooming. Amaryllis bulbs can be grown as foliage plants after the flowers fade and reflowered, McLellan notes.

Daffodils, tulips, crocuses and other spring-flowering bulbs will bloom indoors, but they require a cold treatment first.

Using a container with drainage holes, pot the bulbs by placing 2 inches of potting soil or peat-lite mix in the bottom of the container, then as many bulbs as the pot will hold, and fill in around them so the tops of the bulbs are just visible. Water thoroughly, then place the pots in a refrigerator, coldframe, unheated storeroom or other location where temperatures are consistently between 40 and 50 degrees F.

"If you store bulbs in a refrigerator, make sure you don’t store fruit with them," McLellan advises. "The ethylene gas given off by apples and other fruits as they ripen can damage developing flower buds."

Water regularly and keep the bulbs cold for 12 weeks. At the end of that time, move the pots to a warmer area with low light for a week, then to a cool, sunny spot. They should flower in about six weeks.

"If you pot up several containers, you can bring them out of cold storage at one- to two-week intervals and enjoy a continuous indoor flower display in mid- to late winter," McLellan notes.

Some bulbs that have been forced may be planted outdoors after the flowers fade, she notes.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or R. Calhoun
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3275
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

LAWN CULTIVATION
RELIEVES SOIL COMPACTION

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- In compacted soil, the soil particles are packed so tightly together that air is driven out, water can’t drain through and plant roots can’t easily penetrate it. In a lawn, this translates into shallow rooting and poor turf health, and it could eventually result in fertilizer runoff into surface water.

"Compaction problems are most severe in fine-textured soils -- those with a high clay content," says Ron Calhoun, Extension turfgrass specialist at Michigan State University. "Sandy soils resist compacting, but high foot or vehicle traffic on any soil, especially when it’s wet, can push soil particles together."

Several types of cultivation tools are used to physically modify the soil, either by removing small cores of soil or slicing or pushing holes into it. Research has shown that machines that pull soil cores are more effective, Calhoun notes. In either case, the closer the tines are spaced, the more soil is affected and the better the results.

"Deeper is better, too," he adds, "especially if a thick thatch layer is present."

Thatch, an accumulation of dead and decomposing grass stems, leaves and roots between the soil surface and the green top growth, is beneficial when it’s ½ inch thick or less because it allows air and water through but protects grass plants against weather extremes and discourages weed seed germination by shading the soil. Thatch that builds up to over 1 inch, on the other hand, acts as a barrier to water and air movement. Compacted soils and overwatering encourage thatch formation, Calhoun notes, so often compaction and thatch problems occur together.

Deep cultivation -- at least 2 ½ inches -- gets past the thatch layer and deeper into the soil. If the thatch layer is 1½ inches and the cultivation machine has tines only 2 inches long, they will barely nick the surface.

"The homeowner may feel better for having run the machine over the lawn, but the activity won’t have much impact on the turf," Calhoun observes.

The typical bluegrass lawn tends to accumulate thatch more quickly than lawns composed of other types of turfgrass, and two or more cultivations a year may be needed for best results. Once the thickness of the thatch layer is reduced to less than an inch, annual cultivations may be adequate. Other factors are the type of soil (sandy vs. clay), the degree of soil compaction, the use of the turf, and the homeowner’s goals for the lawn and willingness to commit time, money and effort to maintaining it.

Fall and spring are the best times to cultivate, Calhoun says, because lawns are growing vigorously then and will quickly recover from the process. Avoid cultivating when the soil is either very dry or very wet, he advises. Tines will not penetrate dry soil, especially dry clay soil, well, and cultivating when the soil is wet may cause unnecessary injury to the turf.

After cultivation is a good time to seed bare or thin spots, he notes.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or C. DiFonzo
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-5328
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

LEFTOVER PESTICIDES
NEED LOCKED STORAGE

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Lawn and garden pesticides should always be stored under lock and key, but winter storage poses extra storage problems.

Chris DiFonzo, Extension pesticide education specialist at Michigan State University, points out that pesticides need to be stored in a cool, well ventilated area free of excess moisture and extremes of heat and cold -- dry formulations need to be kept dry and liquids prevented from freezing or getting too hot.

She offers these tips on pesticide storage:

** Always store pesticides in a lockable storage area and keep it locked to keep hazardous materials away from children, pets, wildlife and irresponsible adults.

** Never store pesticides with or near food, feed, medicines or cleaning supplies.

** Always keep pesticides in their original containers. Labels offer valuable information on use, storage and first aid. If the original label isn’t readable, either dispose of the product at a Clean Sweep hazardous waste collection site or request a replacement label where you bought the material.

** Store herbicides (weed killers) such as 2,4-D separate from insecticides and other products. They may absorb vapors from the herbicide that could later injure sensitive plants.

** Store sprayers and measuring equipment with pesticides, but keep protective gear and clothing elsewhere so it doesn’t become contaminated if a spill or leak occurs.

** Store liquid formulations below granules and powders and on shallow pans or trays that would contain any spills. Make sure lids are screwed on tight and dry formulations are enclosed in plastic bags to keep them dry.

"To avoid having to store leftover pesticides, try to buy only what you can use up in a typical growing season," DiFonzo suggests. "No leftovers means no disposal or storage problems."

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or R. Calhoun
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3275
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

MANAGE YARD WASTE
TO PRESERVE WATER QUALITY

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Grass clippings, tree leaves, branches and twigs -- collectively known as "yard waste" -- at one time accounted for 20 to 25 percent of the material entering Michigan’s landfills. A 1994 law banned yard waste from landfills. Municipal and private composting operations process some of this material. Much of it can be recycled at home. Turning these materials from a disposal problem into a resource also helps keep the nutrients they contain out of surface water, where they can promote undesirable aquatic weed growth and other problems.

Ron Calhoun, Extension turfgrass specialist at Michigan State University, says the easiest way to deal with grass clippings is to return them to the lawn. The nitrogen in the clippings returns to the soil to be used again by the grass plants. Returning clippings to the lawn can significantly reduce the amount of fertilizer that needs to be applied, he notes.

Excessive clippings left in windrows on the lawn can smother grass plants, he points out. Raising the mowing height and mowing more often will reduce the quantity of clippings, he suggests. Letting clippings dry for a day or two and then running over them again with the mower is one way to deal with them; raking them and using them for mulch and putting them in a compost pile are others.

Like grass clippings, fallen leaves can be mowed back into the turf, Calhoun points out.

"A couple of passes with the lawn mower breaks the leaves down into small pieces," he says. "Over a few weeks’ time, the residue will sift into the turf. By spring, it will be unnoticeable."

For best results, let leaves dry before you mow them, and raise the mowing height, he suggests.

Woody debris such as tree limbs and twigs pruned from shrubs can be turned into mulch or prepared for the compost pile with the aid of a portable chipper. Several neighbors who go together to rent a chipper can transform large quantities of landscape leftovers into landscape mulch in an afternoon, he observes.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

NEWLY PLANTED TREES
MAY NEED BRACING

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The bigger the tree at planting time, the sooner it offers shade and other benefits. And the more likely it is to need bracing until it gets established.

"Many deciduous trees over 1 inch in trunk diameter and upright evergreens 4 to 5 feet tall or taller should be braced during the first year after planting," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Generally, the bigger the tree, the greater its need for support."

The root ball is generally undersized in relation to the top, she points out, and strong winds blowing against the top may cause the root ball to roll or pivot in the ground. This loosens the soil around the root ball, and that can make it even more prone to move. The results will be damaged roots, slow establishment and, if the tree survives, a plant that grows leaning away from the prevailing wind.

Tree size determines how much bracing it needs, McLellan explains.

"Trees up to 2 inches in trunk diameter can be supported by one sturdy stake," she says. "Larger trees need two or three for adequate support."

Place a single stake about 12 inches away from the tree on the side toward the prevailing wind so the wind pushes the tree away from the stake rather than toward it, she advises. Be careful to avoid damaging the roots when you install the stake. Use soft rope; commercial tree ties made of rubber, vinyl or nylon; or wire or cable enclosed in a length of vinyl garden hose to fasten the tree to the stake. The tie should form a figure eight, with one loop around the tree and the other around the stake and the cross between them.

Avoid using wire or cable around trunks or stems without hose or some other material to cushion it, McLellan cautions. Such materials can cut through the bark or girdle and kill the tree. Damaged bark may also heal and grow over the wire, making it impossible to remove it without seriously damaging the tree.

If you use two stakes -- for trees 2 to 4 inches in diameter -- place them on opposite sides of the tree. Three stakes -- for trees more than 4 inches in trunk diameter -- should be placed at equal intervals around the tree about 18 inches from the trunk. Install the figure-eight ties between tree and stakes, and then brace the stakes with cleats attached 4 to 6 inches below the tops of the stakes. They will form a triangular structure surrounding the trunk and stabilize the stakes.

Because the aim of supporting the tree is to prevent movement of the lower trunk and root system, supports should be low on the trunk. They should be snug enough to provide good support without being so tight that they make an impression on the trunk. It’s a good idea to check the tree once a month during the growing season and after storms or periods of high wind, McLellan suggests, to make sure guy wires are adequately cushioned and the bracing is doing its job.

Remove stakes and ties after trees are well established. This usually takes no more than one or two growing seasons, even on exposed or windy sites, she notes.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or D. McCullough
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-7445
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

ORANGE-STRIPED OAKWORM
CAN BE A LANDSCAPE PEST

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- For a couple years it was gypsy moth munching your oak trees and peppering your deck with their droppings. In the Upper Peninsula, it was forest tent caterpillar relieving trees of their leaves.

This year, the time for these early-season pests passed and you thought your trees were safe.

Think again. Late summer/early fall is when the orange-striped oakworm turns up in forest and landscape trees, where its feeding reduces leaves to bare veins.

"The good news about orange-striped oakworm and other fall-feeding caterpillars is that their feeding rarely affects tree health," says Deborah McCullough, Extension forest entomologist at Michigan State University. "By late summer or early fall, trees have completed most of their photosynthesis for the year and are preparing for winter dormancy. The leaves they lose to the caterpillars have done their work and would soon fall anyway. It’s usually not a big deal unless the trees were defoliated earlier in the summer or are growing in very stressful conditions."

Homeowners may not feel that way about the caterpillars’ droppings, however. In an oakworm outbreak, oakworms are numerous and their large droppings are abundant. They rain down out of the trees to make decks and other outdoor living spaces unlivable until they finish feeding and crawl to the ground, where they tunnel into the soil to pupate.

"So, even though they seldom harm the trees, their presence in neighborhoods and recreational areas can be distressing," McCullough observes.

How do you know it’s orange-striped oakworm in your trees?

"The name pretty much says it all," McCullough says. "As they grow, they turn from greenish yellow with orange stripes to black and orange and may reach 3 inches in length. They have a pair of small, black, flexible ‘horns’ just behind the head, and they feed primarily on oak leaves in late summer and early fall."

In the adult stage, the oakworm is a moth with brownish wings with an obvious white spot on each forewing and a bright orange-yellow body. It’s usually the caterpillars that people run into, however.

Because the orange-striped oakworm is native to North America, a well established complex of natural enemies is available to control outbreaks, McCullough points out. When an outbreak occurs, these natural enemies -- diseases, predators and parasitoids -- eventually build up and reduce the oakworm population to tolerable levels.

"This works better in forest areas than in neighborhoods where caterpillars are a nuisance to people in their own yards," she observes. "Homeowners can examine small trees for eggs on the undersides of leaves in July and August or wait until eggs hatch and spray trees with Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki, a bacterial disease of leaf-eating caterpillars formulated as a pesticide. It doesn’t harm other types of insects, birds, other wildlife or humans. It’s most effective against small caterpillars and easier to apply in small trees. In large trees, it’s difficult to get adequate amounts of the insecticide into the upper canopy. Fortunately, it’s not usually necessary."

Chemical pesticides are another option, but these kill other insects, including beneficial species, and pose a hazard to wildlife and humans. Doing nothing and allowing natural enemies to control the worms is another option.

Keeping trees healthy by watering during dry weather, especially if they’re recovering from early-season defoliation; avoiding mechanical damage by lawn equipment, and avoiding compacting the soil around the roots will help trees withstand a variety of stress factors, including defoliation by hungry caterpillars, McCullough notes.

More information on orange-striped oakworm is available from your county MSU Extension office. Ask for bulletin E-2654, "Identification and Management of Orange-striped Oakworm." Single copies are free to Michigan residents.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

PREPARE SITE FOR SPRING TREE
PLANTING IN FALL

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you’re planning to add a tree to your landscape next spring, this fall is a good time to prepare the planting site.

"Fall is a good time to remove grass and weeds," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Roundup and similar herbicides work best when grass is actively growing, and fall is one of the prime growing times for grass."

If you’d rather not use a herbicide, you can spread plastic or use a broken-down cardboard box or a piece of old carpet to kill the grass in the planting site.

Either technique will also work in the spring, McLellan notes, but eliminating grass from the planting site in the fall gives you a head start next spring -- you can plant as soon as conditions permit.

The reason for eliminating the grass is twofold. The first reason is to eliminate competition for water, soil nutrients and sunlight -- this gives seedlings and small trees a better chance to survive. Killing grass and mulching around newly planted trees also eliminates the need to mow or trim around them. This keeps lawn mowers, string trimmers and other equipment at a distance and helps prevent mechanical damage to tender bark.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02


SAVE ANNUALS FROM FROST
TO GROW AS HOUSEPLANTS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Fall means that killing frost will soon put an end to the flowering annuals you have enjoyed all summer -- unless you save some of them to grow indoors this winter.

The most commonly overwintered annuals are geraniums, coleus, impatiens and fibrous-rooted begonias, and the key to enjoying indoor flowers is light, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

"Too little light will result in long, straggly stems and few, if any, flowers," she observes.   "Leaves will be few, also, and widely spaced on the stems."  Because Michigan winters are not exactly famous for lots of bright, sunny days, growing these plants indoors usually means growing them under fluorescent tubes, she notes.  There are two ways to approach saving annuals to grow indoors: starting new plants from cuttings and digging up and potting whole plants. Whole plants will need larger containers and more potting soil, McLellan points out, but they may bloom sooner. 

To save whole plants, select healthy, growing plants, cut the tops back by half, and then dig them up with as much of the root systems as you can and pot each plant in a container big enough to hold all the roots comfortably. Remove as much garden soil from the roots as you can without seriously damaging the roots, she advises, and use a commercially prepared houseplant potting mix in the pots.  Garden soil will not drain as well, she explains, and may contain weed seeds, insects, disease organisms and other pests.  Cutting the plants tops back makes them easier to handle and brings the top growth into better balance with the reduced root system, she notes.

Set each plant into its pot so you can fill in with potting mix to the depth at which it was growing in the garden and still have room in the pot to add water without danger of overflow.  Water to settle the growing medium and add more potting mix as needed. Place in a sunny window or under a fluorescent light, water whenever the soil feels dry and fertilize once a month with a houseplant fertilizer low in nitrogen and high in phosphorus and potassium.  Too much nitrogen will promote spindly growth and discourage flowering, she explains.

Plants brought inside from outdoors may contain insects or disease organisms, McLellan points out, so it’s a good idea to keep them separate from other indoor plants for at least a few weeks to keep any problems that develop from spreading to other plants. 

To grow new plants from cuttings, begin with 3- to 4-inch tip cuttings from the tops of plants.  Cut with a sharp knife to avoid mashing or tearing the stems, McLellan suggests.  Remove the leaves on the bottom third of half of each stem. Then insert the cut end into damp perlite, vermiculite, or sand. You may use a rooting hormone, but it isn’t necessary.  Place the container with the cuttings out of direct sunlight and water as needed to keep the rooting medium moist.  It should take about six weeks for them to develop roots ½ to 1 inch long.  Then you can transplant them into 4-inch pots of houseplant potting mix and move them to a brightly lighted spot -- either a sunny window, where they’ll need frequent turning to keep them from growing lopsided, or under artificial light.  Both whole plants and those grown from cuttings will benefit from pinching, McLellan says.  "Removing the growing tips regularly will encourage plants to branch rather than straggle," she explains.

Plants are more likely to grow compact and bushy and flower indoors if you grow them under fluorescent tubes rather than natural light, she observes. A mixture of cool-white and warm-white bulbs is recommended, but all cool-white bulbs will be satisfactory. To simplify the lighting, put the lights on a timer set so they receive 12 to 16 hours of light a day.  In the spring, wait until the danger of frost is past and then cut plants back to about one-third of their height and transplant outdoors. 

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or D. Smitley
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-3385
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

WATCH FOR GRUB DAMAGE IN FALL

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Patches of dead turf appearing in your lawn in the fall may be a sign of feeding by white grubs. The top parts of the plants die because the grubs are eating the roots, and dead patches expand as grubs continue to feed.

"Other signs of grubs feeding in the lawn are torn up areas where skunks, raccoons, crows and geese have been feeding on the grubs," says Dave Smitley, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University.

Irrigated turf can tolerate grub feeding better than dry turf, Smitley points out, so homeowners seeing damage can irrigate to minimize it.

Two kinds of white grubs may be found in lawns -- Japanese beetle and European chafer.

Japanese beetle adults are very destructive -- they feed in midsummer on a wide range of landscape ornamentals. At egg-laying time, they are attracted to irrigated turf, Smitley says. Frequent rain in midsummer can make any lawn look good to females. Ordinarily, however, Japanese beetles are less likely than European chafers to be a problem in dry turf.

"The best way to know for sure whether grubs are the problem is to pull back some turf around the damaged spots and look for them," Smitley advises. "If you find more than five grubs per square foot in unirrigated turf or more than 15 per square foot in irrigated areas, you can expect to see additional damage over the coming weeks."

Irrigation in July and August will prevent problems with European chafer, the major home lawn pest. Irrigation during the fall -- when grubs are actively feeding on grass roots -- is the best way to avoid damage, Smitley says. Drought can increase damage.

"The presence of adult Japanese beetles in July does not necessarily indicate that turf damage will occur," he cautions. "Before applying an insecticide for grubs, dig up a square foot of turf in early September and check for damaging numbers of grubs. Only if you find them should you treat the lawn with diazinon, Sevin or Dylox to reduce grub numbers."

Always follow the directions on the product label, he cautions. Preventive insecticides such as Mach 2, GrubEx, Merit or Season-Long Grub Control from Bayer should be used in early July only on lawns with a history of grub damage.

For more information on grubs in lawns, contact your county MSU Extension office and ask for bulletin E-10TURF, "Japanese Beetle". It’s part of a series of Turf Tips bulletins for homeowners, sod growers and golf course managers.

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

WINTER MULCH PROTECTS PLANTS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- When temperatures drop and the cold wind blows, we throw an extra blanket on the bed to keep us warm. If we think we’re doing the same thing when we apply a winter mulch to garden and landscape plants, we may be doing the right thing for the wrong reason.

In most cases, the aim of a winter mulch is not to keep the ground from freezing but to keep it from alternately freezing and thawing. This can injure plant roots and push plants and bulbs right up out of the soil.

"Think of all those rocks that appear in plowed fields every spring," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener at Michigan State University. "They didn’t drop in -- they were pushed up out of the soil by frost heaving."

The exceptions are roses and strawberries.

In roses, the aim of winterizing -- covering the plants with soil and/or mulch or rose cones -- is to protect the graft union from freezing. The graft union is the place where the named variety, the flowering part, was grafted onto the rootstock, she explains. If that part isn’t protected, the top part may be killed.

Though strawberries are vulnerable to frost heaving, they need a winter mulch to protect the flower buds that will become next year’s fruit crop, she explains. Mulching protects the flower buds against temperatures below 15 degrees F, which can damage or kill them.

Mulch strawberries after plants stop growing, McLellan advises. Applying mulch before growth stops may smother the crowns. You need to apply mulch before temperatures drop below 20 degrees F, however.

As the name suggests, one of the best mulches for strawberries is straw. Other possibilities are chopped cornstalks, hay, corn cobs and bark chips. Grass clippings and leaves are not recommended because they tend to form thick, smothering mats. Each bale of straw should cover an area about 10 by 10 feet to a depth of 3 to 5 inches.

For perennial and bulb beds, chopped leaves and compost are good because they insulate the beds but plants can push up through them in the spring. Bark chips are often used around trees and shrubs.

A properly mulched tree has mulch over the root zone but not lapping up against the trunk, McLellan notes.

"Mulch piled around the trunk could provide cover for mice and enable them to gnaw on the bark and girdle the plant," she explains.

Strawberry plants need to be uncovered as soon as they begin growing in the spring. Rake the mulch between the rows, McLellan suggests, where it will be handy in case a freeze or frost warning makes it necessary to re-cover plants. After the danger of frost is past, it can be spread between rows for a summer mulch to help control weeds and slow the loss of moisture from the soil.

Mulches in flower beds and around landscape plants reduce the need to water and keeps lawn equipment at a distance. Injured bark on woody plants can give insects and disease organisms a place to invade, she points out.

"Mulching to retain soil moisture is especially important around newly planted ornamentals, which tend to have limited root systems for the first year or two after planting," she notes. "This makes them more susceptible to drought stress than established plants."

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ANR Communications                                                                     Contact: L. Johnson or T. Ellis
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                                                   Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-8478
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                                                        8/15/02

YELLOW JACKET NUMBERS
PEAK AS FALL ARRIVES

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- A picnic in the park or a backyard cookout can stop being fun when unexpected guests drop in -- especially if those guests are yellow jackets intent on getting a share of the food.

"Yellow jackets are predators but will also scavenge any source of animal protein," says Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. "In the late summer, they also acquire a sweet tooth, and they will flock to any outdoor eating event that features proteins or sweets."

Yellow jackets away from their nest are generally not very aggressive, Ellis notes, but they will defend themselves if they feel threatened. And once they’ve located a food source -- your plate, for instance -- it’s hard to discourage them from homing in on it.

As summer is giving way to fall, conflicts between people and yellow jackets become more likely because people are outside enjoying the pleasant weather and yellow jacket numbers are at their annual peak. Each yellow jacket colony, which started out in the spring as a single mated female, may number in the dozens or even hundreds of individuals. And every one of those nestmates will defend the nest against intruders.

Freezing temperatures and lack of food will eventually eliminate all but the overwintering queens, but in the meantime, a yellow jacket nest is nothing to mess with, Ellis advises.

"In this part of the country, 99 percent of yellow jacket nests are underground," Ellis says. "The best course it to leave it alone and let cold weather take care of it. If a nest is located where people’s daily activities are likely to disturb it or if family members are allergic to stings, painful and even dangerous confrontations may occur."

The safest way to control a wasp or yellow jacket nest is to dust the nest opening with Sevin garden dust. An empty plastic squeeze bottle of the sort that liquid dish soap comes in work well, Ellis says. Fill it about half full of dust, he suggests, and do not add water. With the cap off, squeeze hard a couple of times to propel dust into the nest opening. (Dispose of the bottle after triple rinsing it outdoors and emptying the contents on your lawn or garden.) Wasp and hornet aerosol sprays are also effective if they reach the nest. The advantage of the Sevin dust is that the yellow jackets themselves track the poison into the nest. This is especially handy when the nest is located deep in an animal burrow or inside the wall of a house or other structure.

"Some important points about attempting to control a wasp or yellow jacket nest: do it at night or very early in the morning, when the wasps aren’t active, and never seal up the opening of an active nest on the outside of a house -- this will force the wasps to chew their way into the interior of the home," Ellis says. "And if you’re allergic to stings, get professional assistance in eliminating a nest -- the risk of a sting is too great."

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