August 15, 2000

Dear Editors:

It’s said that fall is a second spring for planting in the home landscape, so this packet, the fall edition of the MSU lawn and garden news, has several stories on planting and caring for trees and shrubs. Timely stories on storing vegetables, controlling insects that hitchhike indoors on houseplants that have been outdoors, and winterizing lawn and garden tools and equipment are also on hand, along with The Garden Corner.

I’ll have to start thinking about the winter packet soon (sooner than I want to start thinking about winter, that’s for sure!), so now is a good time to suggest story topics or questions for The Garden Corner. Other comments are welcome, also. 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

THE GARDEN CORNER

BEAT THE RUSH NEXT SPRING: SOIL TEST NOW

EVERGREENS DO LOSE THEIR NEEDLES

FALL IS A GOOD TIME TO PUT IN A WATER GARDEN

FALL PROVIDES SECOND CHANCE TO PLANT TREES AND SHRUBS

GROUND COVERS MAY SOLVE SOME LANDSCAPE PROBLEMS

KEEPING TREES HEALTHY ADDS BEAUTY, VALUE TO HOME LANDSCAPE

LEAVES CHANGE COLOR AS DAYS GET SHORTER

LOOKING FOR A CHALLENGE? TRY GROWING GLOXINIA FROM SEED

NEWLY PLANTED ORNAMENTALS NEED SOME SPECIAL CARE

PESTS MAY HITCHHIKE INDOORS ON HOUSEPLANTS

SAFE LAWN MOWING RULES STILL APPLY IN FALL

SQUASH CAN KEEP FOR MONTHS UNDER PROPER CONDITIONS

TIME TO WINTERIZE WATER GARDEN

WINTERIZE EQUIPMENT, TOOLS BEFORE YOU STORE THEM

Contact: Leslie Johnson

THE GARDEN CORNER

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The days may be getting shorter, but gardening questions are still cropping up. Michigan State University Extension specialists answer timely queries about landscape ornamentals, vegetable gardening, winterizing power equipment, lawns and other topics.

17. I have a row of flowering quince bushes that aren’t flowering the way they used to. They flowered just fine for several years, so I’m pretty sure it’s not lack of winter hardiness, though a particularly severe weather does seem to make the flowers even more sparse.

1. If the shrubs are old and overgrown, you might try removing one-third of the old, mature stems each year. Use pruners or rose nippers to take them out at ground level. The result should be a return to the plants’ earlier flowering habits.

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17. When do I harvest Jerusalem artichokes?

1. Harvest tubers after heavy frosts in late fall or before new growth begins in early spring. Tubers left in the soil over winter and not harvested in spring will produce new plants. If you’re using the plants as ornamentals rather than edibles, you might want to dig the tubers in the fall or spring and replant them farther apart. Otherwise, they’ll form dense clumps next year.

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17. Why should I mulch a newly seeded area of lawn?

1. Mulching slows evaporation of water from the soil and so promotes good seed germination and quick establishment. Without mulch, you might have to water several times a day during warm weather to keep the grass seed or seedlings from drying out.

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17. My neighbor is getting ready to plant garlic this fall. Is that really the best time?

1. In Michigan, fall-planted garlic usually produces larger bulbs than spring-planted garlic. Wet soils in early spring can delay planting, and later planting results in smaller bulbs. Bulbs for planting should be purchased from a reputable garden center or mail-order catalog. Garlic from the grocery store is not recommended for planting because it may have been stored at undesirably warm temperatures, which will inhibit bulb formation. Well drained soil and full sun are required.

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17. Is fall a good time to plant evergreen shrubs?

1. September and early October are good planting times because evergreens planted then have time to establish their root systems before winter. Plant shrubs at the same depth at which they were growing at the nursery and water during dry weather. Evergreens planted in locations where they’ll be exposed to drying winter sun and wind should be protected with screens of burlap or canvas to keep the foliage from drying out. Thorough watering before the soil freezes and mulch to conserve soil moisture and prevent alternate freezing thawing of the soil are also recommended.

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17. Is it really necessary to empty the fuel tank on my gasoline-powered lawn tractor before I put it away for the winter?

1. An alternative to emptying the tanks on lawn tractors, mowers, tillers and other gasoline-powered equipment that you won’t be using this winter is to add gasoline stabilizer according to label directions. Gasoline is perishable and, if left sitting in a fuel tank or gas can over the winter, will lose quality by spring. Even worse, it may form a varnish-like substance that may gum up your engine. The engine may have to be professionally cleaned or possibly need a new carburetor and/or engine fuel supply parts.

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17. Should I cut back the tops of my peonies after the first killing frost?

1. If foliar diseases have been a problem during the growing season, it’s a good idea to cut old foliage at ground level and burn or bury the leaves away from the planting site. This reduces the carryover of disease from one year to the next. Healthy foliage can be left in place to hold snow to help insulate the plant crowns.

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     Q. What do I do with the loofah sponge gourds that my neighbor gave me so I can use them as natural
          sponges?

1. Soak the hard-shelled gourds in water until the outer covering and inner pith get soft. Then rub the gourds together or brush them carefully to remove the soft tissue. Wash the rough, sponge-like material that’s left several times in clean water and then allow it to dry. Then your vegetable sponges should be ready to use.

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17. Why is fall a good time to fertilize lawns?

1. The lawn grasses used in Michigan grow well during cool, moist weather. Much of that growth takes place underground, in roots and rhizomes, so fertilizing in fall promotes the development of an extensive root system without causing a lot of top growth. Fertilizing in the spring has the opposite effect: lots of lush top growth at the expense of the roots. This results in a lawn that needs a lot of mowing but one that’s not competitive with weeds and more susceptible to stress from dry weather, disease and insect attack. Fall fertilization thickens turf, making it difficult for weeds to get a foothold, and builds up the plants’ carbohydrate reserves for early growth next spring.

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17. Why did some of my asparagus plants have red berries and some not?

1. The inconspicuous flowers of asparagus plants are either male or female, and male and female flowers occur on different plants. Only female flowers develop into fruits, so any plant with berries on it is female.

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17. Potatoes grow underground – does that mean the edible parts are roots, like carrots?

1. White or Irish potatoes are actually underground stems. The "eyes" are nodes, the points on an aboveground stem where leaves are attached.

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17. Can I plant my potted mums outdoors?

1. You can, but if they’re not labeled "hardy mums", they are probably florist’s mums, which are grown in greenhouses because they won’t survive outdoors in the winter.

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17. What are the easiest vegetables to store at home?

1. Probably the very easiest are parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes, which can be stored in the garden where they grew and dug up later. Of crops that are stored outside the garden, dry beans are probably the easiest – if they’re thoroughly dry, they will keep more or less indefinitely at room temperature. Yellow or white globe onions store for months at temperatures just above freezing and low humidity. Winter squash and pumpkins can be stored from a month to six months at temperatures in the 50s. Potatoes need low temperatures but high humidity (this is why storing potatoes and onions together usually doesn’t give good results) to keep them from shriveling (low humidity) or sprouting (warm temperatures).

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17. What’s that shrub I see in wet meadows each fall with no leaves but lots of bright red berries?

1. You’re probably seeing common winterberry, also known as Michigan holly. This native deciduous shrub grows in low, swampy spots and usually has berries present from October through December. It’s a protected plant in the wild, but it can be purchased from local nurseries for planting in low-lying, wet spots in the home landscape.

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 ANR Communications                                    Contact: L. Johnson or D. Warncke
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY              Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-0210
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                         8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- You tilled, planted, watered, weeded, fertilized, picked Colorado potato beetles and tomato hornworms, weeded, harvested, watered and weeded and mulched. After a final harvest, you cleaned up the garden, cleaned off the tiller and put it away, emptied and coiled up the hose, and put your notes and your sketch of the garden layout where you’ll be able to find them next year. The last thing you want right now is one more garden chore to do before the ground freezes.

So here’s one more garden chore to do before the ground freezes: have your soil tested.

"Fall is an excellent time to collect a soil sample and have it analyzed," says Darryl Warncke, Extension soil scientist at Michigan State University. "Soil pH and the other things that a soil test tells you about your garden will change little between now and next spring, but testing now means you won’t be waiting next year on results from a lab swamped with the spring rush."

Soil pH -- whether your soil is acid, alkaline or neutral -- influences nutrient availability to plants. If it’s too far outside a narrow optimum range from neutral to slightly acidic, nutrients may be present in abundance but not available to plants. Nutrient deficiencies may occur.

Soil test results include recommendations for soil treatments to adjust soil pH, if necessary. Soil pH changes slowly, so if you have soil test results now, you may be able to start the process this fall, Warncke suggests. This will give the lime time to neutralize soil acidity before the next growing season.

Soil test results also include fertilizer recommendations to provide nutrients for the types of plants you intend to grow. Following these recommendations provides needed nutrients without applying more fertilizer than plants need. This saves money and keeps excess nutrients out of surface and groundwater.

The county MSU Extension office has instructions on taking a soil sample and containers for mailing it to the MSU Soil Testing Laboratory, Warncke notes. You can also get help there in interpreting and using the results and recommendations.

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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                           8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Maybe it’s the term "evergreen" -- maybe that’s what makes people think that pines, yews and other evergreens never drop their needles unless they’re diseased or stressed in some way.

"All evergreens shed old needles," says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener coordinator at Michigan State University.

How long needles stay on twigs varies with the species, she notes. In white pine and arborvitae, needles are relatively short-lived, hanging on for only a couple years before dropping. Yews generally shed needles after three years. The needles of bristlecone pine, on the other hand, can persist for up to 30 years.

Broad-leafed evergreens also drop 2- to 3-year-old leaves, usually in late summer or early fall after the current year’s growth has matured. White pine also usually drops old needles in the fall; needle drop in yews usually occurs in mid- to late spring.

When should you worry about falling needles? When the plant is shedding the current year’s growth. This indicates the plant is under stress from drought, poor soil fertility, air pollution, insect attack, salty spray or runoff from road deicing efforts, or poor drainage, McLellan says.

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ANR Communications                                      Contact: L. Johnson or D. Badgero
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-0348
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                          8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you’ve been thinking about adding a water garden to your landscape, fall is a good time to install it.

Doug Badgero, greenhouse manager in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University, says fall is a good time because it’s a slow time for vegetable and flower gardening and the weather is usually still favorable for working outdoors.

Liners, accessories and even plants are widely available at nurseries, home centers and lumberyards, and through specialized catalogs, he observes. Before you buy, however, he recommends buying a good book and maybe some magazines on water gardening.

"It’s better to spend $15 or $20 on a book to find out what’s possible and then think it through carefully and decide what you want than to spend $1,500 or $2,000 on a water garden that may not meet your needs," he suggests.

He cautions would-be water gardeners that water gardening is like any other sort of gardening -- you don’t just plant it and forget it. Depending on the size of your garden and the time of year, you can figure on spending one or two hours per week or more on upkeep and maintenance.

Once you decide that water gardening is for you, multiple other decisions remain to be made. First and most important is location.

"A water garden needs full sun," Badgero says, "at least six hours per day or more. It’s difficult to get everything to bloom otherwise. A spot that grows tomatoes and peppers or sun-loving annuals is a good spot for a water garden."

Second, the site must be level and the liner must be installed level. Otherwise the water will look as if it’s about to spill out over one side.

Gardeners have a variety of liner sizes and shapes to choose from, he notes.

"Today’s prefab liners are much easier to install than the old type concrete-lined ponds," he says. "Now you simply dig a hole and pop it in the ground."

Another consideration is how you’ll finish the edges. A popular way is to overlap the top of the liner with slabs of stone. Another popular option is to create a bog-type setting around the pond.

"How much you spend getting your water garden installed and planted will vary with the decisions you make about size, liner and edge treatment, and whether you want to add a waterfall and pump or install a filter," Badgero observes. "Basically, you can spend as much as you want or keep costs fairly low. If you install the pond in the fall, you should probably hold off planting until spring, and that will spread the initial investment out over many months."

Visitors to the MSU Horticulture Demonstration Gardens behind the Plant and Soil Sciences Building can see the water garden that Badgero installed in the perennials garden. It’s 25 by 35 feet and features a variety of hardy plants. It has a rubber liner and a stone edging. Another pond is located in the nearby 4-H Children’s Garden.

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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                      8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Spring is such a hectic time for gardeners that sometimes there just isn’t time enough to get everything done. Homeowners who didn’t plant trees and shrubs in the spring get another chance in the fall.

"Fall is like a second spring for landscape plantings," says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener coordinator at Michigan State University. "There’s usually plenty of moisture and cool temperatures, and the soil is warm. This combination makes for good root growth and helps plants get established before winter."

Most landscape ornamentals can be planted in the fall. Exceptions include some oaks, poplars, red maple, birch, magnolia, dogwood, hawthorn, hornbeam, tulip tree, sweet gum, yellowwood, golden raintree and most fruit trees. Their susceptibility to winter injury makes them better candidates for spring planting, McLellan explains.

Keys to success with landscape plants are hardiness and suitability to the site.

"Hardiness is the plant’s ability to survive a normal winter," McLellan says. "Much of Michigan is in USDA hardiness zone 5, so homeowners should look for plants hardy to zone 5 or lower. Plants hardy to zone 6 or 7 would be considered marginal in most of the state. Such plants might survive a mild winter or a series of mild winters in a sheltered site but die when normal weather returns."

Another issue related to hardiness is performance. A common plant that’s better adapted to the climate is likely to add more to the landscape than an exotic plant that just barely survives from year to year, she notes. The exotic plant may also take more maintenance because of winter injury and increased susceptibility to disease, insect and environmental problems due to stress.

To match plant needs with the growing conditions in the planting site, you need to consider site characteristics such as soil drainage (some trees and shrubs will tolerate soggy soil; most won’t), exposure to sun and prevailing wind, and soil (clay or sand, compacted or loose, fertile or not, etc.). Plant traits to consider are mature size and shape -- this determines proper spacing from structures and other plants; susceptibility to pests, diseases and other problems -- these relate to future maintenance needs; and ornamental characteristics such as the presence of flowers, fruits, interesting bark texture, shape and branching structure, multiple stems, fall color, etc.

The well chosen plant then needs to be planted properly. Dig a hole two to three times as big as the plant’s root ball, McLellan advises, and make sure the roots are spread so they’ll grow outward, not around. Make sure all non-biodegradable materials are removed from the trunk and rootball. Plastic canvas, wire, plastic cord and other such materials ill limit root growth or become a strangling noose over time. Adjust the plant up or downward so that it’s located at its original growing level. Then backfill gently, watering to eliminate air pockets around the roots and settle the soil, and adding more soil as needed until the tree is firmly anchored. Use extra soil to build a donut-shaped ridge of soil 2 to 4 inches high around the margin of the hole outside the root area. This creates a reservoir for watering.

Planting time is the best time to stake or guy trees, if necessary. A large tree with a small root ball in an area exposed to the wind may need support for a year or two until its roots take hold. Whether a tree needs one, two or three stakes depends on its size -- the bigger the tree, the more support it needs. Attach the tree to the stakes with soft strapping material or padded wire to prevent damage to the trunk.

Mulching around the base of the plant helps conserve soil moisture and protects against alternate freezing and thawing of the soil, which can damage the roots and even heave smaller plants right up out of the ground. It will also help keep weed growth down next year.

Avoid piling wood chips, shredded bark or other materials up against the trunk or stems, McLellan warns.

"This makes a hiding place for mice, which can severely injure or even kill young plants over the winter by gnawing on the bark," she explains.

Water regularly during dry weather during the first year or two after planting to promote root development, but avoid overwatering, especially in slow-to-drain clay soils. Roots need air as well as water, McLellan notes, and standing in waterlogged soil will kill them.

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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                          8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you’re looking for a group of plants to solve every landscape problem, you need a magic wand, not a ground cover. But for an alternative to mowed lawn on slopes or in areas where turfgrasses don’t thrive, a well chosen ground cover might be the solution.

"Technically, turfgrass is a ground cover," says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener coordinator at Michigan State University. "But most people think of ground covers as vines, spreading or creeping plants, and even shrubs used as an alternative to grass."

A steep slope that’s dangerous to mow can be converted from a hazard to an asset with the use of ground covers, she suggests. Crown vetch, with its lavender-pink flowers and dark green foliage, tolerates the less than wonderful growing conditions along interstate highways throughout the Midwest, she observes. Daylilies, also, will grow just about anywhere from moist, shaded ditch bank to sun-baked slope. They have a reputation for tolerating road salt, also.

A sunny to partly shaded area contained by masonry walks, walls or other plant-proof barriers is made to order for honeysuckle vines. Their flowers add fragrance while their stems form a dense tangle. Those same stems will try to take over the world -- or at least a local piece of it -- so it’s best used between sidewalk and driveway or within an area enclosed by a retaining wall, McLellan suggests. Other invasive ground cover plants include English ivy, goutweed and snow-in-summer.

Densely shaded areas where grass struggles to survive are prime candidates for ground covers such as snow-on-the-mountain, Baltic ivy and vinca.

One shrub sold as a ground cover is prostrate juniper. Only a few inches high, it spreads to form a dense mat of evergreen foliage that shades out unwanted weeds.

Most well established ground covers will compete successfully with weeds, McLellan notes, and need less maintenance than a lawn area. Weeds can be a problem until the ground cover fills the planting site, however. A combination of thorough site preparation -- eliminate perennial weeds with herbicides, black plastic sheeting or repeated tilling, McLellan suggests -- and hand weeding or mulching to discourage annual weeds can control weeds while ground covers grow and spread. Another strategy is to interplant ground covers with annual plants. This probably won’t eliminate the need for weed control, but it will help, and it will cover the area while the ground cover plants are getting established.

Let the conditions of the site guide your choice of plants, McLellan advises. Consider soil type, drainage, moisture, shade and exposure (sunny southern or windy western vs. shaded, protected northern exposure) when selecting plants. The best plant for a steep, sunny slope is not necessarily a good choice for the dense shade under a stand of trees.

When it’s time to buy plants, how many you need will depend on the size of the area, the kind of plant and its proper spacing, how quickly you want the area to fill in and how much you are willing to spend.

A small, highly visible area might be planted fairly densely for rapid fill-in, McLellan says. A larger area might be planted more sparingly, with the idea that you’ll invest the time and energy needed to weed it rather than the money required to buy many more plants. Another strategy would be to plant the large area in sections, taking several years to complete it.

Like other newly planted ornamentals, ground cover plants will probably need frequent watering until they get established. Mulching to discourage weeds also helps conserve moisture and reduces the need for irrigation.

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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                          8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -– Healthy trees contribute to the beauty and the value of your home landscape. Select and maintain trees with these tips from Extension horticulturists at Michigan State University:

* Select hardy species with typically few problems with insects or diseases, and plant them in a site that meets their requirements for drainage, soil pH, sunlight, moisture, etc. Avoid problem-prone trees -– those with serious insect and disease problems and weak wood or branching patterns that make them susceptible to storm damage. Hardiness refers to a tree’s ability to survive a normal winter in your area. Marginally hardy plants -– those that do well in areas south of Michigan -– might live through a series of mild winters or survive in a sheltered area, but they are unlikely to perform as well as plants native to northern regions. Make sure the planting site gives the tree room to reach its mature size.

* Plant properly. Dig a large planting hole and place the tree at the same level it was growing at in the nursery. Be sure to remove all non-biodegradable materials from the trunk or root ball before planting, and redirect or remove any roots growing around the root ball -– they may eventually girdle and kill the plant. Water to settle soil around the roots -– hard tamping can compact the soil and damage the roots.

* Water newly planted trees during dry weather for the first growing season or two after planting. Limited root systems make them more vulnerable to drought, and drought stress can, in turn, make them more susceptible to insect attack and other problems.

* Stake and guy newly planted trees as needed to prevent wind damage and promote quick establishment of a sturdy, supportive root system.

* Protect landscape plants from damage by lawn mowers, string trimmers and other landscape equipment, as well as herbicides and other lawn and garden chemicals. Mulching around landscape ornamentals keeps the lawnmower at a safe distance. It also helps conserve soil moisture and reduce the frequency of watering during dry weather. Keep herbicides out of the root zone of landscape trees as much as possible. If you must use them, apply them in the fall when woody plants are growing less vigorously and so are less likely to take up and suffer damage from such chemicals.

* Avoid using deicing salt around landscape plants. Plant sensitive plants away from roadways where airborne salt spray or salt in the root zone can injure them, and avoid piling salt-laden snow or ice near plants.

* Remove broken, dead or diseased branches promptly and properly. Leave no stubs or raggedy bark that could give insects or diseases a place to get established.

* Fertilize established plants every year to keep them growing vigorously, and water even long-established trees in extended dry periods.

* Avoid changes in the growing site that may damage roots or alter drainage. Protect trees from injury to bark or roots during construction.

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 ANR Communications                                      Contact: L. Johnson or M. Koelling
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-0094
East Lansing, MI 49924-1039                           8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Folk tales about the cause of fall leaf colors are entertaining, but the scientific explanation is almost as interesting.

"Autumn leaf colors are the result of a chemical change in the leaves," explains Mel Koelling, Extension forestry specialist at Michigan State University. "The trigger is the onset of cooler temperatures and reduction in day length."

During the growing season, green leaves are green because of the large amounts of chlorophyll they contain. Chlorophyll is the key component in photosynthesis, the process by which leaves use sunlight and carbon dioxide to make the sugars and starches the tree uses for food. As long as they are growing, trees continually replenish their leaves’ supply of chlorophyll. As the days get shorter and cooler, however, growth slows and the tree produces less chlorophyll, Koelling explains. As chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, it isn’t replaced, and the other pigments that have been there along, masked by the green, become apparent.

The yellows, oranges and browns commonly seen in birch, hickory, aspen and some maples come from a group of pigments called carotenoids. These are the same pigments responsible for the colors in carrots, bananas and field corn.

Red and purple coloration in leaves of trees such as oak, sweetgum, dogwood and some maples is caused by anthocyanins, the same pigments that color cherries, grapes, blueberries and apples. In trees with green leaves, carotenoids are present in leaves all summer, but anthocyanins are produced in late summer and early fall in response to environmental cues, Koelling says.

Both kinds can occur in the same leaves and can combine to produce the fiery reds, oranges and bronzes seen in dogwoods, sumacs, oaks and maples. A wide range of colors is possible, though the basic color varies from species to species and cultivar to cultivar.

The intensity of color varies from year to year, depending on the weather, Koelling notes.

"The conditions most favorable for brilliant reds are bright, sunny, warm days and cool nights," he observes. "The leaves produce more sugar on warm days, and night temperatures below 45 degrees keep those sugars in the leaves. Pigments are formed in those sugars, so the more sugars, the more color."

When night temperatures are warm, the sugars exit the leaves and colors are less intense. Cloudy, wet weather that interferes with sugar production also tends to dull the fall color display. And an early hard frost that kills leaf tissue will result in a predominance of brown.

Fall color that occurs out of season means trees are stressed from drought, insect attack, low soil fertility, a girdling root or some other problem, Koelling notes.

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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                        8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you’re the sort of gardener who raises vegetable and flower transplants, propagates shrubs from cuttings and forces bulbs in an old refrigerator, here’s another sort of challenge: raising gloxinia from seed.

The lush, velvety blooms of flowering gloxinia plants can be yours by next Mother’s Day if you sow seeds in December, says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener coordinator at Michigan State University.

The keys to success are just the right combination of indirect light, warm temperatures, rich organic soil and plenty of moisture.

Start by pouring a sterile potting mixture into a shallow container, moistening it and pressing the gloxinia seeds into the surface. They need light to germinate, so don’t cover them, McLellan cautions.

Cover the container with a pane of glass or clear plastic to keep conditions inside humid. Then place the container in a shaded spot with temperatures consistently around 70 degrees. At that temperature, seeds should germinate in two to three weeks. At lower temperatures, germination will be slower.

Three or four days after seedlings appear, prop up one corner of the glass or pull back the plastic to allow some air exchange. After another two or three days, remove the cover altogether.

Place the container where plants will receive bright indirect light. Plants will do best if they receive 15 to 18 hours of bright light daily, so use of fluorescent tubes to supplement natural daylight is recommended. Set plants 5 to 6 inches from the lights and use an automatic timer to turn the lights on and off, McLellan suggests.

Once the cover is off the container and plants are growing, they should be checked frequently and watered as needed to keep the soil moist. The roots of the young plants are very near the surface and won’t tolerate drying out, McLellan explains.

Transplant the seedlings when they have their third set of leaves, spacing them at least 1 inch apart, and again when leaves begin to overlap. This time, place them individually in the containers you want them to grow in, such as 5- or 6-inch pots.

Seeds sown in December should be in flower by May.

Plants that grow spindly and flower sparsely are responding to insufficient light. Overfeeding with nitrogen can also result in few flowers. If buds dry, turn brown and drop off, temperatures are too high or the soil is either poorly drained or too dry. Yellow spots form when water is splashed on the foliage. To avoid them, water gloxinia from below.

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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                         8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -– Fall is an excellent time to plant landscape trees and shrubs, but there’s more to it than popping a plant in a hole in the ground.

Newly planted ornamentals often need pruning, staking or bracing, wrapping and watering to thrive, says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener coordinator at Michigan State University.

Pruning may be needed to remove broken or damaged stems or branches. On deciduous plants, pruning up to 25 percent of the leaf-bearing wood can reduce moisture loss from plants with limited root systems. It also thins the top and reduces top weight and wind resistance.

"As always when pruning, remove injured, weak or poorly located branches first," McLellan advises. "Remove whole branches -– don’t leave stubs -– and take care to preserve the plant’s natural shape."

Some trees over 1 inch in trunk diameter and upright evergreens 4 to 5 feet tall and larger benefit from staking during the first year after planting. Staking keeps the root ball from rolling or pivoting in the ground when strong winds blow, she explains. Without support, the plant may have trouble establishing a sturdy, stabilizing root system and may begin to grow leaning away from the prevailing wind.

Trees up to 2 inches in diameter can be supported by one stake; trees with trunk diameters of 2 to 4 inches need two stakes; larger ones need three.

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. If you’re using two stakes, put one on the windward side and the other opposite it. Three stakes should be spaced evenly around the tree and fastened together with horizontal braces to form a triangular structure around the trunk. Fasten the tree to the stakes with wire enclosed in a length of vinyl garden hose, soft rope or commercial tree ties. The tie should form a figure 8, with one loop around the trunk and the other around the stake and the cross between them.

Avoid using unpadded wire or cable around trunks or stems, she cautions -– it can cut through the bark and girdle the tree. Damaged bark can also heal and grow over the wire, making it impossible to remove without seriously damaging the tree. Staking should be done only temporarily -– generally, stakes and guy wires should be removed after one season, she advises.

Other hazards to newly planted ornamentals include dry weather, drying sun and wind, and gnawing rodents.

Because root systems are limited, newly planted trees and shrubs need plenty of moisture. Roots continue to grow into the fall, so, unless fall rains are plentiful, watering needs to continue until the ground freezes. She advises soaking the soil in the root zone every seven to 10 days during dry weather. Sandy soils may need more frequent watering than heavy clay or loam soils.

Bright winter sun can damage the bark of young plants and, combined with wind, dry the foliage of evergreens. Wrapping the trunks of thin-barked, smooth trees with burlap or special tree-wrapping paper shades them from the sun and helps prevent sunscald and bark splitting. To screen evergreens from sun and wind, tack canvas or burlap to stakes on the south and west sides of the plants.

Mice and rabbits may feed on tree bark in the winter, McLellan observes. Rodent guards made of ¼-inch mesh hardware cloth need to extend from the soil to well above the usual snow line. Mice will gnaw on bark beneath the snow, she notes; rabbits can stand on top of frozen snow to damage tree trunks and lower branches, so guards need to extend at least 18 inches above the usual snow level.

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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                           8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- When cool night temperatures signal that it’s time to bring indoors houseplants that spent the summer outside, a host of insects and insect relatives may come indoors with them.

Some are insects that feed on houseplants. Indoors, these can undergo a population explosion and spread from the plant they came in on to others in your home. Other pests -- such as millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs and pillbugs, spiders, ground beetles, earwigs and springtails -- may not harm plants or other materials, but their presence indoors makes them household nuisances.

"Even shrews and slugs have been known to come indoors in plant pots or in that moist, cool area between the pot and the saucer," says Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. "The family cat might be happy with a live shrew for a plaything, but chances are the homeowner is something less than thrilled."

Millipedes, the so-called thousand-legged worm, have hard, multi-segmented bodies with two pairs of legs on each segment. The common ones have around 80 pairs -- 160 legs -- and are dark-colored and cylindrical.

Centipedes -- "hundred-legged worms" -- also fall short of living up to their nickname. They usually have 18 segments with one pair of legs per segment for a total of around 36 legs. The common types are flattened rather than round and have long, fairly distinct antennae. The house centipede is the most common centipede found in homes.

Millipedes feed primarily on soft, decayed plant materials. They’re commonly found inside and under rotting logs, around compost piles, under garden mulch and in lawns with heavy thatch. They prefer a spot with abundant moisture and cool temperatures -- such as the space between a clay pot and its saucer. Once away from moist areas, millipedes will die in a day or two.

Centipedes are fleet-footed predators that feed on insects and other arthropods, subduing their prey with the help of a toxic bite. They’ll bite in self-defense if they’re handled.

Sowbugs and pillbugs are land-dwelling relatives of lobsters, crabs, shrimp and other marine crustaceans. They can survive only in areas with abundant free moisture or high humidity.

"As any youngster interested in bugs can tell you, the main difference between sowbugs and pillbugs is that pillbugs can roll up into a hard ball when disturbed," Ellis observes. "Thus their nickname, ‘roly-poly’."

Both feed on soft vegetation, particularly plant material that has begun to decay. Like millipedes, they tend to hide during the day and become active at night.

Spiders, like centipedes, are predators and use toxic fangs to subdue their prey. Most people appreciate the work that spiders do but prefer that they do it outdoors.

Ground beetles coming in on plant pots are likely to be ¼ to ½ inch long and dark-colored. Like all beetles, they have hard shells. Whether predators or seed eaters, they tend to be active at night and hide during the day.

Earwigs are easy to recognize by the forcepslike appendages on the tip of the abdomen. Otherwise, the insects are fairly flat, ¼ to 1 ½ inches long and reddish brown. They’re more common in years with plentiful rain in spring and summer.

Earwigs are primarily scavengers, feeding on decaying plant material. Indoors, they are strictly a nuisance, in spite of their somewhat fearsome appearance.

Springtails are very small (1/16 to 3/16 inch long), wingless, primitive insects that may occur in large numbers in the soil in houseplant pots set on or near the ground. They may go unnoticed until watering brings them to the soil surface, where they hop around by cocking and releasing the forked appendage on the tip of the abdomen. "If the soil in your plant pots is literally jumping with tiny insects, they’re probably springtails," he says. Though springtails help build up humus in the soil, they can become a nuisance. Repotting in fresh soil usually eliminates them, Ellis notes.

The others are best controlled mechanically -- by broom and dustpan, vacuum cleaner, flyswatter or sole of shoe applied firmly to floor with the pest sandwiched between the flat surfaces.

"Better yet, inspect plant pots closely before bringing them inside," Ellis suggests. "Water to reveal springtails; separate pots and saucers and dislodge any creatures lurking there. Shake or tap pots vigorously to disturb beetles, millipedes, spiders and other creatures and encourage them to leave their hiding places."

If you find scale insects, mealybugs, aphids or other plant-destructive pests, use a hard stream of water or insecticidal soap to remove them. Then quarantine these plants separate from other uninfested indoor plants and observe them closely, treating any new outbreaks as they occur. Discard severely infested plants.

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ANR Communications                                      Contact: L. Johnson or H. Doss
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY               Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3737
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                           8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- It seems as if you’ve mowed the lawn a thousand times this year, and now you’re heading out to do it again. Whether it’s the first or the 1001st time, the same safe mowing rules apply, says Howard Doss, Extension safety specialist at Michigan State University.

He lists 10 essentials to safe mowing:

* Dress appropriately: long pants and sturdy shoes or boots. Save the shorts and sandals for relaxing on the deck.

* Because of carbon monoxide fumes given off by the engine, always fuel and start a gasoline-powered mower outdoors.

* Never mow wet, slippery grass. It won’t cut well, it may clog the exit chute and it makes the footing treacherous, especially on sloping ground.

* Clear debris from the yard before mowing, and keep children, pets and other bystanders away from the mowing area. Mower blades can pick up overlooked objects and make deadly missiles of them.

* With a push-type (walking) mower, always mow across a slope; with a riding mower or garden tractor, always mow up and down a slope. If you’re pushing a walking mower up a slope, it could fall back on you. Conversely, if you’re following it downhill, you could slip and contact the blade. A riding mower may tip if it’s ridden across a slope rather than straight up and down.

* Never pull a walking-type mower toward you. You want to keep that sharp, rotating blade moving away from your feet at all times.

* Never reach into the exit chute when the mower is running. If you must remove a clog, stop the engine, wait for the blade to stop, and use a stick or rake handle to unclog.

* Let a hot engine cool before refueling. Keep only small amounts of gasoline -- about 2 gallons -- in approved containers and store containers in a locked storage area separate from the house or garage.

* Never work on a gas-powered mower without removing the spark plug wire. This prevents the engine from starting when you don’t want it to.

* If you are tired, ill or taking medication that makes you feel dull or groggy or slows your reaction time, don’t operate mowers or any other power equipment.

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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                        8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Some winter squash and pumpkins can be successfully stored for several months if you harvest them carefully and store them properly.

"Successful storage begins when you harvest fully mature fruits before a hard frost," says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener coordinator at Michigan State University.

Immature fruits won’t store well, she points out. In mature fruits, the rind is richly colored and the ground spot -- where the fruit rested on the ground -- is orange rather than pale yellow or green. The rind should be so hard that it’s not easily punctured by a fingernail."Handle fruits carefully to avoid bruising or nicking the skin, and harvest before a hard frost," she advises. "Exposure to freezing temperatures or mechanical damage to the hard rind gives spoilage organisms such as molds and bacteria a place to get established."

Store winter squash and pumpkins in an area with low humidity and temperatures between 50 and 58 degrees F. Lower temperatures will cause chilling injury, which promote speed decay. Higher temperatures cause the fruits to dry out and speed the natural decline in eating quality.

Place the fruits on open shelves so that air can circulate around them. If possible, separate them so they aren’t touching one another. If necessary, stack them no more than one or two layers deep.

Check stored produce regularly and remove any showing signs of mold or other deterioration.

Pumpkins should keep nicely for up to two or three months under these conditions. Winter squash will keep for up to six months, depending on variety. Optimum storage times vary from 35 to 55 days for acorn squash to 60 to 90 days for butternut, and 180 days for hubbard and spaghetti squash.

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ANR Communications                                      Contact: L. Johnson or D. Badgero
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY              Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-0348
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                          8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Large or small, simple or fancy, your water garden needs some attention before winter.

Doug Badgero, greenhouse manager in the Department of Horticulture at Michigan State University, says the first hard frost is the signal to winterize.

"After a heavy frost occurs and the plants have quit growing, cut off foliage and get it all out of the pond," he advises. "If you leave it, or if you allow tree leaves or other plant debris to accumulate, it will settle to the bottom and decay. This will contribute to algae growth later and cause other problems, such as clogged pumps."

Once plants are cut back, hardy plants such as hardy water lilies should be moved to the deepest part of the pond -- ideally, a depth of 24 to 36 inches. Lotus, tropical water lilies and other non-hardy plants should be brought inside and stored in a cool, damp area where temperatures will stay above freezing. A range of 32 to 38 degrees F is ideal.

If the pond contains fish, it will need to be aerated or heated to keep it from freezing. Badgero uses a livestock tank heater in the pond in the Horticulture Demonstration Gardens behind the MSU Plant and Soil Sciences Building.

"If you don’t have fish but you do have a stone edging around the pond, you might want to aerate or heat the pond to prevent ice from popping the stones off the sides," he adds.

No fish, no rocks -- just let it freeze.

If your pond has a waterfall or some other feature involving a pump and filter, unhook the pipe from the pump to the waterfall, he advises, and the water should drain out. This prevents frozen, burst pipes, he notes.

You can clean the pond in the fall, but Badgero advises simply getting the dead foliage and tree leaves out and waiting until spring. An algae bloom in May or June is almost guaranteed, he says, and you will have to clean it then anyway.

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ANR Communications                                      Contact: L. Johnson or H. Doss
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY                Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3737
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039                           8/15/00

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- After spending endless hours of quality time mowing the lawn, hoeing the vegetable garden, pruning the hedges and playing with your other gardening tools, your first inclination might be to shove them all in a dark corner of the garage and enjoy knowing that you won’t have to employ them again until next spring.

Your lawn and garden equipment and tools will last longer, however, and work better and be ready to use when you need them next year if you spend a little time on preventive maintenance this fall.

Howard Doss, Extension agricultural engineer at Michigan State University, says the owner’s manual is the best guide to winterizing a lawn mower, tiller, garden tractor or other powered equipment. The main steps generally include draining the fuel tank and the engine of fuel -- or using a fuel stabilizing additive, which allows you to leave fuel in the tank over winter -- draining and changing the oil, cleaning and sharpening, adjusting and lubricating the various parts as needed, and replacing or cleaning and oiling the air filter.

He also recommends removing the sparkplug, placing a teaspoon of clean oil in the cylinder and turning the engine over with the starter. This coats the cylinder walls and valves and protects against rust. You can put the old sparkplug back or buy a new one and put it in.

Batteries should be cleaned off, especially the posts, and stored where they won’t freeze.

Chainsaws and other motor-driven equipment that you’ll be using during the winter should be drained and refueled with winter-blend gasoline as soon as it becomes available from local dealers. Using a fuel stabilizer will prevent fuel degrading and starting problems, he adds.

If you know you’ll need repair or replacement parts to get equipment up and running next spring, order them now, Doss suggests. When they arrive, install them at once or tape or tie them to the equipment so they don’t get lost.

Hand tools will benefit from some attention now, also, he notes. Clean the soil from spades, hoes and other soil-working tools and coat metal parts with oil or grease. Store wood ladders and wood-handled tools inside. A good homemade preservative for wood is one part linseed oil and two parts paint thinner (mineral spirits). Apply it with a brush and then store the tools in a dry location.

Drain garden hoses before storing them. Coiling is OK, but store the coiled hose flat rather than hanging on a nail -- this is likely to cause the hose to crack where it bends around the nail.

Hedge trimmers and pruners that are sticky with sap can be cleaned with a rag dipped in paint thinner. Then sharpen them and oil the blades before storing them.

Garden sprayers, dusters and fertilizer spreaders also need thorough cleaning. Any chemicals left in them over the winter will probably clog moving parts or nozzles, Doss explains. Fertilizer left in a spreader will absorb water. A rusty spreader is the likely result.

"In other words, clean your tools, lubricate the moving parts or oil the rust-prone sections, and preserve the wood, then store them where they will be protected from weather," Doss sums up.

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