Fall, 1999

LAWN AND GARDEN RELEASES FOR SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER

THE GARDEN CORNER

BULBS AND PERENNIALS OFFER LONG BLOOM SEASON

DIG AND STORE GLADS, OTHER TENDER BULBS

FALL GARDEN CLEANUP CAN REDUCE PROBLEMS

GOT LEMONS? MAKE LEMONADE; GOT LEAVES? MAKE COMPOST

INSECTS CAN PLAGUE HOUSEPLANTS

LET POPCORN MATURE ON STALK BEFORE HARVEST

MANY REASONS FOR PRUNING

PINE SEED BUGS MAY COME INDOORS IN AUTUMN

PROPER MULCHING PREVENTS PROBLEMS

ROSES NEED HELP TO SURVIVE WINTER

SEVERAL INSECTS MAY FEED ON FABRICS

SHOULD YOU SAVE SEEDS?

THIS YEAR'S GERANIUMS CAN BE KEPT OVER WINTER

TINY PESTS CAN INVADE HOMES IN LARGE NUMBERS IN AUTUMN

Outreach Communications Contact: L. Johnson
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Summer is the peak of the growing season, and except possibly for weeds, nothing is more prolific than questions about growing concerns. Michigan State University Extension specialists answer timely queries about topics ranging from nuisance pests to vegetable gardening to tree problems.

Q. Are sowbugs insects?

A. No. Sowbugs and pillbugs, like insects, are arthropods (from Greek words meaning "joint- footed"), but they're more closely related to shrimp, lobsters and crabs than to insects. They have segmented bodies and seven pairs of legs. The main difference between sowbugs and pillbugs is that pillbugs roll up into an armored ball when disturbed. Indoors, they are attracted to humid areas and so are usually found in the basement or on the ground floor. They enter through cracks and crevices in the foundation. Outdoors, they tend to live in moist areas such as mulched flower beds, leaf litter and grass clippings, and under boards, rocks and other debris in the yard. Indoors or out, they do no damage to humans, pets or plants.

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Q. What is that long, skinny insect that looks like a living twig? What does it eat?

A. This is the aptly named walking stick. These insects are leaf feeders that can be found in several species of deciduous trees. They rarely cause much damage. Their camouflage is so good that most people won't see them unless they move.

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Q. What do earwigs eat? Will they do any damage in my house?

A. Earwigs are omnivorous. They will eat whatever they can subdue. Though they will munch on plants, they are more often blamed for damage done by garden slugs, cutworms and other nocturnal plant-feeding pests. Inside, they're more of a nuisance pest, though they may get into houseplants. Large numbers of earwigs in home water wells can cause bacterial contamination of drinking water. A vermin-proof well cap should be installed and water tested for coliform bacteria once a year. In the landscape, wet weather and the availability of lots of mulch or debris that provides plenty of dark, moist hiding places favor earwigs. The undersides of wooden decks also provide refuges for earwigs. Removing non-essential mulch and debris from around buildings will create a dry zone that will discourage earwigs from moving indoors. Controlling earwigs outside with insecticides is a hit-and-miss proposition. They are very active, so it's difficult to place contact insecticides so they'll be effective. Applying insecticides that have to be ingested is also hit-and-miss because vegetation is not a major item on the earwig menu. Take advantage of the nocturnal habits of earwigs to control them. Deploying the same tuna or cat food can containing a little beer that you use for slug control will attract earwigs, also. Place the traps in flower beds or other areas near outside entrances and basement windows. Push the can into the soil so the top lip is at ground level. After you finish with the newspaper in the evening, lay a few sections in the same area as the tuna can beer traps. In the morning, you should find the little beasts between the pages, where they intended to spend the day. Pick up papers and dispose of them in an appropriate manner.

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Q. What causes the leaves on maples and other trees to go all brown around the edges in summer?

A. This condition is called leaf scorch. Leaves may be tan or brown just around the edges, or the brown area may extend deep into the leaf between the veins. Causes may be dry weather, root injury that prevents the plant from taking up water, accumulation of road salt in the root zone, atmospheric pollution, soil compaction around roots and diseases such as Verticillium wilt.

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Q. My neighbor says the problem with some of my vegetable transplants is sunburn. Their leaves have bleached white areas, and some leaves are dying. It seems more prevalent in plants that I planted as soon as I brought them home. The ones I had for a week or so that had spent some time in a somewhat sheltered spot with some morning sun did better.

A. The sudden change from the sheltered environment of a greenhouse to the sunny, windy conditions in an outdoor garden plot can leave succulent young plants sun scorched, dried out and struggling to survive. A more gradual transition gives them a chance to get acclimated to outdoor growing conditions. To get transplants ready for the garden, set them outside for a short period at first, lengthening the time each day for a week or so. Be sure to keep them well watered so they don't wilt, both before and after planting, to help them survive transplant stress.

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Q. I've been successful in growing some fairly demanding plants, but something as simple as carrots has me stumped. Is it something I'm doing that makes them grow forked and misshapen?

A. Most problems with carrots, starting with poor germination and ending with rough-looking roots, are due to either soil or weather. Crusting of clay soils can prevent the emergence of carrot seedlings. Heavy clay soil or compacted soil usually results in forked carrots. Hairy carrots can be caused by improper use of herbicides or excessive fertilization. Too much rain or irrigation at the wrong time can cause roots to split. Adding organic material to clay soil, working the seedbed to a depth of 14 inches, covering carrot seeds with a layer of peat moss, sand or vermiculite instead of soil, planting a few radish seeds in with the carrots to break up a soil crust, growing carrots in raised beds, and properly using herbicides and fertilizers can help produce better carrots. Also, making successive sowings of carrots at two- or three-week intervals until mid-July will reduce losses from any single irregular weather period.

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Q. Right around dusk, I see something that I think is a big insect hovering in front of petunias and other flowers in my garden. At first I thought it was a hummingbird, but it looks more like a big moth.

A. Your visitor is a hawk moth, also known as a sphinx moth. Another common name is hummingbird moth. Like hummingbirds, these good-sized moths hover in front of flowers and feed on their nectar. The larvae of these moths are large caterpillars that can be destructive pests. The tomato hornworm is probably the most familiar. In the larval stage, it can be extremely destructive to tomato plants, consuming large quantities of foliage and leaving tomato stems bare of leaves seemingly overnight. Hand picking and spraying foliage with Bacillus thuringiensis when caterpillars are small are the recommended controls.

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Q. What makes a pumpkin a pumpkin rather than a squash?

A. Pumpkins, squashes and gourds all belong to the same plant family, the Cucurbita. Pumpkins are in the Cucurbita pepo subgroup -- they have bright orange skin (usually; white pumpkins have been developed in recent years), and hard, woody, distinctively furrowed stems. Varieties include Connecticut Field and Small Sugar, among others. The problem is that this group also includes gourds and many summer squashes -- pattypan, zucchini, vegetable marrow and others that we don't ordinarily think of as pumpkins. The C. maxima group contains varieties that produce pumpkin-like fruits whose skin is more yellow than orange and whose stems are soft and spongy or corky rather than ridged. Such stems make poor handles for jack-o'-lantern lids. These are your biggest pumpkin contest winners, varieties such as Atlantic Giant, Big Max and Show King. The maxima group also includes most winter squashes, such as Hubbard, banana, buttercup and turban squashes. The C. moschata group includes long and oblong fruits with tan rather than orange skin, and deeply ridged stems that are enlarged next to the fruit. Butternut squash is a familiar member of this group. That's the long answer. The short answer is that if it looks like what you think a pumpkin should look like, it's a pumpkin. If you eat it as a vegetable, it's a squash. And if you set it up and look at it or make a birdhouse out of it, it's a gourd.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Fall is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs. Some place that you might not have thought of planting them is among your herbaceous perennials.

Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, points out that early spring bulbs flower before perennials start to grow, adding early interest to the perennial bed. Depending on who their neighbors are, the flowers of midseason and late bulbs may have a backdrop of developing foliage. And as the bulb foliage yellows and dies down, the perennials help to hide it.

The best bulbs for mixing with perennials are those that come back year after year, such as daffodils, snowdrops, scilla and species crocus. Any bulb that is billed as good for naturalizing will most likely multiply and come back dependably year after year, McLellan observes.

For midseason and later blossoms, tulips offer a range of sizes, shapes, colors and bloom times. Some tulips come back; others, particularly the hybrid types, give a spectacular show the first year after planting but fall off drastically in succeeding years. Many growers treat these as annuals, McLellan notes, and replant each fall.

Some perennials bloom early enough to overlap the bulb blooming times. Bulbs can be selected to contribute to an overall color scheme -- everything pink, for instance -- or contrast with the other flowers. Miniature daffodils and lily-of-the-valley, pink tulips with bleeding-heart, and red and white tulips with Virginia bluebells are among the many possible combinations.

When the bulbs finish blooming before the perennials start, mixing and matching is less a concern, McLellan observes. A garden that is primarily pink and purple starting in late May or early June can be a riot of red, orange, and yellow while bulbs are in bloom.

If you're planning to plant early, midseason and late-blooming bulbs, you may want to sketch the garden and organize what goes where on paper before you plant, McLellan suggests. Note which bulbs are early bloomers and which come later, and place them to achieve the effect you desire. Bulbs are usually more impressive planted in groups all the same color rather than a multicolored jumble. For a less formal, more naturalized look, toss a handful of bulbs gently onto the soil and plant them as they land rather than in regimented rows.

If you want a succession of bulbs in the same general location, try layering them, McLellan suggests. Plant the larger bulbs -- tulips, daffodils, allium -- at the proper depth, cover them lightly with soil, and then plant a layer of the next smaller bulbs and end with the smallest nearest the surface. If you don't pack them in elbow to elbow, they'll do just fine, and they'll provide a succession of bloom that will last all spring.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Gladioli, dahlias, tuberous begonias, caladiums and cannas won't survive a Michigan winter in the ground. But they can grow and bloom again next year if you dig them in autumn and store them properly.

"These are `tender' bulbs," says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Unlike daffodils, crocus, tulips and hyacinth bulbs, which not only can be left in the ground from year to year but actually require a cold period to bloom, glads and other tender bulbs can't survive the winter in the garden. All have to be dug and stored and replanted next year. And each requires somewhat different storage conditions."

Gladioli, or glads, grow from corms. Leave them in the ground until the foliage has dried but dig them before a hard freeze, McLellan advises. Dig carefully to avoid bruising or injuring them. Shake off loose soil, cut the tops off 1 to 2 inches above the corms, and dry the corms in the sun for a day or two. Then dust with a general-purpose fungicide and cure on wooden flats or trays in an airy location with warm temperatures (80 to 85 degrees F) for 2 to 3 weeks. After curing, remove the old corms from the bases of the new ones and discard the old ones. After two or three more days of warm temperatures, place the corms in paper boxes, open paper bags, mesh onion bags, cloth bags or wooden trays with screen bottoms. Stack or hang the containers so air can circulate freely around the corms. The storage area should be dry and cool, with temperatures around 40 degrees.

Dahlias and cannas grow from tuberous roots. Dig them after frost kills the tops of the plants. Cut the tops off at ground level and turn the roots upside-down to dry for a few hours. Then store them in cartons filled with dry sawdust, vermiculite or sphagnum moss. The storage area should be fairly dry and cool (temperatures in the 40s). Check stored roots occasionally. If they start to shrivel, sprinkle the packing material with water occasionally.

Lift tuberous begonia tubers after frost has injured the tops. Leave both soil and tops attached to the disk-shaped tubers and spread them out to dry in a warm, dark room for 1 to 2 weeks. Then break the tops off and shake off the soil. Store tubers in a dry area where temperatures range from 45 to 60 degrees F. They should be packed in slightly moistened sawdust, sphagnum or vermiculite.

Caladiums are ready to dig when the leaves turn yellow. Store tubers with the soil attached in a dry area at temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 degrees F.

Store the corms and tubers from only healthy-looking plants, McLellan advises, and check them occasionally during the winter. Discard any showing signs of decay, and moisten the packing material around any that look shrivelled.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- When the final harvest is made, one more gardening chore remains in the current growing season: a fall garden cleanup. The aim, explains Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, is to reduce the carryover of disease and insect problems.

The first step is to remove all diseased plant materials. Dispose of them -- and the bacteria, fungi and other plant disease-causing organisms in or on them -- by burning or bagging them for trash pickup. Healthy plant materials can be tilled into the soil, where they will add organic matter and, as they decompose, return nutrients to the soil. Lawn clippings and fallen leaves can be tilled in, too, she notes. If you opt to compost them instead, compost only healthy plant materials -- a winter in the compost pile may not destroy plant disease organisms, and using the compost will reintroduce them to the garden, she explains. Some plant diseases -- particularly Fusarium and Verticillium wilts -- overwinter in the soil from year to year. Fall tillage doesn't affect them.

McLellan advises buying disease-resistant varieties whenever possible and planting related plants or those susceptible to the same diseases in blocks so you can move them around the garden each year. This last strategy is called crop rotation. "It's easier to rotate crops if you make a sketch of the garden layout each year and put it away where you can find it the next year," she suggests. "Then use the sketch as a guide to planting next year's garden." Removing or tilling under plant debris will also help control such pesky insects as cucumber beetles, squash bugs and European corn borers. Debris left on the surface will provide them a cozy place to spend the winter in the garden, where they'll be on hand to attack next year's crops.

Another benefit of working the soil in the fall is the possibility of getting an earlier start next spring, McLellan notes. "The soil is often dry enough to walk on and plant in before it's dry enough to plow or till," she observes. "So, if you prepare the seedbed in the fall, you may be able to plant onions, peas, greens, radishes and other early crops earlier than you would if you had to wait for the soil to get dry enough to till."

As long as you're working the soil, you might want to consider taking a soil sample and having it tested, she adds. Soil pH and available nutrients won't change much between fall and spring, so any recommendations that you get now will still apply then. And testing now means you won't be delayed if soil test labs are busy next spring. Your county MSU Extension office has containers and information on how to take a soil sample and how to interpret the results. Look for MSU Extension in the county government section of your telephone book.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- That old cliche‚ about making lemonade when life gives you lemons, has a landscaping parallel: when leaves drop into your yard in autumn, make compost!

"Composting leaves and other yard wastes and kitchen scraps solves the disposal problem and recycles valuable plant nutrients," points out Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

Composting can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it, she notes. At its simplest, composting means finding an out-of-the-way spot in the landscape, piling leaves, grass clippings and other landscape wastes there and ignoring them. Eventually they will decompose. That out-of-the-way spot can be in a garden bed, she notes -- simply till the leaves in in the fall and let nature take care of their breakdown.

If you want to speed up the process a bit, mix topsoil, fertilizer or fresh manure, and a little lime with the plant materials, stir the pile occasionally and water it during dry weather.

An enclosure to contain and conceal the pile can be made from wooden stakes and chicken wire, landscape timbers, treated lumber, cement blocks or many other common landscape building materials. Commercially manufactured compost bins are also available.

For superfast composting, you can find any number of compost tumblers and other equipment, McLellan observes. These speed up the process tremendously. With conventional composting, you invest time; with these machines, you invest money and save time.

For best results, compost only lawn clippings, leaves, fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen, and other healthy plant residues, and shred or chop coarse materials before adding them to the pile. Avoid weeds that have gone to seed and diseased plants, McLellan advises -- if the composting process doesn't kill the seeds or the disease organisms, using the compost can sow the seeds or spread the disease to new areas.

Also keep meat and fish scraps and dairy foods out of the compost pile -- they will attract dogs, raccoons, rats and other animals. Eggshells, coffee grounds and small amounts of wood ash from the stove or fireplace are OK.

However you arrive at the finished product, you can use it to improve the soil texture, water-holding capacity and organic matter content, and to add nutrients for flowers, vegetables, lawns and landscape ornamentals. And you'll have turned a disposal problem into a valuable resource.

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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 8/25/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- When you acquire new houseplants or bring inside plants that spent the summer outdoors, it's a good idea to inspect them closely for insect problems.

"Constant warm temperatures indoors and the obvious absence of natural enemies can turn a few insects into a major pest problem," points out Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University.

Some houseplant pests suck on plant juices; others may feed on roots or leaves. Some pests may live in or under plant pots but not feed on or harm the plants.

Sucking pests include aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, spider mites and thrips.

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects. They're often green but may be brown, black, pink or yellow. They may or may not have wings. They're usually found on young, succulent growth, such as recently opened leaves, flower buds and flower stems. Cast aphid skins may look like dandruff on the lower leaves or around the pot on the shelf or table.

If the "dandruff" flies away when you shake the plant, it's probably whiteflies. These 1/16-inch insects with snow-white wings are a common greenhouse pest. In flight, they look like tiny bits of white ash swirling in the air. Both the adults and the immature stages feed on the undersides of plant leaves.

Mealybugs are soft-bodied, whitish insects with a waxy covering. They grow to about 3/16 inch long, though some have filaments on the tail end that make them look longer. They move slowly. You're most likely to see them at rest on leaves or stems or where leaves join stems.

These three insects all secrete honeydew, a sweetish substance that can build up on plant surfaces and become discolored with "sooty mold," a fungus that grows on the honeydew.

Thrips are tiny insects that feed on leaf undersides, leaving irregular or streaked silver areas speckled with tiny black dots. Though not as common indoors as some of these other pests, they can plague plants brought indoors during droughty summer weather.

Spider mites are tinier yet. These eight-legged spider relatives usually feed on leaf undersides. If you see speckled or yellow leaves, wilting, poor growth and stunting, or fine, silky webbing, shake the plant over a sheet of white paper and look for minute specks moving across the paper.

Houseplants that are literally jumping with tiny insects are probably infested with springtails. These primitive insects usually live in moist soil, where they feed primarily on fungi and decayed plant matter and algae. Repotting and replacing infested soil, drying out humid or damp areas, and increasing air circulation around plants will usually control them.

Irregular holes in leaves may be slug damage, Ellis says. To be sure, look for the slug's slimy trail on plants and containers. Look for the slug itself in a cool, damp, dark place -- between the pot and its saucer, perhaps. Simply remove and destroy it.

Plants that spent the summer outdoors may be hosting sowbugs, pillbugs, spiders, millipedes, earwigs and even shrews that moved into the plants or their containers. Some combination of washing, repotting, removing pot saucers and shaking out the residents, and vacuuming should control all but the shrews. These require mousetraps.

For more conventional houseplant pests, washing the plants under running water in the sink is often enough to dislodge them. Aphids and spider mites often require no other control. Insecticidal soaps are another option. A commonly recommended control for mealybugs is wiping with a cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol. Whitefly control usually requires the use of pesticides.

"Select a product labeled for use against the pest you want to control on plants indoors," Ellis advises. "Some houseplants are sensitive to certain pesticides, so be sure to check the label for any cautions to make sure it won't harm your plant. It's often a good idea to test the material on a small portion of the plant before treating the whole thing. Read and follow all label directions whenever using these or other pesticides."

Sometimes a serious infestation is best dealt with by discarding the plant, he suggests.

"Unless a plant is particularly valuable, trying to save it may only result in spreading the problem to other plants," he says.

To reduce the potential for pest or disease outbreaks, even healthy-looking newly acquired plants and those coming indoors after spending the summer outside should be inspected closely before you bring them in, he adds, and then rechecked weekly to catch developing problems before they get out of hand. A magnifying glass -- Sherlock Holmes type -- is a good investment.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Experience in growing sweet corn will help you grow popcorn, but it won't help you know when to harvest it.

"Sweet corn is harvested at an immature stage because that's when it's best for fresh eating," says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Popcorn, on the other hand, must be allowed to mature on the stalk."

Signs that popcorn is ready for harvest are brown, dry stalks and husks. Kernels should be hard.

Remove ears from the stalks as soon as they're ready, McLellan advises. If cool, damp weather settles in, ears may become moldy.

After picking, remove the husks and cure the ears for two to three weeks by hanging them in a nylon stocking or mesh bag in a warm, dry, well ventilated area. After curing, remove the kernels by rubbing one ear against another.

Store the kernels in sealed glass 1-quart jars filled three-fourths full. Refrigerator storage is best, McLellan notes. Properly sealed and stored, popcorn should keep for three to four years before becoming stale.

Moisture content determines how popcorn pops. Kernels that pop slowly with a loud explosion and a cloud of steam are too moist. Leave jars open until a test popping shows the kernels have dried sufficiently to pop normally.

If many kernels remain unpopped or pop only partially, they are too dry. Try adding 1 tablespoon of water per quart jar and shake the jar twice daily for a couple days. If a test popping shows kernels are still too dry, repeat the process.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Plants may need pruning for many reasons -- to repair storm damage, to control plant size, to remove dead or diseased tissue, to promote new growth -- the list goes on and on.

But pruning is probably the most often neglected plant maintenance chore, observes Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. Afraid of harming their plants, homeowners avoid pruning. As a result, preventable problems may get out of hand.

For instance, failing to prune trees when they're small to remove V-shaped crotches can result in trees that are more susceptible to damage by snow and ice than trees with wider angles of attachment. Leaving dead limbs on trees can lead to disease invasion through that dead tissue or damage to a structure, vehicle or person when that dead limb breaks off and falls.

One of the most common reasons for pruning plants is to repair damaged plants. Removing or cutting back storm-damaged branches can prevent invasion of injured wood by insects and disease organisms and help restore the appearance of the plant, McLellan points out.

Another common reason for pruning is to keep a tree or shrub from outgrowing its planting site. The need for frequent pruning of this sort is often a sign that the plant and the site were a bad match to begin with. A row of fast-growing silver maples planted under the roadside utility lines, for instance, will soon grow into the wires and require frequent pruning to prevent limbs from damaging the wires.

A frequent solution to that sort of situation is to mentally draw a line across the tops of the trees parallel to the ground and below the wires and whack off everything that sticks up above it. But this ruins the plants' shape. It also stimulates a flush of vigorous growth that will be even more susceptible to storm damage than the original branches and that soon gets the trees back into the wires.

The primary principle when pruning a plant of any age is to try to maintain its natural shape, she advises. Unless you're manicuring a hedge or getting into a specialized area such as espalier, a mound-shaped shrub should still be mound-shaped when you're finished -- just tidier, less cluttered, and perhaps smaller and more in scale with the others around it.

Pruning to reduce the size without altering the shape of the plant requires more skill, time and effort than giving it a flat-top, McLellan observes. But the results are likely to be a healthier, more attractive plant.

To avoid injuring a plant when you prune, make sure tools are sharp, she advises. Sharp tools make smooth, clean cuts that heal rapidly. Ragged wounds heal more slowly and so give insects and disease organisms more opportunity to get established.

Make pruning cuts as nearly flush with the next larger branch or stem as possible. Stubs usually die back and offer a point of entry for diseases or insects, which can move from there into healthy wood.

The best time to prune varies with the type of plant. For spring-flowering shrubs, for instance, which bloom on last year's wood, the best time for pruning is right after flowering. Pruning in fall, winter or early spring will remove the flower buds. Shrubs that flower on the current year's growth, on the other hand, can be pruned well into spring without harming the current year's flower display. Pruning may even enhance flowering by promoting new, vigorous growth in place of old, declining stems.

In general, McLellan says, the best time to prune most other plants is in late winter or early spring before growth begins. With deciduous plants, it's easier to see the basic structure when there are no leaves. More time may be available for pruning then, also, since lawns won't need mowing and gardens aren't crying for attention.

The exceptions to this rule of thumb are maple and birch trees, which will bleed large quantities of sap from winter and spring pruning wounds, and the spring-flowering trees and shrubs such as forsythia, lilac, crabapple and others.

Generally the worst time to prune is immediately after new growth has developed in the spring. The plant puts a great deal of stored food from the roots and stems into that new growth, and it needs all its foliage to replace that food. Removing large expanses of foliage then may cause considerable dwarfing of the plant. It may also stress the plant enough to make it more susceptible to attack by insects or diseases or other environmental stresses such as drought.

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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 8/25/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- What's in a name? Sometimes almost everything you need to know. Take the leaf-footed pine seed bug, for example.

"Leaf-footed" refers to the most distinguishing characteristic of the adult insect: its wide and flat hind leg, which does indeed look like a leaf.

"Pine seed" refers to its feeding on developing cones and seeds of several species of pine.

"Bug" indicates that it is a true bug, in the same group as box elder bugs, assassin bugs and stink bugs.

Like box elder bugs, the leaf-footed pine seed bug can become a fall nuisance pest, says Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University.

"These insects spend the winter in the adult stage, and when temperatures begin to cool off in the fall, they start looking for a protected place to spend the winter," he explains. "That's when they start turning up in homes, especially homes with pine trees nearby."

They don't damage foods, fabrics or structural materials in the home, and they don't reproduce there. But they are big enough -- about 3/4 inch long -- to make some people nervous. They can inflict a painful bite, but this happens rarely. They fly readily and make a distinctive buzzing noise when disturbed, and if swatted or stepped on, they emit a piney smell.

Swatting or vacuuming is the recommended control once the insects are inside. Home maintenance chores such as caulking, repairing screens and patching cracks in masonry close openings that these and other pests may use to enter.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Proper mulching protects trees against mechanical damage by lawnmowers, conserves soil moisture, and protects roots against winter injury and frost heaving.

Improper mulching -- applying too much mulch or piling it up around the trunk -- can lead to other problems.

Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, says a good fall mulch is 2 to 4 inches of pine bark chips. Applying more -- 6 to 8 inches or more -- can smother and kill plant roots.

She recommends applying it evenly over the roots and then raking or pushing the mulch back away from the trunk. Mulch that laps up against the wood can provide a hiding place for mice, which can severely damage or girdle the trunk by gnawing off the bark.

A common consequence of mulching landscape plants with organic mulches such as bark is nitrogen deficiency, McLellan notes. As soil microorganisms decompose the bark, straw, ground corncobs, sawdust or other materials, they remove significant quantities of nitrogen from the soil. When the process of decomposition is finished, the nitrogen is released again, but in the meantime, it's unavailable for plant growth.

Signs of nitrogen deficiency include yellowing foliage and poor growth.

The solution is to apply small amounts of nitrogen fertilizer in the spring before additional mulch is applied, McLellan says, and again as needed through the growing season. A rate of 2 pounds of a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-5 or 12-12-12 per 100 square feet in the spring may be all that's needed to keep plants green and vigorous.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Winterizing roses helps them get through the winter by protecting the graft union -- the place where the named variety is grafted onto the rootstock -- against low temperatures.

The key is to know what to do and when to do it, says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

"Why you do it is to keep the top part of the plant from being killed," she notes. "If this happens, shoots will come up from the roots that will be very different from the named variety you planted."

To protect the graft union, mound 8 to 10 inches of soil around it after the first hard freeze. Cut back any long canes that would whip in the wind and loosen the soil.

Then, after the ground freezes, pile hay, straw, leaves or some other insulating mulch over the mounded canes. To keep this material from blowing away, cover it with more soil, landscape prunings or branches from discarded Christmas trees. Twiggy branches or evergreen boughs will trap snow for an extra insulating layer, she notes.

If you'd rather use tarpaper cylinders, Styrofoam cylinders or rose cones, place these over the plants after they're fully dormant -- after two hard freezes. If you're using open-top cylinders, tying the canes together will make it easier to slip the cylinders down over the plants, she suggests. Then fill the space around each plant with dry vermiculite, ground corn cobs, leaves, straw or some other insulating material. Cut the tops of the canes off even with the top of the cylinder and cover the top with plastic film to keep the insulating material dry. The plastic will need to be fastened securely so it doesn't blow off.

The process is somewhat different with a rose cone or closed-top cylinder: tie the canes together, shorten them as necessary, cover the plant with insulating material and then slip the protector over it and anchor it down so it doesn't blow off.

In the spring, remove covering materials after the ground has thawed and the danger of hard frost has passed but before new growth appears. Remove mounded soil carefully to avoid damaging new shoots.

Tree roses and climbing roses are a little more challenging. They need to be laid on the ground and covered with several inches of soil. For tree roses, laying them down requires digging under the roots on one side so you can tip the plants without damaging stems or root systems. After the danger of severe frost is past in the spring, set the plants upright again and replace the soil around the roots. Stake, if necessary, to keep plants from blowing over.

Plants that go into winter well nourished and unstressed by insect or disease problems during the growing season are more likely to survive, McLellan notes.

"You can't do much about this past growing season now," she observes, "but it's something to think about next year."

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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 8/25/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Are your winter woolens coming out of storage with holes chewed in them? If so, close examination should reveal which of several pests has been feeding on them.

"The primary pests of fabrics in the home are carpet beetles, webbing clothes moths and case-making clothes moths," says Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. "More often than not, the damage is done by carpet beetle larvae, though moths generally get the blame."

With all these pests, it's the larval or immature stage that does the damage. Clothes moth larvae are tiny caterpillars. The webbing moth caterpillar is less than 1/2 inch long. It makes a silken tunnel as it feeds and leaves additional silken patches on and around the areas where it's active. The case-making clothes moth larva spins a silken case around itself and carries it along as it feeds; it does not leave a silken trail. Carpet beetle larvae are small, segmented, bristly or hairy, carrot- to bullet-shaped creatures about 1/8 inch long.

All these fabric pests tend to feed on fabrics made of animal fibers -- primarily silk and wool -- left in dark, undisturbed locations for long periods. Clothing stored in an attic, carpet under furniture that isn't moved very often, and wool clothing and blankets stored for the warm months may become infested. Carpet beetles will also feed on fur, feathers, lint, pet hair, mounted animals and birds, insect collections, abandoned bird nests and dead animals. All these pests will also feed on fabrics not of animal origin if they're stained with human or pet body oils, sweat, urine, beer, soft drinks or tomato juice.

Infestations are difficult to track down and eliminate, so the best way to combat these pests is to prevent them from becoming established, Ellis advises. Remove and destroy abandoned bird nests on windowsills and under eaves. Clean rooms and storage areas often enough to prevent the accumulation of lint, hair and other preferred food materials. Avoid long-term storage of discarded garments, bedding, old feather pillows, furs, and old wool carpets or remnants. Put only clean garments into short-term storage.

Cedar chests and cedar closets can help protect garments, but only if they can be tightly sealed and receive an annual application of 100 percent cedar oil to "recharge" the repellent quality of the wood, Ellis notes. Chemical repellents such as mothballs won't control an existing infestation but will protect garments if used properly -- that is, in sufficient quantity and in tightly sealed containers, and according to label directions.

If an infestation occurs, discard or launder or dry-clean infested items, and thoroughly clean the storage area, carpet or whatever. If an insecticide is needed, Ellis recommends a ready-to-use formulation labeled for control of these pests in the home. Spray in storage areas, on carpet edges, on baseboards, and in cracks and crevices where damage or pests are observable. If home treatment fails to control an infestation, a professional pest control service may be needed.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- To save or not to save -- seeds, that is. That is the question. The answer depends on what you mean by "save seeds".

If you mean saving leftover commercially packaged seeds, the answer is probably yes, do keep them. With a few exceptions, seeds of most vegetables and annual and perennial flowers will perform well the second year if they're properly stored.

If you mean saving seeds of crops you grew this year, the answer is less sure.

Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, points out that many of today's top varieties are hybrids. When pollination occurs, the desirable traits of these varieties are often lost in the shuffle of genetic material. The plants that grow from those seeds, therefore, may bear little resemblance to the plants that produced the seeds.

The parents of this new generation of plants may even have cross-pollinated with closely related plants. This adds to the potential for surprises when these seeds are planted.

"Results may be interesting, but they're likely to be disappointing if you're expecting the same high quality that you had in the parent plants," McLellan predicts.

Non-hybrids, usually referred to as open-pollinated crops, breed true from home-grown seed unless cross-pollination has occurred. Unless you're growing a rare or old-time variety that's no longer commercially available or swapping seeds with other heirloom variety growers, however, harvesting, drying, cleaning and storing home-grown seeds can be a lot of unnecessary work.

There is a certain feeling of self-sufficiency to be achieved by producing seed one year and growing a crop from it the next, however, McLellan notes. Gardeners who want to try it might want to look for open-pollinated varieties of snap beans, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and melons, and petunias, impatiens, cosmos, celosia, sunflowers, marigolds and zinnias.

Flowers and vegetables must mature to produce viable seed. Seeds then have to be removed from the flower or fruit, cleaned and dried on paper towels in a warm, dry spot. This reduces the chances of mold damage during storage, McLellan explains.

To store either leftover commercially produced or homegrown seeds, place them in labeled envelopes in an airtight container (a 1-quart canning jar works well) with a moisture-absorbing material such as silica gel. You can also use 2 heaping tablespoons of nonfat dry milk wrapped in a few thicknesses of facial tissue. The wrapping needs to be porous enough to let moisture in but sturdy enough not to dissolve.

Store containers in a cool, dry place. A refrigerator is ideal, but any cool, dry place will do as long as temperatures remain below 55 to 60 degrees F.

Though storage conditions are important, they're not the only factor in seed longevity, McLellan notes. Some seeds -- including asparagus, geranium, delphinium and salvia -- simply do not remain viable from one year to the next, no matter how they're stored. Sweet corn, leek, onion, parsley, parsnip, rhubarb and salsify seed may be good the second year but rarely last longer than that. Some seeds may germinate adequately after three to five years. These include beans, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, kale, lettuce, okra, peas, peppers, radishes, spinach, turnips and watermelons. The most long-lived seeds include beet, cucumber, eggplant, muskmelon and tomato, which may remain viable for more than five years.

Seeds of popular annual flowers such as marigolds, zinnias and cosmos give best results if used the first year, though they generally remain viable for a second year if they're properly stored.

A simple germination test can tell you whether stored seeds are still viable. Place 10 seeds in a moist paper towel, place the paper towel in a plastic bag and place the bag in a warm spot, and start checking it for sprouts in a few days. When all the seeds that are going to sprout appear to have done so, count them and multiply by 10 to get a germination percentage. Anything above 70 should be adequate. If the percentage is lower than that, sow seeds a little more thickly than usual to make up for the lower germination. Germination below 50 percent indicates you should probably buy new seed.

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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 8/27/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- With a little luck, the geraniums that you've enjoyed so much this year can brighten your garden again next year.

Several methods of overwintering geraniums are possible, says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. Two carry them over as growing plants; the other stores them in a dormant state.

"Whichever method you choose, you must act before frost kills or damages the plants," she points out. "And in each case, you want to overwinter only healthy plants. Avoid plants showing any signs of poor growth, discoloration or other signs of disease, and check them for insect problems before you take them indoors."

One way to carry over geraniums is to take stem tip cuttings of the plants you want to save, root them and then grow them like houseplants until it's time to plant them outdoors next spring.

Take 3- to 4-inch cuttings, strip off the lower leaves and dip the cut ends in a mixture made of equal parts rooting hormone and fungicide. Then insert cuttings into coarse sand or a medium made of equal parts (by volume) of coarse sand and sphagnum peat. The container should be clean and have drainage holes. If several cuttings are placed in one container, separate them so they don't touch and so air can circulate around them. This helps prevent the rapid spread of disease.

Water the cuttings thoroughly, apply a fungicide and cover containers with clear plastic. Place them in a spot where they'll receive no direct sunlight. Roots should form in 3 to 4 weeks. Plants can then be repotted in a houseplant potting mix and placed in a well lighted spot. A south window is good. If they receive at least 4 hours of direct sunlight each day, they should flower, though flowers will be smaller and less abundant on plants grown indoors.

Because of warm nighttime temperatures in the home, plants will tend to be spindly, McLellan notes. Frequent pinching and use of low-nitrogen fertilizer will help minimize this.

To overwinter whole plants, cut them back to about one-third of their original height, dig them up carefully and remove as much garden soil as possible from the roots without damaging them. Then pot in a good houseplant potting mix, water thoroughly and place in a sunny window. Fertilize once a month and apply a protective fungicide spray occasionally.

To store dormant plants, dig plants before frost and carefully shake the soil from the roots. Hang plants upside-down in a dark, cool place (45 to 50 degrees F) with low humidity. Once a month during the winter, take the plants down and soak the roots in water for 1 to 2 hours. Apply a fungicide to the roots before rehanging the plants. It's normal for plants stored this way to lose their leaves, McLellan notes.

After the danger of frost is past in the spring, cut the plants back to about one-third of their original size and replant in the garden. Water and fertilize as usual.

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ANR Communications Contact: L. Johnson or T. Ellis
MICHGIAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-8478
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 8/25/99

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- They're harmless in the home, but no one wants their domicile to be crawling with multilegged creatures, especially creatures that look disturbingly like tiny, red baby spiders. Homeowners are most likely to see these pests, called clover mites, with the onset of cold weather in the fall, when the insects are seeking a protected place to spend the winter, says Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. But where they're plentiful in the fall, they're also likely to be a nuisance in the spring, he notes. This will be especially true with homes surrounded by lush, well fertilized lawns.

Clover mites feed on clovers and grasses. They're most abundant in succulent, vigorously growing lawns. When temperatures begin to cool in the fall, they may gather in huge numbers on the exterior walls of nearby houses in search of a protected place to spend the winter.

"Clover mites are smaller than a pinhead, so they can filter into the house through even the smallest opening," Ellis observes.

The first step in keeping them outdoors is to clear grass and weeds away from the house foundation. An 18- to 24-inch strip covered with pea gravel or planted to chrysanthemums, roses, salvia, marigolds, zinnias, petunias, barberry, junipers, arborvitae, yews or spruce -- plants that clover mites do not find attractive -- will deter the buildup of large numbers of mites around the foundation and on siding and their migration into the house.

If this doesn't provide sufficient control, applying a chemical barrier to the house foundation and the first 10 to 15 feet of lawn next to the house may be necessary. Use a product labeled for control of clover mites outdoors, Ellis advises, and apply it strictly according to label directions.

Indoors, swatting will convert the mites into little red stains, so use a vacuum to remove mites from windowsills, drapes, walls and other surfaces. Be sure to dispose of the bag promptly so that any mites that survive being pulled through the sweeper don't merely walk out again, Ellis adds.

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