August 20, 2003

Dear Editors:

The days are getting shorter, the students are coming back to MSU and football is back in the news, so fall can’t be too far away. That means it’s time for the fall edition of the MSU lawn and garden news packet. Timely topics include how insects survive the winter, planting peonies, preventing boxelder bugs and cluster flies from moving in with you and planting spring bulbs. The Garden Corner is on hand, as usual, with a variety of lawn and garden questions.

Feedback on the current packet and ideas for future ones are always welcome. It’s good to hear from you!

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

LKJ/bl

8/20/03
Contact: Leslie Johnson

 THE GARDEN CORNER

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The days may be getting shorter, but there’s no lack of gardening questions. Extension specialists at Michigan State University field seasonal questions on a host of topics, from lawn care to perennial flowers and houseplants.

17. My neighbor recently rented a piece of equipment that looks kind of like a lawn roller with spikes and towed it all over his lawn, poking holes and strewing little fingers of soil on the grass. What was this all about?

1. Your neighbor was cultivating or aerating the lawn. Removing the little plugs of soil improves water and oxygen movement into the soil and helps reduce soil compaction. It also helps reduce the buildup of thatch, a layer of dead and decomposing turf stems, leaves and roots between the soil and the green top growth. A thatch layer of ½ inch is beneficial because it protects the grass plants against weather extremes. If it builds up over 1 inch, however, it can interfere with the movement of water and oxygen into the soil and eventually weakens the turf stand. Thatch builds up when it is being produced faster than it can be decomposed. Generally, the deeper the cultivation, the better. Minimum depth is 2 ½ inches. For best results, tines should be at least ½ inch in diameter and no more than 3 inches apart. Closer spacing and longer tines are even better.

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17. Someone gave me a luffa sponge and I really liked it, so this year, I grew some luffa gourds in my garden. The only problem is that I don’t know how to get from gourd to sponge.

1. Allow the gourds to mature on the vine. Soak gourds in a tub of water until the outer covering and the inner pith soften. Then rub the gourds together or use a brush to remove the soft tissue. Rinse the sponge portion several times in clean water before using.

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17. What are the down sides of saving seed from year to year?

1. If you mean saving seed produced by plants you grew this year, the main drawback is that many garden crops are hybrids. The mixture of genetic material that occurs at pollination makes it unlikely that plants grown from seeds from your garden will be like the parent plants. This is less likely to be a problem if you have grown open-pollinated varieties, but saving seed still has risks, including diseases that can carry over in seeds and low germination because seeds were not collected at the proper stage of maturity or were stored under less than ideal conditions. When saving seed makes sense is when you’re growing a variety that cannot be purchased easily. In fact, some rare or heritage varieties have been preserved by home gardeners and hobbyists who save and trade seed.

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17. What’s that gray, papery-looking, teardrop-shaped thing in my maple tree? It must have been hidden by the leaves all summer, but as they’re falling, it’s quite obvious. Is it some kind of nest?

1. It’s a nest made by bald-faced hornets. A single queen started it in the spring. She handed over building and maintenance to her increasingly large number of offspring, which may number in the hundreds by the time freezing temperatures kill them. The nest itself may be as large in diameter as a basketball. Bald-faced hornets are predators, so as long as their nest is up in the treetops where people and pets aren’t likely to get too close, they can be considered beneficial insects. They are ready and able to sting in defense of the nest, however.

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17. I have some newly planted evergreens around my house. Do they need any particular winter protection?

1. Broad-leaved evergreens such as rhododendrons, azaleas, andromeda and holly, as well as boxwood and other narrow-leaved evergreens planted in areas exposed to drying wind and direct sun, will benefit from some protection. Windbreaks and shades made of burlap fastened to wooden stakes will reduce the amount of water lost from foliage. It’s also a good idea to keep watering your evergreens until the ground freezes. Mulching is also a good idea to prevent frost heaving, the alternate freezing and thawing of the soil, which can push plants right up out of the ground.

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17. Do you have any tips for me on naturalizing bulbs?

1. Because bulbs need to retain their foliage until it turns brown, bulbs need to be planted in areas that are not subject to regular mowing. A steep hillside, an unmowed meadow, the edge of a woodland or similar unmanicured areas are best for naturalizing because bulbs can mature their foliage there. The leaves make the food that builds up the bulb for next year’s flower display. If it’s mowed before that job is done, the bulbs may survive but fail to flower. Naturalized bulbs are usually planted in informal drifts rather than regimented rows. One way to achieve this is to gently toss handfuls of bulbs over the planting area and plant them where they land, allowing them to be denser in some areas than others.

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17. Will running my mulching mower over fallen tree leaves on my lawn contribute to thatch buildup?

1. No. The chopped up leaves will filter down through the grass blades and decompose. Another alternative is to chop them and start a compost pile. The worst thing to do is leave them to mat on the lawn – this will smother the grass plants.

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17. Is fall a good time to divide herbaceous perennials?

1. Yes. Many perennials become overcrowded and need dividing every three to four years. Notable exceptions include peonies, which are best left undisturbed as long as they are flowering well. Coreopsis, Shasta daisy, black-eyed Susan, hosta and daylilies are among the fast-growing perennials that tend to need regular division. To divide, dig up the clump, use a sharp spade or trowel to cut it apart, making sure that each division has its share of roots and shoots, and replant. If planting space is limited, keep the younger shoots and discard the older ones.

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17. Some of my houseplants spent the summer outdoors. I know I will need to repot a few that grew a lot, and I’ll give them all a bath and look them over for insects and signs of disease before I bring them back indoors. Is there anything else I should do?

1. It might be a good idea to quarantine these plants away from any that stayed indoors over the summer so that any pests or diseases that escape your notice now can’t spread. Unless you have excellent light for your plants indoors, you might want to prepare for extensive leaf drop as plants that enjoyed bright light all summer adjust to the relatively dim light indoors. Remember that plants indoors won’t dry out as quickly as plants exposed to drying sun and wind, so if you’ve been watering daily and you continue to do that, plants will probably be overwatered.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or H. Russell
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-9386
8/20/03

BOXELDER BUGS MAY
INFILTRATE HOMES IN FALL

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Unwanted houseguests can be a nuisance, especially when they’re of the six-legged variety.

Various insects that overwinter as adults can find their way into homes in search of winter shelter, says Howard Russell, Michigan State University entomologist. Which will be the most populous may change from year to year, but one that’s usually present in sizable numbers is the boxelder bug.

"In some years, these red and black, ½-inch-long insects congregate in large numbers on south- and west-facing walls of homes, condos and apartment buildings on warm fall afternoons," Russell observes. "Any crack in the foundation, bit of loose siding or loose-fitting window screen provides them entry."

Boxelder bugs don’t bite or sting, and they don’t get into human or pet food, damage the structure or harm home furnishings, but they can spot walls and curtains with their fecal material, accumulate in light fixtures and turn up at odd times in unexpected places.

Boxelder bugs get their name from their association with boxelder trees, especially the female (seed-bearing) trees. They will feed on a variety of plant materials, however -- other trees, shrubs, perennial flowers, vegetable crops and even weeds -- and the adults can fly some distance to find winter shelter, so getting rid of a nearby boxelder tree may not eliminate the bugs.

A better strategy is to seal up the bug doors -- the cracks, crevices and openings that let them come inside, Russell suggests.

"It’s unlikely that you’ll ever get every possible entryway closed off, but preventive maintenance can seal up a lot of them," he says. "It doesn’t matter how many congregate on your siding if they can’t get in."

Those that do find their way inside are easily and effectively controlled by application of a vacuum cleaner or, if necessary, a quick-knockdown flying insect spray containing pyrethrin, Russell suggests. Swatting the insects may leave stains on walls or fabrics, he notes.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

BRIGHTEN WINTER WITH POTTED BULBS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Some bulbs, some pots, a bag of potting medium and an old refrigerator -- put them all together and what do you get? A succession of spring flowering bulbs in midwinter.

The process is called forcing, though it’s more like fooling -- fooling the bulbs into thinking they’ve spent the whole winter outdoors underground and that it’s spring and time to flower.

"Crocus, hyacinth, tulip, daffodil and narcissus can all be grown and flowered indoors," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "It’s not really a complicated process -- the main requirement is time, so you want to start in early fall."

Pots for forcing bulbs should be twice as deep as the bulbs to allow space for root development. Good drainage is a must, so pots must have holes and the potting medium should be light and drain well, she says.

To pot bulbs for forcing, place a few pieces of broken clay pot or flat stones over the drainage holes to keep the potting mix from washing out, and add potting mix until the pot is about half full. If you set one of the bulbs on the medium and the tip is level with the top edge of the container, it’s just right, McLellan notes.

Place the bulbs in the pot and fill in around them, leaving the tips visible and allowing room between the top of the medium and the top edge of the container for watering. Set the bulbs on the medium but don’t press them into it -- this can damage their bases and retard growth, McLellan explains. Water thoroughly.

For a striking display, place as many bulbs in the pot as it will hold without the bulbs touching one another or the edge of the pot. For a 6-inch pot, this generally means six tulips or daffodils, three hyacinths or about 15 crocus bulbs.

Label each pot with the kind of bulb, the planting date and the projected date for bringing it out of cold storage, using a waterproof marker that will survive the pots being watered. Then place the pots in an old refrigerator at temperatures between 35 and 48 degrees. The aim is to keep the bulbs cold without freezing them.

"You can force bulbs in a coldframe, also, but it’s harder to regulate the temperature, and in a warm fall, you might not be able to start as early," McLellan notes.

Leave the pots in cold storage for 13 to 14 weeks. Keep pots covered or in complete darkness and water regularly.

At the end of this time, stems should be 2 to 3 inches tall and roots should be visible growing through the drainage holes or circling the inside of the pots. Bulbs not showing good root and shoot growth should continue the cold treatment; the others should be transferred to a cool, bright room (temperatures in the 50- to 60-degree range) and watered regularly. Flower buds will appear 3 to 4 weeks after the end of the cold treatment.

Bulbs planted around Oct. 1 should flower in late January; those planted in mid-October should bloom in February, and bulbs planted in mid-November should bloom in March or April. Flower buds that fail to open are usually a sign that the growing medium dried out.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

CREATE, ENLARGE GARDEN
BEFORE SNOW FLIES

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Whether you want to start a new garden or enlarge a current one, the best time to break new ground is autumn.

"If the first step is to eliminate grass, tilling it under isn’t enough -- you must remove the sod or kill it first," advises Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Grass that you till under will keep coming back. Kill it with a herbicide or cover it with plastic, old carpet, broken down cardboard boxes, tarpaper or some similar material. Then till after the grass is dead."

Tilling or spading up the new garden spot will bring up dormant weed seeds. Any that germinate now will be killed by subsequent tilling or winter cold and so won’t be around to plague your garden next year.

"Though it seems that the supply of weed seeds is never ending, you can improve the situation by eliminating some before you plant your crops," McLellan observes.

Removing the sod and working the soil now will also reduce potential problems from white grubs, those plump, C-shaped larvae that grow up to be large beetles such as June beetles. They ordinarily live beneath sod and feed on grass roots, but if the sod is converted to garden in the spring, they’ll make do with vegetable or flower roots. Preparing the garden site in the fall kills some grubs and leaves others vulnerable to predation by birds and to killing cold temperatures.

As long as you’re working the soil, you might as well take a sample for a soil test, McLellan suggests. Your county MSU Extension office can provide information on how to take the sample, a container to send it in and information on interpreting the results. If the test shows your soil is too acid and needs liming, you can do that now, also.

Yet another benefit of fall soil preparation is the possibility of an earlier start next year, she notes.

"Especially if your soil is heavy and slow to dry out in the spring, getting it ready to plant in the fall may mean you’ll be able to take advantage of decent planting weather in the spring to plant cool-weather crops or flowers that tolerate cool temperatures," she explains. "If, on the other hand, you have to wait for the soil to dry enough to till it in the spring, you may miss the window of opportunity to plant early crops."

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or H. Russell
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-9386
8/20/03

FLIES MOVE INDOORS AS WEATHER COOLS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Flies don’t need a welcome mat, just a loose-fitting screen or some other opening. Cluster flies will infiltrate your home in large numbers in fall if they can find a way inside.

"As the weather cools down in the fall, your house becomes attractive to a variety of insects looking for winter shelter," observes Howard Russell, Michigan State University entomologist. "To keep as many out as possible, make sure windows, doors and screens fit tightly and have no holes, and screen attic vents and seal up cracks and other openings in and around eaves and foundations."

Given the opportunity, flies will congregate in large numbers in attics, wall voids, little-used rooms and other areas. If these sites are cold enough, these guests go dormant. If a site is warmer, the insects remain active all winter. The result is flies bumbling into living areas to buzz stupidly around lights and bump into windows and walls.

Cluster flies are outdoor insects that parasitize earthworms in the larval stage, so controlling outdoor populations is not an option. To control a few flies indoors, a flyswatter and a damp paper towel to wipe up the remains are all that you need, Russell suggests. For large numbers of flies, you may need a pyrethrin-type quick knockdown flying insect spray followed by an application of a vacuum cleaner. Dispose of the sweeper bag outdoors right away, he advises, in case some of the flies survived the chemical and the trip through the machine.

Spraying sunny exterior walls in the fall may cut cluster fly numbers, as well as reduce populations of boxelder bugs and other casual home-invading pests, Russell notes. For the long term, however, sealing up openings in siding, eaves and foundations, and making sure doors and windows fit tight are more effective.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

LANDSCAPE PRUNINGS CAN
BECOME HOLIDAY DÉCOR

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- That low-hanging limb on the pine tree that tries to sweep you off the riding mower and the overgrown yews that have almost closed off the walkway to the front door could be the beginning of wreaths, swags and other holiday decorations.

"Careful pruning can improve the looks and function of your landscape plants and provide the makings for a variety of decorations," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Most large trees and shrubs can tolerate some careful pruning. White pine, red pine, yew, juniper, boxwood and Douglas-fir are preferred over hemlock and spruce, which tend to lose their needles easily."

For a wreath, you’ll need some kind of frame -- made of wire or willow switches, wild grapevines, etc. -- evergreen sprigs 4 to 6 inches long, and twine or florist’s wire to bind the springs to the frame. Fasten three or four sprigs along the frame, then overlap another set over the first. To bind down the last ones, hold up the tips of the first bunch and tuck the ends under so they’ll cover the binding on the final set.

Nuts, cones, dried grasses, small ears of dried corn, berries and seed pods, dried flowers and herbs, ribbon bows, bells and small ornaments can be used for decoration. If you want a lighted wreath, add a string of battery-powered lights to the wreath before fastening other items to it.

"Such a wreath can be hung on a door or in a window or used as a table centerpiece," McLellan suggests. "Place something under it to protect finished surfaces from sticky sap, and be sure to discard it when it gets dangerously dry."

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

PLANT, DIVIDE PEONIES IN AUTUMN

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Fall is the time to add new peonies to your landscape or divide older plants.

A word to the wise, however: if your peonies are blooming just fine where they are and there’s no pressing reason to move them, you might want to just leave them alone -- peonies do better if they’re not disturbed, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

If it’s a case of moving established plants or losing them to a construction project, or if they’ve become shaded over the years and are blooming poorly, moving them makes sense.

"Whether you’re moving old plants or adding new ones, it’s worth spending some time on site selection and preparation," McLellan suggests. "Peonies tend to stay in place for many years, and a good site is key to growth and flower production."

Good drainage and full sun are essential, she points out. Freedom from competition with tree roots and shrubs for sunlight and moisture is also important, as is good air circulation around plants to help control fungal diseases. Some protection against strong winds is also desirable, however, because peony stems are top-heavy when flowers are present. Heavy rain, also, can flatten plants, so many gardeners support flower-laden plants, she notes.

Site preparation can begin two to four weeks before planting. McLellan advises working the soil to a depth of 18 to 24 inches and incorporating compost, well rotted manure or peat moss to increase organic matter. In heavy, poorly drained clay soils, planting in raised beds may be the best approach.

To dig up old plants, dig carefully to minimize root injury, and remove the foliage. Gently wash soil off the large roots; then use a sharp knife to divide the plant crown. Make sure each division has three to five pink buds.

Plant each division or newly purchased plant in a hole 18 inches in diameter and 18 inches deep. Space plants at least 3 feet apart -- this reduces the possibility of crowding and improves air circulation around plants, McLellan explains. Mix soil from the planting holes with a high phosphate fertilizer and organic matter, add some of the mixture to each hole and then water to settle the soil. Then place the divisions or new plants on the soil in the holes so that the buds will be no more than 2 inches below the soil surface when the holes are filled. Add more soil and water again, then finish filling the holes.

"It’s easy to plant peonies too deep or too shallow," McLellan observes. "Peonies planted too deep may bloom poorly or fail to come up in the spring at all. If they’re planted too shallow, the buds for next year’s growth may be winter killed."

If fall rains are sparse, water thoroughly every seven to 10 days to help the plants get established before winter. After the ground freezes, mulch the planting site with a couple of inches of straw or peat moss and a layer of evergreen boughs. (This is a good use for a cut Christmas tree after the holiday, McLellan notes.) The mulch protects the plant crown against frost heaving, the alternate freezing and thawing of the soil, which can push plants right up out of the ground.

Properly planted large divisions or new plants in a good site may bloom the next spring after planting, McLellan says. After that, they may produce large, high quality blossoms for 10 or 15 years before crowding starts to reduce flower size.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

SELECT, PREPARE SITE FOR TREE
IN AUTUMN, PLANT IN SPRING

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you’re planning to plant a tree next spring, now’s the time to select and prepare the planting site.

"For best results, the growing conditions in the planting site need to match the tree’s site requirements," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "So if you’ve already decided what kind of tree you want, you need to find a location that meets its needs. If, on the other hand, you’ve picked the site -- so the tree will shade the deck, for instance, or be part of a windbreak -- the job becomes one of picking a tree that is well adapted to the conditions on the site."

Soil type and drainage, exposure to sun and wind, and proximity to buildings, septic and sewage systems, sidewalks and driveways, and utility wires are all key site conditions that determine which plants will succeed there, she points out. Exposure to salt spray from nearby roads is another factor.

On the plant side of the equation, considerations include ultimate size, shape (upright vs. spreading, for instance), presence or absence of flowers and fruits, susceptibility to pest problems and storm damage, and hardiness -- the plant’s ability to survive a typical Michigan winter.

Indigenous plants and those that evolved in areas with similar growing conditions generally require less special care and often perform better than exotic imports, she notes.

Once you’ve decided what you’re going to plant and where you’re going to put it, you can begin to prepare the planting site.

If you’re planting a tree in your lawn, the first step is to remove the grass. You can use a herbicide such as Roundup or simply spread black plastic, cardboard or old carpet on the site to kill the grass.

"Removing the grass before planting means newly planted ornamentals won’t have to compete with grass for moisture and soil nutrients," McLellan explains. "Mulching after planting discourages annual weeds and keeps lawn mowers and other equipment away from young trees and their easily damaged bark."

The usual planting prescription is to dig a planting hole two to three times as big as the plant’s root ball. Work up the site now, McLellan suggests, and you’ll be able to plant as soon as weather permits in the spring.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

SHADED LAWN CAN BE
PROBLEM OR OPPORTUNITY

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Shaded spots in the landscape don’t have to be a problem -- they can provide an opportunity to create special groupings of shade-tolerant ornamentals that will thrive there.

The key, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, is to use shade tolerance as the first consideration when selecting landscape plants.

"Narrow your list of possible choices by eliminating all that won’t tolerate shade," she suggests. "Then consider plants’ other characteristics: hardiness, size, shape, texture, foliage color, presence or absence of flowers and fruits, potential pest problems, fall color and planting site requirements, such as soil and air drainage and pH."

Bear in mind that shade comes in a variety of gradations, from the light, dappled shade underneath a stand of honey locust trees to the no-direct-sun shadiness on the north side of a structure or windbreak to the dense shade under a stand of evergreens. Some areas are shaded part of the day and sunny at other times. Such variations limit or expand the variety of plants that will grow in a particular site.

"Kentucky bluegrass is on the list of plants that don’t do well in shade," McLellan notes. "One solution is to replace sun-loving turfgrass with a shade-loving ground cover, such as Hall’s Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’), English ivy (Hedera helix), periwinkle (Vinca minor), Japanese spurge (Pachysandra ternimalis) or Longwood wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei ‘Longwood’)."

Shade-tolerant shrubs include oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), Weller boxwood (Buxus sempervirens ‘Welleri’), Oregon grapeholly (Mahonia aquifolium), a number of azalea and rhododendron cultivars, and a selection of yews (Taxus species).

Many shrubs and ground covers that tolerate shade also tend to prefer moist soil, McLellan notes, so mulching is a good idea for moisture retention as well as weed control, especially in drier areas.

Herbaceous perennial plants and shade-loving annuals can add foliage and flower color and texture to shaded areas from early spring, when the first spring bulbs emerge, to late fall. Spring bulbs can be interplanted with evergreen ground cover plants, hostas can fill in between shrubs, and annuals such as coleus, begonias and impatiens can brighten shaded areas and fill in after bulbs in beds have faded.

Assistance in selecting landscape ornamentals and perennial and annual flowers is as close as your county MSU Extension office. Publications and videotapes are available on plant selection and care, plant problem diagnosis and other related topics. Look for Extension under "county government" in your telephone book.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

SOME HOUSEPLANTS PROPAGATE
THEMSELVES BY FORMING OFFSETS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- A population explosion of houseplants? The pots could indeed be getting crowded if you’re growing one of the houseplants that propagates itself by forming offsets. Offsets -- also called "pups" -- are small plants that form around the bases of succulent plants such as aloe, bromeliads and sansevieria, among others. Over time, pots can become so overcrowded that pups may fall out.

These offsets are easy to separate from the parent plant and pot. Do this in the fall and you’ll have plants to give as holiday gifts to friends who have admired your green thumb.

Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, says pups can be potted individually in small pots or in groups in larger ones. She recommends clay pots with drainage holes to avoid problems with root rot due to overwatering. Pots being reused should be scrubbed and sanitized with a 10 percent chlorine bleach solution (1 part bleach and 9 parts water) to prevent the carryover of diseases, she notes.

For succulents and bromeliads, a commercial potting mix for cacti and succulents is ideal. It has more sand and other ingredients to promote good drainage than the standard soilless houseplant potting mix, McLellan notes, which is fine for sansevieria.

Unpot parent and pups so you can see what you’re doing when you separate them, she suggests. You’ll be able to see if pups have an adequate root system before you remove them from the parent. "Adequate" means roots 1 to 2 inches long. Leave pups with inadequate roots attached to the parent plant a while longer.

Look for the structure connecting parent and pup and either break or cut them apart. Pot the offsets in prepared pots and water, adding more soil as necessary to cover the roots and bring the top of the soil to about ½ inch below the rim to allow room for watering. Repot the parent plant, also, in fresh potting mix, water it and return all the pots to the plant’s previous location and care for them as usual. Before you know it, today’s pups will be tomorrow’s parent plants.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or H. Russell
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-9386
8/20/03

SO PLENTIFUL, THEN GONE -- INSECTS HAVE
THEIR WAYS TO SURVIVE OVER THE WINTER

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Insects seem to be everywhere in the summer. Then the days get shorter, temperatures drop and all of a sudden the crawling, jumping, flying, buzzing, chirping creatures are gone. When spring brings warm temperatures, they appear again.

So where do they go and how do they survive?

"Insects that are indigenous to this area have evolved a variety of ways to survive the cold winter," says Howard Russell, Michigan State University entomologist.

Monarch butterflies migrate south to winter in Mexico. Good overwintering conditions there increase the number that return to Michigan the next spring.

Many common insects overwinter here as adults, Russell notes. Cluster flies, Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs and paper wasps are among those that seek sheltered places to hibernate until temperatures warm again. They often seek protection against winter’s cold in attics, wall voids and other out-of-the-way places in people’s homes, and a midwinter warm spell may bring them out of hibernation to bumble around indoors until a well aimed flyswatter or vacuum cleaner ends their career.

Other insects overwinter as larvae or eggs. June beetle and Japanese beetle larvae, known collectively as white grubs, spend the winter underground. As temperatures drop, they move downward in the soil. The black and brown woolly bear caterpillar tucks itself into a sheltered spot near the ground to hibernate. Like the European corn borer larva, which spends the winter in cornstalks, the woolly bear will revive in spring and complete its development when the weather warms up again.

Numerous insects and related creatures spend the winter as eggs. For example, gypsy moth, mosquito, corn rootworm and praying mantis adults die after laying eggs to continue the species. The spiders that populated your garage, shed or shrubbery in warm weather also produce the next generation before winter kills them. The eggs overwinter and the young spiders emerge in the spring.

Some insects that move into Michigan after the weather warms up haven’t evolved an overwintering strategy, Russell points out. Insects such as potato leafhopper die off each year. The species returns anew each summer, carried north by storm fronts.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
8/20/03

SPRING BULBS CAN ADD A LOT
TO THE LANDSCAPE

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- After a long winter, the colorful blossoms of spring-flowering bulbs are a welcome addition to otherwise bleak landscapes. Fall is planting time. To make the most of the possibilities in spring bulbs takes planning.

"Plan not just where you’ll put spring bulbs," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, "but also how you can combine small and large flowers, and early, midseason and late bloomers for an extended bloom time. Plan, also, what will follow the bulbs or plant them where existing plants will complement them."

All that is not to say that the site isn’t important -- it is! Bulbs need well drained soil and sunlight in the spring. They also need to be planted far enough away from heated structures that escaped warmth won’t interfere with the chilling period they need to flower.

Good accompaniments for spring bulbs include perennial and annual flowers and evergreen ground covers. Bulbs and shade-tolerant annuals and perennials can be planted around deciduous shrubs or small trees, she suggests. Bulbs will enjoy the sunlight in spring, and the shade after the ornamentals leaf out will protect the shade-loving plants against full sun. Evergreen ground covers such as vinca provide a dark backdrop for the bulbs but are low enough that even small bulbs don’t get lost in them.

Planting bulbs in ground covers gives an informal, naturalized look, the sort of impression that people often try to create by planting crocus or daffodils in lawns, McLellan observes. Bulbs in lawns usually lose their foliage to lawn mowers before it’s had a chance to build up the bulb for next spring’s flowers. Because ground covers don’t need mowing, the foliage of bulbs planted in them has plenty of time to mature.

Both ground covers and annual and perennial flowers camouflage yellowing bulb foliage.

For a more dramatic display, McLellan suggests planting masses of like bulbs rather than thin, narrow rows. For contrast, plant swaths of solid colors. Whether they’re planted with geometric perfection in rectangular beds or curving sweeps, they’ll be much more effective than a hodgepodge of mixed colors.

Large and small bulbs can be combined in the same space, she points out. Simply plant the larger bulbs first and the smaller, shallower ones in layers above them.

A sequence of early, midseason and late spring bulbs gives a long season of bloom by providing a continually changing array of flowers. Another approach is to select a variety of bulbs in harmonious colors that bloom at the same time. You can combine the two approaches to create a panorama of flowers that changes colors as the season progresses.

Some bulbs, such as daffodils, perform year after year and multiply themselves. Others -- some of the hybrid tulips, for example -- tend to be spectacular the first year but disappointing after that. Some gardeners replace these annually, removing the bulbs when the flowers fade and replanting in the fall. Some current catalogs offer what they call "perennial tulips" that are said to behave more like daffodils and come back year after year.

"Bulbs have a lot to offer northern gardeners," McLellan sums up. "They not only survive our cold winters but actually require a cold treatment to flower, and they treat gardeners to a colorful floral display at a most welcome time. It’s no wonder that spring bulbs are great favorites in Michigan."

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