February, 2000

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Whether winter is long or short, gardeners are always looking forward to spring. And they always have questions. Michigan State University Extension specialists answer timely queries about a variety of gardening topics.

Q. I added some clumps of ornamental grasses to my landscape last year and have enjoyed them through the winter. I’m wondering if and when I need to cut last year’s tops back.

A. Some folks cut these grasses back in the fall. Others, like you, enjoy them all winter and cut them back in the spring, before new growth begins.

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Q. Do I need to prune my rose bushes in the spring?

A. Prune away old, dead or diseased canes in early spring, when the first signs of new growth appear. Remove canes in the center of the bush, also -- opening the center of the plant aids air circulation and helps prevent fungal diseases. When two canes are crossed and rubbing together, remove the smaller one. The final step is to cut all canes back to just above a healthy, outward-growing bud. This will shape the bush and promote the growth of new shoots and buds.

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Q. I always look forward to spring but dread the coming of the mosquitoes. Is there anything homeowners can do to help keep their numbers down?

A. You can make sure gutters are cleaned and any water-holding containers on your property, including such things as birdbaths and tire swings, are picked up, emptied or supplied with drainage holes to reduce the number of places mosquitoes can lay eggs this year. Some people advocate putting up purple martin houses and bat houses to encourage mosquito predators to move into the neighborhood. All of these things will have some effect, but if your backyard is located within mosquito flying distance of a wet woods or some other favored breeding area, you probably won’t notice any difference in your yard. This spring’s blood suckers will hatch from eggs laid last year when conditions are right. Your best bet is to avoid going outside during peak mosquito hours -- around sundown and sunset -- or to use a repellent on exposed skin and clothes.

Q. What determines how likely a plant is to be frost damaged in the spring?

A. Some species are more susceptible to frost damage than others. Peaches and dogwood come to mind as particularly frost sensitive. Those that start growing earliest in spring and those that set flower buds in the fall are most vulnerable. The further along in its development a plant is, the more likely it is to be damaged by freezing temperatures. As temperatures drop, the likelihood of injury increases. Foliage buds are usually more cold tolerant than flower buds. Plants growing in low-lying areas are more likely to be frost damaged than similar plants on higher ground because cold air flows down into these areas.

Q. Last fall was so mild that, after dying back as usual, my daylilies started to grow again. When the cold weather finally did come in December, they had 6 to 8 inches of new foliage. Daylilies are pretty hardy, but I’m wondering if they might have been more likely than usual to suffer winter damage, since they were growing when cold weather arrived.

A. The foliage that was out was frozen and died, but that won’t affect the plant. There are semi-evergreen and evergreen types of daylilies, and these plants were probably one or the other, even though they aren’t truly evergreen in Michigan. They will grow just fine this spring.

Q. From time to time, I’ve had problems with cutworms nipping off my transplants, particularly pepper plants. My neighbor swears by little rings of light cardboard he calls cutworm collars. How do they prevent cutworm damage?

A. Cutworm collars are rings of cardboard pushed into the soil around each transplant. They work because cutworms live in the soil by day, emerging at night to feed on seedlings and transplants. The cardboard collars act as barriers, keeping the caterpillars away from the plants. If you prefer an insecticide approach, ready-to-use compounds are available at home and garden centers. Look for soil insecticides that have cutworm control stated on the label.

Q. Raised beds sound like an awful lot of work. When is all that labor worthwhile?

A. For people who have trouble bending or getting up and down to do garden chores, a raised bed can make the difference between being able to garden and not gardening. Someone needs to design and make the beds, of course. A plant-related reason for building raised beds is to overcome poor soil drainage. Ten to 12 inches of porous, organic soil can turn a poorly drained or compacted clay site into a productive garden spot. An 18- to 24-inch soil bed enclosed by landscape ties or cement blocks can make gardening accessible even for wheelchair users.

Q. Weeds are the bane of my garden. I’ve often thought of using plastic mulch, but I’m wondering if it’s worth the time, expense and effort.

A. A lot of gardeners think so. In early spring, covering the garden spot with black plastic helps the soil warm up faster and so speeds the germination of early crops grown from seed. Black plastic controls weeds throughout the growing season by cutting off the light to germinating plants. It also helps conserve soil moisture and so reduces the need for irrigation. Weed control with plastic means you aren’t tilling or hoeing around plants -– this eliminates damage to plants from weed control equipment and reduces the labor input into the garden. Keeping tomato fruits off the ground keeps them cleaner and reduces problems with ground rot, also.

Q. How does sprinkling your strawberry plants protect them against frost?

A. As the water freezes on the plants, it releases small amounts of heat. This is adequate to keep the flowers from freezing down to about 22 degrees F. The water must be applied continuously at a rate of about 1/10 inch per hour and left on until temperatures reach 34 degrees or all the ice has melted the next morning. If you can’t sprinkle plants, covering them with old sheets, plastic, newspapers or straw when frost is predicted will hold heat from the soil around plants and keep flower buds from freezing.

Q. Should I fertilize my raspberries in the spring?

A. Early spring is the best time to fertilize most small fruits in Michigan. The exception is strawberries, which should be fertilized after harvest. Trailing blackberries require 1/2 pound of nitrogen per 100 feet of row in their first year, 1 pound in the second year after planting and 2 pounds a year after that. The rate for erect blackberries is 1/2, 3/4 and 1 1/2 pounds, respectively. For established raspberries, apply 1 to 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 100 feet of row before growth begins in the spring.

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ANR Communications Contact: L. Johnson or T. Zabadal
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-5191
East Lansing, MI 48824 2/15/00

BACKYARD GRAPEVINES
NEED REGULAR PRUNING

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- When backyard grapevines bear large crops of poor quality fruit, they’re sending a message: prune me!

"Unpruned vines overbear and produce large quantities of poor quality fruit," says Tom Zabadal, Michigan State University viticulturist. "New grape growers often fear that they’ll damage a grapevine by pruning it, but actually the reverse is true -– pruning results in smaller crops of higher quality fruit and healthier, more vigorous vines."

Spring is the best time to prune because it’s easy then to tell the green, healthy buds (nodes) from the dark brown, winter-injured buds. It’s usually a good idea to prune before new shoot growth begins, Zabadal advises, because young shoots are easily detached from vines during the pruning process. But if extensive winter injury has occurred, it’s sometimes necessary to let new shoot growth begin so you can tell which tissues are still alive.

Another reason to hold off pruning is that unpruned vines grow slower in the spring and so are less susceptible to spring freeze injury.

Pruning typically removes 85 to 90 percent of the previous season’s growth, Zabadal says. This seems drastic, but it’s necessary to reduce the number of flower buds so the vine doesn’t overbear.

Rather than focus on the material removed, however, Zabadal suggests that growers look at the size of the vine and prune to leave an appropriate number of fruiting nodes. He offers these guidelines for a typical vine spacing of 7 to 8 feet:

** Very small vines: Vines fill about one-third of their space on the trellis. Mature canes are often 2 feet or less in length and rarely exceed 6 feet. If all cane prunings were weighed, they would amount to less than 1 pound. Recommendation: retain 15 fruiting nodes at pruning. When shoots are 12 inches long, remove all fruiting nodes to promote vine growth.

** Small vines: At the end of the growing season, small vines fill about half their growing space. Prunings weigh 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. Retain 20 to 25 nodes at pruning. When shoots are 12 inches long, retain one cluster per shoot on 15 shoots and remove all others. This gives a small crop and promotes vine growth for larger crops in subsequent years.

** Medium vines: Vines fill about three-fourths of their growing space at the end of the season. Cane prunings would weigh between 1 3/4 and 2 1/2 pounds. Retain a maximum of 30 to 35 nodes at pruning.

** Large vines: Vines fill their space on the trellis. Prunings would weigh more than 2 3/4 pounds. Retain a maximum of 40 to 50 nodes.

These are only guidelines, Zabadal notes, that should be adjusted as the grower gains experience. The number may be adjusted upward after an exceptionally good year for growth, if the crop matured well, or downward if it didn’t or if growth was poor.

When choosing fruiting canes, look for canes the diameter of a pencil or larger, with a bright, shiny appearance. Color should be from straw yellow to dark brown, depending on the variety. Select more or less equal numbers of canes from each side of the main trunk so the fruit is distributed throughout the vine space, and leave the same number of fruiting nodes on each cane. Make pruning cuts with a sharp tool.

"Selecting quality canes, choosing the correct number of canes in relation to the size of the vine, and distributing them well on the trellis will go a long way toward improving the productivity of backyard grapevines," he sums up.

ANR Communications Contact: L. Johnson or T. Ellis
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-8478
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 2/15/00

CARPENTER ANTS CAN
INVADE HOMES, DAMAGE WOOD

EAST LANSING, Mich. –- Watching an endless stream of big, black ants tossing sawdust out of a hole in a trailside signpost or dead tree is fascinating to watch when you’re hiking. Fascination will turn to concern or even fear if you discover this activity in your home.

"Whoever decided to call them carpenter ants did these creatures a great disservice," observes Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. "The name usually evokes a word association with termites, destruction and an expensive repair bill."

Unlike termites, which actually ingest wood fiber, carpenter ants create living quarters by excavating tunnels and galleries in water-damaged wood. They don’t ingest wood fiber. And if the wood is in good season and sound, carpenter ants don’t have the jaw power to tunnel through it.

It is not uncommon to find carpenter ants roaming throughout houses and apartments in Michigan, especially in the spring and fall.

"Finding carpenter ants in your home doesn’t necessarily mean they’re nesting indoors," Ellis points out. "Usually they aren’t. In most cases, they are living outdoors and coming inside to forage for food. It’s worth your while to observe these foragers to determine whether their nest is indoors or outdoors -– this will tell you what kind of control effort needs to be taken."

Ants building nests indoors will leave evidence of their activity. Because they can not ingest wood, they will leave small piles of coarse-looking sawdust and other debris on the doorstep of entrances to their tunnels. The entrance may or may not be near the nest. Workers in the nest are also noisy -– if you put your ear to the wall or use something to enhance hearing, such as a stethoscope, you’ll be able to locate the nest.

Once you pinpoint the location of the nest, control is a matter of purchasing a household insecticide labeled for ants and delivering it to the target. This can be achieved by drilling several small holes and spraying the insecticide into the holes. It may take more than one application. Once the queen and the workers have been killed, noise from nest activity will cease.

Once the carpenter ant nest has been eliminated, you must make a decision about repairing the water leak that weakened the wood in the first place.

"Most folks are so intent on ridding themselves of a carpenter ant colony that they forget the ants were actually a symptom of a larger problem, the leak that weakened the wood," Ellis points out.

Carpenter ants traveling from the out-of-doors into the house to forage can be controlled somewhat by eliminating nesting areas and travel routes into the house. Woodpiles should not be located near the house. If a tree or bush near the house is cut down, Ellis advises removing as much of the stump and roots as possible.

Carpenter ants are active foragers outdoors and travel considerable distances in search of food, he notes. They actively search for food in trees and shrubs. Branches touching the roof or siding can serve as ant highways into the house.

"You can’t eliminate all of the things tempting or enabling carpenter ants to enter your house," Ellis says, "but you can certainly eliminate a lot of 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 2/15/00

CHOOSE METHOD TO SUIT PLANT
WHEN MULTIPLYING HOUSEPLANTS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- So you want to multiply your houseplants. Some are easy to propagate at home; others are more challenging. The keys are starting with healthy plants, choosing the proper propagation method and providing a suitable environment.

Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, says plant diseases and common houseplant insect pests can be propagated along with plants, so it’s important to start with healthy plant parts and disease-free seed. Portions of healthy, vigorously growing plants are also more likely to establish roots and begin to grow on their own, she adds.

Some houseplants can be propagated by more than one method. African violets, for instance, can be grown from seed, from divisions or from single leaves. For other plants, such as true ferns and orchids, generally only one method will succeed. So choosing the appropriate method has a lot to do with your chances of success.

All plant propagation methods fall in one of two categories: sexual or asexual, also called vegetative. Plants propagated sexually are grown from seeds. Plants propagated asexually are grown from other plant parts, most often leaves and stems.

The third key is providing a suitable environment. Seeds and cuttings generally need high humidity, a moist growing medium and warm temperatures for quick germination and successful rooting. These may not be the conditions the plants need once they get established, though this varies from plant to plant.

High humidity is necessary when propagating plants -- it reduces water loss from leaves so that new plants don’t wilt and dry out before they develop a good root system. Moist air also keeps the growing medium from drying out so quickly.

Another factor in successful propagation is using a sterile material for starting seeds and cuttings, McLellan advises.

"A sterile medium is free of disease organisms," she explains. "This is critical because the warm, humid conditions that promote germination and rooting also are ideal for fungi and other disease organisms."

Containers for the growing medium must likewise be cleaned and sanitized before use. Any shallow container will do, as long as it has some way of letting excess water drain out. A clear cover -- such as plastic wrap, a plastic bag or a big glass jar -- keeps the air around plants moist and lets light in. It also makes it easy to check for emerging seedlings or wilting or other signs of trouble.

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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 2/15/00

EARLY SPRING IS TIME
TO SOW FLOWERS INDOORS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -– If you can provide the right combination of conditions for germination and growth, you can grow your own flowering annuals for transplanting outdoors after the danger of frost is past.

"Light is usually the limiting factor in growing annuals indoors," says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Without a greenhouse or a coldframe, plants usually can’t get enough light for good growth."

The right conditions for germinating seed are usually easier to come by indoors, she notes. Clean and sanitized containers, a sterile soilless mix, water and warm temperatures are the key ingredients.

Containers and medium must be free of disease organisms, McLellan says, because the moist, warm conditions that favor seed germination also are ideal for growth of fungi and other disease organisms. The medium must be kept moist but not sopping wet -– if it’s allowed to dry out, germinating seeds may be killed. If seedlings get so dry that they wilt, their growth will be retarded for several days. Too much water is also a problem. Roots need air as well as water, McLellan points out, and they will not survive long in saturated soil.

Most flower seeds germinate best at a temperature of 75 degrees F, McLellan observes. Though this is warmer than most people keep their houses, there are usually warmer spots such as on top of a refrigerator or above a heat register or radiator where warmer temperatures are available. Using heat cables under containers is another option.

Sprinkle small seeds (mix them with sand for easier distribution) on the moist medium; place larger seeds. Most seeds should be lightly covered; others should be left uncovered. Be sure to check the information on the seed packet before covering seeds, McLellan suggests. Then cover the container with a clear plastic bag or plastic food wrap and place in a warm spot until seedlings appear.

The plastic conserves moisture and promotes quick germination, she explains. Once seedlings appear, the cover should come off to reduce the likelihood of damping-off, a fungal disease, and to keep seedlings from become spindly.

After seedlings appear, move containers to a slightly cooler spot that receives bright light. Water as needed to prevent wilting, and fertilize every two weeks with a houseplant fertilizer. Thin and/or transplant when seedlings get their first true leaves so plants are 1 inch apart. Transplant after that as needed to give plants room to grow.

Acclimate transplants to the outdoors by setting them outdoors on balmy spring days for gradually longer periods each time. They may dry out quickly, especially on breezy days, McLellan points out, so check them often and water as needed. When the danger of frost is past, transplant them into the garden on a cloudy day or in the evening so they have a chance to recover somewhat from transplant shock before they have to cope with the full range of outdoor growing conditions.

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ANR Communications Contact: Leslie Johnson
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555
East Lansing, MI 48824 2/15/00

FIELD GUIDE CAN HELP GARDENERS
IDENTIFY, ATTRACT BUTTERFLIES

EAST LANSING, Mich. -– From the first Mourning Cloak to venture out in the spring through the swallowtails and Monarchs of summer; from the Giant Swallowtail to the smallest skipper -- Michigan’s butterflies brighten roadsides, woodlands, meadows, lawns and gardens from early spring into fall.

Gardeners can attract these flying jewels by choosing a variety of plants to provide continuous flowers throughout the warm months. These nectar sources are only half the picture, however -– many butterflies don’t visit flowers as adults. But they will be on the wing looking for plants to lay their eggs on, so adding larval host plants -– the plants that the immature stage will eat -– will greatly increase the garden’s appeal.

For information on both nectar sources and larval host plants and a guide to identifying the 159 butterfly and skipper species that have been recorded in Michigan, gardeners and butterfly fanciers will want a copy of Michigan Butterflies and Skippers. Written by lepidopterist Mogens Nielsen and published in 1999 by Michigan State University Extension, the 252-page book tells where each species is found; whether it visits plants for nectar and, if so, which plants; and what plants are preferred larval host plants. Pages are studded with gorgeous color photographs, many taken in the field by award-winning nature photographer Larry West.

In addition to the species listing, the book also contains sections on Michigan geography and climate as they relate to butterflies, butterfly habitats in Michigan, butterfly gardening and conservation, and references for further study.

The softcover book is available from MSU Extension county offices and from the MSU Bulletin Office, 10B Agriculture Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824-1039. The price is $19.95. Orders to the bulletin office totaling less than $100 must be prepaid.

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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 2/15/00

FOR GOOD YIELDS,
PLANT PEAS EARLY

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Peas produce best in cool weather, so if you plant them in the spring, plant as soon as the soil is dry enough to work.

Another option is to plant in the summer for fall harvest, but spring crops usually give better yields, observes Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

Peas aren’t fussy about soil type, she notes. Almost any well drained soil will be suitable for peas as long as it’s not extremely acid. The other site requirements are full sun and plenty of water during dry weather, especially when pea pods are forming.

To check soil to determine whether it’s dry enough to work, squeeze a handful of it. If it crumbles when you open your hand, it’s dry enough to spade or till. If it clumps together in a muddy ball, it’s too wet.

Plant pea seeds 1 inch deep and 2 to 3 inches apart in rows 2 feet apart. Peas, like other legumes, get the nitrogen they need from the atmosphere, but they will benefit from application of phosphorus and potassium. Use a low-nitrogen fertilizer such as 5-20-20 at the rate of 4 cups per 100 feet. Mix half in the soil a couple weeks before planting and sprinkle the rest alongside the rows -- not on the seeds -- after planting.

Seed catalogs offer a variety of peas -- from vining to bush types, and English peas, grown for their immature seeds, to edible-podded types. The vining varieties definitely need some sort of support to grow on, McLellan advises, though even the more compact varieties will be easier to harvest if they have some support.

"Be sure pea fencing is sturdy," she adds. "A flimsy fence may collapse under the weight of the vines or blow down in a spring storm."

Edible-podded peas come in two basic types. Snow peas are harvested for their crunchy pods when the peas are just beginning to form. Snap peas are picked when the pods are thick and filled with peas. Harvest garden peas when pods are firm and well filled but before they start to shrivel and change color. Old peas lose their sweetness and become starchy and tough.

Quality and flavor are best when peas are eaten or frozen as soon as possible after harvest.

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ANR Communications Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 2/15/00

HARD TO BEAT HOSTA
FOR SHADED SPOTS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Hosta, or plantain lily, is a mainstay of the shaded perennials garden. It thrives in shade, has few pest problems and is reliably hardy in cold climates.

Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, observes that gardeners looking for perennial solutions to shady spots are flocking to plant hostas. It doesn’t hurt the plant’s popularity that it offers a wide range of plant sizes and foliage colors, as well as delicate flowers.

Spring is the best time to plant hostas, though container-grown plants can be put into the garden about any time the ground isn’t frozen. Spring is best, McLellan explains, because it gives plants plenty of time to get well established before either summer’s heat or winter’s cold.

Though hostas will tolerate full shade, the best site for them is partially or lightly shaded. Some will tolerate full sun if they’re mulched heavily and watered regularly, but hostas grown in full sun usually will have bleached, dry foliage and look generally sickly. Hostas are ideal for flower beds on the north side of a building or fence or in other areas where they’ll receive bright, indirect light or light shade but no direct sun. They don’t do well under trees and shrubs that have extensive, shallow root systems, however.

A deep, organic soil with good drainage is ideal for hostas. Because hostas need a constant supply of moisture, summer mulching is recommended to conserve water and reduce weed competition.

Hostas grow in clumps of oval to blade-shaped leaves on individual stems. Foliage colors range from dark glossy green to blue to variegations with white and cream. Flowers are produced on upright stems above the foliage. Flowers range from white through lavender to blue, and some are highly fragrant. Some varieties start blooming in early summer; others in mid- to late summer through frost.

Hundreds of varieties offer a range of plant sizes. Small ones can be planted close together for a low-growing ground cover; large ones can be used in foundation plantings, as specimen plants or in perennial beds to provide a contrast to vertical plants such as delphinium or iris.

"Hostas are easy-care perennials," McLellan points out. "Pest problems are few and may include slugs in wet years."

Hostas are propagated by dividing plants in early spring. Either dig up older plants and cut them into sections with a sharp knife, or use a sharp spade to remove offsets while leaving the mother plant in place. Make sure each division has at least two or three buds and plenty of roots, McLellan notes, and plant it with the buds just below soil 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 2/15/00

INSECTS MAY EMERGE
FROM FIREWOOD

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- As winter gives way to spring and the fireplace or woodstove sees less use, wood brought indoors may not be

burned right away. Any insects that came in with the wood respond to the warm temperatures indoors, become active and leave the wood, and the homeowner suddenly finds him- or herself host to some unexpected house guests.

Most of the insects that come indoors on firewood are harmless, says Tom Ellis, Extension entomologist at Michigan State University. The most common are long-horned wood-boring beetles, metallic wood-boring beetles and bark beetles. Others may include spiders, several non-stinging wasps and other beetles. Some may have been present in the wood in immature stages; others as overwintering adults.

"The chances of any of these reproducing indoors or damaging woodwork, structural timbers or furnishings are next to zero," he says. "They won’t become pantry pests or bother humans or pets. They’re just nuisances to have indoors. And they really don’t want to be there -- they want to be outside where they can get on with their lives, finding mates and completing their life cycle."

A few firewood-infesting insects can cause problems indoors, however. Carpenter ants, termites and powderpost beetles can come indoors on firewood, and any of these can move into structural timbers or furnishings.

The carpenter ant is the most common of these, Ellis observes, and the same precautions to keep it out of the house will be effective against the others, also.

The first step in preventing invasions of firewood insects of any kind is to store firewood outdoors at least 50 feet away from any heated building. Storing wood on the porch or just outside the backdoor is convenient, but not just for the homeowner -- insects and even rodents may find the woodpile a convenient place to hide until they can find a way inside.

Step two is to bring only small amounts of wood indoors and burn it right away. Rapid turnover of wood stored inside heated buildings is especially important in late winter and early spring, Ellis points out, when insects’ biological clocks are ticking toward spring emergence.

Step three is to check any wood that comes indoors for tunnels, holes or other borings or signs of insect activity. Burn them first, Ellis suggests.

If insects do emerge indoors, control by sweeping with a broom and dustpan, swatting or vacuuming is usually all that’s necessary, Ellis says.

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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 2/15/00

PLANT EARLY, BE PREPARED
TO WAIT FOR NUT HARVEST

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you’re a gardener looking for instant gratification, don’t plant nut trees -- stick with annual flowers and radishes.

Even if you plant grafted trees of improved varieties, it may be several years before you harvest a crop, says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

"It may take even named varieties of hickories 10 to 20 years to produce that first crop," she observes. "Walnuts may take five years or more. But seedlings might take twice that long."

Chinese chestnuts, on the other hand, may begin to bear the next year after planting, and grafted varieties of butternut and heartnut should bear within two to four years of planting.

A variety of nut trees can be grown in Michigan, especially in the southern half of the Lower Peninsula. Shagbark hickories do well throughout southern Michigan as long as they’re not planted in either very dry or wet areas. Butternuts and heartnuts are also hardy throughout this area. Black walnuts, American hazelnuts and Persian (English) walnuts are less hardy, and Chinese chestnuts are only about as hardy as peaches, so they’re even more limited. Pecan trees are hardy in Michigan but rarely produce a crop.

The best time to plant young nut trees is in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. A good site will have good air and soil drainage. Black walnut, butternut, heartnut and Persian walnut do best on deep, fertile, moist, well drained soil. Chinese chestnuts prefer a well drained, gravelly, slightly acid soil. Hickories do best on light, well drained, loamy soils. Hazelnuts and filberts are not particular about soil type as long as it’s well drained. None of them should be planted in low-lying frost pockets.

Black walnuts, butternuts, heartnuts and hickory nuts are usually self-pollinating, so you need to plant only one variety to get a crop. To harvest Chinese chestnuts, hazelnuts and filberts, and Persian walnuts, you need two or three varieties for pollination.

After-planting care includes controlling weeds around young trees, mulching to retain soil moisture, protecting young trees against gnawing mice and rabbits in winter, and fertilizing beginning the next year after planting. Nut trees usually require little or no pruning, though it’s a good idea to remove any weak, V-shaped crotches when trees are young to reduce the chance of splitting during ice or windstorms. Low-hanging branches can be pruned if they interfere with mowing or foot or vehicle traffic around the property.

To protect against damage by gnawing rodents, encircle each tree with ¼-inch-mesh hardware cloth. Be sure the wire cylinder extends at least 18 inches above the usual snow level.

"While thinking about the nut crop, people tend to overlook the ornamental value of nut trees," McLellan observes. "They make excellent shade trees, and the flower spikes of the chestnut can be a spring highlight of the home grounds. Hazelnut bushes make excellent hedges."

Black walnuts are relatively fast-growing trees, so they provide shade quicker than some other species. The stain from the nuts’ thick husks can be a problem on clothing and carpets, however, so it’s a good idea to plant black walnuts away from the house or at least out of the usual pattern of foot traffic. Some plants are sensitive to juglone, a compound found in walnut roots, McLellan notes, so a spot away from the vegetable garden and sensitive landscape plants is also a good idea.

Squirrels are a common pest of nut trees. They harvest and cache or bury the nuts for a winter food source. Beating the squirrels to the harvest is usually a matter of shaking down the nuts when the majority are mature rather than waiting for them to fall on their own, or gathering them daily. In black walnuts, the time to harvest is when the hulls can be dented with a thumbnail. Chestnuts are ready when they fall from the burrs; Persian walnuts can be allowed to drop or shaken from the tree when about 75 percent of them show split hulls.

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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 2/15/00

PREPARE GARDEN SPOT
AFTER SOIL DRIES OUT

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- You don’t have to wait until Memorial Day to start your vegetable garden. But you do need to let the soil dry out before you try to work it.

Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, says a host of crops can be planted in the cooler temperatures of April and early May. Among them are peas, radishes, lettuce, spinach, onions, beets, and transplants of cabbage, broccoli and other cabbage family crops.

"In their haste to get those early crops in, some gardeners work the soil while it’s still wet," McLellan observes. "Especially if you use a rotary tiller, this can cause a compacted layer just below tillage depth. If you work it by hand, you can end up with hard clumps that can be very difficult to turn into a decent seedbed."

A quick way to check the soil moisture is to squeeze a handful of soil. If it crumbles apart when you open your hand, the soil is dry enough to work. If it forms a wet, muddy ball that holds together when you release it, it’s too wet.

Soils with a high clay content, mulched soils and soils in low-lying spots are slower to dry out than sandy soils, soils without mulch and soils on high ground, McLellan points out. Adding organic matter to clay soils to improve drainage and making raised beds are long-term strategies to make it possible to work the soil earlier some years. Removing mulch is one thing you can do to speed soil drying in the short term.

Once the soil in an established garden spot is dry enough to work, plowing, tilling or spading to work in organic matter and fertilizer is the first step. Then rake to break up clumps and smooth the seedbed, mark your rows and plant.

If you’re enlarging your garden or breaking new ground, the first step is to remove the grass.

"Ideally this would have been done last year," McLellan notes. "It’s better to remove sod and control perennial weeds the season before you intend to plant. But if it didn’t get done then, be sure to remove or kill sod, especially if it contains quackgrass or other problem perennial grasses, rather than merely till them under. If you don’t eliminate them at the beginning, you’ll be fighting them all summer."

Prepare only as much seedbed as you need for your early crops, she suggests. Work up a little bit more each time you’re ready to plant more. This not only breaks the soil preparation into smaller, more manageable chunks but assures that each seeding will have a clean, freshly prepared seedbed. This gives your flowers and vegetables at least an even chance against the weeds that will grow from the seeds that working the soil brings up to the surface.

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ANR Communications Contact: L. Johnson or W. Carlson
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-5178
East Lansing, MI 48824 2/15/00

RESEARCHERS WRITING ‘PRESCRIPTIONS’
FOR FLOWERING PERENNIALS IN POTS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Though flowering annuals are still hugely popular, many Michigan gardeners are planting perennials these days. For a long time, that’s meant buying a green plant in spring and waiting for weeks or months for it to flower. Market research has shown that consumers prefer to buy plants in flower, and that poses a problem for greenhouse growers. Suddenly they need to know how to have dozens of species of perennials in flower at a specific date for retail outlets. And, until recently, the sort of information they needed to do this simply wasn’t available.

To help fill this information gap, a team of Michigan State University horticultural researchers set out to determine the timing of each step in the production process -- to devise a prescription for flowering, as it were.

If purple coneflowers need to be in flower and in stores on June 1, for instance, growers could work backwards from that date and figure out when they must start plants and how they must manipulate the greenhouse temperature and the amount of light that plants receive to produce flowering plants at the appropriate time.

"This is a new way to cultivate these plants," says Will Carlson, MSU professor of horticulture and Extension floriculture specialist. "We’re understanding the sequence of conditions needed to make each plant flower. Once we know that, we can make any plant flower at any time."

Forcing perennials into flower is not a new idea -– growers have been doing it with azaleas, Easter lilies and chrysanthemums for years. Other popular perennials have proven more difficult. So the industry asked the university for help. Growers support the work with contributions of money, plant materials and other necessary items.

Researchers Carlson, Art Cameron and Royal Heins began by studying the light, temperature, cold requirement and age requirements for flowering of various perennials. They discovered that many need extra hours of light to bloom. Some perennials need a cold treatment to flower; some need to be a certain age before the cold period begins.

Many growers already use computers to control the greenhouse environment and produce uniform and high quality crops, Carlson notes. So, for the researchers, it was just a matter of narrowing the focus to a manageable number of perennials and setting up the studies to determine the proper mix of conditions for each species, and then communicating that to growers.

They are working on the plants in groups of 10 selected primarily from the growers’ wish list and the 25 top-selling perennials in the United States. The first 20 include lavender, tickseed, balloon flower, black-eyed Susan, blanket flower, swamp rose mallow, delphinium, lobelia, false spirea, Dalmatian geranium, gaura, bellflower, purple coneflower, sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and shasta daisy. Forcing plans are being printed in easy-to-use instruction booklets. The researchers are working on the next group of 10 perennials with the aim of having 30 "cookbooks" for top perennials available to growers by this June, Carlson says. The initial goal was 50 flowering prescriptions, though they say they’ll continue as long as growers need this type of information.

Growers are excited about this research because it enables them to offer their customers flowering plants in the spring –- flowers with no waiting, and no guessing about what they’ll look like.

"Perennials are a growing industry in this state," Carlson observes. "By working closely with the people in the industry to identify needs and problems, we’re helping growers and consumers, too."

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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 2/15/00

SUCCESS WITH TRANSPLANTS STEMS
FROM PROPER SELECTION, HANDLING

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Transplants are the way to go with tomatoes and dozens of other annual flowers and vegetables common in Michigan gardens. Transplants give long-season crops a chance to produce before fall frost and mean that annual flowers begin to bloom weeks earlier than they would if they’d been planted from seed.

The key to success with transplants, says Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, is selecting healthy young plants and handling them properly.

Variety selection is important, also, she notes. Lists of recommended varieties are available from county MSU Extension offices. These varieties have been tested under Michigan growing conditions and found to be well suited to Michigan gardens, and many have built-in resistance to common diseases.

Transplants should be stocky and compact with healthy-looking foliage. Green foliage should be a rich dark green, not pale or yellow, and free of spots that might indicate disease. Colored foliage -- as on coleus, for instance -- should be free of discoloration or signs of disease. Wilted foliage may mean the plant needs water; it can also be a sign of root rot or other disease problems.

Though it’s nice to see annuals or perennials in flower, the best transplants are those without flowers or fruits, McLellan advises. Right after planting, transplants need to concentrate on establishing a large, strong root system. If they’ve already switched from vegetative growth to flower or fruit production, they will not be able to do this and will struggle through the season on an inadequate root system.

The shock of going directly from the sheltered greenhouse environment to the garden can stop plants’ growth or even kill them, she points out. Easing transplants into the garden in stages gives them a chance to get accustomed to outdoor conditions gradually. Start by setting flats outdoors in a protected area for a few hours on warm, sunny days and decrease watering somewhat. Increase the time that plants spend outside each day for several days. This process, called hardening, reduces the amount of transplant shock the plants suffer when they’re set in the garden.

At transplanting time, handle plants carefully to avoid damaging their roots and stems. If plants were grown in peat pots, soak the pots thoroughly before planting, and make sure the edge of the pot is completely covered -- if the lip is left exposed, it will wick water away from plant roots.

Plants in multicompartment containers should be well watered and removed from their cells with care and transferred quickly into the garden so their roots don’t have a chance to dry out. All transplants should be watered in after transplanting so dry soil around them doesn’t pull water away from their roots.

"Often it isn’t enough to just stick the plants in the ground and water -- newly set transplants may need protection against insects, frost and wind," McLellan says.

Cutworms are hairless caterpillars that snip off seedlings and transplants at or just below the soil surface. They’re especially fond of pepper plants, though they may damage other plants, also. A 3- to 4-inch-wide strip of lightweight cardboard formed into a circle and pushed into the soil around each plant is usually all that’s necessary to protect it.

Frost protection may be needed if warm-weather crops such as tomatoes and peppers are planted early or frost threatens after the usual frost-free date for your locale, McLellan says.

"Warm-weather crops shouldn’t be planted until the soil has warmed up to 65 degrees and the average date of the last frost is past," she advises. "They usually grow poorly, if at all, before that, so little is gained and the plants might be lost if they’re planted too early."

Warming the soil with plastic mulch and protecting tender crops with milk jugs or commercial plant covers can extend the season and enable warm-weather crops to go into the garden before the frost-free date. Each gardener needs to balance the time, effort and expense involved against the desire to have the first red tomato on the block and make his or her decision accordingly.

Cool-weather crops such as broccoli, cabbage and other members of the cabbage family will tolerate cooler soil and air temperatures and even some light frost and so can be planted earlier.

All transplants are subject to wind damage. Commercial plant covers or caps, windbreaks of evergreen prunings and milk jugs with the bottoms cut out can be used to keep wind from flattening newly set transplants.

Even the healthiest transplants with the best handling will experience some root damage at transplanting, McLellan says. Until they get their roots established, the tops won’t grow. To promote rooting, she advises giving plants a dose of high-phosphorus fertilizer at transplanting. Phosphorus is the most important nutrient for root growth.

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ANR Communications Contact: L. Johnson or M. Hausbeck
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-4534
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039 2/15/00

TOMATO DISEASES EASIER
TO PREVENT THAN CURE

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Tomatoes are prone to a number of serious diseases, some of which have no cure once plants are infected. Fortunately, home gardeners can take steps to prevent plant disease.

Mary Hausbeck, Extension plant pathologist at Michigan State University, says careful selection of varieties, selection of healthy plants, proper garden site preparation and a little TLC can go a long way toward preventing several serious plant diseases. "Two potentially devastating diseases are Fusarium and Verticillium wilt, which can be avoided by planting resistant varieties," she points out.

Look for the letters "VF" after the variety name in the seed catalog, on seed packets or on the labels in packs of transplants. "VF" means the variety is resistant to these two soil-borne wilt diseases. Those marked "VFN" are also resistant to nematodes.

Fungal diseases that plague tomatoes every year are Septoria leaf spot, early blight leaf spot and fruit rot, and anthracnose ripe rot. These disease organisms can carry over on plant debris, Hausbeck says, so it’s helpful to remove all diseased plants from the garden in the fall. Reducing the number of organisms that can survive to plague next year’s crop may eliminate or greatly reduce the need for garden fungicides to protect plants.

When buying plants, look for vigorous, healthy-looking plants -- look for a thick stem and dark green foliage with no yellowing or spotting, she advises.

"I can’t overemphasize the importance of starting with healthy plants," she says.

Where you place your garden and the crops in it can also be a factor in disease prevention, she notes.

"Good soil drainage is important in preventing root rot, which stresses plants and leaves them susceptible to attack by other diseases and pests," she explains. "Good air drainage helps plants dry off quickly after rain or overhead irrigation. That’s important because some diseases can get established only if leaves remain wet for extended periods." Never water in the evening, she advises -- plants don’t have time to dry and will likely stay wet until the next morning. This extended wet period favors disease development.

For good soil and air drainage, avoid low-lying spots where water tends to stand after a rain and cold air tends to settle. Though frost damage is not a disease, it can kill transplants in spring and end the harvest season early in the fall. And plants in low-lying areas will be frosted first, Hausbeck advises.

Another strategy is crop rotation -- moving related families of plants around the garden so plants susceptible to the same diseases don’t follow one another in the same space. Grouping plants -- cabbage-family crops; squashes and cucumbers and other vine crops; and tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes -- and moving them as groups simplifies the process, she notes. Tomatoes and their relatives should not follow vine crops, she adds, which are also susceptible to the root rot diseases.

Most vegetable crops, including tomatoes, need a full day’s sunlight to grow well and produce good yields, so the garden spot needs to have good light exposure.

Fertile soil provides the nutrients for good plant growth. Having a soil test done and following its recommendations for adding lime and fertilizer is another way to keep plants growing and healthy, Hausbeck notes.

Weed control can also help reduce disease problems in a couple of ways. Controlling weeds reduces competition for soil moisture, nutrients and sunlight, so tomato plants grow more vigorously and are less susceptible than stressed plants to attack by disease. Weeds can also serve as sources of some disease organisms.

"Water, of course, is a critical factor," Hausbeck says. "Drought stress makes plants more susceptible to other problems, including diseases such as Septoria leaf spot, early blight and blossom end rot."

Blossom end rot isn’t really a disease, she notes -- it’s a physiological problem related to extreme fluctuations in soil moisture. It starts out as a sunken, dark-colored, leathery spot in the blossom end of a ripening fruit. Secondary bacterial rots may set in and make the entire fruit unusable.

To prevent blossom end rot, conserve moisture, prevent drought stress and control weeds, mulch plants and irrigate whenever rain doesn’t supply at least an inch of water per week. Avoid watering late in the day, when foliage will be slow to dry, she adds.

The last step in protecting tomato plants against anthracnose, early blight and Septoria leaf spot is to use fungicides labeled for those problems on tomatoes.

"Use only products labeled for use on tomatoes," Hausbeck cautions, "and apply them at the rates and intervals specified on the labels beginning at the first sign of a problem."

Fungicides are available as dusts and as powders that need to be mixed with water to form sprays, she notes. Sprays generally give better coverage and better protection than dusts, which are difficult to apply evenly to upper and lower leaf surfaces.

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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 2/15/00

VEGETABLES HAVE
ORNAMENTAL VALUE

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Gardeners usually think of vegetables as an edible commodity, but many plants grown for their edible parts also have ornamental value. And some vegetables are strictly for looking at.

Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, suggests that gardeners take advantage of the ornamental traits of many vegetables and incorporate them into flower beds and borders and other landscape features.

Perennial vegetables such as rhubarb, asparagus and Jerusalem artichoke can easily play a landscape role, she suggests.

"The lacy, fernlike foliage of asparagus and the large, coarse leaves of rhubarb can provide a contrast to other perennials or annuals in beds and borders," she observes. "Jerusalem artichokes flower in the fall, producing yellow sunflower-like blossoms near the tops of the tall plants. A clump of them is a nice contrast to lower growing mums."

Ornamental cabbage and kale are grown strictly for their ornamental traits. The loose heads of flowering kale may be white or pinkish red in the center with a fringe of green. Flowering cabbage looks more like an exotic flower than a cabbage, with dark green leaves streaked or tinged with white, pink or red and a colored rosette of leaves in the center. They’re most colorful in fall, when many summer-flowering annuals are fading.

Eggplant and pepper plants have attractive foliage and colorful fruits that can add to the appeal of a flower bed or container garden. Like cherry tomatoes, eggplant and peppers are well suited to container culture, so even apartment dwellers and others with little space for gardening can enjoy raising them.

If you have a spot where a climbing vine is needed, try planting ‘Scarlet Runner’ pole beans instead of morning glories, McLellan suggests. The beans are much easier to germinate, and the vines grow quickly. They’re soon covered with red blossoms and green pods.

If your flower beds have color themes, consider adding vegetables that continue the theme. Try purple-podded snap beans and purple cabbage in a purple garden, for instance, or ornamental peppers in a red, yellow and orange planting of marigolds, zinnias or nasturtiums.

Herbs can add an olfactory element to the garden while looking good and providing seasoning for cooking, McLellan points out. They may even solve a gardening dilemma for you -- they tend to prefer less fertile soils and full sun, so they may thrive in an otherwise hard to plant spot.

Salad vegetables such as leaf lettuce and radishes can be planted early and provide salad makings while they hold space for more tender annuals that must wait until warmer weather. In the meantime, you can have your border and eat it, too.

"The opportunities to work attractive garden vegetables into the landscape are practically unlimited," McLellan says. "Once you start looking at them that way, you may never go back to hiding them in the backyard."

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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 2/15/00

YOU CAN INCREASE CHANCES
OF GARDENING SUCCESS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Gardens don’t come with guarantees. You plant your seeds and take your chances.

You can take steps to increase the likelihood of success, however. Mary McLellan, Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, says selecting a favorable garden site, choosing crops and varieties carefully, and planting at the proper time will avoid many potential problems.

A good garden site is sunny, well drained and fertile. It needs to be free of quackgrass and other problem perennials, close to a source of water and conveniently located, so you can visit it frequently.

Most garden vegetables do best in full sun, so avoid areas shaded by buildings or landscape plants. Trees and shrubs will also compete with crops for water and nutrients, McLellan notes.

Also avoid low-lying areas where water stands after a rain, she advises. Most plants grow poorly if their roots spend too much time in saturated soil. Low-lying areas also tend to be the last places to warm up in the spring and the first spots to be hit with frost in the fall. Because air movement in low spots tends to be poor, plants stay wet longer after a rain or irrigation, and diseases that require moisture on foliage to get established will have more opportunity to get a foothold. Plants stressed by poor growing conditions will be more susceptible to attack by disease, too.

When choosing crops and varieties, select those that are well adapted to local growing conditions, including the length of the growing season. Crops that won’t tolerate frost or cold temperatures are the main concern. If your local growing season -- the number of days between the average date of the last frost in the spring and the first frost in the fall -- is too short, some varieties won’t have time to grow and produce a crop before they’re killed by frost. Information on frost-free dates and recommended varieties is available from your county MSU Extension office, McLellan notes.

Another important trait to look for is disease resistance.

"Selecting disease-resistant varieties is the most effective way to keep plants healthy," McLellan says. "Some diseases, such as Verticillium and Fusarium wilt in tomatoes, carry over in the soil from year to year, and once plants are infected, there’s no treatment. So prevention through built-in resistance is really the only protection."

Planting at the proper time greatly influences your chance of success. Plant in early spring crops that grow and produce best under cool temperatures -- such as peas, onions, radishes, lettuce, spinach and the cabbage family crops. You can plant them again in mid- to late summer for a fall harvest. Crops that need warm soil and air temperatures and won’t tolerate frost or cold -- such as tomatoes, peppers, snap beans, squash and pumpkins -- have to wait until the danger of frost is past.

Proper spacing of seeds and plants, good nutrition based on a soil test and water during dry weather are other ingredients in garden success, McLellan adds. Weed control is important -- weeds are probably the biggest after-planting problem that most gardeners face. Pest control may be another, as insects, birds and four-legged critters attempt to share the fruits of your labor. Frequent monitoring of the garden, proper identification of the problem and prompt action to prevent further damage are the keys here.

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