February 27, 2003

Dear Readers,

Remember that big storm that shut down Washington, D.C., recently? No, I wasn’t caught in it, but that’s what was in the news as I was finishing the spring lawn and garden news stories. Not very springlike, but that will eventually change. And when it does, you’ll have these stories on new vegetable and flower varieties, do-it-yourself seed tapes, crabgrass and ground ivy control in lawns, and growing vegetables in wide rows, among others. The Garden Corner, with its gardening and landscaping questions and answers, is also on hand, as usual.

The summer packet is already in the early stages, but there’s still plenty of time to suggest a story topic or a question for The Garden Corner. Other comments are welcome, also. It’s good to hear from you!

Sincerely,

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

517-432-1555
LKJ/bl
Attachments

LAWN AND GARDEN RELEASES FOR MARCH, APRIL AND MAY

2/27/03

Contact: Leslie Johnson

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Seed and plant catalogs started filling gardeners’ mailboxes before Christmas and became a steady flow in January. Garden planning and thinking back to last year’s plantings and problems have generated numerous questions for Michigan State University Extension specialists on topics ranging from vegetable gardens and lawns to familiar insects and spring bulbs.

17. I’ve heard that early spring is a good time to fertilize small fruits in Michigan, such as raspberries. Does this include strawberries?

1. Hold off fertilizing strawberries until after harvest. Fertilizing in spring will cause the berries to be soft. Other small fruits -- raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, currants and blueberries -- should be fertilized in spring following soil test recommendations. Yearly nitrogen applications are generally all that’s needed to keep them growing vigorously and producing well.

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17. I keep reading that I can plant peas and other early-season crops "as soon as the soil is dry enough to work." Well, how do I know that?

1. Working wet soil results in soil compaction, which closes air spaces in the soil and makes it hard for water to penetrate and roots to grow. Soil is dry enough to be worked when you can squeeze a handful of it and not make a muddy ball. If the soil crumbles through your fingers when you squeeze it or falls apart when you open your hand, it’s dry enough.

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17. My neighbor says that what I’ve been calling a hedge is really a screen. What’s the difference?

1. A screen is usually less formal than a hedge and may contain a variety of plants and even structures, such as fences. Hedges are usually made up of the same species throughout and are generally clipped to achieve a certain width and height. Hedges, therefore, require more maintenance. Either can block off an unattractive view or provide privacy. Which you choose depends on whether you want a formal or more casual look, and whether you’re interested in shearing plants two to four times a year to maintain a hedge.

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17. Why is purple loosestrife such a problem? It’s really quite attractive.

1. Looks aren’t everything. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is an exotic plant that has spread aggressively across North America since its introduction in the 1800s. Its spikes of tiny purplish pink flowers are striking, but it’s not a food plant for many native animals, and it supplants other, more desirable wetland plants that provide food for waterfowl, muskrats and other animals. When purple loosestrife takes over, silt and debris collect around its stems and shallow water areas tend to fill in. Areas that were feeding and breeding areas for aquatic animals such as frogs, toads, salamanders and some fish are no longer suitable. Hand pulling young plants is effective but labor intensive. The herbicide glyphosate (e.g., Roundup) is registered for use against purple loosestrife but will kill other plants growing nearby. Biological control using several species of small beetles appears to have the most promise.

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17. Where does cochineal dye come from?

1. It’s produced from the bodies of scale insects that feed on prickly pear cactus. They are collected and dried, then ground so the pigments they contain can be used for dyeing. They were a commercially important source of red dye until aniline dyes came into widespread use in the mid-1800s. Before that, native peoples had used cochineal for generations.

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17. Spring bulbs are supposed to be easy, but not for my neighbor. He’s planted probably hundreds of bulbs over the past few years and had only a handful of flowers to show for them. These were good bulbs, not bargain bin bulbs bought and planted late. What could be the problem?

1. The most common reason for poor performance by bulbs is planting in poorly drained soil. Planting too near a heated structure -- such as a house with a heated basement -- may prevent bulbs from getting the cold treatment they need to flower. Moles may munch on bulbs, as will mice that travel through mole tunnels. Deer and woodchucks may eat the top growth, including flower buds and stems.

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17. When I’m buying bedding plants, is it better to choose plants that are already in flower or plants that aren’t blooming yet?

1. Most gardeners like to see what they’re getting, so they look for plants in bloom. Plants that haven’t started to bloom yet transplant better, however. So, when buying plants, look at the ones in flower to help you pick out what you want, then purchase plants that aren’t blooming. Or, if you buy plants with flowers or flower buds, remove them at planting so the plants will focus their energy on establishing a good root system to support flowering later.

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17. What good are mayflies?

1. In both the larval and adult stages, they provide food for fish. They spend most of their lives in the water as immatures; the adult stage may be as short as one day. Adults don’t feed -- their one biological function is to reproduce. After the adults emerge, they roost in foliage to dry their wings. Then, in the evening, large numbers of mayflies take flight at the same time, creating great mating swarms that can become a nuisance when drawn to lights of homes or businesses near water. Afterward, the females lay eggs on the surface of the lakes, ponds and streams from which they emerged, and the adults die.

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17. How much thatch in a lawn is too much? And why is it a problem, anyway?

1. Thatch is the brown layer of dead and decomposing grass stems, leaves and roots plus live roots that exists between the green top growth and the soil. A ½-inch layer is beneficial because it helps protect plants and the soil surface from weather extremes. When thatch builds up to an inch or more, however, it can interfere with water and air movement into the soil. Thatch builds up when the lawn produces it faster than it can decompose. Some grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass, accumulate thatch faster than others. Compacted soil and overwatering also contribute to thatch buildup. Lawn cultivation improves water and air infiltration by removing plugs of thatch and soil. The soil from the plugs break up and work back into the soil profile, diluting the thatch layer and promoting its decomposition.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
2/27/03

DESIGN PLANTINGS FOR
ENJOYMENT AT NIGHT, ALSO

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- It’s easy to design your flower plantings for daytime viewing without even thinking about enjoying them at night. But evening can be a special time in the garden if you choose the right plants.

Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University, says night gardens often feature white flowers and blossoms that are fragrant in the evening. They’re often planted close to a porch or patio or outside a window that’s often left open on summer nights so flower smells can waft indoors.

"For viewing in the moonlight, any summer-blooming annual or perennial with white or light-colored flowers that stay open at night will add to the display," McLellan says.

Particularly well suited to a night garden are flowers that open late in the day, such as four o’clocks (Mirabilis jalapa), whose blossoms open in late afternoon.

A large annual plant with huge, fragrant flowers is angel’s trumpet (Datura spp.). (McLellan points out that all parts of these plants are poisonous.) It’s large enough (36 to 60 inches in height and 18 inches in diameter) to be used in a sunny spot for an annual hedge. It also grows well in containers.

Blazing-star (Mentzelia lindleyi) is another night bloomer. It prefers a sunny spot, where it may reach 12 to 48 inches in height and produces fragrant yellow flowers.

Other fragrant annuals include mignonette (Reseda odorata) and flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata). Mignonette prefers to be grown from seed planted in a shady area (it doesn’t transplant well). Flowering tobacco grows best in moist soil and full sun to partial shade. It, too, is poisonous if ingested.

The woolly, silver foliage of dusty miller (Senecio cineraria) make it an interesting contrast to plants with dark-colored foliage, day or night. Ornamental grasses with light-colored or variegated foliage provide textural interest early in the season and add their plumelike seed heads to the display later in the summer.

The potential star of any night garden is evening primrose ‘Tina James’ (Oenethera glaziovinia). This perennial plant produces large, yellow blooms at dusk that suddenly burst open, taking only about 15 seconds to unfold.

"Watching these flowers open is like seeing the revelations of time-lapse photography without the camera," McLellan observes.

Evening primrose and many other night-blooming plants are pollinated by large, night-flying moths, she notes. Spotting these insects visiting your night bloomers can be another highlight of the night garden.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
2/27/03

DISEASE-RESISTANT VARIETIES
REDUCE GARDEN PROBLEMS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The Big Three of vegetable garden problems are weeds, insects and weather, not necessarily always in that order. Another that’s sometimes closely related to the others is plant diseases.

"Plant diseases can be devastating," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Often there’s no treatment for infected plants. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent many common plant diseases, and that’s with built-in disease resistance."

Disease resistance is one of the traits that plant breeders seek to incorporate in new varieties, she notes -- it’s one of the things that make them improved as well as simply new. Combined with crop rotation, disease resistance can go a long way to minimizing crop losses and yield reduction caused by disease.

Crop rotation, she explains, is moving related groups of crops each year so that plants susceptible to the same diseases don’t follow one another in the same soil. Following tomatoes, pepper and eggplant with snap beans the next year, then corn, then squash means that disease organisms that afflict one family of plants don’t have year after year to build up in the soil.

Soil-borne diseases such as Verticillium and Fusarium wilts can’t be treated, McLellan notes, but they can be essentially eliminated with a combination of built-in disease resistance and crop rotation.

Some diseases are transmitted by viruses, bacteria and fungi on seeds or plants. Seeds and plants acquired from reputable dealers are less likely to be carrying disease problems than seed saved from last year’s garden, McLellan suggests. Other problems with saving seed -- especially the fact that hybrid varieties grown from garden-produced seed are likely to be different from the plants that produced the seed (desirable traits may be lost) -- make saving seed a questionable practice unless you’re perpetuating a heritage variety, McLellan says.

Environmental conditions can make plants more prone to develop disease, she says. For instance, plants in low-lying or poorly drained areas often develop root rots. High humidity in such areas may mean foliage is slow to dry after dew, rain or irrigation.

"Many leaf diseases can get established only if the foliage remains wet for an extended period," McLellan points out, "so you want to place your garden where cool, moist air will drain away from plants and where plants will receive eight to 10 hours of direct sun each day and air can circulate freely around them."

Some diseases are carried by insects that feed on crops. In this case, controlling the insect controls the disease. Bacterial wilt of cucumbers and squash is a good example. The only way to keep it from killing your cucurbits is to prevent the cucumber beetles that carry it from feeding on the plants.

Removing diseased plant materials from the garden during the growing season and after harvest and burning or burying them some distance from the garden; controlling weeds that can serve as alternate hosts for disease organisms and pests; and providing plants with the water and nutrients they need to grow vigorously are other factors in garden disease control, McLellan says.

"Anything that stresses plants, whether it’s too much or too little water or attack by insects, increases their susceptibility to disease," she points out.

Some diseases may occur in spite of best efforts to prevent them. For example, tomato plants frequently develop leaf spots or blights caused by fungi. Applying fungicides labeled for leaf diseases on tomato as soon as symptoms appear should prevent serious losses of foliage or fruit.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
2/27/03

EXTEND GARDENING SEASON
WITH COOL-WEATHER CROPS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- In much of Michigan, Memorial Day weekend is the beginning of summer -- the first trip to the beach, the first family gathering for a cookout and, for anglers, the beginning of bass season. For many gardeners, it’s the garden planting marathon weekend. At the end of it, tired muscles and sunburn testify to the time and effort expended to plant everything from peas to tomatoes, petunias to watermelon. Whew!

"Some of those crops could have been planted earlier," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "And because they grow better in cooler temperatures, they would grow and yield better."

Not to mention sooner -- gardeners who plant salad vegetables as soon as the soil is dry enough to work in the spring are enjoying garden produce weeks ahead of those who don’t plant anything until late May.

"You can keep making small plantings of lettuce, spinach, onions, radishes and other salad crops every couple of weeks and enjoy a continuous harvest until hot summer temperatures arrive," she points out.

Other cool-weather crops such as peas and the cabbage family of plants can be planted early for an early summer harvest and again in midsummer for a fall crop. Then, beginning in late July, you can start planting the salad crops again for harvest as the weather is cooling off in the fall.

Some gardeners like to live dangerously and plant frost-susceptible crops such as snap beans and tomatoes before the danger of frost is past. Sometimes gambling with the weather pays off; other times, plants that aren’t protected get zapped by frost.

"If you want to play that game, warm the soil first by covering it with plastic," McLellan suggests, "and maybe consider pregerminating seed to get crops such as beans off to a quick start. Then be ready to protect the plants when frost threatens. Warming the soil will help seeds germinate faster and transplants establish roots and begin to grow sooner, but it won’t keep the tops from freezing."

Plant a short row of beans and maybe two or three tomato plants, she suggests, so you’re not gambling your entire harvest on an early planting. If you get lucky, you’ll still have bragging rights to the first tomatoes on the block, she notes, and if you’re not, there’s still plenty of time to plant again after the danger of frost is past.

Another season-extending planting strategy is to plant warm-weather crops more than once. This spreads out the harvest and extends it into the fall.

"Summer squash plants, for instance, tend to decline in late summer. A second planting made in early July will be at peak production as the earlier planting is giving out," she explains.

Successive plantings of quick-maturing crops such as beans, cucumbers and summer squash can be a sort of harvest insurance, providing a backup in case the earlier planting suffers a crop failure for some reason.

What you plant and when you plant it aren’t the only considerations in extending the gardening season, McLellan notes -- where you put the garden is also a factor.

"Cool air tends to settle in low-lying areas, so a garden in a low spot may suffer frost damage later in the spring and earlier in the fall than another garden nearby on higher ground," she points out. "So if you can choose to locate your garden on high ground, where the cool air will drain away from it, it will enjoy a longer growing season."

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
2/27/03

GARDEN GETS HEAD START
WITH PREGERMINATED SEED

EAST LANSING, Mich.-- Garden seeds generally need warmer temperatures to germinate than plants need to grow, so cool soil can be an obstacle to getting the garden off to a quick start in the spring.

One way around this is to germinate seeds before you plant, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

"Pregerminating seed can be an especially good idea if you’re using last year’s leftover seed and you’re not sure how well it will perform," she notes. "Rather than plant it more thickly than usual and hope that it germinates, you can pregerminate it and know that it’s still viable, then plant just the seeds with roots and space them properly at planting. If it doesn’t germinate, you’ve saved yourself the effort of planting it in the garden and the time you’d have to wait to find out."

Pregerminating seed is useful when a cool, wet spring or a layer of organic mulch from the previous year has kept the soil from warming up. It’s also useful for catching up when you’re planting late, for whatever reason. Planting pregerminated seed means you eliminate that week or 10 days (or longer, in cool soil) that it usually takes seeds to germinate and begin to poke stems up through the soil.

If you usually plant seeds in flats and then transplant seedlings into individual containers, using pregerminated seed saves time, effort and seedlings. Once seeds are sprouted and planted in moist soil, most will keep on growing, so you can plant pregerminated seeds directly into peat pots or pellets or divided seed-starting containers and have a pretty good chance of getting a plant from each one. Growth isn’t interrupted by transplant shock and root injury, so plants can be ready to go into the

garden sooner.

To germinate seeds, simply fold them into a moist paper towel, put the towel in a plastic bag and put the bag in a warm spot -- on top of the refrigerator, for instance. Check them daily to make sure the towel is still moist and to look for roots. Long roots are fragile, so McLellan suggests planting pregerminated seed when roots are large enough to see but still small.

The result can be an earlier start on the gardening season, earlier harvest of vegetables and earlier flowers.

"Using pregerminated seed isn’t the answer to all garden problems, of course," she notes. "An early start with cool-weather crops that can tolerate chilly temperatures and even a touch of frost is fine, but planting warm-weather crops such as snap beans and squash before the local frost-free date can be risky. And unprotected pepper seedlings can still fall victim to hungry cutworms."

As a way around cool soil temperatures and as a time-, seed- and labor-saving approach to seeding, however, and a way to take some of the guesswork out of starting plants from seed, planting pregerminated seed has a lot to offer.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or R. Calhoun
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3275
2/27/03

GROUND IVY CAN BE
DIFFICULT TO CONTROL

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Some people call it ground ivy; others, creeping Charlie. Whatever you call it, it’s aggressive and persistent, and if you have it in your lawn or flower garden, you’re probably not happy about it.

"Ground ivy is a common invader of lawns," says Ron Calhoun, Extension turfgrass specialist at Michigan State University. "It’s especially pesky in shaded, moist, infertile areas, where conditions don’t favor a dense, vigorous turf. It goes right over edging materials around flower beds and spreads across the top of organic mulches, putting down roots at every leaf attachment."

It’s an easy weed to recognize, Calhoun observes. The leaves are roundish with round-toothed edges, and the low-growing plants have square stems and a mintlike aroma when you walk on them, handle them or run a lawn mower over them. The plant’s habit of rooting at leaf nodes allows it to stick to the ground surface like Velcro and makes hand weeding frustrating unless soil conditions are just right. In that case, you can pull up long strings of plants. Any rooted sections that stay attached generate new plants, so cultivating garden areas can actually propagate ground ivy, Calhoun points out.

Hand weeding may be effective in small areas, but the will of ground ivy to invade often outlasts the gardener’s will to weed, he observes. The best time for controlling creeping Charlie with herbicides is said to be in the fall, but recent studies have shown that spring, when the ground ivy is flowering, is also a good time.

"The signal to apply a mixture of 2,4-D, dicamba and MCPP/MCPA or 2,4-D and triclopyr is the appearance of the tiny bluish purple, funnel-shaped flowers, usually in May," he says. "Combination products usually give better results than 2,4-D alone," he notes.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that ground ivy control with herbicides will be only temporary unless you control the underlying growing conditions that encouraged the infestation in the first place.

"Combinations of shade, wet soils and poor fertility stack the deck against the turf and in favor of the ground ivy," he says. "Correcting these conditions and setting your mowing height at 2.5 to 3 inches will give the turf a competitive edge."

For more information on lawn care and maintenance, contact your county MSU Extension office and ask about Turf Tips bulletins for homeowners. Topics include weed and pest control, proper mowing, lawn establishment and irrigation.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or R. Calhoun
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3275
2/27/03

IS IT REALLY CRABGRASS?
TIMING IS EVERYTHING

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Crabgrass is one of the most prevalent grassy weeds in Michigan lawns. But every weedy grass isn’t crabgrass, and the same control approaches don’t work for all of them.

"Knowing when crabgrass is likely to be present is key in proper identification and control," says Ron Calhoun, Extension turfgrass specialist at Michigan State University. "Homeowners often complain about crabgrass in lawns in April and May, but what they’re usually seeing is tall fescue, nimblewill or quackgrass. Crabgrass grows from seed each year, and germination doesn’t usually begin until the soil warms to 62 degrees F -- usually in mid- to late May, well after forsythia blossoms have dropped."

Chemical control for crabgrass involves the use of preemergence herbicides -- weed killers that affect seedlings before they push through the soil. If they’re properly timed, they can be very effective against crabgrass, Calhoun says. They are not at all effective, however, against established plants.

The appearance of crabgrass in a lawn may indicate some underlying problems with the growing conditions there, he notes.

"Open and weak turfgrass areas are prone to crabgrass infestations because of higher soil temperatures, which enhance germination," he explains. "So the best defense against weed invasion, especially by annual weeds such as crabgrass, is a dense, healthy turfgrass stand. A thick turf canopy shades the soil and reduces the number of seedlings that can get established."

Proper mowing is key, he points out. He recommends setting mower blades at a height of 2.5 to 3 inches and mowing frequently enough that you remove no more than one-third of the grass blades at a time. Scalping -- cutting the grass close to the soil -- weakens the grass plants and reduces their ability to compete with weedy species. Good mowing combined with judicious fertilization will increase turfgrass vigor and thicken the lawn, and make it difficult for weeds to get a foothold.

Information on a host of lawn establishment and maintenance topics -- including mowing, fertilization, and weed and pest control -- is available at county Michigan State University Extension offices. Ask about the "Turf Tips for Homeowners" series.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
2/27/03

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you like the convenience of seed tapes but begrudge the added cost, you might want to consider investing a little time instead of money and making your own.

"If you’re buying garden seeds anyway, the only extra cost is a few paper towels and some flour paste," observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "A small investment of time gives you the ease of planting and perfect spacing that you get with seed tapes at a lower cost."

Begin by cutting the paper towels into strips about ¾ inch wide. Make flour paste by mixing ½ to 1 teaspoon of flour with enough water to make a paste the consistency of heavy cream.

Check the seed packet for the recommended spacing for seeds and mark the paper towel strips accordingly. Place a drop of flour paste and a seed at each mark -- this may be easier if you handle the seeds with tweezers -- and then set the strips aside to dry before storing them in a jar or other container that will keep them dry until planting time.

The short strips can be glued together, McLellan says, but long strips can be difficult to handle outdoors, so she recommends leaving them short.

At planting time, make a furrow at the appropriate planting depth (follow directions on the seed packet), lay the tapes in the furrow, and cover with soil.

"You don’t have to worry about whether the seeds are on top," McLellan points out. "The paste will dissolve and the paper disintegrates when they get wet, so it doesn’t matter if the seeds end up beside or under the paper at planting time."

In the vegetable garden, seed tapes are especially handy for small-seeded crops such as beets, carrots, lettuce, radishes, parsnips, spinach and turnips. Small seeds are difficult to space evenly, McLellan notes, and these crops often require extensive thinning later to achieve the appropriate spacing. Seed tapes also work well for small-seeded annual flowers and lightweight seeds such as those of marigolds. On a breezy day, they can easily blow out of your hand or away from the planting site before you can cover them.

#lkj#

ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
2/27/03

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Success in growing roses is not a given. Roses are among the most challenging garden flowers.

"Perhaps the challenge of growing them is part of their attraction," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Though some types of roses are more high maintenance than others, success usually requires a lot more than simply planting and forgetting them. Growing healthy, attractive roses is a gardening achievement."

One reason is that roses are on the menu for a host of destructive insect pests. Another is that rose plants are plagued by a variety of serious diseases that may attack any part of the plant, from roots to buds. This two-pronged assault on roses usually means regular spraying or dusting is required to protect them.

A good planting site is essential to growing healthy roses, McLellan says. The soil should be well drained and high in organic matter. After spading to a depth of 12 inches, she recommends mixing in a high-phosphorus fertilizer (3 pounds per 100 square feet) before planting.

Roses need at least 6 hours of direct sun daily, and more is better, McLellan notes. If you have to choose between a site that receives morning sun and one that gets afternoon sun, morning sun is better -- it helps foliage wet with dew dry off quicker. Moisture on the leaves favors development of several leaf diseases, she explains.

Select roses for hardiness and specific uses, such as climbing plants for trellises, miniatures for borders or containers, and bush roses for cutting. Though you may get perfectly fine roses at your local garden center or discount store, the choice available in garden catalogs and from companies that specialize in roses is likely to be greater. It may include old-time varieties that make up in fragrance and disease resistance for being less ever-blooming than some of the newer hybrids.

Packaged roses that are still dormant when you buy them can be planted in April and early May, McLellan says. If they’ve started to grow, keep the roots moist and hold off planting until after the danger of frost is past. Container-grown roses may be transplanted anytime during the growing season, though it’s probably better to avoid the hottest part of the summer.

Plant each rose in a hole large enough to hold the root system without crowding it, she advises. Set each plant on top of a small cone-shaped pile of soil in the center of the hole and spread the roots down the sides of the cone.

"Be sure the graft union -- the place where the top part of the plant was grafted onto the root system -- is about 2 inches below ground level," she says. "This helps protect it against cold."

Fill the hole, working soil carefully around the roots to avoid damaging them. Water to settle the soil, then finish filling it.

Roses need an inch of water weekly, whether from rain or irrigation or a combination of the two, McLellan says. They also require regular fertilization from late spring through mid- to late July. Later fertilization may encourage a flush of late growth that will be susceptible to winter damage, she notes.

Mulching plants helps control weeds and conserve soil moisture.

Pruning is necessary to remove dead or unhealthy wood and improve the appearance of plants, and it affects the quantity and size of flowers produced. It also opens up the centers of plants to promote air circulation and better coverage by pesticides. Unpruned roses grow into bramble patches that produce few flowers of small size and poor quality, she observes.

When and how much you prune depends on what type of plant you have and why you’re pruning, she says. Damaged canes can and should be removed at any time. Climbing roses are pruned just after they flower to stimulate new growth that will bear the next year’s flowers. Bush roses are pruned in early spring just before growth begins to remove dead wood and weak growth and shape the plant.

Winter protection is needed to help roses survive cold, fluctuating temperatures and winter wind.

"Keeping roses healthy through the growing season is key to getting them through the winter in good shape," she points out. "Roses that go into winter stressed and weakened by pests, diseases or poor nutrition have a harder time surviving the cold."

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: Leslie Johnson
Telephone: 517-432-1555
2/27/03

SHASTA DAISY NAMED
PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE YEAR

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- A long-blooming Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum ‘Becky’) has been named the 2003 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association.

It joins previous winners such as ‘Butterfly Blue’ scabiosa, ‘Goldsturm’ black-eyed Susan and ‘Magnus’ purple coneflower and is expected to become a garden favorite.

Single white flowers with yellow centers are borne on sturdy stems that reach 2 to 3 feet in height, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. It begins blooming in June; deadheading (removing spent flowers) will extend the blooming season into late August or early September.

‘Becky’ is hardy as far north as USDA zone 4. It grows best in moist, well drained soil and full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Its long, sturdy stems make an excellent cut flower. It attracts butterflies, makes an attractive addition to both formal and informal landscapes, and even grows in containers.

Once ‘Becky’ is established in your garden, you can propagate it by rooting stem cuttings taken in midsummer or dividing clumps in the spring or fall.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: Leslie Johnson
Telephone: 517-432-1555
2/27/03

10 FLOWER VARIETIES RECEIVE
ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS HONORS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Ten new All-America Selections award-winning varieties will be available to grace Michigan flower gardens this year, including an AAS gold medal winner, ‘Purple Majesty’ ornamental millet.

These plants performed well under a variety of growing conditions in test gardens in the United States and Canada, including one at Michigan State University.

‘Purple Majesty’ is a purple-leaved ornamental millet. Plants reach 2 feet in width and 3 to 5 feet in height, and they grow in almost any soil as long as seeds are planted after the soil has warmed and danger of frost is past. Plants form 10- to 12-inch seed spikes that are yellow with pollen, then purple as seeds mature. Immature spikes can be cut for arrangements or allowed to mature and left in the garden for birds or harvested to be fed later. Space plants 2 feet apart and use them wherever a tall, dramatic element is needed in the garden or a large container. From sowing seed to flowering takes 60 to 70 days.

If you’re looking for a fragrant red carnation, Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Can Can Scarlet’ is for you. The 2-inch, fully double scarlet blooms have a spicy aroma and are exceptional as cut flowers. Plants continue to produce blooms throughout the growing season. Plants are about 12 inches wide and 14 to 16 inches tall, with blue-gray foliage. Because the period between sowing seed and flowering is 120 days, starting seed indoors or buying transplants is recommended.

Agastache is more commonly known as anise hyssop. Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’ commemorates the 50-year reign of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II. Its distinguishing trait is chartreuse foliage, which contrasts nicely with its dense, 3-inch, lavender-blue flower spikes. Overall plant height is 15 to 20 inches; plant width is 10 to 15 inches. Plants are easy to grow and relatively pest free, perform well in full sun or partial shade, and do not require pinching or pruning. Crushed leaves have a strong mint aroma. ‘Golden Jubilee’ can be grown in the garden for its contrasting foliage or in containers as centerpiece plants. In the garden, space 10 to 12 inches apart. From seed to flowers is around 90 days.

Eustoma grandiflorum ‘Forever White’ is an AAS bedding plant award winner with great heat and drought tolerance. It produces 2½-inch, ivory-white flowers throughout the summer. Use it in a sunny location in the garden or in a container on a sunny patio, and enjoy it there as well as in cut flower arrangements. Plants grow to 8 inches wide and 12 inches tall. Space 6 to 8 inches apart in the garden. Because they take 21 weeks to go from seed to flower, you’ll find ‘Forever White’ at garden centers as a flowering pot plant rather than seed. Wait until the soil temperature has warmed before setting it in the garden.

Another bedding plant award winner is Dianthus chinensis ‘Corona Cherry Magic’, a full-sun, low-maintenance plant that produces flowers in cherry red, lavender and various combinations of these two colors all summer. Plants tolerate a wide range of temperatures, from cool to hot. Flowering is continuous in moderately fertile soil. Plants are small -- 8 to 10 inches wide and 7 to 9 inches high -- but flowers are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Space them 6 to 10 inches apart in the garden or use them in patio containers or window boxes. From sowing seed to flowers is 10 to 12 weeks. Look for ‘Corona Cherry Magic’ at garden centers as bedding plants and flowering pot plants.

Catharanthus roseus ‘Jaio Dark Red’ is a vinca with burgundy-red 2-inch flowers with contrasting white centers. A bedding plant award winner, it tolerates extreme heat, humidity and drought, and once plants are established, they need little care other than watering during dry periods. It’s well suited for patio containers and hanging baskets as well as garden use. Experienced gardeners might want to try growing it from seed; plants will be available at garden centers this spring. In the garden, plants will grow to 12 to 15 inches in height and spread to 15 to 20 inches. Plant them 12 to 15 inches apart after outdoor temperatures have become consistently warm.

Gaillardia pulchella ‘Sundance Bicolor’ has taken a page from the marigold book -- its fully double flowers are mahogany-red and yellow. The heat- and drought-tolerant plants have a spreading, mounded growth habit, reaching 12 inches wide and 12 to 14 inches tall. They perform well when sown directly into a sunny garden, where they will bloom persistently with no more care than water during dry spells. Enjoy them in the garden or add cut flowers to summer bouquets. From seed to flowers is 12 to 13 weeks.

White flowers changing to dark blue on the edge make ‘Merlin Blue Morn’ one-of-a-kind among petunias. For red, white and blue plantings, it’s a "twofer" -- you get blue and white in one package -- just add red. In a full-sun area, ‘Merlin Blue Morn’ will flower profusely throughout the growing season. Plants reach 14 to 16 inches in width and 20 to 24 inches in height. Proper garden spacing is 10 to 12 inches. It will also do well in patio containers or hanging baskets where plants can cascade over the sides.

Rudbeckia hirta ‘Prairie Sun’ is a new black-eyed Susan. The 4- to 5-inch, daisylike blossoms have golden petals with yellow tips and lime-green central cones. They bloom from midsummer until fall frost. Plants are tall -- 36 inches -- and grow to 20 inches wide. They perform best in full sun, either in the garden or a large container. Blossoms can be used as fresh cut flowers. Garden spacing is 15 to 20 inches. From seed to flowers is 15 weeks.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: Leslie Johnson
Telephone: 517-432-1555
2/27/03

TWO VEGETABLE VARIETIES
WIN ALL-AMERICA AWARDS

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- A new summer squash and a Mediterranean-type melon have received 2003 All-America Selection Awards and are available to Michigan gardeners this year.

Summer squash ‘Papaya Pear’ is a productive squash that begins to yield its pear-shaped, yellow fruits about 42 days from seed. Fruits are at their tender and tasty best when they’re harvested small (about 3 ½ inches long) and immature, but they remain edible when they mature -- simply hollow out the fruits and bake them with your favorite stuffing.

Sow seed directly in the garden after the soil has warmed up and danger of frost is past. The semi-bush plants will grow about 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide, so appropriate garden spacing is 3 to 4 feet apart. For best performance, grow ‘Papaya Pear’ in full sun.

Melon ‘Angel’ offers excellent quality and earliness -- length of time from seed to harvest is around 80 days. Another plus is tolerance to fusarium wilt races 0 and 2. The sweet, white-fleshed fruits grow to a weight of 2 to 3 pounds. Melons are ready to harvest when the color changes to creamy yellow and fruits easily detach from the vines. Like all melons, ‘Angel’ requires bees for pollination.

Michigan State University horticulturists suggest that Michigan gardeners and other northerners start seeds indoors and transplant young plants to the garden after the soil is warm and the danger of frost is past. Plant hills 6 feet apart to give the vigorous vines room to spread.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: Leslie Johnson
Telephone: 517-432-1555
2/27/03

‘WHAT’S BUGGING YOU?’ TAKES A LIGHT-HEARTED
LOOKAT THE BUGS IN OUR LIVES

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- People are vastly outnumbered by insects and their relatives, and that’s enough to make some people more than a little nervous. Most of the bugs we run into are harmless, however, and some are quite beneficial. The few bad bugs that enter our lives by way of our homes, gardens or pets probably require some attention, though not necessarily all-out chemical warfare.

For folks who want to learn about the multilegged creatures that share our world, there’s What’s Bugging You?, a book of light-hearted stories about ordinary insects designed to be a handy reference as well as an enjoyable read.

Authors are Joy Neumann Landis, of the Michigan State University Integrated Pest Management Program, and Tom Ellis, an MSU entomologist who’s often on the other end of the phone when a panicked homeowner calls to ask: "What is it and what do I do about it?"

The stories are organized by seasons to help you quickly locate what’s bugging you. When management is needed, you can usually find options to reduce damage or rid your house or garden of unwanted guests without resorting to pesticides.

Want to attract beneficial bugs to your garden? Wondering what those warts on your maple leaves are? Do you think you need a professional pest control company? These and a host of other bug-related topics are covered in What’s Bugging You?, Extension bulletin E-2649, available from your county MSU Extension office or the MSU Bulletin Office, 10B Agriculture Hall, MSU, East Lansing, MI 48824. The price is $7.95. Call 517-355-0240 for ordering information.

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ANR Communications
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
2/27/03

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Maybe you want to make the most of a small garden plot. Maybe you’ve heard of wide rows or seen them in someone else’s garden and you want to try planting that way.

Whatever your reason for trying wide rows, you’re likely to find that your garden will produce more, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University.

"The reason isn’t hard to figure out -- more of your garden is dedicated to crops and less to walkways between rows," she observes.

How wide is wide? It’s whatever works for you, so you might want to experiment with row widths ranging from 12 to 36 inches and see which you prefer, she suggests. The aim is to make each row no wider than you can comfortably reach halfway across so you can tend it -- plant, weed, harvest, etc. -- without a great deal of stretching. If you can reach it from one side only -- because it’s backed up to a fence, for instance -- it must be narrower so you can reach all of it from one side.

Most common vegetables can be planted in wide rows, she points out, those grown from transplants as well as those grown from seed, as long as you maintain the recommended spacing between plants.

With transplants, you simply set them into the garden so each one is, say, 16 inches away from any other. Whether you plant a zigzag row or two or three staggered rows is up to you.

With plants grown from seed, you can either broadcast the seed and cover it lightly or sow it in rows within the wide row.

"An advantage of planting rows within rows is that it makes it easy to tell seedling crop plants from seedling weeds," McLellan points out. "At least with large-seeded crops such as peas and beans, it may be easier to achieve the desired spacing if you plant in rows. And the spacing makes cultivation for weed control easier."

If you’re accustomed to controlling weeds with a tiller walked between the rows, you may find yourself doing more hoeing and hand weeding with wide rows because there will be weeds coming up in more places where the tiller doesn’t fit, McLellan says.

An advantage of wide rows is that they tend to make efficient use of mulch, fertilizer and irrigation. A given amount of mulch serves more plants because they’re closer together. Likewise, a midsummer side-dressing of nitrogen can serve two rows within a wide row rather than a single row of plants and the weeds in the walkway between rows. It’s also easier to water just the crop plants when they’re concentrated rather than widely spaced.

For ease of both irrigation and mechanical cultivation, McLellan suggests keeping row widths constant even when you change crops. When early-harvested crops are finished, replant the space with cool-weather crops for a fall harvest, maintaining the wide row format.

There’s no rule that wide rows have to be straight, McLellan notes, or planted only with vegetables. Plant your wide rows in broken circles or arcs or S-curves, intersperse vegetables with annual herbs or flowers if you like -- just make sure you can get to each block of plants to tend and harvest your crops.

"What you choose to do may depend on whether you’re production oriented or you garden for enjoyment," she suggests. "If maximum production is your goal, you may find straight rows more efficient. If you garden for the pleasure of it and want to try a more non-traditional approach, go for it -- it’s your garden, after all."

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