June , 2004

Dear Editors:

First an unusually dry April, then a record for rain in May – could be an interesting growing season! How timely that this packet, the summer mailing of lawn and garden stories from Michigan State University, has a story on weather. Other topics for June, July and August include perennial flowers, vegetable harvest, tree death by girdling, ground covers and efficient water use in the landscape (certainly not a problem now, but this is Michigan, where change is the rule in weather rather than the exception). The Garden Corner, with its gardening questions and answers, is also on hand, as usual.

Planning for the fall packet has already begun, but there’s still time to suggest a story topic or question for The Garden Corner. Other comments and suggestions are welcome, also.

Sincerely,

Leslie Johnson
Extension Lawn and Garden Editor
Communication and Technology Services
312 Agriculture Hall, MSU
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
LKJ/bl

Contact: Leslie Johnson

6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Ah, summertime! Not a "living easy" time for the dedicated gardener with a host of edible and ornamental plants to tend. There’s no shortage of gardening tasks to do to keep a lid on weeds and pests and keep plants growing and producing. There’s no shortage of lawn and garden questions, either. Michigan State University Extension specialists answer timely queries about flowers, landscape plants, insects, bulbs, lawns and more.

17. Why do flowers produce nectar?

1. Nectar is a byproduct of photosynthesis, the process by which plants use sunlight to manufacture their food from carbon dioxide, water and minerals. The role of nectar is to lure insect pollinators to their flowers. There, they must brush up against the pollen-bearing anthers on their way to collect their sweet treat. The sticky pollen grains cling to the insect, which transfers them to the next flower it visits.

##

17. What functions do insect antennae serve?

1. They’re sensory receptors. In some insects, hairs on antennae pick up sound vibrations. In others, they’re associated with the senses of taste and/or smell. They may detect alarm chemicals produced by others of the same species (as in ants), or the chemical signals given off by females looking for mates (moths, for example). Odors given off by plants and detected by antennae enable some insects to find plants on which to lay their eggs. Flies use their antennae sensors to find dead animals to lay their eggs on.

##

17. I realize that midsummer is not the best time to transplant perennials and shrubs, but I’m moving and have some heirloom plants I want to take with me to the new place. What can I do to improve my chances of success?

1. Move as large a root clump with each plant as you can, and use burlap or plastic sheeting or flower pots to keep the root ball intact while you move it. Shade the plants from sun and wind during the move, and replant them as soon as possible. Having the planting site prepared ahead of time will help. Water the plants thoroughly and be prepared to water frequently, especially if the weather is hot, dry and windy. Shading plants and using mulch to conserve soil moisture and keep roots cool are other ways to ease them through the establishment period.

##

17. What causes the leaves on some oak and maple trees to turn yellow?

1. Yellowing in early to midsummer is called chlorosis. It’s caused by a deficiency of iron or manganese. Usually the problem is not a lack of these micronutrients in the soil but by soil that is too alkaline -- the high pH makes the nutrients unavailable for plant uptake. Making the soil more acidic is a long-term solution. Another option is applying the deficient nutrient directly to the plant via foliage sprays or injections. The best solution is prevention -- check soil pH by way of a soil test before planting and select plants adapted to your location, avoiding chlorosis-prone plants if your soil is alkaline. Another cause of yellowing leaves is leaf scorch, a physiological problem that can be caused by transplanting, soil compaction, nutrient deficiencies, chemical injury, unfavorable weather (such as drought), poor soil or limited room for root growth. It often occurs in July and August, especially on newly planted trees. Hot, dry winds will increase the amount and severity of leaf scorch.

##

17. In late summer, it becomes impossible to cook or eat on our deck because of all the yellow jackets trying to get into our food. Fortunately, no one has been stung yet, but I’m wondering if that’s just luck. How can we reduce the likelihood of being stung yet keep these insects out of our food and drinks?

1. Resist the urge to wave or slap at them. They’re ordinarily not aggressive away from their nest, but they will defend themselves. Keep them out of food and drink by keeping drinks, meats and sweet foods covered. Clean up spills and dribbles right away, and make sure that trash containers have tight-fitting lids to avoid attracting foraging yellow jackets to the area. If one yellow jacket from a colony finds your outdoor eating event, others will soon follow.

##

17. My large-flowered daffodils were very disappointing this year. There were lots of leaves but not many blossoms, and they were smaller than usual. Could they be overcrowded? If this is it, how and when do I dig them up and divide them?

1. The time to divide overcrowded daffodils is in the summer, just after the foliage has died. Dig them up carefully (a spading fork is good for this) so as not to damage the bulbs. Handle clumps of bulbs gently to avoid bruising them. Some bulbs will separate naturally as you remove the soil; others may remain connected at the bottom. Break apart the loosely connected ones; leave firmly attached ones attached. Discard any unhealthy-looking bulbs before replanting the others. Larger bulbs will flower next year; smaller ones may have to grow another year or two. Planting holes should be about 8 inches deep and 8 inches apart. Adding a bulb fertilizer before planting the bulbs will promote good root growth.

##

17. Do plants have any way to defend themselves against insects that want to feed on them?

1. Some plants have physical barriers to insect attack, such as hairs or thorns. Many have resorted to chemical warfare -- they have evolved compounds that keep insects and other animals from feeding on them. Humans have learned to use these plant chemicals as pesticides in our battle against pests that would eat plants we value. Rotenone, nicotine and pyrethrum are examples. Not to be outdone by mere plants, some insects have become specialists on feeding on plants with toxic substances as part of their make-up -- the monarch butterly larva, which feeds on milkweed, is one example; tomato hornworm is another. Oak trees are high in chemicals called tannins, which keep many insects and other animals from feeding, but some insects have become oak leaf specialists by evolving tolerances to these compounds.

##

17. Seeding a new lawn is significantly cheaper than sodding, but it seems riskier. What can I do to increase my chances of success?

1. Grass seed requires cool temperatures and consistent moisture for germination and early growth. Seeding in late summer/early fall (mid-August to mid-September) is recommended; spring is the second best time. Preparing the seedbed properly, spreading seed evenly and keeping the newly seeded area moist (mulching with clean straw can conserve moisture) are important in getting your new lawn off to a good start. Choosing high quality seed of improved varieties adapted to the conditions in your yard is another key.

##

17. I have access to bags and bags of shredded office paper. Could I use this as garden mulch?

1. Shredded paper has all the characteristics of a good mulch: clean of weed seeds and insects, easy to apply and economical. A potential drawback is that paper mulch can easily blow away and become litter. You can either put another heavier material on top of it or incorporate it into the compost pile rather than use it as mulch. Like any other uncomposted material, paper mulch can cause temporary nitrogen deficiencies in plants until it decomposes and returns nutrients to the soil. Adding fertilizer before mulching is recommended to prevent this.

##

17. What substance accounts for the "hot" in hot peppers?

1. The source is a group of naturally occurring chemicals called capsaicins. Certain combinations of these chemicals make certain peppers hotter than others. Factors affecting capsaicin content include genetics, weather and stage of ripeness. Warmer weather regions and warm nights seem to produce hotter peppers than cooler ones. Hotness tends to increase as peppers mature.

##

17. When do I stop harvesting my asparagus bed? What sort of attention does it need after harvest?

1. Mid-June is usually the cut-off date for an established asparagus bed. Stop harvesting earlier if plants start producing spindly shoots. After harvest is a good time to hand pull or cultivate to control weeds and mulch to discourage new weed growth. It’s also a good time to apply a nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of about 1/3 pound per 100 feet of row. This will help plants build food reserves so they can produce a good crop next year.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: Leslie Johnson
Telephone: 517-432-1555
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The warm days of summer are ideal for growing great gardens and enjoying the outdoors. Of course, they’re also ideal for the growth and proliferation of insects and their relatives, which can sometimes take the fun out of outdoor pursuits.

Entomologists at Michigan State University point out that most of the bugs that people commonly encounter are harmless or even beneficial. This is not much consolation when a cloud of mosquitoes is whining around your ears or Japanese beetles are eating your petunias or cabbage worms have infiltrated your broccoli.

Most of the insects and their relatives that inhabit your lawn, garden and even your home cause no problems, however, and often, the best response is no response. Other times, a properly applied flyswatter or vacuum cleaner is all that’s necessary to deal with them. Usually there’s more than one management option, as the entomologists like to put it, and no need to resort to chemical warfare -- i.e., pesticides. Preventive measures can be your strongest tools.

Dealing with insects and similar critters around the home is the subject of "What’s Bugging You?", MSU Extension bulletin E-2649. Not "just another bug book," it takes an often humorous approach to the insects and related organisms that we encounter every day. It answers three basic questions that these encounters bring to mind. What is it? Is it good, bad or neither? What should I do about it?

The book’s authors are Tom Ellis and Joy Landis. Ellis, now retired, was an Extension entomologist when he wrote these columns. Landis, who continues on the staff of the MSU Integrated Pest Management Program, edited Ellis’ columns for the MSU Landscape Alert newsletter. They decided to make the columns available in book form to increase people’s understanding of the denizens of the insect world and encourage them to take a less pesticide-intensive approach to them.

The book is organized by season, with one section of "anytime" topics such as pantry pests and pesticide safety. Summertime topics range from ticks and Lyme disease, leaf galls and ways to attract good bugs to your garden to help keep a lid on the bad bugs to slugs, earwigs and Japanese beetle (also known as "the mean green, leaf-eating machine"). The book also includes four pages of color photos to help you identify what’s bugging you so you can decide whether you need to take action.

"What’s Bugging You?" is available for $7.95 from county MSU Extension offices or online at http://web2.msue.msu.edu/bulletins/.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- This summer, chances of an extended dry period in Michigan are pretty good. This is true most years, so you could say that drier than normal weather is, well, normal. So it makes sense to landscape and garden with an eye to making the most efficient use of water.

This doesn’t mean you have to landscape with desert plants, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. It simply means looking for opportunities to conserve.

"If you’re building a landscape from the ground up, you can pick trees, shrubs, turfgrass, and annual and perennial plants that generally do nicely without a lot of supplemental watering after they’re established," she suggests. "Key to this is picking plants well suited to the conditions in the planting site -- soil type, drainage, exposure to sun and wind, available space -- and plants that are hardy in Michigan’s climate. Often, this means choosing plants native to Michigan or to other northern states."

Such plants will thrive here and often have fewer problems than marginally hardy or exotic species, she notes.

"If some of the plants you’d like to use because of their ornamental characteristics have moderate to high water needs, you can still use them in the landscape -- simply group them to make meeting those needs more efficient," she suggests.

Working with an established landscape is a little more challenging, but you can still create areas of low, moderate and high water use. A simple approach is to stop watering and see what survives, then replant with less demanding plants. Another option is to move plants that you know need lots of water so that they’re together in one part of the landscape. You can then water only that limited area.

Whenever you are making landscape changes, add drought tolerance to your list of desirable plant characteristics. Observing untended plants along roadsides may give you some ideas about native plants that will thrive in your area with minimal watering, McLellan suggests. Once you’ve identified them with the aid of a field guide, you can look for the same or similar species at your local nursery or garden center.

Newly planted landscape plants will require supplemental watering during the first growing season or two, she notes, while they are establishing their root systems. Mulching is a helpful practice for these plants -- it slows the evaporation of water from the soil so that you can water less often without stressing the plants, and it reduces weed competition for water and soil nutrients.

Watering technique is also a consideration, McLellan says. Using soaker hoses or drip irrigation to apply water directly to the soil in the plant’s root zone is much more efficient than using sprinklers. Overhead irrigation throws water through the air, where much of it is lost through evaporation, and applies a lot of water to large expanses of foliage, soil, driveways and other surfaces to get a little into the soil around plants.

The best time to water is early morning, while temperatures are cool. Losses to evaporation increase as temperatures rise, and evening watering may leave plant foliage wet for extended periods. This may contribute to the development and spread of plant diseases.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- If you’re looking for a late-season perennial to add to your garden, go for a drive down any country road and you’ll find it. Or, at least, its wild cousins. It’s goldenrod.

A great variety of goldenrod species grow wild in the United States, and new and improved hybrids are frequently introduced, observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. Most have the characteristic upright form, branching stems, and spikes or panicles of tiny yellow flowers. Heights range from inches to several feet.

"Goldenrods can grow in poor soil, but in good garden soil they thrive," McLellan says. "Once they get established, they are very drought tolerant, so they fit easily into a low-maintenance perennials planting."

Even tall goldenrods don’t need staking to remain upright, she notes. Some form clumps that can stay in one spot for years without needing dividing or sprawling into their neighbors’ space. Others are opportunistic or even pushy and send out creeping roots to fill in every available space.

The larger goldenrods -- such as architectural showy goldenrod (Solidago speciosa), which grows about 3 feet tall; statuesque stiff goldenrod (S. rigida), 5 feet; and wrinkled goldenrod (S. rugosa), 8 feet, can be used much as you might use ornamental grasses, McLellan suggests -- in the back tier of tall plants in a bed, as a specimen plant at a sunny corner of a deck, or as the backdrop for your rural mailbox or a birdbath.

Though the colors available in goldenrods are limited to versions of yellow, their uses in the perennial garden are hardly limited at all, she says. They’re a natural in an all-yellow garden, obviously, or in a garden with an all-warm-color mix -- yellows, oranges and reds -- or in a complementary arrangement of yellows and blues. Because of their open, airy texture, they can provide contrast to short, compact plants such as mums or dense, dark plants such as yews and other evergreens.

"And, of course, they look right at home in a wildflower garden with black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, asters and milkweed," she observes. "They’re great in a butterfly garden, also."

Goldenrods have few if any serious pest or disease problems. And they aren’t the source of pollen for hay fever sufferers’ miseries, McLellan notes.

"Because they’re so showy, they’ve long been blamed for allergic reactions set off by pollen from ragweed, an inconspicuous plant that flowers at the same time as goldenrod and fills the air with irritating pollen," she explains.

Many people still consider goldenrod a weed, so you may find it listed in garden catalogs under its Latin name, Solidago, rather than "goldenrod." By any name, it offers late-season color and dependable hardiness with minimal care. And you can’t do much better than that.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Let’s eavesdrop on Goldilocks (of three bears fame) in her garden: "This bean’s too young -- it’s short and thin with no seeds. This bean’s too old -- it’s lumpy and hard and the skin is turning brown. Ah, but this bean is just right -- it’s long and green and round with developing seeds!"

Obviously, Goldilocks knows the signs of quality in snap beans and is looking for those at their peak to harvest.

"Vegetable crops taste best and make the best canned and frozen products if they’re harvested at their peak of quality," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Just when this occurs varies from crop to crop. In some, such as summer squash, it’s when the fruits are quite immature. In others, such as winter squash and pumpkin, you want to wait until they’re quite mature. Other crops fall mostly in between these extremes."

As Goldilocks indicated, beans are tender and taste best when the pods are nicely rounded with developing seeds. Waiting too late means pods will be tough and stringy. Harvesting too soon sacrifices a lot of yield.

Cucumbers and all types of summer squash should be picked as soon as they’re big enough to eat. Zucchini the size of a baseball bat are obviously past their prime. These and other overlarge fruits will have tough skins and woody seeds.

"The best place for old beans and oversized squash is the compost pile," McLellan advises. "If you leave them on the plants, plants will concentrate on maturing their seeds rather than producing more fruits."

Many root crops are best when they’re harvested small, also. This is true particularly for radishes, carrots and beets. Overlarge beets and carrots get woody; overlarge radishes get hot and woody.

Onions are a special case -- you can harvest them at any stage of development, depending on what you want -- green onions, bulbs for fresh use or bulbs for storing. Storage onions need to be left in the ground to mature and dry, but others can be harvested whenever you need them.

Peppers and eggplant fruits can be harvested small or allowed to reach full size. Green peppers can be picked green or allowed to develop their mature color -- yellow, red or purple, as the case may be. They should still be firm and somewhat crisp. Soft peppers or eggplant fruits with wrinkled, shriveled skins are past their prime, McLellan notes.

Most gardeners can barely wait for the first ripe tomato, but there’s no shortage of ways to use green tomatoes while you wait.

Sweet corn can be a challenge, McLellan says. Once the silks turn brown, all the ears look pretty much the same. Signs of peak quality in corn are fully rounded kernels filled with milky juice. Ears should reach this stage about 21 days after silks appear, McLellan points out. Dry, doughy kernels indicate that corn is past its peak.

Melons, especially watermelons, can also be tricky. Watermelons ready for harvest should be full-sized and dull-colored (not glossy), and the portion resting on the soil should have turned from greenish white to creamy yellow. The tendrils nearest the melon should be curled and dried up. Muskmelons or cantaloupes are ready to harvest when fruits separate readily from their stems.

Garden peas and edible-podded peas such as Sugar Snap should be plump with seeds but still bright green. Snow peas are best when pods have reached full size but the seeds are barely noticeable.

Harvest cabbage when heads are solid and big enough to use. Cauliflower heads should be 6 to 8 inches in diameter, compact, white and smooth. Broccoli heads should be good-sized and showing no yellow color. (Broccoli plants that look like bouquets of yellow flowers are past their prime.) Brussels sprouts should be good-sized and solid. Kohlrabi should be harvested when its enlarged stem is 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Overlarge ones tend to get tough and woody.

Leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach should be picked when leaves are big enough to use or when plants become crowded and need thinning. Harvest before plants flower -- leaves then become bitter.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Early summer is the time to divide established chrysanthemum plants or start new plants from cuttings.

"If you don’t already have mums in your garden, you can start with potted plants from your local nursery," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "Just be sure to get hardy mums that will survive over the winter rather than florist’s mums, which probably won’t."

Plants started now from cuttings or divisions should flower in the fall, she says.

To divide established plants, lift clumps from the soil when the new growth is about 4 inches high and the danger of frost is past. Remove well-rooted shoots from the outside of the clump and plant them in a prepared bed with the growing tip of each division just above the soil surface.

Space tall, spreading varieties 18 to 24 inches apart; shorter, more compact varieties can be 12 inches apart.

To multiply mums from cuttings, wait until shoots are 8 to 10 inches high. Remove the upper 3 inches of each shoot with a sharp knife or nippers, trim off the lower leaves, and insert the cut ends of the shoots in a container of moist sand, vermiculite or a commercial peat-perlite potting mixture. Place cuttings where they’ll receive bright light, high humidity and warm temperatures -- 70 degrees F or warmer -- and water as needed to keep the soil moist but not soaking. After cuttings have established good roots -- this should take two to three weeks -- you can then transplant them into pots or the garden.

For a better display the first year, plant rooted cuttings or divisions in groups of three, McLellan suggests. They can always be divided again next spring if they become overcrowded.

"The ideal location for mums provides excellent drainage and full sun," she points out. "Mums aren’t choosy about soil type, but they grow best in fertile soil with a fair amount of organic matter. Some protection against winter winds is also beneficial."

Mums have shallow roots and dry out quickly in hot, dry, windy weather. Mulching helps keep roots cool and moist with less watering. McLellan recommends applying 2 to 3 inches of peat moss, compost, straw or other suitable material to a weed-free bed to reduce the need for weeding as well as watering.

Most mums benefit from pinching -- removing the tips of new shoots when they reach a length of 7 to 9 inches. Pinching, McLellan explains, promotes branching and so produces compact, bushy plants with lots of flower buds. Stop pinching around July 4 in mid-Michigan -- pinching after that may delay or even prevent blooming if cold weather comes early.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The conventional cutting garden is planned and planted with annuals and tender bulbs such as gladioli as a source of cut flowers rather than a delight to the eye. Often it’s stuck away somewhere so as not to detract from the overall landscape look.

"And that’s fine, if that’s what you want," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "But plants chosen to provide cut flowers can also be integrated into beds and borders, where cutting flowers is likely to simulate the production of more."

Candidates for cutting can come from perennial plantings as well as annuals and summer bulbs, she notes. Yarrow, asters, daisies, astilbe, bellflower, globe thistle, sea holly, garden loosestrife, coneflowers, chrysanthemums, blazing star, baby’s breath, perennial sunflower and iris are among the possibilities.

The best time to cut flowers is early in the day, when they’re turgid (stems are stiff with water). Spikes of flowers such as salvia should be cut when about half the blossoms are open. Others should be cut when they’ve started to open and well before they start to fade.

Place cut stems immediately in a container of warm water with a floral preservative added to help extend their vase life, McLellan suggests. Keeping cut flowers cool and out of direct sunlight, changing the water every day or two, and recutting stems under water each time the water is changed will also help keep them looking fresh.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Wouldn’t it be great if there were some way to insure your vegetable garden against crop failures?

With gardening, there are no guarantees, notes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. But there are ways to increase your chances of harvesting a crop, and one of these is to make multiple plantings of a variety of crops.

"You can plant cool-weather crops such as lettuce, spinach, broccoli and cabbage in midsummer for a fall harvest," she points out. "You can also make a second or even third planting of many warm-weather crops, such as snap beans, cucumbers, summer squash and even tomatoes."

It isn’t difficult to find quick-maturing varieties for planting in mid- to late June or even early July that will have plenty of time to produce a crop before the average date of the first frost, she says. They provide a sort of crop insurance in several ways.

If something happens to your first planting -- hail, flooding, hungry rabbits or woodchucks, a late freeze -- the follow-up plantings can at least partially make up for what was lost.

Even if the earlier planted crops survive and produce, they may be fading by late summer. Plants tend to become less productive and quality may drop. If another planting is coming into peak production then, you’ll not lack for high quality fresh produce for table use, storing or preserving.

Having high quality fruits from healthy vines is especially important if you’re hoping to have tomatoes to store, she points out. Picked when they’re green ripe, unblemished fruits will generally keep for one to two months if stored wrapped in newspaper and placed in an area with temperatures around 55 degrees. They can be taken out of storage and ripened as you need them. Fruits from old, disease-damaged vines tend to deteriorate more quickly.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Often when homeowners are thinking about using ground covers to solve a landscape problem, they’re thinking about plants. But living plants are only one type of ground cover.

"Anything that covers the ground and solves a landscape problem is a ground cover," says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "It can be living plants; non-living materials such as brick, concrete or stones; or once-living materials such as tree bark, straw, wood chips, leaves or compost."

The first step in selecting a material is to identify the problem that you want to solve by using it and any limitations the site imposes.

"Let’s say that the problem is dense shade under a stand of maple trees," she suggests. "Grass is sparse and struggling to survive the combination of dense shade and competition with the maples for water and soil nutrients."

Selecting a ground cover for the area involves asking questions such as how much and what kind of traffic the area must tolerate, how much maintenance you’re willing to provide, what the various alternatives will cost to install and how they will look.

"For the shaded area, you need to find either a plant that will thrive in dry shade or choose another material," McLellan suggests. "If the area gets a lot of foot traffic, shredded bark or wood chips might be a better choice."

A range of problems may find solutions in ground covers, she points out. Difficulty in mowing a steep, sunny slope; injury to young, thin-barked trees by lawn care equipment; and the need for supplemental watering of newly planted ornamentals -- all may be solved with a ground cover of some sort.

The steep slope can be planted to a sun-loving ground cover plant such as daylily. Different conditions -- moist rather than dry and shady rather than sunny -- would require other solutions, McLellan notes.

To protect young trees from "lawn mower blight," she would suggest a bark mulch to eliminate the need to mow close to them. It will also reduce their need for supplemental watering by reducing the evaporation of moisture from the soil.

"If maintenance is a concern, ground cover plants may look less appealing than other materials," she says, "because they tend to require some weed control and other care while they’re getting established. Many are low-maintenance plants once they’re established, however. Others may solve one problem but create another by escaping from their assigned area and invading others. Lily-of-the-valley, daylilies, bishop’s weed and Hall’s honeysuckle have potential to become weeds unless they’re in areas contained by sidewalks, retaining walls, or other natural or manmade barriers."

Though many ground cover plants are vines, low-growing evergreens are also available. As with any other landscape planting, the key to success is selecting plants that need the sort of growing conditions that the site provides, she explains. With non-living or once-living materials, how you’ll use the site, how the materials look and how likely they will be to stay where you put them are important considerations. Like spreading plants, loose ground covers such as stones and bark chunks may need to be contained.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. Hausbeck
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-4534
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- A wide range of indoor and outdoor plants can develop the fungal disease known as powdery mildew. When it occurs, it’s a case of what plant pathologists call the disease triangle at work -- a susceptible host, a disease-causing organism and the right mix of environmental conditions. All three are necessary for disease to develop.

In the case of powdery mildew, the host can be any of many susceptible plants, says Mary Hausbeck, Extension plant pathologist at Michigan State University, from squash to zinnias to jade plants. Several common fungi can cause it. The environmental link is key -- plants must be growing in an area where sunlight and air movement are restricted.

"The most easily recognized signs of the disease are a white to grayish powdery or webby coating on leaf surfaces, stems or buds," Hausbeck notes. "Underneath this coating, brown to black lesions occur on plant surfaces."

Infected plants may become stunted, with distorted leaves, buds and growing tips. As the disease progresses, infected tissue may die -- leaves yellow and fall, and the whole plant declines in vigor.

Some powdery mildew fungi overwinter in Michigan, such as the one that attacks lilacs; others enter Michigan from the south as windblown spores that infect squash family plants and others in late summer. The disease tends to develop on outdoor plants when days are warm and humid and nights are cool. As nighttime temperatures fall, moisture from the air condenses on plant tissues, raising humidity to levels that favor spore germination.

In the vegetable garden, the cucurbits -- melons, squashes, cucumbers -- are the crops most often infected with powdery mildew. In the flower garden, chrysanthemums, zinnias, roses, phlox, monarda (beebalm) and verbena are commonly infected, especially if they’re crowded or shaded by larger plants. Lilacs, azaleas, viburnums and English oaks are among the landscape ornamentals frequently infected with powdery mildew. Among houseplants, jade plant, African violet, begonias and grape ivy are particularly susceptible.

"Planting resistant varieties is the best way to prevent the disease," Hausbeck points out. "If resistant varieties aren’t available, a fall cleanup of infected plant parts can reduce carryover from year to year. Careful planting and pruning to select less susceptible plants and improve air circulation and sunlight penetration can also help."

Fungicide sprays generally aren’t an option for homeowners, she notes, because multiple sprays are needed and some of the more effective products aren’t available to the homeowner.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Except for farmers, whose livelihood hinges on it, gardeners probably spend more time talking about the weather than many other folks because their pastime relies so heavily on it.

"Actually, gardeners’ focus extends beyond the day-to-day vacillations of sunshine and rainfall to include not only seasons but climate," observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "All these related elements affect gardening."

Take seasons, for example. Non-gardeners have winter, spring, summer and fall. Gardeners have garden planning time, planting, growing and harvest, and fall cleanup. An early spring, a late spring, an early frost in the fall and other variations can push these seasons around the calendar a bit, but they generally unfold at similar times each year.

Climate enters the picture by determining which plants are likely not only to survive but to thrive in Michigan landscapes, McLellan points out.

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture has divided the United States into hardiness zones," she explains. "Most of Michigan is in zone 5. Plants that are hardy in zones with higher numbers may survive a mild winter or a series of mild winters here, especially if they’re planted in a sheltered area, but they’ll rarely survive the cold of a typical Michigan winter. They tend to be short-lived in the landscape. Choosing plants hardy to zone 5 or lower numbered zones have a much better chance of thriving in Michigan growing conditions."

What we usually think of as "weather" -- temperature, precipitation, wind and so on -- is never far from gardeners thoughts, especially during what they like to call the growing season, which encompasses planting, growing, harvest and saving the harvest from frost times.

"In spring, the focus is on how quickly the soil is drying and warming so planting can begin, how early is too early to start planting crops that can’t tolerate frost and how to protect them from frost when they were planted too early," she says. "Summer concerns include whether the garden will get enough rain and when the various insect pests will make their appearance. As the summer turns into fall, keeping the garden producing under the threat of frost becomes a key concern."

What gardeners want from weather is simple: an early spring but not a hot one, so cool-weather crops can thrive and spring flowers linger; in summer, regular rains and freedom from damaging storms; in fall, a late frost so tomatoes have time to ripen and winter squash can mature so they’ll store well, and some nice mild, sunny days to put the garden to bed and tend to landscape tasks before winter.

Like everyone else, however, gardeners have to take the weather they get. Sometimes spring seems like one long rain that postpones planting, the summer becomes so hot that pepper plants stop flowering, and an early fall frost surprises everyone and cuts the gardening season short.

"Dedicated gardeners tend to recognize that that sort of thing comes with the territory," McLellan observes. "They don’t give up, even when the one thing that most influences the success of their efforts – the weather -- is totally out of their control. They joke about Murphy’s Law being the ruling force in the universe, quote that old saying about Michigan weather -- if you don’t like it, wait a few minutes, it will change -- and keep right on gardening. That break between fall garden cleanup and spring planting reenergizes them for another growing season that could, with a little cooperation from the weather, be the best yet."

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or R. Calhoun
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 355-0271
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Success in starting a new lawn from seed depends on proper timing, site preparation and variety selection.

The best time to seed a new lawn in Michigan is late summer/early fall, says Ron Calhoun, Extension turfgrass specialist at Michigan State University. This time of year usually provides the moisture and cool temperatures that promote good germination and growth. Spring may provide the same conditions, he notes, but invasion by annual weeds that germinate along with the grass seed can be a problem then.

Preparation consists of several steps. The first is measuring the area to be seeded so you know how much grass seed to buy.

The second is having the soil tested. Results will include the pH (whether the soil is acid or alkaline) and lime and fertilizer recommendations. Your county MSU Extension office can provide a container for a soil sample and information on how to take the sample and interpret the results, Calhoun says.

Preparing the soil entails eliminating existing grass or weeds, stockpiling topsoil while any grading is done to make sure that water flows away from the house and preparing a seedbed. If existing topsoil is insufficient to create at least a 4-inch seedbed, you may want to import more. Try to match the existing texture, Calhoun advises, and make sure that purchased soil has been screened to eliminate weedy perennial grasses and stones.

Tilling to a depth of 4 to 6 inches to incorporate organic matter and any recommended lime or fertilizer, raking to remove plant debris and rocks, and rolling the seedbed to firm it get the soil ready for seeding.

"The right seed mixture for your lawn depends on the growing conditions there and what level of maintenance the lawn will receive," Calhoun points out. "Sunny areas usually do best with a mixture made up predominantly of improved varieties of Kentucky bluegrass and some fine fescue. Such a lawn will have a fairly high maintenance requirement but hold up well under hard use. Bluegrass is less well suited to shaded areas, but mixtures of bluegrass and fine fescues will work fine and take less maintenance than bluegrass alone. Such a mixture is more wear tolerant than fine fescue alone but more shade tolerant than bluegrass."

Another option for lawns is turfgrass varieties of tall fescue. Seeded in a pure stand, they will provide good turfgrass quality with limited maintenance. Tall fescue is more drought tolerant than bluegrass, he notes, and equally tolerant of close mowing and traffic.

Seeding can be done by hand or with a spreader. Both methods work best when the air is calm. To achieve uniform distribution of the seed, Calhoun suggests dividing the quantity of seed for the entire area in half and applying the first half in one direction and the second half at right angles to the first.

Rake the seed lightly into the soil surface, then roll the area with a light roller to firm the soil around the seed, Calhoun advises. This will speed up germination and increase seedling survival, he explains.

Mulching the newly seeded area with straw helps keep the seed in place during rain or overhead irrigation and conserves soil moisture. Mulch should be spread thinly so that there is only one layer of stems over the seed. Combined with watering, mulch creates conditions suitable for germination and early growth, Calhoun says. Frequent light watering is necessary to keep the seedbed moist.

"You don’t want the soil to dry out, or to apply so much water that the seed is washed away or the soil is soggy," Calhoun says. "On warm, sunny, windy days, you may have to water two or three times."

As the grass grows, you can water less often but longer. This wets the soil to a greater depth and encourages deep rooting, he explains.

Mowing can begin when the grass blades exceed 3 inches in height, Calhoun notes. Sharp mower blades are a must to avoid injuring the young plants. Except for mowing, keep traffic off the new lawn until the turf has thickened so that the soil is no longer visible between the plants.

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Trees may seem like permanent features in the landscape, but they don’t live forever. Some die before their time, however, under what mystery writers might call "suspicious circumstances."

Imagine your favorite fictional sleuth in your yard, scrutinizing a once-healthy tree, its formerly green leaves lying withered and brown on the grass. After much pacing around and peering closely at clues, the conclusion is -- murder! Or perhaps suicide. (If this is a TV sleuth, ominous music greets this pronouncement.)

Tree murder? Maybe a trifle overdramatic, but what else would you call being gnawed to death by rodents, strangled by nylon or wire nooses, or dispatched by a disease that entered by way of bark broken by repeated assault by a lawn mower?

Tree suicide occurs when a tree’s own roots kill it by growing in a circle around the trunk, says Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. One or more of these girdling roots growing around the base of the trunk eventually cut off the tree’s circulation. Water and nutrients taken up by the roots can’t reach the upper parts, and food manufactured by the leaves can’t reach the roots.

These girdling roots can occur naturally, but the condition more often develops in plants grown in containers. Roots looking for growing room begin to circle the container. Spreading them out in the planting hole or removing them altogether can prevent problems later.

Sometimes other plants are the perpetrators. Vigorous twining vines such as trumpet vine and bittersweet can damage or even kill trees if they’re allowed to grow on them.

More commonly, nylon ropes or wire or some other non-biodegradable material is left on the root ball at planting time. Or guy wires used to support newly planted trees are allowed to cut into the bark. A dog chain looped around a tree can either wear the bark off as the dog moves around or become ingrown in the bark over time. A tree that survives this abuse may be weakened and break at that point during a windstorm.

"Though a technique called bridge grafting may succeed in saving trees threatened by girdling, prevention is a better approach," McLellan points out. "Removing wire and rope and plastic burlap at planting time, padding guy wires with pieces of old garden hose, and avoiding the use of trees as posts for fencing, clotheslines, or dog or livestock tie-ups will go a long way toward keeping trees thriving in the landscape."

Even the wires used to attach labels to trees and shrubs can injure them, she notes, as can the wires used to hang bird feeders or birdhouses in the branches. Such injury may not kill a tree outright, but any damage can allow insects or disease organisms an entryway into healthy tissues.

Protecting trees against girdling by gnawing mice and rabbits may require building cylinders of hardware cloth or sheet metal and installing them before winter. Protective devices need to extend well above the usual height of the snow to protect against rabbits. Mice usually hide under the snow, so their depredations usually don’t show until the snow melts.

"Though plants can kill themselves and other plants, tree murders by people’s actions are more common," McLellan observes. "Lawn mower blight, strangling by wire and nylon nooses, and, often, girdling roots can be traced directly to action that people did or did not take. In less dramatic ways, poor matching of plants and planting sites and over- and underwatering can also kill trees. But that’s another story."

#lkj#

Communication & Technology Services
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
Contact: L. Johnson or M. McLellan
Telephone: 517-432-1555 or 353-3774
6/7/04

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Cut roses don’t have to be here today and gone tomorrow. You can extend the vase life of cut roses, whether home-grown or purchased, by using some of the same techniques that florists use.

"Consumers are often advised to recut the stems of cut flowers when they get them home," observes Mary McLellan, Extension Master Gardener program coordinator at Michigan State University. "That’s only half the advice they need, however. Research at MSU some years ago showed that the key is cutting the stems underwater. This keeps air bubbles from forming in the stems and blocking the flow of water up the stem to the flower."

Cutting stems with a sharp knife (so they’re cut rather than crushed), using a clean container and a floral preservative in the water, and keeping the vase in a cool area free of direct sunlight and hot or cold drafts are other ways to extend vase life.

If a commercial floral preservative isn’t available, you can make one by mixing 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vinegar into 1 quart of water, or mixing equal parts water and a carbonated citrus drink such as regular 7-Up or Sprite. In each case, the sugar preserves the color of the blossoms and the acid discourages bacterial growth that can clog stems, McLellan explains.

If, in spite of your best efforts, flower heads droop, all is not lost. This condition, known as "bent neck," occurs when the plants lose water from their surfaces faster than they can take it up through their stems. Clogged stems or high temperatures that increase water loss may be the cause.

To revive the cut flowers, fill a sink or dishpan with warm water (about 100 degrees F) and trim the stems underwater. Straighten the neck of each rose and leave the entire rose underwater for 15 to 20 minutes. When you take it out, the rose will stand upright.

"This works because the roses absorb water through the leaves and petals as well as through the stems," McLellan explains. "It’s important to straighten the stem when you immerse it because it will be turgid -- stiff with water -- when it comes out, whether it’s straight or bent."

#lkj#