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We can safely say the last frost is behind us. Plant your pansies now, as May 12 was the estimated last frost date.
A topic of real interest and concern to you are billbugs. We don't have space to give you all the information necessary, but here are some tips.
They are a turfgrass feeding weevil, and apparently do not fly. Significant feeding damage is only done by larvae. The damage usually appears in late June through August, when the summer drought stress is common. Billbug damage can appear as a variety of other problems.
One check that can be done is to grasp the affected turf and pull upwards. If the stalks break easily at ground level, and the stems are hollowed out, or are full of packed sawdust-like material, billbugs may be the culprit.
If you're not sure, come in and talk with one of our plant professionals. DO NOT bring a sample with you, without talking to us in advance!
In spite of the current low temperatures, soon it will be time for you to think about your garden. Here are some tips that should help:
If you're starting a new garden, begin with a drawing of what you're looking for. There's too much to cover here, but we have various books which may help you. In spite of winter not yet fading, we're still open, just call ahead.
What you're doing is Landscape Design, but you don't have to be a professional.
If you have an established garden, still you might think about changes in your layouts. Flower colors, garden patterns, ease of watering, and the longevity of various plants in the fall. Or you might start with your potting shed. Cleaning and sterilizing of tools and pots might make a real difference in the middle of summer. Lots of bacteria will hang around through the winter waiting to spoil your summer unless you're prepared. What do you use? At the greenhouse, we use Greenshield, which is very effective, but not cheap. Another compound, Monterey M20, is also very good. It's available in smaller quantities. Just as we do, look around your potting shed. Is it getting crowded? Then what can you throw out? What don't you need? Ah, yes, there's that widget you got from a well-meaning friend, but it doesn't work in your garden.
But don't throw out those old pesticides, for if you do, they will continue to contaminate the landfill for years to com. What to do? Don't pour them down the sink! If you live in Polson, it won't help the sewage treatment plant. If you have a septic tank, you might discover that your septic tank isn't working.
Do contact Montana University Extension for suggestions and sites. Log on to the Internet, and do a search for "montana extension pesticide disposal"
Summertime is over, we will miss the greenness and the delight of summer. Yet, fall is good, for it’s too hot in summer for strenuous tree planting. Now is a great time to plant that shade tree you’ve been thinking about. Your reaction may be – it’s too cold for the tree. Not at all, for until winter sets in for real, the ground temperature is relatively warm. When the tree becomes dormant, its energy is directed into the roots, making it easier for the tree to establish its root system. So the tree establishes very well, as the late fall and winter will give time for the tree to adapt for next spring and summer.
When you plant that shade tree before winter, do remember to water the new tree quite well. John Campbell and his staff in our nursery will give you many tips when you come in and select a tree.
Don’t just pick the first tree that attracts your eye, but select a tree suited to your site. In our area we range from zone 3 to zone 5A in USDA hardiness rating, so be sure to tell our nursery staff where you are locating your new plant. The tree should be grown for your hardiness zone, to minimize winter problems. After you’ve planted that shade tree, consider the balance of your garden.
A primary objective in the fall is to slow down plant top growth, and "harden off" before full dormancy hits. Ease off on watering after about mid-August. Watering should be planned in advance. If you have regularly watered your garden and trees throughout this hot summer, then not much watering is needed. But if you have been paying attention to other matters beside your garden, then more water may be needed. If you fall into the trap of automatically deep watering your garden, you may be doing your garden a disservice. As the days become shorter and cooler, plants require less water. They recognize the change in season, and become dormant. If they get too much water, they may adversely react.
One final step before your yard is put to rest for winter--after plants have gone dormant, but before the ground freezes, give a good, deep watering. This will help the plants store needed moisture through the winter months. Just make sure the water has a chance to drain through before freezing solid so the roots don't sit in a pool of ice damaging roots and trunk. If earlier in the season you formed a basin around the base of the newly planted, be sure to break a hole in one side.
Fertilizing may be a good idea. But be cautious. Don’t use your normal nitrogen fertilizer, as that encourages too much growth, and discourages the plants from becoming dormant. Then you have a risk of winter kill. If you must use nitrogen in fertilizing, use a low nitrogen fertilizer. Either John Campbell and his staff, or Jane in the retail department can help you select the right fertilizer.
Lawn cleanup is heartily recommended. If leaves and debris remain on your lawn and around the various plants and flowers through the winter, you won’t be pleased with the results in the spring. Leaves may harbor insects, and smother the lawn retarding spring growth and promoting snow mold.
THINK SPRING!! Fall is the ONLY time to plant those spring blooming beauties like tulips, daffodils, narcissus, hyacinth, crocus and more!! (That is why we call them FALL bulbs). A kaleidoscope of color will await you next spring for those who have planted now. Try 'Colchicum' the giant FALL blooming crocus. They also need planting now. A little pricier than many other bulbs, they are well worth it as they spread rapidly, filling in an area, giving you spring foliage and great fall flower. Now THAT'S something different for you gardening enthusiasts!
We have gotten several calls about brown patches in lawns. Not just from lack of water, but something else. You may have a problem with sod webworms or lawn moths.
If your lawn has large, irregularly-shaped dead patches, one possible cause is the sod webworm. If they are the culprit, the patches probably appeared in early summer, but were only 1-2" in diameter, and continued to spread.
These insects chew grass blades in two just above ground level and pull the blades into a silken tunnel in the ground to eat them. They feed at night, but you can find them during the day by taking sample plugs from areas of the lawn that are showing the symptoms but are not yet completely dead. Break apart the damaged plugs with your fingers, looking for the silk-lined tunnels at soil level, chewed grass, and other signs of the webworms.
There's lots of information available on the Internet. Use your favorite browser, and simply type in "sod webworms"
We have various chemicals available in our retail center. Come in and talk with us about your problem.
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