 |
by Rett Davis | |
Gardening Q&A by Rett Davis appears in
Alamance County's daily newspaper, The Burlington Times-News,
every Sunday in the Accent section. Each week's installment is
posted to this
website, beginning with January 1998. Scroll to the bottom of
this page to navigate to other Gardening Q&As. Please contact
Rett via e-mail with questions
or
comments in regard to this column.
Question:
Our Leyland cypress trees are full of what looks like bubbles on
the twigs. It goes from the lower limbs all the way up the tree.
What is this?
Answer:
Your tree is infested with spitttlebugs.
Inside those bubbles or spittle is a tiny insect sucking on the
sap of the tree. While feeding it will cover itself with this
clear fluid that completely surrounds its body. Although this
looks alarming, this species of spittlebug does little damage to
Leyland cypress. Therefore no insecticidal controls are
needed.
For more info on spittlebugs, click here.
Question:
My pond is full of what appears to be
hydrilla. What can I do to get rid of it?
Answer:
Your pond weed upon examination turned out to be
egeria. This weed is also know as Brazilian elodea. It is
related to hydrilla which is indeed a threat to fresh water ponds
and lakes. The most practical way to control Brazilian elodea is
by using triploid grass carp. This is the most cost-effective
and environmentally accepted method of control for this weed.
Although this fish will not control many pond weeds, it will
control Brazilian elodea. Grass carp are stocked at 15 fish per
acre. Large fish that are a minimum of 8-10 inches should be
used to prevent loss from predation by bass and wading birds.
You can introduce grass carp into your pond at any time of the
year but best results are usually obtained in late summer and
fall. Grass carp can be purchased from local farm supplies.
They are visited several times of the year by trucks from the
fish hatchery. The first step in controlling pond weeds is to
have them properly identified. Many pond weeds require specific
chemicals to control them. Success depends on proper timing of
the treatment and the rate. Visit our web site at
www.ces.ncsu.edu/alamance and click on 'Pond Weeds' for further
information or call Roger Cobb for proper identification and
recommendations.
Question:
We have just had a new lawn installed using
bermuda grass. It has been three weeks and the seed has been
slow to germinate. Should we add more seed and how soon can we
fertilize?
Answer:
New lawns planted to bermuda grass are sown
at a 2 pounds of seed per 1000 square foot rate. If you sowed
this amount of seed you need not add any more. Hopefully the
seed was hulled which hastens germination. However the biggest
factor in the slow rate of germination has been the cool weather.
As the days and nights get warmer the seed will germinate at a
faster rate. When the lawn area is uniformly green begin to
fertilize. Fertilize every 3-4 weeks by using either 10 pounds
of 10-10-10 or 10 pounds of 10-20-20 fertilizer per every 1000
square feet of lawn. This will encourage rapid coverage of the
grass. Cease fertilizing around the middle of August. Mow your
new bermuda around 1 1/2 inches in height throughout the summer.
Question:
I fertilized my sweet corn at planting. Is that
enough for the entire growing season or should I add more?
Answer:
Sweet corn is sidedressed with fertilizer
when the plant is between 18 and 24 inches in height.
Fertilizing later in the season is a waste of time. It is the
nitrogen that the corn needs at this point in it growth.
Therefore for every 10 foot of row place around 7 tablespoons of
ammonium nitrate (34-0-0) in a band about 3 inches to the side of
the corn. You can also use 10-10-10 at the rate of 1 1/4 cups
per 10 foot of row.
GRASS PLOTS
Come visit our newly established grass plots at the Agricultural Building, 209 N. Graham Hopedale Road in Burlington. To the left of the entrance are labeled plots of Rebel fescue, El Toro zoysia, and Tifsport bermuda.
Gardening Q&A Navigation Options
If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis