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by Rett Davis | |
Gardening Q&A by Rett Davis appears in
Alamance County's daily newspaper, The Times-News,
every Sunday in the Accent section. Each week's installment is
posted to this
website, beginning with January of this year. 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:
I have a long row of Leyland Cypress grwoing along my driveway. They have been
doing very well but this summer there is a gray tint to the needles. What is
causing this and should I be concerned about it?
Answer:
The gray growth is an algae. It is harmless but does indeed give the appearance
of a needle disease. Algaes will grow on conifers during periods of excessive
rains, high humidity, and poor air circulation. My observations are that the
algae tends to be only on one side of the tree and that side is generally more
protected from winds or receives more shade. No control measures are needed.
Question:
Last year the leaves on my turnips were covered with white spots. Are these
spots coming from my red tips that have spots on their leaves? can I spray
my turnips with the same chemical I am using on my red tips to prevent this from
happening again?
Answer:
The leaf spots on your turnips are not the same disease that is on the red
tips. Many plant diseases are specific just to certain hosts or groups of
plants. For example, diseases of apples do not bother turf grasses. This is
why we stress the importance of identifying a disease or insect before we make
control recommendations. In addition, the fungicides that are used for the
control of diseases are controlled by the federal government as are all the
other pesticides we recommend. What is safe for use on red tips may or may not
be approved for use on vegetables for human consumption. Never ever assume that
what you use on ornamental plants is safe for food plants. Read the label. If
the crop or plant you want to spray a pesticide on is not on the lable, it is
not only against federal law to do so, but could also be hazardous to your
health. Select the appropriate pesticide based on the pest, time of year, and
the type of plant.
Question:
Several trees in my yard have large silken webs in the top. Should I try to get
them sprayed before they kill my trees?
Answer:
The fall web worm has been active for several weeks now. As these small worms
continue to grow and consume leaves their silken nest enlarges. This insect
does not damage the health of a tree significantly. As fall approahces, teh
worms will overwinter in leaf mulch and in the soil as a pupae. In the spring,
moths will emerge from the puupae and the female will lay up to 900 eggs on the
lower leaf surface of their favorite trees. In our area they prefer
persimmon, sourwood, and pecans. Fall webworms can be destroyed by pulling down
the webs and destroying the caterpillars if the webs are in reach of your hand
or pole. I jsut grab them with my hand and tear the web apart. I then grab the
worms and throw them to the ground. I have not been made sick or have had any
adverse reaction to web worm bites yet. Do not burn them out with fire. That
really does more damage to the tree than the worms. In essence, don't worry
about the fall web worms.
Question:
Every week more mushrooms appear in my lawn and natural areas than the week
before. I have been told if I lime these areas it will help control the
mushrooms. Are there any otehr ways to stop them? Would any of them be
poisonous?
Answer:
Mushrooms are popping up everywhere due to heavy rains and warm temperatures.
Several species of poisonous mushrooms grow in North Carolina and can cause
anything from upset stomachs to death. There are no cures for mushroom
poisoning. Unfortunately, there is no universal rule for distinguishing
poisonous mushrooms from edible mushrooms. Common beliefs that you can
tell one from another by their color is untrue. There are no fungicides or
chemical sprays that will permanently eradicate mushrooms from the landscape.
You can pick them, but they will only come back. A mushroom is the reproductive
structure of a fungus. It is similar to the bloosom of a flower. Dryer
weather and cooler temperatures will eventually curtail them. I would remove
the temptation before I would let any little children play in the area.
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If you have any horticultural questions, please direct them to Rett Davis