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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:
Your article on bagworms in Leyland cypress prompted me to examine our large hedge of these trees. Although I did not see the presence of the hanging bags, I did find a white frothy substance on many of the limbs. What is going on?
Answer:
What you found looks like someone literally spit on the tree. The white mucus material is produced by an insect called a spittlebug. This is a really cool insect. Spittlebugs suck sap out of the xylem tissue of the tree and combine this with their mucilaginous fluids into which air bubbles are introduced. I used to love to blow bubbles in my drinks as a child for which I got scolded. Spittlebugs get to do it all day. If you have the curiosity of a child or doubt what I am saying is true, part the bubbles with your fingers and you will expose a 1/4 inch green and sometimes black spittlebug. What is the purpose of all this spittle? It protects the insects and their young from predators and from drying out. Spittlebugs do not cause enough damage to plants to warrant control.
Question:
I have noticed many of the male cardinals at my bird feeder have lost most of the feathers around their head. The female cardinal does not seem to be affected. Is this result of a disease, pesticides, or other environmental conditions?
Answer:
A lot of people do worry about the health and well being of our wild animals. When I get calls about their health I consult with my biologist friends within the N.C. Wildlife Commission. In this case I talked to Dr. Mark Johns, one of the premier ornithologists in our state. According to Dr. Johns, this is normal molting at this time of the year. Molting of course is the shedding of feathers. Ectoparasites could also be in the mix such as fowl mites. The female cardinal does not molt at the same time as the male. Therefore, what you are seeing is perfectly natural.
Question:
In the last few weeks a lot of mushrooms have popped up in my lawn. Is this a lawn disease that I should be treating for?
Answer:
Mushrooms and toadstools will appear in lawns especially after a lot of rain. Their presence indicates there is decaying organic matter in the soil. It is not a turf disease. Mushrooms are the reproductive structure of a fungi. So beneath the soil are millions of fungi eating the dead roots of trees or stumps from trees removed years ago. There is nothing you can do to stop this. Neither lime nor fertilizer nor fungicides will stop this. Your best control is the lawn mower. This is a short lived problem. Within a few weeks they will disappear. In the meantime do not let children or pets ingest them.
Question:
My lawn grass is mostly bermuda or wiregrass. Since I cannot lick it I have decided to make the most of it. When do I fertilize bermuda and what kind of fertilizer is best?
Answer:
Bermuda grass can give you one of the best looking lawns during the summer months. Neighbors have been known to secretly envy bermuda lawns when their fescue turns brown and loses its spring lushness and dark green color. Now that warm weather has finally arrived you should begin fertilizing bermuda. You can use any slow release turf fertilizer on the market. The recommended coverage rate is on the bag. Just be sure you measure the area of your lawn first so you will know how much fertilizer to bring home. Square footage is simply multiplying length by width. You can also use garden grade fertilizer such as 10-10-10 (10 lbs. per 1000 sq.ft.) or 17-17-17 (6 lbs. per 1000 sq.ft.). If you use a slow release fertilizer, refertilize again 6 weeks after the first application. If you use a garden grade, refertilize in 4 weeks. For home lawns two applications is enough during the summer. Mow bermuda grass at the 1 1/2 inch mowing height at least every 5-7 days.
SOUTHERN ANNEX SCHEDULE
Paul Walker, Extension Livestock agent, will be at our office on the corner of Snow Camp Rd. and Bethel South Fork Rd. this coming Thursday morning from 8 until noon. Drop by with all your questions on livestock, horses, pastures, feed, pestilence, or just to say hello!
The phone number there is 376-5213.
North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commitment themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation, North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&;T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.