 |
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 noticed a lot of grubs in my lawn while tilling it up for reseeding. What should I do about this?
Answer:
There are many species of white grubs that infest our soil at this time of the year. Not all are injurious to turf. However, grubs can pose a problem for newly reseeded lawns not only by their feeding on the roots but their burrowing. Before any application of an insecticide I would examine several areas of the lawn first. You can mix up several ounces of a lemon scented dish detergent and pour over several square feet. Within in few minutes you will see grubs if they are present. You can also lift up some sod and check the soil and roots for their presence. If you have more than 10 white grubs per square foot then treatment is recommended. Unfortunately, the time period for the optimum control was 8 weeks ago. Now you are limited to using triclorfon (Dylox or Proxol). These products will work best at this time of the year. The are available at many local garden centers. Other grub control products are on the market too, but you must read the ingredients to get this one.
Question:
Mushroom are popping up in areas of my lawn. What can I do to control them?
Answer:
Mushrooms and toadstools seem to come out of nowhere. Mushroom fairies drop their seeds by the light of the moon. Many where spotted last week as they made their flight across Alamance County. Like Santa Claus, they only come once a year. Okay I will stop. Here is the real story. Mushrooms and toadstools are actually the fruiting structure of plants we call fungi. These mushrooms come in all sorts of colors and shapes. They contain the spores or seeds to perpetuate themselves. The ones that pop up in your lawn indicate the presence of dead tree roots in the soil below. Perhaps a tree was there or in that vicinity years ago and was removed. Since these mushrooms will not injure turf, we control them by mowing. Mushroom growth is seasonal but generally occurs after ample rainfall in the summer. Wait until the stinkhorns arrive. Then you really will have something to talk about.
Question:
When do I prune my thornless blackberries?
Answer:
Prune the canes that bore fruit this summer to the ground now. This will leave the new growth that emerged this spring allowing it to fruit next season. The new growth is then tied up or trained to your trellis.
Question:
I have been told to put fertilizer stakes around my trees now. Is this something I should do to all the trees in my lawn?
Answer:
If your trees need any fertilizer at all I would apply after the leaves are off in early winter or in March. Generally those trees that need fertilizer are ones that we need more growth from or ones that bear fruits and nuts. Older shade trees, in a fertilized lawn, rarely need fertilizer. Native trees do quite well on low levels of nutrients. In a fertilized lawn, they will utilize the same nutrients being applied to the grass since their root system is intertwined with the grass. The amount of fertilizer needed is based on the size, annual growth, and the age of the tree. Fruit and nut trees require specific amounts that are spelled out in our publications. Tree stakes can be used for small trees but broadcast fertilizers are more efficient and cheaper for larger trees.
Question:
I have a lot of overgrown boxwoods and hollies that need pruning back severely. Can I do that now?
Answer:
Postpone this project until February and March. Shrubs that are severely pruned now will be subject to winter injury. If what I am hearing on the news and from what the Alamanc says, we may have a colder than normal winter. So play it safe, and wait.
GARDEN FAIR
I will be at the Lowes Home Improvement Center on Huffman Mill Rd.in Burlington this coming Saturday, September 23rd from 8 until noon. I will be answering questions on trees, shrubs, lawns, pests, and landscaping. Come by and see me!
SOUTHERN ANNEX SCHEDULE
Roger Cobb, Agricultural Extension Agent, will be at Alamance County's Southern Annex office on the corner of Bethel South Fork Rd. and Snow Camp Rd. this coming Thursday from 8 until noon. Drop by with all your questions on pastures, weeds, field crops, pond weeds, and any creepy crawlers you need identifying.
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.