Bagworms
Be on the lookout for bagworm larvae beginning active feeding on junipers, leyland cypress, arbovitae and other needle-leaved evergreens. Bagworms are 1/8 to almost 2 inches long depending on age. The head and forward parts are dark and hardened and the rest is paler and soft. Each bagworm is covered by a bag made of white silk with bits of the host plant spun onto the outer surface. Young bagworms that have not enclosed themselves in their bags can be controlled with acephate (Orthene), Bacillus thuringiensis, carbaryl (Sevin), diazinon, or malathion. When bagworms have already enclosed themselves in their bags, all we can do is remove them my hand and destroy them to prevent next years crop. No need to apply pesticides then. So if you have some plants that have a few bagworm bags on them, now is the time to be checking for bagworms and treating if necessary. For more information on bagworms check out current gardening articles on this site.
Japanese Beetles
As June rolls around again be on the lookout for Japanese beetles.About 1/2 inch long, Japanese beetles are a shiny, metallic green with coppery brown wing covers that extend almost to the tip of the abdomen. Small tufts of white hairs occur at the tip of the abdomen and along each side. Eggs are translucent white to cream and elliptical and about 1/16 inch in diameter when first laid. In a few days, the egg becomes more spherical and doubles in size. Grubs are white, slightly curled and have yellow-brown heads. Grubs are about 1 inch long when mature. Unlike other grubs found in turf, it has two rows of spines which form a "V" on the underside of the last abdominal segment. The pupa is approximately 1/2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide, and it gradually turns light brown and then develops a metallic green cast.
For home use, carbaryl (Sevin), malathion, imidacloprid (Merit) are good choices. Roses or shrubs may also be protected by covering with light netting. Handpicking adults from plants is an almost hourly battle. Japanese beetle traps may catch up to 75% of the beetles that approach them. Traps may lower beetle populations from 30% (1 trap per acre) up to 39% (10 traps per acre) if placed throughout a neighborhood. The trapped beetles must be emptied from the traps every two days to prevent them from rotting and releasing ammonia which is repellant to other Japanese beetles. Traps are commercially available. The traps are much more effective in attracting Japanese beetles than in trapping them. Consequently, traps should be placed as far away from the plants to be protected as possible. Traps, alone, are not likely to give satisfactory protection to plants being eaten by adult Japanese beetles and pesticides may be required, anyway.
Lawn Maintenance
Warm season grasses like Bermudagrass, Centipedegrass, and Zoysiagrass,
and St. Augustine will continue active growth as temperatures remian in
the 90's. Mow warm season grasses so you only remove 1/3 of the growth.
Here are a few examples:
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Fertilization of warm season grasses can be done in June if you have
not already done it. See the chart below for recommendations:
| Grass type | Type of fertilizer | Fertilizer amount/1000 sq.ft. |
| Bermudagrass | 16-4-8 | 6 pounds |
| Centipedegrass | 15-0-14 | 3 pounds |
| OR | 5-2-20 | 10 pounds |
| St. Augustine | 16-4-8 | 3 pounds |
| Zoysiagrass | 16-4-8 | 3 pounds |
If you have never aerated your warm season lawn, now is the time to do it. Core aeration helps water infiltration, relieves compaction, and helps grass have healty roots and blades. Core aerators, the type that remove soil plugs and deposit them on the soil surface work best. Aerate about two days after a soaking rainfall or irrigation for best results. Leave the soil cores on the surface. They will break and crumble and slowly filter their way back to the holes, creating and ideal area for new grass root growth.
Summer annual weeds are activly growing now. June is great time to spray these weeds before they get completly out of hand. Apply a herbicide labeled for broadleaf weeds that is safe for the type of grass you are growing. Read and follow the label instructions for mixing and applying. The longer you wait, the tougher those weeds are to control.
Maintaining Healthy Dogwood Trees
I get quite a few calls about problems with dogwood trees. Following these ten steps should help you maintain healthy doogwood trees:
1. Know the diseases and other problems commonly affecting dogwood. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/Ornamental/odin23/od23.htm
2. Select healthy trees to plant. Avoid purchasing or moving diseased plants from one area to another. Purchase trees from a reputable, inspected nursery. Avoid transplanting trees from the "wild", especially from mountainous areas.
3. Select good planting sites to promote vigor and rapid drying of foliage. Avoid sites where prolonged high moisture situations prevail.
4. Use proper planting techniques. Dogwoods grow best in a soil high in organic matter. Prepare a hole about 18 inches deep and 3 feet in diameter, and fill it with a mixture containing one-third organic matter and two-thirds soil. Organic matter, such as leaf mold or pine bark, is especially important in heavy clay soils. Set the tree at the same soil level as in the container.
5. Use a maximum of 3-4 inch deep mulch in an approximate 3-foot radius around established trees, ensuring that mulch does not contact the trunk. Avoid using dogwood chips and leaves as mulch, since they may harbor disease organisms.
6. Prune and completely remove dead wood and leaves yearly. Avoid flush cuts! Prune out and destroy epicormic growth (trunk or water sprouts) in late summer.
7. Water weekly in the morning during dry periods. Caution: Do not wet foliage.
8. Fertilize according to need based on soil analysis. Do not overfertilize!
9. Use proper insecticides/fungicides where and when appropriate and legal. Consult extension personnel for currently labeled pesticides.
10. Avoid mechanical and chemical injuries to trees, especially lawnmower and string-trimmer wounds to the tree base.
These can provide entry for pathogenic fungi. Also manage any insect pest that is potentially damaging.