Weeds and Bugs Will Take Over Neglected Gardens When
was the last time you visited your garden? Today? Yesterday? Last week? If
you
haven’t worked in your garden or flower bed lately, then you had better
prepare
yourself for a major mess. Time away from
your garden due to being on vacation, working late, wet conditions, or
other
distractions often results in a neglected garden. That
means what once was a vegetable garden
and attractive flower bed is now an exotic jungle of weeds and bugs. It can be very frustrating and a lot of work
when the weeds and the bugs take over, but remember if you don’t take
charge of
it ASAP, it will be much worse tomorrow. Get
in there and fight! Besides, whose garden or flower
bed was this
suppose to be anyway?
Staking Leaning TreesThe problem of an abundance of weeds and bugs in the garden is actually not all your fault, just half. It just so happens that mid-summer is the peak time for many insects. There is plenty for them to eat, such as the things you planted for them, plus they multiply at a very fast pace so their numbers can get out of hand quickly. Mid summer also happens to be great conditions for weeds. Warm weather combined with lots of moisture, hint - afternoon thunderstorms, makes weeds grow and grow. If that isn’t enough, seeds are being grown and spread everywhere; some come up this year while others will sprout next year. And you just can’t kill some weeds like crabgrass and bermudagrass – they put down roots as they spread and just keep coming back! The best strategy against weeds is prevention and persistence. Do all you can to prevent the weeds from coming up. Mulch, mulch, mulch! Placing mulch around plants will help suppress weeds and benefit the plants you want to grow. Adding an extra barrier such as newspaper below the layer of mulch will also improve your chances of keeping the weeds down. When a weed does poke its ugly head out of the ground, rip it up immediately. Don’t wait to do this later because it will be ten times bigger and stronger and may have begun seeding. Spot treating with a non-selective herbicide, such as Round-up, is another option but be careful where and how you apply it. Most weeds grow amongst the “good plants” and are thus protective from any possible herbicide applications. Unfortunately, hoeing, pulling or digging up weeds still remains the best method for getting rid of unsightly weeds. To help control insect pests, do whatever you can to prevent them from becoming a major problem. Learn what plants specific pests like and when they will appear. Inspect your garden daily for any signs that the insects are around and attacking your plants. At the first sign of an insect pest or the time an insect pest should be out, hand pick what you see and spray your plants with a protective insecticide. Most beetles can be controlled with Sevin, caterpillars with Dipel, and aphids with Malathion or insecticidal soap. Encourage and protect beneficial insects such as lady bug beetles and assassin bugs since they help keep many insect pests relatively under control. Within the
last year, a lot of trees in our area have been exposed to major gusts
of
wind. Many trees have fallen, broken, or
been left leaning as a result. Trees
that did survive the storms and wind but were left scarred and leaning
will
have to be straightened up immediately if you wish to maintain their
natural
beauty and structure.
Some small,
young trees will recover naturally from leaning but will recover faster
if they
are staked and guyed for better support. Be sure to use a
non-abrasive material such as
flexible hose or nylon stockings to prevent rubbing and girdling of the
tree.
Never use wire even if protective foam or other guards are used.
Larger trees, typically three inches or greater, will not straighten up naturally and will need a little help to resume their normal position. Support lines, such as rope, can be used to assist them. It is important to get them back into their original shape as soon as possible since the wood will begin to harden and keep them in their awkward bent over position. When attaching support lines to a limb or tree trunk, it is critical that the portion of the support that wraps around the tree is cushioned with rubber hose, inner-tube, foam, or some other substance that distributes the pressure. Support lines should be left in place for one year and then removed. Leaving them in place too long will result in the tree relying on the support for strength rather than growing new woody fibers. One mistake that people make is waiting until the ground dries out before going out and straightening the tree back up. This can cause further damage on the tree by snapping more roots in addition to ones already broken. The trick is to straighten trees while the soil is still fairly wet. This will allow roots to move in the soil rather than break. For
more information,
contact the Tallapoosa County Extension office at 256-825-1050.
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