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Browning Dwarf Arborvitae
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Date Posted: Wed, Oct 11 - 12:47 am
- Dwarf Arborvitae has brown sections, on am effort to cut them out, it appears black underneath. What is happening? Thank you.
- I'm sorry you are having these concerns with your Dwarf Arborvitae. The first thing that comes to my mind is canker. Canker is infected wounds in the branches caused by fungi. Wounds can be caused by pruning, storm damage, cold damage, or excessive wetness. In plants with canker, you will observe yellow to reddish-brown branches in the middle of healthy green branches. Closer to base of the branch you may see slightly sunken, reddish cankers with profusely exuding resin. Black pustule-like fruiting bodies known as pycnidia may be seen breaking through the bark. There is no real treatment for canker stem diseases. The fungus survives in infected bark tissues, so it is best to prune all infected branches about 3-4 inches below the canker area. Spread of the fungus can be minimized by sterilizing any blades used between all cuts with a 10 percent bleach or 70 percent alcohol solution. Try to prevent damage to trees. Stressed and wounded plants are more likely to be infested. It is best to keep dwarf trees as open as possible so that they will dry out after rain. Prune to allow air flow in plants. Clean out leaves from the insides of shrubs. Do not bury plants too deep in mulch. Prune out infected branches and fertilize affected trees if needed. Good luck!!
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Japanese Spirea
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Date Posted: Tue, Oct 10 - 5:24 pm
- My japanese spirea has large dead sections that I just trimmed back. I don't see any bigs. Any ideas? And should this be cut way back in fall?
- Maintenance pruning for spirea can be done anytime of year and damaged or dead branches should be removed as you see them. When removing these branches, be sure to prune back to a point where the branch is still healthy, or back to the ground if the damage occurs throughout the length of the branch. An overall pruning can be done in late winter, just before new leaves begin to appear. Dwarf varieties (which typically grow 1-3ft tall) can be cut back to 4-6" above the ground. Taller growing varieties can be cut back to 10-12" above the ground. Without more information, it is difficult to say what might be causing the dead sections on your plants. These plants do not require a lot of water, and typically do well on rain water alone unless there is an extreme period of drought. You could monitor your soil to be sure it is draining well and not staying too soggy and moist which could lead to disease issues. One thing to keep in mind about Japanese spirea is that it is a non-native invasive plant. It has small seeds that can last for years in the soil making it very difficult to control. Once Japanese spirea is established outside of its intended areas, it can quickly crowd out native species. Unfortunately, the best control method is to remove existing plants. There is a native spirea that could be considered as a replacement: white meadowsweet (Spiraea alba). I hope this information helps you! Happy gardening!
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Stunted vegetable garden
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Date Posted: Sat, Aug 12 - 6:55 pm
- My vegetable garden has been stunted in its growth this summer and I’ve been trying to figure out what I can do differently. I think we may have some Red Thread in the yard.
- I think many local vegetable gardens have experienced some stunting this year. The prolonged cooler weather we had at the beginning of the summer seemed to have a big impact on plants that were put in the ground in late April and May. In addition, we have had several periods with very little rain to help keep gardens watered which has also been having an impact. Before planting next year, its a good idea to do a soil test to see where your soil could use some support. Soil tests are available through the master gardeners at your local library. You can use these results to ensure you are planting in a robust healthy soil that is ready to provide a good home to your plants. Also, if you aren't already doing this, I would suggest fertilizing your garden with an organic fertilizer. Organic fertilizers slowly release nutrients giving a steady supply of food to your plants without disrupting the work of earthworms and other beneficial organisms. Follow the recommendations on the label for frequency of fertilizing. I'm not aware of nor have I been able to find any literature on red thread having an impact on anything other than turf grass. I'm not sure if you mentioned that in correlation with your concerns about your vegetable garden or as a separate concern. However, if you were looking for recommendations to deal with the red thread as well, fungicides are not usually advised for red thread control on residential turf for various reasons. The disease is largely cosmetic. Unless environmental conditions that promote disease development persist for extended periods, the turf will recover — usually with no lasting effects of infection. Good luck and happy gardening!
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Removing Kudzu
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Date Posted: Thu, Jul 27 - 12:13 am
- What can be used to get rid of the Kudzu that has taken over the Camellia bush?
- The dreaded kudzu! For successful long-term control, the extensive root system must be destroyed. Any remaining root crowns can lead to reinfestation. Kudzu grows from seed and from root crowns. You can see these root crowns if you follow a vine to where it roots in the soil. Dig just a little around it and you will see several buds, new sprouts, or mature vines emerging from just at, or below, the soil surface. This is the root crown. To stop new kudzu vine growth, cut just below the root crown and remove it from the soil. Kudzu cannot regrow from below the root crown, and it does not sprout from any lateral roots. Sometimes vines, which can root, may be buried under a few inches of organic matter and leaf litter. This gives them the appearance of lateral roots, but they are not. Buried vines make control more difficult because they are hidden and may produce many new shoots. Use a shovel or pick axe to expose the base of the root crown. Then use a sharp hatchet, axe, or a small handsaw to cut the root below the root crown. A shovel or hoe is not adequate for the job as the roots are very fibrous or woody. Pruning shears may work for severing smaller root crowns, but will not work for large root crowns. It is also a good idea to plant native grasses in the fall after removal to control erosion and spread of kudzu and invasion of other weedy plants which may colonize the site after kudzu dies. Good luck!
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Natives & Landscaping
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Date Posted: Mon, May 29 - 5:34 pm
- I have a wonderfully overgrown, half-wild backyard in the Northside that already attracts a great variety of birds ... but I'd like to start being more purposeful about planting natives and landscaping for birds and bugs. I'm having a hard time figuring out where to start, though, and am hoping a Master Gardener could help. Is there someone who could come look at my site and help me come up with a plan?
- Hello! How lovely to have a backyard that is already attracting a great variety of birds! It's wonderful that you want to provide more native plants for your backyard pollinators! A good place to start is by doing a soil test to see how healthy your soil currently is and if there is anything you should add to it before you begin planting. You can find soil test kits at your local libraries when the master gardeners are there, just call and ask your librarian. Next, you will want to think about how wet or dry your back yard typically is, as well as how much sun light you get. You could bring this information along with some pictures to talk with the master gardener at your library or to a local nursery for more guidance. I would also recommend looking over this really wonderful resource on native plants for our area https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/plant-rva-natives as the free downloadable guide has an amazing amount of information to help get you going in the right direction! Happy gardening!
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Allium Leaf Miner
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Date Posted: Sun, May 28 - 8:55 pm
- I think I might have allium leaf miner in a few of my overwintered leeks. I took pictures, video and saved a sample in a ziplock bag containing the reddish brown egg. I’m not particularly worried about the crop but wasn’t sure if I should contact you since it’s a relatively new invasive pest. It seemed like covering and exclusion measures will be my best bet going forward. Thanks!
- I'm sorry to hear your leeks have been hit by the allium leaf miner. There are a few prevention techniques to consider going forward. 1. Solarization. The garden bed can be covered with clear plastic for four weeks over the summer, being sure to bury the edges so heat is trapped. Solarization will kill allium leaf miner pupae, decrease soil pathogens, and increase beneficial microbes. 2. Rotation Planting. Refrain from planting members of the allium family in the same bed for one year or longer since the pupae will overwinter in the bed. 3. Cover crops. Consider planting members of the cabbage family in the bed prior to planting allium. The sulfur produced by the cabbage crops will transfer to your allium making them more pungent and less desirable to the fly. Another benefit is that brassica plants decrease the amount of nitrogen available in the soil which is beneficial as flies are more drawn to high levels of nitrogen in plants. 4. As you have already mentioned, row covers. Cover the plants at planting time in the fall (September/October) and remove for the winter. Plants will need to be covered again for the spring (March/April) before overwintering pupae emerge. Since the allium leaf miner is very small, it's important to be sure the edges of your covers are pinned down well or buried. Thank you for reporting this finding so the spread of allium leaf miner can be monitored and best of luck with your future plants!
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Lawn alternatives
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Date Posted: Wed, May 03 - 4:23 pm
- I want to find an easier alternative ground cover to grass that is native to Virginia. I was thinking clover, but I worry because in some cases it can be more invasive. Any low maintenance ground cover plants that help improve the soil would be welcome!
- Hello there, Of course, plant selection depends on many things, exposure (north, south, east, west and combinations of those), soil type and structure, hours of direct sun, etc. I'm guessing since you have a grass lawn you are getting a good amount of sunlight. There are really no plants that are low maintenance before they become established. I've had good luck with white clover though I use it in relatively small areas and I don't have a problem with it wanting to take over the garden. If you have a large area you might want to get more creative and use a variety of plants as your ground cover (which the birds and insects will appreciate). There are a couple of native violets you could use, also phlox subulata which is evergreen and mat forming. I'm attaching a link to a website that has good information on what native plants can function as ground cover locally. Here it is- https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/reduce-lawn-area-with-native-groundcovers. I think you'll find some nice options there. Happy gardening!
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Pests
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Date Posted: Wed, Apr 26 - 4:28 pm
- Hello. Poison ivy has started filling one of the beds in the front of my house, and it is coming up with the azalea bushes along the side back fence. Is there a reliable company that can remove this for me? Thank you for any advice that you can provide!
- Hello there, Poison ivy seems to be everywhere. However, there are some plants that look a bit like poison ivy. Virginia creeper is one of them and is not toxic, so it could be pulled or dug up easily. The are a couple others, Your best bet is to take good photos and go to the Help Desk that is manned by the Master Gardeners at your local library. Contact the library and find out what day and time the Help Desk session is held. Once you have a definite ID, then you can proceed with an appropriate method. I don't have any removal companies to recommend. You could also try one of the homemade sprays for killing the vine but, again, you need to know what you are dealing with first. Best of luck.
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Rhododendrons
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Date Posted: Wed, Apr 26 - 3:24 pm
- I have several rhododendron bushes in my front yard. They usually bloom once a year. I would like them to bloom more often. I don’t understand why one of the bushes leaves turned completely brown and died. Will this bush come back? Should I pull it up? What can I do?
- Hello there, Rhododendrons bloom once a year, in late winter into spring depending on variety. You could add other varieties with different bloom times to extend the show. You could also add some azaleas (which are in the same family). Some of those do bloom twice a year. The variety Encore comes to mind. As for the browning of the leaves and leaf drop, a number of issues could be causing that. Poor drainage, leaf burn from too much sun, winter burn, nutrient deficiency. It's difficult to diagnose in this manner. But you can try this practice - if you give the plant plenty of time to begin spring growth—waiting until late spring—you can then scratch the bark on dead-looking branches with your fingernail. If there is green wood underneath, the branch is still alive. Leave it be and it may very well leaf out. If it's brown underneath, the branch is dead and you can prune it off. Also, you can visit one of the Master Gardeners that man the desk at your local library. Call the library to see when the Help Desk is in session. Any information you have about the plants-photos, samples, will be helpful. But sometimes you need to assess the planting environment to narrow down the problem. You can also get a soil testing kit and the results will help you improve the nutrients and condition of your soil to ensure future plant health.
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Ilex glabra-Inkberry
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Date Posted: Thu, Apr 20 - 8:37 pm
- We planted 5 ilex glabra bushes in October. One of them suddenly (within less than 12 hours) had it's leaves turn brown/black and fall off. The stalks and stems all seem fine, and it still has some leaves on one side. The other ones all seem fine, although they haven't grown much and have a few yellow/brown leaves. Do you know what happened and what we can do to protect the plants? Thank you!
- Hello there, Sorry to hear of your situation. Unfortunately, it's difficult to diagnosis from this distance. It could be soil, possibly chlorosis, maybe spider mites. First, I would contact the garden center where you purchased your plants. Often, plants are guaranteed for a year. So if you have proof of purchase I would definitely tell them about the condition of your shrubs, what they advise and what they can do for you. You could also check in with one of the Master Gardeners that man the help desks at the library branches. Check out your local library and find out what days and times the help desk is manned. It may still be difficult to diagnose without seeing the actual planting. Bring pictures and as much information about where the shrubs are situated. You can also get a kit for a soil test from the Master Gardeners, which may be helpful to ensure the future health of the 10 plants. There is also a plant clinic but again, I would start with the garden center where you made your purchase. And, of course, check in with a Master Gardener. They are a wonderful resource.