Master Gardener – Search
Searching: Insects
If you don't see the answer you're looking for, try submitting your question.
Crape Myrtle Bark Scale
-
Date Posted: Wed, Feb 28 - 12:46 am
- Other than digging up and destroying crape myrtles what is the next best solution for crape Myrtle scale?
- A systemic insecticide in the spring is the recommended treatment for Crape Myrtle Bark Scale (CMBS) . A soil drench of imidacloprid or dinotefuran is recommended when crape myrtles begin to leaf out in the spring, usually around April. Personally, I've had success with Bonide products and find them to be available at many local garden shops. Bonide has an annual tree and shrub product that has an active ingredient of imidacloprid. (Other insecticide recommendations from the extension office are available here: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-017/456-017.html) If you decided to go with an insecticidal soap spray, just be sure to refrain from applying it when pollinators or other beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles are present on the trees. If you would really prefer to stay away from insecticides, another control option is to lightly scrub the main trunks of crape myrtles with soapy water made with mild dish detergent and a stiff-bristled brush to kill and remove CMBS. This also removes some of the sooty mold and the loose exfoliating bark that shelters CMBS, exposing the scales to any spray treatments that may be applied. And finally, its important to check and be sure your control methods are working. To assess if a control treatment was effective or not: check for live CMBS by running a fingernail over the scales and looking for a pinkish-red fluid. Dead scales will be dry, but their white bodies may persist on the trunk and branches of crape myrtle until they weather off. Good luck!!
Question
Answer
Lectures for Master Gardeners
-
Date Posted: Wed, Feb 28 - 12:36 am
- Would Richmond's Master Gardener Program be interested in having a former entomology professor and EPA employee provide teaching lectures on insects (and their damage) in the garden and reading pesticide labels? I have been doing the lectures via zoom for the classes in Louisa and Fluvanna. However, I live and garden in Richmond. I would be happy to discuss lectures and lecture scheduling. Helen Hull-Sanders, Ph.D.
- Absolutely! We would love that. We aim to have lectures at each of our meetings and we are still building our schedule of speakers for this year. I will send you an e-mail to coordinate with you. Thank you so much for the offer!
Question
Answer
Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale
-
Date Posted: Thu, Feb 08 - 3:03 am
- Hello! Would you be able to recommend the best product for treating a severe case of Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale? The tree is about 5 years old and has been very healthy until last year when it got the scale. I have heard that it is best to treat with a systemic insecticide in the spring but there are a lot of products out there and the prices very quite a bit. Also if there is a better way to treat than an insecticide please let me know! Also a lot of the products recommend a treatment based on the trunk size if the crepe myrtle has multiple trunks do I add all the trunks up or should I treat based on a single trunk size? Thank you so much !
- These are great questions about Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale CMBS). I had to do a little bit of research myself to figure out how to best give you some guidance. A systemic insecticide in the spring does seem to be the recommended treatment. A soil drench of imidacloprid or dinotefuran is recommended when crape myrtles begin to leaf out in the spring, usually around April. Personally, I've had success with Bonide products and find them to be available at many local garden shops. Bonide has an annual tree and shrub product that has an active ingredient of imidacloprid. (Other insecticide recommendations from the extension office are available here: https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/456/456-017/456-017.html) If you decided to go with an insecticidal soap spray, just be sure to refrain from applying it when pollinators or other beneficial insects such as ladybird beetles are present on the trees. Here are some guidelines for measuring the circumference of the tree trunk: 1. If it appears that a tree actually represents two or more trees that have their trunks pressing together, we measure the largest trunk. 2. If it appears that the tree tree is a single tree that splits below 4.5 feet, we measure at the narrowest point between the split and the ground. 3. If it appears that the tree tree is a single tree that splits above 4.5 feet, we measure the trunk at 4.5 feet. If you would really prefer to stay away from insecticides, another control option is to lightly scrub the main trunks of crape myrtles with soapy water made with mild dish detergent and a stiff-bristled brush to kill and remove CMBS. This also removes some of the sooty mold and the loose exfoliating bark that shelters CMBS, exposing the scales to any spray treatments that may be applied. And finally, its important to check and be sure your control methods are working. To asses if a control treatment was effective or not: check for live CMBS by running a fingernail over the scales and looking for a pinkish-red fluid. Dead scales will be dry, but their white bodies may persist on the trunk and branches of crape myrtle until they weather off.
Question
Answer
Lawn alternatives
-
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!
Question
Answer
Ticks
-
Date Posted: Fri, Nov 04 - 8:46 pm
- I just moved into a house in North Chesterfield which has tons of trees - and therefore tons of dead leaves, needles and pine cones. I have read a lot of articles recommending to leave the dead leaves in place over winter to help beneficial insects, birds etc., but I'm worried about the potential of leaf litter giving safe haven to ticks as well. I haven't seen deer around at all, but we do get lots of squirrels, mice and birds. - To rake or not to rake?
- Hello there, Oh, what a good question. I wish I had a simple answer. The reality is that ticks are pretty much everywhere. I've known them to show up in small urban yards and, of course, in wooded areas. They're found in parks in densely populated NYC as well as beaches. So just about every environment you can imagine. I know that cleaning up leaf litter is often touted as a deterrent. It may be, but I suspect there would still be some ticks left behind. I would opt for leaving the leaves where they fall and accommodating the good bugs. There are precautions to take when working in brushy, leafy areas. Wear light clothing, a hat, tuck your shirt into your pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks. And give yourself a good look over when your done working. Keeping the area you want to spend time in or socialize in away from the wilder part of the garden is also helpful, if possible. You could keep a trimmed lawn and garden beds where you congregate and let the wilder parts of your garden take care of themselves. Here is a publication from VA Tech that you may find helpful--https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/2906/2906-1396/2906-1396.html. You will have to make your own choice regarding the leaves. Start with figuring out the pros and cons of raking/not raking, that may help guide your decision. Good luck and enjoy your new home.
Question
Answer
Soil, native plants
-
Date Posted: Tue, Sep 13 - 6:36 pm
- I have got my front yard in great shape! not the back yard :( . It looks like a baseball field with lots of dirt and not much else. My back yard gets filtered sun,, some periods of direct sun in day. I have LOTS of trees. I want to turn my back yard into a natural wooded area with native wildlife. Do you think I need to buy soil or are there lots of native plants that can thrive in clay soil w/out that. Can you think of some native plants that would thrive in that kind of area. Thanks!
- Hello there, Well, the good news is you have lots of trees! We all should....Since that's the case you must have a lot of fallen leaves come winter. What do you do with those leaves? If you aren't already, I would suggest you start a compost pile or two. Or even simpler, you can just let the leaves remain where they have fallen and accumulate. Over time you'll have your woodland base. If you would rather rake them up and compost them, that's fine too. Then make an annual habit of applying that compost to keep feeding the soil. Having all those trees is a real advantage; you have a lot of raw material with which to work. You want to build a good base that will nourish the insects, plants and animals you want in your back yard. There's a good book on permaculture - Gaia's Garden, that has lots of useful information. You'll be especially interested in chapter 4 -Bringing Soil to Life. So rather than spending a lot of money and energy on purchasing soil and amendments, and if you give the project a little bit of time, you can save that money and use it for plants! There are some plants that are suited to clay but building your soil will bring you greater benefits-again, creating a balanced home for insects, plants and animals. There's a wonderful website you can use for finding out about native plants and the habitats they thrive within. I highly recommend--https://www.plantvirginianatives.org. It's easy to use and covers a lot of territory. It's always recommended to get your soil tested to see if the soil is lacking in any nutrients. You can have that done through the Chesterfield Master Gardener program. Here's the phone number: (804) 751-4401. You can also visit your local library and speak with a master gardener and pick up a soil testing kit at the same time. Check your local library for the day and time that the master gardener help desks are active. Best of luck with this project, I think you'll have some fun!
Question
Answer
Creeping phlox
-
Date Posted: Tue, Jun 21 - 9:58 pm
- My creeping phlox was planted about a month ago. When I bought it it had some dried out looking leaves. Now it is looking more dried out at the base and many leave are turning yellow. I am wondering if there is a way to save them?
- Hello there, There are a couple of phloxes that could be described as creeping. There's moss phlox (phlox subulata), which is very short and creeps, there's creeping phlox (phlox stolonifera) which is taller and creeps, and there phlox divaricata also taller and creeps. However, I think they all suffer from similar problems so it may not really matter which one is in question. The plant could be suffering from some fungal disease or it could be a virus. A fungal issue could possibly be resolved. A viral problem cannot. It's impossible to know which issue you have without a diagnosis but you could try using a fungal spray (there are some less toxic sprays on the market that can be used safely if you avoid spraying when insects are busy) and if the plant rebounds you know that was the problem. If it doesn't rebound, it's viral and you should pull it up and dispose of it in the trash rather than compost. Sometimes compost won't kill the pathogen, so to be on the safe side I'd use the trash bin. Good luck! Let us know if you have further questions.
Question
Answer
Native Plants
-
Date Posted: Mon, Apr 25 - 4:23 pm
- I’m interested in filling a mulched area in my yard in the city with native plants. Do you have any recommendations for layout and where to buy? I was hoping for a rain garden but it’s not enough space. It’s about 10 feet by 3 feet.
- Hello there! What a timely question. Master Gardeners are exploring this very subject on May 7th at the park at the Main Library between 1-4. There will be a presentation on invasive plants by the JRPS Invasive Plant Task Force followed by Master Gardeners presenting on native plants with plenty of time for questions and answers. Without knowing the orientation, amount of sun, and soil conditions, etc., it's difficult to make a suggestion for your planting. However, I would recommend making as many layers as possible-shade, understory, shrubs, perennials and groundcovers. I know it's not a large area but you would be surprised how many plants can inhabit a space that size. You could omit the shade tree perhaps and plant an understory or two-one at each end of the space. Then infill with a mix of shrubs and perennials and finally underplant with a groundcover or two. This diverse mix will be very attractive to many species of birds, mammals, insects, etc. Please come with your questions and curiosity on May 7th!!
Question
Answer
Pollinators
-
Date Posted: Sat, Mar 26 - 12:31 am
- What can I do to keep white butterflies from my garden plants that need pollinators, such as squash.
- Hello there, The white butterflies you're referring to, are those active now in your garden? If so, those are cabbage white butterflies. The larvae of those butterflies tend to feed on cabbage, collards, kale and some other greens (Brassica family of plants). If you want to keep them away from these crops, fine netting is your best bet. The butterflies lay eggs underneath the host plant's leaves. The larvae are caterpillars whose coloring closely matches the host plant. They are voracious eaters so it's good to check the plants under the net to be sure none have escaped your notice. If you're looking to be sure to have pollinators for your squash plants be sure to plant a variety of herbs, flowers, shrubs and trees in your yard. Using native flowers and shrubs will provide pollen and nectar. Native shrubs and trees also provide shelter and nesting materials for bees and other beneficial insects. A variety of flower color and shape will attract a wider variety of pollinators. I hope I have answered your question. if not, please reach out again. Best of luck with your garden.
Question
Answer
Spider Sac on plant
-
Date Posted: Sun, Oct 10 - 2:59 pm
- I have several long white strings of balls that looks like a moth cocoon or something from a plant in my backyard. Any idea what it is and if I should take it down? I wanted to submit a photo but it doesn't look like there's an option to do that. But they're about 2 in long and the balls look to be about the size of a very small pea and there's probably 8 or 10 of them hanging vertically in a string.
- Good morning! Thank you for your question. You have provided a very good description, and without actually seeing a picture, I'm guessing what you are seeing is a spider sac. Spider sacs can come in a variety of sizes and can range in color from white to yellowish to brown, and the individual sacs will be about the size of the spider which produced it. They typically appear as a thick netting of spider silk with multiple eggs inside, and can be found on plants. Some spiders make just one egg sac and others will make several small ones. You don't want to directly disturb a spider egg sac which has potentially viable eggs, or you risk releasing hundreds of small spiders. The best way to get rid of it is to first spray it with a mixture of 1/2 bleach and 1/2 water to kill the spiders/eggs. Use protective gloves and long sleeves. Once you spray it, you can then use an elongated tool to remove the sac (or you could cut that branch or leaves to which the sac is appended), and place in a plastic bag, tie it tightly, and throw it in the trash. Or you may choose to just leave the spider sac since it is outdoors, as it will not directly harm the plant, and may have some beneficial use in the garden (of course this depends on the type of spider). While spiders will not directly harm the plant, they do feed on both harmful as well as beneficial insects in the garden (including bees, butterflies, ladybugs). If what you have is in fact a spider sac, I would recommend getting rid of it to be on the safe side. Hope this helps, and happy gardening!