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Ambrosia beetle-Dogwoods
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Date Posted: Sun, Oct 03 - 5:27 pm
- Last year I put in 4 dogwoods trees but ambrosia beetles appeared in April/May and the trees all died. Is there any type of native tree that is resistant to them? The trees were removed in June but are the beetles still in the soil? I'm afraid to put in any new trees now.
- Hello there, thank you for your question. It will take a little longer to answer because I'm reaching out to an arborist for assistance. Thanks for your patience!
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Schip laurel
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Date Posted: Mon, Sep 13 - 6:48 pm
- This is a response to the question about Schip laurel. Assuming poor drainage isn't the issue, you can drop off a sample at the Henrico Cooperative Extension off at 8600 Dixon Powers Drive. This is how the agent described the sample material to submit. 'We need what we call the good, bad and ugly. We don’t want just a dead portion. We want the sample to include the transition from bad to good.' You could also check out this link below from the University of Md. that lists several problems that might occur with a Schip laurel planting. https://marylandgrows.umd.edu/2019/01/07/qa-whats-wrong-with-my-cherry-laurel-shrubs/ Good luck!
- Answer is in the preceding question format.
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Squash Vine Borers
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 24 - 1:57 am
- Hi there! Thank you so much for doing this! I have a couple questions on squash vine borers, which have been a HUGE issue in my garden this year. I have been surgically removing the larvae from my curcurbit vines every few days for over two months now (along the way losing both of my zucchini plants and one patty pan squash plant; now I have one patty pan and 4 pumpkin plants remaining). My questions are: How much longer should I expect new larvae to bore into my plants? And is there anything I can do next season to organically prevent these pests (or perhaps control them in a less laborious fashion!)?
- Hello! Thank you for your question. It sounds like you have had a challenging season with this difficult pest. Your surgical removal of the larvae is one part of the solution, and it sounds like you have mastered that particular process. There are other things you can do as well. To answer your first question, it is important to understand the lifecycle of the squash vine borer. Eggs will first appear in our area in May, will hatch in early summer, and then the larvae will bore into the squash stem to feed for up to 4 weeks. When the larvae are mature at 4-6 weeks, they will leave the vine and the dig 1-2 inches in the soil to pupate. In our climate, we can sometimes have 2 generations of larvae in a season. So unfortunately, once infested, this pest can present a problem for most of the growing season. In addition to the surgical removal process of the larvae in the stems, you can also use an organically approved insecticide such as Spinosad or Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Apply the product on the leaf stems and the main stem of the plant - do not spray the flowers. Apply one of these insecticides once per week during the growing season. It will kill the borer's eggs and larvae quickly. Again, these are organically approved products, and we recommend staying away from any synthetic, non-organic insecticides. Another method for prevention early in the season is to cover the young plants with a floating row cover until flowering occurs. The row cover will keep out the insect in the critical early part of the season, and will still allow sun, water, and air to get to the plant. Once flowering begins, remove the cover to ensure pollination is not disrupted. If or when you do have an infected vine(s), seal them in a plastic bag before the larvae pupate. This will break the lifecycle of the squash vine borer. And finally, the other important practice is to till under all crop debris after harvest, which also disrupts larvae in the soil, and prevents buildup of the squash borer population. Implementation of these practices should minimize the need for constant surgical removal of the larvae, and yield healthier plants and better crop. Good luck, and please reach out with any other questions!
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Squash Bug Control
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Date Posted: Sun, Aug 22 - 3:10 pm
- I have been having a hard year with squash bugs taking over my zucchini plants. I am wondering if you have any tips on how to prepare the soil this winter to decrease their activity next season. Thank you!
- Good morning! Thank you for your question. You are certainly a step ahead in that you have identified the pest, and have probably read about effective means to control and hopefully rid many of the insects during the growing season. Nevertheless, they are difficult to eradicate. You are smart to be thinking about ways to overwinter the garden to minimize the problem next spring. Do you use mulch around your zucchini plants? Mulches give adult squash bugs a place to overwinter, and you want to remove that mulch if you have used it. Straw is a better alternative to use around these plants in the growing season. As fall/winter approaches, you want to be sure and clean your garden of old vines, crop, and leaf debris where adult bugs will hide over the winter. Squash bugs will rarely survive cold winters without places to hide. However, Richmond has been known to have very mild winters, and you surely don't want to give these bugs a place to hide. Once you have removed all debris (and mulch, if you have it), till the soil. This also helps eliminate the pests. If you have the room in your garden (which most city properties do not), it is also helpful to rotate your crops year to year to keep down insect population. But the best thing to do is completely clear the garden of all debris for the winter, and till the soil. One tip for next spring/summer, is to place boards or old shingles on the ground next to the garden (especially at night time). Squash bugs love to hide under these, and they make excellent traps for collecting the bugs in the morning, and then placing the bugs in a bucket of soapy water. And of course, regular inspection during the early growing season to collect these bugs from your plants helps as well. But definitely follow the guidelines for garden cleanup and tilling to properly overwinter, and that will certainly get you off to a clean start in the spring!
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Worms/Caterpillars in Grow Bags w/Vegetable Plants
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Date Posted: Wed, Aug 18 - 2:00 pm
- Like many in the midwest, I have started a victory garden of sorts over the past few months, mostly in large grow bags on a pallet on my deck. This morning I noticed that the grow bag containing my romaine lettuce was full of either some very freaky worms or caterpillars, and while the worms seemed to be contained to the romaine bag, I worry for my adjacent chard, collard greens, and tomato bags. After a quick google search, I discovered two options that I was interested in: bacillus thuringiensis or diatomaceous earth, but I would like to know what option would be the most efficient in terms of use of product and frequency of applications and also the most environmentally friendly. If there is a better option than those two, I would be happy to learn also. Thank you!
- Good afternoon! Thank you for your question. My first thought when I read your question is that the solution certainly depends on the type of worm or caterpillar-like creature in your grow bag. If you have common earthworms or red wigglers, I’d say leave them alone as they are beneficial to the quality of the soil and will benefit the overall health of your plants. But it sounds like you may have something different which could ultimately harm your plant. If, for example, you have cutworms (which resemble caterpillar) and/or leaf miner larvae in your soil, you want to remove these. First, I would separate the infested grow bag from your other grow bags which contain your other vegetables. I would then pick off the visible worms/caterpillars with your fingers and submerge them in a container of warm soapy water. Although the products you mention may be effective at killing the catepillar-like creature you have, they do have harmful attributes. They may be considered organic but they still have low levels of toxic ingredients to bees. I would use an insecticidal soap solution such as neem oil or simply mix 3 tablespoons of dish soap to 1 gallon of water and pour into your infected soil. Apply this process weekly. And if you see any of these caterpillars on the plant leaves, pick them off and spray the neem oil/soap solution directly onto the plant - repeat the process weekly. And of course keep a close eye on your other grow bags with your other vegetables for any similar signs. Good luck with your garden, and wishing you a strong yield!
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Eradicating Giant Taro
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Date Posted: Wed, Aug 18 - 1:43 pm
- Continuing along the theme of invasive species, we have several clumps of elephant ears (giant taro) in our yard that we are trying to eradicate. We have dug them up twice already and they keep coming back. Any tips or solutions that can rid of us of this invasive plant? Thank you very much.
- Good morning, and thank you for your question! Giant Taro (elephant ear) are dramatic and beautiful to admire, but we know they can be problematic spreaders. This invasive plant is typically hardy only in zones 8-11, but with our recent mild winters here in zone 7, they easily thrive. They are best planted in very large pots in the garden or on the patio, where they can be contained and enjoyed without the spread. The best organic approach for removal and eradication of elephant ear in the garden is to simply dig them up (and likely repeatedly), until they are all gone. It sounds like you’ve taken this approach twice and they’ve come back. Be sure and dig wide and deep enough to remove all small pieces of the corms (tubers), and dispose of them in a plastic garbage bag. These small pieces can colonize and form new plants if left in the ground. Remove the soil in the area and replace it as well. As you’ve learned, this often requires repetition until they are all gone. If any new growth emerges during the fall, repeat the process, cutting down all growth to 1” above the ground and dig up the tubers and all small corm pieces in the ground before winter. I wish I had more magic tricks for you to try to solve this. Perhaps we’ll have a colder winter this year (more in line with our climate zone) which will help as well. Good luck!
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Controlling Japanese Beetles
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:50 pm
- How can I safely control Japanese beetles? They're devouring my roses. I don't want to use anything that would hurt bees or hummingbirds.
- Thank you for your question. I certainly understand the extent of damage Japanese beetles can cause to all parts of the Rose bush - buds, leaves, and flowers! A very safe, organic, and effective means to control Japanese beetles is a routine spray of a Neem oil solution. A Neem oil solution both kills and repels the beetles when applied every 7-10 days. This solution is totally organic and non-toxic to bees or birds. Simply mix 2 tablespoons of Neem oil per gallon of water, and spray all parts of the rose plant. A side benefit is that this Neem oil solution also controls aphids, lace bugs, mealybugs, and spider mites. Another solution is a simple soap and water solution (although not quite as effective at repelling the beetles as the Neem oil solution). Mix 4 tablespoons of dish soap with water in a spray bottle and spray all parts of the plant. Best of luck! Let us know if you have other questions!
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Leafminers...
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:46 pm
- My broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower has white vine like lines on the leaves. What are they and how do I get rid of them. My plants look like they are not thriving now.
- It sounds like you've got leafminers. They have a broad range of host plants and they seem to like your garden. The first thing to do is remove the affected leaves and dispose of them in the trash (not in compost). If you check the underside of the leaf you will most likely see small white eggs, you don't want those to hatch, so straight to the trash. There are several generations of this pest in one season so you will need to keep a close eye out for signs of their existence. You may see eggs, larvae and flys. Sometimes using sticky traps and row covers for the flies works well. If just removing the affected leaves isn't keeping the numbers down you might try using neem oil or beneficial insects such beneficial nematodes or parasitic wasps. I personally haven't had experience with beneficial insects as an intervention so I don't have any particular insight there. Start with removing the affected leaves and checking plants frequently for eggs and tunneling larvae. Good luck and good gardening!
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Holes in lawn
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 10 - 5:17 pm
- I have a large hole, about 4-5 inches across, in the front yard. My neighbor said she thinks she saw a chipmunk go down it. It is very deep. How can I take care of this? Fill it up with dirt? Put a hose down there? Not sure but I don't want animals tunneling under the lawn.
- Hello there, I haven't had a lot experience with this problem but I'll give it a try. It seems that if chipmunks were the problem the hole would be smaller 1-2 inches rather than 4-5. The larger hole would indicate possible ground hogs, raccoons or skunks. Have you noticed the tell-tale odor of skunk?? If not, then perhaps ground hogs or raccoons are giving you this problem. A description of the hole will help you determine which animal is causing the damage. Refer to the internet for images of holes made by each creature. It seems the safest way to deal with unwanted visitors is using a motion-activated light to scare them away. They are active at night looking for grubs, earthworms and other insects. Inexpensive solar-powered lights can be used assuming you have enough sunlight to collect in the place you need to attach the light. Additionally, using predator urine products placed around the outside of the hole can work to keep the pests away. Coyote or dog urine products should work. If you have raccoons or skunks that simply will not leave, you should contact a professional that knows how to handle potentially rabid animals. Best of luck!
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Bunnies
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Date Posted: Fri, Aug 06 - 8:54 pm
- What is a good way to keep bunnies out of my garden? They have eaten ALL of my strawberries and are starting to gnaw down the plants. They are carving caves out of my broccoli plants and have eaten the leaves off my Brussels sprout... I put down dichotomous earth and pepper flakes to no effect. They gnawed the marigolds I put in the garden as a deterrent to a nub. They are eating the greens off my onions. They have eaten the entire stalks of all my coneflowers. My pepper plants are getting stripped. They have recently started snipping the top 2/3 of the branches on my blueberry bushes off.
- I know, it's hard to believe such benign-looking creatures can wreak such havoc....but they can. I have not had personal experience but I have heard many tales of woe. My experience has been with deer and despite the difference in size, they both seem to do the same amount of damage, actually no, bunnies are worse. The only real solution is to fence your garden. Not knowing the size of your garden, it's difficult to say how much of a project this will be. You may need to make some adjustment to the design of your garden. It could be done relatively cheaply with some fence posts and rails from the hardware store and chicken wire or preferably hardware cloth. You probably want the fence to be 2-3 feet high so they can't jump over and the wire/cloth should be buried 6 inches in the ground to prevent the bunny from burrowing under. If you have individual plants you want to protect, you can make a 2-3 ft high collar out the wire. But it will have to stay in place year round. There are other methods and products out there for consumers but many have to be reapplied frequently, if they even work. You should also have a look around the house and garden to see if there are inviting places for rabbits to hide or nest. If so, take care of that. I hope you're able to secure your plantings and enjoy the harvest!