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Crape Myrtle Bark Scale
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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!!
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Crepe Myrtle Bark Scale
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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.
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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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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.
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Camellia Pruning
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Date Posted: Thu, Mar 02 - 4:57 pm
- We have a camelia bush in our front yard that is as old as our house. It’s probably 25 ft wide at its widest. It’s in desperate need of a trim, but I have no idea how to do that! I don’t want To harm the bush at all, but I know it needs to be trimmed. I can provide pictures if helpful!
- Hello there, so you have a very happy camellia on your hands. I'm going to guess it's a japanese camellia, flowering from mid-winter to early spring. The other popular variety is camellia sasanqua, which flowers in late summer, fall or early winter (depending on selection) and is generally smaller and looser than the japanese varieties. Either way you want to wait until after the plant blooms to prune (otherwise you'll miss the bloom period). Of course, if that isn't you uppermost concern and you just want to get it under control, then anytime can work. I'm attaching an article from Southern Living magazine that describes a pruning method I think will work for you. The method basically treats the shrub as a tree which would decrease your time and effort of trying to prune such a large plant back to shrub proportions. Here is the article. The last paragraph is the key. https://www.southernliving.com/garden/shrubs/when-to-prune-camellias As always use sharp clean pruners and pruning saws so disease isn't transferred to the new cuts you'll be making. Good luck and happy gardening!
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Native shrubs
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Date Posted: Mon, Jan 09 - 5:37 pm
- Hello, I am looking for a shrub to plant as a privacy screen. I will be planting along the south fence line of my property; however, the fence line itself is already planted with Chinese privet trees (ugh) that can't be removed, so anything I plant may get some shade from these trees. I'm looking for something 5-6 feet tall that will provide a sight barrier without getting too bushy (I don't want it to intrude too far into my yard). Native and/or pollinator-friendly would be a big plus! Any thoughts?
- Hello there, too bad about the privet but your planting will help to bring some pollinators and wildlife into your garden. The first shrub that comes to mind is inkberry (Ilex glabra). There are many varieties of this plant out there with different mature heights. So when shopping be very careful to read the tag and ask questions about the ultimate height and width of the plant you are choosing. The plant is evergreen and has small white flowers (not terribly noticeable) in spring that develop into small dark blue to black berries. Other native choices are mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) and evergreen bayberry (Morella caroliniensis). Mountain laurel can grow to 12 feet or more but can also be pruned to control height and create a bushier shrub. It has beautiful blooms in spring and is evergreen. It does like some shade so maybe the privet will help with that. It does not like clay soil. Bayberry is also evergreen and can mature around 7-10 feet. It's not too particular about soils and can take shade. It has small flowers that develop into those waxy gray blue berries most people are familiar with. All these choices are native and will attract pollinators and wildlife. Best of luck with your project!
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Native plants
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Date Posted: Thu, Sep 15 - 9:44 pm
- I have an east-facing front yard in the Museum District and have approximately 12X 6 feet of space to work with. We recently got a retaining wall put in, and so it is a fresh canvas. The space gets full sun at least half the day. I love native plants, and particularly those that would remain evergreen in the winter. Any suggestions?
- Hello there, so nice to start fresh! I'm glad to hear you are interested in using native plants. I'm assuming the space is 12 feet wide and 6 feet deep. You'll probably want to start by creating some structure with shrubs. For evergreen green shrubs you could use inkberry (ilex glabra). There are many varieties of this plant, some have a loose form whiele others have a tighter globe shape and there are large and smaller sizes as well. So there's an inkberry to fit most spaces and styles. Mountain laurel is also another lovely evergreen plant with beautiful blooms in spring. Dog hobble or more commonly just Leucothoe (axillaris) is another nice evergreen. There is a variegated variety if you want to brighten up a space. You may also want to try evergreen bayberry (morella caroliniensis). In addition to these evergreens, there is virginia sweetspire (itea virginica) which has a nice drape to its shape, panicles of white flowers and beautiful fall color. Another good shrub is pepperbush (clethra alnifolia) with white to pink flowers (depending on variety) which is wonderfully fragrant. There is a smaller-sized variety that would fit in most gardens. Many of the plants in the blueberry family - early lowbush and deerberry (vaccinum pallida+vaccinum stamineum) have gorgeous fall color and colored bare stems in winter. Their spring flowers are delicate and beautiful and their fruits add to their appeal. I know you have a small space but I wanted to give a good number of options so you can pick and choose. Once you have a plan, you can decide what you want to place where. After placing the shrubs, you can then think about adding some lovely native ferns, perennials and/or ground cover, whatever space will allow. Before deciding on plants and placement, you should have a soil test done if you haven't already. You can amend if necessary and as an annual ritual, add compost to nourish you plantings. You can get a soil test kit at your local library when the Master Gardener Help Desk is in operation. Call your local library to find out the day and time. For additional information I suggest checking out this website and using the plant guides for the Capital region and NOVA-- https://www.plantvirginianatives.org/plant-rva-natives. Best of luck with the new garden!
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Fall garden planting
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Date Posted: Tue, Sep 06 - 9:28 pm
- Hello! I just moved to RVA and Id like to plant a small flower garden in front of my house. The area receives sun most of the day. What plants could I plant that would adjust to being planted in September? Thank you so much! Taylor
- Hello Taylor! You've got two really good things going for you-sun and fall planting. Fall is a great time to plant here, though you may want to wait until it cools down just a little bit. This will give you some time to mull over your design. Your plant palette is pretty much wide open. Richmond is on the border of the piedmont and coastal plain regions, so you can use plants that are native to either of those areas. To get you started I have a few plant suggestions. They are: yellow coreopsis (tickseed), some purple echinacea (purple coneflower), liatris (liatris spicata)-also purple, orange butterfly weed (asclepias tuberosa) not butterfly bush, one of the native low-growing phloxes-divaricata or stolonifera, maybe some little bluestem grass (schizachyrium scoparium) for a different texture, for some height-oxeye (heliopsis helianthoides) and some shrubby st. john's wort (hypericum prolificum) for its lovely pollen-laded flowers and attractive foliage. One of the best approaches is to find a nursery you like that sells native flowers and see what is for sale at the nursery as the months pass. Ask the staff for information, they love sharing their knowledge! I also suggest reading up on what is, and why plant, a native plant. This is a really useful website--https://static1.squarespace.com/static/58e25c41e6f2e17ea4cb7766/t/5ed00bfcb208c2251311ebc6/1590692887078/Native+Plants+for+Virginia%27s+Capital+Region+Guide+for+download.pdf. Check out the information for the capital region on this website when gardening in Richmond but remember you may be able to use some plants for the coastal plain as well. Before starting your garden it's a good idea to get your soil tested to find out if it's lacking in any nutrients. You can find out about cost and how to gather a good sample by calling to speak with a VCE-MG at our Chesterfield Master Gardener Help Desk weekdays during regular business hours, March through October or call (804) 751-4401 to speak with the Master Gardener on call. Also, the local branch libraries have MG help desks. Check your local branch for the day and time and speak to an MG. They are there to help! Best of luck with your new garden!
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Reblooming azaleas
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Date Posted: Mon, May 30 - 7:03 pm
- My azaleas are the type that bloom several times a year and are doing very well. They are several years old and I would like to know when they should be fertilized. Thanks.
- Hello there, Good to know the plants are doing well. Since this is the case I wouldn't recommend using any kind of commercial fertilizer. An annual top dressing with some good compost and a light dressing of mulch such as pine needles, pine bark, or maybe hemlock should provide the nutrients your shrubs need. I don't recommend using any of the dyed wood chips. Those can rob your plants of nutrients in their quest to decompose. Also, less is better with mulch, a dressing of one to two inches deep will suffice. Happy plants are easy to care for!
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Native Plants
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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!!