Backyard columnist Dan Gill solutions readers’ questions every week. To ship a query, e-mail Gill at gnogardening@agcenter.lsu.edu.
I bought a sack of fifty daffodil bulbs. How ought to they be saved till planting time? When do I plant them? — Linda
Retailer them indoors at room temperature till you plant them in October or November. Spring-flowering bulbs typically start to point out up in space nurseries in September. That is primarily based on when bulbs are usually planted up North, not on our Deep South planting schedule. You should purchase spring-flowering bulbs in September whereas the choice is sweet, however there isn’t any hurry to plant them. November is definitely our prime spring-flowering bulb planting month.
This morning I seen what appears like termite injury on the base of a stay oak on our property. Is there any hurt in having an exterminator deal with the tree? — Chris Coppola
Chances are you’ll wish to have the tree handled by a licensed arborist with a tree care service, as they focus on treating timber. Whereas most termite management firms can deal with timber, their fundamental coaching is in structural termite management. But it surely’s your selection. And in the event you already work with a termite management firm in your dwelling, you could resolve to make use of them. This isn’t one thing you are able to do your self.
Mushrooms will not be dangerous to the garden. Some, nonetheless, might be toxic, so preserve them away from youngsters and pets.
For the previous two weeks, there have been plenty of mushrooms rising in my St. Augustine garden. Is there something I must be apprehensive about? — Robert Sanae
Mushrooms are most typical throughout wet durations. They, and the fungi that produce them, will not be dangerous to your garden or different vegetation in your yard, and there’s no want for concern.
As a result of a number of the mushrooms may very well be toxic, in instances the place pets or babies could have an opportunity to devour them, they need to be promptly eliminated. For everybody else, ignore them or mow them down.
There aren’t any sensible therapies to kill off the fungi that produce the mushrooms. As you encounter mushrooms, keep in mind they’re typically innocent.
I had a wonderful 3-year-old rose bush that abruptly died. It appeared prefer it dried out as a result of it was crisp, but it surely was not with out water. I’d wish to know what would trigger a rose bush to die so abruptly. — Steve Reine
Root rot is the commonest cause shrubs like roses abruptly wither and die. Numerous water mildew organisms residing within the soil are accountable. Root rot is usually deadly and is most typical throughout moist durations or when beds are over irrigated within the scorching mid- to late-summer interval. There isn’t any efficient therapy for this illness.
I’ve discovered a number of seedling pecan timber (one is about 3 ft tall already) rising in my garden beds. How can I actually kill them, so that they by no means come again? — Francis Winterfield
You may merely dig them out. They aren’t but so massive that this is able to be impractical. Nonetheless, if they’re rising close to fascinating vegetation, the roots of these vegetation may be broken when digging out the pecan seedling. In that scenario there may be one other different.
Minimize the pecan seedlings off a number of inches above floor degree, after which apply the herbicide triclopyr to the freshly-cut floor. Triclopyr is offered as a wide range of model names, corresponding to Minimize Vine and Stump Killer. The herbicide is absorbed by the reduce floor and strikes down into the roots, killing them with out hurting close by vegetation.
The pecan seedlings is not going to resprout. You need to use this method to manage undesirable seedling timber rising in beds or anyplace they aren’t needed. This system may also work on undesirable vines rising in a mattress amongst shrubs and inflicting issues.
Sooty mildew is a sympton of white fly infestation.
Backyard tips
SPRAY NOW: Spider mites and white flies are ample now, and lots of gardeners are experiencing heavy outbreaks. Make a number of purposes of 12 months Spherical Oil or All Seasons Oil earlier than they get out of hand. Spray the underside of the leaves for greatest management, and spray within the early morning when it’s cooler.
WEB SITES: Advantageous, silvery webbing on the bark of timber is being attributable to tiny bugs referred to as psocids or bark lice. These scavengers clear the bark and are utterly innocent to the timber. No management is required. If the webbing bothers you, you could take away it with a brush or sturdy jet of water.
MORE TO COME: In case your spring-planted eggplant and pepper vegetation are nonetheless in good situation, they typically might be relied on to provide a fall crop. Management pests and preserve the vegetation effectively watered and fertilized as wanted. They may start to set extra fruit because the temperatures grow to be cooler.
PEAR HARVEST: Harvest pears by late August. The perfect fresh-eating high quality is produced when the fruit are ripened off the tree. Decide agency pears which have begun to point out yellow or blush pink. Wrap them individually in newspaper and place in paper luggage or cardboard containers. They may soften in about 10 days. This isn’t needed in the event you intend to prepare dinner and freeze or can the pears.
ROOT CONTROL: Vegetation in pots sitting on a brick floor, gravel or soil could develop roots out of the drainage holes into the bottom. Stop this by lifting the pots sometimes, or use pot ft to spice up the pot off of the bottom.
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