This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for April 28, 2023. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through July 28 and continue again in September for 2 fall episodes. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Hosts: Graham Herbst, Eastern Nebraska Community Forester with the Nebraska Forest Service
1.The first caller of the day has an ash tree and an oak he thinks was injured by the low temperatures last weekend. Is that the case and will the trees be ok?
A. These trees should be fine. Deciduous trees are adapted to regrow buds as necessary. They will likely shoot new buds out and grow just fine when the weather warms up again.
He was also curious if Emerald Ash Borer is still active and when they should treat for it? What is the best methods of treating a tree for EAB?
A. Yes, it is still active and slowly making its way across the state. It moves mostly by people moving firewood and other things with the beetle in it, which makes it unpredictable on where and when it will pop up next. We are still recommending to wait until it is found within 15 miles of you before you treat for it. You can treat with a soil drench of an insecticide containing imidacloprid, like the product Merit. For trees larger than 14 DBH, it would be better to use trunk injections that should be done by a certified arborist. For more information on EAB and a map of the current EAB locations in Nebraska, visit the Nebraska Forest Service EAB page.
2. This caller has a large pin oak with iron chlorosis. What can be done to help improve the tree growth?
A. Pin oaks do have trouble with iron chlorosis, especially as they age and grow large. A trunk injection of chelated iron would be best. Soil applied iron isn’t very helpful at improving the situation because the iron is present in our soils, but our highly alkaline soils hold too tightly to the iron particles, making it unavailable to the tree. Sulfur can be applied to the soil to lower the pH and release some iron for tree use. For more information, visit https://nfs.unl.edu/publications/chlorosis-trees-eastern-nebraska
3. A caller has some roses that need to be pruned. How far back can they be pruned?
A. You can prune roses in April, anytime from the middle to the end of the month. At this time you can see where the dieback has occurred on the canes and you can cut anything that is brown on the canes off of the plant and leave the green stems. If you would like to shorten them, you can cut back about 1/2 of the cane length and be successful with your pruning.
4. When can you plant a weeping willow tree?
A. Anytime now would be a good time to plant trees, since Arbor Day was April 28th. You should get trees planted before it gets too hot in the summer months, so the next couple of weeks should be good.
5. This caller planted 8 blue spruces a week ago. Now the new growth all appears to have died off the branches. What caused it and will the trees be ok?
A. This is likely due to injury from the freeze last weekend. The new growth is very tender and the cold weather can injure it. It will push new buds and be fine. Do not fertilize now. Keep the soil adequately moist around the tree as the tree is becoming established.
6. A caller has repeatedly planted trees that keep dying shortly afterwards. He is purchasing them from a box store and wants to know if it is worth the money to spade in a tree or if he should do something else?
A. A spaded in tree may be better to overcome growing conditions that can be difficult for smaller tree saplings. The biggest thing to remember is that a tree is an investment, so start with a good tree to live for many years. Either way, it would be better to purchase a locally sourced tree rather than trees that are sourced from southern locations, as is often the case with some box stores. Either way, just be sure to water the tree in and keep it watered, weekly for 20-30 minutes and increase the length of time to water as the tree gets larger. And keep a mulch ring around the tree that is 2-3 inches deep.
7. This caller has a sonic bloom bush that has long branches. Can he cut those back to a more manageable size?
A. Yes, this is a variety of a weigela and they are a tough plant. You can cut it back now and not do too much damage other than removing some of the blossoms. When pruning the branches, cut back to a lateral branch and don’t cut it down more than 1/2 the size it is now. You can do a rejuvenation cutting on these, but that would be better in the fall.
8. The final caller of the day has a maple tree that is 18 feet tall with a lot of leaves with burnt leaf edges and the leaves are turning yellowish in color. She has been watering it. Would this be from the cold temperatures last week?
A. Yes, the damage to the leaf edges could be damage from the cold temperatures. The yellow color could be due to chlorosis or a lack of iron in the tree. Give it time to see if it greens up more later in the season, but it may need an iron treatment, as mentioned in question number 2 here.
*Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by Nebraska Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for June 11, 2021. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through July 30, 2021. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Host: Steve Karloff, District Forester for the Nebraska Forest Service
The first caller of the day has a shrub that is turning brown. The bottom 6 inches of growth are still green. What is wrong with it?
A. This is from winter injury. This issue has been seen throughout the state this year due to the harsh winter conditions we faced and it has been seen on many different plants. This winter injury likely didn’t kill the shrubs, but damaged them quite a bit. Prune them back to where the green leaves are growing lower in the plant.
2. This caller has some green ash trees that he is concerned with the Emerald Ash Borer. He purchased a soil drench to use on the trees. Is this the best option for treating for EAB?
A. No, trunk injection is best for treating for EAB. It has to be done by a professional who uses specialized injection equipment and with restricted use pesticides. They likely can treat the tree only once every 2 or 3 years. However, we don’t recommend treating the tree until EAB is found within 15 miles of the tree to avoid excess injection wounds.
He also asked how to deter ground squirrels?
A. Ground squirrels prefer a low-mowed landscape area. So, keeping grasses taller will help to deter them. For more information on ground squirrels, view this NebGuide.
3. A caller has some evergreen trees, he thinks maybe white pines, that starting getting brown earlier this year and now are starting to die off completely. What can he do to save the trees?
A. This could be winter injury, white pines are very susceptible to winter desiccation. We went into late fall with very dry conditions. The winter injury should only go to a certain point in the growth and then stop going further into the trees, but the excessive cold in February could have done more damage. There really isn’t much to fix the trees once they have started this, but usually they pull out of it. The trees may need further investigation to determine what caused the damage and if they will survive.
He was also curious about a river birch tree. There was top dieback and now it seems to not be coming out of dormancy. Is it going to survive?
A. This could be from iron chlorosis before the winter happened. It seems that the tree did have problems in the past from chlorosis which caused yellow leaves through the season. The extremely cold and early drought in the winter may have just pushed the tree over the edge since it was already stressed prior to the winter conditions. If the top is dying back like this, there may not be a way to save it. You can replant a new tree, but the location just isn’t a great spot for a river birch, since it already had chlorosis which means the location isn’t great for river birch trees.
4. This caller has a hardy hibiscus that only a quarter of it has greened up this spring. What is wrong with it?
A. This is from winter injury. This issue has been seen throughout the state this year due to the harsh winter conditions we faced and it has been seen on many different plants. This winter injury likely didn’t kill the shrubs, but damaged them quite a bit. Prune out the dead areas of the plant and the rest should survive.
5. A caller is having troubles with indoor hibiscus plants. They are covered with white flies. What can be done to control the flies inside?
A. There are houseplant insecticide sprays that can be used indoors. These could be used, but make sure that it is labeled for indoors. The other option would be to move the plants outside for a few days and treat them outside with insecticides such as sevin or eight. These products shouldn’t be used inside, but if the plants are moved outdoors for a few days they could be treated outside. These plants would be outside this time of year. You could also try to replant the plants, removing the majority of the soil from the roots before replanting to get rid of any insect eggs found in the containers.
6. This caller has a little leaf linden tree that is home to many birds. It seems that the birds have brought chokecherry plants to grow under the tree they sit in. How can the chokecherry plants be killed and not harm the tree?
A. The best management would be to cut each plant off and treat it with a stump treatment of glyphosate, or Roundup. Avoid hitting the tree with the sprays and avoid using 2,4-D or Dicamba underneath the tree. Mowing repeatedly or using a string trimmer can help as well, but be careful to avoid damaging the trunk of the tree.
7. A caller is wondering how to control weeds in her asparagus?
A. Mulch will be the best option. You can use straw, wood chips, grass clippings and other organic mulches. If the grass was treated with any herbicides this year, it would be best to avoid using those. This caller has used trimec on her lawn, so she will avoid grass clippings. Preen can be used in the early season to help reduce new weeds.
8. This caller was curious about what types of fast growing evergreens he can use for a windbreak. He had heard about one called Green Giant thuja. Is that a good choice?
A. This is a type of arborvitae. Arborvitae are fine tree selections for within the landscape, in protected locations, but not for a windbreak setting. In the winter, they will have troubles with winter desiccation and shouldn’t be used for the windbreak. For good choices, Ponderosa pines or southwest white pine could be used for fairly fast growth and better windbreak growth.
9. What is causing the top leaves of the tomato plants to curl up?
A. This could be from herbicide injury. It is important that the herbicides are put away for the season now. Without expensive testing, there is no way to know if or when the produce will be safe for consumption. It would be better to pull out the damaged plants and replant.
10. A caller was curious about what can be done to control bindweed in an iris bed?
A. You can selectively spray glyphosate products, ensuring that you do not spray onto the iris plant. You can use a piece of cardboard to make a barrier between the weed and the iris or paint some on the leaves of the weed after you have pulled it up off of the plant. You can also move the iris plants to a new bed to eliminate the weeds in the current garden. Be sure to thoroughly clean the rhizomes prior to moving and this should be done in the fall, if desired.
11. This caller has some small trees that are growing all over the yard. How can they be controlled?
A. These would go away after repeated mowing. In this situation, it seems that the lawn needs renovated first and while the lawn comes in it will help outcompete the trees. If there is no desireable plants in the area, glyphosate can be used in the area to kill the trees, but it will kill most other vegetation as well.
12. A caller was curious about how to irrigate the lawn. If 1.5 inches per week is preferred, is it better to give that all at one time or is it better to irrigate with 3 smaller amounts over the week?
A. Most people irrigate 3 times a week, providing 1/3-1/2 inches each time. This allows the irrigation to go to where the majority of the roots are for the turf but not leave it sitting in water. The key is to be consistent with irrigation. Don’t water regularly and then stop irrigation for a few weeks. You can use a moisture meter to determine the need for irrigation on the turf and the best time to irrigate is from 4am-10am.
13. The final caller of the day asked about a pin oak tree in her front yard. Some mushrooms have formed at the base of the tree. Is it going to die?
A. As our trees get older, decay can set in. When we have decaying organic matter, we often will see mushrooms form. There isn’t anything we can do to avoid the mushrooms on the tree. Not all mushrooms on the tree are bad, but when they are found at the base of the trunk like that it could be an indication of old age and death of the tree. There is no way to know when the tree will die, even with the presence of the mushrooms. Keep an eye on the growth of the tree to know when to remove it. If the canopy isn’t filling out to the ends of the branches or is much thinner than it has been in the past, it should be removed. Or if the area around the mushrooms at the base of the trunk starts to decay a great deal, the tree should be removed.
*Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by Nebraska Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for April 2, 2021. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through July 30, 2021. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Host: Jay Seaton, Lower Platte South NRD & Nebraska Forest Service Forester
The first caller of the day has an ash tree that is growing mushrooms at the base of the tree and last fall the leaves had brown spots on them and all fell early. What is wrong with the tree? Is this from Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)?
A. Mushrooms at the base of the tree don’t necessarily mean there is anything wrong with the tree. Mushrooms grow on decaying organic matter and that can be the roots of the tree, while it is still healthy. The brown spots last fall could have been from anthracnose, a common disease on ash trees which can cause early leaf drop. As long as the tree looks healthy when leafing out this year, it is likely just fine.
These are not the signs of EAB. EAB would cause top dieback where the tips of the branches up high would be bare and the leaves below that would be smaller and lighter green in color. EAB can also cause increased suckers at the base of the tree, increased woodpecker damage, and bark falling off the trunk of the tree with S-shaped galleries underneath. If you have any of these symptoms contact your local Extension Educator for more information or for a tree assessment.
2. When should mums be transplanted?
A. They are best planted and transplanted in the spring. It would be best to wait until later April to move them to ensure they won’t be harmed by a late spring frost.
This caller also wanted to know when the best time is to overseed a lawn and move zoysia grass?
A. Overseeding can be done anytime in the month of April, but it is best from mid-April through early May. The zoysia grass can be established in new areas through plugging, where you take a section of the established zoysia grass and move it to a new location. Zoysia grass, like buffalograss, is a warm-season grass so it should be planted or plugged in May or June.
3. A caller planted a row of Canadian hemlocks 10 years ago. They were 2 feet tall and haven’t grown much over the 10 years. They also look a little brown. What is wrong with them and how can their growth be improved?
A. Make sure that grass is pulled back away from the roots and maintain a 2-3 inch mulch ring around the trees. Look for roots around the trees and ensure that they aren’t too shallow or too deep. You might also look to see if there are any stem girdling roots on these trees that could be inhibiting growth. It seems that they are planted out as a windbreak, so they could be burning out in that location. It would help to maintain adequate watering to the trees. This is most likely from a rooting and/or planting issue. Watering more may help them pull through but may not fully fix the problem for these trees.
4. When should weed and feed be applied to a lawn?
A. It is best to apply these products when the soil temperatures have reached 55 degrees for a week long average. Typically this occurs in mid to late April, but the soil temperature should be followed rather than a calendar date. You can go to: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/soiltemperature to check the levels in your location.
5. This caller wanted to know when the best time is to divide rhubarb?
A. Rhubarb should be divided when it is dormant so either in the very early spring or later fall. Now, the rhubarb is just beginning to emerge this year, so it would be fine now.
6. Is it too late to prune maple trees?
A. New research shows that it is best to prune trees while they are actively growing to allow the trees to seal up the wounds quicker that way. The recommended time frame for pruning is from May to mid-June. If we prune during the dormant period, the wound sits open until active growth begins again and that can lead to more disease or insect issues. However, oaks should be pruned during the dormant period to avoid problems with oak wilt. Maples, when pruned during May and June may leak more sap than other trees due to the heavy sap flow in the spring. This will not harm the tree but can be messy. To avoid that, you can prune maples in the fall, if desired.
This caller also has hostas around her tree in her front yard. This garden has become quite weedy. She has decided that it would be best to just get rid of the hostas. What is the best way to do that? Can she use Preen in this area? Will Preen hurt the tree?
A. Preen can be used around the tree and it won’t hurt the growth of the tree, as long as the tree is listed to use the preen around. However, preen won’t kill the hostas, they are labeled as a plant that preen can safely be used around. Preen only stops the germination of annual weed seeds and will not harm perennial plants such as a hosta. The best option in this area would be to dig up the hostas and go to a mulch bed around the tree.
7. A caller has been having problems with cucumber vine in his windbreak. What can be done to manage it?
A. Wild cucumber and/or burcucumber are annual vines that grow from seed each year and vines can grow from 10 to 25 feet long. They can shade out parts of evergreens and may cause some branch dieback. During the growing season, the best control is to pull vines off of trees by hand or with a rake to allow sunlight to reach tree foliage; or cut the vine off at the base to kill it. Otherwise using a preemergence during May can help to kill the weed seedlings as they germinate, before they become a problem. Simazine (Princep 4L) is labeled for preemergent control in shelterbelts to kill weed seedlings as they germinate. Do not apply more than 4 qt. Princep 4L per acre (4 lb. a.i./A) per calendar year. Do not apply more than twice per calendar year.
8. The final caller of the day is curious about when to use crabgrass pre-emergence herbicides on their lawn? Should a second application be used later in the season? Can you overseed the lawn when using a crabgrass preventer?
A. It is best to apply crabgrass pre-emergence products when the soil temperatures have reached 55 degrees for a week long average. Typically this occurs in mid to late April, but the soil temperature should be followed rather than a calendar date. You can go to: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/soiltemperature to check the levels in your location. Yes, a second application in June would be beneficial to ensure season-long control. No, you cannot overseed if you have already or at the same time of applying a crabgrass pre-emergence herbicide because the herbicide stops the germination of all grass seeds, which includes our desired species. The only product that can be used at seeding is a product that contains Mesotrione, or those with the trade name of Tenacity. Mesotrione can be used at seeding and can work as a pre-emergence herbicide on crabgrass.
*Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by Nebraska Extension or bias against those not mentioned.
This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for June 21, 2019. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through August 2, 2019. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Host: Steve Karloff, District Forester for the Nebraska Forest Service
1. The first question of the show was about a Colorado Blue spruce tree that is turning brown throughout the whole tree. It seems to be starting at the ends of the branches. What is wrong with it?
A. This could be that it is simply too wet. The excess moisture this year is causing problems with a lot of our plants. Colorado Blue spruce trees grow best in the conditions in Colorado with a lot less humidity and moisture. Steve has seen quite a few spruces turning brown this year, most likely due to root rot issues from the high precipitation from this spring. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to fix this problem.
2. Can you still prune forsythia shrubs this late into the year?
A. No, it would be better to wait. The general guidelines are to prune spring blooming shrubs within a couple of weeks after they have finished blooming for the year and to prune summer blooming shrubs in the late winter before they bud out for the year. At this point, pruning the forsythia will affect the blooms and it would be too hot to prune in the summer.
3. A caller has cherry trees that he planted in the spring. Now the leaves have wilted and died back. Why did this happen?
A. After discussion it was determined that the trees were purchased from a mail-order service and were delivered bare root. He planted them within a day of receiving them, which is advised because they will dry out quickly with no root ball to hold water. It was advised that he scratch the bark on some small twigs to see if it is green underneath the bark which means the tree is still alive. If under the bark is brown, the tree is dead. It could be an issue from the nursery or through the shipping process. It would be better to purchase trees locally.
He also wanted to know if he could remove the cedar trees on his property to eliminate the problems from cedar-apple rust?
A. No, the spores from cedar-apple rust will spread up to 2 miles. Removing the close cedar trees won’t stop the disease because it would be nearly impossible to find a location in Nebraska where you can get more than 2 miles away from a cedar tree. It is best to just spray susceptible apple trees or plant new trees that are resistant to the disease.
4. This caller has a weed called pineapple weed. Can you use a granular herbicide to control it?
A. Pineapple weed is an annual plant that is often found in poorly maintained areas, typically along driveways or along gravel areas. This weed can easily be controlled earlier in the season with a pre-emergent herbicide such as dimension or another that contains dithiopyr. For post-emergent control, glyphosate products such as Roundup could be used. The granular herbicide will likely not be very effective on pineapple weed.
5. A caller has strawberry plants that are producing very small berries and not a lot of those. It was hit by herbicide drift at one point, but seems to be recovering. Is the herbicide causing problems with fruit production or why are there so few berries that are so small?
A. The herbicide drift may impact the fruit development if it was hit while it was flowering that could have damaged the flowers before they were able to produce fruit. Otherwise, the small fruits are fairly common for the everbearing types of strawberries. Since they continue to produce through the season they will not produce the larger fruits that June bearing plants would have.
Hollyhock rust, underside of leaf
6. A walk-in listener has a hollyhock plant with a lot of brown spots that are raised bumps on the underside of the leaf. What is causing that?
A. This is hollyhock rust. This is a common problem for hollyhocks, especially in this wet year. Remove the heavily infested leaves if you cannot remove all infested leaves and destroy those. You can use a copper fungicide on the plants to reduce the spread or re-infestation. At the end of the season, be sure to clean up all the leaves and plant material to reduce overwintering location to see less of the rust next year.
She also wanted to know what would cause a row of holes in her canna leaves?
A. This would be from Canna leaf rollers, a caterpillar. They can be controlled with a systemic insecticide applied to the cannas early in the season before the damage begins or by using Bt or Sevin once the damage begins.
7. This caller has an ash tree she would like to save from Emerald Ash Borer. What can be done now to ensure it lives?
A. Wait until Emerald Ash Borer is found within 15 miles of the tree prior to beginning treatments. Treatments are not necessary for an insect we haven’t found in the area. Even if defoliation has began on the tree when it is first identified in the area, treatments can be successful. Each time trunk injections are done they wound the tree leading to more problems.
8. How do you eliminate woodchucks from a garden?
A. They can be deterred with the use of a heavy-duty fence around the garden. The fence needs to be 3 feet tall and made of 2 inch mesh woven wire or heavy poultry wire. They can also be trapped using apples or carrots as bait. For more information on Woodchucks, view this guide.
9. Can you grow an avocado tree in Nebraska?
A. This would have to be an indoor tree. They will not withstand Nebraska winters outdoors.
10. A caller has wild roses that have some dead stems throughout the plant. Should those dead stems be removed?
A. Yes, you can cut out the dead canes of the shrub at any time.
He also wondered about tiger lilies. They were constantly mowed last year and haven’t come back this year yet. Will they come back?
A. If they haven’t regrown yet, it is likely that they have died. I would suggest replanting.
11. This caller has a big, green leafy plant that grows 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide with leaves similar to rhubarb plants. What would that be?
A. This sounds like Common Dock. It can be mowed off or sprayed with a roundup or glyphosate product now. In the fall, you can treat the plant with a 2,4-D product.
12. The last caller of the day has roses with holes in the leaves. What is causing that?
A. This is likely due to rose slugs. They are a common issue right now in roses. They will likely be finishing up their damage cycle soon and then they will pupate and become adult sawflies. The damage is minimal and they don’t need to be controlled with an insecticide which could harm pollinators coming to the rose flowers.
This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for April 6, 2018. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through August 3, 2018. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Hosts: Jonathan Larson, Douglas/Sarpy County Extension Educator in Entomology and Jody Green, Lancaster County Extension Educator in Entomology
1.The first caller of the show has little blue flowers in her lawn. How can she get rid of them?
A. This is likely speedwell, it is a winter annual plant so it blooms very early in the spring then dies with warmer weather. At this point, since it is already blooming, just leave it as it will die soon and the seed is already set for next year. Spray it with a 2,4-D product late next fall after it has germinated or use a pre-emergent herbicide in the earlier fall before it germinates.
2. What is the correct mowing height?
A. 2.5-3.5 inches is the recommended mowing height for cool season turf in Nebraska. Too low will lead to more weed pressure and insect and disease issues because the turf cannot compete with these pests when it is too short. Make sure you mow enough to mow off only 1/3 of the turf blade each time you mow to avoid scalping the turf.
3. A caller asked if the treatments for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) were killing the trees?
A. The most effective treatment methods for EAB are trunk injections, which can harm the tree. However, the tree can take about 10 treatments before stressing the tree to the point of death. If you are using Emamectin benzoate as the trunk injection chemical, the tree will only need to be treated every 2-3 years, giving it 20-30 years of injections before harm occurs. For the first few years of treatments, you may be able to use a soil drench rather than a trunk injection, again adding more time with your tree. A soil drench will work, but once the tree grows to 15-20 Diameter, the soil drench is not as effective. In the 20-30 years of treatments, you can get a very good start on a new tree nearby the ash tree to have a well-established tree growing in it’s place for when the ash tree needs to be removed.
Termites, Photo from the University of Nebraska Department of Entomology
4. Does wood mulch attract termites?
A. If the wood mulch is piled up so high to where the mulch is touching wood siding, it can be a pathway for the termites to enter the home. However, mulch is recommended to only be 2-3 inches deep and most concrete foundations will go higher than that. Also, if you have had termites in the past, you should be working with a pest control company for termite control and the chemicals will manage the termites from the mulch. You will not get termites from mulch, the mulch is cut up too small and termites will dry out in that condition, so that cannot happen.
5. This caller is replanting a windbreak. They have begun with an outside row of cedars and would like to know what to plant on the interior rows?
A. An interior row with multiple types of trees is best. Diversity will help your windbreak survive better if another disease or insect problem comes in to kill evergreen trees like pine wilt has. Good evergreen choices include blue spruce, black hills spruce, concolor fir, Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, white pine, and Norway spruce. You can even add in deciduous trees like oaks or maples to fill in as well.
6. A caller wants to know how to control poison hemlock on the edge of his field?
A. 2,4-D and Dicamba in a mix. This mixture is found in the product called Trimec as well as others. It is best to treat the poison hemlock while it is in the rosette stage, so early spring or fall. Do not allow cattle access to the dry matter after this has been sprayed.
7. This caller wants to know if fertilizer is needed to trees as they plant a new windbreak?
A. Fertilizer is not necessary for trees planted in Nebraska. Our soils typically have plenty of nutrients available for use by the trees. It wouldn’t hurt to add fertilizer at planting, but it isn’t necessary.
8. The final caller of the day wants to know how to plant a new asparagus patch?
A. Asparagus is a great plant for a home garden. Many people want to get plant starts from a neighbor to start their patch, but it is best to just purchase a new set of crowns. When planting asparagus crowns, dig a trench 8-12 inches deep and bury the crowns only under 2 inches of soil. As the plants poke up through the soil, add more soil until the soil is level. Avoid harvesting asparagus until the third season of growth to allow the crowns enough time for root production. For weed control, mulch is best, such as wood chips or grass clippings. Preen that is labeled for use around asparagus can be used in the spring to prevent annual weeds from germinating. In late May to early June, when finished harvesting asparagus for the year, you can break all the spears off below ground, leaving no green growth above ground, and spray glyphosate or Roundup over the bed to reduce weeds. After this, allow the plants to grow back up and produce ferns which will produce seed and help your patch grow. You can cut it back in the fall or in the spring before new growth begins.
This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for June 30, 2017. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through July 28, 2017. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Host: Connie Fisk, Cass County Extension Educator
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1.The first caller of the day wanted to know if he could fertilize his tomatoes, potatoes, and cucumbers with the same fertilizer?
A. Yes, the same product could be used for all three of these crops. Be careful when fertilizing to not use too much Nitrogen during the bloom period which will cause the plants to grow large but not produce any fruits. Also, too high of Nitrogen for the plants can lead them to grow large and dense which can lead to more fungal diseases.
2. A question came through email asking what would cause red spots on strawberry leaves?
A. This could be either due to leaf scorch or leaf blight. The leaf scorch will have red spots that have a red or purple center and the leaf blight will be a red spot with a gray center. For both of these diseases, you can use Captan fungicide.
3. How soon can peonies be cut off?
A. Peony leaves should be left on the plant through the growing season and can be removed in the fall when the leaves turn yellow. Otherwise, this time of the year you should only remove the flower stalks. Leaving the leaves on the plant will help the plant build sugars to help it bloom early next year.
4. A caller planted Karl Forester Reed Grass in 2 locations in his landscape at the same time this spring. One location, the grasses are doing well, but in the other location, the grasses are much smaller and not growing well. The worse plants are on the east side of the house while the good grasses are on the west side of the house. What would cause them to grow so differently?
A. The east side of the house would be in more shade than those plants growing on the west side. Most of our grasses like to be grown in full sun, this difference in sunlight could cause the difference in growth. Because they are in different locations, a nutrient deficiency could be causing the few on the east side to be growing less. Add a general fertilizer to help with growth.
5. This caller is applying a fertilizer with 24% Nitrogen every 7 days to her tomato plants. Is this too high of a percentage of Nitrogen for the plants to grow well?
A. The percentage isn’t as important as how much is applied. Applying a fertilizer every 7 days is too often. For most vegetable gardens, fertilizing three times a year will be sufficient. With this high of Nitrogen in the soil the plants will not produce and may grow too large and develop diseases in the deep canopy.
6. A caller had golf ball sized hail a couple of weeks ago that hit his tomato plants. The plants are still growing and have leaves on them. Will they be ok?
A. Yes, they should be fine. Keep them mulched to help reduce competition with weeds and keep them uniformly watered as needed. Don’t fertilize the tomatoes because they are stressed from the storm damage and fertilizing a stressed plant will increase the stress.
7. This caller wondered if grass clippings will negatively affect the soil in his vegetable garden? He had been using the grass clippings for a couple of years and now his vegetable plants don’t look as healthy as before he started using grass clippings.
A. After discussions, the caller said he had been using herbicides on his lawn and using the grass clippings on his garden. Pesticides can have a long residual on the grass clippings and this can negatively affect the plants. Especially if he was using broadleaf herbicides such as 2,4-D for dandelions. Broadleaf herbicides will damage vegetable plants which are all broadleaf plants. It would be best to avoid using his grass clippings if he is to continue using herbicides on his lawn. He can use other types of mulch such as straw, woodchips, newspaper, cardboard, or grass clippings from a neighbor who isn’t using herbicides on his or her lawn.
8. A caller has hollyhocks that have copper colored, round spots on the leaves and the leaves are falling off. What is the problem and what can be done to improve the flowers?
A. This is likely due to hollyhock rust, a common fungus of hollyhocks. Remove the leaves as they develop the disease and destroy the leaves and plant parts removed in the fall cleanup. Fungicides can be used if necessary, such as a liquid copper fungicide.
9. Do weeds need to be controlled in sweet corn or will the plants grow tall enough and shade them out soon?
A. Weeds should always be removed to reduce competition and lead to better overall plant growth. You can hoe the weeds out and use mulch between rows.
10. This caller has squash plants growing in black containers that are growing in potting soil. They are not thriving, what could be the problem?
A. The pot could be getting too hot because it is black. It would be beneficial to add mulch around the container or paint it another color to keep the roots cooler inside. It also could be drought stressed. Plants grown in a container get drought stressed sooner and need to be watered more than those growing in the ground because they have more limited root space. It also might be beneficial to add a general fertilizer to help the plants grow better.
Kabatina Tip Blight
11. A caller has flagging on cedars that is causing the tips of the branches to turn brown. What would cause this damage to 20 year old cedars?
A. This could be due to bagworms which would be very small yet. Bagworms can be sprayed with any general insecticide. It also could be due to drought stress or Kabatina tip blight. There is no fungicide control for Kabatina. The best management is to cut out the affected areas.
12. This caller has sweet corn growing in his garden. The corn is about 2 feet tall and is now tasseling and it is very light colored. What would cause this problem? He is watering his garden for 1.5-2 hours every night.
A. This is likely due to overwatering. Vegetable gardens need about 1 inch of water per week, watering every night is not necessary and that much water would cause the nutrients to leach down through the soil, which would account for the lighter green coloration. The corn will likely not produce this year since it is already tasseling.
13. A caller wondered if the wood chips being produced from all of the downed trees would be safe to use as mulch around living plants or if there would be an issue with insects in the mulch?
A. This would make a good mulch for your plants. If there was an insect in the trees being chipped, the chipping process will kill it.
14. This caller has grapes that were hit by herbicide drift this spring. The leaves were all the size of a nickel and deformed, but the plants are not pushing new growth. What should they do to help the grape plants make it through this stress? Should they fertilize the plants?
A. Unfortunately, grapes are very sensitive to herbicide drift. 2,4-D can drift about 1/2 miles and Dicamba can drift about 1 mile, so it can move from a long way and grapes will be the first to know. If these are mature plants and they are pushing new growth, they should be fine. Don’t fertilize the plants, this will add more stress to the situation. Keep them well watered to help them through.
15. A maple tree was recently hit by hail. Now the trunk and branches have wounds on them. Should anything be done to cover these wounds?
A. No, don’t apply anything to the tree or cover the wounds with anything. Allow the tree to go through it’s normal processes to seal up the damage to reduce decay further into the trees.
16. A caller has cantaloupe plants that are not growing well. They have very small leaves but they are flowering already. What can be done to help them grow better? They are growing in a garden with many other vegetable crops that are growing much better.
A. Remove the flowers that are developing on such a small plant. When plants try to push flower growth and fruiting, they reduce their growth. Removing the flowers will push the plants to try to grow more before they begin flowering.
17. This caller is growing strawberries that have been growing for a few years. They bloomed and looked healthy this year, but the strawberries produced were very small. What would cause this problem? Also, what will help stop strawberries from rotting if they ripen on the ground?
A. The plants should be thinned at the end of the year to help increase the size of the berries. They also could be dealing with an issue of poor pollination. The cool, wet weather this spring led to low pollination because the bees don’t like to fly in the rain. Poor pollination may lead to development of the fruits, but at a much lower size than normal. Poor pollination can also cause the plant to drop small fruits from the plant before they mature. Mulch the strawberry beds with straw to help keep the berries from laying on the soil and rotting as they mature.
18. A caller from the Geneva area has an ash tree. Should he be treating for Emerald Ash Borer now?
A. No, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has only been found in Greenwood and Omaha in Nebraska and we recommend waiting until the beetle has been found within 15 miles of your tree before beginning treatments to reduce injury to the trees and to reduce the amount of insecticides in the environment. There is no need to treat for a problem that we don’t have yet.
19. This caller has one apple tree and needs to get a second tree for pollination. What would be a good variety?
A. It is necessary to plant a second variety of apple tree to help increase pollination. Look at the local nurseries to find good choices that go with the variety you already have planted. They will have a chart to show which trees pollinate which.
20. A caller has a fungus in the lawn every year. This fungus shows up in different locations throughout the yard every year and she treats with a fungicide every year. Is there anything she can do to make it so she can stop treating every year?
A. If you see the fungus in your lawn every year, you would need to treat for it earlier in the year before the fungus appears. If the fungus is present before treatments begin, they will not stop the damage that is already present.
*A caller later on the show suggested that these spots may be due to a dog urinating in the lawn, which can cause brown spots similar to many of our summer fungal diseases. There is no way to stop the brown spots left after a dog urinates on it, you would need to walk the dog somewhere else to do his or her business.
21. The final caller of the day has tomatoes that are growing well and they are now 3.5 feet tall, however, they have no blossoms on the plant. What would cause this?
A. This would be due to high Nitrogen levels in the soil. It cannot be fixed at this time, but don’t add any additional fertilizer to the garden for a couple of years to bring the level back down.
Emerald Ash Borer, EAB, is an invasive insect that was first found in Nebraska in the summer of 2016 when it was found in Omaha and in Greenwood Nebraska. Previous to this discovery, EAB was found in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, and Colorado for the closest confirmed presence of this insect to Nebraska. Now that it has been found in Nebraska, there are more concerns for the residents.
One of the common calls I have received lately is determining if a poorly growing ash tree is infected by Emerald Ash Borer or if the insect on the tree is an Emerald Ash Borer beetle. It is hard to determine by looking at the tree if it is infected by EAB, but there are some signs to look for on your tree.
The signs of EAB infestation include suckering at the base of an ash tree, decline in the tree from the top of the canopy downward through the tree, 1/8 inch D-shaped exit holes along the trunk and branches, increased woodpecker damage, S-shaped Serpentine galleries underneath the bark of the tree. One of the first signs is that the tips of the branches will be bare of leaves. If you notice any of these symptoms in your ash tree, you should contact your local Nebraska Extension Educator.
As for the beetle itself, which would be flying as an adult now, it is a ½ inch long metallic green colored beetle. It has a bronze-purple color under the elytra. Elytra are the hard wings on a beetle. There are a lot of green colored insects that are often confused with EAB. There are tiger beetles, Japanese beetles, Green June beetles, green ground beetles, green stink bugs, and many other green borer beetles.
If you find any green bug on your tree make sure you bring it to your local Extension Office. The best way to transport insects is to scoop them up and put them into a zip-top baggie or old pill container or old sour cream or butter container and bring it in for proper identification. If you find an insect over the weekend or cannot get into the Extension Office right away, place your insect in the storage container and put it in the freezer to preserve it until a professional can identify it.
At this point, Emerald Ash Borer has only been found in Omaha and Greenwood in Nebraska. The recommendation is to wait to treat for Emerald Ash Borer until it is found within 15 miles of the tree’s location. There are chemical treatments that are effective against EAB. Homeowners can use a soil application, but this is most effective on trees less than 15 inches in trunk diameter. If the tree is larger, professional tree care companies can use a trunk injection. Wait until the insect is found within 15 miles before any treatment is done because the injections wound the tree and we want to wait as long as we can before we begin wounding our trees. A homeowner should also decide if the tree is in good health and a good location before beginning treatments. Planting ash trees at this time is not recommended. If you will not be treating your tree, it might be a good idea to start a new tree nearby to replace the ash tree when the time comes.
At this time, the only thing we can do to help with the ever-expanding problem is to not move firewood or wood products. Buy wood locally when camping and leave unburned firewood at the campsite when you leave. Also, determine if you have an ash tree in your landscape and watch the tree for signs of this beetle.
Fall is a great time of the year. The heat and humidity has finally been reduced and we can enjoy going back outdoors again. It is a great time of the year for planting to get things in the ground before it freezes and we can start doing other chores in our landscape to keep it looking beautiful throughout the winter months.
Fall is a great time to plant a new tree in your landscape to add fall interest to your yard. When choosing a tree and location in your yard, the first thing to consider is overhead and underground utilities, future construction sites, and the mature size of the plant. Large trees should be planted a minimum of 15 to 20 feet away from buildings and a minimum of 20 to 25 feet from overhead power lines.  Purchasing a three to six foot tree usually saves money, gets the tree started faster and will outgrow more expensive, larger alternatives.
Health and longevity of the tree starts with good planting practices. First, remove the tree from the container and remove all wraps and ropes around the rootball, including the burlap. Next, shake off the excess soil and find the main rootball. The area where the lateral roots begin should be just below the soil surface. After you have determined the actual size of the rootball, dig a hole twice as wide and only as deep as the roots. Backfill into the hole with the soil that was removed when digging the hole to avoid creating a wall that roots cannot penetrate from one soil type to another. Add a mulch ring to all trees. The ring should be 2-3 inches deep and at least 2-3 feet wide around the tree. The tree can be staked if in a windswept location but the staking equipment should only be left on for one growing season.
With the threat of Emerald Ash borer now in Nebraska, this fall would be a good time to plant a tree as a replacement for an ash in your yard. With Emerald Ash Borer still only in the Omaha area, this portion of Southeast Nebraska doesn’t need to do anything for treatments or removal of ash trees yet. Treatments should not be done until Emerald Ash Borer is found within 15 miles of your tree. However, if you have decided that your ash tree is not in the condition to treat or you don’t want to spend the money to treat it annually, a replacement tree is the next best option. If you start a new tree nearby now, by the time EAB gets here and we have to remove trees, you will already have one started with a good amount of shade provided.
Pruning Tools Photo courtesy of Kim Todd, UNL Department of Agronomy and Horticulture
Fall is also a great time to get out and clean up our landscape beds. Replenish the mulch around the plants and remove the leaves of herbaceous perennials once they have turned brown in the fall. It is vital to wait until those leaves turn brown in the fall because while they are still green, they are still taking nutrients back into the roots of the plant that will help kick start the plant early in the spring. Wait until spring to cut back roses and butterfly bushes. These plants have a hollow stem and can have more winter dieback if they are pruned in the fall. Don’t prune any spring flowering shrub in the fall or you will be pruning off the flower buds for next spring. Wait until the trees are dormant before pruning them in the fall. If pruned too early, new growth can occur which will be more vulnerable to dieback in freezing temperatures.
This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for May 13, 2016. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through August 5, 2016. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Host: Fred Baxendale, Horticulture Entomology Specialist, UNL
1. The first caller of the day wanted to know when to transplant Peonies? She also wanted to know if she moved them away from the black walnut tree would that help them grow?
A. It is best to transplant peonies in the fall, but it can be done in the spring as well. It would be fine to move them in the spring as well. It would be beneficial for the plant to be moved away from the black walnut tree to get away from the toxicity produced by the tree as a form of natural weed control for the tree to other plants. Black walnuts produce Juglone which reduces growth and, in some cases, kills the other plants so the black walnuts have less competition for water and nutrients. Planting things 50 yards from the tree will get it out of the zone where damage can occur.
2. A caller has a rose that is old and has grown to 6 feet tall. When can he transplant it? Also, what are the red “ticks” he found around his gardens when he has been working in them recently?
A. Roses are hard to transplant. Do the transplanting in the early spring of the year and take as much of the rootball as can be dug up when it is moved to help the shrub overcome the transplant shock. Maintain adequate water once it is moved. The red “ticks” would be clover mites. These are not damaging to the plants but can leave red marks on house siding and if inside on the walls and curtains. You can treat these with permethrin or insecticidal soap.
3. This caller has Peonies that accidentally got cut back drastically this year. Will they live through this and should she do anything for them?
A. They should be fine but they probably won’t bloom this year. Make sure they are adequately watered and they will regrow by the end of fall. They should be fine again next year.
Signs of an Emerald Ash Borer Infestation from Boulder Colorado
4. A caller has 2 ash trees in her yard. She has heard about Emerald Ash Borer and wanted to know if there was anything she could do to protect her trees?
A. Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has not been found in Nebraska and we recommend waiting until EAB has been found within 15 miles of your trees before you begin treating them. It takes 2-4 years for the damage to show up in our trees once it is here, so you will have time to treat them when it does get here. In the meantime, don’t move firewood here from other locations and increase the diversity in your landscape to help fill in holes that may appear when EAB takes out your ash trees. Also, watch your trees for signs of EAB including top dieback, suckering at the base of the tree, increased woodpecker damage, bark falling off, and D-shaped exit holes and alert Nebraska Extension if your trees exhibit any of these signs of damage.
5. This caller has a 10-year-old red maple that has struggled to leaf out the past couple of years. The middle of the tree is entirely void of leaves. Should he remove the center of the tree?
A. Removing the center will not fix the problem. This could be a root issue or it may have been improperly planted which would take around 10 years to show signs of damage. This tree is near the end of its life and removal of the entire tree should be contemplated. There could be borers in the tree but that would be a secondary issue and using an insecticide on them wouldn’t fix the whole problem with this tree.
6. This caller planted a Bradford Pear 2 years ago, it is leaning now. What can be done to correct the leaning?
A. Don’t stake the tree to try to pull it back to the correct position. When we stake a tree to try to pull it back upright, this can cause a girdling issue to the tree and it is very damaging to the tree. Because this tree has only been planted for 2 years, it would be a good idea to try to dig it up and reposition it.
7. A caller has steep hills around his yard and doesn’t want to have to mow it. What groundcover choices would he have to grow instead of grass?
A. Buffalograss, dwarf sumac, crown vetch, or potentilla would all be good choices for this type of growing environment.
8. A caller wanted to know if she could use vinegar for weed control in the flower garden?
A. It is best to use pesticides that are labeled for use in the garden. Pesticides for weed control have been rigorously researched to ensure that they work properly and cause limited harm to the environment if applied correctly. When we use non-gardening products in the garden, there isn’t always research to know how those products will work in the garden and it may cause more problems to our plants or it may cause problems if they get into stormwater. If you want to avoid pesticides, it would be better to use cultural and mechanical methods of weed control such as hand pulling and using mulch for weed control.
9. This lady has ant hills in her lawn, what can she use to control them?
A. Ant colonies would be spreading now. Leave them alone now, but if they start to overrun the lawn or come inside, you can spray them with permethrin or bifenthrin. If they are not taking over the lawn, they are a predator insect so if you don’t need to control them, they can be beneficial for other bad insect management.
10. This caller has a barberry that she wants removed. Should she call Diggers Hotline before digging it up? Also, how can she remove and kill daylilies growing in her landscape?
A. Always call Diggers Hotline before you do any type of digging. It is a free service that will help you before a problem occurs. As for the Daylilies, the best option is to dig them up. Using pesticides on them would need repeated applications over many years. When you dig them up, you can offer them to your friends and family.
11. How can you control bromegrass in flowers and in strawberries?
A. In the flower garden, you can spray a Grass-B-Gon product to control the grass and not harm the flowers. Do not spray this to where it hits your lawn or any ornamental grasses. As for the strawberries, this product is not labeled for use in strawberries or other edible crops, so mulching and hand pulling would be the best option. You can also paint Glyphosate (Roundup) products on the leaves of the grass among the strawberries and not harm the strawberries.
Crane Fly photo by David Cappaert, Bugwood.org
12. What are the giant mosquitoes this caller has been seeing flying around? What do they do? Are they mosquito killers?
A. These would be crane flies. They are not harmful to us. They feed on nectar when they are adults, but can sometimes be a problem in the turf. They are not mosquito killers, they are in the same order as mosquitoes and look like a large mosquito, but do not eat them. The immatures live in moist environments.
13. Would it be ok to spray a 2,4-D product this weekend?
A. Yes, 2,4-D can turn into a gas and spread to non-target plants if the temperatures for 72 hours after spraying is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit. So, with this cool down predicted where the temperatures will be in the 60’s for the weekend, this would be a great time to spray. Just make sure that the wind speeds are very low.
14. This caller has onions that the tops are dying back on. They tops curl up and die, why is that?
A. Onion thrips can cause streaking on leaves, this may be from onion thrips. Onion maggots will feed on developing bulbs as well. It could also be from a root rot issue. Dig up one of the onions that are not looking healthy and inspect the bulb for signs of insects or disease.
15. A caller has a recently planted black oak tree that has all of the leaves stripped off of it.
A. It could be from canker worms. They are a short-lived problem in our oak trees. Using the Eight product will help to control them.
16. This caller transplanted walking/winter onions. The bulbs are developing below ground and on top they are flowering but not developing the bulbs on top of the plant. What would cause that?
A. Try to fertilize the plant to help it with nutrients that may be missing from the growth of the plant.
This is the Q&A for the Yard and Garden show for May 8, 2015. Yard and Garden Live is a call-in radio show I do on KUTT 99.5 FM from 10-11:30 am and it will run through July 31, 2015. It can also be found on kutt995.com for online listening. If you missed a show or just want to read through the questions, I have written them all in my blog and will continue to do so throughout the season.
Guest Host: Graham Herbst, Community Forester with the Nebraska Forest Service
1. This caller has pampas grass growing in her yard that last winter had problems with winterkill. What would be a good alternative ornamental grass she could plant?
A: Pampas grass had a lot of problems with winterkill last spring due to the dry, cold, windy winter conditions we faced in the winter of 2013-2014. Pampas grass is on the edge of its hardiness zone in Nebraska, but there are many other options for native grasses here. Maidenhair grass, or Miscanthus, is a great choice for a large native grass and it has many varieties to choose many different qualities. Big Bluestem and Little bluestem are great native choices, as well as switchgrass, sideoats grama, and many more. Ornamental grasses give us winter interest and habitat and food for wildlife during the winter months.
2. A caller had a sewer that was dug out and filled with soil. She then seeded new turfgrass on the area that has come up and is growing well. This spring the area sunk back down 6 inches. What can she do to level this area out?
A: You can remove the grass from that area, gathering 4-6 inches of soil and roots with it. Add soil to bring that back up to level with the surrounding lawn, and replace the grass piece back on top. Keep this grass well-watered until it becomes established, it will act like a piece of sod. The other option would be to back fill the location with soil and reseed the area with turf seed.
3. A caller has orange odd-looking structures hanging off of her cedar trees. What is this? Will it harm the tree?
Winter gall of Cedar-apple rust.
A: These would be the galls from a disease called cedar-apple rust. This disease requires 2 hosts to complete its lifecycle, a cedar and an apple or something else in the Malus family such as a pear or crabapple. This disease overwinters on cedar trees as a hard, brown, odd-shaped structure on the branches and with spring rains they open up to look like orange, gelatinous, galls that are reminiscent of an orange octopus. This is when the spores are spreading to the apple trees. This disease causes no real damage to cedar trees, but on apple trees it causes lesions on the apples and leaf spots. Here is a NebGuide on Cedar-Apple Rust.
4. This caller has 3 apple trees and this winter one of them has not bloomed nor leafed out. Is the tree dead?
A: Check the tree for living tissue by scraping the bark off to expose green or brown tissue underneath. If it is green, it is still alive, if it is brown it is dead. Also check the branches for flexibility, if they bend they are still alive if the break they are dead. Give the tree a few more weeks to see if it comes out of it later this spring.
5. This caller has moles in their yard. How can they be controlled?
A: Moles can be controlled with traps. These traps will euthanize the mole in the hole to be left behind after control has been achieved. These have the best effect if the mound is pushed down 2-3 times prior to placing the trap in the hole, this will show if the tunnel is an active one before the trap is placed in it. Here is a guide from the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management on Mole Control.
6. This caller has voles in their yard. How can they be controlled?
A: Voles are controlled with snap traps that we typically use for mice. Place 2 traps in the run from the voles, or the area where the grass is damaged. Place the traps perpendicular to the runs and place them facing in different directions in the run. So, for a vole run that goes North to South, place one trap facing east and one facing west. Here is a guide from the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management on Vole Control.
7. This gentleman had used Scotts liquid turf builder on his lawn and it is not working to green up the lawn or to reduce the weeds found in his lawn. He also has a zoysiagrass lawn that is not growing as well in some portions of his lawn as it has in the past. What would be causing these problems and how can he improve these?
A: Broadleaf weeds are best controlled in the fall so it is best to apply a broadleaf weed killer, such as 2,4-D, 2 times in the fall, such as September 30 and October 15. Even in the spring, some control can be achieved, but they will require more than one application as they are tough weeds to kill. The zoysiagrass may have experienced some winterkill so it might be wise to take plugs from the area of the lawn where it is growing well and move them into areas of the lawn where it is not growing so well.
8. This caller has ash trees that are getting oval-shaped holes in them and ants on the trunk of the tree. Did the ants do this to the tree? How can it be managed?
A: These ants are probably carpenter ants. Carpenter ants do not harm your trees, they will just burrow into wood that has already begun to decay for some other reason. Carpenter ants on a tree do not require treatment. The holes are most likely due to native borers of the ash tree, such as red-headed ash tree borers or ash-lilac borer. These borers can be controlled with a trunk spray with chemicals such as sevin or eight or apply a soil drench with an imidacloprid product around the base of the trunk. This doesn’t sound like it is Emerald Ash Borer because the holes from EAB are D-shaped, not rounded or oval.
9. This caller has an ash tree and wants to know when he should treat it? He has heard that it takes up to 5 years for the systemic insecticides to move throughout the tree into the canopy, if this is true should he treat now.
A: Systemic insecticides take only a couple of weeks to move throughout the entire tree and they only last for 1 or 2 years depending on which chemical is used. It is best to wait until Emerald Ash Borer gets within 15 miles of the tree before treatment begins because treatments are costly, damaging to the tree, and not necessary until the borer gets closer. Trunk injections wound the tree and after repeated years of treatments it causes a great deal of stress to the tree, so there is no need to treat and harm the tree prior to when it is necessary.
Plants and Pests with Nicole 