The Seasoned Gardener

You Might Not Know It's Spring in Chicago!

"When will it be spring???"  More cold and snowy weather is forecast for this weekend here in Chicago, but there are some buds showing in the maple trees, and the lawn looks a little less brown.  The tulips wish that they could go back down and wait a week, but at least there is a HINT of spring in the air. 

It must be spring in other places though, because the gardening questions are begining to appear on places like "Yahoo Answers" and others.  It is surprising how sustainable gardening is, and how many people take part each year.  The Garden Writers Association of America is saying that as "Boomers" age more and more people are taking up gardening as a pastime.  It makes sense to me. 

Some perennial questions starting to show up on the web are:

"Should I worry about planting grass after I have applied Weed and Feed?"  - Yes...You have to wait for the herbicide to dissapate from the soil, and besides, fall is a much better time to plant grass seed than in the spring. 

"How do I control Moles in my lawn?" - It's a process not an event.  Many garden experts will tell you that moles mean you have grubs in your lawn.  You may indeed have grubs, but moles feed on earthworms as the main part of their diet.  If you have moles you probably have a good healthy population of earthworms, so expensive grub control products may not eliminate them.  Try a repellent on your lawn to make the moles go somewhere else.  Most repellents are castor bean meal and create an "Unfriendly" environment for moles.  By the way, moles are very territorial, so you probably only have 1-3 moles in your 10,000 Sq Ft. lawn. 

There's a lot of work to do out in the garden.  Hopefully you will use this site to ask your questions and get some straight talk answers.  Gardening is fun, but it's not always easy.  I think I can help with the rough spots so you can really enjoy the summer. 

Happy Gardening

SG

Confusion Abounds Over "Organic" Pesticide Certifications

The garden chemical industry is in the midst of some considerable angst over what constitutes a "Certified" organic pest control product.  As the consumer conscience becomes more exposed to sustainable products, carbon footprints and the like, chemical manufacturers struggle to imply that their product is certified by some agency or other, therefore making it better than the rest. 

The truth is that although there are as many ways to state "Organic" or "Natural" on a pesticide label as there are bugs in your garden, there is no standard certification program which really tells the consumer what she wants to know. 

In a larger sense though, the certification mess and the emergence of questionable certification organizations does not address one of the key truths in the lawn and garden chemical industry.  That is that the terms Organic, Natural, or other adjectives like them DO NOT mean that the product is SAFE unless the user follows the directions on the label.  This is also true for synthetic products.  The perception that Organic or Natural products are safe or safer than their synthetic counterparts, or that their use somehow minimizes the risk of over application or will result in a more flavorful result just does not hold water.  What IS true is that the more manufacturers add to the noise around this issue, the less clear the choices become to consumers. 

Have you wondered why retail giants such as Home Depot and Lowes don't pay more attention to the organic section of the lawn and garden department?  It's because there is no sure means to untangle the consumer confusion.  In addition, although organic gardening gets about 80% of the press, it only represents about 5% of the business. 

At the present time, consumers would be wise to think of an "Organic" pest control product as a marketing device and not necessarily as a boon to the environment.  Organics have been around for a long time and have not moved the environmental needle yet. 

SG 

Mouse Problems Will Start Soon

Fall weather,changing leaves, frosty mornings and mice in your house or garage.  The season is changing and mice are looking for a warm place to spend the winter.  That warm place could be your garage, shed, motor home, boat or a number of other areas where you may not want to have a dead mouse lingering for a few months before you find it. 

In cases like those above, one alternative to killing the mice may be to repel them from the area where you don't want them.  Repellents have been around for a long time, but they are enjoying a resurgence as new and improved products become available.  The benefit of repellents is that they only cause the rodent to move away and not kill them.  Usually, repellents are more environmentally sensitive, and unlike poisons or traps, present a limited risk to children and pets. 

One ofthe neweset mouse repellents on the market is Mouse Magic from Bonide Products.  Mouse magic is a combination of Peppermint and Spearmint oils on a corncob base which creates and unpleasant environment for mice but which is a pleasant smelling material for humans.  When  placed in a normal sized room (12X15X8) one packet will last up to 45 days for effective mouse repelling action.  Mouse Magic comes in a 4-pack and retails for less $6.00.  It can be found in many local garden centers and most Ace, Do It Best, and True Value Hardware Stores.

If you store a boat, RV, winter or summer vehicles, antique cars, or if you have a shed, outbuilding or even a summer or winter cabin or house, a mouse repellent may be just what you are looking for to keep these pesky and damaging critters out without killing them.   

Mole Control Requires Understanding of the Critter

Many people struggle to control moles in their lawns and gardens.  Moles are not rodents.  They are carnivorous animals whose main food source is earthworms and soil borne insects.  They also feed on grubs, which is the basis for one of the most often quoted errors for mole control.  Eliminating grubs from your lawn will not assure that you will eliminate moles as well.  Well intended garden center and nursery staff members have told consumers for years that grub control equals mole control.  Based on the diet of common and star nosed moles, this is not the case. 

Moles are territorial animals.  They occupy two different types of tunnels in your lawn.  The most visible are their feeding tunnels which are shallow and which criss-cross lawns creating unsightly mounds which conflict with lawn mowing and enjoyment of your lawn.  These feeding tunnels are where moles encounter their food sources includng grubs and earthworms.  A secondary tunnel system, indicated by small volcano-like mounds is the actual living tunnel for the mole.  This deeper tunnel connects to the feeding tunnels so that moles can range widely to feed.

Mole control or more accurately, "mole management" can employ repellents, traps and poisons to eliminate this pesky critter from your lawn.  Traps are effective if placed in active feeding tunnels.  To determine if a feeding tunnel is active you can stamp down the mounds in your lawn and then re-inspect them the next day to determine which ones are active.  Place traps in the active areas, and hope for the best.  Spring traps and spear traps work well, and if you get one you'll know it.  Poisons also work reasonably well if applied in active feeding tunnels.  Mole poisons are most often compounds containing arsenic or zinc phosphide which are highly toxic materials formulated in a bait which moles like.  Look for brand names like Moletox.  Usually control is quick.  Be sure to place poison baits in areas where pets and children absolutely can not access them.

Repellents also work well for mole control.  Repellents simply cause the mole to relocate, leaving your lawn area alone.  Bonide's MoleMax repellent is a castor oil granule which repels the mole through smell, taste and irritation.  One trick to effective mole control using a repellent is to leave an exit for the mole.  This is accomplished by treating only a portion of the lawn at a time leaving an escape route for the mole to use to leave your lawn.  If you apply the repellent to the entire area, you are likely to "surround" the mole making his or her departure doubtful.

Some plants also act to repel moles.  Castor bean plants, from which the castor bean meal in repellents is derived are effective, as is the "mole plant".  However, both plants are toxic to children and animals and should be well understood before planting. 

If your are successful in removing moles from your yard, be sure to apply a repellent product around the edges of your property on a regular basis.  This will close the door on moles revisiting your lawn and keep them away for good. 

SG   

It's Time to Think About Applying Drench Products

Not too long ago, using a drench product to prevent insects was primarily a greehouse or growing operation option.  However, since about 3 years ago, applying a soil drench to trees and shrubs has become a popular and effective way to deliver long lasting insect protection easily and safely to larger trees and shrubs. 

The first true consumer drench product was Bayer Tree and Shrub Insect Control which was introduced in about 2004.  This product is mixed in a watering can or bucket according to the height of the tree or the number of shurbs you want to treat.  The mixture is applied at the root flare of the tree (not at the drip line) and is absorbed by the tree, eventually making it "bugproof" for up to a year.  Bayer worked hard to pitch this technology to dealers and consumers.  The product got a lift when it was recommended by Michigan State University for control of the Emerald Ash Borer, a very destructive pest which appeared in the Detroit Metro area in 2002, and which has since destroyed or caused to be destroyed over 16 MILLION ash trees. 

In late 2006 the patent on Bayer's "Merit" the active ingredient in their drench product expired, opening the door to a number of additional manufacturers to produce the active ingredient - Imidacloprid - at a lower cost.  This has made this fairly expensive product a much more palatable price lately.  The active ingredient is available in Bonide Product's Annual Tree and Shrub Insect Control for significantly less than last year's Bayer retail price. 

The best time to apply drench type systemic insecticides is in the fall.  This is a little counterintutive to most gardeners, but simply put, if you apply it now, it will be stored in the roots of the tree or shrub until it makes its way back to the crown of the tree in the spring as the sap rises.  This moves the insecticide to the tips of the branches and into new leaves and shoots to provide protection during the growing season.  I have used these products successfully in both southern and northern climates and I have to tell you, it works. 

You can find these products at garden centers and home stores almost all year long.  Don't apply the product to frozen soil or to soil which is saturated, as it will not be effectively taken up if you do. 

Drenches provide excellent control of aphids, certain borers, leaf miners, Japanese Beetles, and many other tree destroying pests.  Unfortunately, Merit is less effective on caterpillars that turn into moths and butterflies so it is not an effective control for Gypsy Moth or Eastern Tent Caterpillars. 

So next time you're in your local garden supply outlet look for these new products to provide your trees and shrubs with a bug free year next year. 

SG