May 1 2010 In The Garden Newsletter
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Mountain Pine Beetle
Facts You Should Know
 Mountain Pine
Beetles are much in the news in Montana these days and without question deserve
to be. In other parts of the state,
large areas of forest acreage is under attack and huge swaths of pines are
succumbing to this pest. Here in the
Flathead valley we are certainly seeing our share of dead trees. Homeowners can and should take steps now to
protect valuable pines on their property.
At Swan River Gardens we emphasize common sense when dealing with
Mountain Pine Beetle and recommend what we feel is a realistic approach to
caring for your pines.
Mountain Pine
Beetle (MPB) attacks pine trees. Our
native Ponderosa, Lodgepole, Western White, Whitebark and Limber Pines are all susceptible to this
pest. In addition, attacks have occurred
on non-native ornamental pines such as Scotch, Austrian, Eastern White, Red
Pine trees plus pine shrubs such as the popular Mugo Pine. Rare attacks have been recorded on other
natives such as Engelman Spruce but it is believed that the beetles do not
reproduce when these trees are used as hosts. Other types of conifers suffer with other types of pests including
another kind of beetle that attacks Douglas Fir trees. The information in this handout deals only
with pines and Mountain Pine Beetles.
The first and
best defense against Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) is a healthy tree. Research has shown that healthy trees are
able to fight off small initial attacks. They do this by expelling the MPB from their trunk by pushing sap (and
the MPB) out of the holes the MPB bore. Trees require good hydration to produce enough sap to do this. Our
natural rainfall over the last decade or more has not been adequate and the
drought conditions that have resulted have contributed to the spread of the
infestation. The first line of defense
for homeowners is providing supplemental water to all valuable pines. Remember that the amount of water that keeps
your lawn happy is barely a sip for a mature pine. These trees need water applied specifically
to their root zone on a regular basis during the summer season. A deep watering in fall before the ground
freezes is also critical, especially in dry years.
Clusters Of Red Trees, Sign Of Beetle Damage
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stands overcrowding can often lead to conditions that make MPB a happy
camper. For homeowners, single valuable
pines are likely to have more than enough space. It is also important to be sure that no
mechanical damage occurs to the trunk or the roots. Construction equipment driven over root zones
can cause stress that you might not see but MPB could key in on. As a general rule, be sure to keep heavy
equipment well outside the drip line of any tree's canopy. In winter do not allow snow to be pushed or
piled up against tree trunks.
It
is important to learn to identify both the beetle itself and the signs of
attack. Dendroctonus ponderosae, pictured at top, is typically 1/8th
to 1/3rd inches long. It is
native to the Western United States and is not an invader. The first sign that
confirms an attack is the appearance of pitch tubes on the tree trunk. These are white to red-brown leaks of pitch, the sap of a pine tree. They can be anywhere from ¼ to ½ inch in size
and are the entry holes of female MPB. Look for these holes in the  crevices between the bark plates. Dry, reddish brown boring dust may also be found and
indicates an attack in progress. It may
be necessary to remove bark to confirm an attack. If there are only a few pitch tubes and they
are widely spaced the tree may be able to survive the attack. MPB carry the spores of a blue staining
fungus, Ceratocystis minor in pouches
in their heads. As MPB chews through the
bark, fungus spores are dropped and
begin to grow. It is this fungus
combined with the chewing damage of MPB that kills the tree by damaging and
blocking the circulatory system of the tree's inner bark and sapwood. Once this blockage occurs, the needles begin
to fade, first to pale green, then to yellow and finally the dead brown of needles
that are no longer living. It may take
up to a year to for a tree to completely die.
MPB initially atta cks about midway up the trunk and typically
attacks large trees (over 5" diameter) although in severe attacks smaller
diameter pines may also be infested. A tree that has already been severely
attacked cannot be saved. The only
treatment is removal. Off-site
disposal of infected wood is also important.
Piling infected wood for firewood or leaving fallen trees on the ground
can prolong the attack.
At the
start of an attack, with few trees involved or when an attack has occurred on
adjacent property, effective treatments include the use of pheromones and
chemical sprays such as carbaryl or permethrin. Note
that you are trying to prevent further attacks; you cannot save a tree under
severe attack. The timing of
pheromones and sprays is critical. These
products are only effective when the MPB are moving. All products need to be reapplied each year. In Montana MPB treatment season usually begins
in late June. It is important to not put
the pouches out too early or they may dry up and not be as effective when MPB
is in flight. Pheromone pouches are good for one season and must be replaced
each year.
Swan Ri ver Gardens
offers Contech's Pine Beetle Repellent Verbenone Pouches®, containing the
pheromone 4,6,6,-tremethyl-bicyclo (3.1.1) hept-3en-2-one. Pheromone products work by convincing MPB
that a tree is already under attack and that there is no food to be found
there. In other words, move along,
nothing to eat here! Pheromone treatment
is appropriate for protecting only a limited number of trees and only when
major attacks are not already occurring.
The chemicals used to fight MPB can be highly toxic and homeowners
should be cautious about applying and handling them. We
strongly urge you to read the entire label and instructions before opening the
container.
Because both of
the chemical sprays, carbaryl and permethrin, must be applied with a drenching
spray and at pressure, we do not carry these chemicals for MPB at Swan River
Gardens. Correct application is simply
not something most homeowners are able to do, especially on towering pines. The services of a licensed professional are
necessary for treatment with carbaryl or permethrin. Swan River Gardens can provide the names of
professional arborists and chemical applicators that we have experience with
and confidence in.
The state of
Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation has an excellent web page at http://beetles.mt.gov with great
information and further resources. We
highly recommend it. But don't forget,
your experts at Swan River Gardens can help you protect your valuable pines and
other conifers. Stop by and visit us or
give us a call.
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Cold Snap
Baby It Was Cold Outside!!
In the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of the In the Garden Newsletter, we talked about the cold snap the Flathead Valley
experienced in early October and how it might affect trees and shrubs. Now that spring is unfurling we have a little
better idea how plants fared during those brutal temperatures.
So far we do not seem to be
seeing major damage to trees or shrubs. Despite the fact that many trees and shrubs were not fully dormant, the
quick freeze does not appear to have caused widespread mortality. That is not to say, however, that we are not
seeing some dead and damaged plants. At
Swan River Gardens, we lost some burning bushes that had been in the border for
many years. Our perennial crop was badly
damaged. It is important to point out
though, that the perennial crops we over winter in containers are typically
susceptible to damage from early cold. Our staff members are reporting modest plant losses in their own
yards. Some evergreens do seem to have
suffered this winter but whether the cause was the cold in October or the lack
of precipitation over the whole winter is difficult to say. In other words, we are not seeing an
extraordinary amount of damage, no more than we might see in an average year,
especially such a dry one. All in all, relatively
good news!
Right now we are counseling
patience when waiting for trees and shrubs to bud out. Remember that they do not all leaf out at the
same time. The sunny weather we have
enjoyed in late April has made many area gardeners anxious that some plants are
not yet showing signs of life but it is highly likely that they will burst into
bloom or leaf right on their own schedule. If a tree or shrub has not leafed out by the end of May, we are sorry to
say it was probably lost to the winter weather.
While some gardeners may be
inclined to give up on a tree or shrub type that did not survive, we at Swan
River Gardens want to remind you that unusual weather is not common. Our burning bushes are a good example of
perfectly hardy shrubs that just couldn't take that one extreme blast. We'll be planting them again and so should
you. In reality, even a few native
plants found that cold spell to be too much.
If you have any questions about
any of your trees, shrubs or perennials stop by or call the experts at Swan
River Gardens. We are always here to
visit and help out.
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Granny Tips
Tricks Of The Trade
New gardeners sometimes get so
overwhelmed by the sheer volume of gardening knowledge that exists they have a
hard time separating good tips from bad ones.
Here are a few gems from the experts at Swan River Gardens that you may
not find on line or in the books. In no
particular order, these come from a whole bunch of Grandma's plus one or two
Grandpa's!!
Keep simple records. Whether it is what trees you planted in the
yard or what type of tomatoes you tried this year, zip lock bags are your
friend. Just throw all your tags and
empty seed packs in one labeled with the year. For trees or shrubs, just write on the tag where you planted them. For example, 'Red Maple, 2010, south yard' is
probably enough information on a tag to answer many questions over many years. You
can sort them into more organized categories later at your leisure if all the
information is in one spot. Use a spiral
notebook and staple tags onto pages making notes as you go. The
tags won't fade and the information will be useful down the road.
Plant in pots. Vegetables need really good dirt. Our native soil is not good garden dirt. If you cannot improve the dirt where you want
to grow vegetables, try using pots. A
wide variety of vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, broccoli, you
name it, grow just fine in pots. Pots
should be at least 12 inches deep for small plants, up to half wine barrel size
for larger ones. Use the same soil for
at least three years and replenish it with fresh compost each spring.
The thrift store is a
gardener's hardware shop. Buy old
sheets to protect frost tender plants.
Buy used bread knives for dividing plants. Old
colanders work great for sifting soils.
Small saucepans make really good scoops for filling pots. Forks can be used as stakes for small
plants. Wooden spoons make delightful
holders for seed packs. Just open them
on the bottom and slip them over the spoon.
Freeze things on cookie sheets. Things you might want to use handfuls of
later such as pepper chunks, herbs, raspberries or strawberries can be frozen
on a cookie sheet and then transferred to bags. They will stay separate and allow you to remove as little or as much as
you want at a time.
Egg cartons are the original
peat pots. Cardboard egg cartons are
great for seed starting. They fit on the
windowsill and can be planted directly in the ground. Protect your windowsill with window box
saucers, the long rectangular ones.Egg cartons are a perfect size for herbs,
peppers or onion seeds. Avoid styrofoam
ones because they will not provide drainage or breakdown in the soil.
String is garden twine. Cheap cotton string works just as well as
expensive garden twine. Turn to the
thrift store again if you need heavier material. Buy up some cotton items like t-shirts
to rip into strips. When cotton
materials wear out and start to break, just toss them on the compost pile.
Fall cleanup means tilling in
everything. Grandpa didn't clear the
garden spot out and compost the debris. He probably cut things down or pulled them up and left them there to
till into the soil. Compost is
decomposed organic material. Your
garden's spent plants are organic material. Save a step and just use your tiller to incorporate the debris in
fall. It chops it up at the same time
too although big plants like corn stalks may need to be chopped up by you
first. Loppers work great. In spring you can pull out any pieces that
did not break down and add them to your compost pile.
Seed packs keep from year to
year. Seed packs often contain far more seeds than
you need to plant. They will keep for
year to year if you store them in a cool, dry place. Write the year on the
package when you purchase them so you can keep track. Very few seeds lose their viability in just
one year. While germination rates vary widely a general
rule of thumb is to plant three seeds for every one plant you hope to wind up
with.
WD40® is useful for tool
cleaning. If your pruners or loppers
get gummed up with sap, spray them with this all purpose solvent and wipe them
clean with a piece of fine steel wool or a sink scrubby. They will stop sticking and pruning chores
will go faster. If you have stubborn sap
deposits, wrap the blades overnight in a solvent soaked rag. Be sure to do this outside to avoid fumes.
Plastic milk jugs are good 'cloches'. First let's explain what a 'cloche' is. You may have seen pretty bell shaped glass
forms that are used to protect plants in spring. These are called cloches and have been around
since the middle ages. Sometimes you can
still find wax paper ones which are what gardeners often used before plastic
milk jugs came into being. Cut the
bottom off the milk jug and place it over tender plants in spring when frost
threatens. If the day stays mild, remove
the cap to allow venting but be sure to remove the whole jug if the day gets
warm.
Clear days mean cold nights. Gardeners often have a hard time predicting
what nights will bring frost in early spring or fall. Generally a clear sunny day with overnights
temperatures predicted for near freezing, 32f, will result in
frost. Cloud cover tends to hold the
heat of the day in and it is less likely though not impossible to get frost. Wind will also prevent frost from forming if
the temperatures are just in the freezing range and not too cold.
Share your Grandma's tips with
us! Email them to SwanRiverGardens@yahoo.com.
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Growing Onions
So Easy So Good
 Are you growing onions? One of the easiest things to grow in the
garden? Plant 'em and forget 'em
onions? With fresh flavor that you will
not forget or find in any supermarket?
No? Let's get you started!
You can start onions from seed
but here in Montana's short growing season you will have better luck staring
with onion 'sets'. These are tiny little
onions that you plant like seeds. Each
one matures to make one full size onion. A pound usually contains 50-100 onions so buying one pound means after
thinning you should plan on about a 20-30 pound bag of onions for harvest.
Sets are typically available for
white, yellow or red onions. Which color
do you want? White onions are good for
harvesting the green tops early for scallions. Left in the ground, they mature to mild white onions that are good for
cooking. They do not keep as well as
yellow onions. Yellow onions are good
for cooking and when stored correctly, keep well into winter months. Red onions are delicious for fresh eating
in salads or sandwiches. They are not
good keepers but will last in proper storage for a month or more. These sets are not usually marketed as
specific varieties and if you have a taste for more exotic fare you will want
to look into growing from seeds.
Walla Walla
 | Sweet Walla Walla onions are sold
as green starts in bundles of 50. Again,
each start makes one onion so after thinning you may have about 20 pounds of
onions at harvest.
Choose a spot with good sun that
is preferably weed and weed seed free. Onions do not compete well with weeds and can be choked out and ruined
by them. If you are rotating crops in
your garden, avoid a spot where brassicas such as broccoli, cauliflower or
cabbage have been grown in the last two years. The soil should be very loose and have good texture. Those onion bulbs need to grow in soil that
does not take all their energy to expand in size. Amending your soil with one bag of compost
and one bag of soil pep will make good garden soil for happy onions. If you test for pH, onions prefer soil at
6.0 or lower.
Plant each tiny onion set in a
furrow about two inches deep. Cover them
loosely with about ½ inch of soil and water them in. As the onions sprout cover them with more
dirt until the furrow is filled.
As the green tops come up, then
the patch down to one onion every 3-4 inches. Use the tops as scallions. Keep
the soil evenly moist through the growing season and weed free. You can top dress with soil pep as mulch to
help hold in moisture.
If you see any flower heads
developing cut them off to the base. As the season progresses you will see the tops start to yellow. This means the onions are maturing to harvest. At this point, stop watering the plants and
allow the tops to yellow completely and fall over. Once this has occurred, you can pull up the
onions and dry them for keeping. Do not
cut off the tops. In fact, you can try
braiding them for a fancier onion presentation. Braid some tough twine in to reinforce the tops. Spread the onions over a screen in a dry spot
out of the weather. Most garages are
just about perfect.
Before the temperatures drop to
freezing, store your onions in a cool, dry place in the house or basement. Mesh onion bags are obviously perfect for
this. Be sure the humidity and moisture
levels are low. If you are planning on
storing them for months, be sure to check in on them periodically and remove
any that are showing any signs of rot or mold.
You will find that even a small
spot in your garden will be perfect for growing an onion crop that you can
enjoy when snow is swirling. Onion
soup, onion rings, a burger smothered in onions, onions you grew! Think of it!
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Rhubarb Crisp
The Viny Way
Lavina Eslick was
one of the most beloved employees of the old Mo's Greenhouse and here at Swan
River Gardens. Her passing was a huge
loss for the gardening community in the Flathead Valley. We are lucky to have this delicious recipe of
hers and are delighted to share it with you.
Preheat
oven to 350f. In Viny's original instructions it says
'Baking time & temperature depends on how much wood you put in the stove
& a hot stick or a cool stick makes a big difference!'
Grease
a 9x12 cake pan. 
Cream together:
½ C margarine
½ C brown sugar
1 C sugar
Add:
2 eggs (or 1 big 'un if you got it)
½ C sour cream
½ C milk
2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 C chopped rhubarb (put the rhubarb in a bowl and add 1 Tbs of
flour & mix to coat)
Blend
all ingredients together. Pour into the
cake pan and spread the mixture evenly.
Topping: Mix together: ¼ C margarine ½ C brown sugar ½ C flour 1 tsp cinnamon. Glop this mix on
top.
Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the
center comes out clean. Cool on rack and
serve from pan.
Enjoy this with a cup of strong coffee and think of Viny
whenever you can.
 Be
sure to look at our new take one boxes at Swan River Gardens. Along with helpful handouts we have filled a
number of them with recipes from the crew. There is some real homemade, homegrown knowledge at Swan River
Gardens. Take some home with you!
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Upcoming Events
May 22nd 10:00-11:00 am- Salad that's what's for Dinner Where
do veggies come from? Do small seeds produce food for us to
eat? In this Lil' Sprouts class we are
going explore these questions. Each Sprout
will sow lettuce seeds in a clear cup so
they can monitor its development of roots and leaves. With a little bit of sun and water and a lot
of patients the Sprouts will have
their very own cup of mixed greens
for a salad! Also, the Sprouts will help sow
seeds in our Lil' Sprouts Veggie Garden! Then before each Lil' Spouts class the Sprout's
will monitor and maintain their Veggie Garden! (more >)  Saturday May 15th 9:00-10:00AM
Vegetable Gardening Workshop! Join us for an informative chat about vegetable gardening with Tamus Gannon-Owner of
Swan River Gardens! Free for all, Bring questions.
 Thursday May 20th 5:30-7:00PMPlanting Night Workshop!Have a Swan River Gardens Custom Planter for a Do It Your Self Price! Bring in your favorite empty hanging basket or containers and a willingness to get dirty. We will provide potting soil and expert advice. Munchies, goodies and drinks on us. Cost of workshop depends on amount of and type plants. Don't Forget Mothers Day is May 9th |
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