Country Fair Days and More

George Wedel

When traveling beyond our Midwest region, I'm always shocked to see the drought of attractive, well-landscaped yards and gardens. All one has to do is venture outside West Michigan and when returning, it's evident that where we live, folks appreciate well-tended flower gardens, vegetable gardens and landscapes. I'm happy to call Southwest Michigan home!

Have you ever returned from vacation astonished with the condition of your garden? So different than when you left. We are happy to reprint this appropriate poem, by Richard Budden. Does this reflect your feelings?

Have the patience of Noah
With his animal Ark;
He searched six months
For a place to park.

Yes, it rained for many
A day and night
'til he found a spot
On Ararat's height.

But his parking place
Was so very remote
That he never was able
To find his boat.

He looked and looked,
But sad's the fact
That poor old Noah
Couldn't find his way back.

You can misplace your car
Where you happened to park,
But how on earth
Do you lose an Ark?

When returning from vacation, was it difficult to find your garden? Were the weeds so tall you couldn't see the lilies? Were the weeds so numerous you couldn't find your impatiens? Don't give up! And don't give in to the weather! With some time and effort, most gardens can be returned to their former beauty. Fortunately, most garden soils are moist from recent rains, so the garden weeds pull easily. After removing weeds, scatter Miracle Gro Weed Preventer, which will eliminate weed re-growth for the balance of the year. Next, dead-head all annual and perennial plants. Pruning off dead flowers and seed pods on annual plants will encourage more blooms. Fill in bare spots with autumn blooming annuals or perennial plants; Wedel's has a great selection of late summer and fall bloomers. Next, fertilize the entire flower garden with Fertilome 9-59-8 Blooming water soluble plant food. A bit of patience, not nearly as much as Noah's, and in no time your garden will be in blooming order again.

Most all homeowners, garden and landscape enthusiasts, grounds superintendents, and landscapers recognize that mulching trees and shrubs adds considerable beauty to any landscape. Mulching not only enhances the beauty of any planting, but also plant health if selected and applied properly. Selection of the mulching material is important. Plants will perform better with an organic mulch; I prefer shredded cedar wood chips. Cedar mulch is slower to decay than many other wood mulches and needs to be freshened-up less often. Cedar mulch keeps soil pH correct for most plants. All shredded wood mulches help keep weeds under control, keep soil cool and moist, and encourage root development. Stone mulches around plants are seldom beneficial to plants. Stone mulch can raise soil pH levels, heat the soil, conduct cold, wick out moisture, and is a safety concern next to mowed lawn areas.

It is important not to use "green wood mulch" from recently live trees. Shredded or chopped live trees and branches, when used as mulch, will create a nitrogen deficiency in the very plant you are trying to help. Give the green wood at least a year to season before using it as a mulch.

How deep and how wide should a mulched area be around plants? Newly planted trees should be mulched as wide as the branches are long. Kill any grass or weeds with KillZall; no need to remove the dead vegetation. Begin applying the cedar mulch six inches from the tree trunk, working out to the desired diameter. Depth should start as one inch deep progressing to four inches in depth at the outer edge of the mulched area.

A few words of caution: extensive mulch material piled up against the base of a tree or shrub forming a mulch "volcano" keeps moisture in direct contact with the bark. The moisture penetrates the bark and suffocates the layer of living tissue that transfers food up and down the plant. When this supply of food from the leaves is limited, the roots and branches die back. This leads to less water being taken up and the tree or shrub goes into general decline, leaf drop and premature death.

Secondary problems, like borers and fungi, move into plants weakened by improper mulching. In sugar maples, a fungal pathogen will move in because of the high moisture around the trunk. This may create a canker symptom that girdles the trunk and hastens the decline of the tree.

This summer, enhance your plantings with proper mulching to save on irrigation, weeding, and promote plant growth.

There is an epidemic of Dollar Spot in many area lawns. During early morning hours, when the dew is on the turf, the disease is most active. Tufts of white, cotton-like mycelium spread in web-like fashion across infected spots. As the sun rises and turf dries, the mycelium stops and disappears; the infected spot then develops to a dead straw appearance. As the Dollar Spots increase in size, they begin to run together as large dead turf areas. Quick action now will reduce the need for renovation and re-seeding. Apply Banner spray or Scotts dry fungicide now to stop Dollar Spot turf disease.

Dollar Spot disease can spread rapidly. Disease spores are carried from place to place by mowers and foot traffic. Often a light feeding of Lawn Pro Super Turf Builder applied just before the fungus control application will slow the spread of Dollar Spot and help turf recover sooner.

Don't forget to apply Grubex soon for twelve-month lawn grub control. One application now is sufficient, eliminating the need for spring controls.

Crabgrass plants are growing rapidly in many lawns. Kill crabgrass plants now before they become any larger and crowd out good turf. Spray Fertilome Crabgrass Killer mixed with Spreader Sticker on plants when temperatures are above eighty degrees, applying two times, one week apart. Be sure there is adequate moisture in the soil before each application.

Well-irrigated lawns and gardens will attract ground moles. Repel moles with sprays of Repellex Mole Repellent for four to six months. Repellex Mole Repellent really works and is much easier to apply and more effective than setting traps. Repellex is made of all natural materials and is safe to use on lawns and flower beds.

Earwigs, earwigs, and more earwigs - there are so many this summer! Earwigs hide in damp, dark places during the day and feed during the night. Earwigs are dark brown to black insects with pincher-like appendages at the end of their bodies. They will grow to three-quarters of an inch long. When summer weather is warm and humid with adequate rainfall, earwigs multiply like rabbits. They are often found around doorways, decks, and under plantings in mulched areas. The more moisture, the greater number of earwigs we will have to contend with.

If earwigs have been a problem in your garden or house, the following measures will help reduce their numbers. In the garden, use Bug-Geta Plus bait pellets. Bug-Geta pellets attract and kill the earwigs. Spray around building foundations with 38% Permethrin. Indoors, eliminate any damp storage areas; earwigs especially like damp basements. Spray basement areas with Home Defense Pest Control. A little attention now will go a long way to solving pest problems and keeping your home and garden pest-free.
Happy gardening!