The Root of the Problem
By
Debbie Cook
Just a few weeks from now will be the first day of summer and we’ll be almost halfway through the year. They say that time flies when you’re having fun but I happen to know that it flies whether you’re having fun or not. The average last frost date (May 10) has passed and it’s safe to say you can plant, plant, and plant anything you want. Annuals can be safely planted now and those are the plants that will give you continuous color all summer. Think of the old standbys like petunias and geraniums. Summer bulbs like dahlias and cannas should definitely be planted right away. Warm season vegetables like squash, melons, tomatoes, beans and peppers can be planted and root crops like beets and carrots can still be planted now, too. If you’re using transplants, be sure to harden them off before sticking them in the ground or you’ll fry their tender little leaves. Introduce them gradually to the harsh environment they have to face after the sheltered life they’ve been living in a greenhouse.
In case that’s not enough to keep you busy, here are some other things to add to your June-To-Do list.
· Harvest herbs before they bloom, that’s when they’re at their peak. Cut them in the early morning before the oils begin to dissipate. Leave at least one third of the plant. To encourage bushiness, pinch off the flowers as the buds are forming
· Same goes for your chrysanthemums. For a nice, full plant, pinch them back until the middle of July and then let them go nuts. You’ll enjoy a plant full of beautiful autumn flowers.
· Cut back spent iris stems. Leave the foliage. Iris can be moved or divided early this fall.
· Continue treating your apples and pears for codling moth and cherries for the cherry fruit fly. Both of these insects cause wormy fruit. Codling moth damage is obvious but sometimes, wormy cherries aren’t so noticeable. When I worked at the Ada County Extension Office it wasn’t uncommon for someone to bring in a jar of canned cherries that had little white worms floating on top. Or the story of finding worms in the bottom of the bowl after eating all the cherries. You know the stories but I’m getting off track. Read the label of your product carefully to know how often to treat. Pay attention to the number of days you need to wait between the last spray and when you harvest.
· Keep an eye out for billbugs if you have a blue grass lawn. They cause irregular shaped brown areas in your turf. The dead grass lifts off easily when you tug on it because the grubs have chewed off the roots. Use something like Bayer Grub Control to take care of them quickly.
· Start mowing your lawn higher in anticipation of the hot weather. About 3 inches high will help hold in moisture and protect the soil (therefore the roots) and the crown of the grass plant from the intense sun and heat of summer. Never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade at any one time and leave the clippings on. They decompose quickly and add nitrogen back to the soil. It’s an urban myth that they contribute to thatch. They do not.
· If you fertilize your lawn following the holiday schedule, you should have fertilized your lawn on Memorial Day. If you didn’t get it done then, do it now before it gets too hot. That should hold you until Labor Day when the weather begins to cool down again.
· Notice square notching along the edges of leaves in your garden like the garden fairies are using pinking shears? It’s the damage from black vine weevil, one of the root weevils. The lava feed on the roots of the plant. Neem, an organic insecticide is affective, as are systemic insecticides. If you have minimal damage, go out at night with a flashlight, handpick them and throw them in a bucket of soapy water. Don’t confuse the square notching of the root weevil with the “C” shaped half circles left by the leaf cutter bee. The leaf cutter is one of our pollinators and we want to take good care of them.
· Deadhead your roses to keep them blooming their best. Cut down to the first 5-leaf leaflet. Continue to feed them until about the middle of July. At that time, stop fertilizing. We don’t want to force a lot of late season growth, but let the plant start to harden off for winter.
· Deep, infrequent watering is better than short amounts applied every day. Encourage a deeper root system by watering for a longer period of time but less often on lawns and flowerbeds. Even vegetable gardens may not need water every day.
· Use an organic mulch to conserve moisture and hold down weeds. As it decomposes it helps create a healthier soil. Using mulch around a tree instead of grass keeps ‘weed-eater blight’ from damaging the trunk.
This time of year there’s a never-ending list of things to do. I could go on and on, but I figure this will keep you busy enough until the July list. Happy Gardening!
