Insects

New! The Corpus Christi Garden Book 2015!

We now have the Corpus Christi Garden Book for sale. There have been three books prior to this one; 1949, 1970 & 1992. This book is specific to our area and contains a wealth of updated information for gardening in South Texas and the Coastal Bend.

Fungus is Among Us

With the cold temperatures and rain we have had recently, the ground has been kept moist with no chance to dry out, which can lead to fungus. Apply F-stop or Bayer Fungus Granules to lawns prone to get fungus. Remember it is always easier to prevent than to cure.

Stop Scale Insects

It is also time to apply your All Season Dormant Oil Spray.Spray all plants that get Scale and other insects in the Spring. Ex. Flax Lily, Cast Iron, Irises, Pittosporum, Hollies and more. It also smothers dormant insect eggs of Spider Mites, Mealybugs and Whitefly. Spray all Citrus Trees now to control Citrus Blackfly and Leafminer. May be used up to the day of harvest.

Our Thoughts On Living Christmas Trees:

There are some great alternatives to cut Christmas trees. Norfolk Island Pines are one of the most popular because of their look. They are layered like many fir trees and resemble a Christmas tree. Hollywood Junipers and Blue Point Junipers are another alternative with the look of a true Christmas tree. They grow well in our area and can be planted in the ground after the holidays or kept as a container plant and used for years to come. Yaupon holly trees are also great with their red berries this time of year. Magnolia and Ficus Trees can also be used. All of these can be strung with lights and used indoors for a couple of weeks before needing to be put back outside in their normal environment. Be creative. Look around the patio and see what you have to decorate. It’s always fun to decorate a non-traditional tree and surprise your family and guests!

Bugs On Your Garden Greens?

Thanksgiving morning James noticed inch worms and flea beetles on his coveted greens he is growing in pots. He grabbed his trusty Natural GuardNeem Ready To Use and with a couple of pumps of the spray bottle, problem solved! The Neem acts as a repellent for beetles and caterpillars and kills soft bodied insects like aphids. It also helps to control powdery mildew.

Some Cedar elms have gold leaves, some just starting to turn!

This photo was taken at our Airline store this past Monday. This is a great example of how like plants, growing right next to each other, behave differently. One has turned gold, the other is still very green. Both are very healthy, just on a little different time schedule! And…please note, it’s the same in spring – there’s always one to leaf out later that causes concern but more often than not, it just decided to sleep a little longer!

Take a close look at the stems and leaves of your Jatropha. Do you see large white clumps of soft scale? This insect begins along the stems looking like a pale yellow goo. After a day or two the yellow soft scale produces a white cotton covering to protect itself from insecticides and predators.

Insecticidal Soap or Neem Oil can be used in the evening to kill these pests. Cyonara hose-end is also very effective. Many insects thrive in the summer, so be good bug scout. While watering or walking and admiring your landscape, take the time to get a closer look to see if any of these summer insects are attacking your favorite plants.

-DeAnna

Remember to rotate your crops from last season if possible. Also do not crowd your plants. Insects and disease love places that are overcrowded with no air circulation. Spacing your plants will limit the areas for the bugs to hide.

There are many organic options to keep insects and disease under control. For insects, use Insecticidal Soap for soft-bodied bugs, Spinosad for beetles, caterpillars, and leafminer. To prevent powdery mildew on curcurbits and cole crops, use Serenade or Neem Oil, when it comes to disease, it is always easier to prevent than to cure. Also, mulching the garden with Hardwood Mulch or Pine Straw will keep fungal spores from splashing up onto the plants.

Fall can be the best season for growing vegetables due to the cooler weather and more rainfall, unlike the spring garden where we are heading into the hottest season. So plant now, space things out, keep the garden weed free, fertilize regularly and be a good bug scout. And remember, only spray insecticides if necessary. We do not want to kill the bees or other pollinators in the garden.

-DeAnna

Folks have been bringing in oak leaves with lumps, bumps, and fuzzies, wanting to know, what is this and what do I do about it? Several different insects can cause galls, but predominantly it is different species of small wasps. I collected these three most common types of oak leaf galls off just one branch of my tree. The wasp flies in and lays eggs on the leaf or stem, in a fresh and growing portion of the tree. When the larva emerges from the egg, it starts secreting a chemical that causes the oak to grow abnormal tissue in which the larva shelters and feeds. It is usually just a cosmetic issue, not a threat to tree health, and other than the stem galls, other galls fall away as the leaves drop, with seemingly little carryover from one year to the next. Insecticide treatments are not recommended in home landscapes, only in commercial oak nurseries where the trees are relatively small and in dense blocks, and aesthetics are paramount to salability. Factoid- in medieval times, ink was made by crushing oak galls to release tannic and gallic acids, in which iron scraps were dissolved, the resulting mess, after filtering, and gum arabic added, making black ink. This was the standard writing ink for over 1400 years, and is still manufactured for use by some artists.

–James

Pre Spring tips…do now & save time later!

Do

Apply Pre-emergents Amaze or Hi Yield Weed and Grass Preventor with Dimension to prevent spring weeds.
Spray All Seasons Oil to kill and prevent scale insects this spring on flax lily, cast iron plant, irises, pittosporums & hollies.
Treat for lawn fungus as a cure and preventative due to damp weather with F-Stop or Bayer Lawn Fungus Control, organically with Serenade or Natures Blend.
Prepare veggie gardens for spring plantings. Pull up all old vegetables, and rework the soil with Cotton Burr Compost or Natures Blend.

Don’t

Prune indian hawthorns, azaleas, or carolina jasmine since they are an early spring bloomer.
Prune tropicals, ex. hibiscus, bougainvilleas, lantanas, plumbagos, etc..
Spray a weed killer (it is too cold to be effective).

Valentine’s Day is a time to remember our loved ones with candy and flowers. It also is the perfect time to prune roses. Late January to mid February is the best time. Prune established hybrid teas, removing dead and small twiggy growth, leaving strong healthy canes to a plant height of 18-24 inches. Try to prune to an outward facing bud to maintain spreading, open growth. Prune shrub roses like Knockouts 1/3 to 1/2 the plant height. Do not prune climbers until after the Spring bloom, then removing only the oldest canes and cutting back healthy, vigorous canes no more than 1/3. Remove spent blooms throughout the season on all rose varieties, cutting back to the first 5 leaflet cluster. You can also begin fertilizing your roses in late February with Bayer Systemic Rose and Flower Care, or organically with Maestro Rose Glo. Gill Landscape Nursery stocks disease resistant roses (ask for them), but if you have hybrid teas, as soon as new growth appears you should begin a spray program to control insects and diseases. Bayer 3 in 1 Insect, Disease and Mite Control, takes care of all rose problems. For organic controls, use Neem Oil for insects and disease or Serenade to control diseases. A regular spray program keeps your roses healthy and happy. Remember fungal diseases are always easier to prevent than to cure.

1. Proper Watering

This is the most important of all. Water slow and deep to make sure at least one inch of water is applied to all established lawn and landscape plants for our long hot summers. Smaller bedding plants such as annual color and perennial beds will require a second supplemental watering since they have a smaller root system.

2. Mulching

Use hardwood mulch three to four inches deep in planting beds to help conserve moisture as well as control weeds. Most mulch is applied too thin, only two inches rather than three to four. Do not bury crown of plant or trunk of shrubs.

3. Top Dress The Lawn

A thin layer of Nature’s Blend Compost applied several times a year helps to enrich the soil and will cut watering demands.

4. Insect Controls

Many insects are seasonal. Chinch bugs attack lawns in the hot summer months, so watch the edges of your lawn for the first signs. Spider mites also love the hot dry summer season. Keep an eye on junipers, pittosporums and houseplants for signs of mottling on the leaves or leaf drop and treat as soon as possible. Mealy bugs are also a hot weather insect and leave white cotton along the stems and undersides of many plants. More than one application may be needed to control some of these insects.

5. Fungus Control

This is not always an issue in the summer, but can be if we are getting periods of heavy rain. Proper year round watering and adding Nature’s Blend several times a year will help minimize fungal issues.

6. Fertilizing

Keeping your plants fed for the summer is very important, but applying at a lower rate may help to keep them healthy without encouraging too much new growth. Using organic fertilizers keep the plants healthy which minimizes insect attacks, Milorganite Fertilizer for instance.

7. Pruning

Some plants will need to be pruned in the summer to keep them more compact and not overgrown. Be careful, though, since some plants can sunburn easily when removing the upper leaves which have been shading the rest of the plant.

8. Weed Control

Some weeds burn off in the summer heat. Pre-emergents, such as Green Light Amaze and Hi Yield Weed & Grass Stopper can be applied year round in landscape beds to prevent weeds. Organic weed killers, such as Nature’s Guide Horticultural Vinegar, for landscape beds, are most effective in hot summer temperatures. But broadleaf lawn weed killers cannot be used in your grass once temperatures get above 85 degrees due to burning. Keep the grass mowed to remove seed heads of weeds. Mechanical means is always the best.

9. Proper Mowing Height

Proper mowing height will shade the ground and cause less water evaporation from the soil, reducing water needs. St. Augustine is best at three inches, so raise the mower. Also a sharp mower blade helps the grass look fresh and green, while a dull blade leaves ragged edges that turn brown and cause the lawn to look somewhat dead and dull.

10. Proper Plant – Proper Place

With any landscape make sure you have thought out the full mature height and width of plants, sun requirements and water needs before planting. You should never be constantly pruning a plant because it is too large for the space. That is the wrong plant for the spot. Also group like water need plants together. The most drought tolerant plants should be those furthest from the water source.

Now that you have worked hard at planting and maintaining the landscape, take the time to kick back, relax and admire the beauty you created. Gardening is great therapy! it not only burns calories, it also reduces stress from a hard day’s work and helps to lower blood pressure. Colleges are even offering courses in horticultural therapy. Gardeners live longer lives; plants give you reason to get up and get moving!

-DeAnna