Becky

I love fresh fruit—but I hate fruit flies.

Fruit flies, also called “Pomace Flies” in botanical circles, belong to the family Drosophiledae. Because of their short life-cycle, they’ve been a favorite of genetic research because scientists can observe many generations in a relatively short amount of time.

Adults are small, 1/8th to 1/6th of an inch long. Most species are yellow to black in color. The female lays eggs near a suitable food source, often the over-ripe, soft skin of fruit. Eggs hatch into larvae (maggots), which in turn feed, grow, and shed their skin several times until fully grown. Multiple generations are produced each year.

Although some of the immatures of a few species are parasites or predators of other insects, most feed on decaying vegetative matter, fruit, or fungi. Research tells us that the larvae developing in fruit are actually feeding on yeast growing in the fruit, rather than the fruit itself. The adults that are seen hovering over bowls of fruit may also be attracted to vinegar and dairy products. (Don’t confuse these little guys with fungus gnats, which are smaller.)

You could argue that they cause little damage because they infest fruit that is decaying and unfit for human consumption. They don’t bite people or pets, and have not been blamed for any disease transmission. But they are obnoxious. The best way to get rid of them is to identify over-ripe food sources and dispose of them before the flies are attracted to it. These could include potatoes, onions, garlic, squash, pumpkins, gourds, etc. Malathion my be sprayed as a last resort.

Remember to follow the label instructions on any pesticide used, as directions sometimes do change. If you have any questions about fruit flies or any other pest, don’t hesitate to stop by Western Gardens and talk to one of our expert gardeners.

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In the Salt Lake Valley there are two things that can keep your evergreens from being healthy and happy, mites and drought. If you have a mite problem, conifer needles are generally stipples and gradually turn an off color yellow. You might find a light webbing with a heavy mite infestation, but all you really need to confirm the diagnosis is a white sheet of paper. Hold it under a branch and shake the branch vigorously. Mites might be small, but they are not microscopic—if you have them, you’ll see little moving spots on the piece of paper.  If you’re still in doubt, run a finger over the dots, dead mites will leave a red streak.

To combat these pesky little guys, hose off affected plants with high pressure water (being careful not to damage plant tissue) and spray with dormant oil in early spring before candles open. Spray with Neem Oil (Fertilome Triple Action Spray) probably three times at weekly intervals.  Some combination of the above should control the problem.

Conifers are relatively drought resistant, but if they don’t have sufficient moisture during the heat of summer, needle drop will be earlier and more severe than normal. It’s a lot hotter down in the valley than the Utah mountains.  Water the tree roots deeply but at greater intervals than your turf. Roots of these plants are at very different depths. Also remember that conifers photosynthesize all year long, a last deep watering before the soil freezes is a good idea, but don’t overwater in the fall as the tree growth slows down.

A lack of nutrients often means a longer period of dormancy than normal, premature needle drop, yellow stunted growth, and increased susceptibility to insect and disease damage. Deep watering with nutrients helps a lot. Also, conifers don’t do well in poorly draining soils, so if you have bad drainage you might want to pick another tree like a Bald Cypress or a White Pine.

Also, herbicides kill plants—so keep them away from your conifers.

If you have any questions, please stop by any Western Garden Center and talk to one of our expert gardeners, they’re always available to answer questions. And remember to follow the label instructions on any pesticide used. Sometimes directions change and the label is always the most up to date.

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For many gardeners in Utah, slugs and snails wreak havoc on tender new plants—sometimes even overnight.  They survive the winter as eggs in protected soil and thrive in cool and damp locations such as thick ground covers (like vinca, hosta, and ivy) and yard debris.  You know you have a slug problem when tender plant tissues are eaten from your newly planted flowers and vegetables almost as quickly as you plant them.  These pests love cool dark places during daylight hours and cause their trouble overnight.

Removing debris and destroying the cool, damp, and dark places where they thrive is the first place to attack.  If you patrol late in the evening or early morning you will find them eating or traveling between their places of refuge and the meals that your garden provides.  Physically removing them is a great place to start.  Collect, bag, and dispose of them (don’t just smash them, eggs can remain with the carcass to re-infest your garden later).

Baits that contain methaldehyde, carbaryl, measurol, or iron phosphate are effective, but dogs and other pets are attracted to most baits, so be careful.  Iron phosphate is the most pet-safe alternative.  Apply baits in a perimeter defense, rather than throughout the whole bed.  Salt could be an effective control, but it isn’t good for the plants, so is not recommended.  “Tenting” the baited areas with cardboard may help protect non-targeted animals.  Keep up the attack through the fall to prevent eggs from being laid for a new crop of these pests next year.

Remember to always follow the current label instructions on any pesticide you may use as label changes do occur and the label will always have the most current application instructions.

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and remember that you’re always welcome to stop by any Western Garden Center to speak with one of our professional gardeners—we’ll happily answer any gardening question you may have.

Last week we talked about the damage that insects can do to your lawn, today I’d like to talk about the dead or dying spots caused by fungus.  As before, the best way to diagnose those problem spots in your lawn is to bring in a telephone book-sized piece of sod that includes the transition from healthy to unhealthy turf.  You can always plug it back in later.

As we talked about before, insects go for the roots, which makes it easy to pull the grass plants out of the turf—fungus damages the above ground plant structure.  Insect damage usually starts near a drive or sidewalk where paving creates heat and starts insect growth early in the season, fungus damage often shows patterns in the turf.  Either will continue to do damage if left untreated.

Fungus kills turf indirectly by growing into the xylem (water conditioning cells), which are the cells that move water from the roots to the blades.  It often shows up in hot weather when the need for water is highest in the blades.

It’s difficult to know which fungus is attacking your lawn without running some pretty time consuming and expensive tests, so we usually recommend a broad spectrum fungicide such as Fertilome F*stop or Bayer Fungus Control for Lawns.  It’s best to attack the fungus when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50F and daytime temperatures are consistently below 90F.  Spores are often dormant below 50F and you could damage your turf if you apply the fungicide and the temperature exceeds 90F.  Three applications made between 15 and 30 days apart seems to work best.  The second and third application can wait until next spring—if you start in the fall.  You don’t need to treat the entire lawn, just the affected areas with a two-foot or more buffer zone.  The damaged tissue will disappear as the blades grow and you mow the lawn.

For additional tips to keep your lawn healthy, stop by any Western Gardens and we’ll share how to keep your lawnmower from spreading fungus, how much water is enough, and how high you should really cut your grass.  Also, don’t forget to read the directions on the fungicide.  Sometimes they change and the label directions will be the most accurate.

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Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis) is also called wild morning glory, combind, greenvine, and lovevine.  It is unsightly in lawns, fences, shrubs, and has been the bane of my gardening existence since I remember first trying to pull it out of the garden as a kid.  It grows like crazy and winds itself around the plants you love and want to keep.

It comes from Eurasia and was sadly sold as an ornamental plant in the U.S. in the early 1800s.  It spread throughout much of Utah and beyond by the end of that century.  In fact, it’s so widespread that it goes by 84 different names in 29 different languages.

It’s difficult to control because it can spread 20-30 feet and grows roots as deep as 20 feet.  Seeds are viable for up to 50 years.  This herbaceous perennial is most vulnerable in the fall when the plant circulates sugars created in the leaves down into the root system for winter food storage.

Unfortunately, minimizing the damage is all you can really do in the spring and summer, the roots run deep and the broadleaf weed killer doesn’t get circulated far enough down into the roots.  Carfetrezone (Fertilome Weed Free Zone) is a good broadleaf weed killer to apply.  Glyphosate (Hi Yield Killzall) can also be applied where non-selective (kills everything it touches) weed killer can be applied.   It’s best when mixed with a Hi Yield spreader sticker, a surfactant which helps the poison stick to and penetrate the plant leaves.

You’ll want to treat in spring and summer to keep your yard looking good, but let enough top regrowth occur for the fall campaign to eradicate the weed.  You’ll need to be persistent though, sometimes it takes multiple years to win this war!

Don’t forget to follow the label instructions on any of the chemicals you use in your garden.  Sometimes instructions change.  If you have any questions, just ask one of our expert gardeners and we’ll be glad to answer any questions.

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In the heat of a Utah summer, there are a number of reasons why you might see dead or dying spots in your lawn—not all of them have to do with irrigation.  Insects and fungus can both damage your lawn.  If left untreated, both will continue to do more damage.

Insects often eat turf roots, making it easy to pull plants out of the turf.  It often starts near a drive or sidewalk where paving creates heat and starts insect growth earlier in the season.  If you are experiencing insect damage (usually a grub) apply Imidacloprid (Fertilome Grub Free Zone) and water well.  This product will stop the grubs from eating grass roots, but does not medicate or treat damaged plants.  Alternately, use Bayer Season Long Grub Control with some fertilizer or Bayer 24 Hour Plus Grub Killer, faster kill, but less residual.  The earlier you can catch this problem the better.

If you’re unsure about what might be damaging your lawn, bring a piece to us and we can help you diagnose the problem (about the size of a telephone book). Make sure it’s a transition from healthy to unhealthy turf—you can always plug it back into place later.

Don’t forget that keeping your lawn healthy in requires three things:

1. Feed: We recommend Dr. Earth organic lawn food which is a slow and long lasting feeding.  The nutrients included help the damaged turf plants repair themselves—and lasts up to 90 days.
2. Mow: Cut your lawn at the highest possible mower setting.  Before the lawn mower, grasses developed with lots of great chlorophyll rich blades which use the sun’s energy to rebuild the plant.  Don’t get in the way of this natural recovery process.
3. Water: Try to water at a time when the turf will be dry during warm summer nights.  This minimizes the potential additional damage a fungus might inflict on an already weakened plant.

(Always follow label instructions on an pesticide used, sometimes instructions change and the label will be the most accurate.)

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The Sandhills Hornet (Vespula Arenaria) is native to Utah, the central and northern US, Canada, and Alaska.  These yellow and black  insects are well-known to many an outdoor barbecue and have a nasty disposition.  Their “in-your-face” behavior is disturbing, but they don’t often sting unless injured or threatened.  Most of what you’ll see are females, the males are produced later in the summer and die after mating.

Hanging traps are a popular way to get rid of the little pests—but hang them away from your picnic area.  Traps have an attractant to entice the hornet into the trap, but they can’t find their way back out and eventually die.

Bait the trap inside your garage, but avoid getting the attractant on yourself (not a good idea).  To get rid of the entire colony, you’ll need to follow the workers home.  You’ll need to attack with military precision at night when they are much less likely to fly.  Their vision is most sensitive in the shorter wavelength, avoid blue or purple clothing.

Wasps and hornets can sting multiple times, so be careful.  The nest usually has an entrance hole at the center bottom, direct the spray (we recommend Fertilome Hornet and Wasp Killer containing Tetramethrin),at the opening, and have a ready exit path available.  Repeat, if necessary in 20 to 30 minutes.  Ultimately, you’ll want to remove the nest.

Follow the current label instructions—sometimes instructions change.

If you’d like more guidance on how to execute a precision eradication assault, stop by any Western Gardens Center and one of our expert gardeners can help you plan your attack.  Also, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.

If you’re like me, over the course of the summer I collect a lot of leaves, twigs, and sometimes even lawn clippings.  If it feels like you are on a first name basis with everyone at the landfill, composting might be just the ticket.

Composting is the process that allows organic material to decompose releasing compounds beneficial to plant growth.  It’s great for improving the texture of both clay and sandy soils—and that pile of leaves, twigs, or lawn clippings you might normally take to the landfill can help the rest of your garden thrive.

Brown material is high in carbon and green material contains more nitrogen.  When composting try to form alternate layers, each a couple of inches thick.

• Brown Material Includes: dry leaves, hay, sawdust, straw, twigs, and woodchips
• Green Material Includes: freshly pruned leaves, lawn clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, and plant eating manure (Don’t use bones, meat scraps, dog or cat waste, diseased plant trimmings, dairy products, or weeds with seeds)

You can compost in a pile or in a bin, the bin may be faster, as it can retain compost accelerating heat better.

Add a handful of nitrogen for every 10 lbs of compost starter material.  Shredding rough materials allows decay organisms more surface to colonize.  Apply enough water to keep the pile moist and turn the pile weekly, perhaps with a spading fork, and check the temperature with a thermometer if you wish.

When composting, here are a couple of things to watch for:

1. Rotten Odor: Aerate by turning more often, use more dry material or add less water.
2. Ammonia Odor: Use less nitrogen or nitrogen containing green material.  Add more brown material.
3. The Pile is Too Cool: Turn/Aerate more often, add more water and nitrogen.
4. The Pile is Attracting Rodents or Flies: Don’t use meat or dairy products, turn more often, perhaps use rodent controls, but do not use baits in the compost pile, only nearby.

Finished compost is dark and crumbly, with a pleasant earthy aroma. The time required depends on the internal temperature of the pile.  The higher the better.  The mulch is great as either a top dressing to the soil or incorporated into the soil.

If you’d like to learn more about composting, any of our expert gardeners will be happy to help.  Just stop by any of our Western Garden Centers to get started.  Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.