Be sure to stop by Betty's if you have any questions or need advice.

Lawns

WARM SEASON GRASSES: Fertilize zoysia and Bermuda grass lawns now with slow release lawn fertilizers. Repeat the fertilization every month from May through August. Your best choice is 'Sta-Green Ultimate' lawn fertilizer.

FUNGUS: Lawns fertilized with immediate rather than slow release fertilizers are apt to be showing signs of fungal growth this month, particularly leaf spot disease. Temperatures from 60° to 66° F. accelerate the disease which is then spread by splashing rain, foot traffic and contaminated lawnmowers. Treat the whole lawn with Bayleton lawn fungicide on May 25th and again on June 25th. Avoid cutting lawn for at least 4 days after application. Clean off your mower with a weak solution of water and chlorine beach to avoid spreading fungal spores from earlier mowing.

CRABGRASS: If you applied Tupersan to control crabgrass in March, it is now time to apply 'Dimension' to extend your period of crabgrass control.

WILD GARLIC (ONIONS): If you have wild garlic (onion) in your lawn, spray them with 'Rockland 3-Way (Trimec) Weed Killer' immediately after mowing. Cut foliage allows the weed killer to penetrate around the waxy double skin coating of wild garlic.

MULCHING WITH GRASS CLIPPINGS: If you wish to use bagged grass clippings as mulch, particularly in your vegetable garden, allow the clippings to dry before applying. Wet clippings will clump up and may attract pests. Do not use clippings that have recently been treated with a herbicide.

Trees

You still have time to plant that new shade or ornamental tree this spring. When selecting a shade tree, avoid the temptation to plant fast growing but weak trees. Messy, weak trees include silver maple, hybrid poplar, mimosa, unimproved varieties of weeping willow and 'Bradford' pear (in maturity).

TREE DAMAGING INSECTS: May brings out some very damaging insects. Borers attack the trunks of dogwood, oak, pine and birch. If your dogwood flowered but did not leaf out completely, this may be your problem. Loose bark on the trunk is a good clue, too. Lift the loosened piece to look for winding trails and little holes. Lindane is best choice of insecticide to treat for this problem. Mix with water per instructions and spray or paint onto the bark of the affected tree. This is a good time to mention as well … Put on your reading glasses to be sure you have read all the very fine print of the instructions for applying any plant insecticide or fungicide. Lindane is one of very few products that will kill borers but it is very toxic and must be handled with care!

Tent caterpillars are very bad this year. You can recognize the infestation by the spidery white clusters of webbing in the crotches of your trees. It is important to treat quickly before the little eggs hatch and the caterpillars start defoliating your trees. Malathion is the least toxic insecticide available to the homeowner that can be used to treat the already infested tree. Use a hose end sprayer and try to penetrate the webs. If the eggs have already hatched, spray the entire tree. Spray when there is no wind and cover yourself up completely. Change clothes and shower after making the application.

FRUIT AND NUT TREES: Now is the time to fertilize and spray your fruit and nut tree for insect and disease problems common to your particular trees. Our relatively warm winters and high humidity year around make most fruit and nut trees a high upkeep proposition.

SHRUBS: Spring flowering shrubs should be pruned now. Forsythia, winter jasmine, and other spreading-weeping type shrubs should be pruned only when overgrown. Retain their graceful shapes by pruning the largest (or oldest) stems at the ground level. Evergreen shrubs are usually pruned or even sheared this month, too. Pruning too early risks death of new growth from a late freeze. When you prune in May, pruning scars are very soon covered with pretty new growth.
Japanese hollies were severely stressed by last summer's drought. Fertilize well with slow release 'Agriform' tablets or granular 'Nursery Special' this spring. Mulch heavily and water when needed this year.

SHRUB DAMAGING INSECTS: Boxwood leaf miner, lace bug and spider mites make their appearance this year. If your broadleaf evergreen plant seems to have little trails of yellow or brown running through the leaves you have leaf miner. Control will require one or more applications of a systemic

Systemic insecticide. Blue or 'meserve' hollies are resistant to leaf miner. If you like the traditional holly leaf but don't like spraying, China Girl, China Boy, Blue Prince and Princess, Dragon Lady and other 'blue' hollies are your best choice.

Lace bug infestation is easy to recognize. Turn over the leaf of your evergreen plant and look for black specks. If your leaf looks dirty on the underside, you have lace bug. Left untreated the little eggs under the black smudges will hatch and sucking insects will drain each leaf of all nutrients. Milky coffee colored azalea leaves are a sure sign of lace bug activity. Unfortunately, when you see that color it is too late. Treat infected plants with a good systemic insecticide.

Spider mites were discussed in April's Calendar. They remain a problem throughout the summer for susceptible plants. Evergreen shrubs or trees in full sun situations are the most at risk. If you have sudden browning of outer clumps of foliage, do the white paper test. Treat with a systemic insecticide if mites are present.

ROSES: The rose fancier in our area must be dedicated if he or she doesn't want to be viewing leafless branches most of the summer. Yellow leaf and black spot are endemic to hot, humid climates. Selecting rose varieties known for disease resistance is your first, best step. 'Flower Carpet' shrub roses are very resistant to fungal diseases. It is difficult to resist the beauty of hybrid tea roses despite disease potential. If you see a leaf with black spots, pick it off and throw it in the trash. Any fallen leaves should be removed as well. Disease spreads by wind and water. New leaves will grow where you pluck out the old. At some point you will need to begin spraying with a good fungicide. Many combine both systemic and topical fungicides with water and a spreader-sticker agent and spray every ten days during the growing season.

Pruning roses is not difficult though it can be painful. As a rose flower fades, prune back its shoot to the upper crotch of a five leaved leaflet. Prune out spindly branches and one of any two branches that 'cross' or touch each other. Good air circulation helps prevent disease. Prune to encourage growth out from the center of the plant.

Fertilize with a good, slow release woody plant fertilizer. Repeat blooming roses work harder than most shrubs and need more food!