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- Applications of lime can be made at this time if a soil test indicates that it is a necessity. Optimum pH level is 6.5
- Houseplants should be moved indoors before the first frost. Although most can tolerate some cool nights, tender varieties like African Violet and Spathiphyllum will not.
2010 PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE YEAR
Blue False Indigo Baptisia australis
Blue False Indigo Baptisia australis
- Light - Plant in full sun. Plants grown in partial shade may require staking.
- Soil - This North American native grows easily in well-drained soil. Its drought tolerance makes it an excellent choice in many gardens.
- Unique Qualities - The combination of flower and leaf color provides a dramatic effect. Seed pods can be used in dried flower arrangements.
- Hardiness - USDA zones 3-9
The primary task to achieve a healthy lawn is a good raking in early spring. Keep the leaf blower in the shed and recruit the bamboo or wire rake as soon as snow recedes and the ground dries out. Remember that there is no advantage to working a water-soaked lawn. Next, decide whether to overseed or use a pre-emergent weed control. If opting for a pre-emergent herbicide, it must be applied before seeds germinate, usually around the time the forsythia are blooming. Corn gluten has the ability to eliminate crabgrass completely if used properly and consistently for 3 years.
WINTER MOTH (Operophtera brumata)
The female of this species is flightless, but the male flies strongly. The adult moths will emerge from the soil in November and remain active until January, often seen in masses at dusk. In their adult form, these pests do not eat at all, but mate and lay their eggs in trees before they die. Next spring, the eggs will hatch and the larvae (small green loopers with pale lines along their sides and a darker one along the back) will crawl up into the trees and produce a silken thread that will carry them to new areas. The trees that are favored are maple, crab apple, oak, apple and ash, but by no means do they limit themselves to those alone. Feeding usually concludes by June at which time they will migrate to the soil for pupation. Control of the winter moth is best achieved by the use of Bacillus thuringiensis (BT - sometimes sold as Thuricide) or Spinosid at the first sign of feeding. Both of these insecticides are organic controls, derived from soil- dwelling bacteria, and safe around people and pets.
The female of this species is flightless, but the male flies strongly. The adult moths will emerge from the soil in November and remain active until January, often seen in masses at dusk. In their adult form, these pests do not eat at all, but mate and lay their eggs in trees before they die. Next spring, the eggs will hatch and the larvae (small green loopers with pale lines along their sides and a darker one along the back) will crawl up into the trees and produce a silken thread that will carry them to new areas. The trees that are favored are maple, crab apple, oak, apple and ash, but by no means do they limit themselves to those alone. Feeding usually concludes by June at which time they will migrate to the soil for pupation. Control of the winter moth is best achieved by the use of Bacillus thuringiensis (BT - sometimes sold as Thuricide) or Spinosid at the first sign of feeding. Both of these insecticides are organic controls, derived from soil- dwelling bacteria, and safe around people and pets.
