What’s Happening in the Garden

Each month the local Extension office receives approximately 750 requests for gardening information. Topics run the gamut, ranging from plant identification to the diagnosis of plant disorders. By the end of each month, obvious patterns have developed, making it easy to determine the most common local questions and concerns.

July has been somewhat unusual this year. Showers are helping to provide relief from a long drought and some flowers, shrubs and lawns are still recovering from an extra cold winter.

Top Five July Questions

_ Leading the list are dead spots in St. Augustine and centipede grass lawns. Unfortunately, there was no single reason that can be passed along. Each case was different. Causes varied and included disease, drought, chinch bugs, grubs, ground pearls and the improper use of fertilizers and weed killers.

_ Many crape myrtles are not flowering normally. Some began blooming late, while others have not shown any color yet. This is believed to be due to sharply fluctuating temperatures last winter. Some plants are exhibiting freeze cracks on branches as a result. Most plants are expected to fully recover, but will bloom later, and for a shorter period than normal.

_ Bagworms infested the coniferous plants heavily during the month. Though normally found feeding upon the needles of cedars, junipers and arborvitae, unusually large numbers were recently found on Leyland cypress trees. Control measures were required in most cases because severe bagworm infestations can kill these plants.

_ Lawn weeds were found in abundance. There were broadleaf weeds including pusley, chamberbitter and spurge; sedges, including nutsedge and globe sedge and of course, crabgrass.

_ Sooty mold, that black film, or crust, that develops on crapemyrtle, gardenia and pittosporum caused alarm among many gardeners. This is a mildew that is the indirect result of feeding by sap sucking insects such as aphids and scales. As these insects feed honeydew, a sweet, sticky substance is deposited on the leaves and the mildew grows in it. Control of these pests is required in order to reduce the amount of sooty mold on the foliage.

Get help if you encounter these or other unfamiliar plant disorders. Positive identification of the problem is needed because control measures, including chemical treatment, have become more specific in recent years. We can no longer recommend broad-spectrum “cure alls” for ailing plants.

Your Extension agent, landscape professional, garden center or nursery can often diagnose plant problems and provide advice – if provided with good information and samples. Call ahead for instructions.

Question of the Week: Is it too late to plant sweet corn?

Answer: Sweet corn can be successfully grown when planted in August, but it will be much more difficult to control pests with such a late planting. At this time of year insect pressure is greater because more adults are present to lay eggs on the young corn. There are several species of caterpillars than infest both the stalks and ears. Stink bugs are also present in higher numbers at this time of year.