Pests in the Garden–My Garden Woes

Usually I  identify bugs or diseases that may plague gardens at one time or another.  But this summer has been particularly troublesome to me in my garden. 

This simple container has a simple Hosta in it.  And due to the lack of  rain we had during July and August, I decided that I could hand water this border fairly easily.  Actually, I love to hand water – no sarcasm intended. Being outdoors – no TV, no noisy washing machine, and no cooking – is my idea of heaven.  That is until………….


I watered the container.  At first just a few yellow jackets appeared, then they must have called out the Calvary!  An no, I did not stop to take pictures.

Never dreamed that many would nest in a container like that?

So hubby found some insecticide powder – Sevin® – and got a duster from the shed, and after two days and pounds of powder, we finally felt we could walk into the back yard without getting attacked!

Japanese Beetles and Cicadas did their annual visit to the garden as well. 


Neither of these flying creatures will hurt fingers or arms, but I just can’t get past the bbbzzzzzz, as they fly around my head.  I have been know to flail about the yard like a crazy woman – but that is another story.
 
The cicada killer wasp was the next pest that swarmed our yard.  They hovered around the grass by the dozens.



And I must say, I made very few walks around the yard for the month or so they were present. The cicada killer wasp is very intimidating.  It has large jaws, and the females have stingers.



After she stings the cicada, the killer wasp will deposit the cicada into an intricate structure of tunnels with chambers.  The cicada that is immobilized is dragged into a chamber and the female killer wasp will deposit an egg into the penetrated shell she made with her stinger.  The cicada – still alive – remains in the chamber until the egg hatches.  Then the grub will eat off of the cicada, until it emerges from the chamber.  The grub eventually creates a cocoon and develops into a cicada killer wasp.


Oh, but my pest encounters were not over! 


Ant hills 18 inches high and 2 feet wide were the scene of, once again, some major applications of insecticides.  I believe the hills are ruined, but the colony moved into the back border, and into several containers too.  At this point, the ants have won the battle, but I’m not conceding the war!

Lastly, and I certainly hope it is the last pest we have to deal with, is a mole.  If you followed my garden renovation last season, you will know that we spent quite a lot of time, grading the area, and sowing grass seed.  I must say, I was really happy with the results.



We first noticed the raised tunnels in this bed.  We got Mole Repellant we sprayed onto the garden.  Now, we have tunnels in the new lawn. Moles eat worms, so here is another – ‘if you build it, (a healthy organic lawn) they – the worms and the moles – will come.”




We move the trap, seen here, every day.  And every day we find new tunnels and mounds of dirt.  The spring-hinged prongs are supposed to push into the tunnels as the lil’critter passes under it.

Hubby is becoming another Chevy Chase of Caddy Shack fame. Every day he is out there setting his traps, and stomping the ground down. (As if the mole cares!)  So this saga is continuing, and I’m rather enjoying watching these scenes play out.


I have to keep joking about such pests, for to not do so may drive me out of the garden for good.  I have to share and play well with others. Hopefully, we can come to a resolution that will benefit the pests and my garden.

Native Coneflowers-Challenges and Remedies

Native Coneflower Stands up to Challenges

Echinacea, Purple Coneflowers, are a heat resistant, drought tolerant native plant that is a staple in my garden. I have divided them around the garden for so many years, that I’m not sure of the cultivars anymore. 

Being a native, this group of plants has overcome threat from insects and diseases.  However, that does not mean that coneflowers don’t have some challenges. 
Insect pests that can affect coneflowers include caterpillars, Japanese beetles, grasshoppers, aphids,  mealy bugs, spittle bugs, and thrips.

Aphids are sucking insects that can weaken the stems.  Usually a firm spray of water from the hose will dislodge them. 

Japanese beetles can chew a blossom to shreds in a very short time.  Hand pick them (I use gloves!) and pinch or drop them into a soapy solution.
Mealy bugs and spittle bugs are easy to spot.
 
The mealy bugs are soft-bodied wingless insects look like fuzzy cotton. They feed by inserting long sucking mouthparts, called stylets, into plants and drawing sap out of the tissue. Damage is minimal when only a few pest are present. However, at higher numbers they can cause leaf yellowing and curling as the plant weakens. Mealy bugs feeding is usually accompanied by honeydew, which makes the plant sticky and encourages the growth of sooty molds.
A strong water spray will dislodge mealy bugs, and is usually all that is needed.  If further control become necessary, spray with a soap/oil mixture if the water alone doesn't do the job. Mix 1 tsp. insecticidal soap, 1/2 tsp. horticultural oil, and 1 quart water in a spray bottle.
 

Spittle bugs suck!  Even though they look icky, the really do not do any harm to the plant. They hide in the bubbly secretions seen on plants.  Control of mealy bugs is using the water spray as well. Spray the underside of leaves where the spittle bugs hide. 
Other pests that attack coneflowers are rabbits and deer.  The young plants are often targets.
 
Some pests are not quite as obvious as the deer or rabbit.  The microscopic Eriophyid mites are such pests.  As these mites feed, the plant produces  tufts of growth on the flowers. 
The mite will over winter in debris or the plant crown, and will infect subsequent years growth.  No controls are called for, but a plant can be removed to prevent spread of the mite. 

Other than insects, Echinacea can get a couple of diseases.  One is stem-rot.  This usually occurs when over-watering occurs, or the planting site does not drain well.  Compost added to the soil will allow water to drain, and will keep the roots of the coneflower from staying too wet. 

The Aster yellows is a disease the is transmitted by insects, particularly leaf hoppers, or poor growing methods.  Aster yellows is a viral-like disease and is caused by a phytoplasma (previously called mycoplasma-like organism) and is spread by aster leafhoppers.The densities of aster leafhoppers, and incidence of the disease, can be strongly influenced by the occurrence of certain host weed species. These weed species include quackgrass, plaintain, chickory, knotweed, pineapple weed, stinkweed, wild asters, lambs quarters, sow thistle, ragweed, Kentucky bluegrass and wild carrot.

  
Plants with Aster yellows have distorted, green flowers, and stunted growth. This one is in my garden, and I’m planning to dig it up and throw it.  Aster yellows is not treatable and spreads quickly. 
Black spot, a fungal disease is seen on coneflowers occasionally.  Black spot usually set up during, cool, moist periods. Powdery mildew can also infect coneflowers.
  For the most part, diseases can be prevented by utilizing proper cultural practices such as variety selections, plant and soil nutrition, irrigation and humidity management,  pruning, and row spacing. Air movement is key to reducing these fungal diseases.  Water only when needed, and avoid wetting the leaves.  Remove debris since the spores from these diseases can linger in the soil. 
Once black spot or mildew are observed, the steps to control them are less effective.  Pre-treat susceptible plants before the fungus are seen.  Mix 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon baby shampoo, and 1/3 teaspoon baking soda in 2 cups of water. This solution comes right from the kitchen!
Compost tea as a spray is a good option too.  In a five gallon pail, soak a scoop of compost for up to 24 hours.  Strain and spray. 
Echinacea is a long-lived perennial, and thrives in a sunny location.  Soil can be average to poor.  Plants have a  long taproot, to find moisture deep in the soil.  Hardy to Zone 3-8, coneflowers bloom for long periods during the summer. Many cultivars are being developed to extend the sizes and colors.
    Fancy Frills
Doopleganger

  Razamatazz
Hot Lava
Meringue
Echinacea is a native that has many attributes for the landscape.  Prairies or sunny borders, this plant holds it’s own. I feel the coneflower is definitely a keeper in my garden.
 
Thanks for stopping by today.  

My July Garden in June-2012

Summer Garden is Early

Wow, what a strange year we are having!  So many blooms are three to four weeks earlier than usual. 

Daylilies are usually putting on their show near the July 4th holiday.
 
As are the oriental lilies.
 

The plumbago, normally seen in bloom in my August garden, is starting to show it’s blue petals.

This cactus is blooming! 
The blooms only last a day, so I was thrilled when two blossoms bloomed the same day!

The red monarda has a cute visitor.  See the hummer?

Another early scene this year is the loving, couple here on a rose – Japanese Beetles!  Generally see these guys the first week of July.  I noted in my Japanese Beetle blog of 2010, that I had seen beetles on June 9.  So my typical sightings are getting earlier. (Check out that post for remedies for Japanese Beetles here.)

 
Tomatoes are showing signs of blossom end-rot so Hubby gave the plants a feeding of Winchester Gardens Bone Meal.  Bone meal is a good source of calcium which the tomatoes need.Winchester Gardens Bone Meal  has an N-P-K of 9-6-0, and a 7% calcium – all natural, all organic.(Winchester Gardens has given me these products in exchange for a review.)


The yard reno is still moving forward.  We’ve had such low humidity, and cooler temperatures, that I’ve been able to move the Penstemon, Husker Red and partnered it with the Heuchera, Purple Palace.  I like the burgundy shades of each.



I transplanted eight daylilies to the new bed too.  Stella D’Oro, a repeat bloomer is at the back, and a reblooming red daylily is tucked in to the front.  I’m not sure which variety this is.

This space was where the daylilies were, and the stacked stone wall is going away soon.  More grass is coming.  Yet another area where we are reducing planting areas to make more lawn. 

I have been ruthless in this area.  A yellow circle flower, Lysimachia, and Obedient plant were dug out.  Both plants are just so-so to me, and I won’t miss them.



This mass of yellow is a St. John’s Wort.  I gave it a couple of handfuls of Triple Phosphate in the early spring.  The phosphate is a root and bloom stimulator and I can definitely see the advantage of this feeding.  Last season I had a mere six or eight blooms.  Quite a difference!


Also fed the hydrangea we divided last summer.  In its original location I went
four or five years without any flowers. 

I know we had a very mild winter, so I’m not sure what caused this shrub to
perform, but I like the results!


Even the Endless Summer hydrangea is thriving!   It got the Triple Phosphate feeding too.

Rose Campion is a favorite of mine.  It likes full sun, at least six hours a day, and is drought tolerant.  The flat blooms tend to seed readily, and I’ve had Rose Campion appear here and there.  It is easy to deadhead, if the seeds become a problem.  As a short lived perennial, I like new seedlings to keep things interesting.
Garden is really changing.  I like the new ‘feel’ and that is why I garden in the first place. 
Thanks for stopping by today.