If you are like me, your water bill is going to equal your mortgage payment after this dreadfully hot and dry summer.

The New York Times asked Todd Forrest (what a perfect name!), vice president at the New York Botanical Gardens, for his advice. If you are like me and you have used up all your free visits to the Times on line, you won't be able to just click on a link and see what he said.

So I will paraphrase his advice here.

If you have only limited time to spend in the garden, water. Let all the other tasks go. You can get to the weeding and dead-heading later.

Water in the cool of the morning or the cool of the evening (but not too late, so foliage isn't wet during the night). If you water in the heat of the day, it will just evaporate. But if you are pressed for time, water whenever you can.

Water your vegetable garden first or you will lose crops. Then water perennials, they are an investment in the future. Your annuals may not make it. Watch out for trees, especially new ones.  You might not see the signs of stress on trees until it is too late. Use a Tree Gator for long, slow watering.

The heat will make the gardener sick -- as well as his plants. Take it easy and take plenty of breaks and drink lots of water. And do what I do -- garden just after dawn.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Garden tips
        

Photo credit: Karen Macon Jackson

Q: I found this 4-inch green caterpillar on my tomato plant.  It had diagonal stripes and a horn at the rear end. It seemed to have eggs like rice on its back.  My tomato plant seems okay though. 

A: Tomato hornworm caterpillars eat tomato leaves, branches, and green fruit. They overwinter in cocoons in the soil, then emerge as moths in late spring-early summer to lay greenish yellow eggs on the undersides of host plants leaves. The larval caterpillars hatch out and feed for about a month before the cycle begins again.  They can decimate a tomato plant but usually just do incidental damage.

The white elliptical rice-like things on the hornworm’s back are cocoons—but not hornworm cocoons. Your hornworm was parasitized by a beneficial insect, either a braconid or trichogramma wasp.  A while agon, these tiny wasps laid eggs on the hornworm, which hatched and entered the hornworm, consuming it from the inside while they grew, just like aliens in a sci-fi movie.

They have now emerged and made their cocoons. They saved your tomato plant! The parasitized tomato hornworm feels sick and cannot cause further damage.  The cocoons contain developing tiny wasps that will emerge and parasitize other hornworms.  So, don’t destroy the hornworm now—it’s a source of more beneficial wasps. 

Q: We’ve been battling algae in our backyard pond for years.  Tried every chemical and still pull out large sheets.  We’d like to be able to see our beautiful koi!
 
A: Filamentous algae is stringy, hair-like and the bane of many pond owners.  For small ponds, begin with physical removal.  Twirl algae around a stick like spaghetti on a fork.

To prevent future algae growth, you need to reduce excess nutrients dissolved in the water, which acts like fertilizer for the algae.  In your pond, the koi excrement is a potent source of nutrients. Algae also likes sun.  So, to address both these issues, grow more pond plants to absorb the nutrients, especially plants that float on the surface and shade the water, such as waterlilies.

Plants should cover 60 to 70 percent of the water surface. Also, when you fertilize potted pond plants, push tablets far down into pot soil. You may need to limit the number of fish.  See HGIC’s free or online publication, “Basics of Planting Aquatic Plants.”

Posted by Susan Reimer at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Photo credit: Baltimore Sun/Amy Davis

"What do you mean by native?"

That's as difficult a question to answer as "What do you mean by organic?"

Also, what's the difference between a hybrid and a cultivar?

If you hare having trouble mastering your gardening vocabulary, Joel Lerner offers help.

In an article written for The Washington Post, Lerner, president of Environmental Design in Maryland, takes a shot at defining the most common -- and some of the newest -- mis-used terms in horticulture.

Take a look. There will be a quiz Friday.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Garden facts
        

Mandevilla Vine

Mandevilla

Text and photo by Marian Hengemihle

This tender woody vine adds tropical flair to your landscape from late spring to early fall.

Showy flowers range in color from pink to red to white. The glossy dark green leaves have a leathery feel. The vine climbs by twining stems to about 8 to 10 feet, so provide a trellis or support. Pinch young plants to encourage bushiness.

Mandevilla grows well in containers and hanging baskets in full sun but will tolerate light afternoon shade. It should not be placed outdoors until all danger of frost is past.

Give mandevilla a moist, well-drained soil, with light doses of balanced soluble fertilizer every 2-3 weeks as they are vigorous vine and flower producers.

Winter protection is required for this tropical vine. Bring indoors before the first frost and prune top growth produced during the season. Place in bright indirect light at about 50 degrees and reduce watering. In early spring, shorten crowded stems and dead growth, then resume watering. 

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

The Associated Press is reporting that horticulturalists from Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in South Carolina are traveling to Washington to take cuttings from rare azaleas at the National Arboretum to share with gardens around the country.

Earlier this year, the 65-year-old azalea collection was saved by an anonymous $1 million donation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to remove them because of funding troubles.
 
The horticulturalists from Magnolia Gardens will take the cuttings this week. They say the plants likely have a genetic link to material kept at the Charleston, S.C., site.

The National Arboretum's first director, Ben Morrison, used materials from Magnolia for his extensive breeding program to produce the first large flowered azaleas that could withstand cooler temperatures in the mid-Atlantic region.

Adrian Higgins, writing in the Washington Post, declared that Morrison changed the face of Washington and its older suburbs with the introduction of stout, hardy and diverse hybrids known as the Glenn Dale azaleas.

Some 10,000 of his hybrids were planted on Mount Hamilton in the Aboretum and Washingtonians have been flocking to see the azaleas every spring since 1949.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Garden news
        

Photo credit: Donna K. Race for bugguide.net

Q: I have lived in my home for 30 years and never seen this.  When I cleaned out some windows, dried grass was in the tracks. Is it a nest? Do you have any idea about how the dried grass or straw might get into the windows, upstairs and downstairs?

A: You're seeing evidence of grass-carrying wasps.  These little wasps like to build their nest in protected places and the tracking of aluminum storm windows is a favorite spot.  The wasp finds a small opening to enter and builds a nest of grass and hay strands. You may actually spy them flying by trailing grass.

After preparing the nest, she hunts for tree crickets (small crickets that you rarely encounter.) She paralyzes them with her sting, then hauls them to the nest, where she lays her eggs.  The eggs hatch, larvae emerge and feed on the (gruesomely) still alive crickets.

Then the wasp larvae spin a cocoon and in a few weeks emerge as adults and fly away. These are interesting creatures and not considered pests.  Simply clean out your window tracks when nest-building occurs.

Q: The ‘Lord Baltimore’ hibiscus bush in my front yard has myriad of little holes in the lower leaves. Upon turning over affected leaves, I see thin little green worms eating voraciously. Any treatment to eradicate this plague?

A: The “plague” on your hardy hibiscus actually is not worms or caterpillars, but the larvae of sawflies. The adults of hibiscus sawfly look like small flies.  The larvae can cause significant feeding damage, skeletonizing and weakening the plant.

To control them, handpick or spray the larvae with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap. (It may sound nitpicky to harp on the fact that these are larvae and not caterpillars, but the distinction is important--Bt is an excellent non-toxic pesticide for caterpillars, so it won’t work on these critters.)

Posted by Susan Reimer at 2:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

(Garden Variety is catching up, after a week's vaction.)

Corkscrew Rush

Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’

Text and photo by Marian Hengemihle

The corkscrew rush is a fun and whimsical addition to your backyard water garden. It reminds one of a “bad hair day.”

This irregular, clump-forming ornamental grass has curious spiraling, corkscrew-shaped thin green tubular stems that uncoil as they grow. It spreads upright and prostrate about 18 inches tall and wide.

Growing best in containers in full sun to light shade, it requires consistently moist soil with about 1 to 6 inches of water over the crown of the plant.

For shallow areas near ponds, bogs, and water container gardens, it can provide a good accent, texture, or contrast to other aquatic plants. The interesting foliage can also be used in fresh and dried flower arrangements.

The corkscrew rush is semi-hardy and may overwinter with protection in a garage or cool place that will allow it to go dormant.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 2:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

After a week at the beach with the family, Garden Variety is back blogging!

As you can probably guess, I returned to gardens that were in serious distress from the heat. Only the weeds -- and the tomatoes -- seemed not to have minded the weather.

The hose was on for about 24 hours straight as I moved it from bed to bed, trying to revive the little darlings. A modest little irrigation system with a timer that I ordered from Gardener's Supply arrived, and I installed it -- but it would have been better for it to arrived two weeks ago.

I spent Sunday in the garden trying to clean up a bit, dead-head and weed. But I only lasted about two hours before my face was red and I was feeling weak in the knees.

Frankly, there isn't too much about July and August in the garden to recommend itself. Everything seems chewed up, or dried up.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: My Garden
        

Summer Saturday in the Valley

Saturday, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Join the Valley Times staff and the gardening gurus at Valley View Farms for a Summer Saturday of Fun. There will be contests, food, gardening tips, and recipes. Meet gardening wizard Carrie Engel and chow down on the Kitchen Guy's famous barbecue. For more information, call the Valley Times at 410-440-8248.

Baltimore Bonsai Club

Sunday, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The Baltimore Bonsai Club will be at Valley View to display and critique the club's favorite trees. They will then work on their trees. Attendees are welcome to bring their own bonsai from home or buy a tree and club members will help them style and refine it. For more Information, email President Barry Figard at bfigard@verizon.net

Posted by Susan Reimer at 2:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Garden events
        

Photo credit: Baltimore Sun/Algerina Perna

Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville

Crapemyrtle Festival.

Friday

8:30 am: Complimentary coffee service before doors open at 9am

6-9 pm: Ladies Night: A night at Homestead Gardens just for ladies!
Enjoy a relaxing evening of live music, shopping and tasty treats.

Bring in two non-perishable food items to donate to the Light House Shelter for homeless prevention in Annapolis and receive $10 in Myrtle Money, which is redeemable for special savings during the weekend!

Saturday
 
10 a.m.: Crapemyrtles 101: USDA/ARS research geneticist Dr. Margaret Pooler discusses this summer tree.

12 p.m.: Which Crapemyrtle for You? Homestead Gardens horticulturist Gene Sumi discusses the many different sizes & colors and which varieties work best in your yard.

1–3 p.m.: Live music with Orlando Phillips

2 p.m.: Sizzling Summer Containers: Homestead Gardens annuals manager, Kerry Kelley shows colorful plant combinations that thrive in the summer months. 

Sunday

11 a.m.: Trees with Flair: Homestead Gardens master gardener Lisa Winters discusses trees that offer more than just shade.

12:30 p.m.: Proper Planting for Trees & Shrubs with Gene Sumi.

12:30 - 2:30 p.m.: Live Music with Annapolis Bluegrass Coalition.

2 p.m.: Natives in the Garden with Carol Jelich of Adkins Arboretum.

Monday

11 a.m.–2 p.m.: Open House at the Llama Barn: Kids of all ages can meet our herd of llamas and enjoy free popsicles & lemonade  

Posted by Susan Reimer at 1:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Garden events
        

Charges against an Oak Park, Mich., woman, who faced 93 days in jail for having a vegetable garden in her front yard, have apparently been dropped.

The attorney for Julie Bass said, however, that he is not certain that officials won't revive the charges after the negative publicity subsides.

News of the action against Bass, who has a tidy collection of raised beds in her front yard where she grows vegetables, went viral, and officials in the town found themselves swamped by bad publicity after charging Bass with violating city codes.

The Oak Park Hates Vegetables Facebook page, for example, has more than 29,000 "likes."

I am thinking that this might make a good headline on the story: "Tomatoes beet bureaucrats."

Posted by Susan Reimer at 10:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Garden news
        

A: Galls are very common on oaks and maples.  These growths are abnormal swellings of plant tissue, usually leaves and twigs, caused by insects, mites, bacteria, fungi, or nematodes.

Most insect and mite galls result from chemicals introduced by the egg laying and feeding activities of the organism. The chemicals cause the affected tree cells to swell. Though galls appear in many strange forms, they rarely do any harm.  They do not affect the health of the tree and are more of a cosmetic issue.  Chemical control is not recommended.

Q: Help! This has occurred now the second year.  I just let my dogs out and looked at the garden for ten minutes and, even through my stockings, I must have five welts like mosquito bites. I don't see a thing. This occurs only on one side of the garden.

A: If you can eliminate fleas as the culprit, mosquitoes are the best bet. The Asian Tiger Mosquito, a recent arrival to our shores, is extremely pesky. It feeds during the day (unlike her more nocturnal cousins), is a persistent repeat biter, and worst of all, is a carrier of West Nile virus.

Wear suitable clothing when in the yard and spray exposed skin with a repellent containing 'deet.' Scout your home and landscape often and eliminate any sources of standing water.  There are many surprising places. Check drain pipes, flower pot saucers, indentations in tarps, rain gutters, etc.  All Asian Tiger mosquitoes need is a teaspoon of water to reproduce. Refresh bird baths weekly or more often. Keep high grass and weeds to a minimum.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 12:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

More than 60 readers sent photos of their gardens along with a short essay. The entries were narrowed to 13 and judges visited each. An overall winner was named, as well as a winner and a runner-up in each of four categories: large, medium, small and container.

And there was a special commendation for a gardener who goes above and beyond the call of garden duty, Shirley Lustek of Baltimore.

Visit baltimoresun.com and you will see stories about the winners as well as more than 150 photos of the gardens, all of them by Sun photographer Amy Davis, herself an exceptional gardener.

It is an extraordinary package, capturing the beauty, and the thoughtfulness, of these gardens. You will learn that Barry Glassman had to had to rescue a vacant lot in Butcher's Hill for his garden; that Glen Stemiller of Sykesville gives new meaning to the term "train garden;" that Sally Barker's garden in Phoenix reflects her knowledge, and that Emily Jaskot of Baltimore has done a lot with a little bit of space.

As one of the judges, I must confess that these were some of my favorite days "at the office." I found the gardens reflected their gardeners in real, as well as amusing, ways. Just like people and their dogs, I guess.

So, sit back -- in air-conditioned comfort -- and take a tour of Baltimore's best gardens. We promise, you're feet won't be sore at the end.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Garden contests
        

Baltimore Sun photographer Amy Davis captures details of the gardens competing for top honors in The Baltimore Sun's 2011 Garden Contest. The winning gardens, and lots of pictures of them, will appear Saturday.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Threadleaf Coreopsis

Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’

Text and photo by Marian Hengemihle

Acclaimed by the Perennial Plant Association as the 1992 Perennial Plant of the Year, Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ is a reliable performer in the garden. This perennial offers season-long color, drought tolerance once established, and deer, rabbit and pest resistance.

Plants form low compact mounds covered in pale yellow daisy-like flowers held above fine textured foliage. Growing about 2-feet high and wide, they provide a delicate airy look to the garden. The soft color and fine texture contrasts effectively with the bold foliage of many other perennials.

They look best planted in front of beds and borders, in mass plantings, edging along paths, steps and paved areas, in containers or rock gardens. Give them full sun in well drained soil and you will be rewarded with flowers from June until frost.

Older plants benefit from a light shearing in August to prolong bloom. At the end of the season flower heads provide winter interest and food for the birds.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

What's blooming at Baltimore's Rawlings Conservatory?

You!

The Conservatory is hosting a volunteer recruiting event on Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30. Stop by and learn how you can help Baltimore's famous "glass house," as a tour guide, a greeter or on special projects.

Also on Wednesday, the Conservatory will have have special children's activities from 6 to 7 p.m. This will be a regular feature at the Conservatory on the second Wednesday of the month through September. This week, the activity is transplanting basil.

And finally, the Conservatory is open to the public until 7:30 on Wednesday nights to coincice with the new Farmers Market.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Baltimore's Rawlings Conservatory
        

The English garden mysteries are a series of books written by Anthony Eglin and featuring botanist Lawrence Kingston.

The latest is "Garden of Secrets Past," set to be released in August, and it tells of a murder near a country estate where an ancient monument holds a cryptic secret: an inscription in a code that has baffled the cleverest minds. When the police inquiry stalls, retired professor Kingston is called in.

English-born Eglin spent many years in advertising before defecting to indulge in his passion for gardening. In 1995 he started The Larkspur Company, co-producing a series of bestselling garden videotapes. The same year, he won Garden Design magazine’s Gold Trowel Award for Best Rose Garden.

His book, "The Blue Rose," won France’s prestigious Prix Arsène Lupin for mystery novel of the year.  Eglin is a member of the American Rose Society and lives with his wife Suzie and tabby cat, Pyewacket, in Sonoma, Calif.

The other books in his series are "The Blue Rose," "The Water Lily Cross," "The Lost Garden" and "The Trail of the Wild Rose." The books are published in the United States by Thomas Dunn Books, St. Martin's Press.

I love English mysteries and I love gardens, especially English gardens. Sounds like the perfect combination for me!

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Garden books
        

Simply type "July garden tips" in the Google search box and you will get plenty of advice and a list of chores that is a mile long.

But not all of these lists are applicable in your area -- every region of the country has its own climate and its own microclimates. So check the source for the tips. Many come from extension services or agricultural departments at universities in your area.

I checked in with my friend and fellow blogger, Susan Harris, who provides monthly garden chore lists at Behnkes Nurseries in Beltsville.

Her advice? Water and weed. And that's just for starters. (The University of Maryland Extension reports that Maryland is suffering from drought conditions during a particularly dry June and July. They have detailed watering advice for gardeners.)

Susan's tips also include:

• Chrysanthemums should be cut back by about half to encourage fall blooming (rather than later this month), and to create taller stems that don’t flop.
• Deadhead reblooming perennials and annuals to encourage rebloom, except for those with attractive or bird-supporting seedheads, which you may want to leave in the garden until winter.
• Many shrubs will rebloom if deadheaded, too – like many roses, spireas, and crapemyrtle.
  Remove dead, damaged or disease branches of shrubs and trees anytime.  Same goes for suckers and water sprouts.
• July 4th is the traditional “last call” for pruning many shrubs that bloom next year on buds that are set this year (e.g., azaleas, rhododendrons, lilacs, early-blooming spireas).  So if you want blooms next spring, do NOT prune these shrubs after the 4th.
• Except for roses, don’t feed your shrubs or trees now – wait until winter or early spring.  But do give roses their final feeding of the summer this month.
• Be alert for slug and snail damage. They’ll hide during the heat of the day, then come out of hiding in the cool mornings and evening hours or after a rain. Seek and destroy all slugs and their eggs! Use Sluggo for best control.
• Many different kinds of caterpillars are feeding on shade trees. No controls are necessary unless severe defoliation is observed.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Weekend Chores
        

But now is the time to shop for deals at nurseries, which may be trying to clear out rough-looking plant material to make room for new fall plants.

Check the websites for local nurseries like Behnkes in Beltsville and Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville, and you will see lots of sales. You might want to spend some time this weekend looking for bargains.

The plants may be looking a little rough right now, but don't worry. They should perk up with your TLC.

Marie Iannotti, who writes a gardening blog for about.com, has some tips for selecting mid-season plants. Here is her advice.

Check the plants for insects, disease and die back from lack of water. A pot with lots of weeds hasn't been well cared for, either.

Lanky growth and pot-bound roots will correct themselves in the ground.

Give your new plants plenty of water, but wait until the roots settle in before feeding them.

And don't be afraid to buy deciduous trees at this time of year. They are going to lose their leaves anyway. They should be fine with your TLC. 

Posted by Susan Reimer at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Garden tips
        

Julie Bass, of Oak Park, is facing up to 93 days in jail for -- yes -- planting a vegetable garden in her front yard.

Bass planted the raised vegetable beds in her front yard, ostensibly because the price of organic food his so high. But the city booked Bass under a regulation that says a front yard has to have "suitable, live plant material."

The city gave her a ticket, and when she didn't tear up her garden they charged her with a misdemeanor.

Bass explained to a local news station: "We thought it'd be really cool to do it so the neighbors could see. The kids love it. The kids from the neighborhood all come and help."

Said Bass: "They say, ‘Why should you grow things in the front?’ Well, why shouldn’t I? They’re fine. They’re pretty. They’re well maintained,” said Bass.

She is scheduled for a preliminary hearing July 26.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Garden news
        

Behnke Nursery

Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Beltsville

Caribbean Festival

Join Behnke's as the staff welcomes back Caribbean Dance Traditions for a Caribbean Festival.   There will be games, Caribbean music, and Caribbean food, along with a Caribbean Craft Market and demonstrations.

Besides watching the dancers and learning how to dance to Caribbean music, you can sit back, relax and listen to Reggae artist “ROWE” and the sweet sounds of Steel Pan Jam. 

Saturday, 9:30 to 4:00 in Potomac

Orchid Diagnostic and Repotting Clinic with Host Carol Allen

Have an orchid question? Ask Carol! Her vast knowledge of orchids comes from many years of hands-on experience. She would love to answer your questions and, for a minimal fee, she will expertly repot your orchid.

Sunday, in Beltsville

Event: Hosta Bingo Extravaganza with the Potomac Hosta Club

The club will hold a brief meeting, socialize a little and then Bingo until they drop! If you do not already belong to the club, you can pay the club dues at the door and then join the fun.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Garden events
        

Funeral services were held in Annapolis Thursday for Don Riddle, Jr., founder of Homestead Gardens of Davidsonville, one of the largest independent garden centers in the country.

Riddle, who was 63, was found dead on his boat least week.

Riddle built Homestead into an year-round destination for Maryland gardeners, from the spring flower show in March, to the crepemyrtle festival in July, the tomato festival in August and dozens of activities for children at Halloween. His Christmas display was both extravagant and magical.

He began by selling azaleas and a flats of annuals at the end of driveway to his family farm in Hyattsville. With the support of his parents -- his father died this spring -- he built Homestead into the industry giant it is today.

Riddle acknowledged his success by giving back to the community of Annapolis in many ways. He worked tirelessly to convince city fathers to let him decorate the lightpoles and street corners of downtown with flowers. He wanted Annapolis to be known as the City of Flowers by the Bay. He also provided the Christmas tree at city dock and all its decorations and was the official gardener for Camden Yards.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Garden news
        

Q: At our Fourth of July picnic we had tiny red insects crawling all over the patio pavers! Someone said they are mites.  How do I get rid of paver mites, if possible organically?

A: These are clover mites. You’ll notice they have eight legs, not the usual six which insects have, so technically they are not insects.  On your pavers, you can spray them with insecticidal soap. They are usually a temporary pest, often of new homes or landscapes.  Call or go online for our clover mite publication: http://www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg66_000.pdf.

Q: I am moving to a new home with a sizable backyard that doesn't have many trees. I want some fast growing shade trees. What do you recommend?

A: We hesitate to recommend fast growing trees for shade, primarily because fast growing trees are usually weak, brittle, or messy trees that can cause problems in the future.  It is important that you choose trees based on their ultimate mature size and shape and that you plant them at a proper distance from your home and property lines.  Some of the better, relatively fast growing shade trees include pin oaks, willow oaks, maples or one of the new disease-resistant beeches.

(To avoid invasive trees, see our publication, ”Invasive Plant Control in Maryland”: http://www.hgic.umd.edu/_media/documents/hg88.pdf. )

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Some good news for Maryland fruit growers.

The EPA approved, for emergency use, the insecticide dinotefuran (trade names Venom and Scorpion) on tree fruit to help manage populations of the brown marmorated stink bug.

The nvasive insect caused extensive yield losses in tree fruit production in the mid-Atlantic region last year and was expected to do even more damage this season.

The approval, known as an emergency exemption, applies to Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey. Under the exemption, producers of stone fruit (such as peaches, plums and cherries) and pome fruit (including apples and pears) are allowed to manage the brown marmorated stink bug with two applications of dinotefuran by ground equipment per season.

EPA has assessed the risks of the exemption involving dinotefuran and finds that it meets the current safety standards. Dinotefuran is already approved for use on leafy vegetables, cotton, grapes, potatoes and a variety of other crops.

Also, the EPA approved an additional use for an insecticide that may help manage stink bugs in organic production systems. The new product contains azadirachtin and pyrethrins, which are derived from botanical ingredients.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Insects
        

Photo credit: Baltimore Sun/David Hobby

My colleague at The Baltimore Sun, Tim Wheeler, writes that Maryland's state butterfly, the Baltimore Checkerspot, is in decline and volunteers are trying to restore the population by breeding them in captivity.

One retired nurse has managed to raise 250 of the butterflies, named for Maryland's founding family, in a tent in Montgomery County.

Read more about this effort in Tim's story.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 9:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Insects
        

Impatiens x New Guinea Hybrids

Text and photo by Marian Hengemihle

Tired of common impatiens? Want to brighten up a location with too much sun for common impatiens?

New Guinea impatiens fit the bill. These carefree annuals bloom from late spring to the first fall frost. Showy flowers come in many vibrant colors like lavender, salmon, white, purple, pink, red, and orange. Lush leaves are long and pointed in colors from strikingly dark green to reddish bronze or variegated.

There are many varieties, and they can grow from 12 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide. These low maintenance plants have a bushy growth habit and seldom get leggy.  Plant after the last frost.

When introduced, New Guinea impatiens were touted as an impatien for sun, but they grow best in light shade, especially afternoon shade or an eastern exposure. Place in a moist, well drained soil. Incorporate a slow-release fertilizer into the soil before planting.

New Guinea impatiens are best used in mass plantings, beds, borders, and containers.

Posted by Susan Reimer at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)