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are some questions and answers about pests from Emily's mailbox.
Q: I was wondering will snake plants harm my iguana if he eats it ? A: (The readers will think we make this stuff up!) We do get a lot of poison plant questions. Here are our favorite websites for poison plants: http://www.sniksnak.com/plants-toxic.html http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/index.html http://www.vth.colostate.edu/poisonous_plants/report/search.cfm As for the iguana, I'm afraid you will have to go to www.EmiliGuana.com (alright, I made that up). Q: I have a weed in my garden that resembles a small clover plant and it bears small yellow flowers. Could you please tell me how to rid my garden of this pest? I think it is called Black Medic, but I am not sure. A: Right on! You have accurately described Black Medic which is Medicago lupulina. The "Southern Living Garden Problem Solver" says to hand pull the young plants before they go to seed. Older plants have a tough taproot that is hard to get out. Thick mulch will prevent the seeds from developing. In the spring, before planting (if that is the type of bed that you have) try soil solarization. Covering the bed with thick plastic for 4-8 weeks to kill the seeds with heat. Failing all of that, the Southern Living book says to control or kill it with a herbicide (like Weed B Gone) on lawns or a herbicidal soap in gardens or (heaven forbid) Roundup. All of which can be purchased at your garden shop. Read the label. Be careful. Q: I live in the northeast and both myself and my Uncle have the same problem with our gladioli. They seem blighted and some have white lines especially the dark colored ones and the buds are not opening. Do you think this could be from under watering or over watering. Could it be related to all the rain we had late spring and early summer? Any information and or tips will be greatly appreciated. A: You probably have thrips. Thrips have bodies that are brown, yellow, or black and shaped like a grain of rice. However, they are only 1/20 th of an inch long so you probably cannot see them. On gladiolus, the leaves are mottled with brown spots and a silvery white streaking and look stunted. Many flower buds dry and fail to open. Thrips are a common gladiolus problem. They attack during warm, dry, spring weather, usually. You can control thrips by either spraying an insecticide or use a systemic insecticide. You will have to look in your garden shop and read the labels to see what is sold in your area. Q: I am new to house plants (before, a wild, avid gardener), and now have a glorious snake plant--but I discovered that many of its leaves are covered in many many many small hard brown scab like things. I suspect this is scale, and have washed the leaves with your soapy-water-mix--but I thought snake plants were nearly impervious to pests: what do you think, is it really scale? Never heard of scale on a snake plant. The "A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants" says sometimes mealybugs and spidermites can occur on snake plants. That's all. If you think it may be scale and the soap spray does not do it, then try rubbing (scraping) the snake plant with one of those plastic kitchen pot scrubbers (gently). That should scrape them off, then apply the soap spray so they don't re- attach .Q: Emily, I live in Florida & I'm limited to what I can have in my garden. We have many deer & they ate all of my hawthornes as candy. What about var pittosporum? Do they like them as well? I'm running out of ideas for my garden. Can you help me suggest some ideas what I can put that deer don't like.....HELP!!! A: Deer like almost anything, but there are a few web sites that I found that have dear resistant plant lists. http://www.deerxlandscape.com/http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/publications/deer.html\ I found them by "googling" "dear resistant plant" There was also a list in Rodale's "Landscape Problem Solver" and a list in the "Southern Living Gardening Guide". I did not see pittosporum on the lists. Many of the landscape and problem books had other suggestions: deer repellent, moth balls sprinkled around the yard, hot peppers sprinkled around (which we have used very successfully but you need a lot of pepper and it will not survive rains), soap on strings hanging from trees, fences (tall or multiple). When we lived in South Carolina backing up to woods the deer had lots to eat in the woods so only ate our expensive hosta plants which I protected with ground up hot peppers. The fence around our yard (which was not put up to deter deer) was five feet tall and the deer treated it like it was not there. Q: My snake plant has crown rot. Any suggestions? A: Crown rot is caused by soil-dwelling fungi and bacteria. Every resource I can find says the same thing: "There is no cure for this disease. Immediately remove and destroy any infected plants and the soil around them." That means all the soil in the pot and wash all the soil out of the pot before using it again. Q: Does the soap sprays or the "bug juice"
control squash bugs? I would like your advice, or
your directing me to a source for advice, on controlling these guys. A: Squash bugs (anasa tristis), or stinkbugs love plant juices and
squash. Q: Do you have any Organic tips for destroying
Spider Mites. I have a Poinsettia that I have had
for five years that was ravaged by them this year so I had to drastically
cut it back which hurt. It may still have some because it is slow to
re-leaf. A: According to Rodale's "Landscape Problem Solver" there are at least
two organic solutions to spider mites: Q: I have this smooth green caterpillar eating the leaves of my angel trumpet. Do you know what the name is and most important how do I kill it? A: You want us tell you how to kill something that is going to turn into
a beautiful moth or butterfly? Q: How do you get rid of alligator weed without using powerful chemicals (e.g.., Roundup)? Did you have any success with biological methods? It has invaded my vegetable garden the last 2 years (I think I picked it up through bags of leaves people left on curbs) and it is spreading, particularly in wet areas. I have spent a lot of time digging and hand pulling but I can never get the entire root and it comes back. It likes the hot summer climate here, and I don't have the patience (or stamina) to pull it out during the summer! I appreciate any ideas you have, A: Since we do not use herbicides or any chemicals, alligator weeds are a constant battle. Not so much where we have lived before (above zone 7) but here in NorthEast Florida (zones 8/9) it seems to love the hot, dry, wet, humid weather and it flourishes. I am constantly pulling it. Constantly. Q: I have a garden and had one grub last year know I have seen seven this year and killed them. But I don't want the situation to get any worse, so do you have a solution that I could do for this. I would appreciate it very much. A: Three natural controls for Japanese beetles are: Milky spore (Bacillus popilliae) - it will destroy the grub stage. Also, beneficial nematodes such as (Heterorhabditis) The third is neem oil. It comes form the Neem tree (India). When put to the soil it kills the grubs and when used on ornamentals it kills the adult beetles. (This from the Southern Living Garden Problem Solver) In addition, one of our friends wrote an entire article on Grubs a while ago. Q: I would like to know if anyone has used "beneficial nematodes" to kill grubs. I'm trying to control the Japanese beetle. A: According to Rodale's "Landscape Problem Solver" under their section on controlling Japanese Beetles: "if grubs are a particular problem in your garden, you should consider applying beneficial nematodes to the soil. They will seek out the grubs, burrow into them and reproduce. Nematodes release bacteria which kill the grubs." Southern Living "Garden Problem Solver" for white grubs: "add beneficial nematodes to the lawn. Adding the biological control called Milky Spore (Bacillus popilliae - Dutky) to the lawn will kill Japanese beetle grubs. Q: I have a 4ft tall gardenia plant in my front yard that will not produce any blooms. I saw a lot of black stuff on the leaves all the way down the stem. I was told that I could wash the black stuff off with some mild detergent so I did and the mess would not come off, so I carefully washed each leaf with my hands. I think I need to pull it up trash it and replant another one. If I do is there something I need to do to the soil so as not to get the black stuff on the plant again, or can this one be salvaged? A: From the "Southern Living Garden Problem Solver" book (for Gardenia): "Sooty mold. A black powdery substance covering the tops of the leaves. Solution: Sooty mold lives on honeydew secreted by sucking insects, such as aphids, scales, mealybugs, and whiteflies. The mold can prevent sunlight from reaching the leaves, thereby reducing plant vigor. Eliminate honeydew by controlling the insects with insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, or acephate (Orthene)" Sounds like you have already tried the soap. Perhaps the oil. I think you are on the right track. Q: I planted ornamental grass around a tree and the rabbits are eating it to the ground. What can I do to keep the rabbits out? Allen, TX A: First thought is to move. Okay, that only gets you away from those particular rabbits. We sprinkle ground up hot pepper on and around the plants (used to raise Thai, cayenne, jalapeño and had a lot left over at the end of the salsa season.) Dry the peppers then grind them up in a blender. That only works until the next rain, but can be effective short term. Here is what the experts say: Southern Living "Garden Problem Solver" "...rabbits cannot climb. A chicken wire fence, 3 feet high, around the vegetable garden sends these furry pests over to your neighbor's plot. Just make sure you anchor the fence 6 inches deep in the ground, because rabbits can dig." Not a very good solution for your grass. Rodale's "Landscape Problem Solver" They suggest traps (10"x12"x30"box trap) "bait with fresh greens, carrots, or fresh clover." Of course, you knew that. They also suggest a dog or cat in the yard. This, of course, might compound your problems. They also say, "Many gardeners find that used cat litter repels rabbits when it's sprinkled on the lawn and around ornamentals" "Replace after each rain." "Do not use cat litter around edible plants" This would solve a disposal problem for your neighbor, if they have cats. They also talk about repellents. "Taste repellents are more effective (for rabbits) than scent repellents. Scent repellents: anything that smells of blood. "sprinkling dried blood meal on the soil around vulnerable plants...reapply after each rain.""Some gardeners report that vinegar wards off rabbits. Save a few corn cobs after a meal and cut the cobs in half. Soak them in vinegar for 5 minutes, then scatter them throughout the flower or vegetable garden. Two weeks later soak them again in the same vinegar. Your can keep reusing this vinegar; just keep it in its own labeled bottle." "Other rabbit repellents reported effective by some homeowners include lion and tiger manure (sold by some zoos as ZooDoo); a solution of cow manure and water applied as a spay; onions interplanted among the crops; fish tankage and bone meal; and soybeans planted adjacent to the garden." Taste repellents: Purchase a commercial taste repellent. They again recommend dried blood, hot pepper or black pepper.Wait a minute! Why am I telling you all this. You're in Texas. Don't you have a gun? Good luck. Q: Is there anything you can do when a tree starts growing mistletoe. I live in Texas. A: Yes the best early prevention of an invasive parasite is to cut the limb... as close to the mistletoe as possible. This may seem harsh but it is what is recommended. Q: Can mistletoe be cut from the host tree and planted in a pot to make a topiary? A: I wish I had thought of something like this. However, in all my research on mistletoe (Phoradendron, various species) I can only find two general areas of comment: How to get rid of it Since it is a parasite, growing on woody plants, I doubt that it will grow in dirt. They take nutrients and moisture from the host plant. It propagates by seed. The seed has to land on another branch in order to germinate. So my guess is, I don't think so. Q: How can I eradicate Wild Radish? A: I suspect you will have to use a selective herbicide. Be very careful when you do. Read the directions very well. You could also do manual digging. The root is your problem it is probably well established. Try to let the plant not go to seed. One year of seeding equals seven years of weeding. Good luck Q: I have trouble with black spot on my roses. I have a couple of climbers and a bush rose. All have black spot. I removed the diseased leaves and doused all the rest with a powdery spray. I also sprayed the powder on the ground surrounding each bush. We also have a liquid black spot treatment chemical that I haven't yet used. Is there anything that can be done preventively to avoid it? What causes it to begin with? Whatever it is, it thrives in this environment. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated. A: Everyone is affected by black spot....... Sooner or later, but there
is help......... Pick off all affected leaves and bag and throw in trash Plant native roses or disease resistant roses like ' Bonica', 'Carefree Beauty', 'Flower Carpet', 'Dr W.Van Fleet', or' Mrs. B. R. Cant'. There is also one called 'Nearly Wild' which blooms all summer and quite disease resistant !! It is the number one rose disease that starts in the fall There you have it in a nut shell......... Q: I live in The Boston area. Every year I have fungus (red thread, I believe) that destroys approximately 30/40% of my grass plants. Every year at Labor Day I aerate the lawn, put plenty of the slow release palletized lime down, re-seed and fertilize with step 3 of Scotts 4 step lawn fertilizer program. I am writing you to find out what I can/should be doing to try to eliminate the fungus. I of course have contacted Scotts Lawn Care Products and they recommend I use their fungus control product. I have in the past, and it does work to some degree, however, it works more as an inhibitor than a preventer. Can you tell me what I should be doing or where I might go on the Internet to get some answers to this chronic problem? A: Fungus grows because there is too much organic material around, sometimes wetness or dampness, darkness, and depending if the host is air borne or not it may becoming form some direction. Yes a fungicide should do the job. Probably more than one application. Thatching and aerating may be spreading it. I would not put lime down unless your soil testing indicates needing it. I think your local count horticultural agent should be able to help there . Personally, I am not a grass-lawn person since it is murderous in zone 8b where I live. I remember lush, green, fesue lawns where one could romp and play with no problems whatsoever in the north. Here we fight fire ants on a daily basis. As far as finding good sources on the Internet, your land grant University in your state should have a site. The University of Massachusetts site is www.umass.edu/umext. Some local Master Gardeners might have a more specific way to fight your particular fungus, if it is common enough. Q: I have a big white fly problem. I've tried various sprays, they cut the numbers down but don't eliminate them. I looked on your site; I didn't see any white fly solutions. Any ideas? A: White fly can be controlled by using soap and oil spray. Or a neem
spray. Q: I live in Rock Hill SC. and have four light pink Crepe Myrtles. Each summer they get white fly and when we spray them, they look terrible. (Sticky, mildew, yellow leaves.) They seem very attracted to my trees. Is it possible they get too much water or is it the mulch? I never had this problem in Texas. What can I do! A: I don't think it is either the watering or the mulch. We have gardener friends who just throw up their hands and give up on white flies, but we try to jump right on them when we see them. We constantly look for small white fly infestations and begin spraying daily or every other day with insecticidal soap. If you don't stay ahead of them, they take over. However, if you do stay ahead of them, you can beat them. We rarely spray for more than ten days. Keep checking and may have to spray once more a few weeks later. Q: I started using organic fertilizers on my lawn and I now have a lawn full of dandelions. Do you know any organic way of getting rid of the dandelions? A: The most organic way of getting rid of dandelions is to pull them. It is a lot of work but I did it on my yard 10 years ago. You might spray with vinegar individually and see how that works. Q: Bunches of these dandelions are attacking the
wild daffodils, they won't stop & they don't just come droves, they come in
groups, not droves, groups! What the heck do I need to do to destroy them
for good? A: We usually let overlapping plants fight it out. Whichever wins, we
plant more of it. We get lot stronger plants that way. Q: I have 4 large red tip photinia's and the leaves have begun to yellow around the edges. What could the problem be? A: Yellowing around the tips of plants can be a sign of several things.
First I would suspect over watering and then it is hard to believe but
under watering may also be the clue. You will know yourself, which it
could be. Q: My wife and I recently added a golden retriever puppy to our home in Palo Alto, CA, and our backyard is inhabited with foxtails, which we understand from our veterinarian to be very dangerous (and potentially lethal) to pets. We would like to treat our lawn with a nontoxic herbicide that will eliminate the foxtails but not risk harm to our puppy. Do you know of any treatments or herbicides that you might recommend for us? A: Herbicides indeed are very dangerous for pets. Q: I have a really sick plant and I need help fast! I realize now that I did terrible things to this plant and it is suffering from my ignorance. I want to do everything that I can to revive it but I need to act quickly! Here's the story: The plant was given to me as a gift about two
months back. I have no idea what kind of plant it is, I asked the guy who
gave it to me and he didn't know either. It is a tree of some sort, the
leaves are shaped like an oval pointed at both ends with jagged edges. The
leaves are green with a touch of yellow around the edges. The stalk is
long and straight, there are two stalks that start at the base and go
straight up to the top, and the leaves droop down a little. It is about
two and a half feet tall and about a 12-14 inches in diameter. A: Whew, sounds like your plant is having quite a time and very
exhausted from all its trauma. I would lay low for a bit and give that
plant some R and R. You have done all the correct things. Soap and water,
replanting, and taking it to a safer place to grow. Keep watching for
insects, and treating. Do not over water. Keep in the shade until you see
signs of new growth. Q: In your tip you say that you use bug killers but I have one that is safe for every thing. It is called cedar cide. It can be used on pets, plants, and humans; outside, every where. And it works! On a recent trip to Texas I came in contact with it. Bugs munch on me like no tomorrow but when I used this stuff -nothing. Its made out of cedar trees and leaves you, your pets, and your house smelling like a cedar forest. I've only seen it in Texas though. Thought I'd tell you any way! A: Yes, I am familiar with cedar cide and it is a great product. I probably should recommend it....... I have read good things about it and I believe it works just fine. Q: Is there a way, other than store bought chemicals, to keep the 20 or so neighborhood cats from using my wife's flower garden as a litter box? Any advice would be appreciated. A: Cats in the garden are quite a nuisance. There are several
suggestions: Q: I just purchased and planted a butterfly bush in my flowerbed a few weeks ago. I have noticed in the last week or so, that there are holes in many the leaves of the bush. The overall look and health of the bush seems to be good, except for some browning near the ground. Can you tell me of what could be causing these holes and whether I need to cut off the browning leaves and stems near the bottom of the plant. I am very new to gardening. I need all the help I can get! Thank you for your time! A: The holes in the leaves of your butterfly bush (without actually seeing the plant itself) may be caused by an insect. You can wash the plant down with a soap wash (one tablespoon of ivory soap to one gallon) in the early morning and then rinse. A few applications may be necessary to rid the plant of insects. If there is browning on the bottom, it is probably due to the stress and strain of being planted. Water well, but do not drown. You can pinch off the brown leaves etc. Q: I've got aphids on my ferns. What is a reliable, organic way to get rid of them? A: Using soap and water can diminish Aphids. A gallon of water and one TBS of dishwater soap. Or buy Safer. Just as the product suggests it is safe for all concerned: you, animals, and the plants. I generally take the plants and use just plain water as a wash and hand rub the plant down over a sink. If you do not control and get rid of aphids, they will start producing a black sooty sticky mess on the plants. This may take several efforts but worth the time. Q: I've recently discovered Emily's website and I love it. I'd like to ask a question concerning aphids. Due to you I found out that my Pachira aquatica is suffering of these almost microscopic bugs, and the sticky drops on the back side of the leaves are not something "normal". I washed the plant immediately, as you advised. Next day I've got some more drops... What is the connection between aphids and drops
? Are they a secretion of the insects? A: Yuck. yes, the sticky stuff is produced by the bugs. I never heard of Pachira aquatica and it was not listed in the A-Z Gardening Encyclopedia but I finally found it in Botanica. Interesting. Rodale's Landscape Problem Solver has about 60 entries in their index
about aphids. "...may be a symptom of too much nitrogen fertilizer, excessive pruning of trees, or extravagant use of pesticides that kill off aphid predators and parasites." "spray vigorously with water three times, once every other day, in the early morning. If this doesn't help, use insecticidal soap every two to three days for two weeks. As a last resort, spray with pyrethrum." Hope this helps. Q: Slugs are everywhere. How do I get rid of them? A: Slugs really do damage plants, especially the leaves. Hand pick the larger ones loose in the evening. The beer bait works. Many commercial products will do the trick (for instance dicamateous soil). You may have to switch bait to keep them from getting immune. Q: I have a new Angel's Trumpet, planted at 8" tall 8 weeks ago. It is now about 20" tall and developing a few 'trunks'. Problem is - something is eating the leaves (about a 1/4 or more of each leaf is gone). On 04 June I sprayed it with Bayer Advance Insect, Disease & Mite Control and and that seemed to stop it, but now the eating is going full bore again. I do not see the culprit. Am told it might be slugs at night. I'd thought of wrapping the trunks with cloth and putting grease or Vaseline on the cloths (stops ants - thought this might work with other climbers or slugs). Any suggestions? Thank you, Murf A: Our guess is slugs, although it could be anything. If you will put some beer in a tuna can (or mayonnaise jar top) and set it next to the plant in the evening, in the morning the dead slugs will be floating in it and you can tell if you have slugs that way. R: If the Slugs are under 21 years of age can I
get in trouble for serving them alcohol? Thank you for the info. I'll take a
chance that they are older Slugs - if our Tampa Bay area rain ever stops. R: Probably because I thought it up myself. Was just wondering if you had ever heard of anyone trying ANYTHING like that? I tried the beer and no slugs showed up, but the beer was gone. My wolf-dog may have gotten it. Maybe before the slugs had a chance. Q: I live in coastal Georgia and have many large azaleas in my yard. I noticed recently that something is eating jagged small holes in the mature leaves, leaving brown edges around the holes. What is it and how do I get rid of it? A: According to Rodale's "Landscape Problem Solver" Japanese Beetles and Asiatic garden beetles will leave holes that are brown along the edges. However, it says that they attack younger leaves. In addition, you should be able to see the beetles. Hand pick them off, set out beetle traps, or add milky spore to the soil. More likely, you have slugs or snails that feed at night and leave rasping holes. They like moist areas and live under boards during the day. Rodale's suggests what we have done forever. Beer traps: take the top of a mayonnaise jar or a tuna can and sink it in the ground (so the slugs don't have to climb the sides) and fill it with beer in the evening. If there are not dead slugs floating in the morning, then you do not have slugs. Q: Moles!!! They're driving me crazy. What can I do. A: Moles are after one thing. Food. Removing the food source which is grubs, cut worms, worms and insects might go a long way. Organic methods are friendly to our earth, but tend to be longer to accomplish.
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