June
Tips
- Rhododendron: to improve blooms for next year, remove old blooms 2 weeks after the flowers fade. Do this carefully, by hand, so that you don't injure the new leaf shoots under the blooms.
- Roses: when cutting blossoms, make the cut above a 5 leaflet leaf. The new stem is more likely to bear flowers than a stem from a 3 leaflet leaf.
- Outdoor Lights: use red and yellow bulbs to reduce insect problems. Insects don't see these colors and are not attracted to them as they are to white.
Plant
- Annuals and sow seeds of quick growing annuals (cosmos, marigolds, zinnia).
Light Pruning and Chores
- Daffodils should be divided if they are large and have few blooms or every 4 years. Dig with a garden fork 6 weeks past bloom. Remove dirt in a pail of water or with a hose. Dry in a mesh bag in a cool dry place. Replant in October.
- Daylillies can safely be moved now. Water well until established.
- Phlox divaricata (woodland phlox) should be divided now.
- Divide spring and early summer flowering perennials after the blooms fade.
- Fall bloomers, if you did not do this in May, cut back those that get too tall by 1/3-1/2 now to reduce their height. Cut the outer branches lower than the inner ones to better shape. (Joe Pye weed (cut when 3' tall), NE and NY asters, monarda, phlox, chrysanthemums.)
- Christmas cactus: move outdoors to a shady spot. Keep fairly dry.
- Cover cherry trees and blueberry bushes to prevent the birds from eating them.
Hot Season Plant Pests
From now through September look for these hot season pests.
MITES
They are not insects but arachnids, and are closely related to spiders. They come in red, black, green, tan, or yellow and are about the size of a pinpoint. You may be unaware you have them until serious damage appears, which coincides with stretches of hot dry weather and poorly watered plants. If you suspect mites on a plant, hold a piece of white paper under a leaf, then gently tap the leaf. Mites will drop on to the paper and look like slowly crawling specks.
There are many types of mites, such a boxwood mites, euonymous red mite and spruce mite, all of which attach specific plants. However, spider mites eat a wide range of annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vegetables and houseplants. And southern red mites love azalea, holly and cotoneaster. These pests reproduce once a week!!! Mites suck juice from leaves, stems and flower buds. Foliage and flowers may appear speckled, yellowed or distorted. On tomatoes, petunias and potatoes (all members of the potato family), greasy yellow colored leaves are a sure sign of tomato russet mite.
Treatment: Use a stiff spray of water to wash off mites. For heavy infestations throw the plant out.
They are not insects but arachnids, and are closely related to spiders. They come in red, black, green, tan, or yellow and are about the size of a pinpoint. You may be unaware you have them until serious damage appears, which coincides with stretches of hot dry weather and poorly watered plants. If you suspect mites on a plant, hold a piece of white paper under a leaf, then gently tap the leaf. Mites will drop on to the paper and look like slowly crawling specks.
There are many types of mites, such a boxwood mites, euonymous red mite and spruce mite, all of which attach specific plants. However, spider mites eat a wide range of annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, vegetables and houseplants. And southern red mites love azalea, holly and cotoneaster. These pests reproduce once a week!!! Mites suck juice from leaves, stems and flower buds. Foliage and flowers may appear speckled, yellowed or distorted. On tomatoes, petunias and potatoes (all members of the potato family), greasy yellow colored leaves are a sure sign of tomato russet mite.
Treatment: Use a stiff spray of water to wash off mites. For heavy infestations throw the plant out.
JAPANESE BEETLES
Japanese Beetles feed on an amazing variety of fruit trees, grapevines, rosebushes, annuals, perennials and bulbs. Grubs chew the roots of grasses and garden plants. Adult beetles fly, feed and ate from June to August. Through summer, the female beetles burrow into the soil to lay eggs. The larvae pupate in May or June emerging as adults shortly after. There is a new generation every year.
Japanese Beetles feed on an amazing variety of fruit trees, grapevines, rosebushes, annuals, perennials and bulbs. Grubs chew the roots of grasses and garden plants. Adult beetles fly, feed and ate from June to August. Through summer, the female beetles burrow into the soil to lay eggs. The larvae pupate in May or June emerging as adults shortly after. There is a new generation every year.
Mid Season Defoliates
BAGWORMS
Bagworms primarily target needle-leafed evergreens, including arborvitae (Thuja), junipers, spruces, and false cypress (Chamaecyparis), but also deciduous trees such as honey locust and bald cypress.
The caterpillar rapidly consumes needles and leaves, defoliating entire trees. Deciduous trees recover, but evergreens frequently die. Each bag contains 500-1000 eggs. When these hatch, each larva creates its own body bag. The caterpillar eats by stretching it's head and front legs out of the top of the bag. When threatened, it quickly retreats into the bag and pulls the entry closed with a silk drawstring!
Treatment: Remove and destroy bags as soon as they appear.
Bagworms primarily target needle-leafed evergreens, including arborvitae (Thuja), junipers, spruces, and false cypress (Chamaecyparis), but also deciduous trees such as honey locust and bald cypress.
The caterpillar rapidly consumes needles and leaves, defoliating entire trees. Deciduous trees recover, but evergreens frequently die. Each bag contains 500-1000 eggs. When these hatch, each larva creates its own body bag. The caterpillar eats by stretching it's head and front legs out of the top of the bag. When threatened, it quickly retreats into the bag and pulls the entry closed with a silk drawstring!
Treatment: Remove and destroy bags as soon as they appear.
GYPSY MOTHS
Gypsy Moths are voracious pests that have defoliated millions of acres in the eastern US. The hatched caterpillars can float through the air on silken threads. The adult caterpillars are 2" long, hairy and dark with red and blue spots on their backs. They target many trees, but especially oaks.
Treatment: Wrap tree trunks with a sticky barrier to prevent adult females from climbing up to lay eggs and to trap larvae traveling down.
Gypsy Moths are voracious pests that have defoliated millions of acres in the eastern US. The hatched caterpillars can float through the air on silken threads. The adult caterpillars are 2" long, hairy and dark with red and blue spots on their backs. They target many trees, but especially oaks.
Treatment: Wrap tree trunks with a sticky barrier to prevent adult females from climbing up to lay eggs and to trap larvae traveling down.
WEBWORMS
Webworms are sometimes confused with tent caterpillars. But, the two are easy to distinguish. Tent caterpillars construct nests in branch crotches close to the trunk in spring. Webworms build nests out at the end of branches in summer and fall. Webworms target pecans, walnuts, persimmon, sourwood, maple, crabapple, ash, honey locust, and other deciduous trees. The larvae/caterpillars eat the foliage within the nest and enlarge the nest as they grow. Adult moths lay eggs no the undersides of tree leaves in spring and early summer. There may be 3-4 generations per year.
Treatment: Break up newly formed nests with a jet of water.
Webworms are sometimes confused with tent caterpillars. But, the two are easy to distinguish. Tent caterpillars construct nests in branch crotches close to the trunk in spring. Webworms build nests out at the end of branches in summer and fall. Webworms target pecans, walnuts, persimmon, sourwood, maple, crabapple, ash, honey locust, and other deciduous trees. The larvae/caterpillars eat the foliage within the nest and enlarge the nest as they grow. Adult moths lay eggs no the undersides of tree leaves in spring and early summer. There may be 3-4 generations per year.
Treatment: Break up newly formed nests with a jet of water.
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Thanks to Suzanne Aiello who compiled these tips for the Dolley Madison Garden Club.
Email: dmgc.pr.comm@gmail.com
Website: www.dmgcvirginia.org Our Club Facebook page: @DolleyMadisonGardenClub Our Historic Garden Week Facebook page: @HGWOofVA Follow us on Instagram @historicgardenweekorangeva |
© Dolley Madison Garden Club
All photos/images/text and contents are copyrighted . All Rights Reserved P.O. Box 1017 Orange, VA 22960 |