Show Questions: May 5, 2011

1. This is a viewer who wants to know how to apply insecticide to control cucumber beetles without killing off the pollinator. They know about the hose method, but wonder if that will result in fungal diseases
a. That is a good question and one that is hard to answer. The only thing we can say is that the cucumber beetles are always there. Honeybees will be visiting the plant when the flowers are open in order to pollinate them. Of course, they are going to be interested only in landing on the flowers, the petals, and moving inward to get the pollen and nectar. They are not going to be touching the other parts of the plant. That is important. After the day is over, when the blossoms close up and are no longer open, you do have an opportunity to treat for the beetles when the honeybees are not there or the blossoms are still closed. So that would be in the evening hours or early morning hours. Honeybees tend to be active somewhere between 10:00 am until about 6:00 or 7:00 pm. Use a non-residual contact insecticide. I would lean toward permethrin or  ready to use hand pump sprayers with insecticides in them. Use a quick noncontact control rather than leaving a residue. You do have you to keep at it.

2. We have a viewer in Lincoln that wants to hear about the pros and cons of bluegrass verses buffalograss. Then we have an Arapahoe viewer who wants to know if there is any sort of low maintenance ground cover or turf grass to replace bluegrass. And, finally, we have a Hastings viewer one who is wondering about a low input turf.
a. As most people know, as we go from east to the west, we decrease in precipitation and the further west we go, the more adapted buffalograss is because it really was adapted to the short grass prairie, native to United States and central plains. That makes it desirable in a number of ways. As we move closer to the eastern part of the state we get into 27, 28 inches of precipitation in any given year and then it doesn't compete well with some of the cool season grasses like fescue or bluegrass. So something more in the tall grass prairie ends up not competing as well. As you go from Kearney west, buffalograss is well adopted. East of Kearney, you have to be more aggressive with weed control. The major advantage for buffalograss is that it is heat and drought tolerant. Many of the other grasses have neither heat nor drought tolerance at the same level. Buffalograss is really adapted to low moisture areas, but it can be grown in other areas--you just have to be a little more aggressive with the weed control. Bluegrass has a higher irrigation requirement. It may remain green and more fertility is required and there are more disease problems. The newer varieties don't tend to have as many problems as the old ones. Tall fescue is widely adapted to the eastern part of the state. It can be grown in nine years out of ten without supplemental irrigation. So we have a spectrum of things going on with all of the grasses, there is no perfect grass; viewers need to look at various grasses and then make some choices. Check our website and I think you will find good suggestions when you finally do make the choice.

3. A Clematis question from a Lincoln a viewer and a Walnut, Iowa viewer; both of them are saying that they have leaves that are yellowing.
a. With the older plants, there can be crown and root rot especially if they are getting overwatered. So many times we see this type of symptom and sometimes it is really related to the sighting and as it gets warmer we'll see some of this also if the roots are getting too warm. Make sure they are mulched well. Clematis are extremely picky plants and they need to be in the ideal location with well-drained soil, cool roots, some shade to the roots, and full sun for the top part of the plant. It could be the cooler soil temperatures we have had this spring or maybe the nitrogen is not utilized properly. There are so many things that can happen with clematis. If you haven't fertilized in recent years, you might want to try a little additional fertilizer and see if that helps. Oftentimes as we get further into the summer, we get fewer of these questions. It seems to be more of an early spring problem. They sometimes grow out of it as we get further into the season.

4. This question is from a viewer in Superior about potatoes that were destroyed by grubs last year.
a. In the old days, you used to be able to put granular insecticides in the potato bed as you planted, but I'm not aware of anything that would be available like that for a homeowner. I would say don't mulch heavily with organic material because the grubs are attracted to that. It would be like a magnet to attract them for depositing the eggs. Make sure you have good weed control and hopefully that will help. Potatoes don't require pollination so if this is a small planting, you could use row covers and just as the adults are emerging protect the plants from egg layers. That would probably be in mid-June through at least July.

5. A viewer wants to know how to control wild onion, wild garlic, and wild chives from spreading. How do we kill any of these three things?
a. They are not easy to control, but at least there is a product to use if they are in the lawn grasses which is called triclopyr. Look on the label; it will be listed as an active ingredient. It works relatively well on onions, wild garlic, and chives in the turf. When you start getting into the landscape beds we hit a brick wall. Even trying to spot spray with some of the compounds can be problematic. I'm struggling a bit but I will do some checking before the next show.

6. This is a viewer who has river rock and has an alien invader in the river rock. Here is the photo. What is that and what do they do about it?
a. This is a slime mold. Slime molds are really interesting little creatures that can move around, but you typically will see them in the same area. They are not hurting anything. You could just take a hose and wash that away.

7. This is a Geneva viewer who wonders whether mulching tomatoes with straw or grass clippings is better and if so, how much?
a. I would be a little careful with the straw because straw comes with so much weed seed and that can cause a problem in years to come. My preference would be grass clippings. You need to be careful that you don't use the grass clippings right after you have applied any herbicides to your lawn. I think the standard waiting period is about three weeks or three mowings. But if you haven't put any broadleaf herbicides on the lawn, you can use the grass clippings and they work great and don't have the weed seed problems that straw does. I would put 2 or 3 inches down and that should help with weed control.

8. We have a viewer from Council Bluffs, Iowa that sent in an interesting picture of a Mountain Ash. They wonder if the damage is from woodpeckers and if it could potentially kill the tree. We have a second viewer that sent in a question that found something similar in Walnut trees.
a. That looks like damage caused by a Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker. That damage will harm the tree and the bird itself does have a habit of revisiting the tree once it gets established and so it will continue to cause more injury there. The only way you can prevent that from happening is temporarily put a hardware cloth cage around it just to give the tree some relief. The bird does that because they like to feed on the sap that oozes through the pits, but also insects are attracted to that sap. Sometimes they go after insects that may be in the tree. Maybe the tree will never be selected again and everything will be fine. That's what we'll hope will happen.

9. This is a phosphate question. This is a viewer who is looking at actually the lack of phosphate in fertilizer and thinks that there should be some phosphate in fertilizers to make things grow well. Any comments?
a. That's a great question with a little bit of controversy right now. The belief is the phosphorous, the second number on a fertilizer bag, is what is harming a lot of lakes and causing algae blooms. There is a enough data saying this is a contributing factor, but there are other sources that contribute a fair amount of phosphorous. I am not saying that low phosphorous fertilizers are not a good idea, but that's not the only reason we see huge algae blooms in lakes. We know that phosphorous is needed in large quantities by a grass plant and we know it is tightly bound in the soil. If you apply it to a lawn and get it off the sidewalk immediately and brush it into the lawn itself within 30 to 40 minutes it is bound to the soil complex and really is not going to go anywhere. Now, we have a fair amount of knee-jerk reaction to “let's pull phosphorous out of the fertilizers.” Unfortunately, the thing is that the plant does need phosphorous. All plants need it, especially flowering plants; the flowering plants you have in the garden require phosphorous. The soils in eastern Nebraska have significant levels of phosphorous and the only time you really need it is at seeding: use a starter fertilizer when reseeding.

10. This is a viewer who has pear trees, and the fruits turn brown inside. Is it a rot or an insect?
a. If it comes from the outside, say at the attachment point on the stem, then I would say it's fungal. In any case, if they want to have quality fruit, you really need to look at a fruit tree spray regimen. You can look online and see schedules. Most sprays will have fungicides and combinations; you will get everything when you do that. All of that said, you can deal without it and lose a little fruit too. It's a matter of what the grower wants. Pears are very prone to rotting if you leave them on the tree too long. Pears are one fruit you don't want to allow to ripen on the tree. You need to harvest when they are still hard and not at an eating stage. If you let them ripen on the tree they will get mushy and stony. So it could be that they are having trouble with not harvesting it at the right time as well. You need to harvest them a little immature and bring them in the house and let them ripen.

11. This is a Lincoln viewer that has Rose of Sharon and the neighbors have a horse who eats them. So they want to know when they can transplant the plants.
a. Ideally, you would do that in the fall; sometime in early September dig it up and move it. If you can't wait that long, you could do it in the spring but it's going to be a little more stressful because we tend to jump from spring into middle of summer, but keep the plant well watered and mulched and I think it will survive and reestablish okay.

12. This is a viewer that has a Burning Bush that gets spider mites every year. He has tried the systemic but that doesn't do any good. They wonder whether it will help to blast it with water and should there be soap in that water?
a. My guess is probably insecticidal soap or slightly soapy water, maybe just dishwasher soap, would work. That would probably do it and just keep an eye out for the first signs of mite activity and apply on a regular basis maybe once a week. At least just try to dislodge them and mire them down so you are breaking the life cycle. There are a lot of eggs associated with spider mites, so, the warmer the weather, the more quickly they will develop.

13. This is actually a follow-up question to the sand burrs on an acreage.
a. I had mentioned a pre-emergent and it’s probably not too late; our soil temps are a little below normal. Products that have pendimethalin work well. The soil temperatures have to get to the 60’s plus degree range. We don't normally see that until 4 to 5 weeks after the normal application time, so late May, early June before you want to put those down. If you have a soil thermometer, great--or candy thermometer--get it down 2 inches. If it is at or near 60 degrees or in excess of 60 degrees for three or four days in a row, that is optimal for the germination of the sand burr. You probably want to get that product on about then and get it watered in. Use the highest use rates for sand burr because they geminate well into the heat of the summer.

14. This is a viewer that has had daisies for years and years. They are finding thin new growth, the foliage has yellow or orange spots and they want to know what is going on.
a. I would suspect that plant of having a virus, particularly if the foliage doesn't look normal. The orange spots suggest rust. If they rub their fingers over it and see spores or dust on their fingers and it's brown or orange, that is a rust and you could use a fungicide for that. But I really think we're probably dealing with a virus. You can bring a sample in to the local county office for the diagnostic clinic. Use a fungicide if it is the rust, but if it is a virus they probably want to take the plant out.

15. This is a Lexington viewer that wonders whether it is safe to eat rhubarb in May.
a. Yes, you can eat rhubarb all summer long. There is an old wives' tail that it can be poisonous if we have a frost after it is up and growing and that is not true. It is edible all season even into the fall. The stalks get tougher as the season goes on, but it is always edible. Just don't eat the leaves.

16. We have about three questions associated with grubs. The viewer has four to six grubs in about an 8 by 4 square foot area and wants to know when to treat for grubs and with what product.
a. Do not treat them now. Because we have good spring conditions with cool temperatures and plenty of rainfall, those grubs have reached maturity and will soon pupate in the soil and we won't see them as adults until mid to late June. I wouldn't waste any expense on anything trying to control them right now.

17. This is a viewer who has dandelions and clover in buffalograss and wonders if there are herbicides to control broadleaf weeds in buffalograss?
a. Actually, there are. They want to avoid products that contain 2,4-D because that can burn buffalograss. Also, right now, when it is greening, up avoid herbicide applications that are labeled post-emerge. You can put a pre-emergent down. Read all of the labels, choose a product that doesn't have 2,4-D, and apply it any time after full green up. Avoiding 2,4-D is a really good idea.

18. This is actually a tip blight question from an acreage south of Papillion. They think they have it on white pines, what should they do about that?
a. When we talk about tip blight, there are two different ones. When talking about the kind where the actual candle and the new shoots are stunted, this requires an earlier application, because you're trying to protect those needles early on. We also have another that is a blight that can affect trees later in the season. Look at it and see if it looks like a disease with spots or bands in random, not over the whole tree like we would see with winter injury.

19. Here is a question about fruit trees, the apples and plums died when the river flooded, should she remove the roots or just cut down the trees?
a. It depends on what you want to do with the land. If you're going back in with additional fruit trees, you probably can cut the existing ones down and maybe stagger the plantings from where the old trees were and there is no reason why the new trees shouldn't do just fine.

20. This viewer has pear trees, and the fruit turns brown inside, like a rot. It is either a rot or an insect?
a. Couple things: there are different fruit rots. Some of the soft, not really brown rots, affect apricots and things. There are some other soft rots. If it comes from the outside and softening in, or coming in at the attachment point on the stem, then I would say it's fungal. If it is on the inside, I don't know if it would be an insect rot. If it would start from the inside of the fruit and work its way out, I would think it’s a larval feeding. In any case, if they want to have quality fruit, they really need to look at a fruit tree spray. You can look online and see schedules, but by now you should start a fruit tree spray. Most will have fungicides and insecticides in combinations. You will get everything when you do that. All of that said though, you can deal without it and lose a little fruit, too. It's a matter what the grower wants. They have to maintain a very thorough fruit tree spray. I noticed last week they actually had frost out there. I was wondering about that. Could that cause damage to the interior potentially at some point? I guess it could. I think it would cause the flowers to die but the fruits haven't really set yet. I'm thinking as it matures this happens--later on in the season. Pears are very prone to rotting if you leave them on the tree too long. Pears are one fruit you don't want to allow to ripen on the tree. You need to harvest when still hard and not at an eating stage. If you let them ripen on the tree they will get mushy and stony. So it could be that they are having trouble with not harvesting at quite the right time, as well. If you don't, the squirrels get them when they are green or you get them when they are brown--there is nothing in between. You need to harvest a little immature and bring them in the house and let them ripen indoors for the last few days.

21. This is a Lincoln viewer that has Rose of Sharon. And the neighbors have a horse who eats them. So they want to know when they can transplant the plants.
a. I would say ideally, you would do that in the fall--sometime in early September--dig it up and move it. If you can't wait that long, you could do it in the spring. It's going to be a little more stressful because we tend to jump from spring into middle of summer, but keep the plant well watered and keep it mulched. I think it will survive and reestablish okay. If they survived the winter this year. There has been a lot of death in them.

22. This is a viewer that has a burning bush that gets spider mites every year. He has tried the systemic and it doesn't do any good. He wonders whether it will help to blast it with water and should there be soap in the water.
a. My guess is probably an insecticidal soap or a slightly, soapy water—maybe just a dishwasher type of soap. That would probably do it. And just keep an eye out for the first signs of mite activity and apply on a regular basis--maybe once a week at least. Just try to dislodge them and mire them down so you are breaking the life cycle. There are a lot of eggs associated with spider mites. So the warmer it is, the more quickly they will develop.

23. This is actually a follow-up question to the sand burrs on an acreage from the sand burr queen in Kearney. You had mentioned a pre-emergent and said it was too early. Now she is wondering what to use.
a. It's probably not too late, based on the fact that our soil temps are a little below normal. Basically, products that have pendomethalem work well. The soil temperatures have to get to the 60 plus degree range. We don't normally see that until 4 to 5 weeks after the normal application time, so late May, early June before you want to put those down. If you have a soil thermometer, or candy thermometer, get it down 2 inches in the ground and fill in dirt around it. If the temperature is at or near 60 degrees or excess of 60 degrees for three or four days in a row, that is optimal for the germination of the sand burr. You probably want to get that product on about then and get it watered in. Use the highest use rates for sand burr because they germinate well into the heat of the summer.

24. This viewer has had daisies for years and years. They are finding thin new growth and foliage that has yellow or orange spots. They want to know what is going on.
a. When they describe that new growth, and the cooler time of the year, like we talked earlier with the roses, the viruses can come in. I would suspect that plant has a virus, particularly if the foliage doesn't look normal. The orange spots suggest rust. If they rub their fingers over it and see spores or dust on their fingers, that are brown or orange, that is rust and you could use a fungicide for that. But I really think we're probably dealing with a virus. You can bring a sample in to the local county office or the diagnostic clinic. Use a fungicide if it is the rust. But if it’s a virus, rogue the plant out.

25. This is a Lexington viewer that wonders whether it is safe to eat rhubarb in May.
a. Yes. You can eat rhubarb all summer long. There is an old wives tale that it can be poisonous if we have a frost after it is up and growing. That is not true. It is edible all season, even into the fall. The stalks get tougher, but it is always edible. Just don't eat the leaves.

26. We have about three questions associated with grubs. And they range from four to six grubs in about an 8 by 4 square foot area. And then, do we treat for grubs now and with what?
a. Well, no we don't, because, we are having good spring conditions with cool temperatures and plenty of rainfall. And those grubs have reached maturity and soon will pupate in the soil. We won't see them as adults, of course, until mid to late June. I wouldn't waste any expense on anything trying to control them. If you find them when you're digging, throw them out on the surface of the soil and let the birds pick them up. It's fun to watch it happen.

27. This is a viewer in Shubert, Nebraska, who has dandelions and clover in buffalo grass. He wonders if there are herbicides to control broadleafs in buffalo grass?
a. Actually there are. They want to avoid products that contain 2-4-D. 2-4-D is the predominant product that can burn buffalo grass. Also right now when greening up, avoid herbicide applications post, meaning post-emergence. You put a pre-emergent down. Also there are products that don't contain any 2-4-D. If you have a choice, read all of the labels and choose a product that doesn't have 2-4-D. You can apply them anytime after full green-up. Avoiding 2-4-D is a really good idea because it can act like a herbicide on buffalo grass.

28. This is actually a tip blight question from an acreage south of Papillion. They think they have it on white pines. Is this a possibility and what should they do about that?
a. When we talk about tip blight there are two different ones. We talk about the actual candle where the new chute is stunted. That is an earlier application when you're trying to protect those needles early on. Right when they are half elongated, make a fungicide application. We also have another that is a blight that can affect it later. I haven't seen that on, but I'm not to say it couldn't happen. I don't know for sure. Look at it and see if it looks like a disease with spots or bans in random, not over the whole tree like we would see with winter injury.

29. Bellwood and Platte Valley. Apples and plums died when the river flooded. Should she remove the roots or just cut down the trees?
a. It depends on what you want to do with the land. If you're going back in with additional fruit trees you probably can cut the existing ones down and plant. Maybe stagger the plantings from where the old trees were. There is no reason why the new trees shouldn't do just fine.

Lighting Round

Sarah
1. How far should you separate pumpkins and cucumbers from each other in the garden for a good yield?
a. I would put them 8 to 10 feet apart if they are standard-sized pumpkins.
2. When should you plant perennial poppies in the garden?
a. Anytime in the spring if they are container plants. Anytime in May.
3. A bleeding heart that is in full bloom now needs to be moved. When do you move them?
a. I would say closer to the end of May if it has to be done now. It will be better to do in the fall.
4. Can this viewer cut or fill over the roots of cottonwoods with soil?
a. No. Not ideal.
5. Can forsythia that has already finished blooming in Burwell be transplanted?
a. Yes, that would be fine.
6. 25-year-old lilacs are thin with a few sprouts. Can they be cut to the ground?
a. You can. It will take a few years before they can really recover from that. They will sucker out quite a bit.

Loren

1. There were puffballs on the ground, or something that looked like puffballs on the ground, that are supposedly poisonous. Is that true and are they in Nebraska?
a. I have never seen poisonous puffballs in Nebraska, but I would never recommend eating any mushroom you find unless you have tremendous experience in that area.
2. Sioux City—Is there mildew on the lilacs already, yes or no?
a. It shouldn't be at this point. Usually powdery mildew is later in the year. Usually that is after the summer solstice thing.
3. Something rusty on the on the trunks of three redbuds. Is this a problem or is it something like likens.
a. On redbuds. They can get cankers. I would tend to think it's on the north side and it’s a lichen.
4. Cedar apple rust has occurred on a potted cedar a viewer has in Paxton. Should they keep it or dump it?
a. They can keep it. It makes a nice little Christmas ornament. They can put lights on the tree.
5. Is needle blight, or tip blight, host specific or does it affect all pines equally?
a. Tip blight can affect many different species. It won't affect them all. I have to look exactly. I don't think you see them on limber pine, for example.

Roch

1. What is Canadian grass seed and is that okay for here?
a. When you look at some of the websites they will have Canadian grass seed. Not a good choice for here.
2. Should this viewer wait to reseed the bare spots where they killed nimblewill if they already put down their pre-emergent?
a. Yes.
3. Is there an organic or a natural herbicide for dandelions and clover?
a. There is a natural one for dandelions from seed, called the Corn Glutenmill, Amazing Lawn. There’s a number of different trade names. You need to check at your nursery. In terms of white clover, I don't think so.
4. What is the proportion of Ultra Dawn to water to control moss?
a. What the superintendent calls for, I believe, is two teaspoons in warm water sprayed on the moss. It will only kill the top layer. You have to keep on it. It dries them out.
5. Will pre-emergents put on the lawn that ends up spilling to the vegetable garden keep the vegetables from sprouting?
a. If they are not transplants, that is true.
6. Is there a fertilizer with a pre-emergent to be used in asparagus?
a. Not that I know of. Maybe a Preen-type product, but I would check the label before I make that recommendation.

Jim:

1. There is a black worm an inch long eating the peonies. What is it and how do you control it?
a. I don't know.
2. There is a little black bug with brown stripes in the house. What is that?
a. A little black bug with brown stripes. It might be larder beetles. Just vacuum as you see them. They are related to insects or animals that have died over the winter and are feeding on their bodies.
3. Is it possible for the stink bugs to hitchhike in on plants?
a. Absolutely, and on produce, and all kinds of goods, and vehicles--you name it.
4. This person had no bagworms last year after a battle on 12 trees. Did he win or should he spray?
a. I think that is excellent. Just keep an eye out for them. They may be in decline, but they are slow to migrate from host to host. So, he might have a few years of relaxation there.
5. Does it make sense to spray right now for ash sawfly?
a. Yes, I suppose, if they’re causing heavy defoliation damage. It just all depends on how heavy the defoliation is.