July Gardening Tips

Usually, at this time, we give you a list of Summer Do's and Don'ts, but there is now such an issue with some garden critters that we need to address it.

WEBWORMS (aka tent caterpillars) have taken over many landscape trees. Most prone are Pecan, Persimmon, Birch, Redbud, or Crabapple but they can get on many other species as well. They love to eat the youngest foliage (I guess the mature foliage is too tough for them to chew) that's why you always see them out on the tips of the branches. If the tree has no more than 15-20% of the foliage affected, it's not necessary to spray, unless you don't like the bad esthetic look. If you do want or need to spray, we suggest the least toxic insecticide like BT or Spinosad. Both are good organics and do well on worms. Otherwise, Sevin, Malathion, or some of the new Bayer products with "Merit" are good to use. Like any infestation, it is best to treat at the very outset for the best results.

BAGWORMS (the word mistakenly used interchangeably for webworms) are the little critters that use debris from the host plant to form little cocoons, which they maneuver around with as they graze. They are hard to detect when they hatch and are most often mistaken for seed pods. The plants they feed on will look tattered, dusty, or have unusual brown patches. Bagworms are most prevalent on Junipers, Cedars and Arborvitae, but can be found on Japanese Maples, Crabapple, Spruce, Pine, even crawling on your house (they do no damage to the house by the way). The same organics and chemicals referred to above will also work well on bagworms. If the plants are small, you could also apply a systemic insect granule in March, which the plant will absorb over time, which will help in controlling early infestations.

JAPANESE BEETLES have been especially active this year. The adults are a brilliant metallic green, generally oval, and about 3/8 inch long. They will generally eat most anything, but their favorite choices are flowers, fruit trees, roses and raspberries, but they have been known to also eat Crape Myrtle, Laurel and Hollies. They normally emerge June through July and will severely skeletonize foliage giving it a characteristic lacy look. They do emerge from the soil where they overwintered as a grub, so controlling them needs to be two fold. Treat the soil for grubs in June, July, and August with Hyields Kill-A-Grub granules, or Bayer's Complete Soil Insect Killer spray. For controlling the adults, use Sevin, any product containing 'Merit' or 'Orthene', or use organic sprays containing Spinosad, Pyrethrin, or Rotenone. It is, of course, ok to hand pick them if you just have a few. Some people suggest using 'beetle traps' which use a sex attractant to draw them to the trap but unless everyone around you has one, you end up drawing more beetles to your yard.