in other words
may22
2012
Diggin in the Dirt: Garden Notes
Garden Notes
A month ago, I would have
predicted another bad apple scab year
with the unremitting cold, wet weather.
That has all changed with the hot spell
last week. Apple scab fungi make little
progress in dry weather. So watch the
weather forecast. Let’s hope dry weather
continues to limit the disease. Summer
rate dilutions of lime sulfur may still
help.
Codling moth adults have
emerged. If you don’t want their larvae
in your apples (the “worm”) you need
to start control measures. Insecticides
with spinosad are probably the best
option for home gardeners. This is a new
class of insecticides developed from a
compound produced by an actinomycete
fungus discovered in Barbados. There
are organic labeled spinosad products.
They need to be applied several times.
Surround is a kaolin clay that when
sprayed on the fruit and leaves a film on
that the moths don’t seem to like so they
go somewhere else. Again, this needs to
be re-applied periodically. Results have
been mixed. Apple maggots emerge
about a month later in late June. Again,
spinosad-based products seem to be the
best homeowner choice.
Western tent caterpillars will
soon emerge in scattered parts of the
county. Once the web is there, it is hard
to spray the caterpillars if you wanted
to. On small trees, brush the webs apart
with a broom. After the rascals are done
eating (usually by the middle of June)
they wander off the tree, pupate, and wait
to emerge as the moth next year. Tent
caterpillars rarely do lasting damage to
trees so spraying generally isn’t needed.
In another 60 days, we will be
seeing the fall webworm, which has
much the same life cycle.
I have had several people bring
samples of the maple blister mite. This
mite causes reddish bumps on the upper
surface of maple leaves. The mite causes
more cosmetic than actual damage.
Grapes have a very similar
problem caused by an erineum mite. The
symptoms are white, felty and distorted
patches on the underside of the leaves. In
commercial vineyards, this is becoming
an increasing problem in Oregon. Most
of the time, home gardeners probably
don’t need to be concerned. For those
that wish to spray, wettable sulfur, often
used for powdery mildew control
on grapes, will provide some
measure of erineum mite control
as well.
Horsetail or equisetum
is a gardener’s nightmare. The
plant emerges from the ground
looking something like asparagus.
It spreads from underground
roots and from spores released as
the plant matures. Sadly, it is the
worst of all weeds, an herbaceous
perennial. It gives every indication
of dying in the fall, but that is a ruse.
It returns from the root system next
year and for every year thereafter
unless you make it miserable.
Equally sadly, it is very
hard to make horsetail miserable.
Continuous pulling may reduce
its vigor. Planting with a heavy
sod tends to reduce its vigor as
well. Herbicide treatments options
except in exclusively woody
landscape beds are almost non-existent.
Much horsetail comes from
imported topsoil. Look at the topsoil on
site before you buy. Look very carefully
for horsetail. If it is there, don’t buy it.
Keep new trees and shrubs
watered throughout the first growing
summer. The evidence is very convincing
that trees properly watered and mulched
will out-perform and out-survive trees
that weren’t.
Gardening with Children
Children often get to try
sprouting seeds in classrooms (bean
seeds are popular) but because the school
year ends, the plants rarely make it into a
garden.
Since there are many life and
culinary lessons embedded in vegetable
gardening, it is well worth your time
to engage a child or grandchild in
your garden. That doesn’t mean giving
them the pain of the shoveling and
heavy lifting (at least not at first). Your
education should focus on what plants
need to grow, how observation and
attention to detail pays off, how good
fresh vegetables really are and how
timing in gardening (and by extension,
life) is everything.
You can start in a somewhat
stepwise fashion. As an introduction,
just plant a garden area for your children
to graze in. This might include cherry
tomatoes (be sure to include a Sungold
plant), peas, carrots, radishes and green
beans.
The next year, they can help
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programs and materials equally to all
people.
Free newsletter
The Oregon State University
Extension office in Columbia County
publishes a monthly newsletter on
gardening and farming topics (called
County Living) written/edited by yours
truly. All you need to do is ask for it and
it will be mailed to you. Call 503 397-
3462 to be put on the list. Alternatively,
you can find it on the web at
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/
columbia/ and click on newsletters.
you plant some of the larger seeds in the
garden (beans, corn, squash, etc.). I know
it is a little corny, but putting up the seed
packets on sticks at the end of the row is
very educational. Kids can also help you
seed pots for later transplant of some of
the smaller seeds.
It is very important to use crop
failures as a teaching tool. What choices
the gardener makes, or doesn’t make,
have a big impact on plant growth and
production. This is also an important life
lesson. It is also important to emphasize
the importance of early weeding (along
with the ability to distinguish weed vs.
crop seeds).
Finally, teach them how these
foods are used in the kitchen. Cook with
them as you cook for them. Ask for their
Contact information for the Extension
office
Oregon State University Extension
Service – Columbia County
505 N. Columbia River Highway (across
from the Legacy clinic)
St. Helens, OR 97051
503-397-3462
Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu
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503.429.TECH
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input on herbs/spices/techniques that
might be used as they get more involved.
Na
tu
By Chip Bubl
Oregon State University
Extension Service - Columbia County
7
Dr. Carol McIntyre
Naturopathic & Chinese Medicine
503.429.3928
cccmnd@yahoo.com
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