| Don't be afraid to trim those flowering shrubs and | | | | early in the day as possible. |
| trees that need it. Failure to prune is probably the | | | | Another nasty little blight that likes summertime is |
| biggest gardening mistake a person can make. I | | | | Fire Blight. Fire Blight attacks ornamentals, |
| spent 20 years landscaping homes and businesses, | | | | especially Apple trees, Crabapple trees, |
| and I watched people make the investment in my | | | | Cotoneasters, and Pyracantha. You know you |
| services, then they failed to prune when the | | | | have Fire Blight when a branch on one of your |
| plants needed it, and before you know it their | | | | plants dies and turns almost red. The leaves |
| landscape looked terrible. | | | | usually hang on but turn reddish brown. The |
| If you make a mistake pruning, don't worry about | | | | damage usually starts out near the end of the |
| it. It's like a bad haircut, it will grow out. Of course | | | | branch and works its way toward the main stem |
| use common sense and read the previous articles | | | | of the plant. There is little you can do except |
| that I've written on pruning. | | | | prune out the affected branch, cutting it as far |
| Along with summertime comes high humidity. High | | | | back as possible. |
| humidity can cause a lot of problems with the | | | | Fire Blight is very contagious to plants so you |
| plants in your garden and around your house. One | | | | should burn the branches you prune out. You |
| of the simple things you can do is don't water | | | | should also dip or wash your pruning shears in |
| just before dark. Make sure your plants are nice | | | | rubbing alcohol after each cut to keep from |
| and dry when you tuck them in for the night and | | | | spreading this deadly fungus. |
| you can cut down on the chance of fungus being | | | | Unfortunately, I've got one more summertime |
| a problem. | | | | culprit to warn you about. It's a handy little fungus |
| One of the more common fungi that I get asked | | | | that grows in mulch. Actually there are all kinds of |
| about a lot is powdery mildew. This appears as a | | | | fungi that tend to grow in mulches, and most of |
| white film on the leaves of ornamental plants. | | | | them are really disgusting looking. But this little |
| Dogwoods and Purple Sandcherry are often the | | | | gem is unique in the fact that as it grows it tends |
| victim of powdery mildew. Powdery mildew isn't | | | | to swell. Then somehow it manages to explode, |
| extremely harmful to the plants, it's just that the | | | | and it will spatter your house with tiny brown |
| foliage is damaged, and little growing takes place | | | | specks. The experts have appropriately named |
| once it sets in. Your local garden center will have | | | | this one "Shotgun Fungus". Isn't that a cute name? |
| a general fungicide you can spray if you'd like to | | | | These tiny little brown specks will fly as high as |
| try and control it. Usually once the plant defoliates | | | | eight feet into the air, and once they stick to |
| in the fall the plant is back to normal. | | | | your house or windows, they stick like glue. I |
| If you have Perennial Rye Grass in your lawn, and | | | | know that right now there are people hollering |
| you probably do if you're in the north, you must | | | | across the house at their spouse, "Hey, |
| be careful not to leave your grass wet at night. | | | | remember those brown specks all over the |
| There is a fungus known as Pythium Blight that | | | | house? I know what they are. It's from the |
| appears in very humid conditions. This fungus | | | | mulch!" Tell me I'm wrong, but I know I'm not. |
| attacks and kills perennial rye grasses. Here in the | | | | A lot of people are victims of this nasty little |
| north most of our lawns are a blend of fescues, | | | | fungus, but they don't know it. All they know is |
| perennial ryes, and Kentucky Blue Grass. | | | | that there are tiny brown specks on the house |
| If you have problems with Pythium blight you will | | | | that look like paint. So far they have blamed |
| lose the perennial rye grass in large areas of your | | | | everything from spiders to aliens. |
| lawn, and even though the other grasses will still | | | | There's not a lot you can do to prevent this |
| be there and fill in, your lawn will have areas that | | | | fungus. I have found that if you keep the mulch |
| are much darker green than the rest of the lawn | | | | loose so air can circulate it is less likely to grow |
| because you will then have concentrations of | | | | fungi. Don't just keep adding layer after layer to |
| Kentucky Blue Grass. | | | | the mulch around your house. You should skip at |
| You can see this fungus in the early morning. It | | | | least every other year and just loosen the mulch |
| looks like white cotton candy laying on top of | | | | you already have down. If you loosen it and then |
| your lawn. It usually appears along walks and | | | | rake it flat it will look like you've just mulched. |
| driveways where the soil is wet if you have been | | | | Mulch is great, just don't let it get packed down |
| watering. To prevent Pythium blight water as | | | | hard. Loosen it up at least once a year. |