Sunday, April 26, 2015

Digger Wasps on the Rise



Digger wasps are continuing to multiply in numbers in the Lowcountry. At Possum’s we use to get a few complaints in localized areas, now the numbers seem to be on the rise. One faithful reader of the ‘Horticulture Hotline’ sent me a 14 page letter describing the progression of damage to her yard. I saw an old friend in the grocery store and a conversation that would have dominated by fishing stories or stories about old times was dominated by ground bees. The presence of wasps is intimidating and unsafe.

Digger wasps start out as just a few holes in the yard. The holes are where the adults lay their eggs. In the spring, the young emerge. In the fall these wasps are now adults and they dig new holes and lay eggs for the following spring. In a very short time period, you can go from having a few digger wasps to thousands. All these holes can ruin your turf areas and the wasps make it less enjoyable to be in the yard.

Most of these wasps are predatory feeders. They eat grubs (should manage for moles and potential turf damage), small flying insects and ground dwelling insects (mole crickets, etc). The wasps sting the prey to death, then bring the dead prey back to the wasp’s hole (nest), then lay an egg on it so the young has an instant food supply when it hatches.

All control should be done at dust or at night when the wasps are in their hole. You need to plan on several applications of products to manage this pest. Since the wasps eat insects in your yard that you should be managing to certain thresholds, going after the wasp as well as their food source should benefit you greatly. Since the wasps like subsurface insects, Sevin would be a good product to start your management program.

If you just have a few holes, Delta Dust is a great product. At night treat in and around the hole. Some people will also “plug” the hole. At Possum’s we sell the plugs, but you could possibly use something from around the house. Be sure to turn off the irrigation and check for rain.

If you have many of these uninvited guests, DeltaGard G or Turf Ranger could be used across the whole area. Remember they fly, so getting your neighbors involved is crucial. These products need to be watered in to get to the target. Turf Ranger recommends ½ inch of water. Water the product in slowly so the product soaks into the ground, and does not run off into a non-target area. Apply these products when you first see the wasps and until they are gone, waiting at least one week between applications.

EcoVia is a National Organics Program compliant product that is labeled for wasps and other small flying insects (mosquitoes – yeah). EcoVia is safe to use around water, kids, and pets. Consider using EcoVia in your product rotation.

When treating always wear dark clothes and have a can of wasp freeze on your person. Digger wasps did not get there overnight, and they are not going to go away overnight.

Monday, April 20, 2015

Brown Patch Alert and Rose Show



When writing the Horticulture Hotline, I usually do not like to get too hysterical or alarmed about any event occurring in the landscape; however, this week is an exception. I can only remember one other time in 25 years of writing this column that I put out any type of alert (and that was so long ago, I can’t remember what it was about). The fungus is among us! Fungus likes moisture and new growth and right now we have both. Turf coming out of dormancy, moisture and the temperatures we are having are the perfect conditions for lawn diseases.

Rain and night time temperatures in the 60’s is perfect weather for Large Patch (Brown Patch) disease in turf. Unless you tarp your grass like a baseball diamond, it is hard to turn off the rain. Hopefully, you have your irrigation turned off for now.

All fungus diseases must have three factors line up for there to be an active problem. This is referred to as the disease triangle. There must be a susceptible host (your grass), a favorable environment (in this case cool nights, water, grass is coming out of dormancy….), and the disease must be present (in the soil in this case). When all of these conditions are met, the disease strikes your grass.

The quick fix would be to apply Cleary’s 3336 or Disarm throughout the yard. Cleary’s or Disarm are systemic fungicides that get into the plant (grass) and protect the grass plant from the disease. Getting a flu shot would be a human equivalent. With weather like this, plan on multiple applications of a fungicide, rotating chemistries. Applying the product before you get the disease, when you notice conditions are right, will save you money and time applying the product. You wouldn’t get a flu shot after you had the flu. Unlike the flu shot, Cleary’s and Disarm do have curative rates.

A general fungicide like Honor Guard for your ornamentals would also be a good idea to prevent disease. Insects like the new tender foliage also, so maybe mix in some insecticide when you spray. Bifen is a good broad spectrum insecticide.

The Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society’s 23rd annual Rose Show is going to be at Cypress Gardens on Saturday, April 25, 2015, from 1:00 to 4:30. The Rose Show is dedicated to Dr. Frank Heinsohn whose name is well known in the rose community both locally and beyond. Photography is a new section of competition this year. For more information go to www.charlestonrose.com.

What a deal! For only 10.00 (adults), 9.00 (seniors), 5.00 (children) you can see the cypress swamps (even take a boat ride), butterfly house, turtles, reptile house, walking trails, gardens and all the other many attractions of Cypress Gardens  plus ROSES! There will be roses from world class exhibitors as well as backyard enthusiast. If you are photographer, you can take a picture of anyone’s rose and even Photoshop it! Again for more information go to www.charlestonrose.com.


Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Horticulture Homerun



If you are reading this column, I imagine you have an interest in gardening. Well, this is an opportunity to hit a gardening homerun. The Charleston Lowcountry Rose Society’s 23rd annual Rose Show is going to be at Cypress Gardens on Saturday, April 25, 2015, from 1:00 to 4:30. The Rose Show is dedicated to Dr. Frank Heinsohn whose name is well known in the rose community both locally and beyond. Photography is a new section of competition this year. For more information go to www.charlestonrose.com.

What a deal! For only 10.00 (adults), 9.00 (seniors), 5.00 (children) you can see the cypress swamps (even take a boat ride), butterfly house, turtles, reptile house, walking trails, gardens and all the other many attractions of Cypress Gardens  plus ROSES! There will be roses from world class exhibitors as well as backyard enthusiast. If you are photographer, you can take a picture of anyone’s rose and even Photoshop it! Again for more information go to www.charlestonrose.com.

What a fun time of year in the garden. Lawn is going from brown to green (transition), trees are leafing out, and shrubs are putting on new growth. Mosquitoes are coming out hungry, fire ants are foraging, mole crickets are tunneling and mating, fleas are attacking the pet and aphids are attacking new growth on shrubs.

I always know when the new growth is coming out on the azaleas and camellias. At Possum’s we get flooded with questions about large deformed leaves on mainly sasanqua camellias and some azaleas. The old leaf gall has struck again.

Hopefully, you or your neighbors oak tree has done all the leave and tassel dropping it is going to do for another year and you can put out a fresh layer of mulch (be careful not to build up the mulch too thick) for the spring.

I’m seeing some beautiful containers and hanging baskets as I travel around the area. Try some Hydrostretch to help hold moisture in your pots, so you will not have to water so often and your plants will not wilt so quickly.

Carpenter Bees have been making many people’s life miserable with their buzzing around and drilling into wood weakening it and exposing it to the elements.

Palms and Sago palms are going to be pushing out new growth soon. Be sure you get a real palm fertilizer and not one that someone in marketing is calling a palm fertilizer (yes, it happens).

I have seen some scale in its crawler stage. This is a good time to control them.

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law