Horticulture Hotline 07/26/26
By Bill Lamson-Scribner
This Thursday (7/30) and Friday (7/31) you can get a great
deal on some great plants at the ‘Summer Sizzler Native Plant Sale’ at Trident
Technical College. See attached pictures of flyer for more information. The
perfect place to buy plants and see all the different (cool – old man lingo or
vibe – new lingo) displays around the building!
The dry and windy spring kept the mosquitoes at bay, but
after that little bit of heavy rain that flooded low areas and ditches, regular
rains, and high tides, they are out in full force. Last night I was talking to
a neighbor while she was pushing her 18-month daughter around in a stroller,
and the mosquitoes were attacking the young girl. The mother, with child again,
had 5 mosquitoes on her immediately. We cut our conversation short and headed
to our air-conditioned houses. B^ST#$%S!
Malaria, Chikungunya, Dengue (still in the tropics), Zika,
West Nile Virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis are transmitted by mosquitoes … now
it is time to wage war against the mosquito! Worldwide mosquitoes are the
number one killer of humans (including wars) – amazing! West Nile Virus was
discovered in Beaufort County this year!
Scout around the yard for anything that holds water. Old
tires, saucers under potted plants, rain gauge, bird baths, old flower
containers or pots stacked in a corner, dog toys, kids’ toys, a container by
the grill you use to soak wood chips in, a cooler, an old fountain, an upside
down 5-gallon bucket that has a lip that holds water, a trash can lid with a
dent, brick work that needs repointing, a hole in a tree and a dog’s water bowl
all make great places for mosquitoes to breed. Empty the water out these areas
(refill the dog bowl and the bird bath daily). A tarp covering a boat or wood
pile can have many pockets that hold water. Sagging gutters hold water. A few empty bottles or cans can end up breeding
thousands of mosquitoes! A bottle cap can be a breeding area. Many mosquitoes
can breed in just an ounce of water. I was at a seminar, and the speaker encouraged
people to limb up Magnolias (every horticulturalist gasped) so you could easily
rake up the leaves because the big leaves held water and therefore were a
breeding spot for mosquitoes. Sorry, I am not limbing up my Magnolias!
If you have bigger areas of water like a ditch or a low area
of the yard that holds water, apply the Mosquito Dunks or the Altosid Pro G.
The Mosquito Dunks are an organic Bt product that kill larvae and the Altosid
Pro G is a growth regulator product that contains the same active ingredient
that is used in the Precor products for controlling fleas. Although Altosid is
not organic, it is very safe and labeled to be used in very sensitive areas
like marshes. Turn off your irrigation when you can and correct any drainage
problems. Mosquito Denial is a great product if you have a fountain, decorative
pond, or standing water. Mosquitoes rely on the surface tension of the water to
land and lay eggs. Mosquito Denial takes away this water tension, so the
mosquito cannot lay eggs on the surface of the water.
Any pruning you can do to increase air movement and sunlight
penetration will also help. Mosquitoes like moist stagnant areas, so it is more
important to treat bed areas than it is to treat lawn areas. Concentrate your
efforts on the undersides of leaves on shrubs. Many mosquito products work on
lawn pests also, so many folks treat their lawn too while they are spraying.
Mosquitoes are very weak fliers, so they do not like wind or air movement (big
fans for parties or by your grill – helps with flies too). Mosquitoes are a
public health issue, so you might be able to get some help from a government
agency if you have a big ditch or pond.
Mosquito Pro (connect to a hose and spray), DuraFlex, and
ProFlex are very good control products for mosquitoes and many other pest
because they contain growth regulators that break up the life cycle. EcoVia (organic)
has many formulations and is a good option as well. Luckily, there are many
products that control mosquitoes available!
Bill Lamson-Scribner
can be reached during the week at Possum’s Landscape and Pest Control Supply
(follow us on Facebook). Possum’s has three locations
.
