Chuck's Artilces III

Crop Rotation for Annuals?

As I was driving down Eastman Avenue this morning I couldn’t help but appreciate all the Marigolds that were planted by the many volunteers of Midland.  They truly put a smile on my face.  But then a thought occurred to me, “Lucy you got some splaining to do!” Year after year we have become accustomed to seeing petunias along this stretch.  I remember the last time Midland Blooms broke away from tradition of petunias and planted marigolds. There were letters of complaint to the Midland Daily News editor.  I remember one writer even stated that the marigolds looked like dandelions.  I guess that is the ultimate criticism in the world of plants.

I would like to say Kudos to Midland Blooms for planting those marigolds and breaking the tradition of planting petunias.   I believe the committee made a great decision because of a well-known practice called crop rotation.  Not only farmers need understand crop rotation but, we need to keep this in mind when planting our annuals in our flower beds. 

Many gardeners who plant the same annuals year after year might experience a reduction in flower productivity and plant size.  Farmers whose livelihoods are dependent on high productivity in their fields practice crop rotation religiously.  Their knowledge and practices make sense for our home gardeners. 

Crop rotation does not mean changing the variety of petunias that you grow.  Crop rotation involves changing the plant species, such as going from petunias to marigolds.  Legumes are often used in agriculture because they add nitrogen to the soil.  Alfalfa is often the legume of choice.  You don’t have to go to this extreme but there are benefits in changing plant types in your flower beds.

The first benefit would be disease control.  Planting the same annuals in the same area increases the inoculum of diseases.  This is often observed when planting zinnias in the same bed year after year.   The cumulative effect of the inoculum spores of powdery mildew will increasingly  shorten the effectiveness of your zinnia beds.

 By changing the annual and vegetable types you are planting in your beds, diseases don’t have a chance to build up.  Plant diseases are much like your children when they are very picky eaters.  Plant diseases usually only attack certain plant types.  You don’t see Dutch elm diseases attacking anything else beside elm species.  Rotating plants keeps plant diseases guessing and confused.

Insects are much like plant diseases where they enjoy only certain plants.  They are like many vacationers who like to visit the same location year after year.  They know just what to expect.  My wife’s family likes to visit the same camp site each year.  They will become upset if there are changes at the camp site.  A way to upset insects is to rotate your annuals and vegetable plants and keep them guessing.  Annoying insects is a good way of keeping them away.

Farmers often see improved yields that are not understood completely due to crop rotation.  As researchers attempt to reveal the reasons for these increased yields they are beginning to understand that it is common for plants to exhibit a phenomenon called allelopathy.   Plants themselves give off chemicals or materials that inhibit germination, growth, or development of other plants.  Many plants will demonstration autotoxicity which hinders the growth of the same species around them.  These loners want their family to leave them alone. 

Chemicals from plants can build up in soils that prevent certain plants from growing.  Crop rotation will prevent these chemicals from building up in the soil, since some plants only want to be associated with their friends.

By changing from petunias to marigolds this year, I believe that Midland Blooms made a great environmental decision that will benefit the petunias next year.  Crop rotation is a good lesson that we all should consider in our own yards.

Here Comes the Grubs

When you work professionally in plant care, there are always difficulties that pop up making your job more challenging.  Whether it is weeds, insects, diseases, or other pests there is always an annoyance that keeps a gardener busy.  In fact I call pests my job security. What makes it even more challenging is the fact that the pests are always changing.  What was a problem this year wasn’t even thought about last year. 

Have you noticed the large population of June or May beetles flying around the lights at night?   Even though June beetles might not be a big pest this year on our plants, with the large numbers flying around now, we might be seeing plant damage next year.  Knowing their lifecycle can help prepare for their foreseen damage.

June beetles are emerging from the soil this time of year.  They are about ½ to ¾ inch long.  Their coloration is a dark brown color.  They enjoy flying in the late evening or early morning.   Street and porch lights will attract these large beetles.  The adult beetles enjoy munching on the leaves of trees.  I remember as a youngster we had a willow tree in our yard.  The adult beetles would fly in for dinner about dusk.  We would take flashlights out with badminton rackets and swat at these flying creatures.  These beetles brought out the hunter instinct in a bunch of 8 year old boys.

We didn’t realize that when they flew into the willow tree they weren’t only interested in eating.  They were coming together to find a friend to mate with so they could start a family.

After the females mate and have a cigarette (not really that only happens in the movies) they look for a place to deposit their eggs.  The place they are looking for is somebody’s yard since their youngsters enjoy eating the roots of turf grass.  Yes, their youngsters are white grubs just like Japanese beetles and European chafers that love to dine on your turf grass.  June beetle grubs not only enjoy eating the roots of turf grass but will also eat the roots of vegetables, trees, and shrubs.  With the large number of females flying this spring, there is a good chance there will be a large number of grubs in your yard in July and August.  By September they will be about ½ inch long.

This white grub or larvae will continue eating the roots of your plants for 2 or more years.  The eating of the roots doesn’t seem to be the main concern for the homeowner.  The main problem is when the skunks, raccoons, and crows come into hot spots to feast on the grubs.  It seems like overnight these beasts have rototilled your beautiful yard.

It is important to realize that lawns can tolerate a certain amount of grub damage.  Most yards can withstand at least 5 grubs per square foot.  If you have had grub damage before and think you might want to prevent it from occurring again you can use chemical controls.  You have to decide if you want to put on preventative or curative chemicals.

Preventative chemicals are products that contain the following chemicals:  Chlorantraniloprole, Chlothianidin, Halofenozide, Imidacloprid, or Thiamethoxam.   These products work well on young feeding grubs and should be applied in June or July.  Do not apply in the fall or spring when the chemicals have little effect on the grubs.  Make sure you water the pesticide in.

Two chemicals called Sevin and Dylox are sold as curative grub control.  These chemicals are to be used in the spring if applied from March to Mid-May.  Do not apply after Mid-May when the grubs have finished feeding and are in the pupae stage.  Since the grubs are underground you will need to water the pesticides in to be effective.

Mowing grass high is also a great technique in preventing grub damage.  Set your mower at 3 ½ to 4 inches for a more healthy turf with deeper roots.

Pests might come and go and keep us guessing.  Trying to stay ahead of them can be challenging. With the high population of female June beetles flying around this summer watch your yard for indications they are trying to start a family on your property.

Chuck this one has been edited.  I love you, Beth

Nature’s Air Conditioner

With temperatures in the 90’s, my wife again made strong indications that we need to put air conditioning in our house.  Even though my underwear is sticking to my skin, I am the cheap B#*!#!,  that won’t invest in air conditioning. I offered the alternative of planting a tree next to the house. Even though she is a plant lover and I explained that plants could help keep our house cool, she doesn’t seem too pleased with my answer.  So I thought I would write an article about how plants can be used to beat the heat and see if my one reader agrees with me that we really don’t need air conditioning.

The summer sun can really build up heat in homes that are not shaded.  The sweltering summer sun puts stress on our air conditioners and attitudes.  By planting trees that provide shade to your home you can increase your comfort level by providing shade and evaporating cooling.

Models that were constructed in Logan, Utah showed a 98 percent reduction in cooling cost by shading an entire house.  In Mesa, Arizona there was a savings of $220 annually when trees were planted on the east and west sides of a house which provided cooling.  That is almost a half of a tank of gas.  In Sacramento, California, trees reduced temperatures 20-40 degrees in the attic.  That is like having a room-size air conditioner up there without any cost.  Trees planted on the south and west sides of the house, will reduce the temperature in your home and are a good investment that will quickly pay for themselves.

Look out your window or notice the time of day when those sun beams are shinning into your house.  Most people notice that when the sun is low in the morning or in the afternoon they receive the greatest amount of sun through their windows. These are the time when you get a buildup of heat in your house.  Planting deciduous trees on the east, south and west sides of the house will prevent the heat buildup at these times of the day.

A tree in full leaf can reduce the solar radiation by 70 to 90 percent depending on the tree species.  I remember when I was a kid and needed to cool off, I would head right for the tree with the deepest shade.  In fact I still do that.  Trees have a cooling effect by reducing solar radiation and through their transpiration. 

  The south side also is where the sun comes from in the winter when you do want it to warm the house.  If you decide to plant a tree on the south side of your house it is best to use a deciduous type tree.  Deciduous trees on the south side keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Another heat source that could keep you uncomfortable in the summer is your driveway and the use of rock mulches.  The surfaces can be 35 degrees warmer than areas that are planted.  Organic mulches such as bark or woodchips are much cooler than gravel mulches.  To keep your drive cooler once again look at the possibility of planting a tree.

            I know a few of you people are still on my wife’s side and think I should get off my cheap butt and invest in an air conditioner.  You are saying that it takes too long for the tree to grow and get the effects of its shade.  My answer to you is how about fast growing vines.  Put up trellises on the west and east sides of the house and plant fast growing vines that will shade the house quickly.  These vines will quickly be effective as a sun barrier.

            One other argument for the use of trees instead of air conditioners is: have you ever noticed that trees effectively utilize the summer breezes.  When there is even the slightest breeze trees become a wind tunnel that directs the wind to your windows.

            I know the writing is on the wall.  My wife is now campaigning with my kids and ready to gang up on me.  We will succumb to purchasing a device to cool the air in our house.  I will always attest that the tree is the best method for air conditioning.