You may have seen soil resembling coffee grounds and noticed large worms moving quickly just below the surface – these are the invasive jumping worms in action. UMass sponsored four workshops over two days on this topic. The takeaway message is that the worms are here, and scientists are studying and experimenting in order to…
All About Asian Jumping Worms Jumping Worms and the soil they create Have you noticed that some of your garden bed soil looks like coffee grounds? Do large worms jump out of the soil when you’re simply digging a small hole or pulling a weed? If you can answer at least one of these questions,…
Priscilla’s Garden To-Do List for November into December Clean up debris in the vegetable garden promptly to reduce hiding places for insect pests and diseases Cut back perennials that have no wildlife value (i.e. hostas, daylilies, Shasta daisy, catmint, lady’s mantle, etc), remembering to leave basal rosettes of foxgloves, heucheras, and hollyhocks to generate new…
Swiss Chard and Spinach – mottled young leaves that curl and wrinkle, then turn tan/yellow. Answer: Beet leaf miner damage Remedy: Remove damaged leaves quickly and do not compost. You can eat any undamaged leaves. Since larvae feed inside the leaves, sprays are not effective. Next year, rotate this crop and cover young seedlings with row covers to exclude the…
Did you know that when the soil or air reaches certain temperatures, this triggers egg hatch on many insect pest species? Damaging larvae emerge to feed on our plants. Cottony camellia scale is a soft white scale that sucks sap from the leaves of many common landscape plants. Although it is most often seen on hollies, it…
Mid-November on the calendar means it’s time for Reese and Rick to spray deer repellent and anti-desiccant to protect vulnerable plants from winter damage. If you’ve ever had browning of rhododendrons, boxwoods, hollies, leucothoes, or mountain laurels, you know what I mean by winter damage. This is caused by repeated cold winds or sudden shifts in temperature…
Adult Spotted Lanternfly Photo: Lawrence Barringer wickedlocal.com This invasive pest may have migrated north from Pennsylvania this year. Please be on the lookout for the (rather attractive) Spotted Lanternfly. Click here for more info.
Everyone is on the alert for the deadly EEE virus (Eastern Equine Encephalitis), transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito and reported in some of our service area. Here is information on aerial spraying with pesticides, already performed at night in some of our communities: Read Mass Gov File Those who have been…
You’re not alone. Munching on daylily flowers, hosta leaves, phlox, sedum, new growth on hydrangea, weigela, viburnum, witch hazel and more has been reported as we make our rounds. The deer seem to seek moisture and tender new tips of plants at this hot time of year. Cut back damaged stems and leaves on perennials…
Tall bearded iris are the one plant that can be divided and transplanted at this warm time of the year! Blooming from late May into June, these plants enter dormancy in the hot summer. The spreading rhizomes are easily dug up with a spading fork, separated, roots trimmed, and replanted in a gritty soil mixture in full…