This Week in the Garden

Well, this week in the garden is becoming more stressful. My apple tree is slowly falling over (it will be removed this fall after harvest). Some squash plants died because of borers.

Late Blight Fungus on Tomatoes

The tomatoes have been hit by early blight. Early blight is a fungus that causes the lower leaves to yellow and dry up quickly. Use a fungicide like Daconil to protect the nonaffected leaves. Pick off the yellow and brown leaves and throw them away. Water on the ground and do not use a sprinkler. This fungus has been worse this year with the warmth and humidity.

Sphinx Moth

Some people think moths are a problem this year. Moths are great pollinators. While not as pretty as butterflies, they outnumber butterflies by 5 to 1. They like trumpet-shaped flowers like moonflowers and datura. The big moth flying around now is the sphinx moth coming from the tomato hornworm. I did see several flower moths which were a bright furry pink but I did not have my phone to take a picture.

South Dakota Cicada

I have been hearing our annual cicadas humming. These are not the 15- or 30-year cicadas they have in the southern or eastern part of the country.

Cicada Killer Wasp

You may notice little hills with a hole in the top around areas with soil. These are cicada wasps that catch the cicadas, take them back to their home, and lay eggs on them. The eggs hatch and feed on the paralyzed cicada. They are harmless to humans.

Emerald Ash Borer

In our area, we have native ash borers that cause many problems. The emerald ash borer that has been found around Sioux Falls area has now been found around Brookings County. There are other great trees to plant than green ash trees.

Be careful of some of the homemade weed killers and insect sprays you can find on the internet. Some cause more problems for the plants and environment, especially the ones that use salt or acid (vinegar). For instance, using anything with an oil in it above 85 degrees will harm the plants.

Do not forget to deep water your young trees and shrubs with this upcoming heat wave.