Garden almanac

This Week in the Garden

Found the first ticks of the year this week in the garden on the dog Magdelin, I mean Her Royal Highness Queen Magdelin II Regent (and yes, she thinks she is). Time to take her in to get her tick-prevention medication.

Cedar apple rust on a juniper (first of May)
Cedar apple rust on apple leaves (August)

Back to the garden, if you’ve noticed red spots showing up on your apple tree leaves in the summer, you’re probably dealing with cedar apple rust. The best way to handle it is with prevention. An all-purpose orchard spray can help keep it at bay, but make sure to read the instructions and spray at the right times. One really important thing—don’t spray during bloom! You want to leave the pollinators like bees alone so they can do their work. Depending on how the weather plays out, you may need to reapply the spray a few times throughout the season.

When planting new apple trees, it’s worth considering varieties that are resistant to rust. That way, you’re ahead of the game before any problems start. Cedar apple rust overwinters on junipers. Come spring, you might notice weird gray or reddish growths on the branches that look like they have little spider legs. That’s the fungus getting ready to release spores into the wind and head straight for your apple trees.

With summers getting warmer and drier, mulching is becoming more important. For trees, aim for about three inches of mulch around the base, but be sure not to let the mulch touch the tree’s bark. For flower beds—whether perennials or annuals—a lighter layer of one to two inches will do. In the garden, you can go a bit heavier with up to four inches of organic mulch. Just avoid using fresh green grass clippings, as they’re not ideal for mulch.

Clover Lawn in Pierre, SD

When it comes to lawns, clover often gets a bad rap, but it does some good. It helps reduce weed growth and adds organic matter to your soil. Some people are even making the switch to full clover lawns because they’re easier to maintain than traditional grass. If you’ve got a clover but don’t want it in your lawn, using a high-nitrogen fertilizer can help strengthen the grass and crowd the clover out.

Aphids
Mealy Bugs
Scale
White Flies

As the temperatures rise, you might start seeing more indoor pests making an appearance, like aphids, white flies, spider mites, mealy bugs, scale, and even fungus gnats. A lot of these can be handled with insecticidal soaps, Neem oil, or other insecticide sprays, but you’ll likely need to apply them more than once. Always check the product label so you know how to use it safely and effectively.

Garden almanac

This Week in the Garden (April 8th)

Spent last weekend clearing the asparagus bed and spot-spraying the bromegrass growing in it. This is a great time to tackle unwanted grass in rock beds or perennial gardens. Products like Weed Be Gon work well — just be sure to read the label. I had a serious Bromegrass problem in my asparagus patch, and early spring applications of Roundup (before the asparagus came up!) took care of it. Two years later, just a few blades come up.

Now’s the perfect time to prune your trees and shrubs. If you’ve got young trees, it’s important to shape them properly before they get older. For fruit and shade trees, you’ll want to keep just one main trunk, called the leader. Start by cutting out any dead or diseased limbs. Then go after those twigs that shoot straight up — they’re not helping. Next, look for branches that cross or rub against each other and trim those, too. And don’t forget to remove any suckers growing from the base; they’re just stealing energy from the main trunk.

For multi-stemmed shrubs like lilacs, it’s a good time to thin them out. Cut out the oldest canes you can take out up to a third of the total mass. And if your shrub is getting too tall, go ahead and cut it back to size now, not removing over 1/3 of its growth in one year.
This has been the winter of frost cracks; they show up as long vertical splits on the trunk, especially on young, thin-barked trees like maples. This happens when a warm day is followed by a sudden cold snap, freezing the sap inside. You’ll often see the damage on the south or southwest side of the trunk. Unfortunately, there’s not much to do about it right now, but keeping the tree well-watered during the summer will help it recover.

Pennycress or stinkweed
Shepherd’s Purse

Out in the garden, those little winter weeds like pennycress and shepherd purse are already greening up. They’re easy to pull or hoe while they’re still small — under 4 inches tall. You can also spray them now; just don’t wait too long or let them go to seed!

If you’ve recently seeded a new lawn, water it frequently — about 3 to 4 times a day for 5 minutes each if it’s warm and windy. Once the grass starts growing, dial it back to once or twice a day. And when you try to pull the grass, and it won’t budge? That’s your clue to switch to once-a-week watering if it’s dry.

Real Estate (Farm & Ranch Land)

Starting Seeds Indoors

Starting seeds indoors is a great way to get a head start on the growing season. With a simple setup and a little care, you can grow strong, healthy plants before moving them outside.

First, choose your containers. I use plastic seed trays. Some use old baking pans, clay pots, or such. Just make sure they have drainage holes. Fill them with a light, well-draining seed-starting mix, which helps seeds germinate easily.

Next, plant your seeds according to the instructions on the packet. A general rule is to plant them about twice as deep as their size. After planting, gently water the soil with water to keep it moist but not overly wet. I place the trays in water and let them soak up from the bottom, so I do not disturb the seeds by watering over the top of the seeds.

To maintain humidity, cover the containers with plastic wrap or a humidity dome until the seeds sprout. Most seeds need warmth to germinate, so keeping them in a warm spot (65-75°F) or using a heat mat can speed up the process.

Once the seeds sprout, remove the cover and place the seedlings in bright light. A sunny south-facing window works, but if you don’t get enough natural light, use grow lights for 12-16 hours a day. Keep the lights close to the seedlings (about 2-4 inches above) to prevent leggy growth.

Water your seedlings carefully, keeping the soil evenly moist but not soggy. As they grow, you may need to thin them out, snipping weaker ones so the strongest plants have room to thrive or transplant them into another container after they get their true (adult) leaves.

For vine crops, I sow a few seeds into a 4 inch peat pot and plant the entire pot into the garden.