Dear Rodney,

Last year I had problems with bag worms. Is there anything that I can do now to head them off?

Thank you, Debbie

Dear Debbie, You were not the only person to have bagworm issues last year. Many homeowners felt overwhelmed and called the local pest control to hit their yard with a general pesticide that is non-specific and kills everything, good as well as bad insects. There is a better way that is more environmentally friendly that targets only the bagworms and now is a good time to start preparing to determine when the worms are most vulnerable.

Bagworms feed on foliage of evergreens, roses, and often other trees and bushes. They protect themselves by building a “bag” of web and plant material, usually evergreen needles that they add to during the summer months as they grow. Once in their bag, they are very hard to treat with a spray that will not penetrate their bags and your recourse is to hand pick them when you see them.

Worms can be treated easily if you catch them in the right life stage. Worms hatch out in the early spring and begin feeding shortly thereafter. As they feed, they begin gathering materials to build their protective bag. Male and female worms grow in their bags until fall when the males morph into moths and find female worms to reproduce. Females never leave their bag and in time the female lays eggs in her bag, dies, and the eggs over winter, protected by the bag. When the weather becomes favorable in spring the eggs hatch and begin the next cycle.

Look around your yard now and pick about 15 bags off your trees and shrubs and put them in a sealed plastic bag or jar. The bags that you will find are either abandoned male bags or female bags that contain eggs. Place the bags where they are exposed to outside temperature, out of the light, and watch the bag. When you start seeing tiny worms moving about in the bag, it is time to treat for them. It is important to treat while the worms are tiny and actively feeding before they can build their bags.

I recommend using a spray of Bacillus thuringiensis or BT. This is a naturally occurring bacteria that makes toxins that affect immature insects (larva/caterpillars) when they eat it. The bagless larva will eat foliage that has been sprayed with the BT solution and get very ill. BT does not affect a wide range of insects like most chemical pesticides and the bacteria are only active for a few days after they are sprayed on your trees and shrubs. The bagworms have only one cycle a year, so at worst case you will have a lot fewer worms this summer.

Last year BT sold out quickly during the army worm problem and currently stores have it on their shelves. You might want to purchase a couple of bottles while there is plenty available.

Resources

https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/bagworms/

If you would like to ask Rodney a gardening question his email address is RodneyRabbit1@gmail.com.

“It’s February” … What needs to be done

PLANTING

• Cool-season vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and potatoes should be planted mid-month, or about 4 weeks prior to the average last freeze date (March 15 in Ellis County). Beets, carrots, lettuce, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard and “greens” (collard, mustard and turnip) should be planted 2 to 4 weeks prior to the average last freeze.
• Plant asparagus crowns in 10-12 inches of soil. When buying plants, biggest is not always best, especially with bare-root plants. Small to medium sizes establish faster.
• Dig and divide warm-season perennials (cannas, coneflowers, perennial salvia, mums) before they break dormancy.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING

• Prune bush roses around Valentine’s Day. Prune old, dead and weak canes back to the ground. Leave 4 to 8 vigorous canes, removing one-half of their growth above an outward-facing bud. Wait to prune climbing or leaning roses until after they bloom. Prune errant canes any time to maintain shape.
• Herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses may be cut back now. Prune autumn sage (Salvia gregii) by 50%. Mexican heather grass does not require pruning.
• Dig and divide large clumps of ornamental grasses, especially if the center of the plant has died.
• Cut or mow liriope before new growth emerges. Trim Asian jasmine back to 4 or 5 inches.

GARDEN WATCH

• Begin controlling insects and diseases on fruit and nut trees. Spraying is essential for a successful harvest. Contact the  Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service – Ellis County for a copy of “Homeowners Fruit and Nut Spray Schedule”.
• Look for aphids and caterpillars on vegetables, and control with insecticidal soap and Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), respectively.
• Check for scale insects adhering to the trunk, branches and leaves of hollies, euonymus, shade trees, fruit and pecan trees. Apply horticultural oil to control these and other over-wintering insects.
• For the more difficult-to-control crape myrtle bark scale, apply a neonicotinoid insecticide, such as imidacloprid, as a soil drench to the root zone of infested trees.

EXTREME GARDENING TOPICS:

Extreme Planting – Hydroponics is a system by which plants are grown in water without the use of soil. Plants are anchored in an inert medium such as clay or gravel pellets. The roots of the plant grow downward through the medium and take up the nutrient rich water, thus eliminating the need for soil. More plants can generally be grown in the same amount of space compared to traditional soil gardening. Also, hydroponics can be stacked to further increase space efficiency thereby growing four times the amount of crop in the same space as traditional gardening. Some crops can grow twice as fast in a hydroponic setting.

Original Post by: Monty Grearner

“It’s January” … What needs to be done

PLANTING

• Plant trees, shrubs and woody ornamentals from nursery containers. Plant slightly above ground line to allow root flare to be exposed.
• Transplant small trees and shrubs while they are dormant. Water the plant well before digging it.
• Plant cold-tolerant herbs such as chives, cilantro, garlic and parsley; onion transplants late in the month.
• Seed for warm-weather annuals can be planted in flats in a temperature-controlled environment. Tomatoes and peppers can be started from seed mid-month. All require bright light and warm temperatures (60-70^oF). Use grow lights for best results.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING

• Prune trees, including live oaks and red oaks, to remove dead, broken and unwanted branches. Apply pruning paint to any cut/wound on your oak trees to prevent oak wilt.
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs as needed; and apply a liquid root stimulator monthly.
• Peach and plum trees should be pruned to stimulate lateral branches and keep their “bowl” shape. Thin out branches to open the center to allow more sunlight, resulting in fruit production over the entire tree.
• Apply blood meal or a slow-release fertilizer to pansies and other cool-season annuals.
• Maintain free-form crape myrtles by removing “sprouts” growing from the base, but never cut the tops out. It produces unsightly knots and delays blooming. Removing spent seed pods is OK.

GARDEN WATCH

• Remove by hand, broadleaf weeds such as clover, dandelions, hen bit and chickweed in lawns and beds. If necessary, spray turf with a broadleaf herbicide when temperatures are above 70 degrees. Be careful when using herbicides to prevent the drift from harming desirable plants.
• Don’t Guess, Soil Test! The best way to determine your soil’s fertility needs is to have it tested. Contact the local AgriLife Extension office at 972-825-5175 for a Soil Sample Information Form, or go to http://soiltesting.tamu.edu.

EXTREME GARDENING TOPICS:

Extreme Environmental Issues – Since the mid 1990’s, city dwellers have been encouraged to adopt management practices to reduce fertilizer runoff and conserve water. Research has shown that large amounts of phosphorus and nitrates are washed from recently fertilized grass sod, regardless of the type of fertilizer, and is contributing to the potential of deficient oxygen levels and algae blooms. As the algae begins to die other organisms consume them using even more oxygen resulting in possible fish kills and “stinky water.” Using a soil test to determine what nutrients are actually needed and only applying them at the right time will help keep these fertilizers out of our water systems. Contact your local AgriLife Extension office for more details on soil testing.

Original post by: Monty Grearner

“It’s December” … What needs to be done

PLANTING

• Plant berry-producing trees and shrubs to add winter color to your landscape. Choices include possumhaw and yaupon holly, Carolina buckthorn, rusty blackhaw viburnum and American beautyberry.
• Plant pre-chilled tulip and hyacinth bulbs mid to late month. Plant bulbs in masses for best effect.
• Daffodil bulbs may still be planted. Look for early and small-flowering varieties that tend to naturalize and return yearly.
• Considering a living Christmas tree? Choose an adapted plant. Junipers, Arizona cypress and pyramidal hollies are good options. While indoors, place the tree in the brightest natural light and keep soil moist. Do not leave indoors for more than two weeks.

FERTILIZING AND PRUNING

• Apply a root stimulator such as liquid seaweed or a high-phosphorus fertilizer to newly planted trees and shrubs.
• Do not top crape myrtles or remove the central leader of any shade tree. It destroys the crape myrtle’s natural shape, and delays blooming by five or six weeks. If your plant is too tall or too wide, remove or relocate it, and replace with something smaller that won’t require trimming.
• Remove mistletoe from trees as soon as it becomes visible. Use a pole pruner to remove the entire twig from infected branches before the mistletoe produces berries. There are no effective consumer products to control this parasitic plant.

GARDEN WATCH

• Protect tender vegetation from the cold with a lightweight frost cloth available at most nurseries and garden centers.
• Continue to water lawns, newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials if rainfall is insufficient.
• Prepare garden soil for spring planting by tilling in 6 inches of organic matter (compost) to a depth of 8 to 10 inches.
• Take time during the holidays to check out the new seed and nursery catalogues. Order early to ensure availability.
• Let’s not forget our feathered friends during the winter when their natural food supply is limited. Providing sunflower, safflower and thistle seed, suet and fruit will attract many species of birds to your backyard. And be sure to provide water.

EXTREME GARDENING TOPICS:

Soil solarization is an environmentally friendly method of using the sun’s power to control pests such as bacteria, insects, and weeds in the soil. The process involves covering the ground with a clear polyethylene cover to trap solar energy. The sun heats the soil to temperatures that kill bacteria, fungi, insects, nematodes, mites, weeds and weed seeds.

Original Post by: Monty Grearner

The Oak Leaf home of Bob and Pat Cochran has an almost palpable peace about it. The lush lawn, the songs of birds in towering pecan trees, and Bob’s thriving vegetable garden make it hard to believe that one year ago a historic flood ravaged the grounds and house.

Read more…North Ellis County Now, Pgs 14-16