April 10, 2009
Formerly, I had advised you to treat your azalea, pieris japonica and lepidote (small-leaved) rhododendron such a ‘PJM’ and ‘Aglo’ with imadicloprid about April 15th to prevent damage from lacebugs which turn the leaves a sickly bronze color later in the season and will weaken the plants overtime.
Now, I want you to treat the plants instead about May 30th as that is about when the critters become active.
You see, the April 15th date was so that this slow moving systemic insecticide found in Bayer Rhododendron, Azalea and Camellia Insect & Disease product could enter the plant in time to kill the lacebug. However, there is some evidence that this product is deadly to bees such as bumblebees that pollinate these plants.
The goal is to apply the material late in May in order that there will be none of the material in the plant until bloom drop in late May and early June thus, keeping it out of the system of pollinating bees and yet timely enough to kill lacebug anyway.
Again, it is an ideal time to apply a crabgrass preventer to your lawn and coming very close to the time to apply Espoma’s Organic Weed & Feed that contains corn gluten to suppress weeds.
Another plant line I told you about in my February 7th seminar and in an earlier blog is blueberries. Because of the beautiful flowers from hot pink to white, different plant habits and ultimate growing sizes and spectacular fall color, if you don’t consider planting some blueberries in your garden or landscape you are a fool!
Why pay for the high-priced berries in the store that you don’t even know with what they’ve been sprayed or how they were handled. In fact, during a recent radio repor,t a
Blueberries are a member of the rhododendron-azalea family which is right up our alley so that we can help you select and successfully grow these jewels of plants.
Come on in and take a look around. We’re not all set up yet but it’s getting close!
Adieu!
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