Help, my trees look sad!

Trees around the state are starting to lose leaves and are looking pretty shabby.  This is a common occurrence as we approach fall.  Add other environmental and biological stresses into the mix and some trees really begin to look bad.  In some parts of the state, soils are wet, while in others, soils are bone dry. Cool night temperatures and heavy morning dews having triggered some diseases.  Various mites and other insects continue to feed on leaves as well.  But wait, don’t get out the spray gun yet:  It’s not worth the time, effort, or money in most cases.

Trees at this time of the year are preparing for dormancy.  Leaves are beginning to shut down production.  Deciduous leaves ravaged by insects or disease earlier in the season tend to fall off the trees first and early in this process.  Spraying pesticides now will not stop the drop.  However, there are some things to do to help improve tree health.

In droughty areas, water trees, applying enough water to soak into a depth of 8”-10”.  Be careful not to overdo it.  Fertilizer applications are not recommended at this time.  If plants are mulched, check the depth of mulch and level it to a depth of no more than 2”.  If you feel you have serious insect, mite, or disease problem, check with your local county extension office of landscape contractor to determine whether or not a pesticide spray would be of benefit to your plant at this time of year.

In the early dew of morning I am seeing cobwebs covering the tops and sides of my bushes.  Will the spiders harm my bushes?

The most likely culprits are the Funnel Weavers or Sheetweb Spiders in the family Agelenidae.  These spiders produce large, flat, sheet-like webs across grass, under rocks or boards, or over the branches of shrubs such as yews and junipers.  The funnel weavers include a funnel-shaped tube that leads down into the plant material and serves as a place of concealment for the spider.

The Funnel and Sheetweb Spiders are not aggressive and are only accidental home invaders.  Their numbers peak in the fall, and their webs are most noticeable in the morning when they are covered with dew or dust.  Destroying webs will have a limited effect since the spiders can reconstruct webs in one night.  All spiders are predators and they are important in reducing insect pest populations.  Homeowners are urged to practice restraints, appreciation, and understanding.  Aside from providing great, free Halloween decorations, spiders also provide a great service by reducing the need for controlling significant pests.

Is fall a good time for planting? 

Remember the Christmas class, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?”  I’ll be the first to admit that our industry has done a poor job of promoting fall for planting.  So many people think that spring is it.  My opinion, and I have many, is that fall is the best time of year!!  We have all the ideal conditions for good results, warm soils, cool nights, frequent rains, less disease and insect problems, and fall, winter and spring before hot dry weather is upon us.  Sounds like good growing conditions to me.  So don’t put off planting until spring.

Is it too later to treat for bagworms?

Yes and no.  This means that the race to avoid defoliation is about over and the damage for this season is mostly in the bag!  This insect has only one generation per year.  Shortly after pupation, male moths, which are capable of flight, will mate with the flightless female moths.  The female bagworm then dies and becomes a dried, mummified “egg case” surrounding 300-1000 eggs.  The eggs live over winter inside the female body inside the bag.  Egg hatch occurs in the spring.  It is too late this year to have effective treatment with insecticides but you can reduce populations this fall, winter, and spring by physically removing and destroying the bags, which contain the eggs.

If you are into fall vegetable gardening, now is the time to plant turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, onions, endive, and garlic bulbs.  If you do garlic now, you’ll have larger bulbs next spring.

I have problems with my mums not coming back the following year.  What can I do to help?

If possible, plant in a location that receives sun at least half the day and make sure to plant in well drained soil that has been amended with peat moss or compost.  During the growing season, fertilize with granular or liquid until August.  Do not feed if planted in fall until next spring.  As the plants grow, do repeated pinching of new shoots until mid to late July.  This will develop a sturdy compact plant with many flowers.  As winter approaches, keep your Mums’ soil moist.  After a hard frost in November, prune the foliage down to the ground and after a couple more frosts mulch the plants over with any type of ground cover – Hardwood Mulch, Straw, Pine Needles, etc.  Then when spring arrives, your Mums should be springing up out of the ground.  Most Mums do not survive because they do not get satisfactory root development established before bad weather sets in.