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In this issue for June 2006:
Column From Shelley Ryan, Producer/Host of The Wisconsin Gardener
June Chore List Emerald Ash Borer Award for P. Allen Smith Featured Programs - June 16 Through July 16 ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER HOW TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE Column From Shelley Ryan, Producer/Host of The Wisconsin Gardener 
"Networking" As a gardener, I tend to focus more on my digging skills than my computer skills. I'm not computer illiterate, but if my Brussels sprouts aren't growing the way I expect them to, I'm much more likely to go out and swear at them than sit indoors and try to find an answer on the computer. I do network, of course. However, I tend to do it in person with my neighbors across the street. Once, I asked my neighbor why her apples looked so much better than mine. She said she used a special spray. It was great and she didn t have any insect problems at all. "Oh," I asked. "What kind of spray is it?" "Don't know," she said, "The label fell off years ago." "You're spraying the apples that you eat with a chemical and you don't know what it is?" I asked incredulously. "Yup," she said proudly. "Works great." That night I quietly took a trip out to the garbage with the basket of apples she had so generously given me. My neighbor is a wonderful lady; I love her dearly, but I won't eat her apples. This kind of experience has led me to believe that sitting down in front of the computer to research and network with other gardeners isn't the worst thing in the world to do. I won't get as dirty as outdoors and I may get more useful information. The wonderful thing about networking by computer is that I also can double-check any advice that I receive, just in case my neighbor gets a computer. That's a good idea for anyone using the computer to gather information. The information is only as good as the source. When in doubt, double-check or get a second opinion. With that in mind, I want to remind folks about The Wisconsin Gardener Discussion Forums. Simply go the Wisconsin Gardener Web site at www.wpt.org/garden/ and click on discussion forums. There's lots of topics to choose from -- vegetables, lawn care, flowers and more. You can ask questions or offer advice. In my effort to turn over a new leaf, (whoever came up with that phrase must have been a gardener!) I will be dropping in from time to time as well. Who knows, you might even see something about growing apples organically. June Chore List The glories of summer are here, along with many possible projects for the garden and yard. Here are some suggestions from University of Wisconsin-Extension sources.Fertilize and renew June-bearing strawberries after harvesting. Plants form runners now and need good fertility for vigorous growth. Renovate by mowing the foliage and cultivating between the rows. Aphids of all types show up on a range of host plants as soon as the warm weather arrives. Look for them in newly unfurling foliage, which may be curled downward and around aphid colonies. Sticky leaves are another sign of their presence since they secrete "honeydew." Black sooty mold also may grow in this sticky substance but does little damage since it does not penetrate the leaves. Aphids, however, do damage the plant. Spray leaves with a strong jet of water to dislodge some of them. Insecticidal soap is a low-toxicity product that provides pretty good control as long as the insects are wetted thoroughly. A second and third treatment to kill newly hatched eggs may be needed in five to seven days. Check spruce and arborvitae growing in hot, dry sites for spider mites. Tap a branch several times on a piece of white paper and then hold it very still for about 30 seconds. Mites will appear as tiny, moving black specks. If present, thoroughly wet plants with a blast of water from the hose. Repeat until no mites are found. Continue working around ripening foliage of spring flowering bulb plants. For best flower bud development and vigorous growth next year, allow leaves to yellow completely before removing. Red sphere traps coated with Tanglefoot can be hung in apple trees now to control apple maggots. Use one trap per 100 apples expected Emerald Ash Borer Earlier this month the emerald ash borer, an insect capable of tremendous devastation, was found along the Wisconsin-Illinois border. It is difficult to detect in newly infested trees. Signs of infestation include the presence of metallic-green beetles about half the diameter of a penny on or around ash trees, thinning and yellowing leaves, D-shaped holes in the bark of the trunk or branches and shoots growing from the base of the tree. Contact a county University of Wisconsin-Extension office if you suspect its presence.Award for P. Allen Smith Recently, P. Allen Smith won the Garden Club of America's prestigious Medal of Honor. The group cited his "extraordinary talents and unique contributions as an expert garden designer, gifted teacher and superb communicator." Smith's program, P. Allen Smith s Garden Home, airs at 3 Sunday afternoons on WPT. www.pallensmith.comFeatured Programs - June 16 Through July 16 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29 and 2 p.m. Sunday, July 2 The Wisconsin Gardener "Secret GardensLiving Fences." Discover a stunning garden tucked into a busy urban setting. Learn how to fashion living willow fences. Get tree-planting tips. These are all part of a brand-new Wisconsin Gardener offering. www.wpt.org/garden/ Funding for The Wisconsin Gardener is provided, in part, by Ariens Co., www.ariens.com2 p.m. Sundays (except July 2) Great Lakes Gardener. Tips on green and growing things in this climate. Tour great Midwestern gardens. www.mptv.org/great_lakes_gardener/index.php/ 2:30 p.m. Sundays The Victory Garden. Host Michael Weishan tours gardens and offers tips. www.pbs.org/wgbh/victorygarden/ 3 p.m. P. Allen Smith's Garden Home. Get inspired to blend indoor and outdoor living. Plus, visit some of the world's most beautiful gardens. www.pallensmith.com 1 p.m. Saturday, June 24 Ask This Old House. General contractor Tom Silva makes a visit to Atlanta to show a homeowner how to use masonry fasteners to install window boxes on a brick townhouse. www.newyankee.com 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24 Hometime "Front Yard Rehab: Pergola and Plants." www.pbs.org/hometime 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 2 The New Yankee Workshop "The Gardener's Dry Sink." Here is a place to organize horticultural life. Meant to go outdoors or in, this hard-working bench provides a place to work on plants, repot them and to store the numerous items plant lovers use. www.newyankee.com ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER How to Subscribe How to Unsubscribe | |||
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