Sanitation

Like people, plants need a healthy environment.

To reduce our chances of becoming ill, we get plenty of fresh air and clean our homes to remove bugs and bacteria. Yet we neglect our plants by leaving fruit, fallen leaves, weeds, dead branches, even dead plants in our gardens!

Fruit and fallen leaves are ideal locations for pests and diseases to harbor. Weeds and dense vegetation under trees and shrubs provide hiding places for pests and reduce airflow, increasing humidity and the likelihood of fungal diseases. Good sanitation is important for optimum plant health.

What you can do

Here are a few simple steps to help reduce both the severity of infections and continuing infestation by pests and diseases.

• Remove damaged and diseased branches.
• Prune plants for better air circulation. For dense plants or plants with persistent foliar fungal diseases, winter is a good time to do some thinning. Call In Harmony if you'd like us to prune for you.
• Keep areas under trees clean. Keep the stem free of piled mulch, weeds or other competing plants. Keep weeds and grass cut short under the tree canopy.
• Remove dead plants as soon as possible. A dead plant provides a home for insects that may spread diseases to other plants.
• Rake leaves. Because of the high rate of infection in leaves of fruit trees, ornamental cherries, ornamental plums and dogwoods, we do not recommend composting these leaves. Put them in yard waste bins for pickup. The leaves of most other plants make good additions to your compost.

Fruit trees

• Several additional steps are necessary to reduce disease and pest problems in fruit trees.
• Remove diseased flowers that remain on the tree after fruit set.
• Remove early fallen fruit and thin remaining fruit if necessary. Dispose of fruit.
• After harvest, remove remaining fruit from tree and ground.
• If you have any questions about sanitation or whether your leaves are suitable for compost, call In Harmony.

References

Arboriculture: Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs, and Vines. Harris, R. W. Prentice Hall, Inc. New Jersey. 1992.
The Simple Act of Planting a Tree: A Citizen Forester's Guide to Healing Your Neighborhood, Your City, and Your World. Lipkis, Andy, 1990.

Tree Staking

Tree staking is one of the most misunderstood of garden tasks because it can do more harm than good.

Compared to un-staked trees, staked trees have thinner trunks at the base, smaller root systems, and increased risk of damage from rubbing and wind damage. Studies have shown that trees establish more quickly and develop stronger trunk and root systems if they are not staked at the time of planting.

Use protective stakes only where lawn mower damage, vandalism or windy conditions are concerns.

Follow these tips to minimize damage to your tree:

Stake trees loosely. In order for roots and stems to develop properly, the tree must be allowed to move. A tree should never be staked with a single stake closely tied to the stem at several points. This weakens the stem significantly.

Prevent stems from rubbing on the stakes. Use two stakes on opposite sides of the tree perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction.

Minimize damage to tree bark during tying. Use flexible material with a broad, smooth surface. Uncovered wire or rope quickly damages tree stems. Wire covered by sections of garden hose or specially made plant ties (available at your local nursery) work well. When tying, use a figure eight pattern so the tie material can cushion any contact with the stake.

The lower the stake is, the better. When selecting the tie height, remember that the object is to support the tree so it doesn’t fall over, not to prevent it from blowing in the wind. Tying it loosely lower on the stem allows the tree to sway, reducing the likelihood of the tree snapping in high winds.

Thin trees if necessary. Some trees carry too much weight in the upper portion or are so thick as to risk damage from wind. These trees can be judiciously thinned to allow wind to pass through them. Call us for pruning estimates.

Remove stakes as soon as possible. Most plants should stand without support after six to 18 months. Trees that require longer are experiencing other problems.

References

Arboriculture: The Management of Trees, Vines, and Shrubs. Harris, R.W. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. 1992.
The Simple Act of Planting a Tree. Lipkis, A. Jeremy P. Tarcher, Inc., Los Angeles. 1990.
"New Tree Planting," International Society of Arboriculture, http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/tree_planting.aspx.

Mushrooms in Landscapes

Mushrooms tend to pop up during moist conditions, alarming homeowners.

The questions we receive are:

• Are they harmful to my children or pets?
• Are they associated with a soil disease?
• How do I get rid of them?

In most cases, the mushrooms are completely harmless. They are part of natural decomposition and can help benefit surrounding plants by releasing nutrients that have been unavailable in the soil.

There are two types of beneficial mushrooms:

Symbiotic – (Greater than 2 inches in diameter) a mutually beneficial relationship with other living plants. These help with the uptake of nutrients and water more efficiently, like mycorrhizae.

Saprophytic – (Less than 2 inches in diameter) living on dead organic matter. These release nutrients from decomposing material and can benefit surrounding plants by making them available.

There are several mushrooms from harmful fungi. Armillaria mellea is a root rot that has honey colored mushrooms (pictured below). This fungus is a naturally occurring in the Northwest. It is becoming more common in urban landscapes due to poor construction practices.

Another offender is fairy ring. This is common in lawns (pictured below). The mushrooms are visible in spring and summer. The only control method is removal of mushrooms when they appear to prevent the fungus from spreading. We recommend watering deeply and infrequently, along with moderate fertilizer application. Typically, fairy ring is not detrimental to lawn health.

To find out more

If you have a serious interest in mushrooms and fungus, a good field guide for the amateur mycologist is Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora. A good Northwest field guide is The New Savory Wild Mushroom by Margaret McKenny, Joseph F. Ammirati & Daniel E. Stuntz.
For photos of many different mushrooms, visit the Snohomish Mycological Society, www.scmsfungi. org/fotos.htm.

Reference

Mushrooms in Yards, http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/lpro006/ lpro006.htm.

Red Thread

Red thread is a common fungal disease in western Washington lawns.

It develops rapidly during cool, moist weather (between 50 and 60 degrees, fall through spring). Over-watering and light, drizzly rains foster development of the disease and make it more difficult to control. The disease spreads by rain, wind, mowers and other equipment.

Red thread disease is primarily cosmetic and rarely kills turf grasses. It can be effectively controlled by good lawn-care practices. It is not effective to use fungicides to treat red thread in western Washington.

Symptoms

Red thread generally appears as water-soaked, darkened patches varying from two inches to 24 inches or more. The leaves gradually become bleached or scorched-looking. The disease moves from leaf tips down the blade. When advanced, you can see fine fungal threads, pinkish to bright red, in bright light conditions.

What you can do

Wash the underside of your mower between mowing cycles with a diluted solution of chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide and let it dry.
• Keep mower blades sharp so they cut, rather than tear, the grass.
• Red thread can be tracked from lawn to lawn. If you have a lawn mowing service, ask them to clean the mowers between lawns.
• Review your watering procedures. Less frequent watering for longer periods is better. Keep the turf adequately watered in summer to maintain lawn health.

What In Harmony can do

• Apply balanced fertilizer. A good fertilization program is critical in controlling red thread. We will increase fertilizer applications according to severity.
• Apply liquid micronutrients to help strengthen lawn health.
• Apply calcium to help with soil acidity and to help unlock available nutrients trapped in your soil.
• Aerate the lawn to keep plants healthy and aid in nutrient uptake.

Moss

Moss is a very successful plant in the Pacific Northwest, due to our heavy moisture and compacted soils.

This makes it a tough competitor for grass plants in our lawns. Moss indicates poor growing conditions for grass, and is not a problem in itself. It usually means the lawn is too shady, wet, compacted or infertile. We can work with you to improve your lawn health and help reduce moss in your lawn. But moss will still grow in areas unsuited for good grass growth.

What In Harmony can do

• Apply a moss control treatment. Iron is used to burn the moss, turning it black. The iron will not harm the grass or the environment.

What you can do

• Rake out the moss, using a thatching rake, once it turns black. The dead moss will choke your lawn. If the moss is very thick, a thatching machine will make the work much easier.

Note on moss control

Attempts to control moss in fall and winter are counterproductive because temperatures are not warm enough for grass to fill in thin and bare areas. Areas where moss has been removed will remain bare or, more likely, grow more moss. We recommend waiting until early spring to remove moss.

If moss is a persistent problem, In Harmony can:

• Renovate your lawn in spring or fall to correct the problems preventing healthy grass growth. Aeration, overseeding and fertilization will make your lawn healthier.
• Install drainage or break up compacted soil to reduce moisture in soggy lawn areas.
• Replace your lawn with groundcovers in areas where shade limits grass growth.

References

Moss in the Landscape: Friend or Foe? Robson, M. Washington State University Cooperative Extension. http://gardening. wsu.edu/column/10-08-00.htm November 11,2000.
Moss. Dickey, P. Pro IPM: Integrated Pest Management Solutions for the Landscaping Professional. 2000.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars are immature moths and butterflies.

Though caterpillars feed on plants and can chew irregular holes or entire leaves, they are primarily a nuisance rather than a serious threat to your plants. Healthy plants can handle some caterpillar damage. Many caterpillars are food sources for birds, and many adult moths help pollinate your plants.

Tent caterpillars are a common problem in western Washington. There are several types, all of which form large silken webs or “tents” in the foliage and branches of trees. Some species mature in fall and some in spring.

What you can do

• Watch for tents in your trees. Early removal of tents minimizes damage and reduces the likelihood of the pest spreading to other branches or trees.
If you notice caterpillar tents in your trees, you can:
• Remove the tents by hand; this is easiest in small trees. You can roll the tent out of the foliage, or cut out branches containing nests.
• Call In Harmony to control the caterpillars for you.

What In Harmony can do

• Remove the tents by hand for you.
• Apply organic pesticides. In cases where infestation is severe, In Harmony may recommend treatment with pyrethrums, organic pesticides derived from chrysanthemums, to exterminate caterpillars. We take this action only when necessary because of two drawbacks:
• While pyrethrums are safe, organic products that pose no long-term environmental harm, any pesticide is a poison and can harm people, animals, and desirable insects when contacted by direct spray or mist before they break down.
• The treatment stops the caterpillars from eating your plants, but the unsightly nest remains in the tree until wind, rain, and time knock it down.

References

Tent Caterpillar. Pro IPM: Integrated Pest Management Solutions for the Landscape Professional, Green Gardening Program. Phillip Dickey.
Biology and Control of Tent Caterpillar. Washington State Cooperative Extension. Collman, S.A. and Antonelli, A.L. http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/inse003/inse003.htm, November 17,2000.
Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs: An Integrated Pest Management Guide. Dreistadt, S. ANR Publications, University of California, 1994.

Fall Leaves

Many trees provide a wondrous show in the fall, with leaves in hues of orange, red, brown and gold.

But once the show is over, those leaves can damage your lawn, so it's time to get out the rake.

What's the problem?

Leaves, especially wet leaves, can thin your lawn in a very short time. Fallen leaves prevent sunlight from reaching your turf. They smother the grass, preventing water from evaporating and eliminating air exchange. The combination of wet plants and low oxygen causes the grass to rot.

What you can do

• Rake leaves off your lawn! Protect your investment. Leaves can quickly thin the lawn you have worked all year to thicken.
• Rake or blow leaves at least once a week during peak leaf fall. Raking more frequently does not take much more time because frequent removal is much easier than waiting to remove all the leaves at once.
• Compost your leaves or use as a mulch on garden beds. Add them to your compost pile or compost them separately. Large leaves will break down quicker if shredded, but will break down eventually if allowed time. Composted leaves make great soil amendments.
Do not compost the following, but dispose in yard waste:
• Leaves from any tree with a foliar disease, such as fruit trees, ornamental cherries and plums, or dogwoods with anthracnose. Disease spores can over-winter on fallen leaves, surviving the composting process and infecting your trees again in the spring.
• Leaves of conifers and broad-leaf evergreens. They take a long time to compost.

References

Autumn Leaves and Their Virtues. Robson, M. Washington State University Cooperative Extension. http://gardening.wsu. edu/column/11-08-98.html November 17, 2000.
The Gardener's Guide to Plant Diseases. Pleasant, B. Story Books, 1995.