Dial-a-Garden Message
for the Week of Monday, August 31, 2009
Lenore Donovan, Advanced Master Gardener
Colorado State University Extension Tri River Area
Thank you for calling Dial-a-Garden. This message was recorded on Tuesday, September 1, 2009.
Cool season vegetables can still be planted in warmer areas for a fall crop. Peas, lettuce, spinach and most other greens will do fine; protect them from high winds as much as possible and don’t let them get smothered by falling leaves, although the leaves can be used as mulch. Information on vegetable planting times is available at http://westernslopevegetables.org, or give the Master Gardeners a call at 244-1836.
In late summer and fall, we often find unusually large spiders in the yard. A common one in our area is the cat faced spider, Aranus gemmoides. There is a picture and some information at http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05512.html. This is an orb-weaving spider and the webs may be as large as two feet across. Please remember that while she may look intimidating, the cat faced spider is a garden beneficial and should be left alone and just enjoyed. When spiders are found in the home, it is best to relocate them back outside if possible.
If peach, apricot or plum trees drop a lot of leaves or appear to wilt fairly rapidly, check around the base of the tree for damage to the bark just above or below the soil line. You may find some gummy ooze and some “sawdust” in this area as well. This characteristic damage is caused by the peach crown borer which also attacks ornamental trees in the Prunus genus. Information on the control of this insect is available on the extension website at http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05566.html. or give us a call at 244-1836 to receive a copy. If your entire tree is wilted, the tree will not recover and should be removed. If the damage is not that extensive, it is probably too late for preventative drenches this year. But alternative treatments are discussed on the fact sheet. In future years, plan on an insecticidal drench around the base of the tree around the first of July and the first of August.
If you are continuing to treat your apples or pears for codling moth, please consult the label on the insecticide you are using, for the pre-harvest interval. This is the number of days required between the last application of a pesticide and harvesting the crop. It will vary with the crop and the product. You will have to estimate the harvest date and count back from there. Determining harvest date can be frustrating; our fact sheet on Harvesting Apples and Pears at www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02800.html has some helpful advice. If you don’t have enough time between the last application and harvest, consider switching to a product with a shorter pre-harvest interval for the last application. Sevin or malathion are possible choices.
Information is available in our office about harvesting a variety of garden produce. Give the Master Gardeners a call at 244-1836, if you have any questions or concerns about it. You can also call our Delta office at 874-2195, or our Montrose office at 249-3935. You may need to leave a message but someone will get back to you.
Thank you for calling Dial-a-Garden. This message will be updated next week; have a great week!