Japanese Beetles are now emerging. You can hand pick and place in a jar of soapy water, or you can use a spray to kill and deter.
Avoid over-watering in hot muggy weather, because it causes mildew.
Powdery mildew often appears on zinnias, phlox and roses.
I recommend using Bonide’s Infuse, Liquid Copper or Fung-onil, if plants are severely infected.
Thin plants to allow better air flow.
Be sure to clean up all pruned foliage, fallen petals and leaves, place in trash.
Do not compost, as this will only harbor the disease and could possibly pass it to other plants.
Week 1
• To have bigger and more blooms next year, fertilize all spring and summer blooming bulbs as soon as they are finished blooming with Espoma’s Bulbtone at the rate of 4 to 6 pounds for each 100 square feet. Repeat the process again in September.
Week 2
• Every two weeks, add a dose of water soluble fertilizer when watering roses, annuals, perennials, and especially container plants. We recommend Greenlite’s Super Bloom. The off week use one tablespoon of Epsom Salt to one gallon of water when watering your plants. The trace nutrients and minerals are beneficial to the plants and create healthy, dark green foliage.
• Apply Espoma’s Garden Iron around azaleas, hollies, laurels, junipers, pines, and spruce to help provide for better chlorophyll production by the foliage and to keep the plants healthy during the stressful summer months.
Week 3
• Algae can turn your pond water murky green or even add a layer of green matting material.
I suggest using algae fix regularly. You can also try barley pillows which float in the pond and release a natural toxin that is unhealthy for the algae.
• Apply Milorganite to the lawn now to produce a lush green lawn for July and August. If you are on a four-step lawn program apply step three with insect control now.
Week 4
• Japanese Beetles are now emerging.
You can hand pick and place in a jar of soapy water, or you can use a spray to kill and deter.
Bonide has Japanese beetle killer, Yard and Garden Eight, or use Liquid Sevin.
These products will protect for five to seven days.
• Prune withered blossoms and existing flowers before leaving on vacation to prevent the garden from going dormant.
If all goes well your garden will be producing flowers again when you return.
(Editor’s Note: Ken Morgan is owner of Robin’s Nest Floral and Garden Center in Easton, Md.)
