Help to save our wildlife

– last updated Thu 20 Jun 2013

• UK
• RSPB

We’re being told unless more is done to help wildlife in the capital, we’ll lose some of our most-loved species. We’re being encouraged to start a revolution at home, protecting the habitats of those at risk, and nurturing them back to healthy numbers. With fewer green spaces, your garden is the perfect place to start creating more homes for our animals. Here are a few simple things you can do to help the animal “housing crisis.” This advice is from the RSPB.

• PLANT A WILD FLOWER MEADOW

Of the 97 food plants that we know bumblebees prefer, 76 per cent have declined over the past 80 years. Because of trends like this, many of our pollinating insects are in decline. You can help change this by planting a variety of native flowers. They’ll look great and you’ll be giving bees and other bugs a big helping hand.

• BUILD A LONELY BEE A HOME

Destruction of their habitat means that solitary bees are declining.The good news is that it’s easy to help them! Around half of solitary bees live in urban areas, so by simply putting up a bee box you’ll be helping out these declining bugs. Plus it’ll give you the chance to watch them close-up! They’re harmless and have fascinating behaviour.

• DIG A POND

• CREATE A LAWN FOR WILDLIFE

In many towns and cities, grass has been replaced by concrete. It’s low-maintenance, but when it rains, water runs straight into the gutter where it can overload our waterways.Lawns are great places for birds like starlings, robins and blackbirds to forage for food. Flowers among the grass attract butterflies and bees. And in summer, the feel of grass under your bare feet is fabulous!

• CREATE A LOG PILE FOR BUGS

• CREATE LITTLE GREEN PATCHES

Our bugs, bees, butterflies and moths need more help than ever.But even if you don’t have a garden, you can still do your bit! There are lots of plants which will grow very happily in containers on balconies or patios, or in window boxes.Pick the right plants and you’ll give the insects which pollinate our flowers and crops a big helping hand. They’ll look fabulous, too!

• INVEST IN A TREE OR SHRUB

Investing in a tree or shrub is one of the easiest things you can do for nature – they’re mini-habitats for loads of creatures.

Birds, mammals and bugs all use them as a safe home where they can feed and raise a family.

Nature loves them, and they provide a shady corner on those hot summer days. What’s not to love?

More on this story

How to help our wildlife flourish

ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With warmer weather upon us, millions of American DIYers will be dusting
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In fact, more than one in three DIYers (39 percent) report injuries from
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45 percent say they are concerned about getting injured, 57 percent
never wear ear protection and 43 percent never protect their eyes.

“Smart preparation can make all the difference when you’re taking on
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To help create your safety shopping list, visit www.3mtekk.com
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* National Safety Council/3M TEKK Protection Brand DIY Safety Survey
conducted by Kelton, April 2013. An online survey of 604 Americans ages
35-54 who own a home and have completed a DIY home improvement project.

** American Academy of Ophthalmology Eye Injury Snapshot, 2010

3M, 3M TEKK Protection, ForceFlex, WorkTunes and Cool Flow are
trademarks of 3M

What’s bugging you? Our mild winter and extraordinarily cool weather this spring has allowed some garden insect pests to thrive. One group of these pests is what I call “nasty little suckers,” or aphids.

The thing that makes aphids so insidious is that most are ready and waiting to attack as soon as new growth emerges. Plus, they have an extraordinary capacity to multiply quickly. If gardeners aren’t vigilant, a small population of aphids quickly can get out of control.

Identifying aphids isn’t as easy as you might think, since their appearance varies. Many gardeners are familiar with green aphids and are surprised to find that there also are black, pink, yellow, blue-gray and whitish aphids. Aphids have pear-shaped, soft bodies and usually are less than 1/8 inch in length. Most aphids don’t have wings unless their population becomes crowded and they need to find a new feeding site.

Aphids have piercing-sucking mouthparts that allow them to tap into and suck out plant sap. They often excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew, leaving sticky, shiny spots on lower leaves and objects.

When checking for aphids, examine the stems and leaf undersides of new growth. Aphids don’t scurry away like other insects; they just keep sucking away.

Besides the bother of honeydew, aphid feeding can injure plants if an infestation is severe, making leaves turn yellow. Many aphids also inject saliva into the plant causing curling, stunting, puckering and distortion. Aphids also damage some plants by transmitting viruses.

What can you do?

1. A forceful spray of water will knock aphids off a plant. Those knocked off will not go back to the plant.

2. Work with nature by encouraging natural predators like ladybugs and their larvae and not using pesticides harmful to beneficial insects.

3. Aphids are fairly easy to kill, but many softer or organic insecticides such as insecticidal soap only work when it directly contacts the bodies. When using these materials, it’s important to apply them where the aphids are found. If aphid-feeding already has caused leaf distortion, the aphids stay protected inside the curled leaves, leaving insecticides ineffective.

4. There are systemic insecticides available, applied as sprays to the leaves or as drenches to the roots, that get into the plant sap and kill the aphids. This is the only way to kill aphids protected by curled leaves. However, most of these products are only labeled for use on ornamental plants, not fruits or vegetables.

5. If the aphids are on a woody plant, consider applying a delayed dormant oil spray early in the spring just before the buds open. This can kill overwintering aphids before they get a chance to start feeding or multiplying.

— Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for Washington State University Benton County Extension.

What’s bugging you? Our mild winter and extraordinarily cool weather this spring has allowed some garden insect pests to thrive. One group of these pests is what I call “nasty little suckers,” or aphids.

The thing that makes aphids so insidious is that most are ready and waiting to attack as soon as new growth emerges. Plus, they have an extraordinary capacity to multiply quickly. If gardeners aren’t vigilant, a small population of aphids quickly can get out of control.

Identifying aphids isn’t as easy as you might think, since their appearance varies. Many gardeners are familiar with green aphids and are surprised to find that there also are black, pink, yellow, blue-gray and whitish aphids. Aphids have pear-shaped, soft bodies and usually are less than 1/8 inch in length. Most aphids don’t have wings unless their population becomes crowded and they need to find a new feeding site.

Aphids have piercing-sucking mouthparts that allow them to tap into and suck out plant sap. They often excrete a sugary liquid called honeydew, leaving sticky, shiny spots on lower leaves and objects.

When checking for aphids, examine the stems and leaf undersides of new growth. Aphids don’t scurry away like other insects; they just keep sucking away.

Besides the bother of honeydew, aphid feeding can injure plants if an infestation is severe, making leaves turn yellow. Many aphids also inject saliva into the plant causing curling, stunting, puckering and distortion. Aphids also damage some plants by transmitting viruses.

What can you do?

1. A forceful spray of water will knock aphids off a plant. Those knocked off will not go back to the plant.

2. Work with nature by encouraging natural predators like ladybugs and their larvae and not using pesticides harmful to beneficial insects.

3. Aphids are fairly easy to kill, but many softer or organic insecticides such as insecticidal soap only work when it directly contacts the bodies. When using these materials, it’s important to apply them where the aphids are found. If aphid-feeding already has caused leaf distortion, the aphids stay protected inside the curled leaves, leaving insecticides ineffective.

4. There are systemic insecticides available, applied as sprays to the leaves or as drenches to the roots, that get into the plant sap and kill the aphids. This is the only way to kill aphids protected by curled leaves. However, most of these products are only labeled for use on ornamental plants, not fruits or vegetables.

5. If the aphids are on a woody plant, consider applying a delayed dormant oil spray early in the spring just before the buds open. This can kill overwintering aphids before they get a chance to start feeding or multiplying.

— Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for Washington State University Benton County Extension.

We called out for your gardening tips, and you did not disappoint.

We loved your clever tips for invigorating vegetation, like this one from Michelle Moore:

“Take the time to prune your cilantro plant frequently so it will help delay bolting and prolong your harvest time.”

Michelle Moore’s cilantro. Photo provided by Michelle Moore.

And this one from Mary Swan:

“Although I have had my peony plant for years, it took quite some time to get them established. It can take two or three years before a new plant provides you with a display of flowers, so don’t get discouraged if yours doesn’t bloom the first spring after planting.”

Mary Swan’s peony plant, photo provided by Mary Swan.

And reader Angie Olsen submitted this suggestion from her tomato garden: “My gardening tip would be let gardening become a family affair, get the little ones involved in weeding and watering. They LOVE it!”

Angie Olsen’s growing tomatoes, photo provided by Angie Olsen. 

Congratulations to green thumb contest winner Renee Huang, who blends green living with her green thumb.

Her tip: “Recycle egg cartons into seedling starters on your windowsill. Transfer into your tilled garden after 7 to 10 days when sprouts are several inches tall.”

Renee Huang’s seedlings, photo provided by Renee Huang.

Renee wins a $50 gift card to Log Haven.

Thank you to all who submitted your great tips. May your flora flourish.

More answers from Ms. Cassidy will be posted next Wednesday. This feature is now closed to new questions.

For Those With Arthritis

Q. Would you recommend a company that manufactures a line of tools for gardeners with arthritis? — Thurgood

A. While many elders complain of arthritis and how it inhibits their gardening, keeping a positive attitude and developing new habits can keep you at it for a long time.

First, be sure to consult your doctor or health care provider about your physical abilities and limitations.

Be aware that after sleeping, the older body needs more time to “reactivate” its muscles and tendons. Waiting a few hours before digging into the garden is wise. Occupational therapists can recommend appropriate exercises before you begin.

Pace yourself. You should break your garden tasks into smaller steps. Every 20 to 30 minutes change your position and activity. If you were raking leaves, switch to sitting as you deadhead the mums.

Boomers represent a huge market for all sorts of new products and the garden industry is taking advantage of this. The range of gardening tools and new designs to choose from can be overwhelming. While the term “ergonomic” is often associated with specially designed tools to meet the needs for those with arthritis, be aware that some designs are better than others. When investing in new tools, be sure that you can take them back if they don’t fit your needs. What may work for someone else’s arthritis may not suit yours.

Buy lightweight tools; expending your valuable and limited energy hauling around heavy things is not wise. For example, Fiskars makes sturdy but featherweight plastic hand tools.

I agree with the reader R.M. Weisman from PA who recommends Radius tools. While there is a large array of hand tools and shovels to choose from online, you should go to a store so that you can handle the tool to feel its weight and to see if the design fits your hand.

Look for hand cushioning. For tools that require us to grasp, most arthritic hands require and appreciate more cushioning. Many hand tools like trowels, weeders or pruners now come with foam rubber or some soft materials. If you need more sponginess, buy inexpensive pipe insulators (long gray tubes) that are easy to cut and wrap around handles, and secure with brightly colored duct tape.

Keeping your pruners sharp reduces the stress on your hands and wrists as well as ensures that you make a healthy cut on the plant. Look for lightweight pruners with comfortable handles.

Many tools like rakes, trowels and forks come with handles than can be adjusted to fit the length you need for the job. Customizing the tool to meet your physical needs enables you to work within the bounds of your arthritis.

Q. Do you have suggestions that don’t require a considerable investment in structural changes for modifying gardens for seniors? — Jordan, Long Beach

A. Modifying a garden can be as simple as not planting high-maintenance plants and looking instead for those more drought tolerant. In some geographic regions, planting natives can relieve the gardener of a lot of work. Review what you have in the garden and perhaps remove some of the shrubs that require yearly pruning or tall floppy flowers that need stalking.

Switch the in-ground bed gardens to containers and position them near your door for easy access and harvest.

Replace heavy hoses with lightweight brightly colored ones that are easy to move and see. Position hoses so you don’t have to haul them around the garden —perhaps get a new water faucet installed nearer to the garden. Add quick-release hose attachments so you can quickly exchange hoses without stressing your fingers and hands.

Make sure your pathways are safe for walking. Perhaps installing a handrail in hard-to-reach areas would help.

Add lighting so you can see the walkway or steps.

Vertical Gardening

Q. I would like to learn about vertical gardening. Crawling around is getting hard. — Mike, Santa Barbara, Calif.

Q. Is there a way to construct a vertical garden that is not tremendously expensive and labor intensive? — Cathy, pdx

A. Adding vertical structures can add a whole new dimension to your experience and to the look of your garden. Not only do they enable you to do a lot of your tending and maintenance standing up, thus putting less pressure on your back and knees, but they are also great space-savers on decks or porches. Vertical structures are versatile and come in many materials and shapes for a wide variety of plants.

If you have an existing wall or fence, this can be the start of your vertical garden.

Just be sure that there is safe and ample space for you to walk into, turn around in, and carry a small bucket for tools or harvesting.

“It used to be ‘splat, splat, splat’, but now I barely need to clean my visor!” This has been the experience of a motorcycling friend, noticing the long-term decline in the number of insects he encounters while on his bike. It may be anecdotal, but it mirrors the wealth of scientific data revealing the inexorable erosion of so much of Britain’s wildlife.

There are many reasons for these declines, and combatting them requires action on many fronts, from ensuring the right political policies are in place to help farmers look after the countryside, to protecting the rarest habitats and their wildlife on nature reserves.

Much of this falls to nature conservation charities such as the RSPB, but it is increasingly recognised that gardens also have an important role to play for a whole host of threatened wildlife, from hedgehogs to house sparrows to toads. It means we can all play an active role in giving nature a home.

In case you think this is about letting your garden become weed-strewn and “wild” – think again. A neat, tended garden can – with care and thought – be just as good for wildlife. Nor is it about setting aside a little corner. It is quite possible to do things throughout your garden that help wildlife without compromising everything else you want your garden to be.

Each of Britain’s thousands of species of garden wildlife has a particular set of ecological requirements. And, if we pare it back to basics, there are two simple things that will have an immediate impact:

Planting the gaps

Every garden probably has an area that is a “plant desert”, be it patio or decking, bare fence or wall, shed or garage roof. Adding greenery to any of those areas will help.

Just add water

A birdbath will do as a starter, but if you can expand that to a pond, so much the better. It will host a whole range of different creatures, as well as providing a place for many land animals to drink and bathe.

For maximum effect, the following steps will turn your fledgling “home for nature” into a des-res:

Plant perfection

While almost all plants will do some good for wildlife, they vary in their value. Try to grow those that just can’t stop giving, be it in pollen, nectar, seeds, berries, or tasty foliage. There are all sorts of gorgeous garden plants that do exactly that.

Spatial diversity

That’s just a posh term for offering different rooms for different guests. Aim to provide a rich mix of “wildlife real estate” including trees, shrubs and flower-rich borders, creating everything from damp, shady retreats to glorious sun-baked hotspots. And if you have a lawn, why not allow some of it to grow long? It can look great, especially when creatively dissected and outlined by mown pathways.

Cut the chemicals

When I say chemicals, I really mean insecticides and herbicides. Anything that removes links in the food chain will have a damaging knock-on effect all along it.

Glorious decadence

The basis of garden fertility and of much of the web of life is when plants decay, be it wood, bark, leaves or flowers. Compost heaps, log piles, leaf litter and bark mulches all provide warm, damp, food-filled hideaways for a whole host of creatures.

Supplementary food

We humans keep the harvest from most of the landscape for our own needs, so it is no wonder many birds turn to us for a bit of supplementary help at bird tables and feeders – for them it can be a lifeline throughout the year.

Keeping the planet in mind

You don’t want to undo your efforts by using peat-based compost or too much water, damaging wildlife-rich habitats in the process. Understanding your environmental impact beyond the garden fence is vital.

Do some – or ideally all – of these simple steps and you really will be building homes for nature. For more inspiration and to share your successes and ideas, go to the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home website.

• Adrian Thomas is an RSPB nature reserve manager and author of the award-winning book Gardening for Wildlife

SUMMER LAWN CARE:Learn how to bring your lawn back to springtime lushness. Fertilizing plus disease and insect control will be covered. 10:15 a.m. Saturday. All Calloway’s Nursery locations. Free. calloways.com.

GARDEN EDUCATION:North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Road, Dallas, offers these events. nhg.com.

Terrific tomatoes, 9 a.m. to

The breeding team and horticulturists at Terra Nova Nurseries share their tips and tricks for spring and summer gardening, and a look at several new garden-worthy plants.

[Press Release Distribution]

With warmer weather, birds chirping and the gardening season in full swing, now is the time to get outside and plant containers, mixed beds and borders. As an easy planting guide, the experts at Terra Nova Nurseries, a global leader in plant breeding technology, share a few of their insightful tips for growing and maintaining gorgeous gardens.

As new plant growth starts forming, it is important to ensure soils are well-fertilized. “A fertilizer with a balanced blend like 14-14-14, which is a homogeneous fertilizer for maintaining ornamental landscape plants, will push new growth strongly,” says Dan Heims, president of Terra Nova Nurseries.

Spreading mulch mid-spring into early summer in some regions is also a good tip to keep in mind for maintaining mixed beds and borders. With warmer temperatures, soils tend to dry out. To prevent this from happening, spread a thick layer of mulch. For example, use shredded wood, pine needles or compost that has been brewing throughout the fall and winter seasons. As an added bonus, mulch discourages weeds from growing in the garden.

Another gardening tip is to make bold color decisions. “Mixing and matching vibrant colors will create depth in lawns and gardens,” says Chuck Pavlich, director of new product development for Terra Nova Nurseries.

For example, here are some new plant varieties from Terra Nova Nurseries that have been bred to transcend the norm and provide better, stronger garden options. Each is the result of the company’s innovative breeding team. New flower colors, new flower shapes, fascinating foliage, and better garden performance mark these plants as must-have garden additions this year.

Carex ‘Spark Plug’ forms short, tight clumps of spiky, variegated and evergreen foliage. It is a great plant for containers, but can also be used as a blender and filler for the garden. ‘Spark Plug’ blooms from July to September, with small terminal flowers that spike in July.

Coreopsis ‘Pink Sapphire’ has stunning hot-pink flowers with white eyes. A low-growing, upright plant, ‘Pink Sapphire’ can bloom for five months of the year. Also, ‘Pink Sapphire’ is a self-cleaning plant, making it easy and ideal for mixed beds, containers and borders.

The Heuchera Little Cuties™ series features compact varieties with a strong mounding habit and flowers that have a long bloom time of May through October. All the plants in the series perform well in full sun, part shade or full shade in zones 4 – 9. These miniature varieties were bred to showcase an assortment of colors ranging from the caramel foliage of Heuchera ‘Blondie’ and the rosy and tan-brown foliage of Heuchera ‘Ginger Snap’ to the dark burgundy veins of Heuchera ‘Frost’.

Eucomis ‘Dark Star’ is perfect for containers, mixed beds, rock gardens, and other places. It has very dark, red-black foliage, which stands out when planted with contrasting silver or gold-colored foliage. In late summer, this variety produces charming pink flowers.

Kniphofia ‘Lemon Popsicle’ has sweet, lemon-yellow spikes and a dwarf habit with dramatic grassy foliage. An easy-to-grow plant, ‘Lemon Popsicle’ is perfect for mixed beds or as an upright accent. This new variety is perfect for attracting hummingbirds.

A few other new varieties from Terra Nova Nurseries include Coreopsis ‘Desert Coral’, the Echinacea Supreme™ series, Heuchera ‘Fire Alarm’, and Eucomis ‘Glow Sticks’.

Each of these varieties will be available at select garden centers in the U.S. for 2013 gardening. For a list of garden centers that stock Terra Nova Nurseries’ plants, visit the company’s retail locater by clicking this link, Retail Locator.

For more information about us, please visit http://www.terranovanurseries.com

Contact Info:
Name: Dominique de Bruin
Email: ddebruin@eberlycollardpr.com
Address:
Phone:
Organization:

Source: http://marketersmedia.com/learn-from-the-experts-follow-these-gardening-tips/16274

Via: MarketersMedia PR Distribution

June 19, 2013

Tim’s Tips: Rain brings out garden pests

Tim’s Tips

Tim Lamprey
The Daily News of Newburyport

Wed Jun 19, 2013, 03:00 AM EDT

It looks like we might actually get a week with a few showers but no completely rainy days. I think even the plants are sick of the rain — I won’t tell you which ones said so.

The rainy weather has created conditions that have allowed slugs and snails to proliferate. It also would appear that the weather has led to a bumper crop of earwigs. Both of these creatures feed on your plants at night. You may notice holes in the leaves of your plants, yet you may not see any type of insect feeding on your plants. If this is the case, then slugs or earwigs are likely the culprit. There is a product called Sluggo Plus that will take care of both of these garden pests.

Speaking of garden pests, now would be a good time to treat your squash plants to prevent squash vine borer. If you have planted squash in the past, and around mid-summer you notice that the leaves wilt during the midday but appear to snap back in the evening, then you had squash borer in your garden. The eggs for this pest are laid at the base of the vine. There are many insecticides that will kill the borer as it hatches. This will prevent them from getting into the plant and causing major damage.

Caterpillars also damaging plants now, and will strike rose bushes. An application of Bt will kill the caterpillars without harming any beneficial insects.

I have talked about this in past weeks, but it does bear repeating. With all of the rain that we have had, much of the fertilizer that you have put down on your plants at the start of the season has washed away. If you want your plants to grow their best, you need to keep up with fertilizing your plants on a regular schedule. You can use organic or synthetic, granular or something you add to water. The important thing is to follow the directions on the package and keep up with a regular feeding schedule. Your plants will thank you by performing at their best.

If you have blueberry bushes or cherry trees in your yard, now is the time to put a protective netting over the plants. As the fruit ripens, the birds will get to the fruit before you get a chance to get out of bed in the morning! The berry netting, as it is called, must cover the entire plant and it must be closed at the bottom to keep the birds away. Berry netting is also useful to cover your strawberry plants. As the strawberries ripen, chipmunks and squirrels will carry it away. The sooner you put your netting over these plants, the less fruit you will lose to the critters.

Well, that’s all for this week. I’ll talk to you again next week.

—

Tim Lamprey is the owner of Harbor Garden Center on Route 1 in Salisbury. His website is www.Harborgardens.com. Do you have questions for Tim? Send them to ndn@newburyportnews.com, and he will answer them in upcoming columns.

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