Amaryllis

Consider adding a splash of the tropics among your usual and seasonal decorations this year by purchasing an amaryllis. They come in shades of red, pink, white, and stripes. They can found in bloom this time of year or as a bulb ready to start. They make a great gift or a project for kids. If you receive one of these as gifts, you can complement the giver for years to come as the amaryllis will re-bloom for years with the proper care.

• During Bloom
It is important to keep the soil moist but not soggy, otherwise the bulb will rot. Place in a warm area but not direct afternoon sun. Remember to rotate the plant regularly so it will grow straight. Depending on the variety, they can grow up to three feet tall and may need staking. Avoid contact with pollen as it may stain clothing.

• After Bloom
Remove the flowers after they have withered where it exits the stalk. Do not remove the foliage as this feeds the bulb for the next year’s growth. New leaves will continue to appear and you can care for this as any other house plant. In June the amaryllis can be moved outdoors in its container. Continue watering, and twice a month use houseplant fertilizer.

• Repeating Bloom
As with most bulbs, the amaryllis needs to go dormant before it can bloom again. Usually in September the leaves start to yellow and fade. Bring the plant inside before frost. Place the bulb in a dim cool setting. Do not water and remove the leaves as they die back. 6-8 weeks before the desired boom time it’s time for the cycle to begin again. Remove any brown leaves and layers, and about a half inch of the potting soil. Replenish with fresh sterile suitable potting mix. Water well initially and find a bright but indirect light location with day time temperatures of around seventy degrees.

Other than these few steps amaryllis need little fussing. For more information on holiday plant care or other timely topics, visit the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County website http://lackawannagardener.blogspot.com or call 570-963-6842.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce

Mice Control

The weather outside is getting colder, and pests like house mice are looking for a warm place with food and water to hole up for the winter. Guess what? Your house may be looking like a five-star resort to these unwanted house guests. They may look cute on TV or the comic strip but mice can carry Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning. Mice can also transmit other nasty parasites such as ringworm, mites, tapeworms, and ticks. In addition, they urinate over several thousand times a day.

You are likely to spot them in the fall when they are looking for the things mice need to survive, such as food, water and shelter. They can wiggle their way into the tiniest of openings around windows, doors, roofs, piping, and air ducts. Any hole you can stick a pencil in is an entry way for a mouse.

So to deter these unwanted guests here are some tips:

• Make sure they are mice and from where they are entering. Look for holes in walls that are ringed with a dirty, oily rubbing both inside and outside your home.
• Make sure they don’t have what they need. Mice are looking for shelter but also food and water. Inside, clean up food scraps and store foods appropriately to prevent easy access to food. All pet foods should be stored off the floor and in sealed hard containers with tight-fitting lids. Outside, dead plantings and grass offer protection as mice try to find a way inside. Seal up small holes and cracks. Keep in mind mice can jump up twelve inches and can run along wires.
• Make sure they are trapped. It is not recommended to use baits as the rodents consume this poison and can die inside a wall or other hidden areas. Wooden traps, although unsightly are highly effective. Set a group of them, and if nothing is found, move to another location.
• Make sure they are removed quickly and the area is sanitized. Always wear rubber gloves, and spray the area, the droppings, and even the rodent with a bleach/water solution. Dispose of everything in a sealed plastic bag.

For more information on mice control or any other home pest, please contact the Penn State Master Gardener Helpline at (570)963-6842.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Ladybugs!

By the looks of things right now, you would think polka dots are all the rage. Or maybe contemplate a game of connect the dots, and the chain would go on and on. Orange and black are the colors of the season anyway but most homeowners don’t want that palette crawling around their house. How are we to cope with the migration of the ladybug?

As the season changes from summer into fall, insects adapt to prepare for the winter. Ladybugs are no exception. They are searching for a place to hibernate. Most often this is noticeable after a cold snap in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Most people know they are beneficial insects outside, and they are a good gardening partner. But they are a nuisance if they want to be “roomies”.

It is important to remember that although the ladybug is not the homeowner’s choice of accessorizing, they do not carry diseases, feed or reproduce inside, nor do any structural damage. Use of any kind of insecticides is to be avoided. Aerosols can create air quality concerns and do not prevent new ladybugs from entering the home. So here are a few spot on tips to help manage this uninvited guest:

• Be careful in handling the insects as they give off a defensive chemical which does have an offensive odor to it. Remember to wash your hands afterwards as well.
• Prevent the ladybugs from entering your house by making sure windows are sealed well, all damaged screens are repaired, cracks in siding and trim are sealed with caulk, and vents are covered with number 20 or smaller screen mesh.
• Sticky fly paper can be used to trap the beetles and then thrown away.
• Use a vacuum to collect them and change the bag after every use.
• To help the ladybug you can gently sweep them up and put them outside in a rock or wood pile to hibernate over the winter. For those up to the challenge, they can be collected in a paper bag, and stored in the refrigerator until spring. Then they can be moved outside to your garden and be the beneficial insect they are supposed to be.

For more information, the Penn State Master Gardeners have a fact sheet on the ladybug so please call 570-963-6842 to request it or send your request to our email address: LackawannaMG@psu.edu.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Tomato Late Blight: Fall Clean-Up Questions

Can plants with late blight be disposed of by composting?
Theoretically yes, however, plant tissue (including potato tubers) can survive the winter in a warm compost pile. If plant tissue survives, so can the pathogen. Unless you know that you are composting properly, it is recommended that you dispose of infected plants, fruit and tubers in the trash.

Do I need to treat the soil this fall or next spring to prevent late blight from developing next year?
No. Once the tomato plant tissue is dead, the late blight pathogen cannot survive on crop debris. It can, however, survive in potato tubers, so it will be important to destroy any volunteer plants next year.

Can the late blight pathogen survive in or on tomato seed?
No, but there are other pathogens (especially bacterial pathogens) that can survive in or on the seed so there are other reasons to only use seed from healthy plants.

Could the late blight pathogen survive on tomato cages and stakes between seasons?
No. But it is a good idea to disinfect stakes and cages to help control bacterial diseases.

Are there late blight resistant tomato varieties that I should consider planting in the future?
There are some potato varieties with some resistance. These include ‘Elba’, ‘Kennebec’, ‘Allegany’, ‘Sebago’, ‘Rosa’, ‘Defender’, ‘Jacqueline Lee’ and ‘Ozette’. ‘Elba’ is considered the most resistant. There are some new late blight resistant tomato varieties that may be available as soon as 2010.

What can home gardeners and growers do to prevent another late blight epidemic next year?
Make sure that all late blight infected tomato plant and fruit tissue from this season is dead or destroyed. Destroy potato tubers that appear to be infected by late blight and also volunteer potatoes that grow next year.

Next year, make sure to plant healthy disease-free transplants. Examine your plants regularly for symptoms of late blight, especially if conditions are cool and wet. Avoid wet leaves by watering at the base of the plant or by using overhead irrigation during mid-morning so the leaves dry quickly. Improve air circulation by spacing plants farther apart and eliminating weeds.

To see the full article “Tomato Late Blight: Fall Clean-Up” by Beth Gugino, Penn State Plant Pathologist, please visit http://www.ppath.cas.psu.edu/EXTENSION/VEGDIS/Vegetable_Pathology_Home.htm or call your local extension office for a free copy. In Lackawanna County call 963-6842 and ask for the Garden helpline or email LackawannaExt@psu.edu.


Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce

Fall Work

Even though your home landscape isn’t in full bloom now doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the clear crisp days of fall. There is plenty to do outside.

• Cleaning - Your tools: although it is better to clean after every use we are too busy to do that consistently. Take great care handling the blades and other sharp parts. After cleaning use a metal oil to prevent rusting. Also consider to sharpen now when time is plentiful. Your mower: remove all accumulated clippings from under the deck to help prevent the spread of disease and keep your mower in better condition. Inspect for damage and fix as necessary. After you are done with it for the season, drain the gas, change the oil, and air filter. Consult the owner’s manual for specifics and work safely. Your garden: remove any diseased plant material completely. Bag it and set it out for trash removal. Compost only debris from healthy plants. Remove any weeds too. A little bit of prevention can inhibit diseases from over wintering.


• Compost - Your way of recycling naturally: start a compost pile with grass clippings and spent plants. Shredding leaves with your mower helps them break down quickly. You can use them around trees shrubs and tender perennials as mulch.


• Crops - Your choice now will pay dividends next year: the fall is ideal for planting garlic, spring bulbs, and trees. Sow a cover crop such as winter rye that will grow this fall and protect the topsoil during winter. The following spring, plow the cover crop back into the soil to enrich it with fresh organic matter. This reduces populations of soil-borne disease agents.


• Care - Your can work around the home into the fall: grass still grows this time of year so remember to cut it regularly. And it is the ideal time to add lime, over seed and take a soil test to get the best turf for next year. Also, look around your home’s foundation. If you notice clumps of ornamentals or accumulated leaves, remove them. Rodents use these as nesting sites and means of hiding as they try to enter your house.

For more or specific information on fall garden care, please contact the Penn State Master Garden helpline at (570) 963- 6842 or email us at LackawannaMG@psu.edu.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.