Yardcare Tips for the North Central Region by  John Creti

Garden Reminders
Diagnosis: "Lawn Mumps"
Many older lawns throughout the region are suffering from a condition termed “lawn mumps”. This heartbreak of lumpy and bumpy lawns is the aftermath of creatures we know as nightcrawlers or giant earthworms. The condition makes lawns difficult to walk on, play and mow the grass. Be wary of the snakeoil salespeople selling chemical controls for nightcrawlers; there are no legal chemical controls for nightcrawlers. Nightcrawlers are beneficial as they aerate the soil and it is best to cope with the situation. You can reduce the severity of the bumpiness by more frequent core-aeration and applying a topdressing of pulverized compost over the lawn.

Daffodil Pest
Check your spring-flowering daffodils for attacks by the Narcissus bulb fly. These large flies that resemble bumblebees will start to lay eggs on the lower portions of daffodils, narcissus and hyacinths. After the eggs hatch, the tiny larvae will tunnel into the bulbs and cause serious damage. If your plants are starting to "run out", this pest may be one of the causes. Be on the watch and if you spot eggs on the lower leaves, hand-pick to remove the eggs from the base of the infested plants. This will prevent future damage and save the bulbs.

Read the Label
Continue to read labels carefully and thoroughly of chemical lawn and garden products. Experts that make claims for product safety often forget about the harm chemical pesticides cause to beneficial insects including honeybees. Don’t spray fruit trees, small fruits and vegetables when they are in full bloom. Bees and other beneficial insects are needed for pollination and fruit set.

Hand-Pick Bugs
As you remove protective layers of mulch from around perennial flowers and vegetables, search out and destroy overwintering cutworms, slugs, pupae and insect eggs. Many harmful insects can be effectively controlled by this tried-and-true organic method before the pests have the opportunity to mate and lay more eggs. Make this a family project where children can help with the collecting. Drop the "bad bugs" in a bucket of soapy water as you work and dispose of later.

Spring Cleanup for Houseplants
Springtime is a great time to refreshen your house plants and clean off the winter dust and dander. But don’t expose house plants to direct sunlight outdoors; it will scorch their leaves. Place plants under a covered patio or deck on a warm day and wash off the leaves and stems. This process will remove dust accumulations and make foliage more efficient to manufacture food energy. Cleaning will also dislodge insect pests and their eggs. Bring plants back indoors once they've dried.

Frequently Asked Questions
In a continuing saga of gardening queries, "Gardening with an ALTITUDE" is here to provide answers to help you garden successfully in the Rocky Mountains and High Plains.

1. Our aspen trees have hundreds of swollen nodules all over the branches. Is this some kind of disease that will eventually kill the trees?
   A disease does not cause the problem with aspen trees at lower elevations. The trees are very susceptible to an insect pest known as the poplar twig gall fly. An invasion of these pests in early spring results in the formation of galls or nodules on the branches and often on the main trunk. The trees will continue to survive, as the insects live in a symbiosis with the host trees. Pesticide applications for twig gall flies are not recommended.
2. What kind of annual flowers can we plant in our yard that will grow in the shade of large elm and maple trees?
   There are many shade-tolerant flowers that will grow in your yard. Some of the most available are impatiens, lobelia, viola, pansy, browallia, coleus (noted for its colorful foliage), begonias, nicotiana and monkey flower. Before planting, prepare the soil with compost to improve drainage and retain moisture since the annuals are likely to be competing with the extensive roots of the large shade trees.
3. My aspen trees have some kind of scaly growth on the trunks. I've tried spraying with a bug killer but it hasn't helped. Can you recommend an 'organic' treatment that won’t harm the song birds that visit my garden?
   Aspen trees are frequently attacked by insect pests known as oyster shell scale. These can be controlled effectively and non-chemically by simply rubbing them off the bark with a plastic dishwashing scouring pad. Mix up a soapy solution into which you will dip the cleaning pad and work on the trees' trunks, carefully scraping off the accumulation of scales. Be careful not to cut into the bark itself, but rub just enough to loosen the scale and make them fall off the bark. To make a homemade soap mixture, use one to two teaspoons of dishwashing liquid to a gallon of tepid water.
4. I grow several kinds of tomato plants in my garden every summer but I'm always plagued by giant green worms that strip off the leaves and all that remains are green sticks. What can be done to keep these pests away from my tomatoes?
   These are the tomato hornworms that arrive in summer to devour foliage and small fruit of tomatoes. They are well camouflaged and can be difficult to find, so look carefully in the early morning when the caterpillars are most likely to be on the exterior of the plant. Check at the base of the plant for signs of dark droppings and leaves that have been recently chewed. One way to prevent tomato hornworms is to cover your plants with a floating row cover to exclude the adult moth from depositing eggs on the plants. Hornworms can be controlled with a microbial insecticide known as Bacillus thuringiensis or Bt.
5. Can you advise us on the proper mowing height for a bluegrass lawn? Should the lawn be cut shorter in the fall?
   Among the most important considerations of good lawn maintenance is mowing height and frequency. The minimum height your lawn should be mowed is two inches, whereas most cool season grasses prefer to mowed at a height of 2½ to 3 inches. Mowing shorter than two inches generally results in reduced drought tolerance, higher incidence of insects and diseases and invites an invasion of weeds. There is no reason to cut the lawn shorter in the fall or scalp the turf. Mow the lawn frequently so that no more than one-third of the grass height is removed at any single mowing.