QUESTION:  I was eating an apple from the grocery store recently.  In the core of the apple were seeds.  Can I plant one of those seeds to grow my own apple tree?

ANSWER: Yes and no.  Yes, technically.  But no, probably not to your satisfaction.

Your seed from the apple should germinate if given the correct seed-starting environment – planted in a warm, moist soil-like medium - and it should grow into a viable tree.  However, the fruit produced on that tree may be very different from the original apple you ate.  The reason for this is genetic diversity – apples don’t “come true” from seeds.

Each seed in an apple contains its own unique genetic code.  Like siblings in a family, each will grow into an individual that is different from its parent.  Sometimes the offspring will seem just slightly different from the parent and sometimes the offspring will appear enormously and remarkably different.  Indeed, the genes within the apple species are particularly varied – more so than in many other plant species.  Not only does every seed in every apple contain the genetic instructions for a completely new and different tree, but that new tree can vary widely from the parent.  Without serious genetic analyses in a laboratory (and often even with it), it is impossible to determine how the new tree grown from the seed will turn out.

You may have good luck with your seed and the fruit produced might be a happy surprise in its taste and quality.  However, such luck is unlikely.  Apple trees grown from seeds often produce sour apples which most people find unpalatable.

For sweet, edible apples, it is best to use grafted trees instead of seeds.  Grafting is an ancient technique – invented by the Chinese – to create a genetic clone of a tree, ensuring that the apples produced on the new tree would be the same as the apples of the original tree.  If it were not for grafting, every apple tree in the world would be its own unique variety and it would be impossible to continue a desired line longer than the life of the tree.

The history of apples is interesting.  The apple tree is originally an “Old World” plant from the Eurasia area.  (The exact location of its origins within Europe and/or Asia is still being debated).  Apple trees grow so successfully in America that many people wrongly assume they are native.  But the only truly native apple tree is the crabapple, with fruit distinctly different from the sweet apples we find in the grocery stores.

Early American colonists brought Old World apple seeds to the New World with their other important crops.  And apple trees were widely propagated by seed, even though grafted trees were available for purchase.  Apparently, sour and inedible apples were not seen as a disadvantage by early Americans. 

The reason for this is that most apples were not eaten as fruit.  Instead, they were converted to hard cider, a mildly alcoholic and somewhat nutritious drink containing half the alcoholic strength of wine.  Sour apples would do just fine in such a recipe.

The idea of an apple as a healthy fruit did not evolve in American culture until the early 1900s.  At that time, apples went through a public relations transition and are now known, with ample justification, as a wholesome healthy fruit to eat instead of as a main ingredient in hard cider.
Today, all apple trees sold in nurseries and garden centers are grafted trees of known varieties – such as Jonathan, McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Fuji, Gala, etc.  With grafted trees you can feel confident that the apples produced should be the variety advertised.

Are you still interested in growing an apple tree from seed to see what happens?  It is certainly possible to grow a healthy, fruit-producing apple tree from a seed.  Just keep in mind that the apples produced will not resemble those of the parent.

It is theoretically possible, though not probable, than an apple tree grown from seed will produce superior fruit.  More likely, the fruit will be small, sour and not-very-tasty to the human palate.  But it might just be fun to try and see what happens.  Even if you do not care for the apples produced, the wildlife (and the neighbor’s horse) would probably still appreciate them. 

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QUESTION: I love avocados and would like to grow my own. Can I grow a plant from the seed of an avocado acquired from a grocery store?

ANSWER: Yes, you can grow a plant from the seed of an avocado but it is very unlikely that it will produce any edible avocados for you to enjoy.

An avocado is a large tropical tree which is commercially grown in Mexico and the Southwestern U.S. (particularly southern California).  Pennsylvania winters are much too cold for an avocado tree to survive outside. Although it could be grown indoors, it would require a large well-lit atrium and many years (possibly 20 years) to grow large enough to produce fruit.  In addition, most fruit-producing avocado trees are created by grafting - a way to reproduce a tree with the same characteristics as the parent.  Avocado plants grown from seed would probably only produce disappointing fruit, which may not even be edible.

Although it would be best to continue to buy your avocado fruit from a grocery store, you can still plant the avocado pit and grow a nice-looking houseplant which can be pruned to maintain a reasonable size.  Many people have tried this and have been successful.

Most people start their avocado plants in water.  Before placing the pit (large end down) in water, insert several toothpicks into the lower portion of the pit to support it so it is suspended in the water.  Make sure the bottom one-fourth of the pit remains submerged in water – add water periodically to maintain the water level.

First, small roots should appear on the bottom, then the pit will crack and you will be able to see the developing stem.  When the roots are 2 to 3 inches long, you can remove the toothpicks and plant the pit in a large (8”) pot.  The top of the pit should be level with the soil surface, allowing more stems to grow.

The entire process may take over a month (sometimes as long as 3 months) so patience is required.  However your reward will be an interesting and attractive houseplant.

Joan Buck, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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QUESTION: Our fir tree started turning brown and we recently found cocoons attached to a lot of the dead-looking branches. The cocoons are covered with the pine needles (like a camouflage) and when I opened one of them there was a worm in it. Do you know what it is?

ANSWER: Your fir tree is feeding and hosting a population of bagworms. Bagworms are a serious pest of conifer trees and shrubs, especially pine, cedar, juniper and arbvorvitae. When populations of the insect are high, bagworms can defoliate the plant, and trees and shrubs that become seriously infested may be killed.

Bagworms hatch in the spring from eggs laid the previous season. They immediately spin a cocoon-like bag to which are attached pieces of leaves from the plants they feed upon. At first the bags are only about 1/8 inch long and may be difficult to detect. The bagworms move about freely to
feed, carrying their bags with them and growing throughout the summer.

Bagworms complete their growth in August or early September. At this time, the 1 to 2 inch long bags are permanently attached to plant twigs by means of tough silken threads. The females then lay its eggs inside the bag, and the eggs remain in the bags until hatching occurs the following
spring.

A simple method of bagworm control is to pick off the bags when they are detected and destroy them. It is particularly important to remove all the overwintering bags which contain the eggs for the next generation.

Joan Buck, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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ANSWER: You are witnessing nature’s version of biochemical warfare.  It is not uncommon in the world of botany for some plants to produce and release toxins directed at neighboring plants in an attempt to hold back the competition.  Every natural environment has a limited amount of nutrients and water.   And some plants are quite aggressive in their pursuit to get as many of the goodies (water, sunlight and nutrients) as they can.  The battle for these essential resources can get rather nasty.

Black walnut trees are particularly adept at creating toxins that other plants don’t like.  They produce a chemical compound called juglone which is found in their leaves and branches and released into the soil by their roots.  Juglone inhibits the growth of some neighboring plants.  It can disrupt the life processes of respiration, cell division and nutrient uptake.  All of this is bad news for the neighboring plant.  Some plants are so sensitive to juglone that they die if planted too close to a black walnut tree.

The symptoms of juglone poisoning in plants are yellowing and wilting leaves – which can lead to eventual death.  The general awareness of black walnut’s toxicity to other plants was noted in Roman times.  But today, scientists know that only certain plants are susceptible to juglone.  Other plants can tolerate the chemical, and they seem to do fine close to a walnut tree. Vegetables that are particularly sensitive to juglone and should NOT be grown near walnut trees include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, cabbage, rhubarb and asparagus.  Vegetables that ARE tolerant of juglone, and are able to grow near walnut trees include beans, squashes, carrots, corn, onions and beets.

How far does juglone spread from the trunk of a black walnut tree?  The greatest concentration of juglone in the soil is within the dripline of the tree.  That is how far the branches spread out from the trunk.  But the toxins can be found in the soil anywhere the roots spread, even 50 feet away from the trunk of the tree.  And sometimes (depending on soil composition and drainage) the toxins can leach even farther away from the tree.  So it is best to avoid planting susceptible plants anywhere close to the tree.

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Compost is a form of decomposing (micro organisms breaking down) organic matter that has been decomposed by micro-organisms into a stable, earthy form. Compost is a tremendous tool for building soil and growing healthy plants.  Composting is a great way to be rid of yard and kitchen debris by recycling them into compost to amend or enrich your garden’s soil.

A recipe for compost is to include: organic vegetative matter (the amounts should be two parts “browns”, such as dead leaves or dried out plant debris, and one part “greens”, such as fresh grass clippings, garden prunings, and vegetable scraps from the kitchen), moisture  (composting material should be moist not soggy), temperature (should feel warm except on cold winter days), and air (if organic matter decomposes without air, unpleasant odors will occur).  Inoculate the compost pile with the right micro-organisms by adding a few shovels of good topsoil, some finished compost, or manure from cows, horses, chickens or rabbits. 

There is no set rule for building a compost pile. One method to start your compost pile is to choose a 4’ X 4’ X 4’ area/enclosure out of direct sunlight.  Enclosing a compost pile saves space and prevents litter. It should be easily accessible for turning.  Use your creativity and ingenuity!

A good time to start is fall when browns (fallen leaves) are readily available.  Turn and mix the ingredients with a pitchfork or shovel as needed to ensure adequate air.  This turning also compensates for excess moisture.  A pile that is not turned may take much longer to decompose: the more frequent the turning, the faster the composting.  Layers of organic matter should be thoroughly intermixed as the pile is built.

How moist is moist?  Do the squeeze test!  Squeeze a handful of compost in your hand, and if nothing comes out it’s too dry.  If it oozes out, it is too wet.  Wet compost can be dried by adding coarse high carbon matter  (browns).  Dry compost can be moistened most efficiently by turning the pile and adding water gradually.  Repeat the squeeze test as needed. 

Lastly, a pile that is decomposing properly should generate temperatures of 140 degrees-160 degrees F at its center.  Those temperatures kill most weed seeds, insects and diseases.  To maintain those temperatures, turn the pile regularly and check moisture levels.

Two parts browns, one part greens, micro-organisms, moisture, air and temperature will generate great compost!  Finished compost is dark brown, crumbly and has an earthy odor.    Depending on climatic conditions, a well -tended compost pile will be done two weeks to four months while an unattended pile may take as long or longer than a year.

DO Compost Ingredients: (best if shredded)

Browns:  Leaves, dead plants, straw, shredded paper, shredded twigs, pine needles, saw dust (untreated wood!), coffee grinds and filters, tea bags

Greens:  Grass, green weeds, manure, alfalfa, clover, kitchen scraps (non-meat, non-dairy, non-fat!), pond algae and seaweed

Micro-Organisms: Old compost, soil, cow, chicken, horse, rabbit manure, commercial starters

DON'T Compost Ingredients:

Diseased plants or leaves
Plants that have gone to seed
Invasive weeds, eg. morning glory, crown vetch or poison ivy
Meat or dairy kitchen scraps and those prepared with animal fats
Human, dog or cat feces

Camille Dzierski, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Cucurbit vegetables, including cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and melons, are great choices for the backyard garden.  When raising cucurbits, pest and disease control are important factors.  Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the most modern and beneficial form of pest and disease control.  In the garden, there are five components to IPM.

First, to promote good plant health, one important consideration is to have a good site for proper plant growth.  Plenty of sunshine, water, good soil, optimum fertility and correct pH of 6.5 to 7 are also essential.  The heavy clay-like soils in our area are often improved by the addition of soil amendments, particularly those high in organic matter.  The addition of aged compost and manure can greatly improve the soil structure for better, healthier plant growth.  Strong, healthy plants are better able to tolerate insect and disease damage.

Second is monitoring the plants for any insect activity or damage by diseases.  Early monitoring of cucurbits for cucumber beetles is critical.  During the time of most beetle activity, from June 10th to July 15th, monitor the garden every three or four days for beetle activity.  Early in the morning they are not as active.  But in the afternoon they become much more active and fly around to various cucumber plants.  Later in the summer, one could go to a weekly watch schedule. 

Third is identifying the pest.  The striped cucumber beetle (Coleoptera Family) (Aclymma vittatum) is 1/4” long (5-7mm), yellow with three black stripes.  It is an oval flattened beetle and wider in the middle.  The beetle has antennae and its underside and legs are black in color.  The western striped cucumber beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) is 1/5” long, orange and yellow thorax with three lateral stripes, the broadest one in the middle.  A banded cucumber beetle (Dibrotocia Balteata) can also make its presence known with its identifying three green transverse bands.  The spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica undecimpinctata howardi) has twelve spots on its body, six on each side.  It is 1/4” long, green and yellow with black spots and brown and yellow antennae.  These types of beetles have hard armor and fore wings that meet in straight lines down the back.  Both types of beetles, striped and spotted, chew and eat cucumber and members of the cucurbits family, fruits, stems leaves and flowers. 

Next, is threshold controls.  As plantings of cucumber beetles are made in the garden, watch for the presence of cucumber beetles.  Once the infestation has begun and the action threshold of approximately .5 to 1 beetle per plant is reached, several different insecticides need to be used for control. 

Lastly, take management actions to control the pest.  Good housekeeping is a must in the garden.  Water in the morning and avoid splashing on the leaves of the plant and direct the water to the base of the plant.  Control weeds and keep plant damage to a minimum.  Daytona, Speedway, Pioneer, DasherII, and Turbo are multi-virus tolerant varieties of cucumbers. With proper Integrated Pest Management a bountiful crop of cucurbits is possible. 

Alan Popey, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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QUESTION: How and what do I do to my Day Lilies after they have bloomed ?

ANSWER: Day Lilies (Hemerocallis) is a hardy perennial that requires very little care. They grow in almost any soil, but do the best in well drained soil liberally enriched with compost.  They flower more fully in full sun, but they will tolerate light shade.  Day Lilies can tolerate a drought and still produce flowers beautifully. The long strappy leaves provide a backdrop for other smaller surrounding annuals and perennials. They are available in a wide variety of colors blooming from July into August.  The Stella de Oro variety blooms all summer if the wilted flowers are continuously cut off so the plant does not put all its energy into seed production. The flower lasts only one day, thus the name, but each stalk produces an abundance of buds so the display goes on for weeks.  As each stem finishes its show it should be cut down close to the crown of the plant. After the plant has finished blooming for the season the leaves will turn brown and hang low. Now they can be all cut down to within several inches of the ground. The cut leaves can be composted.  In several weeks time the lily sends up a flush of shorter, healthy, green leaves that stand until killed by frost. Day Lilies can be left alone indefinitely or dug up and divided in spring or fall to share with friends.

Lorraine Bansavage, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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QUESTION: How can I keep deer from detroying my vegetable garden??????

ANSWER: Deer damage of gardens is creating enormous frustration for Washington County residents.  Gardeners swear that the problem is getting worse every year.  Deer are numerous and becoming surprisingly bold, and some are devouring plants in residential gardens which they did not disturb in the past.

Deer eat flowers, perennials, shrubs, lower branches of trees and, of course, they relish garden-grown vegetables.  Deer love carrots, apples, cabbage, beans, peas, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli and much more.  They can level a garden, eating entire plants to the ground.  When months of gardening efforts are destroyed overnight, a gardener’s ire can reach maddening proportions.

Since it is illegal to shoot a deer outside of deer season (without a special permit) or in a residential area, the only option is to keep the animals out of your garden in the first place. Local residents have tried a whole plethora of deterrents to try to keep deer away.  Sometimes a strange or human-scented article can induce the deer to move off in another direction.  Some people have had temporary luck by hanging bars of soap or placing human hair from a barber shop in or around a garden.  Others hang smelly t-shirts (the smellier the better) by the vegetable garden to persuade the deer to go away. Even commercial products are available for purchase, including items as creative as vials of coyote urine. However, deer easily acclimate to such minor non-threatening objects and if a temptation of a known vegetable garden or fruit tree lies just beyond the object, they quickly overcome their fear.  Plus some deer learn that the scent of a human-placed decoy is actual a sign of tasty treats nearby.  As most homeowners know, deer will come right up to a house to eat the foundation plants.  Also, if your garden is along a well-used deer path, such as on the way to a known apple tree or water source, no amount of scent-deterrents will keep the deer away.

Another option for the gardener is to plant things that deer don’t like.  But there are only a few vegetables or herbs that deer rarely eat.  “Deer-repellent” garden plants include garlic, onion, dill, oregano and thyme.  Plants that are considered “deer-resistant” (generally distasteful and avoided) include squash, cucumber, pumpkin and rhubarb. However, this method is not fool-proof.  A hungry deer will eat practically anything.  In addition, some deer acquire tastes for items that other deer don’t like.  For example, many deer find tomato plants distasteful -- but others will seek them out to munch on the leaves and fruit. Plus, it is not advisable to mix plants deer prefer among those they dislike.  They will simply trample the plants they are not interested in to get to the ones they want.

Some gardeners use hot pepper spray to make the plant leaves taste bad to the deer.  But it is difficult to cover all leaves and the spray needs to be reapplied after every rain.  In addition, some deer overcome the unpleasant taste. Other gardeners have tried night-time noise to scare off deer.  But noise alarms or radios are not recommended and are generally not effective.  They are more likely to bother homeowners and neighbors than deer.

There is one common and very effective deterrent to keep deer away: a big, barking dog patrolling the garden area from dusk to early dawn.  But without a constant sentinel, the deer will return.

The only reliable way to keep deer out of your garden is a high strong fence.  It is generally recommended to use a wire-mesh fence 8 feet or higher.  Another option is a double fence, with a 2’ or 3’ alley in between.  The reasoning is that deer can only jump so far, either up or out and the narrow space in between two fences does not allow room for the deer to land and make another jump. For best results, the fence needs to be as strong and high as possible.  Deer can push through a flimsy fence and particularly athletic deer can clear 8’ fences.  Some Washington County gardeners add electrified wire to their fence to further dissuade deer from passing through.  A fence high and strong enough should keep out the vast majority of deer.

Joan Buck, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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QUESTION: I received an Easter lily as a gift & plan to use it inside over the holiday. Once the blooms have died off should the plant be discarded or can the bulbs be used again if planted under the right circumstances?

ANSWER: The popular and beautiful Easter lily, Lilium longiflorum, is a hardy bulb that can be planted in our zone if several important steps are taken beforehand. After the flowers have bloomed and faded the remaining green leaves and stalk must be allowed to yellow and die back naturally. Do not cut the stalk! Stop watering the plant and set it aside near a window while still in its pot. Ignore it and let nature take its course. Then, when the soil outside has warmed up and the chance of frost has passed, late May in our area, the plant can be removed from its pot and planted 4-6" deep in a sunny location. Lilies require at least 5-6 hours of full sun a day to flower. They also cannot stand wet soil so do not plant them in a low lying site that collects water or in heavy clay soil. Feed with a bulb food. Possibly it could bloom in the fall or not again until next summer when most lilies bloom. Mulching the lily in the fall with several inches of straw or other mulch will increase the chances that it will overwinter without being damaged. Give it a try it could work for you.

Lorraine Bansavage , Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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What are you reminded of when you see the towering, fragrant Easter Lily in full bloom?  It may be the smell of the Easter ham cooking, the sound of the church choir singing “Hail Thee Festival Day”, the feel of plastic Easter grass between your fingers, the sight of loved ones spending time together, or the taste of marshmallow peeps left in your Easter basket by the Easter Bunny.  Whatever the memories the plant evokes, you may reminisce as you observe the Easter Lily blooming year after year.

In 1919 a World War I soldier, Louis Houghton, brought a suitcase full of Easter Lily bulbs home to share with his family in Oregon.  By 1945 1,200 growers cultivated the lily to sell commercially.  Today, the Easter Lily, Lilium longiflorum, is the fourth largest selling potted plant on the market, according to the US Department of Agriculture.  In California alone, 11.5 million bulbs are grown and sold annually.  Our own state of Pennsylvania is one of the top four states which produce the most lilies for commercial sale.

Your lily will thrive indoors for your enjoyment for about 1-2 weeks, provided you meet its needs.  Place the plant in a bright area which receives indirect light.  Keep it away from drafts and heat sources that can dry out the soil.  Water it only when the dirt is dry to the touch.  In order to prolong the life of each bloom, you may carefully remove the yellow anthers from the center of each flower.

Although the Easter Lily is a native of the Ryukyu Islands in Japan, Pennsylvania gardeners have been known to get the plant to bloom outdoors in their gardens.  Once the plant has flowered and the leaves begin to yellow, cut the stem back to about 6-10 inches.  After danger of frost has passed, plant the bulb outside in full sun to partial shade.  Lilies never go completely dormant, so continue to lightly water it all summer.  You might want to place a marker in your garden where you planted the lily so you do not disturb the bulb.  Since Easter Lilies are forced to bloom early, you plant probably will not bloom again this summer.

In late spring of next season, search for the stem to sprout up close to your marker.  The stem will continue to grow until it reaches about two and a half to three feet in height and one foot in width.  The showy, white blooms open in late summer, spreading their fragrance throughout the garden.  Each stem may produce up to nine trumpet-shaped flowers.  Unfortunately, this plant does not bloom for an extended period of time.  When the lily is finished you may remove the spent flowers, but resist cutting the stem down until the leaves are yellow.  Lilium longiflorum is hardy in zones 8, 9, and 10, therefore it is not sold as a hardy perennial in our region.  However, many Pennsylvania gardeners have had success in growing them outside in our zone, 6.

I hope I have inspired you to preserve your Easter memories by planting an Easter Lily.

Joanna Mungai, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Topic: Containing those Contemptilbe Garden Thugs

Have you ever planted a beautiful specimen of a plant, nurtured it, coddled it, admired it, and then regretted your actions? Even regretted that you put that plant into the ground in the first place? Of course you have! Most gardeners have. Hopefully, those experiences haven’t deterred your interest in gardening. Even if you still have a plant or two growing and taking up more real estate than you have allocated to them, there are some things you can do to contain, or restrict their growing habits.

Naturally, plants will do what they were intended to do. Given the right conditions, plant will grow and multiply. Plants spread in a number of ways. One of the most obvious ways some plants spread is by self-sowing. It is easy to identify the self-sowers. After producing flower blossoms, these plants produce seed pods which, when you investigate further, contain many, many seeds. Some examples of self-sowing plants that spread rapidly are Rudbeckia hirta (black eyed Susan); Achillea millefolium (yarrow); Aquilegia (columbine); and Lupinis (lupine). The best way to contain self-sowing plants is to dead head, or remove the flowers after they have reached their prime and before they dry out and go to seed. Be attentive throughout the growing season, as flowers will fade at differing rates.

Another group of plants claim their territory by sending out rhizomes (swollen underground stems), stolons (or runners), or creeping stems. You can identify these plants by the way they take root at the nodes if their stems come into contact with the soil. The nodes are where a new, young plant can be seen along the stem or stolon. Iris; Sedum; Stachys byzantina (lamb’s ears); Convallairia majalis (lily of the valley); Vinca minor and v. major (periwinkle); and Monarda (bee balm) are all examples of creeping plants. These creepers can be controlled and contained if you limit their access to soil by planting them near barriers such as sidewalks, walls and road edges and cutting them back when they have reached the outside edge of their boundaries. You may even want to consider planting these fast spreaders in containers.
A third way some plants spread is by creeping roots. These plants do their work underground. If you remove these plants from the ground, you can see that they have a dense root system. Some common creepers include Ranuculus repens (creeping buttercup); Tantacetum vulgare (common tansy); Ajuca reptans (bugleweed); and Achillea millefolium (yarrow). As with the plants with creeping stems, planting these root rogues near sidewalks, walls or road edge barriers can help contain them.

You can make a simple and inexpensive plant barrier by cutting the bottom and top off of a plastic kitty litter container, forming a round of plastic about 8 to 10 inches wide. Place this in the ground around the suspect plant, leaving about 2 inches or plastic above the soil level. You can use bark mulch to conceal the above ground plastic.

Before you select a new plant for your garden, do some research. Think right plant, right place. Use the information from plant tags and container labels. Follow up with a review of plant catalogs and gardening books to learn about a plant’s growth habits before placing it in the ground. If you just have to have that floriferous wonder and you don’t know much about it, consider assigning the plant to an appropriate pot so you can observe its growth habits throughout a growing season and before you assign it to a regrettable garden location.

Judy Wisk and Rose Trunzo, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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ANSWER: How well garlic stores depends on several factors:  the presence of fungal disease, how far developed the bulb was when it was harvested, how the garlic was cured, and the temperature/humidity/ventilation of storage.  Properly cured and stored, garden-grown garlic can last up to 8 months without deteriorating.

Garlic is susceptible to several different fungal pathogens which can adversely affect how well the garlic stores.  These diseases can be present within the cloves and are easily passed from generation to generation.  The pathogens can also build up in the soil.  If your seed cloves from last year’s crop are at all questionable it is best to start out with new disease-free seed cloves acquired from a reputable source.  The seed cloves should show absolutely no sign of decay.  It is also recommended that a new site to grow the garlic is chosen, since the pathogen could remain in the soil wherever garlic was previously grown.

Harvesting the garlic at the optimal time of the bulb’s development is very important for its overall storing quality.  The best time to dig the garlic out of the ground is when the foliage begins to dry, which is usually in July in our area, though the spring and summer’s growing conditions may shift the optimal harvest time earlier or later.        

Watch the leaves of the maturing garlic.  The lowest (outermost) leaves will die first.  Dig the bulbs out of the ground when the lower leaves have all died down and only a quarter or a third of the leaves are still green. 

Harvesting too soon will result in smaller cloves that don’t store well.  But leaving the bulbs in the ground too long and waiting until all the leaves die may result in the cloves bursting out of their skins, which also makes them poor keepers.

Garlic needs to be cured immediately after harvesting in order to prevent early deterioration.  To cure garlic, dry the bulbs gradually (at around 72°) over 2 to 4 weeks.  Some people spread the bulbs on a screen placed in a dry, shady area.  A well-ventilated room is fine also.  Either way, keep the bulbs out of direct sunlight.  When the bulbs are dry, trim the roots (to 1/4”) and the stem (to 1”).

Store garlic in a dark area with good airflow.  Do not place the bulbs in plastic bags or sealed containers.  Instead, allow for ventilation.  Open mesh bags or paper bags are acceptable.  The ideal humidity level for stored garlic is between 40% and 60%.  When the humidity drops below 40%, the bulbs will quickly dry out.  When the humidity rises above 60%, mold and roots may develop. 

Finding the ideal temperature for garlic storage is a little tricky.  Many people have luck storing garlic in a cool dry room in the house (at around 55°).  But garlic is best stored at 32-35°.  If the bulbs spend time at this cold temperature though, it is advisable not to let them warm again even to 40°.  The increased temperature is a signal for the garlic to start growing, as if spring had arrived, and the bulb will begin to sprout.

Joan Buck, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Honey bees.  Everyone loves the ‘honey’ part but many dislike the ‘bee’ part.  I would like to tell you some interesting things about honey and honey bees and hopefully change the minds of some of you ‘bee haters’ out there.

Some of you may wonder why it is so important to have honey bees.  Sure, honey tastes great but is that the only thing that bees provide for us?  A 1999 Cornell University study concluded that honey bee pollination has a value of more than $14 billion per year to agriculture.  Honey bees accomplish about 80 per cent of all crop insect pollination.  The almond industry in California produces more than half of the world’s almonds and it takes about 1,000,000 hives to do that.  Many crops are also dependent on honey bee pollination such as apples, blueberries, cherries, cucumbers, and melons just to name a few.  About one third of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from insect-pollinated plants.

In addition to enabling plants to produce food for us, honey bees are also very interesting creatures with a complicated society.  Although beekeepers and scientists have studied bees for thousands of years, they are still discovering new aspects of bee behavior.

As many of you may know, there are three types of bees in a colony – the queen, drones, and workers.  The queen is the largest bee in the colony and lives about two years.  She can lay 3,000 eggs in one day.  The drones are male and they do not have a stinger. Their only purpose is to mate with the queen.  If food stores are low or winter is approaching, the drones are often kicked out of the hive.  The smallest bees are the female workers who typically do not reproduce.  Their lifespan is about six weeks.  Usually between 50,000 to 60,000 bees live in a colony.

Worker bees are the ones we see in our flowers and gardens gathering nectar and pollen.  Bees use pollen to feed their larva and nectar is made into honey.  Bees usually travel two to three miles for nectar and pollen but sometimes as far as five miles.  It takes visits to two million flowers to produce one pound of honey.  A hive of bees will have traveled over 55,000 miles to produce that same pound.  The average worker honey bee will produce 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her short lifetime.  In one collection trip a bee will visit 50-100 flowers.

Here are a few honey and honey bee facts that might interest you.  A honey bee flies about 15 miles per hour and her wings beat 11,400 times per minute.  This is what makes the buzzing sound.  Bees have been producing honey from flowering plants for 10-20 million years.  A honeycomb cell has six sides in a perfect hexagon.  Utah is known as the Beehive State.  Bees communicate nectar and pollen locations to each other by a dance that explains direction and distance.

Honey is mainly carbohydrates and water but also contains small amounts of niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.  Honey also contains antioxidants.  Recent research suggests that honey may be the perfect pre-exercise food due to its carbohydrate composition.

Honey bees provide pollination for all our favorite fruits, vegetables, and flowers as well as that wonderful honey that is so good for us.  If we had no honey bees, our world would be a drab and dreary place.  So, please think twice next time before you swat that bee flying past you.

Fran Cooley, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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ANSWER: Failure to flower can be a problem with hydrangea.  There are a number of variables to consider. 

Make sure the species of hydrangea is cold hardy for this area.  We are in climate zone 5 which means winters can be as cold as -10 to -20?F.  Hydrangea species hardy in this zone are Hydrangea abiborescens and Hydrangea paniculata.  Hydrangeas prefer morning sun, afternoon shade, and moist well drained soil.  Avoid planting on hot dry exposed sites.

Cold damage can occur in winter and early spring so provide cold protection by covering the plant with a sheet or blanket when temperature drops below freezing.  A cylinder of chicken wire placed around the plant and filled with leaves provides excellent cold protection.

Excess fertilizer can also cause the plant not to bloom.  Hydrangea responds well to several light applications of fertilizer during the growing season.  A general purpose fertilizer, such as 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 applied of a rate of 1 pound (2 cups) per 100 square feet in March, May, and July is recommended.

Pruning hydrangea in late summer can remove the flower buds for the next year.  Prune hydrangea when the flower heads begin to fade in color.  Prune out the flower heads and cut back other shoots to encourage branching and fullness.  Flower buds begin forming in late summer for the following season so avoid pruning after August 1st.

Hydrangea failing to flower can be caused by choosing a plant that is not winter hardy for this area, winter injury to buds, pruning in late summer, growing the plant in too much shade, or application of too much nitrogen fertilizer.  One interesting feature about hydrangeas is that the flower color can be changed from pink to blue by adjusting pH of the soil.  To make flowers blue or more blue during the growing season dissolve tablespoon of aluminum sulfate in a gallon of water and drench the soil around the plant in March, April, and May.  To make flowers pink dissolve 1 tablespoon of hydrated lime in a gallon of water and drench the soil the same way.  Avoid getting solution on the leaves as leaf damage may result.

Carol Meisner , Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Late winter or early spring is a great time to start planning your spring and summer landscape projects.  If your home landscape needs some help, here are a few design tips that you can use to help pull your gardens together.

Following some of the design principles, you can make you gardens look unified by choosing a theme or element that you love and highlight it.  If it is a fountain, make that your focal point.  If you love birdhouses, plan your garden around them.  Just choosing a theme will unify your landscape, whether it is an informal landscape, a formal landscape, or something different like a Japanese garden.  Your home can also dictate what theme you can choose.  If you have a cottage-type house, choose a cottage garden.  If you have a Tudor home, choose a Victorian-style garden.

As you look over your landscape today, do you think that it looks like a mess from the long, hard winter? Just cleaning up debris, digging a neat edge around the planting beds and mulching can make a world of difference to any landscape.  Then you can take the time to plan out your next move without worrying about the summer weeds and watering.  A good 3-4” of shredded hardwood mulch will keep the weeds down, and any weeds that do come up are very weak and easy to remove.  The mulch also conserves water, but don’t think that more is better.  Don’t keep adding layer upon layer of mulch on your landscape beds because too much mulch can cause plant trunks and stems to rot.  Pulling the mulch away so that only and inch or so is around the base of the plant will prevent rotting. 

Hopefully these few tips will help your gardening season get off to a good start!

Andrea Tomsic, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Springtime is a good time to take stock of your lawn and take the proper steps toward a healthier, greener lawn this summer.  Before you resign yourself to having another mediocre lawn this year, or to spending a hefty part of your salary to improve it, take a few tips from a turfgrass specialist at Penn State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“Revitalizing your lawn doesn’t need to be a costly, time-consuming process,” says Peter Landschoot, associate professor of turfgrass science.  “It’s more a question of correctly evaluating the trouble spots before you invest in solutions.”

Soil Test.  One of the best things you can do is test your soil so that you know how much fertilizer or lime are required, if any.  Test kits—with everything you need except a trowel—are available at your local Penn State Cooperative Extension offices for a small fee.  By following the recommendations for your particular soil, you will be adding the right amount of lime or fertilizer without overdoing it.

Weeds.  The best way to avoid weeds in the lawn is to keep the grass healthy and growing strongly.  A sound program of mowing, watering and fertilizing is your best defense against weed invasion, Landschoot says.  If you do have a weed infestation, make sure you identify the weed before you take steps to control it.  If you can’t identify the weed, bring a few plants to your local Cooperative Extension office, and Penn State Master Gardeners or an Extension agent can identify it and provide information on ways to control it.

Most weed problems can be reduced by using a weed-and-feed product, or a herbicide and fertilizer rolled into one.  These products should be applied to the lawn using a spreader to ensure even distribution.  If crabgrass is a problem, a herbicide must be applied before it germinates. A good rule of thumb is to apply a pre-emergence herbicide during late April.  For broadleaf weeds like dandelion or clover, wait until the weeds appear before treating them.

Dead Spots.  Before planting grass seed or putting down sod in areas where the grass has died, try to determine what killed the grass in the first place.  If the spot is too wet, too shady or poor in fertility, fix those things first before replanting.  Although establishing new grass seedings is certainly possible in the spring, the best time to reseed is in late summer or fall.  There is less competition from weeds at that time, and the new grass will have two cool growing seasons in the fall and spring before the heat stress of the following summer.

Sharpen Mower Blades.  Before the lawn mowing season gets into full swing, take the time to sharpen your mower blades.  Sharp blades cause less damage to grass than dull blades, and decrease the risk of disease problems.

Lee Young, County Extension Director, Washington County Cooperative Extension

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QUESTION:  Millipedes are entering my home.  What can I do?

ANSWER: Millipedes are many segmented, wormlike arthropods with two pairs of legs per body segment.  Centipedes, comparatively, have only one pair of legs per segment.  Because of all their legs, millipedes are often called “thousand leggers”.

Millipedes do not carry serious diseases and do not damage food or belongings in the home, although they can leave stains if crushed.  Some millipedes have glands that produce fluids which are irritating and can cause allergic reactions. These fluids can be dangerous to the eyes and produce an unpleasant odor. It is important to wash hands thoroughly after touching a millipede.

Millipedes normally live in cool, damp places.  They like protected, moist areas like under mulch or rocks.  And they are most active at night.

At certain times of the year millipedes become especially restless and migrate from their normal living places.  They may appear in basements, garages or other cool damp areas where they are not desired.  These migrations are often associated with cooler weather or heavy rains.

When millipedes enter a house, they generally do not find conditions hospitable and they will not live for more than a few days.  Consequently, the use of pesticides is unnecessary.  Simply vacuum or sweep millipedes into a dust pan for removal.

To discourage millipedes from entering your house in the first place, locate the source close to your house where the millipedes are living.  Millipedes like areas of plant debris, such as damp mulch, leaf mold (partially decomposed tree leaves), grass clippings and compost heaps.  A debris pile close to your house foundation is a likely spot for a millipede population.  Move these sources away from the house.  

Some home owners have mulch piled on top of plastic sheeting next to the house.  Millipedes seem particularly content with this environment and they will thrive above and below the plastic.  Pesticides will not penetrate the plastic, so applying pesticide to the mulch will not be effective.  The solution is to remove the plastic.  This will increase the temperature of the mulch and reduce the soil moisture – both which are unattractive to millipedes. 

Joan Buck , Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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My garden has a number of native plants. Generally they are easier to grow and require less maintenance than many non-native plants. Many gardeners make the mistake of choosing plants that are difficult to grow in this area, unless their natural environment is recreated. And that generally requires more work, more fertilizing and more watering. Today, gardeners are encouraged to cut down on chemicals including fertilizers and chemicals to control weeds and pests. Native plants have evolved over thousands of years to be adapted to a region.   Non-native plants are those plants that were brought to the area by humans, whether accidentally or purposefully. Many of the flowers and vegetables typically grown in home gardens are non-native. Over the years, immigrants have brought the seeds of plants from their homelands, some of which have since spread into the wild. Invasive non-native plants are those plants that have escaped into the wild and are crowding out the native plants. Gardening with native plants not only makes gardening easier, it helps conserve our state’s natural plant resources.

There are many organizations promoting the use of native plants. I attended a “Native Plants in the Landscape Conference” at Millersville University in June where a class on “Native Plant Resources on the Web” was given. A list of a few of the many web pages providing information about native plants is show below.  Most sites provide links to other related sites, and many of the organizations sponsor field trips and educational events.  You can find information, seed and plant sources, and pictures of such native flowers as big blue stem, bleeding heart, coreopsis, columbine, butterfly weed, blue wood aster, New England aster, blue indigo, trumpet vine,  mountain laurel, blazing star, cardinal flower, sunflower, eupatorium or joe pye weed, sunflower, St. John’s wort, great blue lobelia, bee balm, foxglove, phlox, coneflower, salvia, and spiderwort.

There are also a number of very useful publications on native plants that are available to area gardeners.  Many of these are available at no cost at your local Penn State Cooperative Extension office.

According to A Guide for Selecting Shade and Flowering Trees for Pennsylvania Landscapes, it is very important to match up native trees with their appropriate environments.  Trees that tolerate shade include eastern redbud, flowering dogwood and serviceberry. For moist areas consider sweet bay magnolia, sweet gum, sycamore and willow. For dry areas consider box elder, hackberry, red ash and scarlet oak. Trees with fragrant flowers would be one of my favorites - crab apple, flowering cherry, linden, mountain ash and star magnolia. Beech, hornbeam, mountain ash and saucer magnolia have nicely colored bark for variety in the garden, while trees with varied bark textures include birches and sycamores.  The serious gardener who wants dappled shade for shade flowers should consider small trees such as crab apple, flowering cherry, hawthorn and  mountain ash. For those that want only large shade trees and few flowers, red maple and the tulip tree would be good choices.

A Guide for Selecting Shrubs for Pennsylvania Landscapes lists many native shrubs which can be used in the landscape, including coralberry, azaleas, barberry, bayberry, mountain laurel, witch hazel, red osier, American Elder, summersweet, and many species of viburnums. These plants offer a variety of fruit colors—red, white, yellow and  black—as well as interesting fall foliage colors.

Don York, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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QUESTION:  I have a lovely garden of Iris and Peonies that are a marvelous display of color in the spring.  But, about this time of the summer they start to look a bit straggly and tired.  Can I cut them back to make the garden look neat again ?

ANSWER:  No, the foliage of the peony should not be cut until it has been killed by hard frosts. The food manufactured in the foliage is stored in the roots and thus helps produce flowers the following year.   If the foliage is cut back shortly after blooming, the plants are deprived of their next year’s food supply. Removing the dead leaves, however, helps to prevent the spread of botrytis blight, a fungal disease, so it’s an important task. The spent flowers should also be trimmed off to eliminate a place for this disease to settle in. This will also tidy up the plant’s appearance.
After the foliage is killed by frost it should be cut, removed and disarded. Cleaning up the peony bed before winter eliminates a place for diseases to hide.The peony plant should be fertilized in early spring and fall, sprinkling a handful of bone meal around each plant and scratching it into the soil. Otherwise peonies can be left to grow undisturbed indefinitely.

Irises, on the other hand,  are more prone to various diseases, such as bacterial soft rot, rhizome rot fungi and the borer pest. So the plants should be carefully monitored throughout the season for problems and any diseased or dying leaves removed and burned. If it is appropiate a pestcide or fungicide can be applied. Discard  any rotted portions of leaves or rhizomes (roots).  Healthy green leaves should be left alone to die back naturally. Any flowers finished blooming should be cut off so the energy goes back to the roots for next years’ blooms instead of to seed production. If green foliage is remove it may adversely affect the number of blooms the next year. But, usually the iris will send up a new flush of leaves if  the weather is still mild so pruning the leaves will not kill the plant.

Lorraine Bansavage, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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This is the time (early spring) when our gardening senses are being awakened by the deluge of seed catalogues and glossy gardening magazines. They show glorious perennial beds and borders filled with loads of color and texture.  You too can achieve the same results if you take the time to understand how to garden with perennials.

A perennial is a plant that lives for many years. Year after year the roots, crowns or bulbs send up new branches and flower stems which die over the winter.  Perennials are numerous and diverse from spring bulbs, to peonies, chrysanthemums, and even many of our lawn weeds. Those that survive our harsh winters are called hardy perennials; while others cannot tolerate freezing winters and are referred to as tender perennials. Southwestern  Pa. is borderline zone 5 - 6, so to be safe pick plants that are labeled for zone 5.

A common misconception is that perennials are maintenance-free. They are not. Prepare to spend  a few hours each week tending to their needs to keep them looking their best.  Most require proper soil preparation, regular watering the first year, fertilizing, deadheading, dividing, and weeding. If you love gardening this time spent will be rewarding and enjoyable.

The first step is to research the specific needs of your favorite plants and then figure out if they would fit into your landscape design. It is important to consider the amount of sun or shade your site gets throughout the day. There are many perennials that thrive in light shade, such as columbines, bleeding hearts, ferns, hostas, and astilbes, but many more thrive in full sun.   The most logical way to choose plants are first by location, second by period of bloom, third by height and width, and finally by color.  Perennials can either stand in mass and or serve as color amongst the evergreen foundation plantings.  They come in a variety of forms, colors and growth characteristics. Some are grown for their flowers, others for their foliage, such as ornamental grasses and ferns.

The site where you are going to create your perennial garden should have good soil. Ideal soil has good moisture holding ability, but allows excess water to drain away. You should have your soil tested  before you add anything. Soil test kits are available from your county’s Cooperative Extension office for a nominal fee. The directions are easy to follow and an explanation of the results will be mailed back to you. 

Once your soil is prepared plant your perennial according to its individual needs. Water regularly for the first season so that the plant gets a good start in your garden.  Mulching with a well-decayed material is recommended to keep the weeds down and the soil moist.  Don’t use freshly chipped wood, because it will rob your plant of nitrogen.  Cut the spent flowers off (deadheading)  throughout the season to encourage more blooms and create a neater appearance.

Once your perennial bed is established and thriving you can divide and share your favorites. Usually a perennial needs to be divided when it appears to lose vigor by not producing as many flowers. This is another good reason to know the growth habits of your plants. Every perennial has a specific bloom time. The objective in a perennial bed is to have a continuous succession of color from Spring through Fall.   

Lorraine Bansavage, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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QUESTION: Is "planting by the moon" better? My father always planted by the moon and always had a good garden. He could not read or write but he told me that's how they did it in Italy. I was told that everything that grows underground is planted after the full moon and everything that grows above the ground is planted a week or so before it gets to the full moon. If planting by the moon is right, please tell me how to do it.

ANSWER: Planting according to the phases of the moon is an ancient concept that has been around since Babylonian times.  Most of the ideas stem from astrology, a belief that the position of the moon and stars affects all aspects of our lives.  Although a lot of people subscribe to these ideas, astrology has not been supported by research and experimentation and is not endorsed by the scientific community.

That said, it is true that the moon is a powerful force on the earth and everything on it.  Its size and proximity creates a substantial gravitational pull towards itself as it revolves around the earth.
The clearest example of this gravitational pull is the regular rise and fall of the tides.  The moon’s gravitational force pulls the water in the ocean towards it, creating a high tide. The tides shift between high and low in a daily cycle as the earth rotates and different sides of the earth face the moon.

The moon’s gravitational force also has a slight pull on water in the soil.  So the gravitational pull of the moon can assist in keeping the soil near the surface moist.  Like the ocean tides, this gravitational pull is felt in a daily cycle as the earth rotates and different sides of the earth are towards the moon.

The question you ask is if the phases of the moon (full, new or anytime in between) affect the seeds or plants in any beneficial or negative way.  This is different than the daily tidal influences of the moon.  Instead, the phases of the moon refer to its position viewed from earth as it revolves around the planet (roughly every 27.3 days for a complete cycle).

Scientists have studied if there are any additional horticultural consequences when the sun and moon are aligned.   The alignment occurs twice in the moon’s rotation around the earth – it occurs when the moon is full and when the moon is new.  The results of the studies, though very minor, are still worth noting:  there is generally more moisture in the surface soil during the time of both a full and a new moon.  Increased moisture encourages seeds to germinate.  But the effects of the moon’s position are very slight.  When considering soil moisture variations, it is much more important to note when and how much it rained last.  Seed germination occurs readily at any time of the lunar month.

The notions of astrology go much farther in the beliefs that the position of the moon and stars affect seeds, plants and everything else in our daily lives.  Advocates analyze where the stars - signs of the zodiac - are positioned in relation to the moon and they make recommendations based on their own beliefs of how the astrological signs of the zodiac correspond with the elements of water, earth, fire and air.  Believers in astrology feel that there are preferred times for all sorts of gardening chores beyond planting, including pruning, weeding and harvesting.

This concept of astrology is where the idea of “planting by the moon” originated.  Basically, the recommendation from astrologists is to plant above ground crops during the "waxing" or rising moon.  This is the period of increasing light from the new moon to the full moon.  And plant root crops during the "waning" or declining moon.  This is from the full moon to the new moon when the moonlight is decreasing.  It should be emphasized that this concept doesn’t have any scientific backing.

It has been argued that moonlight stimulates leaf growth.  But the light energy from moonlight (which is just reflected sunlight) is insignificant to the plant compared to the sun during the day.  And although soil moisture may be slightly higher during full and new moon alignments, the waxing and waning periods of the lunar cycle do not seem to influence the plant in any measurable way.

There are many reasons why your gardening results may have been inconsistent over the years.  Weather patterns play an important role.  Plants are very sensitive to the timing of rainy and sunny days throughout the season.  Too much of either (rain or sun) without the other is not ideal for any plant.  Plus, plants like a different ratio of sun and moisture at different times of their lives.  A young tender plant needs near constant moisture.  But an established plant with deep roots usually prefers a day of strong sunshine over a cloudy damp day.  Also, the soil is a huge variable in the success of a garden.  The composition of soil is constantly changing as organic material decay and worms and other organisms churn up the soil.  Plus, the soil is alive with microbes which continually engage in chemical processes, changing the composition of the soil month to month and year to year.   And of course, the plants themselves alter the fertility of the soil by extracting nutrients that they need as they grow.  These variables are much more important to the final success of the garden than the planting time of the seeds in relationship to the phase of the moon.

Joan Buck, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Are the shrubs around your house growing over your windows?  Does the rhododendron at the foot of your driveway completely block your view of the street? Has your beautiful lilac bush grown into a thick, tangled mess?   You might recognize that you need to prune your landscape plants, but do you know how and when to prune?

Many ornamental plants respond well to pruning.  Pruning can be used to train a tree or shrub into the desired shape or size; to remove dead or diseased plant parts to improve its health and appearance; or to help the plant produce better flowers, fruit or foliage.  However, unless you prune the right way at the right time, you can easily cause more problems than you started with.

Before you pick up those pruning shears or the branch loppers, take a moment to think about how a plant grows, and how your pruning cuts will affect its future growth.  All new plant growth comes from buds, and pruning is manipulating bud growth.  Buds at the ends of shoots, called terminal buds, exert strong chemical controls over the lateral buds lower down the stem, keeping them small or dormant.  When you indiscriminately prune off terminal buds, those lateral buds are then able to grow into stems, leaves, and flowers, often resulting in dense and unruly growth.  The trick to good pruning lies in pruning back a stem or side branch to a point where a bud has already broken dormancy and formed a side shoot, with its own terminal bud on the end.  Don’t prune by shearing a plant all around to the same branch length, and don’t leave lots of blunt cuts.  Make sure your pruned plant has branches ending in terminal buds.

The ideal time to prune most shrubs is during the late dormant season before the start of new growth.  The exception to this is flowering shrubs that bloom in the spring, such as forsythia, honeysuckle, azalea, rhododendron, lilac, viburnum, weigela, and early white spirea.  These shrubs bloom on growth from the previous season, so to avoid missing their flowers, prune them after the blooms have withered and fallen off.

Woody ornamentals may be thinned out by removing a number of branches back to the main trunk or to the ground level.  This method of pruning results in a more open plant and does not stimulate excessive growth, and can be thought of a maintenance approach to pruning.

Sometimes shrubs need more than a little thinning, such as when they have grown too tall or wide for their location.  In this case, use gradual renewal pruning techniques, where the oldest and tallest branches are gradually removed from an overgrown shrub at the ground level, allowing younger branches to replace them.  It is best to do this over a three or four year period.

Lee Young, County Extension Director, Washington County Cooperative Extension

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QUESTION: When can I trim live branches off of my Phododendrons outside?

ANSWER: Many homeowners have discovered that their once perfectly sized rhododendron bush has grown beyond its intended dimensions in the landscape.  Although it may be tempting to take a pruner and saw to an overgrown rhododendron bush and hack away, it is important to understand how a plant grows.

All new growth comes from buds, and pruning is manipulating bud growth.   The buds on rhododendrons are classified as dormant buds.  Dormant buds form during one growing season and remain dormant until the next growing period when they grow into stems, leaves, or flowers.
 Therefore, if you want your plant to bloom in the spring, pruning should be delayed until right after the flowering has occurred in the spring.  By the end of summer, next year’s flower buds are developed and pruning will eliminate many of next spring’s blooms.

Broadleaved evergreens, such as rhododendrons, have large flowers that can be retained during the thinning of vegetative wood.  Old flower clusters should be pinched off as soon as the petals wilt and flower color fades.  This prompt removal prevents seed formation and encourages new growth and flower buds for the following season.

For many broadleaved evergreens, the act of flowering is a form of natural pruning.  Apical dominance is lost on a flowering twig, and branching occurs immediately below the old flower cluster.  The additional removal of one or more of the newly developing shoots in this location helps reduce density in the top of the plant.  It is also a good way to direct the new growth by keeping stems pointed in the desired direction.

Little pruning is needed for most broadleaved evergreens if the right plant is selected for height and spread when fully grown.  There are thousands of varieties of rhododendrons, with varied mature sizes—from 18” to over 7 feet tall.  Unfortunately, many of the plants actually chosen and planted in the landscape grow too large for the space allotted them, so annual pruning is usually needed.

Patience Stubendordt , Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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QUESTION: My rhododendron has several branches that are dying.  The leaves have curled up and turned brown.  What should I do?  Can I save my plant?

ANSWER:  This is a fairly common problem in rhododendrons in our area.  In fact, look around at rhododendrons in landscapes around buildings and you will probably see these same symptoms. 

When rhododendrons suffer from drought stress, mechanical injury, or winter injury, they become more susceptible to infection by two fungal pathogens, Botryosphaeria and Phomopsis.  Infection of a shoot will cause leaves to droop, curl downward, and eventually turn brown.  The wood beneath the bark becomes discolored.  

Lee Young, County Extension Director, Washington County Cooperative Extension

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QUESTION: When can I plant spinach seeds outside?

ANSWER: Fortunately for the eager gardener, spinach can be one of the first vegetables grown outside in the spring.  The answer to how early you can plant spinach seeds outside is generally AS SOON AS THE SOIL CAN BE WORKED.  That means as soon as the ground is unfrozen, reasonably drained from winter’s snow-melt (not excessively soggy), and can be dug, tilled and raked without clumping around your tools and boots in a great muddy mess.

Spinach seeds do need a minimum amount of warmth to germinate.  Although the optimal germination soil temperature for spinach is 68-70 degrees, seeds will still germinate (though at a slower rate) in cooler soil.  The minimum soil temperature for spinach germination is 35 degrees, but it is typically better to wait until the soil temperature reaches 45 degrees. In our southwestern Pennsylvania area, spinach seeds can be sown and grown successfully as early as mid-March.

Spinach plants like cool temperatures.  They can tolerate frosts, so you do not have to worry about nighttime temperatures dropping below freezing. In fact, excessive warmth and long days make spinach bolt – go to seed – quickly.  At that point, the plant puts its energies into seed production instead of new leaf growth.  So cool temperatures of spring and fall are preferred over summer heat.
Many gardeners find that an early planting gives spinach a head start over the spring weeds.  Plus, for the salad-lover hankering for garden-fresh spinach, an early start usually leads to an early harvest.

When preparing your spinach garden, try to use soil rich in organic matter, such as manure or compost.  Also note that spinach does not like acidic soil.  To lower the acidity level of your soil – also referred to as “raising the pH” -- you can add lime or wood ash.  For an accurate measurement of your soil’s pH and precise instructions on what to add, you can have your soil tested by sending a sample to Penn State in a soil test kit. 

Joan Buck, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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With a cool and damp spring, we may see more slugs in the garden.  How can you tell if these creatures are causing problems in your vegetable patch or hosta bed?

Look for holes in foliage, seedlings that have been eaten away at ground level, wet slimy and glistening trails on plants (especially those close to the ground).  On a cool and cloudy day you may be able to spot these ½ to 2 inch long soft bodied creatures inching along your plants.  Lift a rock or a board in the early morning or late evening and you’ll find some clinging to its underside.

To control slugs, clean up all debris from the garden – dead plant material, leaves, weeds, loose boards, rocks – where slugs prefer to hide out during the heat of the day.  Hand pick them off plants and destroy by dropping them into very soapy or salty water. Cultivate the soil around your plants to hasten drying since damp conditions encourage colonization of slugs. Create a physical barrier around plants with crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth.  Use a mask when working with diatomaceous earth as it is irritating to the lungs and mucus membranes.  It must be reapplied after a rain.

For control on a smaller scale use a shallow dish embedded in the soil to its rim and fill with beer (the cheapest you can find, as they are not particular). The slugs will be attracted to the smell, fall in for a taste and drown.  Empty daily and refill with fresh beer.

The only pesticide labeled for slugs is metaldehyde.  Ortho sells it as “Ortho Slug-Geta Bait Pellets”.  It is not to be used around edible plants.

Now you are armed and ready to keep pesky slugs at bay and enjoy a delicious salad made with your beautiful lettuces.

Rose Trunzo , Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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To begin with, most avid gardeners will tell you that what is happening above the ground depends upon what is happening within the ground.  Take a look at your planting beds and examine the soil.  Are you blessed with Pennsylvania’s finest, shovel-breaking clay?  Or do you have that “chocolate cake” consistency Martha Stewart requires for her planting beds? We can only dream!

Whatever the case, utilizing organic material such as compost or mushroom manure can greatly improve soil structure.  Fall is the best time to amend your planting beds, but if you are like most of us, the majority of this work is done in the spring.  And it is WORK!  Digging or rototilling the organic material into the soil is the only way to incorporate it, unless of course you decide to construct a raised bed.  But this WORK pays off, and you will be surprised at the results you have.  If you already have a well-established perennial flower garden, you may want to add organic material around your plants and work it into the soil.  This will also help improve the soil structure.  Remember that you will need to add organic material every year as some of it will decompose, and the rest will become your new and improved soil.

Why is soil structure so important?  As you know the roots of every plant are on a mission, and this mission is to reach down for the nutrients and water the plant needs in order to grow.  If the soil is hard and compacted, it is difficult for the roots to feed and water the plant.  Therefore, this results in smaller, weaker, disease prone plants. Improving structure aids the roots in accomplishing the job they set out to do.

In addition, it is a good idea to think about obtaining a soil test prior to planting to gain an understanding of the type of nutrients that are available to your plants.  This is so easy to do!  Soil test kits are available at the Washington County Extension Office for a six-dollar fee.  Instructions are included with each package explaining how to collect the soil.  You will also need to fill out a short form, describing the type of plants you wish to grow such as vegetables, turf, brambles, flowers, etc.  After that, it’s a quick trip to the Post Office and within two weeks you will receive a full description of the nutrients in your planting bed.  If there are any nutrients lacking in the soil, instructions will be provided as to which fertilizers to add.  Soil testing should be done every three years.

For more information on soil testing, composting and soil preparation, or to find out about the Master Gardener program, contact the Washington County Extension Office and speak with a Master Gardener.  In Washington County, call 724-228-6881.

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Floppy Flowers? Try garden stakes.

In early spring the new growth of annuals and perennials in the garden is a welcome sight. But soon many of those plants will develop into a sprawling and flopping mess. You no doubt can name several that are growing in your own gardens.  Daisies, oriental poppies, lupines and peonies come to mind.

As lovely as these and other plants are, you can improve their presentation and overall health by using stakes to keep them upright.  Staking prevents a plant from crowding out its neighbor, improves air circulation and sun penetration between plants, therefore decreasing disease problems like mildews and prevents plant injury from cracked or bent stems.  The optimal time to stake a garden plant is early in its growing season.   The new growth will cover the stakes so they are not obvious to the casual observer.

A wide variety of materials are available to the home gardener from mother nature or your local garden center.  Mounding plants, such as coreopsis, aster or geraniums, benefit from twigs found in your yard.  Collect twiggy branches from trees and shrubs.  Insert them around the plant perimeter and allow it to grow up through the branches for support.  An alternative is to purchase grow-through-supports.  These are round grids with 3 –4 legs, which are inserted into the ground with the grid over the young plant.  As it matures you can direct its stem through the grid pattern.  This type works well for peonies and asters.

Tall clumping plants, such as daisies, balloon flowers and salvia need a different approach as they can reach heights up to four feet.  Arrange five bamboo or metal stakes, each four to five feet in length, around the plant.  Tie twine around one pole, cross through the center of the plant then loop around the opposite pole and continue this crossing and looping until a grid is made.  As with the grid ring, the plant will grow up through the twine grid and is supported, showing off its flowers rather than dragging them on the ground.

Single stemmed flowers which grow to heights of three to five feet, such as delphinium, hollyhocks and foxglove, also benefit from staking.  Staking decreases damage caused by wind and hard rains.  Proper support can be achieved by using a pole inserted eight to twelve inched below ground and ending at three-fourths the plant's height.  Secure plant to pole every eight to twelve inches using two inch wide cotton strips or pieces of pantyhose eight inches long.  Loop material around plant stem in a figure-eight pattern securing to pole with a square knot, making sure to knot is along the pole, not the stem.

Shorter single-stemmed flowers can be staked in a similar fashion using appropriately sized poles.  Another method is to buy loop poles that are available in a variety of sizes.  These are poles that have an open loop at their end to slip around the stem.

Here are a few points to remember when staking plants in your garden.  Position the stake away from the root system and have it in place early in the growing season.  Insert it far enough into the earth to provide sufficient support as the plant reaches its mature height.  For ease of insertion be sure the pole or stake has a pointed end. 

So, start now to make a mental list of those flowers in your garden that will benefit from a helping hand.  Head for the garden center, make your purchases and support a flower or two.  With a few well placed poles or stakes your garden will look wonderful all season long.

Rose Trunzo, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Planting and maintaining a steep bank can be one of the hardest things a homeowner has to deal with in the landscape.  Water runoff, gravity, and wind are just a few problems we have to face when dealing with steep banks.  As homeowners in Southwestern PA, most of us have some sort of hillside, slope or bank that we need to maintain.  In this article I hope to help shed some light on ways that you can realistically deal with these elements. 

First, you need to decide what the slope percentage is on the hill you are going to deal with.  This is because the slope % will determine what you should and shouldn’t do to the area.  A sloped site has to be steeper than 3% for us to perceive it to be sloped (3’ vertical change for 100 horizontal feet).  Greater than 5% we can see it as having a distinct slope, and steeper than that it becomes increasingly harder to work with.  Not only is the steep bank unstable physically it is also hard to stand on because you need to constantly exert energy to remain balanced.  A steep bank is also unstable visually, and it implies constant movement or change.  This can be good or bad.

Some samples of slope percentages that we work with are:
            Recreational lawn: 2-4% slope
            Lawn not for recreation: 25%
Steeper than 25% is too steep to safely mow
            Outdoor entertaining area: 5-15%, and can be terraced to use different levels
            Planted slopes: not greater than 50% or 2:1 or will probably erode.
            Over 50% should be left as is, because any disturbance will probably erode.

Steep banks can add visual interest to a landscape, or it can be a hindrance.  You can use the views from the top of a slope, or you can use an upward slope to either block a bad view or as a backdrop for other elements.

Surface drainage and runoff need to be addressed when designing a steep slope.  Water can be very destructive to a slope, and large gullies can occur if the water situation is ignored.

Swales, or valley-like excavations in the slope, can be cut along the slope to help slow down the flow of water, but care needs to be taken when doing these ‘cuts’ because they can end up looking like gashes rather than natural contours in the slope.

The top of the slope is usually dry and can be breezy and the bottom of the slope is usually wetter, so you may need to put a drain at the top and bottom of the slope, or use this area for native water loving plants.

Plant material needs to be spaced accordingly or it will take too long for the plant material to add stability to the bank.  Many shrubs and perennials have root systems that hold soil better than others. 

A few shrubs are :
    Red stem dogwood
    Cotoneaster
    Broom
    Forsythia
   Virginia sweetspire
   Junipers
   Northern Bayberry
   Willow
   Stephanandra
   Yucca

Some good perennials and groundcovers are:
   Bugleweed (Ajuga)
   Variegated Bishops weed (invasive)
   Heath
   Ornamental Grasses
   Ivy
   Pachysandra
   Periwinkle (myrtle)
   Hosta
   Lilyturf

Whether you use walls, stone or boulders, you need drainage behind the structure to ensure that it remains stable.  Step the structure back (approx 1” per 2 feet) so the structure leans back into the slope for stability.  If the wall need to be 2’ or higher, you should call a contractor to install it for you.

Design Steps for Small Residential Hillsides:

Laying out the design:

1. Use Graph Paper and Draw your Design to Scale – either 1/8” or ¼” or ½”, depending of the size of the job – this way you know exactly how much material you will need

2. Use the design principles to create a layout of hardscape & plant material that best fits your concept – Mass plantings, scale, repetition, dominance, rhythm. Don’t be afraid to experiment with several different sketches. Choose general plants at this time, only indicating the mature size you need, evergreen or deciduous, and flower color

Choosing the Plants and Installation:

Make a list of the plant descriptions from your favorite sketch and either match them from catalogues or take them to your local garden center to choose the plants that fit your descriptions. Since the plan was to scale you should also know how many you need for the area. Prepare the soil whether you excavated for a wall or not.  Use organic matter and topsoil and incorporate it into your existing soil

So instead of thinking that you have a problem with your sloping yard, think of it as an opportunity to create something beautiful and functional that you will enjoy for years to come!

Andrea Tomsic, Penn State Master Gardener in Washington County

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Picture yourself surveying the garden in June or July making note of those empty spots.  You muse aloud, surely something could be found to fill the void and compliment the neighboring plants.  The perfect solution could be summer flowering bulbs. They can provide a multitude of color, height and texture that is quite different from your existing plants. For the purpose of this article bulb is a catch-all word to refer to