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Weeds are the bane of any gardener’s existence, frequently growing more vigorously than the desirable plants and grass in the landscape. At flowerbeds, you can frequently keep them under control with dedicated weeding sessions, ripping out their origins by hand. But when they begin taking over your lawn and every pavement crack, it may be time to break out the herbicide. Ortho Weed-B-Gon will destroy weeds before they wreak havoc on your garden.

Weeds in the Grass

The most troublesome kinds of weeds to eliminate are the ones which grow in your lawn, because you run the risk of not only killing the weed but also the rest of your grass too. Weed-B-Gon Weed Killer for Lawns Plus Crabgrass Control may be applied to your lawn any time weeds are actively growing. Active ingredients are .10 percent quinclorac, .22 percent MCPP-p, .12 percent 2,4-D and .05 percent dicamba. Be sure the daytime temperature is over 45 degrees and under 90 degrees Fahrenheit when applying, and wait an hour following application to water your lawn. Most weeds will show signs of wilting or yellowing of new development within a day of application. Necrosis will disperse, turning hardened brown and also killing them within 14 to 28 days. If seeds were completely developed before the weeds die, they will continue to be feasible, however. This means new weeds will crop up from seeds, requiring additional treatment. If you’re dealing with particularly stubborn weeds, another application two to three weeks afterwards may be necessary also.

Weeds in the Landscaping

Grassy weeds which populate your landscaping can be tough to remove by hand. In tiny flowerbeds, it is possible to manually get rid of the grass, but bigger areas may need an herbicide such as Ortho Grass-B-Gon Garden Grass Killer. Its active component is 0.48 percent fluazifop-p-butyl. For best results, spray weeds anytime they’re actively growing and repeat again seven days later to control crabgrass, quackgrass and Bermuda grass. Grass-B-Gon may be safely used around ground covers, plant beds, landscapes, flowers and shrubs and also works within one to four weeks following application.

Weeds in the Pavement

Weeds in pavement cracks, along fences and driveways are a lot simpler to kill because you don’t have just as much surrounding vegetation. Ortho GroundClear Vegetation Killer works in such spots. Its active ingredients are .016 percent imazapyr and 1.0 percent glyphosate. For smaller regions, the ready to use formula can be sprayed on weedy offenders when they’re actively growing. Best results are achieved when implemented on a sunny day once the temperature is between 45 degrees and 85 degrees F. Long Sensors must be cut down before application. Weeds will yellow and wilt within 10 hours. They’ll be dead in one to two weeks and shouldn’t grow back for a single year.

Cautions

Don’t use Ortho GroundClear over root zones of trees of shrubs or even where it is likely you might later plant. On clay soils, the product deposits may remain in the ground for up to one year. When using any herbicide, follow all mixing directions and safety precautions printed on the tag. Keep children and pets from the region until the spray has dried.

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Insects can be a major issue if you’ve got an apple tree, with pests like apple maggots causing significant harm to both your own fruit and the tree itself. Sticky traps are often used to protect against insects but provide little protection against flying pests. Homemade traps made from milk jugs provide extra protection for your trees, luring both crawling and flying insects in and killing them before they can escape.

Jug Traps

Milk jugs hanging out of apple trees and other fruit trees are used as traps to catch and kill pests that would otherwise damage the trees or fruit. Insects are lured to the jug with a sweet liquid bait solution and are not able to escape. The trapped insects become coated in the bait solution and finally drown within the trap. You can make traps of different sizes using half-gallon or gallon jugs, depending on the size of your trees.

Trap Solution

There are numerous strategies to produce an effective way for jug traps. Most liquid bait solutions are created using either sugar or molasses combined with water in a 1:10 ratio to make a syrup. Some options also include apple cider vinegar, reducing the amount of water and creating a more intricate bait. Other organic materials, like diced banana peels, are sometimes added as well. Solutions can be reached in advance and stored in a separate container, allowing you to add solution to hanging traps in an as-needed basis without having to make more.

Earning Jug Traps

Milk jugs need minimal if any modification before they can be used as jug traps. While it is not necessary to cut the jugs, cutting holes in the sides of the jugs makes it even easier for flying insects to enter the trap and allows the trap to be refilled without removing it from the tree. These holes should be large enough at the sides of the jugs so that you are able to place at least 1 inch of bait solution in the trap without spilling.

Protecting Apple Trees

Hang jug traps from sturdy branches on the apple trees you would like to protect, using twine or other sturdy string. For smaller trees, a single jug trap provides adequate protection; large trees must have at least two or three traps. If there are no holes cut into the sides of the jugs, position the open mouth of the jug close to the division and tie the jug close to the trunk. Check the jugs every couple of days emptying and refilling them if a significant number of dead insects roam in the bait option.

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Madagascar palm (Pachypodium lamerei) is also an unusual plant that’s really a succulent in the dogbane family and isn’t related to authentic palms. Native to southern Madagascar, this tender perennial is hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9a through 11 and can be grown in cooler climates if overwintered indoors. It is often grown as a houseplant. This species typically grows in the kind of a single trunk, but it occasionally branches after flowering or in the event the main stem is wounded.

Identification

Madagascar palm is notable because of its thick gray trunk and long spines. In the landscape, this tropical species can reach up to 15 feet high and has a slim, straight contour with spirally arranged leaves at the apex. When grown indoors, this plant stays much smaller and contains a spindle-shaped back up. Madagascar palms have big, dark green leaves with a leathery surface and bear white flowers with spiralling petals in late spring to early summer.

Natural Branching

Branching occurs naturally in Madagascar palms that have suffered from some sort of injury, like frost damage. Mature plants also occasionally branch without becoming damaged. This occurs mostly in older specimens and typically happens shortly after booming. Outdoor Madagascar palms are more likely to blossom and to division naturally than those grown indoors. Small branch-like offshoots also occasionally look in the base of the plant and these new limbs can be eliminated to produce a new plant.

Induced Branching

You might have the ability to induce branching at a Madagascar palm tree by cutting the top of the plant. This procedure requires injuring the middle of the spiral from which the leaves normally grow, so the plant produces two new functions. Cut the plant with a clean, sterile knife or shears to reduce the risk of infection. While many Madagascar palms recover, there’s always a possibility your specimen won’t regrow after cutting.

Factors

You may increase the possibility that your Madagascar palm will division by providing it with perfect ethnic ailments. Planting in full sun, providing temperatures over 60 degrees Fahrenheit year old and using an extremely well-drained growing medium promotes outdoor plants to develop the extensive root system necessary for branching. Ideally, these crops must receive regular watering throughout the summer and stay relatively dry throughout the cool season to discourage frost damage and produce an extremely healthy specimen.

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Cherry tomatoes, loved for their sweet, bite-sized fruit, create intimately, with one cherry tomato plant producing enough fresh fruit for the average family, notes Sonoma County Master Gardeners. Fruits ripen in approximately 65 to 75 days from planting, based on the variety. Cherry tomatoes are suitable for putting in hanging baskets, containers or in the ground.

Cherry Tomato Types

Most cherry tomatoes are vining, indeterminate varieties, but you may also purchase determinate varieties. Indeterminate cherry tomatoes continue to grow and set fruit throughout the summer until the plant is killed by frost in fall. While red cherry tomatoes are the most frequent, but also come in orange, yellow, orange and multicolored.

Plant Size

Cherry tomato crops are available in all shapes, from dwarf plants to full-size plants growing around 7 ft tall. Smaller plants are better suited for container growing, but all cherry tomato varieties grow well in garden soil.

Container Tomatoes

Cherry tomatoes work well for container growing. Midget, patio or dwarf varieties are best for containers due to their compact size and smaller root system. Hanging baskets are suitable for indeterminate varieties. Hanging them high enough to keep the vines from the ground eliminates the need for a trellis or other support. Container-grown tomatoes need regular water and a sunny place to thrive.

Growing Information

Cherry tomatoes grow best in loose, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Compact, healthy crops which are 6 to 8 inches tall are best for transplanting after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. A program of dilute fertilizer at planting gets the plants off to a fantastic start. Fertilize again using a 10-10-10 fertilizer once the first fruits set. Regular, deep watering to keep the soil moist, but not soggy encourages deep roots and a healthy plant. Indeterminate cherry tomatoes need assistance out of a cage or trellis to keep them away from the ground.

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1 look at the twisted branches of this contorted filbert tree (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’) in winter is all that it takes to understand how it got its name. A sort of European hazel, it is scientifically classified as a deciduous tree. Contorted filberts climb to 8 feet in height with an equal spread and perform best when climbed in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 9.

Boost the contorted filbert tree in full sun along the shore and in partial shade in the warmer inland regions.

Provide decent drainage for the contorted filbert tree. If you’ve got slow-draining dirt, add 3 to 4 inches of chunky compost to it in planting.

Water that the contorted filbert frequently enough to keep the soil consistently moist during its first two decades. After that, stick your finger into the ground to check for moisture and just water if the ground is dry.

Fertilize the contorted filbert twice a year, in spring, only once you notice new growth and again in early summer. Utilize an all-purpose fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, in accordance with label instructions. Set the fertilizer 1 foot outside the filbert’s dripline and spread it entirely around it. Water the area to soak up the fertilizer to the plant’s roots.

Snip off small bananas which appear around the foundation of this contorted filbert. All these are called suckers and ought to be cut to the ground or flush with the trunk of this tree.

Cut off any branches or twigs with bumps. All these are recognized as cankers and may be a indication that the tree is infected with blight. Dispose of all diseased wood.

Pick off Japanese beetles as you locate them. The best time to spot the metallic pests is early in the morning, on the tree’s leaves. Drop the beetles into a 4-quart bucket filled with water and 2 tablespoons of dishwashing soap.

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