Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 3, 1993 TAG: 9310040265
SECTION: HOMES PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: John Arbogast
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A: The best source of recommendations for shade trees, as well as other landscape plants, would be professional nurserymen (or women). These professionals (I don't mean department store garden center workers) have firsthand experience with plants and have dealt with complaints from plant owners and thus should know what will perform best in their region to meet the desires of property owners. Extension agents like me can be used to answer questions about specific plants, pests or problems, rather than giving a list of what to plant.
Another reason that I am hesitant to recommend shade trees for your front yard is this: No species or variety is sufficiently superior to be called "best" without some qualifications. What I suggest as the top two choices might be trees that have done poorly or had pests in your neighborhood. There are many excellent varieties, and within a given type of tree there may be improved cultivars (cultivated varieties) that show outstanding characteristics over the standard species of that tree. Nurserymen should know about improved cultivars.
I'll add that two outstanding shade trees to consider would be Japanese Zelkova (Zelkova serrata) and the Littleleaf Linden.
The Japanese Zelkova is being JOHN ARBOGAST used as a replacement for the American elm. Even though it may have a minor problem with insects that attack elms, the Japanese Zelkova is relatively resistant to the disease that has killed many American Elms.
The Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata) is an attractive shade tree with few insect or disease pests; consider one of the improved cultivars of Littleleaf Linden - "Greenspire" or "Chancellor."
Weed and feed fertilizer can be applied to your bluegrass or fescue lawn this fall, since fall is the best time to supply nitrogen to these grasses. The next six weeks is the preferred time of year to treat for many of our lawn weeds.
However, keep in mind that an application of weed killer in the dry form might not do the best job of controlling weeds since the chemical ingredient will not have an opportunity to be absorbed into the weed foliage if the granules fall to the ground.
Since I'm assuming that all "weed and feeds" are not sold as predominantly slow-release fertilizers, make that application sometime this month. If you will fertilize a bluegrass or fescue only one time for the year, November will be too late.
As individual property owners, it is difficult to be rid of June bugs. The adults may be flying in from who-knows-where and can be a nuisance but do little or no feeding and are thus difficult to control with traditional means. The immature stages of June bugs, known as grubs, do feed on the roots of grass and other small plants. That stage can be controlled, but doing that will not necessarily reduce the number of adult June bugs that fly into your yard next year.
However, if you want to kill June bug grubs or other species under your grass, roll back some sod in selected areas to scout for the presence of those grubs just under the surface in June and July; if you find grubs, apply the current chemical control (Dursban or Oftanol was suggested in 1993 but may be changed in 1994) according to label directions.
Q: We have a large walnut tree that sheds lots of leaves. Can these be used as mulch under lilacs and rhododendrons? Can they be used right after they drop in the fall? Mrs. H.W.B., Salem
A: It would be risky to use recently fallen leaves from a black walnut as mulch around lilacs and rhododendrons, since both of those plants are known to be susceptible to the chemical called Juglone, which is produced by all parts of the black walnut.
Many gardeners know it's not possible to grow tomatoes and other plants known to be susceptible to that chemical within the root area of a black walnut because Juglone is produced in great amounts in the roots of black walnuts.
However, Juglone is likely produced by the black walnut leaves to a certain extent. This chemical might leach out (wash out) of those leaves when fresh. Thus, black walnut leaves should be held in a bin where rains or waterings can leach out any Juglone present before using around susceptible plants.
Send short questions about your lawn, garden, plants, or insects to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P. O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491. We need your mail, but this column can't reply to all letters. Those of wide appeal will be answered each week. Personal replies cannot be given. Please don't send stamped envelopes, samples or pictures.
Gardener's checklist
Jobs for early to mid-October:
Wait until a killing frost hits your dahlias before you cut down the stalks to a few inches, let them dry, then dig the roots for winter storage.
Field mice often find their way into homes and buildings during the fall. The most effective control method is the snap-type mouse trap baited with something like peanut butter.
This is an ideal time to apply a broadleaf weed killer to weedy spots in an established bluegrass or fescue lawn. (See first letter.) If your lawn contains new grass, you should wait until that grass is sturdy before applying herbicides.
John Arbogast is the agricultural extension agent for Roanoke.
by CNB