Garden Column for the Salisbury Post
Darrell Blackwelder
April 15, 2004

This past week may be the last bit of cold for the spring. April 15 is generally considered the last frost-free day for this area. Retail garden centers are packed with customers anticipating the chance to plant and maintain landscapes. Many have questions about their gardening chores. Some may relate to the questions and situations posed to me this week.
       Question: When can I mow the leaves of the daffodils?
Answer: Don’t mow the leaves of this bulb. The leaves are necessary for the plant to develop flowers for the next season. They will eventually turn yellow and fall over. You can clip or mow them at this time. Bulbs should be fertilized and irrigated to maximize growth for showy blooms.
Question: Is there a simple way to kill weeds in my lawn without buying a weed killer and fertilizer blend?
Answer: Yes, retail outlets sell broadleaf weed killer pre-mixed in a hose-on applicator. The weed killer is generally a combination of 2,4-D and other herbicides that are metered through the hose as the applicator rather than using a pump up sprayer. Apply the herbicide, wait 10 days, and spray again for maximum broadleaf weed control. I have used hose on applicators with very, good success.
Question: What is this on my shrub (euonymus) It seems to be killing it.
Answer: the insect on the shrub is euonymus tea scale. It is a very serious pest of this shrub that is virtually impossible to kill. Spray oils and malathion will control the insect, but not for long. My best advice is to eliminate the shrub and plant a different species that is not susceptible to scale insects.
Question: My red tips look terrible. I bought an expensive fungicide to spray on them last year and they still look bad. Should I cut them back?
Answer: Heavy pruning and over fertilization aggravates this fungal disease problem. Avoid this if possible. The disease is entomosporium leaf spot. It occurs in warm humid weather in late May and June and persists until it becomes hot and dry. Regular sprays of fungicides such as daconil will give some control, however, many have chosen to replace this shrub with holly or another species with less disease problems.
Question: My peaches rotted last year right before they got ripe. Is there anything I can spray on them to control this rotting.
Answer: Spraying peach trees and other fruit trees is important, even for organic growers. Start after petal fall, which has already occurred, and spray on a regular basis, every 10-14 days, with a premixed home orchard spray. These sprays contain both fungicides and insecticides that control pests throughout the summer. Look at farm supply stores and garden centers for these sprays.