Spider Mites

On a concrete pad behind a Patterson Park row house, Emily Jaskot has created an urban oasis through creative use of flowers, herbs, vines and even trees planted in containers. She and her husband, Jared, moved to the house in 2007 and the next spring, the work began. "It was kind of desolate," says Jaskot, a recent law school graduate. "I just wanted to fill as much of the space as possible with green and flowers. " The couple built wooden containers and a trellis and planted a dogwood tree, rose bushes and lots of mint.

On a concrete pad behind a Patterson Park row house, Emily Jaskot has created an urban oasis through creative use of flowers, herbs, vines and even trees planted in containers. She and her husband, Jared, moved to the house in 2007 and the next spring, the work began. "It was kind of desolate," says Jaskot, a recent law school graduate. "I just wanted to fill as much of the space as possible with green and flowers. " The couple built wooden containers and a trellis and planted a dogwood tree, rose bushes and lots of mint.

After I brought my hibiscus and banana plants indoors for the winter, I noticed small "dots" moving around on the leaves. I suspect they are spider mites. What do I do now?If they have eight little legs they are indeed spider mites. Spraying large plants indoors is not safe or practical. Take your plants outside long enough to treat them with a soap and pyrethrum spray or an application of ultra-fine horticultural oil. Make sure that your particular plants are listed on the label.I am thrilled with my crop of luffa gourds, but I've been afraid to cut them.

If your garden has that barely alive look, then you may want to start thinking about a late-summer planting of marigolds or zinnias. Many garden centers get in a fresh shipment of these annuals just before the mum season sets in. If yours does not, know that both can be grown easily from seeds. Planting over the next couple of weeks will set you up for a long period of blooming leading up to the first frost. There is a new group of zinnias called the Zesty series to watch for. The series is short, much like the Dreamland series.

Last year my mango had the same problem that it has now: spider mites. I grew this mango from seed about 2 1/2 years ago. Do you have a remedy that will kill these insects? Obviously, it is very cold outside right now, so I need something safe for indoors. Spider mites thrive in hot dry air. Rinsing the plant can eliminate spider mites already on it. If the plant isn't too large, you can put it in the shower. While there are miticides registered for use on houseplants and spider mites, read the label to be sure they can be used on edible plants, even though your plant may not fruit for years.

Q. My two mugo pines have many white spots on the needles. It doesn't look like an insect problem. What could it be? A. You have pine needle scale, an insect pest common on mugo pines. The white spots are covers (this is an armored scale) for the sedentary adults. Tiny, red eggs are laid under the covers during the winter. Red crawlers hatch in the spring and feed on foliage. A heavy infestation can produce yellowing and die-back of needles. Control this pest by applying a dormant oil spray at this time.

This was such a mild winter that garden experts are expecting to see more pests this summer than last. It's not too early to keep an eye out for spider mites, particularly on your evergreens and azaleas.Spider mites, which thrive in hot, dry weather, are hard to spot with the naked eye. What you'll notice first is a yellowing of leaves or needles, or just an unhealthy-looking plant. If you do see these signs, Peter Ricciuti of the Cooperative Extension Service recommends holding a sheet of white paper under a branch and tapping it (the branch, not the paper)

We recently purchased an older home in Baltimore County. The house is fine, but the gardens are completely overgrown with weeds, vines and small trees. What should we do to restore the garden? I would start by doing an inventory of plants on the property. If the previous owners established the garden, you will probably want to talk with them. They should be able to help you identify the landscape plants, and separate them from the weeds that have overgrown them. I would do this as soon as possible.

Q. I had problems growing grass under a large maple tree, so I added topsoil and planted impatiens. Now the flowers are doing poorly. Do you know what is wrong? A. The grass was growing poorly because there was too much shade, and therefore choosing to plant impatiens, a shade-loving plant, was a good idea. However, there are several problems with planting annuals under trees. First, it is generally not a good idea to add topsoil on top of a tree's roots. The topsoil can smother trees and could also promote disease around the base of the trunk.

I'm getting a little tired of poinsettias. What else makes a good holiday plant?For something different, try rosemary topiaries. Rosemary gives off a wonderful, wintry fragrance and also serves as a versatile culinary herb. Topiaries (trees or shrubs in ornamental shapes) will lend a festive air to the holiday scene. Cyclamen and kalanchoe are also good choices. If you're adventuresome, try ornamental chili pepper plants. They are compact and produce a beautiful display of small, colorful pepper pods (yes, they are hot and edible)

Last year my mango had the same problem that it has now: spider mites. I grew this mango from seed about 2 1/2 years ago. Do you have a remedy that will kill these insects? Obviously, it is very cold outside right now, so I need something safe for indoors. Spider mites thrive in hot dry air. Rinsing the plant can eliminate spider mites already on it. If the plant isn't too large, you can put it in the shower. While there are miticides registered for use on houseplants and spider mites, read the label to be sure they can be used on edible plants, even though your plant may not fruit for years.

We recently purchased an older home in Baltimore County. The house is fine, but the gardens are completely overgrown with weeds, vines and small trees. What should we do to restore the garden? I would start by doing an inventory of plants on the property. If the previous owners established the garden, you will probably want to talk with them. They should be able to help you identify the landscape plants, and separate them from the weeds that have overgrown them. I would do this as soon as possible.

Q. I had problems growing grass under a large maple tree, so I added topsoil and planted impatiens. Now the flowers are doing poorly. Do you know what is wrong? A. The grass was growing poorly because there was too much shade, and therefore choosing to plant impatiens, a shade-loving plant, was a good idea. However, there are several problems with planting annuals under trees. First, it is generally not a good idea to add topsoil on top of a tree's roots. The topsoil can smother trees and could also promote disease around the base of the trunk.

Q. My two mugo pines have many white spots on the needles. It doesn't look like an insect problem. What could it be? A. You have pine needle scale, an insect pest common on mugo pines. The white spots are covers (this is an armored scale) for the sedentary adults. Tiny, red eggs are laid under the covers during the winter. Red crawlers hatch in the spring and feed on foliage. A heavy infestation can produce yellowing and die-back of needles. Control this pest by applying a dormant oil spray at this time.

After I brought my hibiscus and banana plants indoors for the winter, I noticed small "dots" moving around on the leaves. I suspect they are spider mites. What do I do now?If they have eight little legs they are indeed spider mites. Spraying large plants indoors is not safe or practical. Take your plants outside long enough to treat them with a soap and pyrethrum spray or an application of ultra-fine horticultural oil. Make sure that your particular plants are listed on the label.I am thrilled with my crop of luffa gourds, but I've been afraid to cut them.

I'm getting a little tired of poinsettias. What else makes a good holiday plant?For something different, try rosemary topiaries. Rosemary gives off a wonderful, wintry fragrance and also serves as a versatile culinary herb. Topiaries (trees or shrubs in ornamental shapes) will lend a festive air to the holiday scene. Cyclamen and kalanchoe are also good choices. If you're adventuresome, try ornamental chili pepper plants. They are compact and produce a beautiful display of small, colorful pepper pods (yes, they are hot and edible)

If your garden has that barely alive look, then you may want to start thinking about a late-summer planting of marigolds or zinnias. Many garden centers get in a fresh shipment of these annuals just before the mum season sets in. If yours does not, know that both can be grown easily from seeds. Planting over the next couple of weeks will set you up for a long period of blooming leading up to the first frost. There is a new group of zinnias called the Zesty series to watch for. The series is short, much like the Dreamland series.

Experienced Howard County gardeners gloomily shook their heads last spring: the mild winter meant lots of summer bugs. The soon-to-appearhordes of flea beetles, aphids and Japanese beetles were a foregone conclusion. The smart gardener prepared for the fray.Like many weather-related adages, the warning seems to straddle the line between science and folklore. And like many such sayings, its validity, like beauty, may depend on the beholder.Sometimes we see what we think we ought to see. Sure, there have been zillions of insects this summer, but have their numbers been greater than normal?

This being summer, I spend my weekends killing things.I do not mean large things. I do not mean animals. I am against hunting.(Yes, I realize that hunting thins the herd of its weakest and stupidest members -- which is why so many hunters shoot themselves and each other -- but I oppose this practice.)I kill only small things. I kill only those things that don't have parents. I kill bugs.What kind of bugs? Let me grab this bottle and read just a few names: Aphids, bagworms, iris borers, lace bugs, leaf miners, mealybugs, midges, mites and thrips.

This was such a mild winter that garden experts are expecting to see more pests this summer than last. It's not too early to keep an eye out for spider mites, particularly on your evergreens and azaleas.Spider mites, which thrive in hot, dry weather, are hard to spot with the naked eye. What you'll notice first is a yellowing of leaves or needles, or just an unhealthy-looking plant. If you do see these signs, Peter Ricciuti of the Cooperative Extension Service recommends holding a sheet of white paper under a branch and tapping it (the branch, not the paper)