Sunscald is an injury prevalent in the prairie sections of the country. It appears as dead sunken areas of bark on the trunks of trees particularly on the south and southwest sides. Exposed trunks of fruit trees, especially apple and pear, and some ornamental trees such as the mountain ash, suffer from this condition. Apparently the injury occurs in late winter. Day temperatures above the freezing point followed by below-freezing nights cause damage to the wood on the exposed side of the tree. Most damage occurs on the southwest side of the trunk.

This kind of damage can be lessened if young trees are trained so they branch low to the ground. Growing mountain ash in a clump form instead of to a single trunk aids in lessening sunscald injury. Growing shrubs near the base of susceptible trees assists in protecting tender bark. Painting trunks with white paint is another “old timers” method followed.

Rodents can do considerable harm to ornamental trees and shrubs during winter months. Lawns are also scarred by the burrowing activities of these animals. Field mice migrate into a cultivated area especially if their regular feeding areas become covered with heavy snows. As their regular source of food is cut off, they build runways to favorite trees and shrubs and feed on the soft bark of these plants near ground level.

There are hundreds of pest control experts in Ontario. We know them as exterminators but the people working in the industry and specialize in exterminating pests are called pest control professionals. There are many things that determine what makes a pest control expert or exterminator a good choice and these things will also make a difference when it comes to the effectiveness of their service. You can see a few tips on selecting a good pest control professional or exterminator you can read on.

1.Searching for one. You can open the yellow pages and start going through all the pest control service providers in your area. This way you will find all the businesses that are listed under pest control, pest management or even exterminators in your city. This way can help but it isn’t necessarily efficient. Another effective way of searching for a pest control expert in your area is to go online and search for one. This way you can read reviews on the pest control companies in your vicinity. You should also select a pest control expert that have specific experience with the pest you want to exterminate

Brandy is my huge boxer, a wonderful dog but he does have his faults. One is trying to destroy my roses and other garden plants. I could not chain him because he was accustomed to freedom, so have attempted to overcome his very determined efforts to kill off the plants in some other way. The first year of growing roses (2005) I learned how much Brandy enjoys eating rose leaves.

The fact that when he bit off leaves, one or two canes were broken made no difference to him. He wouldnt stop. Practically all of the dog repellent products were tried with absolutely no result. The problem became worse and began to include more than rose leaves, zinnias were uprooted, petunias trampled, etc. Then in early winter a rose bush was completely torn apart.

Things reached a climax the next spring when I arrived home one day to find the tender green shoots of my tulips chopped off at ground level. It just had to stop! Punishment is most effective when dogs are caught at their misdeeds. So after that, each time Brandy went out I watched him from the back door, if he went near one of the rose bushes he was called a bad dog and had to come in the house.

Do you have pests or gophers invading your lawn? Chances are, if you have a lawn you will run into a pest problem at some point. Some of the most common pests are the gopher and a close relative the mole. Perhaps, its because those pesky creatures, ants and other insects are finding your lawn attractive. What can you do to get them to stop them from burrowing and nesting in your yard. We will provide you with the answers and more within this article.

Most household lawns are not big enough to attract so many invaders that will cause a serious problem as a result, but, while they can be a nuisance and cause some serious damage to your lawn. Insects are not easily spotted, some are small and unnoticed by the human eye, however they can be seen in the patches of dead, brown grass they leave behind. Some signs of moles and gophers are a bit more obvious, such as dirt mounds on top of and beneath the lawn, tunnels and holes as well. Once the problem is identified, you can then choose how you are going to alleviate the issue.

Do you have pests or gophers invading your lawn? Chances are, if you have a lawn you will run into a pest problem at some point. Some of the most common pests are the gopher and a close relative the mole. Perhaps, its because those pesky creatures, ants and other insects are finding your lawn attractive. What can you do to get them to stop them from burrowing and nesting in your yard. We will provide you with the answers and more within this article.

Most household lawns are not big enough to attract so many invaders that will cause a serious problem as a result, but, while they can be a nuisance and cause some serious damage to your lawn. Insects are not easily spotted, some are small and unnoticed by the human eye, however they can be seen in the patches of dead, brown grass they leave behind. Some signs of moles and gophers are a bit more obvious, such as dirt mounds on top of and beneath the lawn, tunnels and holes as well. Once the problem is identified, you can then choose how you are going to alleviate the issue.

Knowing about pests and being able to deal with the various kinds of pests that are out there is the best and most effective way to battle any kind of infestation. No pest will be able to withstand a pest control management expert who knows what they are doing. Proper preparation and knowledge arms a pest control management expert with the necessary tools to deal with every kind of pest.

Preferred programs usually consist of various mechanical, biological and natural means of control. The usual course of action is the following: A level of action is determined in an area. The amount of damage to both the pests and other living things present in the area are assessed and they vary from place to place, taking into consideration the environmental issues and well-being of the people living near or within the area.

Pests present in the area are monitored and identified. Once the level of action is established, the kind and species of animal or animals to be eradicated are evaluated. The colonies and sources of infestation can also be found out through this monitoring action. Traps are set up and regular inspections are done.

Midwest January

During the January thaw is a good time to start fighting common chickweed. It is in flower now having germinated in September and October. Soon it will be setting ripening seed. Walk across the lawn now pulling out the chickweed plants by hand while their fresh green leaves are conspicuous against the brown soil.

Protecting Shallow Planted Tulips and Narcissus

The long unseasonable fall experienced in the Midwest last year encouraged growth of tulips and narcissus. During February thaws they will begin to peek through the soil. Before they get nipped by frost, cover the bed with 2 or 3 inches of peatmoss or compost. Next fall plant the bulbs deeper.

Watering Evergreens

Even if rain and snow have fallen recently, it would be wise to check the soil under the evergreens. In many places last falls drought left the subsoil extremely dry. The evergreens require moisture during the winter.

Dormant Spraying

Dormant sprays can be applied whenever the temperature remains above freezing for at least twelve hours. If the trees are subjected to freezing temperatures less than twelve hours after application of the spray, they will be injured when the emulsion of oil and sulfur separates.

Starting caladiums in the South during March is not a good idea. We do not attempt to start our main crop of fancy leaved caladiums until the weather gets fairly warm; however, it is possible to start a few in a sunny window this month. If planted too early and if the weather remains cool, the bulbs may rot. A safe method of handling is to start the bulbs in a well-drained bed in a sunny spot.

Place the bulbs on a 2-inch layer of a sand-peat mixture and cover with an inch layer of the same mixture. When two or three leaves have developed, lift the bulbs with all the soil that clings to the roots and set them in their permanent places in the garden. If you are growing a mixture of bulbs this method will enable you to determine the colors and make pleasing combinations before setting them in their permanent beds.

A half-and-half mixture of garden loam and leafmold or peatmoss makes a fine soil for a garden bed of caladiums; we always place a handful of sand under each plant to improve the drainage. Caladiums, which are available as named varieties, are among our best plants for summer color. They are well suited to shady spots where many other plants will not thrive.

Although the Almanac says spring is supposed to last from March 21 to June 21, here in the South it is usually a much shorter season. A freeze may come as late as the last week in March, as it did last year, and by May summer weather has arrived. March is the time to do all those things we could not do in winter and which must be done before hot weather bears down upon us.

Dividing perennials – Even though gardening authorities tell us that late fall is a good time to divide and reset many of the perennials, most of us wait until spring. Daisies, eupatorium, golden-glow, phlox, physostegia, salvia and others which have already produced 3 or 4 inches of new growth can be divided and reset. It is these early growers which should have attention first.

While you can sometimes grow good garden chrysanthemums from plant divisions, it is much safer to start them from cuttings. When the plants have made 3 or 4 inches of new growth, take cuttings about 3 inches long and root them in the medium youve found best. I usually use coarse sand. In taking cuttings you run less risk of bringing disease into your planting than in using divisions of old plants. It is usually the base of the plant that carries disease, so, unless your cuttings were taken too low, they should be relatively disease-free.

Professional is best- Education is key to winning the pest battle. Once you have come across the pest infested area, do as much research as possible on the type of pest you are sharing your space with as well as the nature and extent of your pest problem. Now that you have identified the type, nature and extent you will be able to determine the best way to get rid of the pest. Integrated Pest Management is the basis for successful pest control processes and procedures. This implies a mix of treatment methods to treat your pest problem. It will be best to call in professional pest control services instead of you trying to win the battle of the crawlies yourself. It will be less expensive, time consuming, dangerous and effort at the end of the day. Specialist knowledge is often required for certain pest types.

Frequency- The frequency of treatment is highly dependent upon the type of pest. Treatment may only be necessary once or repeated monthly. Routine application is the preferred choice.