Fall is a beautiful time of year, but it comes with a list of chores to be done before the snow flies. Is raking leaves one of those chores? Maybe, maybe not. If you have trees dropping leaves on your lawn grass, in many cases there is no need to incur blisters by raking them up. Leaves have nutrients, which can be recycled into your lawn. The concern is if your leaf layer is very thick and will smother the grass.
If you have just a few leaves, such as 20 percent of the lawn covered, you can just ignore them. They will blow around, settle in, and break down on their own. If you have a moderate amount of leaves, such as 50 percent coverage, you still don’t need to rake. Simply run your lawn mower over them to chop them into smaller pieces so they can settle between the grass blades where they will decompose over time and release nutrients for your lawn to use next year.
If you have a thick layer of leaves, where you can barely see any signs of grass beneath them, then it’s best if you remove some of the leaves to prevent matting and smothering of the grass. Rake or otherwise remove at least half of them. You don’t need to get every last leaf, but if you remove a significant amount of them, then you can mow the rest up and leave them on the lawn. Those raked up leaves can be a valuable resource, and used in composting, winter mulching, or saved until spring for mulching in vegetable or flower gardens.
The one caveat to leaving tree leaves where they fall is if your trees have had serious foliar fungal diseases. While most leaf spots on leaves are cosmetic and harmless to the overall health of the tree, fallen diseased leaves do serve as a source for spores that can infect next year’s emerging leaves. Significantly diseased leaves should be raked and removed from the area and disposed of properly, such as by burying, burning where allowed, or hot composting.
Of course, one good reason to rake up leaves is to have a pile to jump and play in! But if you only have a moderate amount of leaves on your lawn, quickly mow them up and spend your time doing the other things on your pre-winter chore list.
Article By: Diana Alfuth for hort.extension.wisc.edu
You don’t have to prune this easy-care shrub in order for it to look beautiful in your landscape.
Boxwood
Photo by Marty Baldwin
Slow-growing boxwood (Buxus spp.) is a perfect candidate for the no-pruning-needed club of low maintenance shrubs. Boxwood is known for its compact growth and petite evergreen leaves. Plant boxwood where it has space to expand to its mature size and you’ll enjoy these easy-care shrubs for years.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil
The genus Calathea—characterized by boldly marked, oblong leaves in a dazzling array of colors—includes some of the most beautiful tropical plants in the world. Due to the plants’ eye-catching stripes and veining, they’re often known by nicknames such as the zebra plant, peacock plant, or rattlesnake plant. Calatheas are also referred to as prayer plants, a common name that other species use as well.
Calatheas can be found outside in tropical environments, and they cannot tolerate cold temperatures. So elsewhere they are typically grown indoors year-round as houseplants. Moreover, calatheas can be hard to care for, as they have a reputation for being somewhat fussy about their growing conditions.
Source: Calathea: How to Grow and Care for Calathea Plants Indoors (thespruce.com)
Alocasia Polly is an attractive houseplant that’s native to tropical regions of South Asia. While these plants can grow small, pale flowers in the right conditions, they’re mostly known for their glossy, heart-shaped leaves with ruffled edges and creamy white veining. Alocasia Polly can be cultivated and kept indoors year-round.
With the right conditions and basic care, alocasia Polly is a pretty low-maintenance, easy-growing plant. It grows best with lots of filtered or dappled light, moist soil, high humidity, and warm temperatures.
Pruning perennial flowers takes a garden from looking fair to well-kept. Deadheading, cutting back, and pinching are all pruning techniques that can keep perennial plants looking well cared for and healthy.
Pruning perennials is a complex topic because different plants need different kinds of pruning. Experience, developed with practice and close observation of the plants, helps to determine when and what type of pruning is required. Luckily, perennial plants are forgiving, so experimenting usually won’t cause permanent damage. Leggy plants, ragged leaves, or new growth at the base of the plant are signs that the plant is ready for pruning.
Deadheading
Many perennials bloom for three weeks or less. Deadheading is one way to encourage a longer bloom time in certain species. After flowering, the plant puts a lot of energy into making seeds to complete its life cycle. Deadheading or removing the flowers after bloom forces the plant to put more into making new flowers. Deadheading techniques depend on the species. Due to different growth habits, some plants require deadheading to the next flower, bud, or leaf, while others need to remove the flower stalk. Well-known perennials that should be deadheaded to the next lateral flower, bud, or leaf to encourage a longer time for blooms include:
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Coreopsis
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma)
Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata)
Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
Cutting back
Cutting back is a second pruning option for perennials. Increasing plant vigor, delaying bloom time, and controlling height are some reasons for choosing to cut back plants. Cutting back when foliage looks ragged, and new growth at the plant’s base is starting can rejuvenate the appearance. The renewed growth also helps keep the plant healthy. Removing older, worn foliage with healthy new foliage reduces stress and can increase the plant’s life expectancy.
Cutting the plant back can also delay bloom time or manage plant height. With some plants, cutting back can encourage a second bloom. It is best to cut the whole plant back at one time. With continuous flowering, a perennial can use all its energy for flowers in a season with nothing left to make flower buds the next season.
Some species can tolerate cutting back better than others. It is essential to pay close attention to the signs that cutting back would be beneficial. Cutting back more than half of the foliage can put the plant under some stress, so be sure to give the plant some extra attention until new growth begins. Perennials benefitting from cutting back early in the summer include:
Sedum (Hylotelephium spectabile)
Asters
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Golden rod (Solidagos)
Pinching
A third option for pruning perennials is the pinching method. Pinching can cause a plant to produce more but smaller flowers by removing the central flower bud. On the other hand, pinching away side buds can force the plant to put more energy into one large flower. Perennials that can be pinched back to benefit the plant include:
Asters
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum x morifolium)
Rudbeckia
Goldenrods (Solidago hybrids)
Another benefit of pinching specific stems is increased air circulation through the plant. Increased air circulation helps to reduce the likelihood of infection by disease. Removing disease or injured stems by pinching helps keep plants healthy.
You’ve likely encountered roly-poly bugs in your garden — those small, armored creatures that curl into tight balls when disturbed. Also known as woodlice, butchy boys, slaters, doodlebugs, wood shrimp, and pill bugs, among other things, they belong to a group of crustaceans but are often mistaken for insects because of their land-dwelling habits. But what exactly are these critters, and what role do they play in an ecosystem? More importantly, do they pose any harm to your garden?
You’ve likely encountered roly-poly bugs in your garden — those small, armored creatures that curl into tight balls when disturbed. Also known as woodlice, butchy boys, slaters, doodlebugs, wood shrimp, and pill bugs, among other things, they belong to a group of crustaceans but are often mistaken for insects because of their land-dwelling habits. But what exactly are these critters, and what role do they play in an ecosystem? More importantly, do they pose any harm to your garden?
In healthy numbers, roly-polies offer several benefits. They facilitate decomposition as they are natural recyclers that feed on dead and decaying plant matter, thereby helping to break it down into nutrient-rich organic material. In essence, they’re the cleanup crew of your garden, working tirelessly to improve soil quality by turning organic matter into nutritious, valuable humus — that dark, nutrient-rich material that enhances soil fertility and water retention. So, when you spot these little “armadillos of the garden” crawling about, know that they have an essential role to play in your garden ecosystem. This is not to say, though, that it’s all rainbows and sunshine with roly-polies, as there are certain conditions that can turn them into pests — but more on that later.
While roly-poly bugs may not be the showstoppers of your garden, they quietly provide other valuable benefits besides enriching the earth wherever they are found. First, they assist in soil aeration. As they burrow through the soil in search of decaying matter, roly-poly bugs help aerate the ground, improving soil structure and aiding in root growth. They also play a vital function in nutrient cycling. By breaking down dead plants and leaves, they release essential nutrients like nitrogen and carbon back into the soil. This natural recycling process enriches your garden’s nutrient profile, providing a fertile environment for your plants.
Additionally, roly-poly bugs can assist in pest control as they occasionally consume fungi and small insects like stink bugs and their eggs. Aside from eating organic matter, roly-polies also consume heavy metals like lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic that contaminate the soil. In biology, due to their sensitivity to environmental changes, roly-polies serve as reliable indicators of the health of an ecosystem.
While roly-poly bugs offer numerous benefits, there are situations when they can become a nuisance or pose a threat to your garden’s well-being. The possibility of them turning into pests generally stems from overpopulation. Roly-poly bugs thrive in damp, moist environments. If your garden becomes excessively wet, they can multiply rapidly, reaching population levels that might exceed the available food supply. When this happens, they might start nibbling on young, tender plant shoots, causing damage to seedlings or delicate garden plants. Also, if there are too many of them, they might compete with earthworms and other beneficial soil organisms for resources. To strike a harmonious balance, ensure your garden maintains proper moisture levels; not too wet nor too dry. Regularly monitor your plants for any signs of damage and take action if necessary, such as removing dead leaves and other organic matter, transferring some of them to areas where they are needed, or by using a desiccant like diatomaceous earth to dry them out.
But as long as the number of roly-poly bugs in your garden is under control, they remain essential players in the ecosystem, offering multiple benefits like soil enrichment, nutrient cycling, and even pest control. However, like any other creature, their role can shift from asset to pest under certain conditions. Understanding their functions in a healthy garden and their habits can help you appreciate these little armored custodians and ensure you manage them effectively.
Fungus gnats (Family Sciaridae) are insects commonly associated with overwatered houseplants. They can become a nuisance when they are present in large numbers and fly around inside a home. In most situations, fungus gnats are a cosmetic problem. However, on occasion, fungus gnat larvae can cause plant damage.
A fungus gnat adult. Note the Y-shaped wing veins (arrow). Photo courtesy of B. Schoenmakers (Waarneming.nl)
Appearance: Adult fungus gnats are delicate, dark brown or black flies that are approximately 1/8 inch long. They have dark, translucent wings that fold on their backs when they are at rest. Adult fungus gnats can be distinguished from other small flies by the vein patterns of their wings. When viewed with a magnifying glass, fungus gnat wings have a distinct rounded Y-shaped set of veins near the wing tips. Fungus gnat larvae (maggots) resemble pale worms and have a black head. They are ¼ inch in length when mature. Fungus gnats are often mistakenly identified as fruit flies, but these are two distinct insects.
Symptoms and Effects: Fungus gnats are usually noticed indoors when adults fly around light sources (e.g., windows, lamps), or when they fly around or walk across and rest on the soil of potted plants. Adult fungus gnats do not feed on or damage plants but are a cosmetic nuisance. Fungus gnat larvae typically feed on decaying organic matter and fungi in the soil. However, if larval numbers are high, they may damage roots by feeding on root hairs or tunneling into the roots themselves. This sort of damage is rare in home settings.
Life Cycle: Fungus gnats can go through multiple generations per year. Indoors, fungus gnats tend to have overlapping generations where eggs, larva, pupae and adults are all present at the same time. Fungus gnat females lay up to 200 eggs (in clusters) in cracks and crevices on the surface of the moist soil of potted plants. The eggs typically hatch within three to six days. Larvae go through four stages (called instars) over the course of one to two weeks before they pupate near the surface of the soil. Approximately four to five days after pupae form, adult fungus gnats emerge. Adults are short-lived, surviving approximately one week. Under optimal conditions, fungus gnats can develop from egg to adult in three to four weeks.
Scouting Suggestions: Monitor for fungus gnat adults using yellow sticky traps placed near a plant’s leaves. You can buy these traps at your local hardware or garden store. Sticky traps are inexpensive and often include small stakes making them easy to use with potted plants. Sticky traps not only help capture adult fungus gnats (and other insect pests as well), but they can help you keep track of the number of fungus gnats (and other insects) over time. Vinegar traps and other methods commonly used to monitor for fruit flies do not work for monitoring for fungus gnats.
To monitor for fungus gnat larvae, place potato slices on the soil surface of potted plants. If there are fungus gnat larvae in the soil, they will come to the surface to feed on the potato tissue. Check the slices for maggots after three to four days.
Control, Non-Chemical: As noted above, using sticky traps can help control fungal gnats. However, altering environmental conditions of houseplants is the single most important step in managing this insect. Keep the soil surface dry to eliminate favorable egg-laying sites for the insect. You can do this by allowing the top inch of the soil to dry out before you water. Alternatively, you can water from the bottom to provide moisture for the roots while keeping the soil surface dry. In addition, you can cover the soil with a ½ to one inch layer of coarse sand or fine gravel, which will help keep the surface drier and make the soil less attractive for egg-laying.
Fungus gnats are often more of a problem in the fall when houseplants that have been outdoors for the summer, and have become infested, are brought back indoors. It may take three to four weeks of modified watering and use of sand/gravel to get fungus gnats in check.
Control, Biological: Products containing Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) are available to homeowners (e.g., Gnatrol, Mosquito Bits, etc.) and can be used to control fungus gnat larvae in soil. These treatments do not affect eggs, pupae or adult fungus gnats. Apply these products with adequate water to help the Bti filter through the soil to reach the larvae. Use several applications spaced five to seven days apart to control newly hatched larvae until the infestation is under control.
Control, Chemical: Unless a fungus gnat infestation is severe, chemical controls are not warranted. If adult numbers are excessive however, insecticides containing pyrethrins or synthetic pyrethroids can provide temporary control. If you decide to use insecticides, select a product that is labeled for indoor use on houseplants, and read and follow all product label instructions. Apply insecticides to plants and to the surface of potting soil where adults typically rest. DO NOT spray the air with these products as such treatments are ineffective. Even in those situations where insecticide use may be warranted, keep in mind that chemical treatments should not be your sole management approach. Insecticides should always be used in combination with other non-chemical practices (see above).
We welcome all kinds of pollinators in our gardens. Butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, wasps, flies, hoverflies, mosquitoes, ants, beetles and even bats all play important roles in pollinating our flowers, fruits, vegetables and herbs. Of all those kinds of pollinators, bees—especially native bees–are the most efficient and have the greatest impact when it comes to increasing the harvest of fruits and vegetables from our gardens. Without them, many flowering plants won’t set seed or fruit, and without flowers, there’s no food for the bees. It’s a catch-22. Did you know that sweat bees are especially good at pollinating strawberries or that it takes just 2-3 mason bees to pollinate an entire fruit tree?
Bee on broccoli
So, how can you make pollinators happy to “bee” in your garden?
#1 – Provide a succession of blooms in every season
Would you go to a restaurant that had run out of food? Of course you wouldn’t! Without a consistent supply of food for pollinators in your garden, they’ll go elsewhere. Make sure there is always something they enjoy the nectar or pollen from in bloom. The greater variety of flowers you provide, the greater the variety of pollinators you’ll attract.
What better time than snowy February to begin planning your perennial garden. Whether it’s a complete perennial garden or just adding one or three additional plants to an existing garden, now is the time. Here are a few selections from the garden at Iowa State to help in your planning.
A parent fed up with their child’s persistent use of technology (internet, video games, tablet, you name it!) has decided to pull the plug on their sedentary habits. They strip the devices from their child’s hands and throw them outside and say, “Go play!” The child looks around. Before them lays their entire suburban property comprised of lawn. Looking left and right they see their neighbor’s yard, more lawn. To the back of the property where once ran a creek, now buried, is replaced by a smoothly graded ditch draining toward a culvert. This ditch is planted with what? Lawn, of course.
What the above-mentioned situation lacks is diversity, and without diversity, you can’t support a dynamic ecosystem that attracts wildlife. Turfgrass is one of the largest irrigated monoculture crops in the United States. Researchers at the NASA Earth Observatory give a conservative estimate of “three times more acres of lawn in the U.S. than irrigated corn” or about 50,000 square miles of turf. To put those numbers in greater perspective that would be like covering almost all of Illinois in turfgrass.
If you desire to create an opportunity for exploration and learning for others, promote local ecosystem health, or for your sheer enjoyment, then consider creating a landscape that attracts wildlife.
Why wildlife?
For those that continually ward off deer and repair damage caused by squirrels or raccoons, you might shudder at the thought of attracting more wildlife into your yard. However, we’re talking more than just deer. When I speak of wildlife, I am referring to songbirds, butterflies, bees, reptiles, and yes the occasional ruminating mammal.
Our development patterns have significantly fragmented, altered, and eliminated native ecosystems across the U.S. According to an article by entomologist Doug Tallamy, of the total land area in the United States, only about 5% is considered wildlife zones. Tallamy estimates this loss of habitat has imperiled 33,000 species of plants and animals rendering them “functionally extinct”.
Why natives?
Using native plants is the best strategy to attract wildlife. Our birds, insects, reptiles, and mammals evolved right alongside our native grasses and forbs and, for some, their lifecycles are codependent. Take the monarch butterfly as an example. Over millennia the monarch caterpillar developed the ability to withstand the toxic attributes of milkweed, even acquiring the ability to feed on the leaves without triggering the milky sap that gives the plant its name.
I’m sure there are those of you that scoff at the idea of installing plants in your landscape simply to be eaten! Is that what I’m suggesting? Well, yes! But let’s put that statement in perspective. Local wildlife has developed a give-and-take relationship with their respective native plants which have in turn developed elaborate chemical and physical defenses.
Doug Tallamy’s studies at the University of Delaware tracked insect damage on natives vs. non-natives. What they found was that feeding damage was higher on the non-natives. Plus, the damage that was present on native plants was less than 1% in regards to piercing-sucking damage and around 4% with chewing damage, well below the 10% threshold where the typical homeowner notices any damage at all.
Another reason for using native plants is because of an often used alternative to attracting wildlife – feeding them. Birdfeeders aside, it is not recommended to feed wildlife.
Wildlife are NOT pets
Feeding makes wildlife lose their natural fear of people, often making them a nuisance
Animals who depend on people can cause injuries or spread diseases
Young wild animals, dependent on humans for food, are less experienced in foraging for food and less likely to survive
Wildlife requires a variety of foodstuffs to provide the nutrients required to stay healthy
“People” food bears no resemblance to the food animals eat in the wild
Using native plants provides a natural food source and options for shelter and nesting materials. For an animal to pick your yard as a home they must have their basic needs met which include food, water, shelter, and a place to raise their young. Scroll down for a list of recommended native plants.
As I write this article, the goldenrod and boneset are in full bloom and loaded with insects of all shapes and sizes. Meanwhile, yellow finch feast on the seed heads of spent purple coneflowers. After adding native plants, you may value them beyond their aesthetic appeal and instead admire the vast and complex web of life they support, capturing the awe of a child, forced outside away from technology into a vibrant landscape.
Recommended native plants for Illinois
Are natives the only answer to providing wildlife resources? Certainly not! Animals and insects use many non-natives such as hosta or sedum. Yet, to promote local ecology and identity, the following are some Illinois natives recommended in the home landscape.
Trees
Wild black cherry | Prunus serotina
Flowering dogwood | Cornus florida
Black gum | Nyssa sylvatica
Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis
Shagbark hickory | Carya ovata
Hophornbeam (ironwood) | Ostrya virginica
Sassafras | Sassafras albidum
Witch-hazel | Hamamelis virginiana
Shrubs
Black chokeberry | Aronia melanocarpa
Gray dogwood | Cornus racemose
American hazelnut | Corylus americana
Leadplant | Amorpha canescens
Spicebush | Lindera benzoin
Wildflowers
Blazing stars | Liatris spp.
Black-eyed Susans | Rudbeckia spp.
Coneflowers | Echinacea spp.
Ironweed | Veronia spp.
Joe-Pye weed | Eutrochium spp.
Milkweeds | Asclepias spp.
Phlox | Phlox spp.
New England Aster | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Wild bergamot | Monarda fistulosa
Good Growing Tip of the Week: Did you know that observing wildlife has a calming effect on our brains? Watching animals, birds, and even the movement of grasses in the wind actually boosts our mood and has a recovery effect for stress.
