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NC STATE UNIVERSITY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION Fall 2013 Empowering Ggardeners. ardenerIncrease diversity to enhance wildlife Providing ant to encourage more beneficial garden insects, songbirds, and other types Wof wildlife to live in your yard? The solutions. answer is simple: Increase plant diversity in your yard! North Carolina is home to 3,068 native plant , which help to support an even in this issue greater diversity of native wildlife. Native are ideal for supporting wildlife and are well S A N D H I L L S adapted to North Carolina’s climate. & C O A S T A L Plants sustain life and help support a com- P L A I N plex food system. From pollinating insects to N E W S songbirds and small mammals, all wildlife depend on plants to provide food, shelter, and nesting Composting sites. Not all wildlife feed on the same plants at Selecting Fruit the same time. Having a well-designed landscape nia), and joe-pye weed (Eutrochium) are favored Trees composed of a diversity of herbaceous and woody nectar sources for many butterfly species and also Dealing With plants will provide food and shelter to sustain provide beautiful . Kudzu Bugs wildlife throughout the year. Plant a mix of evergreen and deciduous Winterizing the If you want to increase plant diversity in your shrubs to provide food and refuge for songbirds Lawn yard, the best place to start is with the ground throughout the year. Deciduous shrubs such as layer. Diverse mixtures of perennial ground cov- tea (Ceanothus americanus) and but- ers—such as species of Phlox, , Oxalis, and tonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) can be grown S T A T E Geranium—are good choices because they have throughout North Carolina and provide nectar N E W S tiny flowers that only small insects like beneficial for insects and hummingbirds in the summer. parasitic wasps can feed upon. Another choice Mountain laurel ( latifolia) and doghobble Plant Diversity for a ground cover is clover, which is favored by (Leucothoe species) provide shelter for small mam- ‘Shoal Creek’ important pollinators such as honeybees and mals and overwintering birds during the winter Chastetree bumblebees. Clover also improves soil quality and months. Going Native increases nitrogen levels in the soil. Small trees such as flowering dogwood and Annual and perennial border plantings in Drying Herbs redbud provide early spring color and also serve your garden beds will encourage other types of as a nectar resource for butterflies, while wax Organic Weed wildlife. For instance, coneflowers (Rudbeckia myrtle and American holly are evergreens that Control and Echinacea species) and species can serve as shelter for wildlife during the winter. are favored by songbirds such as the American Larger trees—including oak, elm, and pine— goldfinch because their seeds provide a winter provide wildlife habitat and food throughout the food source. Other plants are critical for butterfly year. Check with your local Extension center or reproduction and survival. For example, caterpil- visit www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/ for more plant lars of the monarch butterfly can only survive on recommendations suited to your area. species of milkweed (). Plants such as — Sam Marshall species of goldenrod (Solidago), ironweed (Verno- Extension Gardener Extension Showcase Smart Gardening — Composting

Jones County Kids efore you know it, you’ll layers. Water each layer thor- be raking leaves. Instead oughly to distribute moisture Become Insect Scientists B of discarding them, use evenly. Toss in a handful of soil Jones County Cooperative those leaves for compost- on each layer to add microorgan- Extension provided an opportu- ing. Composting converts isms. Top the pile with 4 or 5 nity for 32 youngsters to become leaves, food scraps, leftovers, inches of brown leaves to keep entomologists for a week at a and grass clippings into a out flies and other pests and recent insect camp. This science valuable soil additive. When provide a filter for odors. camp helped increase students’ mixed with soil in gardens, To heat up your pile, you understanding and appreciation lawns and houseplants, can spread a thin layer of the of the insects around us. compost improves soil following every 6 inches: dog, Participants from ages 5 quality and plant growth. rabbit, , or poultry food; to 13 designed and created an Seedlings, potted plants, soybean meal; or canola meal. insect habitat, distinguished in- garden and field crops, Or dust small amounts of alfalfa, sect predators from plant-eaters, lawns, shrubs, and trees can bone, hoof, or cottonseed meal collected insects in different all benefit from compost. on top of nitrogenous materi- habitats, and mounted insects for Set up your pile or bin als (food scraps, coffee grounds, collection. One popular feature in a flat area protected from runoff and flooding. grass trimmings) as they are added. Keep the was the use of microscopes for It should be more than 2 feet from your home pile moist (feeling like a wrung-out sponge) a close-up look at insect parts. or wooden structures, yet easily accessible. Make and only add small pieces of organic materials Many students reported never sure it’s within reach of a hose to keep it moist. (materials break down quicker if they are less having used a microscope. Build your pile 4 to 6 feet high and more than than 2 inches in size). For more information on Throughout camp, students 3 feet wide so it can retain heat. Start with 4 or composting, visit this website: http://www.bae. earned “money bugs” (plastic 5 inches of brown leaves and shredded paper. ncsu.edu/topic/composting/ insects) for acts of good citizen- Then add 2or 3 inches of food scraps, coffee —Rhonda Sherman ship, correctly answering insect grounds, and grass trimmings. Keep alternating trivia questions, making astute connections from lectures, or sporting T-shirts or hats featur- Food Production — Selecting fruit trees ing insects. At the end of camp, rowing productive fruit trees requires care- Chose fruit variet- “money bugs” were used to pur- ful planning. Selecting what to grow is the ies known to produce chase insect collecting supplies, G first step in being successful. The fruit you select well in your area. Polli- mounted insects for collections, should be compatible with the local climate nation requirements vary insect traps, and insect-themed and the level of management you are willing to with types and varieties. For toys. undertake. Management includes training and fruits requiring cross-pollination, plant at least Each student received an fertilization as well as insect and disease control. two varieties with overlapping flowering periods insect net, mounting board, and Chestnuts, figs, pecans, and persimmons need together. Self-fruiting varieties may also increase collecting supplies to continue little management, while apples, pears, Asian yield and quality when two varieties are planted. pursuing their newly awakened pears, and plums require moderate care. Most trees must be exposed to temperatures entomological interests. One and nectarines need intensive management to around 40°F for a certain amount of hours to participant summed it up best: produce a successful crop. Other fruit trees may break bud and grow properly. This is known as “Before this, a bug was a bug. grow here, but the quality and dependability their chilling hour requirement. North Carolina Now I understand there are of the fruit, as well as the intense management grown trees have a risk of freeze damage if they many kinds of insects each with needed, make them less viable options. too early in the spring. Varieties with their own features, purpose, and A good site for fruit trees will have full sun chilling requirements of at least 750 hours are predators. I appreciate insects a and well-drained fertile soil. Soil testing should recommended to prevent crop loss. lot more now.” be performed to determine the acidity and fertil- To ensure many seasons of enjoyment, con- — Nicole Sanchez ity of the soil as well as the presence of parasitic tact your local Extension center for recommen- nematodes (microscopic worms) in the soil. dations of varieties, spacing, planting, watering, Trees should be spaced away from structures and pruning, and pest control before you plant. other large plants. — Peg Godwin Regional News of the Sandhills and Coastal Plain Pest Alert — Dealing with kudzu bugs Tips udzu bugs are relatively new insects from flowers and seedpods. The insects are attracted KAsia that were first found in the United to light colors and can be found covering things States in 2009 near Atlanta. Kudzu bugs have like sides of houses, tree trunks, or vehicles. square bodies and are brown to olive-green in In most cases, kudzu bugs do not pose a Tasks color. Kudzu bugs overwinter threat and control is not & under tree bark, in mulch, needed, though it may be Avoiding Spider Bites or within house walls. They necessary to control kudzu Believe it or not, spiders are emerge in spring as adults, bugs on bean plants to our friends. They are the most lay their eggs on kudzu vines, prevent yield reductions. effective predator in the land- and then die. The eggs hatch Insecticides containing scape. Whether spiders are in summer and begin a new synthetic pyrethroids are beneficial or not, people are afraid generation. recommended for control. of them. For the most part, spider Kudzu bugs are usually It is important to note bites are insignificant. However, found in clusters. They are this insecticide group is just as bee and wasp stings may known to feed only on plants toxic to bees and beneficial trigger allergic reactions in some in the bean family, including insects. Pyrethrins are an people, the same may be true for kudzu, wisteria, green beans, organic option that can spider bites. You can decrease the potential of a spider bite by fol- field peas, and soybeans. provide some control. lowing these simple steps. Kudzu bugs use piercing- Spraying an insecticide sucking mouth parts to pull will only temporarily • Do not leave gloves, boots, or clothes in the barn or outside. sap from the plant. Symp- R. Ottens, University of , discourage kudzu bugs and Bugwood.org Wring or twist gloves very toms of their feeding include does not provide long- tightly before putting them stunting, wilting, brown term control. on. You may even want to step leaf edges, and dropping of — Jessica Strickland on them. • Cram a towel into your boots before you put your foot in them. If you put a wad of news- Carolina Lawns — Winterizing the lawn paper in each boot when you take them off, spiders won’t be any gardeners are confused about lawn are Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine, and able to crawl in. Mfertilization. Here’s where the confusion zoysia. Most plants, including grasses, should be • Shake jackets, aprons, and other starts. In most of the United States, cool-season fertilized with nitrogen when they are actively clothes vigorously before put- grasses are grown. These grasses grow best growing. Warm-season grasses are slowing down ting them on. Again, wringing them very tightly should kill any during fall and spring, stay green in areas with in the fall and getting ready to go dormant. hidden spiders. mild winters, and go dormant in the heat of They don’t need high levels of nitrogen at this summer. Examples are tall fescue and time of year. • Lastly, always wear gloves when working outside. Thin rub- bluegrass. Cool-season grasses come out of sum- Research shows that warm-season grasses ber gloves or gardening gloves mer dormancy and begin active growth when grown in soils with adequate levels of potassium should be worn when work- temperatures start to cool in the fall. Many of are less prone to diseases and green up faster in ing in the basement, shed, or the winterizer fertilizers or advertisements for the spring. Apply 1 pound of actual potassium indoors. winterizing are targeted at cool-season grasses, per 1,000 square feet to warm-season lawns • For more information, visit though the advertisements may not mention before the end of September. This can be done http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ that. These fertilizers often contain high levels by applying a potassium-only fertilizer such as ent/notes/Urban/spiders.htm or of nitrogen, such as 32-0-4. 4.5 pounds of 0-0-22, 2 pounds of 0-0-50, or contact your local Cooperative When looking at the southeastern United 1.5 pounds of 0-0-60 per 1,000 square feet to Extension center. States, however, warm-season grasses dominate. winterize your warm season lawn. — Gary Pierce Warm-season grasses grow best from late spring — Danny Lauderdale to early fall, going dormant in winter. Examples Extension Gardener Around the State Showstopper — ‘Shoal Creek’ chastetree f you are looking for a plant that doesn’t need any tender loving Icare, you won’t find a better choice than Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal www.ces.ncsu.edu Creek’. Native to southern Europe and western Asia, ‘Shoal Creek’ Extension Gardener provides timely, chastetree is hardy from zones 6 to 9 and grows into a multi-trunked research-based horticultural information. large shrub or small tree ranging from 10 to 15 feet high with a We publish four issues per year. Send broad, spreading growth habit. ‘Shoal Creek’ is an improved variety comments about Extension Gardener to:

J.C. Raulston Arboretum J.C. Raulston that possesses larger spikes of violet-blue flowers. This vigorous small Editor and Team Leader Lucy Bradley, Ph.D., Extension Specialist, tree thrives in full sun and will tolerate most soil conditions as long as Urban Horticulture the soil is well drained. Once established, it is very low-maintenance Box 7609, NC State University and extremely drought tolerant. In addition to its attractive violet- Raleigh, NC 27695-7609 blue flowers, ‘Shoal Creek’ has interesting star-shaped, aromatic Managing Editor: Charlotte Glen Content Editor: David Goforth foliage that is grayish green on top with gray underneath. Regional Editors, Coastal Plain and Yo ‘Shoal Creek’ flowers attract both hummingbirds and Sandhills: Shawn Banks g u Regional Editor, Piedmont: Randy Fulk in G butterflies, giving this Showstopper Plant an added p ro Regional Editor, Mountains and Foothills: l w bonus. — John Vining Donna Teasley e Production Editor and Designer: H Viki Balkcum Going Native The use of brand names does not imply Going Native is a great Extension website for those Edibles — Drying herbs endorsement by N.C. Cooperative Extension nor discrimination against similar products or interested in learning about native plants and how to rying herbs could be your first step services not mentioned. provide habitat for many different wildlife species. On to food preservation obsession! The Distributed in furtherance of the acts of the site you can learn about habitats for many interesting D Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. North drying process is simple, and herbs are Carolina State University and North Carolina wildlife species, how to prevent introducing invasive plant A&T State University commit themselves to easy to grow—making them a great crop species, and how to use natives as a low-maintenance part of positive action to secure equal opportunity for beginning gardeners. For more infor- regardless of race, color, creed, national your landscape. This great resource also provides guidance origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or mation, visit this website: http://www. disability. In addition, the two Universities on how to develop a native landscape plan for your yard, ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-8111.html welcome all persons without regard to native plants for your area, and where you can find the sexual orientation. North Carolina State Herbs can be dried in a dehydra- University, North Carolina A&T State plants for your natural landscape. Visit the Going Native University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, tor, air-dried, oven dried, or even dried website to learn more about adding natives to your and local governments cooperating. in a microwave. Many of our grandmoth- landscape: http://www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/ ©North Carolina Cooperative Extension. ers set herbs out in the sun on an old sheet. Extension Gardener may not be reproduced index.html without written permission. Any news Although it makes a pretty picture, sun drying media using sections of the newsletter — Della King should credit “Extension Gardener, North is not recommended because the herbs can lose Carolina Cooperative Extension.” flavor and color. No matter which method you use, 14-CALS-3971—9/13 your herbs need to be dried until they are crispy and easily crumple between your fingers. You can leave the leaves http://extensiongardener.ncsu.edu whole or crush them, then store in an airtight container. Place the container in a dry, cool, dark place until the leaves are ready to use! — Kerrie Roach Sustainability — Organic weed control ontrolling weeds without chemicals seeds. Cover the soil with mulch to prevent Incomplete composting may contain weed Cbegins with knowing your weeds. annual weeds from coming up. Bark, seeds. Water only the desirable plants. Annual weeds such as chickweed and newspaper, pine needles, cardboard, land- Weeds will grow anywhere the soil is crabgrass grow from seed each year. Annu- scape fabric, burlap, and seed-free straw are moist. als are generally easy to control by hand- all effective. You can also plant a cover crop A few organic herbicides are available. pulling and tilling. Perennial weeds such as a living mulch. Mow the cover crop Most contain plant oils or concentrated as dandelion and Johnson grass grow from prior to planting. The cover crop acts like vinegar and are effective only when sprayed roots that live year-round. Perennial weeds a mulch, and you can plant into it without on small, young weeds. Organic herbicides are harder to control than annuals and tilling the soil. are not selective, so take care when apply- usually need to be dug out, taking care to In the vegetable garden, control weeds ing. Another option for controlling young remove the entire root system. when they are small with daily tilling, weeds is a flame weeder. These devices use To keep weeds from multiplying, re- hoeing and hand-pulling. When amending propane gas to burn off the tops of weeds. move them before they bloom and spread the soil, use only fully finished compost. — Sarah McClellan-Welch