by admin | 08/20/2010 | 10:10 AM

Live in an apartment? Container gardening is easy and rewarding.

Cathie Lavis is a professor of horticulture at Kansas State University. Her expertise includes landscaping, arboriculture, irrigation, and landscape contracting. She provides insight for homeowners and gardeners on plant care, selection, and more.

You do not have to walk the historic narrow streets of Orvieto, Italy to realize flowers and plants create romance, ambiance and natural atmosphere.

Just one striking plant in a single pot can brighten a corner of your balcony or reward you with fresh tomatoes or herbs. While thoughtfully stylized containers of plants or cascading mixtures of flowers and foliage can have a real impact too.

Selecting the right container is important. Consider the size, location, style and, of course, what you want to grow when making your choice. Both the container and plant must suit the site, so aim to bring together a style that blends with your home, outdoor furniture and the surfaces around the plant (whether they are concrete, gravel, decking or brick).

Terracotta weathers nicely and harmonizes well in almost any setting. Terracotta keeps plant roots a little cooler than plastic containers; however plastic is lighter and easier to move. Plastic withstands harsh winter weather while terracotta can crack when temperatures get too cold. On the opposite end, inexpensive plastic pots may break down under UV light; however they can hold moisture better than terracotta. When it comes to wooden containers, make sure you treat it with a waterproof preservative before planting. Glazed ceramic makes ideal containers, but be sure they have drain holes. Regardless of the material, drain holes are critical. In order to avoid soil loss through the holes, line the bottom of any pot with a sheet or two of newspaper.

When planting, use a soilless potting media purchased from a reputable plant nursery. Watering will depend upon the size of the container, type of plant, location of the container (full sun versus shade) and the time of year. You can use your index finger to feel for moisture in the soil so you know when it’s getting thirsty. A rule of thumb is if the top 1” is dry, it is time to water. Water thoroughly, that is, so water runs out the bottom of the pot. This will allow salt to move out of the soil profile.

There is an enormous range of plants that can be grown in containers, from annual bedding plants and foliage to small vegetables and trees. Containers allow you to grow and enjoy a variety of plants in just about any location.

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Posted in Miscellaneous, Plant Care, gardening | No Comments »

by admin | 08/19/2010 | 1:01 PM

Choosing the Right Plant

Cathie Lavis is a professor of horticulture at Kansas State University. Her expertise includes landscaping, arboriculture, irrigation, and landscape contracting. She provides insight for homeowners and gardeners on plant care, selection, and more.

I think one of the prime challenges for the beginning gardener is selecting the right plant for the right location. Unfortunately, many people assume if the plants are being sold in their area they will do fine. In fact, the one plant I see sold every season here in Kansas is azaleas. They are beautiful in bloom, but they require specific growing conditions, few of which are found around here. For example, azaleas must have an acid soil. Most of them thrive best at a soil pH between 5.0 and 5.5 and the typical soil pH in Eastern Kansas is 7.5-8.5, far too alkaline to support azaleas. Keep in mind your lawn’s growing conditions when you’re looking to purchase plants.

Good gardeners have learned to become good matchmakers. That is, they consider rainfall, winter and summer temperatures, light exposures and the soil conditions before making a decision. Winter temperatures are a critical consideration for perennials, trees, shrubs and even bulbs. By referring to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map http://www.growit.com/zones/, you can learn what USDA hardiness zone you are in and then seek out the plants that can grow best within your area. For example, a garden peony is a Zone 4 plant and will survive winter temperatures as low as 30-40 degrees. On the other side of the spectrum, I cannot leave my gardenia outside all winter because it’s a subtropical plant from Africa and cannot survive the cold temperatures. Just knowing where a plant originated tells you what conditions it can survive.

Another critical factor to consider is how well a plant will perform during the summer months. This applies to all plants, even annuals and bulbs. The American Horticultural Society (AHS) Heat Zone Map and plant rating that takes the guesswork out of selecting heat and drought tolerant plants. The AHS Heat Zone Map parallels the USDA Hardiness Zone Map in that it has 12 different zones. Each zone represents a range of summer heat (http://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm).

Aided with both the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and the AHS Heat Zone Map you are better equipped to select plants that will perform best in your climate.

Posted in Plant Care, gardening | No Comments »

by admin | 08/18/2010 | 2:02 PM

Tips to keep your lawn and garden from drying out during the summer

Cathie Lavis is a professor of horticulture at Kansas State University. Her expertise includes landscaping, arboriculture, irrigation, and landscape contracting. She provides insight for homeowners and gardeners on plant care, selection, and more.

Watering seems straightforward and easy; however, many plants die as a result of either over or under watering. Watering properly is really both an art and a science. You need to understand the plant, the soil, your local weather conditions and the method used to apply the water.

Larger plants typically use more water because their root systems are better established. These root systems typically require deep watering every 5 to 7 days depending on weather conditions. Seedlings, who don’t have a good root system established yet, require more frequent watering, applied slowly with a soft spray to prevent damage or washing of seeds.

Different plants have different water requirements, so always keep that in mind as you group plants in your landscape or garden. For example, do not place drought tolerant plants close to those that require more frequent watering. As a general rule for most plants, water to a depth of 6 inches, then let the soil surface dry out to 2-3 inches.

Hot, dry and windy conditions cause plants to use more water and these conditions will influence how fast the soil dries out. Remember, mulching to a depth of 3- to 4-inches really helps conserve water loss through soil evaporation.

Many people have heard you should water your lawn 1 to 2 inches weekly. If you want to follow this rule, you need to determine how long to run an in ground watering system or hose sprinkler to achieve this depth. Set out some type of measuring device like empty tuna cans or uniform plastic containers, spaced evenly in the watering area. Turn on the sprinklers and when the desired amount of water is reached you will know how long to run them in the future. Alternatively, you can hire a certified irrigation auditor to perform an audit on your system to determine proper runtimes.

Posted in Plant Care, Uncategorized, gardening | No Comments »

by admin | 08/09/2010 | 2:02 PM

Ticks Bite Close to Home

Unlike mosquitoes, who are large enough and loud enough to be noticed, ticks are significantly less obvious but often just as dangerous. People who are familiar with tick problems are used to checking for the pests after hiking or camping, but a recent Wall Street Journal article revealed that the majority of tick bites happen closer to home – literally in your own back yard.

In an August 2 Wall Street Journal article, ticks were profiled as the source of infections such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever and were cited as the second leading carriers of disease, following only mosquitoes. Tick-borne illnesses often exhibit symptoms that look like something else, making them hard to diagnose. In the article, Dr. David Davenport, an infectious disease specialist at Michigan State’s Center for Medical Studies said, “Without rapid or reliable tests for some diseases, it can be hard for doctors to suspect and diagnose.” According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), reported cases of Lyme have risen sharply in recent years with more than 35,000 cases in 2008 compared to just 13,000 in 2000. In 2008, there were more than 2,500 reported cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, which can become fatal if not treated, compared to only 579 cases in 1999.

What can be done? Dr. Kirby Stafford from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station says the answer is as simple as landscaping. Coining the phrase, “integrated tick management,” Dr. Stafford has found certain lawn care techniques to be effective when battling the roughly 82 percent of ticks that reside within three yards of a lawn’s perimeter.

Follow these landscaping tips to make sure you’re not inviting ticks into your life:

  • Make a barrier of cedar wood chips—a natural tick repellent—between wooded areas or stone walls and lawns heavily used by the family
  • Keep pets out of the woods
  • Avoid vegetation that attracts deer
  • Treat yards in affected areas with proper pesticide products
  • Follow the CDC’s “integrated tick management” recommendations, which include preventative landscaping and proper application of insecticides to lawns in affected areas

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Posted in Pest Management, Plant Care, Uncategorized, gardening, health | 1 Comment »

by admin | 08/04/2010 | 3:03 PM

Lawn Care Tips from Disney World

Disney World wouldn’t be the happiest place on earth if it had pest infested landscapes and overgrown shrubbery. To make your lawn more like theirs, Disney’s landscape experts are sharing their secrets with one and all.

Recently, the Disney Parks blog posted Landscaping Tips from the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex Sportscape Team to help  homeowners apply a few of the best practices used by the sports complex’s groundskeeping staff. The staff relies on proper fertilization and watering to ensure healthy turf grows and weeds do not.

Check out the post to learn helpful tips from a professional crew that grooms 220 acres of Disney’s complex and start treating your lawn like a Magic Kingdom.

Posted in Pest Management, Plant Care, Uncategorized, gardening | 2 Comments »

by admin | 07/15/2010 | 10:10 AM

Protecting Your Family From Mosquitoes

Thanks to significantly soggy weather in the Great Plains and Midwest, mosquito populations in those areas are predicted to soar. Wet weather give mosquitoes plenty of the water they need to thrive and creates numerous opportunities for them to breed. Due to the serious diseases mosquitoes can carry and the annoyance of discomfort from their bites, it’s important to understand how to help deter them from biting you and how to make your home less hospitable to them.

Remember, mosquitoes need water to survive and re-populate. As a result, the key to controlling mosquitoes around your home is eliminating all areas (and potential areas) of standing water on and around your property. Be aware of all areas that could welcome the insects such as puddles or ruts, pets’ water dishes, toys such as small buckets or watering cans, and bird baths or feeders. Mosquito eggs laid in standing water hatch in just a day or two while eggs without a source of water may remain unhatched for weeks or even months.

Use this checklist to prevent mosquitoes around your home:

  • Remove old tires, tin cans, buckets, drums, bottles or any water holding containers
  • Fill in or drain any low places (e.g., puddles, ruts) in your yard
  • Keep drains, ditches and culverts clean of weeds and trash so water will drain properly
  • Cover trash containers to keep out rain water
  • Repair leaky pipes and outside faucets
  • If you have a plastic wading pool, empty it at least once a week and store it indoors when not in use
  • While on vacation, make sure your backyard pool is properly cared for
  • Fill in tree rot holes and hollow stumps that hold water with sand or concrete
  • Change the water in bird baths , pets’ bowls, plant pots or drip trays at least once each week
  • Keep grass cut short and shrubbery well-trimmed around the house so adult mosquitoes will not hide there
  • Properly screen windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from coming into the house and biting you, your family and your pets

Personal mosquito repellents are also important tools you can use to protect yourself. Repellents are available in various convenient forms such as sprays, lotions and wipes. Regardless of what repellent you choose, be careful to always read and follow the directions to ensure safe use.

Do the mosquitoes seem worse in your area this year? Are there any products or practices you have found to be particularly effective in controlling the pests?

Posted in Pest Management, Uncategorized, health | 1 Comment »

by admin | 07/12/2010 | 3:03 PM

Home Depot Gift Card Giveaway Winners Announced!

Did you know that you can win a $250 Home Depot Gift Card just for visiting debugthemyths.com? Four lucky visitors have been selected as the winners  of our first gift card giveaway! David Christiansen of White Plains, NY, Amy Rountree of St. Petersburg, Fla., Elizabeth Brace-Cambria of Buffalo, NY, and Dolly Magarik-Rosinsky of Albany, NY, chose to stay up-to-date on how to keep their home and lawn pest-free and were chosen randomly to receive $250 for a  Home Depot shopping spree.

Surprised in NY

Mr. Christiansen was so surprised to receive a gift card, he had hardly considered what to do with the money. Luckily, thanks to the expertise of Home Depot, he and his family will have no problem using some of our best lawn care tips. The Christiansens have a fairly well-kept lawn and have thankfully had few pest problems, but they understand even well-maintained homes can develop problems. Prevention is key along with understanding different pests.

Thrilled New Homeowner

As a new homeowner, Mrs. Rountree was thrilled with her selection. An attendee at Debug the Myths events in Tampa, Rountree said, “This is perfect as we just bought this house and have some things we’d like to do. I would love to be able to use some of this money to start my own garden in our backyard. We learned about the not so harmful insecticides and fertilizers at the Tampa Home Show that would be very beneficial in our yard and garden.”

Protecting Pets

Pet lover Dolly Magarik-Rosinsky knows the importance of using pesticides properly to keep dogs safe. “I need appropriate weed killer to work well with respect to my dogs on the property as I don’t want to jeopardize their health.  The weeds need to be controlled in my paver patio,” said Mrs. Magarik-Rosinsky. Pests such as weeds, fleas, ticks and other insects can pose many risks to animals, so it’s important to how to keep pets safe.

You can never learn too much about how to properly and safely control pests so check in often and sign up for our next giveaway. You could be one of the lucky winners featured in a blog this fall!

Posted in Miscellaneous, Pest Management, Pets, Plant Care, Uncategorized, gardening | 1 Comment »

by admin | 06/29/2010 | 11:11 AM

New Website: Drs4Pets

Melissa Brookshire, DVM, runs North River Enterprises and provides consulting services on pet food and animal health companies while balancing her life as a mom of two active boys. A graduate of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, Melissa owned and operated a multi-species veterinary hospital with her husband before starting her consulting business.

Debug the Myths blog contributor and veterinarian Melissa Brookshire has partnered with a collective of diverse animal professionals on a new endeavor. Drs4Pets is a site dedicated to the everyday pet parent with features, articles and Q & A’s in easy to understand language.

Easy to navigate, the new site is equipped with an Ask the Experts section for your own questions. From pet and pesticide safety to animal behavior, Drs4Pets is ready with the experience and ability to answer all of your pet questions and take care of the needs of you and your furry friends.

Be sure to check out her article on “Are Pesticides Safe to Use Around My Pets?”

Posted in Pets, Uncategorized, health | 1 Comment »

by admin | 06/25/2010 | 1:01 PM

Real Simple’s Guide to Bugs

Real Simple recently wrote an article titled “Bug-Repelling Basics-Protect yourself with this guide to outsmarting the biggest buzz kills.” It highlighted important tips when it comes to pest control and reminded us that it’s important to understand your enemy. Take the time to learn about where bugs lurk, what they love, and how you can exploit their fatal weaknesses. Some common threads of the article were tips to protecting yourself with insect repellents, proper clothing and understanding popular insect trends. To get more information on mosquitoes, things that sting, fire ants, greenhead flies and ticks, read the Real Simple article here.

Posted in Pest Management, Uncategorized, gardening, health | 2 Comments »

by admin | 06/22/2010 | 9:09 AM

In Case You Need Another Reason to Avoid Mosquitoes…

It’s well known that West Nile Virus is transmitted by mosquitoes.  But now, thanks to our flying foe, a nearly forgotten illness has made its way back into the United States. U.S. cases of dengue fever are on the rise, reminding us again that mosquito bites are more than a nuisance – they can pass along serious disease.

What is Dengue Fever?

Dengue fever is a virus-based disease spread by mosquitoes. It’s caused by one of four different but related viruses and is spread by the mosquito bites. There is no cure, but most people fully recover from the illness. However, there is the risk of contracting dengue hemorrhagic fever which is significantly more dangerous. Symptoms of the disease include:

  • Sudden high fever, often as high as 104 – 105 degrees
  • A flat, red rash that may appear over most of the body 2 – 5 days after the fever starts
  • A second rash, which looks like the measles, appears later in the disease with increased skin sensitivity
  • Headache (especially behind the eyes)
  • Fatigue
  • Joint aches
  • Muscle aches
  • Nausea
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Vomiting

Although prevalent in parts of southern Texas in 2005, nearly all dengue cases reported in the 48 contiguous states have been acquired elsewhere by travelers or arrive with immigrants according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Before that, a small outbreak was seen in Hawaii in 2001, but most North American dengue cases are seen in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Samoa and Guam.

Why Worry?

As recently as two weeks ago, dengue fever made another appearance in the United States. Reports from Florida, Los Angeles and New York found dengue fever to have infected a number of citizens who had been in Key West, Florida. The disease had not been seen in Florida since 1934 but the New York Times reported on May 24 that Florida had seen more than 25 cases since the initial encounter this year. The LA Times recounted a case in Rochester, NY of a woman with the disease which was initially undiagnosed.

ABC News quoted the CDC’s May 21 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report saying, “The re-emergence of dengue in Florida as well as the threat posed to the U.S. from other emerging mosquito-borne arboviruses emphasizes the necessity for mosquito control infrastructure to identify and control outbreaks of dengue or other mosquito-borne diseases.”

What Can We Do?

Protect yourself and your loved ones from bites during this mosquito season. Mosquito repellent can control the number of these nuisances and prevent the contraction or spread of disease. Be sure to read the label and follow the instructions to safely apply mosquito repellent to yourself and your family.

Take steps to avoid mosquitoes near your home and your body such as:

  • Removing areas of stagnant or standing water
  • Controlling weeds, dead leaves and overgrown grass where adult mosquitoes like to rest
  • Covering up with long-sleeved clothing and long pants whenever possible
  • Staying indoors when possible during peak mosquito hours (from dusk until dawn)
  • Applying an insect repellent when you know you’ll be at risk

Also, be sure to educate yourself on dengue fever and check out the CDC.gov website for more information.

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Posted in Miscellaneous, Pest Management, Uncategorized, health | 1 Comment »

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