ISSUE:  Help! I repotted two tropicals with some potting soil that appears to be saturated with little fruit fly-looking beasties! I added a sticky fly tape and it is covered with them. I’ve sprayed both plants with soapy water to no effect! Any ideas on how to stop this would be appreciated. I’m finding them everywhere.

SOLUTION: The good news is that fungus gnats are relatively benign. Adults do not bite and do not harm plants. However, the larvae can do root damage in that volume. Typically, larvae feed on algae, fungi and decaying plant material in soil, but can also feed on root hairs.

So, what to do? First you need to change your cultural practices. You need to let your soil/media dry out. This will kill off the larvae and reduce their food source. Sticky tapes as you are doing can be used to collect the adults so they don’t continue to breed and spread.

Generally, pesticides are not recommended. Mostly because they are not particularly effective at dealing with the larvae. Anything from soaps to pyrethrins (pesticides found naturally in some chrysanthemum flowers) can kill off adults, but these give temporary results as they do not persist long. There are more long lasting synthetic pyrethroids products like Schultz fungus gnat spray (containing Resmethrin) that require less repetition; but honestly, I think you will be able to manage it with cultural changes.

Researchers have found that Bounce® fabric softener dryer sheets (Outdoor Fresh Scent) repel fungus gnat adults and greenhouse producers insert dryer sheets into growing medium. There are ongoing experiments with things like lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.), marjoram (Origanum vulgare L.), and basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) which contain linalool (3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol) to see it they have the same effect. You might try sprinkling some oregano on the soil surface as an experiment. Sliced potatoes pressed on the surface of the soil are great for drawing the larvae to the surface. They are good for monitoring levels and the surfacing larvae can be discarded to remove some of the problem.

More Reading:

•  Colorado State University Extension. Fungus Gnats as Houseplant and Indoor Pests #5.584
• University of California Agricultural & Natural Resources. Integrated Pest Management Program Fungus Gnats Management Guidelines
• ResearchGate.net Journal of Agricultural and Urban Entomology Jan. 2003, Effect of monitoring technique in determining the presence of fungus gnat Authors: Ana R. Cabrera, Raymond A Cloyd, and Edmond R Zaborski

Article by Cathy Kavassalis, Halton Master Gardener. Used with the author’s written permission.

Rose flowers are incredibly beautiful to look at and those with fragrances are a bonus to smell. It is why roses are called the queen of flowers.

There are three major growing habits of roses - the early (spring) blooming ones, the summer-blooming ones, and of course ones that rebloom.

To have continuous blooms throughout the season, one must ensure that you are planting varieties that rebloom. It is best to position them in your garden with this recommended layout placing the spring roses at the back and the others in the front for greater effect and visual impact.

I find that roses are easy to care for if one follows these steps:

• Cover the roots with well-rotted compost in the fall or early spring.
• Put collars around the Hybrid Tea Roses for winter protection. I use one- or two-gallon plant pots that I cut to fit over the plant.
• In early March or April, treat the roses with dormant spray to eliminate overwintering bugs. Prune dead branches to open plants for better air circulation.
• As soon as the leaves start to bud, use “Rose Food fertilizer” or sprinkle ¼ to ½ cup of Epsom salts around the roots and water well.  Around mid-June do another application of the fertilizer or Epsom sales. Stop fertilizing at the end of July so that plants can preserve energy for winter.
• Meanwhile, continue to deadhead the spent blooms to prevent bugs and to allow plants to use their energy to produce more blossoms rather than seeds.
• Treat with insecticidal soap if aphids are found.
• At the end of the season, trim down very tall plants except climbers to avoid winter damage. Those with hips are good for the birds or you can make tea with them.  I use some of the branches with hips in planter urns for my fall outdoor displays.
  
  

Note: A rose hip (aka rosehip) is the round portion of the rose flower just below the petals. Rose hip contains the seeds of the rose plant.  Rosehip is also called rose haw and rose hep. It is considered the fruit of the rose plant. It is typically red to orange but depending on the variety of the rose, it can also be dark purple to black.  Rose hips begin to form after successful pollination of flowers in spring or early summer and ripen in late summer through autumn. Rose hips are used as herbal medicines and foods as well as for ornamental purposes. Source for note's information and photo of Rose Hips: Wikipedia

Article & rose bush photos by Rahe Richards, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society

Recently the Old Farmer’s Almanac had an interesting article on thinning vegetable seedlings and getting rid of cutworms. It also had good before and after pictures which helped with showing how this was done. If you’d like to read the entire article, please use this link¹.

The bottom line on thinning seedlings was that all plants need adequate space to grow and flourish.  When growing from seeds, we tend to sow lots of seeds given not all are likely to grow.  As the seeds grow into seedlings, it is important to pull out some of them to ensure the remaining ones have space and nutrition to grow and develop roots.  However, last week, I watched my son thinning his seedlings and I noted that he didn’t throw any away; he simply separated the earth they were in then repotted the seedlings farther apart.  When he goes to plant them in the soil this weekend, they should all be much bigger and can be planted outdoors with appropriate spacing. His was an interesting solution; but, if you seed directly into the ground, it is more successful to pull out and discard the smaller seedlings to allow adequate spacing.

The article then went on to state that cutworms can often be seen in the ground as you work and plant the seedlings. This larva will eat through the base of your plants leaving roots without a source of chlorophyll and severed stems with leaves without roots lying on the ground.  The author had an easy fix for cutworms by spreading some Diatomaceous earth³ covered with dried and crushed eggshells over the ground around the plant. 

I hadn’t heard of cutworms nor Diatomaceous earth so that caused me to do some research. Here’s what I found it.

Cutworms: According to Wikipedia², Cutworms are moth larvae that hide under litter or soil during the day and feed on the stems of plants, especially on seedlings, during the night. Various species are of similar size and shape but vary in colour. A biologist would call them caterpillars.

Diatomaceous Earth (aka DE):  Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of silica, a natural substance, and although used as a pesticide and insecticide, a food-grade version is used by many people as a dietary and health supplement. For purposes of killing cutworms, note that DE can kill many types of larvae and insects; thus, many online resources suggest you not sprinkle it all around the soil of the affected plant. Rather, using a spoon place a line of it around the severed plant plus lines around the nearby plants that you’d suspect the larvae to attack next. The larvae do not tend to cross the lines of DE that you place on the ground and thus you can target the placement of this insecticide.

Happy gardening this summer!

References:

1. “Thinning & Cutworms. How to thin vegetable crops with before and after photos.” By Celeste Longacre, June 3, 2021, Old Farmer’s Almanac. Website link.
2. “Cutworms” Source: Wikipedia. Website link.
3. “Diatomaceous Earth. General Fact Sheet.”  Source: National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). Website link.  NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Submitted by Doreen Coyne, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society.

Some perennials start to bloom earlier than they are supposed to either due to early summer weather or great soil where they are planted.

Perennials like Sedum, Chrysanthemums (mum), and Asters are meant to flower in the fall, but they start to bloom in the summer. To discourage that early bloom, between mid-June to end of June, give them a haircut by “shaving off” the set buds. This means that if your plants, or even just some stems, start to grow buds too early, you should trim off the buds which will delay flowering by 2-3 weeks. Not only will they bloom later in the fall, but they will also branch out and make heavier, more compact plants.

You can also pinch back the stems of such plants slightly below where the buds had been and above the next set of healthy leaves. Do this once or twice in the early summer to promote bushier growth and more blooms. You should cut plants like asters back in the winter after the foliage has died, or you may choose to leave them through the winter to add some off-season interest to your garden.

Other flowers like perennial geraniums, Shasta daisy, campanula, columbine, and coreopsis can give you a second set of blooms. After the bloom, cut the whole plant down to about six inches from the ground.  This will allow them to grow again and prolong the season for flowering.

Pruning a rose bush can also provide more stems to grow and each new stem will have more flowering heads. This is something one does in the spring.

An easy method to get more flowers for a longer summer set of blooms is to deadhead all your plants.  This can be done to annual geraniums, roses, gerbera, lantana, and other flowering plants regularly throughout the summer.  Deadheading a plant, simply means removing the dead flowers from the plants rather than waiting for them to fall off. You’ll be guaranteed to see more blooms.

Here’s to more flower blossoms!

Submitted by Rahe Richards, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society

As a toddler, the firstborn to my parents, I enjoyed time spent in the garden playing in my sandbox. A companion, who invariably joined me in my play, was a magnificent toad. I named my new friend "Toady."  Hardly original, I know.  I was glad of the companionship; however, I had no idea how fortunate we were to have toads residing in the garden. 

Toads eat insects which damage flowers and vegetables. Their very presence indicates a healthy environment as they are very sensitive to toxins. I just thought toads were fascinating creatures who trusted a solitary little child. Toady hopped around, gazing at me with the most beautiful golden eyes.

Last year, while planting potatoes, I spied a toad in my vegetable plot. I wanted to encourage that toad and all others to stick around. I sunk a terracotta plant pot sideways half into the ground. I placed a plastic container close by, constantly supplied with clean water for my "bug crew" to drink. I covered my Toad Motel with sticks and leaves for shelter, until the potatoes grew up to provide leaves.

I was rewarded by few insect pests all season long. Working in the garden all summer, my eyes often detected movement as the, perfectly camouflaged, amphibians hopped to safety. The day I finally finished cleaning up the last of my crop and prepared the soil for winter, I saw at least seven toads!

Unsure whether my Toad Motel was suitably winterized, I none the less piled soil, straw and leaves on it, leaving a small entrance. I also put dry straw and leaves into the terracotta pot as added insulation. As the leaves fell, the migratory birds departed and days shortened, I didn't see Toady again. I did refill the water before it freezes, just in case. Sleep tight, Toady, see you in the spring!

And yes, he and his friends are here again this spring. So, if you see a toad, you have a healthy environment for your garden and a little toad shelter will help keep them close by to eat the bad insects!

Article and Photos by Dinah Gibbs, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society

This article, the last of three parts, helps answer the question of how to deter garden insects and pests.

Birds are a great help in the garden because they consume lots of insects and are a joy to watch. Whether you are a gardener or not, you may find enjoyment from watching birds visiting your yard. You can put up a feeder and keep it full to attract a wide variety of birds. Keep it filled with seeds in late autumn through early spring. This way, the garden will be their existing haven, and when summer rolls around, they will feed on the insects at hand. You could also place a birdbath near the garden so that the birds don’t pick at tomatoes for the juice. But ensure the birdbath either has flowing water or that you clean and refill it with fresh water frequently. According to an episode of the TV show “Homestead Rescue”, the Raneys showed how painting smaller stones red and placing them on the ground around your strawberries kept birds from pecking at the real strawberries.

Other interesting things to help deter pests:

• Squirrels:  Stop squirrels from digging up planted corn with a mixture of 2 tablespoons liquid fish fertilizer to a gallon of water sprayed on rows. Where to get that fertilizer? Amazon.ca, big box stores, and nurseries.
• Cats and Dogs: There is a great plant that deters cats and dogs due to the smell of the plant. Commonly called the “Piss-off Plant’, you can get it at a local nursery such as Richters Herbs.
• Cats, Dogs, Squirrels:  Discourage slightly bigger pests from entering flower or garden beds by sticking lots of chopsticks or plastic forks in the ground (points and prongs upwards) where you’ve just planted seeds. Also use them to surround young, tender plants as they grow. This leaves no room for animals to dig or disturb the plants, helping the plants get a good start.
• Raccoons, Skunks, Squirrels, Snakes, and even Japanese Beetles: Keep these critters out of the garden by applying a wide stripe of garden lime around the garden perimeter. When an unwanted critter licks off the lime it will experience an unpleasant burning sensation, and hopefully, leave the garden plants alone.
• Deer:  Scatter dried blood meal (available at any home and garden center) on the ground between rows of vegetables in the garden every week to 10 days to deter deer. This works for rabbits and groundhogs, too. However, blood meal tends to attract dogs so sprinkle garden lime on top of the blood meal to repel the dogs.
• Moose: Bright orange tape wrapped around stakes surrounding your garden plot has been known to help keep moose away. Of course, living in Richmond Hill has proven to be an effective way to avoid moose eating my garden plants. :)

By Doreen Coyne, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Societywith additional information picked up from talking to several other members.

This article, part two of three, attempts to help answer the question of how to deter garden insects and pests from your gardens.

Certain plants tend to repel insects and small critters from disturbing both vegetables and flowers.  There was a good article from The Farmers’ Almanac on the topic this past February, titled “Ten Plant That are Known to Keep The Bugs Away” by Amber Kanuckel. In her article, she lists the benefits of Lavender, Basil, Alliums, Thyme, Mint, Lemongrass, Chrysanthemums, Petunia, and (my favourite) Marigolds. Another great article is from Gardening Know How titled “Using Marigolds Around Plants – Do Marigolds Keep Bugs Away” by Mary H. Dyer.

Marigolds: I love the look and colour variations of Marigolds. I first planted them 3 years ago and a wonderful side effect was a reduction in the number of insects in my front garden where they were planted. The back gardens, without Marigolds, still had lots of insects. It turns out that the marigold is one of the most well-known insect-repelling plants and the French Marigold variety is apparently best although my marigolds were not of that variety. The scent from a marigold will keep pests like mosquitoes, various worms (ex. hornworms, cabbage worms), squash bugs, whiteflies, and other pests away.  Personally, I found that they helped eliminate a variety of small beetles that tended to irritate me and my plants. When planting marigolds place plants around and amongst vegetables and ornamental plants. It is best to put them in groupings or rows around the edge of your garden or in between your vegetables.  I planted mine around the border of my garden and added extra marigolds near the plants that I saw got more insects the prior year than other plants, such as tomatoes, hostas, and roses. And yes, I do put cherry tomatoes in my front garden. Marigolds are reportedly helpful around potatoes and strawberries as well. Additionally, Marigolds attract beneficial insects, like ladybugs, that attack and kill aphids. At season’s end, harvest the seeds for next year and “plow” the rest of the plant into the soil to provide even more control of nematodes in the soil. Below are pictures are Marigolds.

Citronella Geranium: Other HORT members, tell me that Citronella Geranium, aka the Mosquito Plant, is a great natural insect repellent. It helps to keep pesky bloodsucking mosquitos away because this specific variety of geranium has the citronella gene embedded in it to give us that lovely smell while also repelling several insects! It’s a good idea to plant some around the outside area of your gardens or patio. Others report that you need the oil from the plant to spread around the patio or garden as a repellent. Give it a try to see if it works for you.

This is the traditional weekend for planting gardens. Enjoy the outdoors, the warmth of the sun, and your time with nature as you plant your selected flowers and vegetables!

Submitted by Doreen Coyne, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society with additional information picked up from talking to several other members.

When doing a presentation earlier this year, the question of what to do about garden insects and pests was raised. This article, part one of three, attempts to help answer that question.

For squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, a fence is probably your best defense!  To keep these hungry balls of fur from eating all your vegetables, you might try the following home-made low-cost garden fence. My son put in a new garden last year and the fence he put in kept the critters from the vegetables. It wasn’t too tall but tall enough to keep the little animals that come around our residential neighbourhood away from the veggies. 

To build the fence, he first purchased the following supplies:
- Stakes: He decided on a small diameter dowel (2-3”) that we could easily cut at home to the desired lengths of 3-4 feet.
- Netting: Not sure if this was a forever solution although this is its second year now and it is holding its own. He bought garden netting – about 2+ foot wide and made of a plastic-like material. He found it online at Canadian Tire and I’m sure other big box stores and garden outlets would have it. The holes in the net are small and thus the animals can’t get in and haven’t tried to gnaw it apart either.
- Staples/Clips:  Given he used small stakes, the netting could be attached to the garden dowel with our construction stapler. My son also decided to go to the local dollar store and came back with several large potato chip bag clips for $2. Their “heads” were wide enough to go around the dowel. If you don’t have a stapler, you could use clips for the entire fence. Be sure to get the ones with the widest head openings.  A short piece of wire (or a twist tie) could be used for this purpose as well but the top should be stapled to avoid the wire from sliding down the shaft of the dowel.

Now starts the process of assembling the fence.  The stakes were driven in easily and deeply with a mallet leaving 2 feet above the ground. It has to be tall enough so that rabbits won’t hop over it. Then put the netting up around the stakes going in front of one then behind the next one, etc. The netting should go to the ground – indeed make a little trench and bury a few inches in the trench. At each stake, you can more securely fasten the netting using a staple at the top and another about 8” off the ground so as not to interfere with the lawnmower. That advice really should be taken if using clips rather than stapling! To make getting into the garden easier for yourself, we cut a piece of netting to make the “entrance”. We stapled the netting to the stakes on one side and clipped it to the stack on the other side such that removing the clips allowed an easy doorway for weeding and harvesting. 

Your fence should now be done and you are ready to grow your vegetables and other plants!

Submitted by Doreen Coyne, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society with additional information picked up from talking to several other members.

My garden make over has been a work in progress with many challenges.  I have only been the new owners of this property for the last three years and during the first two, I have managed to revitalize an overgrown tired garden, into a space that consists of year-round perennials and blooming annuals for colour, which I love. 

 After taking what it seems to be never-ending removal of weeds, and over 100 garden waste bags later, cutting overgrown bushes and trimming trees, I was able to slowly sort through what made sense in the space that I had.  I tried to take inventory on what plants I was familiar with and researched ones I was not.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from people who stop to look at your garden.  I even offered many plants to other people when I was culling through the space.  I loved doing that.  I started by creating a rock garden in the front of the property using Chilean black stones and colourful larger rocks as the center stone, you can be very creative with rocks, I also used coco bean shells as mulch which is unique and colourful; you can find these at Angelo’s Garden center.

I planted three (designers like to accent in threes, you can also use this principle in gardens) dwarf lilac trees, with burning bushes in between, the great colour in the fall offsets all the greenery.  There was an overgrowth of ground cover, tangled English ivy and many other varieties that I am not sure of their names, but it was overtaking the entire garden.  I had many seedlings, and wild weeds and plants that you would commonly find in the forest’s trails in the neighbourhood.  It took some time to sort through these and then give-away, discard, or relocate plants to open the space. With the space now opened up, I used colourful hanging baskets until I could figure out what else I wanted to plant.

This used to be a four-foot fence between me and my neighbours’ home.  I extended the boards a few extra feet with small pieces of fencing boards, and the vines already in place continued to grow to the new height.  The privacy of the space is quite amazing, it was so simple to do.

I also created a side garden for all my fresh herbs and vegetables.

 It has been labour intensive to say the least, but a real pleasure to see the end results.  My end goal is to have a colourful garden that is less work to maintain.  I have enjoyed the process and will continue to change things up as the seasons go.  I hope you enjoy your garden as much as I do mine.

Article & Photos by Samantha Butler, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society

While you may think that stepping stones in the garden bed make a nice decorative touch, there is a much more important reason to include stepping stones among your plants and bushes. 

We all need to get into the garden beds to plant, weed and harvest.  Walking on the soil causes it to compact, especially if the soil is composed of any amount of clay.  When compacted like this, essential oxygen and moisture are prevented from reaching and nourishing the plant roots.  The stepping stones need to be large enough for both your feet, as you will likely want to crouch down while standing on them.  They also should be set into the soil so that they lie level, providing for firm footing.  You may also need to use stepping stones as a path between a sidewalk and the lawn to avoid people trampling the garden accidentally.

Stepping stones can be fancy, but that is not necessary.  Often, after the garden grows, the stepping stones will end up covered by foliage; but you, the gardener, will know where to find them when you need a firm footing.  Of course, you can buy these at the box stores such as Lowes, but you can also find them at nurseries.  For a less expensive solution, I have used bricks, as well as broken pieces of patio stones. I’ve also made concrete stepping stones in a mold.  Other members have made paths using unused, or discarded, hardwood flooring.

Be creative. Use materials you like. Lay a path that provides you with a sure footing while weeding in the middle of your garden!

Photos by Lyne Webb with the exception of the wood slat walkway which was sourced from Ingrid Sunar.

Submitted by Lyne Webb, a member of the Richmond Hill Garden & Horticultural Society