DEAR AMOR
: Spring is here and I can tell because I already have thistles growing in my yard and landscaping beds again. I feel like Iâve tried EVERYTHING over the years to kill these things to no avail. Iâve blasted them with various weed killers, cut them, pulled them (which I later found out probably was not the best thing). Iâve even cut the stalks and injected weed killer via syringe into the stalk and they STILL grow back. Is there any way to eradicate these things for good? â Steve
DEAR STEVE: Let me tell you that you are not the only one tortured by these noxious, unwelcome weeds in yards, landscaping beds and home gardens. As for myself, I have been patient with my yearly battle with them as well!
By Amor Chamness Cook
DEAR AMOR: Spring is here. I can tell because I already have thistles growing in my yard and landscaping beds. I feel like I ve tried everything over the years to kill these things, to no avail. I ve blasted them with weed killer, cut them, pulled them (which I later learned is not the best idea). I ve even cut the stalks and injected weed killer via syringe into the stalk and they still grow back. Is there any way to eradicate these things for good? Steve
DEAR STEVE: You are not the only one tortured by these noxious, unwelcome weeds. I have been being patient with my yearly battle with them as well.
April can bring all sorts of weather. As it warms, your garden will start to grow. But beware of late April and early May weather mischief. Wait for mid-May to plant tender annuals and vegetables. It is unusual for us to get through April without at least a few hard frosts.
General maintenance
• Finish any cleanup of garden debris, if you haven’t done it yet, cut back ornamental grasses early in the month.
• Start weed control by digging up weeds as they emerge.
• Replace mulch if needed.
• Pay attention to the weather. Cover tender foliage with cloth, a box or bucket if the temperature drops below 25 degrees at night; remove covers the next morning
By Amor Chamness Cook
DEAR AMOR: I had an influx of spider mites in my sunroom last summer. How can I prevent that from happening again this year? Marsha
DEAR MARSHA: Spider mites are plant suckers. They are found mostly on the underside of plant leaves, feeding themselves on its milky sap by piercing the leaf tissue. They can infest our prized plants indoors as well as trees, shrubberies and vegetables in our home gardens outdoors. Indoor plants are most susceptible to this infestation.
A recommended way to determine if it was a spider mite that discolored and scorched our plants is to use white paper. Tap the leaf or branch of the infected plant with the white paper underneath it. If there are tiny eight-legged bugs crawling on the paper, then we have identified the pest that may have attacked ornamentals and vegetable plants.
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