Q. Where do tomato worms come from? I check my plants daily, but so far, I haven’t seen any.
A. The Tomato Hornworm is the larvae stage of the Hawk Moth. It’s also known as the Sphinx or Hummingbird Moth. It over-winters in the soil as dark-brown pupae that emerge as an adult moth in the late spring. The female moth lays smooth, single, green egg(s) on the tomato leaf’s underside, and her life span is about a week. Tomato Hornworms are voracious eaters, munching entire leaves, small stems, and even parts of immature fruits. They do get quite large, and the horn-like structure on their posterior is where the name ‘Hornworm’ originates. After three to four weeks of feeding, they will drop to the ground and enter the soil, where they change into a two-inch long pupa. Depending on the weather, there may be from one to four generations per year. While they’re most commonly associated with tomatoes, hornworms are common pests of eggplants, peppers, and potatoes. You’ll most likely notice the damage before you see the hornworms because their color helps them blend in so well with the plant foliage. You can also look for their black droppings on the foliage and around the base of the plant. Since you haven’t seen any as yet, it suggests that they may not be a problem this year. The Hornworm season runs through September, and checking the plants weekly is sufficient
Q. Something is eating my strawberries, and it’s not snails or slugs. They carve out a hole in the berry just before the berries are ripe. What is it, and is there a safe pesticide that I can use?
A. The primary suspects for this type of problem would be Sowbugs. Snails and slugs feed on the foliage of strawberries and leave the fruit alone. Sowbugs are a grayish-colored bugs that roll up into a ball when you touch them. Sowbugs are usually considered a beneficial insect as they feed and break down decaying organic matter. They are a problem with strawberries, pumpkins and all types of melons as they invade the bottom or sides of the mature fruit where it comes in touch with moist soil. This contact causes the skin to deteriorate or decay and provides an entry point. The easiest way to control Sowbugs is to lift the berry clusters up off the ground with strawberries. The berries dry quickly as moisture evaporates from the air circulation. The dry surface prevents any deterioration so there is no entry point for the Sowbugs. Paper Dixie Cups or irrigation clips are two easy methods of raising the clusters. With melons and pumpkins, straw is used to keep them high and dry. A second pest is Earwigs. Earwigs feed at night and hide during the day. They attack the sides and top of the berry. Sluggo Plus is an organic bait to control a range of edible problems, including Earwigs, Sowbugs, Snails, and Slugs. It’s a granular bait, so it’s easily sprinkled throughout the strawberry patch and reapplied with each crop. With melons and pumpkins, it is reapplied monthly. Another option for controlling Earwigs is trapping. In the evening hours, set out moistened tubes of rolled-up newspaper. Earwigs will use it as a hiding place when daylight arrives. In the morning, dump the contents into a pail of soapy water and set out new traps in the evening.
Q. I recently purchased a red leaf, Bloodgood Japanese Maple. My daughter says it should be planted in a shady area and will grow to twenty feet unless kept in a container. I want to plant it in a sunny location. Where should it be planted?
A. Your daughter is correct about the size of a Bloodgood Japanese Maple as they grow to twenty-plus feet with a ten to twelve-foot spread. A container does limit the ultimate height, but so does an annual pruning for those planted in the landscape. However, she’s incorrect about the exposure. In the Bay Area, Japanese Maples are grown in full sun or part shade. It is typical for the red leaf maples, particularly Bloodgood, to lose their red color and turn green during the summer months. A sunny location extends the red coloring. In the fall, the Bloodgood foliage reverts to a reddish-green color, but they defoliate before they turn completely red. Red-leaved varieties get their color from a pigment called anthocyanin. Anthocyanin is often displayed in the fall and winter months in other plants as the green pigment, chlorophyll, breaks down. The red pigment in maples disappears with warm temperatures and long days. The initial site selection is key in maintaining the long-term foliage color. They shouldn’t be crowded into a corner and factor in how much more the landscape around it will mature in the next ten years. The location should provide some protection from hot, dry winds or salt carried by the afternoon marine influence. The hot, dry conditions cause the leaves to burn along the margins and tips, particularly in the lace-leaf varieties. Another cause of tip burn is synthetic type fertilizers. A slow-release organic fertilizer or one specifically for Japanese Maples is desirable. Also, you can protect the foliage from the hot conditions with Bonide Wilt Stop. Wilt Stop will protect the leaf from the hot conditions just as it protects plants from freezing temperatures.
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