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Welcome
to Hamlen's
Helping Hand!
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This
is our 1st newsletter of 2003. We
look forward to seeing you at the
garden center. We've added some
new products, not to mention some
new plants for 2003. We will keep you
informed of these in the future
newsletters. We think you will be
pleased with our new additions.
______________________________
In
this issue...
Japanese
leaf beetle
Wet summer weather
favors eggs and grub development which will increase the adult
population. In nature, they do have their own problems with insects
and diseases, these are mites, parasites, birds, skunks, and moles.
However, even natural predators aren't capable of eliminating
the population.
Treatment:
Bacillis popilliae:
Milky disease spore dust is a biological control.
 This
bacterial spore dust is available to treat infected areas of a
lawn. The dust can be applied at any time that the ground is not
frozen. Adult Japanese leaf beetles are not affected by milky
spore disease. Once applied to the soil, the spores need time
to increase and spread through the soil. This may take a few years
to build in the soil. Do not use insecticides on treated areas
because it will slow down or kill the spores.
Small shrubs such as
roses can be infected by
the adult beetle. They are attracted to the most succulent part
of the plant. Chewing and destroying the flowers and new growth.
Placing a sheet on the ground
and shaking the beetles off can be an effective way of
control. Place the bugs in a bucket of water with kerosene .This
should be done every day and is best in the morning when the bugs
are sluggish. If the area
is small enough, You can pick them off into a bucket of eater and kerosene. Make sure the container
is discarded properly.
Keeping your plants in good health allows them to withstand more.
Good cultural practices make the plant stronger. Proper pruning,
fertilizing, and removal of ripe or rotten fruit will help.
Insecticides are not
very effective for this beetle and is a short term solution.
Dormant
oil
Dormant oil is an important
tool in the control of pests. It seems to be an unusual time to
think of insect control but it will significantly reduce the amount
of pests and diseases for the year to come. In turn, you will
not have to treat the trees as much in the summer.
Purpose
The spray suffocates
the eggs and the insects
that are living on the bark. This
an effective and natural way to control scale, scab, caterpillars and otherinsects
and bacteria.
Plants most
commonly used on
- Only on deciduous
plants.
- Fruit trees (Apples,
cherry, plum, pear).
Time of application
Dormant oil should
be applied as late in the winter as possible and before the buds
start to swell in the spring. In our area late February until
early April.
Application
The oil comes as a
liquid . The directions on
the container will give you the proper dilution rates. Mix in
a clean sprayer (one that
has not been used with any type of chemical insecticide or herbicide)
Spray
on all branches
and trunk thoroughly so that all the wood is covered.
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Forcing branches
means to bring shrub or tree branches into the house and force
them into flower. It is so easy that you might just kick yourself
for not doing it sooner.
Enjoy the
beauty of spring in the middle of winter.
Type
of branches to use
The most commonly
used plants are any of the fruit trees that flower before they
produce their leaves 
- apple
- cherry
- plum
- pear
- crabapple
Flowering
shrubs and small trees
- forsythia
- magnolia
- azalea
Technique
Cut the branches
with sharp pruners, making a clean cut.
Place the branches in warm water in filtered light. Do not put
them in direct sunlight. Mist regularly until the flowers open,
then stop misting. Change the water every couple of days. Bring
in branches at staggered times so that when one is finished, the
others are ready to flower.
Timing
You can do
this any time after January until April. The plants have had their
dormancy period and only need heat to flower.
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Grow
Your Own Vegetables
A seed is
were it all starts. All you need
to supply is water, soil, air and light., and they will give you a beautiful gift of color,
flower and fruit. With a little bit of patience, You can make
a big difference in your food bill
and green up your back yard.
Indoor
seeds
March |
1st
week |
celery,
onion, leeks, shallots |
March |
2nd
week |
tomatoes,
peppers, cabbage, eggplant |
April |
1st
week |
broccoli,
cauliflower |
April |
3rd
week |
cucumber,
squash, watermelon, canteloupe |
May |
1st
week |
lettuce |
Seeds
to be direct sown into ground (as
soon as the ground as thawed):
- potato
tubers
- spinach,
peas, beets.
Seeds
to be direct sown (when the soil has warmed to 65 degrees) after
the last frost:
- radish,
corn, bean, carrots, turnip, parsnip.
Onion
sets are planted also when the soil is warmed up.
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Nothing
Beats the Fresh, Crisp
Taste of Home-Grown Vegetables
One
of the biggest problems people have doing seeds is damping off.
It is a fungal disease that is soil borne. Its symptoms are rapid
death of seedlings. The seedling will fall over and the fungus
will spread through your other seedlings.
There are
a few things that you can do to prevent this from happening
Cultural
practices
- Clean containers
with bleach and water solution 10% bleach is sufficient
- Use only
sterilized soil mediums
- Do not
over seed. Give the seedlings plenty of space.
- Ventilation
- Using fans
- Proper
lighting
- Even moisture.
Not too moist. Should be evenly moist.
- Fungicide
can be used if damping off is suspected or has happened the
year before.
Tiny
seeds
Very small
seeds should be scattered on the soil surface and watered from
below. Place a plastic cover over the top and check to stay moist.
Place under lights.
Large
seed
Large seeds
can be planted in pots or trays as directed on the seed package.
Each seed will have different planting depths. Some will be just
below the soil surface, and some will be ½ inch deep. Water thoroughly,
cover with a plastic cover or dome., and place under lights.
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These
are a fiber pot that you can directly plant into the ground when
the seedlings are ready. Remember to not leave any of the peat
pots exposed to air as it will wick water out of the soil and
dry the roots. They are most commonly used for cantaloupe, cucumber,
squash, watermelon , pumpkin. These seedlings do not like transplanting,
and the plant will grow much faster if the roots are undisturbed.
 Transplanting
Most of the
seedlings will be directly planted into the garden when the soil
has warmed to 65 degrees.
You can transplant
tomatoes to ensure that the roots are established. Never transplant
until the seedling has reached their true leaves. (The second
set of leaves.)
Hardening off
It is important
to harden off the seedlings
before planting them outside. To acclimatize the plants to wind,
light, and cooler night temperatures. Put the pots outside for
a couple of hours a day, lengthening the time each day for a week.
[Back to Top]
February
28 - March 2, 2003
Sheraton
Hotel and Conference Center
South
Burlington
The
theme of the show is “Over the river and through the woods”
The show is
put on by the VAPH, their members and volunteers .VAPH stands
for the Vermont Assoc. of Professional Horticulturists. Seminars are offered during the show hours
and are free with the purchase of a ticket for the show. Proceeds
from the show will go to educational efforts of the VAPH.
There will
be a beautiful water display with
woodland landscaping Plenty
of flowering plants to stimulate the senses, and even grandmother's
house. Hamlen’s Garden Center will have
a booth there again with
samples of our store wares, colorful plants for inside your house,
landscape information, and horticulturists on site to help you
with any questions you may have.
Hamlen’s
will also be volunteering their help to the VAPH in setting up
the main display gardens.
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Three
friends decided to join a monastry and upon doing so were sworn
to a vow of silence except each year one of three could speak
one sentence. The first year the first person to enter the monastry
says I just saw a deer. The next year the second person to enter
the monastry says, that wasn't a deer you saw it was a moose.
The third year the last person says, look if you two are going
to argue then I'm out of here.
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"The
future belongs to those who
believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Eleanor Roosevelt
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