Creature Feature

Deer Oh Deer!

Nothing causes more wonder and distress simultaneously than seeing a deer in your garden . . . except maybe a herd of deer. Damage from deer tends to come in two types; eating plants or rubbing their antlers on trees, causing the bark to be rubbed off. Although the damage they cause can be quite significant, lethal means of removal is usually illegal (in cities) and objectionable to many people.

On occasion, I have personally taken it upon myself to deter a herd of deer from our garden. While everyone else is staring out the windows, oohing and aahing at the magnificent forest fawna, here comes the half-crazed gardener running at top speed and waving his arms while yelling incoherently. The deer quickly bound away to hide only to migrate soon afterward to a different part of the garden and the temporary satisfaction at defending the garden soon leads to a sense of futility.

In most situations when deer are causing trouble, it is important to accept that most methods of removal and deterence will not provide a lasting solution to the problem. Once removed, deer rarely stay removed. Also, many of the chemicals or other methods available usually provide only minimal protection.

We have tried using a compound which included rotten eggs that would keep deer from eating the plant. Unfortunately, once you spray what you think they will eat, they will change their minds and opt for some new delicacy. Other deterrent methods include hanging bars of soap and sachets of human hair from trees in the garden. But seriously, who wants to see that in your yard?

The overall best approach is to accept that deer will visit your yard and then try plant species that they will find unpalatable. For instance, many gardens have begun to reduce the numbers of tulips used in their gardens in favor of daffodils, which deer hate. Also, try wrapping trees that may be vulnerable to rubbing to provide a little protection against their antlers. If all else fails, get a really big dog!

Sample Landscape Design - Harvest

For me, October is a month of wonders. I love the unpredictability of the weather, the glorious fall colors, the orange light that makes the evening mountains glow, and the opportunity to enjoy fruits of our summer labor. For our sample landscape this time, we're sharing a design that incorporates harvest-yielding plants right into the landscape.

Many people think their garden needs to be separated from the "real" yard, but this is not necessarily as it should be. Many harvest plants are gorgeous throughout the yard, and some add wonderful winter interest or feathery fills to your planting beds. Even though this design has a separate area for vegetable beds, remember that it's always possible to incorporate some veggies right into the yard. Think of them as annuals with dinner potential. Bon appetit!

- Linda

Courtney's Tool Box

Use the Right Tool!

As I drive through the neighborhood, I often see people out doing yard work. For some of us this is a hobby we look forward to, but for others it is pure drudgery. Either way, why not make it easier on yourself by using the right tool (or the best tool) for the task at hand? Sometimes I really feel pity for people I see who struggle and sweat over the simplest of tasks like shoveling, raking, edging and mowing.

Shoveling – Use the shovel designed for the type of material you are moving. For example, a trenching shovel may seem small and inefficient, but it really does work best for digging a trench. A round shovel works best for digging a hole. A square or flat shovel works best for moving loose material such as gravel or mulch. If the material is light enough, a snow shovel can really speed things up, but steer clear of shovels with bent handles. They may look ergonomic, but they lack leverage.

Raking – For a leaf rake, look for something light in weight, but well made. A good stiff metal rake with an aluminum handle will last for years and be much easier to use than a plastic rake with a wood handle.

Edging/trimming – It pays to invest a little more for a trimmer that will start and run reliably. There are several excellent brands with light commercial models that are perfect for homeowner needs. Steer clear of curved booms. Like the bent-handled snow shovels, they may look ergonomic, but they are really more tiresome to use. If you’ve been using a curved boom trimmer, try a straight one and you’ll notice a difference.

Mowing – Again, it pays to invest a little more money for a reliable lawn mower. However, a good mower doesn’t necessarily need a lot of features. The best mowers are very simple to use, but are versatile enough to mulch, bag, or side discharge the grass clippings.



- Contributed by Courtney

Plant of the Month: October

October: the season of change. Some of us love the change process (i.e. fall) while others begin to anxiously await a winter wonderland of snow (oops…did I mention the “s” word prematurely?). This time of year, many perennials’ blooms have senesced and our landscapes, along with the weather, are changing.

I am personally one that anxiously awaits the winter wonderland; but, I also very much appreciate the change that occurs during fall. In fact, many potential landscape plants possess excellent fall-interest qualities.

I have opted to showcase one species that struck me during my first fall season here at Jordan Valley: Switch Grasses or, more specifically, Panicum virgatum. We have multiple cultivars of this species in our garden; but, my favorite ones develop pinkish-purplish seed heads which—from the right distance—almost appear to hover above the plant. What’s even better is that these colors can persist into winter. Simply wait until early spring to cut back the plant. Try the following link to browse the cultivars: http://www.conservationgardenpark.org/plant/results.aspx.

-KC

Creature Feature

Mite You Have A Problem?

Many pests in our garden are easy to observe and attract most of our ire and disgust but there are numberless tiny invaders that we can't see quietly wreaking havoc on our beloved landscape plants. One such pest is barely visible to the eye but can be a major problem during hot and dry seasons and is called the spider mite.

Spider mites are members of the family Tetranychidae and are a diverse set of pests. Probably the most common pest in landscapes is the Two-Spotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus urticae). These little beasts thrive in hot, dry conditions and are especially active from July to August when landscape plants are already stressed. Small members of the arachnid clan, these baddies overwinter as eggs or adults quietly biding their time until the weather warms when they begin their attack by sucking out your plant's valuable juices.

Diagnosis of spider mites is fairly easy. In large numbers they will produce fine webbing. More noticeable signs are the flecking or stippling of leaves which will give foliage a dusty-gray or bronzed look. For more certain signs that you are dealing with spider mites, shake a branch above a white piece of paper. Look closely for small specks moving around on the paper. Also, a quick brush of a hand along the paper will leave red streaks if there are indeed spider mites.

Now that you know what you have, the real problem is control. Avoid using insecticides or miticides as this will kill the spider mite's natural predators, some of which are other mites. Many times after pesticides have been used, the spider mite population explodes due to lack of natural predators which require longer periods of time for them to move back in to an area. It may be necessary to tolerate some level of spider mite damage and just know that when colder, wetter weather hits they will be gone. If control is necessary, try spraying the affected plant with jets of water from a hose. This will create a cooler, wetter environment and will knock them off the plant. Also, keeping your plants well watered and healthy during the summer will help to reduce numbers of this pest.

Creature Feature

Death to Innertubes

One of my biggest pet peeves ever is taking a nice stroll through the neighborhood with the wife and kids and come across a section of sidewalk covered with puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris), also called goathead. I am sure most everyone has had intimate encounters with this nasty little meany. Its seed is protected by three sharp points that will easily stick into just about anything including shoes, bare feet, bicycle tires, knees and elbows, etc.

Puncturevine is characterized by thin stems that radiate out from a taproot. Leaves grow out of either side of the vine and are composed of either 4-8 leaflets. Yellow flowers eventually give way to the spiny seed. Puncturevine is a summer annual, meaning it will grow through the summer but not through the winter. Each year's plants depend on the production of seed from the previous year.

As I watch my children ride through the patches on their bikes, two thoughts cross my mind. One, I'll have to patch the innertubes again because that green stuff you put into the tires just never works. Two, I hope those seeds disappear from tires and shoes before we get back to our yard. The sharp spines on the seeds serve as an effective, though painful, dispersal method. When something steps on or drives over this plant, the spines stick into the object and are then carried for a certain distance before being removed or falling off. By this means it spreads itself around.

Due to its nature, puncturevine is very easy to control. Simply do not allow the plant to reach the point where it is producing seed. A few years of prompt and early removal will result in a puncturevine free landscape. Manual removal is very effective, but herbicides also work. Whatever method you use, control as early as possible to avoid seed set. Even when sprayed it may push out seeds before it dies. All in all, it is an easy weed to control which makes me even more annoyed when I am fixing my son's bicycle innertube.

Plant of the Month - July

DESERT FOUR O'CLOCK
Mirabilis multiflora

The Desert Four O'Clock has so many great characteristics, that it just wouldn't make sense NOT to have this plant somewhere in the landscape. While there are many different species known as "Four O'Clock", this one is growing in popularity and interest along the Wasatch Front. It is, in fact, the most searched for plant on the Conservation Garden Park website.

Here's why: First of all, it's a prolific bloomer as the botanical name implies. It has numerous small deep-throated petunia-looking flowers nearly every day from June through September. When mature, it is 2 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide. It also requires very little maintenance. It is easily established from seed, but not aggressive or weedlike. When frosty weather comes in the fall, it dies back and detaches itself from its tuberous tap root, so all you have to do is roll it up and throw it away. In the spring it roars right back again. Best of all, it requires very little water! So little, in fact, that the Desert Four O'Clock will do just fine with NO supplemental water once it is established. This makes it ideal for an area of the landscape with no watering system. Just don't give it too much water, or it won't be happy.

- Courtney