After a wet winter it is a good if your lawn has no moss but it is unlikely. The yellower green patches on the photo above are where the moss is beating the grass.

Where Moss Thrives in Lawns

• If the ground and soil under the lawn is compacted
• Waterlogging or poor drainage encourages lawn moss (and moss in other areas too)
• The grass that has been scalped by the lawn mower which cuts too short is an open invitation for moss to grow
• If moss has previously been growing it is likely to return.
• Where the lawn is old and a thatch of dead grass has built up and not been raked out or aerated
• Moss will grow if the lawn is in the shade or overhung with trees, if the soil is impoverished or if you are an unlucky gardener.

Treatments and Tips

• Don’t try to compost old moss – a normal compost heap won’t help as moss wont rot it just goes into suspended animation. So the moss will be returned with the compost
• Lawn sand is a proprietary formula of chemically treated fine sand using ammonium and iron sulphate. Spread evenly in April when rain is expected this can kill and turn the moss black.
• Liquid lawn moss killers and mixed granular ‘feed and weed’ products like ‘Evergreen Organic Choice’ can help keep the moss at bay. Follow the instructions on the box, bottle or packet.
• Introduce air and drainage by spiking well. A hollow tined for will remove plugs of soil to aid this process.
• Read more tips on Controlling Moss and about Moss Cures on Gardening Products.

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Prevention may be the best course

• Aerate the soil regularly by using a hollow pronged fork. This I have found labour intensive, difficult and not very satisfying.
• Other aeration methods include special motorised devices can be hired to do the job. You can also get machines that scarify the thatch, dead leaves and moss.
• Feed the grass in spring and autumn with appropriate fertilizer.
• Try avoid too much compaction in difficult areas – keep the kids on hard wearing area
• Do not cut the grass too short
• If all else fails turn the lawn into a meadow or better still flower beds
• Moss thrives where grass struggles to grow. The best way to prevent excess moss growth is to provide conditions for strong grass growth.

Five things to do with Moss

1. Kill it regularly and often
2. Collect it and keep it in a bag until it dies
3. Put plant pots on top of it so it never sees the light of day
4. Cultivate it in the same wet spot for thousands of years then dig it up and burn it
5. Did I mention killing it

source

I have a great crop of Moss but I have no idea what I can do with it.
It grows on Roof tiles, rocks, in lawns and on some paths and is a right proper nuisance. Your ideas and tips would be welcomed.

• I am told that it is a clear sign that my lawn isn’t properly drained eventhough it is on a slope all the moss is at the top – go figure.
• I will apply lawn sand containing dicholorophen and iron sulphate as long as the European garden police haven’t banned them. Then I can safely rake it up without spreading more spores – until next time.
• Improved drainage is the only long term cure and I might have to hire an aerator or JCB
• Collecting all the moss together I will leave it to go black and die when it can be used as an acid mulch for Azaleas and acid lovers
• As another tip it can be used at the bottom of a plant holder for the pot to stand on. It keeps it all moist.
• Mixing moss with beer and sugar creates a mixture to paint on new fences and pots to give them an algea covering and and quick ageing.
• The over cropping of Sphagnum moss is causing peat bogs to dry out too quickly so try Highland moss which grows in pine forests for a sustainable hanging basket moss

Frost is not all that bad particularly when it happens at the right time of year. It can play havoc at the wrong time of year but first we will look at what good can be achieved with frost.

The Pros of Frost

• Frost can kill off aphids and winter bugs in the garden. For bugs that burrow into the soil you need a prolonged hard frost and then it gets a bit more iffy.
• The first frost is a signal of seasonal change. Nature is warned winter in nigh and can take appropriate action. It is unfair for plants to continue growing into winter if they need a seasons rest.
• Frost can help wake the dormancy of some seeds and the improve the health of roots on some bulbs and perennials.
• Frost can help winter vegetables like Brussel Sprouts to improve their sweetness and flavour.
• Frost will break down the clods of soil in your vegetable garden if it has been dug over and left in lumps.
• Frost decorates the edges of dead grass, seedheads and stems and can be a design feature in a cold garden.

The Cons of Frost

• Fruit tree buds and blossom can suffer frost damage and reduce your crop.
• The buds of Magnolia and Camellia can easily be damaged by frost particularly if the early morning sun melts the frost too quickly.
• Plants should not be planted into frosty soil as a chill will give them a severe set back or kill them.
• If shrubs or trees arrive at the wrong time ‘heel them in’ or cover with sacking until there is a gap in the frosty conditions.
• Frost can kill half hardy annuals – be patient! Plant later they will catch up.
• Young or sappy growth can be blackened by frost without the plant being killed. In spring trim off the damage.
• Frost discourage armchair gardeners but provides a time to tidy the shed or greenhouse.

Frost Prevention Measures

• Frost will slow or stop a compost heap from decomposing. Cover the top and insulate the sides to retain heat.
• Outdoor taps can freeze up so lag your taps and pipes. Drain pipes and areas that do not need water through winter.
• Keep and use a good supply of horticultural fleece to cover buds and early flowers.
• Frost gathers in low lying pockets. Cold air runs down hill. Do not plant tender plants in frost pockets or keep pots etc at the foot of slopes.
• Use the walls and eves of houses as gentle protection from severe frost.
• Read Frost Damage to Plants
• Stop ponds containing fish from freezing over by gentle agitation or a heater

Organic Tips

• Well you could try mix your own but test them on single plants first, monitoring effects for a couple of days.

• Several DIY recipes are available but I use a very weak solution of Comfrey water as a foliar feed. I put a good bunch of leaves in an old water butt for a fortnight then dilute the liquid to a weak tea colour.

• For insect infestation try a stew brewed from rhubarb leaves and a bit of vegetable oil. Crush the leaves then poor boiling water over it and let is soak for a day or two then drain off and dilute to look like weak tea and spray of water it on after adding the oil to help it stick to the plants.
• Recommended for Roses is a pyrethrum base home made from Chrysanthemum cinerariefolium or Dalmatian chrysanthemums. They are safe to use on vegetables and they are safe to eat after 24 hours if washed.
• The soil association will allow farmers to use copper compounds on potatoes and sulphur isn’t totally banned.
• ‘Organic’ products from garden supply companies can be bought from Amazon
• Milk is a mild acid and has some fungicidal properties if you want to spray a 50% solution on mildew.

Types of Sprayer

• End of Hose sprayers are the simplest and least expensive of the category but not very suitable for organic sprays.
• Compression sprayers use concentrated material added to the tank with water to a marked fill line. The remaining air is pressurized by pumping a handle. A wand then allows the fluid to be sprayed close to the problem
• A two pint sprayer is probably suitable for many jobs – this large one is £10 from Ebay shops
• Backpack sprayers or powered sprayers are better for farmers and small holdings

Homemade Insecticide & Repellant

Take an entire garlic bulb and two cups of water and mash it up together. Sieve or strain the liquid to remove dross.
Allow to settle in a container and for a couple of days.
Mix liquid with one gallon of water and spray liberally on top and bottom of leaves.
Unless you like the smell keep the spray away from your clothes.
A teaspoon of washing up liquid in a gallon of spray helps the spray to adhere to the plants leaves and stems.

Slugs and Snails

I would like to say that slugs and snails are friendly, useful creatures to have in your garden – but I can’t. Slugs and snails have tremendous appetites for devouring your plants. The younger, tastier and more precious your plants the more likely they are to go for them. Young lettuce seedlings seem to be very tasty and a whole row can be devoured overnight by these innocuous critters.

What can be done short of genocide – well here are some Eco friendly tips:

Tips to avoid slug damage

• Discourage slugs by removing edible debris and any slugs you can spot
• A ‘beer trap’ consisting of a low tray full of beer or similar fluid can attract and drown the slugs.
• An upturned cabbage leaf will attract a host of slugs overnight and they can be collected and dispatched according to your preference.
• New ‘green’ sprays and pellets have not yet impressed me but there are a range to try.

Barrier methods to stop slugs:

• Copper works as a barrier as they wont slide and slither on it. Copper bands and tape are available to protect your most cosseted specimens.
• A raised bed with a copper edging can be used in your veg plot
• Gravel, crushed egg shells, recycled wool pellets and other hard to slitter across barriers are recommended by various gardeners and companies but the column inches devoted to the subject show that few of them work totally. When it is wet they find a way across to gorge on your tasty crops.
• ‘Slug Gone’ are wool based pellets that are organic and pet safe. The wool forms a barrier by felting together the small barbs on the wool fibres. Useful around prized plants but expensive for general use.

Slug Pellets and Slug Exterminator at Amazon

Some methods of slug genocide

A higher tech solution is to buy a biological control called Nematodes which is watered in and the nematode microbes eat them and destroy the slugs.

Size 9 gardening boots or fly them into the middle of a busy road.

Slug pellets containing metaldehyde spread every six inches or so are effective killers and last in my experience for about 10 days. However they are not pet friendly although most brands have been treated with a flavouring to deter. http://www.metaldehyde.com/meta/en.html

Good luck and if you find a permanent solution you could be on your way to making a fortune.

Read more about  Slug Pellets and protecting Hostas from Slugs

White dusty fungus on your plant leaves may be Mildew. Each species is susceptible to it’s own Mildew and either powdery or downy mildew it is still a pain.
Some plants suffer more than others and with some varieties it is seasonal. Michaelmas Daisies and Phlox seem to suffer late in the year whilst Gooseberries can suffer in spring.
Brassicas, Marrows, Cucumbers, Sweet Peas and even Potatoes can suffer badly.

Tips to Avoid Mildew

Mildew 2011 update

• The dry spring and early summer has kept mildew down to a minimum in my garden this year – so far at least.
• The Flowering Currants and Honesty Lunaria annua are the only plants with signs of mildew and they are not worth treating with chemicals.
• Since mildew is plant specific I do not worry about composting old leaves.

Read Gardener’s Mildew Cures

There are more Weevil species than you can shake a stick at! Some you would want to shake your stick as they are ugly looking critters.
Weevils are part of the beetle superfamily Curculionoide but there are many related family members and thousands of species.

Families of Weevil

• Anthribidae — fungus weevils can help make compost
• Attelabidae — leaf rolling weevils include Rhynchites
• Belidae — primitive weevils feed on dying plants or flowers
• Brentidae — straight snout weevils
• Bruchinae – bean weevils or seed beetles are a subfamily
• Carids
• Curculionidae — true weevils including the Boll Weevil
• Nemonychidae — pine flower weevils

Problem Weevils

• Grain and Rice weevils breed quickly and eat copious amounts of grain when infestations occur.
• Vine weevils nibble leaves but the grubs do serious damage. Their favourite food is the roots of fuchsias, cyclamen, begonias and any plants growing in containers.
• Rose Weevils use their long snouts to drill holes into rose buds.

Vine Weevil treatments from Amazon

Read Vine Weevil Tips to Control

Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2.0) Rizalis and Julie G on flickr.

After our recent post – Flowers that can be eaten. We though it worth sharing a list of plants which are dangerous if eaten.

• Aconitum – Monkshood
  
• Arum – Cuckoo pint.
  
• Colchicum – The autumn crocus
  
• Convallaria – Lily of the Valley
  
• Cytisus – the Broom – All parts can be fatal if eaten.
  
• Daphne – Shrub grown for its beautifully scented flowers. Berries very dangerous
  
• Delphinium – All parts Highly toxic – can be fatal if eaten
  
• Digitalis – Foxgloves cause irregular heart beat and digestive problems. Digitalis is used in heart medicines but is poisonous eaten straight from plant
  
• Gloriosa superba
  
• Laburnum – Beautiful flowers that flower in May but can be fatal if eaten
  
• Lantana – (Spanish Flag)
  
• Nerium – A beautiful conservatory plant
  
• Phytolacca – The poke weed
  
• Ricinus communis – Castor Oil Plant. Not to be confused with Fatsia.
  
• Taxus – A hedge favourite.
  
• Veratrum – The false Hellebore.

Be Also Careful Not To Eat

• Daffodils
• Chrysanthemums
• Buttercups
• Hyacinth
• Wild mushrooms that are really Toadstools

Eating these can cause various health problems.

Poisonous Plants For Animals

• Ragwort is poisonous to animals and can cause kidney failure and liver damage which is irreversible. Often fatal to horses and cattle and a number of dogs die by eating a small amount.
• Other Senicio plants and Castor beans can also be fatal to animals.
• Leaves and branches of Oleander produces digestive problems.
• Even the water that flowers have stood in can become poisonous to animals.
• Datura stramonium and Angels Trumpets are poisonous to humans and animals.
• Easter Lily is poisonous to cats and dogs should not be allowed to eat cocoa shells.

Gall midges,  Cecidomyiidae or midge gnats often affect Hemerocallis or Day Lilies.
Midges lay their eggs on the buds which then fail to develop.
The problem is caused by the midge larvae which can be 3mm long. They drop onto the soil where they overwinter as pupae and start the problem next year.

Infected buds get bloated and swell but fail to open. Each bud may contain many larvae.

Buds of early-flowering varieties of Daylilies are worst affected.

Cures and Treatment for Gall Midge

• Pick off or pinch off any infected buds and destroy.
• Spray with Bug Clear or other insecticide. Bugs in the bud are protected by the bud so spray when midges are laying eggs.
• Consider growing Day Lilies that flower later in the year. Gall midges lay eggs between late May and June

Trees shrubs even small plants react to wind. The example of this Yew tree is a bit extreme but you can see the effect of a strong prevailing wind.

Problems Caused By Wind

• Plants may grow on a slant, leaning away from the wind. This inhibits growth and plants will not reach their full potential.
• Shrubs and trees  may be distorted not growing  leaves or branches on the windward side.
• Intermittent wind can cause plants to bend, then grow straight giving stems a twisted or crooked appearance.
• Wind can be energy sapping for gardeners, so too for plants that have to live in the conditions.
• ‘Wind rock’ making plants sway at ground level loosens the roots of shrubs like roses and can kill.
• Strong wind can ‘burn’ young foliage.
• Strong wind can uproot or blow down trees and plants.

Prevent and Cure Wind Problems

• It seems easy but do not plant in windy locations. If you must, be prepared for wind problems when choosing plants. Opt for low growers, hardy plants and shrubs with an open habit that allows wind to blow through.
• Use natural barriers as wind breaks. Use hollows, walls, hedges and buildings to create a wind shadow.
• Stake and tie plants.
• Protect with barriers such as netting
• Accept the results of wind damage, it is natural after all.

Ants can be an unsightly nuisance and inspire concern. However they do not directly damage plants but are more a sign that you have another pest problem.

Ants eat the honeydew secreted by aphids, scale insects and other pests. So ant go where there is food and are clever enough to farm aphids by carrying them from one plant to another to increase their food supply.

Ants can burrow into the soil of seedlings disturbing roots.

Prevention and Control

• Ant Killer Gel contain a specially formulated d-phenothrin gel to destroy both ants and ants nests. Ants carry this insecticidal gel deep into the nest to destroy it from within.
• Generic insects Killer sprays for Fleas, Bed Bugs, Moths, Ants, Wasps, Mosquitoes are available.
• Amazon range of ant controls
• Remember no aphids, no food, no ants!
• Aphid killer and controls from amazon. or read organic control for aphids

Photo credit Martin LeBar creative commons license on flickr