IRES OF SPRING: BEWARD SPRING INSECTS THAT CAN DAMAGE PLANTS

This spring the weather has been very unusual. Of course, I must remind myself that in this area, the only thing that is usual about our weather is that it is unusual. Our weather has certainly affected many plants and plant pests so far this year.

You would have thought that the very cold winter would have reduced some insect pest populations. Maybe the weather reduced some populations, but I have seen a lot of eastern tent caterpillars this spring. They first showed up, especially on species of cherry, as large masses of caterpillars encased in a silky web. If left unchecked, they can completely defoliate a tree.

You can cut off the branch that is infested and burn it. You can spray the web with an insecticide such as diazinon, cygon, sevin, chlorpyrifos or methoxychlor. If you spray, the insecticide must penetrate the web. Your sprayer must produce a lot of pressure. If the insecticide doesn't penetrate the web, you will get very little control.

A somewhat related insect species is the forest tent caterpillar that is found on oaks and maples. You may find the caterpillars in masses in webs on branches, or as masses of caterpillars without a web on large branches or on the tree trunk. Control with the insecticides listed above for the eastern tent caterpillar.

The cold winter weather has certainly affected the survivability of several shrubs that are planted here, north of their normal survivability range. Several people have told me that their crape myrtles and butterfly bushes did not make it through the winter.

I suggest that you make no decision on whether they made it through the winter until the first of June. Both of these plants may have been killed back to the ground lie. There may be viable tissue that will sprout out near the base of the shrub. If this occurs, then simply prune out all the dead wood and patiently wait for the shrub to grow back to its normal size.

Wait patiently for growth

I also have seen several samples of winter damage on nandina, azaleas, Southern magnolia and holly. The best course of action is to wait patiently (I know that for a lot of gardeners patience is not a virtue.). See if new foliage sprouts out. If it does, remove damaged branches. If after pruning you find that there is not enough shrub left, or that if the shape of the shrub is ruined, replace it. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Several people have told me that their Japanese maples have lost large branches, or died entirely over the last 12 months. I noticed a lot of maples dying last summer. Although I can't be sure, I think the drought of the last few years, plus some late spring freezes have contributed to their demise.

Don't get discouraged about Japanese maples. They are such fine plants that you should continue to use them in your landscapes. If we experience droughts during the summer, just remember to give them a drink once in a while.

Late spring frosts can cause havoc for succulent plant tissue that is just beginning to grow. As I write this column, I see that the weather forecast suggests that temperatures may drop into the low 40s. If you have a landscape or garden in a low area, frost may develop even though the locally recorded temperatures never reach 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Especially in the spring, pay close attention to weather forecasts.

Protect your plants

If you want to protect plants, cover them with frost blankets or hot caps available at your local garden centers. Both of these products will protect your plants even if the temperature drops into the upper 20s. Keep in mind that these products are designed to protect plants from frost, not freezing.

Do not use a sheet of plastic or plastic buckets over your plants unless you can keep the plastic from touching the plants. Plastic is a very poor insulator. Plastic conducts cold or heat very easily. If plant tissue is touching cold plastic, it will freeze and burn.

The winds that we have been experiencing recently have also been causing some damage to succulent plant tissue. I have seen samples of young leaves that look as if they have been burned along the edges. Continuous high winds cause tissue desiccation that results in tissue burn.

If you are doing any planting during windy conditions, make sure that you check soil moisture levels frequently. I know a gardener who planted new plants then took a three-day vacation. When he returned, he found plants wilted because of lack of moisture.

The moral of the story is that you should keep an eye on the weather and tune into weather forecasts. Changing weather conditions can certainly affect how your plants grow in your lawn, landscape and garden.