Q: We have two large sycamore trees in the lawn that have always done well. Lately, they seem to have lost a lot of leaves and they just “don’t look right.” The grandson fertilized the lawn for us but, other than that, there have been really no changes in our care for the lawn and the trees. What do you think could be happening?
A: First thing I need you to do is quiz your grandson and see just what he used to “fertilize” with. My senses are tingling and I have a sneaking suspicion that a “weed and feed” style fertilizer may have been inadvertently applied. Have him show you exactly what he used. Meanwhile, double the length of time you are watering. If a weed and feed was applied the tree is absorbing the “weed” part of the fertilizer and that is not a good thing. Wash the product through the soil as quickly as possible. Lengthy, deep watering will be the best for the time being.
If a weed and feed fertilizer wasn’t used then you’ll need to do more investigating. It could very well be the heat we’re experiencing, and there isn’t much you can do about that except water for longer when you are watering. I know too that there is an insect that can infest sycamore trees and that, if the infestation is large enough, can cause the trees to prematurely drop their leaves. Scale insects en masse can cause sycamore trees a lot of trouble. This time of year you could spray the trees with any number of pesticides as long as you first follow the label restrictions as to temperature when applied and the pesticide must list “scale” as a bug of hunt. Then as the season winds down spray repeatedly throughout the autumn and winter months with a horticultural grade oil to suffocate the scale and prevent a reinfestation next year. There are oils that are heavier so make sure the oils’ label lists a summer spraying ratio. Meanwhile, rake up and dispose of the leaves, not putting them in a compost pile in case they are harboring bugs, and consider applying either a “starter” style granular fertilizer or mix up several gallons of root stimulator and pour that generously all around under the trees. Pray for meaningful rain, too. Just getting everything washed off will be a big help.
Q: I know you’ve described them before, but what do baby ladybugs look like?
A: To me they look like miniature alligators with a couple of orange spots on each side. They have six legs, three on each side and are a sort of charcoal black color. They look formidable even for their size. Almost grouchy looking. While the ladybug is in this stage of its life it’ll consume gobs of aphids, mealybugs and mites. Such a good bug. If you’ve noticed them you probably have some other insects in the yard that they are feasting upon. With that, don’t spray with pesticides to kill any bad bugs or you’ll get the ladybugs, too. If need be, pluck off leaves wearing large amounts of bad critters, collect them in Ziploc bags and destroy them. Try spraying your gardens with hard streams of water to combat the softer bodied bugs without maiming the alligator children. Allow these armored-looking warriors to feast on the ne’er-do-wells and they’ll grow to maturity, mate, lay eggs and bless your garden with more crime fighters next year. They are really nifty looking creatures and I hope you’ve got some living in your yard. Happy Digging In.
Need tips on growing your garden? How much to water those bushes? How to transplant a tree? Tracey Hobson is a certified nurseryman. Send your garden-related questions to Digging In, Rio Rancho/West Side Journal, P.O. Drawer J, Albuquerque, NM 87103.
