By Mike Isbell
University of Georgia
It's that time of year when a lot of folks tend to forget about the trees and shrubbery around the house. It's just too darned hot and muggy to fool with them.
But these plants can still use a little attention and care.
If you have crape myrtles, they may be rather unsightly about now because of sooty mold. This fungus grows on the honeydew secreted by both whiteflies and aphids. It turns black. That's where it gets the name "sooty mold."
So control the aphids and whiteflies on the trees. And don't park your car under the trees -- the honeydew drips.
Add mulch
Mulches may have become thin in your shrub and flower beds by this time of the year. You may not need the mulch this year to conserve moisture in the soil, but mulch also helps keep weed seeds from germinating. Renewing the mulch just might keep you from pulling weeds later on.Instead of raking and burning the leaves that fall from your trees, use them as mulch. Leaves don't look as neat as pine straw or pine bark, but they're free. And you can always put a thin layer of pine straw or bark on top of the leaves to dress up your beds.
If you have fruit trees, get rid of all of the old fruit that may still be hanging on the trees or is on the ground. Bury it or burn it. That will help in disease control. And while you're at it, go ahead and prune out any diseased, broken or dead limbs.
Soil test
Finally, if you haven't had your soil tested in a few years, fall is a good time to do it. Nitrogen fertilizers tend to make the soil acid over time. Old-timers used to say the soil got sour and wouldn't grow anything until it was "sweetened" by lime.A soil test will tell you how much lime to use. So make your plans to do that this time.
You know, I need to that, too. But it's too darned hot and muggy right now. I think I'll just go eat my muscadines instead.
(Mike Isbell is the Heard County Extension Coordinator with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
