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Are aphids bugging you and your plants? You don't have to fight them in frustration. If you limit the use of pesticides (both synthetic and organic) you will greatly enhance the opportunity for a variety of beneficial insects and birds to control bad insects for you. Especially with economic challenges these days we shouldn't turn away free labor!
It is important to know the beneficials as well as the offending six-leggeds in your yard. Become familiar with the life cycles of both. This helps avoid the "squash and ask questions later" temptation that prevails when we don't know what something is.
At this time of year green lacewings can be counted upon to help in aphid control. The delicate looking adults are attracted to the nectar in daisy-like (composite) flowers. They lay eggs in your garden where they detect honeydew - the sweet excrement of aphids or other sucking insects. The young grab insects with their pincers and eat them. After some molts they will pupate and the next generation of adults will emerge.
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| Green lacewing |
Green lacewing eggs |
Green lacewing larva |
Green lacewing pupal case |
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As temperatures warm into the spring, ladybugs (ladybeetles) become active. The adults feed on nectar as well as pests. From their eggs, young develop, eating many times the quantity of pests that their parents do.
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| Ladybug adult |
Ladybug larva |
Ladybug pupae |
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You might have some tiny wasps help in aphid control as well. An adult lays an egg in an aphid. The young will nourish itself on the aphid’s inner body, emerging after it develops into an adult itself. As it feeds on the aphid a chemical is produced that causes the exoskeleton of the aphid to expand into a rounded form and turn a tan color. This parasitized aphid is called a “mummy.”
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Aphids, parastic wasp
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Aphid mummy
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Flower fly larva
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Don’t assume that every fly in your garden is a pest. Some produce young that consume aphids in quantity. Amongst the helper-flies are the flower flies (or syrphid flies) that actually look a little like a bee.
In addition to all of these beneficial insects, many birds can help keep populations of aphids in check. Encourage all of these helpers to take charge of the pests. When the heat of summer hits, most types of aphids will disappear.
The soil in many areas around the Valley had dried out with the lack of consistent winter rains. Keep an eye on your wildflower seedlings and offer them a gentle soaking if they appear stressed. Remember that our native wildflowers don’t generally need fertilizer. Too much nitrogen will make a lot of vigorous vegetation and less energy will go towards producing the colorful blooms.
This is the perfect time to cut back perennial bunch grasses. Many die back during the winter. Cutting all the old growth as close to the ground as possible allows easy sprouting of new leaves in March. If too much dead material remains in place, the plant cannot develop to its full potential.
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Don’t let winter weeds grow to a seed producing stage or you’ll have a bigger challenge controlling them next year. With even a little rain, many of them are fairly easy to hand pull. If you catch them while they are young, toss them into your compost pile. If they have already begun blooming, at least snip off the flower heads and discard them to make sure the seed doesn’t mature in the compost pile.
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Bowlesia (Bowlesia incana)
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Filaree (Erodium cicutarium)
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Schismus (Schismus barbatus)
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Schismus seed (Schismus barbatus)
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London rocket leaf (Sisymbrium irio)
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London rocket flower
(Sisymbrium irio)
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Spiny sowthistle
(Sonchus asper)
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Spiny sowthistle seed
(Sonchus asper)
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Yellow sweet clover
(Melilotus sp.)
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Yellow sweet clover flower
(Melilotus sp.)
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This is the perfect month to run a full check on your irrigation system. Turn on each valve one at a time to test for leaks in the lines or clogged emitters, and make repairs as needed. Check the back-up battery in your control box to make sure it still has life in it. Don’t get caught off guard with a malfunctioning system once we heat up! If we start to dry out and warm up by the end of the month, begin adjusting your irrigation schedules. If relatively hot and dry, you can even begin watering agaves again for the season.
If you intend to plant a warm season vegetable or herb garden, get your soil prepared now. Most veggies prefer a well-amended organic soil, so mix lots of compost in at least a foot deep. Many annual herbs prefer organic soil as well. With the soil prepared, you’ll be ready to plant early next month when daytime and nighttime temperatures become warmer.
If you wrapped holiday lights around the trunks of your trees be sure to remove them so they don’t girdle the trees.
Summer or fall blooming shrubs can be pruned at the end of the month if needed. New spring growth will develop the flower buds for the bloom to occur later in the year.
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Gardening Calendar Archive
February 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
February 2008
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
Garden Meetings
Arizona Native Plant Society
Webster Auditorium Everyone is welcome. The Arizona Native Plant Society provides information about, fosters an appreciation of, and helps protect Arizona’s native plants. The Phoenix chapter emphasizes Sonoran Desert plants. Call Doug Green at 480-998-5638 for more information.
Tuesday | 7-9 p.m. | September 8, October 13, November 10, 2009
Central Arizona Cactus & Succulent Society
Dorrance Hall. Everyone is welcome. The Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society encourages the appreciation, study and growing of cacti and other succulents. Each meeting features a program about aspects of these fabulous plants. Call Judy Braun-Brody at 480-481-8129 for more information.
Sundays | 2 p.m. | August 30, September 27, October 25 (Silent Auction), November 22, 2009
Maricopa Audubon Society
Dorrance Hall | Everyone is welcome. Call Laurie Nessel at 480-968-5614 for more information.
Tuesdays | 7:30 p.m. | September 1, October 6, November 3, December 1, 2009
Central Arizona Butterfly Association Meeting
The Central Arizona Butterfly Association helps promote the enjoyment of butterflying by providing educational, research, and recreational opportunities to schools and the public throughout Central Arizona.
Tuesday | May 19 | 7 - 9 p.m. | Webster Auditorium | Everyone is welcome
