According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a pest is:

1. An annoying person or thing; a nuisance.
2. An injurious plant or animal, especially one harmful to humans.
3. A deadly epidemic disease; a pestilence.
4. Synonyms: teenagers, mother-in-law, the neighbor's dog.

Obviously not all of those definitions apply to the critters that infest our gardens and landscape! There must be a gazillion different varieties of landscape "pests" so we'll touch on three of the most popular, er, I mean common perpetrators.

Did you know that Spider Mites are actually spiders and not insects? They are tiny arachnids, about the size of the period at the end of this sentence, and can likely be found on Junipers, Spruce, Arborvitae, Cypress trees and Willow Oak trees among others. Web producing spider mites may coat plant foliage with fine "silk" which collects dust and looks dirty. Use of a dormant oil in winter can help control this pest. Use a miticide on already affected plants.

Japanese Beetles can infest over 275 different plants, and if you live in the South you would have guessed more! They feed from late May to Labor Day, devouring plant leaves as well as flowers. Japanese Maples, Nearly Wild and Knockout Roses, and Crape Myrtles seem to be favorite meals. Even the grubs are serious pests to lawns! Use an insecticide on affected plants; however, 10 to 14-day applications may be needed.

Lace Bugs have highly ornamented wings and a hood-like structure covering their heads. The entire surface of the insect is covered with veins that look like lace. If you are squeamish, have someone else check for this pest because positive identification is presence of brown to black droplets of excrement and old skins of nymphs on the underside of leaves - ew! Lace Bugs attack a variety of ornamental trees and shrubs. Use an insecticide to treat.

As always, your OLM consultants are here to answer questions about pests in your landscape, whether at home or at work - just give us a call!

From December to March, there are for many of us three gardens -
the garden outdoors,
the garden of pots and bowls in the house, and the garden of the mind's eye.
- Katherine S. White

Little Known Landscape Facts
~ Ed Jensen

1. On even years, pine needles should be aligned north to south and conversely, on odd years, east to west.
2. When digging a hole, stop digging when tired and put the plant in. There is no need to shovel the dirt around the plant when it can be covered with mulch.
3. Landscapers love a good argument.
4. If your grass is not as pretty as your competition's it's because you are located in another plant hardiness zone.
5. By the end of the growing season your flowers should be smaller. This helps the landscaper's efficiency because they take less time to remove and get ready for the next rotation.
6. Allow your grass to be as tall as possible resulting in numerous seedheads. This will eliminate your overseeding expense.
7. Do not repair broken irrigation heads. It's a simple way to maintain a water feature your tenants and community will be sure to enjoy.
8. Automate your landscape by using robotic lawn mowers. It's an up and coming idea that's fun to watch. You can also program it to drive to your house and cut your lawn.
9. There is no need to stump grind after a tree is removed. Just put tall plants around it to hide it.
10. Skip the landscape site inspection and be taken out to lunch. This helps you avoid bad weather and reduce your dry cleaning expense.

Want the straight facts on landscape? Contact OLM!