Five things to do in the park this week:
1. If you have ants in your container, the best way to get rid of them is to drown them. If the container is small, place it in a bucket and fill it until the water sits on the surface of the soil to the top of the container. Leave the container there for an hour, remove it, and if the ants are still in the container or come out after a day or two, repeat the process, which you may have to do several times, until the ants disappear. If the ants are in a large, open container and cannot be easily moved to a large pot or tub, fill the container completely with water, let the water drain out, and refill it once or twice. Repeat this procedure every few days until the ants disappear.
2. What to do with termites after getting rid of ants? Regarding this, I received the following email from Elizabeth Eaves, a gardener in Agoura Hills: “I have three large barren mulberry trees infested with termites. They are between 50 and 60 years old. They always come out complete every year. I wonder if they can be treated for termites and live a few more years. It is best to consult an arborist, as wood termites are always associated with rotting wood in California. It is therefore necessary to ensure that termites do not weaken large branches which could cause damage if they fall. There are alternatives to felling trees, such as injecting termiticide through holes drilled in the branches of termite-infested trees and then setting up a termite bait station at the base of the tree. You can find a certified arborist in your area by visiting Treearegood.org .
3. If you've managed to save last year's poinsettia until now, you can have its leaves turning red by Thanksgiving and staying that way for the rest of the year by following these steps: Place your plant in a area with lots of plants. bright light every day. Then, when night falls, move the plant to a cool, dark place, such as a closet, for 2 hours. Water and fertilize while the houseplant is actively growing and in about two months you will see the desired color change.
4. Fall is the best time to plant. When planting, your initial priority is root growth, and even warmer soil temperatures than this summer will encourage this. Although you should always pay attention to the plant's water needs during the first two weeks it is in the ground, you may feel a little more relaxed as the temperature gradually drops; Even on hot days, exposure to sunlight is reduced because day length is shorter, reducing the chance of water shortages. Although the best time to plant vegetables for the fall garden is now, the optimal time to plant annual flowers and perennials of all kinds for fall and winter will be within the next couple of months.
5. Coneflower (Echinacea) - an interesting option for planting in autumn. Echinacea is an annual plant little cultivated in our region, perhaps because it grows in prairies and forests (from Virginia to Iowa, from Florida to Texas) where, although there are a dry season, rains are expected throughout the season. planting season. Echinacea grows best in full sun, although it benefits from a little shade and does not fear the cold. Cut cones remain strong and will support their weight for over a week. This disease has an irregular growth pattern and spreads slowly from year to year, although its life expectancy in our area is about three years. However, in the meantime, you can propagate it by carefully cutting a short woody rhizome into several pieces with leaves attached and placing them in a pot. Plus, if you like soil, echinacea can also self-sow. Echinacea attracts birds, bees and butterflies and prefers sandy loam soils that drain quickly, but it can also be found on clay soils. Monrovia Nursery, a wholesale grower that supplies Monrovia plants to many local retail nurseries who can place special orders for Monrovia plants, lists 45 varieties of echinacea on its website (monrovia.com). You will find needle flowers of all colors except blue.
Send gardening tips and questions to joshua@perfectplants.com .
