
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, July 1, 1990                   TAG: 9007020275
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: E-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: John Arbogast
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SOAPY WATER, JAR HELP EASE BEETLE PROBLEM

Right now, many gardeners in our region are likely plagued by Japanese beetles feeding on leaves, flowers and fruits. These chewing insects, which appear around mid- to late June and feed for about four to six weeks before disappearing, usually occur in damaging numbers in scattered areas, rather than in every yard, garden or orchard.

Japanese beetle adults are slightly less than one half inch long and are a shiny, metallic green color that looks like polished copper in the sunlight.

There are some good, non-toxic means for Japanese beetle control, or we should say management, since it's almost impossible to eliminate all Japanese beetles when they appear in heavy numbers. Remove all flower blossoms as soon as they begin to fade and also all fruit as soon as it is ripe. Japanese beetles are especially fond of overripe fruit and deteriorating flower blossoms. This helps to prevent their damage.

Next, go out to your roses, garden, grapes or other plants that these beetles are fond of each day and knock the insects off their perches and into a wide-mouthed jar of soapy water.

Some Japanese beetles may fly off when disturbed, but most gardeners can get pretty good at this method after a short while. The soapy water prevents the Japanese beetles from flying away. Of course, dispose of the victims.

For chemical control of Japanese beetles, Virginia Tech recommends either Sevin or methoxychlor used according to label directions.

A few important points need to be considered before getting out the sprayer for Japanese beetles. Applications will have to be repeated. Sevin is known to encourage spider mites, tiny sucking pests, especially when used repeatedly during the summer months. Also, even though proper sprays are made and dead Japanese beetles are found, more of these hungry feeders will keep appearing from other areas during times of peak infestations.

Q: This year my beans turned yellow and when I pulled them up the stem or roots were dark and soft. A few years back I used something for this but have forgotten what it was. Please let me know. G.M., Hardy

A: The cause of your problem is bean root rot, as you realized when you pulled up some plants. Even though root rot disease of beans occurs more frequently in wet soils or poorly drained gardens, funguses may be involved.

For bean root rot caused by the rhizoctonia fungus, Virginia Tech recommends the fungicide Terraclor. This will not cure disease present, but can be used as a preventative for the next crop of beans by spraying the planting furrow and the covering soil at planting time according to label directions.

If other funguses or factors have caused the bean root rot in your garden, the use of Terraclor may not JOHN ARBOGAST solve the problem. Also, I don't know how easy it will be to find this product at garden or farm centers in our area.

To avoid bean root rot, plant your next crop of beans in a location where beans have not been grown for a few years. Crop rotation after two years is important in preventing diseases of beans. Also, the soil should be well drained.

Got a question about your garden, lawn, plants, or insects? Write to Dear John, c/o the Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010.

Gardeners checklist The soil in container-grown vegetables and flowers can dry out very quickly, especially on a concrete patio in full sun. Daily watering may be necessary. However, the soil should not be soggy or have water standing on top of it. Apply water until it runs out the drainage holes. Clay pots have additional evaporation from the sides and watering must be done more often. Small pots dry out quicker than large window boxes. Check your containers at least once a day and twice on hot, dry days.

Hot, dry weather brings out red spider mites. Inspect roses, evergreens and marigolds, especially, for signs of pale green coloration. Hold a white sheet of paper underneath some foliage and briskly tap it. Tiny, crawling mites will drop to the note paper if they are present. Severely infested annual plants may be removed from the garden and destroyed. Others should be chemically treated. If infestation is light, mites may be discouraged by direct spray from the water hose.

Pick vegetables as they mature and weed regularly; overripe vegetables and weeds use precious moisture and reduce production.

Snap bean flowers fail to develop because of high daytime temperatures above 90 degrees F.

Continue to cut faded flowers from "ever blooming" roses to encourage more blooming. Make each cut just above a "5-leaflet" leaf pointing outward.

by CNB