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Brought to you in cooperation with the Kansas State Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners. Each week we feature the most popular questions received on their "Hotline". |
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Week of 4/26/04
An eye-catching headline in the April 21, 2004 Newsletter declares, ”My Oaks are Raining Worms!” When we activated our Voicemail messages on Monday morning after a busy weekend, our Hotline volunteers were greeted by no less than 5 similar comments! Callers were anxious to know what was happening. The tiny worms are actually larvae of a gall midge that feeds on the flower clusters, and then drop to the ground to pupate. The adults emerge early next spring, and begin the cycle again. They apparently do no harm to the host tree, and no control is needed. Another early spring
phenomenon that gets the Kentucky Bluegrass growers attention is powdery
mildew that adorns the surface of shady areas of grass where air movement
is inadequate. This can result in the thinning of the turf over a period
of time. It can be controlled by
Perhaps the most satisfactory solution to the earthworm challenge is to dig some up. They are reputed to be the best live bait available! Happy angling!
Articles submitted by Bill Latimer, Johnson County Extension
Horticulture Assistant and Dennis Patton, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent.
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K-State’s
publication,
increased
light and heat penetration, or by replacement with more shade tolerant
Bluegrass varieties, or mildew resistant tall fescue. Among the fungicides
that are effective in controlling powdery mildew on Bluegrass are
triadimifon (Bayleton), propiconazole (Banner, Fertilome Liquid Systemic
Fungicide), and myclobutanil (Eagle, or Immunox.) 
The
next topic is the control and elimination of one of the most persistent of
all lawn herbs, Taraxacum officinale, or Dandelion. It was the French who
thought the leaves looked like lions’ teeth and dubbed it dente de lion,
which we anglosaxons couldn’t wait to corrupt to dandelion. Like most
broadleaf perennial weeds, fall is the best time to control them, but spot
treatment with a combination herbicide containing 2,4-D, MCPP and dicamba
like Trimec or Weed-B-Gon, at this time of the year is also effective. Be
sure to avoid any drift to desirable plants when applying. 
The
final item in the Newsletter that echoed our callers concerns was
earthworms or nightcrawlers in the lawn. These 4 to 6 inch long worms are
a mixed blessing. Their burrows, which may be 5 feet deep, help aerate the
soil while facilitating root penetration and soil enrichment. The down
side involves the “bumps” that are randomly spaced across the lawn. These
result when the worms pull down plant material into their burrows for
later feeding. Made up on plant residue and castings from feces, the
“bumps” are known as “middens”, They sometimes complicate mowing, and give
a well-manicured lawn an uneven appearance.