by Chris Winslow
While this summer has brought a wealth of new growth from the rains of
last winter and spring, it has also brought its fair share of disease and
insect problems.
When I opened the nursery on Monday morning, I was greeted by
gardeners clutching a multitude of ziplock bags. All were filled with
samples of sorry-looking limbs and leaves under attack from an array
of insects and diseases.
Classic for this time of the year is the bloom of wooly aphids on our
hackberry trees. The leaves of the hackberries can become loaded with
these creatures.
These aphids like to scratch the epidermal layer and suck out the internal
sugar-rich moisture from within, to create a sticky substance called
‘honeydo.’ This is then attacked by something called ‘sooty’ mold –
which, I’m afraid, is bad news.
The leaves turn black, and everything beneath the canopy of the tree turns
sticky and black also. A serious mess. This scenario can also be played
out with aphids on crape myrtles and bur oaks – and any plants close to
these species run the risk of being infected.
Your plan of attack must be to get rid of the insects first, and then set your
sights on the sooty mold.
For the aphids, there are some highly effective organic sprays available. All
Seasons Oil, Neem Oil, Spinosad and Pyrethrum sprays all work well. For
the sooty mold, apply generous amounts of the organic fungicide
Serenade.
Native mountain laurels and the culinary herb rosemary have also had their
fair share of larval problems. In fact a forest tent caterpillar is looking at me
right now! It just crawled off a rosemary sprig.
Luckily for us, the organic sprays B.T. and Spinosad work well without
environmental impact. This is the first year I have seen bag-like worms on
rosemary. Both above mentioned sprays should work.
While insects undoubtedly require plants for survival, it’s clear that we just
don’t want certain varieties surviving and flourishing in our yards.
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It's About Thyme 
