July 13, 2019 - Issue #417

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The Colorado potato beetle is a plump yellow beetle with black stripes over its wings and black spots just behind its head.

Dwarf and weeping ornamental trees are hot. With yard sizes of new homes getting smaller, homeowners are looking for attractive trees that will fit in small spaces. Breeders have responded by creating many dwarf and weeping versions of popular flowering trees. Redbuds (Cercis) are the latest tree to undergo this attention. The 'Covey' redbud produces bright purplish pink flowers in early spring. The tree has an umbrella form so when in bloom it looks like a cascade of color. It's hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9.

You don't need to be an expert gardener to grow perennials. Many types of perennials are easy to grow and provide years of pleasure with minimal upkeep.

Several kinds of surface-feeding caterpillars are known as cutworms, and they feast on many garden plants.

Indoor houseplant popularity is once again, so we have listed the most popular houseplants in homes and businesses across the country. Smile as you see old friends listed (houseplants are friends, too!), and browse the list looking for new acquaintances to add to your collection. There is a houseplant here for you.

Many gardeners, especially those in warm areas, are still planting bulbs, trees, and shrubs, and adding soil amendments such as compost and fertilizer when planting. But the most critical additive may be fungi.Mycorrhizae are fungi that colonize plant roots, and it's estimated that 90 percent of the plant species in the world have them, including vegetables, flowers, bulbs, trees, and shrubs. Mycorrhizae offer several advantages: they help plants absorb and hold major and minor nutrients, increase tolerance to stress and drought, and inhibit disease organisms in the soil.

Water young trees regularly, especially those on semi-dwarfing or dwarfing rootstocks, to ensure that the root system becomes well established. Renew mulch periodically, but pull it away from the tree in the fall so mice don't nest over the winter and eat the bark.