Return to Master
Gardener News Releases .
So you thought it was over. The insect garden-fest lasted all summer. Caterpillars the size of Vienna sausages (and about as repugnant) macked on your tomatoes. Beetles were more entitled to the arugula, potatoes and cucumbers than you were. Wasps and spiders leased out your potting shed.
But after the frost, you should be bug free ... right? The party's over, right?
As crickets serenade you from that invisible crevice you simply cannot find, you count boxelder bugs, trying to fall asleep. A lethargic wasp buzzes against your window. A spider scuttles across the ceiling. Sleep comes and you dream of the fruit flies rising from your breakfast bananas.
Creepy crawlies were never told the fish story about guests (both stink after four days) so they don't KNOW you want them to just go away. They think the festivities just moved inside.
If you don't care for a wintertime house party, don't invite them! Prevention is the best method of control. Seal cracks in walls, foundations and around windows and doors. Be sure your screens have no holes. Move compost and wood piles away from the side of the home. Get rid of old clothes, papers and boxes stacked in dark storage spaces.
If the insects are already in the home, other methods can help to "evict" your unwanted guests.
Black widow and brown recluse excluded, most spiders in Colorado are beneficial and shouldn’t be killed. But if you must, vacuum spider webs. Hand collect and remove spiders. Spray a residual pesticide labeled for spiders outside around the foundation. Spray it in the corners and along baseboards in spider-infested areas.
Boxelder bugs over winter in protected areas including our homes. On warm days you may begin to see them sunbathing on your south or west exterior walls. Laundry detergent and water is an inexpensive safe way to kill them on contact. Spray the bugs directly to effectively kill them. Avoid over-spray onto garden plants. Inside, a vacuum cleaner is your friend and their enemy. Keep it at the ready as these guests will continue to come on warmer days throughout the fall.
Wasps are dispersing individually in search of areas to overwinter. Your home may be its vacation destination. The latest issue of your favorite gardening magazine makes an effective swatter. A vacuum works just as well.
A combination of prevention, tolerance and a fierce vacuum will help you crash the insect house party. As for that one last cricket that insists on karioke- - if you can't beat ‘em, join ‘em!
Q: Can I just leave all the debris in my garden, or must I clean it up?
A: Some plants can be left for winter interest. Seed pods, grass plumes and the like add structure or textural interest. The stuff that turns black or messy should be removed to avoid pest or disease problems that may over winter. This applies to the vegetable garden as well.
Q: What can I do to extend my growing season in the vegetable garden?
A: Special geotextile row covers or cold frames can add a few degrees of protection for crops like spinach, kale, collards or broccoli. Moving tender herbs indoors to a sunny window allows you to continue harvest through the winter.
Covering the pruning cut with wound dressing is unnecessary. Wound dressings have been shown to interfere with the natural development of callous tissue that will close the pruning wound. Wound dressing may also harbor disease organisms.
Leave the removal of large limbs or limbs that may fall on utility lines or a structure to a professional, certified and insured arborist or tree company.
Help your tree recover from the September 2000 storm by maintaining the tree’s health. Proper watering, fertilizing, pest control and avoiding mechanical damage will keep your tree healthy.
Fast growing trees like cottonwoods and poplars, some maples and the Navajo globe willow tend to be brittle and easily damaged in storms. Plant these trees away from utility lines, buildings, sidewalks and driveways.
For more information on pruning refer to Fact Sheet #7.207
- Pruning deciduous trees; #7.206
Pruning techniques for shrubs
and #7.205
Pruning evergreens.
The authors have received training through Colorado State University Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program and is a Master Gardener volunteer for Larimer County.
Fact Sheets are available at the Larimer County Extension Office, 1525 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, Colorado, telephone (970) 498-6000, or contact us by e-mail at larimer@coop.ext.colostate.edu
Return to Master
Gardener News Releases .