The KPRC Radio Gardenline Tip By Randy Lemmon For 11-17-05 Printer-Friendly Version



Let's Catch Scale Early This Year!



Scale is rearing its head as a problem once again. This becomes an even bigger problem for the newcomer to Houston gardening. Because most people ignore their landscapes at this time of the year and the problem of scale goes undetected and untreated. Interestingly enough, it can be controlled very easily with insecticides like Malathion. Unfortunately, the best organic method for the control of scale can't be used just yet. That organic method is with a true Dormant Oil spray. And we simply have not been cold enough yet for Dormant Oil to work. In fact, it could be detrimental to plants that have been putting on new leaves of late. Once our weather gets a bit cooler and we multiple 35 degree nights, you can begin using Dormant Oil sprays. In the meantime, if you can find lighter horticultural oil and want to stay organic in your control methods, then this is a nice stop-gap method.

Scale on Holly leaves

House Plant Scale




Many people don't even know that they have scale problems, until the infestation becomes so bad that it creates a disgusting amount of black sooty mold. If you remember from previous email tips, Black Sooty Mold is a symptom of an insect problem. At this time of the year the plants that tend to have the most scale problems are evergreen shrubs. Plants like Hawthorns, Hollies and Red Tips are the most susceptible. But it is important to keep an eye on trees that get a completely different type of scale. This link below shows the many different looks of scale, besides the two most obvious ones shown above. After you get a chance to look at all the various forms of scale, please take the time to look at all your landscape shrubs and trees and see if you can catch a view of these insects in their earliest stages.
< http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/ornamentals/scaleinsects.html >

WHO'S READING GULF COAST GARDENING?

This will be a new feature from month to month on these GardenLine email tips. And this is a very fun way that you can earn up to five signed copies of Gulf Coast Gardening to give away as gifts yourself. As you can see by our first picture of WHO'S READING GULF COAST GARDENING? national radio personality Sean Hannity is our first celebrity, in what I hope is a long line of fun pictures. I hope this list will eventually contain both national and local celebrities caught reading my book. So, how can you win? Below is a My Bounty List of those notables and celebrities that I will reward you for having a picture taken with my book in their hands. Photoshop crooks will be busted. You can send pictures of any celebrities and those of notoriety, and we might post them, but the rewards/the bounty goes to those that get a picture from My Bounty List. Good luck and have fun with this. I'll even interview you on the radio show to congratulate you and let you share your conquest with the rest of the world, if you capture someone from the list. If you take a picture of another celebrity who's not on my list, you MAY be eligible for one or two copies of the book.

MY BOUNTY LIST

Sean Hannity

Sean Hannity Captured! Roger Clemens
President George H.W. Bush (#41) Barbara Bush (wife of #41)
Lyle Lovett Dr. Red Duke
Mayor Bill White Renee Zellweger
Kenny Rogers Randy Quaid
Bill Engvall Nolan Ryan
Hillary Duff Linda Ellerbee
Michael Savage Beyonce (Knowles)
Billy Gibbons/Dusty Hill (Z.Z. Top) George Strait



In case you have not ordered your copy of it yet, here's the link for ordering my new book "Gulf Coast Gardening with Randy Lemmon."
  • < http://www.lulu.com/content/142186 >

    If you are a garden retailer interested in stocking this book, please call the Nitro Phos Warehouse for wholesale ordering information. 713-228-1868.


    Until next issue, here's to Great Gardening from the GardenLine, heard exclusively weekend mornings from 8 to noon on Talkradio 950 KPRC.