Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-29
BY WILBUR II. YOUNGMAN
Star Garden Editor

ACGJlllS JAlC buSo aAAA 0AAbAAeo
out Of the garden is just as
important as keeping the weeds
under control If we are to have
worthwhile products - flowers,
fruits and vegetables. No mat
ter how much we wish, it is not
practical nor even possible to
have such results without a
we'll planned pest control pro-
gram. Neither the azeleas, the
apples nor the roses will
amount to much without this
protection,
Pest control programs are
not a cure but are preventa-
tive. We must have them in
place before the bugs stick
their bills into the plant tissue
or the disease spores arrive.
Thus much of the effectiveness
of any pest control program
depends upon knowing when
and with what to coat the
foliage.
In general, since few garden
ers wish to emulate a chemist,
nor even care to go through
the mess of weighing and mix
ing a number Of materials to
provide for all of the types of
bugs and blights with a single
application, we should use the
all-purpose mixtures. An all
purpose mixture should include
materials to control the suck
ing insects-aphids, thrips, red
spider mites, laceflies, etc. 1t
should also include materials
to control the leaf chewers--
Japanese BEETLES, cankerworms,
chafer, rose slugs, etc. For the
leaf diseases such as black spot.
anthracnose, mildew. ETC., we
must have one or more fun
gicides.
Mixes for Each Group
There are several such all
purpose mixtures available at
the garden supply stores. Usu-
ally the manufacturers provide
speciality mixtures-rose, fruit.
vegetable, and general all
purpose mixtures. The reason
for these speciality mixtures is
that we can use DOT on orna-
mentals but not on fruit trees
--DDT is not soluble in water,
hence cannot be washed off of
fruit or vegetables. Sulphur is
a very good fungicide but can
not be used on roses and other
tender foliaged plants when
temperatures are above IS.
Thus 1t is advisable to have the
a1l-purpose mixtures for each
particular group or class of
plants In the garden.
These materials may be ap-
piled as dusts or sprays. A dust
takes only a few minutes to
apply, requires inexpensive
equipment and, II carefully APP
piled, is as effective as a spray.
But dusts wash off with every
shower. A spray takes much
longer to prepare, apply, and
then clean the sprayer. A
sprayer costs much more than
a buster, but the spray will last
through several showers. For
the larger garden the sprayer
Is probably the more satisfac-
tory. For the small garden the
duster. Dusts, by the way, may
cost more per pound than do
the sprays. In many gardens
II is wise to have both q buster
and a sprayer-use the buster
whenever there is not time to
doa thorough spray job.
Timing Is Important
It is usually advisable to put
on spray or dust in the early
morning when the desirable in
sects are not active - bees.
praying mantis, ladybugs, etc.
Or we may apply them late in
the evening. There is no point
in trying to kill friends as well
as foes.
In the spring when growth
is rapid and showers are fire.
q1ent 1t takes many more APP
plications to maintain the pro-
tective coating than in the
summer when growth is much
slower and showers infrequent.
Most experienced gardeners
plan to spray their roses at
least once a week, but in the
spring this may not be ade-
quate. while in mid to late sum-
mer the once a week may be
more than is necessary.
During the Japanese beetle
season many will be so en-
ragged over the devastations Of
that greedy pest that they will
want something to provide a
quick kill - SEWN does knock
them quickly, much more than
does DOT. However, neither
VIII do the Job Of protecting
the rose blooms-the beetles do
not touch the foliage but fly
directly into the heart of the