Aug 15, 2005

It has been a hot and dry summer. The folks that keep track of weather
data are saying this is the third hottest summer on record. While
regions to the north and those just south of us have been doused with
summer downpours, our town has not had adequate weekly rainfall. It has
been a challenge to keep everything in my garden watered.

Around this point in the gardening season, especially during a dry
spell, I start fielding questions about various nuisance pests in the
garden. After watering, weeding and pampering the vegetables and
flowers
nothing is more frustrating than animal visitors in the garden. We are
all too familiar with the need to protect our plants from deer
browsing.
Gardeners spend a lot of time and effort on various strategies to keep
deer away, often forgetting about the many other four-legged pests.

Groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, moles and voles all feed on or disturb
vegetation. Groundhogs and rabbits can be as destructive as deer. In
fact, rabbits or groundhogs may actually cause some of the damage that
is blamed on the deer. These two animals have less discriminating taste
than deer and will eat things that the deer avoid.

As with many other pests and diseases the best defense against wildlife
damage is prevention. Wire mesh fencing is the first step for
protection
from rabbits and groundhogs. Both rabbits and groundhogs are actually
very adept at climbing. Fencing should be four feet high and of a mesh
that the animals can’t wiggle through. Burying the fence at least a
foot
deep around the perimeter of the garden will discourage these animals
from digging their way in. Various repellents specifically for rabbits
and groundhogs are also now available.

To protect garden plants from hungry squirrels use fine wire mesh or
netting directly over the plants. Squirrels can eat an entire crop of
peaches and other fruits. Bird or deer netting securely wrapped around
a
fruit tree can save the crop.

There are also repellents labeled for use against squirrels.

Voles and moles are two different species of rodents that also damage
gardens and lawns. Voles are a mouse-like rodent that feed on seeds,
tubers, bulbs and rhizomes. They live in extensive tunnel systems and
can disturb the roots of plants. Keeping the garden clean by
eliminating
weeds, groundcover and plant litter reduces the availability of food
and
cover for voles. Frequent tilling can remove their cover and disturb
their tunneling. Frequent mowing is a must especially around garden
perimeters. The voles are less likely to cross over large open or
vegetation-free areas to get to the garden. Mousetraps baited with
fruit
or peanut butter can be used to reduce vole populations.

Mole can invade lawns as well as gardens, living in underground burrows
and rarely coming to the surface. They feed mainly on grubs, insects
and
worms. Mice and voles often use their tunnels. Reducing the food source
by eliminating grubs is an effective way of reducing a mole population.

Where the garden is sited can be a contributing factor in an animal
pest
problem. Gardens located next to wooded areas, brush piles or meadows
may have a high incidence of animal visitors. Siting a garden in a more
open area away from those environments can help avoid problems.

Another problem in a hot dry summer are the weedy grasses, specifically
crabgrass and nut sedge. Both are prolific this summer. Anywhere that
the lawn had bare spots earlier in the season these two weeds have
taken
over. Both grow fast and remain green in the dry heat. Crabgrass is an
annual and will die off after frost. In the meantime the plant will
produce a large crop of seeds to ensure its return next summer. Nut
sedge spreads by seed as well as underground via nut-like structures in
its root system. Left untreated it will form larger patches the
following season. Both of these grassy weeds require a specific
herbicide for elimination. When selecting a weed killer check the label
to make sure the product is labeled for these weeds. Persistent hand
weeding is an alternative as an organic control option.


Beth Nardone, botanist, is a resident of Hillsborough and is the
Nursery
Manager at the Belle Mead Co-Op. Questions and comments can be sent to
bethtanical@patmedia.net