Bermudagrass can make a nice lawn if you don't mind its invasiveness and short growing season. But many people dislike both these characteristics. Warm-season grasses, such as bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and buffalograss, green up later than cool-season grasses such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. They also go dormant earlier in the fall, which can make a lawn unattractive. Bermuda that invades a cool-season lawn will be brown during much of the spring and fall while the tall fescue portion of the lawn is green. Bermuda is much more drought and heat resistant than cool-season grasses, so it will take over a cool-season lawn during the summer months if it is in full sun.

So, how do you control bermudagrass that has invaded a cool-season lawn? Research conducted in 1996 showed that glyphosate (Round-up, Kleen-up, Killzall, Kleeraway) is the best herbicide for the job. Glyphosate is a nonselective herbicide and will kill everything— including tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass. Therefore, you will need to reseed treated areas. In our study, we applied a 2% solution of glyphosate on July 15 and again on August 15 on a bermudagrass plot that was more than 15 years old. More than one year later, we saw no regrowth. Glyphosate works best if bermuda is growing well. The better the bermudagrass is growing, the more chemical is taken up and pushed into the roots. Water and fertilize if needed to get it going.

Spray about the middle of June (or when the bermuda is growing well). Use glyphosate (2% solution). Wait two weeks and scalp the lawn (mow as low as possible and remove clippings). This will prevent dead grass from covering any bermuda that starts to recover. Wait another two weeks and spray again with glyphosate if there is any green. Wait two more weeks and reseed. (Ward Upham)

Heavy fruit loads this season may cause limbs to break if they are not given extra support. As fruits increase in size, the additional weight on individual branches may be substantial. One-inch thick boards can be used to prop up limbs.

Here's how.  Cut a "V" on the top edge of the board on which the limb will rest so that it doesn't slip off. Long limbs that are heavily loaded with fruit may need a prop in the center and another to support the outer part of the limb. A plastic belt-like material that is about 2 inches wide may also be used. This can be tied to a heavily loaded limb, then to a large diameter limb above for support. Where a large limb is used for support, it is good to have it supporting limbs on opposite sides so the weight is balanced. Another solution is to wrap a tape or belt material around the tree in a spiral to prevent limbs from bending until they break. Heavy twine may be used, but it should be removed when the fruit is picked or soon after so it does not cut into the bark on the limb.

Check trees regularly, up to two times a week during the last month the fruit are maturing. You will find additional limbs that need support. Tending to the heavily loaded tree limbs will reduce the number of broken limbs and help keep a balance of the fruiting wood in your tree. Next year, prune long, weak branches back to a side branch to help prevent this problem. (Ward Upham)

Blackberry and raspberry fruit will often develop white or tan drupelets on the berry. Though we are not completely sure of the cause, two commonly given reasons are stinkbug damage and sunscald.  Damage has been attributed to stinkbugs if the pattern of off color (not white) drupelets is random. Stinkbug damage is caused by the insect feeding on the blackberry receptacle and injuring drupelets on either side. Sunscald damage will be on the side of the fruit exposed to the sun and has several drupelets in a small area being affected.

Neither condition affects the eating quality of the fruit unless the stink bug releases the “stink” with which it is associated rendering the fruit inedible. By the time damage is seen, it is too late for control. (Ward Upham)

Potatoes are ready to harvest when the vines are about half dead. Potatoes dug too early have tender skins and are easily bruised. Delaying digging will allow the soil to heat because it is no longer shaded by foliage. High soil temperatures can lead to sprouting potatoes. Allow potatoes to "set" by keeping them in a shady, dry location for a day or so. Move them to a cool, moist environment such as a cellar or cool basement for longer storage. (Ward Upham)

Japanese beetles have become a firmly established pest species in portions of Kansas. Potential damage is twofold. Most commonly, Japanese beetles indiscriminately feed on nearly 300 plant species including fruits, vegetables, agronomic and forage crops, ornamentals, trees and shrubs. Often times, host plants are literally covered with the gregarious beetles which rapidly consume any and all foliage and floral plant tissue. A second type of damage is associated with the “white grub” larval stage as a potential turf pest.

While some individuals prefer to calculate/record accumulated Growing Day Degrees 50 as a method to predict the initial yearly appearance of Japanese beetles, one can more easily set out traps baited with the JB pheromone and floral lure. The bonus is that this also tells an individual that JB actually are “in-the-neighborhood” as evidenced by their being captured.

First 2015 reports of JB captures: Desoto June 9; Manhattan June 15; Topeka June 16. Look for their numbers to rapidly increase. People concerned with JB feeding on landscape plants need to be vigilant in inspecting plants for the presence of JB. If present and if in damaging numbers, corrective actions should be undertaken.

Refer to K-State Research and Extension Publication MF3151 – Japanese Beetle (Bob Bauernfeind)

If you notice leaves disappearing from walnut trees, it may be walnut caterpillars. Walnut caterpillars attack primarily black walnut, pecan, and several species of hickory trees, but may also attack birch, oak, willow, honey locust, and apple trees.      

Walnut caterpillars overwinter as pupae underground beneath host trees. In late spring, moths emerge and deposit egg clusters on lower leaves. By the end of June, newly emerged and gregarious larvae skeletonize leaves. Larger hairy, brick-red larvae consume greater amounts of leaf tissue, and nearly matured gray larvae devour entire leaves, including petioles.

As mentioned earlier, walnut caterpillars are gregarious. In other words, they feed in groups. A single tree may contain several groups.       

When disturbed, larvae arch their bodies in what looks like a defensive move. Larvae crowd together on the lower parts of trees to molt and leave an ugly patch of hairy skins. Mature larvae, 2 inches long, descend or drop to the ground where they enter the soil to pupate. A second generation occurs soon, creating the overwintering pupae.

Removing leaves with egg masses is an effective way to control walnut caterpillars. This may be impractical with large trees or when too many infested leaves are present. Bands of Tree Tanglefoot pest barrier may be used to snare larvae as they migrate to main branches or the trunk to molt. Insecticides such as spinosad (Conserve; Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew; Borer, Bagworm, Leafminer and Tent Caterpillar Spray) permethrin (numerous trade names) malathion or cyfluthrin (Tempo, Bayer Vegetable and Garden Insect Spray) may provide the most practical means of control. (Ward Upham)

The two-lined spittlebug derives its name from the white, frothy" spittle" the nymphs produce. Adults are large, black leafhoppers about 1/3-inch long with two red stripes that go crosswise across the back. The eyes and abdomen are bright red. Though the nymphs resemble the adults, they are smaller and wingless. Color varies from yellow to white to orange but the eyes are always red.

Spittlebug nymphs suck plant juices like aphids, but they remove so much water and carbohydrates that excess fluid is produced. They cover themselves with this fluid and then produce the spittle by bubbling air from the tip of the abdomen into the liquid. The spittle mass helps protect the nymphs from drying and predators.

Spittlebugs normally do not achieve high enough populations to cause damage. If they do, forcefully hosing the plants several times should achieve the level of control needed. (Ward Upham)

There have been many concerned calls to state specialists and county agents this spring and summer about cupped and curled leaves on landscape trees and what is causing it. Also homeowners want to know if the tree will die from the damage or grow out of it. While there are some insects that can cause these symptoms (margin or vein pocket gall on pin oaks, or high aphid populations on young leaves), the most common cause is herbicide drift, or volatilization. The usual culprit is a phenoxy-type herbicide, of which 2,4-D is the most commonly used. Drift is caused when tiny spray droplets are carried by wind to off-site and off-target plants. This type of damage commonly occurs when an agricultural field is close to a residential landscape, and drift reduction methods are not followed, like accounting for the wind, and using uniform droplet or large droplet nozzles, and lower pressures.

Volatilization is a different problem altogether, and almost impossible to trace back to a source. Some herbicides, particularly the ester formulations of 2,4-D and related chemicals are prone to vaporize, and move off site. The conditions that promote volatilization (high humidity, low wind speeds) are different than conditions that promote drift (high wind speeds). Sometime the damage is caused by the homeowner themselves, spraying for weeds in their lawn.

The various oak species are quite sensitive to herbicide exposure, especially when the new leaves are just expanding.  It is the time-sensitive nature of exposure that will lead to normal leaves being found on the same twig as badly distorted leaves. Redbud is another tree species that is very sensitive to herbicides. However, the presence of twisted and cupped leaves on your tree does not mean that tree will die. If most of the leaves remain green, and if new leaves emerge without symptoms, the exposure was not severe enough to do any real harm. This is a recurring problem, due to agriculture being the dominant land use in Kansas, but fortunately the damage, although striking visually, is usually just superficial, and the tree will grow out of it just fine.  (Charlie Barden)

Contributors: Charlie Barden, Extension Forester, Bob Bauernfeind, Entomologist; Ward Upham, Extension Associate

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Tomatoes often have problems with cracking caused by pressure inside the fruit that is more than the skin can handle. Cracks are usually on the upper part of the fruit and can be concentric (in concentric circles around the stem) or radial (radiating from the stem). We don’t know everything about cracking but here is what we do know.         

Tomatoes have a root system that is very dense and fibrous and is quite efficient in picking up water. Unfortunately, the root system can become unbalanced with the top of the plant. Early in the season it may be small in relation to the top growth resulting in blossom-end rot during hot dry weather. Later it may be so efficient that it provides too much water when we get rain or irrigate heavily after a dry spell. This quick influx of water can cause the tomato fruit to crack.  Therefore, even, consistent watering can help with cracking. Mulching will also help because it moderates moisture levels in the soil. However, you can do everything right and still have problems with cracking in some years.

We have evaluated varieties for cracking during our tomato trials at K-State. It takes several years worth of data to get a good feel for crack-resistant varieties but we have found some real differences. Some varieties crack under about any condition and others are much more resistant.  The difference seems to be pliability of skin rather than thickness — the more pliable the skin the more resistance to cracking.

The old variety Jet Star has been the most crack resistant of any we have tested including the newer types. Unfortunately, Jet Star is an indeterminate variety that puts out rampant growth.  Newer varieties with more controlled growth are often more attractive to gardeners. Mountain Spring, Mountain Pride, Mountain Fresh, Floralina and Sun Leaper are smaller-vined types that have shown good resistance to cracking. (Ward Upham)

Telling when a melon is ready to be harvested can be a challenge, or it may be quite easy. It all depends on the type of melon. Let’s start with the easy one. Muskmelons are one of those crops that tell you when they are ready to be picked. This can help you not only harvest melons at the correct time but also choose good melons when shopping. As a melon ripens, a layer of cells around the stem softens so the melon detaches easily from the vine. This is called “slipping” and will leave a dish-shaped scar at the point of stem attachment. When harvesting melons, put a little pressure where the vine attaches to the fruit. If ripe, it will release or “slip.”

When choosing a melon from those that have already been harvested, look for a clean, dish-shaped scar. Also, ripe melons have a pleasant, musky aroma if the melons are at room temperature (not refrigerated).           

Watermelons can be more difficult and growers often use several techniques to tell when to harvest.

1. Look for the tendril that attaches at the same point as the melon to dry and turn brown. On some varieties this will need to be completely dried before the watermelon is ripe. On others it will only need to be in the process of turning brown.

2. The surface of a ripening melon develops a surface roughness (sometimes called “sugar bumps”) near the base of the fruit.

3. Ripe watermelons normally develop a yellow color on the “ground spot” when ripe. This is the area of the melon that contacts the ground.

Honeydew melons are the most difficult to tell when they are ripe because they do not “slip” like muskmelons. Actually, there is one variety that does slip called Earlidew, but it is the exception to the rule. Ripe honeydew melons become soft on the flower end of the fruit. The “flower end” is the end opposite where the stem attaches. Also, honeydews should change to a light or yellowish color when ripe, but this varies with variety. (Ward Upham)

When temperatures exceed 90 degrees F, fruit plants lose water quickly. When this happens, moisture is withdrawn from the fruit to supply the tree. Stress from high temperatures, along with a moisture deficit in the root environment, may cause fruit to drop or fail to increase in size.

The stress may also reduce the development of fruit buds for next year's fruit crop. If you have fruit plants such as trees, vines, canes, and such, check soil moisture at the roots. Insert a spade or shovel or a pointed metal or wood probe -- a long screwdriver works well for this. Shove these into the soil about 8 to 12 inches. If the soil is hard, dry, and difficult to penetrate, the moisture level is very low, and plants should be irrigated to prevent drooping and promote fruit enlargement.  Water can be added to the soil using sprinklers, soaker hose, drip irrigation, or even a small trickle of water running from the hose for a few hours. The amount of time you irrigate should depend upon the size of plants and the volume of water you are applying. Add enough moisture so you can easily penetrate the soil in the root area of the plant with a metal rod, wooden dowel or other probe. When hot, dry weather continues, continue to check soil moisture at least once a week.

Strawberries have a shallow root system and may need to be watered more often – maybe twice a week during extreme weather. Also, newly planted fruit trees sited on sandy soils may also need water twice a week. (Ward Upham)

Heavy fruit loads this season may cause limbs to break if they are not given extra support. As fruits increase in size, the additional weight on individual branches may be substantial. One-inch thick boards can be used to prop up limbs.

Here's how. Cut a "V" on the top edge of the board on which the limb will rest so that it doesn't slip off. Long limbs that are heavily loaded with fruit may need a prop in the center and another to support the outer part of the limb. A plastic belt-like material that is about 2 inches wide may also be used. This can be tied to a heavily loaded limb, then to a large diameter limb above for support. Where a large limb is used for support, it is good to have it supporting limbs on opposite sides so the weight is balanced. Another solution is to wrap a tape or belt material around the tree in a spiral to prevent limbs from bending until they break. Heavy twine may be used, but it should be removed when the fruit is picked or soon after so it does not cut into the bark on the limb.

Check trees regularly, up to two times a week during the last month the fruit are maturing. You will find additional limbs that need support. Tending to the heavily loaded tree limbs will reduce the number of broken limbs and help keep a balance of the fruiting wood in your tree.  Next year, prune long, weak branches back to a side branch to help prevent this problem. (Ward Upham)

Blackberry and raspberry fruit will often develop white or tan drupelets on the berry. Though we are not completely sure of the cause, two commonly given reasons are stinkbug damage and sunscald.  Damage has been attributed to stinkbugs if the pattern of off color (not white) drupelets is random. Stinkbug damage is caused by the insect feeding on the blackberry receptacle and injuring drupelets on either side. Sunscald damage will be on the side of the fruit exposed to the sun and has several drupelets in a small area being affected.

Neither condition affects the eating quality of the fruit unless the stink bug releases the “stink” with which it is associated rendering the fruit inedible. By the time damage is seen, it is too late for control. (Ward Upham)

Newly planted trees have not established the extensive root system needed to absorb enough water during hot, dry, windy summers. Even trees two or three years old should receive special care.

Deep, infrequent watering and mulching can help trees become established. Newly transplanted trees need at least 10 gallons of water per week, and on sandy soils they will need that much applied twice a week. The secret is getting that water to soak deeply into the soil, so it evaporates more slowly and is available to the tree’s roots longer. One way to do this is to  punch a small hole in the side of a 5-gallon bucket and fill it with water. Let the water dribble out slowly next to the tree. Refill the bucket once, and you have applied 10 gallons. Very large transplanted trees and trees that were transplanted two to three years ago will require more water.

A perforated soaker hose is a great way to water a newly established bed or foundation planting. In sunbaked soil, you may need to rough up the surface with a hoe or tiller to get water to infiltrate easily. It may be helpful to set the kitchen oven timer, so you remember to move the hose or shut off the faucet. If you are seeing surface runoff, reduce the flow, or build a berm with at least a 4-foot  diameter around the base of the tree to allow the water to percolate down through the soil, instead of spreading out.

Regardless of method used, soil should be wet at least 12 inches deep. Use a metal rod, wooden dowel, electric fence post or something similar to check depth. Dry soil is much harder to push through than wet. (Ward Upham)

No, not the kind of screens with which our lives are consumed! I’ve had a lot of requests lately for information about columnar (fastigate) trees. My first question is always “Why?” I find that columnar trees impart a very formal feel to a landscape design. Do they fit? What is their purpose? Most often the answer is that the person wants to screen a neighbor or a particular view or perhaps they just need something narrow to fit in a particular spot. My next question relates to the type of plant desired: evergreen or deciduous. An evergreen plant will block the view year-round and provide some winter interest, but are generally more slow-growing. A deciduous tree will most likely grow faster than an evergreen tree, but in the winter the leaves will drop and you’ll have a partial screen. You’ll need to weigh the pros and cons for your situation as you chose plants for these purposes.

It’s important to be aware of the mature size of the plant as well. Sure, they look so small and skinny when you plant them, but when they start to grow into each other and you can’t mow around them anymore it becomes a problem. Be aware of how much space you have for them to grow (wide) and how tall you need them to be in order to solve the privacy or view problem.

So, let’s get into some plant recommendations, starting with evergreen. Assuming that you want these plants to get to at least 15 to 30 feet tall, you can consider a Chinese juniper such as Juniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii Columnaris’ or a white pine (Pinus strobus ‘Fastigiata’). A tough-as-nails option that is used quite frequently is a cultivar of Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) called ‘Taylor’ which is a release from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and was found in a pasture near Taylor, NE. Some winter browning has been reported in exceptionally cold years, but the plants recover quickly.        

There are quite a few more options in the deciduous category and most can get quite tall. Let’s start with the shortest of the bunch, which is a ginkgo with outstanding bright yellow fall color: Gold Spire ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba ‘Blagon’) that grows 14 to 16 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide. European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus  ‘Franz Fontaine’) is a popular option with clean, bright green foliage growing 30 feet tall by 10 feet wide. Mature tuliptrees (Liriodendron tulipifera) will really make heads turn when they sport large, tulip-shaped flowers in the spring. The columnar cultivar ‘Fastigiatum’ grows 50 to 60 feet tall and 20 feet wide.  

I would be remiss not to mention a cultivar plucked right out of the Great Plains in Kansas. Prairie Sentinel® Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis ‘JFS-KSU1’) stuck it’s tall canopy out of the rural prairie and just called out for propagation. It can grow up to 45 feet tall and 12 feet wide. It’s also just as tough-as-nails as Eastern redcedar. 

How about a Zelkova? These upright trees have a vase-shaped architecture (they are quite narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, a little like an upside down pyramid) they make great canopies over roads. The columnar version of this species is Zelkova serrata ‘Musashino’ and grows 45 feet tall and 15 feet wide.          

Another relatively columnar tree not seen nearly enough is Shawnee Brave® Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum ‘Mickelson’). Baldcypress can be a confusing tree to folks who aren’t “in the know.” It looks like an evergreen, and in fact it is a conifer, but it’s a deciduous conifer. It’s feathery sage-green leaves turn pumpkin-brown in the fall and drop to the ground. This species can get huge, both tall and wide, but Shawnee Brave® grows to a mere 55 feet tall and 20 feet wide. Since this species tolerates wet and/or dry areas, it might just fit the tough spot you’re looking to fill.

Now to the oaks.  Columnar English Oak (Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’) started the trend by growing 50 to 60 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. This is an example of a tree that tends to hold onto its leaves well into the winter so it can provide a partial screen in the winter. Some plants are susceptible to mildew, thus numerous hybrids have been developed in order to improve on the growth habits of columnar English oak. One of these is Crimson Spire™ Oak (Quercus robur x Quercus alba ‘Crimschmidt’), which is a beautiful deciduous street tree with reddish-purple fall color that grows 45 feet tall and 15 feet wide. A smaller relative is the Kindred Spirit™ Oak (Quercus robur x bicolor ‘Nadler’), which matures at about 30 feet tall and 6 feet wide.

One last plant note: I know you all want to plant poplar.  Please, don’t. Here’s why: poplars (in general) are fast growing but that comes with weak, brittle wood, disease-prone growth, short life span, roots that clog drain tiles, sewers and water channels. Horticulturalists consider most species of poplar a pest (don’t tell the foresters…) when used as ornamentals. It has few redeeming qualities in a home landscape and will only serve to annoy and frustrate you over its short lifespan. There are so many better choices!

This is not an all-inclusive list and, as with my last article, these plants may be more difficult to find than your average tree. They’re not quite specimen plants, but they’re not full, wide shade trees either (most commonly planted). However, they are available. Be patient and have your local landscape contractor or nursery do some sourcing for you. It will be worth it to have a quality, long-lasting, living screen.  (Cheryl Boyer)

These beetles are notorious for quickly stripping vegetables (especially tomatoes) and ornamentals of their foliage. There are several species of blister beetles which vary in size (often between 0.5-0.75 inch long) and color (such as black, gray or brown-striped), but most are recognized by their elongated, narrow, cylindrical, soft bodies with middle body part (thorax) narrower than the head or wingcovers.

Some home gardeners like to use hand picking as a nonchemical method for controlling these large insects. However, wear gloves and use caution because these beetles contain a substance called cantharidin. This chemical is an irritant capable of blistering internal and external body tissues exposed to the chemical. On tender human skin, body fluids of adult blister beetles may cause large, erect, watery blisters.

Chemical control of blister beetles is also possible. Cyfluthrin (Bayer Vegetable and Garden Insect Spray) and gamma- or lambda-cyhalothrin (Spectracide Triazicide, Bonide Beetle Killer, Bonide Caterpillar Killer) can be used for control. Cyfluthrin has a 0 day waiting period and lambda-cyhalothrin has a 5-day waiting period on tomatoes. (Ward Upham)

Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate; Cheryl Boyer, Extension Specialist