Q: Is it too late to register for the Spring Garden Seminar on March 3?
A: Registration is open until Feb. 25, but we've had strong demand and classes available are limited. The online registration lets you know what is available quite easily. Please go to this web address and follow the registration link: http://extension.missouri.edu/cole/gardeningseminar.aspx. Review the schedule so you know what you'd like to take. The online registration will only show what is available.
Q: I've had a bunch of these wispy, tiny gnats coming out of two potted palm trees. What are they? And can they get into other plants? Is there a way to stop them? I've never had them before. I started to water the palms more because the tips of the leaves were getting brown, so thought that's what I'm supposed to do.
A: These are almost surely fungus gnats, which are associated with potted plants that are kept too wet or need to be kept moist. Their larvae prefer moist and cool conditions, and they hatch out as adults. In the low humidity conditions we generally have indoors in the winter, some plants may need to be watered more, like your palm trees indicated. The easiest way to reduce fungus gnats is to water the plants less. This will gradually bring their numbers down. There is also a safe, natural insecticide you can drench the soil with, called Mosquito Bits (a similar product to Mosquito Dunks). Fungus gnats are considered a nuisance pest, as they generally don't 'harm' anything. So if you can tolerate them for another couple of months, then moving affected plants outdoors will make it so you don't notice them anymore. They can spread to other plants, but aren't likely to, unless those plants are also kept moist or wet.
Q: I read your answer last week about sterilizing pruning equipment. That got me wondering about other garden tools like shovels, tillers and other equipment for working the soil? How careful does one need to be and what are some easy control measures?
A: When it comes to tillage equipment, it is easy to transmit disease. However, one still needs to "have" the disease to move it around with trowels, shovels or rototillers. The most common way would be with soil shed off that would be infected with fungi/bacteria or nematodes. Three examples (which afflict a number of different plants) are Southern blight, root knot nematode and damping off. Since soil shedding is the most likely way to transmit, cleaning the equipment by washing well between usages should prevent spread. Drying afterwards and then wiping down with oil will both protect the metal and remove any lingering soil. As mentioned last week, if there is concern regarding a disease, we encourage getting the disease confirmed, so one can make more informed decisions.
The practice of digging up and sharing plants between gardens should be avoided, if there is ANY concern on transmitting of soil borne diseases. This is one of the most common ways for serious disease problems like Southern Blight or root knot nematode to be spread.
Q: I have a walnut tree that might have some value, and it is growing close to my house. I think I'd like to get it removed and was wondering if it might be used for lumber. Whom should I contact to find out?
A: Missouri Department of Conservation has a phone number to call for just that issue. Missouri 'Call Before You Cut' lists (877) 564-7483. It also has a list of lumber mills in the area and what trees they source: https://mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/timber-sales. An electronic photo of it might be helpful for someone to assess its potential value.
Q: Can I seed grass now?
A: Yes, the technique of "frost seeding" grass is typically done now. The idea is the grass seed will get worked into the soil with some of the frosts and the late winter moisture. It will lay there and germinate when the soil warms up in early spring. If doing this on bare dirt, I'd still go ahead and scratch it into the soil with a leaf rake, then cover with a light layer of straw. If overseeding a lawn, then adjust the seeding rate up, which should be provided on the bag.