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invasive visitors sprouting

We have a garden pest that does not directly affect our garden plants, but it is a real threat to our ecosystem. Ailanthus tree sprouts are in many of our garden beds and may look like an ordinary weed, but the giveaway is that they smell like peanut butter.

Also known as “Tree of Heaven,” Ailanthus grows very fast, crowds out our native shrubs and trees, and is very difficult to get rid of once it becomes deeply rooted.

Worst of all, Ailanthus is the host species for the spotted lanternfly, which is a huge pest to fruit trees, stone fruits and our own eastern native forest trees.

Please pluck out Ailanthus sprouts in and around your garden bed, and put them into the cold compost bin.

Look out for the bigger sprouts or young saplings and pull them out whenever they are, on garden property, or anywhere you are tending to a natural area.

Ailanthus sprouts
Spotted lanternfly

cutworms

As you dig your beds and plant your plants, keep an eye out for CUTWORMS. They like to eat your young plants and usually can be found curled up in the soil at this time of year.

Cutworms are not worms, but are caterpillars one to two inches long. They can be brown, gray, yellow or green and usually have stripes going down their backs or spots on their bodies. They feed at night and hide in the soil during the day. If you visit your garden early morning or late evening you can sometimes find them on your plants.

Pick them off and destroy them (under foot, or put them into a bottle of soapy water). Do not put them alive into the compost bin, or they will continue their life cycle.

early spring notes

Two tips from the Health Team to get off to a good garden start:

Pull up weeds from in and around your plot. Lesser celandine and mugwort are very invasive. Remove any trash off site! See this video link of mugwort and photo of lesser celandine.

Lesser Celandine

Mulch your beds to keep out weeds, hold moisture, and keep the soil temperature stable. Recommended mulches include: straw (around seedlings), chipped leaves, or pine needles.