This column will be published each Wednesday during the growing season.
What are some good groundcovers for shade?
Excellent groundcovers for shade include bugleweed (Ajuga spp.), wild ginger (Asarum canadense and A. europaeum), barrenwort (Epimedium spp.), sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), hosta (Hosta spp.), spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum), creeping lily-turf (Liriope spicata), Japanese pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis), lungwort (Pulmonaria spp.), foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia), and vinca (Vinca minor).
Bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podagraria ‘Variegata’) and lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) are two other shade-tolerant groundcovers. Unfortunately, both plants spread rapidly and often become invasive. These aggressive spreaders should not be planted with other perennials as they quickly crowd out neighboring plants. Bishop’s weed and lily-of-the-valley should be planted only in areas where they can be confined (for example, between a building and sidewalk) or allowed to spread freely.
How do I stop birds from eating my blueberries?
Birds are the biggest threat to the blueberry crop in the home garden. If not controlled, hungry birds may devour most of the crop. Scare devices are sometimes helpful. However, netting is the most effective way to protect the crop. Netting should be placed over the plants when the fruit begin to color. Hang the netting over some type of support structure with the edges of the netting buried or anchored to the ground to prevent bird entry from below.
Do I need to add an activator to my compost pile?
It is not necessary to apply an inoculant or activator to a compost pile. A compost pile should be composed of layers of plant material and soil or finished compost. The soil and finished compost contain the microbes that will decompose the plant material. When constructing a compost pile, also add some fertilizer or manure. Nitrogen accelerates the decomposition process if the plant materials are high in carbon.
What are Austrees?
The Austree is a hybrid willow. Its parents are the corkscrew willow (Salix matsudana) and white willow (Salix alba). While Austrees are fast growing trees, insects and diseases can be problems. Because of these problems, Austrees are not appropriate for many landscape situations. They are suitable for quick, temporary screens when planted along with longer-lived, more permanent trees and shrubs in a multi-row windbreak.
What should I do about ants in my kitchen?
Proper identification of the ant species is the key to controlling the ants. There are roughly a half-dozen species of ants commonly found in homes. Each species is searching for its own particular food and the control measures are different. For example, ant baits can work well for controlling ants that prefer sweets, like the odorous house ant. However many species, like the carpenter ants, are not highly attracted to baits. For these species the alternative is seal cracks around the foundation and windows, or use insecticide around possible entry points. Remember, do not use insecticides were they may contaminate food or dishes.