While I keep a reminder to check for ticks in the garden chores almost all year, spring signals the start of a serious tick invasion.
I found my first tick of the season during a warm spell about two weeks ago. Having suffered numerous bouts of Lyme disease, I take ticks very seriously, and I encourage you to do the same. And it’s not just Lyme disease. There are several other equally serious diseases carried by ticks.
Understand the habits of ticks. They are parasites spread by animals — deer, mice, even our beloved pets. They winter over in protected places like the leaf litter on the floor of the forest, climbing up on the surrounding vegetation anytime temperatures go above 50 degrees F. Hanging out in the shrubs, brush and high grass, ticks get on us when we brush against their hiding place. They crawl to a nice, warm, moist spot and attach themselves to their host (pets, deer, us) and settle in for a good feed of blood. Then they detach and drop off.
We can lessen our chances of meeting up with them by keeping high grass cut, and wearing long sleeves and pants when we are working or walking in areas where the plants are about waist-high. Repellents containing Deet are generally considered most effective when used on the skin; permethrin can be sprayed on clothing. Keep long hair restrained and wear a hat. Light-colored clothing makes it easier to spot ticks that do get on you.
Check your body for ticks when you come in — check children and pets as well. The CDC recommends taking a shower within about two hours of returning indoors. The shower may rinse off any unattached ticks, and stripping, washing and changing clothes give us an opportunity to check our bodies for attached ones.
Finding a tick on your body is not the end of the world. Prompt removal greatly reduces any chance of infection. If you have had a tick attached, remove it carefully, clean the bite and keep an eye out for symptoms — rashes, unexpected fevers.
If you notice problems, contact your physician. A good general source of information is the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website, https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/index.html.
Then there are the mosquitoes
These nasty insects are not only annoying but also transmit diseases — West Nile, chikungunya and zika, for example. While most bites are just itchy and annoying, mosquito bites can have serious consequences. So here are some ways you can avoid getting bitten:
Wearing long-sleeved clothing and long pants.
Using clothing treated with repellent — permethrin. Use skin repellents such as Deet.When using a sunscreen and an insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first, allow it to dry and then apply the insect repellent. Remember to reapply both after several hours, after swimming, or after strenuous activity that resulted in excessive sweat.
Eliminate breeding sites by dumping standing water and removing containers such as old tires or pots that may collect rainwater.
Dump and scrub water sources such as birdbaths or pet water containers at least once a week. You needn’t stop using the birdbath, just keep it clean.
Use air conditioning indoors or make sure all screens are in good repair.
Again, for more information on mosquito-borne diseases, see the CDC website, cdc.gov/features/stopmosquitoes/index.html.
The Weather
It’s now mid-May, generally considered the ideal time to start setting out your plants.
Locally, we are past the average last frost date (May 10-15). But successful gardening is more than just following the calendar.
Take this past week for example. By the calendar, it is safe to set out the more tender plants, tomatoes and such; however, the weather of late has been very uncooperative. We registered three-and-a-half inches of rain from last Friday through Monday afternoon, and the temperatures have been anywhere from the 70s to the mid-40s, then back to the 70s this week.
Why mention this? Because the good gardener watches the weather as well as the calendar. All that rain has soaked the soil and wet soil should not be worked. Planting in wet soil is very bad for most plants; the soil compacts, losing important air spaces between the grains of soil.
Then there’s the temperature. While it is very unlikely that we will have a frost, it is not necessarily warm enough for the heat-loving tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and such.
Cool soil and nighttime temperatures below 50 degrees F will slow or stop any growth. The plants will probably survive, but may be permanently stunted and most likely slow to flower and form fruits. So let the soil dry out before you dig, and make sure the forecast is for warm weather before you set out those tender tomatoes.
Let the soil warm up. Raised beds and containers will warm up first, garden beds take longer. A little patience now will pay off later this summer.
Sue Kittek is a freelance garden columnist, writer, and lecturer. Send questions to Garden Keeper at grdnkpr@gmail.com or mail: Garden Keeper, The Morning Call, PO Box 1260, Allentown, PA 18105.
Week in the Garden
Planting
Start sequential sowing of crops like beans, radishes, lettuce, and spinach to create a longer harvest season.
Set out tomatoes when the weather warms to at least 50 degrees F at night.
Wait a few weeks before setting out basil, eggplant or pepper transplants.
Start seed for: Baby’s breath, cosmos, zinnias, salsify, eggplant, summer squash and winter squash.
Direct sow: Snap, bush and pole beans, cantaloupe, melons, cucumbers, rhubarb, summer and winter squash.
Continue sewing: Celeric, celery, cabbage, carrots, collards, bunching onions, onion sets, parsnips, and Swiss chard.
Plant or pot up summer bulbs and tubers such as dahlias, cannas, calla lilies, and caladiums.
Plant bare root trees and shrubs.
Make sure the soil is dry enough to work — Don’t dig or plant in mud.
Buy annuals for containers, annual garden beds and to fill in bare spots in perennial or shrub beds.
Follow your schedule for starting seeds. Check packets for instructions such as start indoors four weeks before last frost date.
Seasonal
As the weather warms, ease out your plants that wintered over inside. Start with an hour or so on a warm day and increase outdoor time until the nights are regularly in the 50 degrees F range before leaving them out for the season.
Visit nurseries as they open for inspiration as well as new plants.
Shop for summer bulbs as well.
Apply a top dressing of compost to lawns and beds.
Test soil for new beds, Retest soil in poorly performing areas or those that haven’t been tested in the last 3-5 years.
Cut back ornamental grasses. Divide when you see new green growth.
Divide hostas and daylilies.
Prune and divide perennials that bloom in late summer or fall.
Prune back and clear out dead, diseased or unattractive stems from perennials and shrubs, but not those that flower in the spring. Please check proper pruning information for each plant and prune as needed and recommended.
Apply spring and summer mulch, two to three inches deep and placed a few inches away from foundations, tree trunks and other plants.
Fluff mulch and add more if necessary.
Apply corn gluten-based weed control in the garden and establish a schedule for reapplication, usually at four- to six-week intervals.
Lawn
By mid-May: Dethatch, seed or overseed lawns. Apply broadleaf weed control and complete sod projects.
By mid-June: Apply spring fertilizer treatments. Apply pre-emergent crabgrass control in the next few weeks. Fill in holes and low spots in lawn.
Chores
Water any recent plantings anytime the ground isn’t frozen and we experience a week with less than an inch of rain.
Fix damaged screens and garden hoses.
Note damaged caulking around doors and windows.
Dump standing water and remove anything that may collect rainwater to help control mosquito populations.
Provide deer, rabbit and groundhog protection for vulnerable plants.
Re-apply taste or scent deterrents.
Clean and fill bird feeders regularly.
Clean up spilled seed and empty hulls.
Dump, scrub and refill birdbaths at least once a week.
Consider setting out nesting materials if you have them.
Clear gutters and direct rainwater runoff away from house foundations.
Tools, equipment, and supplies
Store winter equipment and replace or repair as needed.
Check spring/summer equipment — repair or replace damaged or worn-out tools.
Check power tools and mowers and send for service if needed.
Safety
Clear lawns of debris before mowing and make sure pets, children and others are well away from the area being mown.
Store garden chemicals indoors away from pets and children.
Discard outdated ones at local chemical collection events.
Photograph storm damage before clearing or repairing for insurance claims and file promptly.
Anytime you are outside and the temperatures are about 50 degrees F or warmer, watch for tick bites.
Use an insect repellent containing Deet on the skin. Apply a permethrin product to clothing.
Wear light-colored clothing, long sleeves, hats and long pants when working in the garden.
Stay hydrated. Drink water or other non-caffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages.
Even in cold weather, apply sunscreen, wear hats and limit exposure to sun.
Wear closed-toe shoes and gloves; use eye protection; and use ear protection when using any loud power tools.
