Neighbor’s garden a mess? Consider it a ‘crystal ball’ and take preemptive action
Ah, spring. It’s beautiful, it’s bountiful, and it is busy.
Digging myself out from a mountain of soil test results recently, I couldn’t help but note the eerie comparison of my time management now to that of my college days. Ready to take on the horticultural world back then, there were few projects or opportunities I would not tackle if they came my way, with an eagerness to embrace all the experiences life had to offer.
One such opportunity came in the form of overseeing a bedding plant sale. There, along with my fellow students, I would grow the flora being sold from plug to selling size, nurturing the plants along the way in a small outcropping of a greenhouse complex that we had access to.
It was a cool educational and managerial experience for which I am grateful. That is not to say it was without its trials.
From the get-go, the project had a problem to address with the greenhouse next door. It was infested with aphids. So much so that they were traveling between rooms, invading neighbors and taking out plant stands. Thus, it was on us to deep clean our greenhouse space from top to bottom, sweeping, pressure washing, disinfecting, and sealing gaps in the wall with enough duct tape to hold together the space station.
Our hard work paid off. Despite the swarming invasion next door, we didn’t have a single aphid problem to address during that growing season.
Gardeners working in the vegetable garden may face a similar experience. They know that if a neighbor is harboring garden pests, diseases or environmental issues, their own garden may be next on the list.
While this aspect of gardening may sound problematic (you can’t exactly treat property you don’t own to solve your issues), you can play this to your advantage. These scenarios give you a “crystal ball” of sorts, helping you foresee garden problems of the future. It is with this information, then, that you can be proactive instead of reactive — preemptively rescuing your plants.
Like the greenhouse, removal of old plant material or spent organic matter can be crucial when it comes to eradicating dormant pests or their eggs that may be present. Planting cultivars that are resistant to known diseases or pests will prevent the problem from spreading.
Creating an inhospitable environment free of “weed hotels,” extraneous water and bare soil will help incorporate plants that encourage beneficial insects. The work may ultimately have you as busy as a horticulturist in spring, but the reward will be evident tenfold as you look over and compare to your neighbor’s.
If you’re eager to see how your gardening skills stack up against those of your neighbors (minus the pest problems), the upcoming biannual Extension Master Gardeners Garden Tour is a must. Explore seven diverse locations on May 17 and 18. This tour is a golden opportunity to gather inspiration, learn new techniques and connect with fellow gardeners. Find more information about the tour at johnson.ksu.edu or call 913-715-7000.
Anthony Reardon is a horticulture agent with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Need help? Contact the Johnson County Extension gardening hotline at 913-715-7050 or email garden.help@jocogov.org.
