First, it's peony season here in Southcentral and that means one of nature's truly glorious flowers appears on the scene. It is no wonder they were the flowers of royalty.
The only drawback are the hordes of thrips that cover the petals of these flowers as they open up. They insert their mouthparts into the petal and suck away at the juices. No real damage is done by this activity, but there can be thousands and thousands of them on one flower and they definitely detract from the beauty. They also sometimes fall off on the dining room table or wherever else they are put on display indoors.
The best prevention/remedy may just be a good hard blast or three of cold water. The earlier in the flowering stage that you start this practice, the more effective it will be. Poisons? It is way too late for them. You may kill the thrips, but they will die with their "swords" in the petals and remain suspended on your flowers. An application of AzaMax or other systemic and contact neem-based products earlier in the season would have been a better idea.
You can also trap them using blue sticky traps. You may have to make your own as the yellow ones seem to be the only ones around. Finally, some growers literally wrap their buds/flowers with very fine netting to keep the trips out.
Next, I am getting questions about the gobs of spit that seem to be on grasses and plants on the edges of properties. These are actually a protective cover created by an insect popularly known as the spittle bug. Actually, it is the nymph stage that makes this spittle. If you open up the spittle, you will see it.
These are pretty interesting bugs. Actually, they are not true bugs, but in the same order as aphids and cicadas, which makes them pretty close. They suck liquids from the plant's water system, the xylem, which takes water from the roots and up into the leaves. It carries with it mineral ions that are plant nutrients. This is not the phloem that has the stuff coming from the leaves and which is full of glucose. So they have to ingest a lot of it and the excess liquid is excreted out the back end of the spittle bug.
There is some debate as to where the bubbles come from. Either they are produced inside the insect, like foam in an espresso, or by the movement of special organs when the liquid is outside the spittle bug. No matter, there are lots of bubbles created. These protect the young spittle bug from predators. (Hey, it works! Even you don't want to stick your hands in it.) And, because the bubbles are full of air and the layer is thick, it serves as insulation so the nymph can keep itself at a constant temperature and ensure adequate humidity.
These are interesting, but spittle bugs really don't cause much harm. If you want to get rid of them, squish them. But why?
Finally, meadow rue, Thalictrum, has become very popular in Southcentral. It is a self-seeding annual and can be a bit weedy, but it gives you a lot of warning before sending out new seeds. The 4- to 5-foot-tall, delicate, lacy plants are terrific in the perennial gardens. Unfortunately, some -- but not all -- seem to attract an inordinate amount of aphids when they enter the blooming stage. These move to the top of the plant and literally cover flowers and several inches of the stems. The mass is pretty disquieting, not to mention disgusting.
The question is why only some plants, out of all the ones in the garden, are affected? More sugars or proteins or something in their sap? Or are they sacrificial lambs for the rest of the rues growing in the garden?
Finally, I am getting lots of questions about leaves on roses and other plants that are all curled up. Leaf rollers come to mind. Open a few up and see what is inside. (Nothing is going to bite you!) Leaf rollers roll up leaves and use them as part of the cover as they morph from a caterpillar to a moth.
Once they are in this state, they are no longer eating and the pesticides that are organic and safe won't work. Nothing will. However, the presence of these rolled leaves should serve as ample notice that there will be a similar occurrence next July unless you are observant and take care of the problem during the caterpillar stage in the spring.
Jeff Lowenfels is a member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame. You can reach him at teamingwithmicrobes.com or by calling 274-5297 during "The Garden Party" radio show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KBYR AM-700.
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