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Garden
Notes: Silkworm, wooly bear, oakworm and more
September 15, 2005
By
Abigail Higgins
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Act two of the caterpillar saga.
Photo by Susan Safford
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These September days are lovely, although conditions continue to be very, very dry. We are in our very own personal bubble of flawless days and deep drought, as even Woods Hole has experienced ample rainfall that skipped the island. The deer seem to be emerging from the woods into the garden unseasonably soon. They must want something more succulent than the dull-leaved, drooping vegetation that is out there in the wild. My view is that these conditions permit the acceleration of Fall Clean-up chores. (More on that later.)
Having gone through a spring wave of caterpillar activity that was more dramatic than we like, we are now about to enjoy the second act. Late summer is the second season of caterpillar activity. Many of the current ones are of the big or hairy type. Avoid skin contact with all. The webbing currently afflicting chokecherry bushes is that of the fall webworm, which differs from that of the eastern tent caterpillar (found typically in the tree crotches) by occurring at the branch tips and working back down as the caterpillar nest grows and feeds.
Tussock moth caterpillars of several different species are active in the late summer/early fall, including those of the Sycamore and Hickory tussock moths. Most of us are familiar with the brown and black woolly bear caterpillar (the width of whose brown band tends to widen as the caterpillar matures rather than to predict the severity of the coming winter,) but fewer gardeners know the yellow woolly bear, which is active and often quite destructive in the late summer garden. Look for butterscotch yellow fuzzball caterpillars on the undersides of garden foliage of plants such as asters. Less often seen — to be admired only and not touched — are the three-inch, bristly pale green caterpillars of one of the giant silkworm moths, the Io moth. Its bristles are capable of delivering a nasty sting and it often feeds on suckering sassafras foliage.
Other members of the giant silkworm/royal moth group (Saturniidae, an endangered category that is found in greater numbers in southeastern Massachusetts than many other places in its range) include the Cecropia, the Luna, the Polyphemus, the Promethea, the Regal and the Imperial moths. Their caterpillars are spectacular and the largest to be found in mid to late summer. While the caterpillars are capable of eating large amounts of foliage toward the end of the feeding cycle, their moths have been in decline for some time. Their rarity (and number of caterpillars, therefore) is such as to pose no danger to the host tree population. Please observe and admire only. (Thanks to the New England Wild Flower Journal of Spring/Summer 2004, vol. 8, no. 1, and Garden Insects of North America, by Whitney Cranshaw, Princeton University Press, 2004 for information.)
Also in the Saturniidae, but by contrast a common late season caterpillar, is the orangestriped oakworm, which I am seeing with alarming frequency in Christiantown this year. It feeds on oak and according to Cranshaw it is capable of extensive defoliation in late summer. Look for a long, thin (but nonetheless plumpish), somewhat shiny caterpillar, black with eight orange stripes, and sporting two black "horns" behind the head. The moth is a dusty or brick red with two prominent small white spots on the upper wings.
Shutting down early
In the gardens we are starting to put away early this year, the drought makes it easy to let go since continuing on is water-intensive and performance is lackluster. Remove annuals and tropicals. Cut back the perennials and then it is easier to see what is what. Lift, cut back, divide and reset the ones that need it or are in the wrong place (especially in September iris and peony). Employ compost, for humus, in replanting if available. Take samples for soil tests (www.umass.edu/plsoils/soiltest or 413-545-2311) and amend the beds following the test recommendations. Order and plant bulbs. I recommend checking out Old House Gardens (www.oldhousegardens.com) for unusual, high-quality bulbs. Finish fall fertilizing. Resolve this year to make the switch to organic, "soil food" (as opposed to "jet-fuel") fertilizers. The manufacture of synthetic fertilizers is energy-intensive and polluting; the use of them depletes the soil.
Other things to do: Pruning at the end of the season can be done. Doing it now minimizes the growth of suckers and sprouting, but avoid pruning plants such as magnolias that need active growth to callus over the wound. Re-tie standards, vines, and roses against the rubbing action of blustery cold-season winds. For the same reason, prune to correct crossing branches where you notice them — bark wears through more quickly than one would think. Especially in the Franklin Street/West Chop area: look for gypsy moth egg masses on trees, shrubs, and houses and eaves. They are a mid-brown color, something like a dab of mud but fuzzy looking, which can be scraped off where they are within reach. Consider a joint spray effort with your neighbors where the cost is shared.
Winterizing tips
Start an anti-desiccant spray program for fall, for trees and shrubs that may suffer during the coming winter (keeping in mind the temperature limitations for application.) Re-edge beds. For beds, shrubberies, and individual trees and shrubs, apply compost, rotted manure products, leaf mould, composted wood chips, or purchased mulch products to condition, enrich, seal the surface, and hold in soil moisture. Take a hard look at the tender plants in your beds and containers. How much room have you got to winter-over the non-essentials? Which can you see yourself propagating or utilizing next year? Clean up or cut back the must-haves and repot if needed. Go out to the garden centers and look for seasonal bedding plant replacements.
Polly Hill Arboretum (PHA) offers a workshop in making rustic garden benches Saturday, Sept.17, from 9 am to 2:30 pm. "Whether you are a first-time builder, or you've already conquered the trellis or obelisk and wish to tackle another project, consider making a garden bench. Using errant vines and saplings, Janice Shields will return to PHA to guide participants step-by-step as they create their own rustic bench. Come learn the techniques that can be used to construct a broad range of sculptural delights for your garden and home. A discussion on choosing and harvesting raw materials will also be included. We'll provide the wood and instruction; you bring the tools and energy to build a one-of-a-kind creation. Tool list upon registration. Bring a bag lunch. $96/$80 for PHA members." This sounds like a wonderful class and too good an opportunity to miss: holiday gifts, garden enhancement, retail possibilities — and all possibly made from invasive bittersweet vines!
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