ON SALE!
This Week at Milberger's

Calvin R. Finch, Ph.D., Conservation Director, San Antonio Water System,
and Horticulturist
Week of November 26, 2001

Q. I know flea control is not exactly a gardening topic, but they are a problem in the landscape. Do you have any advice on controlling the pests?

A. The key to flea control is to kill the current adults and also the generation represented in the eggs that are already in place. The usual control is to spray diazinon or dursban to the lawn and pet areas twice. The first application is for the adults and the second application, five or six days later, is for the next generation.

Retail nurseries, home improvement stores, and feed stores also have some new products. Go to the insecticide section and read the labels of the products that mention fleas. Your veterinarian is also a good source of information on flea control.

Q. Is it too late to apply Kocide 101 to my peach trees? I had trouble with bacterial leaf spot last year.

A. The best time to apply Kocide is just before leaf drop. If the leaves are still hanging on your trees, apply it now. Some spray programs suggest that Kocide applied just before budbreak also helps.

Q. Is there anything that I can feed to the birds that will only attract cardinals?

A. Seed cakes made from safflower seed are available from bird feed stores. Cardinals and titmice are attracted to them but not much else. The same safflower seed fed in a tube feeder will attract a few sparrows, but are most attractive to cardinals.

Q. Winter rye planted in the lawn is so easy and so beautiful, why doesn't everyone do it?

A. Winter rye works okay in a Bermuda grass lawn but competes with St. Augustine, buffalo, and zoysia grass to the point that they decline quickly.

Q. When should we pull our tomato plants?

A. When they quit producing or get killed by frost, whichever comes first.