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Kim Parsons, Owner - The Hub Garden Center

Q. Japanese Beetles are eating everything in my yard, where did they come from and how do I get rid of them? Click here to read more...

A. The obvious answer is Japan, but you could figure that out on your own right. These hungry little bugs came from the ground where they start life as a white grub. They hatched from their grub form in late May to feast upon your plants and veggie gardens. The females then lay eggs in your beds and lawn which hatch into grub form around the first of August. Picking off the adults by hand and drowning in soapy water is effective, so is carbaryl or seven in liquid form. But using an insecticide on the lawn in mid to late August to kill the grubs before they mature is the most effective control. Imidacloprid is a good insecticide to use.

Q. The leaves on my crepe myrtle are black; do I have a fungus on them? Click here to read more...

A. No, You have what is called sooty mold. But it isn’t fungal, It’s cause by aphids and the their droppings. These small, very small sucking insects leave a sugary excrement on the leave of infected plants. Then over time dirt and dust stick to the sticky substance causing the leaves and trunks to turn black. Getting rid of the aphids is the first step, use either insecticidal soaps or a strong blast of water from a garden hose to kill and knock them off. For severe infestations malathion works well but with both it and the organic soap you must spray the backs of the leaves.