Question:
My sunflowers have finished blooming. They grew to 18 inches and produced beautiful blooms on short stalks. I’m curious whether saving the seeds will result in plants that grow just like their parents, or if I’ll encounter some surprises. Does the seed require any special treatment?Answer:
- Yes, you’ll be in for a surprise. At this point, you have no idea what the height of the next generation will be. In fact, no one knows for sure until you sow the seed and observe what germinates and grows.
- Most sunflower varieties are hybrids, which are the result of crossing two different varieties. The resulting plant characteristics are then rearranged. This is called genetics.
- Sunflowers are traditionally tall plants, but your plants are short, suggesting you planted a hybrid variety. If you decide to save the seeds, the simplest method is to cover the flower with a plastic bag and shake it, allowing the mature seeds to fall into the bag.
- After harvesting the sunflower seeds, store them in glass jars and keep them refrigerated or in a cool place like the garage until next spring.
- Sunflower seeds don’t need any special treatment before sowing.
Question:
Last fall, raccoons tore up our lawn to feast on the grubs. I’d like to prevent this issue this year and discourage the raccoons from returning. Is there an easy way to detect the lawn grubs?Answer:
- You can do a simple test with detergent and water to check for grubs
- Grub damage usually starts next to a cement or concrete edge because of the heat. They quickly expand toward the center of the lawn. The grass turns brown as the grass thins out or disappears, leaving bare spots.
- I would set up several test sites for grubs. The sites can be any area where the turf has turned brown and a normal area. With stakes and string, mark off two-by-two-foot squares.
- Mix two tablespoons of a liquid soap or detergent in a bucket of water and pour the solution evenly over the areas. Watch the surface closely for the next ten to fifteen minutes.
- The detergent agitates the grubs, forcing them to the soil surface.
- If grubs are present, I would control them with Beneficial Nematodes. Beneficial Nematodes are environmentally friendly and will kill all the soil insects except earthworms.
- You apply them with a tank sprayer or sprinkler can. The raccoons are forced to look elsewhere for a food source. Here’s the catch: it might take weeks for raccoons to move on.
- BioAdvanced Season Long Grub Control is a granular product you can apply as early as May to provide continuous grub control throughout the season. This means your grass won’t need to be reseeded to repair any damage caused by grubs. However, this product is not organic.