Poplar Petiole Gall Aphid

Normally, when I walk by this Poplar Tree, I see its leaves shimmering and fluttering in the wind. Today, I saw leaves rather weighed down and stunted in size compared to the ones way higher in the tree canopy.

On closer examination I saw these:

These growths are galls. Masses of plant tissue that grow over nesting insects. I wasn't sure if it was an aphid or mite which caused this. Turns out it's an aphid. 

Unfortunately, this tree has other issues - some dying branches and peeling bark. The leaves show a bit of stress with perhaps a form of rust. These galls won't kill off the tree, but certainly don't help matters.

The best info I could find on this aphid is on Manitoba's Agriculture Food and Rural Initiatives site.
There you'll find the contents inside the gall and the aphid's life cycle. Well done, MAF&RI!

Photo of the Month - August 2013: Cornus kousa chinensis

Now this photo ain't the greatest. The flower of this Cornus kousa chinensis however, has linked, or fused petals. Reminding me of a dove. Thought I'd share it. I think it's soooo beautiful.

Cornus kousa chinensis

Poisonous Berries In Your Garden (Backyard)

There is a whole other realm of gardening that we need to educate ourselves in. The by-product of many "beautiful" plants that provide visual interest in the garden, can also reek havoc with children and pets if their "beautiful" fruit are ingested.

Here are two of the most unsuspecting noxious berries in my garden right now.

1.  Convolaria majalis (Lily of the Valley). I love this plant in flower. Once the white bell flowers wither and die, green berries mature to these bright red ones. I've placed it in the garden where I know no children or pets are around to be lured or interested in picking. I've even placed a wire mesh at the base of the fence where it is situated. No cats or dogs can get through.

Here Convolaria berries are drying in late summer with their foliage. The berries hold on until some major frost hits them.

2. Deadly Nightshade, Climbing Nightshade (Solanum dulcamara).  I did not introduce this plant to my garden. It showed up and began twining around my trellis. I have a young evergreen vine just establishing here, but this Nightshade made it's way up the trellis faster than the evergreen vine.  Considered a weed, you can find this vine nearly everywhere. Surprisingly, I've witnessed birds eating them with no troubles. They intern poop out the berries and help the vine seed itself just about any where.

I kept it because of their lovely purple clustered flowers and the fact that it grows well in shade, but don't let that fool you. The Deadly Nightshade vine berries have been known to harm and kill unsuspecting pigs when ingested.

They produce numerous berries and have an attractive look about them. A distant relative to the tomato, this plant should be ripped out in any garden where children frequent.

Have a look at the easily recognizable leaf of the plant. Deadly Nightshade is a fast grower and vegetative. Plant growth dies down to the ground overwinter, but root is still alive - a herbaceous vine that returns each spring. 

Here are two great resources on poisonous plants that we should bookmark:

Common Poisonous Plants and Plant Parts

Garden Plants Poisonous to People

If a child or pet ingests either of these, please call your local poison control. Ontario Poison Centre 

Common Garden Pests - Slugs Deroceras reticulatum

One of my fondest memories, is my aunt and I waking up early in the morning to pick slimy, sticky slugs (called Schnecken in German). We'd have a bucket full by the time breakfast was ready, only to sit and laugh with a cup of coffee on the patio. Mind you, the slugs in Germany are HUGE compared to here in Ontario. It was the most effective method, since their large size made most other controls useless. They made considerable damage to my Aunts veggie garden and her prized Dahlias. It was well worth the effort to pick that early.

The Ontario Slug: Deroceras reticulatum - causing me grief. Unlike the German Schnecken, these guys are much smaller. Scrunched up, they are as tiny as 1cm long.

Small slug - half an inch or so long.

Unfortunately the slugs in my garden stay away from my view, as I only end up seeing their devastation when it's too late. Plus, I have an early start to work, and can't putz around in my garden that early to comb over the plants. However, this morning, instead of running to the coffee machine, I went outside to make sure it was in fact them eating away. It was time to find my slimy enemies.

I have many hostas, lettuce, lamium, kale, swiss chard.... and I am tired of seeing their foliage turn out like swiss cheese.

Having a blissful morning munch.

Apparently yesterdays meal. (Rudbeckia)

Munch, munch, munch... (Lamium)

Even damage on some of the tougher leaves in the garden. (Ligularia)

Grrr...

In the past, I've managed to "kill a few with the good old brew". Yes, beer. I used to dig out small areas of soil to place a shallow sour cream container filled with beer over night to see in the morning a few had died in the blissful brew. Not worth the wasted beer. I've also used newspaper sheets, rolled up, soaked in beer. Ya, a bunch of slugs, pill bugs and earwigs were tucked in there, but my garden would need the entire Saturday Star and the weekend flyers to do the job. Rolled up paper, wet from water does the same trick too.

Because my small backyard is fenced off between my neighbours, no matter what I've tried thus far...they come back. I prefer harmless solutions. So here are other options I've used before:

• eggshells 
• diatomaceous earth 
• hair 
• coarse compost (leafy and mulch materials)
• coffee grounds 
• lemon and orange rinds  
• sand

Yet, I'm afraid this wet summer has produced persistent moist conditions. Perfect conditions for the slug. They are multiplying quickly and the above methods aren't working. This has been the worst year, so I've caved in and bought myself some "friendly" Slug B Gone.

Scotts EcoSense: Slug B Gone. Non toxic to pets, birds etc...

Small pellets. Spread per directions on the bag, just before expected rain.

I still have three full months to enjoy my perennials before the frost comes. I'd like to see less damaged foliage. Should of done this weeks ago. I'll report on the results soon.