This is such a busy time of year for me. Not only does my garden need my attention, but I'm up to my eyeballs in cats and kittens that need adoption. There is always a feral cat colony that needs to be trapped, neutered and returned and I volunteer regularly at a low-cost spay and neuter clinic. Add to that a full-time job in Washington, D.C., and it's a wonder I get any sleep at night.

The garden is what renews me, though. The fresh air, the exercise, the nutritious food that I grow myself, the scents and the colors -- gardening is just so rewarding to the spirit. Of course, if you're reading this, you already know that.

Bag those apples -- The American Gardener (May/June 2008) described a Japanese technique to produce terrific apples and pears without spraying. According to the article, the Japanese have been bagging apples for 150 years. The current technique uses zip-top sandwich baggies with the bottom corners trimmed off so water can drain out. When the fruit is the size of a small pea, thin clusters to one fruit and thin to space apples at least eight inches apart. Place a bag over each fruit and zip it shut. If the fruit falls off during the process, it wasn't fully pollinated and would have aborted later anyway. The extra heat from being bagged increases the sugar content and size. you can leave the apples bagged when you harvest for long-term storage.

The article only describes the technique for apples and Asian pears. I haven't done any research and don't know if it would work with peaches -- might be worth a trial with a few to see how they do.

Garlic mustard is becoming a problem in home landscapes (it's already a terrific problem in natural areas). It's in seed now. If you've got it, pull it and bag it and put it in the garbage. Seeds will ripen even after it's pulled. For more, see www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/fact/alpe1.htm.

Japanese beetles begin to hatch mid-June through mid-August. The adults remain active for about four to six weeks. Each female lays 40 to 60 eggs which hatch in the soil. These grubs feed on grass roots until late September when they migrate down 6-18 inches deep in the soil. They remain in an inactive state until late March or early April, when they move up and feed on grass roots again. By late May, the grubs are in a pupal stage and no longer feeding.

Control of Japanese beetles is very difficult because several sprays are needed to control adult feeding damage, and the sprays used are highly toxic to beneficial insects. However, many plants will tolerate moderate defoliation. Traps are generally ineffective in controlling Japanese beetle populations -- you may attract more beetles to your garden than you would normally have received. If grub damage to the lawn is severe (more than three grubs per square foot), contact the Home & Garden Information Center at 1-800-342-2507 for current recommendations on grub control.

Slugs are always a problem. I don't like using poison, so my tactics are to handpick them (you can use a trowel to scoop them up) and drop them in a wide mouth plastic jug of soapy water. Do it in the early morning when it's dewy or after a rain. You really can make a dent in the population if you're persistent. You can also use barriers around specific plants. Diatomaceous earth or wood ashes (NOT barbecue grill ashes) work well, although wood ashes will raise the pH so use it cautiously around any plants that need a low pH. You can also try the saucer of beer to entice them in and drown them if you don't mind dealing with the carcasses. There is also a new relatively non-toxic bait product out on the market. The active ingredient is iron phosphate so it also adds small amounts of nutrients to the soil as it dissolves.

Aphids are small, sucking insects. Their population can grow incredibly fast -- females do not have to mate to reproduce and they can produce live daughters who are already pregnant with the next generation! Infested plants can show a lack of vigor, and stunted growth. Usually the damage is temporary, you can dislodge them and slow them down with a forceful spray of water. If you see mummies (brownish aphid bodies with exit holes in their backs), it means they've been parasitized by a small, non-stinging wasp. The insect feeds inside the aphid, killing it, and the adult wasp emerges through the exit hole. Usually, if you wait, beneficial insects such as ladybugs will show up and take care of the aphids for you. If you must spray, use something mild like an insecticidal soap so you don't do too much harm to the beneficial insects in the area.

"Weed and Feed" products are not recommended in this area because spring fertilization of lawns predisposes them to diseases and summer drought stress. In addition, mowing too close is a major contributor to the spread of weeds. Cool season grasses such as blue, creeping fescue, ryegrass and tall fescue should be mowed at 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Keep the blade sharp and mow frequently enough to remove no more than one-third of the grass at each mowing. When the grass is mowed correctly, the clippings can be left on the lawn to decompose naturally and return nutrients to the soil. This does not cause a build-up of thatch -- the grass clippings will decompose completely.

Leslie Gilbert is a Howard County master gardener. For more information on the Master Gardener program, call 410-313-1913.

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