iGrow - A Service of SDSU Extension

This week’s native perennials are both phloxes: Phlox divaricata (Wild Blue Phlox, or Sweet William) and Phlox pilosa (Downy or Prairie Phlox). Once planted and established, these flowers will come back every year, adding early color and food for butterflies and pollinators to your garden.

Most gardeners are very familiar with the typical spring flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils and crocus. But there are a number of other spring blooming plants that may not be as familiar. Since these are all early spring bloomers, they are best planted in the fall, particularly the ones that grow from bulbs.

Many home consumers do not know the size of their lawn area before they visit the garden center to purchase fertilizer and other lawn care products. This often leads to a “helpless” feeling about making the purchase, buying the wrong amount of product, misapplication and inconsistent results.

The month long cold and snowy weather that persisted throughout much of the Black Hills during April has delayed the flight of the pine engraver beetle. The adults spend the winter beneath the bark of standing or down trees or in the litter beneath the tree.

Treatments for apple scab begin now (and the cooler weather has bought you a little more time). Your first application should be on fairly soon to avoid discolored leaves and fruit and premature foliage drop later in the season. I usually begin receiving calls about apple scab in mid-July when it is far too late to do much about it.