Q&A: Orb Weavers and More

Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-703 -- More Projects »
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Orb weaver
Master gardener Paul James fields some gardening questions.

Q: How can I attract spiders to my garden, in particular orb weavers?

A: Well first, you need to make sure you live in an area where orb weavers exist, which in the U.S. includes all 50 states. You also need to make sure you don't use harmful chemical sprays, which will not only destroy spiders but their number- one favorite food as well--insects.

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Figure A
And finally, make sure you've got good spider habitat. That includes relatively undisturbed areas that are attractive to insects, such as water gardens, mulched flower and vegetable gardens, even areas near outdoor lights that are left on all night. But even then, attracting orb weavers can be a real hit-and-miss proposition, which is why you might want to consider one of these--it's a ready-made spider web frame (figure A). Locate the frame in or near good spider habitat, and hope an orb weaver uses it to spin its silk tapestry.

Q: What are those inert ingredients listed on the labels of lawn chemicals?

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Figure B
A: Chemical formulations, both synthetic and organic, often contain two types of ingredients: active and inert (figure B). The active ingredients are what make the product effective, whether it's an insecticide, herbicide, fungicide or fertilizer. The inert ingredients may be nothing more than harmless filler, or they may act as a catalyst--that is, something that makes the active ingredients more active.

However, inert ingredients can make up more than 95 percent of certain products, and in some cases they may be more toxic than the active ingredients. And yet strangely, the EPA doesn't require manufacturers to disclose exactly what they consist of. For now, the only way to find out specific information about the inert ingredients in garden products is to contact the manufacturer, who may or may not tell you what you as a consumer and customer have every right to know.

Q: My neighbor had his yard sprayed the other day and it smelled like bubble gum. Any idea what the chemical was?

A: In response to the public outcry over the use of potentially hazardous lawn and garden chemicals, some manufacturers have tried to mask the chemical smell of certain products with pleasant smelling scents, including those that smell like cherries and bubble gum.

You've got to give the folks who came up with the idea at least a tiny bit of credit. After all, it's a clever idea. But wouldn't candy-scented chemicals have the potential to actually attract children and animals to freshly sprayed lawns and increase their exposure to potential toxins? Oh, sorry, I just answered a question with a question.

Q: What's the best way to deal with the grass that grows beneath a fence and is next to impossible to maintain?

A: I can tell you from personal experience that a string trimmer isn't the answer, because the line breaks whenever it comes in contact with the fence. And herbicides aren't the answer either, in large part because they leave an ugly brown strip at the base of the fence line.

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Figure C
But here's the perfect solution--"fence mulch," a plastic strip that snaps together and can be placed beneath the fence to prevent grass from growing up both sides of the fence. The strips even have cutouts for fence posts. There's a similar product that creates a weed and grass barrier around wooden posts so you don't destroy them with your string trimmer. Just install the plastic rectangle around virtually any size post (figure C), and you've got a permanent barrier that you can actually mow right up to.

Q: I'm always misplacing my garden gloves. Any suggestions?

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Figure D
A: I know what you mean. I can't tell you how many times I've taken my gloves off to answer the phone or get something out of my pocket, only to forget where I put them. But the other day I found this little gizmo that works like a champ. It's a clip on a clip (figure D). One end clips on to your belt loop, and you clip your gloves onto the other end. And for safety's sake, the clips break away and separate when they encounter more than 15 pounds of resistance, just in case you get your gloves hung up on something.

Q: When is the best time to divide daylilies?

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Figure E
A: Daylilies prefer to be divided in August or September, a time when you ordinarily wouldn't think of dividing most other plants. Here how to do it:
  • Dig up the entire rootball, making sure you dig deeply enough to get all the roots.
  • Then carefully pry apart the fleshy clumps or cut them with a sharp knife, so that each clump has a fair amount of roots attached (figure E).
  • Plant the clumps in a sunny, well-drained spot and water well.

You may find that you need to divide daylilies every five or six years, because as they mature they tend to actually produce fewer flowers. The same is true of most irises, which also should be divided during late summer.

Resources
fence mulch
Gardener's Supply Company
Burlington, VT
Toll-free Phone: 888-833-1412
Fax: 800-551-6712
E-mail: info@gardeners.com
Website: www.gardeners.com
Also in this Episode
Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-703
•Summer Reminders
•Q&A: Orb Weavers and More
•Grafting