Yard & Garden Line News
Volume 7 Number 9                                                               June 15, 2005

Features this issue:

When Lightning Strikes Your Tree
Aquatic Invasive Species and Water Gardening
Apple Maggot Review and Update
Hollyhock Rust
June Garden Calendar
Editorial Notes

When Lightning Strikes Your Tree
By Patrick Weicherding, Regional Extension Educator, Natural Resources and Environment

Lightning strike.
Photo credit:
Mn. Dept. of
Natural Resources
This is the time of year when Minnesota receives frequent thunder and lightning storms. The annual frequency of thunderstorm days is about 45 days in southern Minnesota, decreasing to about 30 days along the Canadian border. Generally, 80 percent or more of these storms occur during the heavier rainfall months - from May through September and particularly in June, our rainiest month.

Each storm can be accompanied by high wind, hail, and heavy rain but it's the thunder and lightning we seem to remember the most. In addition to being beautiful and scientifically fascinating, lightning can be destructive to building structures and electrical systems critical to daily life, and it can be lethal to people, animals and plants. We are all aware of stories of lightning striking people (professional golfer Lee Trevino has been struck twice while on the golf course) or causing forest fires. Less often but occasionally in the news are incidents of lightning strikes involving trees in the landscape.

A lightning strike to a tree in one's landscape can be a traumatic experience for both the tree and its caretaker. If your tree is struck by lightning, the immediate concern should be your personal safety. If the lightning damage has created broken limbs hanging high in the tree or unsupported branches hanging over buildings or sidewalks, these should be taken care of quickly, preferably by a certified professional arborist. If the tree does not exhibit obvious safety concerns (structural or mechanical) and seems to be generally intact, the next step is likely to wait until the end of summer or even until the following spring to evaluate the tree's ability to recover by producing functioning leaves. That's not always the answer a homeowner wants to hear but a valid assessment of the tree's damage and ability to recover is difficult-to-impossible immediately after a lightning strike.

Generally, two classes of damage can and often do occur in a wide variety of combinations when lightning strikes a tree. First, the mechanical and structural damage to a tree may be very slight to the point of being almost unnoticeable, or it may be extensive as though a bomb had exploded from within the tree (the damage is believed to be caused by the electrical discharge of the lightning - up to 100 million volts at thousands of amperes - which vaporizes the water inside the tree, creating superheated steam which explodes when it exceeds the structural strength of the wood). A very common physical indicator of a lightning event is the classic vertical stripping where bark, and sometimes the wood beneath, is torn from the trunk or major scaffold limbs. This stripping may skip around or it may be continuous most of the way up the tree. In addition, it may rise straight up vertically or it may spiral around the trunk like a candy cane. With some lightning events, bark can be violently blown off the tree in circumferential sections partially or completely around the trunk or limb(s). This stripping physically interrupts the vascular tissues that conduct fluids up and down in the tree's living cambial structures under the bark.

The second kind of lightning damage is systemic and it may not be easily or immediately observable. This is the functional interruption of the tree's vascular system due to burning and traumatization of root hairs and conductive tissues. Once again, this damage may be very slight or extensive to the extreme of complete vascular shutdown. Trees experiencing vascular shutdown would quickly brown out and die.

Recognize that mechanical and structural damage and systemic damage can combine in a tree struck by lightning in any number of ways. In other words, there is no definitive pattern or "norm" to be expected from the effects of lightning when it strikes individual trees.

Lightning injury to trees is difficult to predict but it appears to be governed by the tree's position in the landscape, the moisture content of the part struck and the species of tree involved. Tall trees, those growing alone in open areas, trees with roots in moist soils or those growing along bodies of water are most likely to be struck.

Since water or sap is a better conductor than wood, lightning damage is often related to the concentration of moisture in and around a tree. For instance, if the moisture is concentrated in the phloem between the bark and the wood, then the lightning strike will follow this channel and create an explosive separation of the bark. If there is more moisture in the center of the tree, the explosion from within may blow the tree apart. Rain soaked bark often shows little damage because the lightning may follow the outside of the bark and flow into the ground.

Although no species of tree is totally immune to lightning, some are definitely more resistant to lightning strikes than others. Birch, for example, is rarely struck, whereas elm, maple, oak and most conifers are commonly hit. The reason for the wide variation in susceptibility between species is not clear. In some cases it is because some trees simply tower over others in the landscape, in other cases it is because some trees have a greater ability to collect water on their leaf surfaces (conifers) or to shed water on their bark surfaces (oak). Some authorities attribute the variation among species to the composition of the trees. Trees high in oils (birch and beech) are poor conductors of electricity, whereas trees high in starch content (oak, maple, ash, and poplar) are good conductors. Conifers (pine, spruce, hemlock, and fir) have high resin content. They conduct more electricity than trees with low resin content and are more susceptible to explosion and internal heating.

It's a myth that lightning never strikes twice in the same place. Trees, because of their height, are natural lightning rods. Lightning seeks the path of least resistance to the ground through the best available conductor in the area. If the best conductor happens to be a tall, isolated cottonwood, it can be struck many times during separate storms events. Multiple lightning scars on the trunks of trees are testimony to this phenomenon.

In most cases it is best to wait 6 months or more before doing major (expensive) corrective work on a lightning struck tree. If, during this waiting period, the tree shows no obvious signs of decline, then it may be worth the expense to hire a certified professional arborists to treat the tree. In many cases, it will become obvious at some point during the waiting period that the tree will not recover and that removal is the best option.

As you monitor the tree during the waiting period, remember that a tree struck by lightning has been stressed severely. The intense heat of the electrical discharge takes a great deal of energy from the tree. To deal with stress, trees may need additional nutrients. Studies have indicated that additional water after a lightning strike may assist the tree in absorbing nutrients from the soil. Supplemental fertilization with a moderate rate of nitrogen may also help the tree produce callus tissue to compartmentalize wounds. Preventing insect and disease problems may help reduce future stress, but painting the exposed wood with a pruning paint or wound dressing may do more harm than good since these products often provide a conducive environment for harboring insects and disease-causing organisms.

Historic, rare, and specimen trees, especially when they are the center of the landscape, are valuable and can be protected by a properly installed lightning protection system. These systems are expensive in terms of labor and materials and they need to be installed by a trained arborist. It is best to consult with a trained arborist or urban forester, and a lightning protection system installer before considering a protection system for a tree. For more information on these protection systems read the article by Dr. Kim Coder from the University of Georgia. The article, "Understanding Lightning and Associated Tree Damage and Protection," can be found at the following website: http://www.forestry.uga.edu/docs/for96-03.html

To find a certified arborist in your area, visit the International Society of Arboriculture website at http://www.isa.arbor.com/ or call (217) 355-9411.

Photo credit:
Microsoft
Lightning Facts

Facts about lightning from Rita McKenzie, Urban Forester from Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service in West Lafayette, Indiana:

>Lightning kills more people than tornadoes and hurricanes.
>Most deaths occur in open fields near or under trees or around water.
>Lightning strikes the earth somewhere 100 times every second.
>The temperature of a lightning flash can be 30,000 degrees Celsius - five times hotter than the sun.
>Peak currents can be 200,000 amps (>1000 times the typical household wiring capacity).
>The energy released by a lightning strike can be of the order of 1010 Joules, more than the energy in 1000 gallons of gasoline or more than the energy of some bombs.

Aquatic Invasive Species and Water Gardening
Eleanor Burkett, Regional Extension Educator, Natural Resources and Environment

Giant salvinia, invasive
weed.
Photo credit: Larry Allain
Yellow floating heart. Photo credit:
Eleanor Burkett
Recent media attention has focused on the impacts of non-native plants, fish, and other animals that threaten Minnesota’s waters, and highlighted the expense and effort needed to control them. While non-native species do not always pose a threat, some species can out compete native species, contributing to loss of native plant communities and habitat for fish and wildlife and resulting in economic and social impacts.

Non-native plants and fish are often desired by water garden enthusiasts to add interest and beauty to water features. In 2002 a study was undertaken by researchers from the University of Minnesota Horticulture Department to assess the availability of non-native plants through the horticulture trade. When researchers ordered plants that are prohibited in Minnesota, the orders were filled without question in 13 out of 14 instances. Additionally, researchers found that unintended “hitchhikers” commonly arrived in plant orders from nurseries in Minnesota and other states. Findings showed that 92.5% of the orders contained plants or animals not specifically ordered. These “hitchhikers” included live fish and insects, plant fragments, algae, moss, fungi and viable seeds. Misidentified plants arrived in 15% of orders. Prohibited invasive plants frequently arrived as hitchhikers, including purple loosestrife, curly leaf pondweed, hydrilla, and giant salvinia. This research demonstrated that incidental species are extremely common and that current regulations and enforcement aren’t adequate to stop the potential spread of aquatic invasive species.

To help stop the potential spread of aquatic invasive species through the water gardening industry, a research and outreach project was undertaken in 2003, sponsored by Minnesota Sea Grant, in collaboration with the Minnesota Water Garden Society, the Minnesota horticulture industry. In 2004 we queried water gardeners, Master Gardeners, and shoreland property owners with an online or written survey, and conducted one-on-one interviews with 37 nursery and landscape design professionals in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. The survey tools were designed to measure awareness and knowledge levels, identify their sources of plants and information, characterize sales and gardening practices, investigate willingness to pay, and assess opportunities for educating customers and nursery employees. Findings from the study showed that the threat posed by aquatic invasive species is of serious concern (57% retail respondents and 91% consumers), that awareness of hitchhikers was high (75% of retailers), and that education is key for garden centers, nursery retailers and consumers to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species.

In the spring of 2005 educational materials were placed at selected garden centers and nurseries, a survey of these sites will occur later this summer to evaluate effectiveness of these materials. Examples the educational materials include posters (large and letter size), tip cards, nursery tags and plant sticks.

Important tips for enjoying watering gardening:
>Do not release any plants or animals into lakes, streams, wetlands or storm water ponds.
>Check plant orders for unwanted and potentially invasive hitchhikers (seeds, plant fragments, snails, insects or fish).
>Be aware of the regulations regarding the possession, transport or sale of non-native plants and animals.
>Learn how invasive plants spread – by seed rhizome, or even tiny plant fragments.
>Recognize which plants and fish are potentially invasive in our climate or zone.
>Properly compost or dispose of unwanted plants or fish.

For more information about educational products or aquatic invasive species and water gardening contact Barb Liukkonen at (612) 625-9256, email: liukk001@umn.edu or Eleanor Burkett at (888) 241-0720, email:burke044@umn.edu

Apple Maggot Review and Update
Jeffrey Hahn, Assist. Extension Entomologist

Apple maggot injury
Photo credit:
Dept. of
Entomology
The number one insect pest in home apple orchards is the apple maggot. This insect damages fruit in several ways. First, its sharp ovipositor punctures the skin as it lays eggs, causing small dimples. The flesh underneath the skin also becomes injured. It stops growing, giving the apple an uneven, misshapen appearance. The larva further damages the apple as it tunnels through the fruit. This results in small brown trails which causes the flesh to break down and rot.

Apple maggots spend the winter as pupae in the soil. Starting in early July, adult flies begin to emerge. An adult apple maggot is a 1/4 inch long fly with black and white markings on its wings as well as a white spot on its thorax. Apple maggots are active throughout the summer and into September. However, their peak emergence occurs from late July to early August. There is also a tendency for apple maggots to more commonly emerge after a rainfall of at least 1/2 inch.

After emerging, apple maggots first fly from tree to tree for about 10 - 14 days, feeding on moisture. After that, they begin to lay eggs in the fruit. A female will lay just one egg at an individual site but she will oviposit at many different sites, laying about 200 eggs. Eggs hatch within a week into small legless, white maggots. The larvae feed for about three to four weeks as they tunnel through the fruit. Mature larvae wait until apples drop to the ground before exiting the fruit. A day or two after apples have fallen, the larvae move into the top one or three inches of soil to pupate and remain there until the following summer. There is only one generation per year.

The best management of apple maggots is to prevent the adults from laying eggs on the fruit. First consider non-chemical options, such as trapping. Round, sticky spheres are placed in trees in the attempt to lure apple maggots to land on them and become trapped instead of landing on real apples.

Apple maggot adult. Photo credit:
Dept. of
Entomology
You can purchase apple maggot traps from garden stores or mail order them from companies such as Gardens Alive. Many traps are sold with lures that help increase trap catch. If you prefer, you can also build your own sticky traps. Use Styrofoam or wood that is about 3 inches in diameter (a little larger than a real apple). They should be colored red or black. Coat each sphere with a glue, such as Tanglefoot.

Hang one trap for about every 100 apples in the tree or about 5 traps in an average standard tree. All traps should be hung by July 1. It is important to check the traps periodically and clean them when necessary as they will accumulate insects and debris. Because of the glue, cleaning the traps can be challenging and messy. Try using vegetable oil to help clean them. Trapping provides good control, although it may not be as effective as insecticides.

Another non-chemical option is to bag apples. You do this by placing plastic bags, like a sandwich bag, around the developing apples and then stapling the top. Cut off one of the lower corners to allow water to drain from the bag. The effectiveness of bagging was demonstrated in University of Minnesota research trials from 1999 - 2002. Although this method is somewhat labor-intensive, you can reasonably bag 30 apples an hour. This management tactic is as effective as insecticide treatments.

You can supplement your non-chemical methods with sanitation. Because larvae rarely enter the soil until after apples fall, you can reduce the number of overwintering pupae by removing the fruit as soon as you notice them on the ground. There are several ways you can dispose of them. Bury them at least a foot into the soil, use them for cooking, or feed them to animals (horses, livestock). For sanitation to be effective, it must be done throughout the area. If there are unmanaged apples in the neighborhood, your efforts will be less successful.

Some people believe they can protect their apples from apple maggots by using a combination of vinegar and honey or water-downed molasses. You place this mixture in an open jar under a tree or hung in it. The theory is the adults flies are attracted by the smell and then drown when they try to land. While it is appealing method because it doesn't use chemicals, it isn't effective. People trying this method are very likely to be disappointed by the results.

The final option is treating your apples with an insecticide. In the past diazinon and phosmet (Imidan) were available to home gardeners but they have been withdrawn by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and can longer be bought by the general public. Carbaryl (Sevin) has been long been used for apple maggot treatment, although it is found in fewer products now. One example is Bonide's Fruit Tree Concentrate. This product also contains Captan (a fungicide) and malathion (an insecticide).

Another insecticide that can be labeled for apple maggots is esfenvalerate. An example is Ortho® Bug-B-Gon® MAX Lawn & Garden Insect Killer Ready-to-Spray. While this particular product is labeled for apples, you need to read the label carefully to see the label restricts you to treating only container-grown, dwarf, or young apple trees. There may be other products labeled for apple maggot spray but the bottom line is that there are few products available to home gardeners. Read labels very carefully to determine whether they are cleared to spray apple maggots on apples.

If you do have an appropriately labeled insecticide for apple maggots, there are several different schedules you can employ to spray them. The most effective control is regular insecticide sprays once every ten to fourteen days starting July 1. However, this method also uses the most insecticide.

If you would like to reduce the number of sprays, try monitoring with a sticky trap. Place a single sticky trap at eye level to determine maggot activity. Check this trap about twice a week starting July 1. When you find two or more apple maggots on the trap, then you know apple maggots are active and you should treat your apples. This method provides effective coverage often with reduced insecticide sprays compared to regularly scheduled applications.

Because these flies are more likely to emerge from the ground when it is wet, another spray schedule calls for insecticide applications two days after a rainfall or a watering of 1/2 inch or more, starting July 1. Treatments should not be made more often than ten to fourteen days though. This method usually uses less insecticides than regular spraying, although the results may not be as good.

Get the low down on this month's insect pests at Insects http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/EntWeb/Ent.htm

Hollyhock Rust
Janna Beckerman, Extension Plant Pathologist

Young volunteers already infected with rust. Grape hyacinths really make the rust pustules stand out! Photo credit:
Janna Beckerman
Some things just go together: Peanut butter and jelly, tomatoes and basil, hollyhocks and rust. Some gardeners get so frustrated by rust that they give up on hollyhocks all together! Hollyhock rust is the most common ailment of hollyhocks (along with leaf miners) and shows up as tiny orange spots on the upper leaf surface. If you look at the undersides of the infected leaves, you'll find pustules that are orange, or salmon pink. With the appropriate environmental conditions like we have right now (damp and/or humid weather), rust infections will quickly spread to other leaves and may even form on leaf stems, main stalk, and green leaves at the base of the blossoms. Plants with rust are rarely killed, but they look wretched.

Hollyhock rust is caused by Puccinia malvacearum, and is but one of nearly 6-7,000 species of rust. The rust fungi infect everything from grains and grasses, to ferns and pine trees. Rusts are fairly specific pathogens: Hollyhock rust attacks only hollyhocks and other members of the hollyhock family (Malvaeceae). Other susceptible members include common Minnesota weeds like cheese weed (Malva parviflora) and velvetleaf (Albutilon theophrasti), plus ornamentals like Hibiscus, Abutilon, Malva, and Sidalcea. Some rusts may have up to six different and distinct spore forms that infect two unrelated hosts to complete its life cycle, making the rusts fairly complex microorganisms for study. Fortunately, understanding hollyhock rust is fairly straightforward: Hollyhock rust only attacks hollyhocks and other members of the Malvaceae. Once infection begins, under the appropriate environmental conditions (Remember damp and humid), the fungus keeps reinfecting. And reinfecting. And reinfecting!

For this reason, it is important to prevent infection from beginning, because once it starts, it's pretty tough to stop! Keep hollyhock foliage and flowers dry (this can be tough under our current deluge!), and hand water at the base of the plants as needed. Adequately space plants to provide good air circulation and allow foliage to dry, and avoid planting hollyhocks by other susceptible host plants. Develop a zero tolerance policy to velvet leaf and cheeseweed, weeds in the mallow family that can harbor rust.

Orange and salmon colored pustules are the two stages of the hollyhock rust lifecycle.
Photo credit:
Janna Beckerman
Despite your best efforts, or if you have a history of hollyhock rust, you may still find rust on your hollyhocks. Good garden sanitation practices go along way in managing this disease. Remove affected leaves immediately and dispose of them in the garbage-do not compost. Unlike other rusts, these spores can overwinter in infected leaves and stems, ready to infect next year's crop. Remember your hollyhocks? Most hollyhocks, but not all, are biennial, so when you see the rosettes of foliage in the late summer (the ones that will provide next summers flowers) remove and destroy any remaining infected plant material. Be ruthless! By reducing the amount of fungal spores after bloom, you'll reduce what will cause next years infections.

Some hollyhocks are reported to be resistant to rust. Fig-leaved (Alcea ficifolia) or rugose or Russian(A. rugosa ) hollyhocks are reported by many garden catalogs to be resistant to rusts. There is no hard data to refute or confirm this contention, but if hollyhock rust is a perennial problem, use of these hollyhocks may be a worthwhile investment. Fig-leaved hollyhock leafs have a grayish tint to leaves that look, like, well, figs. What a shocker! Rugose hollyhocks have a similar appearance. As an added bonus, they are true perennials and Minnesota hardy, unlike the cottage hollyhock (A. rosea) which is biennial. The only drawback to these hollyhocks is that they have a limited color range (Russian hollyhock comes in a lemon yellow color only-you can't get more limited than that!). Some people consider the fact that they are single flowered detrimental, but butterflies seem to prefer single flowered hollyhocks to double-flowered one.

If cultural practices haven't helped, before reaching for a fungicide, I recommend planting them in the back of the border, and letting other plants cover the ugly, lower foliage. But, if you choose to use a fungicide, apply it as soon as you see the first orange pustules. Fungicides containing chlorothalonil (e.g. Daconil 2787), mancozeb (e.g. Fore, Dithane, or Penncozeb), or myclobutanil (e.g. Immunox) can to prevent severe infection in the home or commercial setting. Sufur is an acceptable organic control for hollyhock rust. Never use any fungicide, particularly sulfur, on days where the temperature exceeds 85 degrees, to prevent damage.

Please check out the diagnostics web pages at
http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/diagnostics/

June Garden Calendar
Compiled from conversations with Bob Mugaas, Nancy Rose, Patrick Weicherding Regional Extension Educators

Salix integra 'Hakura Nishiki'
Nishiki willow
Photo credit:
Beth Jarvis
Trees and Shrubs:

June is the time of year for summer tree and shrub maintenance. Refresh mulch to a depth of 3". This will preserve soil moisture, protect trunks from mower or string trimmer damage and facilitate weeding. Weeds pull out easily from mulches.

Do not use any broadleaf or pre-emergence herbicides beneath trees or shrubs.

Start a journal of things you're seeing happen on your trees and shrubs. You can refer back to it in the future. You'll see lots of anthracnose–especially on white oaks. Anthracnose is extremely common on white oaks, in particular, right now.

The only pruning you should be doing now is repairing storm damage. If the injured include elm or oak, treat wound with pruning paint or wound dressing–latex paint is best.

If you're going to prune lilacs this year, finish it now. The window for pruning without jeopardizing next year's growth is approximately 4 weeks after bloom. Lilacs need the rest of season for new flower production.

There are lots and lots of galls on tree leaves right now. Ash flower galls and galls on leaves of maple and oaks are quite common. See Insect and Mite Galls http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1009.html

Lawns:

Mother Nature is doing a great job of encouraging grass growth!

Mowing should be done frequently, 2-3 times per week . If you wait for that occasional sunny day, you'll be cutting the grass back into yellow tissue which means the grass will have to build chlorophyl. This is stressful to the grass.

A sharp mower blade does less damage to grass blades resultiung in less stress to the grass.

Frequent mowing is particularly important if you're using a mulching mower, as you need to keep clipping short.

Put down a little extra nitrogen, ½ pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. This will maintain plant vigor and help keep weeds at bay.

It is still cool enough till cool to do broadleaf weed control for dandelions, etc. Avoid using these products when temperatures near the mid 80s.

All of the warm-season weed grasses are up so now is a good time to practice post emergence crabgrass control. Products containing disodium methylarsenate (DSMA), and monosodium methylarsenate (MSMA) can be bought separately or with broadleaf control products. Pay attention to temperatures as these products can yellow bluegrass when it gets warm.

Wash underside of your mower, especially if you're mowing tall or wet grass. Plant sap contains materials that can be corrosive to your mower.

Peonies in bloom at Arb. Photo credit:
Beth Jarvis
Fruits, Flowers and Veggies
Pull those little weeds before they grow up and set seeds! Then, add mulch over the soil to reduce future weed growth and to reduce fungal disease spores from splashing on to foliage and to preserve soil moisture (providing that become an issue.)

Cage or stake tomatoes if you haven't done so already.

You can still seed green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, Asian greens and herbs, such as basil, cilantro or dill.

Fill in bare spots in perennial borders with annuals. Potted annuals can also brighten a shade bed temporarily.

Powdery mildew, usually a later summer disease seems to be around on shrubs. Rose slug sawflies are also out.

Keep tabs on any over-wintered roses. If they don't bloom this year, but grow very well, the shoots are most likely coming up from below the graft, from the rootstock and will never bloom.

Dead-head (cut faded flowerd from) peonies to prevent sdeed formation.

Editorial Notes

Photo credits:
Beth Jarvis
As gardeners, we all appreciate rain, but most of us would like to see it spread more evenly over the growing season. Wet springs and dry falls cause a host of plant problems.

Nancy Rose had promised us an article for the July 1 issue. Julie Weisenhorn will conclude the landscaping project story in a future issue. Bob Mugaas aand his summer technician are working on an article on the changing face of home herbicides. Patrick Weicherding will write about on-going research at the U that's evaluating whether butteflying, scoring or teasing apart circling roots in container grown trees makes a difference in the establishment of trees. In light of the storm damage from last week, he's also going to write about assessing storm damage--when to call an arborist.

. Please feel free to cut and paste any of the articles for use in your own newsletters. All we ask is that you give our authors credit.

Back issues Yard & Garden Line News are on the Yard & Garden Line home page at www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/.
Deb Brown answers gardening questions on Minnesota Public Radio's (MPR) "Midmorning" program on the first Thursday of every month at 10 a.m. The program is broadcast on KNOW 91.1 FM, and available state-wide on the MPR news radio stations. (Scroll down for map.)

For plant and insect questions, visit http://www.extension.umn.edu/askmg. Thousands of questions have been answered, so try the search option in the black bar at the top left of the board for the fastest answer.

If you would like to receive an e-mail reminder when the next issue of the Yard & Garden Line News is posted to the web, just send an e-mail to: listserv@lists.umn.edu (note: the second E in listserve is omitted), leave the subject line blank, then in the body of the message, type: sub yglnewslist or to unsubscribe, enter: unsub yglnewslist

Happy gardening!

Beth Jarvis
Yard & Garden Line Project Coordinator


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