Garden shed

Fall webworms

Now that summer is slowly coming to an end, you might be noticing strange-looking, white nests that appear to be made of gauze in the trees (and occasionally in shrubs). Fall webworms are pesky insects that construct these gauzy nests in all kinds of trees; they’re a nuisance but they don’t always cause serious damage.

The purpose of the unsightly nests are to protect the insects’ larvae. If you want to get rid of them, you don’t have to use insecticides—besides, the spray probably wouldn’t penetrate the dense webs anyway. Instead, you can pull it apart with a rake or stick. That way, birds can later swoop in, feast on the larvae, and that will be that.

NC State’s ‘Extension Gardener’

Here’s the Fall edition of North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s online publication, “Extension Gardener”:

Durham County Master Gardeners radio show

Did you know that the Master Gardeners from the Durham County Cooperative Extension have a radio show? It’s called “Getting Dirty in Your Garden,” and here’s the latest episode, where Master Gardener volunteer Charles Murphy interviews Byron Schermerhorn, a wildlife consultant, about helping our neighborhood birds survive the harsh winter.

Duke Gardens workshops, tours & shows

SARAH P DUKE GARDENS, 426 Anderson St, Durham,
919-684-3698, gardens.duke.edu; gardening workshops are held in the Doris Duke Center; call 919-668-1707 or 1708 to reserve your spot. Register online or ask questions by writing to gardenseducation@duke.edu. Here’s the link to the fall and winter seminars and workshops (note that parking is free after 5pm):

Walk on the Wild Side—Thursday, October 4, 11am–noon. Take a tour of the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants; $10, $7 for Duke Gardens members; call to register.
Meet the Gardens Keepers: PLANTS—Thursday, October 11, 2–3pm; meet in the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden’s entry pavilion; free.
Durham Garden Forum: Approaches to Planting Design—Tuesday, October 16, 6:30–8pm; held in the Doris Duke Center; $10, free for Forum members,
Walk on the Wild Side—Thursday, November 1, 11am–noon. Take a tour of the Blomquist Garden of Native Plants; $10, $7 for Duke Gardens members; call to register.

Digging Durham Seed Library

A creative partnership of the Durham County Library, SEEDS, the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, and the Durham Library Foundation has resulted in the Digging Durham Seed Library. Now you have a place to get free seeds to start your garden, including flowers, vegetables, and herbs. The South Regional, East Regional, North Regional, and Southwest Regional libraries have seed libraries. Contact Margaret Anderson at 919-560-8598 or manderson@dconc.gov for more details.

Tell us your success story about planting a garden using seeds from the Digging Durham Seed Library:

Main Library—300 N Roxboro St, 919-560-0100 [closed; under renovation]
South Regional—4505 S Alston Ave, 919-560-7409
East Regional—211 Lick Creek Ln, 919-560-0203
North Regional—221 Milton Rd, 919-560-0231
Southwest Regional—3605 Shannon Rd, 919-560-8590.

Free workshops

Planting for Success: Tree and Shrub Care with Leaf and Limb—Saturday, October 20, 11am–1pm, at the Durham Garden Center (4536 Hillsborough Rd, 919-384-7526). If you suspect that one of your trees or shrubs has a pest problem or disease, bring in a clipping and have it diagnosed. Click here to register.
Kids’ Workshop: Pumpkin Painting—Saturday, October 27, 10am–noon, at the Durham Garden Center (4536 Hillsborough Rd, 919-384-7526). Click here to register.