We have an ant infestation this time of year, every year. They tend to congregate around our kitchen and specifically around the sink, but I've seen them as far away as our living room. What do I do?
When a warm spell "awakens" a wintering ant colony, they begin foraging. Then weather cools again and ants are drawn to the warmth of houses. These ants won't move in permanently, but they may hang around until the outdoors gets consistently warm. (If you have ants indoors year-round, that's another issue.) Buy ant traps that use gel or liquid bait. If you have lots of ants, don't stint on the traps. A crucial tip: Do not wipe up the area around the traps. Ants leave a scent trail behind themselves for other ants to follow, and you want them to leave a scent trail to the trap. Put the traps in corners or on the windowsill where ants are numerous, but out of your way, and then leave the area alone. The ants will take the bait back to their nest and share it around, lowering their numbers. Remember, ants are beneficial insects. They kill termites and aerate your soil. So enjoy the ants in your yard.
We won't live in this house more than a few years but want to grow fruit. What fruit should we plant to harvest the soonest?
Small fruits are your best bet. Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries can be harvested the second year after planting. (Always remove the flowers during the first season of growth.) You can expect blueberries to begin bearing in two to three years. Brambles and blueberries are virtually problem-free, too. Contact us for cultural information. We have two publications, Getting Started with Small Fruit and Getting Started with Tree Fruit, that can help guide you.
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Pull weeds that have greened-up already, before they take off. Garlic mustard, Indian strawberry and other invasive weeds are now easy to spot and easy to pull in soft soil.
Potatoes, onion sets, onion seedlings and peas can be planted as soon as the soil can be lightly worked.
Ellen Nibali, a horticulture consultant, works at Maryland Cooperative Extension's Home and Garden Information Center, and Jon Traunfeld is the director of the Home and Garden Information Center. The center offers Maryland residents free gardening information. Call the center's help line at 800-342-2507 or e-mail plant and pest questions through the Send a Question feature at hgic.umd.edu.