So many people are looking for ways to go green in their daily lives. In this issue look for 'green thoughts' in some of the articles to help you go green in the garden.

If you are reading this article in early April, it is too early to think about crabgrass. If you are reading in late April or early May, get going!

Crabgrass actually arrives much later than most people think. Crabgrass seeds will not germinate until the soil temperature is greater than 55-60 degrees for 7 consecutive days. We won't even have air temperatures in that range for a while and even when we do, the soil temperatures take much longer to get into that range. So wait on crabgrass preventer until late April or the first part of May.

Green thought: If you have never had crabgrass in your lawn, there probably isn't anything to prevent, so skip the crabgrass preventer altogether and reduce your chemical use.

Late snows and frosts may be occurring while our spring bulbs are emerging from the ground. Snow acts as an insulator and should not damage the bulb foliage and flowers unless the snow is excessively heavy. Spring flowering bulbs are meant to take the cold, so frost should not be a big problem either. A heavy freeze could lead to damage.

Don't plant most annuals until the threat of frost is completely over. Pansies and ornamental cabbage are exceptions as they can tolerate some light frost.

April

• The first time you mow your grass this season, DO NOT scalp the lawn. This is harmful and opens the lawn to weeds.
• Late April is a good time to start a new lawn or renovate an old one.

May

• In mid to late May we may be able to start planting outside. Watch for late frosts.
• Thinking about planting a new tree or shrub? This is a good time to do so, since the temperatures are moderating.

Need gardening help?
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/hortanswers/

Need help selecting a shrub?
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/shrubselector/

Go tropical in the garden this summer:
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/tropicalpunch/

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been found in some counties in the Chicago metro area, but not in others. The Illinois Department of Agriculture is calling upon citizens to check their ash trees and report trees that appear to have the beetle.

Everyone needs to be fully informed of the facts so that we can determine whether or not a tree has been infested by the EAB. Here are some useful facts to help with that.

1. EAB attacks ash trees. If your trees are not ash, they are not infested with this pest. Mountain ash trees are not true ashes and they will not be attacked.
2. There are many other green beetles in nature. If you see a green beetle, try to capture it, so it can be properly identified.
3. Ash trees suffer from many other problems including diseases, other insects, root damage and environmental stress. An ash that looks unhealthy may be suffering from one of these problems.
4. There is a native ash borer in the Midwest already (a totally different insect that does far less damage). If you see holes in the trunk of your ash tree, it may be this pest.
5. The EAB makes a hole shaped like a capital 'D' (flat on one side, rounded on the other) and is 1/8 inch in diameter. The native ash borer makes a ROUND TO OVAL hole that is ¼ inch in diameter.

If you feel you have a tree infested with EAB, call your local University of Illinois Extension office for help. Extension offices are working with the public to determine if a tree is infested or not. This will entail an Extension staff person or a Master Gardener talking to a homeowner about what they are seeing on the tree. Homeowners need to inspect trees carefully and give accurate information about what they observe.

From the information given, the Extension office will determine if the damage reflects infestation by the EAB or another problem. If it seems that EAB is a real possibility, the Extension office will try to confirm this.

The system outlined above will help sort out possible EAB infestations from other problems found on ash trees. This way we can focus on the trees that have the greatest potential to truly be infested with the EAB. We need and appreciate your help.

Green thought: Give your ash trees good care. It won't stop the EAB, but it will help the tree tolerate some of the other problems that affect ash. A well cared for tree is always healthier than a neglected one.

It can be challenging finding shrubs for your shade garden, but there are some good ones out there.

Summersweet Clethra (Clethra alnifolia) grows 4-8 feet tall and has white flowers in late summer. It also has some mild yellow and orange fall color. It tolerates light to medium shade.

Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) grows 2-3 feet tall and has white flowers in spring. It will also have good fall color (a mix of orange, red and purple). It tolerates light shade.

Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) grows 3-5 feet tall has big, round clusters of white flowers in summer. It tolerates full shade.

Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) grows 3-6 feet tall and has clusters of white flowers in summer. Fall color is russet-red. It tolerates light to medium shade.

Japanese Kerria (Kerria japonica) grows 3-6 feet tall and has bright yellow flowers in spring. It also has green stems that are attractive in winter. It tolerates full shade.

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica) grows 3-8 feet tall. It has shiny green foliage that turns orange to red-purple in fall. Red fruit will be borne on female plants as long as male plants are planted nearby.

Black Jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens) grows 3-6 feet tall and has white flowers from late spring into early summer. It tolerates full shade.