By Joy Kraft
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The cicadas are coming. The cicadas are coming. Like phobic Chicken Littles, gardeners are whipping themselves into a needless frenzy in search of insecticides, repellents, anything to protect their greens.

Get a grip.

The millions of orange-eyed aviators, due to dig their way out of the ground May 21 for their once-every-17-years sex-and-song treetop soiree, are not going to hurt you - or your precious posies.

They don't sting, bite or eat anything - human or plant.

(The only thing to be concerned about are young trees, under 6 feet high, and you can take precautions.)

"You would be surprised at how ill-informed people are about them," says Mike Benken of H.J. Benken Florist and Greenhouse in Silverton.

"It's more difficult to talk gardeners out of doing something. The bottom line is they want to do something - anything," says Jeff Webeler of White Oak Garden Center in Colerain Township.

"We're trying to tell them to just enjoy it. They only come along once every 17 years."

Turns out they even help mature trees, slitting new-growth branches, laying eggs, which kills the branch tips.

"Cicadas are Mother Nature's way of pruning," says Benken. "Nothing to fear unless you have a very young, or small tree that might be susceptible to damage."

As a precaution, delay tree planting until the end of June when cicadas literally drop dead.

For the protection of small ornamentals and young trees under 6 feet high, shops are stocking up on cheesecloth and frost blanketing that let in moisture and light.

Delhi Garden Center stores have Gardeneer blankets $10.99-$19.99 that can be used as frost blankets as well. White Oak settled on a "micro-spun-type" fabric in 50-foot lengths that drapes without snagging, according to Webeler. And Benken has cheesecloth and the frost cloth, which can be used again in the fall.

About $20 worth of cloth ought to take care of several small trees.

If you want more information, many gardening centers, including Delhi and Benken, have cicada handouts for those shaking in their gardening galoshes.

And there is a plus side for garden shops.

"We hope to see a jump in pruner sales" later this summer to remedy the branch tip damage form egg-laying, says Benken.

---

E-mail jkraft@enquirer.com