Center for Urban Agriculture – Page 29 – Empowering Georgia through UGA Extension

Gloomy Scale Crawlers are Active and Vulnerable

November 30, 2015May 28, 2015 by Willie Chance

Info taken from the EcoIPM website and the SE Ornamental Horticulture & IPM website

Gloomy scale

Gloomy scale, Melanaspis tenebricosa, is an armored scale that feeds on maples and other tree species. It becomes very abundant on red maples on streets and in landscapes and can cause branch dieback and tree death in some cases. It is not unusual to find trees with nearly 100% of their trunk covered in scale. Street trees are particularly prone to gloomy scale. Crawlers of this scale are active now and can be seen on bark and under scale covers. One of the reasons we have found this to be such a pest is that female gloomy scales produce about 3 times as many eggs when they live on relatively warm trees (like in a parking lot) than when they live on cooler trees (like in a shady yard). This amazing work is outlined in a recent paper by Adam Dale.

Control of this scale is complicated because crawlers emerge over 6-8 weeks so it is impossible to treat all the crawlers at once with horticultural oil or other contact insecticide. This is different than in other scales, such as euonymus scale, in which all crawlers are produced within a narrow window of 2 weeks or so. Adam Dale took a video of some gloomy scale crawlers so you can get an idea of how tiny and nondescript they are. This may also give you an idea of why scales are so vulnerable at this stage to the environment, predators, and insecticides like horticultural oil. Once they produce their thick waxy cover they are much less vulnerable to all these factors.

See video of gloomy scale crawlers (immatures).

Read the original article.

Water is the condition allowing many household pests to persist

November 30, 2015May 27, 2015 by Willie Chance

Do you recognize this cockroach and know how to control it?

Info taken from Management of Pest Insects in and Around the Home

Water

Excessive, persistent moisture is the most important condition allowing many types of pest infestations to establish and persist.

Not only is water critical to the health and normal metabolism of all forms of life, its abundance leads to the growth of various molds, fungi, and other microorganisms which are the primary food source for numerous insect species.

Homeowners should limit the occurrence of persistent moisture in and around their home. Moisture problems can only be remedied by correcting the underlying cause(s). Some common sources of excessive, or persistent, moisture that may lead to a pest problem include but are not limited to:

Leaking faucets or water lines;
Condensation, for example on pipes, in walls and under insulation;
Improper ventilation of walls, attics, crawlspaces, or basements;
Roof leaks, especially those that are the result of improperly installed flashing around pipe penetrations, sky lights, and chimneys (Figure 8A);
Improper landscape grade resulting in poor surface water drainage patterns;
Misdirected sprinkler heads;
Gaps around windows (especially bay windows) and doors that allow water behind the structure’s exterior sheathing (Figure 8B);
Clogged gutters and downspouts (Figure 8C);
Downspout and air conditioner drain lines that deposit water within five feet of the structure (Figure 8D).

Property owners should ensure that:

Rainwater flows away from their home by examining the grade or slope of the landscape to make certain it is appropriate;
Gutters, downspouts, roof, and air conditioner condensate drainage patterns are operating properly and depositing water away from the foundation;
Attics, crawlspaces, and basements are properly ventilated;
A vapor barrier is in place in the crawlspace;
Sprinklers are positioned properly;
There is no standing water or persistent wet spots next to the foundation or in the crawlspace.

For more information see Management of Pest Insects in and Around the Home

International Year of Soils: Raising Awareness of Soil’s Importance

November 30, 2015May 27, 2015 by Becky Griffin

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2015 the International Year of Soils. With this initiative the UN hopes to raise appreciation of the importance of soil for human life, educate the public about the role soil plays in food security, and promote investment in sustainable soil management activities. Basically, the UN wants to raise awareness about the importance of soil.

Their website states “Soil is where food begins! It is estimated that 95% of our food is directly and indirectly produced on our soils. Therefore, food availability relies on soils. Healthy and good quality food can only be produced if our soils are healthy. A healthy living soil is a crucial ally to food security and nutrition.” As food growers we already know how important our soil is to the overall health of our plants. Their website lists the following reasons that soil is important:

Soils are the basis for the production of food, fibers, fuel and medicinal products.
Soils absorb, store, alter, purify and release water, both for plant growth and water supply.
Soils interact with the atmosphere through absorption and emission of gases (e.g. carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour) and dust;
Soils make up the greatest pool of terrestrial organic carbon (over double the organic carbon stored in vegetation).
Soils regulate carbon, oxygen and plant nutrient cycles (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, etc.)
Soil is the habitat of several animals and organisms such as bacteria and fungi and thus sustain biological activity, diversity and productivity.
Soil is the habitat for seed dispersion and dissemination of the gene pool.
Soils buffer, filter and moderate the hydrological cycle.
Soils are the platform for urban settlement and are used as materials for construction.

International Year of Soils: Free Workshops

In conjunction with the International Year of Soils there are events all over the world scheduled to

International Year of Soils: Raising Awareness of Soil's Importance — Healthy soil means more nutrition for the plants, less incidence of disease, and less water input needed.

educate people about soil health. Closer to home a collaboration effort in Atlanta, Georgia, is providing 30 free workshops on soil health and composting. The collaborative partners are UGA Extension, Terra Nova Compost, Truly Living Well, Global Growers, The Atlanta Community Food Bank and Food Well Alliance.

The workshops start June 2nd and go through October 29, 2015. To see if a workshop is near you or to register for one check here.

Happy Gardening!

Pest Management: EPA’s Managing Pests in Schools Website Updated

November 30, 2015May 25, 2015 by Willie Chance

As part of EPA’s ongoing effort to build a more user-friendly website, we have transformed our Managing Pests in Schools website into a new, easy-to-use format. Information on school Integrated Pest Management (IPM) should now be easier than ever to access, regardless of the type of electronic device being used, including tablets and smartphones.

Integrated Pest Management

IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach that offers a wide variety of tools to reduce contact with pests and exposure to pesticides. The website focuses on providing vital information in the school setting for parents, school administrators, staff and pest management professionals. Knowledgeable, proactive stakeholders can help a community prevent or significantly reduce risks from pests as well as unnecessary pesticide use.

The website is organized into the following areas:

About Integrated Pest Management in Schools
Establishing Integrated Pest Management Programs
Pests of Concern in Schools
IPM Training and Certification

The old Web pages will redirect to the new website, and we encourage visitors to update their bookmarks with the new URLs.

The address for the new website is www2.epa.gov/managing-pests-schools

UGA mobile app helps control roadside weeds

November 30, 2015May 22, 2015 by Willie Chance

Patrick McCullough, a weed scientist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, decided to create the Georgia Roadside Management app after Georgia DOT officials approached him for help.

“The biggest problem they have is fighting invasive weed species, like broomsedge, vaseygrass and Johnsongrass. They are major species, and they are spreading, increasing maintenance costs and, more importantly, reducing safety for motorists,” said McCullough, a UGA researcher based on the campus in Griffin, Georgia.

Ray Dorsey, Georgia DOT agronomist manager, says tall weeds, like Johnsongrass, and invasive weeds, like kudzu, create “sight and distance problems,” especially at driveways and intersections.

“When we do road building, the contractors are required to replace the grass. Our permanent grasses of choice are bahiagrass and bermudagrass because they can help choke out weeds,” he said.

Using a partial research grant from Georgia DOT, McCullough designed the app using DOT terminology to make the tool user-friendly for workers. “All the information they need to make the best management decisions for controlling roadside weeds and vegetation is now literally at their fingertips,” he said.

The app debuted last fall, and Georgia DOT agronomists have now used it for six months.

“Everyone who’s downloaded it thinks it’s great,” Dorsey said. “We are one of the first DOTs to have an app for vegetative management,” he said.

Like all recommendations involving pesticides, the guidelines are frequently changed and updated. “Before, we had to make revisions, make paper copies and update all the training notebooks,” he said. “Now, we just ask Patrick to update the app.”

Unlike the paper notebooks, the app includes images of plant material. “It was too expensive to print color photos in the manual before. Now, we can look at a picture of the weeds and match them with what we see. (This app) is really a great tool,” he said.

The app covers much more than how to control vegetation. It also includes information on growth regulators, first aid, personal protection, equipment maintenance and mowing procedures.

Created for use on iPhones, the app can be downloaded for free on iTunes. “It’s specific to Georgia DOT and uses their codes, but DOTs in other states would benefit from it, too,” McCullough said.

Download the app for free on iTunes.

Video on horticulture’s essential role in pollinator stewardship

November 30, 2015May 21, 2015 by Willie Chance

Info courtesy of the UGA Nursery Production Facebook page by Matthew Chappell, UGA Original article published in Greenhouse Grower magazine.

A newly released educational video provides valuable information on horticulture’s essential role in bee and pollinator stewardship.

“Protecting Bees & Pollinators: What Horticulture Needs to Know,” narrates the current state of bee and pollinator health, provides information on factors that impact pollinators and the environment, including the use of pesticides, and underscores the beneficial role horticulture plays in providing healthy pollinator ecosystems.

The seven-minute video was produced as part of the horticulture industry’s Bee & Pollinator Stewardship Initiative, a collaboration by the Horticultural Research Institute, AmericanHort, Society of American Florists (SAF) and the American Floral Endowment.

Oak leaf blister: What is this problem on oak leaves?

November 30, 2015May 20, 2015 by Willie Chance

Oak leaf blister

Compiled by: Dr. Jean L. Williams-Woodward, UGA Extension Plant Pathology

Disease Symptoms:
Bulging, blister-like spots on leaves, may cause leaf distortion. Underside of leaf turns brown following spore production. Can be confused with eriophyid mite or midge damage. Affected leaves drop prematurely.

Disease Management:
Disease seldom causes significant damage. Apply fungicide spray when leaf buds swell in the spring and reapply at 7-10 day intervals until the leaf fully expands to reduce disease.

Bagworms: What are these things hanging in my trees?

November 30, 2015May 15, 2015 by Willie Chance

Bagworms

Info taken from the publication Control of Common Pests of Landscape Plants by Tim Daly, Gwinnett County Cooperative Extension Agent and Beverly Sparks & Will Hudson, Extension Entomologists.

Bagworms construct and live inside a 1- to 2-inch long tough, tear-shaped portable silken case. These bags are the insect’s most easily seen and identifiable feature. Outside, the silken texture of the bag is somewhat concealed with layers of leaf, twig and bark fragments. The bag has an opening at the larger end that allows the worm to partially crawl out to make repairs to its bag and eat.

Bagworms attack broadleaf and coniferous trees and shrubs. Here are some control measures.

Follow proper watering, fertilizing and pruning practices.
Remove other stress factors from trees when possible.
Infested plant material cannot be treated and should be removed and disposed of.
Protect trees from infestation or reinfestation by using products containing bifenthrin or permethrin. Make first application in April and subsequent applications in late May, mid-July and late August.

To find more ID and control information on this or other landscape insects read the UGA publication Control of Common Pests of Landscape Plants

To find pesticide recommendations and use information visit the Georgia Pest Management Handbook.

May has been warmer and drier

November 30, 2015May 14, 2015 by Willie Chance

May 2015 is half over and it is time to see how the monthly climate is doing so far. The maps from the High Plains Regional Climate Center below show that for the region as a whole, temperatures are running about 1.5 degrees above the 1981-2010 normal, while the precipitation is much below normal and in some areas none has fallen at all, which is shown on the “percent of normal precipitation” map as an area of dark red, indicating zero percent of normal rainfall for the month. Atlanta broke their record for the driest start to May before finally getting rain on 5/17. Athens, GA is the driest May to date on record and Macon is tied for the driest, although rain is likely at both locations this week.

For the rest of the month, warmer than normal temperatures are expected to continue. Rainfall is expected to increase and may even be above normal for the rest of the month, although it will be spotty.

Strawberries in the Georgia Community or School Garden? You bet!

November 30, 2015May 13, 2015 by Becky Griffin

Strawberries can be a welcome addition to the Georgia community or school garden. And, spring is the time to plant!

Traditionally in north Georgia strawberries are grown in a matted row system where initial plants are set two feet apart at spring planting. That summer the runners are allowed to fill in the rest of the bed. This set up is perfect for raised beds or bed plots.

Treat your strawberry bed as a perennial bed. You will need an area that is in full sun and contains well drained soil. Avoid planting where you have been growing peppers, tomatoes, or potatoes. These plants are susceptible to verticillium wilt and so are strawberries. The UGA publication Home Garden Strawberries is a great resource.

Varieties of Strawberries

Varieties recommended for early fruiting for north and middle Georgia are Earliglow, Sweet Charlie, and Delmarva. For south Georgia look for Chandler, Camarosa, and Sweet Charlie. Early season varieties are best for school gardens as you should get fruit before school lets out for the summer.

For mid-season fruiting look for Allstar. Purchase plants that appear to be disease-free from a reputable supplier. This can be a local store or a mail order supplier. You will probably have more varieties to choose from if you use a mail order supplier.

The placement of the plant crown is very important. Picture from Home Grown Strawberries by UGA.

Care of Strawberries

The most important part of planting strawberries is the placement of the crown. The top of the crown needs to be above the soil line. Otherwise, you will probably have rot. Set the plants two feet from the bed edge and from each other. Remember, runners will fill in. Remove flowers the first year to encourage more blossoms, and fruit, next year.

Weeds are the number one problem with strawberry plants. Mulch between plants and use hand pulling or hoeing to remove stubborn weeds. Strawberries need 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water a week.

Birds and rodents love strawberries as much as we do. Raised beds deter rodents. Some gardeners use netting. A problem with netting is birds and small animals getting caught in the net. Some gardeners report success with loosely hanging aluminum pie pans around the beds to deter birds. The best practice is to pick the fruit as soon as it is ripe, before other hungry eaters find it.

During the second spring, after you have picked all of your berries, get ready for next year. By this point runners have filled in and if you don’t thin the bed you will have too many plants for that area. You need to get rid of about two-thirds of the plants in order to have healthy plants for next year. Pot up the extras and have a fund raising plant sale!

As always your local UGA Extension agent is a great resource for you.

Happy Gardening!

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