| BYGL - June 4 , 2009 |
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This is the 9th 2009 edition of the Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (BYGL). BYGL is developed from a Tuesday morning conference call of Extension Educators, Specialists, and other contributors in Ohio. BYGL is available via email, contact Cheryl Fischnich This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to subscribe. Additional Factsheet information on any of these articles may be found through the OSU fact sheet database http://plantfacts.osu.edu/ . BYGL is a service of OSU Extension and is aided by major support from the ONLA (Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association) http://onla.org/ ; http://buckeyegardening.com/ to the OSU Extension Nursery, Landscape and Turf Team (ENLTT). Any materials in this newsletter may be reproduced for educational purposes providing the source is credited. BYGL is available online at: http://bygl.osu.edu , a web site sponsored by the Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences (HCS) as part of the "Horticulture in Virtual Perspective." The online version of BYGL has images associated with the articles and links to additional information. Following are the participants in the June 2nd conference call: Charles Behnke (Retired); Pam Bennett (Clark); Barb Bloetscher (C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC)); Joe Boggs (Hamilton); Cindy Burskey (Clermont); Jim Chatfield (Horticulture and Crop Science and Plant Pathology); Eric Draper (Geauga); Dave Dyke (Hamilton); Gary Gao (Delaware); Dave Goerig (Mahoning); Tim Malinich (Lorain); Bridget Meiring (CWEPPDC); Dave Shetlar (Entomology); Amy Stone (Lucas); Nancy J. Taylor (CWEPPDC); Curtis Young (Hancock); and Randy Zondag (Lake). In This Issue:
1. WEATHERWATCH.The following weather information summarizes data collected at various Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center (OARDC) Weather Stations spanning the dates: January 1- May 31, 2009, with the exception of the soil temperatures which are readings from Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at 12:05 p.m. Each of the weather stations highlighted below are reporting year-to-date precipitation totals less than normal totals.
For a link to the OARDC Weather Stations, visit: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/centernet/weather.htm
2. HORT SHORTS.A. GROWING DEGREE DAYS (GDD)
The range of GDD accumulations in Ohio from north to south is 498 to 893. Following is a report of GDD for several locations around Ohio as of June 3, 2009: Painesville, 498; Cleveland, 521; Toledo, 614; Canfield, 512; Findlay, 513; Wooster, 620; Coshocton, 651; Columbus, 791; Springfield, 794; Dayton, 798; Cincinnati, 845; Ironton, 854; Portsmouth, 858; and Piketon, 893. To put these GDD accumulations into perspective, the following is an abbreviated listing of plant and insect species with their respective phenological event and average GDD accumulations at which these events occur. Due to variations in weather, temperature, humidity, etc., these events may occur a few days earlier or later than predicted by the average GDD. By looking at a city, town or village near you from the above list or visiting the above web site, you can see what could be taking place in the landscape around you. Juniper scale, egg hatch, 571; common ninebark, full bloom, 596; American yellowwood, full bloom, 599; arrowwood viburnum, full bloom, 621; multiflora rose, full bloom, 643; northern catalpa, first bloom, 675; black vine weevil, first leaf notching due to adult feeding, 677; Washington hawthorn, full bloom, 731; calico scale, egg hatch, 748; greater peach tree borer, adult emergence, 775; rhododendron borer, adult emergence, 815; northern catalpa, full bloom, 816; mountain laurel, full bloom, 822; dogwood borer, adult emergence, 830; oakleaf hydrangea, first bloom, 835; cottony maple scale, egg hatch, 851; panicle hydrangea, first bloom, 856; fall webworm, egg hatch (first generation), 867; mimosa webworm, egg hatch (first generation), 874; fuzzy deutzia, full bloom, 884; winged euonymus scale, egg hatch, 892; spruce bud scale, egg hatch, 894; winterberry holly, full bloom, 897; and panicled goldenraintree, first bloom, 924. For more information, see:
B. ATTACK OF THE MOVING SLIME. With rainfall covering much of the state last week, there were reports this week of slime molds percolating to the top of people's landscapes. One of the most common slime molds is dog vomit fungus, also known as egg batter mold. Despite being commonly referred to as the dog vomit fungus, it is not a fungus at all. It is the slime mold, Fuligo septica, in the phylum Myxomycota, which generally appear in late spring and early summer following soaking rains. These molds can be found growing in mulched covered beds as well as turf areas near home and commercial buildings. They are also in natural areas, such as forested and prairie covered properties. Slime molds can be described as yellow, slimy, multinucleate bodies called plasmodia, simply stated; a big colony of slimy blobs! Slime molds are similar to fungi as they both reproduce by spores. When the spores are introduced to water they germinate and develop into microscopic amoeba-like organisms that search out bacteria and organic matter. These organisms can float along wet surfaces as they grow into the plasmodium. The reason the yellow slime appears to move across our flowerbeds or lawns is because it really does. If enough moisture and food is available the slime could move up to several feet a day. As the environment around the slime mold dries out the movement stops and so to does the slime. As it dries it develops spore-producing structures and its color fades from the bright yellow to a dull earthy brown. As the new spores develop they are disbursed into the wind and the entire organism disappears. If environmental conditions are favorable the entire lifecycle of a slime mold can complete itself in a relatively short period of a week or so. Some homeowners or commercial clients may want a more expeditious end to this invasion of the slime blob. Because slime molds do not cause diseases of plants or turf, there are no pesticides available or other products recommended for their control in the landscape. The best way to get rid of slime mold is to break it up and dry it out. If the slime is still moist, simply rake it up with the substrate it is growing on and dispose of it in the garbage. For more information, see: C. SOME MUST BE SACRIFICED.
One of the hardest things for gardeners to do is pull a perfectly good plant out of the ground. However, when growing certain vegetables by direct seeding in the garden, "thinning" is a must! In this case, thinning is removing some plants in order to provide more room for others to grow. Turnips, beets, lettuce, spinach, radishes, and more all benefit from thinning. For the root crops, thinning allows for better development of the edible portion (beets, turnips, radishes, onions). Leafy vegetables that are spaced too closely together become crowded; this leads to decreased growth and quality. Thinned plants are healthy plants. Therefore, if one can't bear to pull out healthy plants, find someone who will do it. Or, just take a deep breath and get it over with, just like ripping a band aid!
D. VEGETABLE GARDENING 101 - JUNE 4, 2009 - SUCCESSION PLANTING. Succession planting is done so garden space is put to its most efficient use. With this method, there is never an unplanted area in the vegetable plot. As soon as one crop is harvested, the space is immediately replanted with a different crop. This method of succession planting uses groupings of cool - season and warm - season crops. In the simplest scheme, succession planting involves planning for spring, summer and fall crops. Another method is to make several plantings of a vegetable. Bush beans, for example, can be planted every 2 weeks from mid-May to the beginning of August. Cucumber is another good example. Cucumbers can be seeded in the garden every two weeks. Cucumbers planted in July will not be attacked by cucumber beetles, thus not suffer from bacterial wilt. Gardeners will enjoy a fantastic crop of cucumber in autumn! A third type of succession planting involves a single planting of several different cultivars with varying maturity dates. This method works well for cabbage and corn. These methods allow for a continuous harvest over a longer period. Vegetable harvest can be extended into the fall by growing the faster growing, cool-season crops. The quality of many of the cool-season crops is exceptional when they mature in the fall. Plant so there is adequate time for the crop to mature. Spinach grows extremely well when seeded as a fall crop. When planting seeds for a fall crop, gardeners must water the seeds more often than in the spring because the summer soil is usually warmer and drier. Provide some shade to help retain moisture. Cover the seedbed with cardboard or newspaper. Check the seedbed daily and remove the covering when the first seed sprouts. Keep the bed consistently watered until all the seedlings are established. Pre-sprouting also ensures good germination of cool-season crops in the hot, dry soil of August. For more information, see:
E. PLANTS OF THE WEEK.
3. GREEN SHORTS.A. GARDENER, KNOW THY TARGET. Wait! Stop! Don't pull the trigger; step away from the bottle. Plant diagnosticians typically get questions that go like this, "I have a problem on my roses and I have sprayed everything and nothing seems to be working." The solution: know what the target pest is BEFORE getting out the spray bottle. This is one of the first steps in successful integrated pest management (IPM), an environmentally-friendly approach, and one that many overlook. Before even thinking that a "spray" takes care of the problem, make sure to find out the specific pest. Once the pest is indentified, take a look at its life cycle. Perhaps the damage is completed and the pest has pupated and is no longer a threat. Therefore, spraying is not necessary until the next season. If the pest is still present and control is necessary, perhaps the development stage is such that one can use a "softer" pesticide. For instance, bagworms in the early stages can be controlled with Bt or Bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring bacteria. As the larvae develop, stronger pesticides are necessary to control it. Why waste good money, time and introduce pesticides into the environment without knowing your target? 4. CLINIC CLIPS.Several ash/lilac borers which are clearwing moths, were submitted for identification this week, including one that needed to be sexed. Differentiating dead ash borers is difficult as the two sexes are very similar and the genitalia are difficult to see on dead specimens. Oaks with vein pocket gall and bullet gall were submitted along with a linden branch with walnut scale. Plant disease diagnosticians Nancy Taylor and Bridget Meiring have been very busy. An oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sp.) was identified growing from a bag of mulch stored in a garage. It had produced spores in the garage and the owner was concerned that the fungus might contribute to structural decay in the garage, but keeping in mind the disease triangle, this fungus should not affect dry structural wood. A Norway spruce planted about 2 years ago in a landscape was suffering from Phytophthora root rot. Samples of winter injury continue to come into the lab; among the materials examined are zelkova, elm, and raspberry. In addition, a number of samples were examined in and on which no infectious disease was found. 5. BUGBYTES.A. PHONES ARE HUMMING WITH MOSQUITOES CALLS!
A number of larvacidal products are available for controlling mosquitoes where permanent pools of water are part of the landscape, such as aquatic gardens. The products are based on two naturally occurring bacteria: either Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) (e.g. Vectobac, Aquabac, Mosquito Dunks, etc.), or B. spaericus (e.g. VectoLex). These products can be highly effective; however, users must read and follow label directions for maximum effect. The search continues for the most fool-proof, ever-lasting method to fend off mosquitoes, but BYGL readers are urged not to hold their breath for a miraculous answer. Mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide exhaled by large animals (e.g. people). Dark clothing as well as certain floral scents in lotions and soaps also serve as "eat here" signs to mosquitoes. Insect repellents may provide some relief from mosquito bites. Products containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) (e.g. Deep Woods Off!, Repel Sportsman Max, Backwoods Cutter, etc.) have long been effectively used to repel mosquitoes. In recent years, two new compounds have been added to the repellent arsenal. Picaridin (e.g. Cutter Advanced) and oil of lemon eucalyptus (e.g. Cutter Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent, Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, etc.) are now widely available. Remember that insect repellents are not fool-proof or ever-lasting; however, they can provide some protection and relief from buzzing blood-suckers. For more information on mosquito management, see OSU Extension Bulletin 641, "Mosquito Pest Management," available through Extension offices or on the web at: http://ohioline.osu.edu/b641/index.html . For more information, see:
B. GIANT "MUTANT MOSQUITOES" APPEAR.
Adults usually appear in Ohio landscapes during two peak periods. Some species produce a heavy adult emergence in the spring while other species generate adults in the fall. The larvae of most species feed on decaying organic matter in the soil, and they especially appreciate areas that are continuously moist. Larvae of crane flies that feed beneath turfgrass are called "leatherjackets" because of their tough, leathery exoskeleton. Like the adults, these legless maggots occasionally appear en masse spilling onto driveways or sidewalks. Such a dramatic appearance may signal that the lawn has a thatch problem since the larvae are particularly fond of decaying thatch. However, the species found in Ohio cause no damage to the turfgrass. The same cannot be said for two non-native species that have been found in the northeastern states and eastern Canada. Both were accidentally introduced from Europe. Larvae of the EUROPEAN CRANE FLY (Tipula paludosa), and the MARSH CRANE FLY (T. oleraceae) feed on the crowns and blades of living grass plants. Both can cause serious damage to turfgrass. Fortunately, these species have not yet been found in Ohio. For more information, see:
C. MASSES OF MIDGES CAN BE MENACING.
These nuisance pests were also seen trying to catch their minute of fame on the television at the recent Cleveland Indians baseball game. Like their relatives, the mosquitoes, midges need bodies of water in which to lay their eggs, rear their young and pupate. However, unlike the mosquito larvae that float and feed in the water column and must maintain a connection to the atmosphere through a snorkel-like structure to breath, midge larvae sometimes called bloodworms, live in the muck in the bottoms of ponds, reservoirs, and lakes and breath with the assistance of gill-like structures. These differences also influence control measures.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to manage midge populations where the mass emergences are not tolerated by homeowners living near the bodies of water that support their life cycle. Larval management can be accomplished with compounds such as (s)-methoprene (e.g. Strike Professional Midge Control) and temephos (e.g. 5% Skeeter Abate) and maybe Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) (e.g. MosquitoDunks). These same products would work on mosquitoes. However, one type of product that would work on mosquito larvae but not midge larvae is the water surface coating oil products (e.g. Golden Bear). These products are designed to suffocate mosquito larvae by preventing their snorkels from connecting to the atmosphere. Since midge larvae breathe underwater through gills, they would not be impacted by the oils. Adults are controlled with a flying insect spray containing compounds such as permethrin (e.g. Raid). For more information, see:
D. VIBURNUM LEAF BEETLE DESTRUCTION INTENSIFYING. Both VLB larvae and the adults feed on the foliage of viburnums, however the feeding damage alone is not a definitive identifying characteristic for VLB. Japanese beetles also readily feed on viburnum and their injury can look very similar to VLB feeding. The undisputable pieces of evidence that VLB is the culprit in damaging viburnum include: finding the larvae feeding on the foliage in the spring; capturing the adults feeding on the VLB is a relatively new invader into Ohio and was first observed in Ohio in 2002. Since then, VLB has been spreading further into Ohio mostly in the NE portion of the state. In the initial infestations, most populations were primarily observed in wooded areas on the native ARROWWOOD VIBURNUM (Viburnum dentatum) and on EUROPEAN CRANBERRY VIBURNUM (V. opulus). However, now it appears that VLB infestations are spreading into residential plantings of viburnum. The most effective means of control for small scale plantings is pruning and destroying infested twigs after egg laying has ceased in the fall, anytime from October to April. When pruning is not practical, a number of pesticides may be effective in controlling VLB. Home gardeners may use acephate, carbaryl, cyfluthrin, imidacloprid or malathion. Sprays should have been applied when larvae first appeared in early May. Now control efforts may need to be delayed until the adult VLBs emerge in late June or early July. For more information, see:
E. WINDSHIELD WIPES.
6. DISEASE DIGEST.A. SCABBY APPLES IN THE FUTURE?
For more information, see:
7. TURF TIPS.A. MANAGING TURFGRASS UNDER DROUGHT CONDITIONS. The primary turfgrasses grown in home lawns in Ohio are cool season grasses. The most common species of cool season grasses used in residential lawns include Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescue and tall fescue. Cool season grasses perform best when daytime temperatures are in the range of 60-75F along with adequate soil moisture. These lawns possess the best color and quality attributes during the spring and fall seasons. Being cool season grasses, good to excellent winter hardiness allows established lawns to survive even the harshest Ohio winters. The most stressful time of the year for cool season grass home lawns in Ohio is typically encountered during the summer (i.e., June through August) period. This period is often characterized by hot, sunny days with daytime temperatures routinely in the low to mid 80's. In addition to high temperatures, moderate to severe moisture stress is often imposed on the turfgrasses during this summer period. The combination of high temperatures and dry soils will often lead to significant declines in quality and losses in turfgrass unless proper management practices are implemented. Proper summer cultural practices include: *Proper Mowing - The mowing height should be a minimum of 2 1/23" prior to, and during, drought periods. Taller cut grass will have deeper, more extensive root systems than short cut grass which will help enable the turfgrass plants to withstand summer stresses. Taller cut turfgrass will provide more shading of the soil thereby keeping soil temperatures cooler and reducing evaporation of soil moisture. Mow the lawn only as needed and preferably during the morning or evening hours when less stress is being imposed on the lawn. Also, make certain the mower blades are properly sharpened to avoid "tearing" the ends of the grass blades. *Fertilization - Proper fertilization can play an important role in maintaining summer quality. However, the lawn should not receive more than a total of 1 1/2 lbs of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn during the spring/early summer period. Homeowners who routinely apply two spring fertilizations are encouraged not to exceed 1/2-3/4 lbs of actual nitrogen in the initial spring application. Over fertilization at that time can stimulate excessive topgrowth and deplete the plant's food reserves in the roots. Also, over fertilized grass will be succulent and more prone to certain disease organisms. Under conditions of moisture stress, fertilizer imposes an additional stress and does little to improve turfgrass. Preceding periods of anticipated stress (i.e., mid‑June to late August), at least 35-50% of the nitrogen in a fertilization should be in a slow release form, preferably 50% slow release. *Limit Activities - Stay off the lawn as much as possible. *Lawn Irrigation - Even if homeowners follow the recommended summer management practices, irrigation is often necessary to prevent lawns from becoming dormant during extended rain‑free periods. Without rainfall, a lawn will normally require supplemental irrigation of approximately 1" water per week to keep the lawn green. A concern with this recommendation is that most turfgrass areas will encounter runoff if this amount of water is applied in one irrigation event. Runoff can be minimized if irrigation is performed every 4-5 days with 1/2-3/4" applied. Another option is to irrigate until runoff begins, delay irrigation for 1-2 hours to permit infiltration, then resume the watering activity under this format until the desired amount of water has been applied to the lawn. The amount of water applied during irrigation can be measured by placing several empty straight‑sided containers, such as pet food containers, in the sprinkler's pattern. Watering is sufficient once the desired volume of water is collected in the containers. Irrigation should be performed early in the morning. At this time of day the grass is already wet from dew, temperatures are cooler, humidity is high and calm conditions usually exist. These conditions all favor infiltration of the water into the soil and utilization of the supplemental water by the turfgrass plants. If the homeowner cannot water, or elects not to water a dormant lawn, a light watering or rainfall of 1/2" every 2-3 weeks will help minimize damage to the lawn during the dormancy period. This watering practice will supply enough moisture to keep crowns, rhizomes and roots hydrated and alive. This volume of water will not regreen a dormant lawn, however, it will help to insure good recovery once rainfall occurs later in the summer. 8. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS.A. CALICO SCALE NEARING EGG-HATCH.
B. AMBROSIA BEETLES.
The tiny 1/8" long beetles produce shot-sized entrance holes in tree bark. As the beetles bore through trees, they release fungi from special oral structures called mycetangia. The fungi colonize the wood, and serves as food for the beetle larvae. The larvae do not eat wood; they eat the fungal "ambrosia." As the beetles tunnel forward into trees, they push a mixture of excrement (frass) and wood particles backwards. The sticky mixture clings together as it is extruded from the entrance holes and has been commonly described as looking like "frass toothpicks." In recent years, this toothpick-like symptom has been almost exclusively associated with non-native ambrosia beetles such as the GRANULATED AMBROSIA BEETLE (Xylosandrus crassiusculus ), which was formerly known as the ASIAN AMBROSIA BEETLE. However, there are a number of native ambrosia beetles that also produce frass toothpicks. These include the YELLOW-BANDED TIMBER BEETLE (Monarthrum fasciatum) that focuses their boring attention on oak, maple, birch, sweetgum, blackgum, and hickory; and the BEECH TIMBER BEETLE (Xyloterinus politus) that targets its namesake as well as oak, maple, birch, hickory, ash, and magnolia. While these beetles target stressed, dying, or dead trees, the bottom line is that frass toothpicks do not always point in the direction of non-native ambrosia beetles. Ambrosia beetle management strategies include addressing tree stress issues such as poor fertilization, irrigation, etc. Heavily infested trees should be removed and destroyed and trees located nearby should be protected with bark applications of insecticides formulated as long-residual borer sprays, such as Onyx (bifenthrin) or Astro (permethrin). Applications must be made to trunks and branches at 4-week intervals throughout the growing season. For more information, see:
9. COMING ATTRACTIONS.A. SOUTHWEST OHIO BYGLIVE! The 3rd monthly Southwest Ohio BYGLive! Diagnostic Walk-About for 2009 will be held Monday, June 8, from 12:00-3:00 pm., at the Stanley M. Rowe Arboretum, 4600 Muchmore Rd., Indian Hill, 45243. This monthly hands-on training for green industry professionals focuses on diagnosing plant pest, disease and physiological problems. ISA Certified Arborist CEU's will be available. For more information, contact Joe Boggs at 513-946-8993. For more information, see: C. GREATER CINCINNATI BRANCH OF THE PROFESSIONAL GROUNDS MANAGEMENT SOCIETY (PGMS) ANNUAL REGIONAL MEETING AND SITE VISITATION is scheduled for July 23 and 24, 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Program information, schedules, and registration forms are available on the PGMS website at: http://www.pgms.org
10. BYGLOSOPHY.Should I weed the lawn or say it's a garden? - Unknown
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 04 June 2009 21:22 |
