| BYGL - July 23, 2009 |
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This is the 16th 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 July 21st conference call: Pam Bennett (Clark); Barb Bloetscher (Entomology/C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC)); Joe Boggs (Hamilton); Cindy Burskey (Clermont); Dave Dyke (Hamilton); Gary Gao (Delaware); Amy Stone (Lucas); Nancy 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: July 1-July 22, 2009, with the exception of the soil temperatures which are readings from Wednesday, July 22, 2009 at 6:05 p.m. Curtis Young and Amy Stone both reported very dry conditions in NW Ohio. Many lawns are brown and crispy. Each have their fingers crossed to be on the receiving end of forecasted rains in recent days. Overall, temperatures remain cooler than average. In fact, the Toledo area has not hit the 90F mark thus far in July.
For a link to the OARDC Weather Stations, visit: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/centernet/weather.htm
2. HORT SHORTS.A. EPSOM SALT - A "MAGIC BULLET" OR JUST ANOTHER FERTILIZER? Curtis Young was asked by his fellow church members about the benefits of Epsom salt for tomatoes, which brought about a lively discussion during the BGYL conference call. The chemical in Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate. It is a highly soluble form of magnesium and does not affect soil pH. Is Epsom a "cure all" for all nutrient problems? There are many claims made about this product. It can be used as a good form of magnesium fertilizer when the soils are low in magnesium, such as container gardens or soils with known low magnesium concentration. A soil test can reveal this condition. Hence, do not guess, soil test! The misuse of Epsom salt can be a problem when it is not needed. First, there are plants that are quite sensitive to magnesium toxicity. Randy Zondag told BYGLers that he had seen serious damage of Epsom to nursery crops. Another potential problem is that magnesium in Epsom salt can replace calcium in soil, thus causing calcium deficiency. Follow this link for more information on Epsom salt by Dr. Linda Chalker - Scott with Washington State University at: http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Horticultural%20Myths_files/Myths/Epsom%20salts.pdf . Before applying Epsom salt, it is very important to know for sure that it's needed. It is just another fertilizer, not necessarily a "magic bullet." Too much Epsom salt can cause unintended consequences. For more information, see:
B. BLOSSOM END ROT ON SQUASH???
Hold on however, before applying calcium to the soil. Unless you have conducted a soil test and know that it's deficient in calcium, don't apply calcium. In many cases, there might be plenty of calcium in the soil but it's bound up in the soil, or is unavailable to the plant due to drought stress or excessive soil moisture fluctuations. This reduces the uptake and movement of calcium into the plant. Foliar applications of calcium are often recommended. While one might think this works, they are of little value because of poor absorption and movement into the fruit where it is needed. The application of Epsom salts is also recommended but this does not remedy the situation either. Avoid drought stress and wide fluctuations in soil moisture which may lessen the problem. For more information, see:
C. VEGETABLE GARDENING 101 - JULY 23, 2009 - KEEP PLANTING AND HARVESTING. Gary Gao reminded gardeners that now is a good time to sow seeds for a fall crop. All of the cool-season vegetable crops can be direct-seeded in the garden for a fall harvest. Some of the warm-season vegetable crops such as cucumbers and green beans can be planted now too. One good thing with planting cucumbers now is that the cucumber beetles are not around to damage the plants and cause bacterial wilt. Gardeners can get a beautiful cucumber crop in fall. Amy Stone mentioned that she made a BLT from her garden tomato this week. Amy is not your average gardener. She and her husband grow a few hundred tomato plants each year. Try not to be outdone too much, Gary Gao mentioned that his cherry tomatoes started ripening a few days ago. Pam Bennet quickly pointed out that it would have hard to make a BLT with those cherry tomatoes. Well, Gary Gao may have to slice his cherry tomatoes and add them in "White Castle" sized hamburgers! BYGLers reminded gardeners that it is a good idea to keep harvesting the veggies before they get overripe. By harvesting veggies, gardeners can "encourage" plants to produce more and extend the harvest season well into the Fall. If gardeners cannot use all of the veggies, they can them, freeze them, sell some, or donate them to a local food pantry. For more information, see: D. PLANTS OF THE WEEK.
3. GREEN SHORTS.A. WHEN DID A RAIN GARDEN MANUAL BECOME SOMETHING ELSE? Quick answer: On July 20, when "Guidelines for Utilizing Rain Gardens as a Storm Water Management Tool in the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) of Greater Cincinnati" was renamed and replaced by "Landscape Systems for Managing Storm Water in Southwest Ohio - Steps for Getting Off the Storm Water Grid." The name was changed because, in keeping with the initial intent that the publication be a "living document," the contents grew to include a variety of systems in addition to rain gardens, such as contour infiltration plantings and turf. Furthermore, the systems apply to a much larger area than that encompassed by the MSD. In fact, most of the contents of the publication are applicable to the entire state of Ohio - contact your local Extension office for possible exceptions for your area (or for your particular circumstances). "Landscape Systems for Managing Storm Water in Southwest Ohio - Steps for Getting Off the Storm Water Grid" is available at: http://hamilton.osu.edu/landscape-stormwater-management. The manual will continue to be refined and expanded. Each major new change in the document will result in a change in the version number … the current version is … surprise - Version 1; so we recommend that you periodically check the site for future versions.
4. CLINIC CLIPS.A strange case of Oriental cockroaches allegedly emerging from a door is still under investigation. Determining the source of the roaches has been difficult due to the fact that multiple parties are involved. A 45 year rhododendron suffering from decline was diagnosed with severe scarring from the rhododendron borer, a clearwing moth, and a bostrichid beetle was identified in the handle of a wicker basket. With the onset of warmer weather wilt diseases are becoming more apparent. As soil moisture is limited and trees' vascular systems are compromised, wilting develops more quickly. From American elm the fungus which causes Dutch elm disease was isolated, and in 'Liberty' American elm Verticillium wilt was detected. Volutella canker continues to cause dieback of sections of winter-damaged boxwood. On a back-yard apple tree we detected apple scab and frogeye leaf spot. Phytophthora root rot was detected in Fraser fir and rhododendron. Valsa canker was found on a maple which was losing a sector of branches. Pith necrosis was observed on tomato, and Verticillium wilt on watermelon.
5. BUGBYTES.A. GYPSY MOTH PLANNING FOR 2010 ALREADY UNDERWAY.
B. MOTHS IN CAMOUFLAGE. The PANDORUS SPHINX MOTH (Eumorpha pandorus) has been reported in Central Ohio this week in nurseries and clinging to the side of buildings which shine bright lights at night. These moths are experts in disguise as the olive and dark green mottled wings will camouflage perfectly in plants and mixed green ornamental beds. Indeed one can be staring right at this moth with a 9-11.5" wingspan and not see it! This large, beautiful moth is not considered to be a pest as it is rarely encountered and only has one generation per year, plus the caterpillars feed on Virginia creeper, grapes and ampelopsis, all of which produce ample foliage. The Pandorus moth is seen from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to Kansas and Texas from June through August. Keep an eye out for this outstanding moth! For more information, see:
C. CABBAGE CATERPILLARS AT WORK.
The adult cabbage white butterfly has an affinity for many flowering plants including clovers, mustards, catnip, giant hyssop, ironweed, sunflower, alyssum, Canada thistle, chickory, teasel, and henbit. The female lays eggs on the underside of crucifer leaves, which hatch into green, fuzzy caterpillars with a light yellow stripe down the back. Two to several generations may occur each year depending upon the season and availability of host plants. The adult may be seen flying until the first hard frost in the fall. Fortunately, caterpillars can be controlled with most garden insecticides including Bt, pyrethrins, and insecticidal soap. The trick to killing them is to spray the bottom of the leaves where the caterpillars are most likely hiding. Carbaryl (Sevin) is also effective, however the insecticide should be aimed away from the flowers to protect any pollinators. For more information, see:
D. TILIA TROUBLE.
E. BOXELDER BUG-MANIA.
The 3/4" long boxelder bug adults are narrow-shaped, flat-backed, and dark gray or dark brownish-black. They have three highly visible orangish-red stripes running lengthwise on the pronotum, the area behind the head. The abdomens of the oblong-shaped nymphs are bright red with a faint orange line running down the middle, and an obvious orange spot in the middle of the line. Their antennae, head, thorax, legs, and wing-pads are bluish-black. When encountered in a home, the nymph's shape sometimes causes them to be mistaken for bed bugs. Besides sucking juices from boxelder seeds, the bug commonly feeds on seeds of other trees in the genus Acer, as well as on ash. Boxelder bugs have even been observed feeding on alder, apple, buckeye, cactus, geranium, grape, honeysuckle, lilac, linden, oak, peach, plum, spirea, strawberry, and tulip. As seed-feeders, the bug causes no harm to the health of trees however, their feeding activity on tree fruit and strawberries has been known to reduce fruit quality. The boxelder bugs wide-ranging feeding activity simply demonstrates that insects pay little attention to their common name. For more information, see:
F. HORNWORMS ON TOMATOES.
The caterpillars can be controlled through hand-picking; however, both caterpillars are also subject to the depredations of several predators and parasitoids. Paper wasps, yellow jackets, and other wasps will grab them, chew them up, and take the remains to their nests to feed their larvae. The tiny parasitoid wasp, Cotesia congregata (Family Braconidae) inserts its eggs into the caterpillars and the resulting wasp larvae consume the hornworms from the inside out. Just before the hornworms die, the full grown wasp larvae erupt through the upper epidermis to form oval, white, silk pupal cases. Rows of these white cocoons sprouting from tobacco and tomato hornworms are a well-known sight to home gardeners. Of course, the parasitized caterpillars should be left alone. They will do little to no feeding, and the wasp cocoons represent the potential future demise of numerous other hornworms. For more information, see:
G. A BEAUTIFUL BEETLE.
Indeed, these beautiful iridescent beetles may look like shimmering spots of gold on the leaves of dogbane, or they may blaze with an array of other colors depending on the viewer's angle to the beetle. A slight change in viewing angle will cause the beetles to glisten with multiple shades of green, copper, blue, and red. The secret to this kaleidoscope of colors can be found just beneath the surface of the exoskeleton. Beneath an outer translucent layer rests stacks of tiny slanting plates that cover color pigments. Light rays that strike the surface of the plates are reflected as a shimmering sheen, while light rays that bounce off the pigments produce an array of colors. The result is a mix of changing lustrous colors that are almost unmatched in the insect world. The beetles are found during the day feeding and resting on dogbane leaves. Other insects practicing this behavior would be easy pickings for predators. However, dogbane beetles have a nasty chemical defense. Dogbane has milky sap that contains poisonous alkaloids (cardiac glycosides), as with the closely related "milkweeds". The beetle ingests the cardiac glycosides, stores them in glands, and then secretes them when threatened by predators. It is believed that the bright colors of the beetles advertise their ability to practice chemical warfare. Pay close attention to areas with dogbane to see these iridescent spots of gold. For more information, see:
6. DISEASE DIGEST.A. A WALK ACROSS THE LAWN TURNS SHOES AND PAWS ORANGE.
RUST causes the turfgrass to take on a generally yellow to orange appearance. Symptoms are more evident when the weather is dry and the turfgrass is growing more slowly. The tiny rust-colored spores of the fungus can be a real nuisance for homeowners. The fungus causes the epidermis of the grass blades to rupture and release enormous amounts of colorful spores. These spores easily rub off onto shoes, lawn mowers, pets, fingers, clothes, etc. Rust is most commonly found on Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass in Ohio. If the disease has been a problem in the past, it will most likely reoccur year after year when conditions are suitable. Newly seeded juvenile stands of perennial ryegrass (less than a year old) often have the disease more severely than mature established turfgrass lawns and sports fields. The key to management of this disease is prevention. Use blends of more resistant turfgrass cultivars. The National Turf Evaluation Program http://www.NTEP.org has free information on turfgrass cultivar quality & disease tolerance. Additionally, you can provide adequate water and fertilizer to keep the grass growing. Core aeration of the site will improve water and fertilizer use by the plant, reduce soil compaction, and improve growth and health, so that the turf can outgrow the disease. Apply a preventative fungicide if warranted. The key is to apply the fungicide on the very onset of the disease. If applied once the disease is severe, results are often disappointing. To see a podcast on Rust of Turfgrass, check out this link http://buckeyeturf.osu.edu/content/view/234/ at the Buckeye Turf website. For more information, see:
7. TURF TIPS.A. BUZZ-BOMBING BEETLES.
The beetles seek turfgrass with high levels of organic matter (e.g. thatch) in which to lay eggs. It has been speculated that this attraction to decomposing organic matter explains why large numbers of adults will assail certain lawns while ignoring neighboring lawns. Unlike other Scarab beetle larvae found in turfgrass, green June beetle grubs burrow 10-12" into the soil, and remain closely associated with these burrows. They exit their burrows at night to feed on thatch and other organic matter. Despite their large size, green June beetle larvae seldom cause injury to turf equal to that caused by Japanese beetle or masked chafer larvae. They are mostly considered a nuisance pest. Control efforts should focus on reducing organic matter, particularly thatch, beneath infested lawns. For example, thatch reduction using core aeration will eventually make infested lawns less attractive as grub development sites by these buzz-bombing beetles. For more information, see:
B. A FORAGE GONE WILD.
8. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS.A. BED BUGS SUCK!
Keep the suitcase closed and locked. Do not hang any clothes over a chair or the bed. Inspect everything before it is brought back home. If buying used clothing or furniture, inspect it carefully then inspect it again! Have the item washed in hot water or dry cleaned. Also when visiting or traveling, keep purses, book bags and brief cases completely closed until reaching the destination. For more information, see:
9. COMING ATTRACTIONS.A. NORTHWEST OHIO GREEN INDUSTRY SUMMER SESSION. Remember to SAVE the date for the 12th annual Northwest Ohio Green Industry Summer Session on August 5, 2009. The event will be held once again at Owens Community College. We are especially pleased of this year's great line up of speakers: OSU Extension; Pam Bennett, Dr. Dave Shetlar, Jim Chatfield, Gary Gao, Joe Rimelspach, and Joanne Kick-Raack; Dr. Roger Funk, The Davey Institute; Stephanie Miller, ODNR; and Matt Ross, Toledo Botanical Garden. Once again we will have a three hour manager session with Dr. Bernie Erven, OSU Extension, Columbus, Ohio, working with you as you look at Managing for Success. This session will be both informative and very interactive as you look at your business and where you want to grow. Continuing education credits will be given for ONLA certified technicians, ISA recertification, OLA, and Master Gardener recertification. Contact OSU Extension, ABE Center at 419-354-6916 or http://abe.osu.edu/upcoming-events for more information. B. PESTICIDE APPLICATOR TRAINING OFFERED. Trained Serviceperson and New Applicator Commercial Schools are planned for August 26, 2009 and September 30, 2009. These sessions will be taught at the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. For additional information on these schools, and other educational opportunities, check out the Pesticide Education website at http://pested.osu.edu . C. WOOD DESTROYING INSECT INSPECTION TRAINING. Mark your calendars for training on September 16, 2009. This training will be held at ODA in Reynoldsburg. Recertification credit will also be available in Core, 10b and 12. For additional information, check out http://pested.osu.edu . D. DATES SET FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATOR RECERTIFICATION CONFERENCES. The following dates have been set for recertification conferences this winter. Mark your calendars now!
10. BYGLOSOPHY.Gardening is a kind of disease. It infects you, you cannot escape it. When you go visiting, your eyes rove about the garden; you interrupt the serious cocktail drinking because of an irresistible impulse to get up and pull a weed." - Lewis Gannit
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 23 July 2009 20:47 |
