Horticulture Newsletter

Transcription

1 Taylor County Horticulture Newsletter October 2018 Cooperative Extension Service Taylor County 1143 South Columbia Avenue Campbellsville, KY (270) Fax: (270) Upcoming Events: October 4th Master Gardener 3rd Class: Soils & Fertility 1:00-4:00 p.m. October 8th Busy Bloomers Garden Club 1:00 p.m. October 18th Green River Beekeepers 7:00 p.m. October 20th Diversity Festival 11:00 a.m. November 1st Master Gardener 4th Class: Composting & Water Quality 1:00-4:00 p.m. November 15th Master Gardener 5th Class: Plant Pathology 1:00-4:00 p.m. November 20th Thanksgiving Floral Design Classes $10 fee (limit 12 per class) 2:00 or 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP by November 13th The Taylor County Extension Office will be closed on November 22nd and 23rd. November 27th Christmas Wreath Classes (limit 15 per class) 2:00 or 5:30 p.m. Please RSVP by November 20th November 29th Master Gardener 6th Class: Entomology 1:00-4:00 p.m. December 4th Biological Controls Program for Commercial Growers 5:30 p.m. December 6th Master Gardener 7th Class: Pesticides & Safety 1:00-4:00 p.m. The Taylor County Farmers Market will be open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. I hope to see you at these events! For more information or to RSVP to any of the events listed above, please call or stop by the Taylor County Extension Office. Thank You, Kara Back Extension Agent for Horticulture Education

2 Make Your Mark Within Taylor County Extension We are interested in better understanding the issues that are important to you in your community. Please take a few moments to take our brief survey. If you would like a paper copy please feel free to stop by the Extension Office to pick one up. By completing this survey you are not only helping to improve your community but you will also be entered to win one of six $50 Wal-Mart gift cards. When you complete the online survey screenshot the last page and send it to us in a private message and we will enter you into the drawing. If you choose to do the paper copy you will be entered when you bring it back to the Extension Office. The deadline to complete the survey is 10/26/2018. If you have any questions please call us at Help make your mark by using the link to take the survey: What's going on in KY Horticulture? 10/18/18-10/19/18 - KY State Master Gardeners Conference at McCracken Co. Extension Office 11/1/18 - Organic Marketing for All at Bourbon County Extension Office, 9:00 a.m. 11/2/18 - Year Round High Tunnel Production at Magney Legacy Ridge Farm, (Princeton, KY) 1:00-4:00 p.m.

3 Tree Wounds Invitations to Wood Decay Fungi Nicole Ward-Gauthier, Extension Specialist, Plant Pathology Kimberly Leonberger, Extension Associate, Plant Pathology Wood decay leads to loss of tree vigor and vitality, resulting in decline, dieback, and structural failure. Wounds play an important part in this process since they are the primary point of entry for wood decay pathogens. While other factors may also result in decline and dieback, the presence of wounds and/or outward signs of pathogens provides confirmation that wood decay is an underlying problem. Wounds and wood decay reduce the ability of trees to support themselves. Wounds may result from numerous sources such as lawn equipment (Figure 1), pruning, vehicles, herbicides, insects, wildlife, weather, or objects that girdle or embed in trunks or branches (Figure 2). Once stress or damage from wounds occurs, fungal decay pathogens may enter plants to cause further damage. During rainy seasons and moderate temperatures, many wood decay fungi produce visible reproductive structures, such as shelf-like fungal bodies (Figure 3) or mushrooms. e: Nicole Ward- Gauthier, UK For more information on tree wounds and related disease problems, including symptoms, causes, prevention, and treatment, review the publication Tree Wounds Invitations to Wood Decay Fungi (PPFS-OR-W-01) Additional Information Tree Wounds Invitations to Wood Decay Fungi (PPFS-OR-W-01) Plant Pathology Publications (Website) **If you are not part of the master gardener program, but would like to attend one of the classes please let me know. There will be 10 additional spots available. Also, please let me know if you want to participate in the workshop that will follow the class. Materials often have to be purchased, and I want to make sure I have enough for everyone. Some workshops may have a fee for non-master gardeners, but this will be noted in the newsletter**

4 Velvet Ants ENTFACT-442: Velvet Ants By: Ric Bessin, Extension Entomologist University of Kentucky College of Agriculture One unusual insect that is occasionally seen running around open areas in the yard during July, August, and September is the velvet ant. Velvet ants look like large hairy ants, but they are actually wasps. They differ from ants in having only a slight constriction between the thorax and abdomen and having straight rather than elbowed antennae. They may be seen in lawns or pastures, or occasionally wandering into buildings. These solitary wasps, as the name implies, are densely covered with short hair. The males have two pairs of transparent black wings. The females are wingless, and are sometimes confused with ants. Ants, however, have elbowed antennae, and a "hump" in the constriction between the thorax and abdomen. Velvet ants are brightly colored. They are shades of yellow and brown or red and black. Velvet ants are not aggressive and will try to escape when encountered, but females have a very painful sting if handled. Females use a long, needle-like stinger concealed at the tip of the abdomen. Many of the velvet ants can produce a squeaking sound when disturbed. Adult velvet ants feed on nectar and water. The immature stages are external parasites of bees and wasps that nest in the ground. A few species parasitize some flies and beetles. Consequently, there are no identifiable nests to treat. Velvet ants prefer pastures and fields with sandy soil where their prey are most likely to be found. There is no effective control measure for them. If they are particularly abundant in an area, it may be helpful in the long run to overseed to get a better grass cover. This would discourage the ground nesting bees and wasps on which velvet ants feed. Because velvet ants are uncommon and do not cause any damage, no chemical control is recommended. One velvet ant that is commonly submitted for identification is the cow killer. The cow killer is the largest of the velvet ants in Kentucky, nearly an inch in length. It earned its name by the reputation of the female s sting. It is said that the sting is so painful that it could kill a cow. The female is mostly red with some black, the male is half red and half black with dark wings. Females seek out bumble bee nests and lay eggs inside the wax cups. After bees or wasps have formed cocoons, adult female velvet ants enter the host nest by digging through the soil or breaking through nest walls. The cow killer larvae feed on the bumble bee larvae and pupae and will pupate inside the bumble bee nest. This bumble bee is ultimately killed. CAUTION! Pesticide recommendations in this publication are registered for use in Kentucky, USA ONLY! The use of some products may not be legal in your state or country. Please check with your local county agent or regulatory official before using any pesticide mentioned in this publication. Of course, ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS FOR SAFE USE OF ANY PESTICIDE! Images: Ric Bessin, University of Kentucky Entomology

5 Celebrate 100 years of Extension within Taylor County Open house November 4:30 p.m.

6 Taylor County 1143 South Columbia Avenue Campbellsville, KY, RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED