Mercer County Horticulture Newsletter From The Ground Up

Transcription

1 Mercer County Horticulture Newsletter From The Ground Up July, 2016 Mercer County 1007 Lexington Road Harrodsburg, KY (859) Fax: (859) The Mercer County Fair is right around the corner, you still have time to enter those prize winning vegetables and flowers! Happy Gardening! Jessica Bessin, Mercer County Extension Agent for Horticulture Alternative Control Methods for Japanese Beetles Lee Townsend, UK Entomology Extension Specialist Japanese beetle numbers appear to be up in many areas, and landscapes with plants these insects prefer could be under siege for the next 2 to 3 weeks. Turf and ornamental insecticides containing pyrethroids (bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, permethrin, etc.) can provide very good long-term control. However, these insecticides are harmful to pollinators and must not be applied to blooming plants. The extended residual effect of pyrethroids also applies to natural enemies. Damage to natural enemies can lead to problems with other pests, such as spider mites. This leaves many people interested in alternative approaches to Japanese beetle control. No single solution fits all situations, but practical assistance may be found in one or more of these alternatives: Drape fine netting over preferred host plants to deny beetles access to attractive plants. Monitor general beetle activity in order to remove the cover as early as possible. Cut and bring highly attractive flowers, such a roses, indoors for enjoyment. Volatiles produced by Japanese beetle-damaged plants attract more of these voracious insects. When practical, make early morning and afternoon visits to infested plants to knock beetles into a container of soapy water. Keeping Japanese beetle numbers low on plants means less plant damage, as well as less attraction to other Japanese beetles. Pyola Insect Spray (pyrethrins and canola oil) and other pyrethrins sprays provide broad spectrum insect control alternative. Both active ingredients are contact insecticides that provide very short residual protection. As with all insecticides, follow the label directions on protecting pollinators. Insecticidal soap and horticultural oils also provide contact control. Check the label for warnings regarding sensitive plants or restrictions due to high temperature. Products based on extracts of hot peppers, oranges, garlic, and the physical protectant kaolin did not provide effective control in University of Kentucky trials. UK research has shown beetle traps to be ineffective. Large numbers of beetles will respond to the attractants but few are captured. This can result in greater beetle damage than would have occurred without the traps. Grub control treatments will reduce damage to turf, but they will not reduce adult numbers during the following Weeping cherry defoliated by Japanese beetles season because of the flight ability of the beetles. If you would like more information on Japanese beetles please contact the Mercer County Extension Office at

2 Start Your Fall Garden Now! Gardening doesn't have to end with your summer-grown crops. Right now is the perfect time to start seeding or planting transplants for a fall garden. Keep in mind that cooler nights slow plant growth, so crops can take longer to mature. This is important when you are looking through seed catalogs. Make sure to look at average days to maturity before purchasing. Some of the best quality vegetables are produced during the fall s warm days and cool nights. These environmental conditions add sugar to sweet corn and cole crops, and crispness to carrots. The table to the right has a few examples of vegetables that can successfully be grown in the fall. (Source: ID 128) Vegetable Date of Planting Seeds Transplants Days to Maturity Harvest Bibb Lettuce July-Aug X X Sep-Oct Broccoli July-Aug X Sep-Nov Carrots July-Aug X Nov Green Beans July-Mid Aug X Sep Kale Jul-Aug X X Sep-Nov Spinach Aug-Sep X Aug-Sep Sweet Corn July X Sep Turnips July-Aug X Sep-Nov Gladiolus A popular flower often entered at our county fair is the gladiolus. Often grown as cut flowers: "glads" offer a wide array of colors. The plants grow and flower best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Soils that produce good garden vegetables will produce good glads. Space planting times a week or so apart to have gladiolus in bloom the entire summer. Plant the corms 3 to 6 inches deep, depending on size of corm. Glads can be planted by digging out a trench and planting corms in either a single or double, staggered row. Corms may be spaced only 2 to 3 inches apart in the row. Rows should be spaced from 20 to 36 inches apart. Glads need ample water throughout the growing season. Watering should soak the ground thoroughly. Fertilizer ( ) should be applied at the rate of 3 to 4 pounds per 100 square feet of bed area when plants are 6 to 8 inches tall, and again when the flower spikes appear. To keep the plants erect, they must be staked. Hilling up soil on both sides of the row also gives good support. Mulches help to keep down weeds and conserve soil moisture. A 3- to 4-inch depth is needed for good weed control. Cut the flower spike when the first floret is showing color for the best quality cut flowers. Be sure to leave at least two, and preferably four, leaves on the plant after cutting spikes to help corms mature properly. The most troublesome pests are gladiolus thrips. This insect does considerable damage to the flowers. It causes malformed and spotted flowers. Source: Clemson University Extension

3 Mark Those Calendars!!! Mercer County Farmers Market The Mercer County Farmers Market is now open Tuesday and Thursday 3-6PM and Saturdays 9 AM-1PM. Garden Flavors Series July 9th, Mercer County Exhibit Hall (Mercer County Farmers Market) 10 AM Come hungry and ready to learn! We will learn the basics of growing tomatoes and how to prepare them for a meal. Participants will receive samples of watermelon tomato salad! Fort Harrod Beekeeping Club-July 25th, Mercer County Extension Office 6:30 PM Have a honey bee swarm in your yard? Call the Mercer County Extension Office at and a member of the Fort Harrod Beekeeping Club will come out and remove it for you. Mercer County Fair- July 23rd-30th, Mercer County Fairgrounds Floral hall catalogs are now available at the Mercer County Extension Office. Mercer County Open House-August 4th, Mercer County Extension 6:00-8:00 PM See details below

4 Mercer Floral Hall Schedule Monday, July 25 7:30 am 12:00 pm Entry Check-In Tuesday, July 26 Wednesday, July 27 Thursday, July 28 Friday, July 29 Saturday, July 30 8:00 am 11:00 am Entry Check-Out Departments Art Canning Children s Craft Crochet & Knit Sewing Culinary Flower & Plant Garden Produce Home Furnishing Needlework Quilt

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