IN THE GARDEN NOW. Webworms HELPING GARDENERS PUT KNOWLEDGE TO WORK. August Dear Gardeners,

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1 IN THE GARDEN NOW August 2018 HELPING GARDENERS PUT KNOWLEDGE TO WORK Webworms Lisa Rayburn Extension Agent, Horticulture Contact Us: NCCE-Onslow County 4024 Richlands Hwy. Jacksonville, NC (910) (910) Fax edu Dear Gardeners, I have nests of webbing and caterpillars on the ends of my pecan tree limbs! What are they? Should I treat them? How? Signed, I can t understand Dear Stan, While we do occasionally see spider webs in trees, it is not a common occurrence. Fall webworms are a likely culprit. They re found in the tips or ends of branches of pecan trees around this time of year, and more so later in the fall. The webbing you see is the caterpillars (or webworms ) nest; when you see them out in the tree, they ve emerged from their nest to feed. North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. Webworms are native and probably not going to stress a mature tree, but if you see multiple bags on a smaller tree and want to treat it, begin with the foliage outside the nest. Carbaryl (Sevin) can be used to spray webs within reach, but if the webs are not within reach, don t worry your tree should hold up fine. Webworms are not to be confused with eastern tent caterpillars, which are a bigger threat and should be treated promptly. Eastern tent caterpillars form webs in the crotches of trees, not in the ends, and are often found in fruit, hawthorn, and maple trees. Remove the egg masses before they hatch and treat the foliage with carbaryl. Happy gardening! Lisa

2 Keep Calm and Garden On: Giant Hogweed Spotted in Watuaga County, NC Jan Samanek Bugwood.org There s a lot of buzz about giant hogweed in North Carolina right now, but the only accurate sightings have been in the mountains of Watuaga County, where the NCDA is working to eradicate it. Populations were recently identified in southeastern Virginia as well. Down east, gardeners should stay vigilant but, since several of our native plants are commonly mistaken for the giant hogweed, avoid pulling up innocent plants! If you d like to learn more, check out the following links, and always reach out to us with questions and pictures of any suspicious invaders. Pictures can be ed to Lisa Rayburn at lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu. A recent information release about giant hogweed in NC: hogweed- is- present- in- nc- but- rare/ For current confirmed locations of giant hogweed in NC: Giant hogweed is a tall (very tall) plant, often over 6 feet, with large, broad leaves and a massive flower. It s interesting to look at, but do not touch! The hogweed s sap causes rashes and blistering. While the chances of finding giant hogweed are low, it doesn t hurt to be aware and keep an eye out. Again, you may spot a similar- looking plant on our local roadsides (pictured below) but stay cool: it s much more likely to be one of our friendly local plants. Join us for a selection of local produce, meats, wines, jams and jellies, honey, eggs, baked goods, crafts, vegetable transplants and more! Vendors vary from market to market so make sure you check out all three locations: Saturdays from 8:30 to 1:30 at 4024 Richlands Highway Tuesdays from 8:30 to 1:30 at 4024 Richlands Highway Thursday from 10 to 2 on Camp Lejeune

3 Spore Losers If you re seeing yellow-tinged foliage on your basil plant, watch for brown and black spots and violetgray spores: you might have a case of basil downy mildew! Basil downy mildew spores are spread by the wind and will decimate your basil if unchecked. To avoid the nastiness, plant basil in a different sunny spot every year, and give them plenty of space. If you buy basil plants to set out, scout carefully and make sure the leaves are free of downy mildew symptoms. Try to water it with a drip system or soaker hose and keep the leaves dry. Basil downy mildew will not survive over winter in the ground or in plant material, so if you grow your next basil from clean seeds in the spring you should be good to go. Just beware that downy mildew can overwinter on basil plants in greenhouses, indoors, and last year s infected seedlings. If you suspect you ve got a case of basil downy mildew, you can send us photos or bring it into the office for identification, but the most important thing is that you harvest the plant. There s no way to control basil downy mildew on the plant itself, so once your plant is touched, just salvage all the basil you can for a yummy pesto and kiss the rest goodbye! J. Kenji Lopez-Alt s Late Summer Salad * Time: 10 min, prep to table Serves: 4-6 With melons, figs and basil in high supply, it s easy to riff on this classic perfect for when it s too hot to turn on the stove. Any type of melons, figs and salty pig products will combine beautifully with basil. A drizzle of aged balsamic never hurt anyone, either. 1 small Charentais melon or cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes 12 black mission figs, split in half lengthwise 2 ounces thinly shaved Jamón Serrano, prosciutto, or your favorite salty pork product 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Coarse sea salt Small handful fresh basil leaves Arrange melon pieces, fig halves, and shaved ham on a plate, any way you find pretty. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and basil. Serve on small plates or just pass some forks around and let everyone dig in! * as seen on Serious Eats We want your feedback! If you like our newsletter, or want to see something new, let us know! Give us a call or lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu. Speaking of new, we have a new volunteer working on our newsletter. If you see Jessie at our next Master Gardeners course, say hi!

4 Association Meetings Onslow County Master Gardener Volunteer Association Meeting August 9 th, 9 am Contact: Lisa Rayburn, , lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu Onslow County Beekeepers Association Meeting August 14 th 7 pm Contact: David Peed, or myscubashop@yahoo.com Onslow County Farmers Market Board Meeting August 29 th, 5:15 pm Contact: Marie Bowman mkschwei@ncsu.edu Planning Your Fall Harvest In early to mid-august, consider planting a second crop of cucumbers. Later in the month, you can plant cauliflower, broccoli, collards, cabbage and turnips. These members of the mustard family will grow well past the last frost. I find they do best as transplants at this point in the season. Keep a close eye on them and stay one step ahead of caterpillars through regular scouting. Set out a couple of new basil plants to replace your early crop, which will be flowering by now. Let the old basil plants flower, basil flowers are a favorite of bees and other beneficial insects. (The application of a product containing Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) or spinosad at the first sign of caterpillar damage will protect your crop while minimizing impact to beneficial insects.) Herbs such as dill, cilantro and parsley grow best during the cooler weather of fall and spring. Make several plantings two to three weeks apart for a consistent supply. Try planting a round of edible pod peas like sugar snaps or snow peas. While they don t appreciate the warm weather at the end of summer, they will produce well past the first frost in the fall. Cool season root vegetables with a longer growing season, such as carrots and rutabagas, can be planted now too. Remember to save a little space in the garden. Early September is an excellent time to plant cool season crops with a short growing season. Radishes, lettuce and spinach will be ready to harvest within a month or two of sowing. Harvest lettuce and spinach as cut and come again crops to harvest earlier and extend your harvest window. Put out onion sets and garlic cloves in September or October for harvest next spring. With a little bit of planning, you can harvest vegetables out of your garden every month of the year in Onslow County! Remember: the eastern North Carolina planting calendar is a week to 10 days behind central s, so adjust your schedule accordingly! For a detailed fall vegetable planting guide, visit:

5 Tips and Tasks Garden * Set out transplants of cool season crops for harvest later this fall. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi will grow through the first frost. Use row covers and apply Bt or spinosad at the first sign of caterpillars. * Seed hardy greens like mustard and kale. * Cool season herbs like dill, cilantro, and parsley can be grown from seeds or transplants. Make several plantings 2-3 weeks apart for a consistent harvest. Lawn * On sandy sites, consider the application of a potassium-based fertilizer. It s probably unnecessary if you fertilized with a fertilizer this spring, but adequate K can help develop winter hardiness. Look for a fertilizer such as muriate of potash (0-0-60, use 1.6 pounds per 1000 square feet) or potassium sulfate (0-0-50, use 2 pounds per 1000 square feet). Don t apply nitrogen at this point in the season. * Be on the lookout for large patch developing in late August/early September. On sites with a history of large patch, apply preventative fungicides in late August. * If you have had a problem with annual bluegrass, prepare to apply pre-emergent herbicides in the beginning of September. Trees and shrubs * No more heavy pruning! Pruning stimulates new growth, which is more susceptible to winter injury. Remove damaged, diseased or broken wood at any point but save significant pruning until the dormant season. * Hold off on fertilizing with nitrogen until late winter or early spring.

6 Classes Vegetable Gardening 101 Series Getting ready for Fall August 18 th 10 am Cost: free Registration: Location: Discovery Gardens We will meet the third Saturday of each month, at 10 am, in the Discovery Garden (besides the Farmers Market). Come plant and tend the vegetables in the raised bed gardens with us. Each month, we will discuss what we are planting and why. Then you can help plant! These informal classes will be a great way to get your hands dirty, ask questions and get ideas that you can apply in your own garden. Landscape for Life Learn the skills you need to develop a sustainable landscape design for your personal property. Classes will be held each Wednesday evening form 6-8 pm at the Extension Office. Classes are free but preregistration is requested. Call to reserve your seat. Sessions include: August 1 Landscape Design Concepts August 8 Plant Selection August 15 Optimum Planting Practice Master Gardener Volunteer Class Scheduled We will be holding out next Master Gardener Volunteer Training Class from September 6 November 8. Classes will meet Tuesday and Thursday mornings from There will be an occasional field trip. Cost $125. Call or lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu for more information or to request an application. This training is intended for volunteers who wish to learn how to be better gardeners while helping other gardeners by sharing their knowledge. Class participants learn about a wide variety of gardening subjects including vegetables, fruits, lawn grasses, shrubs, flowers and trees. The training focuses on developing diagnostic skills for insects and diseases of plants. Classes are also given on soils, propagation, plant identification and more. Master Gardeners receive 40 hours of training and after graduation they provide 40 hours of volunteer work in the community. Master Gardeners are involved in a range of community projects including: answering homeowner inquires at the Extension Office and Farmer s Market, participating in our Growing Minds training (for local school children), and developing the Discovery Gardens. The 2018 Master Gardener course will begin September 6 and run through November 8. Classes will usually be taught Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 am until noon with the occasional field trip being held outside normal class hours. Cost for the course is $125. Space in the class is limited. Applications and payment must be received by August 24. CONTACT US If you have questions about lawn, landscape or garden problems, contact your local Cooperative Extension office. In Onslow County call , Mon. Fri., 8 am 5 pm, or visit us online anytime at While you are there, you can post your questions to be answered by using the Ask an Expert widget in the upper left-hand corner.