IN THE GARDEN NOW HELPING GARDENERS PUT KNOWLEDGE TO WORK July 2016 Protecting Your Family From Mosquitoes Lisa Rayburn Extension Agent, Horticulture Contact Us: NCCE-Onslow County 4024 Richlands Hwy. Jacksonville, NC 28540 (910) 455-5873 (910) 455-0977 Fax http://onslow.ces.ncsu. edu 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. Adult mosquito Jim Gathany- CDC phil.cdc.gov/phil Given all the media attention about mosquitoes and the Zika virus lately, I wanted to talk about the best ways we can prevent mosquitoes in our landscapes and protect our loved ones. Zika is a virus spread by a particular species of mosquito, Aedes aegypti. This species of mosquito has not yet been found in North Carolina. Likewise, the Zika virus has not been found in mosquitoes in NC. However, mosquito control is important to controlling the spread of this and other diseases and our warm, wet weather makes this a timely topic. When used properly, pesticides can be an important component of a mosquito control program but relying on pesticides alone is not a good option. We are most successful when we use an integrated mosquito management program that focuses first on reducing mosquito populations and keeping them out of our homes and businesses. The best way to control mosquitoes is to reduce their opportunity to reproduce. Mosquitoes prefer to lay their eggs in small pools of stagnant water particularly temporary water sources such as objects or areas that are filled with debris and water. The debris serves as a food source for the hatching larvae (immature mosquitoes). Mosquitoes thrive in locations such as buckets, plant saucers, tarps, bird baths, tires and toys.
The first steps you should take to control mosquitoes on your property: Make sure all open windows have intact screens. Empty and dispose of any miscellaneous containers such as cans, buckets, appliances, tires, trash, etc. Check plastic tarps (like those that cover your boat, pool, grill, firewood, etc) for pockets of water that can harbor mosquito larva. Empty and overturn swimming pools and wading pools that are not being used or maintained. Remove all of the leaves and debris that build up in your gutter. This organic material can attract and harbor mosquitoes. Make sure rain barrels are fitted with a screen to keep out trash and prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs inside. Check downspout drain pipes to ensure that they aren t holding stagnant water. Keep drainage ditches and culverts free of debris that can block water flow. Asian tiger mosquito larvae in a paint can filled with debris and rainwater. (Photo-M.Waldvogel, NCSU) Remove saucers from underneath flower pots. Your plants don t need standing water under the pot (in fact, this promotes root rot and fungus gnats). Clean and rinse birdbaths frequently. Treat livestock water troughs with an appropriate product such as Mosquito Dunks. Taking these steps will help reduce the number of mosquitoes that are able to survive to adulthood to pester you and your family but personal protection is still important. Protect yourself and family members when you are outdoors, especially during peak mosquito feeding times. If possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Then apply insect repellent to your clothing and/or exposed areas of your skin. I recommend that you use products registered by the EPA. DEET is the most commonly used repellent but other products are also available. Read and follow the label directions. For more information about Zika and mosquitoes in North Carolina, check out this blogpost by Mike Waldvogel, Extension Specialist, https://ncurbanpests.wordpress.ncsu.edu/feature/2016/mosquito-control-morethan-pesticides/
Building a Butterfly Garden Butterfly watching has gained a lot of interest in recent years. Butterflies are colorful and interesting, adding an element of moving beauty to the garden. North Carolina is home to more than 175 species of butterflies, making our state an ideal area for butterfly watching. With a little bit of planning you can develop a garden that will attract a diverse population of butterflies. Black swallowtail butterfly feeds on a zinnia blossom. John Reintjes, Master Gardener Volunteer Butterflies have a distinct life cycle. A butterfly s life begins as an egg, which is generally laid on the leaf of a specific host plant. A host plant is a plant that caterpillars like to eat. Caterpillars are voracious, although picky eaters. Caterpillars chew and eat leaves. When small, caterpillar feeding may not be obvious, but as the caterpillars (and their appetites) mature, they consume large quantities of leaves over a relatively short period of time. After a few weeks of feeding, the caterpillar molts into a mummy-like stage with a hard protective casing called a pupa or chrysalis. While in the chrysalis, the caterpillar transforms into an adult. At the end of about two weeks, the adult emerges from the chrysalis, spreads and dries its wings and begins searching for food and a mate. After successful mating, the female begins her search for a host plant on which to deposit her eggs. As an adult, butterflies actually feed entirely different than caterpillars. Adult butterflies may not feed, or they will use a long proboscis (straw-like mouth part) to sip nectar from flowers. In the process, they serve as pollinators moving pollen from one plant to the next. In some cases, adult butterflies feed on rotten fruit or tree sap. This elaborate life cycle dictates that a successful butterfly garden will need to provide host plants for the larvae as well as nectar plants or other appropriate food sources for the adults. Native plants (plants that are indigenous to our area) are preferred for butterfly gardens. Native plants are the plants that regional butterflies have adapted to and evolved with. Most ornamental plants are bred for color and bloom size, rather than nectar production so while these improved cultivars may be attractive to us, they may provide little benefit to wildlife. Black swallowtail caterpillar feeding on fennel. photo credit: Lisa Rayburn
You will want to choose a variety of nectar plants that will provide food throughout the growing season since different species of butterflies are active throughout the year. Choose flowers with blooms of different sizes and depths smaller butterflies have shorter mouthparts and are unable to reach the nectar in larger blooms while larger butterflies favor larger flowers. Make sure that you consider the moisture and light requirements of plants before placing them in your butterfly garden choose plants that are suited to your particular location. Most butterflies are active only in the sun so many butterfly friendly plants are also suited to sunny locations. Take this in to consideration when selecting the location for your butterfly garden. Besides plants, there are other important considerations. Butterflies need shelter and overwintering areas. Most species survive the winter by hibernating as caterpillars, pupae or adults. When possible, leave snags (standing dead trees) or brush piles in the landscape for overwintering. Throughout the growing season and fall, leave dead flower heads and dead foliage on the plants or you may accidentally remove eggs or pupating butterflies. Provide a mud puddle or damp sandy area for male butterflies to congregate around as well as a few large flat rocks or a small area of dark pebbles for butterflies to perch on while basking in the sun. Fruit peels, cores and rotten fruit can be placed in a discrete location in the garden where they will attract butterflies that eat rotting fruit. Another important consideration is to minimize the use of pesticides. Insecticides, which are chemicals designed to kill insects, also kill butterflies and other beneficial insects. If caterpillars are eating your favorite plants (for instance when black swallowtail butterflies feed on parsley or fennel), choose a few plants to serve as host plants and relocate caterpillars from other plants to your dedicated host. Finally, do not release purchased butterflies. Whether as part of a celebratory event like a wedding or to stock your garden, releasing purchased butterflies is not a good idea. Released butterflies can spread disease to the native butterfly population or cause other problems. To learn more about developing a butterfly garden, go online and search NCSU Butterflies in Your Back Yard in your favorite search engine. This publication includes everything you need to get started, including a list of common butterflies in NC as well as detailed lists of larval host and adult nectar plants and butterfly garden design ideas. http://content.ces.ncsu.edu/butterflies-in-your-backyard
Tip and Tasks Vegetable Gardens 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 or scout frequently for caterpillars and apply Bt or spinosad at the first sign of feeding. 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 consistent harvest. Lawns Don t apply nitrogen at this point in the season. On sandy sites, consider the application of a potassium based fertilizer. This probably isn t necessary if you fertilized with a 15-0-14 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). Be on the lookout for large patch developing in late August/early September. On sites with a history of large patch, apply fungicides preventatively in late August prior to the development of symptoms. If you have had a problem with annual bluegrass, be prepared to apply preemergent herbicides the beginning of September. Trees and shrubs No more heavy pruning. Pruning stimulates new growth which is more susceptible to winter injury. You can 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.
Onslow County Farmers Market Days and Times Don t forget that the Onslow County Farmers Market is open. Come out and support your local farmers, vendors and crafters. You will find a selection of local produce, meats, cheese, baked goods, wines, wares, jams and jellies, prepared foods and hand crafted items. 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 10 to 2 aboard Camp Lejeune in front of the commissary Thursday from 10 to 2 on Western Boulevard in front of Big Lots To learn more about the Farmers Market and upcoming special events, check out their website or follow their Facebook page for more details: http://onslowncfarmersmarket.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/onslow-county-farmers- Market/111126258908994 ******************************************************************************* Find the Gardening Information on the Radio I host the Garden Journal on Public Radio East. The Garden Journal airs Friday at noon on all PRE Stations and Saturday at noon on News and Ideas. In Onslow County, that is 91.5 FM and 89.3 FM on Fridays and 91.5 FM Saturdays. Tune in and join me. Is there a topic that you would like me to address on the show? If so, email me at lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu and you may hear your answer on the air.
Upcoming Classes **All classes are held at the extension office. Must Pre-register. Please call (910) 455-5873 to register. Protecting and Planting for Pollinators We ll discuss steps that anyone can take to protect and provide space for pollinators in their landscapes and gardens. We ll also discuss pollinator-friendly plants and designs. August 20, 10 am Composting Basics We ll cover how to compost and trouble shoot common composting problems. August 27, 10 am Summer Gardening Series Our summer gardening series continues! All classes are free and open to the public. This series runs Monday nights from 6-8 pm at the extension office. Dividing Perennials August 1 We ll discuss when and how to divide perennials. Be prepared to get a little dirty and have fun making new plants. Equipment Maintenance August 8 Learn how to care for your lawn and garden equipment. We ll cover basic care and maintenance as well as winterizing. Association Meetings Onslow County Farmers Market Association Meeting August 2, 4 pm Contact: Marie Bowman, 910.459.3463, marie.s.bowman@gmail.com Onslow County Master Gardener Volunteer Association Meeting August 11, 9 am Contact: Lisa Rayburn, 910.455.5873, lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu Onslow County Beekeepers Association Meeting August 9, 7 pm Contact: Jeff Morton, 910.330.5732 or jeff_morton@ncsu.edu
CONTACT US If you have questions about lawn, landscape or garden problems, contact your local Cooperative Extension office. In Onslow County call 455-5873, Mon Fri. 8 am 5 pm, or visit us online anytime at http://onslow.ces.ncsu.edu. While you are there, you can post your questions to be answered by email using the Ask an Expert widget (in the upper left hand corner). 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. Onslow County Multipurpose Complex NC Cooperative Extension Services 4024 Richlands Highway Jacksonville, NC 28540 910-455-5873 /910-455-0977 FAX http://www/ces/ncsu/edu/onslow/