Turf and Tree Summer Season

New season for Turf and Tree team 2019

This is Turf and Tree teams 3rd season where we meet every Monday morning to go through local residents call-ins or emails asking for help with their turf or tree problems. So far we have stayed quite busy with site visits to clients properties throughout the county and steady stream of call-ins/emails to extension office.  Unfortunately the team is having to struggle again with a small group of dedicated members to get through a long list of clients needing help. But we have been able to manage and so far the folks we have visited and talked with on the phone seems very much appreciative of what we are doing for them.

This update will cover a couple of site visits we did recently that took us to large acre home site in south Caldwell and winery in Sunnyslope area. We’ll cover what looks to be our biggest issues so far this season.

      

  The cottony scale name comes from the shape and color that is on the tree branches that looks like cotton balls glued to branches. These so called cotton balls are egg sacks filled with harmful insect. This issue seems to be more prone to silver and red maple trees. There are multiple ways to control this issue by cultural control or Biological control. 

                

The other big issue we are seeing is either severe over watering or having your water emitters/sprinklers in the wrong spot. The picture on the left shows maple tree where the water emitter is in the wrong spot for the tree to take in water. It should be at the tree's dripline near the end of the branches where they extent out. This is where our trees are taking in and release vidal water and nutrients. The picture in the middle shows this tree under stress and trying to protect itself by releasing sap to try to drive the attacking insects out. The picture on the right shows signs of severe overwatering causing iron nutrient not to be taken up through tree roots that causes iron chlorosis. 

         

           Emitter in wrong spot       Sap from tree     Over watering causing 

Iron chlorosis 

Above data from following sources:

From Ohio State Extension: On Cottony Scale

From University of Idaho extension: Proper watering needs for your lawn

From Utah State extension: Placing your water emitters

From Idaho Growin blog: On Iron Chlorosis

From US forest division: On Iron Chlorosis

Welcome to 2018

Hi Everyone and Welcome to 2018!

It is a new year and one that you can be proud to be a part of.
Have any of you made the traditional New Years Resolution? 
Did you include any that are going to be easy to uphold? How about some of these ideas for the New Year.

Let's plant a new kind of tomato, preferably an Heirloom

or a Landrace variety. Don't know what that means? Click on the word link to find out more. 

Maybe you are into Flowers and want to explore new colors for the garden or new strains for the plant show. What's stopping you? Just do it! Remember, it is your garden and you can do what you want to, and next year is a new year again.

Did you plan your garden layout and planting design for this coming year only to get more information that made you change your mind? There are a lot of services and educational opportunities available locally and online. 

Lets get out there and keep Idaho Growin!

Honey Bees

The crunch of a crisp apple, picked right off the tree. The sweet juice that runs all over you when you eat a cantaloupe or watermelon. The vivid color of raspberries in you freshly squeezed lemonade. What do all of these foods have in common? They are pollinated by honey bees; along with several other crops.

There are a lot of pollinators, of which bees are 80%. From the crops that bees pollinate come 1/3 of our diet. These pollinators for the last decade have been on the decline. One factor linked to pollinator decline is the misuse of a category of insecticides known as neonicitinoids. While neonicitinoids are used as a systemics insecticide, meaning they move through the plant, they are also used in a verity of different chemical formulas such as dusts, liquid, or granular. Some formulations include Imidacloprid and Thiamethoxam.

The average homeowner can take simple steps to reduce see decline. Are you applying the chemical

correctly: time of the day, weather, measurement of the product and using the least harmful chemical for bees? Read and follow the label! Understand what chemicals are in use.

With these tips I hope you enjoy your garden. And remember the Honey Bees and other pollinators!!

*Amerucan Bee Journal. Wild Bee Decline Threatens US Crop Production

              University Of Vermont

*Honey Bee Biology & Beekeeping

              Dewey M. Caron

*Nature. 2012 Nov. 1; 491(7422):105-8doi/nature 1158. epub2012 Oct 21.  

Pollinators By Alison Ogata

Due to the vast decline in pollinators worldwide, it is imperative that we as humans make a concerted effort to protect and encourage pollinators. Pollinators not only include the 20,000 species of bees, but butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles, and bats. These pollinators are crucial to the growth of fruit, vegetables and many nuts, as well as flowering plants.

There are intermingling reasons for the population decline of pollinators. Farming with pesticides exposes the pollinators, as well as parasites and pathogens. It is also important to leave some land for wildflowers and cover crops that feed the pollinators. Additionally, climate change changes the territories of plants and pollinators.

To encourage pollinators in home landscapes, planting a variety of plants and flowers desirable to them is necessary. In my garden, I am replacing an old garden bed with a “banquet” of pollinator favorites. These will include: Liatris (Blazing Star and Gayfeather), Echinacea (purple cone flower), Salvia (Garden Sage, Brazilian Blue Sage, common sage). Coreopsis (tickseed), Phlox caespitosa (phlox), Agastache (Butterfly weed, Bee Balm, Hyssop, Hummingbird Mint) and a Buddleia (Butterfly Bush).

Our pollinators promote the growth of the food supply in the world. Without them and recognizing their importance, the pollinators face extinction. It is of absolute importance and necessity to address and educate ourselves in the protection and encouragement of pollinators

*Pictures of all flowers listed above are at: www.perennialresource.com