Month: November 2014

“No Surprises” Trip Prep? IPM, Prevention Are Key

So you’re thinking of a trip south, camper or boat in tow, or maybe a little winter getaway to your cabin in the North Country.  For “no surprises” trip prep, take advantage of every spell of mild weather to make sure you’ve kept rodents from settling into cozy quarters (or disinvite those that have) removed…Continue Reading “No Surprises” Trip Prep? IPM, Prevention Are Key

DIY “Strip-Trials” for IPM On-Farm Research

Field corn is the king of crops in New York. This highest net-value and most widely grown crop occupies more than a million acres statewide. Some years it’s hammered by leaf blights that can cost considerably if not treated in time. Other years your crops get off almost unscathed. So — how to know which…Continue Reading DIY “Strip-Trials” for IPM On-Farm Research

For New Invasive Lanternfly, Best IPM Tool is Your Eyes

Spotted lanternfly, aka Lycorma delicatula — put it on your radar now. True, as far as we know it’s not in New York. Yet. And with winter blowing in, any likelihood of seeing it this year is grows smaller by the day. But considering the havoc this new invasive could wreak if it breaks through…Continue Reading For New Invasive Lanternfly, Best IPM Tool is Your Eyes

Roses are red but rose rosette virus will make you blue

Did your roses look odd this past year — stems and leaves that stayed red all summer, or lots of stems or buds all bunched together? (Those bunches are called “witches’ brooms.”)  If so, they could have rose rosette disease — a virus carried by a miniscule mite. It may be just a small branch…Continue Reading Roses are red but rose rosette virus will make you blue

IPM Watchwords for Adaptable Pest | Lessons Learned

Launching Our “Lessons Learned” Series: With winter coming on and much of the fieldwork done, what better time to go into “lessons learned” mode? Each growing season is different, with nature dishing up some new entrée — something new on your plate. Sometimes it’s good. Sometimes it’s not. If it’s not, even if it happened to…Continue Reading IPM Watchwords for Adaptable Pest | Lessons Learned

This Wasp Pollinates Your Posies — and Makes Nests of Grass

With IPM, half the battle is knowing what not to kill. After all, sometimes a beneficial could look like a pest. That’s why an accurate ID is so important. Case in point? The grass-carrying wasp. At about ¾ inch, these shiny black wasps with the smoky wings and almost impossibly narrow waists look just a…Continue Reading This Wasp Pollinates Your Posies — and Makes Nests of Grass