This summer New Yorkers have seen more than their share of late blight, a dread disease of potatoes and tomatoes. The abundance of rain we’ve had statewide provides perfect conditions for the “water mold” pathogen that causes this disease. August alone saw 36 late blight reports in New York. Pennsylvania and the New England states…Continue Reading Late Blight Strikes Again — Blame It on the Weather
Bee Alert When Using Pesticides
If you’ve seen neonics in the news lately, you know that there’s a debate raging on the connection neonics might have with the health of honeybees and native bees that pollinate so many of our food and ornamental crops. Neonics — that’s short for neonicotinoids. And neonicotinoid — well, this mouthful of a word is…Continue Reading Bee Alert When Using Pesticides
Alien Plant Take Over Your Flowers? No — It’s “Aster Yellows”
Are your purple coneflowers suddenly looking weird — as in truly weird, almost like some alien plant highjacked them and replaced their gorgeous flowering heads with its own? Ah … but it’s really a disease called aster yellows. And those green flower heads? They’re tufts of deformed coneflower leaves erupting amidst the blossoms. Aster yellows,…Continue Reading Alien Plant Take Over Your Flowers? No — It’s “Aster Yellows”
Punching Out Grubs
Cutting grass roots to the quick — that’s a grub’s stock in trade. But pesticides cost money and time — let alone potential health hazards, whether to ecosystems or us. Cutting grubs to the quick? Now, there’s an idea. Groundskeepers and savvy homeowners use aerators with their sharp tines to break up hard, compacted soil,…Continue Reading Punching Out Grubs
Baiting for Mice, Rats? Try String!
Peanut butter is a staple in managing mice and rats, especially in residential settings. It’s easy to apply to traps, it stays fresh for several days — and a jar of peanut butter has a long shelf life. But peanut butter isn’t always your best bet. Because sometimes that peanut butter is a magnet for…Continue Reading Baiting for Mice, Rats? Try String!
Have No Fear: Pests Are Smaller than They Appear
Are subway rats really the size of house cats? Are there American cockroaches or “waterbugs” as big as your hand? Fortunately, neither is true. But a 2012 study offers insight as to why those beliefs exist. First, some background. Whenever I give a presentation about structural pests, I like to bring some specimens along for…Continue Reading Have No Fear: Pests Are Smaller than They Appear
The Cutworms Are Coming
Western bean cutworm — call it WBC for short — is a new pest to us, though farmers in the Midwest and Canada have been battling it for several years. Since field corn contributes $685 million to New York’s economy while sweet corn rings in at $68 million, we can’t take this threat lightly. These…Continue Reading The Cutworms Are Coming
Tipping the scales of tree health
Seeing spots on your landscape conifers? It might be elongate hemlock scale. It’s not just on hemlocks anymore – it’s been reported on firs in the Hudson Valley, western NY, and the Southern Tier. Scales – and this is a hard scale, so it has a handy protective cover for itself – suck the contents…Continue Reading Tipping the scales of tree health
Dog-day Cicadas — and the Wasps That Do Them In
Midsummer in New York is when things really start to heat up. And as if hot days aren’t enough, the sound of the dog day cicada makes it seem even hotter. Cicadas are robust insects — up to 1 ¼ inch — with piercing mouthparts that suck up plant juices. Cicada nymphs live underground, feeding…Continue Reading Dog-day Cicadas — and the Wasps That Do Them In
Best Bets for Bees
Make your yard ‘bee-friendly’! It’s everywhere in the news these days. So how can you keep your garden a haven for pollinators of all types? 1. Keep it blooming – all season long Have lots of different blooming plants – annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, even weeds (ahem — wildflowers) for ample pollen and nectar for…Continue Reading Best Bets for Bees