From Integrated Weed Management Specialist BRYAN BROWN: Spring is my favorite. Rushing streams. Birds singing. Bright green leaves. Earth Day reminds me to appreciate these simple pleasures and think about ways to protect them. Responsible pest management through IPM offers a way for farmers to keep those leaves bright green, while keeping our streams running clean, and our…Continue Reading Earth Day 2020 – IPMers Consider 50 Years of Caring and Action (part #2)
Earth Day 2020 – IPMers Consider 50 Years of Concern and Action (part #1)
From Livestock & Field Crops IPM Extension Area Educator KEN WISE: What I remember the most of Earth Day is when I taught high school forestry and fishery. On Earth Day, we would plant several acres of Douglas fir seedlings or release salmon in rivers with my students in the Cascade Mountains. We would grow…Continue Reading Earth Day 2020 – IPMers Consider 50 Years of Concern and Action (part #1)
It’s Bat Appreciation Day
The sun was set; the night came on apace, And falling dews bewet around the place; The bat takes airy rounds on leathern wings, And the hoarse owl his woeful dirges sings. – John Gay Bats are one of those creatures that instill fear in people. (Thanks, Hollywood.)…Continue Reading It’s Bat Appreciation Day
Protect yourself from spring ticks
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” – Margaret Atwood The spring of 2020 might have everyone’s yards incredibly tidy, as gardening and yard work are on the short list for things we can all do while social distancing. But COVID-19 isn’t the only disease we need to…Continue Reading Protect yourself from spring ticks
Shopping For Christmas Trees?
by Ryan Parker and Brian Eshenaur When choosing the perfect tree, people usually consider variety, size, and shape. But with the phenomenon of a new invasive planthopper, Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) (SLF), the tree’s origin may be something to think about. We always suggest fresh-cut trees from New York’s many great tree farms! First…Continue Reading Shopping For Christmas Trees?
Revisiting wild parsnip
Wild parsnip sap can cause painful, localized burning and blistering of the skin. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation A few weeks ago we discussed the invasive wild parsnip as a hidden danger for weekend weedwackers. Now it is much more obvious with its bright yellow flowers, but if you are looking to control…Continue Reading Revisiting wild parsnip
Don’t Make Your Own Tick Tubes
“Frugality, I’ve learned, has its own cost, one that sometimes lasts forever.” – Nicholas Sparks Commercially available “tick tubes” are tubes filled with permethrin-infused cotton. Mice take the cotton to line their nests and are treated for ticks every time they return home. It’s estimated that a typical ¼ acre yard needs six tubes twice…Continue Reading Don’t Make Your Own Tick Tubes
A hidden danger for weekend weedwackers
“As everyone knows, when fighting a zombie, you grab a shovel and aim for its head. The same with wild parsnip, except you aim for its feet.” – Paul Hetzler There is no lack of invasive species in New York – but some do raise more of a concern than others. One such is the…Continue Reading A hidden danger for weekend weedwackers
360° Pollinator Garden Tour
Have you ever wondered what pollinator-supporting plants you can add to your property ? Here’s an excellent and enjoyable way to find out. Funded by one of our Community IPM Grants, Cooperative Extension of Putnam County created the perfect example. While you can certainly stop in to visit, (Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County, 1…Continue Reading 360° Pollinator Garden Tour
Happy National Weed Appreciation Day!
It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ahhh, the weed. Despised by many, almost to the point of violence. Once, while…Continue Reading Happy National Weed Appreciation Day!