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
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 for Wildlife — the Hotline Begins Here
Maybe it’s the chipmunk stashing a winter’s-worth of nuts and seeds in the cellar. Or momma raccoon bringing up baby in the attic (the latrine she made is conveniently nearby). Or any of 20-plus critters that set up shop where we want them least. Nationwide, Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener volunteers are IPM-trained and equipped to…Continue Reading IPM for Wildlife — the Hotline Begins Here
What’s the Buzz — About Citronella Ants
In late September and early October, on warm days, you may notice a buzz in the air. This is the time of year when citronella ants swarm, and they can overwhelm a backyard with winged queens and kings looking for a mate and a new home. Citronella ants are a bit larger than pavement ants…Continue Reading What’s the Buzz — About Citronella Ants
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
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
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
Athletic-Field Disaster — It’s All About Prevention
We’ve all heard it: “Lack of planning on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part.” But — but — sometimes it creates an incredible mess. Two basic steps in Integrated Pest Management — planning and communication —avoid a number of problems. Recently an upstate NY school rented its space to an outside agency…Continue Reading Athletic-Field Disaster — It’s All About Prevention
Go wild for wild bees!
Join the Northeast Pollinator Partnership! A lesson scientists can learn from citizens, especially apple growers, is which native bees are pollinating their apple blossoms and where. Apple flowers need pollen from another flower in order to be fertilized (don’t blush!). Indeed often the pollen has to come from another apple tree of a different variety….Continue Reading Go wild for wild bees!