January 16, 2018

Greenhouse IPM Update 1.16.18

 

Nora’s e-GRO blog post on Bacterial leaf spot and blight – in case you need more information!

Can you tell the difference between a shore fly and a fungus gnat? Do you need to know? It sure helps if you want to control them. Griffin has a new fact sheet on them (just remember to check if listed pesticides are allowed in NYS). Keep scrolling down and you get to information on biological control!

Michigan State has 5 things to consider while gearing up for Spring 2018 – and most of them are IPM – hooray!

And another post on managing substrate pH in soilless substrates – be prepared!

Want to know more about lighting? Check out GLASE (such a clever acronym!)

January 16, 2018

Greenhouse Vegetable IPM Update 1.16.18

That brief warm spell when I was enjoying not wearing boots – almost lost in the shovelarama that followed. But I still remember . . .

I forgot an important conference last week – the NOFA NY 2018 Winter Conference
January 19–21 In Saratoga Springs – lots of high tunnel talks and discussion sessions. Read all about it.

Are you growing in soil? There’s a soil health survey on farmer perspectives in order to better understand the costs and benefits of current soil health practices in New York State – and they may not get the perspective of greenhouse growers. You can find the survey link at the Soil Health Initiative website plus lots of other useful information.

And if you want a trip to Ohio – this year’s Greenhouse Management Workshop (Feb 8-9) is focusing on hydroponics.

January 15, 2018

Christmas tree IPM update 1.14.18

Those warm spells probably aren’t that good for the plants, but oh, I do enjoy them!

We are doing a survey at the CTFANY meeting this year on tick borne diseases and exotic Christmas tree species. If you won’t have a chance to fill it out at the meeting, you can do it here.

I’ve had a couple of questions that relate to DEC matters – pesticide choice and pesticide recertification credits.
I’ll do the easy one first. There are very few instances where credits from another state are allowed for recertification of NYS pesticide licenses. The organizers of the events have to register them with NYS DEC and meet all the specs so it doesn’t happen often. If you can’t find the event on NYSPAD it won’t count – except for making you smarter!

Which reminds me of another question… it rarely makes sense to add another private pesticide category even if you add new crops. DEC says “Applicants should choose the category based on their primary crop, it is not necessary to hold additional categories within the Ag Production series (21-25)”. If you decide to do aquatic pest control, for example, that’s another story.

Now back to the hard question – what to do about pesticide applications in mixed species Christmas tree plantations? Of course, you don’t want to spray anything that would damage any of the species – blue spruce comes up a lot here as some pesticides will take the blue off the needles. But even if the pesticides are all ‘safe’ for the species, the law says that the host and the pest must both be on the label for you to apply that compound to those trees. And finding information on the label – and understanding it – can require you to be quite a sleuth.

I often resort to pulling up the label in NYSPAD ( a different part of it) and using the search button on the computer to look for key words.

Some labels use ‘conifers’, some use ‘Christmas trees’ and probably some use the exact species. Some specify where the trees can be – Christmas tree nursery beds, production plantations, tree seed orchards, etc. Some include the species with the insect or disease and others just list the disease or insect. But you have to find both the host and the pest on the label to use the pesticide.

This is one reason that single species fields are easier to deal with.

There’s more helpful information on which pesticides to use for what and what’s allowed – AND lots of IPM information to reduce your need for pesticides – in the Cornell Guidelines and the 2018 “Tree and Shrub Guidelines” are almost ready!

This is a good time to plan for the insect and disease pests that you usually have, check your pesticide list, and read those labels. Put your feet up first – it might help.

January 7, 2018

Christmas tree IPM Update 1.7.18

My good intentions for 2018? To get these updates out more regularly…. Unless there are NO pest issues, of course!

How was the season? How many customers mentioned the press on the thousands of microscopic insects supposedly infesting all the trees? Definitely an education for me on how inaccurate information can travel with the speed of a click!

Coming soon – the Christmas Tree Farmers’ Association of NY annual winter meeting in Syracuse, January 18-20. Lots of good information – and please visit the IPM table in the vendor area!

Michigan State is holding a Sustainable Nursery and Christmas Tree Production Webinar Series starting Jan 31. The webinars are $15 each or $40 for the series and will be recorded.

Now is a good time to get signed up for scouting reports and to learn how to find growing degree day (GDD) information on NEWA! Click the links for information!

Branching Out

Sarah Pickel’s PA Christmas Tree Scouting Report – contact her directly at c-sapickel@pa.gov

UMass Extension Landscape Message

NEWA GDD

 

We’ve got some projects coming along that relate to Christmas trees and nursery growers so I’ll keep you posted as they progress!

I hope you are all dug out and warmer than the last few days! Have a great week!

January 7, 2018

Greenhouse IPM Update 1.7.18

My New Year’s resolution is to get these updates out regularly. Every resolution starts with one step, right?

Lots of education happening this month! We’ll all be geniuses!

Long Island Ag Forum – January 10-11, Riverhead Click to register

Capital District Bedding Plant Conference – January 11, 8-4 in Troy

2018 Empire State Producers Expo – January 16-18 in Syracuse – tons of sessions including Greenhouse and Cut Flower

Long Island Greenhouse and Floriculture Conference – January 16 Riverhead

If you want to travel a bit – 2018 Tri-State Greenhouse IPM Workshop registration until Jan 10
Jan 17- Manchester ME
Jan 18 – Durham NH
Jan 19 Burlington VT
It’s always a great meeting!

Coming in February:
Western NY Bedding Plant School – February 13, East Aurora

Hudson Valley Nursery and Greenhouse School – February 27
More information coming soon!

 

Don’t want to leave that warm corner of the sofa? Free e-GRO webinars starting January 19– nutrient monitoring, plant growth regulators ( I like that there is one on overdoses and getting back on track as we seem to see at least one of those every year) and lighting for ornamentals and edibles.

In-House Nutrient Monitoring

January 19, 2018
12:00 to 1:00 pm Eastern Time

PGR University: Focus on Perennials

January 25, 2018
12:00 noon to 1:00 pm Eastern Time

PGR University: Focus on Annuals

January 26, 2018
12:00 noon to 1:00 pm Eastern Time

Photoperiodic Responses and Lighting Strategies of Ornamental and Edible Crops

February 2, 2018
12:00 noon to 1:30 pm Eastern Time

If you know of some I have forgotten, send them along!

Now that we have survived the cyclone bomb, it’s time to get moving! Have a great week!

January 7, 2018

Pest Alert – Xanthomonas leaf spot in begonia

New year and another reason for good scouting!

You have probably heard about Xanthomonas leaf spot in begonia cuttings. Plantpeddler (with help from Margery Daughtrey so you know it is good) put out guidelines on recognizing and managing the disease. This is another of those diseases where identification and quick (and careful) removal from the greenhouse are important in reducing the losses. You can’t cure it once you have it in a plant but you CAN reduce new infections.

A greenhouse wouldn’t be a bad place to be today, so get out and get scouting!