WooHoo – get the shorts out!  By next week, we’ll be giving Riverhead a run for its GDD money!

Of course this makes everything speed up so since you have all been scouting, you have a good handle on what is coming your way.

Champlain                           94           188

Geneva                                123         227

Riverhead                           201         237

Another great place to find scouting information – associated with GDD is the Branching Out newsletter.  If you haven’t subscribed, you can at http://branchingout.cornell.edu/

This week there is information on elongate and cryptomeria scale, Eastern spruce gall adelgid, and Swiss needlecast and Rhabdocline needlecast on Douglas fir.  The Dougs at our research site in Geneva are all at about the right stage to spray.

You can also sign up for UMass’ Landscape message which has useful information on insects and diseases that relate to Christmas trees.  https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/landscape-message

They mention the probable increase in disease pressure with the increasing temperatures and likely rain. Some things like the needlecasts above and Rhizosphaera needle cast on spruce (https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/rhizosphaera-needle-cast) infect needles when they are young and tender, but don’t show any symptoms on those needles until later.

Time to keep an eye out for gypsy moth larvae hatching, especially where you have had them before. GDD- 99-448 (which suggests to me the possibility of 2 hatches?). Best control is when they are small and you can use the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) products.

Have a great (and warm) week!

Under NY Forward, horticulture is now essential statewide – all horticulture and landscaping businesses regardless of whether the region is open under the phased reopening!

Horticulture is defined as: horticultural activities include the production, movement, maintenance and sale of vegetable plants, nursery stock, trees, sod, plants and flowers at greenhouse and nursery operations and sod farms, and the agribusinesses (i.e. pest, weed, water and nutrient management) that support their operation.

Landscaping is defined as: landscaping activities consist of the care and planting of grasses, sod, plants, shrubs, and trees and the mulching, trimming, and removal of these items for disease, safety, and public health purposes. Transportation of equipment and materials necessary to meet any of the above functions and irrigation to maintain plant health is permissible.

Landscape construction is not included in the above definition and may need to follow the phased re-opening process.  Construction is a Phase One industry so follow the information included under construction here: https://forward.ny.gov/industries-reopening-phase

***Remember there are still requirements that must be followed – check all 3 of these!

1. Ag and Markets guidance – https://agriculture.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/05/horticulturereopeningguidance.pdf
2. No-food ag master guidance –https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NonFoodAgricultureMasterGuidance.pdf
3. Reopening plans – https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYS_BusinessReopeningSafetyPlanTemplate.pdf

I know you are all too busy to happy dance so I will be doing it for you!

From what I am hearing, sales are going well – which is both a good and bad thing this year!

No new regions are open but the Capital District and Western NY are close so hopefully it happens this week!

This is useful to determine if you can be open  https://www.businessexpress.ny.gov/app/crw?link_goal_state=ScreenOrder~Main~qs$CRW_01$global$global

Put in your County, then Filter by Category, Industry Sector Ag, Sub Sector Crop Production, Industry Greenhouse, Nursery and Floriculture, Industry Classification Floriculture Production, click Select and see what you get.

Make sure you

1. read and follow the summary guidelines (non-food related)
2. affirm the detailed guidance AND
3. fill out and print the business safety plan

All here https://forward.ny.gov/industries-reopening-phase#phase-one–agriculture–forestry–fishing—hunting

We are not yet business as usual, but we are getting to be back in business!

A mishmash of information today.

Webinar – Social Media Marketing for Farmers – May 19, 3:00 PM ET

Go to https://ccof.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ptbbCb_sRvOJ_9Zc_fpmvA?timezone_id=America%2FNew_York

to register.

An excellent Biocontrol Bytes blog post on compatibility of pesticides and beneficials

https://blogs.cornell.edu/biocontrolbytes/2020/05/12/compatibility-pesticides-and-natural-enemies-of-pests/

Fresh ideas for garden retail https://www.greenhousecanada.com/approaching-garden-retail-with-fresh-ideas/

A couple of different course series available (not free but quite in depth) – some also in Spanish

University of Florida https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/

Michigan State https://www.canr.msu.edu/online-college-of-knowledge/

And on sale through May 31 – 75% off!

Penn State https://extension.psu.edu/plant-health-diagnosis-assessing-plant-diseases-pests-and-problems

https://extension.psu.edu/pruning-ornamental-trees-and-shrubs

https://extension.psu.edu/pesticide-sprayer-cleanup

And a series on employee landscape training (scroll down to page 3)

University of Florida also has a new Greenhouse Training Online You-Tube channel –https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_VeVh0iA2F_NbxcJ0Z4AvQ

e-GRO article by Dan Gilrein on some common and uncommon greenhouse pests

http://e-gro.org/pdf/E510.pdf?utm_source=e-Gro+Edible+Alert+May+15%2C+2020+%28link+corrections%29&utm_campaign=156374678&utm_medium=email

Overinformed on IPM podcast (is that possible?) from University of New Hampshire Entomologist Anna Wallingford (who is a Cornell grad so clearly well trained!) https://extension.unh.edu/over-informed

An update on the EIDL and PPP COVID -19 related federal funding sources

https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2020/05/covid-19-update-on-eidl-program-and-ppp-funding/

That’s enough to keep you off the streets!

Have a great week!

A few snippets of hopefully useful information!

e-GRO article by Dan Gilrein on some common and uncommon greenhouse pests

http://e-gro.org/pdf/E510.pdf?utm_source=e-Gro+Edible+Alert+May+15%2C+2020+%28link+corrections%29&utm_campaign=156374678&utm_medium=email

A Biocontrol Bytes blog post on compatibility of pesticides and beneficials

https://blogs.cornell.edu/biocontrolbytes/2020/05/12/compatibility-pesticides-and-natural-enemies-of-pests/

A Vertical Farming podcast https://verticalfarmingpodcast.com/

An update on the EIDL and PPP COVID -19 related federal funding sources

https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2020/05/covid-19-update-on-eidl-program-and-ppp-funding/

Have a great week!

No bud break at the Lamb homestead – all 6 trees.  But it was a nice excuse to go out for a ramble before the rain.

And a little disease note – for needlecast on Douglas fir.  How to cut down from 4 spray applications to 2.  From Brian:

Skip the early spray!  Wait until there’s an average of 1 to 1 ½ inch of growth for the first spray.  Then go 10 days later for the second spray. That should be all you need if you get good coverage with both sprays

Brian used the highest label rate for his applications to manage needlecasts on Douglas fir   (Since different products have different labeled rates – and different numbers of applications allowed – you need to check the label of the product you are using>)

GDD                                       May 15                 May 20

Champlain                           31                           59

Geneva                                61                           87

Riverhead LIHREC             136                         155

Looks like things might speed up in development – both plants and pests.

This is an important time for pest management – before and during bud break.

Dormant oil applications

• Don’t spray blue spruce and other ‘blue’ cultivars, Douglas fir and spruce can be sensitive
• Temperature between 40 and 85F, with night temperatures above 32F
• At least 92% unsulfonated residues (check the label)
• Good coverage essential – contact effect only, no residual
• Keep the tank agitated

Remember to scout for these before making applications – you want to make sure the pest is there AND at the right stage

Cooley spruce gall adelgid                            22-91 GDD

Spruce spider mite eggs                                7-121 GDD

Balsam twig aphid eggs                                 58-120 GDD

Balsam woolly adelgid crawlers                  (haven’t found information for this one)

Eastern spruce gall adelgid                           22-170 GDD

Elongate hemlock scale                                 7-120 GDD