Cooked yet!  Thank heavens I found a fan that attaches to my computer!

 

GDD                                       7.10.20                 7.15.20

Champlain                           990                        1109

Geneva                                 1112                      1242

Riverhead                            1315                      1452

 

Look at those straight lines up on the graphs! (well, of course they can’t go down…)

 

 

Want to learn more about gypsy moths? Turn on the fan and watch the video.   Rather cheerful music!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-oPJPzKodc&feature=youtu.be

 

 

Cooley spruce galls on blue spruce? Remove the galls and destroy them before 1850-1950 GDD

 

Next question?  Canada thistle control – you guys are giving me an education!

 

First – do you know your thistles?  As usual, they aren’t all the same. The Guidelines list

Canada                                 Cirsium arvense.   It is a prohibited plant in NYS and on some states noxious weeds lists.

Bull                                        Cirsium vulgare

Musk thistle                        Cardanus nutans

Artichoke thistle               Cynara cardunulus. Also called cardoon

Russian thistle                   Salsola kali.  Also called tumbleweed

 

Bull and musk id here https://ipcm.wisc.edu/download/weeds/Biennial-Thistle-Comparison.pdf

Canada thistle. https://www.friendsofthewildflowergarden.org/pages/plants/canadathistle.html

 

The biggest difference is that Canada thistle is perennial while bull and musk are biennial (vegetative the first year and flower the second).  Canada thistle has a large root system of creeping horizontal roots so you get a colony of plants that will keep getting larger.  That means you have to control seed and vegetative production.

 

Mow before it goes to seed to prevent the formation of new colonies by flying seed – and they are designed to fly so they will fly into your property from roadsides, etc.

 

One small good point – they can be shaded out so they won’t usually grow right under the trees.

 

Herbicide control – perennials usually require treatment over several years so keep track of where you sprayed before.

Pre-emergence

Broadstar

Casoron

Marengo

Post-emergence

Basagran                              there are specific recommendations for how and when to apply this

Finale                                    non-selective

Stinger                                  max allowable use rate applies

 

 

 

Have a cool weekend and feel free to do anything to encourage rain in my area that is allowed by law.