Category Archives: Christmas Tree IPM

March 22, 2016

Christmas Tree IPM Update 1.17.16

Digging back through the masses of email.  And then getting ready for MORE meetings and presentations!

Even though we haven’t seen much salt use so far, it is useful to know the impact of salts on plants and how to protect them

More or less deer browse with no snow? Learn more about how to manage the little darlings – Deer management resources, including webinars January 20 and 27, 2016.  Registration and webinar information in second paragraph.

More webinars – Soil and Nutrient Management for Field Grown Ornamentals and Christmas Trees in February from Michigan State University

There may be no such thing as a free lunch but MSU has free Pest Scouting Bulletins to download.  Perennial Crops includes conifers.

Just in case you didn’t do it yet – how to winterize your sprayer

Getting an old field ready for new trees – help from MSU
Part 1 and Part 2

Well, that should keep you off the streets for a bit!  Have a great week!  Come by and say HI if you are at the CTFANY meeting!

March 22, 2016

Greenhouse IPM Update 1.17.16

How the email piles up!  But lots of good stuff in there, even if I think of just deleting them all and starting over.  Is that Spring Cleaning?

Webinars for everyone – from E–GRO
January 22 – Managing Nutrient Solutions for Hydroponic Leafy Greens and Herbs is full but contact Brian Whipker for more information: bwhipker@ncsu.edu

January 29, 11-2 Eastern time – PGR University: Cutting Edge PGR Webinar https://attendee.gototraining.com/r/4737168154709094146
February 5 – 2–3 Eastern time – Blisters, Bumps and Lesions: What we know about the physiological disorders of intumescence and edema

There is much more to find at the e-GRO website –  Videos, research, alerts . . .

Want your education face to face? Plant Nutrition for Greenhouse Crops: On-site Media Testing, Feb 16, Sturbridge MA.  Click here for more information
How nice!  Handouts and information from previous events are all collected in one site,   And note the buttons for Fact Sheets, Publications and Resources, etc.

Got drips running down the back of your neck when you are in the greenhouse?  Here’s the article for you. Reducing Humidity in the Greenhouse

And that relates to botrytis and how to manage it!

Moisture levels even matter in space!

Ten ‘easy’ steps to greenhouse sanitation – NOW is the time to do it if you haven’t already.

And something else to clean in case you didn’t do it yet – how to winterize your sprayer – even if winter doesn’t really happen in your greenhouse

There may be no such thing as a free lunch but MSU has FREE Pest Scouting Bulletins to download – including Greenhouse.

And one on Commercially Available Biological Control Agents for Common Greenhouse Insect Pests!

Really being prepared!  Northeast Greenhouse Conference and Expo – November 9-10 in Boxborough, MA.

Keeping hydroponic roots happy!  Temperature, oxygen levels and beneficial microbes at optimum levels helps.

Stay warm and cuddled up to your computer watching webinars!  Have a great week!  Maybe even get out to one of the many greenhouse educational meetings this month!

March 22, 2016

Christmas Tree IPM Update 3.22.16

Just a little snow fell at my house yesterday but it still feels springy!

And that leads us directly into the first question I received this spring:  When should I treat for white pine weevil?  Now (although maybe a slightly warmer day than today) urging by the Cornus maas blooming outside my office window and the silver maple I saw blooming in Geneva last week.  7-58 growing degree days.  You are trying to control the adults before they lay eggs and you know how a young white pine weevil’s fancy turns to love in the early spring.  Target the top third of the plant where they hang out.

Brian’s blog post on wpw:
For more pictures:
Do you get Sarah Pickel’s PA Christmas tree IPM report?  A good way to see what is heading our way.  Contact her at: c-sapickel@pa.gov
Sarah Pickel | IPM Education Specialist
PA Department of Agriculture | Bureau of Plant Industry
2301 North Cameron Street | Harrisburg, PA 17110
P: 717-772-5227

What is she seeing besides white pine weevil?
Pales weevil – larger than White pine weevil and with different habits.  While mostly a pine problem, the adults will feed on the bark of other conifers resulting in flagged or dead branches.  Eggs and larvae are only found in newly cut (less than a year) pine stumps so chipping or removing pine stumps is a good management practice.

Eriophyid mites – just starting.  These mites are tiny so it takes close scouting.  They can be carrot shaped or more elongated.  The eggs may be in clusters on the bottom of the needles.  Just a bit larger than the stomata spots.  There is a threshold for this pest – 80% of twigs with mites and at least 8 mites on a single needle on one shoot.  Get your hand lenses out!
Are you out in the trees yet?  I bet you are on the warm days.  Seems appealing when I am in my office.  I did walk my  conifer plantation the other day, though!  Lost one but the other 8 are happy.  🙂

Have a great week!

March 22, 2016

Greenhouse IPM Update 3.22.16

So they are saying snow but I am encouraged by the blooming of the tree outside my office window and the things that keep appearing at home!

There is just a TON of information out at the moment.  Let’s see if I can squeeze a lot in a small space here.

Greenhouse Product News’ Ornamental Disease Digest- Diseases by crop and lots of articles by Margery Daughtrey and Ann Chase – always edifying and entertaining.

It’s dinnertime but still –  “Edible Alerts’?  They are e-GRO’s list of information on topics relating to vegetables and herbs grown in the greenhouse and hydroponic production.  Things like basil fusarium wilt, greenhouse tomato diseases and disorders, and pythium on hydroponic lettuce.

And don’t forget the regular e-GRO alerts – this year we have already had some on black root rot (Thielaviopsis to those of you in the know who like to use lots of letters), scouting plug trays (you all do, right?) and aphids in hanging baskets.

We have a project on-going looking at aphid management and plant nutrition.  Overfertilized plants have more aphids, right?  Well maybe – but stay tuned.  Still, using controlled release fertilizers can help prevent waste of nutrients.  What do you know about them?  Check here for lots of information!

Do you know what Pycnanthemum is?  Pollinators don’t care what it is called, they just like it.  It keeps coming up on top in  pollinator ‘ taste trials’ – for NYS IPM trials and at Penn State, too.  I’ve already had requests for where it can be purchased! (psst – It’s mountain mint)

Do you know your pythium from your phytophthora?  It does matter when you want to control them.

A use for humidity?

I know you are all busy with the early spring so have a great week!

March 22, 2016

Christmas Tree IPM Update 3.9.16

Coming out of hibernation?  No, coming out of education season so I am actually in my office all week.  Winter aconite and snowdrops at my house and crocuses at Cornell!

Woo Hoo!  The new 2016 Cornell Pest Management Guide for Commercial Production and Maintenance of Trees and Shrubs (we don’t mind if you call it the Cornell guidelines for trees and shrubs) is out! Hard copies are available from the Cornell Bookstore in the next couple of days.   Have a photo that you think is cover-worthy?  Send it along and if it is chosen for next year, we’ll credit you (and I’ll send you a free copy of the 2017 guidelines!)

A (very small) shout-out for deer!  What?  Well, they don’t spread Lyme disease, although they do spread ticks.  Ticks can pick up the disease organism from mice, chipmunks, voles, etc. though, and they are out NOW.

Warm spring, early white pine weevil?  I expect so.  7-58 GDD (don’t know what that means?  Shoot me an email!) And one place to get your GDD is NEWA.

A couple of growers have told me that they are trying Tedders’ traps to monitor for white pine weevil.  I hope they keep me posted and I’ll keep you posted. Information on how to build your own – or buy them (there may be other sources, this one seems to pop up)

Enjoy the weather and have a great week!

March 9, 2016

2016 Cornell Pest Management Guide for Commercial Production and Maintenance of Trees and Shrubs

The 2016 edition of the Cornell Pest Management Guide for Commercial Production and Maintenance of Trees and Shrubs is now available. This annual publication provides up-to-date pest management information for those producing or maintaining trees and shrubs (including Christmas trees) in New York State. It has been designed as a practical guide for producers, landscapers, pesticide dealers, and others who advise those producing or maintaining trees and shrubs.

This year, in addition to the annual pesticide updates, highlighted changes to this year’s Tree and Shrubs Guide include:

  • Adding southern pine beetle to the insects of concern.
  • Adding boxwood blight to diseases of concern.
  • Identifying pesticide active ingredients meeting EPA’s criteria for acute toxicity to bees.
Front Cover

Front Cover

The Cornell Guidelines are available as a print copy, online-only access, or a package that combines print and online access. The print edition of the 2016 Tree and Shrubs Guide Cost is $28 plus shipping. Online-only access is $28. A combination of print and online access costs $39.00 plus shipping costs for the printed book.

Cornell Guidelines can be obtained through your local Cornell Cooperative Extension office or from the Cornell Store at Cornell University. To order from the Cornell Store, call (844) 688-7620 or order online.

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