Spruce spider mite species (Oligonychus ununguis) are found in Christmas tree farms as well as landscapes & nurseries in the New Jersey region. The late weeks of September & early weeks of October are transition periods for this cool season mite. With the arrival of autumn & cooler temperatures, the spruce spider mites begin to “wake up” from their summer dormancy & will be observed feeding & laying eggs. Observations this past week in Christmas tree farms have shown increased activities of the spruce spider mites. This spider mite species will feed exclusively on various conifers including spruce, fir, Douglas-fir, hemlock, Cryptomeria, arborvitae, false-cypress, pine, & juniper.
Christmas Trees Edition
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Seasonal pest alerts and news about insects, diseases, and weeds impacting Christmas Tree production including Commercial Ag Updates (meetings and marketing); and Pesticide Program updates from the Rutgers Pest Management Office News Blog.
Companion Website Links:
Rutgers Weather Forecasting - Meteorological Information important to commercial agriculture.
Nutrient Management for Christmas Trees
Joseph Heckman, Extension Soil Fertility
Whatever the crop, soil testing and record keeping are guides to sustainable soil fertility and nutrient management. When soil tests levels are low, Christmas tree growers should attempt to build soil fertility levels into the optimum range. And once that goal has been achieved, growers should focus on maintaining soil test levels in the optimum range.
This practice requires information on balancing fertilizer amendments with crop nutrient removal. In the case Christmas Trees, this means nutrients associated with harvest of cut trees. Rutgers NJAES has this type of data already built into an extension fact sheet: Soil Fertility Recommendations for Christmas Trees https://njaes.rutgers.edu/fs1187/
For nutrient management purposes it is useful to know what a harvested or cut Christmas Tree removes from the soil. On average, a harvest of 100 cut Christmas Trees contains 29 lb. Nitrogen, 3 lb. Phosphorus, 8 lb. Potassium, 12 lb. Calcium, 2 lb. Magnesium, and 1 lb. Sulfur.
An average fresh cut Christmas Tree that is 92 inches tall may be expected to have a fresh weight of about 48.5 lb. Water typically makes up about 54% of a fresh cut tree weight. Thus, on a dry basis a cut tree would have a weight of about 22.4 lb.
Tree recycling and mulch making are now common in many communities. If the trees are shredded the nutrient content data above can be used to estimate the nutrient density of the resulting wood chips.
Reference:
Zinati, G., J.R. Heckman, and M. Vodak. 2016. Nutrient Removal by Christmas Tree Harvest. Journal Plant Nutrition. 39: 1506-1512.
Douglas-fir Needle Midge: The Twisted Menace
The Douglas-fir Needle Midge (Contarinia pseudotsugae) is host specific to only Douglas-firs. The insect infests needles & symptoms create a twisted distortion having yellow banding discolorations with swollen areas. Inside the swollen areas of the needle are fly larvae (maggots) of the Douglas-fir needle midge (DFNM). Typically scouting observations for needle infestations can begin to be easily observed during mid-summer. At maturity, the swollen areas turn brown or purple. The maggot is less than 5.0 mm in size & later in the season, the larvae can be exposed by opening the necrotic swollen area using a sewing needle. Symptoms can mimic those caused by Cooley spruce gall adelgids. The needle cast diseases (Swiss or Rhabdocline) can also sometimes mimic the symptoms if the infestation is serious enough to cause thinning from excessive needle drop.
SARE Farmer Grants for 2023 – Webinar on October 4th
Multiple Northeast SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) grant recipient Tommye Lou Rafes, of T.L. Fruits and Vegetables in West Virginia, is sharing her experiences to help other farmers experiment with new ideas through the Farmer Grant program.
At noon on October 4th, 2022, Rafes will join Northeast SARE Grant Coordinator Candice Huber for an informational webinar to assist farmers interested in applying for up to $30,000 in funding for projects beginning in March 2023. Registration is required and participants are encouraged to submit questions ahead of the event. The Call for Farmer Grant Proposals is currently available and the online system for submitting applications is opening soon. Applications are due November 15, 2022.
Northeast SARE Farmer Grants are perfect for farmers looking to grow through new practices. Rafes first learned about SARE while attending a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training. One of the professors hosting the meeting was a SARE reviewer who invited the attendees to apply for a grant. Rafes knew sustainable practices like using renewable-powered high tunnels to extend growing seasons could be good for business as well as the planet. “Growing in the winter months is a completely different way than you do in the summer months,” she said. “I decided to test varieties that were successful during the winter months as well as growing conditions that could be improved so that people would be more successful.”
Grant Coordinator Candice Huber says Farmer Grants are an opportunity for farmers to try things that could improve their operations. SARE funds can cover the farmer’s time on the project, any farm workers time spent on the project, supplies that are not capital purchase, technical support, soil testing and other budgeted items. Farmer grant projects generally are for one year.
If you have an idea and you need resources to really explore it, a Farmer Grant can connect you with those resources. This webinar will be a good starting point and participants must pre-register. See below.
To sign up for the October 4th webinar at 12:00PM go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/6516611235851/WN_RoG_IkMmSDGsduZwmFgKkA
For information about the application for SARE Farmer grants see https://www.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/Northeast-SARE-Farmer-Grant-Call-for-Proposals.pdf
For general information about Northeast SARE go to Northeast SARE Home Page – SARE Northeast
Welcome to the Christmas Tree PPA – Pest Scouting Guide Resources
Over the coming season we will be adding timely posts about pests, diseases, pesticides, and related agriculture updates that may need to be acted upon urgently. Additionally, we will be adding detailed information about particular issues to facilitate a better understanding moving forward. Please reach out to Tim Waller, Bill Errickson, or your local county agent if there are topics you would like to see covered through this system.
- Tim Waller – twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu – 856-451-2800 ext.1
- Bill Errickson – william.errickson@njaes.rutgers.edu – 732-431-7260 ext. 7273
Pest Scouting
We have been working to develop pest scouting guides that utilize growing degree-days to help you better schedule and implement your IPM, scouting, and spray schedules.
If you are unfamiliar with growing degree-days (aka GDD or GDD50) Refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days” for additional information (click here!)
Please download or print the Conifer Pest Scouting Guide and supplement below
- Complete – Conifer Pest Scouting Guide 2022 PDF
- Supplement – Conifer Pest Scouting Guide by Insect Group – chart PDF
Thank you all very much for your continued support of Rutgers Cooperative Extension