February 25, 2022

Spotted Lanternfly Summit 2022 (USDA-NIFA + collaborators) – Most up-to-date research from across the region

Next week, many of the researchers focused on the invasive Spotted Lanternfly will be presenting their findings at the 2022 Spotted Lantern Fly Summit.

(Quote from stopSLF.org) “Funding was provided by the Northeastern IPM Center to form a working group in summer of 2018 with Penn State as the lead institution. The working group met several times and submitted a successful proposal to the USDA-NIFA Specialty Crop Research Initiative in December 2018 to study the biology, ecology, and management of spotted lanternfly.”

Rutgers and many other universities, Federal, and State research groups from all SLF impacted areas are set to share their most up-to-date findings. Topics will cover various commodities, and will be research heavy, however, these sessions may prove valuable to you and your constituents.

Click here to register for this free event – 2022 Spotted Lanternfly Summit – Updates on research 

 

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Turf Tagged With: , , , , ,
February 19, 2022

NJDA and NJDEP to Address Pesticide License Recertification Issues

NJDA Secretary Fisher recently shared a memo regarding a number of private pesticide licensees who have not received their current licenses from the NJDEP Pesticide Bureau. Following is most of the text of that memo.

Through a recent meeting between NJDA and the NJDEP Pesticide Bureau staff, we have identified two primary areas that may need your particular attention to ensure your license remains active:

1.) Not receiving nor submitting their invoices via the postal service through the mail. In this case, licensees can get their invoices online through the NJDEP pesticide website by submitting their invoices to NJDEP for processing when received, even if there is a $0.00 (zero) dollar value.

2.) Lack of credits through either Core or PP2, or a combination of both. There is a 5-year time period for all licensees to get enough credits for their license. Courses are available online for licensees to get credits. Once the coursework is completed online, it should take approximately two weeks for the unit to process the information to post on their website. Directions below explain how to locate and pay for invoices (which must be submitted back to the unit for processing, even if it is a $0.00 [zero] dollar invoice).

Licensees can check on the number of credits they have acquired by going to the NJDEP pesticide webpage and following the directions posted there.

Below are the directions necessary to look up invoice numbers and then use said numbers to pay for a license online. Once again, we remind you paying your invoice online is a faster way to receive your license. All invoices, even if it’s $0.00 (zero) dollars need to be processed, otherwise your license will not be issued.

Please follow the NJDEP directions below:

Directions to locate an invoice number

  • Go to www.pcpnj.org
  • Scroll to the bottom of the page. Under heading About Us click on “Pesticides”
  • Scroll to the bottom of the page and “Click here to view Links.”
  • Under the heading Online Payments and Reports Click on the link labelled “Invoice Numbers for Unpaid License Invoices”
  • Enter License number (make sure to capitalize any letters at the end or your license number) and other items
  • Click Submit

Directions to pay for license online

  1. Go to www.pcpnj.org
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Under heading About Us click on “Pesticides”
  3. Scroll to the bottom of the page and “Click here to view Links.”
  4. Under the heading Online Payments and Reports, click on the link labelled “Pay For Your License Online”
  5. Enter Invoice number (found on paper invoice, or previously located using our website using directions above)
  6. Enter License number (make sure to capitalize any letters at the end or your license number)
  7. Click Submit and follow prompts from there

Sincerely,

Douglas H. Fisher

Filed Under: Blueberry, Commercial Ag Updates, Cranberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Strawberry, Tree Fruit, Turf, Vegetable Crops, Wine Grape Tagged With: , ,
February 18, 2022

Increasing temperatures = scout for insects pests! 2022 Nursery and Conifer Pest Scouting Guides HERE

With the increases in daily temperature averages expected over the next week for the southern and central areas of NJ, pest scouting should commence on commercially important ornamental crops and landscapes. Typically, in our region, growing degree-days (GDD50) are counted beginning March 1st (known as a biofix date), however this year by March first we may see degree-day accumulation approaching 20+. Therefor scouting efforts should be commenced, especially in conifers. 

We have compiled the GDD resources into one single document – please download and print multiple copies of this for yourself and employees in efforts to best scout for these insect pests. These guides do not dictate when to spray, rather they inform scouting ranges for insect pests, vulnerable life-stages, and overlapping timeframes for multiple troublesome pests.

Download here:

Nursery and Landscape Pest Scouting Guide 2022 PDF (note this contains conifer pests as well)

Conifer Pest Scouting Guide 2022 PDF

Refer to this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-days” for additional information 

We will be making regular announcements throughout the season, however we wanted you to have this beta-version of the compiled growing-degree day information. This will be updated and modified throughout the season – PLEASE let me know what difference you are seeing in the field so we can continue to make this resource better for all of us.   

Contact: twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu (or call the Cumberland County Extension Office – 856-451-2800)

Growing degree-days as of writing this (using USPEST.org weather station codes):

  • Southern (NJ50): 13
  • Central (NJ10): 13
  • Northeastern (Greater NYC Metro area (D6302) and Northwestern (NJ59): 0

Crop type

Common Name

Scientific Name

GDD Min (50F)

GDD Max (95F)

Reference

Developmental / Target Stage
Conifer
Conifer rust mites
Eriophyidae
7
22
4
Overwintering eggs hatch
Pomes, Stone fruit
European red mite
Panonychus ulmi
7
58
2
1st adults active
Conifer
White pine weevil
Pissodes strobi
7
58
RU
Overwintering adults become active / prevent egg laying
Deciduous
Oystershell scale
Lepidosaphes ulmi
7
91
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Deciduous, Yew
Cottony camellia / taxus scale
Pulvinaria floccifera
7
91
5
Spring control of overwintering stage
Many
Southern red mite
Oligonychus ilicis
7
91
5
Overwintering eggs hatch
Conifer
Taxus mealybug
Dysmicoccus wistariae
7
91
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Oaks
Kermes oak scales
Kermes spp.
7
91
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Conifer
Elongate hemlock scale
Fiorinia externa
7
120
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Many
Aphids
Aphidoidea
7
120
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Conifer
Spruce spider mite
Oligonychus ununguis
7
121
RU
Overwintering eggs hatch
Oaks
Golden oak scale
Asterolecanium variolosum
7
121
5
Spring control of overwintering stage
Conifer
Pales weevil
Hylobius pales
7
121
RU
Overwintering adults become active / prevent egg laying
Magnoliaceae
Tuliptree scale
Toumeyella liriodendri
12
121
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Rhododendron, Azalea
Azalea lacebug
Stephanitis pyrioides
18
372
RU
Spring control of overwintering stage
White and Scotch Pine
White pine aphid
Cinara strobi
22
91
RU
Spring control of overwintering stage
Conifer
Pine bark adelgid
Pineus strobi
22
58
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Magnoliaceae
Magnolia scale
Neolecanium cornuparvum
22
91
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Conifer
Spruce bud scale
Physokermes piceae
22
120
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Conifer
Juniper scale
Carulaspis juniperi
22
148
2
Spring control of overwintering stage
Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,
February 4, 2022

Next Tuesday 2/8 – Nursery Sessions at the Atlantic City Agricultural Convention and Tradeshow

Please join us on Tuesday 2/8 – for a full day of nursery and ornamental educational sessions

NJ Agricultural Convention and Tradeshow – Nursery and Ornamental Sessions (Atlantic City – in-person) This upcoming Tuesday 

  • See here for a full list of speakers and here to register
  • Speaker highlight – If you have issues with Red-headed flea beetle you don’t want to miss our guest speaker Danny Lauderdale (NC State), he will be discussing control options for adults and larvae. We are EXTREMELY lucky to have this opportunity – Don’t miss this, he basically wrote the book on this pest. 
  • Pesticide credits requested

Nursery and Ornamental Tracks at the 2022 VGA

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
December 29, 2021

Tree-of-Heaven: Best Herbicide Treatment and Removal Timing

Removing the Tree-of-Heaven (TOH):

During the winter, arborist companies will often take advantage of the slow season and perform needed tree removal services for clients. However, these professionals know when dealing with the tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) the off-season is only a suitable time for removal if a previous herbicide treatment was applied during the late summer or early fall seasons (i.e., mid-July to mid-October). Then during the off-season, the trees can be cut & removed from mid-November thru April (Figure 1).

(Fig. 1) The cutting & removal of this cluster of tree-of-heaven trees should only be done in the winter if herbicide treatments were applied during the late summer or fall seasons. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)

If a tree-of-heaven (TOH) is cut & removed without first using an herbicide & waiting at least 30 days, then the tree will respond with potentially dozens of trunk sprouts & root suckers that could emerge 50-feet from a large parent tree. Applying the herbicide during mid-July to mid-October when the tree is most actively translocating photosynthates to the root system will allow the herbicide to move further distances most effectively through the phloem. This will help reduce problems with trunk sprouts & root suckers which this tree species is notoriously known to produce (Figure 2).

(Fig. 2) Herbicides to TOH should be applied from mid-July to mid-October. The photo shows the onset of fall coloration & indicates the end of effective herbicide treatment for the season. (Photo Credit: Steven K. Rettke, Rutgers Coop. Ext.)

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab
November 18, 2021

Pennsylvania Phasing In Ban Of Invasive Japanese Barberry – Official PA Dept. Ag. Press Release

Relayed from the – Original Press Release (click here)

Harrisburg, PA – The PA Department of Agriculture added Japanese Barberry, or Berberis thunbergii, to a list of noxious weeds — plants that cannot be legally sold or cultivated in the state. The popular, non-native, ornamental shrub forms dense, prickly thickets that crowd out plants and disrupt native ecosystems. It is also thought to harbor black-legged ticks that spread lyme disease. The ban on sale and cultivation took effect October 8, 2021.

Enforcement of the ban will be phased in over two years to allow time for nurseries to eliminate it from their stock, find non-harmful alternatives, and develop seedless, sterile varieties that pose less threat to the environment and agriculture. Landscape and nursery businesses will receive notices of the timeline, procedures and exemption process for sterile varieties. Property owners should consider eliminating the shrubs on their land.

“Many seemingly attractive plants can actually harm our environment, our food supply and our health,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “Pennsylvania does not take banning the sale of a plant lightly. Prevention is the best alternative — choosing native plants that harbor pollinators and allow a healthy, natural ecosystem. Carefully considering the potential impact of what we plant can prevent lasting damage that is difficult, expensive or impossible to reverse.”

Japanese barberry was originally brought to the U.S. from Japan and eastern Asia in the 1800s to be planted as an ornamental.  It is widely used as a landscape shrub because of its fall coloring and resistance to deer. It has garnered attention in the past several years as a prolific invader that can easily spread into woodlands, pastures, fields and natural areas.

The timeline for the two-year rollout of the ban is as follows:

  • November 2021 – Nursery and landscape businesses will receive notice from the department, advising them to immediately begin adjusting propagation, ordering and planting of Japanese barberry to decrease inventory.
  • Fall 2022 – The department will issue letters of warning to any plant merchant still selling Japanese barberry, providing a date in Fall 2023 after which remaining inventory will be subject to a destruction order.
  • Fall 2023 – The department will issue Stop Sale and destruction orders to plant merchants selling or distributing Japanese barberry.

Merchants with questions should contact ra-plant@pa.gov.

Effective October 8, 2021, the department added two other plants to the noxious weed list: garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata, and Japanese stiltgrass, Microstegium vimineum. These plants are generally not sold in nurseries but are invasive and common in Pennsylvania. Landowners with these plants on their property are encouraged to remove them.

Find more information about noxious, controlled and poisonous plants in Pennsylvania at agriculture.pa.gov. For comprehensive information about controlling invasive species in Pennsylvania, visit the Governor’s Invasive Species Council.

MEDIA CONTACT: Shannon Powers, 717.603.2056; shpowers@pa.gov

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: ,