Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Seasonal updates on ornamental, nursery, and turf pests.
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Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) season is officially upon us. Over the last 7 to- 10 days, I have been seeing increasing numbers of red oaks in central New Jersey exhibit the tell-tale symptoms of the disease.
Irregular leaf scorch due to Xylella infection. Photo: Richard Buckley, Rutgers PDL
Everybody keeps asking me “any gray leaf spot yet?” And I answer, “why yes, but not where you think.” Gray leaf spot was diagnosed last week on samples of Hakonechloa that were submitted from a central New Jersey nursery grower.
Gray leaf spot on Japanese Hakone grass. Photo: Sabrina Tirpak, Rutgers PDL
By Jim Murphy
We are seeing and hearing about increasing problems with green and false kyllinga; both are very troublesome invasive weed species that have moved northward into New Jersey. Green kyllinga and false green kyllinga are very similar in appearance, and both are referred to as green kyllinga. Green kyllinga is very difficult to control once large mats form.
These weeds thrive under mowing and are prolific in areas that are poorly drained or frequently wet. If you do not have control over irrigation, encourage property owners to reduce irrigation when you find that the turf is frequently wet during dry weather; excess irrigation makes the problem worse.
Unfortunately for us, there are fewer herbicide options in the cool-season turfgrass market than in warm-season turfgrass market to our south. [Read more…]
In most areas of NJ, the application timing of imidacloprid to nursery containers to achieve best efficacy against Oriental beetle grubs (Anomala orientalis) has now expired. The majority of eggs are laid during late June through early July and by the time August arrives, many of the grubs will have begun to molt into the 2nd instar stage. If imidacloprid is not applied until August, then some root feeding damage may have already occurred & furthermore, the larger instars will be more difficult to control. Generally, the preventative applications should be applied from early June to mid-July to achieve best results.
Next year, some nurseries may want to attempt the new Oriental beetle mating disruption pheromone that is discussed in the second half of this article.
Imidacloprid has good efficacy against Oriental beetle 1st instar grubs, but is significantly less effective against the 2nd & especially 3rd instar grubs
By Jim Murphy
Severe summer patch disease on hard fesuce at
Hort Farm No. 2 in July 2013.
There are some cultural techniques that can reduce the severity of summer patch disease including:
A range of hard fescue entries in an evaluation trial that were severely damaged by summer patch disease. Disease stops at the plot edge with Chewings fescue (line defined by plot signs at field day).
Links below open PowerPoints on summer patch disease prepared by Dr. Bruce Clarke.
Getting to the Root of the Problem; Biology and Management of Patch Diseases
BMPs for the Control of Summer Patch on Annual Bluegrass Turf
By Jim Murphy
We receive requests for information on “organic” alternatives to glyphosate (e.g., Roundup), especially for “trim” sprays on paved areas, sidewalks, skin surfaces on ball fields, etc.
The research on organic non-selective herbicides that are being marketed as replacements to glyphosate (for example, Roundup) is growing but it is much more limited that what you can find on more conventional herbicides; however, we have been evaluating some products. Our results indicate that these alternative products are short term “burn-down” products that have the ability to kill small immature plants. On the other hand, large perennial plants, while looking sick to dead soon after being spray, start to re-grow a week or so after being sprayed.
Therefore, we only recommend these alternative products for “trimming” applications on immature (very young, small plants vegetation. These products will be very disappointing if you practice an infrequent “trim” spray schedule (once or twice a year) that is treating a mixture of young and old plants. The immature plants are likely to die but you will find that the large perennial plants will survive and continue to grow once the product’s burn-down effect wears off. [Read more…]
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