Although the weather this weekend promises to be lovely, recent rains and the likelihood of more to come is ideal for the development of foliar diseases in the landscape. The most common diseases on trees and shrubs affect the foliage as spots, blotches, and blisters. Although unsightly, most foliar diseases do not greatly impact the health of the plant, and chemical inputs are rarely necessary. [Read more…]
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Just a Bud or Another Bug?
Unfortunately, this one is another bug.
The pine sawfly is normally kept under control by natural predators so I rarely see them. This, however, was my second sighting in the last 4 months so I guess environmental conditions have not be optimal for predator survival.
Keep a lookout for these insects. The larvae are voracious eaters that completely devour the needles and can totally defoliate pine trees. The first site I visited had a block of about 25 trees more than 20 feet tall that were without needles.
If treatment is necessary, first generation control will need to occur from mid-May to mid-June. The second generation is active in the July to August time period. Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County put together a good review of pine sawflies. It can be found at:
http://ccesuffolk.org/assets/Horticulture-Leaflets/Pine-Sawflies.pdf
Look What the Cat Dragged In!
This week annual bluegrass weevils (ABW) came home to roost on the Rutgers Turf Farm in North Brunswick. I am quite sure they have been rooting around here for some time – I’ve heard reports of adult weevils in pitfall traps as early as late-February – but enough of them appeared on Wednesday to get the attention of the graduate students and farm staff working the plots.
Injury on Sports Fields
By Jim Murphy
For those interested in sports turf, there is a new study that suggests a greater potential for ACL injuries on the most recent (third-) generation of synthetic turf compared to natural grass. The news report also states that third-generation synthetic turf had higher levels of injury compared to first- and second-generation types of synthetic turf (shorter blade length). Click here to view a news report on that study.
Can You Hear Me Knockin’?
If you have boxwoods on your property, bend over and take a listen. No, you haven’t suddenly become the plant whisperer! What you are hearing is not the boxwood talking, but the late-stage larvae of the boxwood leafminer, Monarthropalpusi flavus. It literally sounds like the snap, crackle and pop of a bowl of rice cereal. [Read more…]
Needles may fall…
Now is the time to monitor for two common diseases of Douglas fir: Rhabdocline needlecast (caused by the fungus Rhabdocline pseudotsugae) and Swiss needlecast (caused by the fungus Phaeocryptopus gäumannii). Rhabdocline needlecast is well established in New Jersey Christmas tree plantations, and Swiss needlecast has become more common. The discriminating grower wants to know, “what’s the difference?” [Read more…]