Landscape, Ornamentals, Nursery, and Turf Edition

Seasonal updates on ornamental, nursery, and turf pests.
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June 1, 2021

Nursery – Pest Scouting Guide for June, Boxwood blight advisory, survey requests

BOXWOOD BLIGHT

There is an immediate potential for boxwood blight June 4/5th throughout NJ.

Preventative / protective fungicide applications should be initiated and continued in high value crops

Boxwood Blight risk-model information, considerations, and links:

Boxwood Blight Risk Assessment as of 6/1/2021
Region Location CODE 1-Jun 2-Jun 3-Jun 4-Jun 5-Jun 6-Jun
Southern Upper Deerfield NJ50 Very Low  Very Low  Low  Infection Risk Infection Risk Low 
Central Howell / Freehold NJ10 Low  Very Low  Low  Infection Risk Infection Risk Low 
Northern High Point NJ59 Very Low  Very Low  Low  Infection Risk High Risk Low 
Please check your local boxwood blight risk here (click here and type in your area code – select closest station)

 

Wednesday 5/4/21 -PPA Post regarding boxwood blight activity (click here)

  • These advisories are general in nature and change rapidly so someone from your business should be using this risk model (CLICK HERE) daily if boxwood is important to your financial stability – In 30 seconds you can have a better idea of boxwood blight (and other pathogen) activity in your immediate area!
    • (click on the link – input area code – select closest weather station – check 7-14 prediction – click on graph / table) 

 

NURSERY PEST SCOUTING GUIDE – JUNE

Please download and print this pest scouting guide resource: (click on the link and then print): 

To determine your local growing degree-days, please review this post “Obtaining your local growing degree-day information”

Projected GDD50 accumulation as of 6/1/2021
Region Location 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct
Southern Upper Deerfield (NJ50) 590 1283 2125 2910 3456
Central Howell / Freehold (NJ10) 438 1078 1873 2607 3085
Northern High Point (NJ59) 353 837 1444 1999 2305
Forecast: NOAA NCEP Coupled Forecast System model version 2 (CFSv2) forecast system (3.5 months) (USPEST.ORG)

 

Nursery Pest Scouting – Growing Degree-day Ranges (500-1300 GDD50)
CROP TYPE Common Name Scientific Name GDD Min (50F) GDD Max (95F) Reference Developmental / Target Stage
Many Spotted Lantern Fly Lycorma delicatula 250 1000 PA Dept. Ag 1st-4th Instar (nymphs) – control target
Conifer European pine shoot moth Rhyacionia buoliana 480 710 5 Larvae Treatment
Malus, Prunus, many Peach Tree Borer Synanthedon sp. 500 600 RU Adults – emerge (1st treatment both types)
Rhododendron Rhododendron Borer Synanthedon rhododendri 509 696 RU Adults emerge
Many Redheaded flea beetle Systena frontalis 517 1028 Unv. Del Adults – feeding / laying eggs
Many Cottony camellia / taxus scale Pulvinaria floccifera 520 – 6 Crawlers (1st generation)
Birch Birch Leafminer Fenusa pusilla 530 700 RU Larvae (2nd generation)
Oak Oak blotch leafminers Cameraria spp. ; Tisheria spp. 533 912 5 Typical treatment window
Maple Greenstriped mapleworm Dryocampa rubicunda 533 1645 5 Control target
Conifer Arborvitae Leafminer Argyresthia thuiella 533 700 RU Adults (egg laying) – larvae treatments
Euonymus Euonymus Scale Unaspis euonymil 533 820 RU Crawlers (1st generation)
Conifer Balsam gall midge Paradiplosis tumifex 550 700 4 Galls apparent
Conifer Juniper scale Carulaspis juniperi 550 700 7 Egg hatch
Malus, Prunus, many Greater peach tree borer Synanthedon exitiosa 575 710 4 Adult emergence
Conifer Cryptomeria scale Aspidiotus cryptomeriae 600 800 3 First crawler emergence
Conifer Cooley spruce gall adelgid Adelges cooleyi 600 1000 7 Nymphs active – Douglas fir (control target)
Conifer Bagworm Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis 600 900 RU Larvae (early instars) – ONLY CONTROL WINDOW
Conifer Cryptomeria scale Aspidiotus cryptomeriae 600 800 RU Crawlers (1st generation)
Elm Elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola 600 1300 7 Larvae (2nd generation)
Conifer Spruce budscale Physokermes hemicryphus 700 1150 4 Crawlers (1st generation)
Many White prunicola scale Psedaulacaspis prunicola 707 1151 RU Crawlers (1st generation)
Conifer Juniper scale Carulaspis juniperi 707 1260 RU Crawlers (1st generation)
Many Calico scale Eulecanium cerasorum 714 – 6 Crawlers (1st generation)
Conifer Striped pine scale Toumeyella pini 750 800 4 Egg hatch
Turf Hairy cinch bug Blissus leucopterus 765 870 RU 1st generation (50% – 2nd instar)
Oak, hickory, birch, many Oak leacanium scale Parthenolecanium quercifex 789 – 6 Crawlers (1st generation)
Rhododendron Azalea Lacebug Stephanitis pyrioides 802 1029 RU Eggs / Nymphs 3rd Generation
Many, shadetrees Cottony maple scale Pulvinaria innumerabilis 802 1265 RU Crawlers (1st generation) – control target
Oaks Oak spider mites Oligonychus bicolor 802 1265 RU All Stages
Many Roundheaded appletree borer Saperda candida 802 1129 RU Adults
Oaks Golden oak scale Asterolecanium variolosum 802 1266 5 Egg hatch
Acer Cottony maple leaf scale Pulvinaria acericola 802 1265 5 Crawlers (1st generation)
Maples Japanese maple scale Lopholeucaspis japonica 829 – 6 Crawlers (1st generation)
Elm European elm scale Gossyparia spuria 831 1388 6,2 Crawlers (1st generation)
Mimosa, Honeylocust Mimosa webworm Homadaula anisocentra 880 – RU Larvae (1st generation)
Turf Bluegrass billbug Sphenophorus parvulus 884 1003 RU Larvae 20%
Turf N. Masked chafer Cyclocephala borealis 898 905 RU 1st adults
Honeylocust Honeylocust mite Eotetranychus multidigituli 912 1514 2 All Stages
Honeylocust Honeylocust spider mite Platytetranychus multidigituli 912 1514 5 Typical treatment window
Shade trees European fruit lecanium Parthenolecanium corni 932 1645 6,RU Crawlers  – control target
Many Japanese beetle Popillia japonica 950 2150 7 Adult emergence and feeding
Conifer Pine tortoise scale Toumeyella parvicornis 1000 1200 4 Egg hatch ends, last of crawlers
Ash Emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis 1000 1200 4 Peak adult activity
Many Redheaded flea beetle Systena frontalis 1028 1570 Unv. Del 2nd generation of un-hatched eggs
Yew, many conifers Fletcher Scale (Yew) Parthenolecanium fletcheri 1029 1388 RU Crawlers (1st generation) – control target
Locust Locust leafminer Odontota dorsalis 1029 1388 RU Adults
Juglandaceae Walnut Caterpillar Datana integerrima 1029 1514 2 Larvae Treatment
Many Indian wax scale Ceroplastes ceriferus 1145 – 6 Crawlers (1st generation)
Many Oriental Beetle Anomala orientalis 1147 – 6 Adult emergence
Euonymus Euonymus Scale Unaspis euonymil 1150 1388 5 2nd generation targeted treatments
Dogwood Dogwood sawfly Macremphytus tarsatus 1151 1500 RU Larvae Treatment
Tulip Tuliptree aphid Illinoia liriodendri 1151 1514 RU Nymphs / adults
Conifer Northern pine weevil Pissodes nemorensis 1200 1400 4 2nd generation adults active
Conifer Pine root collar weevil Hylobius radicis 1200 1400 4 2nd generation adults active
Conifer White pine weevil Pissodes strobi 1200 1400 4 2nd generation adults active
Boxwood Boxwood leafminer Monoarthropalpus flavus 1200 1400 5 Larvae Treatment
Conifer Pine Needle Scale Chionaspis pinifoliae 1250 1350 7 Crawlers (2nd generation)
Rhododendron Azalea whitefly Pealius azaleae 1250 1500 5 Adults/nymphs
Many Lacebugs ( on hawthorn) Corythucha cydoniae 1266 1544 RU Nymphs / adults
Many Leafhoppers Species within Cicadellidae 1266 1544 RU Nymphs / adults
Many Fall webworm Hyphantria cunea 1266 1795 2 Caterpillars present – larvae treatment
Privet Privet rust mite Aculus ligustri 1266 1515 5 Second typical treatment window
Many Two spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae 1300 2000 RU Nymphs / adults
Conifer Cooley spruce gall adelgid Adelges cooleyi 600 1000 7 Nymphs active – Douglas fir (control target)
RU Rutgers Cooperative Extension – Landscape IPM Notes
2 http://ccetompkins.org/resources/using-growing-degree-days-for-insect-management
3 https://extension.psu.edu/ipm-basics-for-christmas-trees#section-2
4 https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/agriculture/christmas_trees/gdd_of_conifer_insects
5 https://www.agriculture.nh.gov/publications-forms/documents/landscape-pests.pdf
6 https://extension.umd.edu/ipm/pest-predictive-calendar-landscapenursery
7 https://www.canr.msu.edu/ipm/agriculture/christmas_trees/gdd_of_landscape_insects
Unv. Del. Coorespondance with Dr. Kunkel (University of Delaware)
Compiled 6-1-2021 – Timothy J. Waller, Ph.D. – Rutgers Cooperative Extension, Cumberland County Nursery Crops – twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu

 

SURVEY REQUESTS

Phytophthora sampling project – grower collaborators wanted 

Please answer a few questions if you would like to be included in a statewide Phytophthora in Conifer Nurseries sampling project 

Redheaded Flea beetle NJ specific survey: 

Please fill out this brief survey if you are experiencing damages due to Redheaded flea beetle (RHFB)

Contact – Timothy J. Waller – twaller@njaes.rutgers.edu for more information

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
May 31, 2021

Some Key Armored Scales & Crawler Emergence

A Large-Scale Dilemma: 

Drawing shows a shrinking female armored scale laying eggs. Waxy covers of each of the 3-instars are pushed above the other. Crawlers emerge from the female cover through the one-way flap. (Drawing Credit: John Davidson, Univ. of MD)

 

Undoubtedly many arborists, landscapers, nurserymen, and golf course superintendents would agree that effectively controlling scale insects is one of the more frustrating pest management challenges encountered. Of the half-dozen major families of scale insects common in the urban landscape, the armored scales are the most troublesome. With their protective waxy covering, armored scales are considerably less susceptible to various insecticide spray treatments.

 

 

 

Reddish colored crawlers of Pine Needle Scales emerging out from under female waxy covers. (Photo Credit: Ohio State Coop. Ext.)

Historically, many pesticide spray applicators fail to achieve satisfactory controls because they do not have the time or inclination to apply sprays during the scale crawler emergence periods. To complicate matters, the crawler periods for the various armored scale species are quite variable. Furthermore, the improper timing of long residual pyrethroid insecticides can virtually eliminate important parasitoid bio-control activity and hence, often encourage scale infestations. The intention of this blog is to stress the importance of properly timed treatments to achieve better management of scale insects. This is especially true when attempting to control armored scales.

Despite the complications stated above, fortunately some relatively newer insecticides have given improved abilities for scale controls. These newer materials & the life cycles of 5-armored scale species will be covered in this blog. The scales covered include: 1-Euonymus scale; 2-Cryptomeria scale; 3-Japanese maple scale; 4-White Prunicola scale; & 5-Juniper scale.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Plant Diagnostic Lab
May 26, 2021

Cicadas Are Here and Fruit IPM for 5/26/21

Cicadas are Here, There and Everywhere (Depending where you are): 17 year cicadas began emergence last week. These insects while a marvel in the insect world, are also capable of doing considerable damage to young fruit trees, grape vines, and blueberry bushes. After mating they begin to deposit their eggs in slits along small diameter branches. Thin branches which are loaded with fruit weight and damaged by egg laying can break. Some growers have asked about damage and what they can do to prevent it. Most egg laying is starting this week.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blueberry, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Tree Fruit, Wine Grape Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
May 26, 2021

Immediate potential for boxwood blight in many parts of NJ over the next 4 days

Breaking- Due to the potential for rainfall and high humidity levels, there is an immediate risk of boxwood blight infections in many parts of New Jersey. Be mindful that even though we have had very little precipitation in the state as of late, we are well within the boxwood blight growth range and prior cover-sprays may have been washed off by irrigation or the interval to reapply has come due.

Preventative spray programs should continue or be initiated for high value crops or installations.  

Boxwood Blight Risk Assessment as of 5/26/2021
Region Location CODE 26-May 27-May 28-May 29-May 30-May 31-May
Southern Upper Deerfield NJ50 Infection Risk Infection Risk Very Low  Low  Very Low  Very Low 
Central Howell / Freehold NJ10 Low Infection Risk Very Low  Low  Very Low  Very Low 
Northern High Point NJ59 Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low  Very Low 
Please check your local boxwood blight risk here (click here and type in your area code – select closest station)

 

These advisories are general in nature and change rapidly so someone from your business should be using this risk model (CLICK HERE) daily if boxwood is important to your financial stability – In 30 seconds you can have a better idea of boxwood blight (and other pathogen) activity in your immediate area!

  • (click on the link – input area code – select closest weather station – check 7-14 prediction – click on graph / table) 

Fungicide options; 

  1. You very well may have these materials already applied as ‘cover-sprays’ – But – be mindful that protectant fungicides lose efficacy the more rain/irrigation they are subjected to, and reapplication may be warranted especially if the reapplication interval has come due.
  2. ROTATE between Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC codes) whenever possible

Format: [FRAC code]: Chemical name (Trade names)

  • [M05]: Chlorothalonil (Daconil WS)
  • [M05 + 1] Chlorothalonil + Thiophanate methyl (Spectro 90WDG)
  • [11] Trifloxystrobin + [7] Fluopyram  (Broadform)
  • [11] Trifloxystrobin + [3] Triadimefon (Armada 50WDG)
  • [M03] Mancozeb
  • [12] Fludioxonil (Medallion WDG)
  • [3] Tebuconazole (Torque)
DISCLAIMER: The label is the law, always refer to it for allowable host crops, use-restrictions, application rates, reapplication intervals, re-entry intervals (REI), and mix compatibility information. Production and pesticide information on this site are for private/commercial pesticide applicators and landscape professionals only, and are NOT for home gardener use. Provided materials represent examples and do not cover all possible control scenarios. Trade-names listed do not imply endorsement and are used as examples only. Please contact your local agent or chemical sales representative for more information or to discuss additional pest management options.
Filed Under: Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Nursery, Turf Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
May 25, 2021

Keep Up the Customer Communication!

Now that the dates have been set for the lifting of the face covering requirements indoors and social distancing requirements indoors and out (May 28th) farms have decisions to make. What will you require of your customers while on your property? How will you handle customers who expect more or less when it comes to COVID protections?  The CDC recommends that those not fully vaccinated should continue to socially distance themselves from others and wear a mask, but these are no longer requirements under state Executive Orders.  Here are some suggestions on how to prepare your employees and customers for their experiences on your farm this season.

1. Communicate your farm policies regarding COVID protections clearly online and on the farm.
2. If you choose to no longer require masks indoors at the farm be understanding of customers who may choose to wear a mask.  “Mask-free” environments are not enforceable, those who wish to wear masks must be allowed to do so.
3. When possible continue to provide order ahead and pick-up of items sold at your farm. This allows those who are unvaccinated or wary of those who are unmasked to still be able to shop at your farm.
4. Prepare your staff on how to handle disgruntled customers. Who is the right person at the farm to handle these situations? Have a plan on who and how you will respond to these situations.
5. Realize that you will not make everyone happy. The best you can do is decide what your masking and social distancing policies are, stick to them, and communicate the heck out of them.

Important dates:
May 28th – Indoor mask mandate lifted. Businesses may require customers to wear masks indoors, but it is no longer mandated. 6’ social distancing required indoors lifted. Businesses may still enforce 6’ of social distancing.  This does not apply to summer camp settings with children.

June 4th – Indoor gathering limits lifted.

Filed Under: Commercial Ag Updates, Field, Forage & Livestock, Food Safety, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops
May 25, 2021

Letter from Secretary Fisher Regarding Governor’s Executive Order #242 Lifting Major COVID-19 Restrictions

NJ Governor Murphy signed Executive Order #242 lifting major COVID-19 restrections and moving forward with the state’s most significant reopening steps to date. Indoor mask mandates and 6ft social distancing requirements will be lifted this Friday, May 28, and indoor gathering/capacity limits will be lifted on June 4. Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher has provided a summary of the changes that may impact agriculture operations. The full text of his letter is attached here.

Filed Under: Blueberry, Field, Forage & Livestock, Fruit, Landscape, Nursery, & Turf, Vegetable Crops Tagged With: , , , ,