Archive for the ‘Plant Health Care’ Category
Sing (and Dance!) Out the Old & Ring in the New!
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Our Fall 2011 Newsletter – Hot Off the Press!
GreenWords Newsletter Fall 2011
In this issue: Restore Your Flood Damaged-Landscape & Great Reasons to Schedule Winter Work Now!
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Irene Aftermath & Resources to Help Those In Need
Unlike many of our friends, neighbors, employees and other businesses, our VT Chippers location suffered relatively minor property damage. We appreciate the many expressions of support and concern coming our way but others are in far greater need. Our crews are currently assisting our communities with all phases of property clean up, debris removal, land restoration, lawn rebuilding, tree re-planting, water distribution, etc. If you want to donate or help, below is a list with a myriad of ways to contribute either time or money. We have several employees who have been displaced from their homes – please email contactus@chippersinc.com or call 866.683.6222 if you have a temporary housing lead in the greater Woodstock area.
DONATIONS
- Text FOODNOW to 52000 to donate $10 to Vermont Foodbank. The Foodbank will turn each donation into $60 for families in need.
- You can donate to the United Way’s Vermont Disaster Relief Fund online, or buy sending a donation to your local United Way. Just make sure your donation is marked for the “Vermont Disaster Relief Fund”.
- You can also donate to the American Red Cross of Vermont and the New Hampshire Valley. The Red Cross set up shelters immediately after Irene hit for flooded-out families to stay in. (Note: While all donations are appreciated, financial donations offer the Red Cross the greatest flexibility for response in this crisis. Donations can be made at www.vermontredcross.org or by calling 800-660-9130. For those who are interested in volunteering, they can contact their operations headquarters at 802-773-9159.)
- The VT Irene Flood Relief Fund is raising money to help people and communities affected by flooding. 100% of all donations will be distributed to businesses and families. The fund is being administered by Todd K. Bailey.
- Vermont Baseball Tours has set up the 8/28 Fund to raise money. Donations of $20 or more get you a cool t-shirt.
- The MRV Community Fund has been reestablished to help Mad River Valley farmers who saw devastating crop losses due to the flooding.
- Independent Vermont Clothing is selling a special “I’m With VT” t-shirt. All profits from sales of the shirt will go to relief efforts.
- I am Vermont Strong is selling t-shirts with that slogan, and all profits from the sales of the shirts will go to the Vermont Foodbank.
- Across the lake, upstate New York got hit hard by Irene, too. Donations are being coordinated on the Irene Flood Drive Facebook page.
- Burr and Burton Academy has started a fund to help relief efforts in the Manchester area.
- The Preservation Trust of Vermont is taking donations to help rebuilding and cleanup efforts for the historic buildings and bridges damaged by Irene. Make a donation on their site and be sure to note “Hurricane Relief” in the Comments section.
- The Intervale Center has started a fund to help the farmers at Burlington’s Intervale who lost their crops to flooding. To make a contribution, donate to the Intervale and designate your donation to the “Intervale Center Farmers Recovery Fund.” Or mail a check payable to Intervale Center Farmers Recovery Fund to the Intervale Center, 180 Intervale Road, Burlington, VT 05401.
VOLUNTEERING
- VTResponse.com is working to connect volunteers ready to help with those that need assistance. If you want to help clean up and rebuild, let the folks behind this site know.
- Woodstock VT Flood Response is coordinating volunteer efforts in that town through their Facebook page.
- Montpelier Alive is coordinating volunteer efforts in that city through their Facebook page.
- Volunteer and cleanup efforts are also being coordinated on Twitter via the #VTresponse hashtag.
- The Vermont Flooding 2011 page on Facebook is functioning as a community bulletin board of sorts.
- Vermont Helping Hands is also coordinating relief efforts via Facebook.
- The Red Cross is in desperate need of blood donations. Stop by their donation center at 32 North Prospect Street in Burlington, or the Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital Blood Donation Center at 125 Mascoma Street in Lebanon, NH.
- Upper Valley Haven is operating with considerably fewer volunteers due to road closings. They’re looking for volunteers who are able to travel there.
MORE RESOURCES
- If you need assistance or information from the state, dial 211 or visit vt211.org.
- The Help Vermont Facebook group is another place to share recovery information.
- Sublet.com will provide free access for people who are displaced from their homes. Call their customer service line at 1-877-367-7368 for more information.
For child care providers who have been affected by Irene, check out the Resources for Relief (Child Care Providers of VT) page on Face
This listing provided in part by the VT Democratic Party.
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Magnolias and Scale Issues
This summer we have seen many Magnolias affected by scale. You will notice mold-blackened leaves (from the honeydew) and white scale on the stems. There many be many bees, and ants too, attracted by the honeydew. Treatment includes an oil/insecticide mix ASAP, followed by a fall dormant oil. Next spring the tree should get a high rate dose of imidacloprid. If left untreated, the trees will likely die. For more information contact consulting@chippersinc.com.
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Attention thisoldyard.net Blog Readers!
Due to the huge spamming efforts directed at this blog we are no longer accepting comments at this site. We want your feedback but we can’t be driven crazy by the hundreds of erroneous comments pouring in everyday! Please visit Chippers Inc. on Facebook or our website: www.chippersinc.com to have your questions or concerns answered. Thank you for your understanding.
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Look for Invasive Insects In Your Swimming Pool
The following article is courtesy of the NH Cooperative Extension.
Dear Friends of Trees and Enemies of Asian Longhorned Beetles,
The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is a serious threat to our forests and trees. As far as we know it isn’t in New Hampshire, yet. We need many people looking for it so we can take steps to limit its spread, if it arrives. ALB was found in trees in Worcester MA in 2008, but experts estimate it was in the trees for about 10 years before they identified the problem. Some Worcester homeowners subsequently reported they collected ALB in their swimming pools for years prior to the 2008 identification.
Because there isn’t a reliable trap for ALB and using the Worcester-experience, we are looking for ALB in swimming pools. Last summer, we tested this approach with 34 public pools. Thankfully, we didn’t find ALB, but we found many longhorned-type beetles, so we know this survey method works. If ALB is New Hampshire, we think we will find them in swimming pools.
Help us by looking at the debris from your swimming pools. In addition to a swimming pool, you need:
• A digital camera
• An email address that you actively use
• Enough computer skills to follow instructions to upload pictures to this website: http://extension.unh.edu/FWT/ALBpool.htm
Here is an overview of the project:
Step 1: Sign up to participate NOW by sending us your name, physical street address and town, and email address to: foresthealth@dred.state.nh.us .
Step 2: From July 11-August 26. At least once a week¬or whenever you clean your pool¬look at the debris you collect in your filter and skimmers. Look for longhorned beetles.
Step 3: Use a fact sheet (posted at http://extension.unh.edu/FWT/ALBpool.htm) to compare collected insects to common insects.
Step 4: Take a picture of any insect you think is a longhorned beetle. We need a good view of the insect’s back.
Step 5: Once a week send a picture of the insect that most looks like a longhorned beetle. We need to hear from you every week.
Step 6: Send the picture through this website http://extension.unh.edu/FWT/ALBpool.htm
Step 7: If you send us a picture, freeze the insect in a tupperware-like container until you hear from us (about a week). We will either tell you to throw the insect out or give you instructions about mailing it, delivering it or arranging for pick-up.
Then What?
We will post interesting pictures and sightings to the web and send you a weekly email reminder and report.
Questions about the project?
foresthealth@dred.state.nh.us or call Kyle Lombard at the Forest Health Office 464-3016
Questions about the project and the website?
karen.bennett@unh.edu or call Karen Bennett at UNH Cooperative Extension at 862-4861
Thank you for your interest and your help.
Kyle Lombard Karen Bennett
Forest Health Program UNH Cooperative Extension
Karen P. Bennett, Extension Forestry Professor & Specialist
UNH Cooperative Extension
212 Nesmith Hall, 131 Main St.
Durham, NH 03824
(603)862-4861, (603)312-6695 cell, (603)862-0107 fax
karen.bennett@unh.edu
www.nhwoods.org
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Lawn watering, from green to brown….
June is typically a transition month from cooler wet weather to warmer and drier weather in NH and VT. While you may enjoy the warmer weather, your lawn is composed of cool season grasses and disapproves of 80 or 90 degree days. Your grass is designed to flourish in 60 or 70 degree temperatures, but set the weather to broil and you will have consequences. For instance, even a healthy green lawn with plenty of water is still susceptible to leaf scorch – a condition similar to taking a vacation in Mexico in January. The lawn has succulent leaves, full of moisture, and they may not be fully prepared for hot weather. I have seen lawns turn from a vibrant green to patches of white or tan overnight! I can hear the phrase “what happened?” echo down the street from front porch to porch.
How can such a thing be prevented? You can mow regularly with a sharp blade to 3 inches, not too short as to cause stress. Don’t over fertilize either because too much of a good thing is never healthy. A lawn cranked up on the golden juice of high soluble fertilizers is predisposed to stress and what we in the business call the classic “crash.” This crash is a like watching a nice sports car hit a concrete wall – most unpleasant. A lawn that is racing in terms of growth can be dangerous, especially if that same lawn runs out of soil moisture and/or hits a period of 90 degree days. This type of weather can spell all kinds of trouble for what seemed bliss for you as a homeowner. You may see all kinds of white blotching as “hot spots,” as the sunniest areas tend to dry out first and turn a dull purple or off green.
Don’t confuse this type of situation with summer diseases which may also be present. Dollar spot, brown patch, and a hoard of numerous villains await a weak, dry lawn, or one that stays wet overnight due to late watering or humidity. Drought stress or sun scald can mimic diseases like dollar spot or patch diseases during the summer. If you are in doubt, have a professional look in order to determine what course of action may be required.
When it comes to watering, anything is better than nothing when it comes to your lawn turning from green, to dull purple, to light tan, to all out brown. Drought stress, combined with hot weather, can cause a lawn to crash and brown out in mere days if left unattended. Any irrigation is better than no irrigation in the sense that once your lawn goes brown, it takes weeks to start new growth and push out new green leaves. Brown grass leaves don’t just rehydrate and turn green for the most part – they are gone and need to be replaced. Early intervention by watering can either minimize or prevent massive browning if done correctly. Most turf wants 1” of rainfall per week to continue normal activities. If you can water in the morning, this is preferred to help minimize disease and evaporation in the day’s heat. Watering for a soaking is better than a light misting. In other words, a 1hr soak is better than 15 minutes a day, yet 15 minutes a day is better than no irrigation at all. Early watering will yield faster results and help the lawn stay green before things turn tan or brown. Watch for those hazing dull patches, those sections that don’t bounce back after you walk over them so you can still see your footprints. These are the priority areas that need water versus turf that is still a vibrant green.
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Be alert to what’s happening in your landscape….
This week our region has been hammered by intense thunderstorms and many clients have been calling regarding storm damage to trees and shrubs. Sometimes there is no forewarning about which trees in your yard may be vulnerable to high winds, but for others there are signs. Trees that are close to buildings, especially softwoods like pine and fir, are particularly susceptible to storm damage. Specimens with dead or dying limbs spell double trouble. When you have a chance go outside and inspect your mature trees – do you see things that don’t look right to you? If so, contact one of our arborists for a complimentary consultation.
The Color Purple May Save OUr Ash Trees!
Another question that has come up a lot is about the purple boxes hanging throughout the region near stands of mature ash trees. This year the VT Department of Agriculture and the USDA collaborated to hang 2200 traps to monitor any presence of the invasive and destructive Emerald Ash Borer. So far this destructive insect has not reached Vermont but if it does it will be absolutely devastating to our ash trees. The number one preventative measure is ‘DON’T MOVE FIREWOOD’!!! Firewood is a product that should be sourced locally to help keep hidden larvae from getting into the state. You cannot tell if wood is infected with a cursory examination so the best policy is to never import it for any reason.
Last but not least, due to the wet spring conditions we’ve had this year, anthracnose disease is affecting hardwoods such as maple, ash, sycamore and oak. The most noticeable symptom of the fungi is the browning and curling of young leaves. The disease does not usually kill the trees but makes them unsightly and susceptible to other types of damage in the planted landscape. We recommend protective measures performed in the fall to reduce potential exposure the following spring – our consulting arborist has more information: consulting@chippersinc.com.
Typical appearance of leaves infected with anthracnose (photo courtesy of VT Dept of Ag)
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Finally, the Growing Degree Days Begin…
Yesterday, April 12, 2011, we finally had degree days! 6.6 per our Chippers weather station, and it was probably over 10 at lower elevations.
Growing degree days are used to predict the hatch/vulnerability of insects – in our case on woody plants. They are calculated by taking the high and low (in Fahrenheit) of each day, taking their average, and deducting 50. Negative numbers are thrown out, as happens all winter.
Insects that make an early appearance are White pine weevil (mostly a problem for spruce) and pear thrip (a problem for Sugar maples).
Today, April 13th, we had a GDD of 7.3 today. Some of what you will see up to GDD 50: Red maple, magnolia, some rhododendron, pieris and forsythia will all bloom. White pine weevil may be seen doing its dirty deeds at 60 degrees and above, and we are treating for these this week.
These insects are all vulnerable to dormant oil spray up until gdd 50: Scales, Aphids, Mealybugs, Psyllids, Aphids + Mites.
For more information on this topic, please visit our website, www.chippersinc.com.
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An Insider’s View: 2011 Lawn Care Trends
The clock is ticking as companies prepare for the snow melt and the onset of the 2011 lawn care season. In this blog post I shall briefly cover compost tea, kelp, fertilizer pricing, Mycorrhizae, and other trends worth exploring.
As petroleum prices rise, so does the cost of manufacturing basic fertilizer components. Lawn care companies can expect to pay more for their fertilizer products in 2011, thus increasing the need to execute an effective and efficient turf program. There has been one price increase already with perhaps another expected midyear. Those companies unable to make sound business decisions may become a thing of the past. Some price increases may inevitably be passed onto the consumer as pressure builds to make a profit in a highly competitive industry.
The bell continues to toll for fundamental changes utilizing basic soil and environmental processes in the lawn care industry to move further away from petroleum dependency. These options include inoculating seed with beneficial fungi called Mycorrhizae. One inoculation allows this fungus to multiply and spread within a lawn area. Long used in the tree industry, Mycorrhizae sets up a friendly relationship on the turf root system, breaking down surrounding nutrients and minerals. The end result generally becomes a lessened demand on the quantity of fertilizer required due to this helpful relationship below ground.
There are still more options available beyond standard fertilizers such as compost tea and kelp both of which utilize actual plant material, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and much more to help improve soil structure and thereby create a healthier lawn. Compost tea usually contains beneficial bacteria, sugars, and kelp, all helping your grass become stronger while simultaneously improving the defensive mechanism to fight off insect and disease pressure. Although there are lots of blends and types of compost tea, the general idea is to strengthen the lawn so it can withstand drought, insect, and disease pressure as it appears during the growing season. Compost tea and kelp both help build the soil which is very often a large limiting factor in improving a lawn. With many lawns containing high amounts of sand or minimal top soil, adding kelp and or compost tea becomes a very sound decision.
Both sea kelp and compost tea are not inexpensive, but they provide key materials not found in some fertilizers and they improve soil infrastructure. Compare the investment in compost tea, kelp, or Mycorrhizae versus renovating your lawn and you are looking at saving thousands of dollars at a minimum. Any lawn treatment that can help reduce fertilizer demand and build the soil is certainly worth exploring and perhaps even using in 2011.
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