1
Shades of Green
From Gardeners, To Gardeners
June 2013
Inside this issue:
Japanese Beetles
2
Q&A
2
Mosquitoes
3
Keep Garden Rows Wide Enough to Cultivate,
Narrow Enough to Shadow Out Weeds
By Paul Pugliese
leave at least 60 to 72 inches between the
rows. Rows spaced 72 inches are perfect
for making two passes with most rotary
Healthy Summer
4
tillers for weed control until the vines begin
Lawn
to run.
So what about planting crops even further
Add Mulch
5
apart? You can plant most crops at a greatGardening Events
6
er distance with the exception of corn.
Corn does best when planted in at least two
Amanda’s Slice
6
rows within a few feet of each other for
good pollination. Keep in mind that the
*UPDATED* Outdoor
7
wider your row spacing becomes, the more
Water Restrictions
weeds you will have to deal with.
When spacing your rows, the goal is to
feet, so you can easily reach into the garden and pull weeds or
maximize crop growth and yield while outharvest vegetables without having to walk into the raised bed.
competing weeds. Closer spaced crops tend
Because raised bed gardens are usually maintained without mato shade out competing weeds once the
chinery, rows can be closer.
For plowed garden plots, row spacing is often determined by the crop leaves begin to form a canopy over
the middle of the rows. You still need to
width of your rotary tiller. For most tillers, rows should be at
control the weeds with tilling and hoeing
least 36 inches wide. This way you can go back between the
early in the season. If you do a good job
rows and lightly cultivate for weed control until the crop starts
managing those weeds early on, then you
to fill in between the rows.
should have fewer weeds as the season proFor most crops such as beans, corn, tomatoes, eggplant, pepgresses.
pers, okra, peas, and squash, 36-inch row spacing would be the
minimum. Some gardeners prefer slightly wider rows for certain For more information on row spacing,
check out UGA Extension’s free publicacrops like okra because it’s just a pain, literally, to have to hartion on “Home Gardening”
vest without some headroom.
When using cages for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, add a
(Paul Pugliese is the agriculture & natural relittle extra space for convenience. For vine crops such as sweet
sources
agent for the University of Georgia Cooperpotatoes, cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelons, and pumpkins,
ative Extension office in Bartow County.)
As a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agent, I answer
hundreds of gardening questions.
This week, a gardener wanted to
know how far apart to space her
garden rows. The short answer is:
it depends.
Row spacing in raised bed gardens
is often closer than in traditional
plowed gardens. For a raised bed
garden, you probably don’t want
boxes and/or rows wider than 5
2
Early Detection and Persistence are the Keys
to Defeating Japanese Beetles
By Frank M. Watson
Adult Japanese beetles seldom become
a problem when gardeners are following a regular spray schedule for the
control of other insects. But if you find
yourself battling the beetles, persistence and the right insecticides are the
key to controlling the rose-munching
pests.
You can protect the foliage and fruit
of most plants by spraying them with
insecticides like sevin or malathion.
Unfortunately, insecticides will not
fully protect roses as they unfold too
fast and are especially attractive to beetles.
beetles, timeliness and thoroughness are
very important. Begin treatment as soon
as soon as the beetles appear, before
they can do any damage. Use insecticides
only on plants for which they are designed, and follow all of the directions
on the insecticide’s label. Apply insecticides thoroughly, so that all parts of the
plant are covered. More than one application may be necessary to maintain protection, especially of new foliage and
ripening fruit. Most Japanese beetle insecticides will control the insects for
about a week, but additional applications
may be necessary after heavy rains.
When insecticides are applied to edible plants, it is important to observe
the required waiting period between
the last application and harvest. This
is specified on the insecticide container label. To be doubly safe, always
wash edible plant parts before cooking or eating them.
Japanese beetle traps impress a lot of
home gardeners, but they may not
always be effective.
These traps work by attracting beetles
and can actually increase the number
of beetles you are fighting against.
However, they can work well if you
are trying to draw the beetles out of a
small area like a rose or vegetable
garden. In that case, place the traps
on the outer edges of you garden to
lure the beetles away from your prize
plants.
When beetles are abundant on roses,
clip the buds off and spray the bushes
to protect the leaves. When the beetles
become scarce, let the bushes bloom
again. Limited numbers of rose
blooms for show purposes can be protected from beetle damage by tying
perforated plastic bags or netting over
the buds before the beetles appear.
(Frank Watson is the
University of Georgia Cooperative
Extension agent in Wilkes County)
When it comes to tackling Japanese
Q&A: Heat Can Cause Sterile Tomato Blossoms
by Amanda Tedrow
My large tomato plants just started
dropping all the blossoms earlier
this week. There still are fruits on
the plants but no flowers. What
happened? Did I do something
wrong?
- Gary W., Bogart
There are a few things that could
cause the flowers to abort, but since it
just started this week the possibilities
are narrowed down. We have had
record high temperatures for the last
few days. These high temperatures
will cause the pollen of the tomato
plant to become sterile. If the pollen
is sterile, either poor fertilization or
no fertilization will occur and the
flowers drop. The plants should recover and produce more flowers and
fruits once the temperatures drop
back down. The fruits that already are
growing on the plant should not be
affected and should mature as usual.
There is nothing you can do to prevent this from happening during high
temperatures.
Another possible cause of flower drop is
excessive stress on the plant. Lack of
water can cause this same problem. Water the plants regularly and utilize mulch
to conserve soil moisture.
(Amanda Tedrow is the University of Georgia
Cooperative Extension agent in
Athens-Clarke County)
GO TO PAGE 1
3
The Cool Spring Has Kept Mosquitoes at Bay,
but Watch Out This Summer By Merritt Melancon
This year’s unseasonably cool spring
has left middle and north Georgia
virtually mosquito free so far. But
with the return of warmer nights that
old familiar buzz won’t be far behind.
When mosquitoes do finally make
their comeback, there should be plenty of them, said Elmer Gray, an entomology research coordinator with
University of Georgia Cooperative
Extension. Recent heavy rains have
resulted in plenty of good habitat for
mosquito larvae and may result in
larger populations across Georgia.
Virus in contact with the mosquitoes that
transmit the flu-like illness to humans
because there were fewer watering holes.
The drought left plenty of near-empty,
swampy storm drains that provided plenty of breeding habitat for the Southern
House Mosquito — the species of mosquito most often linked to West Nile.
That combined with a warm spring that
gave mosquitoes a head start resulted in a
long, dangerous and precedent-setting
mosquito season. For the first time, all 48
contiguous states reported at least one
case of the virus in 2012. In total, doctors
reported seeing more than 5,300 cases of
“Anything that can hold water is hold- West Nile virus last summer and 243 of
ing water and will be holding water those patients died from the disease.
for the foreseeable future,” he said.
“We’re above average for rainfall, and “This year is the complete opposite,”
there is plenty of habitat for the nui- Gray said. “It’s been a very cold spring
sance mosquitoes. A lot of the rivers over most of the country, and there has
flooded, so the river bottoms have a been little West Nile activity as of yet,
which is a good thing.”
lot of water in them.”
said. “Here in Athens our biggest mosquito problems are the ones we breed
ourselves.”
Larvicidal briquettes, available at most
home improvement stores, will kill mosquito larvae in retention ponds, fountains and other water features that
homeowners can’t easily empty.
Other ways of fighting the buzzing
swarms include making sure window
screens are in place and in good repair
and stocking up on EPA-approved insect repellent. Gray recommends products containing DEET, the only EPAapproved repellent safe enough for toddlers and babies as young as two
months of age. Parents should still read
each product’s instructions before applying it to their children.
Parents should apply the spray to their
hands and then rub it on their children’s
arms and legs. Small children have a
habit of sticking their hands in their
mouths, and if they apply themselves
there’s a good chance they’ll ingest some
of it,” Gray said.
Flood waters and full storm drains have
helped wash many Southern House Mosquito larvae out of their breeding ground.
This means their populations should be
So far, cool nighttime temperatures much smaller — possibly reducing the
For more information about mosquito
have slowed the development of the number of West Nile cases this year.
control, search for stinging and biting
mosquito larvae in all those containers
and river bottoms. As nighttime tem- However, nuisance mosquito species — pests at the UGA Extension publication
peratures start to warm, however, they one’s that do not carry disease — will be website:
should quickly mature into the buzz- out in full force. While they’re not as
www.caes.uga.edu/publications
ing, biting bugs that vex spectators at dangerous, they are annoying.
Little League baseball games and
“Containers that hold water are perfect
backyard barbecuers.
(Merritt Melancon is a news editor with the
breeding habitats for nuisance mosquiUniversity of Georgia College of
“We’re right here on the front door of toes like the Asian Tiger mosquito,” Gray
Agricultural
and Environmental Sciences.)
it because the nighttime temperatures said. “This is a daytime biting mosquito,
are about to get a lot warmer,” Gray the one that bothers us when you get
home in the afternoon and are trying to
said.
enjoy a beverage and a barbecue.”
The good news is that despite the impending increased mosquito popula- Eliminating habitat, where possible, is the
tion, Gray believes Georgia and the key to reducing populations and defendrest of the nation will not see the rec- ing your summer afternoons.
ord-breaking number of West Nile
“You need to be diligent about getting
Virus cases the country saw last year.
outside and dumping all of those conNation-wide drought in 2012 brought tainers out because that’s the biggest
more of the birds that carry West Nile source of habitat around our homes,” he
Gray says any containers outside your
home that’s holding water can be a
habitat for mosquitoes.”
GO TO PAGE 1
4
Follow Tips From UGA Extension to get a Healthy Summer Lawn
By Becky Griffin
Having a healthy, attractive lawn is an
integral part of a beautiful home landscape. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension experts say following
these five steps can help you achieve an
awe-inspiring lawn this summer.
Identify your grass. Make sure you
know what turfgrass species makes up
your lawn. You may have inherited a
lawn and not know which grass you
have. Since each grass type requires
different care, it is important to correctly identify that grass.
Over the last several years there are
increasingly more St. Augustinegrass
and centipedegrass lawns in the metro
Atlanta area. Caring for a bermudagrass
lawn is very different from caring for a
centipedegrass lawn. For help with
grass identification, contact your local
UGA Extension agent at 1-800-ASKUGA1.
Mow at the correct height. Turfgrass
is healthiest and most attractive when it
is mowed at the right height. That varies for each species. Tall fescue performs better when kept at a taller
height than zoysiagrass. Bermudagrass
can be kept rather short.
Mowing heights are especially important for homeowners in subdivisions where tall fescue was seeded in
the backyard and bermudagrass was
sodded in the front. This means halfway through mowing, the mower blade
height needs to be adjusted. Although
this extra step can be inconvenient, it
will make a difference in how healthy
the grass is and how each section looks.
Common turfgrass cultivars and their
recommended mowing heights are as
follows: bermudagrass, 1 to 1.5 inches; centipedegrass, 1 to 2 inches; St.
Augustinegrass, 2 to 3 inches; zoysiagrass, 1 to 2 inches; and tall fescue,
2 to 3 inches.
Keep mower blades sharp. Lawn
mower blades should be sharpened
at least once a year. Each time the
lawn is mowed, the grass blades are
being cut. With a sharp mower blade
this cut seals quickly, keeping out
troublesome fungus.
A dull mower blade tears grass
blades. This type of wound heals
slower and gives fungus an opportunity to enter the blade and cause
disease. Also, a lawn of ragged, torn
blades does not look as appealing as
a lawn with neatly cut grass.
Water intentionally. A lawn will
give clues when it needs water. If
footprints are left when you walk
across the lawn, the grass probably
needs water. Turfgrass wilts by turning in on itself creating a drinkingstraw-like appearance. This is another clue your lawn should be watered.
Turfgrass needs approximately 1 inch
of water per week, ideally given in
two applications.
A common problem for homeowners who use irrigation systems is
overwatering. Overwatering a lawn
encourages disease and can hamper
root function. Make sure your irrigation system is functioning properly
and consider adding a rain shutoff
sensor. Inspect sprinkler heads regu-
larly for mower damage. Also, be aware
that the 2010 Georgia Water Stewardship law allows landscape irrigation any
day between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10
a.m.
Aerate, aerate, aerate. Soil compaction is a problem in Georgia’s clay
soils. Additionally, all the rain received
this winter and spring could lead to
compacted soils. So aerating early this
summer may be more prudent this year
than others.
A compacted soil means that the soil
spaces underground that allow water,
nutrients and air to move freely are
limited. To get healthy, thick turfgrass
on top of the soil, the grass needs
healthy well-developed root systems
under the soil.
Aeration opens up airways and relieves
soil compaction. It can be done as often as needed, as long as the root systems are actively growing. For warmseason turf, such as zoysiagrass and
bermudagrass, that means soil temperatures 65 degrees and above. Many public gardens are aerated several times a
season. For homeowners, an economical way to do this is to rent an aerator
with a neighbor.
For more information on caring for
Georgia turfgrasses, see the websitewww.Georgiaturf.com.
(Becky Griffin is the UGA Cooperative Extension turfgrass associate in Cobb County. Clint Waltz is a Cooperative Extension
turf specialist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
GO TO PAGE 1
5
Adding Mulch to Vegetable Plants Increases Yields, Saves Water
By Stephen D. Pettis
Mulch improves root growth by acting as
an excellent insulator, which prevents
drastic changes in soil temperature.
Mulch keeps the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This increases nutrient availability and root
growth.
Adding mulch around vegetable
plants like peppers, tomatoes, squash
and eggplant can mean extra veggies
at harvest time. Mulching prevents the
loss of moisture from the soil, suppresses weed growth, cools the soil
and keeps vegetables off the ground.
Benefits of mulch: Mulch serves as a
barrier between the plant and the soil.
This helps prevent fruit rot that sometimes occurs when vegetables touch
the ground.
Adding mulch also reduces labor,
since less cultivation is required.
Emerging and small weeds won’t survive under a bark barrier, reducing the
need for tillage and the use of weedcontrol chemicals.
Mulch also conserves water by reducing evaporation of soil moisture. This
lowers the soil temperature, too.
Mulched soil also absorbs more water
than unmulched soil.
A layer of mulch also prevents the
formation of soil crusts. Soil loss from
heavy rain and wind is also decreased,
making mulches excellent for conservation.
Adding mulch also makes the garden
neater and reduces the amount of mudsplashed vegetables after heavy rains or
watering.
Compost is especially good as mulch
because it has fertilizer value and a soillike appearance. It’s also a good organic
amendment for tilling into the soil after
the growing season ends.
Newspaper is a readily available and
economical mulch, but somewhat difficult to apply. A good use for newspaper
is as an undermulch: place two to three
sheets under a thin layer of another type
of mulch.
At the end of the growing season, organic mulch can be tilled into the soil to further increase the amount of organic matter and the water-holding capacity of the
soil.
How to apply: A practical mulch should
be readily available, inexpensive and simple to apply. Availability and cost vary
from region to region. Some mulching
material (like leaves) may be available in
your landscape for free.
Leaves work great as mulch. Apply 3 to 4
inches deep, bearing in mind that too
little will give limited weed control, and
too much will prevent air from reaching
the roots. However, leaves can form a
soggy impenetrable mat. Mixing leaves
with fluffy materials such as hay or straw
and/or shredding the leaves can solve
this problem.
Bark mulches vary, but all are durable
and suitable for mulching. Small pieces of
bark are preferred over large chunks.
Coffee grounds tend to cake badly, but
can be applied at a depth of 1 inch, so
roots can benefit from the nitrogen content.
Peanut shells are NOT RECOMMENDED for use as mulch. They carry
white mold (Sclerotium rotfsii) that can
cause a major problem in the garden.
Peanut hulls may also be infested with
nematodes, nutsedge seeds and/or tubers.
No matter which mulch you select, adding mulch around your vegetable plants
will produce better results, cut down on
your workload and help conserve water.
(Stacey D. Gregory is a
County Extension Associate in the
White County Extension office.)
GO TO PAGE 1
6
Gardening Events in Our Area
North Georgia Daylily Society Show at
the State Botanical Garden Conservatory
in Athens on Saturday, June 8, from 11:00
AM-3:30 PM. For more information, call
706-542-1244.
Summer Tree Ramble at the State Botanical Garden on Tuesday, June 11, from
10:00AM. This program is FREE. Join Linda Chafin on an informal walk through
the Garden learning to identify trees
based on their summer beauty. For more
information call 706-542-1244.
Water Smart Landscapes Workshop:
Drought and Trees at the Snipes Water
Resources Center on June 11 from 6:00
PM-7:30 PM. This program is FREE; however, pre-registration required. Learn to
take care of your trees during draught.
For more information contact 706-6133729.
Canning: Keeping Fresh Garden Flavor all
Year Long at the State Botanical Garden
Conservatory Adult Classroom on June 13
-27, from 2:00 PM—4:00 PM. This 3-class
series costs $40 or $18 per individual
class. Pre-registration is required. Join us
in learning how to preserve the sweet
smells and tastes of your garden. For
more information, call 706-542-1244.
Full Moon Hike meets at the State Botanical Garden front fountain on Saturday,
June 23 from 8-9:30. This program costs
$5. See the garden come alive at night!
Each hike focuses on a different topics
such as the moon, constellations, or nocturnal creatures. Pre-registration required. For more information, call 706542-1244.
Vegetable Gardens: Water Wise Style! at
the Snipes Water Resources Center, on
June 25, from 5:30PM-7:00PM. This program is FREE; however, pre-registration is
required. Learn why and how being efficient is best for your plants at this engaging, hands-on workshop. For more information, contact 706-613-3729.
West Broad Farmers Market is at the
corner of West Broad and Minor Street
on the first Saturday of every month
(May-December) from 10:00 AM-1:00
PM. The next market is open on July 6.
For more information, contact Athens
Land Trust at 706-613-0122.
Seniors Garden Club hosted by the Athens Council on Aging meets every Thursdays from 10:00 AM-11:30 AM. Meetings
are FREE. Contact (706) 549-4850 for
more information.
Athens Farmers Market is at Bishop Park
on Saturdays from 8:00 AM– 12:00 PM
and at City Hall on Wednesdays from
4:00 PM-7:00 PM. Saturday market
events include live music, chef demos,
and kid’s activities.
Don’t miss out on the Athens Farmers
Market Blueberries Day scheduled for
Saturday, June 22! There will be blueberry themed chef demos, kid’s activities,
and FREE Blueberry ice cream.
Smart Landscapes Workshop: Drip Irrigation and Soaker Hoses, UGA Horticulture
Greenhouses, 2500 South Milledge Avenue, July 13, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, FREE,
pre-registration required, learn how to
conserve water and have a beautiful garden at this engaging, hands-on workshop,
for more information contact 706-6133729.
Amanda’s Slice
Some of you may know this but for those
of you who don’t know, I absolutely love fruit,
especially blueberries. I am so excited that my
thirty young blueberry plants will finally produce
a small crop this year. The plants and berries are
looking great, especially with all the rain we’ve
had this spring. And, not only are the blueberries
loaded with fiber and antioxidants, but they can
be paired with all types of other foods. My breakfast and lunch today was fresh blueberries, yogurt, and cereal. So yummy!
Speaking of blueberries, a very exciting
event is happening this month at the Athens
Farmers Market. The market is hosting Blueberry
Day on Saturday, June 22nd and there will be four
market booths dedicated to this special event.
On blueberry day, the Master Gardener
booth will feature research-based blueberry publications, fun-facts, and additional information to help
you grow blueberries in your own backyard. At the
cooking demo booth, 2012 Atlanta Rising Star Chef
Peter Dale of The National will be whipping up a delicious blueberry dish or two. The children’s booth will
have a fun and engaging blueberry activity for young
market patrons. Last, but not least, there will be a
booth providing free blueberry ice cream to all market patrons, served by yours truly. I hope to see you
there, enjoying those blueberries!
As always, happy gardening!
GO TO PAGE 1
7
Outdoor Water Restrictions:
Clarke, Barrow, Oconee & Jackson Counties
Outdoor water use for Clarke, Barrow, Oconee, and Jackson Counties is now limited to three days per week with
even number addresses allowed to water on Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday and odd number addresses allowed
to water on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The ban on watering between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM remains in effect
for all scheduled watering days. No outdoor watering is allowed on Fridays other than exemptions below.
THE FOLLOWING USES ARE EXEMPT FROM ALL HOURLY/DAY OF THE WEEK RESTRICTIONS:
·
Drip Irrigation
·
New installations of plants and turf (with a permit)
·
Soaker Hoses
·
Grey Water, Rainwater and AC Condensation Reuse
·
Hand Watering
·
Golf Course- Tee and Green Irrigation
·
Food Gardens
·
Plants for sale, resale, or installation
For more information and additional exemptions please see the following link:
http://athensclarkecounty.com/index.aspx?NID=1243
Helpful information online:
Find my local Extension Office
Georgia Turf
Upcoming Trainings
Pest Management Handbook
Pesticide Applicator Info
Free online webinars
SE Ornamental Horticulture Production & IPM blog
Bugwood – Pest Images
Georgia Certified Landscape
Professional
Landscape Alerts online
Georgia Certified Plant
Professional
Extension Publications
Mission Statement
Visit us online:
The Cooperative Extension’s mission is to respond to the people’s
needs and interest in Agriculture, the Environment, Families,
and 4-H/Youth in Athens-Clarke County
with unbiased, research-based education and information.
Athens-Clarke County
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Like us:
Athens-Clarke
Agriculture &
Natural Resources
Follow us:
@ACCExtension
Athens-Clarke County Cooperative Extension
2152 West Broad Street
Athens, GA 30606
Phone: (706) 613-3640
Fax: (706) 613-3643
E-mail: atedrow@uga.edu
GO TO PAGE 1