Montgomery County
400 Bridge Street, Suite 2
Red Oak, IA 51566-1402
712-623-2592
FAX 712-623-2594
E-mail: drey@iastate.edu
HORTICULTURE
NEWSLETTER
DATE: MARCH 2011
Bill Drey
Bill Drey
Montgomery County Extension Education Director
The Montgomery County Master Gardener Club is sponsoring a meeting on fruit and
deciduous tree pruning. The meeting is open to anyone who is interested. The meeting will be
held:
March 12 (Saturday)
Montgomery County Extension Office
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
We will start at the Extension Office and then go prune trees
Topic: Pruning of Fruit trees and other deciduous trees
Please bring you pruning tools that you have to the workshop.
Ask the ISU Extension Garden Experts About:
To ask the ISU Extension garden experts questions, call the Hortline at 515-294-3108, MondayFriday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m., or e-mail hortline@iastate.edu.
When should I prune my shrubs?
The proper time to prune deciduous and evergreen shrubs is determined by the plant’s growth
habit, bloom time and health or condition.
Spring-flowering shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia, bloom in spring on the growth of the previous
season. The health or condition of the plants determines the best time to prune spring-flowering shrubs.
Neglected, overgrown spring-flowering shrubs often require extensive pruning to rejuvenate or
renew the plants. The best time to rejuvenate large, overgrown shrubs is late winter or early spring
(March or early April). Heavy pruning in late winter or early spring will reduce or eliminate the flower
display for two or three years. However, rejuvenation pruning will restore the health of the shrub.
The best time to prune healthy, well-maintained spring-flowering shrubs is immediately after
flowering. (Healthy, well-maintained shrubs should require only light to moderate pruning.) Pruning
immediately after flowering allows gardeners to enjoy the spring flower display and provides adequate
time for the shrubs to initiate new flower buds for next season.
Summer-flowering shrubs, such as potentilla and Japanese spirea, bloom in summer on the
current year's growth. Prune summer-flowering shrubs in late winter or early spring. Plants will still
bloom in summer.
Some deciduous shrubs don't produce attractive flowers. These shrubs may possess colorful
bark, fruit or foliage. Prune these shrubs in late winter or early spring before growth begins.
Prune evergreen shrubs, such as juniper and yew, in early to mid-April before new growth begins.
Light pruning also may be done in mid-summer.
What is the best way to prune large, overgrown shrubs?
Proper pruning can renew or rejuvenate overgrown, deciduous shrubs. One option is to prune the
shrubs back over a three-year period. Begin by removing one-third of the largest, oldest stems at ground
level in late winter/early spring (March or early April). The following year (again in March or early April),
prune out one-half of the remaining old stems. Also, thin out some of the new growth. Retain several
well-spaced, vigorous, new shoots and remove all of the others. Finally, remove all of the remaining old
wood in late winter/early spring of the third year. Additional thinning of new shoots should be done.
A second way to prune overgrown, deciduous shrubs is to cut them back to within 4 to 6 inches of
the ground in March or early April. This severe pruning will induce a large number of shoots to develop
during the growing season. In late winter of the following year, select and retain several strong, healthy
shoots and remove all others at ground level. Head (cut) back the retained shoots to encourage
branching. Overgrown lilacs, dogwoods, privets and forsythias may be pruned in this manner. (Most
lilacs rejuvenated by this method will not bloom for two to three years.) This method is also an excellent
way to renew scraggly potentillas and summer-flowering spireas. For best performance, potentillas
should be cut back to within 3 to 4 inches of the ground about every three years.
Pruning equipment
What type of equipment do I need to prune trees and shrubs?
Proper pruning tools for a home gardener include hand shears, lopping shears and a pruning
saw.
Hand or pruning shears are generally used for cutting stems (branches) up to 3/4 inch in
diameter. There are two basic types of hand shears. Scissor-type shears have curved blades that
overlap (scissor action) when making the cut. Anvil-type shears have a sharp top blade that cuts against
a flat surface (anvil). Scissor-type shears are generally preferred as they can make closer cuts and are
less likely to crush stems.
Branches from 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter can be effectively cut with lopping shears. Lopping
shears consist of two blades attached to long handles. The long handles give the gardener greater
leverage so cuts can be made through larger branches. Lopping shears are also excellent for pruning
difficult to reach places.
Use a pruning saw on branches larger than 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Various types of pruning
saws are available. A pole saw can be used to prune hard-to-reach branches in trees.
Pruning cuts
Where should I make the final cut when pruning a tree branch?
When pruning trees, make the final cut just beyond the branch collar and branch bark ridge. The
branch collar is the swollen area at the base of the branch. The branch bark ridge is the dark, rough bark
ridge that separates the branch from the main branch or trunk. Pruning just beyond the branch collar and
branch bark ridge retains the tree’s natural wound defense mechanisms and promotes
compartmentalization and callus formation.
Avoid flush cuts when pruning trees. Flush cuts are pruning cuts made as close as possible to the
trunk or main branch. Flush cuts produce larger wounds than cuts made just below the branch collar.
They also destroy the tree’s natural process of walling off or compartmentalizing wounds.
Large branch pruning
What is the proper way to prune a large tree branch?
To prevent extensive bark damage, use a three-cut procedure when pruning branches that are
greater than 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Make the first cut 6 to 12 inches from the main branch or trunk. Cut
upward and go about one-third of the way through the branch. Make the second cut 1 to 2 inches beyond
the first. As the second cut is made, the weight of the branch will cause it to break at the pivot point
between the two cuts (the initial, bottom cut prevents the branch from ripping off a large piece of bark as
it breaks). Make the final cut just beyond the branch collar and branch bark ridge.
Sap from pruning cut
Sap is flowing from a pruning cut on my maple tree. Should I be concerned?
Some tree species, such as maple, birch and elm, “bleed” heavily when pruned in late winter or
early spring. However, the loss of sap does not harm the trees. The trees will not “bleed” to death.
Eventually the flow of sap will slow and stop.
Painting pruning wounds
Should I paint the pruning wounds on my trees?
Do not apply a pruning paint or wound dressing to pruning wounds. The application of a pruning
paint or wound dressing does not prevent wood decay and may actually interfere with the tree’s natural
wound responses. Oak trees are an exception to the no paint recommendation. To prevent the
transmission of oak wilt, oak trees should not be pruned in spring and summer. If an oak tree needs to be
pruned during the growing season, for example to correct storm damage, immediately (within 15
minutes) paint the pruning cuts with a latex house paint. Winter (December, January and February) is the
best time to prune oak trees in Iowa. There is no need to paint the pruning wounds when oaks are
pruned in winter.
Pruning raspberries
What is the proper way to prune fall-bearing red raspberries in early spring?
Popular fall-bearing red raspberry varieties include ‘Heritage,’ ‘Redwing,’ ‘Caroline,’ and ‘Autumn
Bliss.’ Fall-bearing red raspberries naturally produce two crops. One crop is produced in summer on the
previous year’s growth; a second crop is produced in late summer or early fall at the tips of the current
year’s growth. Fall-bearing red raspberries can be pruned two different ways in March or early April.
One pruning option is to prune out all weak, diseased and damaged canes at ground level. Leave
the largest, most vigorous canes. Cut back the tips of the canes that remain. Remove approximately the
upper one-third of the canes. This option provides two crops during the year.
The second option is to prune all canes back to the ground in late winter/early spring. This
pruning option produces a single crop in late summer or early fall. (The summer crop is eliminated.)
While only one crop is produced, total crop yield is actually larger than the two-crop system.
Red raspberries sucker profusely from their roots. To prevent the planting from becoming a wide,
unmanageable thicket, red raspberries should be confined to a one- to two-foot-wide hedgerow. Shoots
growing beyond the one- to two-foot-wide hedgerow should be destroyed using a rototiller or spade.
Caring for azaleas
I recently received a flowering azalea as a gift. How do I care for it?
In the home, place the azalea in a brightly lit, cool location. An ideal site is one near a window that
receives bright light (but no direct sunlight) and temperatures of 60 to 65 F.
An important aspect of caring for an azalea is proper watering. Water needs can be determined with
the finger test. Check the potting soil daily with your finger. When the soil surface becomes dry to the
touch, water the plant until water begins to flow out the bottom of the pot. The pots of most azaleas are
placed inside decorative pot covers. When watering the azalea, carefully remove the pot covering, water
the plant in the sink, then drop the azalea back into the pot cover.
If placed in a favorable location and given good care, azaleas may bloom for two to four weeks.
Saving forced tulips
Can I save tulips that have been forced indoors?
Tulips and most other spring-flowering bulbs are normally discarded after forcing. Attempts to
save forced bulbs usually are unsuccessful as few bloom again when planted outdoors. Daffodils are an
exception. If given good care, forced daffodils can be successfully planted outdoors.
Plant care is important when attempting to save forced spring-flowering bulbs. After blooming,
remove the spent flowers and place the plants in a sunny window. Water the plants regularly until the
foliage turns yellow. At this point, stop watering and allow the foliage to wither and turn brown. When the
foliage is dead, carefully remove the bulbs from the potting soil, allow them to dry for several days, then
store the bulbs in a cool, dry location until fall planting.
Why is it necessary to prune grapevines?
Grapevines produce fruit clusters on the previous season’s growth. Before pruning, a grapevine may
have 200 to 300 buds capable of producing fruit. If the vine is not pruned, the number of grape clusters
would be excessive and the grapevine would be unable to ripen the large crop or produce adequate
vegetative growth.
The purpose of pruning is to obtain maximum yields of high-quality grapes and to allow adequate
vegetative growth for the following season.
When is the best time to prune grapevines?
The most desirable time to prune grapevines is late winter or early spring. In Iowa, pruning can begin
in late February and should be completed by early April. Grapevines pruned at this time of year may
“bleed” heavily. However, the loss of sap does not harm the vines.
What type of pruning equipment is needed to prune grapevines?
Tools required to prune grapevines include hand shears, lopping shears and saw. Brightly colored
ribbons or cloth strips can be used to identify fruiting canes and renewal spurs.
What is the proper way to prune grapevines?
To maximize crop yields, grapevines are trained to a specific system. The most common training
system used by home gardeners is the four-cane Kniffin system. The four-cane Kniffin system is popular
because of its simplicity. In a four-cane Kniffin system, the canes of the grapevine grow on two wires,
one located 3 feet above the ground and the second 6 feet high.
When utilizing the four-cane Kniffin system, select four canes on the upper wire, two going in each
direction. Also, select four canes on the lower wire. To aid identification, some gardeners tie brightly
colored ribbons or strips of cloth on those canes they wish to retain. All remaining one-year-old canes
should be completely removed.
Going back to the upper wire, select two of the remaining four canes (one going in each direction).
Prune these canes back to one or two buds. These short one or two bud canes are referred to as
renewal spurs. The renewal spurs provide the shoots or canes that produce next year’s crop. Prune the
remaining two canes on the upper wire back to eight to 13 buds. The number of buds left on the fruiting
canes is determined by plant vigor. If the grapevine is vigorous, leave 13 buds per cane. Leave only eight
buds per cane if the grapevine possesses poor vigor.
Prune the four canes on the lower wire the same as those on the upper wire. When pruning is
complete, no more than 60 buds should remain on the grapevine. When counting the number of buds on
the grapevine, include both the buds on the fruiting canes and those on the renewal spurs.
I recently received some cut flowers as a gift. How do I prolong their life?
Several things can be done to lengthen the vase life of cut flowers. Begin with a clean vase and
remove all foliage that will be below the water line. Place flowers immediately in water to prevent air from
entering the stems. If flowers have been out of water for more than a few minutes, cut off the bottom
portions of the stems under water. Add a commercial flower preservative to the water and check the
water level daily. Change the water frequently. Place the cut flowers in a cool, brightly lit location in the
home or office. Keep arrangements away from heat sources and drafts.
Can row covers stop cucurbit bacterial wilt, and are
they cost effective?
Bacterial wilt is a major challenge for North Central Region cucurbit growers. This disease, caused
by the bacterium Erwinia tracheiphila, can wreak havoc on all types of cucurbit crops except watermelon.
Leaves and stems wilt and dry up, and infected plants typically die. See photo below.
Cucumber beetles are part of the bacterial wilt story. Two species, striped and spotted cucumber
beetles, carry the bacterium from plant to plant, and infection often happens through beetle feeding
wounds. Fighting bacterial wilt means fighting cucumber beetles; the main defense against the disease is
stopping the beetles.
Many strategies have been tried to beat the beetles. Most growers rely on insecticides, but chemical
warfare can require many applications per year, which is expensive and may also damage non-target
insects, including the bees that pollinate cucurbit crops. Other tactics, such as trap crops and chemical
lures, are still in the experimental stage. Organic growers have an especially difficult struggle to grow
highly wilt-susceptible crops such as cucumber and muskmelon, because organically approved
insecticides are not very effective against cucumber beetles. In fact, some organic growers won’t plant
these highly susceptible crops due to worries about bacterial wilt.
ROW COVERS AND THE FIGHT AGAINST BACTERIAL WILT
Row covers are made of lightweight fabric and are suspended above the plants on wire hoops. See
photo below. All edges of the fabric are secured in the soil to hold the fabric in place and to exclude
pests. Spunbond polymer row covers such as Agribon(R) and Reemay(R) have gained a foothold with
North Central Region cucurbit producers because the covers warm the soil, speed up crop maturity, and
protect against extreme early-season weather (frost, hail, wind, heavy rain).
Row covers also have potential as a defense against bacterial wilt because they keep out cucumber
beetles. As the soil warms up in the spring, cucumber beetles emerge from the ground with one mission:
zero in on cucurbits. As they munch on the leaves, bacteria from their mouthparts and feces (frass) end
up on the feeding wounds and enter the plants. Soon the plants start to wilt. Row covers keep out the
beetles during the vulnerable early-season period.
Most growers remove row covers once flowering starts. Our research at Iowa State University (ISU)
several years ago showed that deploying row covers from transplanting until the start of flowering could
delay bacterial wilt. But sometimes the wilt would catch up by the end of the season, so the end result
was still dead plants.
What if the row covers could stay in place a bit longer? Researchers in Canada and Africa found
major insect-pest control benefits if they kept the row covers in place for 10 more days past the start of
bloom. We thought this delayed-removal idea was worth a try in Iowa.
RESEARCH APPROACH
With funding from North Central IPM Center and EPA-PESP grants, we ran 6 field trials at ISU
research farms in Gilbert and Muscatine (central and eastern Iowa respectively) in 2007, 2008, and
2009. Muskmelon (cv. Athena) seedlings were transplanted to field plots and immediately after
transplanting, seedlings were covered with Agribon® AG-30 row covers supported by wire hoops, with
the edges buried in soil.
Treatments were:
1.
Row covers were removed at start of flowering.
2.
Row cover ends were opened at start of flowering to enable pollinator access, and covers
were removed 10 days later.
3.
After a bumble bee hive (Koppert Biological Systems Inc.) was inserted under one end of
the row cover at start of flowering, the row cover was re-sealed and then removed 10 days later.
4.
No row covers (control).
No insecticide applications were made during these trials, so that we could see the full effect of the
row cover practices. After row cover removal, were monitored the plants every week until the start of
harvest for incidence of bacterial wilt (percent of plants that died).
Row covers are not cheap, and they take time to set up and remove. But can they pay for
themselves? To begin to answer this question, we made a partial budget to analyze costs and returns for
each treatment. Revenue was calculated by extrapolating mean yield per subplot to a per-hectare basis,
and multiplying by local wholesale ($3) and direct retail prices ($6) per 5-lb melon. We calculated net
returns by subtracting production cost of each treatment from gross income on a per-hectare basis.
In Iowa and nearby states, bacterial wilt occurs sporadically; sometimes devastating, and
sometimes nearly absent. How can the sporadic nature of the disease be factored into economic
calculations? As a first step, we did a sensitivity analysis across treatments that compared several
scenarios for the frequency of occurrence of years with bacterial wilt: 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 of 20 years.
RESULTS
Bacterial wilt appeared in the three field trials held during 2007 and 2008. At Gilbert in 2007 and Muscatine
in 2008, delaying row cover removal by 10 days resulted in significantly less bacterial wilt than when row covers
were removed at the start of flowering. In the trial at Gilbert in 2008, all row cover treatments suppressed bacterial
wilt effectively and resulted in equivalent marketable yield that exceeded that in the non-covered control. In 2009,
bacterial wilt was absent in all three trials and row cover treatments had little impact on yield.
Delaying row cover removal and opening row cover ends increased costs by a further 1% due to labor,
whereas inserting bumble bee hives raised costs by a total of 18% due to purchase of bumble bees and labor to
install them under row covers. For trials in which bacterial wilt occurred, average annual returns under both price
scenarios were much higher for the delayed-removal strategies than for either the removal-at-anthesis (the current
standard commercial practice) or no-cover controls. All row cover strategies reduced projected returns in site years
without bacterial wilt. In the sensitivity analysis, the highest annual returns occurred under the no-disease scenario
for all treatments, and returns declined as the proportion of years with wilt outbreaks increased.
TAKE-HOME POINTS
Our Iowa field trials showed that delaying row-cover removal by 10 days can provide season-long
protection of muskmelon against bacterial wilt. This strategy proved to be an effective alternative for controlling
bacterial wilt and cucumber beetles without insecticide applications. It could replace or reduce the need for
insecticide sprays, and could be especially valuable for organic growers, who lack effective insecticides against
cucumber beetles.
Results of the partial budget analysis suggest that when bacterial wilt epidemics occurred, the delayedremoval row cover strategy would deliver more consistent returns than either removing them when flowering starts
or not using covers at all. The sensitivity analysis suggested that cost effectiveness of the delayed-removal
strategy is affected by how often bacterial wilt outbreaks occur. The strategy was economically advantageous
when bacterial wilt occurred in half or more of the growing seasons, but was a drag on returns when wilt was
absent or less frequent.
For growers the advantage of using row covers will depend not only on the likelihood of disease
occurrence but also on planting date, melon prices, availability of labor, and viability of effective alternatives to
suppress the disease.
Research data table and graphs are available from the authors. Phone 515-294-0579 or Email
mgleason@iastate.edu
Pruning Raspberries in Late Winter/Early Spring
Proper pruning of raspberries is essential. Pruning produces higher yields, helps control diseases, and
facilitates harvesting and other maintenance chores. Pruning procedures are based on the growth and fruiting
characteristics of the plants.
The growth and fruiting characteristics of the raspberry plant are rather unique. The plant's roots and
crown are perennial, while the stems or canes are biennial. Each spring, purple, black, and red raspberries
produce new canes from buds located at the base of the previous year's growth. Red raspberries also
produce new shoots from buds located on their roots. The individual canes live 2 years and then die.
The shoots of purple, black, and summer-bearing red raspberries are strictly vegetative during their first
growing season. The following year, these same canes flower, produce fruit, and then die.
The growth and fruiting characteristics of fall-bearing red raspberries are slightly different. Fall-bearing
varieties naturally produce two crops. The first crop is produced in late summer or early fall at the tips of the
current season's growth. The following year, a summer crop is produced on the lower portions of these same
canes. After the second crop, the canes die.
A number of yellow raspberry varieties are also available. With the exception of fruit color, the growth and
fruiting characteristics of yellow raspberries are identical to red raspberries.
All raspberries should be pruned in March or early April. Late winter/early spring pruning procedures for
the different types of raspberries are outlined below.
Summer-Bearing Red Raspberries
Remove all weak, diseased, and damaged canes at ground level. Leave the most vigorous canes, those
approximately 1/4 inch in diameter when measured 30 inches from the ground. After thinning, remaining
canes should be spaced about 6 inches apart.
Also, prune out the tips of the canes which have died due to winter injury. Cut back to live tissue. If the
canes have suffered little winter dieback, remove the top 1/4 of the canes. Cane-tip removal or "headingback" prevents the canes from becoming top heavy and bending over under the weight of the crop.
Red raspberries sucker profusely from their roots. To prevent the planting from becoming a wide,
unmanageable thicket, red raspberries should be confined to a one- to two-foot-wide hedgerow. Shoots
growing beyond the one- to two-foot-wide hedgerow should be destroyed using a rototiller or spade.
Fall-Bearing Red Raspberries (Two Crop System)
Follow the same pruning procedures as described for the summer-bearing red raspberries. This pruning
option provides both a summer and fall crop.
Fall-Bearing Red Raspberries (One Crop System)
Prune all canes back to ground level in March or early April. While the plants won't produce a summer
crop, the late summer/early fall crop should mature one to two weeks earlier. Also, total crop yield is typically
larger utilizing the one-crop system versus the two-crop system. Maintain the plants in a 1- to 2-foot-wide
hedgerow.
Yellow Raspberries
The pruning of summer-bearing and fall-bearing yellow raspberries is identical to their red raspberry
counterparts.
Black and Purple Raspberries
Remove the small, weak canes, leaving only four or five of the largest, most vigorous canes per clump
or plant. Cut back the lateral (side) branches to 12 inches in length for black raspberries and 18 inches for
purple raspberries.
When pruning is completed, remove the pruned material from the garden area and destroy it. Removal
and destruction of the pruned material helps control raspberry diseases, such as anthracnose and spur blight.
By Richard Jauron, Department of Horticulture
New Pamphlet: Common Problems of Ash Trees
A new color-pamphlet is available form Iowa State University that describes and illustrates the
common pests, diseases and declines of ash trees in Iowa. With increased attention to ash tress and the
looming threat of emerald ash borer,* homeowners, foresters, arborists and others are scrutinizing ash
trees with increased attention to detail. Ash trees have suffered from a variety of pests, diseases and
ailments for a long time, though many signs and symptoms of pests and evidence of decline are being
noticed for the first time.
ISU Extension pamphlet SUL21 illustrates common problems that can be mistaken for emerald ash
borer infestation. This diagnostic guide will help identify problems so needless removal or treatment of
ash trees can be avoided. Electronic copies are available on line; printed copies can be obtained at your
local, Iowa county extension office or through the ISU Extension On-Line Store.
* In 2010, the emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered in one ash tree growing on an island in the
Mississippi River 2 miles south of Minnesota. Since that initial discovery, no additional EAB infestations
have been found in Iowa. Read more about emerald ash borer in the January, 2011 Horticulture & Home
Pest News.
It looks like Bur Oak Blight (BOB) really isn't that new
It's beginning to look like bur oak blight, or BOB for short, is a long-time resident of Iowa, and he's here to
stay. Bur oak blight has been recognized in Iowa for only the last 6 or 7 years, but the fungus that causes it has
probably been here much longer. A shift in climate to more frequent rain events appears to be increasing the
severity of BOB throughout much of the western two-thirds of the state. The same phenomenon that contributes to
Iowa's now all-too-common floods may be helping BOB kill our state tree.
A common leafspot fungus, Tubakia dryina, was initially thought to be the cause of the blight on bur oak, but
closer examination showed that the cause was a new species of Tubakia. With funding provided by the US Forest
Service, we were able to show that there are five species of Tubakia that can infect bur oak, but only one species
can cause dramatic leaf symptoms and tree mortality.
The disease tends to intensify year-to-year in individual trees, and if only a portion of the crown is affected, it
usually starts in the lower branches and then later progresses up the tree. The fungus overwinters on the petioles
of dead leaves that remain attached to branches. Spores are produced in May from black pustules on the petioles
of these old leaves, and the spores infect the newly emerging shoots and leaves during rainy weather. Dramatic
leaf symptoms do not become evident until July, however, and the severity of symptoms increases in August and
September if weather conditions are right. Leaf symptoms include necrosis (death) of the tissue along the veins
and wedge-shaped areas of browning at the tips or sides of the leaves. Severely affected trees may die after
several years of severe defoliation.
Not all stands of bur oak are seriously affected by the disease, and not all trees are equally susceptible in
even the most severely affected stands. Thus far, we have seen severe BOB on only naturally-established bur
oak, especially on mature trees on upland sites that appear to be remnants of savannah forests. Bur oak in dense
forests and in bottomland sites are less seriously affected. We have confirmed the pathogen in 55 of Iowa's 99
counties, but most of the severely affected stands have been in the western half of the state. We've also confirmed
BOB in eastern Nebraska and southern Minnesota.
We are experimenting with fungicide injections for control of BOB in high-value trees. Injections of
propiconazole (Alamo) into bur oak in late May or early June, before symptoms appear, have been effective.
However, propiconazole at the rate recommended for oak wilt can be phytotoxic to bur oak, and the treatment is
costly.
As long as the rains keep coming, BOB will probably continue to intensify on upland sites across much of
Iowa, and we could lose a number of stately bur oak. Hopefully our next generation of bur oak should be better
adapted to a wetter climate and have the resistance necessary to withstand our long time resident, BOB.
An 18-minute video on the symptoms and other characteristics of BOB is available on the ISU Extension
website.
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Detected in Iowa
BY LAURA JESSE
AMES, Iowa --The Iowa State University Extension Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic (ISU-PIDC)
and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship confirmed that a single dead specimen of
the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys, was recently collected in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa and submitted to ISU-PIDC for diagnosis. This is the first confirmation of this pest in Iowa. However
it is not known if this find indicates an established population or an isolated individual as BMSB travels
readily in shipping containers and with people.
Iowans are encouraged to help look for this pest and to contact ISU Extension with sample
specimens, digital photos or detailed descriptions and sightings. “Concerned citizens are vital to
detection and reporting of invasive species as they are truly the eyes and ears throughout Iowa,” said
Laura Jesse, ISU Extension entomologist.
The brown marmorated stink bug is an introduced, invasive insect new to North America. It was
first identified in fall 2001 in Allentown, Pa.; though unconfirmed reports go back as far as 1996. The
accidental introduction was possibly via shipping containers from Asia. BMSB is reported to have
established populations in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Detections have been made in a handful of other states that now
includes Iowa.
BMSB feeds on sap from a long list of host plants including many fruits, vegetables, field crops,
shade trees and other woody ornamentals. In addition to the considerable damage done to crops,
gardens and landscapes, the adults have the disturbing habit of migrating to houses and other buildings
in the fall to overwinter. Homeowners on the East Coast describe the stink bug invasion as worse than
boxelder bugs and lady beetles, combined. It is this habit of spending the winter in buildings that has
aided its dispersal by movement in containers and vehicles.
The brown marmorated stink bug is approximately 5/8 inch long with a mottled brownish grey
color and a "shield" shaped body. The antennae and top of the abdominal segments protruding from
beneath the wings have alternating dark and light bands. (Susan Ellis photo made available by the
Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health.)
For information on submitting a sample to the ISU PIDC visit http://www.ent.iastate.edu/pidc/.
For more information on brown marmorated stink bug, visit
http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2010/11-17/stinkbug.html
Gypsy Moth Management Public Information
Meetings Scheduled in Northeast Iowa
|BY MARK SHOUR
AMES, Iowa -- The Iowa Gypsy Moth Management Team will be holding informational meetings in
northeastern Iowa in March to discuss gypsy moth management actions for summer 2011. The meetings
are free and open to the public.
The European gypsy moth, a well-known pest of trees, has been in the eastern United States for
more than 150 years. Iowa has monitored the westward expansion of the gypsy moth since 1970 using
pheromone traps. In 2010, more than 2,200 moths were captured in these traps, indicating that pockets
of this invasive insect are developing in eastern Iowa.
“The gypsy moth caterpillar has a ravenous appetite for the tree foliage of several hundred
species, but oak leaves are their favorite food,” said Mark Shour, ISU Extension Pest Management and
the Environment entomologist. “Without corrective action, repeated defoliation of trees by the gypsy moth
can cause tree death or weaken trees to attack by diseases and other insects.”
In the coming year, Iowa will be part of the federal Slow the Spread program, a project that has
successfully slowed the rate of the advancing front of gypsy moth defoliations. Efforts to limit
establishment of gypsy moth in Iowa will use aerial application of mating disruption pheromone.
Applications are proposed in specific areas of Allamakee, Winneshiek and Jackson counties.
Informational meetings to address this insect and the proposed action to control it, as well as to make
comment, will be held March 1 and 2 at the following Iowa locations:

March 1 - Jackson County Conservation Hurstville Interpretive Center, 18670 63rd Street,
Maquoketa - 7 p.m.

March 2 - Allamakee County Farm Bureau Building, 14 First Avenue NE, Waukon - 1:30 p.m.

March 2 - NE Iowa Dairy Foundation Center, 1527 Highway 150 South, Calmar - 6:30 p.m.

The Iowa Gypsy Moth Management Team is an interagency, cooperative effort of Iowa State University
Extension, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, United
States Department of Agriculture - Forest Service and United States Department of Agriculture - APHIS, Plant
Protection and Quarantine.
New Supply/Demand Link Connects Farmers,
Markets and Consumers
BY CHRISTA HARTSOOK, CRAIG TORDSEN, LINDA NAEVE, CHRISTOPHER WEISHAAR
AMES, Iowa – MarketMaker on the Web offers a free new tool to connect family shoppers with farmers –
and with everyone in between – including restaurants and grocery stores. That’s good for consumers who wonder
where to find fresh local products and good for small farms with no marketing budget. For everyone, it’s Internet
easy – just visit agmrc.org and click the MarketMaker link.
States already part of MarketMaker’s growing network include Arkansas, Colorado, the District of
Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New
York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Alabama, Texas and other states are expected to join soon.
“MarketMaker began as an online database of Illinois businesses and was so successful that now other
states have joined the effort,” said Iowa State University Extension specialist Craig Tordsen. “University of Illinois
developed and owns the tool but the multi-state partnership that is able to pool large amounts of food industry data
and provide it to the public really adds value to the resource.”
Family shoppers can use the MarketMaker website to search for restaurants or places to buy everything
from freshly picked or pick-your-own produce, to maple syrup and wine. Farmers can search for farmers’ markets,
grocery stores and other outlets to sell their food products.
The Iowa website is located at ia.marketmaker.uiuc.edu. From there, visitors can search for restaurants,
grocery stores, farms and other production facilities across several states. “It’s more than a directory of information
because it has interactive features like mapping and search capabilities so users can really target and focus on the
data that they need,” Tordsen said.
Each state has a unique site, but all the data from other MarketMaker states can be accessed from any
state MarketMaker location. The national MarketMaker link at agmrc.org is hosted by the national Agricultural
Marketing Resource Center at Iowa State University. The AgMRC link provides a clickable map of the entire
United States. Participating states are highlighted, making it easy for users to navigate from state to state or to
regionalize their data searches.
Iowa farms and businesses can sign up for a free listing by registering on the MarketMaker website at
ia.marketmaker.uiuc.edu.
“Our goal is to make the site a resource for all farmers and businesses in the food supply chain,” Tordsen
said. “We are as interested in helping a grocery store find farm-fresh eggs as we are in helping the farmer find a
place to sell them, so it’s important to include as many producers in our database as possible.”

Access MarketMaker through the national MarketMaker link at www.agmrc.org.
For more information about MarketMaker, contact any member of the development team:
Craig Tordsen, ctordsen@iastate.edu, 515-291-0966

Raymond Hansen, hansenr@iastate.edu, 515-294-3890

Linda Naeve, lnaeve@iastate.edu, 515-294-8946
Upcoming Items and Events:
March 1
March 2
March 2`
March 4
March 5
March 5
March 6
March 6
March 7
March 9
March 11
March 12
March 14
March 16
March 17
March 19
March 20
March 26
March 27
March 30
March 30
PPAT—6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.—Villisca Community Room
4-H Leader Training—6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.—Fairgrounds Auditorium
Ornamental & Turf CIC—1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.—Extension Office
Montgomery County Interagency Meeting—8:30 a.m.—Extension Office
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance—9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.—Extension Office
Couponing—1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.—Villisca
4-H County Youth Council—5:00 p.m.—Extension Office
Futures Games for Villisca—2:00 p.m.—Villisca
Montgomery County Extension Council Budget Hearing—5:30 p.m.
Certified Handlers CIC—9:00 a.m.—Extension Office
Nutrient Management Workshop—1:00 p.m.—Villisca Community Room
Pruning Workshop—10:00 a.m.—Extension Office
Mont. Co. Extension Council Meeting—5:30 p.m.—Extension Office
4-H & Youth Committee Meeting—7:00 p.m.—Extension Office
Fairboard Meeting—7:30 p.m.—Fairgrounds Auditorium
Extension Booth at the Farm and Home Show
4-H Air Rifle—2:00 p.m.—Goldsmith Gallery
Mont. Co. 4-H and FFA Swine Weigh in—Fairgrounds
4-H Air Rifle—2:00 p.m.—Goldsmith Gallery
Extension Office hosting Red Oak Chamber Coffee
Mont. Co. 4-H Clover Kids—5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Montgomery County Extension Office
400 Bridge Street, Suite 2
Red Oak, IA 51566
Return Service Requested