April 2017 - North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Transcript of April 2017 - North Carolina Cooperative Extension
Guilford County Extension Community Garden Outreach, News, and Information
GardenWise April 2017
Extension Master Gardener Passalong Plant Sale and Festival
3309 BURLINGTON RD, Greensboro, NC May 12, 2017 9 am – 3 pm May 13, 2017 9 am – 1 pm
Contact info: Extension Office 336‐641‐2404
And THIS — this deluge and accompanying cool temperatures we’ve dealt with over the past few days — is one reason planting your vegetable garden before May 1 in central North Carolina can be tricky. Mother Nature can be a cruel teacher. I’m looking out my back window here in Raleigh, and I have at least two inches of water standing in my raised bed. The temperatures are in the sixties, and it looks as if I may need to replant everything and start over. But this is the essence of gardening where we live. We’re teased with unseasonably warm weather that awakens the urge to plant, no matter what experience has taught us. I have no doubt that I’ll do the same thing next year, getting my veggies in the ground at the earliest possible moment. Fortunately, my only loss this year will be a few pack‐ets of seeds if my garden is, in fact, beyond redemption, and this makes me truly grateful that I don’t have to rely on my little backyard garden for serious production. I guess the ultimate takeaway from this, and every unplanned Spring surprise, is that gardeners are a resilient, hopeful bunch. We’ll all get past this, and I predict we’ll be bemoaning drought conditions in just a matter of weeks. Hang in there, and never lose that hope! Happy Gardening! Linda Brandon, EMGV
Don’t
miss
this!
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Sustainable Gardening with Beneficial Insects Hanna Smith
Most of the time, when we see an insect, especially if it’s on one of our plants, we automati‐cally assume that it is going to eat our entire plant and we will be left with little to nothing to show for all our hard work. While there are some “bad” bugs out there, the majority, actually 99%, are either harmless or beneficial. These good guys, such as lady beetles, assassin bugs, wasps, and spi‐ders, are considered natural enemies to other various insects. These natural enemies feed on other organisms, therefore becoming a natural approach to pest control. If we create environments that encourage populations of these beneficial insects, then we have already gotten a leg up on the bad guys and this then reduces the amount of insecticides that we have to use to keep our plants healthy. This is only one step in what is called Integrated Pest Management, but this, along with other techniques, manages pests in an economically viable and environmentally sound way. I’m not advocating for or against using insecticides, but let’s look at it from this point of view: chemicals can potentially leak into the water and pollute our natural water sources, especially when not applied properly, but they also cost a lot of money as well.
Another part of IPM is knowing the economic threshold, or the amount of dam‐age or insects that must be present before the need to take other measures, such as using chemicals. This is essential in making decisions about pest control. Encouraging beneficial insects in your garden can help keep pests in check and keep them below the economic threshold allowing you to have a healthy, happy garden all year long.
(Hanna Smith is Guilford County’s Extension Agent — Horticulture and Agriculture)
SHARE THE HARVEST Plan, plant and donate your extra vegetables to the hungry in our community. Share the Harvest is a non‐profit, started by community gardens and the NC Cooperative Extension Service, that receives do‐nated produce and distributes it to Guilford County agencies that either prepare a meal for the hungry or have a food pantry. We will start accepting donations of fresh produce and making distributions in June 5 at the Interactive Resource Center and other sites in the county. Check out the website: www.sharetheharvestguilfordcounty.org
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Garden Reports Jamestown Friends Garden is still going strong. All the garden beds are being utilized with the majority being return gardeners. We upgraded the water system for easier access this past year and recently provided addi‐tional topsoil. Questions ‐ contact Rita Roberts at 336‐254‐4943
This year like all of the years since we first started our garden, we will be donating some of our veggies to the shelters; we have donated over 200 lbs in just one year, and each year we donate, we would like to challenge all of the gardens this year to donate to the shelters what ever they can. Johnny of the Southside Community Garden. The Sunflower Center, 1006 West Florida Street: This season we have a record number of people involved thanks to the Food Justice Coopera‐tive. We have been selling our extra starters at The Peoples Market, Glen‐wood’s own market place! The Peoples market happens on Thursdays from 6‐8pm at the corner of Glenwood & Grove Street. Fahiym Hanna The community garden on MLK OASNA has not been revived since some‐one a year ago stole all of our vegetables. I am trying to collaborate with other community partners like the churches to join with us and let’s try to be able to have vegetables that the community may have access to. “B” Akins At this time there is not much activity with our garden (Sedgefield Lakes). I am the only one to have planted anything. I have garden peas, lettuce, and radishes coming up. If you have any suggestions on how to deter the deer I really would appreciate it. They nearly wiped me out last year. Betty Webb Linda Anderson of Starmount Presbyterian Church’s garden reports that the garden and its early plantings have been pretty much ruined by the 5.5 inches of rain we have received in the last week. Replanting will take place when the sun comes out and dries up all the rain. I imagine others have had similar experiences.
WEBSITE INFORMATION: Remember that guilfor‐dextension.com has more information on vegetable gardening than you’ll be able to use in a lifetime! And our Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will be answering your gar‐
dening questions on Info‐line starting soon! 336‐641‐2404
We’re hearing that some gardens are languishing because they lack leader‐ship. Remember, it takes a TEAM to run a Community Garden successfully. If you’re interested in helping out any of the gardens in Guilford County, contact Linda Anderson or Deborah Pelli. Volunteers will be appreciated! Linda’s email is [email protected]; Deborah’s is [email protected].
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Food Safety Nikki Christakos, EMGV
Food safety is essential for preventing food borne illnesses. 1 in 6 Ameri‐
cans suffers from a foodborne illness every year. Common symptoms of a foodborne illness are vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea, but there are a wide variety of symptoms and effects. Foodborne illnesses can pose a serious threat to humans, especially young children and the elderly, and yet they are one of the most preventable health concerns that societies face. Preven‐tion specifically is focused on how to handle food, cook it, and store it safely without creating a health risk. There are 4 main focuses when examining food safety: clean, separate, cook, and chill. Doing these 4 things correctly is crucial for food safety.
Thoroughly cleaning cooking and cutting surfaces and your hands is necessary for food safety. Hands should be washed in warm water and soap for 20 seconds before cooking and before switching to a different food group and after cooking is finished. Cross‐contamination of different food groups can lead to foodborne illnesses, so it is crucial to keep food sepa‐rated. Raw meat should never be cut with vegetables or any other foods. All utensils and cutting boards used for meat should be meticulously cleaned with hot water and soap before using them with any other food. Ideally, a different cutting board altogether would be used for meat. Different foods need to be cooked and stored at certain temperatures to prevent food con‐tamination.
Fish, poultry, and ground meat should be cooked or frozen within 2 days while beef, veal, lamb, and pork can be cooked or frozen within 3 – 5 days. When cooking beef, pork, veal, and lamb the internal temperature should reach a minimum of 145° Fahrenheit. Ground meats need to be cooked to a minimum of 160° Fahrenheit and poultry should reach 165° Fahrenheit. These temperature recommendations are to ensure that any potential bacteria are out of the meat before consumption. If food is cooked it should not be left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature or 1 hour if it is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It is best to store perishable food in the refrigerator or freezer until ready for consumption. All leftovers should be consumed within 4 days. Refrigeration units should be kept at 40° Fahr‐enheit and freezers should be set at 0° Fahrenheit for safe food storage.
Following the 4 basic steps of food safety —clean, separate, cook, and chill — prevents contracting foodborne illnesses. Foodborne illness can be very dangerous which is why it is important to always follow food safety standards and teach them to friends and family. The CDC and USDA have excellent resources for food safety standards.
Sources https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/foodborne‐germs.html https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food‐safety‐education/get‐answers/food‐safety‐fact‐sheets/safe‐food‐handling/basics‐for‐handling‐food‐safely/ct_index https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/basics/cook/index.html
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Pollinator Plants for Kids Nikki Christakos, EMGV
Bee Balm is a native perennial that is deer resistant and a favorite of pollinators. Its flowers are edible as well. – picture by Janine Russell on Flickr
Comfrey is an excellent pollinator plant and nitrogen fixer for any garden — picture by Satrina O. on Flickr
Culver’s Root is a native perennial herb that is easy to grow and adaptable to growing conditions available. It blooms in the summer. – picture by Flickr user mwms1916
Ironweed is an excellent native, pollinator plant because it blooms late in the season to provide pollinators with nectar when other sources are not available. – picture by Flickr user bjebie
Lavender is an ideal herb for pollinators, the garden, and the kitchen. – picture by Sue Taylor on Flickr
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Lanceleaf Blanketflower is a native perennial and early bloomer that stands out in height and can be striking in color. ‐picture taken by Flickr user DanNC800
Milkweed a native plant and the nesting ground for monarch butterflies. Monarch caterpillars only eat milkweed plants. – picture by Paul on Flickr
Rosemary is a phenomenally fragrant herb that makes a nice addition to a garden for its kitchen benefits and ability to provide for pollinators. – picture by Jason on Flickr
Sunflowers are a native flower that are fun and easy for all ages to grow and are enjoyed by various pollinators. Varieties come in all sizes (from pot size at about 2 feet all the way up to 12‐foot giants!) and seeds can be harvested for future plantings and kitchen use. – picture by Todd Feasley on Flickr
Yarrow is easy to grow in a variety of conditions, making it ideal for young growers and pollinators. It is especially helpful as a companion plant to deter pests while attract‐ing beneficial insects. — picture by Flickr user Else10
https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/wp‐content/uploads/2012/08/BeePlants2015.pdf?fwd=n https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms‐pollinatorresources https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/all/monarda‐didyma https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/butterflies‐in‐your‐backyar https://growingsmallfarms.ces.ncsu.edu/wp‐content/uploads/2012/08/Top‐25‐Bee‐Plants‐.pdf?fwd=n
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Oh, Deer! That heading just about sums things up if you’re trying to garden anywhere in North Carolina. There’s a terri‐fic publication from the Village of Pinehurst — Linda Anderson can email the entire piece to you — but for now, let’s focus on specific control measures. (Obviously, plantings that deer find unattractive are the best way to avoid problems, but face it: Deer love veggies. For this reason, we’re going to assume you have a planting that is very attractive to deer, and we’ll talk about steps you can take to keep the rascals out of your vegetable plants.) Please note that I’ve lifted sections of this text verbatim. The sources for the original document are at the end of this article. No copyright infringement is intended, and we’re grateful that Ex‐tension makes its expertise available to us for free! Garden Layout While plant selection is important, it’s not the only way to deter deer. You can use your new found knowl‐edge of deer behavior, habits and preferences to design a garden that they will find uninviting. The most important thing is to make your yard unappealing to them so they will not enter in the first place and will keep moving down the block. Here are some garden design tips to make your yard uninviting.
1. Although deer have great leaping ability, they don’t like to jump over something when they can’t see the landing area beyond. If you have a fence that they can easily clear, plant some midsize shrubs on the other side so that they can’t see what’s beyond. Another option instead of a fence is to plant a hedge that they can’t see over. Keep in mind that they will try to find a way around it if they’ve already found that your garden has the best eats on the block.
2. Deer don’t like to climb so a terraced garden won’t be appealing terrain.
3. Think of your yard as having zones. If you must plant a few of their favorite plants, put them close to your house where you can monitor them instead of at the edge of your property where they will have easy access. Think about using containers when possible and keep them on the patio, deck or porch. However, some hungry deer have actually been spotted eating a plant on the front porch.
4. If you want to grow vegetables, put your tomato plants in containers or Earth Boxes on your deck or patio. Plant the low growing vegetables in the garden but use row covers or make a wire frame to cover your square foot garden. Keep in mind that pollinators need to have access to squash and some other vegetables.
5. Use a combination of plants in a bed with deer favorites tucked behind or in between plants that they don’t like.
(continued next page)
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Oh Deer! (continued) Deterrents There are many types of deterrents that work on different principles. Most use scare tactics while others use an unpleasant taste or smell. Be careful of snake‐oil salesmen, especially on the internet, who claim guaranteed results for a hefty price. Remember that deer will get used to deterrents and start to ignore them so it’s best to use multiple deter‐ rents, rotate them and in some cases, move them. 1. Sprays – Some of these use smell, others use taste and some use a combination of taste and smell as
deterrents. These include Liquid Fence, Deer Off, I Must Garden Deer Repellent, Deer Scram, Not To‐night Deer, etc. Some repellants also come in granular form. The key to success with sprays is fre‐quency of application, per package directions, alternating with at least three different brands of sprays and rotating between the sprays. Deer will get used to one spray and eventually start ignoring it. Make sure you spray new growth and apply a different spray before the deer get used to the first one.
2. Predator urine or blood – These work as scare tactics and can be purchased at garden supply stores.
They may work for a while but once deer realize that no wolf is lurking in your garden, they will ignore the smell of wolf urine. Blood‐based products can also work for a while but you may find that you’ve attracted a raccoon, cat, or, heaven forbid, a coyote to your yard.
3. Mechanical deterrents – One mechanical device that often works is called a “Scarecrow” im‐
pulse sprinkler. It has a sensor that can be adjusted for activation by large or small animals. The sud‐den spurt of water and sound will usually scare the deer. You’ll need to run a garden hose to it and will need multiple units if you want to protect more than one area of your yard. Keep in mind that it may zap any visitors if you have it directed toward that garden bed near the driveway.
4. Homemade spray concoctions – You can find recipes for spray deterrents that include eggs, to‐bacco, garlic, etc. These work in the same way as many of the store‐bought sprays.
5. Noise deterrent – You can place a portable radio in a vulnerable area tuned to talk radio, music or
in‐between station static. Move it around or the deer will get used to it and start to ignore it. 6. Soap – Put a string through a bar of strong smelling soap and hang it from tree branches or
shrubs. Unfortunately you’ll need a lot of soap because it will only protect a 3 foot radius. 7. Pet hair – Deer have gotten so used to us that human hair no longer works as a deterrent. Place
pet hair in strategic areas in your garden. Visit a pet grooming facility to get a good supply and replace it before it loses its effectiveness.
8. Clear Fishing Line ‐ String clear fishing line around shrubs 2 to 3 feet high. Bumping into It with their
nose will startle them when they try to nibble on the shrub.
Resources:
http://content.ces.ncsu.edu/deer‐problems‐in‐the‐landscape.pdf
http://carteret.ces.ncsu.edu/wp‐content/uploads/2014/12/Deer‐Resistant‐Plants2.pd
http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/2013/04/is‐there‐anything‐deer‐will‐not‐eat
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In praise of strawberry jars . . . I have this awkward bit of space on this page before the full page of credits for the Container Gardening publication, so I thought I’d throw in a plug for one of my favorite ways to garden in containers. I bought a terracotta strawberry jar probably ten years ago; it was a budget stretch for me, since at that time I considered $30 for a breakable container fairly pricey. However, it’s weathered the years well. Each year, I’m able to plant enough herbs to satisfy the needs of my little household in a little more than one square foot of deck space. The principle is simple: staggered planting pockets allow you to pack six or more plants into one container. Think of it as making lasagna, in a way: start putting soil in the bottom of the con‐tainer. When you get to the first plant pocket level, insert a small plant (3.5”pots work, but the individual plants from 4‐packs are perfectly sized) into each pocket and continue layering soil up around it as you go. Water the container well, and use a good potting soil. You’ll be abso‐lutely amazed at how quickly your strawberry jar will fill with lush green herbs — the assortment is entirely up to you — and you’ll also be aston‐ished at how easy it is to complete a project that makes you feel just like Martha Stewart! Linda Brandon, EMGV
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Growing Veggies in Containers Can Be Fun and Rewarding Written by Amie Backstrom, Guilford County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer “Only two things that money can’t buy, And that’s true love and homegrown tomatoes…” – Guy Clark Few things are more quintessentially Southern than a homegrown tomato sandwich, especially if the to‐mato is still warm from the garden. Many of us are lucky enough to have space for a garden here in Piedmont North Carolina, but if you live in an apartment or townhome, don’t despair. Many vegetables are suitable for contain‐ers, and all you need is a sunny spot on a balcony or patio. If you have no outside space, a sunny window can support kitchen herbs in pots. When choosing which herbs and vegetables to grow, there are some important things to consider. Of course, the first one is to be sure to grow those you enjoy eating. For instance, I’m welcome to grow all the Brussels sprouts I choose, but my family has informed me that they won’t be eating a single sprout. So, I don’t waste my garden space on Brussels sprouts. You need to know how many hours of sunlight your window or patio receives. Five hours or more is best. Container plants require a little more vigilance than those planted in the garden because the smaller amounts of soil dry out faster and the roots can’t dig down to find moist soil. You’ll find it’s more conven‐ient to water if there’s a hose nearby. A hand‐held watering can will work fine; it’ll just require more ef‐fort. You’ll also want to be careful to allow good drainage, which brings us to your growing medium. In a leaflet from NC State, horticulturalist Larry Bass suggests that a “soilless” potting medium may be your best choice for container gardening. It allows for good drainage and a uniform moisture level around roots. Most garden centers carry these in different size bags. Don’t be tempted to fill the bottom of your container with rocks to minimize the amount of growing medium you put in. It’s a common myth that this creates good drainage, but research proves this practice creates a pool of water on top of the rocks. Linda Chalker‐Scott of Washington State University states: Nearly 100 years ago, soil scientists demonstrated that water does not move easily from layers of finer textured materials to layers of more coarse textured. Since then, similar studies have produced the same results. Additionally, one study found that more moisture was retained in the soil underlain by gravel than that underlain by sand.Therefore, the coarser the underlying material, the more difficult it is for water to move across the interface. When choosing containers for your patio garden, consider how deep the roots will grow. Shallow‐rooted vegetables like lettuces and peppers only need eight inches of root space and a six‐inch diameter per plant. Deeper rooting vegetables obviously need more space. The labels on seed packets or seedlings will give specific space requirements. Consider tubs and buckets for tomatoes or cucumbers. Don’t forget to think outside the box, or in this case, the pot. Hanging baskets, wash tubs, grow bags, and those upside‐down baskets for tomatoes could add tons of growing space to a small patio or bal‐cony. Trellises for vining plants like cucumbers and pole beans can do double duty as shade and privacy screens. Every year, I plant a cherry tomato in a huge tub on my deck, and train the vines up the per‐gola. The fruits can be hard to reach, but they certainly are pretty when mixed with the wisteria already growing there. (continued next page)
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Growing Vegetables in Containers (continued)
Most commercial potting mixes contain fertilizer; however, you’ll probably need to fertilize as the season progresses. Garden centers sell many fertilizer options. You may choose to use less than the instructions indicate due to the limited amount of soil in a pot when com‐pared to a garden space. James M. Stephens of the Flor‐ida Cooperative Extension says “one teaspoon of dry fer‐tilizer per square foot of soil surface should be ade‐quate.” And now for the fun part, picking which vegeta‐bles to plant! Fortunately, there are many varieties of common vegetables designed for small spaces. They are bred to have a high yield with compact sizes at maturity. Look for the words patio, bush, or dwarf on the seed packet or the label of a seedling. Determinate tomatoes will be smaller at maturity than indeterminate varieties. Everyone with a sunny spot can have fresh herbs and vegetables for their table with a little planning and care. That first tomato sandwich will make all the effort worthwhile! The following sources were used in writing this article:
http://content.ces.ncsu.edu/container‐vegetable‐gardening.pdf http://puyallup.wsu.edu/wp‐content/uploads/sites/403/2015/03/container‐drainage.pdf http://dixie.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/gardening/container.pdf
Pick a Pepper! With a tremendous selection of flavors, sizes, and uses, peppers can be a terrific addition to a vegetable garden. They’re nutritious and widely used in cooking. Use one or more of the following varieties that have performed well in North Carolina:
Bell ‐ Keystone Resistant Giant Strain 3 (71 days), Yolo Wonder L (80 days), Capistrano (76 days), Hy‐ belle (70 days ‐ mountains only), Bell Captain (70 days), Camelot (74 days), King Arther (75 days), Mu‐ rango (72 days) and Gatorbelle (71 days). The latter 6 are hybrids with superior yields.
Small Fruit ‐ Banana Supreme (70 days), Hy‐Fry (60 days), Biscayne (70 days), Key Largo (62 days) Cu‐
banelle (65 days), Gypsy (60 days), Hungarian Sweet Wax (68 days).
Small Fruit (Hot) ‐ Red Cherry (78 days), Red Cherry (Small) (75 days), Red Cherry (Large) (75 days ‐
may be too large), Anaheim Chili TMR 23 (75 days), AnchoVilla (80 days), Early Jalopeno (63 days),
Mitla
(62 days ‐ jalapeno), Hungarian Yellow Wax (68 days), Habanero (100 days ‐ very hot).
Pimento ‐ Pimento Select (73 days), True Heart Perfection (80 days).
1. Use well‐drained soils.
2. Soil test for fertilizer and nematodes.
3. Lime to pH 6.5.
4. Apply fertilizer carefully.
5. Use only disease‐free and insect‐free plants that have not been crowded. continued
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Pick a Pepper! continued from previous page
6. Use good weed management practices.
7. Plant carefully to get good stands.
8. Side dress 2 to 3 times.
9. Control corn borer and other insects.
10. Cool fruit soon after harvest.
About 7 to 10 days before transplanting, begin hardening the plants by limiting water and exposing them
to wind and sun. Water the plant bed thoroughly a few hours before the plants are to be pulled.
Select a well‐drained, easily worked loamy or sandy loam soil. Do not select a soil that had cotton, tobacco,
eggplant, peppers or Irish potatoes the previous year. Practice crop rotation to control rootknot, bacterial
spot, and other diseases. Soil samples should be taken in the fall to determine fertilizer needs and if fumiga‐
tion for nematodes is necessary. Take a small amount of soil to a depth of 8 inches, from 8
to 10 locations in the field or garden and mix this soil thoroughly. Then put a cup of this soil in a plastic
bag for nematode analysis and another cup in a fertility sample box for determination of fertilizer and
lime needs. Soil pH for pepper should be 6.0 to 6.5, lime will allow your peppers to use fertilizer more
readily.
Apply recommended chemicals for weed control.* Follow the directions on the label. For best results use
both planting (pre‐planting for the garden) and post‐planting herbicides.
Apply the recommended fertilizer in 2 bands, each located 3 inches to the side and 2 to 3 inches below the
plant roots. On average soils, 400 lb of 10‐20‐20 per acre (3 lb of 10‐10‐10 per 100 square feet for gardens)
should be used (if soil was not tested). Where banding is impossible, mix the fertilizer thoroughly with the
soil before ridging, because peppers are very susceptible to fertilizer injury. Apply 20 lb of actual nitrogen (1⁄
2 oz. of actual nitrogen per foot of garden row) as a sidedress. Sidedress 2 to 3 times, starting 2 weeks after
planting. Pimentos will require a third side dressing.
Transplant in late afternoon or on cloudy days to prevent wilting. If soil is low in phosphorus, use a soluble
starter fertilizer in transplant water.
Cultivate only when necessary to control weeds, usually every 10 days. The cultivations should be shallow.
Don't permit machinery to touch the plants, because this will injure the plant and spread diseases. If herbi‐
cides were used, cultivate only if necessary.
If bacterial spot appears in the field, spray with a copper fungicide every 7 days as indicated on the label.
Complete coverage of the leaves is necessary. Sprayer should have at least 3 drop nozzles per row and 200 lb
of pressure.
Foliar applications of insecticides* may be necessary on a weekly basis after mid‐June. Corn ear‐ worms,
maggots, armyworms, and corn borers, are especially troublesome later in the season. In the field, use black‐
light insect traps or sex pheromone traps to monitor insect populations. Scout fields regularly for insects and
their damage and use management tactics.
If bacterial spot appears in the field, spray with a copper fungicide every 7 days as indicated on the label.
Complete coverage of the leaves is necessary. If Cercospora leaf spot appears in the field, spray or dust with a
fungicide.
Harvested peppers should be kept cool to retard spoilage. The peppers should be removed from the field
soon after harvest. (References: NC Cooperative Extension Horticulture Information Leaflet)
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Remember! The moon landing was accomplished with vastly less computing
power than we have in our pockets every day. Whenever you want to know the latest events Cooperative Extension and the EMGVs will be hosting, just use your smart phone to click on the QR code on the left. You’ll be directed to our Guilford County office’s web page, and from there, just click the EVENTS tab to learn the latest.
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service Guilford County Center
3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro, NC 27405 336-641-2404
North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability. In addition, the two Universi‐ties welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and local governments cooperating.
Roasted Peppers with Garlic and Herbs
INGREDIENTS
4 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange),
halved and seeded
2 tablespoons extra‐virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place pep‐pers, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Divide garlic among peppers. Sprinkle with oregano and season with salt and pepper. Roast until flesh is tender and skin is blistered in spots, 35 minutes. Transfer peppers to a platter and top with a small handful torn basil leaves.