I . . e o u tVolume XIV, No. 1 June 1995

Dear Friend:

It seems that each growing season a number of people state that it is a record year for pestproblems. There are times and locations when and where it seems that plagues have descendedbut most pest irruptions are short lived and not consistent by area or from year-to-year. But thisis not much consolation for a grower who has spent time, effort, and money on combating apest problem.

It is important to identify pests early. Monitoring the pest and determining the level ofdamage you can tolerate helps you decide on your control options and the urgency in whichyou take action. And certainly being aware of the pest problem can help you plan for future pre-vention strategies.

This newsletter, plus contact with your local IPM Technician, can enable you to have all the infor-mation you need to successfully manage a pest problem before it gets out of hand.

Sincerely,

jya

Wayne VandreHorticulture Specialist andPesticide Programs Coordinator

ALASKA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION University of Alaska Fairbanks and USDA CooperatingThe University of Alaska Fairbanks' Alaska Cooperative Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, age, sex, creed, nationalorigin, or disability and in accordance with all applicable federal laws. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work acts of May 8 and June 30,

Aiosta cooporoHva Mansion 1914 jn cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dr. Hollis Hall, Director, Alaska Cooperative Extension, University of Alaska Fairbanks.UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS ** *

The use of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the Alaska Cooperative Extension

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ANCHORAGE

Charles Kirby

Welcome to another growing season. Ihope the winter wasn't too hard on you. Iam looking forward to my third season as anIPM Technician.

This season started with a flood of questionsand concerns about the spruce bark beetlekilling the spruce trees. I am glad to see thatmany more people are becoming aware ofthis subject.

Questions about birch aphids and otheraphids are increasing. Normally, throughoutthe summer we receive numerous calls aboutaphids. What can we use that is not toxic orharmful to humans and wildlife? The answermay be biological controls.

Biological controls are one of the safest formsof pest management. Natural enemies areusually non-toxic, non-pathogenic and non-injurious to humans or wildlife. Biologicalcontrols are non-polluting and are not asdamaging to the environment as more disrup-tive techniques and they leave no residues onfood or in living, work, or recreational areas.

There are natural predators of aphids. Themost commonly known predator of aphids isthe ladybugs. You can buy ladybugs forhome use at a reasonable cost at your localgarden supply. There is no trick to the releaseprocess. Keep the bag refrigerated (35-45° F)until time of release, early evening is the besttime to release them, and welcome them witha moist area to drink from. If you like, youcan keep your new visitors from leaving bycoating their wings, temporarily, with asugar-water solution. The solution should behalf water and half sugared pop (not dietpop), in a spray bottle to spray into the bag assoon as you open it.

One of the most important parasites of aphidsare small wasps (not the human stingingtype), but wasps that attack only aphids.Adults are very small and dark, with longantennae. They lay an egg in the aphid, andthe egg hatches into a small larva that eats theinside of the aphid. Typically, females lay upto several hundred eggs and one larvaedevelops within each aphid. The adultemerges after cutting a circular hole in themummified aphid. Aphid parasites may bebought through your local garden supply ormay have to be ordered.

There are many beneficial insects that arenatural to our environment and attack aphidson our plants.

Vlarva develops in aphid

female lays egg in aphidpupa in swollen aphid mummy

adult emerges

Robin Rhodes

Greetings! I'm Robin Rhodes and this is myfirst summer with the IPM program. I cameoriginally from Ohio and have a degree inenvironmental science/geography. I haveboth personal and professional experiencewith organic farming. For the past year, Ihave had a variety of responsibilities fromteaching to community outreach at a localsecondary school. My personal interestsinclude backpacking, bread baking, garden-ing and plant identification. I will be in at the

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Cooperative Extension 1/2 time this summerand also be working on a farm in Palmer 1/2time this summer, I look forward to discuss-ing your insect and plant issues this summerwith you and promoting the concepts of IPM.

One of the most asked questions about a localinsect besides the spruce bark beetle, is thebirch aphid. Birch aphids are dull green andabout 1/8 inch long. Aphids have a pear-shaped body, long legs and a pair of cornicles(tubular structures) at the posterior end ofthe abdomen. Wings, when present, aredelicate and greenish white. Aphids are sap-sucking insects with mouth parts that pinchplant tissue and suck the juices from the leaf.Stressed trees are more prone to attack fromthe birch aphid. These stresses can includesoil compaction, root and trunk damage, andwater or nutrient stress.

Signs associated with birch aphids are seeingthe insect itself, discolored leaves, occasionalbranch dieback and temporary growthreduction. Also be on the lookout for leavesfalling prematurely and a sticky honeydewthat can rain down from the tree, A sootymold that grows on the honeydew making itturn black, can also be noticed. Healthy birchtrees can usually sustain 2 to 3 years ofmoderate to heavy aphid feeding with onlyminor effects. If the birch trees is not vigor-ous, its chances of death increase with two ormore consecutive years of heavy infestation.

Preventative measures can be taken to helpavoid aphid attacks. Care should be given tothe tree to avoid damage to the trunk androots. Disturbance of the tree's drainagepattern and compaction of soil help make atree weak and vulnerable to insect infesta-tion. Make sure the trees receive adequatewater throughout the growing season. Fer-tilization should continue throughout thesummer. Any complete lawn or gardenfertilizer that is high in phosphorus is ad-

equate. You will want to stop fertilizationbefore the tree goes into fall dormancy.

Once you have seen the aphids, there arecontrols available. A high velocity spray ofwater will dislodge the aphids and can reducetheir numbers. Insecticidal soap can helpreduce low-to-moderate aphid populationsbut has no residual effect. There are alsoregistered pesticides which can provideresidual activity. Think about using biologi-cal controls like aphid predators. Thesepredators can help substantially in controllingaphids. Please call the Extension office if youwould like to receive more information onbirch aphids.

Good luck with the growing season and enjoythe long summer days!

BIG LAKE

Michael Fastabend

Hello to everyone across Alaska. My name isMichael Fastabend, and I am the new ForestryIntegrated Pest Management (IPM) Techni-cian. This position is a regional assignment,stretching from the Talkeetna area toSoldotna. This is the pilot year for the posi-tion of a Forestry IPM Technician, and muchof this month was spent establishing an office,contacting related forestry professionals, andvisiting as much of the region that I serve aspossible. My initial month as a Forestry IPMTechnician has been focused on two mainactivities; learning about forest health issuesin Alaska, and on promoting the position of aForestry IPM Technician.

To gain an understanding of the Alaskanforest health issues, in particular, the currenteffects of the spruce bark beetle, much of mywas spent reading research papers, learning to

run the "SB" Expert computer modelingprogram, contacting spruce bark beetleexperts, consulting with state and federalforesters, and visiting sites of past andpresent beetle infestations.

To increase my knowledge of the silvics ofsouthcentral Alaskan forests, I spent severalhours consulting with both Glen Holt, theDivision of Natural Resources StewardshipForester in Big Lake, and with Ed Holstein,Entomologist with State and Private ForestryU. S. Forest Service. Alaskan forests aresubject to extreme environmental and climaticconditions, including major disturbanceevents such as the spruce bark beetle, whichpresent the forest or woodlot manager withunique and complex problems. Understand-ing the silvics of the native vegetation, as wellas the succession patterns of individual sites,is essential for the successful application ofIPM techniques.

To promote the Forestry IPM Technicianposition, I contacted the Mat-Su Valley media,the Mat-Su Valley Borough, cooperating stateand federal agencies, and ACE personnel inPalmer and Fairbanks. Three articles concern-ing the Forestry IPM Technician appeared inlocal newspapers, one article in the Frontiers-man of Wasilla, and two articles in the AlaskaStar of Chugach, Eagle River. On Wednes-day, May 30,1 appeared on the call-in radioshow in Talkeetna to address the forest healthissues of the Talkeetna region, including localinfestations of the spruce bark beetle and thelarge aspen tortrix. I plan on contacting thelocal media in Soldotna before I visit theKenai next month, alerting the public on thepeninsula of the existence of the Forestry IPMTechnician position.

My inquiries from the public increaseddramatically after the publication of the threenewspaper articles, with 28 calls being re-ceived during the week of May 19-26,1995.Most of the calls concerned spruce bark beetleattacks, or suspected beetle attacks. Other

calls related to the proper techniques andpreferred species for forest regeneration,cottonwood decoloration in the Hatchers Passarea, hazardous tree removal, and landscap-ing advice. Eight site visits were conductedduring the month.

CLOVER MITESEllen Muchmore - Juneau

With the arrival of spring, clover mites(Bryobia praetoisa) have begun migrating intohomes. Clover mites are harmless relatives ofspiders that feed on clover and lawn grasses.They are brownish-red to dull green in colorand have eight legs. The front legs are verylong and may look like antennae.

Clover mites overwinter in soil, leaf litter, andon the bark of trees. In the spring and fallthey migrate into homes through cracks or

openings in the founda-tion and around doorsand windows looking fora warm place to live. Theydo not have a food sourceinside of homes and willmove on in search of foodor starve after a weekor two.

Biypb/a Spades

Famato

The mites can be con-trolled inside the house bycarefully sucking them upwith a vacuum cleaner toprevent crushing them.Avoid crushing the mites

because they will leave a bright red stain. An18-to-24 inch strip of soil around the founda-tion kept free of vegetation and debris willreduce mite movement into homes. Barriertraps placed around the clover mite access

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points to the home also work well. Barrierssuch as sticky traps or boards coated withpetroleum jelly may be used.

For heavy infestation of clover mites achloropyrifos 0.5% spray may be applied tooutdoor cracks and crevices. Remember thatif you can tolerate them without spraying fora week or two they will move on or starveand pesticides will not be necessary. Alwaysread labels for appropriate use directions.

DELTA JUNCTION

Elaine Shannon

Hello! My name is Elaine Shannon and I amreturning for my fifth year as the IPM Techni-cian here in the Delta Junction area. Many ofyou have already given me a warm welcomeback and I thank you for that arid I amdelighted to be serving you again.

Every season brings with it new challengesand new pest problems, but some insect pestsseem to be as indigenous to Alaska as Mt.McKinley! The mosquito for certain, but I amreferring more to agricultural pests.

The cabbage flea beetles, for instance, can bejust as harmful to a young stand of Brasiliaplantings in a home garden as they can in afield of canola, if populations are highenough. Aphids and grasshoppers, too, caninflict damage to just about anything green.These are only a few of the insects which willundoubtedly visit many of your gardensand/or fields. The population level is deter-mined by natural factors such as the weather,predators, and disease but the grower playsan important role by learning the pests' lifecycle and taking every step possible to dis-rupt that cycle. Weeds are pests althoughmany people don't refer to them that way.

Not letting weeds go to seed is a way ofdisrupting their life cycle.

An early spring has generated requests forwasp and grasshopper predictions, as well ascontrol options should populations becomehigh. A sudden freeze and snow on May 22seems to have slowed down wasp movementin some areas. Inquiries on fertilizer applica-tion rates, fungus gnat and/or spider mitecontrols, and delphinium defoliator identifi-cation all have become a generic part of everyspring. The disease dampoff has been visiblein a few greenhouses. Birch leafminer activityhas also become highly visible but has yet togenerate more than a few calls. They'll come.

I hope the season progresses as smoothly as ithas begun and ends with great results. OurFair theme this year is "AG is Alive in 95". Itis a good opportunity for all the growers toshow the rest of the world what interiorAlaska is capable of.

Before ending; As a parent, I too, do not likeseeing my children annoyed and bitten bymosquitoes. Many repellents used by adultscontain doses of Deet. A child's skin absorbsthe Deet more efficiently than an adults andthis can be hazardous to the child's health.There are a few brands on the market that donot contain any Deet and work rather well.Some contain only a small percent and maybe all you need. Another alternative wouldbe to apply the repellent to clothing ratherthan skin. Whatever the decision, read thelabel. You may be surprised in what youfind. Here's wishing you a good season.

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FAIRBANKS

Toos Omtzigt

Greetings from Fairbanks. My name is ToosOmtzigt and I am the 1995 IPM Technician inFairbanks, I grew up on a (seed potato) farmin the Netherlands. I have a Master's degreein biology, and I am a life time explorer ofliving organisms, Now, I am happy to be ableto apply this variety of experiences as an IPMTechnician. You can come to me with pestrelated problems, and hopefully I can helpyou to solve them.

May made a beautiful start, so mosquitoes,wasps and most other insects were out earlythis year. Toward the end of the month itwas cooler with a few nights with frost,which slowed the growth of the plants andinsects somewhat.

Last year's enormous wasp populations leftmany queens to overwinter. They startedshowing up during the warm days early thismonth. It is hard to believe these wasps arejust the queens because they are so abundant.These queens are trying to establish newnests, but whether they will succeed willdepend on several factors such as tempera-ture and food availability. People have beentrying to bait them- using a yellow bowl withsoapy water and meat, fish, sweetened wateror concentrated apple juice as a bait - but thequeens do not seem to be interested in anybait, yet. The wasps will probably be moreinterested in the bait later during the seasonwhen the colonies will have establishedthemselves and the worker wasps are out tocollect insects (or your bait) for the larvae inthe nests, or the feed themselves with sweetmaterial.

The extremely nice and warm temperaturesmade ideal flying weather for the winged

generation of thecarpenter ants. Theywere flying out in bigswarms, coveringpeoples' decks andyards. The queens andmales fly out from theold nest, mate, andloose their wings afterthat. The males diewithin a few days,whereas the fertilized queens will try toestablish new nests, normally, in soft wood.Hopefully they did not choose your housefor this.

In the spring you might notice that sometwigs and branches of your trees seem to havedied off. The best examples of this are inwhite spruce along roads, driveways, and inlawns. As the season progresses the buds onthe seemingly dead twigs will often developand open up, and the tree will continue togrow. If there are no visible signs of damage,such as lightning scars, fungi (fruiting bodieswith spores, excessive pitch production),wood boring beetles (sawdust, small holes inbark), or carpenter ants, there might be aproblem with the availability of water for thetree. Often a tree like that is located next to aroad or in a lawn where water is not easilyavailable or where it has to compete withother plants for water (and nutrients). Inwinter or early spring water deficits developwhen water evaporates from leaves and stemswhile the soil is cold or frozen. This occursbecause our cold winter air in the Interiorcontains such little moisture, so it pulls waterfrom the trees' needles. Roots extract insuffi-cient water from cold soil and none fromfrozen soil.

A tree might show similar symptoms whenthere are too many nutrients or there is saltbuilt-up in the soil, i.e., the soil is contami-nated. This can happen when the tree isplanted nearby the drainage field of a septictank or next to a road where they use salt in

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the winter. An apparently healthy lookingtree might still be water stressed because thewater shortage might have a cumulativeeffect on the tree, which will show symptomsonly years later. When stressed, the treemight loose the ability to fight pathogens, ortake advantage of new favorable conditions(your nice fertilizer). A tree with enoughwater and free of pests will be able to fightpathogens, and will be more able to takeadvantage of your good care.

JUNEAU

Ellen Muchmore

Greeting from Juneau! This is my first year inthe integrated pest management program. Ihave lived in Juneau off and on for manyyears and enjoy the challenges of gardeningin our climate. I graduated from WashingtonState University this spring with a degree inenvironmental horticulture. I served twointernships with a wholesale nursery and abotanical garden during the summers while Iwas in college.

We are having an extraordinarily warm,sunny spring here in Juneau and the garden-ers, plants, and insects are all having a won-derful time. During dry spells it is importantto remember to check soil moisture and towater plants that are beginning to dry out.Rhododendrons and azaleas are particularlysusceptible to drought stress because theyhave very shallow roots.

The warm temperatureshave led to earlier emer-gence of pests than nor-mal. Spruce bark beetleinfestations have beenfound in spruce trees thatwere cut to clear land forbuilding. To reducechances of infestation in

landscape spruce trees, debark logs andstumps of downed trees or split firewood toencourage drying of bark tissues. Rememberthat keeping your trees healthy and avoidingdamaging them will reduce the chances ofbeing attacked by the beetle.

Cottonwood leaf beetles have emerged andare feeding on cottonwoods, poplars, andwillows. The small ladybug looks like beetlesoverwinter as adults in leaf litter, and emergein the spring and feed on the margins ofyoung leaves. The larvae feed in large groupsand cause unsightly damage by skeletonizingthe leaves. The females lay yellow eggs onthe underside of the leaves, and the eggshatch by mid-June. The larvae are black,segmented grubs with well developed legs,and have small white glands along theirbacks that exude a pungent odor when thelarvae are disturbed. The larvae pupate onthe leaf surface and emerge as adults to seekoverwintering sites by mid-August. Thelarvae can be dislodged from the leaves witha strong stream of water from a hose. Adultbeetles are difficult to control because theyare highly mobile, but sticky coated treewraps will trap beetles crawling on the trunk.Raking up leaf litter from beneath infestedtrees will reduce overwintering sites for adultbeetles. There are no chemical controlsregistered for use specifically against leafbeetles at this time.

Another garden pest to watch for is theimported currant worm sawfly larvae thatfeeds on the leaves of currants and gooseber-ries. The green caterpillar-like larvae feedvoraciously in groups on the edges of theleaves and can defoliate a plant in a matter ofdays; then they fall to the ground to pupate.Control can be achieved by hand-picking thelarvae or using a strong blast of water from ahose to blast them off. Daily applications ofinsecticidal soap followed by a water washafter the larvae die is also effective, as is aspray of malathion. Read the label of thepesticide container for complete directions.

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Vigorous raking beneath infested shrubs afterlarvae have fallen to the ground will reducefuture infestations.

Other pests that are continuing problem inthe Juneau area are slugs and root maggots.For more information on their control, pleasefeel free to call your local extension office orstop in and visit. Happy gardening!

KENAI/SOLDOTNA

Cheryl Wickstrom

Greeting from Kenai Peninsula, home of thetrophy salmon and halibut, rich clam bedsand ever so unpopular spruce bark beetle.My name is Cheryl Wickstrom and this is myfourth season as an IPM Technician. Alaskahas been my home for the past eighteen yearsand I enjoy the many challenges this environ-ment offers. My interests include landscap-ing, gardening, bee keeping, and year-roundout-of-door activities. During the non-growing season, I commute to Palmer inpursuit of a degree in Natural ResourceManagement (plant, animal and soil science)through the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Please call me when you encounter pest anddisease problems in your garden, greenhouse,home lawn or wood lot. I am looking for-ward to talking with you.

As I mentioned in the introduction, the KenaiPeninsula has an impressive population ofspruce beetles. Spruce beetles prefer to breedin weakened standing or wind thrown trees;therefore one of the best ways to reduce thepossibility of attack is to keep your sprucetrees healthy. Fertilize and water each treeearly in the season to encourage vigor; avoiddamaging the bark and roots (this includesdamage from dozers as well as weed whips);avoid compacting soil over roots and avoidcovering the roots with excess soil. For more

information on this pest contact any of thestatewide extension offices and we will giveyou an excellent guide called "Spruce BarkBeetles: Control Options for the Home or LotOwner".

Another destructive pest is the carpenter ant.These insects are attracted to moist wood andtunnel into it to raise their young. Ants donot eat the wood, but they seek both animaland vegetable matter which they bring backto the nest.

Prevention is the best control in dealing withcarpenter ants. Keep structural timbers fromgetting wet and clear building sites andadjacent areas of stumps and decomposinglogs. If these sanitation practices don't dothe trick, contact your local IPM Technicianfor suggestions of lethal baits, dusts, sprays,or soaps.

Pantry pests can be bothersome all yearround. Grains, cereals, pasta, nuts, dried fruitand spices are subject to infestations by manydifferent insects. A ready made spider beetlefarm was given to me recently in a gallon jarfilled with pancake mix. Often an infestationof stored-f ood pests is detected by openingup a package and discovering the pestsinside. But evidently immature beetles weretransported in the mix and were not detectedbecause the egg, larval, and pupal stagesare cream colored and blend in well withthe flour.

If you discover food pests in a newly openedstore-bought package return the sealedcontents with your receipt back to the store oforigin. By returning it, you may be perform-ing a valuable service for the store manager.The manager can then notify the suppliersince the entire batch may be contaminated.

The first step in eliminating pantry pests is tolocate and remove any heavily infested

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material from the home. Keep in mind thattossing this material into the garbage doesn'tget rid of the pests, it just relocates them.

After the infested material is removed thor-oughly clean and vacuum all areas where thepest may have been. This includes under thecupboards and behind shelves. After this isaccomplished, the uninfested food may bereturned to the cabinets provided it has beenplaced in heavy plastic, glass or metal con-tainers with tight-fitting lids.

If the pests persist, repeat the removal andcleaning procedures. As a last resort, apesticide registered for household use onyour pest may be used. Please contact yourlocal Alaska Cooperative Extension office forpositive insect identification and specificsuggestions on how to control the pest.

Other pests for the month include horsetail,chickweed, moss, and dandelions. All ofthese weeds can be controlled with seriouselbow grease and once pulled, physicallyremove the plants from your designatedweed free zone.

KETCHIKAN

Nan Story

This will be my second season as an IPMTechnician and I'm glad to be part of anenvironmentally aware educational program.The weather has been unusually warm(averaging 70 degrees) with little precipita-tion and promises to be a challenging garden-ing year. Our limiting factors for plantgrowth in Ketchikan are usually cool springtemperatures and excess moisture, not so thisyear. Drought conditions and low lake levelshave already stressed some home owners'water supplies and made transplanting to thegarden difficult. Everyone jokes you have to

Aphid

pay for sunshine in Ketchikan by buyingwater for our above ground cisterns. I think itcould be an expensive summer for those of uswho will need to water our flower and veg-etable gardens!

Residents enjoy basking in the sunshine...bothpeople and pests. Insects thrive in warmtemperatures and conditions are great forlarger numbers to occur. I've observed a fairamount of aphid activity and expect it willincrease through the summer. Aphids can becontrolled with aninsecticidal soap or benefi-cial insects can be tried,ladybugs (Hippodamiaconvergens) are the mostwell know but have the dis-advantage of not stickingaround. Greenlace wings ofthe aphid lion (Chrysoperlarufilabis) are potentially moreeffective but introduced insectshave not been observed overwintering here.If you feel like experimenting with beneficialinsects and need more information give mecall or your local Alaska Cooperative Exten-sion Agent.

Leaf rollers are back in business curlingleaves of maples, Viburrnum, lilac. Earlierthis month would have been the time to applyBaccillus thuringiensis, the bacteria/spore mustbe ingested by the larvae to be effective. Afterthe leaf has been webbed and rolled effective-ness in iriinimal. At this time carbaryl ordiazinon would be a better choicefor managing the numbers of this pest onornamentals.

Although the weather has been warm andsunny (less conducive for disease problems)Western gall rust is prevalent in the nativestands of Pinus contorta or locally call bullpine. At a distance the trees appear to bethinning their needles and dry looking. Atclosed inspection, small galls appear on

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branches and are the site of infection from thefungus Endocronartium harknessii. If an in-fected specimen is in your yard or has orna-mental value remove the infected branchesand burn.

Remember the overall health of the gardenlessens the chances of pest problems. Soilfertility, drainage, adequate moisture, andsunshine are the best weapons against infesta-tion of unwanted pest. If you have providedall this and still have problems, I'll be gladto help!

This summer I am looking forward to meet-ing as many gardeners and greenhousegrowers in Kodiak as I can. So far most callshave been about our ever-present slugs. Mostgardeners seem to be more interested in usingbarriers and trapping them than using chemi-cal controls. I have also spoken with severalpeople looking for scab resistant potatovarieties. One of our local greenhouse grow-ers is experimenting with praying mantis foraphid control. I look forward to hearingabout the results as the season progresses.

Happy gardening!

KODIAK PALMER

Caroline Archer

Hello form Kodiak. My name is CarolineArcher and this is my first summer as anIntegrated Pest Management Technician. Mybackground is in horticulture and I gradu-ated from California Polytechnic Universityin San Luis Obispo,

I am very pleased to be a part of this pro-gram which utilizes a variety of controlmethods, including biological control, physi-cal or mechanical control and cultural con-trol. Prevention is often the easiest answer toa particular pest problem and can be assimple as planting resistant varieties orproperly preparing your planting area.

Mary Comeau

Hi, my name is Mary Comeau and I'mhappy to be back as the Mat-Su District IPMTechnician. My background includes 2previous seasons working as the Mat-Su IPMTechnician, field and laboratory work at theUniversity of Georgia and Rutgers Univer-sity, and 2 years of IPM work for the Univer-sity of Wisconsin.

Of the questions I received during the firstfew weeks in May the most frequent oneconcerned clover mites (Brobia praetiosa),Clients wanted to know what they were,where they came from and how to discour-age their entry into the home. The bestapproach for long term control is to changethe mites habitat to discourage their presencenear your home. One way to accomplish thisis to maintain a weed and grass free borderapproximately 18 inches wide around thefoundation of your home. This strategyshould significantly reduce our chances of aclover mite invasion in the summers to come.

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Mary Comeau cont,

As the weather warms and lawns begin toturn green, it appears that the deep snowcover throughout the winter helped to protectour grass carpets from some of the freeze andthaw damage that we sometimes see. Keep-ing a lawn healthy takes some work but thatwork will pay off in the long run, Fertilizinglawns on a regular basis not only makes thempleasing to look at, but also discourages weedgrowth (herbicide use) and injury due toinsect or disease attack.

When your grass begins to show signs ofgrowth in the early spring it is time to makeyour first fertilizer application of the season.Formulations such as 10-20-20 or 16-16-16should be applied at a rate of 6-7 pounds per1,000 square feet. Grasses are heavy nitrogenfeeders and should be provided with anadequate supply of nitrogen throughout thegrowing season. Two additional applicationsof 34-0-0 at a rate of 2-3 pounds per 1,000square feet should be made at regular inter-vals throughout the remainder of the summer

to keep your lawn healthy and well fed.Please do not overfertilize and only irrigatelightly after each application. Fertilizer that ismoved down past the grass root zone beforeit is used by the plant may end up in ourwater table and can be a source of pollution.Mowing is another important considerationin proper lawn care. Remove only 1/3 of thetotal height of the lawn in any one mowing.Removal of more than this amount can reducethe photosynthetic capacity of the grasses andlead to reduced vigor.

I'm excited about being back with the IPMprogram this summer and look forward toworking with you throughout the growingseason. As always, please feel free to call meregarding any questions you may have, or toshare some of your success stories or sugges-tions for making our program or newslettermore useful to you.

Happy gardening!

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