Preventing Problems in the Vegetable Garden

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That statement definitely rings true in the garden.  There are lots of simple things you can do this growing season to prevent insect and disease problems on your vegetables. 

This year when you buy seeds or transplants, make sure to buy disease resistant varieties whenever possible.  Also, inspect the transplants for any warning signs.   Check over them for insects.   Look under the leaves and in the axils- the area where the leaves connect to the stems.  Reject any transplants that look sickly or have any spots on the leaves.  Leaf spots are generally an indication of a fungal disease problem. 

When you lay out the garden, be sure to practice crop rotation.  Rotating crops is one of the best and easiest disease prevention strategies we have.  Many diseases are specific to a particular family of plants, so when you rotate between the families, the cycle of disease can be broken.  Dividing your garden into four sections and rotating the crop families to a different one each year for four years is an easy way to do it.  Common families include the legumes (peas and beans), the cucurbits (squash, pumpkins, muskmelon, watermelon, watermelon, and cucumber), the crucifers (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale, collards, turnips, mustards, and radish), and the night shades (potatoes, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes).

Consider mulching your vegetables this year.  If mulch is good for you landscape plants, it will be good for your vegetables too.  Mulch prevents weeds, water loss, and the spread of diseases from splashing water.  You can use any organic mulch you want such as leaves, straw and grass clippings.  Just apply a 2-3” deep layer on top of the soil surface. 

For continuing protection through the summer, remove struggling plants.  Don’t try to nurse an ailing tomato plant along.  Struggling plants are an open invitation for diseases and insects.  It is better to pull up one plant than to risk inoculating the whole lot. 

Why not try one of these strategies?  It could save you time and money in the long run.  May you have a  bountiful harvest this year! 

Update on Perennial Foxtail in Hayfields

County Director Jeff Via is back as a guest blogger this week with an update on his work with Perennial Foxtails. 

Jeff Via

Last week, on March 28, 2011, Extension agents in Fayette and Shelby County along with help from BASF put out a research plot targeting perennial foxtail.  The plot is located on a field that was treated with varying rates of pedimethalin (Prowl H2O) and conducted  where  1.5 quarts of Prowl H20 was applied along with  glyphosate as a dormant spray. 

Since a limited amount of research has been conducted in states south of Tennessee (where knotroot foxtail is more prevalent) and the results show that even the most effective treatments (Pastora or Pastora plus glyphosate) only provide suppression of the weed. We decided to do some research in state.

Pastora at 1.5 oz. along with different rates of glyphosate was applied to the field.  We are also looking at other experimental herbicides.  We will be monitoring and spraying the plot again with Pastora and glyphosate next week and will see how the different applications are affecting the perennial foxtail.  At 1.5 qts. of Prowl H2O, the seedling foxtail are emerging everywhere.  See picture below.

 On the date that the research plot was conducted, the perennial foxtail was 8-10 inches in height. In a normal year, as already mentioned in the previous blog, our recommendation would be to apply a dormant spray for winter weeds and then apply Pastora at 1.5 oz./acre + glyphosate (8 oz./acre of a 4 lb./gal. product or equivalent) with a non-ionic surfactant at 1 qt./100 gal. 3-5 days after first cutting for knotroot foxtail “suppression”. This could then be followed by 1 oz./acre Pastora or Pastora plus (8 oz./acre of a 4 lb./gal glyphosate or equivalent) 10-14 days later if the weeds try to recover.

 With the warmer than normal temperatures this year and the rapid early growth of the foxtail, troublesome fields need to be treated now.

 Producers can expect reduced growth and discoloration of the bermudagrass following applications of Pastora or Pastora plus glyphosate. This is temporary and the bermudagrass will recover. Remember according to the Pastora label we cannot apply more than 2.5 oz./acre per season.

The agents in Fayette and Shelby County were called out and visited a field on April 3, 2012 where 4 quarts of Prowl H20 was used in combination in the dormant spray.  The seedling foxtail was suppressed at this rate and at this point.  However, the perennial foxtail  is starting to put out  seed heads.

Recommendations at this time are to use 1.5 oz. of Pastora with (8 oz. of 4lb./gal. glyphosate or equivalent) with a surfactant at 1 quart/ 100 gal.  Depending on your perennial foxtail pressure, 10-14 days after that, apply 1 oz. Pastora with (8oz. of 4lb./gal. glyphosate or equivalent) and surfactant.  We will be monitoring the research plot and make recommendations as the season progresses.

 Pastora also has on the label that it can be applied in a 50-75 percent liquid N spray solution or with ammonium sulfate. The producer we visited with had some concerns with the Pastora and its recovery. With this being said, we recommended that he use the recommended rates above in the liquid N or with the ammonium sulfate after talking to a DuPont representative.

 With that said, University of Tennessee research has shown that the liquid N does reduce injury but may be impractical if the grower is not set up for this. Regarding the ammonium sulfate, University of Tennessee research has shown that it did not reduce injury. As is the case with all agricultural chemicals, be sure to read and follow label directions and precautions.

Jr. Gardeners Construct Plant Corsets

The Junior Master Gardener 4-H Club recently met at the garden of Vivian England, one of our 4-H volunteers.  Mrs. Vivian showed the kids the wonders of spring hiding right under the leaves from last fall still in her flower beds.  She explained that she keeps the fall leaves in the beds all winter long on purpose- to provide insulation to her perennial flowers.  The kids gently removed the leaves from a portion of the beds to find small, tender plants waiting for the warmth of spring.  Some of the plants were volunteering back from seeds dropped by last year's annuals.  Others were coming back from perennial rootstocks and bulbs. 

Mrs. Vivian also taught them how to make plant corsets for perennials that will get too tall and will need to be staked up off the ground later in the growing season.  The kids made their supports using crapemyrtle twigs and cotton twine.  I have always liked the look of natural materials in the garden for supporting flowers.  The more natural, the less obtrusive the stakes are to the eye as you take in the beauty of the flowers. 

First, the kids laid the twigs down on the ground in a row, and tied them to each other at the bottom of the corset.

Next, the corset is stood upright and a spiderweb like support system is made near the top.

Now all that is left to do is cut the bottom of the corset with pruners into points so that it can be stuck into the ground over your perennial.  As the plant grows, you simply weave it through your spiderwebbing to keep it upright.

Today I welcome the Fayette Co. Extension Director, Jeff Via as a guest blogger.  Jeff works with rowcrop farmers and livestock producers.  He has recently been working on perennial foxtail in pastures. 

Perennial Foxtail Confirmed in Hayfields  -Jeff Via

For some time, Extension Agents have preached that properly managed pastures and hayfields can provide much of the feed needed for livestock (horses and cattle). We taught that when well-managed, theses forages can provide an inexpensive, high quality feed. Poorly managed pastures and hayfields on the other hand, are unattractive and could potentially be the cause of some health/nutritional problems.

While controlling grasses in a grass hayfield has been an issue for many, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago, a few agents started receiving calls on hard to control foxtails. At this time a fairly new product had surfaced called Pastora (Nicosulfuron+metsulfuron). Pastora is a premix of the active ingredients in Accent and Escort herbicides.

Using rates of 1 oz./acre gave good control when applied overtop to control johnsongrass, broadleaf signalgrass, barnyardgrass, fall panicum, foxtails and many broadleaf weeds.

Now, producers in many cases, were doing what we at UT recommended but these well-managed hayfields were looking poorly managed. This had producers, Extension Agents and chemical representatives scratching their heads, making many trips to producer’s fields and causing apprehension about using some of the products we recommended.

Foxtail was one of the biggest concerns for hay producers and buyers due to the ulcers that some horses got if they consumed hay containing it (look at picture).

 

In many fields, Pastora and Pastora/Glyphosate gave limited control of foxtail. It was not until about a month ago that knotroot foxtail, Setaria parviflora a perennial foxtail was found in abundance in hayfields in Fayette and Shelby counties. Easy to identify, this perennial has fibrous roots with short, knotty rhizomes (look at picture). 

Many producers have applied a dormant spray of paraquat or glyphosate or a combination of one of those with pendimethalin at varying rates. The fields that had the higher rates showed better suppression of the seedling perennial and annual foxtail to date. Other fields had both perennial and seedling foxtail coming up after a glyphosate/pendimethalin treatment. Not sure the reason why the seedlings came up but probably due to too much rain. Rain is needed to activate the pendimethalin. One thing to note, the pendimethlin will do nothing to the perennial foxtail already in the field.

To date, the perennial foxtail is 8-10 inches in height in many fields with seedlings coming up as well. In a normal year, our recommendation would be to apply a dormant spray then apply Pastora at 1.5 oz./acre with 8 oz./acre Glyphosate 4 lb. product with a non-ionic surfactant at 1 qt./100 gal. 3-5 days after cutting. This would then be followed by 1 oz./acre Pastora 10-14 days later and depending on the problem, add more glyphosate.

With the warmer than normal temperatures, our recommendation today is the same as above but earlier. We are recommending folks apply Pastora at 1.5 oz./acre with 8 oz./acre Glyphosate 4 lb. product with a non-ionic surfactant at 1 qt./100 gal. when the foxtail is about one foot tall, which in some places will be about one week. Follow this with 1 oz./acre Pastora 10-14 days later and depending on the problem, add more glyphosate. Remember according to the Pastora label we cannot apply more than 2.5 oz./acre per season.

In Praise of Daffodils

Daffodils...they are so common that they are often taken for granted, yet they give and give while expecting very little in return. 

I have decided that what my yard needs is more daffodils.  I currently have a small clump that was given to me by my friend Jennifer, and the blooms are petite, yellow and lovely.  I just need more of them.  I love the way some people have them planted in drifts on hills or near the road at the entrance to their driveways.  They are quintessentially spring.

There is so much variety in the world of daffodils!  According to the American Daffodil Society's website, there are thirteen different descriptive divisions of daffodils, and over 25,000 named hybrids.  Today I visited Vivian England's yard and was delighted to find the flower in the photo- white with a peachy trumpet.  Vivian is quite the daffodil collector with at least 50 different varieties growing on her hillside.  She told me that the cardinal rule of daffodil growing is to never cut the foliage off the plant until it yellows.  After flowering, the plant absorbs the nutrients in the leaves and stores it in the bulbs for food for the next spring's blooms.  Cut off the foliage too early, and you limit your flower potential for next year. 

Happily, daffodils are very easy to grow and can take full sun or part shade-like under a deciduous tree.  They don't mind being mulched and don't have to be divided every year.  They should be planted in late fall to early winter, which gives me plenty of time to decide which ones I want to add to my yard for next year.  Did I mention they make excellent cut flowers as well?  I may have to move some iris to make more room for daffodils!

Don't Bury the Burlap

Last week I went out on a home visit to look at some evergreen trees that were planted last spring.  The home owner was a bit concerned because they looked very orange and had shed a lot of needles.  I have to admit, if they were my trees, I would have been worried too. Here is what they looked like:

The funny thing is that the plants were greener on the South facing side.  Also, on the North side, which this picture shows, the undersides of the needles were greener than the topsides of the needles.  I asked her about her water regimen.  She watered with a soaker hose during the summer.  She also told me that the landscaper planted them with the burlap still on. 

So, I had a pretty good idea at that point what was wrong. 

There were 2 common misconceptions at play here. 

1. The first is that it is ok to leave burlap on at planting because burlap will decompose.  Well, yeah, eventually.  But in the meantime that burlap is a barrier to water getting to the root system, and a barrier for the roots to be able to spread out and anchor the plant.  
2. The other misconception is that you don't have to water plants in the winter.  While it is true that plants typically need less water in the winter, that is not the case with newly transplanted material.  Additionally, TN has received less than average rainfall this winter.  We are in a water deficit. 

Ok, but how did I explain one side looking better than the other, and one side of the needles looking worse than the other?  I asked the plant pathologists in Nashville for their opinion as well.  They confirmed what I had suspected.  Winter burn from the wind was obviously going to be worse on the North side, and the orange side of the two-colored foliage was facing the direction of the prevailing winds.    So, their recommendation was to check the soil for moisture a foot deep, and water thoroughly if dry.  As for the orange color, that should green up as the plant recovers from moisture loss and the air temperature rises in the spring.  In fact, I drove over there again yesterday and the trees were starting to look better already! 



Put Away the Power Tools

 Today on my way back from 4-H clubs in Rossville, I was delighted to see forsythia blooming all over the place.  What a beautiful shrub with such a graceful growth habit!  How lovely a few limbs would look in a vase in my living room!  Forsythia is such a cheerful plant, one of the first assurances of the coming spring.  Reminds me of my Grandmother's yard every time I see them. 

Then, I saw this... 



I am sure that whomever wielded the weapon had no idea what type of shrub he (or she) was encountering.  I am certain that he was simply sent on a mission:  go prune stuff at the school.  We can only hope that the perpetrator will return soon so that he/she can see the forsythia blooming in a box, and be rehabilitated. 

While I am on the subject, there are other plants that should never be touched with a power tool.  This would include azaleas and crepemyrtles.  Friends, we have to stay diligent and choose our landscape service providers with care.