Additional Q and A available at Resource Questions a database for Master Gardener Volunteers.
When is the date when tender annuals can be
planted in Cabarrus County?
Most gardeners feel comfortable planting on the 90% frost
free date. This is April 15th.
Cabarrus County is in what USDA zone?
Zone 7b. This means a minimum temperature of 5-10 degrees
can be expected during the winter. (Probabilities might be more
meaningful but haven't been accurately calculated. Many gardeners
remember the -8 in Jan 1985. I guess the probability of -8 is
less than 1%. 0 degrees is close to 5%. The 5 to 10 degrees is
probably close to 20% or once every 5 years.
How do you control yellow or rusty spots on apple
leaves.
Cut down any near-by cedars. Apply Ferbam or
Funginex in the early spring right before and after bloom. For
more information see the note on Home orchard spray guide.
Is there a general spray program for apple
pest?
Yes there is a calendar based program that is
effective on the most common worms (codling moth and cherry
fruitworm) as well as the most common diseases (white rot, bitter
rot, ripe rot). For more information see the Home orchard spray
guide.
What do you do about peaches rotting when they
first get ripe.
This problem is normally brown rot. It can be controlled with
regular sprays starting when the blooms first drop. Captan is
the best product to use. See the home orchard spray guide for
more information.
What causes pecans to turn completely black?
Pecan Scab is the name of this fungal disease. There is no
practical for homeowners with a few trees or for anybody who
doesn't have the equipment to spray a large tree. Some types of
pecans are more resistant. When planting choose Cape Fear and
Stuart. They are resistant while papershell types are not.
Susceptible trees will produce fruit during some years and it
takes 20 years to grow a new one, so you may want to retain a
large tree even if it is susceptible.
What is the white worm I see in mature pecans and
how do I control it?
This insect is the pecan weevil.
It pupates (cocoon stage) in the ground. The adult emerges and
flies up to the top of the tree in late summer. You can
intercept them by spraying lower limbs and the ground with Sevin
starting the first week in September. (The literature talks a lot
about a hickory shuck worm but that insect damages the nuts more
before they are mature).
What insect causes pecan, hickory and persimmon
limbs to break like they were cut with a knife?
Pecan
twig girdlers cause this damage. They lay eggs in the limbs and
the limbs fall later. By the time you see the damage the insects
are gone. The damage is not severe enough to warrant control but
destroying the fallen limbs will get revenge on the next
generation. For more information see local news article
How do you control fleas?
Indoors. Vacuum the house thoroughly. Then use a product that
kills the
adults and the larvae stage. Since the pupae stage can't be
killed with pesticides they will continue to hatch out after a
pesticide application. Additional pesticides may be used against
the adults but a single larvacide application should be
sufficient. Adult pesticides include boric acid, permethrim,
pyrethrin, tetramethrin. Larvacides include Precor.
Outdoors. Use bifithrin, permethrin, tetramethrin, or tralomethrin . Generally 3 sprays a week apart will
control adults. Fleas are often worse in areas where pets stay
so you may not have to treat the entire world.
How do you control ticks?
cyflutrhin, Permethrin or tralomethrin sprayed over the area to be controlled. For
more information see local news
article
How do you control yellow jackets?
Use a
pyrethroid for a quick knockdown spray. Use a drench of Sevin
for long term control of nest. For more information see local news article
How do you control boxelder bugs?
These
insects are harmless. They will overwinter in the house but will
not reproduce. Spray with bifithrin, cyflutrin, or permethrin. Removing the female
boxelder trees would also solve the problem but it is not
practical in many locations. For more information see local news article
How do you control hornets?
Ignore if possible. Nest are abandoned in late fall and are not
used again. Use a pyrethroid knockdown spray. Direct it into the
nest opening. If you spray after dark the hornets will not see
you. Also, they are all in the nest so they can't sneak up
behind you.For more information see local newsarticle.
How do you control honeybees?
With a
pyrethroid spray. If this doesn't get a nest you can treat with
Sevin or Permethrin dust. The bees will eventually track in enough dust to kill the hive.
How do you control humongous wasp?
During
mid summer cicada wasp will make mounds in the lawn. Cicada's
are over 2 inches long. Although several may share a mound they
do not have a social structure. Like other individual wasp,
these can be ignored. I have hand carried them inside and
released them in our office building. They are not aggressive
although they might sting if stepped on or crushed. In addition
to there being no reason to kill them, I haven't figured out an
easy way to kill them. They fly too fast (unless carrying a
cicada) and avoid individuals standing in their way.
How do I control ants covered in red velvet?
There are a numerous different species of "velvet ants" which
are actually wingless wasp. The most visible one in Cabarrus
County has a black marking that gives the red part a valentine
shape. It is called a cowkiller because the pain of a wasp this
large should kill a cow. Actually they ants are non aggressive
and should be ignored.
How do I control fire ants?
First be sure
you have fire ants. Fire ants are small reddish-brown ants with
very large mounds. The large mound do not have visible holes but
large numbers of ants are quickly visible when the mound is
disturbed. There is no way to kill all the ants in Cabarrus
County. The best control is to bait them in a small area where you want to control them. Amdro is an inexpensive bait. Fipronil is slightly more effective but also more expensive.
If you only have one or two mounds it makes more sense to drench the mounds. Use oneof the pyrethroids (something that ends in "thrin". Try to get 2 or 3 gallons of water soaked into the
mound.
How do I control millipedes?
Millipedes are harmless but multiply to plague proportions some
years in localized areas. They can be kept out of the house
with a barrier treatment of cyflutrin or permethrin. A barrier
treatment goes around the structure to be protected. It needs to
be about 15 to 25 feet across (depends on the weather, try the
smaller one first) A liquid is more effective than a grandular application. Application must go to ground level (i.e. below the leaf litter or mulch, to be effective. When populations are very high, even a treatment that is 99.9% effective will leave numerous millipedes. .
How do I control ladybugs in the home?
The ladybugs will continue to emerge over several days and fly
toward light. It is unwise, unhealthy and useless to spray the
entire inside of a home. Vacuum up the insects and release them outside. For more information see local news article.
How high should I mow my tall fescue?
(I know this is not a common question but mowing to low is a
common problem.) 3 inches.
When should I aerate my tall fescue?
During the September and October time frame.
What causes the grass to lose it roots and die in
large patches?
This is typical of damage caused by white grubs. White grubs are
the larvae stage of the June bug. A spray or granular pesticide
application in Sept-Oct or March to May should control these
pest. Use Dyloxl or Mach 2. Another option is imicloprid which has to be applied in early June so it will be present when the grubs are young. .
How do you control fairy rings?
Fairy
rings are caused by fungi. They are circular because one spore
lands in the middle and grows evenly in all directions. The best
solution is to ignore. If thatch is present, control thatch and
aerate. Some turf managers try to mask the green by fertilizing.
How do you control crayfish damage to
lawns?
Crayfish live in areas occasionally covered by
standing water. While they are susceptible to many pesticides,
they will continue to reinfest and area. The only long term
control is to provide better drainage. In some areas this is not
possible.
How do you control moss in a lawn?
Determine if the cause is shade, poor drainage or poor nutrition.
Undo the cause. (i.e. cut down the trees, improve the drainage
and fertilize.
Should I use pelletized or powder lime?
Either.
Pelletized is easier to apply but powder is cheaper. Use powder
if you intend to incorporate. There is no difference in speed of
reaction.
How much lime should I use?
Soil test for
best results. 2 tons per acre is a good guess.
PESTICIDES
How long will this chemical last?
If unmixed and stored according to the label instructions it will
last several years. Most pesticides should stay above 10 degrees.
In our climate an insulated outbuilding with no supplemental heat
is adequate. Don't use is there is obvious seperation (like oil and water) or discoloration.
How do you kill kudzu?
Spray with Round-up within 2 weeks of bloom. Triclopyr is also effective.
How do you kill Johnson grass?
spray with Round-up at the boot stage or spray with Poast and
surfactant when young.
How do you kill bermudagrass (wiregrass)?
Spray with Round-up in mid August or with Poast in early spring.
For more information see local
news article
How do you keep small saplings from
resprouting?
Use 1 ounce 2-4-D plus 33 oz of diesel fuel.
Mix and apply to fresh cut stump.
How do you kill blackberries?
Spray with Roundup during the fall of the year. This spray can
be as late as November. For more information see local news article
How do you control moles?
Reduce
their food supply by killing the grubs with dylox or Mach 2.. This is not
a sure fired thing but works often enough to be worthwhile for
most homeowners.
How do you control snakes?
Reduce brush piles. Reduce food supply. Live and let live.
How do you control skunks?
Trapping or shooting. The smell can be neutralized by acid and
soap. To reduce the smell, you can wash the area with one gallon
of vinegar and one quart of soap (Mr Clean or equivalent). You can sometimes reduce their damage in lawns by killing the grub supply