Pecans are subject to attack by more than twenty insects and mites. However, only four are of importance in North Carolina landscapes. These are the pecan weevil, twig girdler, stink bug, and aphid.

The pecan weevil is the most serious pest in terms of reducing the useable crop of pecans. Adults are reddish brown to gray beetles that puncture holes in pecan nuts and lay eggs. Larvae are white grubs that feed inside nuts until they fall. Larvae spend the winter in the soil pupating and emerge as adults in August and September usually after 1 inch of rainfall. Pecan weevils can be monitored by wrapping a piece of burlap around the trunk.

Stink bugs puncture the nuts and cause black spots that are bitter. Stink bugs overwinter in orchard debris so keeping the area around pecans clean is important.

The pecan twig girdler is a large beetle with long antennae. It girdles many small branches in September. These branches fall to the ground when wind breaks the partially severed twig. Larvae develop in slits in the broken twig bark and emerge to overwinter in the soil. The best management strategy is to pick up fallen twigs to reduce next years population.

The biggest problem with aphids is that they produce honeydew which falls on everything. A black sooty mold fungus grows on the honeydew that may result in speckled leaves and premature leaf fall. The main thing to do with aphids in the home landscape is avoid parking your car under a heavily infested tree. If you do you'll end up with black spots all over it.

The azalea caterpillar is a serious defoliator of azalea that is limited to the southeastern United States. When mature, the caterpillar has a red head and legs, with a black body with longitudinal rows of yellow spots and sparse white hairs.

Azalea caterpillars can be controlled by hand picking. This is the ideal situation if you have a limited number of azaleas. A second management option is to apply Bacillus thuringiensis or BT. BT is marketed under names like Dipel, Thuricide, and Biotrol. Yet another method of control is insecticides. Products like acephate (Orthene) and carbaryl (Sevin) will do the job.

We have been enjoying crape myrtle blooms for quite a while now. To extend the blooming season during summer, remove flower clusters just as the petals fade or shed. This prevents seed heads from forming and promotes new growth. Since crape myrtles boom on new wood, new flowers will be produced.

In September we can follow a similar technique on roses. Tip prune roses 6 to 12 inches in September to promote new growth and blooming.

Get ready for the late summer/fall application of potassium to warm season grasses. Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine, and zoysiagrass will thank you for making an application of one pound of potassium per 1,000 square feet four to six weeks before the first frost. Use 1.6 pounds of 0-0-60 (muriate or potash), 2 pounds of 0-0-50 (potassium sulfate), or 5 pounds of 0-0-22 (sul-po-mag) per 1,000 square feet.

How do we get started with vegetables in the fall? The same way we do in the spring. Pay attention to fertility and soil preparation. If soil test recommendations are not available, apply 20 to 30 pounds of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 per thousand square feet. Additional sidedressing of 3 to 4 cups may be needed later in the season depending on the crop.

As part of maintaining health, ensure that vegetables get one or more inches of water per week. Moisture can be conserved by using organic mulches. Two to four inches of straw, leaves, or compost will reduce runoff, evaporation, erosion, and prevent weeds.

Vegetables grown in the fall garden that can be planted in August include beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, c

ollards, Chinese cabbage, pickling cucumbers, slicing cucumbers, kale, kohlrabi, leaf lettuce, head lettuce, mustard, radishes, spinach, squash, and turnips.

Do you have unsightly ridges in your lawn? Do you live in a wooded area? If so you may have attracted one of the most interesting animals we have in North Carolina. Yes, you got it right, the mole.

Moles feed on earthworms, white grubs, ants, beetles, and other insects that live in the soil. Grubs that are the larvae or japanese and other beetles are a moles favorite food. Depending on your preference, several levels of management are available. One option is to do nothing. Since moles prefer to eat large juicy insects like white grubs, they are actually doing you a favor. I guess you might call this natural management of grubs. Another option for grub management is fall applied insecticides. Moles can be managed with spear traps available at most hardware stores.

DISCLAIMER: Recommendations for the use of chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader. The use of brand names and any mention or listing of commercial products or services in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. Individuals who use chemicals are responsible for ensuring that the intended use complies with current regulations and conforms to the product label. Be sure to obtain current information about usage and examine a current product label before applying any chemical. For assistance, contact an agent of the North Carolina Extension Service in your county.

Good luck and good gardening,

Danny Lauderdale
Agricultural Extension Agent