July 2010 Piscataquis Gardening News

Supper and Auction to Benefit Linda Whitten

Linda Whitten has been battling cancer for a number of months. Her friends from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 4-H Clubs, 4-H After School and Rite Aide staff are sponsoring a benefit spaghetti supper and silent auction to help Linda with costs associated with being a cancer survivor.

Please join us Friday, July 23rd at the Milo Town Hall to enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner cooked by Val Robertson from Hobbnobber's Pub serving from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. The meal will be by free will donation. It will include a special dessert contest by 4-H Youth.

Silent Auction begins at 5:00 pm and ends at 6:30 pm, with announcing of winning tickets until about 6:45. From 6:45 pm to 7:00 pm Awards Program for 4-H youth in appreciation of Linda's contributions to the 4-H Youth Development Program.

Items for the silent auction can be dropped off before July 20th at the Extension Office in Dover-Foxcroft. If you are unable to come to the dinner and auction but want to help Linda an account has been set up at the Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union payee "For the Benefit of Linda Whitten," mailed to Maine Highlands Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 507, Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 or contact Barbara Baker at 942-7396 or email Barbara.baker@maine.edu .

UMaine Cooperative Extension Helps Home Gardeners Achieve Success!
by Hannah Todd, Home Horticulture Coordinator
            Remember the Ghostbusters theme song, "Ghostbusters", by Ray Parker Jr., "If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? Ghostbusters! If there's something weird and it don't look good, who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!"
            This is the time of year when that tune runs through my head but with different lyrics. If there's something strange in your yard or garden, who you gonna call? Cooperative Extension! If there's something diseased or being eaten, who you gonna call? Cooperative Extension! I see lots of traditional problems coming into the office lately, but there are always some unusual specimens that need explanation, too!
            Environmental problems are very prevalent in the spring/early summer because the weather is volatile, plants are young and sensitive to mechanical and environmental damage and there is a certain amount of stress during the transplanting process. If gardeners are transplanting to the garden they want to do so on a cloudy afternoon after they have hardened their plants off. Why is this so important? Plants have a layer of tissue on the outside of their leaves called a cuticle. If you have grown your transplants under artificial light then the cuticle has not developed enough to withstand the sun. By placing plants outdoors in the shade and slowly (over two week period) move them to full sun the plants will have time to adapt to the new environment. A thick cuticle will also allow the plant to be more insect "proof".    Leaves that turn white or start to brown can be a result of poor transplanting. Also, young plants can be very susceptible to wind. Take care to protect transplants with row cloth, cloches, or cold frames while they become acquainted to their new surroundings.
            The hot spring weather followed by some cooler weather caused several environmental problems which are easily mistaken for disease.    Blossom end rot on tomatoes seemed to a problem for some gardeners because of the hot weather. Drastic fluctuations in water can cause a calcium deficiency which leads to blossom end rot. Too much nitrogen fertilizer can also cause blossom end rot. This condition is characterized by a large black circle on the bottom of the tomato (end not connected to the stem).
            Of most concern, in both Piscataquis and Somerset Counties, is the pesticide poisoning I've seen. Pesticides can cause plant leaves to turn black or to grow abnormally. Always follow the label of any product you purchase-- more is NOT better. Also be aware that beneficial plants/insects can be affected by pesticides so spray when there is no wind and during the early morning or evening when bees are not present.
            Gardeners--have you noticed that insects love vegetables as much as humans do? Sometimes we can share some of the bounty with them, but at a certain threshold, control methods should be used. Follow Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to protect your garden from insects like cutworms, striped cucumber beetle, aphids, flea beetles, squash bug etc. Along with the vegetable insect pests, I have been seeing a lot of ornamental insect pest. Most recently the Rose Chafer (Macrodactylus subspinosus) has arrived. These beetles can congregate in large numbers. Spraying for them is not always successful. You may find that just after you spray, there is a period of relief, and then your plants will be covered again. Why? Because these beetles are strong flyers and will fly in from surrounding areas.
            Insects worth mentioning also include: Blister Beetles (family Meloidae), Larder Beetles (Dermestes lardarius), and Whitespotted Sawyers(Monochamus scutellatus). Blister Beetles have been brought into the Somerset County office but they really are an insect that should not be handled due to a chemical they secrete when "crunched". As their name indicates, they can cause blisters on the skin. Blister Beetles are general feeder, which means they will feed on vegetable plants as well as ornamentals.
            Larder Beetles are household pests that cause concern to homeowners. They are little black beetles with a brown stripe across the top of their abdomen. Keeping food in sealed containers and keeping pet food areas clean will deter this annoying but not dangerous pest.
Another pest I've seen a lot lately is the Whitespotted Sawyer, which is the native look-a-like to the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) (ALB). I am always happy when a Whitespotted Sawyer comes in because for one, it's not the ALB and two, it shows that people are on the look out for invasive forest pests.
            "Knock on wood", but so far there have not been very many plant disease samples that have come into either the Piscataquis or the Somerset office. Fungus favor wet environment so the hot, dry weather helps to keep diseases suppressed. So far, Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans), has not been a problem this year, but that could change if we get a spell of wet weather.
               It takes a lifetime to learn the plants, insects, and diseases you may find in the yard/garden, so if you find a "sample" of interest please remember the tune from above, and... call Cooperative Extension!

What to Do With Sick or Injured Wildlife?

Occasionally you may find what appears to be a sick or injured animal. First be sure they are hurt and not just a baby seaking cover until their mother can return.

If you are sure they need assistance in many instances the best thing to do is call a local licensed rehabilitator for advice. Here is the link to the listing from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:
Wildlife rehabilitation list

Source: Catherine Elliott, Extension Sustainable Living and Wildlife Specialist

Items of interest

Asian Longhorned Beetle Fount in Boston!

This weekend a small infestation of Asian longhorned beetle was found in Jamaica Plain (Boston). The site is at Faulkner Hospital, just across from the Arnold Arboretum. Six infested maple trees were found so far, in close proximity to each other, and have already been removed by USDA/DCR. Surveys will continue this week.

Spread the word, not the beetle! Get all the latest ALB news at: http://massnrc.org/pests/alb

Did You Burn Wood Pellets Last Year?

If you burned wood pellets last year you are invited to participate in a research project on consumer use and satisfaction with wood pellets burned in their home wood pellet stove, furnace or boiler through an online survey at http://bit.ly/pellesurvey

Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans) Confirmed in LA, MD & PA

Isolated outbreaks of late blight have been confirmed in southern New England. The original source of inoculum has not yet been identified. Find the latest updates at http://www.umaine.edu/umext/potatoprogram/ or call the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Potato Program hotline at 207-760-9476.

Out-of-State Firewood Banned

A reminder of when you have friends or family members coming from outside of Maine to enjoy our vacationland tell them to leave their firewood home and pick up wood that they might need from our local vendors.

For more information contact the Maine Forest Service at 287-3147.

White Pine Needlecasts

The occurrence of needle diseases and needle browning on white pine has been reported from throughout New England and has been noticed in Piscataquis County.
There are two diseases (caused by fungi) of particular importance, and trees may be affected by either or both. The first is called Canavirgella needle cast (Canavirgella banfieldii); the second is called "brown spot" (Mycosphaerella dearnessii).

The Maine Forest Service has seen a great deal of Canavirgella in the past four or five years, and suspect it is the result of the very wet springs and summers we have had. The fungi require free moisture to germinate and grow into the needles, and the last few years have been very wet.

In addition to the fungi, some observers feel that the late spring frosts may have played a role in the development of the yellowing symptoms of one-year old needles. There are no fungicides recommended for managing either brown spot or Canavirgella, primarily because they have not been a serious problem before.

To date, there has been no documented tree mortality from these diseases, but some trees do appear to be very thin in the crown. Younger, regenerated trees in the understory are also affected, and may be more at risk of succumbing than the mature overstory trees. On a more positive note, this year so far has been a bit drier than last year, so infection of current-year needles may be reduced compared with last year's levels.
Tree condition and disease development continues to be closely monitored. Foresters and landowners who observe white pine mortality which may be related to the condition described here are encouraged to call the Maine Forest Service Entomology Laboratory at (207) 287-3008 or

allison.m.kanoti@maine.gov

Source: Conditions Report No. 3, 2010, Maine Forest Service, Forest Health and Monitoring Division

HEARTH* VISTA Corner

by Judy Morrison, HEARTH VISTA for UMaine Extension Piscataquis County

The Extension Community "Ambassador" concept, mentioned in the previous Gardening newsletter is still alive and being "tweeked." Executive Committee members and staff are very supportive of the idea. They have offered many ideas and angles which were not considered previously. With that, we move forward.
An essential and successful program of the HEARTH VISTA project is the Blanket Project. To date, ONE Volunteer has knit/crocheted twenty warm and colorful blankets which have been donated to needful individuals, organizations and agencies around the County. Blankets have been well accepted by local police departments to keep in cruisers.

To help this project grow, we need volunteers to knit and crochet. We also need yarn. If you have some left over from a project to donate, we would appreciate getting it. We are also selling "cooling" neck bands to raise money to buy yarn.
Want to get involved this project? Contact Judy Morrison at the extension office: 564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491 or judy.morrison@maine.edu.

*Home Energy Aid & Response Team Help

Monthly Garden Activities & Tips

Harvesting of lettuce, greens, strawberries and peas is well underway. Some folks have early broccoli.
This may be the rare year that we can say the corn will be knee high by the forth of July. Early corn plantings are shooting up with the rain and hot weather.
Consider side dressing corn and vine crops with a nitrogen fertilizer (fish meal, soybean meal, soluble fertilizer or granular fertilizer.) One cup of either fish meal or 10-10-10 per ten feet of row will meet the nitrogen needs of these heavy feeders. Legume and nightshade crops (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant) do not need nitrogen side dressing.
Bluegrass lawns will naturally turn brown in hot weather. It is the plants response to the temperature and not affected by how much you irrigate.
To assure a continuous supply of vegetables during the summer and fall consider succession planting of vegetables like peas, lettuce, radish, broccoli, etc.
Annual flowers should receive regular fertilizer during the summer to maintain growth as well as at least an inch of water (rain or irrigation) each week. Dead head flowers to maintain flowering habit during the summer.
Check your vegetable and flower gardens for insect or disease pests at least once a week. Don't know what is causing damage? Bring a sample into the Extension Office or send us a digital picture of the problem.
Keep weeds under control with tillage, hand picking, and mulching.