Beaver Creek Nursery

812-689-5595

 



NEWSLETTER

MAY 2014



It's Here Papaw.....It's FINALLY here!!

In This Issue
Don't Run Away
May in Photos
Quick Links...




 




May to do's: A short List


Well the devastation from our harsh winter is still showing it's ugly head. Many perennials, butterfly bushes and ornamental grasses are just not coming alive. Best suggestion is to give them a couple more weeks and if they start showing signs of new growth from the very bottom then cut off all the dead on top and hope for the best.

Don't forget to spray for bagworms the later part of this month and again the first part of June. Remember, this is the ONLY time during the year that you can effectively rid your trees and plants of this critter without spending the time "picking" them off. An insecticide with the active ingredient of Acephate works great for this. It smells awful but it works! If you would like to read a previous article about bagworms you can click here and go to "Knowing
the Difference".

Mid May is the time to apply your next step for a beautiful lawn. Apply the 15-0-5 with Viper to fertilize and kill the broad leaf weeds.
Hint: Of course we have this here for sale so you can do it yourself.

 Now, on with the good stuff!!








 










Wait....Wait.....
Don't Run Away.....



It Won't Harm You!!!!






It's just

Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae.


Otherwise known as
Cedar Apple Rust.


Cedar apple rust is a fungus that attacks crabapples, apples and the eastern red cedar which is in fact a Juniper and some other Junipers. Hence the name....Cedar apple rust.

This fungus survives by moving from one of these species to the other; Juniper to apple....Apple to Juniper...back and forth.
The photo above is that part of the process found on the Red Cedar or other Junipers. It starts out as a small 3/8 to 1 1/4" gall found on small branches and needles....like this



and then after 4-6 hours of wet spring weather at temps of 50-75 degrees, the galls swell and start to produce the gelatin like horns that make them so scary looking. These galls eventually die when the wet spring weather subsides but the twig above the gall will probably die.
So, if you see these galls it is best to prune them out as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of this fungus to your apples and crabapples.
Now you know half the story. Here is the other half.
The apples and crabapples.
As those scary looking orange galls swell they start and continue to release spores into the air. These spores can travel several miles to the poor, unsuspecting apple or crabapple trees but normally they spread only a few hundred feet. During this same cool wet period tiny little yellow spots will appear on the leaves of the apples and crabapples.




As these spots age they also swell a bit and take on a red border with a tiny black spot in the center.




By the middle of summer these spots will have developed a small and clearly visible tube shape protrusion on the under side of the leaves. From these tube like structures under the leaves spores again are released and head to the nearest Juniper or Red Cedar for a nice warm place to spend the fall and winter. The next spring these galls will appear and start to grow until the following spring when they will start to swell with the wet spring weather and again turn into that scary orange thingy. At this point they release those nasty spores to start the entire 24 month process all over again.




The best solution to all of this is to first remove all galls from the Juniper or Red cedar or if it is heavily infected remove the entire plant or tree. Next plant only resistant varieties of apples and crabapples.

If you find the galls and your apple or crabapple have not yet been infected or in the case of trying to slow down this 2 year procession you may want to spray with Daconil or Clearys 3336 fungicide.


Now that you know "what" it is.... you no longer need to run in fear.

You know, I think I am finally typed out!!!!







 







The Following is

a pictorial guide
to the

2 MOST Important

things happening in the month of May......





May 11th
































































You know I had to have a beaver in here


































and of course if you are associated in any way with May 11th
then you will identify with
this....









HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!






AND

on a more reflective
and contemplative note...


MAY 26th































"All Gave Some,
Some Gave All".







 



A Closing Thought


"True Heroism......it is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, But the urge to serve others at whatever cost".
                                                                   .....Arthur Ash



Beaver Creek Nursery

Southeastern Indiana's Largest 
& Most Unique Nursery

812-689-5595
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