MG Class of 2016
Session 14 Wrap Up
In This Issue
Article Headline
Ask a Master Gardener
Wonderings...
Hotline
And wait, there's more..
The Good, the Bad and the Bugly
WTBT
People are asking...
Quick Links
May 5 , 2016

Three great presentations for you this week.  Dr. (and fellow MG) Neal Biggart gave a talk about Sustainable Landscape, Julie Tsecouras told us all about mosquitoes and what the County of San Diego Vector Control Office can do for us and Dr. Niamh Quinn was full of information, especially about rats and gophers.  Again, we are so lucky to have such a great wealth of speakers.
As I'm writing this you are all having a wonderful time trying to pinch your fingers off with the Gophinator.  
Recommendations
There was so much information given out today.  I hardly know where to start.

Neal Biggart's PPP is on the training web site.  Her contact information is on the Master Gardeners VMS site. Who knew 2 little worms had so many billions of friends in their microherd?

Julie Tsecouras is from the County of  San Diego Vector Control Office, SDVector.com or click here.  You can check out where they are spraying mosquito larvacide aerial spraying here.  While you are on the Vector website, click on the Menu dropdown the click on the option Pests to see a lot more information about other vectors.  Her PPP is on the training web site, now including pictures.

Dr. Niamh Quinn ... oh where to begin! UC Area Vertebrate Pest Advisor extraordinair,  including interpretive dance. Her email is [email protected], but remember, you will get your answers much faster if you go through Scott. The traps you played with are the Macabee and the Gophinator.


She also mentioned that she likes to use her Hori Hori Knife to see if the tunnel was straight.  You can find many of them on line.

 

The article that she wrote about tree squirrels for the Green Bulletin can be read here.  and about Controlling Rats and Mice Around the Home here.

Ask a Master Gardener
Although Niahm did go into great detail about how to take care of gopher problems, we didn't formally go over the Ask a MG Question.  Here's more info for you:

A gopher is eating plants in my vegetable garden. How can I get rid of it? I have a dog and don't want to use poison bait.

Answer:

  • Poison bait may not be safe to use if you have a dog. Gophers that eat poison bait placed in their main tunnel usually die underground but a dog may get sick or die if it digs up and eats a poisoned gopher. 
     
  • Traps can be used to kill gophers. They should be placed in the gopher's main tunnel near signs of recent activity. Knock down/step on all mounds in the afternoon and check for fresh mounds the next day. You can use a probe to locate the main tunnel and set two traps - one facing each direction. 
     
  • Refer person to UC Pest Note - Pocket Gophers and videos online to learn how to set traps properly.
     
  • If vegetables are growing in a raised bed with a wood frame gophers can be excluded by covering the bottom with hardware cloth or poultry wire. Other methods that repel or frighten gophers are not effective and will not reliably protect desirable plants.
Wonderings
Are bats good for mosquito control?  No clear evidence. See the bat pest note.

Are owl boxes an efficient way to control vertebrate pests?  Seems the main line of thinking is "maybe"  See the Pocket Gopher Pest Note and read about Owl Boxes.  There is also an article by UC California Agriculture titled  "Songbird, Bat and Owl Boxes: Vineyard Management with an Eye toward Wildlife."  You can read it here.

West Nile Virus - can asymptomatic lead to symptomatic infection?  Here is a exert from a WHO article.  
"Infection with WNV is either asymptomatic (no symptoms) in around 80% of infected people, or can lead to West Nile fever or severe West Nile disease"
To read the article, click here

Some of you wondered about skunks and racoons.  We ran out of time this session, but you can read about raccoons here and skunks here.  And, you did such a good job representing the SD Master Gardeners, that Niamh has expressed an interest in coming back to give a more advanced training session.
Hotline 
Your training includes a shift in the Hotline office to expose you to the experience.  You may never do it again or you may enjoy it so much that it becomes your 'thing'.
You now know that your participation in this experience, while a trainee, is to observe.
We've got a few trainees who aren't able to hook up with their mentors to do this shift and we are working with other MG's to step in.  Please let us know if you are having any problems and we will get it taken care of!
And wait, there's more
Graduation planning looked like it was in full force. Have fun with it!

FOUND:  A Lunch cooler.  MountainSmith  It had a little banana in it and for the benefit of all, I ate it.  It was delicious.
The Good, the Bad and the Bugly

Gold Oak Borer
Agrilus auroguttatus
Goldspotted Oak Borer
GSOB

See Byron's PPP on the training web site.  You can also look at the Pest Note

If you google Goldspotted Oak Borer UC ANR there are lots of articles of interest.
WTBT

We had wonderful presentations from Jude Wolinsky Proteaceae Grevillia robusta, Banksia, Pincushion and Macadamia, Val Fujihara Lagerstoemia indica Crepe Myrtle, Sohleong Kim Tacoma capensis Cape Honeysuckle and T. stans Yellow Bells, and Linda Haley Tipuana Tipu Pride of Bolivia.

Don't forget the reports for WTBT are on the training web site.
People are asking...
for Al's Bread Pudding recipe and for his Curry lettuce wrap and they are now posted on the training website or click here
If you have any questions regarding this newsletter, just hit REPLY and type your comments.  Your Class Operations team will follow-up. 
 
Sincerely,
Your Class Operations Team:  Byron Asakawa, Ray Conser, Bob Frey, Judy MacKenzie, Mary Manaster, Scott Parker and Dawn Standke

UCCE Master Gardener Program of San Diego County
Master Gardener Association of San Diego County
 
Copy to:  Scott Parker, Curriculum Committee, Mentors, MG Leadership Team, Jennifer Pelham