|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Click on the following links to see the Garden Calendars for each month:
|
|
|
|
BOLOs (Be On The Lookout)....
|
|
|
Month-by-month lists of common plant diseases, pests, and other problems you may encounter in North Carolina yards and gardens. Straight from our PDIC (Plant Disease & Insect Clinic) entomologists and pathologists!
|
|
|
Blossom End Rot on Tomatoes and Squash Blossom-end rot is a physiological disorder caused by a lack of sufficient calcium in the blossom end of the fruit. This causes the blossom end of the tomato, squash, pepper, etc. to rot. You start to notice this disorder more when the ground or raised bed is either too wet or too dry. reduce blossom-end rot in tomato, implement the following steps :
- Lime soils to pH 6.5 to 6.7 -- Home gardens not limed in the past 2 to 3 years will need 2 cups of lime for each plant. The lime should be worked into the soil 12 inches deep. To determine the exact amount of lime, take a soil sample! (Call Cari Rosenbalml, Horticulture Agent, to learn more: 828-632-4451).
- Fertilize properly -- Applying too much fertilizer at one time can result in blossom-end rot. Following
soil test recommendations is the best way to insure proper fertilization. For home gardens not soil tested, apply 5 pints of 8-8-8 per 100 ft of row and work it thoroughly into the top 8 inches of soil.
- Mulch plants -- Use straw, pine straw, decomposed sawdust, ground decomposed corn cobs, plastic, or newspapers. Mulches conserve moisture and reduce blossom-end rot. In extreme drought, plastic may increase blossom-end rot if plants are not
watered.
- Irrigate when necessary -- Tomato plants require about 1.5 inches of water per week during fruiting. This amount of water should be supplied by rain or irrigation. Extreme fluctuations in soil moisture result in a greater incidence of blossom-end rot.
- Spray calcium -- The plants may be sprayed with a calcium solution at the rate of 4 lb of calcium nitrate or calcium chloride per 100 gal of water (or 4 level Tbs per gal of water). This spray should be applied 2 to 3 times a week, beginning at the time the second fruit clusters bloom. These materials can be mixed with the spray that is used for control of foliar diseases. Chelated calcium solutions also provide an excellent source of calcium. When using these chelates, follow label directions. Several foliar spray materials containing calcium are available and all work well for tomatoes.
|
|
|
|
Staking your Tomatoes Using the Florida Weave or Basket Weave!! If you have more than a few tomatoes this season, you may want to consider ditching the cages and picking up a few wood or metal T posts and some tomato twine (any twine will do as long as you can tie it fairly
tight). You will place your T posts at either end of your rows and depending on how long your rows are, you may need a few in the middle. You will then tie your string to one end of the stake and weave in and out of your tomato plants, keeping the twine tight as you go. Once you get to the last post, you can either tie it off there, or loop back around to do the other side. When going back down the other side of the row, you will weave in the opposite direction, this will make your tomatoes fit snugly between each string. You will repeat this process up your posts as your plants get taller. This will also help your tomatoes stay upright,
making for an easier harvest, with less disease pressure. Click for more information on the Florida Weave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Appalachian Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae wyandot)
|
|
|
The Appalachian grizzled skipper primarily inhabits holarctic regions, mainly within the northern hemisphere, including Alaska and Canada. Nevertheless, scattered populations also occur along the Rocky Mountains, extending southward to New Mexico and also the Appalachian Mountains, branching down to North Carolina.
This species prefers sunny edge habitats and areas of disturbance with abundant floral resources, such as transmission lines, clearcuts, and forest edges. Appalachian grizzled skippers have been observed even colonizing newly constructed highway bypass projects, as evidenced by one isolated population discovered in Ohio.
This species relies on the dwarf cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis) as its host plant. As a ground-dwelling plant species, Appalachian grizzled skippers have evolved to blend seamlessly into the forest floor while fluttering between patches of cinquefoil. However, when threatened by predators, it resorts to hiding within the vegetation.
|
|
|
Among the primary factors contributing to the decline of the Appalachian grizzled skipper is the application of pesticides, notably diflubenzuron, which is intended to control spongy moths but inadvertently affects non-target species like the skipper.
-North Carolina Wildlife Federation
|
|
|
|
June is National Pollinators Month June is National Pollinators Month!! And to celebrate, we will be sharing ALL the information on pollinators with you via our Facebook Page (Alexander County Cooperative Extension)!! National Pollinator month is really a continuation of National Pollinator Week, which was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. Pollinator Week has now grown into an international celebration, promoting the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles, moths, wasps, and flies.
Visit the Pollinator Partnership website to learn more about pollinators through FREE webinars this month! Also, check out these other great resources below and stay tuned for events, webinars, information, etc. this month, especially during #PollinatorWeek! #powerinpollinators
For more informationation regarding pollinators: Top 25 Pollinator Plants Alternative Pollinators: Native Bees - ATTRA Butterflies in your Backyard - NC State University Hummingbirds and Butterflies - NC State University Pollinator Friendly Practices - North American Pollinator Protection Campaign Pollinator Resource Center - The Xerces Society
Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants - NC State University Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants - NC State University The Bees of North Carolina - NC State Extension
The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees Bee ID Blog - Pollinator PartnershipBumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide Bumble Bees of the Eastern United States Butterflies and Moths of North America Butterflies of North Carolina
|
|
|
|
National Pollinator Week Photo Contest
In honor of all our great pollinators, we are hosting an
online photo contest where you can showcase your photography skills and the pollinators in your life! Photos will be accepted NOW through Wed. June 16th!! Contest starts on Mon. June 17th. The photo with the most likes on the original post, by Sat. June 22nd @ 5pm will be our winner!
*Multiple submissions are accepted! *Winner will receive a prize, along with their photo published in the Taylorsville Times!
#PollinatorWeek #PowerinPollinators
|
|
|
|
|
2024 Farmers Market Season!!
The Alexander County Farmers market has started back and is at 2 locations this season!!
Vendors are at the Alexander County Services building parking lot on Saturdays from 8am-12pm and in Bethlehem at Mt. Bethel Methodist Church on Thursday evenings from 3-6pm. Plan to stop by and support your local vendors this season!! If you are interested in being a farmers market vendor at either market in Alexander County, please feel free to contact Cari Rosenbalm at 828-632-4451. We always look forward to adding new vendors who either hand make, bake, or grow their own products!
|
|
|
|
Community Garden & Workdays
If you don’t know already, Alexander County has a community garden! All beds are now rented for the season, BUT this year we have implemented "Community
Share Beds" that will be planted for the community to harvest from. Because these beds are for the community, it is our hope that the community will help us maintain those beds (weeding, watering, harvesting, etc.). Our workdays for these beds will be on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-11am. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Cari Rosenbalm at 828-632-4451 or cari_rosenbalm@ncsu.edu. We will need all the help we can get!
Taylorsville Community Garden
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 12th @ 7pm : Beekeepers Meeting June 18th: Father's Day June 19th-25th: National Pollinator Week & Photo Contest June 26th @ 6pm: Garden Club Interest Meeting June 29th @ 5:30pm: 4H Garden Club (rescheduled from June 8th)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local
governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.
|
|
|
|
|
|