Plant stress can invite borers, canker
2005 did not supply even moisture. I was very dry from spring to fall. Most areas experienced periods of drought. October was one of the driest.
We are expecting to see more canker in 2006 than normal because of the drought. Can you do anything to prevent or reduce the canker severity? No, not even if you had a million dollars. I do not even know which plants will be attacked more severely, but Prunus will likely be one.
December was extremely cold, January warm, and February cold. Did anything occur that will add to the equation? I do not honestly know.
Borers can be prevented with timed applications of Dursban or Chlorpyifos 4E. Protect dogwoods annually with sprays in late April and mid July. Protect ash trees annually mid April and mid July. Spray maple and oak mid May and late June to protect from the Flatheaded Appletree Borer (FAB).
It is generally only necessary to spray to protect from the FAB the first growing season after transplant. Other plants may be attacked as well: hickory, linden, sycamore, tulip poplar and others following stress.
The rate is 1 pint per 50 gallon or 1 fl oz per 3 gallons. The air blast rate is 1 qt per acre. Be sure to cover the Southwest side, where most attacks occur.
? Sidedress rates for all recent transplants, all shrubs, all conifers, all dogwood and all Malus and Pyrus (the spring application to reduce severity of fireblight) when using 20-10-10 is 250 lbs per acre or 1.5 cups per 100 row feet; 333 lbs of 15-15-15 per acre or 2 cups per 100 row feet; 385 lbs 13-13-13 per acre or 2 cups per 100 row feet.
The rate is increased for shade trees after their first feeding to 375 lbs 20-10-10 or 2 cups per 100 row feet; 500 lbs 15-15-15 or 2.75 cups per 100 row feet; 575 lbs 13-13-13 or 3 cups per 100 row feet.
The rates are based on applying 50 or 75 pounds of actual pounds of nitrogen per acre. The rate should also be calculated on the suspected root zone area. Most producers could reduce their rates by half to 2/3’s and get just as much growth. Believe it or not.
? Try to find time to spray the ryegrass with Envoy, Fusilade or Vantage. Dormant oil can still be applied on plants that have not budded out. Most pre-emergent herbicides can be applied to new transplants after a settling rain. Remove any vegetation first or run the Enviromist later. Prune. Cut-off. Spot spray thistles. Finish sidedressing. Plan to protect seedlings from frost with fabric or straw and damping-off with Cleary?s and Subdue. Call 931-473-8484 for rates.