Plenty has changed in last 20 years

I am beginning my 21st year here working with nurseries in six counties. We have witnessed greater use of Hispanic labor, tree digging spades, wire baskets and air blast sprayers; more fall planting with potted liners, wider spacing, the Enviromist, local propagation of Forest Pansy redbud, pot in pot, more container production, larger container sizes, greater competition from other states, the Japanese beetle, fire ants knocking at our back door… (what else?) I learn something every day, but at times, it seems I don?t know as much as I use to.

We found mite symptoms on hemlocks at several nurseries on the Plateau last week, but we could not find them on paper with a hand lens. Eriophyid mites and their eggs were identified with a microscope the same day.

Eriophyids are smaller than spider mites. The interior foliage was dark. So if you see the symptoms and can not find them, collect a sample from the plant?s interior and get them to your UT Extension office in a plastic bag.

It seems hail is becoming an annual concern. I suggest all producers consider and study the different crop insurance plans available. The cheapest plan may not be the best one after a disaster.

Let me know if you lost plants to the Asian Ambrosia Beetle. Frass sticking out from the stems like toothpicks is the clue. Has anyone seen any Fireblight? Some of the apple orchards have it.

Borer sprays should have been applied in late April to dogwood and mid-April on ash. Newly planted maple and oak should be protected from borers in mid May. Powdery mildew may begin showing up in late May on dogwood. Leafhoppers should show up later this month on maples.

Plant a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid on vacant blocks to increase organic matter. Discus can be applied in May, June or July to allow shipment into states without the Japanese beetle. I will be happy to check sprayer calibration most anytime prior. I will be begging later to check some in June, so I do not have to do 36 in one month.