Umass Extension Landscape Message
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Home About Services Landscape Message Weed Herbarium Publications & Resources Education News & Events UMass Extension Landscape Message #18 - Quick Links Scouting Information 2014 Regional Notes Cape Cod Aug 8, 2014 Southeast (Wareham) UMass Extension’s Landscape Message is an educational newsletter intended to inform and guide Green Southeast (Hanson) East Industry professionals in the management of our collective landscape. Scouts compile and record Metro West environmental and phenological data for locations throughout Massachusetts to aid in the monitoring of plant Central and pest development, the planning of management strategies, and the creation of site-specific records for Pioneer Valley future reference. Detailed reports from Extension specialists on growing conditions, pest activity, and cultural Berkshire practices for the management of woody ornamentals, trees, and turf are regular features. UMass Extension has Environmental Data updated the following issue to provide timely management information and the latest regional news and Phenology environmental data. Woody Ornamentals The Landscape Message will be updated bi-weekly July through September. The next message will Landscape Turf be available on August 22. To receive immediate notification when the next Landscape Message update is posted, be sure to join our e-mail list. Archived Messages Scouting Information by Region Regional Notes Cape Cod Region (Barnstable): General Conditions: The Cape missed almost all of the severe weather that hit the rest of the State for this reporting period. The weather has for the most part been sunny and mild, with temperatures averaging in the upper 70s to low 80s F during the day. There were very brief showers on 7/27 that only gave the Cape about 0.07” of rain, barely enough to wet the dust. A more substantial rain occurred on 8/2, when slightly over 0.8” came down in a much needed daylong event. Temperatures were also on the cool side at this time, only reaching the mid-60s F in the Marstons Mills area. Purple coneflowers and Black-eyed Susans are brightening the landscape. On roadsides, Queen Anne’s Lace and Evening Primrose are in bloom. Pests/Problems: Ground besting bees and wasp colonies are getting larger and they are quite active, as are bald faced hornets that build large paper nests in hedges like privet. Be aware of these stinging insects as you mow lawns and trim hedges. Japanese, Oriental, and Asian garden beetle adults are still active. Mites and leafhoppers are active on herbaceous plants. Pieris lacebug is still active on Japanese pieris. The very large Prionus beetle is making an appearance. Be on the lookout for red headed pine sawfly on Austrian and mugo pines. Mosquitoes and greenhead flies are biting. Powdery mildew can be seen on lilac, native flowering dogwood, phlox, and beebalm. Black spot is still active on susceptible roses. Mushrooms, including stink horn fungi, are popping up in lawns. Slime mold is quite active on bark mulch. None of these are a problem and can just be raked up if necessary. In the vegetable garden, Downy mildew is taking out basil rapidly. Both early blight and septoria leaf spot are quite active on tomatoes. Late blight has been reported elsewhere in the state and may make an appearance on the Cape. Colorado potato beetle is defoliating potato crops. Southeast Region (Wareham): General Conditions: Temperatures have cooled down in the last two weeks with day temperatures generally in the high 70s to low 80s and nighttime temperatures in the mid 60s. Over the reporting period Wareham received 1.29 inches of rainfall with most of it occurring on one day (Saturday, August 2nd ). On average, the region has been somewhat dry in the past few weeks. However, most trees and shrubs appear healthy and robust. Turf also appears healthy on most landscapes but crabgrass is also thriving in many landscapes. Summer flowering plants providing color in the landscape include: Hydrangeas, Clethra, Rose of Sharon, Daylilies, Sedum, Roses, Clematis, Echinacea, and Hosta. Pests/Problems: Feeding by Japanese and Oriental garden beetles is winding down. Winter moth damage is showing on susceptible tree species (oaks and maples). Aphids have been reported on beach plums. Mosquitoes and ticks are active. Southeast Region (Hanson): General Conditions: Warm and muggy weathercontinued over the past two weeks and Hanson received 0.5 inches of rain. All in all, landscapes look pretty good right now. Many areas of Plymouth County have received just enough rain, so far this season, to maintain green lawns. Some marginal leaf scorch was observed on some plants but again, most landscapes look good. Continue to remind clients to water newly planted trees and shrubs on a regular basis. Clerodendron trichotomum, Albizia julibrissin, Rhus copallina, Rose-of-Sharon, Weston hybrid and other summer blooming azaleas, Hydrangea macrophylla, Hydrangea quercifolia (Oakleaf Hydrangea), Hydrangea arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea), Hydrangea paniculata (Panicle Hydrangea), Clematis, Rubus odoratus, Persicaria polymorpha, Veronicastrum, daylilies, roses, Echinacea sp., Liatris spicata, Lysimachia sp., Hosta, Corydalis lutea, Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox), Echinops ritro (Globe Thistle), Actea (formerly Cimicifuga) racemosa, Shasta daisy, Platycodon sp., Heliopsis ‘Summer Sun’, Helianthus sp., Platycodon grandiflorus, Joe-Pye-Weed, Astrantia, Macleaya cordata, Monarda didyma, Asiatic lilies, Nepeta sp., Perovskia sp., Acanthus spinosus, Silphium sp., Lavender, Rudbeckia sp., Coreopsis sp., and Campanula sp. are in full bloom. Annuals and tropicals are looking terrific with all the sun and heat and really add color to the August landscape. Aesculus parviflora is ending bloom. Pests/Problems: If the centers (cones) of Echinacea and Heliopsis flowers are looking messy, and turning a frazzled brownish-black, break open the center and you might find a small caterpillar inside. The most likely culprit is the sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum, and the adult is a small, slender, silver-to-buff gray moth about 1⁄2 inch long. The moths lay eggs which hatch into caterpillars which burrow into the cone and feed. Flowers do not last as long and seed heads are not formed, overall creating an unattractive flower. Over the past few years, this pest has increased in numbers at a site in Hanson. Japanese, Oriental and Asiatic garden beetles continue to be active but are slowing down, although damage to plants from these beetles is noticeable. Aphids, annual cicadas, mites, Pieris or Andromeda lacebug, earwigs, slugs, snails, stinkbugs, four-lined plant bug, lacebugs, leafhoppers, wasps, hornets, carpenter bees, ticks, mosquitoes, horse flies and deer flies are all active. Continue to monitor perennial hibiscus foliage for hibiscus sawfly which is still active. If left untreated, feeding by this insect will result in foliar damage resembling Swiss cheese. Mosquitoes and ticks continue to be numerous this year, and it is advisable to continue to take precautions against mosquitoes and ticks and use a repellent, like DEET, when working outdoors. Powdery mildew was observed on Cornus florida and Cornus alternifolia, but overall, most lilacs have been spared, so far. Giant tar spot is really becoming visible on Norway maple. Hollyhock rust continues to be observed as does black spot on susceptible roses. Deer are browsing Hosta, garden phlox, Cornus alternifolia, Rudbeckia and Chamaecyparis sp. Rabbits and chipmunks also remain active. East Region (Boston): General Conditions: We gained a total of 301.5 GDDs over the last two weeks. High temperatures ranged from 70° F to 90° F with an average of 81° F; low temperatures ranged from 57° F to 70° F with an average of 62° F. The past two weeks have been rather overcast or sunny with cloudy periods. Despite receiving a total of 1.48 inches of rain in the last couple of weeks, soils in higher, well drained areas are dry. Most of the precipitation, 1.05 inches, fell during a 20 minute thunderstorm on July 28th leaving gravel and dirt roads washed out along with mulched beds. Two other passing thunderstorms (July 27th and August 2nd) accounted for the remainder of the measurable rainfalls. Trace amounts and light showers were recorded on three separate occasions over the last two weeks. The landscape looks green with minimal signs of summer heat stress on established plants. Several summer flowering plants are adding interest to the landscape. The native monoecious Typha latifolia (common cattail) is blooming in the meadow; several pollinator attractants are flowering including Joe-Pye weeds (Eutrochium sp.), goldenrod (Solidago sp.), Aralia californica (elk clover), a perennial herb native to California, and the Korean native bee bee tree (or Korean evodia) (Tetradium daniellii) has just begun to flower and is literally buzzing with pollinators. Pests/Problems: During routine Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) trap monitoring, one suspicious beetle was preliminarily identified by staff on July 16th; on July 18th, this single beetle was confirmed by federal agencies to be EAB. This one beetle was found in a lure trap placed in a narrowleaf ash (Fraxinus angustifolia ssp. oxycarpa). Crabgrass (Digitaria sp.) continues to grow and outcompete preferred grass species. Lesser burdock (Arctium minus), yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) and yellownut sedge (Cyperus esculentus) are in full flower. Both bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcumara) and common pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) continue to flower while simultaneously