UMass Extension Landscape Message #27
December 8, 2006

Quick Info Menu ------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL DATA REGIONAL NOTES - Cape Cod - Southeast - East - Central - Pioneer Valley - Berkshire PHENOLOGY WOODY ORNAMENTALS - Insects - Diseases - Lab Report - Weeds TURFGRASS - Insects - Diseases - Weeds INFO RESOURCES DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES Use this menu to instantly jump to any portion of the message!

The LANDSCAPE MESSAGE is an educational newsletter intended to guide landscape, nursery and urban forestry professionals in identifying pests in the landscape, monitoring their development, planning management strategies and creating site-specific records for future management reference. UMass Extension has updated this issue to provide timely pest management information and the latest regional news and environmental data throughout Massachusetts. During the period November to February, this newsletter will be updated monthly. The next update will be available in early January 2007. Missed a previous message? Visit the Landscape Message Archive. Interested in additional turf-oriented content? UMass Extension Turf Program Management Updates

ENVIRONMENTAL DATA

The following growing-degree-day (GDD) and precipitation data was collected for a ~four-week period, November 9, 2006 through December 6, 2006. Soil temperature and phenological indicators were observed on December 6, 2006. Accumulated GDDs represent the heating units above a 50° F baseline temperature collected via our instruments since the beginning of the current growing season. This information is intended for use as a guide for monitoring the developmental stages of pests in your location and planning management strategies accordingly.

REGIONAL NOTES

Cape Cod Region (Barnstable) - General Conditions: November started off very warm, cooled down in the middle of the month and ended very warm, with temperatures in the mid-60’s °F. It was reported to be the fourth warmest November since records have been kept! The fall clean-up season certainly benefited from the weather and landscape crews were busy all month. November was also a wet month and evergreens and other landscape plants will go into winter well hydrated. Pests/Problems: Strong winds during the month did cause some toppled trees and broken limbs. Winter moth adults were first noted flying on November 17th. Due to the extremely mild month, adult deer ticks have been active and are present in high numbers.

Southeast Region (Hanson) - General Conditions: Hanson received approximately 5.0 inches of rain for November. In many parts of the county, a killing frost came late this season. Many days were warm and mild. The berries of the invasive plant, oriental bittersweet, can easily be seen now covering the canopies of many deciduous trees. Pests/Problems: Fall cankerworm moths and winter moths began to emerge the week of November 6th. Winter moth emergence was heavy just before and after Thanksgiving when temperatures warmed up. Winter moths should continue to emerge through December usually when temperatures are above freezing. For winter moth information, visit the UMass Landscape Nursery and Urban Forestry website: http://www.umassgreeninfo.org. Winter moths begin to emerge at dusk and are active at night. Reports have come into the office of deer browsing.

East Region (Boston) - General Conditions: No report.

Central Region (Boylston) - General Conditions: No report.

Pioneer Valley Region (Amherst) - General Conditions: Winter arrived this week in the Pioneer Valley. November temperatures were mild along with a significant rain event each week. The consistent mild weather late into the fall was a boon for lawn renovation projects, but the conditions may have affected the ability of turf in lawns and landscapes to harden adequately. Many turf areas remain green, and even continued to push out some growth until the recent temperature drop. A harsh winter may result in a greater need for spring repairs, especially for lawns with significant percentages of cold intolerant perennial ryegrass.

Berkshire Region (Great Barrington) - General Conditions: Recent cold temperatures have left the ground frozen, at least the upper inch or two. Because of a wet fall, plants are going into winter well hydrated though sunny and windy weather could pose problems for evergreens later this winter. Pests/Problems: The biggest problem of late has been high winds, especially on Dec. 1 when gusts up to 80 mph were reported in parts of Berkshire County. The amount of tree damage was immense in some areas, notably in the central region of the county.

CAPE COD REGION - Roberta Clark, Horticulturist for Barnstable County, Barnstable.

SOUTHEAST REGION - Deborah Swanson, Horticulturist for UMass Extension in Plymouth County, Hanson.

EAST REGION - James R. Allen, Horticulturist and Greenhouse Manager for UMass Biology Department, Boston.

CENTRAL REGION - Joann Vieira, Superintendent of Horticulture, Tower Hill Botanic Garden, Boylston.

PIONEER VALLEY - Dan Gillman, Plant Pathologist, UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab, UMass, Amherst.

BERKSHIRES - Ron Kujawski, Specialist, UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery & Urban Forestry Program, Amherst.

WOODY ORNAMENTALS

INSECTS

The flight activity for several moth species began in earnest starting in November and will continue through December whenever mild temperatures prevail.

• Bruce Spanworm, a native moth that is in the same genus as winter moth, was the first to be seen. Mostly, they are observed at night in the view of headlights and they are also attracted to outdoor lighting. The rather drab-colored males often (but not always ) display fine wavy lines running across the wings near the posterior end. When viewed from the underside, a small black dot is usually visible in the center of the wings.

• Winter Moth adults emerged in huge numbers just before Thanksgiving. All 6 New England states are now actively monitoring for this serious pest with pheromone traps. Joe Elkinton reports that Winter Moth males have been captured as far west as Worcester, although populations appear to be currently low the farther west one goes from the coast. Winter moth population size appears to be quite large in Plymouth County, most of SE Massachusetts and Cape Cod. Bruce Spanworm is most likely near the end of its flight period as is Fall Cankerworm. However, winter moth may be seen into January whenever warm weather prevails.
  
• Winter moth males do not have the wavy lines on their wings that Bruce Spanworm usually seems to have nor do they have the black dot in the middle of their wings on the undersides.
  
• Fall Cankerworm males also began to fly around Thanksgiving. They are similar to the others mentioned above except that they have a faint light-colored patch on the front wing margin out near the end of the wing. They also have a black dot on the wing undersides.
  
• Rhode Island is predicting that they will capture winter moths this year in all counties.
  
• SE New Hampshire may also have winter moth.
  
• Female Fall Cankerworm adult moths are completely wingless (Apterous).
  
• Female Bruce Spanworm adult moths have very short wing remnants (Brachypterous).
  
• Female Winter Moth adult moths are also brachypterous but their wing “stubs” are significantly larger than that of Bruce Spanworm.

Reported by Robert Childs, Entomologist, UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program, Amherst.

Dormant season care of deciduous trees and shrubs -- As the plants go dormant, it is a good time to prune dead branches, and collect fallen leaves to reduce overwintering inoculum (the resting structures of leaf spot, blight and canker fungi). Remove this debris so fewer of these disease fungi will be present in the area to initiate infections next spring. In addition, if leaf spots and blights are recurring, unsightly problems, resistant varieties, or other plants better adapted to the site may be available to replace them.

Ramorum Blight, also known as Sudden Oak Death (SOD). Since the early 1990’s, oaks and tanoaks were dying in the coastal counties of California. Since then, other types of plants have been found to be infected or associated with this disease, referred to as Sudden Oak Death, ramorum leaf blight or ramorum dieback, or by regulation as Phytophthora ramorum. The first positive identification of the disease was in 1995 on tanoak in Mill Valley (Marin County), California. Since that time, surveys confirmed Phytophthora ramorum on various native hosts and nursery plants in several locations in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. When nursery surveys find infected plants, prompt quarantine and/or eradication activities ensue. Research conducted by the Agriculture Research Service, US Forest Service, universities, and others is under way to better identify hosts, improve methods of detection, and develop effective treatments. USDA APHIS currently regulates 84 plants, two of which are at the genus level (Camellia and Rhododendron). There are no chemical treatments currently available to eliminate Phytophthora ramorum from infected plants.

Status of Phytophthora ramorum 2006 Monitoring Surveys:

Federal Order, State Inspection, National Survey, and Other Finds. The Federal Order, State Inspection, National Survey, and/or other detections identified 62 positive sites in 11 states. Alabama , Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania had one positive each; California had twenty-seven positives; Florida had three positives; Oregon had thirteen positives; and Washington had eight positives.

National Nursery Survey. As of October 16, the forty-six participating states reported on their National Nursery Survey results. Alaska , Iowa, Missouri, and Puerto Rico are not participating in the National Survey, and Wisconsin is looking for P. ramorum as part of their regular nursery inspection. Inspectors visited 4,284 nurseries and collected 111,084 samples. Lab evaluation confirmed that 362 of the samples collected were positive for infection by P. ramorum.

Forest Detection Survey. The United States Forest Service (USFS) and states are conducting nursery perimeter and general forest detection surveys. As of October 16, USFS reports 637 nursery perimeter surveys in 29 states with 1842 samples collected. USFS also conducted 366 general forest surveys in 29 states, with 922 samples collected.

Dan Gillman, Plant Pathologist, based in the UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab at UMass, Amherst.

WEEDS

No report: Visit the Landscape Message Archive for previous messages.

TURFGRASS

Insects: No report: Visit the Landscape Message Archive for previous messages.

Weeds: No report: Visit the Landscape Message Archive for previous messages.

Don't forget to visit the UMass Extension Online Weed Herbarium!

The freshly revised 2006-2007 Professional Guide for IPM in Turf for Massachusetts features the latest techniques critical to environmentally sensitive, integrated management of lawns, athletic fields, and golf courses. The guide, intended for use by professionals, presents research-based material regarding turfgrass selection and water conservation, as well as current approaches for managing disease, insect, weed, and nematode problems. Municipal and school officials charged with establishing IPM programs in their communities and gardeners and homeowners serious about sensibly caring for their properties will find unique and critical information in the guide as well.

The 2006-2007 Professional Guide can be used effectively in a wide range of management schemes: from organic, to low-maintenance, to high-intensity care of high-use turf. Alternative and cultural pest control options are highlighted, and pesticide selection advice is based on least environmental impact. While certain portions of the guide are specific to Massachusetts, much of the information is applicable throughout New England. Initially developed in 1991, this revision for 2006-2007 marks the 8th edition of this popular publication.

To obtain a copy, order online from the Outreach Bookstore (http://umassoutreachbookstore.com); or call the UMass Outreach Bookstore. The phone number is (413) 545-2717. In either case, payment may be made by credit card. Alternatively, you may visit the UMass Outreach Bookstore during normal business hours; Monday through Thursday from 9AM-3PM, closed Friday. The bookstore is located in Draper Hall on the UMass campus.

UMass Extension’s Turf Management Guide and IPM Facts: For more information about the turf pests mentioned in this message, you will need to refer to the following publications: the freshly revised Professional Guide for IPM in Turf for Massachusetts, 2006-2007 edition and Turf IPM Facts . Call (413) 545-2717 to order these publications from the UMASS Outreach Bookstore

DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES

UMass Laboratory Diagnoses for Turf and Landscape Problems - Accurate diagnosis for a turf or landscape problem can often eliminate or reduce the need for pesticide use. The UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab is available to serve commercial landscape contractors, turf managers, arborists, nurseries and other green industry professionals. It provides woody plant and turf disease analysis, woody plant and turf insect identification, turfgrass identification, weed identification, and offers a report of pest management strategies that are research based, economically sound and environmentally appropriate for the situation. Send specimens and payment (payable to the University of Massachusetts) to UMass Extension Plant Diagnostic Lab, Holdsworth Natural Resources Center, 160 Holdsworth Way, UMass, Amherst, MA 01003. The fee for a woody plant disease analysis is $50; the fee for turf disease analysis or nematode assay is $75. All insect, weed and turfgrass identification samples are $25 each. For more detailed submission instructions see http://www.umass.edu/agland/diagnostics

Lyme Disease Diagnostics - UMass Extension, in cooperation with researchers at UMass Amherst, will assess deer ticks for the presence of Lyme Disease. There is a fee of $35 per sample. To submit a sample, follow the directions at the UMass Extension tick diagnostics website at http://www.umass.edu/agland/diagnostics/lyme_disease.htm (or Google: UMass Extension Tick). After submission, results will be reported within 10 business days. Be advised: If someone has been infected by a tick bite, symptoms may begin to occur even before the results of tick testing are available. People should not wait for tick testing results before seeking medical advice should any symptoms develop. For specific information, contact: Dr. Craig Hollingsworth, (413) 545-1055, chollingsworth@umext.umass.edu.

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NEXT UPDATE: The next issue will be available in early January.

This message is produced by the UMASS Extension, Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program. The copy is prepared by Dan Gillman from data and reports provided by the staff and faculty of the UMass Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program and the UMASS Extension Turf Program as well as cooperating horticulturists and Green Industry professionals. The text is adapted for access via the internet by Jason Lanier and made available to subscribers via electronic transmittal by Ellen Weeks.

DISCLAIMER. This message is intended for commercial use. UMass Extension assumes no liability for recommendations. It is the responsibility of the applicator to verify the registration status of any pesticide BEFORE applying it. Different states have different regulations as well. The use of trade names (™) does not imply endorsement. Similarly, there may be other products you prefer to use.

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