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The following growing-degree-day (GDD) and precipitation data was collected for a ~four-week period, December 7, 2006 through January 10, 2007. Soil temperature and phenological indicators were observed on or about January 10, 2007. Accumulated GDDs represent the heating units above a 50° F baseline temperature collected via our instruments from the beginning to the end of 2006. 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 Southeast Region (Hanson) - General Conditions: The month of December was the warmest on record. 3/4 of an inch of snow fell on Dec. 4th, but did not last long. Cherry 'Hally Jolivette' and candytuft had scattered blossoms, some forsythia was blooming as well as a few flowers on Lamium. Helleborus foetidus and primroses were in bloom in Halifax, MA. Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten Rose) was in full pink flower bud in Halifax and Hanson, MA. Spring in December, how nice. Pests/Problems. Winter moth adult moths began to emerge in early November and appeared to stop emerging by mid December, which was different from previous years. "Fall invaders": like ladybugs and western conifer seed bugs were active indoors on those warm days. The Plymouth County Extension office also received calls regarding "springtails" or "snow fleas" that were numerous on those warm days. Deer are browsing. East Region (Boston) - General Conditions: No report. Central Region (Boylston) - General Conditions: Warmer than usual conditions at Tower Hill Botanic Garden have coaxed several early spring plants into bloom. Among them are:
Pioneer Valley Region (Amherst) - General Conditions: December and early January temperatures were mild along with a significant rain event each week. Soil moisture is high and the ground is not frozen. Many turf areas remain green, and even continued to push out some growth until the recent temperature drop. Flowering cherry trees blossomed on the UMass Campus during the first week of January. However, the hard freeze this morning (~15° F) killed all of the opened flowers and probably many of the swollen buds. Pests/Problems: Damage so far is minimal from deer browse, but because the deer population is high, some browsing may take place if there is significant snowfall. With the lack of snow cover, it is important to remember not to walk or drive across newly frozen lawns. These activities can damage crowns and kill the plants. Berkshire Region (Great Barrington) - General Conditions: Shoots of snowdrops (Galanthus), narcissus, and tulips are appearing. Galanthus is blooming at certain sites. Soil moisture is good but soil is not wet, and well-drained soils are actually workable. Bud swell is apparent on many non-native species of woody plants. Pests/Problems: Tick activity remains high. Numerous insects are also active. 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. No report this month.
Mild winter weather and its impact on deciduous trees and shrubs – Dehydration of foliage on broad-leaved and needled evergreens is often a problem when Massachusetts experiences mild temperatures during the winter. In these situations, the ground is often frozen and/or there is little soil moisture available to the transpiring evergreens to compensate for the moisture lost by the foliage. However, this year there has been regular rainfall associated with the mild temperatures and this should minimize dehydration damage. Marginally hardy flowering trees and shrubs with buds that break open or flower will experience freeze damage to these plant parts when nighttime temperatures drop well below freezing. Generally, the mild temperatures will have little impact on overwintering diseases of trees and shrubs growing in landscape settings. 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:
No report: Visit the Landscape Message Archive for previous messages.
IMPORTANT INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES For a complete listing of upcoming events, see our Conferences and Workshops page. Don't forget to visit the UMass Extension Online Weed Herbarium! 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 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 NEXT UPDATE: The next issue will be available in early February. 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. 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. Comments or suggestions in regard to the Landscape Message? Please e-mail the webmaster. Missed a previous message? Visit the Landscape Message Archive.
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