Heat stress continues to be a major challenge. Bean, pepper, and tomato plants do not flower and fruit as well when day temperatures exceed 90 degrees F. and night temperatures are above 70 degrees F. High temperatures contribute to mealiness and extra white tissue in tomato fruit and sunscald is an issue, especially where foliage is lost to early blight and Septoria leaf spot diseases. It’s really important to hand-pick pest insects and squish them or drop them into a bucket of soapy water. Harlequin bug, squash, bug, Mexican bean beetle, and squash beetle are out in force. Destroy eggs, immatures, and adults. https://www.growit.umd.edu/PlantandPestProblems/index.cfm · HGIC staff and a group of Master Gardeners are trying out the Rescue brand stink bug trap. The two traps in the HGIC garden are attracting and trapping a large number of nymphs. Nymphs can’t fly- they must be able to crawl into the trap. The trap that is hanging on a metal fence post 4 ft. above the ground at the edge of the garden has attracted many more BMSB nymphs than the trap sitting on the ground next to a tomato plant. I’ll provide more information when all the reports are in. Here’s a PA news item forwarded by Bob Nixon on this trap- https://www.wpxi.com/news/28684846/detail.html · Surround is a kaolin clay product that is mixed with water and sprayed on plants to deter insects from feeding. Plants look like they have been whitewashed. The eight plants that I sprayed with Surround two weeks ago have no stink bug activity on the fruits. Adjacent un-treated plants are covered in BMSB nymphs and adults. So far so good… |
Jon Traunfeld, UMD Master Gardener State Coordinator
Visit UMD’s Mike Raupp for a video on Integrated Pest Management
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