Pest Alert
Insect Alert
Since there are no killing frosts in September most of the warm season insects mentioned in past calendars should still be watched for and controlled including aphids, whiteflies. Most other insects will begin to prepare to overwinter. If you can stop insect pests from reaching their winter destination you can get very good control. For example keeping apple maggot infested fruit from sitting on the soil will prevent them from leaving the fruit and heading underground. Slugs make a comeback in cooler weather and have a second smaller breeding season so keep the iron phosphate based slug baits at the ready. Diseases alert
You can help control all fungal diseases by removing falling leaves and fruit from plants that have shown sings of disease (e.g. Anthracnose on Dogwoods). Late blight is the new addition to the fungal diseases that we have seen throughout the summer. Late blight attacks tomatoes and potatoes. The symptoms are black lesions on leaves and fruit. Keep the leaves dry to help prevent this disease. Apply a copper-based fungicide at first sign of disease.
