Aphids, Spider Mites and Thrips continue to occur. See previous updates for more information.
Look for broad mites and their damage on susceptible plants such as gerbera daisy, English ivy, New Guinea impatiens, salvia, snapdragon, verbena, vegetative petunia, peppers, etc.
Leave edges curl downward. Flowers and buds become distorted and do not open. Terminal buds may be killed. As they feed, broad mites inject toxic saliva, which results in the characteristic twisted, distorted growth. With a 20x hand lens, inspect the underside of the leaves for the mites and their eggs. Often, microscopic examination is helpful. Broad mites can be distinguished from cyclamen mites by their egg stage. Eggs are covered with "bumps" that look like a row of diamonds.
Do not confuse broad mite injury with herbicide injury, nutritional (boron) deficiencies or physiological disorders. For example, during late winter production, with cool temperatures and high humidity, you may see some leaf curling and twisting on New Guinea impatiens, which is a physiological disorder and not broad mite injury. If detected early, rogue infested plants. Translaminar miticides such as Avid, Pylon or Judo help target the broad mites. (Read labels carefully regarding plant safety information for Pylon and Judo). Repeat applications are often needed. .
 Broad mite injury to New Guinea impatiens - note downward curling of leaf edges |
 Physiological disorder on New Guinea impatiens – leaf edges are not curled under and leaves are twisted. No signs of broad mites or their eggs with closer microscopic examination |
 Broad mite injury to portulaca - may be confused with aphid or thrips injury |
Pest Management of Vegetable Bedding Plants – For the latest information on the insecticides and fungicides labeled for vegetable bedding plant. see the New England Vegetable Guide which is online http://www.nevegetable.org/ Look under Management of Bedding Plants.
Hopefully, home gardeners will still buy their tomatoes at the appropriate time. Many retailers tell me that gardeners have many questions about how to prevent late blight.
Here’s the Late Blight Update from the University of Connecticut Home and Garden Education Center:
Many gardeners are concerned about growing tomatoes this year if they had problems with late blight of tomato and potato last summer. Questions about whether the pathogen will overwinter in the soil, how to prevent the disease from occurring again and if there are any resistant cultivars have been pouring into the Home & Garden Education Center as people begin getting ready for the 2010 gardening season. The pathogen, Phytophthora infestans, survives in living tissue and will be killed by freezing temperatures. Therefore, you do not need to be concerned about your soil harboring this pathogen and creating a source of infection for this year. P. infestans can, however, survive the winter in infected potato tubers left in the soil after harvest. If you had infected potato plants, thoroughly clean remaining tubers from the soil. Crop rotation to nonsusceptible hosts in that area is recommended. Destroy any volunteer potato plants that develop. Most years, late blight is sporadic or absent in our area because it spreads from the south on wind currents and arrives late in the season, causing far less damage. Last year, the pathogen was introduced on tomato transplants carrying the disease so it arrived early and then we had very favorable weather for disease development and spread.
There are few tomato varieties that are consistently resistant to late blight. Some that have shown some resistance include Stupice, Juliet, Matt’s Wild Cherry, Mountain Magic, Plum Regal, and Legend. The late blight pathogen is not seed-borne and seed from infected plants may safely be used for growth of new transplants.
For further information, contact the UConn Home & Garden Education Center toll free at (877) 486-6271 or by email at ladybug@uconn.edu.
| New England Greenhouse Update now online. University Extension Specialists in New England, in conjunction with USDA's Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, contribute information to this new website. Timely updates are provided for commercial growers of greenhouse crops and flowers in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. You can use this additional resource for more information about current observations and recommendations on environmentally safe production practices. |
|
GREENHOUSE IPM COORDINATOR (commercial interests and growers) |
LEANNE PUNDT | 860-626-6240 |
| . | . | . |
|
HOME GREENHOUSE
QUESTIONS |
phone toll free |
Information on our site was developed for conditions in the Northeast. Use in other geographical areas may be inappropriate.
The information in this material is for educational purposes. The recommendations contained are based on the best available knowledge at the time of printing. Any reference to commercial products, trade or brand names is for information only, and no endorsement or approval is intended. The Cooperative Extension system does not guarantee or warrant the standard of any product referenced or imply approval of the product to the exclusion of others which also may be available.All agrochemicals/pesticides listed are registered for suggested uses in accordance with federal and Connecticut state laws and regulations as of the date of printing. If the information does not agree with current labeling, follow the label instructions. The label is the law.Warning! Agrochemicals/pesticides are dangerous. Read and follow all instructions and safety precautions on labels. Carefully handle and store agrochemicals/pesticides in originally labeled containers immediately in a safe manner and place. Contact the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for current regulations.The user of this information assumes all risks for personal injury or property damage.Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kirklyn M. Kerr, Director, Cooperative Extension System, The University of Connecticut, Storrs. The Connecticut Cooperative Extension System offers its programs to persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability and is an equal opportunity employer.