The Japanese Beetles are back. Usually appearing in late June, they were actually a week or two early this year. And while they have been feeding voraciously already, there are still several weeks to go of their damaging presence, possibly well into July.
The adult beetles eat the leaves and flowers of over 300 plants by eating the tissue between the veins. The larvae, called white grubs, feed on plant roots and organic matter in the soil, especially under turfgrass. This feeding may result in dead patches of turf that can be picked up like a loose carpet.
There are several approaches to controlling the beetles and their larvae, and the damage they do: it is most important to understand that the first, scattered beetles you see are scouts. Once they have found promising feeding grounds, they release a scent to attract all the later emerging beetles to the area.
To learn about the control options, click "continue reading"...

Sorry about the picture: like most gardeners, we prefer the beautiful parts of gardening. But this is nature, and nature ain't always pretty!
This is an example of Blossom End Rot. It is a calcium deficiency most common in tomatoes, especially those grown in containers, but may also be seen in peppers, eggplant, and a few others as well. The disorder is not the end of the world,...

Photo from Cornell University
In the past week, there has been a lot of media coverage of the Late Potato Blight, which also affects tomatoes. We do not feel that is a threat to home gardeners in our area in most circumstances. The disease has been tracked to some Bonny Plants brand plants, which are shipped to big box stores. Locally grown tomato plants have shown no signs of the disease; the only concern to local growers would be if a neighbor purchased a shipped-in plant from out of state and the spores of the disease were windborne. No local cases have been positively identified. If, after reviewing these photos and descriptions, you believe you may have a case of the blight, please take a sample in a sealed ziplock bag to your local County Extension Office for identification and monitoring. Their contact information can be found on our "Links" page.
The following are websites with detailed information and photos of the problem:
Excellent Disease Photos from Cornell
Ohio State Agriculture
Hartford Courant...

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Tags: vegetables, insects and diseases

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