- Author: Tammy Majcherek
People in urban and suburban areas often use the term “invasive” to describe plants or weeds that appear to take over a garden or landscape. However, true invasive plants are weeds that infest ecosystems, rangelands, and pasture—places common garden weeds don't thrive.
Invasive plants can reduce native plant and animal diversity, threaten endangered species habitat, and increase wildfire and flood danger. Most invasive plants were introduced as ornamentals from the retail nursery industry, or for the purposes of soil stabilization, animal forage, human food, fiber, or medicinal plants. Some may still be found for sale at retail nursery and garden centers, including the following:
pampasgrass (Cortaderia selloana) big periwinkle (Vinca major)
water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)
English ivy (Hedera helix) crimson fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum)
Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima)
Continue learning more about invasive plants by reading the Pest Notes: Invasive Plants. Remember to stay tuned for more blog posts during California Invasive Species Action Week.
Resources
California Invasive Plant Council
Better Choices for California on the PlantRight website
- Author: Tammy Majcherek
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to prevent invasive pests and their harmful impact to agriculture. When pests or diseases are new to an area, we call them invasive. Many of the laws that are in place for citrus are to prevent new pests and diseases from establishing.
Citrus nurseries that become infested with new pests may be quarantined until the infestation is gone, preventing the plants from being moved or sold. Sometimes it requires the plants to be destroyed. Sometimes it results in the loss of a business.
Learn more about these invasive pests and how to stop their invasion by viewing an online training for workers of citrus growing in protective structures by UC Cooperative Extension Specialist Beth Grafton-Cardwell. Citrus Nursery Protective Structure Worker Training provides information on growing healthy citrus plants in structures and protecting them from common insect pests and diseases, including invasive ones in Chapter 3. You can also find on UC IPM's online training webpage, training about Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing for retail nursery personnel and for UC Master Gardeners.
When pests first arrive in California, an effort is made to detect them by searching the plants and by trapping for them. It is important for you to be a detective and help in this effort:
- Watch for anything unusual and report anything new.
- Keep yourself and anything you work with in the protected structure clean, disinfected and free of pests.
- Keep the protective structure sound by fixing holes in screens, gaps in the structure, and unprotected vents.
- Use good practices in the nursery such as planning your day to start indoors and finish outdoors so that you don't bring outdoor pests inside.
- Don't bring in pests from other areas in budwood or fruit.
Californians can help in the fight against invasive species by learning and participating during California Invasive Species Action Week, June 2–10.
During the week, spend your lunch with us learning the latest about invasive tree killing pests, aquatic nasties like quagga mussels and nutria, and how the invasive weed/wildfire cycle is altering our ecosystems! http://ucanr.edu/sites/invasivelunch/
- Author: Tammy Majcherek
Next week (June 2-10) is California Invasive Species Action Week. Whether it be plant or insect - learn how you can help fight the next invasion at UC IPM Pests in the Urban Landscape.
- Editor: Tammy Majcherek
- Author: Cheryl Reynolds
Dress right for work – check out the new UC IPM online course on personal protective equipment
Cheryl Reynolds – UC Statewide IPM Program
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner. If you work in agricultural, turf, landscape, or structural settings, you are probably at your busiest. If you handle pesticides as part of your work, you most likely wear some sort of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, do you know if you are wearing the right type for the job that you do? Wearing the appropriate PPE, taking it off the right way, and correctly cleaning it prevents unnecessary pesticide exposure to yourself and others. Learn the steps so you don't expose your family members or those around you to pesticide residues by viewing a brand new online course on Proper Selection, Use, and Removal of Personal Protective Equipment from the UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM).
The course is approved by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) for 1.5 hours in the Laws and Regulations category. This course is designed for all pesticide handlers with the goal to provide them with information on pesticide labels and the California Code of Regulations (CCR) to help them select, wear, remove, and dispose of or storePPE.
In California, all pesticide handlers (applicators, mixers, loaders, those who transport pesticides, or those who fix application equipment) are legally required to wear PPE. However, in order to get the most protection from PPE, it must be used correctly. Violations involving the incorrect use of PPE were the second most commonly reported type of agricultural-use violation in 2017 as reported by DPR (PDF).
The new PPE online course opens with a scenario describing a real example of an accident reported to DPR that led to an incident of pesticide exposure because the correct eye protection was not worn. The content that follows is divided into six instructional modules, highlighting types of PPE, how to select it, and when certain items should be worn. Answer short questions about the different types of PPE. Open pesticide labels to learn how to select the right PPE and learn when certain items should be worn. Short how-to videos and animated sequences demonstrate the proper way to put on or remove items such as gloves, coveralls, respirators, and eyewear. You must pass a final test with 70% or higher to receive your certificate of completion and continuing education hours.
If this is the year to renew your license with DPR, get a jumpstart on it. Take this new course and all the other UC IPM online courses to refresh your knowledge and get the CEUs you need. There is a $30 fee for taking Proper Selection, Use, and Removal of Personal Protective Equipment. You are welcome to view the content for free on YouTube, but without the activities, final exam, and continuing education credit. For more information about license renewal, visit DPR.
- Author: Tammy Majcherek
The three-part Garden Design workshop series provides participants with the basic tool kit to create a water conserving landscape whether on their own or with the help of a contractor. Major focus of the workshop centered on how irrigation, plants and growth, and living space come together.
How to properly fertilize, feed your plants?
How to create a cohesive design?
Shrub and tree maintenance - pruning.
What edible plants are best to incorporate into your landscape?
Permeable materials?
Recommendations for artificial turf, or turf replacement options that require no care.
A great learning experience for all.