Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
MGCC Help Desk Request: What's going on with my persimmon tree? I worked a bunch of compost into the soil around it in the spring and mulched with leaves. But it looks like it needs nutrients. What should I give it? This is its third year since planting. Thanks
Persimmons are generally disease free, but the black spots showing on some of the leaves look like fungal spots. I can't tell from the photo what type of fungus, but there are several that can occasionally affect persimmons. A wet spring, such as we have had, may exacerbate this, as can overhead watering, so you should make sure any nearby sprinklers do not hit the tree. UC does not recommend any treatment other than good cultural care. Removing any fallen leaves also will help. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/PLANTS/DISEASES/leafspotdis.html.
As long as the spotted leaves are green, I think it would be best to leave them on the tree, as the foliage looks a little sparse - those leaves are still making food for the tree. Now we have hotter and dry weather, leaf spot fungi will be less active.
As you mention, the tree does look like it could use a little help. Persimmons don't generally need a lot of fertilizer, but yours may benefit from a balanced fertilizer for fruit trees (follow package directions ). Make sure the mulch does not cover the bottom of the trunk just above the roots - this area should be clear so that air can get to the roots. When adding compost to the tree you do not need to work it into the soil, which may risk damaging the roots. Worms and other soil creatures will take care of incorporating the compost. Persimmons don't need as much water as some other fruit trees, however, a young tree needs regular irrigation until established, and will do better later on with continued irrigation. The soil should not be overly wet, but do not let it dry out.
The following links give more information about caring for persimmons.
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/persimmon.html
and
http://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/The_Kitchen_Garden/FRUITS/Persimmon/
I hope this information will help your tree to do better, and if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SMW)
Note: UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
Help for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
Help Desk Request: I've just moved into my first house, and I would like to grow a moderate-sized vegetable garden in the back of the property. However, the prior owner did not maintain the area I'm considering and it is heavily infested with weeds. I would like to remove the weeds. I'm considering the use of Glyphosate for weed elimination and maintenance. What would Master Gardeners recommend?
Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County Help Desk. Your request is quite active in the public eye these days in California. The use of weed controls such as Glyphosate are regulated both by the Federal and the State Government. Master Gardeners isn't a regulatory agency, but one area we provide information on to home gardeners is the use of herbicides. We get that information from the University of California's Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) on the use and effects of herbicides like Glyphosate. Under that structure, MGCC recommends the use of Integrated Pest Management procedures to effectively reduce and/or minimize the use of herbicides such as the legal use of Glyphosate.
UCANR has as of April 2019 updated their response to "Why UCANR provides scientific information and guidance on the use of Glyphosate in California". You can find this 2 page document attached as well as on the web.
It is obvious from the ongoing news that many will not agree with that guidance but it is based on science, best practices, and legal requirements for this herbicide that has been in public use since 1974.
If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. ... And always follow the directions for use...
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SIM)
Note: UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
304117[1]
MGCC Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting the Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County. Based on the photo you provided, it is likely that your rose are infected by Powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa). This fairly common fungi produces mycelia and spores on leaves and shoots, and sometimes on flowers. It looks like a gray (older infections) or white (newer infections) powder on both sides of the leaves, differentiating from Downy mildew, which tends to appear only on the underside of the leaves.
Powdery mildews spread with windblown spores. They do not need water to germinate and die when wet for an extended period. They like moderate daytime temperatures (60-80 degrees F), cold nights and shady and low light conditions. UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) recommends a number of measures to control infestations but once a plant has extensive infections it is usually too late to control and prevent damage to the plant. It is hard to determine from the photo how badly infected your rose is, but the following recommended measures may be helpful in managing it.
- Prune during the dormant season to increase air circulation and light penetration. Trim or remove adjacent plants to avoid crowding.
- Remove infected plant parts to reduce spore production. This should be done when the plant is wet and the spores can't generate.
- Irrigate using an overhead sprinkler in the morning when the spores would otherwise be released.
- Some infections may require fungicides, these usually only prevent new infections and may need to be applied repeatedly when conditions favor disease development. Use less toxic pesticide products wherever possible and carefully follow instructions on proper use, storage and disposal to reduce adverse impacts to other species and the environment. Mild to moderate infections can be treated with horticultural oil or plant-based oils, such as neem oil. Do not apply in bright sunshine or when outside temperatures are 90 degrees or more as it may burn or otherwise damage the plant and some beneficial insects. Also, read instructions carefully on preventing harm to bees.
- Disease prevention can also be effective with the application of sulfur products, especially ready-to-use soap like surfactants. These are not effective once the disease has appeared.
If your plant is substantially infected, consider removing it and growing a more resistant cultivar and species. Some examples are Meidiland shrub roses, Rosa rugosa, glossy-leafed hybrid teas, grandifloras, that are trademarked as Care-free, Knock Out, and Home Run. Plant in a sunny location and provide ample adjacent open space for air circulation.
For additional information please see this link to UCANR Integrated Pest Management Program Pest Notes: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7463.html
We hope this information is useful. Feel free to contact us again if you have any further questions.
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (NHP)
Note: UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
The image at right shows the weird ones laying on the wood (you can see the crease where I tested each one for 'snap'. I appreciate any insight you might have, this is my third year growing peas and the first time it's ever happened.
UCMGCC Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk with a question about your snap peas. Snap peas' pods will naturally become woody or tough when they are too mature (late Spring for most County gardeners, a little later in West County). This is a common problem. You should harvest them just as the peas fill out. Waiting even a bit longer risks having tougher, woody pods. Most County vegetable gardeners grow Snap Peas as spring fill-in crops and harvest and pull them moving on to summer crops.
I hope this information is useful. Happy gardening!
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County (SEH)
Note: UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Biog.
Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the
UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County
MGCC Help Desk Response: Thank you for contacting the UC Master Gardener Program Help Desk. You asked about carpenter bees boring a hole in your roof beams and how to get rid of them without killing them. From your description and the description of the holes, it does indeed seem likely they are carpenter bees, but we would recommend getting a positive identification before taking control measures. These very large bees with a loud buzz are quite obvious, the females being large and shiny black. The males are those beautiful golden fuzzy 'teddy bear' bees. You may also see pollen-laden bees entering the hole to feed their babies!
Only the females build nests, boring a tunnel into soft wood, leading to one or several nest cavities. They do not create hives, but several females may use the same tunnel for the nest. They mate and lay eggs in the spring, the young bees developing over several months - there is only one generation each year. These bees can indeed damage wood structures, but unless there are many holes you probably have time to consider control methods. As you do not want to kill them, and there may be young brood inside the nest at this point, you might want to wait until late summer after the bees have emerged. Then you can plug the holes and paint or stain the wood to discourage any further nesting.
Here are some UC links with more information on this bee, and how to manage them.
http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7417.html
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8049
We couldn't find any information on how to remove them without killing them - it also seems that even if the adults are excluded, the young bees can chew their way out of the nest after they hatch. So if you can wait, I think you would be fine waiting until later in the summer to paint and fill the holes, and then hopefully they will cause no further problems. Meanwhile, enjoy these beautiful and useful creatures in your garden.
If you are a DIY person, there are plenty of articles found via Google for fixing the holes as well as techniques to assure that the bees don't come back (they can be homing to their birthplace). And there may be contractors around that specialize in "fixing" the problem.
Good luck with this!
Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program ofContraCosta County (SMW)
Note: UC Master Gardeners Program of Contra Costa's Help Desk is available almost year-round to answer your gardening questions. Except for a few holidays (e.g., last 2 weeks December), we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 2380 Bisso Lane, Concord, CA 94520. We can also be reached via telephone: (925) 608-6683, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/. MGCC Blogs can be found at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/HortCoCo/ You can also subscribe to the Blog.