- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
My blog called "Urban Pest News" sounded too boring so I decided yesterday to change the name to "Community Pest News". Maybe still not very exciting, but there you have it!
I'll still be updating you with news and information about pests and issues around Sacramento, Yolo, and Solano counties as well as announcements about new or updated resources from the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM).
Thank you for reading my blog and please share with your friends, neighbors, and colleagues.
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Controlling weeds can be challenging, but UC IPM provides many resources to help home gardeners and landscape professionals.
The newly revised publication Pest Notes: Weed Management in Landscapes by Area IPM Advisor Cheryl Wilen, presents an integrated approach to weed management to help ensure weed control efforts are effective, environmentally-sound and economical. This science-based publication includes information on methods such as pre-planting considerations, the importance of weed identification, nonchemical practices such as using mulches and barriers, weed management recommendations in different types of...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
New! Vegetable Pest Identification cards
I'm excited to announce the brand new Vegetable Pest Identification for Gardens and Small Farms card set is available! This is a handy, quick reference that focuses on sustainable pest management for vegetables, melons, fruit trees, and other crops commonly grown in small-scale farms and backyard gardens.
The cards were compiled by Mary Louise Flint, Andrew Sutherland, and myself, and they cover common insect and mite pests as well as pathogens, nematodes, abiotic disorders, weeds, and vertebrate pests. You'll also find information on general predators, lady beetles, parasites, and...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Weeds can be a real nuisance in gardens and landscapes, and even during the colder winter months, some kinds of weeds continue to grow and thrive. These are called winter annual weeds.
Most weeds are classified as annuals, biennials, or perennials. Annuals complete their life cycle (germinate from seed, grow, flower, set seed, and die) in one year or less, biennials generally complete their life cycle in 2 years, and perennials live longer than 2 years.
Examples of winter annual weeds include chickweed, little mallow, and annual bluegrass. They germinate and actively grow during fall and winter, then produce seed and die by the hot summer months.
If allowed to set seed, annual winter weeds can continue to grow...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
We've had some rain in our area lately so you are probably seeing some weeds starting to grow in your garden or lawn. Among the few new weeds poking out in my landscape is dandelion, my husband's least favorite weed on Earth.
Hopefully you are aware of UC IPM's YouTube video series, but if not, we have a few dozen short videos cover pest topics such as catching a spider, trapping snails and slugs, and how to remove dandelions.
The "How to Remove Dandelions" talks about different nonchemical tools you can use to pull out unwanted weeds and discusses the importance of getting as much of that tap root as possible.