August 11, 2016
Two more trees have been confirmed positive for Huanglongbing (HLB), the plant disease carried by an invasive insect called the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP).
One tree is located in San Gabriel and the other is in Hacienda Heights, in very close proximity to the original HLB find from 2012. As always, the California Department of Food and Agriculture worked quickly to contact the homeowners and remove the infected trees. The tree in San Gabriel has already been removed, and the tree in Hacienda Heights is scheduled to be removed today.
The Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program outreach team has been active with HLB education in Los Angeles for many months....
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Weeds don't just look unsightly, they also rob other plants of water, says a UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) expert in a new water conservation video released today.
Any loss of water is a concern as California's fourth summer of drought comes to a close. Missy Gable, director of the UC Master Gardener Program, suggests removing weeds so they won't compete with ornamental plants or edible vegetables.
If weeds are scattered throughout your yard and mixed in with plants, hand-weeding is probably the best eradication method. Cultivation can damage ornamentals with shallow roots, bring weed seeds to...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
For many people, warmer weather means more time outside and more exposure to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are not only annoying, they can also transmit the potentially deadly West Nile virus.
Two new videos from UC IPM, “Don't let mosquitoes breed in your yard!” and “Protect yourself from mosquito bites” show how to keep yourself and your family from getting bitten and how to eliminate sites around your home where mosquitoes can breed.
Find out more on UC IPM's Mosquito page:
Are you frustrated trying to pull out dandelions by hand? Do they just keep coming back? If so, have you considered using a specialized weed removal tool? There are many different styles to choose from, and some can make removing dandelions a breeze.
A new video produced by UC IPM demonstrates a variety of long-handled and short-handled tools that will help you successfully remove the whole dandelion, taproot and all, to limit regrowth and further spread of the weed in your lawn or landscape.
Watch this and other videos on the UC IPM YouTube channel.
The recent warm spring weather has stimulated aphid outbreaks in many landscapes and gardens. Two short YouTube videos from the University of California Statewide IPM Program show how to battle these pests without pesticides.
Hosing Off Aphids demonstrates techniques for knocking off aphids with water.
In Aphid-eating Insects in Action see lady beetles, syrphid flies, lacewings and other "natural enemies" hunting and gobbling up aphids.
UC IPM provides much more aphid management and identification information on its web pages at