If you've noticed tiny, dark insects flying around your houseplants, you likely have fungus gnats. These tiny flies can be a nuisance indoors and may also damage your plants.
Fungus gnats lay their eggs in moist soil and their larvae feed on plant roots and decaying organic matter. Because of this, the key to managing fungus gnats is to let the soil dry out in between watering and don't overwater plants. Water plants from the bottom using saucers under pots. This keeps the top of the soil dry, discouraging fungus gnats.
Sticky traps can be placed in pots or near plants to catch fungus gnat adults. This is also a great way to monitor for fungus gnats. Pesticides, including several biological pesticides like Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (Bti), are available to control fungus gnats. However, the best way to control fungus gnats is by simply adjusting watering practices.
To learn more about fungus gnats and their management, visit Pest Notes: Fungus Gnats.
- Author: Saoimanu Sope
UCCE scientists study feasibility of specialty crops for small urban growers
The vacant lots around your neighborhood could be growing fruits and vegetables and making local produce more accessible – while reducing energy needed to transport and distribute the food. Could turning those empty lots into small farms also become opportunities for economic development?
To answer this question, a team of researchers from University of California Cooperative Extension in San Diego County are investigating the economic feasibility of growing high-value specialty crops in urban settings like vacant lots. The project – led by Eric Middleton, UCCE integrated pest management advisor for San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties – is currently in progress at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, a seasonal attraction for locals and tourists.
Tucked away in the back of the field is the Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site where Middleton and his team established a small farm on approximately 17,000 square feet, starting fall 2023. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the farm is designed to evaluate containerized production both outdoors and under high tunnels.
Growers don't necessarily need land, just space
High tunnels, also referred to as hoop houses, are semi-permanent structures that act similarly to greenhouses in providing a controlled environment. For the experiment, Middleton will compare cost, effort and durability of two types of high tunnels: one made of steel and the other out of PVC pipes.
“We want to give interested growers information on as many options as we can,” said Middleton, who explained that the project is motivated by the challenges of urban settings, including limited space and lack of arable land.
In the trial, they are growing turmeric, ginger and blueberries. The high-value crops were selected because of their potential to earn a profit. Data evaluating plant variety, soil mix, fertilizer, growth performance, yield and pest and disease pressures will be collected and reported when the project concludes in 2026.
As the crops develop in containers – blueberries in pots and turmeric and ginger in grow bags – Middleton pointed out the mobility aspect of the study, noting that growers don't necessarily need land, just space.
Whether it's a backyard or a rooftop, containerized production means easier transport, especially since vacant land doesn't always remain vacant forever and urban lots may often need soil remediation. Growing in containers solves the anticipated problem of having to relocate.
Where to set up shop in San Diego County
Jan Gonzales, project coordinator and community education supervisor for UCCE San Diego County, is leading the effort to identify available urban land in San Diego County as well as the policies and procedures for growers to access these spaces.
Gonzales is collaborating with community members who are working on similar projects to identify space for prospective growers.
“This has been done before for different objectives and for specific areas in the region, but the information was either project-specific and not publicly available, or not easy to find,” Gonzales said.
Having spoken with people associated with previous or ongoing agricultural land mapping projects, Gonzales has agreed to coordinate and facilitate an advisory work group to discuss areas of potential collaboration and develop project efficiencies. She anticipates holding the first group meeting before the end of the summer.
A production guide to help community members re-create the project
The ideal audience for a study like this is anyone who wants to grow specialty crops, according to Lindsey Pedroncelli, interim director of UC South Coast Research and Extension Center in Irvine, who worked on the project alongside Middleton when she was a staff research associate with UCCE San Diego.
“If you're a new grower or a grower who wants to diversify your crop production, what we're learning here can be applied to you,” said Pedroncelli.
Pedroncelli has been instrumental in bringing the experiment to life and documenting its step-by-step workflow thus far. The production guide, which is being created as the study unfolds, will include instructions detailing how to replicate the experiment from the ground up. Currently, it contains information on how to design your farm, the materials to buy, building structures, irrigation setup and crop management.
The most intriguing open question, whether the operation is profitable, is the driving force behind the production guide and will certainly be addressed, Pedroncelli said.
Book a tour and visit the farm
When visiting the farm, you'll encounter three varieties of blueberries: Star, Snowchaser and Misty. Snowchaser has been a top producer since it was planted in January, but the variety is known to be an early season producer.
Using only one variety of each, the turmeric and ginger were planted in late March-early April. With some unanticipated cold weather in San Diego County, both crops struggled when transitioning out of dormancy, leading to very slow progress, which the team is still navigating today.
Visually, Middleton and his team have noticed differences between the crops growing under the high tunnels versus those grown outdoors, although the data has not been analyzed to confirm or explain notable differences.
Attempting to demonstrate how to profitably grow high-value crops in urban settings using limited space and resources, Pedroncelli said she hopes this study will also encourage people to grow culturally significant crops for their communities.
To tour the Small-Scale Urban Ag Demonstration Site at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, email Eric Middleton at egmiddleton@ucanr.edu with "Urban Agriculture Demonstration Site Tour" in the subject line.
To learn more about the project and its progress, visit https://ucanr.edu/sites/socalIPM/Small_Scale_Urban_Agriculture_Project_/.
/h4>- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Indoor food waste bins (also known as kitchen bins or compost bins) have become a popular addition to Californian homes. They are a great way to collect food scraps and divert food waste from landfills, but they can sometimes attract pest insects like maggots, ants, and fruit flies. Below are some tips for keeping a pest-free food waste bin:
- Empty and clean indoor food waste bins frequently. Dump the food waste into your outdoor compost pile, drop it off at a composting facility, or place it into your municipal green waste bin. Emptying your indoor bin frequently (even if it's not full) can make it less attractive to pests and prevent flies from developing inside. Once empty, rinse the bin and clean it with soap and water before putting it back on the counter. Be sure to check the bin for any fly maggots or pupae stuck to the sides; scrape them off if found.
- Keep your bin or food scraps in the freezer. Putting your food waste in the freezer prevents it from breaking down and smelling. It can also kill any pest insects and prevents them from infesting your food waste bin.
- Place food scraps in a paper bag, wrap in newspaper, or use a compostable bag before placing in your organics or green waste bin for collection. Don't use a regular plastic bag since these are not biodegradable. This can keep the inside of your bins cleaner, but also reduce moisture which maggots need to survive. Excess moisture can also make your bin smell.
- Choose a bin with a tight-fitting lid. Prevent pests from being able to get into the bin by choosing a food waste bin with a secure lid. If your bin has ventilation holes at the top, choose an appropriately sized charcoal filter to cover the openings. Inspect the filter frequently for any fly maggots or pupae.
For more information about controlling indoor pests, visit the UC IPM household pests page.
Check with your local composting program for more tips on maintaining a food waste bin or visit CalRecycle's Organic Materials Management website at https://calrecycle.ca.gov/Organics/.
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Spring is here and if you are like us, you can't wait to get outside and see how your plants and garden are doing! As usual, UC IPM has useful tips for the month of April to prevent pests in the garden and landscape. To see more tips specific to your region, visit the Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist on the UC IPM website. Here are some general tips to get you started:
- Cover fruit trees with netting to exclude birds and other vertebrate pests.
- Aphids are out already so look for them and their natural enemies such as predaceous bugs like lacewings, lady beetles, and syrphid flies. On sturdy plants, spray aphids off with a strong stream of water or apply insecticidal oils or insecticidal soaps to kill them.
- Manage ants. Plants infested with honeydew producing insects like aphids, whiteflies, and mealybugs may attract ants who take that honeydew back to the nest to feed the colony. Manage ants around landscape and building foundations using insecticide baits and trunk barriers.
- Whitewash tree trunks to deter borers and prevent sunburn. Apply to young trees or older bark on susceptible trees newly exposed to sunlight.
- Look for signs of clearwing moths boring in ash, birch, pine, poplar, and willow.
- Check for signs of powdery mildew on apple, crape myrtle, grape, rose, and stone fruits. Take preventative measures, like pruning, to provide better air circulation between plants.
- Watch for yellowjackets and other wasps building nests in undesirable locations. Knock down newly started nests and use lure or water traps to control populations.
- Prevent mosquitoes by eliminating standing water in gutters, drain pipes, flowerpots, etc. Place Bt “dunks” (Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis) in birdbaths and ponds to selectively kill mosquito larvae.
- Adjust watering practices as rainfall decreases. Check irrigation systems for leaks and broken emitters and perform maintenance as needed. Consider upgrading the irrigation system to improve its water efficiency.
- Monitor stone fruit trees for pests such as aphids, borers, brown rot, caterpillars, powdery mildew, and scale insects.
Don't see your county on the checklist or want to provide feedback? Let us know!
- Author: Mackenzie Faith Patton
The invasive pest spotlight focuses on emerging or potential invasive pests in California. In this issue we are covering West Nile virus.
West Nile Virus Facts
West Nile virus disease was first reported in California in 2003 and has become the most common and serious vector-borne disease in California. With the exceptionally wet weather in 2023, reported cases of this mosquito-borne virus doubled compared to the previous year.
West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes in the genus Culex. Usually, the virus passes between mosquitoes and birds, but mosquitoes can also transmit the virus to humans, horses, and other domestic animals.
Because mosquitoes can get the virus from birds, monitoring bird populations and recording dead birds is one of the most important ways to track this disease.
What can you do?
The best way to prevent the spread of West Nile virus is to reduce mosquito populations through controlling the mosquito larval stages. Whenever possible, standing water should be drained, since mosquito larva can grow in as little as a few ounces of water. Clean gutters and storm drains to ensure water does not collect there. In areas that cannot be drained or mosquito-proofed, such as ponds, neglected pools, or unsealed rain barrels, there are some biocontrol options like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that can reduce mosquito populations. In addition to these preventative measures, protect yourself from adult mosquito bites by using mosquito repellents or wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
For more information on mosquito control and protecting yourself from mosquito-borne diseases, visit the UC IPM pages on mosquitoes. To report dead birds and view more information on West Nile in California, visit Westnile.ca.gov.
[Originally featured in the Spring 2024 edition of the Home & Garden Pest Newsletter]
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