- Author: Christine Casey
- Author: Lea Corkidi
Regular Haven visitors notice that we frequently change our planting. It's one of the joys of gardening -- there are always new plants to try and experiment with. At the Haven, research on new plants and methods for bee gardens is essential to our educational mission.
Previous posts have reported on our work with bee plant preferences, with an emphasis on low-water plants. Our colleagues at UC Cooperative Extension in Southern California have done similar work for that part of the state. Previous blog posts have covered research with mulch, plant color, and water; all are important components of a healthy bee garden.
But all this is for naught if it isn't put into practice. So our current work is to create tools for the California horticulture industry to educate employees and customers about bee garden best practices based on this research. The first step in this work is development of an efficient sampling method so growers, landscapers, and public gardens can easily assess the bee-attractiveness of new plants as they come on the market. This will allow these plants to be marketed correctly, and will also help growers to target bee-friendly pest management.
In our attractiveness studies the Southern CA team used timed counts, while the Northern CA team used a snapshot count method (1). This technique consists of 20 second quick counts of every plant that is repeated three times in succession rather than a single 3-minute timed count. The snapshot count is faster to complete and more readily worked into the day of an otherwise busy nursery employee.
The purpose of this study was to calculate the relative net precision (RNP) of each bee counting method at a wholesale nursery (Fallbrook, CA) and a public garden site (Encinitas, CA) in San Diego County. RNP is calculated as shown below and is a way to assess sampling efficiency by balancing precision and sampling cost (2).
RNP = [1/(cost x Rv)] x 100, where Rv = (SE/mean) x 100
Plants in full bloom were sampled weekly for at least 4 weeks using both methods. Bees were counted as honey bees or other bees as this distinction is easy for an untrained observer; only honey bee data is reported here. At both locations, we saw a larger absolute number of bees with the snapshot method, but the trend of most attractive to least attractive was the same for both methods (Figures 1 and 2). We are most interested in this trend rather than the absolute number, which is expected to vary between locations. Additionally, regression analysis shows that the two counting methods are strongly correlated (Figure 3).
Finally, we saw differences between the RNP values calculated for the two sampling methods, with higher RNP for the snapshot method at both locations (Table 1). Higher RNP means greater sampling efficiency (2).
A second year of study will begin in April at additional sites to confirm these findings. We look forward to providing the California green industry with a useful tool for supporting pollinator gardens.
References
1. Garbuzov and Ratnieks. 2014. Functional Ecology 28: 364-374.
2. Buntin pp 99-115 in Handbook of Sampling Methods for Arthropods in Agriculture. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 1994.
Integrated Pest Management Workshop for Retail Nurseries and Garden Centers
Register now for this hands-on, train-the-trainer workshop designed especially for retail nursery and garden center employees, managers, owners, and affiliates. The workshop, offered by the University of California Statewide IPM Program and UC Cooperative Extension, will help you and your employees gain new skills to better serve customers and keep them coming back!
When: Monday, November 4, 2019
Where: Scottish Rite Masonic Center, Sacramento, CA
Time: 8:30 AM to 3:15 PM
Cost: $40 per person
Topics will include:
-Insects, diseases, and vertebrate pests of vegetable gardens
-IPM tools and resources for the public
-Less toxic pesticides for vegetable pests
Your $40 registration fee includes a copy of the Vegetable Pest Identification card set, light breakfast, lunch, and training materials.
Don't miss this opportunity! Register online and see the full agenda at https://ucanr.edu/sites/RetailTrainingSac2019/
Registration is open exclusively for retail affiliates until Friday, October 18th at 5:00 PM. After this deadline, we will open registration to the general public.
If you are not affiliated with the retail nursery industry but want to attend, add your name to the training waitlist.
Please help us spread the word by sharing this message with your employees, owners, managers, and colleagues! Or, if you don't work at a nursery, please share with your local nursery or garden center.
We hope to see you there!
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Additional trainings will be held in Oakland in January 2020 and in San Diego in February 2020. Stay tuned for details and registration!
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
This article was written for the UC IPM Retail Nursery and Garden Center News, a publication directed at retail nursery store employees. With the recent confirmed human West Nile virus deaths in California, it's important to understand how mosquitoes reproduce and what you can do to prevent them around your home or other areas.
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You've likely heard about ways to get rid of mosquito breeding sites around your home and landscape, as well as how to protect yourself from being bitten. But what should you do if you own or work at a retail nursery or garden center and want to prevent mosquitoes from breeding at work, as well?
Mosquito Development
Mosquitoes need water to reproduce. Females lay eggs on or near the surface of standing water. The eggs hatch into larvae that live in water and breathe air through specialized breathing tubes. Larvae eat small aquatic organisms and organic matter, gradually growing until the next developmental stage, called the pupa.
As pupae, mosquitoes are still aquatic and breathe air, but do not feed. They next develop into adults and emerge out of the water as flying insects.
Adult female mosquitoes drink blood while male mosquitoes are nectar-feeders. Females of some mosquito species can carry diseases such as West Nile virus, Zika, malaria, St. Louis encephalitis, and typhoid fever.
Prevention
Keep mosquitoes from becoming adults by controlling them in their aquatic stages. In nurseries and garden centers, pots sitting in saucers, trays that hold water, and puddles on floors and under benches are critical mosquito development sites.
Limit these breeding sites by emptying standing water that will sit for more than a few days. Frequently empty water from trays, fountains, saucers, or other areas. Check drains to make sure they are not clogged by debris and holding back water.
Treatment
If you have water displays, such as bird baths, fountains, or ponds, you can use products like Mosquito Bits and Mosquito Dunks, which contain the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis (Bti). This is an effective method to kill mosquito larvae with reduced risk to humans, fish, or bees.
Learn more and protect yourself
It's important that everyone working at a retail nursery or garden center understands best practices for mosquito prevention in order to stop mosquitoes from breeding on site. Employees can talk to customers about steps they can take at home to reduce mosquitoes, helping to protect themselves and their families.
It is up to all of us to help in the fight to control mosquitoes and limit the spread of diseases they can carry.
For much more information about diseases such as West Nile virus, limiting mosquito breeding sites, and protecting yourself from mosquito bites, visit the June 2013 issue of the Retail IPM News http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PDF/PUBS/retailipmnews.2013.jun.pdf and the UC IPM Pest Notes: Mosquitoes http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7451.html.
Find your local mosquito and vector control agency to learn what's being done in your area to reduce mosquitoes and how your store can help: http://www.mvcac.org/about/member-agencies/.
In California, exotic plants were originally introduced by humans who planned to use them for ornamental or aquarium use, or for use as forage, food, fiber, medicinal or soil stabilization purposes. In some cases, the unintended outcome has been plants that have become invasive.
Some invasive plants are still for sale at retail nursery and garden centers. Some examples of available invasive plant species include pampasgrass (Cortaderia selloana), Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius), English ivy (Hedera helix) and crimson fountaingrass (Pennisetumsetaceum), and Mexican feathergrass (Stipa tenuissima).
Most gardeners and landscapers unknowingly purchase invasive plants. When buying plants, they look for those that are attractive and do well in the landscape; and some invasive plants fit these criteria. However, there are many alternatives to invasive plants that look similar, but don't pose a risk to California's environment and economy.
If you want to avoid purchasing invasive plants, read the Pest Note: Invasive Plants for help with identifying invasives. You can also visit the PlantRight website and look for Plants by Region of California for recommendations on which plants to purchase instead.
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Retailers-- are you registered yet for the January 24, IPM Training for Retail Nurseries and Garden Centers? If not, you only have a few more days to claim your spot.
When: Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Where: Oakland Center, CSU East Bay -- Oakland, CA
Time: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Cost: $30 per person
This hands-on, train-the-trainer workshop is designed especially for retail nursery and garden center employees, managers, owners, and affiliates. Training topics include invasive pests, Asian citrus psyllid and huanglongbing disease, household pests, and IPM and pesticides. Participants will receive relevant materials and helpful resources to bring back so they can train others store employees.
Spaces are being held exclusively for retail nursery and garden center affiliates until Tuesday, Jan. 11. After that date, any remaining spaces will be open to the general public.
Register now before the training fills up!
Details at http://ucanr.edu/sites/retailipm2016oakland/
If you are not a retail affiliate, sign up on our Wait List and we'll let you know on January 12 if space is available.
For information about our Sacramento workshop to be held on January 31, 2017 visit http://ucanr.edu/sites/retailipm2017sac/