- Author: Chris M. Webb
There is much community and grower support to stop the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) from becoming established in Ventura County. While it has not yet been identified in our county, it is very close. An ACP was found recently in Van Nuys.
This is an extremely dangerous pest because it can carry the vector for the disease, Huanglongbing (HLB, also known as citrus greening), that destroys citrus trees, orchards and related industries in locations were ACP becomes established.
Invasive pests and disease, such as the ACP/HLB pest-disease complex negatively affect agricultural productivity, public health, natural resource biodiversity and our own backyards.
Thank you all for your support. Please contact our office if you would like hard copy outreach materials for yourself or for groups.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP) continues its advance through Southern California. This is an extremely destructive pest. The disease it carries is capable of destroying citrus trees, orchards, and related industries.
An ACP Task Force has been formed in Ventura County. Top priority is to reduce the spread of the psyllid, which in turn will reduce the spread of disease. Your help is needed to stop this pest. You can help in the following ways:
- Do not bring citrus trees, other plants, or fruit into the state from other counties, states, or countries.
- If you have citrus on your property, please check regularly (at least monthly) for signs of infestation. Details on what to look for can be found here.
- Encourage your friends, neighbors and relatives to do the same
- A suspected ACP infestation should be reported immediately to the CDFA hotline at 800.491.1899, or your county agricultural commissioner. The Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner can be reached at 805.933.2926
The Ventura County ACP-HLB task force will be conducting a workshop on February 25, 2010 designed for growers and pest-control advisors. More information about the workshop can be found here.
Our office has outreach materials available to help spread the word. Please contact us if you would like some.
Psyllid eggs and nymphs tucked into crevices and folds.
Asian Citrus Psyllid nymph
Asian Citrus Psyllid adult
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Winter is the dormant period for deciduous fruit trees. It is a perfect time for caring for the trees. Proper care now increases the likelihood for better fruit and fewer problems through spring and summer. Main tasks for this time are: pruning, sanitation, and pest & disease control.
The University of California division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) has a free downloadable document “Winter Pest Management in Backyard Deciduous Fruit Trees" to help you plan and complete these tasks.
As an added bonus, the instructions contain many links to related information!
- Author: Chris M. Webb
Ever wanted or needed to know more about a pest? This is a common request at the Ventura County UCCE office.
The University of California has a wonderful website devoted to IPM (integrated pest management). The site is quite diverse. It has information about:
- the home, which includes pests of structures, people and pets.
- gardens and landscapes, where viewers can search by plant or by common pests, including plant diseases and weeds. Common management methods are also a part of this section.
- whether pesticide use is appropriate, how pesticide use relates to water quality, and other pesticide guidelines and suggestions.
- identification of pests and natural enemies with the aid of photo galleries.
- quick tips, available in PDF format, in English and Spanish.
These subjects and much more can be found here.
- Author: Chris M. Webb
The University of California (UC) Statewide Master Gardener Program has recently developed a Web site for California’s home gardeners at http://groups.ucanr.org/cagardenweb/index.cfm – Advice to Grow By! This new site will be the UC gardening portal, extending UC research-based information about gardening, landscapes, and lawns. The site focuses on sustainable gardening practices and uses a question and answer format.
The Master Gardener website committee used the current California Master Gardener Handbook for structure and content. The site is incredibly informative and easy to follow.
Main categories on the navigation bar are:
Gardening basics * Your climate zone * Find your local Master Gardener * Pests, diseases, weeds * Vegetables * Nut & fruit trees & vines * Landscape trees, shrubs & vines * Lawns * Flowers * Indoor plants * Poisonous plants * Glossary * Classes & events
Another great feature on the home page of the site is “Your Weekly Gardening Tip – a UC Blog”. As the title suggests, a weekly gardening tip is provided to allow readers to easily access information pertaining to issues most likely of concern to readers at the time the tip was posted. As with the rest of the site, further related information is easily accessible.
Next time you have a question, or some extra time to simply enjoy learning, check it out. You’ll be glad you did!
