Pest Management & Plant Health

The Summer 2020 issue of the Retail Nursery and Garden Center IPM Newsletter is now available online.

Summer weather is still going strong, and so are tomato and other veggie plants. Believe it or not, it's already time to start planning your fall vegetable garden! In fact, some vegetables need to be started from seed very soon.

From the Lassen county Farm Advisor's Update newsletter (Aug.

A newly published research paper authored by UC Davis-trained entomologist Emily Bick provides the most thorough look at how salinity impacts water hyacinth and its biological control agent, the weevil Neochetina bruchi. The paper appears in the current edition of Journal of Hydrobiologia.

It's good to see Washington State University Extension's newly published, updated fact sheet on the Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia. You can view or download it here for free.

The last weeks of summer are here and many are maximizing time outdoors, whether in yards, parks, or natural areas. As you enjoy the sunshine and perhaps a picnic, it is possible you may encounter different types of stinging insects such as bees and wasps.

Monarchs, bless their little hearts, souls and wings, deposited 16 eggs on our milkweed plants in July.

Summer in the Central Valley is hot, hot, hot. As I try to stay cool during this relentless heat my thoughts turn to fall, one of my favorite times of year.

Perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) also known as tall whitetop is a root-creeping perennial weed. It is commonly found along roadsides, ditches, and drains. It is also a big problem in pastures, non-cropland, and even cropland that is not tilled on a yearly basis.

If you are growing tomatoes in your garden, you may not be the only vertebrate going for your hard earned harvest. Are rats feasting away in the garden? We have a couple resources we can share to help you reduce or prevent rat damage to your tomatoes.