Pesticide Pick up Day Scheduled

On Wednesday, June 3rd, farmers and homeowners can dispose of their unwanted or unused pesticides. The Haywood County Extension Center along with NCDA&CS will be sponsoring a pesticide disposal collection day from 10:00am - 2:00pm at the Extension office on Raccoon Road in Waynesville.

We will be able to collect any pesticide (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.) that are in original containers and are clearly labeled. There is no charge to the public for this service.

Materials of unknown identity, paints, or other hazardous waste will not be accepted.

For more information contact Tim Mathews at 828-456-3575.

Azalea Lace Bugs are here!

Azalea lace bugs (Stephanitis pyrioides) are one of the most damaging nursery and landscape pests and the most damaging pest of evergreen azaleas. They overwinter as eggs in azalea leaves and begin hatching around the present time. Control is best targeted early in the season when nymphs are present for two reasons. First, nymphs are easier to kill than adults and if you kill nymphs before they mature and lay eggs you have a better chance of clearing up the infestation. Second, the longer azalea lace bugs are on your plant the more damage they do. On evergreen azaleas this damage sticks around for a long time so plants may be permanently damaged. So scout your azaleas and get those lace bugs cleared up before damage occurs. For more information and control options, consult Ornamentals and Turf Insect Note ENT/ort-39.

Henderson County Gardening Guide

The Henderson County Master Gardener Volunteers are proud to announce the release of their “Gardening Guide.” The Gardening Guide is a product of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program and was written by a small group of those volunteers who have gone to great effort to produce a beneficial tool for both the novice and experienced gardener.

The Guide provides research-based information to help the gardener deal specifically with local growing conditions that have proven to be a concern. To obtain a copy of the Henderson County Gardening Guide, stop by NC Cooperative Extension in Jackson Park to purchase your booklet for the affordable price of $5.00.