NC Apple Festival - Recipe Contest

Do you have a secret apple recipe handed down through many generations. If so consider entering it in the 2009 Apple Recipe Contest on Friday, September 4th. See the entire registration brochure below. Registration deadline is September 1st.

Registration Form

Polk County Cooperative Extension is co-sponsoring a Pesticide Pick Up Day on Thursday, September 3rd. It will be held from 10 am to 2 pm at the 4-H Center on Locust Street in Columbus, NC.

If you have unwanted or unused pesticides that you no longer use, please bring them in a labeled container and they will be gladly accepted. There is no charge to drop off these products. We will not accept paints or paint thinners.

For more information, contact John Vining at (828) 894-8218.

Why are milkweeds important? Check out this video.

I planted a milkweed in my garden this spring. I have noticed all the activity of aphids, ants, and lady beetles on it throughout the year. Check out this fun video regarding milkweeds. I hope you will learn a thing or two that you may not of know. I did!

Late Blight in Henderson County

Late blight was confirmed at the research station in Mills River from a field grown tomato sample from Henderson County. Reports of the disease will most likely start popping up all over WNC. Homeowners should continue to spray preventative treatments of fungicides according to the label. See my previous post from July 21st for symptoms and spray options.

Henderson County Book Garden Bookletter

If you love garden books as much as you love gardening then you might be interested in signing up for the new Book Garden BookLetter, brought to you by the Henderson County Library. Each month you will receive an email newsletter highlighting gardening books available at the library. The selections include both newly added titles and some perennial favorites. The newsletter has links directly to the library catalog so you may easily reserve titles of interest. Sign up today at the Henderson County Public Library. Click on the BookLetters logo and scroll down to the Book Garden.

What is up with the locust trees?

I have had many calls the past few weeks regarding the bronzing of the locust leaves throughout Henderson County. The locust leafminer is primarily a pest of black locust. Adults skeletonize and eat holes in the leaves; whereas, larvae mine the tissue between the upper and lower-leaf surface (mining damage is the most destructive). Under outbreak conditions, whole hillsides turn gray or brown, often suggesting fall color change. Outbreaks of the locust leafminer are generally more spectacular than destructive. Control of the locust leafminer is generally not necessary.