Fun Online Tree Pruning Guide

One of my fellow extension agents sent me a link to this website about pruning. I thought it was great and I think you will enjoy it. The virtual pruning lesson is especially fun.

http://www.arborday.org/trees/pruning/animation/launch.cfm

For additional information about pruning trees and shrubs, contact your local extension agent.

Look out for rhododendron borers

Adult rhododendron borers active in May and June, are small black moths with white and yellow markings. These moths lay their eggs on the bark of rhododendrons, azaleas, and mountain laurels. Tiny caterpillars hatch from the eggs, bore into the sapwood, and develop into inch-long "worms." The boring by the caterpillars may cause the stem to wilt. If the stem is large enough it may not wilt. However, sometimes the first indication of rhododendron borer infestation is that the stem breaks off. Pruning and destroying heavily-infested parts of the plants is component of the management for this pest.

From: Steve Bambara, Extension Entomologist, NCSU

Garden Jubilee in Hendersonville

Henderson County Master Gardeners would like to invite you to downtown Hendersonville this weekend to the Garden Jubilee festival. We have set up a booth and are selling cookbooks, garden gloves, and other items with proceeds going to future educational projects for Henderson County. Be sure to stop by to purchase a few items or to just ask a gardening question. See you in downtown Hendersonville.

We warned you. The Asheville area (Buncombe County) is reporting the beginning of the emergence of adult periodical cicadas, much to the distress of the unsuspecting homeowner.

Periodical cicadas don't bite and really don't do permanent damage to trees. However, you may want to net over any special small trees in your yard. If you have one of those dogs who will eat anything, be prepared for some retching. They don't hurt the dog, but those wings and exoskeletons don't go down without a fight!

See this site for additional information on cicadas

Taken from Insect notes by Steve Toth, NCSU.

Boxwood Leaf Miners

Every year I receive several calls and receive samples of boxwood leafminers. I was just reminded this week as I was walking past my boxwoods that now would be a great time to spray to kill the adult flies. This should be timed as the new shoots begin to appear, which is now at my house. At other times during the year, you can treat with a soil drench or soil injection using a product that contains imidacloprid. For more information about boxwood leafminers, see the NCSU publication provided below or call your local Extension Agent.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/shrubs/ort016e/ort016e.htm

Plant Clinic now open

Every year Haywood County Extension trains Master Gardener Volunteers to help answer your horticultural questions. Once trained, these volunteers staff the hotline in our plant clinic from 9am-noon daily, Monday-Friday. Please take advantage of this service by calling 456-3575 or feel free to stop by with your samples.

They're Back!

This past week I was making a field call and saw my first tent caterpillars of the season. At this point in the year, the nests are small and easy to remove from the trees. Although unsightly, this insect does very little damage to their host tree.

For more information, you can contact an Extension Master Gardener at 456-3575 or view my post entitled Eastern Tent Caterpillar.

http://masteryourgarden.blogspot.com/2007/04/eastern-tent-caterpillar.html

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note61/note61.html