By Katie Markheim
Nebraska Extension Master Gardener
June 26 – Integrated pest management, or IPM, is a strategy that uses a combination of methods to manage pests to avoid unacceptable damage while also protecting the health of humans, pets, other nontargets, and the environment. Here are a few IPM tips.
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Prevent insects, disease, and weeds by mulching, using protective netting, and selecting disease-resistant plants.
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Plant flowers and/or herbs in and around your garden to attract pollinators and beneficial bugs.
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Use organic or conventional treatment options to handle, slow or stop insect pests or disease issues.
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Know what to use and when to use it for best results.
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Contact your local extension agency for help in pest identification and expert tips and remedies.
June 27 – Moles, Voles, and Gophers…oh my! These burrowing rodents look harmless but beware. They may be damaging your lawn, garden, tree plantings, or forage crops. They adversely affect turf and crops by directly feeding on roots, stems, and leaves, exposing plant roots to drying, and burying plants with excavated soil. Never fear. Management is most effective when using a combination of controls such as trapping, exclusion, fumigants, repellents, or reducing food sources.
June 28 – Peppers in the Flower Pot, say what? Many vegetables have ornamental as well as food value and can be used as ornamentals where space for a traditional food garden is limited. They can be incorporated as decorative container plantings in outdoor living spaces, big or small, even in floral arrangements for a creative flair. I suggest using these vegetables as ornamentals: peppers, kale, ornamental corn, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, okra, and even tomatoes.
June 29 – Remembering your roots. When choosing landscape plants, it’s easy to get distracted by the natural beauty offered at first site. Remember to check those roots. Purchase plants with healthy root systems. If plants are in containers, pull them out to observe the presence of healthy white or light-colored roots. Check for spiraling, girdling, or circling roots. This can be corrected at planting by scoring the sides and bottom of the root ball.
June 30 – Dear Master Gardener, how can I tell the difference between a determinate and an indeterminate tomato?
Determinate tomatoes are small, compact plants that grow to a certain height, then flower and set all their fruit within a short time frame. The harvest period for determinate tomatoes is generally 4-6 weeks, making them good choices for canning and fresh consumption.
Indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow, flower, and set fruit until killed by the first fall frost. The fruit on indeterminate cultivars usually mature later than determinate tomatoes, but the harvest period often extends over 2-3 months. Yields are generally higher than determinate types. Indeterminate tomatoes are tall, sprawling plants that often perform best when supported by stakes or cages.