Community and School Gardening in Georgia – Page 23

Honey Bees in the Community Garden-A Guest Post by Jennifer Grimes

November 30, 2015September 10, 2014 by Becky Griffin

As people become increasingly aware of the importance of pollinators, more community gardens are considering establishing a honey bee hive (or three) of their own. Not only do bee-flower interactions increase garden productivity, bee hives can provide great educational opportunities for the communities that keep them.

By providing pollinator support to your garden, you are greatly increasing the chance that your crop yield will be heavier and of better quality than without bees. To give just one example of this, the Honey Bee Project of the University of Hawaii found that the addition of one hive to a hectare of cucumber plants can result in three times the fruit production as compared to a plot with no hives. Moreover, in terms of fruit development, they found that a minimum of eight to ten bee-flower interactions is necessary to produce a cucumber of adequate quality.

Bees provide crucial agricultural support to gardens, but they also afford us with important learning opportunities in regard to the ecology and interconnected nature of our food systems. The practice of keeping bees permits communities to learn about the living systems that provide food for us. Around one third of our global food production and 90 percent of wild plants are dependent on pollinator services. As bee populations decline due to Colony Collapse Disorder, rampant pesticide use, loss of habitat, pests and diseases, and genetic uniformity caused by selective breeding, the spreading of awareness is increasingly critical in our efforts to reverse the problem. The bees give us an opportunity to increase awareness of how to not only live sustainably within the system, but how to nurture it as well.

Now that we know how the establishment of bee hives in our community gardens can help us as gardeners, we need to ask ourselves how we can help the bees. Beekeeping is a fun, rewarding hobby, but taking upon the responsibility of caring for a colony of bees not a task to be taken lightly. Establishing beehives in your community garden requires either procuring a local beekeeper or becoming a beekeeper yourself in order to maintain the hives. Beekeeping associations often offer beekeeping courses in the early spring. Though these are not required to become a hobby beekeeper in Georgia, they are highly recommended for the benefit of the bees and the keepers.

Honey Bees Coming Home - photo by Jeff Martin — Honey Bees Coming Home – photo by Jeff Martin

In order to ensure a healthy, happy hive, take part in best management and good neighbor practices. It’s critical that your hive has a variety of non-pesticide-laced wildflowers to forage for food when crops are not in bloom. Strategically planting varieties of native wildflowers that bloom when crops are not blooming will provide season-long food supplies to keep your honey bees, as well as our critical native pollinators, healthy and productive. Plus they are pretty! It is also important that the bees have access to a clean nearby source of water; they need this to help produce food for baby bees as well as to cool their hives during the hot summer months. Keeping these necessities close by will discourage bees from traveling long distances and wasting energy that could be used to make honey, as well as from becoming a nuisance by spending too much time around your neighbor’s pool.

In regard to liability issues, there’s no guarantee a neighbor or visitor won’t bring a nuisance or negligence case against you regardless of the precautions you’ve taken. As Georgia has no laws protecting beekeepers from these legal actions, this topic is open for legal interpretation. However, the liability risk is negligible in comparison to the great ecological benefits that these insects provide. Moreover, honey bees are an extremely docile species of bee and the likelihood of being stung is extremely low, especially when they are not in their hive. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly believe they have been stung by a honey bee when in fact they were stung by a yellow jacket or other aggressive stinging insect. Considering that the act of stinging causes the bee to die, this action is only taken as a last resort when defending their colony. Some beekeepers claim that honey bees are so docile that, when foraging for food in flowers, they can even be pet. Keith Delaplane, a UGA entomologist has a thorough publication, Honey Bees and Beekeeping. Helpful information on all types of bees can also be found through the Xerces Society.

If you’re interested in establishing a bee hive in your community garden, you can learn more by visiting local beekeepers, taking some beekeeping classes, or by contacting your local UGA Extension office.

Jennifer Grimes is a City and Regional Planning Graduate Student at Georgia Tech. She is currently an intern with the Georgia Tech Urban Honey Bee Project. Jennifer is also a home brewer and plans on making mead in the near future using local honey – Honey Bee-r!

Happy beekeeping!

This caterpillar can sting – what is it?

November 30, 2015September 2, 2014 by Willie Chance

This information came from the UGA publication, Stinging and Biting Pests by Elmer Gray, UGA Entomologist. See the original publication for more information on stinging and biting insects

The caterpillars of some moths have sharp, hollow spines or hairs that contain venom. Contact with these spines causes a burning inflammation of the skin, but can be more serious when in contact with a mucous membrane or the eyes. The spines from dead caterpillars are still problematic. Most of these caterpillars feed on the leaves of various hardwood trees and shrubs and contact with people is uncommon. The venomous spines are a defense mechanism and the colorful patterns or unusual body shapes serve as a warning to their enemies. About 25 species have spines that can be painful. Three of the more common species are described below.

Puss Caterpillars:

Puss caterpillars may be pale yellow, gray or reddish brown, about 1 inch long and densely covered with hairs. Among these hairs are hollow spines with venom. Stings on the hand can cause the entire arm to swell and become numb. Later, there can be severe pain followed by itching. Young children are often more severely affected. Large population increases in local areas can cause a problem.

Saddleback Caterpillars:

The saddleback caterpillar is approximately 1 inch long and has a brown slug-like body with a green mid-section. In the middle of the green midsection there is a distinctive brown saddle mark with a white border. Venom-filled spines are located on fleshy “knobs” on all sides of its body. Contact with this caterpillar’s spines can be extremely painful and severe reactions are possible for sensitive individuals.

Hag Moth Caterpillars:

The hag moth caterpillar is a strange-looking brownish caterpillar with six pairs of curly projections, three long and three short, coming from the flattened body. The plume-like projections on its back project out to the sides, suggesting the disarranged hairs of a hag. Among the brown hairs on the projections are longer black stinging hairs. These caterpillars are solitary and can easily be mistaken for leaf debris.

Control:

Control is usually not needed since contact is uncommon and these caterpillars are usually solitary. If a number of stinging caterpillars are seen feeding on the foliage around areas where children are active, spray the foliage with an insecticide labeled for tree and shrub application. Remember, dead caterpillars can still cause painful stings. Spread a cloth or plastic sheet under a tree or shrub to collect the fallen dead caterpillars, and then carefully dispose of them.

Find other Stinging and Venomous Caterpillars here.

Healthy Life Community Garden

November 30, 2015August 27, 2014 by Becky Griffin

“We are NOT building a garden. We are breaking generational barriers, cultivating and amending the fallow ground of imagination and hope, planting seeds of thought, birthing fruit of propensity for prosperity. That – that is what we are doing.” This is on a sign that greets you when you visit the Healthy Life Community Gardens in Griffin. The garden is located on the grounds of the old Fairmont High School, which was started as a Rosenwald school. Rosenwald schools were primarily built for the education of African-Americans in the early 20th century. So, there is a lot of history here. But, the school has been closed down for some time now and the area forgotten until the idea was born to create a garden here. And, it is a beautiful garden.

There is no cost to get a plot at the garden and the Griffin Area Housing Authority

provides water. There are 17 official gardeners using assigned raised beds. And, others who come to just volunteer here. There is a

pollinator garden and a nice seating area. A unique feature to this garden is the “Summer in the Garden” reading program where volunteers from the FERST Foundation bring garden-themed books to read and give to young gardeners. The space has designated Community Areas where anyone can pick and take vegetables. They have recently added some fruit and pecan trees.

At the heart of the garden is Patti Beckham. Patti is a program assistant with Spalding County Extension and you can hear the passion in her voice as she talks about the garden, and the people who garden here. Patti taught at Fairmont for eight years

when it became a special needs school. She loves seeing the place reborn. She conducts a Junior Master Garden program here and also supervises 4-H students who are volunteers. Patti and Wade Hutcheson, the Spalding County ANR agent, agree that

UGA Extension Agent, Wade Hutcheson, visits with gardeners Jimmy Jones and Ernest Lewis. Mr. Jones went to the Fairmont school in the late 1960s. — UGA Extension Agent, Wade Hutcheson, visits with gardeners Jimmy Jones and Ernest Lewis. Mr. Jones went to the Fairmont school in the 1950s.

the number one need is more gardeners from the immediate community. Wade says the garden is here and within walking distance of so many people, he is hoping that more will come out. For more information about the garden contact Wade at the Spalding County Extension Office at 770-467-4225.

The first rule at the Healthy Life Community Gardens is “I will have fun.” Isn’t that great?

Happy Gardening!

Collard Greens – A Southern Favorite

November 30, 2015August 20, 2014 by Becky Griffin

Can any Southern garden truly be Southern without collard greens? If you are from the South your Grandmother probably cooked them up with a bit of smoked meat or bacon. They are a staple at the Sunday dinner table, tasty and very nutritious. Collard greens are a wonderful fall plant because they can take the heat and the cold. For questions about any fall garden vegetable contact your local UGA Extension Agent.

August is the time for direct seed sowing. Make sure your soil is loose and well-drained. The seeds will germinate at soil temperatures from 45 degrees – 85 degrees, a very wide range. Seed heavily, putting about 2 inches between seeds, and cover the seeds with about 1/4-1/2 inch of soil. Thin to 12-18 inches between plants. The thinnings can be steamed and eaten or transplanted. Since you are planting in the summer, insect pests may be a problem for very young seedlings.

Many gardeners start their seeds inside and transplant hardier seedlings. For transplants, either raised or purchased, September is the time for planting. Transplants will adjust quicker if they are planted on a cloudy day or hardened off to the heat by keeping them in the shade for a few days. Keep the plants 12-18 inches apart. Collards are heavy feeders so make sure to add some fertilizer or compost when you plant. Nitrogen keeps those leaves nice and green. Keep the young plants well watered. Some gardeners have problems with leaf spots on their greens. Paul Pugliese’s Leaf Spots on Greens Related to Moisture could be helpful if this happens to you.

With collard greens you don’t have to worry about the first frost damaging the plant. The greens actually taste sweeter after a frost.

You can harvest greens a number of ways. You can harvest the entire plant when it is half grown or full grown. Or, you can begin taking several of the outer, lower leaves after the plants are about a foot tall. Harvesting the plant a few leaves at a time will prolong your harvest and you will have fresh greens as you want them.

Blue Max, Georgia Southern, Hevi-Crop are all recommended cultivars. Master Gardeners have also had success with Georgia Green as well. These should be available almost at any place that sells seeds. If you are fortunate enough to live near an old fashioned feed and seed store or an older hardware store, you may be able to find seeds there. Also, there are several mail order companies such as Seed Savers Exchange and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds that specialize in hard to find seeds.

The poet Maya Angelou is quoted as saying “The best comfort food will always be greens, cornbread, and fried chicken.” We tend to agree, don’t you?

Happy Gardening!

Why do these lantana have injured leaves and no blooms?

November 30, 2015August 15, 2014 by Willie Chance

Lantana Lace Bugs Can Stop Bloom!

Why do these lantana have injured leaves and no blooms? — Lantana lacebug injury, Chazz Hesselein, Alabama Cooperative Extension, Bugwood.org

Lantanas can bloom from June through early October in Georgia. Lantana lace bug can stop blooming in the summer leaving green plants with no blooms. The lantana lace bug is a small brown insect up to 1/6 inch long. Adult lace bugs are long, oval insects with a midsection that is slightly wider than the ends. The rear of the lantana lace bug is blunt but rounded off. The young are dull-colored and spiny. Look for the lantana lace bug by shaking the branch over a piece of white paper or light-colored cloth.

Lace bugs feed on the bottom of the leaves and on young flower buds. They make the top of the leaves speckled with white, similar to mite injury. Underneath the leaf you may see brown, tarry spots that are the insect’s droppings. Since lace bugs feed on young flower buds, lantana bloom may be severely reduced or stopped completely. When populations are very high, the lantana leaves may turn almost white and fall from the plant.

Cultural Control:

Lace bugs do have several natural enemies that help to control their numbers – spiders, lacewing larvae, assassin bugs and predaceous mites. Be careful using pesticides to preserve these natural enemies of the lantana lace bug.

Planting less susceptible varieties of lantana may help reduce lace bug numbers though this may not completely control lace bugs:

Lantana that are less susceptible to lantana lace bug:

Weeping White, White Lightning, Weeping Lavender, Imperial Purple, Patriot Rainbow, Denholm Dwarf White, Radiation, Dallas Red, Gold Mound, New Gold and Lemon Swirl

Cultivars of Lantana montevidensis

Small leafed varieties seem to be less susceptible than large leafed varieties, although both types can be attacked by lantana lace bugs.

Lantana that are more susceptible to lantana lace bug:

Patriot Desert Sunset, Pink Frolic and Patriot Sunburst

If cultural and natural controls do not limit the lace bug population, you may need to treat with chemicals.

Chemical Control:

See the UGA Pest Management Handbook for pesticide recommendations. Read and follow all label directions when using pesticides. This is especially important now since some pesticide labels have changed.

Check the plants in two weeks after the first treatment and treat again if needed. Once you control the lace bugs, the blooms should slowly return if temperatures are warm enough and other growing conditions are good.

For more information:

Caterpillars feeding on shrubs and trees in the fall

November 30, 2015August 14, 2014 by Willie Chance

In the fall, there are several caterpillars that feed on the leaves of trees and shrubs. Although the leaf damage may look significant, the plants may not be as damaged as one may think. You need to understand the type, size and the growth phase of the plant and the type of caterpillar you have before deciding whether to control them.

Deciduous trees will soon be losing their leaves anyway. Foliage feeding by caterpillars is likely to cause little injury. The leaves are going to fall off anyway.

For evergreen trees, foliage loss will be more likely to affect the tree and control is more likely to be needed. For evergreen trees, especially avoid defoliation of entire limbs since these often do not recover.

Bagworms are a long lasting problem since the bags contain hundreds of eggs which will hatch next year. Unfortunately, at this time of year you will need to pick off the bags and destroy them since the bags are sealed now and pesticide cannot easily get inside. Remove the bags you can see right now and plan to check these plants for small bagworms next May.

Young trees or trees weakened by other factors may be more likely to be damaged by loss of foliage to caterpillars than younger, healthy trees.

Evergreen shrubs retain their leaves throughout the fall and winter and into next year. Injured leaves on evergreen shrubs will be visible until they fall naturally – which could be a year or more from now. Control decisions on shrubs should be based on the level of aesthetic injury the home owner will accept.

Deciduous shrubs, like deciduous trees, will be losing their leaves soon and foliage loss to caterpillars in the fall is less likely to cause a lasting problem.

For information on control measures, see these resources:

IPM for Select Deciduous Trees

Pest Management Handbook

Contact your local Extension Office

Forest Pest Insects in North America: a Photographic Guide

Tomato Recipe from 4th and Swift

November 30, 2015August 13, 2014 by Becky Griffin

It seems no matter how hard we plan at some point during the summer we have more tomatoes than we know what to do with. We have eaten many BLT sandwiches, given the neighbors more than they can use, and canned tomatoes for the winter. You have donated scads to the local food bank. What next? I asked chef and owner of the restaurant 4th and Swift, Jay Swift, how he would handle this problem and he gave me a recipe that is perfect for those tomatoes!

Heirloom Tomato and Melon Gazpacho

1 pound tomatoes, cut into quarters

1 cantaloupe, skin and seeds removed

1 honeydew melon, skin and seeds removed

5 basil leaves

1 TBSP champagne vinegar

3/4 cup olive oil

Salt/pepper to taste

Honeydew Melon, Cantaloupe, Tomatoes, and Basil sauteing in Olive Oil.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. Add the tomato quarters, melons, and basil. (Note: with a gas stove make sure you turn off the heat when you add your ingredients. This prevents flames in the pan.) Saute the ingredients until they start to bleed out, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and quickly store in the refrigerator. Once everything is chilled, buzz in the food processor with vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Chef Swift is a gardener in his own right and his restaurant is known for its farm-to-table menu, using all-natural and sustainable farm products. He was happy to share a photo of his garden with us. He is proud of his restaurant located in the Old Fourth Ward district of Atlanta near the new Atlanta Beltline project. And he should be! We thank him for sharing his culinary expertise with us.

Chef Jay Swift's Garden — Chef Jay Swift’s Garden

Happy Eating!

Fall Armyworms in Turf

November 30, 2015August 6, 2014 by Willie Chance

Will Hudson¹, Cheri Abraham² and Kris Braman¹

¹ UGA Entomologists and ²Field Operations Manager/ Entomologist at US Citrus, LLC

Fall Armyworms in Turf — Large armyworm. Photo by Kris Braman, UGA Entomologist

In late summer, almost every year, caterpillars invade turfgrass throughout Georgia. The damage to established turf is mostly aesthetic, but newly sodded or sprigged areas can be more severely damaged or even killed. While there are several caterpillars that can damage turfgrass, in late summer most of the problems are from fall armyworms.

Hot, dry weather can intensify fall armyworm problems when egg-laying adults concentrate their eggs in irrigated, green turf. At least some cultivars of all warm season grasses are susceptible. Cool season grasses like tall fescue are very favorable for fall armyworm growth and development too, and do not regenerate as readily as the stoloniferous grasses.

Fall armyworm adults migrate northward every year from southern overwintering areas. Adult armyworm moths are active at night and females lay eggs in masses of 50 to several hundred. These night-flying moths are attracted to lights and to lighter colored surfaces. Egg masses on structures around turf (eaves and gutters, fence and porch posts, flags on golf courses) and even on taller foliage plants can be the first indicators of incipient infestations.

Eggs hatch in a few days, and the young larvae begin to feed on leaf tissue. Damage from small larvae may at first look like skeletonizing, but as the worms grow, the entire leaf is consumed. Small larvae at this time are easier to control and have inflicted less damage than full grown (35-50 mm long) larvae. Full grown larvae will soon pupate in upper soil/thatch layer and will not be susceptible to insecticides at this point.

Armyworm larvae are most active early and late in the day, spending the hotter hours down near the soil in the shade. Larvae feed for 2 to 3 weeks before pupating in the soil. Moths emerge 10 – 14 days later. The entire life cycle from egg to adult moth takes about 28 days in the warm weather of August and September.

If there is any doubt about whether worms are present, pouring soapy water on the grass (1/2 oz. dishwashing soap/gallon water) will bring them up very quickly. Heavily infested turf will also have visible greenish-black fecal pellets on the soil surface. Other indicators of armyworm infestations may include birds or even paper wasps that use the fall armyworms as food.

Control of Armyworms

Control of armyworms and other turf caterpillars is relatively simple once the problem is identified. There are several pesticides from which to choose depending upon the site you are treating. Consult the UGA Pest Management Handbook or your local Extension Agent for recommendations. Read and follow all label directions when using pesticides.

Armyworms are most active late in the day and at night, so pesticide applications should be made as late as practical for best results. It is not necessary to water after application but an application rate of 20 – 25 gallons of solution per acre as a minimum will ensure good coverage. Cutting the grass prior to application may improve control, but do not cut grass for 1 –3 days after application.

In addition to the birds and paper wasps mentioned above, a number of other insects feed on armyworms, including tiger beetles and other ground beetles. Fall armyworms, like many other turf infesting caterpillars can also be heavily parasitized by tiny wasps that kill the caterpillars and cause no harm to humans or pets. These natural enemies can be conserved by spot rather than blanket spraying and properly timing control efforts.

Looking Forward to Fall Vegetables-Guest Post by Amy Whitney

November 30, 2015August 6, 2014 by Becky Griffin

The summer vegetable garden is still producing plenty of great food for most Georgia gardeners, but the first frost date is getting close enough that we all can begin to think about fall crops.

As Extension Horticulturist Robert Westerfield says in the UGA publication Home Gardening, “Fall-grown vegetables are usually of very high quality. If you supply water as needed, use pesticides properly and fertilize according to label recommendations, you will be rewarded with tender vegetables in a season when few people are enjoying such delicacies.”

Young Broccoli Plant (PHOTO/Amy Whitney)

While many summer vegetables will grow and produce into the fall, cold-hardy crops that can withstand some freezing weather can extend the harvest well into winter for much of the state. The list of these cold-hardy crops includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, beets, turnips, collards, kale, carrots, and more! Your local UGA Extension Agent will be able to tell you what fall crops grow well in your area.

When the first frost wilts and blackens the last of our summer crops, the fall crops should already be in place and growing strong.

To get them far enough along that they will reach maturity before a very hard freeze damages the more tender of these crops, they should be planted according to the times listed in UGA’s Vegetable Planting Chart. The dates in the chart are for middle Georgia, so an adjustment of one, two, or more weeks will need to be made in the planting dates for most Georgia counties.

For gardens north of middle Georgia, an earlier planting date is needed to allow time for good growth before their earlier frost. Gardeners farther south can plant later than the recommended dates, since their frost date will be later.

At planting time, don’t forget to follow the soil preparation guidelines that make the summer garden such a success. Add more composted organic matter to the soil, since some will have been lost to decomposition over the hot summer, and remember to provide good nutrition to your crops through fertilizer additions.

These additions can be based on soil test results (preferred) or based on instructions on a home-garden fertilizer package. Careful soil preparation pays off in higher yields, so these are important steps. Most important of all, though, is to enjoy the beautiful fall weather and bountiful harvest!

Amy Whitney is a Horticulture Program Assistant with Cobb Extension. She lives in Kennesaw where she is famous for the creative way she grows food crops in her suburban yard.

Happy Gardening!

What is this large spider hanging around in landscapes?

November 30, 2015August 4, 2014 by Willie Chance

Female Golden Garden Spider, Image by Hancy Hinkle

The picture is of a Yellow Garden Spider which are often seen in the landscape in late summer and fall. Read on to learn more about this and another fall spider.

Late Summer & Autumn Spiders

Nancy C. Hinkle, UGA Department of Entomology

Between now and Halloween we will be seeing more spiders around our yards. The first hard frost will kill them off. Now they are mating and producing egg sacs so their eggs can overwinter and re-establish the population next spring. There are two orb-weaver spiders with large webs that are most commonly seen.

Barn spiders (Araneus cavaticus) can be found on porches, where flying insects attracted to porch lights get trapped in their webs. These spiders are nocturnal, constructing a new web every evening and taking it down before dawn. This rusty brown spider has legs extending about 2 inches, making it look large and noticeable. These spiders hide during the day, but at night are found in the middle of the web, waiting for insects to be trapped.

The yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia) is one of the longest spiders we have here in Georgia. It is frequently found in gardens and around shrubbery where it constructs large webs to entrap flying insects. The abdomen has distinctive yellow and black markings while the front part of the body, the cephalothorax, is covered in white.

The female yellow garden spider typically remains in one spot throughout her life, repairing and reconstructing her web as it is damaged and ages. Her web may have a distinctive zigzag of silk through the middle, explaining its other common name, “writing spider.” Unlike the nocturnal barn spider, the yellow garden spider can be found in its web anytime. Sometimes a smaller spider will be found in the web with her; this is the male garden spider.

These spiders have been present all summer, eating pest insects and growing. By late summer they are large enough that people start noticing them. Remember,Georgia has over 800 species of spiders, all of which are harmless if you leave them alone. All spiders are more afraid of you than you are of them.

For more information:

Call your local Extension Agent at (800) ASK-UGA1 or locate your local Extension Office.

Stinging and Biting Pests of People

Golden Garden Spiders

Pest Management Handbook Follow all label recommendations when using any pesticide

+ More

Puss Caterpillars:

Saddleback Caterpillars:

Hag Moth Caterpillars:

Control:

Lantana Lace Bugs Can Stop Bloom!

Cultural Control:

Lantana that are less susceptible to lantana lace bug:

Lantana that are more susceptible to lantana lace bug:

Chemical Control:

Other problems that affect bloom:

For more information:

Control of Armyworms

Late Summer & Autumn Spiders