Chinese privet (also called privet) is an invasive weed that escaped from cultivation. It is often found in landscapes and around old homesites, edges of fields and in low areas. According to Dr David Dickens, UGA Extension Forester, this time of the year, a foliar treatment is a good option to control privet.
Basal treatments of privet (spraying the stems) can be difficult because of the large number of branches. Dr Dicken’s says that dormant-season foliar sprays with 3-5% glyphosate provide effective control. Concentrations greater than 5% are not economical.
Take care to keep the spray off the foliage and young green bark of desirable plants. Since many plants are dormant at this time of year, there should be less effect on non-target plants.
Privet seeds are only viable for one year so in areas where they continues to germinate, the seeds are being introduced by birds or other means.
Climbing fern – Chris Evans, Illinois Wildlife Action Plan, Bugwood.org
UGA Extension Forester, Dave Moorhead, points out that this 3 – 5 % glyphosate spray will also work in controlling another invasive weed – climbing fern.
When does my license expire? To find out, visit the GA Dept of Ag Licensing & Certification site. Information on all applicators is here.
How many hours do I need for recertification? (Note that you should have earned all your hours by 90 days before license expiration!) Visit the GA Dept of Ag Licensing & Certification site.
Is my address correct with the GA Department of Agriculture? If not – you may not receive your new license renewal! Visit the GA Dept of Ag Licensing & Certification site.
Where can I earn more hours towards certification? Visit the GA Dept of Ag Licensing & Certification site and look halfway down the page.
Clint Waltz, Extension Turfgrass Specialist, University of Georgia. This info is edited from a longer article which can be read here.
Dormant transplanting of trees and ornamentals in the Southeastern United States is a common practice. Warm-season turfgrass sod can also be successfully established during dormancy.
Recommendations for normal sodding also apply to off-season sodding.
Successful transplanting is highly dependent on healthy sod, which is difficult to determine when the sod is dormant or overseeded.
Rootzone preparation is critical for success. Loosen the soil to a depth of 6 inches by tilling before sodding.
During site preparation prior to turf establishment is the best time to take a soil sample to determine pH and nutrient needs. Correction of soil pH and soil nutrient deficiencies is more effective when lime and fertilizer are incorporated into the soil before sodding.
Next, level smooth and moisten the soil. The soil should be lightly watered, but not saturated. Ruts from foot traffic or equipment can occur when soils are too wet and are difficult to repair after the sod is laid.
To prevent drying and potential cold injury of roots, install sod within 48 hours after harvest. This also allows the radiant heat from the earth to offer the sod some protection from cold injury when compared to turf exposed to the elements on a pallet.
Sod should be laid tight and rolled to minimize creases. If creases are apparent after sodding, top dress the sod to fill low spots, conserve moisture and potentially retain heat near the soil surface.
For best survival, avoid winter desiccation and low temperature injury. Dessication can be a significant problem since the warm dry winds of late winter and early spring increase the demand for water, but the combination of low soil temperatures and a limited root system will reduce the plant’s ability to obtain water.
Direct low temperature injury can be a problem because the crowns, stolons and shallow rhizomes may be killed. Unfortunately, newly sodded turf lacks deep rhizomes and the expansive root system necessary to recover from winter stresses.
Research and practical experience has shown that warm-season turfgrasses may be successfully sodded during the off-season (October-April) when the grass is dormant or slowly growing. However, the cooler climates in and north of Atlanta may damage some turf species. More winter injury has been observed on zoysiagrass and centipedegrass as compared to bermudagrass sodded in the fall or winter.
Overseeding sod with ryegrass may reduce warm season turf vigor and quality. While overseeded turf may look appealing during the winter months, during the spring the more heat-tolerant perennial ryegrasses can compete with the warm-season turf for water, nutrients and light. This can cause a poor spring transition and delayed green-up of the warm-season species. This is more common in ryegrass that has been heavily fertilized in the spring.
To assist spring green-up and stimulate turfgrass growth, fertilize with 1.0 to 1.5 pounds of nitrogen per 1000 square feet once night temperatures consistently reach the mid 60s F. Also to further encourage warm-season species growth, lower the mowing height. This practice opens the turfgrass canopy, allowing more sun to the permanent warm-season species while stressing the overseeded grass. Resume accepted maintenance practices once conditions are favorable for warm-season turfgrass growth.
In summary, successful sod transplanting depends on proper soil preparation, good soil-to-sod contact, avoiding low temperature injury, and most importantly – proper water management to prevent desiccation. For more information, see these resources or contact your local UGA Extension Office.
This is a casemaking clothes moth larva feeding on wool carpet with an adult moth (inset). Clothes moth larvae feed on items of animal origin (feathers, wool, etc.) and can permanently damage items made from animal products – clothes, carpet, etc.
Clothes moths (Tineidae: Tineola and Tinea spp.): Shiny, light gold-colored, 1/4 inch moth with fringed wing margins. The most common species in Georgia is the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella). Larvae of casemaking clothes moths build rectangular to elliptical cases about 1/4 inch that are open at both ends and spun from materials and/or fibers in their immediate environment, often fibers they have been feeding on. Larvae live, protected, inside the case. Larvae have a dark band just behind their head, which is visible only when the larva projects its head out of the case to feed.
Habits: Moths fly at night, usually in an erratic pattern, in search of mates and food. Adults lay eggs on items of animal origin, commonly feathers and wool. Larvae crawl around and on the item while feeding from inside their case. In preparation for pupation, larvae of the casemaking clothes moth crawl away from the item they are infesting and attach their case to the wall or other nearby vertical surface.
Interventions: Wash, steam-clean or dry-clean all items of animal origin, especially wool. Have infested textiles professionally cleaned. If items cannot be washed or steam-cleaned (large quantities of material, such as area rugs) then consider small-scale fumigation or storage for at least a month in a freezer. Before cleaned items are put back in the home, remove, by hand, visible pupal cases from vertical surfaces and from shelves. Consider storing susceptible fabrics in sealed containers to prevent re-infestation. Use pheromone traps to capture male moths. If desired, apply a spot treatment with an appropriately labeled residual spray to the area where moths and larvae are found.
Might Be Confused With: Indianmeal moths; other, small, incidental moths that fly indoors, from outdoors, when doors are open.
This is an excerpt from the UGA publication Argentine Ants by Dan Suiter and Brian Forschler, Department of Entomology
Argentine ants form strong foraging trails.
To survive the winter, Argentine ants commonly move into protected environments where temperatures are warmer and environmental conditions more stable. In structures, for example, ants commonly move into voids and other elements of construction that provide a warm, stable environment.
As spring temperatures return, Argentine ants move back into their preferred, outdoor nest sites where colonies grow steadily throughout the warm season. In the Southeast, populations typically peak in late summer. By early winter, declining temperatures once again trigger ants to begin searching for protected overwintering sites, and the cycle repeats.
To prevent large, late-season ant populations, and the resulting problems associated with winter infestations, management practices (especially outdoor baiting) should be started in the spring and continued through the warm season.
There are a number of approaches that can be utilized for the treatment of existing Argentine ant infestations, but no single insecticide-based approach is completely effective. An integrated approach, therefore, that incorporates both chemical and nonchemical techniques is best suited for the management of this ant species. If chemical controls are utilized, read and follow all pesticide label instructions, and never do more than what the label permits.
Before chemically-based Argentine ant control measures are undertaken, a thorough inspection of the indoor and outdoor premises should be conducted to determine the extent and origin of the infestation. The inspection should identify those areas where chemical control approaches should be directed.
Frank Watson is the University of Georgia Extension Agent in Wilkes County
Landscape plants get plenty of attention during the summer, but they need protection during Georgia’s winter months. Rather than trying to keep plants warm, gardeners should help protect plants from wind, snow, ice, drastic soil temperature changes and heat from the sun on cold days.
Reducing water loss can protect evergreen plants. All plants transpire, or lose, water through their leaves. Evergreens continue to lose water during the winter, so the plant’s roots must be able take up moisture.
Homeowners are more conscious of watering shrubs during the summer and often neglect to water plants during cold weather. Roots absorb moisture when it’s available, but during a dry period or even when the ground is frozen, moisture isn’t available. The plants continue to transpire water, drawing moisture from living cells. If too much water is released, the plant’s cells die, causing the plant’s leaves to turn brown and die.
High winds and warm sunshine on cold days result in a higher rate of water transpiration. Protection can be offered by relocating susceptible plants to a sheltered location. Also, provide them additional water during dry periods or prior to expected hard freezes.
An additional layer of mulch is also recommended during winter months after the first freeze. Mulch will reduce water loss from the soil, aid in transpiration and reduce “heaving” of the soil as the ground freezes and thaws. Soil heaving, or frost heaving, occurs when soil swells during freezing conditions and ice grows towards the soil’s surface.
To protect plants from cold damage, University of Georgia Extension horticulturists recommend following these six steps:
Plant only varieties that are hardy for the area. Buy plants using the USDA hardiness zones.
Given a choice, plant less-hardy plants in the highest part of the landscape. Cold air settles in the lowest area.
Protect plants from cold wind with a fence or a tall evergreen hedge of trees or shrubs.
Shade plants from direct winter sun, especially early morning sunshine. Plants that freeze slowly and thaw slowly will be damaged the least. The south side of the house, where there is no shade, is the worse place to plant tender plants.
Stop feeding plants quickly available nitrogen in late summer to allow them to “harden off” before cold weather arrives.
Plastic covering provides excellent protection. Build a frame over the plant or plants, cover them with plastic and secure the plastic to the ground with soil. Shade plastic to keep temperatures from building up inside. Plastic traps moisture and warm air as it radiates from the soil and blocks cold winds. Do not allow the plastic to touch plants.
Bed bug – Gary Alpert, Harvard University, Bugwood.org
Bed bugs are an ever growing problem in the US. As bed bugs problems began increasing in Georgia, the Georgia Department of Public Health put together a bed bug handbook, providing information about the habits and habitats of the bed bug with an emphasis on information required by environmental health specialists dealing with infestations in hotels.
Recently, as bed bug problems continue to spread to homes, apartments, shelters, schools, dorms, and other places where people live, work, and study; it was decided to update and expand the bed bug handbook to include information on dealing with bed bugs in a wider variety of circumstances.
The revised handbook is posted on the GDPH website .
One reason to update the handbook was to make it useful for people outside of public health who are dealing with bed bug issues. Any comments or suggestions would be gratefully accepted. Please send comments to Dr. Rosmarie Kelly
Bed Bug Biology – Life cycle, habits and medical importance
Inspecting for Bed Bugs – Protecting yourself and specific methods for various structures and situations
Treatment and Control – Physical removal, temperature, Chemical control, Do it Yourself treatments, Follow-up and monitoring, and Controls for various structures and situations
Additional Information – Bedbug myths, Action plan for hotel treatment and information specific to Schools, Environmental Health Specialists, Hotel Managers and Homeowners
Extension staff are not physicians (nor do we portray them on television), but we can contribute to better health among Georgia citizens. One emerging condition we want to keep in mind is red-meat allergy provoked by tick bites.
Yes, as strange as it sounds, being fed on by lone star ticks (the most common ticks in Georgia) can predispose some people to developing a severe food allergy, causing an itching skin rash, gastrointestinal upset, and trouble breathing several hours after consuming red meat (beef, pork, venison, lamb, etc. – but not poultry or fish). This condition has only recently been recognized and many physicians are not yet aware of it; likely we’ll see more in the media about this condition in the future as it becomes more widely recognized.
Meanwhile, if you know someone who experiences repeated episodes of severe hives (typically affecting the entire trunk) accompanied by nausea and/or diarrhea, recommend that they consult with their physician and raise the possibility of red meat allergy due to prior tick exposure. The accompanying life-threatening anaphylaxis and difficulty breathing can require an ER visit, so this is not a trivial condition. While testing for the condition is available only at select clinics, management of the condition is relatively simple, involving eliminating red meat from the diet.
The turfgrass industry is officially losing Illoxan (diclofop-methyl) and Embark (mefluidide) in 2015. These are two important tools in weed control programs with no comparable replacements. The loss of these materials has significant implications for resistance management, seedhead control, and efficiently managing high quality turfgrass.
Goosegrass – John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org
Illoxan (diclofop-methyl)
Bayer will not be reregistering Illoxan. Unfortunately, the return on Illoxan sales was not worth the expenses of reregistration for the company. Illoxan is a postemergence herbicide used for goosegrass control in bermudagrass golf courses. This herbicide is one of the most effective chemistries for controlling goosegrass in greens, tees, fairways, and roughs. More importantly, Illoxan is the only ACCase inhibitor used in bermudagrass turf and the loss of this mechanism of action may have significant consequences for resistance management. Goosegrass resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides, specifically foramsulfuron (Revolver), is becoming more widespread throughout the Southern U.S. Turf managers also have restrictions on MSMA use on golf courses that limit the ability to effectively control goosegrass and other weeds.
Illoxan is an excellent herbicide for controlling goosegrass at most growth stages in bermudagrass and also offered an alternative mechanism of action in resistance management programs. The implications of losing Illoxan in golf course management will emphasize the need for investments in good preemergence herbicides for goosegrass control. Dinitroanilines (DNAs) like prodiamine (Barricade, others) and pendimethalin (Pendulum, others) have potential to control goosegrass but results are often erratic. Resistance to DNA herbicides has also developed in goosegrass populations and alternative chemistries may be needed for effective control. From our research at UGA, Ronstar (oxadiazon) and Specticle (indaziflam) have consistently been the best preemergence herbicides for controlling goosegrass in bermudagrass turf. Other herbicides such as Dismiss (sulfentrazone), Sureguard (flumioxazin), and Tower (dimethenamid) have potential to control goosegrass but our results have been inconsistent over years.
With the loss of Illoxan, bermudagrass managers will only have Revolver (foramsulfuron), Tribute Total (foramsulfuron + thiencarbazone + halosulfuron) and Dismiss (sulfentrazone) available for postemergence goosegrass control. While these herbicides may control immature goosegrass, single applications often do not control tillered plants. Revolver and Tribute Total are both ALS inhibitors and will not effectively control mature goosegrass or resistant biotypes.
Turf managers may also explore the use of MSMA + Sencor (metribuzin) for goosegrass control but these treatments can be very injurious to bermudagrass in summer and may require sequential applications. Moreover, superintendents in Georgia are limited to one application of MSMA per year, not to exceed 25% of the total golf course. Turfgrass managers must understand that losing Illoxan may limit their ability to control goosegrass and may have serious repercussions in resistance management programs.
Embark (mefluidide)
Embark is a growth regulator primarily used for annual bluegrass seedhead control in turfgrass management. Earlier this year there was controversy around the future manufacturing of mefluidide, the active ingredient in Embark, and if this product would be available after 2015. PBI Gordon explored opportunities inside and outside of the U.S. to have mefluidide manufactured and formulated to make new Embark products. The opportunity to make new material was very costly for the company and PBI Gordon has decided not to pursue this investment. The Embark 2S product will be pulled completely, and there will be new Embark T & O 0.2L (essentially a dilution of the 2S) released until the current supply is gone. Once the existing inventory has been sold, Embark will no longer be available from PBI Gordon.
Embark is a growth regulator that has a long history of use in turfgrass and roadside management. Embark is the only seedhead inhibiting growth regulator available for use in warm and cool-season turfgrasses. Turfgrass managers primarily use this chemistry for seedhead control on annual bluegrass, tall fescue, bermudagrass, and other turfgrass species. Proxy (ethephon) is the other seedhead inhibitor available for turfgrass. It is labeled only for cool-season grasses but may be applied to certain zoysiagrass varieties. Proxy causes leaf chlorosis, stand thinning, and quality reductions in bermudagrass, seashore paspalum, and other warm-season species. Other PGRs like Primo (trinexapac-ethyl) or Trimmit (pacloburazol) may provide partial seedhead control but are generally less effective than Embark and Proxy.
Current research efforts at UGA include evaluating seasonal application timing of PGRs to minimize injury and maximize seedhead control on warm-season grasses. We are also evaluating alternatives to Embark, primarily ALS inhibitor herbicides, for seedhead management in bermudagrass turf. Embark is the most popular PGR for annual bluegrass seedhead control in bentgrass greens in Georgia and further research will be needed with Proxy, Proxy + Primo, and other compounds to replace Embark.
Patrick McCullough is an associate professor and extension specialist in turf weed science at the University of Georgia in Griffin.
This weed is Florida betony. It is also called rattlesnake weed.
The publication Controlling Florida Betony in the Landscapegives cultural and chemical controls for this weed in lawns and landscape beds. The authors are Mark Czarnota, Ph.D., and Tim Murphy, Ph.D., Weed Control Specialists. Departments of Horticulture and Crop Science
Click here to see the publication for the following information:
Florida betony (Stachys floridana) (also called rattlesnake weed and hedge nettle) is a problem weed in both turfgrasses and ornamentals.
Figure 2 – Tubers of Florida betony that look like the rattle of a rattlesnake, hence the name “rattlesnake weed.”
Florida betony is a “winter” perennial and, like most plants in the mint (Labiatae) family, has a square stem with opposite leaves. Flowers are usually pink and have the classic mint-like structure (Figure 1). Unlike its relatives, it has the unique characteristic of producing tubers that look like the rattles (buttons) of a rattlesnake, hence the name “rattlesnake weed” (Figure 2).
