August 2005

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Agroterrorism Plan The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on July 26, 2005, announced a new collaboration with states and private industry to protect the nation's food supply from terrorist threats. "Ensuring the safety of our nation's food supply is a top priority for President Bush and USDA," said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. "This partnership demonstrates our commitment as government and the private sector work together to protect our agricultural commodities from terrorism. We look forward to working with our partners." The Strategic Partnership Program Agroterrorism (SPPA) Initiative supports President Bush's requirements directing the government to work closely with states and industry to secure the nation's food supply. Announced today at the Food and Agriculture Sector Coordinating Council meeting, four pilot visits will be conducted in September and October. The purpose of these visits is to assess and identify vulnerabilities in the agriculture and food sectors. "As one of the lead federal agencies charged with protecting our nation's food supply, the FDA fully supports this initiative encouraging a closer working relationship with our partners in federal and state government, as well as the private sector to make the nation's food even safer," said FDA Commissioner Dr. Lester Crawford. "This partnership brings together all of the organizations that have the best knowledge and abilities in safeguarding the food we eat starting from the farm all the way to our kitchen tables." Over the next year, teams of federal and state officials will travel to all 50 states to meet with all sectors of the food chain. Together, the federal, state and private industry partners will discuss security issues from farm-to-table and consider ways to better protect our food supply. "We are pleased to participate in this important initiative to enhance the overall security of our nation's food and agricultural infrastructure," said Robert Stephan, Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "The health of our citizens and our economy depend on our ability to conduct assessments, validate field information and provide guidance that can be shared with our federal, state and local, tribal as well as private sector partners." These visits will help the federal partners better consider how states and industry can protect the food supply, gain more information about the food industry's protection needs and assist government and private industry in refining its efforts including research and development goals. This effort is the second major joint initiative for the federal partners. In May 2005, FBI, with the support of DHS, USDA and FDA hosted the first ever International Symposium for Agrosecurity in Kansas City, Mo. Additional information about agrosecurity can be found on USDA's Web site at http://www.usda.gov/homelandsecurity; the FDA Web site at www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/bioterrorism.html; and the DHS Web site at: www.dhs.gov/dhspublicdisplay?theme=43&content=3802. Hints For Entering Produce At County Fairs By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Summer is the time for county fairs. Why not enter some of your produce at your local fair this year? Here's some advice from Ross Penhallegon, OSU Extension Service horticulturist, who has experience as a produce judge. Get a copy of the fair's exhibitor's handbook. This will contain the exhibition rules for fruits and vegetables &endash; the "who, what, when, where and why" of your particular county fair competitions. Decide what you want to grow and show at the fair. You will be asked to submit a group of fruits or vegetables as closely alike as possible in color, shape and size. Uniformity is critical and one of the most difficult criteria to meet. Choose produce free of blemishes. Do not enter produce scarred by garden pests. Discard vegetables marred by disease, rough handling or careless cultivation. But realize that some years, the "perfect" fruit or vegetable just may not be possible to grow. Sometimes "any" vegetable will be better than no vegetable at all, said Penhallegon. Select normal-sized vegetables that are ready to be consumed or cooked, at their best and most flavorful. "Vegetables and fruits should be what's accepted by industry or what is typically found at the grocery stores," said Penhallegon. "Just go look at what is sold in the grocery stores and then pick your produce for contests accordingly." Choose specimens typical for the variety in shape, color, and size. For example, tomatoes are expected to be evenly round - don't select oblong tomatoes that look more like squashes in shape. Save the strange specimens for the "weirdest vegetable" contest. For more information about entering produce for competition, contact your local county fair office or your local county office of the OSU Extension Service. Some Summer Lawn Watering Tips From University of Idaho's HomeWise For many homeowners, watering their lawns every day in the heat of summer seems like the absolutely right thing to do, but for a healthy, "water-smart" lawn, it's absolutely wrong. Tom Salaiz, University of Idaho turfgrass specialist, encourages Idaho homeowners to irrigate their lawns deeply but infrequently&emdash;once every three or four days for a typical Kentucky bluegrass lawn. Watering deeply and infrequently helps turfgrass grow deeper roots that avoid drought, he says. It also minimizes disease problems, which can flare in grass that is moistened too often. Salaiz estimates that Idaho lawns use about one-quarter inch of water a day&emdash;about 1.75 to 2 inches a week&emdash;in June and July. Idaho's typical clay and loam soils can hold about an inch of water that a bluegrass lawn can use, so replacing that inch every four days or so would be an appropriate goal for that soil and grass type. Grass growing in sandier soils, which can't hold as much water, needs the same 1.75 to 2 inches of water a week, but in smaller amounts delivered more often. Turf-type tall fescue lawns, which have deeper rooting depths than bluegrass lawns, can be watered less frequently because they can draw from a larger soil-water bank account. How long to run your sprinklers depends on how much water those sprinklers deliver, Salaiz says. To find out, he recommends buying two or three inexpensive rain gauges at your home-supply or hardware store and placing them evenly across your lawn. Run your system for 30 minutes, making sure the gauges stay upright during the process. After 30 minutes, calculate the average and multiply by two to determine the inches per hour that your sprinklers are delivering. Then divide the quantity of water you need to apply by your sprinklers' output in inches per hour. For example, if you need an inch of water and your sprinklers deliver .8 inches in an hour, then run them for an hour-and-a-quarter (1 divided by 0.8=1.25 hours). Because grass that has been watered in too-short, too-frequent cycles is likely to have shallow roots that are easily water-stressed, you may need to phase in less frequent irrigation over a period of time. You're overdue for another irrigation&emdash;or may need to water more deeply&emdash;when your lawn turns grey-green or loses it springiness or when walking across it leaves footprints behind. Always try to water in the early-morning hours, when water loss to wind and evaporation is at its lowest. "You want to be done by 9 a.m. at the latest," Salaiz says. "Depending on how many zones you have, you may need to start your system at 3 or 4 in the morning." For a detailed discussion of lawn irrigation, download "Watering Home Lawns and Landscapes" from the publishing catalog of UI College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, www.info.ag.uidaho.edu. You can also order a copy from the Web site for $2.50, plus shipping and handling, by calling (208) 885-7982 or writing calspubs@uidaho.edu. How To Grow And Harvest Flavor-Packed Herbs By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University How you grow and when you harvest your herbs can make a big difference in how they taste, says Ross Penhallegon, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Penhallegon has a number of hints for growing flavorful herbs. Do not fertilize your herbs too much. The essential oils that provide flavor are more concentrated when herb plants are grown in moderately rich soil with just enough fertilizer to keep them green. Too much fertilizer makes the plant grow large and rangy, with less flavor per amount of herb harvested. This means avoiding using too much compost or manure, as well. Plant herbs in well-drained soils. Poorly drained soil inhibits healthy root systems. Trim back perennial herbs like oregano and thyme when they get woody stems. Sage should be pruned annually. Tender new growth has the most flavor, but older, tougher growth that you trim off is great for use when barbequing or in cooking. By trimming herbs often, the plants also look more attractive, with plenty of new leaves. Pick herb leaves before the plant blooms for the best flavor. Remove the blossoms off sweet basil plants to make the plant grow bushier, with more leaves. If an herb has already bloomed, pick the younger side shoots. If you're growing herbs for seeds, like fennel, caraway, cilantro or dill, pick the seeds when they look brown and almost ripe. You won't lose seeds that way. Let them finish drying in a warm, dry dark area of the house, barn or garage. Homemade Herb Oil May Be Hazardous To Health By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Garlic-in-oil mixtures, sold in jars in grocery stores, are popular with the busy cook. But making your own garlic, herbs or hot peppers-in-oil mixtures at home can be hazardous to your health, because bacteria that cause botulism can grow, according to Carolyn Raab, food and nutrition specialist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. "Commercial garlic-in-oil mixtures are acidified to prevent bacterial growth," Raab explained. "Most of these store-bought products can be stored safely at room temperature. Look for storage instructions on the label." Unfortunately, do-it-yourself acidification of homemade herb or vegetables-in-oil mixtures is risky, because not enough research has been conducted to know how much acid is needed to prevent bacterial growth. "These low-acid foods can be a source of 'Clostridium botulinum' bacteria," said Raab. Clostridium botulinum produces a toxin that causes botulism, a cause of fatal food poisoning. Because these bacteria are found naturally in soil, water and air, they could be found in any low-acid food and begin to grow and produce toxin when the conditions are right. That's why it is crucial to keep food safety in mind when storing your own low-acid vegetables such as garlic, mushrooms and chili peppers or herbs in oil. Raab recommends taking the following steps to ensure food safety when making and using your own homemade herb, vegetables and garlic-in-oil mixtures: Refrigerate fresh vegetables or garlic-in-oil mixtures, and don't keep them any longer than three weeks. After three weeks of refrigeration, botulinal toxin could have formed. Remove the vegetables after flavoring the oil and the bacteria will not have a food source for growth. Use dried vegetables, garlic or herbs to flavor oil. These do not contain enough water to foster bacterial growth. Dried vegetables, garlic or herbs-in-oil mixtures can be stored safely at room temperature. Refrigeration may delay rancidity. Tomatoes-in-oil mixtures are safe, as tomatoes are high in acid and will not foster botulism-causing bacterial growth. Refrigeration may delay rancidity. Don't use vegetables-in-oil mixtures that show any signs of spoilage such as bubbling or cloudiness. Home canners in Oregon can get answers to questions by calling the OSU Extension Food Safety/Preservation Hotline from July 18 to Oct. 14 at 1-800-354-7319, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except holidays. OSU Extension Family Food Education volunteers and Extension faculty and staff will run the hotline. Plant These Perennial Flowers For Late Summer & Fall Color By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Late summer and early autumn can bring on post-peak bloom letdown in your garden. There are, however, a few things you can do for flowering perennials that will brighten up your garden from the heart of summer until autumn frost, says Pat Patterson, with the Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener Program. 'Autumn Joy' Sedum: Upright, spreading stems are covered with fleshy oval leaves and topped with broccoli-like heads of flowers that turn pink to rose to brick-red through the fall. Their dry seed heads make an attractive feature all winter, especially when capped in snow. Aster (Asteraceae): Among the hundreds of varieties of asters, the frikartii hybrids are highly valued in fall gardens for their abundant sprays of blue and lavender daisy-like flowers. Yarrow (Achillea): These hardy fragrant plants have finely divided fern-like leaves with flat topped clusters of white, pink, red or yellow flowers. There are low growing and taller varieties. Excellent for drying. Can become invasive. Coreopsis: A relative of the sunflower, with bright yellow flowers. These two- to three-foot high plants will give a show of color throughout the summer and fall. Globe thistle (Echinops): With steel blue globe-shaped flowers, this gray-green prickly perennial blooms from mid-summer into fall. It makes excellent cut flowers. Striking as a dried flower, as well. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia): Also a member of the sunflower family, with gray-green foliage and brilliant yellow flowers, banded with red, maroon or orange. Easy to sow from seed, they often self-sow. Blooms summer into fall. Four o'clock (Mirabilis japonica): Shrub-like, three- to four-foot tall plant with red, magenta, yellow or white flowers. Blooms summer to fall. Resows freely and may come back from roots. Nicotiana: Tubular flowers, many varieties fragrant, especially at night. Blossoms can be white, green, pink, maroon or red. Short to tall varieties. Can self-sow in Oregon. Tips For Grilling Pork From HomeWise, University of Idaho Looking for a little variety in low-fat, low-calorie meats for your backyard grill? University of Idaho Extension educator Beverly Healy says outdated information passed down from previous generations has kept pork off too many grills. Grilled pork tenderloin is "one of my favorites" for summertime eating, she says. Besides being comparable to skinless chicken breast in fat and calories, pork tenderloin is also dense in nutrients&emdash;especially B vitamins and minerals. According to Healy, older cookbooks often recommended cooking fresh pork to 185 degrees Fahrhenheit to destroy the parasitic roundworm Trichinella spiralis. That led to dry, overcooked meat&emdash;especially on the grill. Since these books were published, Trichinella has largely been eradicated from U.S. hogs, scientists have learned that lower temperatures will kill the organism and the USDA has reduced the recommended internal temperature for cooked pork chops, ribs and roasts to 160 degrees. The lower temperature leaves pork tender, juicy and moderately to slightly pink&emdash;rather than tan, gray or white&emdash;but too many cooks are still preparing it like Grandma did. When grilling pork tenderloin, Healy says the first step is to remove the meat's white silverskin with a sharp knife so it won't shrink and twist the meat into a corkscrew. Then, as much as 30 to 60 minutes before grilling, give the tenderloin a shot of nonstick spray and a rubdown with a tasty grilling rub. (Alternatively, baste it with a marinade towards the end of its cooking time.) Grill it for about 20 to 30 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Healy suggests confirming the temperature with a meat thermometer and recommends digital instant-read thermometers for greatest accuracy with small cuts of meat. Let your grilled pork tenderloins rest for about 5 minutes before slicing, Healy says. Then serve them with fruit salsa, whose "sweetness pairs nicely with hot seasonings on grilled meats." Researcher Tries Straightening Out Problem Of Landscape Tree Losses By Bill Loftus, University of Idaho University of Idaho junior Brandon Davis, a horticulture major, hopes his research funded by the Washington State Department of Agriculture will straighten out some trees before their own roots strangle them. Davis is studying whether simple boards can reroute roots that would otherwise grow around a tree trunk, girdling it by cutting sap flow and killing it. "We were learning about the problem in class one day. I asked if anyone had tried redirecting the roots and no one had an answer," Davis said. He applied for nursery research funding from the Washington agency and received $1,500 for the work this year, and is eligible to receive another $3,500 during the next three years. Davis will work as a research assistant to John Lloyd, UI assistant professor of arboriculture, who said the problem can be a costly one for landscapers and their customers. "Usually these trees don't indicate they have the problem developing until they die several years after planting," Lloyd said. By that time, the trees often are fairly large and replacing them is expensive. The study by Davis actually began late last year when he began work on a dozen ornamental chokecherry trees planted on campus three years. Some of them were showing signs of the root disorder. Using compressed air, Davis exposed the trees' roots, then installed four, 1- by 4-inch boards like spokes from some of their trunks. The next phase of his experiment will focus on very young oak trees planted at the UI Parker Farm east of Moscow operated by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The oaks are planted in the experimental street tree nursery operated in cooperation with the City of Moscow. The street tree nursery provides a research and educational resource for university students and provides trees for city plantings. Davis's research plan calls for removing the root barriers on some trees in future years. The test will show whether redirected roots continue to follow their new course or revert to their previous directions.

WSU Watershed Issues Videos Now Available By Kathy Barnard, Washington State University Grassroots watershed planning, writing grants to fund watershed projects and improving community involvement in watershed issues are featured in a three-video anthology now available through Washington State University Extension. "Anthology of Watershed Issues 2002 - 2004" is a compilation of stakeholder responsive workshops produced over the past three years. The Pacific Northwest Water Quality Program sponsors the Watershed Issues Series, an annual workshop developed by stakeholder input. WSU's College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences Information Department produces the videos. "These videos capture the key points of watershed issues throughout the Pacific Northwest," says Jan Seago, Water Resource Education program coordinator and workshop producer based at WSU's Yakima County Extension Office. "They contain information that is critical to any local entity working on water quality projects: cities, counties, citizen groups, Extension and governmental agencies." "Living on the Edge, Grassroots Watershed Planning in the Pacific Northwest" chronicles the paths around barriers toward collaborative planning as experienced in three watersheds with diverse water users and needs. The second production, "Funding Watershed Restoration," answers questions about funding opportunities and "smart" grant writing practices to help fund watershed initiatives. The third production answers questions about how to improve community involvement in watershed projects and protection. All three videos feature case studies from Washington, Idaho and Oregon watersheds and highlight strategies and problem-solving methods used by stakeholder groups. The anthology and other publications from WSU Bulletins can be ordered by calling (800) 723-1763 or online at http://pubs.wsu.edu. "American Green Eggs And Ham" Food Forethought by Susan Allen When it comes to marketing, the US dominates; but have they bitten off more than they can chew when it comes to selling American Agriculture? One advantage of hosting the daily Food Forethought radio program is that I am on the receiving end of a constant stream of press releases funneled to me by everyone from international advertising agencies to local farmers, all with the common goal of gaining valuable product exposure. Unlike any other period in history, consumers echoic memory (memory of things heard) and iconic memory (memory of things seen) is in overdrive when it comes to selecting the food we eat. Of course, I find nothing inherently wrong with targeted branding, in fact given the influx of imports; I believe branding and niche marketing could be our farmers and ranchers final saving grace. In example, a consumer navigating the selection of beef choices available in a typical supermarket must now discern between breed type, how the animal was raised (grass, grain or organic feed). Then move on to the variety of packaging selections, precooked, fresh, frozen or pre-seasoned. While one group tells us "Beef it's what's for Dinner", another one encourages an action with their new tag line, "USA Raised Beef…Ask for It". The numerous decisions encountered in the grocery aisles remind me of the best book written on the art of sales, "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr Seuss. You see for me, beloved old Sam has become a metaphor of sorts on the state of American agriculture. Sam, the ever persuasive salesman, who will never take no for an answer, constantly urging the reader to just try, oh please try… his "green eggs and ham", always creatively repackaging his product. In fact, I see a wee bit of Sam in every American farmer who is working to establish new markets for his/her domestically grown products. Regardless of whether they produce cotton, soy, beef, oranges or apples every American farmer can be brought to their knees by imports unless they have worked to establish a loyal customer base. How does the American Farmer survive in a marketing game that will more than likely be changing with the advent of new international trade agreements? Simple economics give foreign agriculture a fundamental price advantage due to cheaper labor (lack of minimum wage laws) and reduced environmental and regulatory costs. So, how will products produced in the United States be able to compete? Good Ole' American ingenuity will certainly be tested. Classical marketing dictates that if you cannot compete on price, you must create other distinguishing factors to offset a competitor's production cost advantages. Thus, American agriculture will need to position its products as being superior whether real or only perceived. The only differentiating factors available will be Quality, Image and Safety (QIS). Will an urban shopper select bread made from US wheat over bread made from Argentine wheat? Will the shopper be willing to pay more? Will the retailer have a reason to tell the consumer where the wheat was grown? In theUS, I believe American marketing know-how will prevail. However, when it comes to marketing US products abroad, I am not sure what it will take to convince a Brazilian shopper to select bread made from US wheat over bread made from Argentine wheat. American agriculture will need to be persistent with its QIS message. "Sam I Am" asked his reader 'sixteen' times to try his Green Eggs and Ham. Would you eat them in a box, could you eat them with a fox? Would you? Could you? In a car? Eat them! Eat them! Here they are! Yes Sam, I will gladly eat American grown products because in doing so I have a clear conscience knowing that farm workers and the environment are not exploited in the process. Yes Sam, I will pay a few cents more for my melons and tomatoes instead of selling out our nation's security for less than the cost of a latte. It is not too late for the saga of the American Agriculture to have a happy ending… "I do so like American Green eggs and Ham, Thank you, Thank you, Sam I am". Researchers Ratchet-Up Assault On Wheat Stem Sawfly By Carol Flaherty, Montana State University News David Weaver and Matt Flikkema put out wheat stem sawfly parasitoids on Flikkema's spring wheat near Churchill. MSU photo by Carol Flaherty From Congress and companies to state organizations and individual grain growers in locations like Turner, Loring and Flaxville, Montanans are mounting a campaign aimed at the eventual defeat of wheat stem sawfly. The wheat stem boring insect can cause millions of dollars in lost revenue in bad years. The 2005 growing season is again shaping up as one of those years, said Montana State University Entomologist David Weaver, who heads the Wheat Stem Sawfly Project. "We can realistically look towards the eventual decline of sawfly using all of the tools available to us, although it may take us years of work to get there," Weaver said. The effort got a boost from a BNSF Railway grant in March that is funding distribution of sawfly natural enemies to farms around the state. "We've been doing some initial redistribution with the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee funds. We'd eventually like it to become something producers themselves can redistribute, but that is still several years away," Weaver said. Using farmers and ranchers to help redistribute biocontrol agents has been successful in working to control noxious weeds. The current process is a bit different, because the natural enemies must be collected and transferred to a site in the above ground straw residue. MSU Entomologist Wendell Morrill pioneered this transfer method, and it is being used once again in this year's studies. Both Morrill and Weaver are part of MSU's Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences. Weaver and other researchers will learn from each distribution site. The farming sites receiving sawfly predators over the next several weeks are owned by producers. Those producers are: Tom and Russell Johnson of Cut Bank, Kurt Kammerzell of Chester, Mark Peterson of Havre, Max Cederberg of Turner, Pete Lumsden of Loring, Carter Jensen of Flaxville and Matt Flikkema of Churchill. They will receive parasitoids of wheat stem sawfly larvae in straw residue from a location where the parasitoids have been numerous enough to suppress large numbers of sawflies. Since the Hi-Line is an area where severe sawfly problems have been almost continuous in recent years, most of the new sites are located north along the Hi-Line. The straw residue was cut at ground level to separate the parasitic wasps in the straw from any sawflies present below the soil surface. Researchers keep the straw chilled, and then warm it at MSU before taking it to designated fields a few weeks later. The parasitoids complete their development and emerge to attack the sawfly larvae feeding in the wheat stems. After sawfly larvae are killed by the developing parasitoid, new adult parasitoids emerge from a tiny hole in the side of the stem to attack more sawfly larvae. There are two generations of parasitoids per year, compared with a single sawfly generation. "Over several years, the parasitoid population increases and suppresses the sawfly population," Weaver said. "The sawfly may still be present in later years, but the plan is that they will be kept at such a low level by the predators that they don't cause significant economic loss to the producer." Six sites in Montana previously received parasitoids, supported by funding from the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee. This new funding supports the continued monitoring of the new sites, in partnership with Wheat and Barley Committee funds. The sites that received parasitoids in 2003 were: Del Styren near Brady, Larry Banka near Brady, Tim VanDyke near Conrad, Alan Larson near Big Sandy, Dale Strouf near Moccasin, Boyd Heilig near Moore, and Don Fast near Frazer. "The Brady and Moccasin sites have comparatively little sawfly now," Weaver said. "The Conrad, Frazer, and Moore sites still have significant sawfly problems, but the parasitoid populations are increasing. The Big Sandy site has significant sawfly problems also, and the parasitoid population is increasing very slowly there." Input and coordination for selecting the current sites were provided by MSU Extension Service agents, the USDA-ARS in Sidney and by the Experiment Station's Northern Agricultural Research Center in Havre. The native parasitic wasps work very well in combination with sawfly-resistant solid-stem wheat varieties to suppress sawfly populations. Research on parasitoid conservation, mass production and improved efficacy are also being supported by funding from the Montana Department of Commerce's Board of Research and Commercialization Technology and a USDA grant secured by Montana's congressional delegation. The current funding provided by the BNSF Railway, through Nancy K. Peterson, director of the Montana Department of Agriculture, also supports several additional research projects on wheat stem sawfly management, including the evaluation of improved solid-stem wheat varieties that resist the lodging losses due to the wheat stem sawfly. How To Out-Smart Caterpillars In The Vegetable Patch By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University With some skill and luck, your vegetable patch is in full swing now, producing luscious produce for your household. And, most likely, you've probably been feeding a hungry horde of caterpillar pests. Caterpillars are the larvae of moths or butterflies. According to Oregon State University entomologist Robin Rosetta, three of the most likely caterpillar culprits in your vegetable garden include: Cabbage loopers. These pale green caterpillars have light stripes running down their backs. Loopers get their name from the looped way their bodies look while moving. They are the larvae of a brown and gray moth with silver spots on their upper wings and a wingspan of 1 1/2 inches. Cabbage loopers feed on collards, kale, lettuce, peas, potatoes, radishes, tomatoes and turnips. They can be found most any time during the growing season. Corn earworms (also called the tomato fruitworm). Larvae vary in color from shades of green, red, or brown. They have light and dark stripes running the length of the body. Most abundant in August and September, corn earworms feed on corn as well as beans, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes and certain flowers. On corn, the larvae first feed on the silks and leaves, then eventually make their way into the kernels at the tip of the cob. While they feed they produce copious amounts of frass (insect poop), a sign of infestation. Once mature, the larvae drop from the plant and pupate in the soil. Adults are green to brown moths, most active at night. Cutworms. Do you find young plants mysteriously cut off at the base? The culprits may be cutworms, the larvae of cutworm moths. Inactive during the day, cutworms hide under clods of soil until nightfall. The larvae are dark gray, brown or black and may be up to two inches long. They tend to curl up tightly when disturbed. Cutworm caterpillars cut off new seedlings or early season plants above, at or below the soil surface. The best way to encourage natural predators of caterpillars is to maintain a diverse and healthy garden. Do not apply pesticides indiscriminately, as they may eliminate both the "bad" pests and "good" natural predators alike. Here are some strategies to help keep your garden crops from becoming caterpillar food: Keep your garden plants as vigorous as possible. Healthy, rapidly growing plants often 'outgrow' caterpillar damage. So plant varieties recommended for your region, maintain fertile soil and provide enough moisture to give your crops a way to outgrow pest damage. Hand pick and dispose of caterpillars. Drop caterpillars in soapy water to kill them. Then you can compost them. Hunt cutworms at night. Cultivate the soil exposed and destroy pests in the soil before planting and when weeding between rows. Time your plantings - corn earworm are less numerous early in the season. An early planting of vegetables will often 'escape' with little to no damage. Cover plants with barriers, such as spun fiber row cover to protect crops from caterpillars but allow light and water to enter. Paper collars placed around the stem collar of young transplants will help to stave off hungry cutworms. Manage your garden for natural predators of caterpillars. According to Rosetta, there may be a tremendous amount of biological control occurring in gardens. Some types of insects or other invertebrates feed on and destroy caterpillars (or their eggs or pupae) that are pests in gardens. For example, lady beetles and spiders feed on insect eggs, larvae and adults. Parasitic wasps control caterpillars. "Caterpillars are like walking bags of groceries to predators and parasites alike," said Rosetta. If a combination of these methods isn't making a dent in your caterpillar population, Rosetta recommends trying a microbial pesticide such as Bt, Bacillus thuringiensis, available at most garden stores. Bt works best on the small young caterpillars. To learn more about least toxic pest control, read OSU Extension's 16-page publication, "Gardening with Fewer Pesticides: Using Integrated Pest Management," (EC 1532) on the WWW at: http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat/html/EC/EC1532/EC1532.html Or order a printed copy for $2 per copy plus $3 shipping and handling per order. Send your request and a check or money order payable to OSU to: Publication Orders, Extension and Experiment Station Communications, 422 Kerr Administration, OSU, Corvallis, OR 97331-2119. Tricky Thistles Prickle Gardener's Ire By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Weedy thistles are probably some of the most detested plants in yards and gardens. And for good reason. These prickly plants puncture garden gloves, kids and pets. Many of Oregon's weedy thistles are either biennial or perennial, explained Susan Aldrich-Markham, field crops agent with the Oregon State University Extension Service. Being able to tell apart these two types of thistles is important, because their habits and eradication strategies differ. Oregon's biennial thistles include the bull thistle, musk thistle and Scotch thistle. Living for two growing seasons, biennial thistles germinate and grow into leafy rosettes with a large taproot their first season. In the spring of their second season, the rosettes resume growth and usually send up their flowering stems by mid-spring. They flower, set seed and die by summer's end. Humans, water, wind and animals spread around these seeds. A gardener's worst nightmare is the perennial Canada thistle. Found all over the state, this aggressive species is considered by many the most difficult thistle to control. It reproduces not only by seeds, but also spreads by sending up stem shoots from rapidly growing underground rhizomes. "Rhizomes are stems that develop underground," explained Tom Cook, OSU Extension horticulturist. "They have nodes and internodes. Shoots develop from the nodal buds. Roots also develop from the nodal region. "Thistle rhizomes are complex structures that are capable of carbohydrate storage and have numerous dormant buds," continued Cook. "This explains why they are so hard to kill, particularly during periods of vigorous growth. I always tell my students that rhizomes are not roots they are stems that produce roots." The creeping rhizomes, or underground stems, of the Canada thistle have been known to grow horizontally as much as 19 feet in one season and as deep as 22 feet underground. Left unchecked, Canada thistles have been known to produce as many as 26 stem shoots, 154 root buds and 364 feet of rhizomes after 18 weeks of growth. If even a half-inch piece of Canada thistle rhizome is left in the soil, it can grow into a new plant. Rhizome fragments may remain viable in the soil for up to 2 years. "Canada thistle is actually spread by cultivation," said Aldrich-Markham. "In addition the seeds are spread by water and wind, as well as with contaminated crop seed, feed and manure. Deeply buried, Canada thistle seed can remain viable in the soil for years." All the weedy thistles mentioned above are invasive non-native plants, originally from the Old World. There are also several species of native thistle in the Pacific Northwest, but these are generally not invasive or weedy. There are some strategies a home gardener can use to discourage these prickly plants. Remember, prevention is the best line of defense. Try planting bare areas with grass or other groundcover so that seeds blowing in have no place to get established. Dig out your biennial thistles before they flower. Since biennials do not reproduce from their rhizomes, if you sever the rhizome from the plant below the soil surface, it will kill the plant. Canada thistle is nearly impossible to control by digging, unless you catch a new patch while it's still small. To deplete the rhizomes of stored food so that the plants will finally die, all leaves must be removed within a few weeks of emergence. Leaves remaining longer than this can replenish the plant's food reserves and the gardener is back where they started. Preventing leaf growth must be continual, and it can take up to 2 years. Because of this tenaciousness, Canada thistle is a good candidate for control with herbicide. Several herbicides that are moved within the plant from the leaves to the roots, are effective on Canada thistle. Perennial thistles are most susceptible to herbicides at the bud stage, right before the flowers open. Fall is also a good time to apply herbicides to thistles because they are moving food to the rhizomes for winter storage and the herbicide is carried too. The rosette stage is the best time in the thistle's life cycle to apply herbicide to biennial thistles. If you'd like to learn more, the OSU Extension Service offers a photo-illustrated publication about problem weedy thistle species of Oregon on the web at: http://eesc.orst.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat/EC1288.pdf

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