October 2003

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Pruning Trees: Myths And Facts By Peg Herring, Oregon State University Pruning is one of the most important and least understood aspects of tree care. It can affect your tree's longevity, health, and resistance to storm damage, according to Stephen Fitzgerald, forester for the Oregon State University Extension Service. Fitzgerald debunks some myths and offers this advice about pruning trees: Myth: Prune back the crown of the tree to compensate for any roots lost during transplanting. Fact: Trees should not be pruned at the time of planting except to remove broken or dead branches. The crown of a young tree should not be cut back to compensate for root loss. Little pruning is necessary in the first three years after planting, unless the tree has a double leader. In that case, remove the weaker stem. Myth: Tree topping is the proper way to prune a tree. Fact: Tree topping is the most expensive and detrimental form of pruning. Topping a tree creates large wounds that allow rot and fungal decay to enter the tree. This not only can damage the tree's appearance, it can reduce the tree's life expectancy. Topping weakens the structure of the tree and causes limbs to drop. Topped trees are more likely to break apart in storms than trees that retain their natural shape. Never top a tree. Myth: A tree will grow just fine without pruning. Fact: This may be true for forest trees, but not for most trees in suburban yards. Most trees will need some pruning to keep their shape and to remove fast-growing water sprouts. A general rule is never to remove more than one-third of the tree's crown in one pruning. The best time to prune conifers is in the fall, when there is less pitch exuded. Prune deciduous trees in late winter or early spring, before the leaves appear. If you are interested in learning more about growing and caring for trees on your property, the OSU Extension Service offers a 24-page guide called "Selecting, Planting and Caring for a New Tree." It provides information on site and tree selection, landscape planning and choosing the right species for your needs and environment. For more information on "Selecting, Planting and Caring for a New Tree," EC 1438, visit our on-line catalog. Our publications and video catalog at: http://eesc.oregonstate.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat shows which publications are available on the Web and which can be ordered as printed publications. Prevent Plant Disease With Fall Clean Up By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Autumn rains bring welcome relief from high fire danger. But they also are a harbinger of plant disease outbreaks in home gardens. Increased moisture means root rot diseases caused by the fungus Phytophthora, plant diebacks caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas and cankers of apple and cypress and a blight of Berckman's arborvitae, explained Jay Pscheidt, Extension plant pathologist at Oregon State University. And early autumn rains produce lots of different rots in late ripening fruit crops like grapes and apples. Gardeners take heed: the transition from dry weather to wet weather is fast in the fall in many parts of Oregon. "The probability of rainfall at the beginning of October in the Willamette Valley is 20 to 25 percent," said George Taylor, Oregon state climatologist. "By the end of October, it's 55 percent. That's a big transition. By the end of the month, we will more likely have rain on any given day than not." Taylor recently released his forecast for this coming year, autumn 2003 through summer 2004. He said Oregonians can generally expect above-average temperatures from October through December -with normal or somewhat above-normal precipitation. The same pattern should fit east or west of the Cascades. Pscheidt said many of the fall disease problems associated with increased moisture can be ameliorated with the following basic sanitation practices in the yard: Rake up normally shed tree and shrub leaves and vegetable garden debris and compost them. Remove old fruiting canes off of caneberries such as raspberries, blackberries and boysenberries. Wait to prune stone fruits such as plums, cherries and peaches until mid-winter, as pruning now spreads Psuedomonas-caused cankers. Prune off and dispose of diseased plant tissue on perennials other than stone fruits to remove any spores and increase air circulation to healthy parts of the plant. To Multiply Perennials, You Must Divide By Peg Herring, Oregon State University Autumn is the time for simple garden math, says Joyce Schillen, an Oregon State University Master Gardener from Jackson County. Simply put, it's time to divide and multiply. Dividing perennials invigorates overcrowded plants, and it's an inexpensive way to multiply your landscape plantings. "What gardener is not guilty of planting things too closely?" asks Schillen. "It's the fast-food equivalent of home landscaping - the desire for instant gardens without waiting. Or perhaps, plants simply live longer or grow larger than we expect they will." As herbaceous perennials grow, their roots spread out into large clumps. After a few seasons, the centers may die out and performance declines. The plant needs to be divided. Divide perennials when they are dormant. Fall is the best season for dividing plants that bloom in spring and early summer. Cooler temperatures and abundant precipitation encourage good root systems to develop before the next bloom season rolls around. But before you divide, says Schillen, plan where you will multiply. Prepare planting holes that are large enough for division roots to fit without being crowded. Amend the soil at the new location if it needs it. After the new planting area is prepared, carefully dig around the plant to be divided, leaving as big a soil ball as possible around the roots. Then lift the plant gently from the ground. Divide plants by pulling them apart at obvious separation points. Select vigorous shoots with both root and crown sections. Discard woody centers and cut off unhealthy roots. Healthy roots are white in the center. Make large divisions, because small pieces will be slow to reestablish. Plant the new divisions at the same depth as the older plant. The math is simple, says Schillen. "By dividing perennials, you multiply your landscape plantings and delight your gardening buddies with plants to share." Big-But-Not-Bad Wolf Spider Cleans Up Other Bugs For Free From Marlene Fritz, University of Idaho HomeWise Don't like bugs? Neither does the wolf spider. Indeed, if an invading wolf spider has crept under your door or ridden inside on a fireplace log, you'll be bothered by fewer of the other bugs that often skitter, slither and flit through your house in the fall. Wolf spiders will eat just about any insect they can overrun&emdash;and they can overrun just about all of them, says Ed Bechinski, University of Idaho Extension entomologist. They even hunt along the water's edge and scoop out small minnows. Alas, because they're "big and hairy and run real fast," wolf spiders strike what Bechinski calls a "primal fear" in the humans who benefit from their services. And while it's true that wolf spiders might bite us defensively if we trip over them with our bare feet, in almost all cases those bites will clear up completely after a brief episode of stinging pain. Sometimes, the puncture wounds can become infected, but only people who are highly reactive to spider venoms are at significant risk, Bechinski says. About an inch-and-a-half in diameter and with stout, gray-brown bodies, wolf spiders aren't easy to identify beyond a shadow of a doubt. Bechinski does it by looking them in the eyes, and he says homeowners can do the same: If you dare, set a glass over the spider, slip a piece of paper underneath it and lift your quarry onto a countertop. "If you go eyeball to eyeball with it, you'll see two eyes like big headlights staring back at you," he says. It can help to darken the room and shine a flashlight in the spider's face: It has a layer of reflective cells in the back of its eyes that Bechinski says help it hunt by night. By contrast, all eight eyes of a hobo spider&emdash;whose bite can cause hard-to-heal wounds&emdash;are invisible to the naked eye. If you see those reassuring headlights, set your friendly wolf spider loose outside. If you don't see them, consider dispatching the spider as your conscience dictates. During the summer, wolf spiders are among the most common spiders you'll find in your garden. They roam freely, never bothering to build a web inside or outside. You'll encounter them in grassy fields, lawns, leaf litters and often under stepping stones or boards. "If I really wanted to find one, I would start to unstack my pile of firewood," says Bechinski, "and I probably wouldn't have to go down too far." There's Still Time To Plant Greens, Garlic, Cover Crops By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University There's still time in late September and into October to plant some cool season veggies and cover crops, if you garden on the coast, the Willamette Valley, or southern Oregon. Or, if you live in a colder area of the state you can still plant cool season and cover crops under a cloche or cold frame. But don't dawdle, warn Ross Penhallegon and Pat Patterson, who run the Master Gardener program at the Lane County office of the Oregon State University Extension Service. The earlier you plant, the more chance your seedlings get roots established before winter rains start and the sun loses its power to help the plants grow well. Spinach (Winter Bloomsdale and Savoy) and corn salad for spring harvest can still be planted from transplants in October. September into early October is also the perfect time to plant garlic cloves for next summer's harvest. You should plant cloves about three inches deep so that the tip of the clove is two inches below the soil surface. Plant them three to four inches apart in raised beds, or six to eight inches apart in a conventional bed. Cover crops such as crimson clover, annual rye, Austrian field peas or fava beans can still do well if planted as soon as possible. These cover crops will add organic materials to the soil and protect garden soil from the erosive action of winter rains. Crimson clover, fava beans and Austrian field peas, all legumes, also add nitrogen to the soil. And favas provide a crop of large, edible, flat beans early the following summer. Late cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, overwintering onions or kale can still be planted from "starts" or transplants purchased from your local nursery. But be sure that the varieties are "winter" varieties, not just leftovers from summer. All overwintering crops need well-drained soil and full sunlight. Infrequent And Deep Watering Is Most Effective By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Water your plants deeply to grow deep-rooted, more drought-resistant plants. Infrequent, deep watering is more effective than frequent shallow watering, particularly for many perennials and larger garden vegetables such as corn and tomatoes, according to the Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener Program. The proper amount of water for a vegetable garden depends on the vegetable type. Vigorous tomato plant roots are known to surpass eight feet. Corn, tomatoes, asparagus, rhubarb, with their deep root systems, should be watered deeply and less frequently than shallow rooted plants such as lettuce, beets, green beans and chard. Let soil dry out partially between waterings to allow oxygen into the soil. Watch your plants for signs of drought stress, such as dull rather than shiny leaves, then water accordingly. A good rule of thumb for larger vegetable plants is to apply at least one inch of water every five to seven days during the hottest part of the growing season. Determine the amount and rate of water delivery by placing small empty tuna cans in the sprinkler pattern. For shallower rooted vegetables, water less, but more frequently. Also, consider your soil type &endash; clay, loam or sand &endash; when planning your summer watering strategies. Clays are slow to absorb or give up water. This is a mixed blessing. Gardens may take longer to water, but they will need watering less frequently than those in sandy soil. Sand, on the other hand, sucks up water quickly, but dries out quickly. Plants growing in sand will need water more often than soil with more clay. Loamy soils lie somewhere in between clay and sand. Water flower beds to a depth of about two feet. For fine, clay soil, sprinkle for a total of a half hour, at a rate of two to three gallons per minute per 20 square feet of bed. For loam, sprinkle 20 minutes. For sand, 10 minutes is adequate. Most trees in Oregon have the majority of their roots in the upper 18 inches of soil. Healthy fruit tree roots generally are three to four feet deep or less, in good soil. Camellias and rhododendron roots reach two to three feet in organic soils. To deeply water newly planted trees and shrubs, make a small berm of soil to form a catch basin around the trunk. Fill the basin with water, then let it soak in. For sandy soil, do this once. For loamy soil, fill and let water infiltrate twice. With clay, repeat this process three times to adequately water deeply. For more information on "Growing Your Own," visit our on-line catalog. Our publications and video catalog at: http://eesc.oregonstate.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat shows which publications are available on the Web and which can be ordered as printed publications.

Voluntary Cancellation Order Issued For Certain Diazinon Uses From Far West This Week (9/12) Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. requested EPA to voluntarily cancel the registrations for all of its remaining products (agricultural and outdoor non-agricultural) containing the organophosphate pesticide diazinon. The cancellation order is effective immediately. Any distribution, sale, or use of the products subject to this cancellation order is only permitted in accordance with the terms of the existing stocks provisions of this cancellation order. This action affects only registrations held by Syngenta. Other registrations for agricultural uses remain in effect. The Federal Register notice listing the provisions related to existing stocks of diazinon is available at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPA-PEST/2003/September/Day-03/p22317.htm. Additional information on diazinon, including the Interim Reregistration Eligibility Decision, is available at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm. Fertilizer Industry Takes Action On Natural Gas Crisis From Far West This Week (9/12) The Fertilizer Institute has been actively lobbying the United States Government on the current situation regarding the escalating price of natural gas, an essential feedstock to manufacture nitrogen fertilizer. The crisis is exacting a heavy toll on America's nitrogen fertilizer producers and the farmer customers they supply. This impact on the North American fertilizer industry is unprecedented and threatens to irreversibly cripple the U.S. nitrogen fertilizer manufacturing industry, which supplies roughly three-fourths of U.S. farmers' nitrogen fertilizer needs. For more on the fertilizer/natural gas price issue visit www.tfi.org. Think Before You Plant&emdash;Some Trees Have Chronic Problems In PNW By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Autumn can be a good time to plant trees. It is also a useful season to note which types of trees look under stress in your region of the state. If a tree is going to have problems, it often shows up most conspicuously in the fall. Drought stress, chronic disease and pest problems are often evident in the autumn, on both sides of the Cascades. The next time you visit a nursery to select a new ornamental tree to plant in your yard, keep in mind that not all trees offered for sale perform well in the Pacific Northwest. The Oregon State University Master Gardener Program and Ann Marie VanDerZanden, former OSU landscape horticulturist (now at Iowa State), compiled a list of trees that often fail to thrive in our region as well as another list of trees that tend to most often stay healthy. These lists are based on years of Master Gardener experiences. Trees that most often fail to thrive in the Pacific Northwest include: • Birch (Betula species) - have aphids, bronze birch borers and leaf miners • Eastern Dogwood (Cornus florida) - chronic anthracnose • Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttalli) - chronic anthracnose • Crabapples - (Malus species) - get scab, mildew, aphids and are a possible host to apple maggot. • Spruce (Picea species) - suffer from spruce aphids, spruce spider mites • Cherries and plums (Prunus species) - many have brown rot, bacterial blight, shothole fungus, shothole borer) • London Plane or Sycamore (Platanus xacerifolia) - get sycamore anthracnose. Trees that rarely suffer from pests and disease in the Pacific Northwest, include: • Vine, Amur and paperbark maple (Acer circinatum, A. ginnala, A. griseum) • Kousa Dogwood (Cornus kousa) • Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) • Red Horsechestnut (Aesculus xcarnea) • Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) • Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) • Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) • Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). To learn more about trees that do well in the Pacific Northwest, the OSU Extension Service offers "Plant Materials for Landscaping&emdash;A List of Plants for the Pacific Northwest," a 60-page booklet. Fifteen pages of this publication are devoted to descriptions of trees that do well in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. The lists of trees are arranged in categories by mature size, along with information on appropriate climate zones, growth pattern, flower color and site preferences. For more information on "Plant Materials for Landscaping," PNW 500, visit our on-line catalog. Our publications and video catalog at: http://eesc.oregonstate.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat shows which publications are available on the Web and which can be ordered as printed publications. WSU Slates Weed & Profit Meetings By Terence L. Day, Washington State University Washington State University has scheduled two back-to-back meetings for livestock producers interested in weed control and making a profit. Don Nelson, WSU extension beef specialist, will conduct a Planning for Profit Workshop, Thursday, Nov. 20, and a Weed Management Using Multi-Species Grazing Conference, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22. Both meetings will be at the Quality Inn and Suites, Clarkston, Wash. Nelson said the Planning for Profit Workshop will provide an overview of a planning process that helps ranchers prioritize expenditures to ensure they are compatible with their long-term goals while also being profitable. "The importance of managing operations that are socially, ecologically and economically responsible will be emphasized," Nelson said. Registration to the Planning for Profit workshop is limited to 30 people on a first-come, first-serve basis. The workshop will cost $30 per person or $50 per couple until Nov. 7. After that date, registration will cost $10 more per person, $20 more for couples. The multi-species grazing conference will feature an old tool as part of a modern integrated pest management program to control weeds. Nelson invites ranchers, "Come learn about environmentally friendly, solar-powered, self-propelled weed-eaters that carry their own fermentation vat and fertilizer spreading capability while producing no fossil fuel exhaust or noise pollution. They are leather covered and come in various shapes, sizes and color combinations. Several models are available that can target specific types of problem plants." The old tool is multi-species grazing with cattle, sheep and goats to enhance rangeland for livestock and big game. Speakers will relate on-the-ground experiences with multi-species grazing. The program is part of a USDA funded regional project. It will include 30 participants from four states, representing federal agencies, county weed boards, extension workers and ranchers, Nelson said. The conference will conclude with a session in which participants explore how what they learned at the conference can be applied when they return home. Registration to the multi-species conference is limited to 100 people on a first-come-first-serve basis. The conference will cost $25 per person or $45 per couple until Nov. 7. After that, registration will cost an additional $5. More information and on-line registration with payment by credit card are available at http://www.emmps.wsu.edu/Eservices/online.html. Grow Currants And Gooseberries For Great Jams And Pies By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University. Disclaimer. Ever consider growing currants or gooseberries in your home garden? Autumn is a good time to start thinking about getting a site ready to plant these attractive fruiting shrubs early next spring. Why start in the autumn? After choosing a site to plant your berry plants, it is good to add organic material in the fall and let it decompose over the winter, then plant your currants or gooseberries in the early spring. With tart-sweet black, red, yellow-green or whitish-colored berries, currants and gooseberries are excellent in jams, juices and pies and are easy to freeze. They are rich in vitamin C. Plus they are easy to grow and are attractive shrubs for the home landscape. Members of the genus Ribes, true currants and gooseberries are unrelated to the raisin-like "currants" sold in the grocery store, which are dried grapes. Native to North America, currants and gooseberries were more commonly grown at the turn of the century. Then after outbreaks of white pine blister rust, currants were found to carry the disease. To protect pine trees, federal law mandated that all currants and gooseberries, members of the genus Ribes, be eradicated. This rust, a fungal disease, requires both pines and plants in the genus Ribes to complete its life cycle. Wind carries rust spores between plants. Since then, plant breeders have developed some disease-resistant varieties of currants and gooseberries and have tested them here in Oregon at U.S. Department of Agriculture facilities in Corvallis. The federal law prohibiting the cultivation of Ribes was repealed in 1966 in most states, although about 17 still have some restrictions. The ban was lifted in Oregon because we have so many native species of Ribes, including red flowering currant and stinking currant. Gooseberries and currants are very cold tolerant and can be grown in any region of the state, according to Bernadine Strik, berry specialist with the OSU Extension Service. Choosing A Site On the east side of the Cascades, when choosing a site to plant gooseberries or currants, avoid planting these fruiting shrubs in frost pockets. If you plant on a slope, you reduce the risk of frost injury and diseases like powdery mildew on your plants. If you have hot summers, planting in a partially shaded spot or north- or northeast-facing slope is optimal. If you live on "the west side," pick a spot that gets full sun. Gooseberries and currants thrive in well-drained loam soil, amended with organic material. If you have poorly drained soil, you might build a raised bed, then plant your berry bushes in that. To determine how much garden space to allocate and prepare, plan on spacing plants about three to four feet apart in rows. Black currants should be spaced four to five feet apart. Rows should be at least seven feet apart. If you have any five-needled white bark pines in your area, you should plant rust-resistant varieties such as the Viking red currant and Consort black currant. Preparing The Site Once you have chosen a site, remove all weeds, especially perennials. It is good to add organic material in the fall and let it decompose over the winter, and plant your currants or gooseberries in the early spring. Manure, compost, leaves, chopped hay etc. make good amendments to add to the soil in the fall. These plants like a pH of about 6, so check the pH in the fall before planting. Liming might be necessary in acid soils. Learning About Varieties For more information on "Growing Currants and Gooseberries in Your Home Garden," EC 1361, visit our on-line catalog. Our publications and video catalog at: http://eesc.oregonstate.edu/agcomwebfile/edmat shows which publications are available on the Web and which can be ordered as printed publications. While Senators Dawdle, Norton Announces Healthy Forest Projects From Far West This Week (9/12) Interior Secretary Gale Norton announced three Healthy Forests Initiative pilot projects this week to reduce the threat of wildland fire are ready for implementation.The pilot projects reflect the desire of President Bush to take action while the nation watches America's forests go up in flames because Senate Democrats and the environmental extremists who pull their strings are playing politics with healthy forest legislation approved more than a month ago by the House. Norton announced the signing of decisions to implement the Pahvant Interagency Fuels Reduction Project in central Utah, the Interagency Portneuf Fuels Management Project in southeast Idaho, and the Mesquite Hazardous Fuel Reduction project in southeast Nevada. Secretary Norton made the announcement during the Citizens for a Sound Economy annual Liberty Summit at the Washington Plaza Hotel. "These pilot projects ensure compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act," Norton said. Mystery Identity After putting her children to bed, a mother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. At last she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard her three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"

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