Practice post

Picking the right cultivar

Picking the "right" plant for the allotted space seems to be a challenge.  People tend to want to put in a plant that is, under natural conditions, too big for the available space or planted too close or under another plant.  Thus, requiring unhealthy amounts of shearing/pruning and preventing the plant from reaching its natural potential.  

In most cases, there is a "right" plant for the allotted space.  Please take a look at the video above where Dr. Ursula Schuch from the University of Arizona describes 3 different cultivars of Texas Ranger.

Have a great Holiday weekend.

School IPM

What is Integrated Pest Management?

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

Benefits:

Reduced exposure to pests

Reduced exposure to pesticides

Reduced absenteeism due to:

Turf related injuries

Asthma due to pest related triggers

Cost neutral

Healthier learning environment

Improved academic achievement

What this means to you, your student(s) and your environment!

IPM reduces pest complaints

IPM reduces pesticide use in schools from 71% - 93%

IPM maximizes the benefits from the campus landscape

IPM reduces plant and tree losses

Trees and green spaces create healthy communities and are positively correlated with psychological, physical, cognitive and increased capacity for attention in our children.

Children are the most vulnerable
members of society,

they are the future.

We are the custodians of their world.

Please check with your school administration and see how they manage pests.  

Cooler temps could equal uninvited guests

 As temperatures begin to cool here in Arizona, your home may be a welcoming site for many uninvited guests.  Many pests look to our homes as safe harbors for the winter months.  In nature, they seek shelter under loose bark, rotten logs, leaf litter, and in rock crevices.  Unfortunately for us, their beady little eyes see our homes as such a place.

One of the best things we can do is bug proof our home before they have a chance to move in.  For those uninvited guests that have already moved in, simple decluttering and cleaning should take care of them.  Pests are looking for 3 things: 1)Food 2)Water and 3)Shelter.  By limiting these, pests will not see our home as a safe harbor.

Here is a great "how to" from Gouge et al. from the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension on what troublesome pests we might have and how to keep them out.

How to bug proof your house

Good Luck!

Do it yourself pest control can be DANGEROUS.

Insect infestations, especially those that feed on us, can cause great emotional, psychological and physical stress.  The main reaction is simple: get rid of the infestation immediately and with what ever means are available.  However, this can prove to be dangerous, even deadly in some instances. Using a logical, common sense approach with patience, an infestation can be managed and eliminated.

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Opinion, arguments & analyses from the editors of Scientific American

Bedbug Treatments Sicken More Than Bites Do

By Katherine Harmon | September 23, 2011 | 5

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Image courtesy of Flickr/Piotr

Naskrecki/Harvard University/Armed Forces Pest Management Board

The ongoing bedbug epidemic has been a pain—if not full-on pestilence—for those infested and for those in constant terror of becoming so. The biting bugs are not known to carry infectious diseases like other bloodsuckers, such as ticks or mosquitoes. But the chemicals used to beat back these tiny insects seem to be making some of the bite-plagued sick.
At least 111 people in seven states reported becoming ill after coming in contact with an area treated for bedbugs (Cimex lectularius) between 2003 and 2010, according to a new report published online Friday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The most common symptoms were neurological effects—dizziness and headaches—shortness of breath, and gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea and vomiting. One 65-year-old North Carolina woman, who had multiple underlying conditions, died after excessive insecticide use at home, including direct application to her hair and skin, in an effort to get rid of bedbugs.
The chemicals implicated in most of the reactions were pyrethrins (natural compounds) and pyrethroids (synthetic compounds based on pyrethrins), which are both frequent insecticide ingredients. With increased use, however, some populations of bedbugs have developed a resistance to pyrethroids, which is bad for itchy humans, who might be inclined to spray more and more of the chemicals if they don’t seem to be working.
The states that participated in the illness identification program were California, Florida, Michigan, New York (where more than half the cases were reported), North Carolina, Texas and Washington. Nearly three quarters of the illnesses were from 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Most case reports came through poison control centers, which means that there are probably plenty of other instances of illness that go unreported and that have occurred in other states. It also means, though, that it is difficult to make definitive links between the bedbug treatments and the symptoms, without having more clinical knowledge of the individuals’ other health issues and their environment. So the CDC cautiously calls the link between most of the illnesses and treatments “possible,” with some 16 percent of cases being “probable” or “definite.”
Many of the reactions were likely due to people either using too much insecticide or not washing their linens after applying the poison. The modest number of reported illnesses overall “does not suggest a large public health burden,” the CDC noted. But people would be wise to use other, non-chemical control methods, such as keeping mattresses and box springs in bug-resistant covers, laundering or discarding infested items, and using temperature treatments (which can kill bugs with extreme heat or cold) provided by some extermination companies, the agency suggested. And it’s usually a good idea to seek professional help—and to stick to the instructions on chemicals, which will tell you it’s a bad idea to put the stuff directly on your sheets, or, obviously, your skin.

 

About the Author: Katherine Harmon is a reporter for Scientific American covering health, medicine, neuroscience and general life sciences for the website. Follow on Twitter  @katherineharmon.

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The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

IPM for Bed Bugs

Here is a great video for treating bed bugs using IPM.

http://entsoc.org/buzz/integrated-pest-management-bed-bug-control

Proper water use

"There are a number of ways to save water in your landscape, and
there are some very good reasons to do so. Over half of household
water—in some cases as much as three-quarters—goes into our
landscapes. That means watering your yard efficiently is one of the
best and easiest ways to save water. Proper watering will also keep
your landscape plants healthy and beautiful through the year.
With a little help from this booklet you can figure out most of
your landscape watering needs on a weekend morning".

Preaching about water use.  I guess it is the move to the desert that has prompted me to really think about how much water is wasted every day and where our water comes from.  When using IPM in the landscape, proper watering is crucial to achieve positive results (limiting weeds, disease, rot...).  Please follow the link below for a pdf copy of how to determine how much water you need in your landscape. 

http://wateruseitwisely.com/region/arizona/100-ways-to-conserve/outdoor-tips/water-guides/Landscape-Watering-Guide.pdf