IPM Calendar: January

By RUTH BENNER on January 1, 2009 9:46 AM |

January IPM
In the Greenhouse
      Ideally, the greenhouse should have a period of “rest”, or be empty for a period between crops.  For those who have several weeks between crops, this is an excellent way to stop last year’s pest from becoming this year’s pest.  The “rest” should be several weeks long.  Temperature’s should be kept above 80°F during that time, causing an increase in the metabolism of insects and leading them to starve in the absence of food.  Of course, a heated rest is feasible in the summer months, but economically difficult in Northwestern Pennsylvania in January.  Freezing is another way to “rest” the greenhouse, but freezing is more likely to induce hibernation of insects, rather than starvation. 
      Whether you are able to “rest” the greenhouse or not, sanitation between crops is critical.  Debris left from previous crops must be swept up, placed in a plastic bag, removed from the greenhouse and destroyed.  Weeds under the benches should be controlled either by hand removal, or treating with an herbicide labeled for greenhouse use, such as:-------.  After herbicide treatment, the plant debris must be raked and removed. 
  
<a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/weeds on floor/Weeds%20on%20floor%2C%20hose.html" onclick="window.open('http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/weeds on floor/Weeds%20on%20floor%2C%20hose.html','popup','width=548,height=470,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/weeds on floor/Weeds%20on%20floor%2C%20hose-thumb.JPG" width="300" height="257" alt="" /></a>


The weeds on the floor of this greenhouse must be removed.  The weeds provide a vector for disease and harbor insects as well.  The hose, wand, and breaker nozzle should be sanitized.  The hose ends should be place up, off of the floor, even while the greenhouse is at rest.  While a brand new greenhouse may claim to be clean, most greenhouses that have pathogen related diseases once are likely to have remnants or descendants of that disease on the floor.  While insects may starve after a sustained period of time over 80°F, most pathogens can survive until they are presented with conditions over   160°F. 
 
<a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/2007/12/13/pvc clip/2007_0713ImaxJuly070167.html" onclick="window.open('http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/2007/12/13/pvc clip/2007_0713ImaxJuly070167.html','popup','width=1280,height=960,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/2007/12/13/pvc clip/2007_0713ImaxJuly070167-thumb.JPG" width="300" height="257" alt="" /></a>

<a href="http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/2007_0713ImaxJuly070168.html" onclick="window.open('http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/2007_0713ImaxJuly070168.html','popup','width=1280,height=960,scrollbars=no,resizable=no,toolbar=no,directories=no,location=no,menubar=no,status=no,left=0,top=0'); return false"><img src="http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/ornamentalgrowersipmupdate/2007_0713ImaxJuly070168-thumb.JPG" width="300" height="257" alt="" /></a>


Here, a PVC pipe was cut and sanded to make a clip for holding hoses.  The clips help to keep the hose ends off of the floor where disease is surely lurking…

Find a new home for pet plants… If you aren’t going to sell them, they shouldn’t be there
Sanitize Benches, floors, tools,
After sanitizing, let it all dry up, this will help to kill shoreflies, (which live and reproduce around algae), and fungus gnats, (that will reproduce in the moist soil in pots, or the moist soil under your benches). 

If you had a history of weeds last year, hose down greenhouse walls and ceilings with a strong jet of water.  Weeds seeds, such as ----- can stick very effectively to greenhouse walls, especially if a little condensation coats the walls.  When windy or dry days come, the seeds will fall, dropping into pots on benches and hanging baskets. 
Even if your greenhouse is empty, you may find it helpful to place out some yellow or blue sticky cards.  That way you can control an insect problem before you move in a food source. 

 

 

INTRODUCTION: THE DYNAMIC PLANT NUTRITION SYSTEM

By RUTH BENNER on May 1, 2008 3:17 PM |

 

This is the first in a series of articles discussing the Dynamic Plant Nutrition System.  The goal of this series is to give a practical, working knowledge of the science of plant nutrition.

 

Many factors determine the nutrition of a plant.  These factors are dynamic: they are continuously changing.   The four main factors that we will be concerned with are: substrate (media), water, fertilizer program and plant species.  Together these factors make up the substrate solution.  

To begin the series we will review a few properties that influence the dynamic plant nutrition system. 

pH: The pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution in comparison to hydroxide ions (OH-).  The pH is measured on a scale of 1 to 14, with 1 being the most acidic (lots of H+, few
OH-), 7 being neutral (H+=OH-), and 14 being the most basic (few H+, lots of OH-).  All four factors of the substrate solution influence the overall pH and the ability of plants to take up nutrients.  This is because pH determines whether nutrients are soluble (in a form that can be taken up by plants). 

Managing pH is challenging because not all nutrients are soluble at the same pH, not all plant species take up nutrients at the same pH and pH can change over time.  While nitrogen, potassium, calcium and copper are soluble (can be taken up by a plant) over a wide pH range in peat-based substrates, other nutrients are only soluble in narrow pH ranges.  Magnesium is most soluble at
a pH above 6.5.  Therefore, when a pH of substrate solution is below 5.5, we might find a deficiency of magnesium in the plant tissue.  Phosphorous, iron, manganese, boron and zinc are most soluble at a pH below 6.5.  Therefore, when the pH of the substrate solution is above 7, we may have deficiencies of phosphorous, iron, manganese zinc, or copper in
the plant tissue.

The opposites are also tru

 
e, when the pH of the substrate solution is high, magnesium may be at toxic levels in the plant tissue.  When the pH is low, phosphorous, iron, manganese, boron and zinc may be at toxic levels in the plant tissue. 

Future articles will discuss recommended pH ranges for specific plant species.

Alkalinity:  It is just as important to know the alkalinity of irrigation water as it is to know the pH.  This is because alkalinity of irrigation water makes the substrate solution pH dynamic -it makes the media pH change over time.  When alkalinity is high, the more water that gets added to the substrate solution, the higher the pH changes.  The longer the crop season, the higher the pH climbs.  Alkalinity does not mean alkaline (alkaline means that the pH is over 7).  Alkalinity is a measurement of bicarbonates and carbonates in a solution that has the ability to neutralize acids.  Recommended alkalinity range is between 40-120ppm CaCO3.

High alkalinity causes a buffering effect.  This means that the solution resists change of pH.  The higher the alkalinity, the more acid is necessary to correct a high pH.  For example, if you have a pH of 7.5 and an alkalinity of 50 ppm, it will take a small amount of acid to bring your pH to an ideal pH of 6.2.  If you have a pH of 7.0 and an alkalinity of 300, it will take a much larger amount of acid to bring the pH to an ideal pH of 6.2.  It is important to know your alkalinity at the beginning of a crop so that you can make a plan to reduce alkalinity before substrate solution pH rises.

Electrical Conductivity (E.C.) is a measurement of the amount of dissolved salts (ions) in a solution.  Ions are electrically charged molecules, [anions (⁻) and cations (⁺)].  The higher the number of ions, the more electrical current the solution can conduct, and the higher the E.C.

E.C. tells growers the amount of ions, but not specifically which ions are in the sample.  While a full laboratory analysis is recommended to determine the exact composition of water and fertilizer solutions, an E.C. test can be performed quickly as part of an in-house testing program.  It is important to know the E.C. of your media solution because a high E.C. indicates over-fertilization and a low E.C. indicates under-fertilization.  A high E.C. can lead to nutrient toxicity and increase chances of some root diseases.  A low E.C can lead to nutrient deficiencies and stunted growth.

In the articles to come the four major factors of the substrate solution will be discussed.  Future articles will also review testing the substrate solution and how to interpret the test results and  make corrections. 

Want to learn more now?  Outstanding, easy-to-understand resources can be found at: 

·   Substrate pH and Water Quality by Douglas A. Bailey, Paul V. Nelson, and William C. Fonteno  www.ces. ncsu.edu/depts/hort/floriculture/plugs/ph.pdf

·   The Pour Thru Method website: www.pourthruinfo.com

·   Understanding pH Management for Container-Grown Crops by Paul R. Fisher and William R. Argo; Meister Publications

Growing Degree Days Page Added

By RUTH BENNER on April 17, 2008 3:56 PM |

New Page:

A Growing Degree Day s page for ornamental growers has now been added to the Ornamental Growers' IPM Update. The page can be found on the right hand column of this blog.  Click on the page title "Growing Degree Days Current Information 2008.”  Then click on the link.  The page looks like this:

For Current Growing Degree Day information, click on this link: http://www.personal.psu.edu/rab147/blogs/growerdegreedays/

 

What are Growing Degree Days?

Plant and insect development is temperature dependent, not calendar dependent.  After the winter dormancy period, temperatures rise and plants and insects develop.  Growing Degree Days are a measure of accumulated heat.  Growers and landscape technicians can use the Growing Degree Day (GDD) measurement of heat to predict which insects will be active at which point.  For example, at 90 GDD, Eastern Tent Caterpillars are active.  This is the time to scout for Eastern Tent Caterpillars and to make management decisions.

Phenology is the study of periodic occurrences in nature and their relation to weather.  The study of phenology is made by observation.  When does Eastern Redbud bloom?  When do gypsy moth eggs hatch?  Because the development of plants and insects is related to the accumulation of heat, these questions can be answered in GDD units.  {When does Eastern Redbud bloom? = 90GDD; When do gypsy moth eggs hatch? = 90GDD}  However, growers can skip the GDD calculations by using straight phenology.  When the Eastern Redbud is blooming, it is time to scout for gypsy moth larva (caterpillar).  

By using a GDD and phenology pest management system combined with scouting, growers and landscape technicians may improve pesticide application efficacy and reduce pesticide usage when compared with a calendar-based pest management system. 

 

How are Growing Degree Days Calculated?

In a 24-hour period, the minimum and maximum temperatures are recorded.  Then the following formula is used to calculate the GDD for that time period:

 

       Temp Min + Temp Max   - Base Temperature =GDD

                         2

What is the base temperature?   It is the temperature below which plants and insects do not develop.  Base temperatures vary by species.  For some species of plants and insects, the base temperature is 30 degrees F, for others it might be 50 degrees F.  We will use a base temperature of 50 in our calculations, because the majority of the pests that we are looking at do not develop below 50 degrees F. 

 

For Example, if the high was 65 and the low was 48:

 

 48 + 65   - 50 =6.5 GDD for that day

     2

 

We began measuring GDD in mid March in Erie County.  The GDD for each day are added together, giving a cumulative GDD measurement.  This cumulative measurement is the measurement of accumulated heat for the growing season. 

 

Here's the technology we use to record Growing Degree Days:

 

weather tracker

The weather tracker monitors the daily highs and lows for us, then calculates the Growing Degree Days.  The information will be updated on this site every Monday and Thursday; April - October.  The Penn State Cooperative Extension in Northwest Pennsylvania currently has weather trackers in Armstrong, Crawford, Erie, Venango and Warren Counties.  Because there is a great deal of variation throughout the region, you may wish to calculate the GDD at your location.  A simple Min/Max Thermometer is all you need to calculate GDD. 

 

Resources:

Mike Masiuk, a Penn State Cooperative Extension Educator in Allegheny County has collected Growing Degree Days in locations in Southwestern Pennsylvania and has developed a very useful website.  http://woodypests.cas.psu.edu/PestActivity/index.html

Growing Degree Day information has been collected by, Dr. Dan Herms of Ohio State University/OARDC and by Dr. Warren T, Johnson of Cornell University.  They have collected data for more than twenty years each, and their research will be the basis of the phenology and insect activity predictions/expectations in this blog.

Dr Herm's Data: http://ohioline.osu.edu/sc157/sc157_16.html

Dr Johnson's Data: http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/suffolk/grownet/ipm/gdd.html

 

Penn State Publication: Creating Healthy Landscapes, Using Nature's Signals to Manage Landscape Pests http://sepaipm.cas.psu.edu/factsheets/chl-9.htm

 

The book, Coincide, The Orton System of Pest Management by Donald A. Orton is a very useful book that uses phenology of plants to predict insect pest activity.  Information on ordering this book is at http://woodypestguide.cas.psu.edu/44.htm

 

The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) exists to facilitate collection and dissemination of phenological data to support global change research.  It can be accessed at www.npn.uwm.edu

ICE IT

By RUTH BENNER on April 11, 2008 10:30 AM |

Reprinted with permission from Agricultural Safety and Health News November/December 2007 issue by the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension

No, we’re not talking about the sprain you get when you slip on the ice this winter. This is a campaign to encourage people to store their “In Case of Emergency” contact information in their cell phone. Bob Brotchie, a clinical team leader with an ambulance in Britain, conceived of the idea after many failed attempts to get information from patients. We don’t need to review the obvious list of tragedies and disasters to illustrate just how useful this idea is. What is so terrific is that it is simple to remember, to do, and to use.Go to the contact list in your phonebook in your phone and enter, ICE followed by the name and number of the person who is your emergency contact. You can make more than one contact using ICE1, ICE2, etc. Use ICE Doc to list your doctor. The person (or people listed) should be reliable, easy to reach (determine what’s best—cell, landline?), and have agreed to be your contact. A super smart thing to do is to provide them (if they don’t already have it) with a list of other important contacts (work, family, etc.) and any critical health information such as a chronic condition, medication allergies, and medications. For those under 18, your ICE contact is a parent or guardian who can legally make decisions on your behalf.
If your ICE contact is deaf, type ICE TEXT followed by their name and number.
FYI: Some older phones may not show the name if your contact is a duplicate in your phonebook. With some phones you can get around this by typing a * after the number under your ICE contact.
Adapted from: ICE in Your Mobile Phone http://www.icecontact.com/products.asp?productID=8

Note from OGIU Editor: When I was managing a greenhouse workforce, many of the seasonal employees were under 20 years old. Nearly everyone of them carried a cell phone, although they weren't allowed to use them on the job. The greatest number of workforce accidents occur at the 14 to 25 age group. After reading this article, and reflecting on my past workers, I believe that it would be agreat idea to encourage them to ICE their phones. In the event of an accident, it would save a lot of time to grab their cellphone, rather than have to run to the office to find their employee file. While employee emergency contact files should never be replaced, an ICEd phone would allow you stay at the scene of the accident, and with the victim until help comes.

 

Posted by RUTH BENNER on December 6, 2007 3:01 PM | | Comments (0)

MANAGING AND MARKETING YOUR BUSINESS

By RUTH BENNER on April 11, 2008 10:26 AM |

 

By RUTH BENNER on April 2, 2008 4:07 PM |

For many green Industry businesses the slow-paced month of January is a well-deserved break. While it is a time for rest, it is also a time to reinvigorate and rekindle our excitement for our profession by preparing for the coming season. January
is a time to ask, “How will we let customers know that we have quality plants to sell this spring? What business skills could we strengthen now, before we get too busy again?” The following articles will help you find tools for marketing and managing your business and are prefect jobs for snowy January days.

AGMAP: ARE YOU ON THE MAP?

AgMap is an online directory of Pennsylvania’s agricultural producers for use by customers, farmers and local businesses. AgMap was developed by Penn State University and
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture to promote agricultural enterprises in Pennsylvania.

AgMap provides a free webpage for each business to list
a description, post photographs or logos, and make a list of the products they sell. The products automatically get entered into a database. The database allows customers (retail or wholesale) to search for the products within a county or geographical area. For example, a customer might enter “Hanging Baskets” in “Erie” County and find a list of
all AgMap registered businesses that sell hanging baskets in Erie County. Once the customer selects a business, they can go to the business’ AgMap webpage, and a map will help them find the business!

Do you already have a website? One of the great features of AgMap is that it allows you to make a link between your AgMap page and your own website! Look at AgMap as another way for customers to find you!

So, how can you get on the Map? All that you need is a computer with internet access. Go to http://agmap.psu.edu and easily set up an account. Then you can write a business description and even add photographs or logos of your company!

AgMap’s other features include free classified ads, easy access to Penn State Publications, recent Ag-related newspaper articles and tools to monitor the number of hits that your page receives. AgMap even has a direct marketing tool. Customers who visit your page can subscribe by entering their email address, and then you can send newsletters, sales notices or coupons to the customers by email.

FINAL%20PA%20Pref.-RGB.jpg

PENNSYLVANIA PREFERRED® MARKETING TOOLS

By now, many of you have heard or seen advertisements for the Pennsylvania Preferred® Program, but do you know how it applies to your business? The program, available through the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, helps to pro-mote all Pennsylvania agricultural businesses including green industry products. The program actively markets the Pennsylvania Preferred® brand to increase consumer recognition through printed ads, billboard, and radio and television commercials. Greenhouse and nursery products can carry the Pennsylvania Preferred® label if they meet the criteria outlined on the Pennsylvania Preferred® website. Likewise, garden centers, nurseries and farm markets can be licensed in their entirety if they meet the criteria. Like AgMap, Pennsylvania Preferred® provides an online search directory to help consumers find your business. JoAnna Gresham of the PDA said, “Our website has received more than 500,000 hits in a month during peak periods, so being searchable on our online database is quite a benefit!”

The Pennsylvania Preferred® program can provide the advantage of branding. Many green industry businesses are following the trend to develop their own branding, but for many businesses, developing and printing labels and signs with company branding may be cost prohibitive. The state-wide promoted Pennsylvania Preferred® brand represents high quality standards, a commitment to Pennsylvania farmers and, most importantly, plant materials that were selected and grown to thrive in Pennsylvania soil and weather conditions. Like other branding, the Pennsylvania Preferred® brand gives your nursery products and displays a look of organization and uniformity. Only persons or businesses that have applied, are approved and have signed a licensee agreement can use the Pennsylvania Preferred® logo; membership is free. Pennsylvania Preferred® members can take advantage of free POP (Point Of Purchase) materials, including price cards, stickers, plant tags, banners and more. You can learn more about joining Pennsylvania Preferred® at www.papreferred.com.

BRUSH UP ON BUSINESS SKILLS FOR FREE!

Often people start in the ornamental production business because they love working with their hands, nurturing the plants and watching them grow. While loving our jobs and taking pride in what we grow is what gives us satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, selling and managing are what will secure the continuity of our business. The Pennsylvania Preferred® website features links to two resources for free, online courses for the small business owner in many business skill development areas. You can find the links at the bottom of the Pennsylvania Preferred® homepage, www.papreferred.com. Click on the statement: PA Preferred Member Resources: Free Online Marketing Courses. Follow the link and you will be taken to
a page with two more links: The Pennsylvania Institute for Food Marketing Education and Research (PIFMER) and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Both sites contain free online, self-paced courses. They are available 24/7, so you can take advantage of them on snowy days at 1:00 p.m. or on sleepless nights at 3:00 a.m. One note, because of the animated technology of the online presentations, DSL or faster internet service is recommended.
• The PIFMER website is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and is focused primarily on food crops, although the courses may be interesting to any business owner. Course titles include: Introduction to Foundations of Marketing, Entering International Markets, Food Security Risk Assessment and more. See the complete course listing at http://pifmer.org/education/course.php.
• The SBDC website contains courses and tools for small business owners in any type of enterprise. The extensive course categories include: Accounting, Finance, Small Business Tax, Legal, Marketing, Sales, Operations and Management and many more. Each category includes many course offerings at several skill levels including beginner (SmallBizU) and two intermediate levels (Virtual Advisor). The lessons contain animated slides and are audio-narrated. To keep it interesting and provide a little practice, many lessons include interactive case studies.
The site also includes tools to develop your business plan, strategic plan or disaster plan, as well as online consultation services. Access the SBDC courses at http://kutztownsbdc.org/course_listing.asp.
The Kutztown SBDC is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and cosponsored by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

2008 Award Winning Plants

By RUTH BENNER on January 1, 2008 10:18 AM |

Each year, in an effort to promote gardening, many organizations related to our industry recognize specific plants that display exceptional performance. Often these award winners are written about in magazines, newspapers and online gardening columns. If you feel your customers can succeed with the variety, take advantage of the advertising being done. For example, when displaying an award winner, post a laminated magazine article next to them. Then make a sign that reads ‘Award Winner (fill in the blank) as seen in (name of a magazine)!’


Here are some winners for 2008:

• The Perennial Plant Association’s Perennial Plant of the Year 2008: Geranium ‘Rozanne’

• The International Herb Association’s Herb of the Year 2008: calendula (Calendula officinalis)

• Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Medal Plants 2008 (5 winners): Buxus sempervirens 'Dee Runk', Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Ogon', Carpinus japonica, Cephalotaxus harringtonii 'Duke Gardens’ (zones 6-8) and Magnolia virginiana 'Jim Wilson' Moonglow™

• All American Selections: Osteospermum ‘Asti White’, Viola ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’ and Eggplant ‘Hansel’

• All American Rose Selections: ‘Mardi Gras’ and ‘Dream Come True™’

Resources for Commercial Growers through Penn State Cooperative Extension

By RUTH BENNER on December 19, 2007 10:23 AM |

 

By RUTH BENNER on April 2, 2008 3:59 PM |

Growers Meetings and License Credits: Integrated Pest Management seminars and workshops for ornamental growers will be offered throughout the year. Each meeting will provide growers with up-to-date, unbiased information to help them make pest management decisions and accumulate recertification credits for their Pesticide Applicators License. A list of scheduled meetings is available on the following Websites: http://erie.extension.psu.edu.

Penn State Publications and Websites: Access many of
the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Publications online at http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/ or call your County Cooperative Extension Office.

Pathogen Diagnostic Services: Plant Disease Clinic: free service for Pennsylvania businesses or homeowners. Download and complete the Plant Disease Sample Submis-sion Form and carefully follow the accompanying instructions for selecting and sending specimen. Please provide as much information as possible on the Information Form http://woodypests.cas.psu.edu/Services/PDCinfo.html.

Insect Diagnostic Services: A free service for Pennsylvania Green Industry Businesses or Homeowners. To submit
a sample for identification, call your local county's Penn State Cooperative Extension office for a sample kit or use
the following instructions to make your own kit. Collect
the sample as follows: small insects should be placed in small containers filled with 70% rubbing alcohol; larger specimens may be sent dry-packed between tissue or other protective material. Include the following collection information:
(1) name, address and telephone number of the collector;
(2) name of the plant being damaged; (3) date collected; and (4) city or county where the damage occurred. Any additional information about the infestation would be helpful. Place vials and/or dry specimens in a cardboard box or mailing tube with packing material and deliver them to the Insect Identification Laboratory, Department of Entomology,
The Pennsylvania State University, 501 ASI Building, University Park, PA 16802.

Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory: Plant Substrate, Tissue, and Water analysis. For a full description services and the current fee schedule through the AASL, go to www.aasl.psu.edu/PROGDESC.HTM. Test kits may be purchased from your County Extension office. Available tests include: Basic Soil Test, Greenhouse Media, Greenroof Media, Irrigation Water, Plant Tissue, Compost Test, Manure Test and more.

 

Posted by RUTH BENNER on December 19, 2007 4:16 PM

IPM NOW: VOLE CONTROL

By RUTH BENNER on December 17, 2007 10:27 AM |

By RUTH BENNER on April 9, 2008 11:07 AM |

 

You know the situation…you and your crew spent days cleaning, pruning and moving perennial and nursery stock into your overwintering houses. After a few weeks you walk through and notice that pots here and there have half the media volume they had when you moved them! You lift the pots and notice large holes chewed into the plastic. Tunnels were made through the media, roots were eaten and the media that was removed is piled between the pots. Most likely, voles are the culprits.

vole.bmp

Identify: Voles are small (3-7” long), chunky rodents with short tails, blunt noses and bead-like eyes. Adults are chestnut brown with some black or gray hairs, the young are gray. Several species of voles live in Pennsylvania, most notably the Meadow Vole (which nests and "runs" near or at the surface) and the Pine Vole (which lives in tunnels). Voles do not hibernate and are active night and day. They aren’t just trouble in the overwintering house: they also cause destruction in the greenhouse, nursery, and landscape bed throughout the year. They feed voraciously on plant vegeta-tion in the growing season, and seeds and root systems (bulbs, rhizomes, tubers and woody plant roots and bark) in the dormant season. In the greenhouse the runways may not be underground, but rather between pots, under the shuttle trays or flats. You may find clippings of stems, stripped of foliage, in tidy piles along their runways. In the nursery or landscape you may find girdling of the trunk under snow cover. Vole damage is distinguishable from rabbit damage in that the vole’s teeth marks are tiny and irregular, occurring at various angles and in random patches, whereas the rabbit’s teeth marks are larger and more uniform.

Voles are often mistaken for moles by growers and homeowners. Moles often get the blame for bulb and rhizome destruction, but moles rarely feed on plants, they prefer insects, grubs and earthworms. A major difference is the paws: moles have large spade-like front paws that they use for digging; voles have small paws. Moles also have pointy, naked snouts and appear not to have eyes or ears.
To add to the confusion, voles will occasionally move into abandoned mole tunnels.

Prevent: Expose voles to predators by maintaining a lawn or brush height of less than three inches around growing houses or fields. Exclude voles in the nursery by using plastic trunk guards or by placing hardware cloth (1/4” mesh or finer) around the trunks of young trees and shrubs. The mesh cylinder should be dug into the ground at least six inches and should extend well above the anticipated snow level. Green-houses and overwintering houses should be surrounded by fine mesh screening, buried at least 6” underground, angled outward at 90°. Repellents such as hot pepper sprays and castor oil pellets or drenches are available. Often they need to be reapplied with time, plant growth or after rainfall events. While some growers experience good results with repellents, research concerning the efficacy of repellents is inconclusive. Read the labels of repellents for use restrictions.

Monitor Populations: The apple sign test was developed for Virginia orchards, but can be applied in the greenhouse or nursery as well. Use shingles or wood pieces that will blend into the surrounding soil. Slightly arch the shingle so that
an animal can fit under it. Leave the shingles throughout
the scouting area for five days, to help the wildlife adjust to them being there. After 5 days, place small cubes of apple under the shingles. Begin monitoring whether the apple bits have been nibbled upon or remove. This will indicate the areas of the nursery where control efforts should be practiced.

Control: The legal status of vole is a nongame mammal and they are protected. However, they can be controlled when causing damage. Here are several strategies for controlling voles:
• Trapping: Mousetraps, baited with a peanut butter and oatmeal mix or apple bits, can be effective on a small scale. Place traps near holes or adjacent and perpendicular to runways. Cover the traps with a large flower pot or box, making sure the traps can still close, to protect non-target animals and humans from being trapped. Voles can also be live-trapped using the same bait. Release them at least a half-mile away in an overgrown field, or other places where they won't cause problems for other people. Wear gloves when handling voles, they can carry diseases that are harmful to humans.
• Toxic Baits: One very effective, single-dose toxicant is Zinc Phosphide pellets or treated grains. Zinc Phosphide is a restricted use pesticide and must be applied by a certified applicator or under direct supervision of a certified applicator. Anticoagulant rodenticides can also be used; they may take as many as five to fifteen days to take effect. It is best to place toxic baits directly into runways or burrow openings, preferably inside a bait container. Bait containers could include: water repellent paper tubes, PVC pipe, or empty and dry beverage bottles. The opening of the bait container should be 1.5 inches in diameter.
The bait container will protect the bait from moisture, and reduce the chance that it will be consumed by non-target wildlife, domestic pets and wildlife. Bait containers should be labeled with a warning and flagged to alert humans to their location and contents. Toxic baits are poisonous to
all forms of animal and human life and must be used with extreme caution, according to the instructions on the container label.
For more information, see "Wildlife Damage Control 9: Voles," at http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/ uh094.pdf or by contacting your county Penn State Cooperative Extension office.

Posted by RUTH BENNER on December 18, 2007 3:40 PM | | Comments (0)
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