Managing The Japanese Beetle

From Minnesota to Moscow — how to grow fresh figs in cold climates Growing Figs in Cold Climates is a complete, full-color, illustrated guide to organic methods for growing delicious figs in cold climates, well outside the traditional hot, arid home of this ancient fruiting tree. Coverage includes: Five methods for growing figs in cold climates including overwintering Cultivar selection for cool and cold climates Pruning techniques for a variety of methods of growing figs in cold climates Pest problems and solutions Harvesting, including ways to speed ripening, identify ripe fruit, and manage an overabundance Small-scale commercial fig production in cold climates. Fresh figs are juicy, full-bodied, and filled with a honey-sweet flavor, and because truly ripe figs are highly perishable, they are only available to those who grow their own. By choosing the right cultivars and techniques, figs can be grown across cool and cold growing zones of North America, Europe, and beyond, putting them within reach of almost every gardener. Easy and delicious — if you can grow a houseplant, you can grow a fig.

Garden Myths examines over 120 horticultural urban legends. Turning wisdom on its head, Robert Pavlis dives deep into traditional garden advice and debunks the myths and misconceptions that abound. He asks critical questions and uses science-based information to understand plants and their environment. Armed with the truth, Robert then turns this knowledge into easy-to-follow advice. - Is fall the best time to clean the garden? - Do bloom boosters work?- Will citronella plants reduce mosquitoes in the garden?- Do pine needles acidify soil?- Should tomatoes be suckered?- Should trees be staked at planting time? - Can burlap keep your trees warm in winter?- Will a pebble tray increase humidity for houseplants? "Garden Myths is a must-read for anyone who wants to use environmentally sound practices. This fascinating and informative book will help you understand plants better, reduce unnecessary work, convince you to buy fewer products and help you enjoy gardening more."

Over the last decade, more growers of various crops in Wisconsin have added Japanese beetle to their list of problematic pests. The adult JB can damage grape plants by feeding on the leaves and reducing the ability of the plant to photosynthesize. As a result, individual plants reduce grape production in order to redirect energy into vegetative growth. Typical management tactics used by grape growers to reduce Japanese beetle populations and consequent feeding damage is the use of conventional insecticides. Little research has attempted to investigate the dynamics of Japanese beetle populations within grape crops in conjunction with potential alternative management strategies and non-conventional pesticides. The aim of the research project was to identify effective, economical and environmentally responsible management strategies for Popillia japonica (Newman) in Wisconsin vineyards. An alternative, non-insecticide treatment for managing JB adults in grapes was discovered: research findings revealed that Kaolin clay significantly minimizes JB adult feeding damage to grape leaves with no adverse affects to the fruit at the time of harvest. This work also reveals the effectiveness of various types of ground covers (different mulch types) for reducing larval populations of Japanese beetle; significantly fewer Japanese beetle grubs were found in hardwood chips, bark mulch, and rubber mulch compared to turf ground cover. The abundance and amount of Japanese beetle adult feeding damage varied between younger (juvenile) and older (mature) leaves. Younger leaves had greater numbers of adult beetles and feeding damage compared to older leaves. Consequently, modifying or altering the timing of green pruning, a common cultural practice employed by grape growers, may result in grape plants being less attractive to newly emerged JB adults. Very few published research reports provide meaningful information on the value of how spatial distribution may provide insight for the development of reduced chemical input management strategies that target only specific or limited areas of the grape crop with insecticides. The outcomes and implications generated by this work suggest that grape growers and vineyard managers can employ effective, alternative or modified management strategies and tactics that measurably reduce chemical input and align with an integrated pest management approach.