Spencer County Agriculture & Horticulture

Newsletter

July-August 2016

I hope your summer has been a good

one so far. It’s hard to believe that July is

almost gone. I’ve heard from many of you

that have had trouble getting your hay baled

with the arrival of rain every few days. Once

again, we can’t control Mother Nature.

Many of you have had gardening

issues like we had last year. Some have even

abandoned your gardens again. As many

people say, “there’s always next year.”

As always, feel free to call or email me

if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Bryce Roberts,

Spencer County Extension Agent for

Agriculture and Natural Resources

More Information As always, if you need

more information, feel free to

call me at 477-2217.

You can also email me at

broberts@uky.edu or you can visit my

website to view archived newsletters and

news articles. The web address is:

www.spencerextension.com

Farmers Market Open The Taylorsville/Spencer County

Farmers Market is now open. It will be open

beginning at 8 a.m. until noon or so. Some of

the vendors may stay past noon if there is a

crowd. The market will be open every

Saturday (rain or shine) until the end of

October. The market is located in downtown

Taylorsville.

There are always several vendors there

with fresh produce, breads, meats, and many

other items. If you’ve ever wondered where

your food comes from, you can meet the

people that are actually growing it at the mar-

ket.

If you are interested in becoming a

vendor, feel free to contact me for an

application.

Cooperative Extension Service Spencer County PO Box 368 Taylorsville KY 40071-0368 (502) 477-2217 Fax: (502) 477-1343 extension.ca.uky.edu

Japanese Beetle Control Japanese beetle numbers appear to be

up in many areas, and landscapes with plants

these insects prefer could be under siege for

the next 2 to 3 weeks. Turf and ornamental

insecticides containing pyrethroids

(bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin,

permethrin, etc.) can provide very good

long-term control.

However, these

insecticides are harmful to

pollinators and must not be

applied to blooming plants.

The extended residual

effect of pyrethroids also

applies to natural ene-

mies. Damage to natural

enemies can lead to

problems with other pests,

such as spider mites. This leaves many people

interested in alternative approaches to

Japanese beetle control.

No single solution fits all situations,

but practical assistance may be found in one

or more of these alternatives:

Physical protection

Drape fine netting over preferred host plants

to deny beetles access to attractive plants.

Monitor general beetle activity in order to

remove the cover as early as possible.

Removal of buds and early blooms

Cut and bring highly attractive flowers, such

a roses, indoors for enjoyment.

Prevent buildup

Volatiles produced by Japanese beetle-

damaged plants attract more of these

voracious insects. When practical, make early

morning and afternoon visits to infested

plants to knock beetles into a container of

soapy water. Keeping Japanese beetle

numbers low on plants means less plant

damage, as well as less attraction to other

Japanese beetles.

Insecticides

Pyola Insect Spray (pyrethrins and

canola oil) and other pyrethrins sprays

provide broad spectrum insect control alterna-

tive. Both active ingredients are contact

insecticides that provide very short residual

protection. As with all insecticides, follow the

label directions on protecting pollinators.

Insecticidal soap and horticultural oils also

provide contact control. Check the label for

warnings regarding sensitive plants or

restrictions due to high temperature. Products

based on extracts of hot peppers, oranges,

garlic, and the physical protectant kaolin did

not provide effective control in University of

Kentucky trials.

Do not use traps

UK research has shown beetle traps to

be ineffective. Large numbers of beetles will

respond to the attractants but few are

captured. This can result in greater beetle

damage than would have occurred without

the traps.

Soil Sampling Information Fall is the best time to sample your

fields, gardens, or lawns to see what type and

how much fertilizer you need to make the soil

as productive as possible. For each sample

you want to submit, we need at least one pint

(sandwich bag) of soil 4-8 inches below the

soil surface.

Bring those in so that you can get the

results more quickly and in some cases go

ahead and apply the fertilizer this fall so that

the soil will be ready for your yard or crops

next spring. Wait until your fields or gardens

are finished for this fall before sampling.

This is a free service provided by the

Spencer Co. Soil Conservation District.

Thanks to them for sponsoring the soil

sampling program.

SPENCER COUNTY EXTENSION SHOWCASE

SAVE THE DATE: AUGUST 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

SPENCER COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OFFICE

100 Oak Tree Way, Taylorsville, KY

(First Street past the Spencer County Middle School and Elementary school)

SEE HIDDEN TREASURES AND TALENTS IN SPENCER COUNTY MEN - WOMEN - yOUTH eXTEND YOURSELF!

Booths, DOOR PRIZES, REFRESHMENTS, Free admission! Come to see the great activities in our county. Basket weaving, Gourd Society,

Fine Art Society, Sewing & Embroidery group, Men’s Choral group, Woodworking Group, Men’s Cooking group, Garden Club, 4-H Clubs, Quilting,

Homemakers Clubs, Agriculture & Natural Resources, etc.

ALL OF OUR GROUPS WILL HAVE A BOOTH

WITH MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN BE A PART OF THEIR HAPPENINGS IN SPENCER

COUNTY.

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID TAYLORSVILLE KY

PERMIT #40

Spencer County PO Box 368 Taylorsville, KY 40071-0368 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED