Pruning Mid-February through mid-March is a good time to prune. When deciding what to remove make selections in this order; take out anything that is damaged, broken or diseased first, next remove branches that are crossing, rubbing, or one on top of each other, then thin as needed and look at the overall tree form. [...]
If you’re like me I try to tidy up my fruit and garden areas in the fall. Removal of any spoiled or overripe fruit from the orchard and garden will help prevent pests from overwintering there. While putting the garden to sleep for the winter there is one disease of fruit trees that you can [...]
Grubs can cause serious injury to turf, especially if they are found in large numbers. By September if you are experiencing grub injury you will need to step up your control measures. Products containing imidachloprid such as “Merit” are designed for season long control, but are not fast acting. Rather than treating with “Merit” [...]
Tobacco Budworm Have you noticed little holes in your petunia flowers? They are caused by a small green caterpillar known as the tobacco budworm. The adult moth lays its eggs on the plant. After they hatch, the young caterpillars begin to feed making holes in flowers and foliage. They can quickly decimate petunias and [...]
pruning a fruit tree
Pruning
Mid-February through mid-March is a good time to prune. When deciding what to remove make selections in this order; take out anything that is damaged, broken or diseased first, next remove branches that are crossing, rubbing, or one on top of each other, then thin as needed and look at the overall tree form. Fruit trees are usually pruned to an open vase (peaches) or a central leader (apples). When looking at form try to keep trees balanced so that there is an equal amount of wood and fruiting surface on all sides of the tree.
Planting
Spring is the best time to plant fruit trees. Bare root trees purchased locally or by mail will do best if they are planted early (late February to early March) while temperatures are still cool. Potted trees can be planted later if needed and are not as sensitive to warm temperatures as bare root trees. Prune new trees as little as possible in the first year. In most cases we like to see the lowest branches coming off the trunk at approximately 24-30 inches. Some young trees come right from the nursery already pruned. If not and your tree is a long “whip” with no branches, you may need to make a heading cut to promote branching.
Our local nurseries can recommend to you some varieties that are suited to the area. You may also click on “fruit” from our website and you will see a list of cultivars that grow well here. Keep in mind that apples and pears do not grow well in the low valley areas of St. George, where summer temperatures are hot. Peaches and apricots are not bothered by the heat and will perform well. On the other hand peaches and apricots will not do so well above 4,000 feet as cold spring temperatures will often freeze the flower buds.
Dormant Sprays
Dormant oil should be applied in later February or early March just before the buds fully open. Do not use any sprays during bloom to help protect pollinating insects. You can begin “cover sprays” once all flowers have fallen off. Cover sprays such as a “Home Fruit Spray” may be used as the label directs from the time small fruits form up until the pre-harvest period. The label will dictate how many days prior to harvest you can safely spray fruit. This will vary depending on the chemical you are using and the type of fruit you are growing.
If you’re like me I try to tidy up my fruit and garden areas in the fall. Removal of any spoiled or overripe fruit from the orchard and garden will help prevent pests from overwintering there. While putting the garden to sleep for the winter there is one disease of fruit trees that you can actually control this time of year. Coryneum Blight also known as “Shothole” Disease affects peach, apricot, and cherry. This fungal disease spreads by spores in early spring just as the buds begin to open. With the right temperature and moisture present, small brown spots will begin to develop, and later, small holes will show up where the spots used to be. Spores may also infect open blossoms causing potential fruits to abort. Treating trees now can go a long ways toward preventing further spread. The recommendation is to apply sprays containing either copper, or lime and sulfur at approximately 50% (or more) leaf drop. Good coverage is important to insure control. See http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/peach.pdffor more detailed information.
Shot hole
White Grub
Grubs can cause serious injury to turf, especially if they are found in large numbers. By September if you are experiencing grub injury you will need to step up your control measures. Products containing imidachloprid such as “Merit” are designed for season long control, but are not fast acting. Rather than treating with “Merit” in the fall, apply “Dylox” for a quick knockdown. Other chemicals such as Sevin, Malathion or Pyrethrum are usually recommended for adult grubs above ground and may be used, but in general will not give the same level of control. Keep in mind that if grubs go uncontrolled this time of year, they will spend the entire winter below the sod, coming to the surface next spring to cause further damage. For more detailed information on grub control refer to; http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/factsheet/white-grub07.pdf.
Adult Beetle
Damage from the tobacco budworm
Tobacco Budworm
Have you noticed little holes in your petunia flowers? They are caused by a small green caterpillar known as the tobacco budworm. The adult moth lays its eggs on the plant. After they hatch, the young caterpillars begin to feed making holes in flowers and foliage. They can quickly decimate petunias and have also been noted as a serious pest of geraniums and other flowers.
Tobacco Budworm
Tobacco budworm is best controlled by applying Bacillis (BT) to the affected plants. Young caterpillars will pick up the BT when feeding and not be able to complete their life cycle. Damage should decrease significantly within a few days. Pruning of damaged flowers and a light fertilization should stimulate new flowers to develop.
Preventing Borer Problems 
Flat-headed borer, Chrysobothris sp. is a serious pest in the SW desert. This genius of beetles contains a number of insect pests known to cause damage to trees and shrubs by boring into the wood. While protected from the elements, eggs are laid by female beetles and the developing larvae feed on the inner tissues. It is not uncommon for them to spend the entire winter inside the bark causing damage as they feed.
Damage from boring insects is common in the desert. We have identified borers in willows, locusts, ash, plum, apple, peach, and pear trees. A single borer may kill a young tree. Older trees are also susceptible, but since they have more vascular tissue it usually takes more than one borer to be fatal. » Read more..
blossom end rot
Help your tomatoes handle the heat
Summer temperatures are beginning to take a toll on this year’s tomato crop. Tomatoes are a tropical plant which means they can handle a fair bit of heat, but also like some humidity. We always notice however a number of problems related to fruit quality when temperatures climb above 95 degrees consistently. Here are some of the most common problems.
Blossom end rot
Blossom end rot, also called “bottom end rot” is when the bottom of the tomato develops a brown scabby area. It may remain a dry patch or develop into a soft rot. The affected area may be as small as a dime or it may affect the entire bottom half of the fruit. Young, developing fruits need nutrients such as calcium to form properly. There must also be an adequate supply of water to move the nutrients out to the areas where fruit is being formed. Hot temperatures and drying winds will reduce the plants ability to provide the necessary nutrients for fruit development. The result is often blossom end rot. The best solution is to increase irrigation frequency. » Read more..
Box gardening
Container Gardening
By Rick Heflebower, Horticulture Agent, Utah
Adapted from Iowa State University Extension publication PM870B
Growing vegetables in containers may be a suitable alternative when outdoor gardening space is not available. In situations where space is not an issue, but the soil is poor, growing in containers and using a good potting mix may be preferable. Adequate sunshine, water, and fertilizer plus a well-drained growing medium are essential for successful container gardens. » Read more..
Tent Caterpillars
They’re Back! Tent Caterpillars are invading home landscapes
Every spring the arrival of the Tent Caterpillar brings frustration to southern Utah residents. Named for the web-like nest they inhabit, this insect creates a lot of concern in landscapes this time of year. Tent caterpillars are known to infest a variety of trees including ash, cottonwood, willow, poplar, and all types of fruit trees.
Eggs laid from the previous season begin to hatch just as the new leaves begin to come out. Newly-hatched larvae feed voraciously on foliage and flowers. They tend to stay in clusters and often denude an entire branch before moving on. Once they have devoured the leaves of a tree, they will migrate to another in an effort to satisfy their appetite. These young larvae will molt (shed their skin) four times over a 4-6 week developmental period. They will then go into a resting stage for about a week before emerging as a tan-colored moth. Adult moths mate, and the female will lay 100 to 350 eggs in a band on a limb. These eggs will not hatch until the next spring. » Read more..