Around the Home and Farm: Not too late

By Jerry Mahan

If you had damage to your lawn last year or this spring from grubs it is not too late to treat for the new generation of these insects now in the soil. This damage may have included dead turfgrass which in some cases you could roll up as the grass roots were cut by the developing larvae.

I am referring to the eggs laid by Japanese Beetles, Rose Chafer Beetles or June Beetles. These insects lay eggs in the summer into turfgrass and the developing white grubs feed on the roots of the grass plant. I saw my first Japanese Beetle on June 27 and many more after that time. The beetles have developed their survival to the point of the adults laying their eggs in the healthiest and greenest turf for a better survival rate of their young.

Control is best achieved through the application of one of the grub control products like GrubEX or Bayer Season Long Grub Control to name a few. Most of these products need to be watered in with about one half inch of water. This means waiting to apply ahead of a rain storm or by irrigation. Depending on the product used you can get control up to early Sept. For a quick but short control window there are products labeled for 24 hour control as well. Always follow label restrictions on these products.

Door to door sales

I recently was contacted by a tree care company about spraying a spruce tree for spider mites. The sales person was going over their quote when I stopped him to ask if he or his company had a license from the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture enabling them to legally spray the tree. The salesman’s face had a blank look and he ask what that entailed. He said the product he would use was an over the counter product anyone could buy.

To make a long story short I explained to him that a person or company applying pesticides to a property they do not own or rent had to have a pesticide applicators license from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. He said he knew nothing of this and thanked me and left. This licensing law helps prevent the improper application of pesticides as well as pesticide injury to non-target plants, insects, animals and people.

Insect traps

While I am talking about insects I need to mention the problems posed by Japanese Beetle traps and the bug zappers commonly sold. Both traps attract insects with chemical attractants in the case of the beetle trap and through light or CO2 in the case of the traps used for mosquito, fly or other insect control. Both traps would give control in an enclosed structure but in the outdoors these traps will attract more than your supply of these insects.

The insects will come from your neighbor’s property as well as yours. If you must use them place the traps as far away from human activity as possible.

Picnic/fundraiser

Greene County Farm Forum’s major fundraising event for funding agriculture scholarships is fast approaching and we hope you can help. The picnic will be held 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27 at Greene County Fairground’s Dining Hall. Entertainment will include comedian Adam Garman and accordion music by Phil Ragno during our meal.

Tickets are $20 for adults with children age 10 and under $4.50 each. The meal will include chicken and hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans, dessert, and drink. Also available will be root beer floats, ice bottled water and pop.

Reservations should be made Aug. 20 by contacting a Farm Forum member or Jerry Mahan at 937-372-5711, Ron Johannes at 937-376-2686 or Jim and Ann Byrd at 937-429-1805. Send payment or make a donation to the picnic by sending payment to Greene County Farm Forum treasurer Jim and Ann Byrd, 1566 Beaverbrook Drive, Beavercreek, Ohio 45432. As we are partnering with Greene Giving this year to make all donations tax deductible make checks payable to Greene Giving with Greene County Farm Forum in the check memo.

This year Greene County Farm Forum awarded three $1,000 scholarships to: Brooke Anderson, Cody Myers and Mallory Barnhart. Brooke is from Cedarville and is attending OSU majoring in animal science. Cody will be majoring in agri-sciences at OSU and is a graduate of Greeneview H.S. Fairborn graduate Mallory Barnhart will be attending Findlay College majoring in animal science/veterinary science.

New agriculture venture

Several farmers and the agriculture industry people gathered at Little Miami Farm located at 3391 Cemetery Road on May 31 in Xenia for a tour of the operation. The tour was sponsored by the Greene County Agronomy Board and OSU Extenstion. We heard Jamie Arthur tell of how he got into raising spring and winter malting barley with the help of Dan Jones a local farmer. Jamie also raises hops as part of the farming operation whose long term goal is to sell products needed by the expanding craft beer industry.

More information on raising hops will be shared at the Ohio Hops Field Night 5:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Ohio State University South Centers Research Building Auditorium, 1864 Shyville Road, in Piketon. Registration for the field night is $20, which includes dinner and workshop materials. To register, contact Charissa Gardner at 740-289-2071, ext. 132, or [email protected]. The deadline to register for this field night is Aug. 15.

Top weeds in soybeans

Weed Specialist Mark Loux for OSU Extension shared information on the top weed problems in soybeans in the US at the July 20 Agronomy Day held at the OSU Western Branch Research Station near South Charleston. Marestail was the most problematic weed in soybeans surpassing the invasive weed Palmer Amaranth.

Control efforts for marestail should focus on a fall treatment with a herbicide in problem fields as the weed is a winter or summer annual but best controlled in the fall. The second worst weed in soybeans was giant ragweed followed by volunteer corn.

Test your well

Mark your calendars for getting your well water tested free for nitrates and iron 4:30-6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 in the Buckeye Room located on the Greene County Fairgrounds. Also the first 70 households will get free testing for lead, copper and arsenic if they wish. Call 937-372-4478 ext. 3 for more information. You may have put off getting your well water tested but now is the time. All results are confidential!

Jamie Arthur inspecting his hop yard.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/08/web1_Jamie-Arthur-inspecting-His-Hop-Yard-1.jpgJamie Arthur inspecting his hop yard.

Little Miami Farm sign.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/08/web1_Little-Miami-Farm-1.jpgLittle Miami Farm sign.

Marestail in soybeans.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2016/08/web1_Marestail-1.jpgMarestail in soybeans.

By Jerry Mahan

Jerry Mahan is a retired OSU Extension Educator Agriculture and Natural Resources for Greene County. He can be reached by email at [email protected].