Recent Q&As
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Q&A – What is a good calcium nutrient for blossom end rot on watermelons?
Question:
My soil is calcium deficient and I have blossom end rot. What is a good calcium nutrient to give my watermelons to prevent blossom end rot? Answer: Often a lack of calcium is caused by the wrong pH or dry conditions. Do a soil test and see if you need to change the pH at allow the calcium that is already in the soil to be used and make sure the plants are watered. Another way to add calcium is wood ash. Related Resources: Growing Vegetables: Managing Blossom End-Rot Blossom-end Rot |
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Q&A – How do I control aphids on my greens?
Question:
I am growing greens in raised beds. This year I have had an aphid problem. How do I control aphids on my greens? Answer: There are some pesticides that control the aphids on turnup and mustard greens. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison lists them. Mike references the UT Redbook. Here are links to the pages he referenced: Mustard Greens, Turnup Greens Related Resources: Aphids - Vegetables Aphid Pests on Vegetables |
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Q&A - How do you control cucumber beetles?
Question:
How do you control Cucumber beetles? I don’t want to loose my plants. Answer: There are several pesticides that control the cucumber beetle on cucumbers. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison lists several. Related Resources: Cucumber Beetles Managing Cucumber Beetles in Organic Farming Systems Growing cucumbers in home gardens |
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Q&A - What are these worms on my tomato and where do they come from?
Question:
I have 2 types of worms attacking my tomato plants. I know the hornworm, but what is the dark worm with the stripe and where do they both come from? Answer: The green worm is the tomato horn worm. The black worm is the yellow striped armyworm. Both come from eggs laid by moths: The armyworm from a nondescript brown moth and the hornworm from a large moth. Related Resources: Insect Pests of Tomato Tomato Disease & Insect Control Manual With Variety Selection |
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Q&A - Can I mix neem oil and Captan fungicide for my peach tree?
Question:
Can I mix neem oil and Captan fungicide together for my peach tree? Answer: Yes, you can. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison also suggests mixing in an insecticide like malathion to prevent problems with the plum curculio. Related Resources: Disease and Insect Control in Home Fruit Plantings Home fruit spray guide |
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Q&A – Is there a legume that can be used for a hedge?
Question:
Is there a legume that can be used for a hedge? Answer: Legumes are in the family Fabaceae. There are many different plants in this family from vines to trees including many shrub-sized plants. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond lists off some options in that size range |
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Q&A – My cucumbers are yellow and gold. Are they still good to eat?
Question:
My cucumbers are coming in yellow and gold. Are they still good to eat? Answer: They are still edible but may not be as good as you would hope. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond explains that they are overripe and are bitter. They won’t hurt you, but they won’t taste good. They may have camouflaged in the leaves until their color changed. Related Resources: Cucumber Growing Cucumbers in the Home Garden |
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Q&A – What is this worm on my tomatoes?
Question:
What is this catipillar on my tomato plants? Answer: This is the yellow striped army worm, and this is a large one. They are easy to control when they are small with BT but as they grow they are harder to control and require harder insecticides. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison lists off some control options for larger worms. Related Resources: Yellowstriped Armyworm Yellowstriped armyworm |
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Q&A – Do squash vine borer traps work or just attract more borers?
Question:
I have fought the evil squash vine borers for several years and I am trying vine borer traps. They catch a lot of these nasty bugs. Today I caught 14 in just a few hours. Do vine borer traps work, or am just calling vine borers from 3 counties to come feast on my zucchini? Answer: They obviously work as the trap in question has caught many vine borers in a short amount of time. The question is do they attract more vine borers to your garden? Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison suggests that you can determine if they are working if you have no vine borers in your nearby squash plants. If you still have borers in the squash, then the insects are being trapped after they lay eggs, or they are being attracted in greater numbers. Related Resources: Squash vine borers Squash Vine Borer |
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Q&A – Is it true that Japanese holly does not get boxwood blight?
Question:
Is it true that Japanese holly does not get boxwood blight like traditional boxwoods? Answer: Yes, this is true. Boxwood blight, as the name suggests, only affects boxwoods. Holly and boxwoods can look very similar. TSU Extension agent Joellen Dimond tells how to tell the difference. Related Resources: Best Management Practices for Boxwood Blight in the Virginia Home Landscape Holly Boxwood |