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Utah Pests Quarterly Newsletter

 Now that a nice white blanket of snow has covered up all our yard and garden problems, it’s time to catch up on some reading!  Enjoy the fall 2019 Utah Pests Quarterly Newsletter – I guarantee you will learn something new!  Quiz question, what is push-pull trap cropping? Read to find out!

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Is the Insect Apocalypse Really Coming?

 Okay sure, the media has a tendency to blow things out of proportion sometimes but I found this recent news story from CNN really interesting.  Furthermore, it discusses things backyard gardeners – like you – can do to help some insect populations.  Enjoy the story and check out this picture of a beneficial insect hotel one of…

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Happy volunteers at Wheeler Farm

So you want to be a Master Gardener?

 It’s the time of year again when the harvest is in full swing, kids are back to school and the Extension office is flooded with phone calls from those eagerly inquiring about the upcoming Master Gardener program. Throughout the year we keep an interest list with names and emails of those who would like to…

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pumpkins sitting on hay bales

Rotten Pumpkins Got You Bummed?

 Jack-o’-lanterns: Prevent Your Carved Creation from Becoming a Fungal Fiasco By Nick Volesky     Carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns is an art form that comes in all shapes, sizes and levels of difficulty. The final product (usually) makes the pumpkin carver proud and anxious to display his or her work. However, often just a few…

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spider on leaf in the garden

Don’t Get Spooked Over Spiders! – Redux

 Some things are erringly predictable; as the nighttime temperatures dip; spiders start showing-up inside the house and in protected areas around the garden.  Although spooky to some, it is important to remember that spiders are great generalist predators of common garden insect pests and are therefore considered beneficial in the garden. It is important to…

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garlic bulbs

Fall Garden Checklist

 Fall is a great time to prepare the garden for springtime.  Sheridan Hansen, USU Extension Horticulture Faculty in Davis County, recently provided fall garden tips on Studio 5 with Brooke Walker.  Check out her clip here.

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New Pest Alert!!!!!

 You know it’s serious when a blog title gets 5 exclamation points, but there is a new pest in town and it deserves all of them!!!!! If you’ve never heard of the Japanese beetle, you need to learn about it.  We’ve seen it before in Utah and chased it out of town, that was then…

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Planting beds in fall covered with leaves

It’s Time To Clean Garden!

 I know, I get it, it’s been a long summer and you are tired of yard work but this fall is critical for Spring 2020 garden preparation!  Insect pests and diseases can overwinter in garden debris so it is essential to tidy up your garden this fall to avoid potential problems next growing season!  As…

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view of orchard during fall from above

The Biggest Little Farm

 A couple of weeks ago I traveled to a national conference and watched a wonderful documentary en route called The Biggest Little Farm.  I guess I spend too many hours out in the sun but I find it difficult to romanticize farming and the end of the growing season; farming is a lot of HARD…

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Farmscaping image - Xerces society

Farmscaping – Managing Habitat to Help Manage Pests

 Farmscaping is a term used to describe farmland management practices that take an ecological approach to pest management. It is often found in blog posts and factsheets discussing sustainable agriculture and organic farming and today this organically-focused blog will join the ranks! This post, inspired by the Extension article “Farmscaping: Making Use of Nature’s Pest…

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A Labor of Love

 Happy Labor Day Everyone!  I just want to give a thumbs up to my wonderful volunteers! It is my opinion that the single best way to give back is to volunteer your time and talents to those who can benefit from them.  Doing a quick search, I found Labor Day is “dedicated to the social…

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Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

 Signs are posted at Wheeler Farm notifying the public about HABs or Harmful Algal Blooms.  This post is devoted to 1) notifying you that HABs have been found in the Salt Lake Valley area and 2) educating you on how to identify them and why they are dangerous.  HABs should be taken seriously as they…

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Are Earwigs Really So Eerie?

 No doubt, earwigs look eerie, like really eerie with those prominent backside pinchers and nocturnal activity.  And earwigs are prominent in the garden – every gardener has seen them and wondered, are these insects friends or foes.  Often I hear gardeners categorize them in the foe camp which in some cases is valid.  But earwigs…

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