January Meeting Notes

Meeting held at the Barrington Library    
Jan 16,2013
7 members attended

Managing Garden Insect Problems presented by Dr. Alan T. Eaton Extension Specialist Entomology/UNH cooperative Extension. Dr. Eaton made note that everyone should have poison information center phone number at hand 1-800-222-1222

Techniques

Suppressive/prevention-  

• crop rotation/ garden plan
•  resistant varieties/ destroy crop residues promply after harvest

Monitoring/garden pests-- nectar sources for small parasites

•  Pest easy crops/ avoid crops needing lots of pesticides
•  Keep weeds under control
• learn about garden pests
• Economic threshhold / when it reaches a certain level before you attempt to correct
• Directly Injure the crop> (apple) lower threshold
• indirectly injure the crop>(redmite) higher threshold-

Controls-

• hand pick bugs
• spunbonded row covers
• rotate crops
• place barriers down before insects arrive/example use tar paper shields to protect crucifers from cabbage maggots or collar for cutworms

• Biological insecticide-- Bacillius Thoringiensis- for caterpillars
• killing agent
• Insecticidal soaps> for soft shelled bugs

Identifying Insects- Do your homework- mouthparts, kinds of wings,and how many wings

                      

Dr Eaton had boxes of different types of insects on display for us to look over. He also handed out leaflets called Bird Damage Prevention for Northern New England Fruit Growers. Very informative meeting. sites to check for information http://extension,unh.edu   Cooperative Extension/ toll free # 1-877-EXT-GROW  (1-877-398-4769) now located in Goffstown hours are 9am-2pm

Short meeting after discussion by Dr Eaton

Lynn paid State fund

Next Meeting: March 20, Wentworth Greenhouse will be doing a session on Water Gardens

Flyers will be going out for sculpture candidates, Joanne will be putting them out

April garden cleanup date to be announced/ also work on fire station stone wall planting!

Spring is right around the corner, bet everyone has their garden books and magazines out and starting to plan this years options for flowers and vegetables. Enjoy!!!

-Cindi