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Dereck Scasta (July 31, 2008) |
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Written by Dereck Scasta
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Thursday, 31 July 2008 |
Preventing Injury in Landscape TreesOne of the most common calls I get as a county agent is from homeowners concerned about their shade trees. Generally, the caller has a tree that is exhibiting symptoms such as: browning leaves, sloughing bark, oozing sap on the trunk, development of canker or lesions, etc. Today I want to provide some tips for being proactive about preventing damage in trees and optimizing their ability to survive. - Plant trees that are recommended and adapted to this area as these trees will have more tolerance for the environmental conditions and disease/insect pressures.
- Avoid damage to the roots and lower portions of the trunk to avoid root disease and rot; this includes weedeating, laying pipe/lines, new sidewalks, etc.
- Paint over wounds from pruning using a pruning paint; this prevents disease from entering the tree and resulting in internal wood rot, blights, cankers, etc.
- Water trees during critical periods of time (especially summer); this will help trees manage the heat and water stress and allow them to resist disease better.
- Take soil samples and apply adequate fertilizer; this will optimize conditions and promote vigorous and healthy trees in your landscape.
- Scout for insects and treat accordingly; insects often are the vector for the transmission of disease; promoting beneficial insects will help provide control of damaging insects (Example: lady beetles feeding on aphids).
Remember, symptoms you see on a tree today are often from damage or stress prior to the development of those symptoms. In trees this damage/stress could have been months or even years before. A good resource is the Texas Plant Disease Handbook online at http://plantpathology.tamu.edu/TexLab/default.asp. Good luck! County Agriculture ReportThis week in Navarro County, corn and grain sorghum harvest started up. Corn yields are looking lower than last year due to the dry conditions however, grain sorghum yields are looking better than last year as the dry weather experienced this year is more conducive for making a grain sorghum crop than a corn crop. Cotton in the county looks anywhere from poor to fair depending upon location and a lack of water and insect pressures have taken their toll. The county pecan crop is progressing although dry conditions and alternate bearing patterns have loads looking light. Pecan casebearer also took its toll early in the year. Range and pasture conditions are also suffering from the dry conditions although adequate forage is present for most producers it tends to be lower in quality and in shorter supply than this time last year. Beef producers are currently thinking about winter feeding programs and preparing for any winter grazing plantings. Agriculture Market ReportAccording to the Texas Department of Agriculture, for the week ending July 19, feeder cattle price trends at Texas auctions were mixed, ranging from $4 per hundredweight lower to $4 higher. Lower fed cattle prices pressured the market lower, while lower feed grain costs supported prices. Fed cattle prices dropped after beef prices declined late in the week. Cotton prices were somewhat higher on concerns that hot, dry weather would reduce production, while corn prices were lower as conditions in the Midwest were favorable for crop development. Wheat prices were also lower with increased harvest-time supplies. As for futures markets, feeder cattle ended the week higher, while finished cattle, cotton, wheat, corn and lumber closed lower. Some parts of the Panhandle, Southeast Texas and the Trans-Pecos recorded as much as 2 inches of rain, but much of the state remains dry. Cotton was rated in mostly fair to good condition with some improvement noted in areas that received rainfall. The crop is setting bolls on 26 percent of the acreage, slightly behind normal. Corn harvest continues in the Blacklands region, with 44 percent of the acreage statewide now rated mature. Grain sorghum harvest is 34 percent complete. For the full report go to contact TDA Market News at 800/252-3407 or visit their Web site, www.tdamarketnews.com. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, US Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. A member of The Texas A&M University System and its statewide Agriculture Program.
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