Last summer was a real hard one for tomatoes. We carry Mancozeb spray for your crops this season. Make sure you get some with your tomatoes and spray as a preventative! For more information on the disease, read this Ohio State Extension webpage:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/3000/3102.html

Bagworms-

We saw a lot of damage to evergreens last summer. Those mostly affected seemed to be Blue Spruce and Arborvitae. The guilty party in all of this damage is the voracious eater commonly called bagworm. What makes this pest so damaging is its ability to mask its presence until considerable damage has been done. It attaches itself to a host plant, builds a cocoon, or "bag", around itself and camouflages the cocoon with foliage that it gets from the host plant. This makes the bagworm almost invisible until you start seeing a lot of browning of the host plant.

The best way to stop damage from bagworms is to simply pick off the offending creatures and dispose of them in a fire or a plastic bag. Don't just pick them off and throw them away. They'll just move onto another host. Removing the "bags" also limits the amount of infestation the following year.

If it is not possible to pick the bagworms off, then you can spray the plants with an approved insecticide. The best time to spray is in late spring when they are easier to kill, but you can spray anytime and still get satisfactory results. We can help you select the best insecticide.

Emerald Ash Borer
Ohio has been added to the USDA quarantine list for the EMERALD ASH BORER. This pest has been found in Ohio and extreme measures are being taken to try to stop its spread. The emerald ash borer attacks only Ash trees. An ash tree that has been infected by the emerald ash borer will die. There is no cure for this pest. One important thing we can do to help prevent the insects spread is not transporting firewood from one area in Ohio to another. The emerald ash borer can be moved from one area to another through this means. This is a nasty pest and can have devastating effects. Do your part to stop it.

Deer Damage
At this time of the year, the Buck Deer are rubbing their antlers on smaller trees. The resulting damage can be fatal to a tree if the bark is completely rubbed off. Even if there is some bark left, the tree can have lasting damage. The best way to prevent deer from rubbing on trees is by wrapping the tree trunk in wire mesh. I have found that chicken wire or 1"X2" fencing wire does an excellent job of protecting the tree while not being that noticeable. The wire can be removed after Winter and replaced the following Fall.

Deer will also feed on shrubbery around the home during Winter. Deer feeding is a problem year-round, but in Winter it can be an extreme problem. The best way to keep deer from eating your valuable shrubbery is by erecting a fence to keep the deer out. Shrubbery can also be sprayed with an effective deer repellent such as Liquid Fence or Deer Stopper to keep the deer from making your shrubs their next meal. You have to apply the repellent again after a heavy rain. Liquid Fence and Deer Stopper are available here at Ferda's Garden Center.