NW Dream Yards

01/28/2017

It is with great sadness that I say Cass Turnbull, founder of Plant Amnesty, passed away of a heart attack in Hawaii this week. She was the rock star of pruning trees and large shrubs in the Seattle area. I attended every pruning class she offered (even took some more than twice), and she truly was one of the greatest gardeners in our area. She will be missed by so many people in the gardening community of Seattle!!
http://www.plantamnesty.org

Plant Amnesty is a nonprofit that provides pruning classes, workshops, lectures and other activities to educate both home gardeners and garden professionals on the best ways to prune trees and shrubs for the optimal appearance, longevity, beauty, safety a

04/04/2016

Keep an eye out for this disease and if you spot it on a bat, report it to the WDFW immediately.

ReportingIf you find a dead bat or notice bats exhibiting unusual behavior such as flying outside during the day or freezing weather, please leave a message on our Wildlife Health Hotline (800) 606-8768.

04/16/2015

A National Institute of Health study showing links between Glyphosate (Round Up) use and an increase in Celiac disease (gluten intolerance). Celiac disease affects reproduction issues, thyroid disease, kidney failure, and cancer.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945755/

Celiac disease, and, more generally, gluten intolerance, is a growing problem worldwide, but especially in North America and Europe, where an estimated 5% of the population now suffers from it. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, macrocytic ...

04/15/2015

Some additional "food for thought" about the use of Round-Up in agriculture.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/glyphosate-in-your-diet/index.htm

Glyphosate is a widely used pesticide, but we don't know how much of it is in the fruits and vegetables we eat. Consumer Reports explains the risks.

04/14/2015

A new pest is invading lawns here in Western Washington that is much worse than Crane Flies. It is the European Chafer beetle. You can read about it here, and see pictures of the larva that is causing all the damage:http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/FS078E/FS078E.pdf

10/07/2013

Come join me, I'll be mentoring this years incoming students!

Master Gardener Manualherehorticultural professionalshere The Master Gardener Program Master Gardener Program Brochure Extension 'Cord on the Master Gardener Program History of the Master Gardener Program Washington State University Master Gardener Program web site Washington State University Master...

08/15/2013

Are your strawberries getting eaten by a small worm looking thing? The culprit is a tiny millipede. To minimize damage, you want to avoid repeated additions of large amounts of organic matter to the soil, and do not water plants more often than is necessary for good culture. (The only decent picture I could find was on this website. Sorry!)
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/pest-millipede-cylindroiulus-punctatus-feeding-on-a-strawberry-andy-smy.html

Pest Millipede Cylindroiulus Punctatus Feeding On A Strawberry Photograph by Andy Smy - Pest Millipede Cylindroiulus Punctatus Feeding On A Strawberry Fine Art Prints and Posters for Sale

08/15/2013

Are your small berries like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries look like they may be infested with a bug? If so, you most likely have a Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) fly involved. Read up on this increasingly common pest being found in our gardens. There are organic measures you can take to minimize the attacks on your fruit!
http://www.mountvernon.wsu.edu/ENTOMOLOGY/pests/SWD.html

The Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, is a soft fruit pest, is originally from Asia, and is in the same genus as other species commonly known as fruit flies. SWD were discovered in California in 2008 and in Washington and Oregon in 2009.

08/15/2013

Several people I know have noticed that their Impatiens are affected. Are yours?

http://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/impatiens-impatiens-walleriana-downy-mildew

Only Impatiens walleriana are infected with this downy mildew. The disease has been found in landscapes as well as production greenhouses.

08/15/2013

The Carder bee has been spotted in Granite Falls by our very own WSU entomologist, Dave Pehling. He is curious if anyone else has this bee buzzing around in their yard as it is new to our area. Next time you are in your garden take a look and let us know!

http://ucanr.edu/sites/gardenweb/?blogstart=8&blogtag=Anthidium+manicatum&blogasset=42184

The California Garden Web - Welcome!

08/15/2013

These voracious beetles are making in roads in our state. WSU has asked that if you see one of these beetles (or think you have) to please collect it, freeze it, get it identified, and send it to WSDA (http://agr.wa.gov/PlantsInsects/InsectPests/Exotics/) Call 1-877-9-INFEST to report a pest.

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2013/07/japanese_beetles_threaten_oreg.html

Department of agriculture officials are waging a war against Japanese beetles, a pest that could eat its way through the state's nursery industry.

07/22/2013

Interesting article about how low dose hydrogen sulfide actually increases plant growth instead of killing it off like what happened to some mass extinctions in the prehistoric ages. http://www.washington.edu/news/2013/04/17/a-key-to-mass-extinctions-could-boost-food-biofuel-production/

April 17, 2013A key to mass extinctions could boost food, biofuel production By Vince StricherzNews and InformationPosted under: News Releases, Research, ScienceHydrogen sulfide, the pungent stuff often referred to as sewer gas, is a deadly substance implicated in several mass extinctions, including...