Replace or Rescue Winter Burned Plants in the Kentucky Landscape
Source: Rick Durham, UK extension horticulture specialist
The extreme cold spell at the end of December 2022 caused severe damage to many shrubs and bushes around Kentucky homes. With plants greening up this spring, you may be wondering what to remove and what to attempt to rescue in your landscape.
The cold is just one part of the puzzle when shrub health declines. Other factors include soil pH, soil volume, too much or too little water and light availability.
Some shrubs may just need a good pruning and time to recover from the winter stress. If you want to try to revive the shrub through pruning, you’ll need to trim it down with sturdy pruning shears. Don’t remove more than one-third of the plant in a season. If the plant is healthy, it will soon produce new green shoots. If your shrub has more brown branches than green at the core, it may be time for you to remove it. When shrubs become too woody in the middle, start over with another plant.
Well-established shrubs may have large, complex root structures. Make sure to completely remove them before planting something new. Use the transition time to do a soil test so you know what amendments it will need before you bring home new plants.
If you must replace landscape shrubs and plants, Kentucky has more than 1,200 nurseries and retailers selling hundreds of types of trees, shrubs, groundcovers and perennials. With 120 counties of resources, you can buy locally without driving very far. The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Kentucky Proud program allows individuals locate local retail garden centers that market Kentucky-grown trees and shrubs. Search the garden center database at https://www.kyagr.com/agbus/products.aspx?group=19&category=112.
Retailers looking to stock their garden centers with Kentucky-grown trees and shrubs may use the Landscape Plant Availability Guide https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/plant/common-name-search.aspx.
Kentucky also has many qualified nursery growers, retailers, landscapers and arborists. The Cooperative Extension Service offers many green-industry classes throughout the year. Kentucky nursery growers and retailers are a very well-trained group of horticulturists. They are familiar with Kentucky soil types, weather and other factors playing a role in plant performance.
When you visit a local nursery to choose new plants, make sure and read the tags and note the light, water and soil requirements. Ensure the new plants fit your landscape.
To learn more about transplanting container plants, check out the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension publication Planting Container-Grown Trees and Shrubs in Your Landscape, HO-114. You can find it online here: https://tinyurl.com/24fx9j9p.
For more information about horticultural topics or classes near you, contact the Warren County Cooperative Extension Service.
Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.
Potential Effect of Weekend Freezes on Corn and Soybean
Chad Lee, Conner Raymond, and Carrie Knott; University of Kentucky
Freezing temperatures were recorded across Kentucky Monday morning, April 24, 2023. The coldest temperatures were mostly in central and eastern Kentucky, but freezing temperatures were as far west as Trigg and Webster counties. Temperatures fell to or slightly below freezing in the following counties from Sunday to Monday: Butler, Caldwell, Carroll, Christian, Crittenden, Graves, Grayson, Hardin, Logan, Meade, Ohio, Taylor, and Webster counties (Table 1, at the end of this article). Webster and McLean County were the coldest at 30°F. Frosts likely occurred west of these counties. The good news is that soil surface temperatures likely stayed in the low 50’s to mid-40’s. This is based on soil surface temperatures measured at UKREC in Princeton, KY.
About 36% of corn acres and 20% of soybean acres were planted as of April 23, 2023, according to the USDA-NASS.
Corn and Soybeans at Risk
Corn and soybeans are at more risk to death from the freeze events at specific growth stages and in certain conditions. The following scenarios go from greatest risk to least risk of plant death from the freeze events.
Soybeans at the “crook” stage where the stem is emerged and bent over like a shepherd’s crook were the most susceptible to the freeze (Figure 1). These plants were most likely to be killed by the freeze or frost. At crook stage, typical damage is along the stem with some yellowing of the cotyledon. This will be followed by plants snapping off where damage was observed (Figures 2 and 3).
Corn and soybean seeds and seedlings in furrows that were not fully closed are at risk of being killed by the freeze.
Corn or soybean seeds that were planted shallow had a slight risk of freeze damage, although plant death from the freeze is unlikely.
Corn plants emerged may have tissue above the soil surface die off from the freeze, but the growing points should have been insulated beneath the soil surface. Those corn plants should recover well. No yield loss is expected.
Soybean plants that have FULLY emerged and are at the VE growth stage (emergence) should survive the freeze event, based on observations during freeze events in late April 2021 and early May 2020. If the soybean cotyledons survive, the soybean plants will survive, and no yield loss will occur. If the cotyledons do not survive, the plant will not survive, either.
Corn and soybean seeds at proper planting depths are at very little risk from the freeze. Corn and soybean radicles (the shoots emerging from the seeds) that are still below the soil surface likely were insulated and will survive.
We need about 5 days of warm weather before symptoms are easy to see. Based on current forecasts, it may take six or seven actual days to get the 5 days of good growing conditions. Plants or plant parts that have turned black or brown and have lost turgor pressure are easy to identify.
Corn plants need to be examined from the seed upward. We are assuming that the roots are deep enough to not be a concern. Dig up some corn plants and look for any signs of brown/black areas from the seeds upward. If plants are white to yellow beneath the soil and turgor pressure is good, then the seedlings are likely to survive.
Maybe Just a Chill
Corn and soybean seeds that are in the process of germinating during the freeze are at risk of taking in cold water (imbibitional chilling) within the first 24 to 48 hours after planting. If the soil temperatures were below 50F for an extended period during those 24 to 48 hours, then the seeds are more likely to be damaged. There is some debate about how long the soils need to stay below 50F before severe damage is done from the imbibitional chilling. We can say those seeds are at risk. At this point, either the seeds were damaged, or they were not from imbibitional chilling. Emergence will be slower in these fields. The fields can be scouted in about five days or so to determine the health of germinating seeds and/or emerged plants.
Table 1: Low temperatures recorded across the state from 4/21/23 through 4/24/23. Freezing temperatures are highlighted in light blue. Weather data from the Kentucky Mesonet.
| Low Temperature °F | 3 Day | |||
| KY Mesonet Site | 4/21-22 | 4/22-23 | 4/23-24 | Average Low |
| Temperature | ||||
| Adair | 48 | 41 | 34 | 41 |
| Allen | 49 | 41 | 35 | 41 |
| Ballard | 42 | 38 | 35 | 38 |
| Barren | 49 | 40 | 34 | 41 |
| Bath | 54 | 43 | 37 | 45 |
| Boone | 46 | 37 | 34 | 39 |
| Boyle | 47 | 42 | 33 | 41 |
| Breathitt | 58 | 46 | 38 | 47 |
| Breckinridge | 46 | 39 | 33 | 39 |
| Bullitt | 47 | 39 | 34 | 40 |
| Butler | 45 | 38 | 32 | 38 |
| Caldwell | 42 | 35 | 32 | 36 |
| Calloway | 42 | 39 | 35 | 38 |
| Campbell | 47 | 40 | 35 | 40 |
| Carroll | 47 | 36 | 32 | 38 |
| Casey | 48 | 42 | 33 | 41 |
| Christian | 43 | 38 | 33 | 38 |
| Clark | 48 | 42 | 36 | 42 |
| Clinton | 48 | 41 | 34 | 41 |
| Crittenden | 43 | 35 | 32 | 37 |
| Cumberland | 49 | 41 | 34 | 41 |
| Fayette | 48 | 41 | 35 | 41 |
| Franklin | 47 | 38 | 35 | 40 |
| Fulton | 42 | 39 | 36 | 39 |
| Graves | 42 | 36 | 33 | 37 |
| Grayson | 45 | 39 | 32 | 38 |
| Hardin | 47 | 39 | 32 | 39 |
| Harrison | 48 | 37 | 33 | 40 |
| Hart | 47 | 39 | 35 | 40 |
| Henderson | 47 | 38 | 36 | 40 |
| Hopkins | 45 | 37 | 34 | 38 |
| LaRue | 47 | 41 | 34 | 41 |
| Lewis | 46 | 45 | 36 | 42 |
| Lincoln | 47 | 41 | 34 | 41 |
| Logan | 46 | 36 | 32 | 38 |
| Madison | 51 | 44 | 36 | 43 |
| Marion | 47 | 41 | 33 | 40 |
| Marshall | 43 | 36 | 33 | 37 |
| Mason | 52 | 39 | 36 | 42 |
| McLean | 48 | 38 | 34 | 40 |
| Meade | 47 | 35 | 30 | 37 |
| Mercer | 48 | 41 | 34 | 41 |
| Metcalfe | 47 | 40 | 35 | 41 |
| Monroe | 49 | 42 | 37 | 43 |
| Morgan | 56 | 47 | 35 | 46 |
| Muhlenberg | 45 | 36 | 32 | 38 |
| Nicholas | 49 | 41 | 36 | 42 |
| Ohio | 45 | 38 | 31 | 38 |
| Oldham | 46 | 38 | 35 | 40 |
| Owen | 45 | 37 | 35 | 39 |
| Owsley | 50 | 44 | 34 | 43 |
| Pike | 55 | 42 | 35 | 44 |
| Pulaski | 49 | 42 | 34 | 42 |
| Rowan | 52 | 43 | 38 | 45 |
| Shelby | 47 | 35 | 35 | 39 |
| Simpson | 48 | 39 | 37 | 41 |
| Taylor | 48 | 42 | 32 | 40 |
| Todd | 43 | 37 | 34 | 38 |
| Trigg | 43 | 38 | 34 | 38 |
| Union | 45 | 37 | 34 | 38 |
| Warren | 48 | 39 | 36 | 41 |
| Wayne | 49 | 44 | 36 | 43 |
| Webster | 43 | 35 | 30 | 36 |
Resources
Coulter, Jeff. 2021. Spring Freeze Injury in Corn. University of Minnesota Extension. https://extension.umn.edu/growing-corn/spring-freeze-injury-corn
KY Climate Center. 2023. Kentucky Mesonet. https://www.kymesonet.org/ accessed April 24, 2023.
Lee, C.D. Evaluating early season frost damage to corn. AGR-192. Univ. of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/agr/agr192/agr192.pdf
Nielsen, R.L. 2020. Assessing Frost/Cold Temperature Injury to Young Corn. Corny News Network. http://www.kingcorn.org/news/timeless/FrostedCorn.html
Nielsen, R.L. 2020. Cold Soils & Risk of Imbibitional Chilling Injury in Corn. Corny News Network. Purdue Univ. https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/timeless/ImbibitionalChilling.html
Staton, Michael. 2021. Assessing frost/freeze damage to emerged soybeans. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/assessing-low-temperature-injury-to-soybeans
Taylor, M., A. Nygren, J. Rees., J. Specht and A. Timmerman. 2020. Evaluating freeze and chilling injury in corn and soybeans. Nebraska Cropwatch. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2020/evaluating-freeze-and-chilling-injury-corn-and-soybeans
USDA-NASS. 2023. USDA-NASS. Crop Progress and Condition. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Kentucky/Publications/Crop_Progress_&_Condition/cw23/CW042423.pdf
Important Time to Sample for Alfalfa Weevil
Ric Bessin, UK Extension Entomologist
The UK Ag Weather Center’s degree day model for alfalfa weevil indicates that many counties in Kentucky have exceed 190 DD used as a starting point to begin scouting by the third week of March. In fact alfalfa weevil damage has appeared in some fields. Once temperature accumulations reach 190 DD, growers are advised to look at their alfalfa fields and conduct weekly alfalfa weevil larval counts and compare those to the economic thresholds listed below.
Figure 1. When degree-day totals reach 190 Degree Days, it is time to begin scouting for alfalfa weevil larvae. Scouting continues on at least on at least a weekly schedule until regrowth after the first cutting. Treat the DD totals for the counties as estimates.
Fall laid alfalfa weevil eggs are the first to hatch in the spring. These eggs hatch earlier than those laid in the spring and 190 DD approximate when first leaf feeding damage becomes noticeable. Temperatures extremes during the winter help to limit the survival of alfalfa weevil eggs that were laid in stems in the fall. Damage by the young larvae will first appear as tiny pin holes in the leaves.
To scout for alfalfa weevil, we use the stem sampling method. While walking in a “U” or “Z” pattern through a field, collect 30 alfalfa stems, carefully cup the top of each stem in one hand and break it off the crown with your other hand and place it bud end downward in a plastic bucket. Be sure your samples are at least 20 feet from the edge of a field so that they are representative of the entire interior of a field. Knock the stems groups of 4 or 5 stems at a time against the inside of the bucket to dislodge the larvae. Count the number of larvae. Measure the length of 10 random alfalfa stems. If the field is close to harvest, harvest can be an alternative to spraying, but producers need to watch for damage to the regrowth, there are similar scouting tables for regrowth after the first cutting.
Alfalfa Weevil Larvae Thresholds for Spraying 190 to 225 Degree Days (Check your degree days)
| Average stem height (inches) | Number of alfalfa weevil larvae on 30 stems |
| 2 | 27 |
| 4 | 67 |
| 6 | 100 |
| 8 | 130 |
- Apply a long residual insecticide if the number of larvae is greater than the number in the table for the average height of alfalfa sampled.
- Sample again in 2 days if the number is above 15 but less than the number in the table.
- Sample in 7 days if the number is less than 15 in your sample of 30 stems.
Alfalfa Weevil Larvae Thresholds for Spraying 226 to 275 Degree Days
| Average stem height (inches) | Number of alfalfa weevil larvae on 30 stems |
| 2 | 15 |
| 4 | 19 |
| 6 | 20 |
- Apply a long residual insecticide if the larval number per 30 stems is greater than the number in the table above for the height of alfalfa sampled.
- Sample again in 7 days if you find less than the number of larvae for the appropriate alfalfa height.
For degree day accumulations above 275, use the economic threshold tables in ENTFACT 127 or ENT-17 to determine the need to spray the field for alfalfa weevil.
If you de need to treat for alfalfa weevil larvae, keep in mind that insecticide resistance has been an issue in some areas. The best strategy to manage resistance is to use an insecticide only when necessary and to rotate modes of action each year. For many other pests we would rotate more often, but alfalfa weevil has only one generation per years. To rotate modes of action, select insecticides that have a different IRAC group number on the label.
How to Grow Potatoes in the Kentucky Garden
Growing potatoes in the garden is such a fascinating crop to grow, since the edible portion of the plant is secretly grown underground. With the wide variety of potato shapes, sizes, and colors, this underground stem can enhance your garden and diet at the same time!
Start potatoes in the garden from seed potatoes. Seed potatoes are actually a piece of potato rather than a seed. Purchase “certified” seed stock from a reputable nursery or mail-order company. The certified means that the stock has been inspected and is disease free. Avoid using grocery store potatoes or potatoes from your own garden, since soil-borne diseases can be carried easily this way.
Photo Source: Mammoth Cave Transplants
If seed potatoes are not cut, slice the tuber into pieces that are similar to the size of a small chicken egg. Make sure that each piece has at least 2 to 3 eyes which is a small depression where potato sprouts will form. Next, store newly cut pieces at room temperature for 1 to 3 days before planting. This gives the cut surfaces time to dry and form a callus, which decreases rotting.
In Kentucky, home gardeners can plant early potatoes from March 15th through April 10th in a well-drained, loamy soil high in organic matter. Soils should have a pH level of 5.0 to 5.5, so scab disease will not be a problem. When planting the seed pieces, drop them into a furrow that is 3 to 5 inches deep with 6 to 12 inch spacing in between pieces. Fill in the furrow to ground level. “Hill” potatoes when they reach 4 to 6 inches tall by mounding soil to cover most of the leaves. Three weeks later, hill again. This technique will make furrows between the rows at least 6 inches deep.
Since potatoes are shallow rooted, they need constant soil moisture. If soil dries out after tubers have formed, a second growth like a crack or knob will start when soil becomes moist again. Also, fluctuating dry and wet conditions can cause cavities near the center of the potato to develop.
Harvest mature potatoes after vines have been dead for two weeks. This method allows the skin to set and minimizes skin peeling, bruising, and rot while in storage. Quickly remove potatoes from the field to avoid sunscald damage if harvest conditions have high temperatures or bright sunlight. Also, be cautious to avoid bruising tubers during harvest.
For more information about growing potatoes in the Kentucky garden, make sure to contact the local Extension Office in your area. They have a free resource entitled “Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky” publication which can be found at http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ID/ID128/ID128.pdf.
Control Tips for the Colorado Potato Beetle
Once gardeners plant potatoes in the garden, it won’t be much longer before they discover the black and yellow-striped “potato bug”. The potato bug is scientifically known as, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, or more commonly referred to as the Colorado potato beetle. Both the larvae and adult forms of this insect feed on potato foliage, and if left untreated, can quickly defoliate plants. The Colorado potato beetle can also be a serious pest to other vegetables including eggplant, pepper, and tomato.
To control Colorado potato beetle, it is good to understand the insect’s lifecycle. The beetle overwinters in the ground, and becomes active in the spring at the time when potatoes begin to emerge in May where they feed on weeds and early plantings of potato. The female beetles lay orange-yellow eggs in batches on the underside of leaves. Females can lay 500 or more eggs over a period of five weeks.
After the eggs hatch, the larvae appear in groups and begin feeding on potato foliage. The larvae are easily recognizable by their humpbacks with two rows of black spots on each side of their body. Then, the full grown larvae move down in the ground to pupate and in five to 10 days, the adult beetle emerges. In Kentucky, this lifecycle continues with two to three generations occurring annually.
Treatment for Colorado potato beetle in home vegetable gardens can be challenging, but not impossible. Check the undersides of potato leaves for egg masses. If noticed, remove leaves from the garden and dispose in the trash. Adult beetles can fly into gardens so make sure to inspect the garden regularly. For small gardens, handpicking may also be an effective means for control. In the morning, drop the adult and larvae forms into a bucket filled with soapy water. For chemical controls, please visit the local extension office in your area. They will be glad to give you recommendations of insecticides to apply for controlling the potato beetle.
Use Winter to for Preventive Maintenance
on Your Sprayers
Ric Bessin, UK Extension Entomologist
As winter begins to wind down, we need to get our equipment ready for the coming growing season. When it is time to begin spraying and planting, we don’t want to spend precious time to fix and repair equipment. It is during this down time when we should do some routine maintenance on our sprayers. Spray equipment in poor repair can lead to poor application which will cost you money.
Look for Leaks
Before your start, put on a pair of gloves to protect yourself from pesticide residues. Begin by filling your sprayer with clean water, but before you engage the pump, look for leaks from around the pump, hoses, strainers, and nozzles. Pay particular attention to the hoses, as these often show signs of wear sooner than other more durable parts. Besides obvious leaks from hoses, inspect hoses for cracking and signs of dry rot as these can burst when pressurized. Places where hoses might crimp with folding booms are prone to cracking as hoses age. Engage the pump and look again for leaks. Check the pressure gauge and test the cutoff valves to be sure they are working.
Scrutinize Strainers
The job of strainers is to keep gunk from reaching and plugging nozzles. With just routine use there can be significant debris buildup with the inline strainer from the tank or the individual strainers in front of each nozzle. Sometimes these can be cleaned with a soft brush, other times they need to be replaced.
Next, the Nozzles All nozzles wear over time. This leads to increasing and irregular flow rate from nozzles and poor spray patterns. In place of uniform applications across a field, there may be streaks due to places of over and under applications. While some nozzles materials, such as ceramics and stainless steel, may be more resistant to wear, all nozzles will show signs of wear eventually. Sprays containing abrasive materials such as wettable powders and flowables cause more wear to nozzles. Before conducting a catch test, be sure each of the nozzles are of the exact same type and are not mismatched. Start your sprayer with the clean water and observe the pattern from each of the nozzles, look for streaks and clogs. The pattern from each nozzle should be the same. Run a 30-second or 1-minute catch test for each nozzle, output from each nozzle should be within 5% of the average output from all nozzles. Nozzles that are worn or cannot be unclogged need to be replaced and the catch test repeated.
Regularly Recalibrate
Now that your sprayer is working properly, it needs to be recalibrated. As new strainers and nozzles can change the spray output. Calibration should be done at a minimum once a year, but for those that use a sprayer more frequent or after changing to different nozzles (going from flat fan to hollow cone for example) recalibration must be done more often. For instructions for calibrating a sprayer are in the Recordkeeping Manual for Private Pesticide Applicators.
How to Grow Figs in Kentucky
If you want to add a new fruit variety to the home garden, consider growing figs! Figs do not have a lot of disease and insect issues in comparison to other fruits in the state. The fruit are good for eating fresh, drying, and preserving in jams and jellies as a value-added product. Since figs prefer warmer temperatures in their natural environment, it is important to provide winter protection and site plants correctly in order to have successful fig production.
Plant figs close to the south side of a building. This location is best because it provides protection against winter winds and offers higher temperatures through the winter. Make sure that fig plant are at least 3 to 4 feet away from the wall of buildings. Locate figs in an area that receives 8 hours of sunlight during the growing season. Figs grow in most soil types, but avoid soils infested with nematodes.
Early spring while figs are dormant is the best time for planting. If planting bare-rooted plants, cut back the tops about one-half of their original length. Container grown plants with good root systems will not require the tops cut back. Inspect the root system of container-grown plants to see if the roots have grown “pot bound” where roots have grown in a circular pattern in the pot. If yes, carefully straighten the roots when planting or cut them back to the point where they turned. Plant the plants 3 inches deeper than they were growing in the nursery. Backfill the planting hole with original soil from the area and water thoroughly. Do not add fertilizer or other soil amendments to the planting hole.
Selecting Fig Varieties
When searching catalogs for fig varieties, purchase plants from reputable southeastern nurseries. Most of the time, they guarantee plants for a year and will replace if there are any problems. Check with the nursery company about their exact policy before buying.
Two recommended cultivars for growing in Kentucky are Celeste and Chicago Hardy. These varieties are cold hardy and can withstand freezing temperatures better than the other garden fig varieties. Both varieties are also self-pollinating, so they do not require another variety when planting.
Here are a few basic descriptions about each cultivar:
Celeste figs produce a light brown to violet color fruit that is small in size. Even though it has smaller sized fruit, the flavor makes up for because of its high sugary contents. It is very good for eating fresh and is excellent when used for preserving. Since this cultivar is winter hardy to 0 degrees Fahrenheit, it is best to grow in a container so it can be taken in during the winter months.
Chicago Hardy figs exhibit medium sized purple fruit. Fruit produced on older wood will appear in early summer while fruit on new growth appears in early fall. This variety is good for planting outdoors since it possesses good heat and drought tolerance as well as good cold hardiness.
If interested in learning more about growing figs in Kentucky, the Warren County Extension Service is hosting a class on Growing Figs on Tuesday, February 28th at 6:00 PM. Our speakers for the evening are Martin and Joleen Stone from Lovee & Rose Farm in Richardsville, KY. Class is free and open to the public. If you would like to attend the class, please contact the Warren County at (270) 842-1681 to register.
Happy Gardening!
Winterize Your Trees
Written by Lindsey Purcell, Urban Forestry Specialist, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University
As trees in our urban and suburban landscapes prepare for winter dormancy and cold, they could use a little extra care from you to ensure a good start in the spring. As the seasons change, trees prepare to overwinter in a dormant state. Dormancy is not death; it is a natural state in which trees prepare and adapt to cold conditions with physiological and structural adjustments. Even though the leaves are changing colors and falling to the ground, trees are still active, making necessary preparations for winter.
Winter conditions will make finding moisture a challenge—and keeping plant cells hydrated in winter is critical for survival. Potential sources of winter water include unfrozen soil; internal reservoirs; and the area above the ground, but just under the snow cover (the subnivean zone). If trees cannot find needed water in these areas, expect poor health and growth the following spring.
Summer and fall drought conditions can place trees in an overall water deficit, predisposing them to pest issues and poor health the next growing season. Likewise, spring and summer weather affects the trees’ ability to survive winter weather. Young or newly planted trees will require more attention because of limited abilities in obtaining water in their growing environment. The key to survival is giving trees adequate moisture before winter freezes the world around them.
Good cultural practices and proper plant health care make a difference in how much water is available to your trees in winter and how well they survive.
Tips for winter preparation include:
Trunk wrapping. Smooth or thin-bark trees like honey locust, crabapples, linden, and especially maple, are susceptible to sunscald and frost cracks because of the temperature fluctuations from sun exposure in the winter. The wounds caused by temperature fluctuations can leave the tree exposed to fungal organisms, which cause decay in the tree. Prevention includes guarding the trunks of younger and smooth-bark trees up to about the first branches using a flexible, white tree wrap. Leave the wrap on until after the last freezing temperatures. Remove tree guards in the spring to reduce potential damage from disease and insects.
Mulching. Mulch benefits trees all year long, not just during the summer months. Refresh the mulch layer placed in the spring so that there are about 2–3 inches of wood chips, bark, or other organic mulch over the root zone of the tree. Start at the base of the trunk, but not against it, and extend mulch to the edge of the outer branches or dripline. This will reduce soil evaporation, improve water absorption, and insulate against temperature extremes.
Pruning. Late fall and early winter are acceptable times for limited, functional pruning of most tree species. Prune trees to remove dying, diseased, or dead branches, or to improve branching structure. This also is a good time to remove water sprouts and basal sprouts. However, limit the amount of green wood pruning going into winter to reduce the amount of energy reserves the plant must use to heal the pruning wounds. Be sure to use proper pruning practices as outlined in Trees Need a Proper Start: Prune Them Right (FNR-FAQ-19-W) found at Purdue Extension’s The Education Store.
Fertilizing. If trees are not stressed from moisture deficits, apply a complete fertilizer with micronutrients. Use a low-nitrogen formulation (5-10-10 or similar ratio/ combination) to prevent a late flush of new growth. Be sure to broadcast the material uniformly over the root zone and with sufficient water so that roots can absorb nutrients. You can apply water-soluble fertilizers during watering to provide nutrients as well. Follow label directions. Providing trees essential elements just before winter will enhance next season’s growth.
Watering. Whenever rainfall is insufficient for extended periods, supplemental water is needed, especially on newly planted and less-established trees. Follow the “5 + 5 rule,” which says to provide 5 gallons of water plus another 5 gallons for every diameter-inch of tree trunk. This should provide plenty of water to help a tree during times of inadequate rainfall. For mature and well-established trees, 1 inch of supplemental water applied to the root zone every week should keep soil moisture adequate. Continue to water through the fall until the ground is frozen, so that trees have ample moisture to survive the winter months and are ready for spring growth. If limited rain or snowfall in winter indicates drought, it may be necessary to water in the winter. The best time for winter watering is a warm day, when the temperature is above 40 degrees. Refer to Drought? Don’t forget the trees! (FNR-483-W) for more information on watering trees.
These simple guidelines will help trees get off to a good start after the long winter, when we are ready to transition from snow white to growing green.
Combating the Spread of Fire Ants
Source: Joe Collins, Kentucky Deputy State Entomologist
We know that fire ants have been in the state since 2000. They have typically been an invasive species only in Western Kentucky; however, earlier this year, Kentuckians discovered them in the eastern part of the state. These ants can pose a risk to human, animal and crop health. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture doesn’t currently list Kentucky as an “invaded” state, you should still know how to prevent, spot, report and treat fire ants in case you do encounter them.
So far fire ants have been confirmed in southeastern counties like McCreary and Whitley counties along the Tennessee border, but the survey is ongoing to determine the boundaries of the infested area. If you are in or around an area where fire ants have been reported, it is important to report suspected fire ant mounds. Fire ants can spread to new areas of the state through the movement of certain agricultural products. For example, fire ants can infest round bales stored in the field or on the ground, so be wary in purchasing these types of bales.
Fire ants are known for their mound-like nests. These nests vary in size but can be as large as 18 to 24 inches tall, and the mound has a fluffy soil appearance. You’ll typically find these mounds in open sunny areas on level ground or on a southern facing slope, and you won’t usually find them in wooded areas.
If you suspect fire ants on your property, do not approach the mound as fire ants are very aggressive and may sting if you disturb the mound. To report a mound, contact your local extension agent or submit a report to ReportAPest@uky.edu including a photo or video and address or GPS coordinates of the mound.
If fire ants are identified on your property, you may use fire ant baits such as Advion, Amdro and Extinguish to eliminate the ants. Read and follow the directions on the product label. Do not use gasoline, diesel or other flammable products as a control tactic.
For more information about fire ants, contact the Warren County office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.
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