Horticulture Update Jim Shrefler Extension Horticulturist Okla. Cooperative Extension Tulsa County Master Gardener Training February 2013

Plant and Care for Plants Correctly – Variety Selection Use Resistant Varieties!!!!! –Especially for tomatoes Use Adapted Varieties –What is working for experienced growers? –OSU Recommendations Oklahoman’s Guide to Fruits, Nuts & Vegetables OSU Fact Sheet HLA 6032 for home gardening varieties Seed Catalogs – Reputable Co. Oklahoma Vegetable Trial Reports

What’s New Resources du/ du/ –Select “Industry and Producers” –Select “Vegetable Information” 2012 Vegetable Trial Report –Tomato trials for fruit set in heat –Heirloom Tomato Trial

What’s New Resources –Select “Industry and Producers” –Select “Vegetable Information” Extended Season Leafy Greens Report

What’s New Resources Southeast US Vegetable Guide

What’s New Resources Select “Oklahoma Mesonet” Select “Horticulture” –Pecan –Peach –Several Vegetable Choices –Turfgrass

What’s New Resources Greenhouse Tomato Short Course Advance Registration is $150, by Feb 22

Tomatoes- General Needs Fertile and very well drained soil Full sunlight morning and through mid afternoon Protection from wind – Helps prevent blossom end rot Crop rotation with other plant families: i.e. Corn, beans, squash Use only shallow cultivation for weeding established crops

Planting & Caring for Plants Correctly – Watering Tomato as an example Proper watering is important for: –Vigorous plant growth –Fruit set –Fruit quality –Disease prevention

Tomatoes - Irrigation Needs 1-2 inches of water per week –Rainfall –Irrigation Strive to keep soil moisture uniform –This can reduce blossom end rot –Avoid getting too dry –Mulch helps here Deep, less frequent watering encourages deep rooting Drip or trickle irrigation is ideal!

Bedding and Mulching Bed for drainage & increased root zone Black sheet mulches warm soil White Sheet Mulches, paper, straw etc. cool soil

Pro’s and Cons of Mulching + Reduce water loss from soil surface + Maintain more uniform soil moisture + Reduces weeding needs + Keeps soil off plants and produce +Reduced disease problems -- Additional production cost -- Plastic mulch removal -- Insects & varmints

Keys to Achieving an Early Tomato Harvest Optimize Plant Environment (air & soil temperatures) Early Maturing varieties Transplant size Avoid Excess Nitrogen Use Best Management Practices to Minimize Plant Stress Steve Upson, Noble Foundation, 2012 Oklahoma Statewide Vegetable Meeting, Chickasha

Potential of passive growing technologies for optimizing plant environment Mulch film Mulch film + row cover Mulch film + row cover + hoop house High Low

southern: March 7-13 central: March northern: March Suggested transplant dates for hoop house tomatoes in Oklahoma

Order Acari Egg, larva, nymph, adult Sucking pest DS: larva, nymph, adult OW: eggs, adults Hosts: many vegetable crops Spider Mites Twospotted spider mite

Warm (hot!) season pests Monitor with white paper Dislodge with a stream of water IRRIGATE !!!! Spider Mite Management

Non synthetic chemical options –Insecticidal soaps –Summer oils –Naturalyte (spinosad) –Pyrellin (natural pyrethroid) Toxic to beneficial insects –M-Pede – OMRI Listed Thorough coverage needed

Spider Mite Management Synthetic chemical options –Acramite –Kanemite

Summer Squash - General Needs Reasonably fertile and good drainage Needs warm soil to germinate Full sunlight Crop rotation with other plant families: i.e. Corn, beans –Soil born diseases Keep weeds controlled

Black Plastic For Early Plantings Zucchini squash planted May 1 st in southern Oklahoma – plastic can make a difference due to soil warming. Use white plastic or organic mulch with later plantings to cool the soil.

Summer Squash – Transplants Transplanted –Large rootball is not needed –Use transplants 2-3 weeks old for early yield

Summer Squash – Plants & Spacing Plant by seed or transplants Space rows 5 to 6 feet and plants 3 feet apart in row Direct seeded – watch for seed eating rodents! Transplanted –Large rootball is not needed –Use transplants 3-4 weeks old for early yield

Squash – Insect Pest Concerns Insects –Cucumber beetles –Squash bug –Aphids –Vine borer

Overwintered adults mate and move to cucurbit plants –Prefer squash, pumpkin –Will go to watermelon, muskmelon etc. Colonize crops in spring, build up and spread to preferred crops Feeding adults and nymphs inject toxic saliva that causes brown, dead vines Associated with Yellow Vine Disease Squash Bug

Look for eggs and remove them Put out plywood boards; bugs will spend night underneath board Will hide under mulch Maintain crop vigor proper watering & fertilization) Remove and destroy crop debris as soon as possible Squash Bug Management

Contact insecticides (adults and nymphs) –Natural pyrethroids Anti-feedant and insect growth regulator (nymphs) –Neem oil and Extract products Row covers – early season

Summer Squash – Planting systems Raised Bed Drip irrigation Mulch –For weeds, moisture control, cleanliness –Plastic for early harvest –Organic mulch with later plantings Cover with fine netting for insects - until flower

Usefulness of Row Covers for Insect Exclusion in Squash? Is it practical? Is it cost effective? Are there drawbacks? What are the potential benefits? What are the specifics on when and how to use this technique?

Treatments 1. Install row cover at transplant and remove at 1 st flower 2. Install row cover at transplant and remove 2 weeks after 1 st flower 3. Apply insecticides when insects present 4. Untreated

Treatments 1. Install row cover at transplant and remove at 1 st flower 2. Install row cover at transplant and remove 2 weeks after 1 st flower 3. Apply insecticides when insects present 4. Untreated

Squash Yield by Plant Date - Total Fruits / 6 Plants - TreatmentMayJuneJulyAugust Cover until 1 st flower Cover & delay removal Insecticide Untreated Transplant at the start of each month - Harvest as long as possible (up to 12 wks) - Data is for plots with 6 plants (initially)