Plants & Pests with Nicole

July 2024

Upcoming Events

Office Closed July 4th in Observance of Independence Day

Nicole out July 4-5

GroBigRed Programming

July 10 - Vegetable Garden Diseases
August 14 - Fall Garden Maximization

Yard and Garden - Continues through July 26
Pawnee County Fair - July 20th 9-11am - Garden Q&A
Gage County Fair - July 24-28

Nicole will be in the office, but expect delays on questions

Nicole out of the office August 2-11

If you miss any of the GroBigRed Programs, the recordings are available on this website too. Visit https://hles.unl.edu/grobigred

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Butterflies and Moths

Summer is really here, not quite by calendar, but definitely the temperatures, and bugs. As an Entomologist, I love when insects become active, but I know not everyone feels the same about bugs. I do not like mosquitoes and other annoying bugs that bother me outside and I especially dislike those that do damage to my plants. However, most of our insects are beneficial and therefore do not need to be killed. Continue Reading...

View the full list of Questions and Answers from every show on my blog.

If you miss a show, you can listen to the recording on my podcast at yardandgarden.buzzsprout.com

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Blossom End Rot

Now is the time of year that we always see blossom end rot in our vegetable gardens. We see this problem every year and on many different vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, and watermelon. Blossom end rot is when the end of your vegetable that is away from the plant rots off. Blossom end rot is caused by a calcium deficiency but mainly due to uneven watering making the calcium unavailable to your plants. Mulching and maintaining proper irrigation through the growing season should reduce this problem.

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Storm Damage

We have had a few larger storms move through the area this year. If you live in one of those areas where a big storm blew through, make sure you do what you can to clean up your plants. Many of those storms brought very heavy winds with them causing many tree branches to break off and land in lawns. Be sure to clean up those branches and properly prune where that branch broke off to allow the tree to seal up that wound itself. Don’t treat the pruning wound with anything, just allow it to seal itself. If damage was more than you can handle, it would be good to call a Certified Arborist to do the pruning properly for you.

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Herbicide drift

Summer heat is showing up now. We may also notice more weed pressure in our lawns and gardens. However, it is getting too late in the season to use a growth regulator such as 2,4-D or Dicamba which are both found in the herbicide Trimec. These products can turn into a gas in warm temperatures, making them more mobile moving to non-targets much easier and causing damage to our desired plants including tomatoes, oaks, redbuds which are some of the most sensitive plants to these herbicides. 2,4-D or Dicamba products should not be used when temperatures exceed 85 degrees for 72 hours following application. So put these chemicals away until cooler temperatures return in the fall. Always read and follow the label when using herbicides.

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Irrigation for Maintaining a Landscape

As we move into the heat of the summer, we need to remember proper irrigation practices for our plants. It is just as easy to overwater as it is to underwater plants. And remember that irrigation practices differ among all different types of plants. Continue Reading...

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About Nicole

Nicole Stoner is the Horticulture Extension Educator located in Gage County, serving Southeast Nebraska. Nicole's focus areas include trees, shrubs, lawns, gardens, and insects. Nicole obtained her Master's Degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for Horticulture with a minor in Insect Science, she also has Bachelor's Degrees from UNL in both areas. Nicole is also an ISA Certified Arborist and has her Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).

Email: nstoner2@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/gage/gage-county-horticulture/
Location: 1115 West Scott Street, Beatrice, NE, USA
Phone: 402-223-1384
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleStonerHorticulture
Twitter: @nikki_Stoner