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  1. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Yellowjackets! Ouch!

    Yellowjackets and paper wasps may become aroused and attack in defense of their nest when disturbed and can be pests when they build a nest on or near your house. Nests of most species are placed underground in rodent burrows or other soil cavities and colonies attain maximum size in August and...
  2. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Sick looking Cedars?

    Have you noticed the western red cedars in your neighborhood showing lots of brown fronds lately? In most cases, these trees are not really suffering from some horrible tree disease or pest but simply shedding their old foliage. This annual phenomenon is called “cedar flagging” and is much more...
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    Do cedar mulches kill other plants?

    Many living, growing woody plants contain allelopathic chemicals, which can prevent seeds from germinating or kill young seedlings. Most compounds have no effect upon established plants. Cedars (Thuja spp.) have not been found to have this ability. Even Juglans nigra (black walnut), the best...
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    Fall Garden Tips: Time to Plant Garlic

    In the Northwest, garlic is planted as cloves in the fall. Garlic requires full sun (at least 6 hours per day). It is best started by direct sowing seed garlic that can be purchased through some garden centers, catalogs, and online websites. Certified seed garlic has been grown specifically for...
  5. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Harvesting Winter Squash

    Winter squashes are harvested fully mature when the skins feel hard and waxy. In autumn, there is no hurry to harvest winter squashes unless excessively cold or wet weather is approaching. Pick winter squashes with stems attached. Cure in a warm, dry place and store at room temperature. Under...
  6. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Will woody mulch acidify my soils?

    In field situations it is difficult to significantly alter soil pH without the addition of chemicals. Temporary changes in pH may be found in the decomposing mulch layer itself, but these have little effect on underlying soils. Significant changes in soil pH can only occur after decades or...
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    PEST WATCH: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

    The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) causes damage to agricultural crops and is an annoyance to homeowners. Beginning in September, BMSB adults aggregate in large masses often on the sides of homes and other buildings. They enter structures to avoid cold weather. While stink bugs are not known...
  8. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Protect Your Young Apple Trees from Renegade Rabbits

    If you have seen cute little bunny rabbits romping in your young orchard over the summer, don’t be surprised if you start seeing damage to your young fruit trees. Rabbits nip off the tops and gouge the bark of stems in winter. During winter, rabbits and hares remove “chips” of bark and wood from...
  9. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Why are my conifers losing foliage?

    In the fall, after a long, dry summer, an evergreen conifer may not have enough resources to sustain all of its green foliage; thus, it will shed its oldest foliage (i.e., the foliage found on the innermost part of a branch). In doing so, the tree is prioritizing its resources. The oldest...
  10. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    European Chafer

    In 2001, European chafer grubs were discovered infesting lawns in New Westminster, the greater Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada, less than 15 miles from the northernmost border town in Washington State. The risk of movement from infested areas via human activity is high. Larvae are...
  11. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Last Call for Tomatoes!

    Those of you growing tomatoes should be harvesting them. So how did you do? Did you have lots of red tomatoes, mostly green or very few? Tomatoes can be very temperamental, and, if not cared for correctly, you can end up with few fruit or mostly green tomatoes. Now is the time to write notes...
  12. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Why Didn’t My Onions form Big Bulbs?

    Onions form bulbs in response to day length or the number of hours of daylight. There are two main types of onions: those grown in northern latitudes that bulb in response to long days, and those grown in southern latitudes that bulb in response to short days. The long-day onions grown in...
  13. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Harvesting Potatoes for Storage

    Potatoes that will be stored through the fall and winter should be harvested when mature. Depending on the cultivar, this will be approximately 70 to 120 days after planting. Potatoes The vines will start to die back in late summer or early fall, when the tubers are mature. In regions where...
  14. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    Do woody mulches attract termites, carpenter ants, and other pests?

    Many wood-based mulches are not attractive to pest insects but are actually insect repellent. For instance, cedar (Thuja) species produce thujone, which repels clothes moths, cockroaches, termites, carpet beetles, Argentine ants, and odorous house ants. In general, termites prefer higher...
  15. RSS Feed - Washington State University Blog

    My squash plants are blooming, but no fruit has set. Why not?

    For most squashes, the male and the female flowers (distinguished by the round chamber at the base of the flower) are on the same plant. These flowers are dependent on honey bees and other bees to transfer the male pollen to the female flower. Take precautions to minimize insecticide use during...
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    Is wood chip mulch a fire hazard?

    Coarse textured organic mulches, like wood chips, are the least flammable of the organic mulches. Fine textured mulches are more likely to combust, and rubber mulch is the most hazardous of all tested landscape mulches. If organic mulches are kept moist, they are less likely to catch fire. If...


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