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 When we talk about controls of the larvae, the fact that they
are larvae of moths or butterflies makes them susceptible to the
use of B.t. products such as Thuricide. Other control options
include the standbys such as Sevin, permethrin, bifenthrin,
Othene, malathion, and others.
The way insects live also dictates some of the control do’s and
don’ts. Fall webworms live inside a “web” all the time. They
actually expand the webbing as they need to have more leaves to
eat. They are usually worst on fruit and nut trees. You can even
clip the nest (and the branch it is around) off the tree and
burn it. I guess this tells you that defoliation caused by the
insect isn’t that great of a threat to the tree or you wouldn’t
cut the branch area off. If you want to spray fall webworms, you
need to get the spray through the web. This may be a little
harder than you think. If you don’t have enough pressure, the
spray just runs off the webbing.
In the case of Eastern tent caterpillars, they hatch out of a
common nest. They then leave the nest to feed, but generally
return in the evening to congregate in the area of the nest.
They are not covered by webbing, and the time they are
congregated is a great time to spray since they are usually in
one area on the trunk or main branches of trees.
In summary, control of fall defoliators isn’t usually justified
from the plant’s standpoint. Forested areas have heavy pressure
from this group in insects every year, and the trees are still
thriving. The exception is newly transplanted or struggling
plants. If appearances are important, consider a control spray.
Fall Gardening
Another fall topic to be covered in the late summer is fall
gardening. The idea is to harvest in the fall, and that takes a
little bit of planning, and planting, on your part. The fall
garden planting season actually begins in June. Most of the
dates are based on the ability to withstand frost, or not
withstand frost. Since we are well past June, here are some of
the things we can still plant in late summer for the fall
harvest period – since they are in the frost tolerant category.
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Let’s start with the list. Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, cos
lettuce, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, winter radishes and
turnips are the group for late summer planting. This group is
made up of frost tolerant plants which don’t have a long life
cycle. Examples of other frost tolerant vegetables which won’t
have time to mature very well include cabbage, carrots, onions,
and parsnips. They just won’t mature before we get a hard freeze
– unless you are just wanting some green onions or turnip tops.
In about another month, we can plant some of the very hardy
vegetables which would mature in time to use them. Some are in
the late summer planting time, but anyway, here is the list:
leaf lettuce, mustard greens, spring radishes, and spinach. Fall
spinach is interesting, and it sometimes overwinters to begin an
early harvest in the spring. Of course, you have to check
carefully before tilling the garden.
Local supplies of seed may be hard to find. That leaves having
left over supplies from the spring or placing an order to your
favorite seed supplier to have any type of fall garden.
[By JOHN FULTON, COUNTY EXTENSION
DIRECTOR SERVING LOGAN, MENARD, AND SANGAMON COUNTIES]
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