As mentioned last week the field corn has been harvested. Yesterday the field was seeded with a cover crop, winter rye. This will prevent soil erosion, keep the weeds to a minimum and keep the soil moist for the spring.
The soybean plants have grasshoppers and beetles feeding on the leaf edge. The stinkbugs are also piercing the pods searching for moisture. The soybeans are drying down, but the beans are small. Due to the moisture in the morning and the hot dry days, there is the concern the pods will crack open. Also, the bronzing effect on the leaves, called cercopera, can cause possible purple seed stain on the bean. Knowing this, it may be a better idea to try a more resistant soybean plant for next year. Some of the soybean crop will be harvested in two weeks.
In the demonstration plots the strawberry plants look well, except that the Chandler June bearing plants are showing beetle and grasshopper damage. The pumpkin plot also did well this year, and the master gardeners learned that to grow giant pumpkins organically is a lot of hard work every day.
Below is the weekly summary for the insects caught in the four insect traps at the BCCAC in Moorestown.
Trap 1 (Black Cut Worm) – 2 fall armyworm.
Trap 2 (European Corn Borer) - 1 each spider, milkweed bug and cucumber beetle.
Trap 3 (Fall Army Worm) - 6 fall armyworm.
Trap 4 (Corn Ear Worm) – 9 noctuid.
Trap 5 (Stink Bug) – 2 stink bugs.
Notes compiled by John Siemanowski.
