Fleas in the Yard
Insect populations are beginning to be a hot topic at this time of year. I am getting a lot of calls about fleas and how to control them in the yard.
A few facts are needed to help understand them. Only adult fleas feed on the host and can survive several weeks and months without food. The female flea must have a blood meal before she can fertilize eggs. She will lay several hundred, and the larvae hatch in three to fifteen days and mature in 15 to 30 days. Ideal conditions for development are temperature of 80-90 degrees F and adequate moisture and organic matter for food for the larvae.
Control can be difficult. It usually takes two to three applications of the proper insecticide to get good control. The applications should be at 10-12 day intervals and the animal, its bedding and the area where it spends most of its time should be treated.
Several insecticides are cleared for flea control. Malathion, carbaryl and pyrethroids are three of the most common. Two insecticides that kill the larvae and eggs are sold as Precor (methoprene) and phenoxycarb.
For inside use, apply Malathion 2% or a pyrethroid at the rate specified on the label. Again, make two to three applications at 10 – 14 days intervals.
It is critical to control the fleas on the host. Obtain a shampoo dip or treatment, collars or bring animals to the veterinarian for control measures. Two rub-on products can be obtained from your veterinarian. Advantage and Front Line are the products.
For outdoor flea control you can use the following products. Delta Gard G at 2-3 lbs./1000 square ft. Astro applied at 0.6-3.2 oz. or 3-6 TBS in 16-20 gallons of water and apply to 4000 sq. ft. of yard. Sevin 50% WP at the rate of 1 pound per 5 gallons of water. Again, two to three applications at 10-14 day intervals are needed for effective control.
Snap Bean Varieties
Fresh snap beans smothered down with bacon or ham and onion is hard to beat. Recommended varieties for bush beans are Derby, Greencrop, Ambra, Bronco, Dusky, Storm, Strike, Hialeah and Festiva. The older bush types are Provider, Contender and Blue Lake 274.
Pole snap bean varieties include Kentucky Blue-AAS, Blue Lake or Kentucky Wonder.
Bush varieties should be planted about two weeks apart to extend the fresh harvest period. Pole varieties produce over a larger period and only one planting is necessary.
TOO Early to Fertilize Lawns
The temptation is there to begin fertilizing the lawns. The best time is in April as the soil temperature begins to warm up. A general recommendation is to apply a complete fertilizer. For St. Augustine & Zoysia apply 8-10 pounds of 8-8-8 per 1000 square feet of lawn area. For centipede and carpetgrass apply 6-7 pounds of 8-8-8 per 1000 square feet. For Bermuda grass, apply 10-12 pounds of 8-8-8 per 1000 square feet.
Remember that centipede is a low-fertility lawn. Only one or two fertilizations are needed yearly.
Question: What is the disease affecting sycamore trees?
Answer: Sycamore trees get two diseases that are common. Sycamore Blight and Anthracnose. Anthracnose symptoms are browning of the leaf which follows the veins.
If the top half of the tree dies it is most likely Sycamore Blight, for which there is no control.
Quick Notes
● Complete spring applications of fertilizer on fruit trees.
● Plant warm season bedding plants. Plant petunias by mid-March and plant periwinkle (vinca) in late April.
● Mulch plants to suppress weeds and conserve moisture.
Vegetables to Plant
Snap beans, cantaloupes, squash, cucumbers, watermelons and transplant tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.
If you have any questions or need more information please email me or call 873-6495. Also, Terrebonne@agcenter.lsu.edu