Ips beetle affecting Western Slope Pinion Pines
The prolonged droughts of 2016-2018, have caused great stress to our native Pinyon Pine trees. This stress has allowed the Ips confusus beetle to take advantage by boring into the trunks of the trees and eating the cambium layer resulting in death of the trees.
Read more about how to protect your pinions from the Ips beetle.
Read more about slash management and the Ips beetle.
Colorado Woody Plant App is Available on All Platforms
Coloradans now have an app to help identify trees, shrubs and woody plants – CSU Extension announces the launch of the new “CO Woody Plant” mobile app, available for free on iOS, Android and Google Play!
Identify 200+ species. The ‘plant characteristics’ screen uses visual icons to guide the user through a series of choices to narrow down the possible plants. It also offers the ability to search in ‘offline’ locations without a cellular connection. Check it out at your favorite app store.
Bees Swarming?
- Don’t hurt the bees, just call Western Colorado
Beekeepers Association who can safely remove the bees! Please call 970-812-0080 - For Western Colorado Beekeepers Association website, please click here.
Plant Diagnostics
Plant Problems? Bring us a fresh sample!
- Master Gardener diagnosticians are meeting each week in each of our offices, to examine the plant samples that have been brought to us and try to determine the cause of the problems. If you are bringing us a plant sample, there are several things you can do to help out the diagnostic team:
- Bring in as fresh a sample as possible. Plants left in a hot car become much harder to identify.
- Bring in as much of the plant as possible, including the root where feasible. Bring along
Tomatoes with Blossom End Rot
some of the soil, so it can be tested for salts.
- Bring in both an area of the plant that is suffering, and if possible an adjacent section that is doing well. This is especially helpful with turf samples.
- If you need the plant identified, flowers and/or fruit will make diagnosis easier.
- When you come to the office, the Master Gardeners will have you fill out a form that asks a number of questions about the plant. Answering these as thoroughly as possible is very helpful! You can reach the Master Gardeners at each of our offices. In Delta, we’re at 874-2195; in Montrose, at 249-3935, and in Grand Junction we’re at 244-1836. Leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Winter Watering
Feeling Dry? So is your landscape. Trees, shrubs and lawns will benefit from monthly winter watering.
Check out this video for winter landscape watering: Youtube Winter Watering