Virus Disease Threatens Area Tomato Plants

While there are many plant diseases that make growing tomatoes a challenge in the Southeast, a relatively new disease threatens to make home grown tomatoes even more difficult for many local gardeners to produce. Known as Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus, or TSWV, this disease is different from most tomato diseases because it is caused by a virus rather than a fungus or bacteria. Most virus diseases in plants cause the infected plant to develop strange color patterns on the leaves or flowers and may cause stunting, but usually do not kill their host plant outright. Unfortunately TSWV does, and it has started showing up on tomato plants in our area in the past few weeks.

Early symptoms of tomato spotted wilt virus include bronzing or distortion of leaves, brown or purplish spots, wilting, and stunting of tomato plants. There is no treatment for this disease, which can only be avoided by planting resistant varieties.

Learn more! Read the entire article online from the Pender County Cooperative Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+73.

Reduce Water Use with Water Wise Landscaping!

'Color Guard' yucca (front) , Texas sage (middle), and pink muhly grass (back) provide fall color in a drought tolerant landscape. Grouping drought tolerant plants together in landscape beds reduces the amount of water needed to keep your landscape healthy. This is one of the principles of water wise landscaping.

Water wise landscapes are designed and maintained to need less water year around, making them more resilient to dry weather and less reliant on irrigation. These are both desirable qualities in our area, considering droughts often occur and the increasing demand for water caused by rapid development. Applying water wise principles to your yard will help you reduce your outdoor water use and grow a healthy landscape. Making your landscape water wise does not require you to redo your entire yard; simply incorporate some basic practices into your landscape design and maintenance activities.

Learn more! Read the entire article on the Pender Extension website: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+72.

A New Type of Garden!

A revolution is taking place in backyards across America that involves a fundamental change in the way everyday citizens are thinking about their lawns and landscapes. As awareness of water quality issues flows beyond the realm of researchers, and into the daily life of every individual, many people are asking more of their yards – that they become more than simply a place of beauty and relaxation, but also act as a first line of defense in protecting our environment against water pollution. There are many ways each of us can make a difference locally, but one practice that is proving both effective and attractive is rain gardens. Find out more about how to create a rain garden in your yard by reading the entire article from the Pender County Cooperative Extension Website, http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+71

Keeping Tomato Plants Healthy

Growing a healthy vegetable crop can be a challenge in our climate, with some vegetables proving more difficult than others. Among the most challenging are tomatoes, yet they are also the most popular vegetable in the United States and almost everyone yearns to produce the perfect home grown tomato. Achieving this task is not impossible – it just requires a little knowledge about how tomatoes grow and how to manage their many disease problems.

Learn more! Click here to read the entire article from the Pender County Cooperative Extension website! http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+70

Plant Now for Summer Harvest!

April is the month to get your vegetable garden ready for summer. Warm season vegetables, including squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and corn, can be planted after the threat of frost has passed. The average last frost date for our area is around April 15, though we cannot rule out a light frost later in April, so be prepared to protect newly planted annuals and vegetables by covering them with an old sheet or floating row cover if frost is predicted. Read the entire article: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=LAWN+69

Pender County Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your lawn, garden and landscape questions during their annual plant sale, April 16 & 17 at the Pender County Cooperative Extension Center, located at 801 S. Walker St. in Burgaw. The plant sale will feature a wide range of tough plants that thrive in Pender County conditions, including annual and perennial flowers, vegetables, herbs, blueberries, and figs!

In addition, Summer Vegetable Gardening 101, a FREE class covering all the basics of growing a summer vegetable garden, will be taught at the Extension Center Saturday, April 17 from 10am to noon. Call 259-1235 to register for this class, find out more about the plant sale, or get answers to your gardening questions. Information is also available online at http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu.

Easy Fruits for Home Gardens!

Thinking of trying your hand at home fruit production? Your chances of success have a lot to do with which fruits you try to grow. Tree fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, and plums are often difficult to cultivate in our area because of the many pest problems that plague them. Most berry producing fruits though thrive in local gardens and require less care than tree fruits. Among the easiest to grow are blackberries, blueberries, and muscadine grapes, all of which can easily be grown organically in most backyards. While not technically a berry, figs are also easy to grow in home gardens, have very few pest problems, and are usually very productive. When planting any type of fruits, be sure to choose varieties recommended for our area and plant them in a sunny area with well drained soil. Find out more: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/index.php?page=news&ci=AGRI+5

Learn more about growing fruits in SE NC at the Home Fruit Gardening class, April 17, 1:30 - 3pm, held at the Pender County Cooperative Extension Center in Burgaw! This class is free but registration is required by April 15 - call 910-259-1235 to register.

Pender County Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your lawn, garden and landscape questions during their annual spring plant sale, April 16 & 17, at the Pender County Cooperative Extension Center, located at 801 S. Walker St. in Burgaw. The plant sale will feature a wide range of tough plants that thrive in Pender County conditions, including blueberries, blackberries, grapes, and figs! Find out more: http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/content/2010PlantSale

Gardening Questions? Why not 'Ask a Master Gardener'!

The 2010 Season of 'Ask a Master Gardener' plant clinics begins this Wednesday, April 14, at the Poplar Grove Farmer's Market (http://www.poplargrove.com/farmers_market.htm). Master Gardeners will be on site from 9am to noon to answer your gardening questions, provide soil test supplies, and identify insect, weed, and disease samples.

Master Gardeners will be at the Market the 2nd Wednesday of each month, April - October, from 9am to Noon to help with your gardening problems and provide lawn, garden, and landscape information. 

More 'Ask a Master' Clinics coming up!
On Monday April 19, Pender County Master Gardeners will be in the gazebo located in the Teaching Gardens at the Hampstead Library, which they maintain as an educational display of good plants for the Hampstead area. Master Gardeners plan to be at the Hampstead Library the 3rd Monday of each month from 9am to Noon, throughout the growing season (April - October).

More Ways to Get Answers to Your Questions
Not able to make it to either of these locations? No problem - gardening questions can be answered Mon - Fri, 8am to 5pm by calling the Pender County Extension office at 259-1235, or visiting in person - office location: 801 S. Walker St. in Burgaw. Or post your questions online on our 'Ask at Expert' widget, available at http://pender.ces.ncsu.edu/.