Editor: John R. Holowid, Penn State Cooperative Extension in Erie County and Northwest Pennsylvania

I have mixed emotions about writing this newsletter. My last day with Penn State Cooperative Extension will be Friday, August 12. I have accepted a position with Decco (stands for decay control), a division of Cerexagri, Inc. I will be working in post-harvest fruit and vegetables in the eastern United States and Canada. I have enjoyed my days here at Penn State and have enjoyed working with and talking with many of you. From this perspective, I am saddened about my loss of contact. I am excited about my new venture and I hope that in my travels in the area I will be able to keep in touch.

I would like to acknowledge and thank the following individuals for the aid and assistance they have given me in my Growing Degree Day and Plant Phenology and Behrend Arboretum Projects, etc. Many of these individuals have faithfully collected data during the growing season on a weekly basis. Some have been at it for the past four growing seasons. I hope you have found their efforts and this information helpful to your business.

• Dawn Kimmel, Mercer County Cooperative Extension
  
• Barbara Zdarko, Erie County Cooperative Extension
  
• Marilyn Wadding, Venango County Cooperative Extension
  
• Susan Gionti, Crawford County Cooperative Extension
  
• Dr. Mike Campbell, Behrend
  
• Dr. Tom Wortman, Behrend
  
• Dr. Paul Barney, Behrend
  
• Cris Follett, Johnston's Nursery
  
• Lori Follett, Johnston's Nursery
  
• Scott Wilcox, Erie County Cooperative Extension

Below is a summary table of the 2005 Phenological Sequence at Behrend Arboretum. Dr. Dan Herms of Ohio State University told me that if one can do a good job and get the sequence down, you only have to do it one time. I was planning on repeating this process for my own edification. The sequence of flowering should be the same in a cool spring as in a warm spring. Calendar dates, of course, would vary. This sequence can be used to predict when pests will occur. Dr. Herms and Dr. Warren T. Johnson of Cornell have historic data on growing degree days and when pests occur. Dr. Herms has data that brings in the plant phenology aspect. The purpose of my work was to build a scouting tool for Northwest Pennsylvania for recommending when to look for pests based on phonological stages of plants. I wanted to do this at the Behrend Arboretum because many of the plants are marked for identity. I could watch these "known" plants and record their progress through a season.

Phenological Sequence at Behrend Arboretum 2005

Here are the results from 2 organic herbicide trials conducted this season in Northwest Pennsylvania.

Trial 1. Conducted at an Erie County nursery. Herbicides were applied on May 25, 2005 via shaker jar. Plot size was 7.5 ft. x 7.5 ft. Each treatmen was replicated four times in a RCB design. Due to dry weather conditions, Roundup was applied as a blanket treatment to emerged weeds on June 21, 2005. Annual weeds were left to germinate and a rating for % vegetation control of annual weeds was made on July 21, 2005. A sum-mary table follows. Data is an average of 4 reps.

Corn Gluten was purchased from a local feed mill at a cost of about $7 per 100 lb. WeedBan is a corn gluten herbicide from Fertrell. It cost $35 for a 50# bag. The particles of WeedBan were ground smaller than the feed grade product. Dimension was a commercial herbicide used for comparison.

Conclusions: All treatments, with the exception of corn gluten at 2#/A provided control of annual weeds (common ragweed, barnyard grass). Both WeedBan treatments provided excellent control of annual weeds. The 4 lb. rate of corn gluten pro-vided substantially better control than the 2 lb. rate. Literature on corn gluten trials indicates early application timing to enhance the activity of corn gluten.

Trial 2. Conducted in Crawford County lawn. Treatments were applied on April 20, 2005 by shaker jar to 10 ft. x 10 ft. plots in a home lawn with a history of crabgrass and oxalis. Trial design was a RCBD with four replications. Evaluation was on June 17, 2005.

Dry spring weather and late application timing probably resulted in poor control. Corn gluten meal provided 0 control in this trial.

The results of both trials indicate that WeedBan corn gluten organic herbicide is more active than corn gluten meal. More trials are needed to refine rates and timing of these treatments.

Thanks for your support these past 3.5 years. It has been a wonderful experience.

Sincerely,

Penn State encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact John Holowid at 814-825-0900 in advance of your participation or visit.

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