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This gardening handbook, developed for NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers and home gardeners, is a primary source for research-based information on gardening and landscaping in North Carolina and the Southeast. It explains the basics of gardening from soils and composting to vegetable gardening and wildlife management. Advice on garden design, preparation, and maintenance covers all types of plantings including lawns, ornamentals, fruits, trees, and containers.
This integrated pest management (IPM) chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook familiarizes readers with a systematic approach to managing insect and animal garden pests in an environmentally responsible manner.
North Carolina’s climate and soils are well suited to grow many types tree fruits. This publication will focus on the three main tree fruits produced for market in North Carolina: peaches, apples, and pecans. In addition to these main crops, information on pears, persimmons, plums, nectarines, Asian pears, and figs is presented as they grow well in North Carolina’s temperate climate. These tree fruits require similar management regimes described in this publication.
This publication provides homeowners with recommended chemical control options to use in combination with an integrated management plan for managing common diseases in the landscape or garden.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the earthworm and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
This publication is intended to help you manage diseases and pests of peaches. In choosing a management program, you must weigh the extent of pesticide use against the amount of risk of crop damage you are willing to accept. A rigorous spray program provides the least risk of loss, whereas a minimal spray program using less effective but possibly less hazardous pesticides involves a greater risk of loss.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of ground pearls and addresses how to control them as an insect in turf.
Homeowners who grow fruit in backyards or small orchards find that disease and insect pests often ruin the crop and in some instances damage the tree itself. This publication covers common diseases and insect issues in backyard orchards in North Carolina.
This appendix from the Extension Gardener Handbook will help readers to understand the impact of pesticides on our environment, know when to use a pesticide, how to read its label, and how to apply it safely and to understand the signal words and their associated levels of toxicity.
The factsheet covers the basics of Red Imported Fire Ant (RIFA) biology and behavior. It provides key information to help you understand this invasive pest, and make choices about it's management in and around built structures.
This publication provides straightforward answers to questions commonly posed by home gardeners about beneficial insects.
This publication discusses weeds common to watermelon and how to control them. Weed management strategies include mechanical control, cultural control, and herbicide recommendations for grasses and broadleaf weeds such as Palmer amaranth and sedge weed species.
A publication covering the fundamentals of German cockroach biology and behavior, as well as their history alongside humans and health risks posed by infestation.
This pest control guide was a project of the Southern Nursery IPM Working Group (SNIPM) and collaborators. It is intended to provide up to date information about pest control products used in nursery crops and ornamental landscape plantings, and as a supplement to the more comprehensive integrated pest management (IPM) manuals for trees and shrubs. Recommendations for the use of agricultural chemicals are included in this publication as a convenience to the reader.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the scoliid wasp and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
A publication covering the biology and behavior of the Eastern Subterranean termite.
This publication discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, and management of root-knot nematodes in ornamental plants.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the chinch bug and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of fire ants and addresses how to control them as an insect in turf.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of crane fly larvae and addresses how to control them as insects in turf.
A factsheet covering Eastern Subterranean termite signs, monitoring, and management in North Carolina.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the cutworm and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
An extension factsheet covering mouse biology and behavior.
A factsheet covering best practices for rat surveillance, conducive conditions, mechanical management, and chemical management strategies.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of fall armyworms and addresses how to control them as an insect.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) can be defined as a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining cultural, biological, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, aesthetic, health, and environmental risks. A first step in implementing an effective IPM program is to maintain healthy, vigorous plants, which are much less likely to have pest problems. Therefore, an integrated pest management program will also consider cultural practices that lead to healthy and resilient plantings.
This factsheet describes the biology of the palm leaf skeletonizer, Homaledra sabalella, and provides recommendations for management.
This guide to lawn maintenance for North Carolina contains information on establishing a new lawn, maintaining it, and controlling lawn pests using organic methods. It also provides information on renovating an existing lawn.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the clover mite and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
Choosing a pest management professional can be overwhelming, especially when an online search provides an increasing number of options. In this publication, we will provide advice to help you select a reputable pest control company in the event that you should ever need one.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the cicada killer wasp and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
A factsheet covering signs of infestation, surveillance, mechanical management, exclusion, and chemical management for structure-invading mice.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of voles and addresses how to control them in turf.
This factsheet describes the biology of the muhlygrass mealybug, Stemmatomerinx acircula, and provides residential management recommendations.
This factsheet provides an overview of German cockroach management, the do’s and don’ts, and the information needed to consult and hire a professional pest management company
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of nuisance ants and addresses how to control them as an insect in turf.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the millipedes and addresses how to control them as an insect in turf.
This factsheet provides descriptions of several pests of Ash trees in North Carolina. It describes the characteristics of each insect and the damage they cause and offers potential mitigation strategies.
This publication explains control measures that can be taken due to animal damage of crops.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the mole cricket and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the yellowjacket and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
Healthy plants are important components of urban landscapes. These plants, however, are subjected to attacks by a myriad of pests while they are being grown in a nursery or maintained in a landscape. The ultimate goal of a successful ornamental plant pest management program is to improve the quality of plants (nurseries and greenhouses) and plant care services (landscape care operations) while minimizing pesticide use and the negative impacts of pesticide use to the environment, workers, clients, and other non-target organisms. To do so, ornamental plant growers and landscape care professionals have to understand the basic operating principles of integrated pest management, or IPM. The results of IPM can be spectacularly effective when well designed and executed.
This publication, chapter 10 of the 2023 Southeast Regional Caneberry Production Guide, points users to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) resources for blackberry and raspberry production.
Rice is a minor crop in the state of North Carolina with less than an estimated 2000 acres in the entire state. Unfortunately this means there are very few resources for growers. There are currently no insecticides or herbicides registered for use on rice in the state of North Carolina. Due to legal and liability issues we are not allowed to recommend any brand or chemistries of insecticide or herbicide to be used. Since rice is usually a second or third priority crop behind flowers and vegetables we are tailoring these recommendations in a way where you can grow your crop and receive the maximum yield benefits possible given the circumstances. What follows are a series of cultural and non-chemical controls for weed and pest management.
This insect note contains a pest management calendar for azalea insect and mite pests.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of crayfish and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the rhodesgrass mealybug and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the sod webworm and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
The twig pruner, Elaphidionoides villosus, is a slender grayish-yellow, longhorned beetle about 1/2" long that is normally considered a secondary invader of declining trees and shrubs. The twig pruner attacks healthy twigs and small branches. The female lays an egg in the bark by slitting the surface at leaf axils in late spring. When these eggs hatch, the legless grubs bore into the twig.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of moles and addresses how to control them in turf.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of springtails and addresses how to control them as an insect in turf.
This publication offers a month by month guide to managing pests of roses in North Carolina.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of nematodes and addresses how to control them in turf.
Lesser appleworm description, life history, damage, and control.
This factsheet describes the biology of the Spiny Oakslug, Euclea delphinii, and provides residential management recommendations.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the hunting billbug and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
This publication discusses the yield losses, delayed maturity, and management associated with damaged caused by deer feeding on cotton crops.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of hornets and addresses how to control them as an insect in turf.
This insect note contains a pest management calendar for juniper insect and mite pests.
This factsheet describes the biology of the ligustrum weevil, Ochyronmera ligustri, and provides residential management recommendations.
This factsheet describes Nantucket pine tip moths (Rhyacionia frustrana).
This insect note contains a pest management calendar for camellia insect and mite pests.
This insect note contains a pest management calendar for Leyland cypress.
This factsheet shows when common pests of rhododendron are likely to be present.
This factsheet describes the biology of the Cottony Azalea Scale, Pulvinaria ericicola, and provides residential management recommendations.
This factsheet summarizes the characteristics of the twolined spittlebug and addresses how to control it as an insect in turf.
