Start checking tomato plants on the underside of leaves for multiples of tiny worms—spray
with Thuricide.  (Also known as BT)

Aphids are also making an appearance—you can make your own insecticide with a soap mixture by mixing 5 or 6 drops of liquid detergent in a quart of water to spray on
editable plants. 

For Cutworms spread self-rising flour on the ground. 
The worms will eat the flour and swell up—leaving your plants and
seedlings unharmed. 

And finally try this for Fire Ants:

            Combine in a gallon container with a lid--

            4 pounds Cornmeal

            1 cup Sugar

            2 packets Red Jell-O

            3 TBS Orthene

Shake well to mix and sprinkle over and around mounds.

4/25/13

Great information is at your fingertips with the Jefferson County AgriLife Extension Service.  They are located in Beaumont at 1225 Pearl Street in Suite 200.  Call them at 409-835-8461 and check them out online at http://jefferson.agrilife.org

It’s time to think seed catalogs and planting as we start the new year and thanks to our listener Linda from Kountze I have some seed companies for you.

Tomato Growers                     http://www.tomatogrowers.com       888-478-7333

Totally Tomatoes                    http://www.totallytomato.com        800-345-5977

Park Seed                              http://parkseed.com                    800-845-3369

Burpee Seeds                          http://www.burpee.com                800-888-1447

Pinetree Garden Seeds           https://www.superseeds.com          207-926-3400 

Poinsettias in the traditional red and a host of new colors can be found in most holiday decor, adding much to brighten the seasonal displays.

But the popular plant can suffer during the holidays if not properly cared for, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service plant pathologist.

“There are ways to care for poinsettias to keep them looking good and to avoid some of the common diseases that affect them,” said Dr. Kevin Ong, AgriLife Extension plant pathologist and director of the agency’s Plant Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station.

One of the most common diseases of poinsettias is pythium root rot, he said. When the roots are attacked by this disease, they turn brown and mushy instead of the usual healthy white color.

Poinsettias are a favorite holiday plant. To keep them healthy, don’t over water, don’t fertilize until after the holidays and keep them in 60-70 degree temperatures. (Texas A&M AgriLife Communications photo by Kathleen Phillips)

“Poinsettias are shipped in protective sleeves to prevent damage to them,” Ong explained. “These sleeves may not have drainage holes, so if water is allowed to stand in them, the roots can begin to rot if the pathogen attacks.”

With rotted roots, he said, the healthy green leaves turn yellow and drop off of the plant.

Improper watering can also cause other problems for poinsettias, he noted.

“A plant that is stressed and has not been watered correctly may get spots or blotches on its lower leaves,” Ong said. “If this happens, remove those leaves and begin watering the plant correctly.”

He said preventing a disease is better than trying to cure a sick poinsettia. Ong offered these seasonal poinsettia tips:

• A white Christmas is not poinsettia-friendly. Poinsettias are originally from the tropics, so keep them indoors if the temperatures are going to be under 60-70 degrees. A cold poinsettia will turn yellow and drop its leaves.
• Drink in moderation. Poinsettias will drown or get sick if they get too much water. Only when the soil feels dry should a poinsettia be watered.
• Diet control. Poinsettias that fill up on a fertilizer buffet will start to look peaked. Feed a poinsettia after the holidays, when everyone else is dieting, if you want to try to keep it alive.

Kim Peveto of the Texas A & M AgriLife Extension Service in Orange has some tips for fall lawn care:

Caring for your lawn during the fall is as important as in the spring and summer. Here are a few things you can do to help your lawn survive the winter and recover vigorously in the spring.

 Fertilization: Fall fertilizer should be high in nitrogen and potassium and lower in phosphorus. Fertilizing in the fall helps prolong fall color and promote an early spring recovery for your lawn.

 Watering: Lawns go dormant during the winter months, so it is important to remember the grass needs water for survival. During the winter, if it doesn’t rain for several weeks, you need to water your lawn. Watering before a hard freeze is helpful in reducing freeze injury to the grass. It takes much colder air temperatures to lower the temperature of a moist soil than that of a dry soil.

For more information you can contact the AgriLife Extension Service in Orange at 409-882-7010.

One of the most important parts of a home’s comfort system is its main control—the thermostat. The thermostat tells the home’s furnace and/or cooling system when to turn on and off as temperatures in the house or individual rooms fluctuate.

Essentially a heat-activated switch, a thermostat has a temperature sensor that causes the switch to open or close as the room warms or cools, completing or interrupting an electrical circuit that activates the furnace or cooling unit.

If your home has an older, non-programmable thermostat, consider replacing it with a fully programmable one. This is an essential tool for saving energy because you can use it to eliminate periods when the furnace or air conditioning unit may run unnecessarily. As its name implies, this type of thermostat can be programmed to maintain different temperatures during the day and night.