The following science-based articles may help you answer questions from the community.  Rosanne Sherry, URI Consumer Horticulture Educator, recommends you read them to help sharpen your own gardening and educator skills! Please send comments or suggestions for articles to rsherry@uri.edu.

TICKS!!

Tick populations are high most likely due to the past two mild winters and callers are reporting finding ticks on themselves and other family members as well as pets. Of the two tick species most commonly found in southern New England, the tiny deer tick is of most concern because it can carry several diseases including Lyme disease, human babesiosis and human granulocytic anaplasmosis all of which can lead to serious health problems if untreated. Find out how to protect yourself and where to get ticks tested for these diseases at: http://www.tickencounter.org

Clover seeding

An interesting question has been passed around and finally was solved. The question is the use of clover in a solar farm. This did not come through the hotline and if it had would have been forwarded on to Dr. Brown. The full question and answer are below.

The question:

My company is installing several small solar energy sites around RI. We are evaluating seed mix alternatives that are environmentally friendly and will minimize the need for maintenance.  I was hoping you could provide me with some advice.

• Our contractor has recommend a fescue mix (25% Henry Hard Fescue, 25% Azure Sheeps Fescue, 25% Ambrose Chewings Fescue, and 25% Creeping Red Fescue).  He claims this should grow low and dense and require 1-2 annual mowings…does this sound credible?
• I was thinking about having them add some White Dutch Clover to the mix as that has a tendency to grow low and thick. Are there any concerns about using this variety in Rhode Island?
• Would I expect the clover to eventually dominate the fescue?
• Would the presence of clover likely further minimize the height and/or mowing frequency?

The Answer:

The fescue mix is what I would recommend also. You can add white clover to the mix – no more than 10% of the total seed mix by weight. The presence of clover will not affect the height of the grass or the mowing frequency. Over time the clover will form patches, so you will not have a uniform appearance to the turf; I don’t know if that matters to you. I would recommend testing the soil pH – white clover does not tolerate pH below 5.5, while the fescue will tolerate pH as low as 4.5.

If the topsoil was stripped from your sites as part of the construction process for the solar energy facility, I would strongly recommend that you incorporate yardwaste compost before seeding. Our subsoils (and most of what is sold as screened loam) are very low in organic matter, which means that they do not hold water and nutrients well. Adding compost will improve the soil’s ability to support the grass and clover, leading to better performance long term.

You have missed the window for seeding this spring, unless you have the ability to irrigate at your sites. While fescue does not need irrigation once established, it does require consistently moist soil for 6-8 weeks while the seeds germinate and the seedlings grow roots. I recommend waiting until mid-August to seed. If erosion and/or weeds are a concern over the summer, you could spread the compost as a mulch now, and then mix it into the soil just before seeding in the fall.

Dr. Rebecca Nelson Brown
Associate Professor of Plant Science

Lily Leaf Beetle info

They are out. The adults are coming out now, will mate and lay eggs, then you will see the larvae. Both adults and larvae eat the leaves. Neem or Spinosad products are the best for quick control. But remember the parasitic fly is spreading. Let nature help you get the problem under control.
https://web.uri.edu/biocontrol/lily-leaf-beetle/