Tomato Seedlings Damaged by Herbicide Vapors

Where you decide to start and raise your vegetable transplants sometimes determines whether those transplants live or die. By now your transplants are already at the stage to be planted in the garden or have already been planted. Whether these transplants have the vigor needed for continued growth can be directly affected by where they were started.

Take for example transplants that were started in the same area where herbicides were being stored. In the early stages of development the tomato seedlings grew perfectly. It was not until the temperatures got hotter that these seedlings started to develop strange looking and twisted leaves. Some of the leaves grew much longer and thinner than normal.

The leaves had the characteristic ruffled edges as seen in the photo on the left.
The cause of this distortion was due to vaporization of herbicide located somewhere in the same building, in this case in the garage. Perhaps herbicide was spilled sometime in the last several years and the residue wasn’t adequately cleaned up. As the temperature increased vapors were produced that drifted onto the young seedlings. The herbicide damage might have been due to vaporization of chemical residue around the neck of a bottle of herbicide. The damage may have been due to vapors from a nearby application of herbicide that drifted into the garage when the door was open.

While herbicide-damaged tomatoes may out grow this problem the tolerance for 2,4-D residue and other herbicides on or inside tomatoes is very low. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies tolerance of 2,4-D contaminated tomatoes is 0.05 ppm. This is six times lower than what is permitted in horse meat (0.3 ppm). Are you sure you want to eat herbicide contaminated tomatoes or other vegetables? I don’t!

Dog Spots and Urine

If you see a lush spot of grass where one our four-legged friends has made a deposit of liquid nitrogen, you will know the lawn needs an application of nitrogen fertilizer.

 The best remedy for this problem is to fertilize with a nitrogen source. This will stimulate the grass into vigorous growth. The resulting green grass will help hide (i.e. mask) the dog spot. The amount of nitrogen to apply will vary depending on how deficient the lawn is of this essential nutrient but it is best to start with a small dose of nitrogen to correct such a deficiency. A half pound of nitrogen per one thousand square foot area of lawn is a good amount to apply if you have a cool-season grass lawn such as tall fescue, perennial ryegrass or bluegrass. Applying more than one-half pound of nitrogen per thousand square feet can result in excessive growth and the need to mow more frequently. Applying more than one-half pound per thousand can also lead to increased lawn disease problems. That is one-half pound of nitrogen not one-half pound of fertilizer.

To figure out the amount of fertilizer to apply for the one-half pound of nitrogen you need to know the percentage of nitrogen in the product. Nitrogen is the first number of three on the label. This number indicates the percentage of nitrogen by weight. Thus if the label says 20-0-0 that means this product contains 20% nitrogen by weight. Convert the percentage to a decimal – i.e. 20% = 0.20, then divide the number of pounds of nitrogen required by this decimal. For example if you want to apply one-half (0.5) pound of nitrogen, divide 0.5 by 0.20. The answer, 2.5, is the pounds of this product you need per 1000 square foot area of lawn to apply one-half pound of nitrogen.

Myths

The myth about female dog urine being more acidic and therefore more damaging than male urine, and the myth about reducing the damage caused by urine by adding tomato juice to the animal’s diet or baking soda to its water are just that, myths. The cause of urine burns on lawns (or bushes by male dogs marking their territory) is the amount of nitrogen in the urine and the amount of urine deposited. Before you try one of the numerous treatments said to be effective in reducing dog spots talk with your veterinarian. Treatments not approved by your vet can lead to bladder and other problems.

Another myth that doesn’t work is the use of gypsum to deactivate urine. Amending the soil prior to planting the lawn and aerating to improve the movement of water into and through the soil, however, does help reduce dog spot problems as they increase water movement into and through the soil and helps move the nitrogen below the point of deposition. This helps dilute the nitrogen concentration.

Grass can handle small deposits of urine, but when numerous deposits are made in the same spot, a dead spot surrounded by deep green lush grass will result. The nitrogen overload causes the center dead spot.

Tall fescue and perennial ryegrass are more resistant to the effects of large doses of liquid nitrogen with Kentucky bluegrass being quite sensitive. While Kentucky or Texas-hybrid bluegrasses are more susceptible to urine burns, they also recover faster than tall fescue or perennial ryegrass due to their sod-forming growth pattern.

These spots are not only caused by female dogs. Young dogs of both sexes as well as older male dogs squat when they urinate. Male dogs typically learn to lift their leg by the time they are a year old. If you have every watched a dog, he/she will make numerous small deposits of urine. While our four-legged friends can cause spots in our lawns they are still worth having around. Forget about the small things, or should I say spots, and enjoy spending time with your canine friends.

Nitrogen waste products are created during the breakdown of proteins by the kidneys and expelled in the urine. While about 95% of urine is water, about 2.26% are the nitrogenous waste products creatine, uric acid, ammonia, and urea [(NH2)2CO] with the latter being the highest percentage of the four. The content of the nitrogenous waste products in the urine depends on the amount of protein in the diet. The use of meat or other high protein treats increases the amount of urea that ends up in the animal’s urine. While some of the nitrogenous materials end up in the feces, these more solid deposits release nitrogen much slower than urine and thus seldom burn the grass.
Urea fertilizer common in agriculture is produced from synthetic ammonia [NH3] and carbon dioxide. You may have even purchased a bag or two of urea from a garden center or farm supply store for your own garden or lawn. Other than one being dry and other liquid, the urea is the same whether you buy from the store or collect it every time your pets (or you) urinate.

I read Captain Corelli's Mandolin a number of years ago and a paragraph on urinating in the herb garden struck me as a simple solution to correcting a nitrogen deficiency. This novel tells about the Italian and Germany occupation of the island of Cephallonia during World War II when nitrogen fertilizers were in short supply. Somehow the impression urinating on the herbs was common even when other forms of nitrogen were available.

As with any fertilizer application the rate is critical. Smaller applications spread out over the season would be more beneficial than larger doses which could burn roots and reduce production. The same guidance should be followed as to when to apply urine as if you were using any other nitrogen product.

If you figure the average person produces one-third gallon of urine a day, and it takes about 10 gallons of this liquid for each pound of nitrogen, it will take a month for one person to create one pound of nitrogen. If your friends and neighbors joined the club, you could accumulate a great deal more. You could even store what was produced during the winter for use during the summer. If more meat and high protein products were consumed the concentration of nitrogen would be even higher.
Urine has been used for many years to fertilize vegetables, herbs and other crops so it should be no surprise to read about its used in years past or even today. Don’t however look for me to follow through on this idea. I find using ammonium sulfate and blood meal to be just as easy to apply without the possibility of ending up in jail for indecent exposure. If this liquid form of nitrogen was collected in the privacy of your home and then applied through a hose-end sprayer as one does Miracle Grow and other liquid fertilizers jail time would be avoided.

Equine Herpesvirus EHV-1 Found in Colorado

While this blog will mainly cover gardening, I wanted to send this announcement out as many gardeners also have horses. 

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The Colorado Department of Agriculture is investigating two confirmed cases of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) within the state. Two quarantines have been placed on two Weld County premises.


One horse was euthanized after showing severe neurological signs associated with the disease and the second horse is currently under observation in a biosecure location.

“The Department is taking quick and appropriate actions to control and mitigate this disease,” said State Veterinarian, Dr. Keith Roehr. “We will continue to trace the movement of these horses and those horses they came into contact with in order to protect Colorado’s equine industry.”

Both diagnosed horses had recently attended the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Ogden, Utah. The Colorado Department of Agriculture is working with the Utah State Veterina rian to investigate the location as a point of interest for the infection.

EHV-1 is not transmissible to people; it can be a serious disease of horses, causing respiratory and neurologic disease. It can even lead to death of the horse. The most common way for EHV-1 to spread is by direct horse-to-horse contact. The virus can also spread through the air, contaminated equipment, clothing and hands.

Symptoms include fever, decreased coordination, nasal discharge, urine dribbling, loss of tail tone, hind limb weakness, leaning against a wall or fence to maintain balance, lethargy, and the inability to rise. While there is no cure, the symptoms of the disease may be treatable.

Additional Resources can be found on the Colorado Department of Agriculture website at www.colorado.gov/ag

The Ute Learning Garden has New Signs

The Ute Learning Garden at the Mesa County Fairgrounds is a joint project with Colorado State University Extension, the Ute Indian Nation, the Bureau of Land Management, and Mesa County. To make this site more educational for school groups and others who visit, we have added some wonderful signs. Danielle Foushee was our graphics artist for the five signs we currently have installed at this site.


Danielle Foushee and Curtis Swift at the north entrance to the Ute Learning Garden.

 You can learn more about Danielle at http://www.daniellefoushee.com/ or by calling her studio at 970.314.7364 or her cell at 818.613.7459.

To learn how you can enjoy a tour contact Susan Rose at 970.244.1841. School classes make up the greatest number of visitors but others are welcome to visit.

In May, Clifford Duncan and Brock Chapoose, Ute Elder and member of the Ute Indian Nation respectively, will be building a ceremonial willow sweat lodge to complement the Wickiups and teepee already at the Ute Learning Garden. This will be another attraction for the powwow we will be hosting at this site on June 10th and 11th. Give Susan a call if you would like to be a vendor during the powwow or would like additional information on this educational project.

West Middle School Students visit Ute Learning Garden

Students from 6, 7 & 8th grades of Western Middle School enjoying a tour of the Ute Learning Garden.



Deborah and Mike talk to
the students
about native plants and
how they were
used by the Ute Indians.



Students continue their walk
 from the high desert
to the aspen ponderosa life zone














The Ute Learning Garden at the Mesa County Fairgrounds is designed to introduce students to the history of the Ute Indians of western Colorado.  Students of all ages are welcome to visit and learn about the Ute Indians and how their lives in western Colorado.  Signs are used to explain the plants for life zones from the high desert to the aspen ponderosa zones.  Wickiups, a teepee, and primitive cooking areas are also available for viewing.

To set up a guided tour contact Susan Rose at 244-1841 or Susan.Rose@mesacounty.us. 

Growing Blueberries in western Colorado

YES! YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY GROW BLUEBERRIES IN WESTERN COLORADO: If you take into consideration the soil requirements of the plant.


April 5, 2011

Curtis Swift, Ph.D., CSU Extension

The Northern Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is an acid soil loving plant requiring a soil with a pH no higher than 5.0. A pH of 4.5 is preferred. Soils of Western Colorado are alkaline (basic) ranging from 7.3 to above 8. Western Colorado’s soils are well buffered, meaning there is virtually no way to drop the pH down to what is required by blueberries. To overcome this problem the following steps are recommended in order to have success with blueberries.

•  Use straight sphagnum peat moss as the planting medium. Do not add any native soil. 
• Blueberries do best in a soil medium (i.e. peat moss) with a pH of between 4.5 and 5.0. The soils in western Colorado range from 7.5 to 8.5. Since pH is based on log 10 our soils would need to be acidified by a factor of 1000 if the native soil has a pH of 7.5, and by a factor of 10,000 if the native soil has a pH of 8.5. Acidifying our native soils is not only impractical but impossible. More on acidifying our native soils is available at http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/alksoil.shtml. 
• If your soil is very well drained, your blueberries can be planted in a hole as described by Joel Reich, CSU Extension Agent, Boulder County. His technique can be found at http://frontrangefoodgardener.blogspot.com/2010/01/blueberry-growing-intense-in-colorado.html. 
• If you have clay soil you need to plant ABOVE ground. Digging a hole in poorly drained soil and filling it with peat moss will result in root rot as well as make it much more difficult to maintain the proper pH of the planting medium. 
• If the blueberry plants are bare-root, they can be planted directly in the bale of peat. Poke holes in the bottom of the bale of peat moss to encourage drainage. 
• If the blueberry plants are container grown, balled-and-burlapped (B&B), or balled-and-potted, the plants will need to be removed from the containers, any burlap and twine removed, and the root ball cut every three inches around the circumference of the ball to help encourage the roots to grow into the peat moss. 
• Place the plant on the site where you want it to grow and heap peat moss around the root ball up to the same height as the root ball.
• You can build the wall of this raised bed before or after you plant your blueberries.
• If you have a salty soil, you will need to install a salt barrier between the planting medium for the blueberries and the native soil. Neglecting this barrier will result in salts moving into the root zone of your blueberries causing their death. Contact us at the Mesa County Extension office (970 244-1836) for details on how this barrier needs to be constructed. The CSU Extension offices in Mesa, Delta, and Montrose counties can test the salt level of your soil for free.
• After planting prune out any dead and broken branches and stems. Avoid the tendency to prune any more as root establishment is best when the plant has as many leaves as possible. You can prune to shape the plant and encourage light penetration after the plants are established. 
• Keep the peat moss from drying out. Once dried, peat moss is very difficult to moisten and by that time the plant will most likely be dead. 
• Our water is very basic with a pH of up to 8.1. To help keep the planting medium acidic, add two tablespoons of vinegar per gallon of water every time you water. 
• Apply two inches of mulch over the planting area. Keep this several inches away from the base of the plant. Bark mulch is preferred.
•  Planting two varieties of Northern Highbush blueberries will increase pollination and yield but is not absolutely necessary.
• Winter protection is best provided by ensuring the peat moss is watered occasionally in the winter, unless you live in an area where snow covers the ground. A layer of bark mulch helps counteract the freezing and thawing of the peat moss during the winter. 
• The year after planting, annual pruning should begin. Remove 1/3 to ½ of the stems each spring. This will produce vigorous shoots that are needed for the next year’s crop. Thin out the stems to encourage such growth. The fat buds at the tips of last year’s shoots are the flower bud. 
• Fertilize with an acid fertilizer such as Rhododendron or Azalea fertilizer. Apply 2 tablespoons of a 10-20-10 (or similar fertilizer) in late spring the year following planting. In future years the amount of fertilizer you apply should be based on the age of the plant with 1 ounce of fertilizer being applied per year of age. Never apply more than 8 ounces per plant. Split the application in half and apply ½ in early spring and the remainder in late spring. If possible dissolve the fertilizer in water before applying. If applied dry it must be watered in.

Polyester fabric is a great insect barrier.

This material is sold as floating row cover, and insect barrier. This polyester fabric weighs ~0.6 ounce per square yard, and allows 75% light transmission. A layer of this material is reported to protect plants down to 30o F. Air and water are not affected by this material.

To prevent insect damage cover the row before the seedlings emerge leaving enough slack to allow for plant growth. Cover the edges of the fabric with soil to keep insects from crawling under the fabric. This will prevent problems with leaf miners, cabbage worms, etc. When harvesting, roll the fabric back, harvest what is needed, and then recover the plants being sure to secure the edges with soil.
A heavier weight fabric (~1.5 ounces/yard) is sold as a frost barrier. This is reported to protect plants down to 24 to 26o F. This product should not be used as a floating row cover due to the reduced light transmission. Place this product over your frost sensitive plants when frost is expected. Be sure to remove the fabric when temperatures again reach 32o F. degrees or greater.

To find out where you can find this material in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties go to http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/TRA/PLANTS/INSECT%20BARRIER%20list%20of%20suppliers.pdf.