When should I harvest cucumbers?
Harvest cucumbers every 2 to 3 days and promptly pick the fruits when they reach the desired size. Pickling varieties should be harvested when the fruits are 2 to 4 inches long. Slicing cucumbers should be 6 to 8 inches long and 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter, but still dark green and firm. Over-mature cucumbers left on the vine inhibit additional fruit set.

Why are there dead branches in my concolor fir?
Concolor (white) firs are susceptible to a canker disease caused by the fungus Diplodia (also called Sphaeropsis).  Affected trees show browning of one or a few branches.  The canker (area of dead bark) oozes abundant resin, appearing covered in sap.  When cankers occur on the main trunk, they may cause death of the entire tree above the cankered area.

Trees are more likely to get cankers when they are weakened by other stresses, such as drought, so keeping trees in good vigor helps to prevent canker diseases.  When cankers occur, affected limbs should be pruned out.  Fungicide sprays do not help.

A brown or black spot develops on the bottom of my tomatoes. What is the problem and how can it be prevented?
The tentative diagnosis is blossom end rot. Blossom end rot is a physiological disorder caused by a lack of calcium in the developing fruit. Wide fluctuations in soil moisture levels impair calcium uptake by the root system. Symptoms initially appear as a small, sunken brown or black spot on the blossom end of the fruit. Secondary decay fungi invade the affected area and cause it to rot.

The occurrence of blossom end rot can be reduced by mulching and watering during dry periods to maintain uniform soil moisture levels. Also, avoid applying large amounts of nitrogen to tomatoes as excessive nitrogen fertilization may contribute to blossom end rot. Adding calcium to the soil is generally ineffective. Blossom end rot may also occur on peppers and summer squash.

How can I determine if my lawn has a white grub problem?
White grub damage typically occurs in late summer and early fall (August through October). An early symptom of grub damage is the appearance of irregular tan patches in August. These areas gradually enlarge and may form large dead patches of sod by September or October. The dead patches have a spongy feel and can be easily lifted from the soil because the turfgrass roots have been destroyed (consumed) by the grubs.

Other possible signs of a white grub infestation are large numbers of birds (starlings, grackles, or crows) feeding in the turf or patches of overturned sod caused by foraging skunks or raccoons.

It is possible to determine the number of grubs in a lawn by sampling several areas. Sampling for white grubs should be done in August or September before damage appears. At each sample site, cut through the sod on three sides of a one square foot area, then peel back the sod and examine the upper 1 to 2 inches of soil for white grubs. White grubs have brown heads, 3 pairs of legs, and creamy white, c-shaped bodies. In most lawns, 10 or more grubs per square foot are usually necessary to justify the application of insecticides.

--30--