Western corn rootworm (WCR) is present in eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Idaho. As corn acreage in the region increases, WCR has the potential to become a serious pest. This publication covers how to identify WCR; its hosts and life cycle; its damage to corn; insect management; and resistance management.
Large raspberry aphid, Amphorophora agathonica, is an important pest in red and black raspberries in the Pacific Northwest. It transmits plant viruses that cause decreased cane vigor and fruit quality, making it a significant pest for growers. This publication includes aphid identification, biology, monitoring techniques, and control methods.
Most insects are not pests. Only those that feed on desirable plants or transmit disease cause problems for gardeners. Many insects are very useful. Some are pollinators of fruits, flowers, and vegetables, while others help control insect pests.
There are three types of beneficial insects: predators, pollinators, and parasitoids.
Revised April 1986. A newer revision exists. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu
This publication describes results of applied research on phosphorus fertilization of late-planted winter wheat in no-till fallow in the low-precipitation zone of Oregon and Washington.
Revised July 1980. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Revised June 1982. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Revised July 1997. Reprinted January 2001. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Published April 1977. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please check for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Provides general rules for training, pruning, and limb bending, and explains open-center, central-leader, and espalier training. Outlines specific guidelines for training and pruning apple, pear, sweet cherry, sour cherry, peach, prune, plum, apricot, fig, persimmon, walnut, hazelnut, and chestnut trees. Includes 17 figures that illustrate various techniques.
Describes the requirements for incubating eggs, brooding, rearing, breeding, and feeding ratites; most information is based on grower trial and error and is modified from poultry information. Underscores the importance of overcoming various obstacles, such as checking whether ratites are considered livestock in your area, establishing markets, and eliminating the...
Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
In the Pacific Northwest, fires are a natural part of the changing landscape. As homeowners continue to build in the wildland-urban interface, they must take special precautions to protect their lives, homes, and property.
Winegrape production in the Pacific Northwest has expanded into areas where low winter
temperatures periodically cause cane damage or death. In the Walla Walla Valley, for example, minimum temperatures plummeted to below -20°F for several days in 1996 and 2004, killing most exposed canes. Cane temperatures most certainly remained below...
Paterson’s curse is a member of the borage family (Boraginaceae). It is native to Mediterranean Europe and North Africa but has spread to southern Africa, South and North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Outside of its native habitat, it is an aggressive, drought-tolerant plant that adapts to many soil moisture...
In recent years, the number of fresh-market sweet cherry cultivars (varieties) produced in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) has grown from a few, dominated by one (Bing), to a dozen or more. Lapins was among the first new cultivars to gain significance in the mid-1990s, followed by Sweetheart, Chelan, Tieton, and...
In some homes, clothes moths can damage garments and other belongings. There are two common species of clothes moths in the Pacific Northwest: the webbing clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) and the casemaking clothes moth (Tinea pellionella). The larvae,
or immature form, of the moths are responsible for the damage done...
Las polillas pueden dañar la ropa y otros artículos. Hay dos especies comunes de polillas en el Noroeste del Pacífi co: la polilla tejedora (Tineola bisselliella) y la polilla del estuche, también conocida como polilla capullera (Tinea pellionella). Son las larvas las que hacen daño.
Wireworm is the common name for the larvae of click beetles (Coleoptera: Family Elateridae). The adults do little or no damage, although there are some anecdotal reports that they can damage certain crops (e.g., grapes and stone fruits) by feeding on flowers. However, larval wireworms are among the most destructive...
This publication is a technical and practical guide for soil acidification in commercial fields. It explains the soil chemistry involved, how to determine whether pH adjustment is feasible, and methods for acidifying soil. This guide is divided into five sections:
• Understanding soil pH
• The problem—iron chlorosis
• Causes...
Accumulation of excessive salt in irrigated soils can reduce crop yields, reduce the effectiveness of irrigation, ruin soil structure, and affect other soil properties. This publication is designed to help you evaluate the kind and amount of salts present in soils and to select management alternatives. This publication describes the...
Silver scurf is caused by a fungus, Helminthosporium solani, a relatively new problem related to potato production in North America. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that this fungus was identified as being a serious problem in the Pacific Northwest. This fungus produces a surface blemish on tubers, causing them...
This publication focuses on using water analyses to choose appropriate water treatment and water management practices for irrigated agriculture. It will help determine:
• What tests are needed to characterize water quality
• How to collect water samples
• How to interpret analytical data from a laboratory
• How to...
The potato tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella, is a pest of many solanaceous crops, including potatoes. Commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world, potato tuberworm (PTW) is one of the most important constraints to potato production worldwide. Larvae of this species mine leaves, stems, and petioles and excavate tunnels...
Published January 2007. Reviewed July 2016. Please check for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Tree vigor is important because more leaves mean more carbohydrate production and larger cherries. The production of high-quality cherries requires a gross canopy leaf area-to-fruit ratio of at least 200 cm2 of leaf area per fruit, which roughly translates to five leaves per fruit. Trees with a lower LA:F ratio...
Lingonberries are in the genus Vaccinium and are closely related to highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) and cranberries (V. macrocarpum L.).
Lingonberries are well suited to cooler climates and can be expected to do well in regions where blueberries and cranberries are productive. Lingonberries are native to
Scandinavia, Europe, Alaska,...
Generally, surveying means gathering and processing information about the physical earth. It’s the science of determining relative positions of existing points on the earth’s surface or of establishing such points. Methods range from aerial and satellite systems to conventional ground methods. Survey professionals use a variety of methods to produce...
Commercially managed honey bees pollinate a variety of crops in the Pacific Northwest, including tree fruits, berries, cucurbits, and crops grown for seed. This activity is economically significant. In 2004, the value of bee-pollinated crops in the region was approximately $1.7 billion. Nationally, the value of bee-pollinated crops in 2000...
Hens stop laying eggs for a variety of reasons. External or internal stimuli affect hormone levels, which change the condition of the ovary and oviduct, the organs responsible for egg production. The result of these changes is the reduction or cessation of egg production. The most common stimuli that affect...
This publication focuses on how to design a soil nutrient monitoring strategy that fits today’s requirements for record keeping and increased accuracy in managing nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and other nutrients. We advocate the use of management units or zones for soil testing and nutrient application. To measure a real...
This publication provides basic information on tree growth, characteristics that define wood quality, and the implications of common silvicultural (tree tending) activities on wood quality. It is at best a summary—tree growth is an immensely complex process, and not all aspects of wood formation are fully understood. Most of the...
The Horsetail (Equisetaceae) family comprises 30 species, all in the ancient genus Equisetum. During the Carboniferous age (more than 230 million years ago), the Horsetail family was the dominant plant group in the world, with plants reaching gigantic size. Two basic forms of horsetails survive today. One is the hollow,...
Despite the challenges, in-home help may be the best option even for a short time. However, deciding what help you need and selecting a worker is a sizable task that requires careful thought, planning, and research. This publication is a guide through
the maze of finding, screening, and hiring an...
Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) and Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria
dalmatica) are members of the figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family.
They were introduced into North America as ornamental plants because of their showy, snapdragon-like flowers. Yellow toadflax was brought from Wales in the mid-1800s as a garden flower by Ranstead, a Welsh Quaker who...
Oregon State University researchers made a significant discovery in 1958. They found that the underlying cause of white muscle disease is a dietary deficiency of the trace element selenium (Se). There is a fairly clear-cut relationship between soil, plant, and animal factors. Certain soils, including some formed by volcanic action...
Coastal waters, lakes, and streams in the Pacific Northwest provide a variety of seafoods including salmon and many other fish, clams, oysters, shrimp, and crab. You can enjoy these delicacies throughout the year if you preserve them when supplies are abundant. Canning is a popular method for preserving seafood. Products...
This nutrient management guide is designed to assist onion growers and crop advisors in producing a high-quality crop while protecting the environment from excess nutrients. Nutrient management strategies recommended here are based on data accumulated over many growing seasons with many different onion varieties in Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. This...
With a little extra planning and care, you can enjoy fresh vegetables from your garden most of the year. Many cool-season crops produce well in the fall and, in mild-winter areas of the Pacific Northwest, hold through the winter if protected. You can plant these vegetables in mid- to late...
It is imperative that residues of these compounds be eliminated in poultry and eggs or be within the tolerances established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when your flock is marketed or eggs are sold. Commercial chicken and turkey flocks are tested for...
Although there are no easy answers to the nursing home decision, this publication gives some guidelines for making decisions, assessing family and community resources, selecting a quality care facility, and dealing with your feelings and those of your older relative. It also looks at ways to maintain positive contact with...
As a developer in the Pacific Northwest, you have a unique opportunity to help maintain and improve the health of streams and riparian areas. This brochure describes what a riparian area is, why it is important, and what you can do to take care of the land. A healthy riparian...
A s a recreationist, you have a unique opportunity to help maintain or improve the health of streams and riparian areas. A riparian area is the land adjacent to a stream, lake, or wetland. Healthy riparian areas often have moist, fertile soils that support many types of plants. These plants...
Riparian areas used as livestock pasture need special care to remain healthy and productive. This brochure describes what a riparian area is, why it is important, and what you as a rancher can do to take care of your land. A healthy riparian pasture benefits you, your livestock, wildlife, and...
As a landowner in the inland Pacific Northwest, you have a unique opportunity to help maintain or improve the health of streams and riparian areas. A riparian area is the area of land adjacent to a stream, lake, or wetland. Most healthy, natural riparian areas have moist, fertile soils that...
A s a landowner in the Pacific Northwest, you have a unique opportunity to help maintain or improve the health of streams and riparian areas. A riparian area is the area of land adjacent to a stream, lake, or wetland. Most healthy, natural riparian areas have moist, fertile soils that...
Keeping track of nutrient levels in dairy pastures has become an important part of farm management plans. The current recommendation is to fertilize pastures at a level to replace, in equal measure, the nutrients removed through grazing or cutting each year. The Confined Animal Feeding Operations Program (CAFO) run by...
Milk production can be increased by managing dairy cows’ exposure to light. Photo period is defined as the duration of light exposure within a 24-hour period. A long-day photo period (LDPP) means exposure to 16–18 hours of continuous light followed by 6–8 hours of continuous darkness. A short-day photoperiod (SDPP)...
As a homeowner in the Pacific Northwest, you have a unique opportunity to help maintain or improve the health of streams and riparian areas. A riparian area is the area of land adjacent to a stream, lake, or wetland. Most healthy, natural riparian areas
have moist, fertile soils that support...
As a homeowner in the Pacific Northwest, you have a unique opportunity to help maintain or improve the health of streams and riparian areas. A riparian area is the area of land adjacent to a stream, lake, or wetland. Most healthy, natural riparian areas
have moist, fertile soils that support...
A bright sign of spring, Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) reminds us of its invasive presence each year as many acres of forests, pastures, and rights-of-way burst into golden bloom. Scotch broom is a native of Europe and North Africa, from Great Britain to the Ural Mountains, and from Sweden to...
Christmas trees are an enduring holiday tradition. U.S. producers supply about 35 million trees annually. The past few decades have seen the Pacific Northwest’s rise to prominence as the leading Christmas-tree producing region in the United States. With a combined annual production estimated at more than 11 million trees, Oregon,...
When you establish a new pear orchard, the proper choice of rootstock is as important as the choice of variety and site. This is true because the rootstock is involved in determining two key factors: your variety’s susceptibility to several serious diseases, and your tree’s performance
in your climate and...
Wild carrot (Daucus carota), also known as Queen Anne’s lace, was introduced from Europe and is the genetic source of edible carrots. It is a problem in perennial cropping systems such as grass seed production, pasture and hay fields, and Christmas tree production. It is an especially serious threat where...
Squarrose knapweed, introduced from southwest Asia and the Middle East, became weedy in northern California and Utah by the early 1950s. How it
was originally introduced is not known, but its spread in California
and Utah was associated with the trailing of range sheep. Squarrose knapweed grows in the Klamath,...
Designed to help you understand loss and grief and respond to the grief of others; emphasizes losses experienced in later life, however most information is equally applicable to grief throughout adulthood. Covers the fundamental steps involved in the grieving process—accepting loss, experiencing grief, adjusting to change, and reinvesting emotional energy...
While the objectives of pruning and tree training have changed little over the years, the need for attention to pruning and training has increased dramatically. Pacific Northwest cherry growers now compete in a world market, making fruit size and quality increasingly important. In addition, labor is less available and more...
Older people need various degrees of assistance with financial matters. Some need minimal help; for example, help with reading the fine print on bills and financial forms or preparing checks for signature. Others, who are homebound but able to direct their personal finances, may need someone to carry out their...
This publication highlights hand-scalping, mulch mats, and herbicides as weed management methods to improve conifer seedling survival and growth. The focus here is on grass dominated environments. All these methods are in use on small woodland properties. Other weed control methods, including grazing and manual brush removal, are discussed in...
It can be difficult to talk to an older family member or friend about their driving safety or to know what to do if an unsafe driver continues to drive. If you’re older, at some point you yourself may face a decision to limit when or where you drive or...
Adults often find an aging parent needs support at a time when their own lives and responsibilities are the most complicated. You may feel pulled in several directions—raising your children, being supportive to a spouse, helping parents, and/or working outside the home—all at the
same time. It’s not unusual to...
Communities across the United States are becoming more culturally and ethnically diverse. Indeed, demographers predict that by 2030 most of America’s school-age children will be from a minority group and by 2050, so will most Americans. This increasing diversity changes the nature of the population served by volunteer-based organizations, and...
Alcohol is part of our society. We use it to celebrate joyous occasions,
from weddings to anniversaries, from baseball games to reunions, from new jobs to retirement. For many people, alcohol is part of religious observances. But there’s a darker side. For some elderly people, the use of alcohol becomes...
Provides general rules for training, pruning, and limb bending, and explains open-center, central-leader, espalier, and palmette training. Outlines specific guidelines for training and pruning pear, sweet cherry, sour cherry, peach, prune, plum, walnut, filbert, apricot, and apple trees. Includes 16 figures that illustrate various techniques.
This publication provides information on the timing and pattern of biomass accumulation and nitrogen (N) uptake for a variety of Pacific Northwest crops. You can use this information to schedule N fertilizer applications for maximum efficiency. To achieve near-maximum crop yields, an adequate supply of available N must be present...
Family members who play a major role in caring for elderly relatives frequently ignore their own needs. Some find themselves virtually homebound and consumed by caregiving tasks. When caregiving is prolonged over months and years, the self-sacrifice is particularly harmful. We have prepared this publication to help you maintain your...
Designed to help ranchers recognize common rabbit diseases. Diseases are classified according to major cause-bacterial, viral, nutritional, hereditary, fungal, and miscellaneous (including poisoning, tumors, and vices). For each disease, the symptoms and treatment are described. Provides advice on packing and shipping specimens for laboratory diagnosis as well. Includes black-and-white photographs...
Earlier editions of PNW 296 were published under the title Freezing Prepared Foods. This edition was revised by Carolyn Raab, Extension foods and nutrition specialist, and Nellie Oehler, Lane County Extension
family and community development educator, both of Oregon State University, in consultation with Val Hillers, Extension food specialist, Washington...
This publication is designed to give family and professional caregivers a fuller understanding of dementia in later life and ways to cope more effectively with the changes resulting from it.
In addition to general care guidelines, the publication outlines approaches for handling specific problems —driving, wandering, money management, hiding items,...
Biosolids are a by-product of municipal wastewater treatment. They contain organic matter and nutrients that are beneficial for soil, crop, and livestock productivity. Raw sewage solids must be processed to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) standards before they can be called biosolids. This publication focuses on how biosolids can...
This publication isdesigned to help you:
❏ Understand depression and factors related to its onset in later life
❏ Recognize signs of depression and potential suicide
❏ Learn about treatments for depression
❏ Know what you can do if you suspect an older family member or friend is depressed or...
Kiwifruit are native to southeast Asia. There are more than 50 species in the genus Actinidia, and many have commercial potential. The most common kiwifruit species grown commercially is Actinidia deliciosa cultivar Hayward. Consumers are very familiar with this brown, fuzzy
fruit.
Pickling is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. The Chinese
were fermenting vegetables as early as the third century B.C. By the first century A.D., Romans also were pickling. Pickled products appeared in America, too. The pickle barrel was common during the colonial days. Pickles even became part...
Smoked fish is considered a delicacy in the Pacific Northwest. Whether caught or purchased, fish can be smoked successfully at home. Once smoked, fish has a short shelf life. Even refrigeration won’t guarantee that smoked fish will stay safe to eat. The bacteria that cause botulism food poisoning could start...
High-quality forages, such as alfalfa and grasses, are important for efficient milk production from dairy cows. Forages provide the effective fiber that is critical for good health and longevity. Inadequate
effective fiber in the cow’s diet is one reason for acidosis and milk fat
depression. Historically, when forage quality changed,...
Pacific Northwest vegetable and fruit growers always have faced changing markets. To many growers, these changes have seemed faster than usual in recent years, fueled by shifting consumer preferences, increasing production costs, and new market logistics. The number of processing plants in the region continues to decline. Typically, plant closures...
Explains normal bladder habits and the urinary system. Discusses how bladder habits and control are affected by various physical changes associated with aging, drugs, illnesses, and mental changes. Covers types of incontinence, including urge, stress, overflow, functional, iatrogenic, total, and mixed incontinence. Provides a list of warning signs of an...
Two factors have led to curtailment of some lethal methods of combating sheep predators and limit the use of others: changes in public attitudes and more restrictive state and federal regulations. Ranchers now use more nonlethal methods for reducing losses of sheep to predator attack. Electric fence tests in Oregon...
Freezing is one of the simplest and least time consuming methods of food preservation. For best quality, it is important to follow directions carefully. Color, flavor, and nutritive value can be affected by freshness of the produce selected, method of preparation and packaging, and conditions of freezing.
Selecting the right people to meet and serve customers is an important
decision in establishing and operating a direct farm market outlet. When
selecting and training employees, remember that customers expect a cordial atmosphere and friendly service. You want employees who are alert for opportunities to be of service, who...
Selecting a good location for a direct farm‑to‑consumer enterprise is of primary importance in direct marketing. Although roadside stands, U-pick operations, and farmers markets can and do operate in different locations and settings, certain key factors contribute to a satisfactory direct market location:
• Being on a well‑traveled road near...
A successful direct farm maketing business requires a knowledge and understanding of effective marketing and management practices. This publication discusses what services and choices to offer customers and how to price and promote items for sale.
Strategies for managing production and marketing costs ensure greater
profitability and stability, especially for direct marketers who decide to expand and diversify their operations. In developing these strategies, it is important to understand concepts such as fixed and variable costs, depreciation, and interest. These concepts can help you develop budgets...
With the renewed interest in direct marketing activity, more and more farmers are asking, Is direct farm‑to‑consumer marketing the answer? This question can best be answered after assessing:
• Personal abilities and desire to sell directly to consumers
• The farming operation’s compatibility with direct marketing
The assessment should also...
Grief includes many feelings, some of the most common being disbelief, numbness, guilt, anger, and intense sadness. Parents may not have the answers or may not even have comforting words to offer a grieving
child. However, they can be willing to listen and to answer questions honestly even when the...
Jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica Host.) is a winter annual grass weed that was introduced into the United States in the late 1800s. It is
found throughout the continental United States and is most common in the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production areas of the Pacific Northwest and central Great...
Medicines today are powerful chemicals that are more effective than ever before. Used carefully they can work wonders. However, both prescription and over-the-counter (nonprescription) medicines can create problems, especially if misused or abused. You probably try to find out about movies and restaurants before going to them, how to use...
This publication offers an integrated approach to effective weed management in Christmas trees, incorporating diverse strategies and practices to keep weed populations off balance. It includes strategies for using prevention, mechanical means, cover crops and vegetated strips, flame weeding, and biological and chemical controls. Emphasis in chemical recommendations is on...
A guide for both commercial growers who rent honey bees for pollination and beekeepers who provide pollination services, including information on honey bee colony strength evaluation, average number of colonies needed for pollination, basic honey bee biology in context of pollination, and pollination contracts.
Published May 1993. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Published May 1992. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog
Published May 1992. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog