ID-244: Landscape Site Assessment

Ellen Crocker, Rick Durham, Bill Fountain | September 6, 2017 (New)

The most common reason trees and shrubs fail to perform as anticipated is that their cultural requirements differ from the site characteristics. People often plant things they know and love from a distant state, purchase because they are on sale, or find attractive but don't understand the environmental requirements. In some cases, a site can be easily modified to make it more suitable for a desired species. Most of the time, it is difficult or impossible to change the site characteristics enough for the plant to thrive. Appropriate watering is essential for establishment of recently transplanted trees and shrubs. This becomes even more important (and challenging) for plants poorly matched to their sites. Selecting plant species that will thrive under particular site conditions is an easier and less expensive option. The first step in doing this is to understand the site where you plan to plant.

ID-245: Predator Management for Small-Scale Poultry Enterprises in Kentucky

Jacquie Jacob, Tony Pescatore, Matthew Springer | May 4, 2017 (New)

As urban expansion spreads, there is a loss of natural habitat for wildlife. Wildlife has come into closer contact with livestock operations, and some of these animals are predators of poultry.

FOR-128: Hardwood Dry Kiln Operation: A Manual for Operators of Small Dry Kilns

Terry Conners | April 6, 2017 (New)

Green lumber is used mostly for local uses such as fence boards, barn siding and so forth. Lumber that will be glued or finished has to be dried, however, and that includes just about all the higher-value wood products used indoors such as flooring, furniture, wall paneling, cutting boards and so forth. Dry lumber can be used for more types of products and has greater marketability. Dry lumber is also worth more than green lumber.

ID-243: Management of Wildlife and Domestic Animals on Your Farm: Good Agricultural Practices

Matthew Springer, Paul Vijayakumar | January 10, 2017 (New)

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) are necessary to ensure that fresh fruits and vegetables are harvested, handled, and packaged in a sanitary manner. Field crops are at a higher food safety risk than processed foods because of regular exposure to several sources of contamination, including soil, manure, human handling, domestic and wild animals, and water. While it is impossible to completely eliminate these risks, GAPs ensure that these risks are as small as possible when implemented correctly.

ID-241: After Your Ash Has Died: Making an Informed Decision on What to Replant

Ellen Crocker, Bill Fountain, Lee Townsend, Nicole Gauthier | December 22, 2016 (New)

Unfortunately the emerald ash borer is only the latest in a series of invasive pests that have recently decimated our trees. Here, we provide basic information on the death of our ash trees and what types of species are less likely to be impacted by invasive insects and diseases in the future.

ID-240: What Is Your Tree Worth?

Ellen Crocker, Bill Fountain | December 22, 2016 (New)

Occasionally, through no fault of your own, your valuable trees and landscape plants may be damaged. Landscape appraisers are called on to assess individual plants and entire landscapes as a result of storms, human damage, destruction, and failure. Appraisals are an estimate of the nature, quality, value, or utility of an interest or an aspect of real estate.

ID-238: An IPM Scouting Guide for Common Problems of Strawberry in Kentucky

Ric Bessin, Cheryl Kaiser, Matthew Springer, John Strang, Nicole Gauthier, Shawn Wright | November 17, 2016 (New)

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) uses a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods to reduce and/or manage pest populations. These strategies are used to minimize environmental risks, economic costs, and health hazards. Pests are managed (although rarely eliminated entirely) to reduce their negative impact on the crop. Scouting and monitoring diseases, insects, weeds, and abiotic disorders helps identify potential problems before serious losses result. This is essential to the IPM approach. The key to effective monitoring is accurate identification. The pictures included in this guide represent the more common abiotic and biotic problems that occur in Kentucky strawberry plantings.

FOR-129: Black Vulture Damage Control

Matthew Springer | November 11, 2016 (New)

Vultures, as with all other wildlife, will take advantage of resources available to them, and unfortunately this behavior sometimes involves human dwellings or livestock operations. Fortunately, vultures respond well to relatively simple methods that discourage them from congregating or feeding in critical areas.

ID-237: Soil Percolation: A Key to Survival of Landscape Plants

Ellen Crocker, Rick Durham, Bill Fountain | September 14, 2016 (New)

Eighty to 90 percent of disease and insect problems on landscape plants can be traced back to soil problems. Plants must be adapted to the site if they are to meet our expectations of growing, remain healthy, and attractive.

FOR-122: How to Select and Buck Logs for Railroad Ties

Terry Conners | March 4, 2016 (New)

As of 2014, railroads were purchasing in the neighborhood of 25 million wooden ties each year, so the railroad tie industry can be a reliable market for loggers and sawmillers. Prices for green ties are viewed as good compared to lower-grade lumber, though actual market prices depend on immediate demand, competing lumber prices, distance from the seller to the treating plant, and tie quality and species. If you're a logger reading this article, you'll learn to make better decisions about how to select trees and logs for crossties and switch ties, and you'll be able to buck them so that they're worth more money overall.