WVU Extension Service – Tucker County

Agriculture, Horticulture and Natural Resources

1.) When is the best time to lime and fertilize pastures, hayfields, yards, and gardens?


Before applying any lime or fertilizer, have a soil test done. This is a free service from West Virginia University and soil test kits with directions can be picked up at any WVU Extension Service county office. It is best to test your soil in late summer or early fall when the soil testing lab is not too busy. Once you receive your test results, apply the required amount of lime in the fall. Since lime is slow acting, adding it in the fall allows it to soak in over the winter. Apply the required amount of fertilizer in the spring when fields are dry and new grass growth begins and when gardens are dry enough to be tilled.

2.) Why do woodpeckers attack my house and what can I do to stop it?


Woodpeckers peck wooden structure and trees for two reasons: breeding and eating. During the spring breeding season, male woodpeckers will peck, also known as “drumming” to establish breeding territories. Females will create cavities in trees for nesting by pecking too. During other times of the year, woodpeckers do their destructive damage in search of insects. If a woodpecker is working on the side of your house or a tree, chances are the wood is infested with insect larvae which is their favorite food. To prevent damage to your house, you can put up bird netting in the areas frequented by woodpeckers or hang Mylar tape or use other scare tactics. For more information about woodpecker control visit the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage.

3.) What do I do about early blight on my tomatoes?


Early blight is a fungal disease that is common during warm, wet weather and occurs early in the growing season. It affects plants in the Solanacea family which include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Controlling early blight begins with prevention. If you have had early blight in the past, be sure to discard or burn any wooden stakes you may have used to support the tomatoes. If you use black plastic mulch, never reuse the plastic from one year to the next. When disposing of diseased plants, never put them in the compost pile. This will reduce the amount of fungal spores that can re-infect your garden. When choosing your tomatoes, pick varieties like Mountain Fresh, Mountain Supreme, and Plum Dandy which show resistance to early blight. It is also a good idea to rotate the location where you plant tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant in your garden each year, so that you are only planting them in the same place once every four years. If you have early blight on your tomatoes, you can apply a fungicide, such as chlorothalonil (e.g. Daconil 2787) or maneb (e.g. Maneb), on a preventative basis, based on label directions.

4.) Is there anything I can spray on apple trees after pruning to retard shoot growth?


In short, no. There are chemicals available that claim to provide this service, however they are generally ineffective at slowing or stopping shoot growth once trees come out of dormancy. The best method of controlling shoot growth after pruning is to remove the small shoots that form in early summer. These are attached very loosely to the tree and can be pinched off without the use of pruners. Once removed they will not regrow during the growing season.