Colquitt County Ag Update

UGA researchers investigate blue light to increase blueberry quality and fight disease https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html

Crown rust has been reported in numerous oat fields in Colquitt County. As of today, the stage of development of the area oat crop ranges from fully tillered to early jointing. The picture below was taken in an oat field that is jointing. If you have any questions about oats or disease management in small grains contact your local county Extension agent.

Good information about feeding cattle during cold, wet conditions.

Expect slightly higher sod prices this year https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8558&rss

BARNES: SEED COAT FRAGMENTS ANOTHER REASON TO HATE 2020 https://georgiacottoncommission.org/barnes-seed-coat-fragm/

Covid-19 Impact on GA Ag Survey If you are an agricultural producer located in the state of Georgia, please take the time to complete this 10-minute survey. As an industry, it is critical that we work together to document the needs of our farming community during this time. https://ugeorgia.ca1.qualtrics.com//form/SV_efBzrDOnqssorRP

Join us for our next UGA Extension Webinar as Steven Patrick explains Sportfish Pond Management LIVE online at http://agwebinars.net/uga-pond-mgmt/?sr=ex-nl-listserv Thursday, January 14th, 10:30 a.m. .

2021 planting season is almost here we have a Row Crop Planter Checklist to help you get prepared

The 2020 SE Hay Contest Winners.....

Watch out for Grass Tetany! Winter annuals can help provide an adequate and nutritious wintering program for lactating cows. Winter small grains, ryegrasses, and clovers are used widely in Georgia for wintering cows. These pastures are high in protein (up to 20%) and highly digestible (up to 70% TDN). Brood cows grazing cool-season grasses are susceptible to grass tetany. Grass tetany (magnesium tetany) is characterized by a low magnesium content in a brood cow’s blood. It is... sometimes caused by cows grazing cool season, magnesium deficient grasses. A sound management program can reduce the incidence of this problem. Apply dolomitic lime on soil when soil test calls for lime. Provide a high magnesium mineral for cattle, starting 30 days before grazing winter pastures. Limit grazing time to not more than four hours a day. Feed roughage to capacity. Mature brood cows which are nursing calves are most susceptible to grass tetany. Considering the grass tetany problem and the expense involved, limited grazing is recommended when you use annual pastures for wintering brood cows. Graze such crops as small grains, ryegrass, clovers, or mixtures of these for two to four hours per day. When forage is adequate, this time will allow cows to fill. After removing cows, provide, in addition to water and minerals, one of the following: (a) free-choice average hay, corn stover, other crop residue roughages, or frosted grass or stubble field grazing; (b) 30 to 45 pounds average quality corn or sorghum silage See more

Colquitt County Ag Update. Jan 4, 2020. Seed coat fragments, mud, meetings and on farm variety stuff. Check it out!! https://mailchi.mp//colquitt-county-ag-update-january-4-20

Christmas Tree Tips During the holidays, families are picking out that perfect Christmas tree for their home. When you select a tree, there are a few key points to keep in mind, whether you are going to cut your own tree or buy one from a retail lot that has already been cut: ... Do a freshness test: Run your fingers over the branch along the needles. Needles should be pliable and adhere to the branches. The needles should bend, but not break or fall off. Shake the tree to be sure that the needles are firmly attached. If the tree is fresh, few needles will fall off. Check for insects and dead needles inside the tree, and make sure that the trunk of the tree is straight. If you have an extra large like my family tree it is suggested to also check for wildlife. When you get your tree home, cut 1 2 inches off the base of the trunk and place in a stand that holds at least a gallon of water immediately. Water the tree daily. Some trees will use several quarts of water per day. Never let the water level fall below the base of the tree. If this occurs, the cut end can seal over within a few hours, and prevent further water uptake. The tree will need to be taken down and a fresh cut made to allow water uptake. Adding aspirin, soda water, bleach, or sugar to the water in the stand is no more effective than adding plain water every day.

Colquitt County Extension Ag Update 12/18/2020 https://mailchi.mp//colquitt-county-ag-update-december-18-

Lenny Wells has updated the Pecan blog https://site.extension.uga.edu//county-pecan-production-m/

If you are looking for last minute gift ideas for a person who loves gardening. Below are some suggestions. Gloves All gardeners everywhere need a really good pair of gloves, and not all gloves are created equally. The best gloves are lightweight and supple leather. They are great for protecting hands from splinters, thorns and other abrasives that comes from working in the soil. Those who love roses might want a pair of gloves with long sleeves for extra protection while... tending their prized beauties. Disposable rubber gloves would be great for gardeners making pesticide applications. Pruning shears New gardeners may be struggling with the inexpensive shears they bought this spring. Any gardener would delight in sturdy, sharp shears of differing sizes, such as needle-nosed shears for snipping perennials and annuals, especially for flower-arranging friends. Some may need a good set of bypass pruners that will do a great job on small twigs and those nips and tucks needed for shrubs. For the ambitious gardener, a new set of loppers or a pole saw for cleaning up small branches in trees may be welcome. Garden fork A short-handled, three-tined garden fork with a round handle comes in handy for many gardening tasks loosening weeds at their roots, turning over garden soil in beds and fluffing mulch. Wheelbarrow This might be a tricky present to wrap and stash under the tree, but all gardeners need a wheelbarrow when working in the yard. For people with limited room for storage, there are collapsible canvas garden carts that will store in small spaces. Drip irrigation Since gardeners have all been making our yards, gardens, patios, decks and balconies beautiful with plants of all kinds, we now have to invest time to keep everything hydrated when we go without rain. A really impressive present might be an irrigation system, but if that is too pricey, the pieces and parts for a DIY system would be great, too. They are not too hard to put together and make it so much easier to keep plants evenly watered. Gardening resource Gardeners often need a good gardening reference. The Georgia Master Gardener Handbook can be ordered with a 50% discount code (Holiday50) at UGAExtensionStore.com.

2021 Virtual Row Crop Production Meetings dates and times below Colquitt County meeting dates and locations are being determined we will have more information soon.

Year-end economic survey now open to Georgia farmers https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8523&rss

Getting to the bottom of blossom-end rot https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8526&rss

Inspect center pivot irrigation systems now to prevent issues later https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8524&rss

Southern Region News Release December Crop Production

Join us for our next UGA Extension Webinar as Jeff Cook and Lanier Pearson discuss facts about Peach Production and recommended resources LIVE via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/94301281684) Thursday, December 10th, 10:30 a.m.

Management of Slugs in Blueberries https://site.extension.uga.edu//management-of-slugs-in-bl/

Georgia Crop Progress and Condition Report November 30, 2020

How do I care for my Poinsettias?? I am starting to see poinsettias around town at our favorite places to shop. Christmas is just around the corner and so are the questions about holiday plant care. Lets discuss some tips on how to keep these beautiful plants looking good for a long time. Poinsettias come in several colors - including scarlet, ivory, pink and mauve - and have been a favorite holiday plant in the United States for many years. The flowers" are actually colo...red leaves, called bracts, which surround the true, tiny yellow flowers in the middle. The colorful bracts may stay bright for months with proper care. Bright, indirect light and frequent watering are essential. Poinsettias need at least six hours of bright light a day to keep blooming for more than a couple of weeks. Temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees are ideal for poinsettias. Keep them out of drafts and away from direct heat sources like fireplaces and heat vents. Water when the soil surface feels dry and just until water drains out of the bottom of the pot. Do not let them stand in water-filled saucers because poinsettias are susceptible to root rot. To keep poinsettias as foliage plants, cut the plant back to about 10-inches when the colored bracts begin to fade in early spring. Feed with a standard houseplant food and repot in a slightly larger container to encourage root growth. By late spring, your poinsettia should have lots of new green bracts and can be moved outside to a sheltered position until frost. It can be maintained as a striking foliage plant for many years, but reblooming requires a strict regimen of dark periods and light. If you have questions about caring for holiday plants please contact the Colquitt County Extension office.

The Georgia Corn Commission and the University of Georgia Extension Corn Team are sponsoring the 2021 Corn Short Course virtually on December 10th, 2020. The virtual Corn Short Course will start at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at noon. Recertification credits for pesticide applicators and CCA will be available pending approval. There is no charge for the event, but attendees are encouraged to preregister below. Please register using the following link: https://zoom.us/webinar/regis...ter/WN_yuvzCmigSBmxKXSBbA8-SA The purpose of the Corn Short Course is to provide growers with the information necessary to make informed decisions for the upcoming growing season. The sponsors’ goal is to provide an informative session for corn growers to hear educational talks from current UGA research trials while also providing them the opportunity to pose questions to the researchers and express opinions and concerns pertinent to corn production. To view an agenda, please visit www.grains.caes.uga.edu

Wet fall weather can cause abundance of fungus https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8511&rss

Pecan research to help Georgia producers meet demand https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8515&rss

Frost coming next week for parts of the Southeast https://site.extension.uga.edu//frost-coming-next-week-fo/

November 2020 Forage Newsletter - Better Forage, Better Profit: An Integrated System Approach Current and past issues of Forage News are available online at: http://extension.msstate.edu/newsletters/forage-news

CAES researchers work to improve food safety in Senegal’s growing dairy industry https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8505&rss

UGA researchers examine economic impact of flooding through national partnership https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8506&rss

Time to Buy Your Mums in Colquitt County When Chrysanthemums start showing up in the big garden centers it means that fall is on the way. Chrysanthemums, or garden mums, bring in great fall colors such as red, white and yellow. Garden mums provide color for your landscape and they fill the gap between fading summer annuals and winter pansies very nicely. When you are at the garden centers try to pick out a good mum. Select mums that have healthy foliage and colored ...flowers. If you want your mums to bloom for a long time then try to pick plants that have tightly closed buds. Avoid plants with diseased or yellow leaves and check for insects such as aphids. When you bring your garden mums home from the garden center the mums may be in water proof containers or the containers are wrapped in foil. You might have to poke holes in the containers so the water can drain out and remove the foil from the containers. If you want to have great Chrysanthemums then good water management is the key. If you are growing your mums in pots then try to check them for moisture every day. They will dry out quickly. Your finger is the best way to check if your mum needs watering. Stick your finger in the soil media and if it is wet you do not need any water, if it is dry then you need to water. If you need to water your mum, use enough water so it drains out the bottom of the pot. Garden mums are really hardy perennials but most gardeners treat them as short season annuals. If you grow them as a perennial then you need to plant them in full sun. They prefer a soil that is really fertile, high in organic matter and is well drained. You need to divide your mums every year or two. Also remember that mums do great in planters or pots. If you are growing your mums as a perennial then you have to pinch off the new growth. What you do is to pinch the top one half to one inch of new growth about every four weeks from the time the plant is 6 inches tall until early July. This will cause your mum to branch and bloom well. When you go to garden center you might see more than one type of mum. Mums are classified based on shape and how their petals are arranged. Daisy or Singles have flowers that look like daisies with yellow centers. Decorative mums have double flowers that grow over 18 inches tall. Pompon type mums have small ball shaped flowers and they usually grow under 18 inches tall. Have a great day.

Colquitt County Extension Beef Cattle and Forage Newsletter. eepurl.com/hjjAAL

EPA approves new registrations for herbicides important to cotton, soybean producers https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8498&rss

Pruning tips for ornamental plants https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8499&rss

Georgia Crop Progress and Condition Report November 16, 2020

Georgia Crop Progress and Condition Report November 10, 2020

Grazing Corn Regrowth and Possible Toxicity Issues

La Niña Outlook NOAA’s official Winter Outlook was released a few weeks ago by the Climate Prediction Center. In late September, we sent an email discussing the... La Niña Advisory that had been issued and what that could mean for North and Central Texas this coming winter. The official Winter Outlook continues to support La Niña conditions for our area which favors above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation this winter. The official press release can be found here: https://www.noaa.gov//us-winter-outlook-cooler-north-warme. NOAA's seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood what temperatures and total precipitation amounts will be, and how drought conditions are favored to change. The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations..." as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance. Even during a warmer-than-average winter, periods of cold temperatures and snow/sleet/ice can be expected. https://www.noaa.gov//la-nina-develops-during-peak-hurrica

Can mixing diploid and tetraploid ryegrass varieties increase grazing yield? Below is a post from Mississippi forages that discusses the early stages of a research plot that may answer this question.

Colquitt County Ag Update 10-29-20 In this issue we cover topics such as cotton defoliation, cotton fiber quality, beef cattle production, forage sampling, wheat production and other cool stuff.... https://mailchi.mp//colquitt-county-extension-update-10-29

Georgia Crop Progress and Condition Report October 26, 2020

Birds in your Backyard Zoom Tuesday, November 10, 2020 & 7:00 PM Dr. Robert Myers guest speaker Pre Registration Required - To register, visit: bit.ly/NovBYA2020

Join us for the UGA Extension Webinar as experts discuss facts about Well Water Safety and recommended resources LIVE via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/96350056401) Thursday, November 12 at 10:30 a.m.

UGA food scientist is tracking ‘hitchhiker’ genes https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8488&rss

Georgia Crop Progress and Condition Report October 19, 2020

COVID-19 has presented a unique challenge for Georgia’s agricultural community. The virus has been found to easily spread within communities, causing many people to wonder what they can do to protect themselves and others. The desire to protect people is perhaps more important in our agriculture partners as the workers and producers are key to feed our community. The University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Specialists, Agents and Educators have produced many documents, video...s and classes to help our partners understand what they can better do to protect their business, workers and the food supply. UGA Extension would like to understand the extent to which our efforts have helped our partners in this process. The survey asks about what practices have been changed or implemented to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Responses will be kept confidential and findings will only be reported in aggregate or group form. Depending on your industry, the survey takes 5-10 minutes to complete. Any information you provide will help Extension demonstrate how our knowledge and expertise has helped Georgia survive and thrive during these challenging times. Survey link: https://bit.ly/2SWyuVY

Supergene in fire ants may lead to understanding of developmental behaviors https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8476&rss

https://www.noaa.gov//us-winter-outlook-cooler-north-warme

Hay Field Day Next Wednesday 1-5 at Sunbelt Expo Hayfields producers that would like to join, can register here: https://georgiaforages.caes.uga.edu///calendar/event.html

They Call Him the Banana Man Dr. Greg Fonsah has been conducting banana research at UGA since 2001 https://georgia.growingamerica.com//they-call-him-banana-m

Blueberry Fruit Quality Research- Fall Update Friday, October 23, 2020 @ 1:00pm

Longleaf Pine VIRTUAL Establishment & Management Workshop The fee for this course is $200 which includes meeting registration link and instructional materials. There is a $25 discount for fees paid and postmarked by October 30, 2020. Final Day to Register is November 10, 2020 Continuing Education Credits (applied for)... - 9 hrs Continuing Forestry Education (CFE) hours- Category 1 - 9 hrs Continuing Logger Education hours - Category B - 1 hr Cat 23 1 hr Cat 10 Pesticide Applicator credits for GA See more

Green Thumb Lectures - Soil Health Wednesday October 14, 2020 6:00 - 7:30pm

Join us on October 15 to hear Jess Brown (Stormwater Specialist with Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant) discuss adding backyard wetlands or rain gardens to your home landscapes. The program will begin at 10:00 am. The registration link is in the attached flyer

Healthy Georgia Connections: Issue 15 https://extension.uga.edu//healthy/HealthyGAnews15.106.pdf

UGA researcher to study potential use of essential oils in organic blueberry production https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8479&rss

Wet weather can lead to fungal leaf spot disease in hydrangeas https://newswire.caes.uga.edu/story.html?storyid=8480&rss

Join us for the UGA Extension Webinar as experts discuss facts and debunk myths about COVID-19 & indoor air quality products and recommended resources LIVE via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/99030297776) Thursday, October 8 at 10:30 a.m.

Hay field Day at the Ag Expo October 21 1-5 Please Pre-Register at https://georgiaforages.caes.uga.edu///calendar/event.html

Fall Gardening and Lawn Maintenance Series Webinars

Georgia Crop Progress and Condition Report October 5, 2020

A few words from Pam Knox about the tropical forecast for this week. https://site.extension.uga.edu//tropics-heat-up-again-ts-/

Join us for the UGA Extension Webinar as experts discuss facts and debunk myths about indoor air quality products and recommended resources LIVE via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/99030297776) Thursday, October 8 at 10:30 a.m.

Georgia Forages YouTube Page Georgia Forages has a new YouTube page with all of the weekly video content posted to Facebook. New videos are uploaded every Friday. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL6DgfaB8V2DRnGxzEBxU3w

This program is a 7-week series focusing on forage production that gives producers an entry-level education leading in to other programs. Programs will be taught by UGA Forage Team members and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service staff. The program has moved online this fall and the flyer is attached.

Hay field Day at the Ag Expo October 21 1-5 Please Pre-Register at https://georgiaforages.caes.uga.edu///calendar/event.html

Georgia Crop Progress and Condition Report September 28, 2020

this is a great introduction to a couple of electronic record keeping software’s that can help cattlemen of all types and management styles to keep farm records and improve efficiency. To Register Click Here: https://zoom.us//regi/tJIrd-utqzgiH9x5li_ocJvsxa7TuKMdE38C