Field and Garden: Pumpkin contest, potatoes and onions too

Who grew the largest pumpkin in Foster County this year?

We’ll find out when gardeners bring their entries to be weighed during The Market in Carrington City Park on Sept. 17.

Entries will be accepted between 5:00 and 6:15 p.m. The winners will be announced at 6:30 p.m.

The contest includes heaviest pumpkin (youth and adult divisions), the best traditional pumpkin (youth only) and the most unique pumpkin (youth only).

This year, we’ll also determine who grew the heaviest potato and heaviest onion (youth and adult divisions).

I’m excited to see what you’ve grown and to weigh your entries.

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You might have heard that the emerald ash borer has been discovered for the first time in North Dakota, near Edgely.

This pest is deadly to ash trees, but there’s no need to panic just yet.

Insecticide treatments can effectively protect trees, but the recommendation is to hold off on treatment until the insect is confirmed to be within 15 miles of your location. Don’t waste money on unnecessary treatments.

To prevent the spread of this pest, it’s important not to transport firewood from one location to another. Outdoor enthusiasts and campers should avoid bringing firewood home from their trips.

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Here are two of the lawn and garden questions that I received this week:

Q: What creature drilled several lines of holes in the trunk of my tree?

The holes were likely created by yellow-bellied sapsuckers, a type of woodpecker.

Sapsuckers drill a series of small, evenly spaced holes, known as “wells,” in a straight line around the trunks or large limbs of trees.

As sap seeps into these wells, the birds use their brush-like tongues to feed on the sap and any insects attracted to it.

Sapsuckers may return to enlarge these holes and renew the flow of sap. Over time, these attacks can injure the trees.

Like all woodpeckers, sapsuckers are protected by federal and state law.

Trees can be protected from further harm by loosely wrapping damaged areas with burlap or hardware cloth.

Q: I found worms in my cherries and plums, spoiling much of my crop. How can I prevent this problem in the future?

The “worms” you mentioned are the larvae of the spotted-wing drosophila, an insect first reported in North Dakota in 2013.

This pest feeds on thin-skinned, soft fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, plums and cherries.

Adult females lay eggs in ripening fruit using a saw-like appendage to cut the fruit skin. Once hatched, the larvae feed on the fruit, causing it to decay and rot.

Sanitation is important to reduce the buildup of the pest population. Frequently harvest crops to ensure ripe fruits are not in gardens for extended periods of time. Remove and destroy any old fruit that remains on stems or that has fallen to the ground.

For more detailed control measures, including a list of available insecticides, refer to the NDSU Extension publication “Integrated Pest Management Control of Spotted-Wing Drosophila.”