Time To Scout For Potato Leafhopper

Jun 10, 2015

It is time to have your sweep net out and be scouting for potato leafhopper (PLH) in your alfalfa field. The recent rains have brought PLH into our region from the south where they overwinter. So, get that sweep net out and start checking to see if they are in your alfalfa fields. The piercing and sucking feeding of PLH means that their feeding isn’t obvious and damage (stunted plants and yellowing leaves) won’t show up until a few weeks after feeding. Consequently, scouting with a sweep net is the best method to determine when you need to spray.

IPM of PLH requires knowing the value of the silage or hay. Below is the updated threshold chart with higher values than in older charts.

Source:psu.edu

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.