ID-194: Diagnosing Plant Problems: Kentucky Master Gardener Manual Chapter 6

Jessica Bessin, Rick Durham, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Adam Leonberger, Kimberly Leonberger, Matthew Springer, Lee Townsend, Stacy White, Erica Wood | Jan. 16, 2024 (Major Revision)

For those with a green thumb, growing plants may seem easy. However, when plant problems arise, determining the cause of these issues can be difficult. Developing the skills necessary to determine the cause of a plant problem takes experience and time.

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FOR-121: Vertebrate Pest Management: Kentucky Master Gardener Manual Chapter 9

Tom Barnes, Matthew Springer | Jan. 16, 2024 (Major Revision)

Most people enjoy watching wildlife around the home, whether it is birds at a feeder, butterflies on flowers, or the occasional deer or turkey wandering through the yard. In some instances, wildlife come into contact with humans and are in the wrong place at the wrong time. For the gardening enthusiast, this encounter can create conflict.

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FOR-173: Identifying and Addressing River Otter Damage Issues in Kentucky

Jonathan Matthews, Matthew Springer, Gabriela Wolf-Gonzalez | Oct. 31, 2023 (New)

River otters (Lontra canadensis) were once abundant throughout North America, but unregulated harvest, water pollution, and overall habitat degradation decimated river otter populations across the contiguous United States. By the early 1900s, river otters were scarce in Kentucky; however, due to restoration programs implemented by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), this species has rebounded in the state. River otters can now be found throughout Kentucky.

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ID-1: The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program

Sharon Bale, Tom Barnes, Jessica Bessin, Kenneth Clayton, Rick Durham, Bill Fountain, J.D. Green, Kelly Jackson, Krista Jacobsen, Jonathan Larson, Brad Lee, Kimberly Leonberger, Adam Leonberger, Gregg Munshaw, A.J. Powell, Edwin Ritchey, Rachel Rudolph, Robbie Smith, Matthew Springer, Lee Townsend, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Stacy White, Mark Williams, Erica Wood, Shawn Wright | Aug. 24, 2023 (New)

Plants are essential to life on earth. Either directly or indirectly, they are the primary food source for humans and other animals. Additionally, they provide fuel, replenish the earth's oxygen supply, prevent soil erosion, slow down wind movement, cool the atmosphere, provide wildlife habitat, supply medicinal compounds, and beautify our surroundings.

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FOR-172: Vole Issues and Management around Homes, Orchards, and Row Crops

Andrew Ibach, Jena Nierman, Matthew Springer | Jun. 26, 2023 (New)

Voles are a small rodent found in the family Cricetidae. Voles are most commonly known for burrowing systems they create. In Kentucky, there are four different species of voles: The Meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), Prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), Woodland vole (Microtus pinetorum), and the Southern Red-Backed vole (Myodes gapperi). Though each species is unique, they share common characteristics.

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FOR-45: Managing Tree Squirrel Problems in Kentucky

Tom Barnes, Matthew Springer | Feb. 2, 2023 (Revised)

Kentucky has three species of tree squirrels: eastern gray (Sciurus carolinensis), northern fox (Sciurus niger), and southern flying (Glaucomys volans). Gray and fox squirrels are game species, whereas flying squirrels are a non-game species. Because flying squirrels seldom cause problems for homeowners, they are not discussed in this publication.

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NEP-230: Cook Wild Kentucky: Fishing in Kentucky

Elizabeth Coots, Jann Knappage, Annhall Norris, Gregg Rentfrow, Matthew Springer, Jackie Walters, Martha Yount | May. 25, 2022 (New)

Kentucky offers some of the best fishing chances around. Among our rolling hills, you will find over 62,000 miles of fishable streams and 40 public lakes. Fishing is fun for all ages, and prime fishing spots can be found yearround across the state. Anglers take to the water each year for fun or food. Kentucky is home to bass, catfish, trout, sunfish, and more.

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FOR-160: Monitoring for and Controlling Wild Pig Populations in Kentucky

Elizabeth Evers, Matthew Springer | Oct. 13, 2021 (New)

Wild pigs are widely considered to be the most destructive invasive species in the United States. They cause large amounts of agricultural damage, compete with native wildlife for resources, alter wildlife habitat, and threaten biological diversity.

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NEP-229: Cook Wild Kentucky: Introduction to Wild Game in Kentucky

Elizabeth Coots, Jann Knappage, Annhall Norris, Gregg Rentfrow, Matthew Springer, Jackie Walters, Martha Yount | Mar. 23, 2021 (New)

In Kentucky, many people enjoy being outdoors to hunt, fish, and trap. Kentucky is home to a wide range of wildlife with nearly 1,000 kinds of animals. We have the most elk this side of the Mississippi River. You can also find black bear, white-tailed deer, turkey, waterfowl, and bobwhite quail in our state.

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ID-260: An IPM Scouting Guide for Common Problems of Peach in Kentucky

Ric Bessin, Nicole Ward Gauthier, Cheryl Kaiser, Matthew Springer, John Strang, Shawn Wright | Jun. 8, 2020 (New)

Long before the term "sustainable" became a household word, farmers were implementing sustainable practices in the form of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies. IPM uses a combination of biological, cultural, physical, and chemical methods to reduce and/or manage pathogen and pest populations. These strategies are used to minimize environmental risks, economic costs, and health hazards. Pathogens and pests are managed (although rarely eliminated entirely) to reduce their negative impact on the crop. Scouting and monitoring for 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 images included in this guide represent the more common abiotic and biotic problems that occur in Kentucky peach plantings.