September 2005

Problem Weeds in Strawberries (Ontario Berry Grower, The Grower, Sept. '05). "Now that strawberry harvest and renovation are finished, growers are asking questions about specific weeds and making changes to weed management systems for next season." The article includes "comments about some of the common problem weeds in strawberries" including "four perennial weeds that are impossible to control in strawberries and need to be handled in rotational crops before strawberries are planted:" toadflax, oxalis, yellow nut sedge, and horsetail. Read the complete article at http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/hort/news/hortmatt/2005/22hrt0510.htm .

Review Confirms Safety of 2,4-D (Country Focus , PA Farm Bureau, Sept. '05). "Following 17 years of various reviews, the Environmental Protection Agency released a comprehensive assessment of the herbicide 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid that says the commonly used 2,4-D herbicide is not a risk to human health when used according to product instructions. As one of the most widely used herbicides in the world for production of crops, and the most commonly used lawn herbicide, the 60-year-old herbicide has been a focus of re-registration fact finding."

End-of-Year Weed Scouting by A. Richard Bonanno, U. of Mass. Extension , is available online at the Berry Notes website. "It is worthwhile to take the time to check your fields for weed problems at this time of year. A quick scouting can alert you to problems that will be expensive to solve if they get out of control and can give you clues that will help you in designing your weed management program for next year." Bonanno gives tips on things to look for when you scout, including "How many? How dense are the weeds? Which weeds? What worked? Where are the weeds? and, What to do now?" Read the complete article at http://www.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/berrynotes/05mbn1711.pdf .

Strawberry Fall Checklist by Sonia Schloemann is also available online at the U. of Massachusetts Berry Notes website. "Maintaining good plant health into the fall is important. In addition to keeping up with the fertilizer program, suppressing leaf diseases improves the ability of the plant to carry on photosynthesis and store starch in the crowns. Don't let leaf spot or powdery mildew get ahead of you. . . . Plant winter rye in plowed down fields as soon as possible in order to get good establishment and growth before winter." Read the complete article at http://www.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/berrynotes/05mbn1711.pdf .

Blueberry Web Site from Michigan State is recommended by Kathy Demchak in The Vegetable & Small Fruit Gazette (Oct. '05). "A comprehensive website < www.blueberries.msu.edu > has been developed that provides information on all aspects of blueberry production and management.  The site can be navigated easily through clickable categories that include blueberry production, varieties, diseases, insects, nutritional and other disorders, weeds, pest management (with links to MSU Fruit Management Guide and pesticide labels), weather (with links to the MSU Agricultural weather network and a national weather website), and related industry and academic links." Access the complete article at http://hortweb.cas.psu.edu/extension/vegcrops/newsletterlist.html .

Survey: Small Business Owners Fuzzy About Future, Financials ( Lawn & Landscape Online , Sept. 29, '05 ). " The survey was conducted by Yankelovich affiliate AGI Research among nearly 200 small business owners in New York , New Jersey , Connecticut and Pennsylvania ." Mark Papalia, president and founder of Papalia Financial, was the sponsor of the survey. "Papalia notes that a lack of business and succession planning were not the only areas in which small business owners came up short. The survey also uncovered a notable lack of expertise among owners about certain financial aspects of their business. . . . Respondents were asked a series of questions to gauge their know-how on a range of financial planning topics, such as how best to structure their business, the impact of estate planning on inheritance, tax and legal liability scenarios and investment strategies. As Papalia explains, small business owners again demonstrated a lack of knowledge in these areas." Read the complete article at http://www.lawnandlandscape.com/News/news.asp?Id=3828 .

Going Corporate by William J. Lynott ( Grounds Maintenance , Sept. '05) says, "Nearly three-fourths of the millions of small businesses in the United States are sole proprietorships, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. . . . but is it the best choice for you? . . . There are three classifications of basic business entities from which to choose: Sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation. . . . Some feel that incorporation is the answer to the entrepreneur's dream, and in some ways that's true. The corporate form of business will limit your personal financial liability, be more stable in the event of your death and will make it easier for you to raise money for expansion and growth. . . . However, you should investigate carefully before you leap. One of the problems is the sometimes unrecognized differences between large, public corporations and the closely-held corporations typical in small businesses." The article explains the pros and cons of various forms of incorporation for the small business owner. Read the complete article at http://grounds-mag.com/mag/grounds_maintenance_going_corporate/ .

Lowering Healthcare Costs: What you should know about Health Savings Accounts by William J. Lynott ( Grounds Maintenance , Sept. '05) says, "The Health Savings Account (HSA) legislation signed into law by President Bush a little over a year ago offers you the possibility of making a dramatic reduction in your costs for staying healthy. . . . HSA's come in two parts. First, you must purchase a low-cost, high-deductible health insurance policy available through a growing number of providers . . . Next, in conjunction with the insurance policy, you open a dedicated savings account into which you make tax-deductible deposits to pay for your medical care. Each year, you may deposit up to the amount of the deductible on your insurance policy. You then use the money in the account to pay for you medical care. Once your expenses reach the amount of your deductible, if it does, the insurance policy kicks in." Read the complete article at http://grounds-mag.com/mag/grounds_maintenance_lowering_healthcare_costs/ .

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