It has been and still is hot and humid. It is only September too. Costal growers enjoy cooling fog. With land prices the way they've been, the overwhelming pressure to grow condos forced many growers inland where it is hot and now humid. Some Pest Control Advisors (PCAs) find extra work this time of year. So much happening, with mildews, weed pressures, and bugs.

Then there are mites.

How do mites get to our crops anyway? We protect and isolate but still they show up. We document mite movement by workers moving through rows of plants - from infected to now infected plants. I walk through crops like carnations or cymbidiums and fell mites on the undersides of the leaves. Feels like sand on my fingers. Gives me a funny felling down my spine just thinking about it - and then my scalp starts to itch! Oh those Tetranychus urticae (two-spotted spider mites) are ever so clever. But we can see and feel them.

Smaller size mites are the Tarsonemidae and Eriophyidae, or Cycalmen, Broad mites, and Rust mites. They find their way on the wind. We used to think they came in on dust, but I don't know that to be true any more. Just a pleasant breeze seems to be all it takes. The problem is we can't see them, only the damage they might cause. And that damage shows up much later in the form of plant deformities.

Yes, 'preventative' again the word of the day! And prevention is the solution. But one must know the crop is susceptible. Growers and PCAs some times get caught off guard. I know I was. This past month we found what could clearly be mite damage on a tough verity of Sansevieria. That is a slow maturing, hardy plant, who would think mites would be a problem. Am I sure the damage was cause by mites? No, I'm not! It is a (educated) guess.

So paranoid was a friend protecting possible mite infestations that he applied a different miteicide every other day for two weeks. He rotated different miteicides. Please don't do that again... Give the chemistries time. Once a week should be the max. Use your PCA and know which mite is most likely cause for concern. Not all miteicides work on all mites. I found only two registered miteicides in California, for example, that are labeled and effective on Cyclamen mites.

Hot and humid it is. Then comes October with cooler days ahead. Be forewarned, it gets cooler if not cold for about two weeks early in October. Then the HOT returns and often burns...

David Pattison, PCA, CaCCA
Crop Production Services
760 522-8349

'Due diligence' is defined as the necessary amount of diligence required in a professional activity to avoid being negligent. I'm glad it doesn't refer to work around the house because... I fail. It's like your average New Year's Resolution. You begin the New Year with a renewed sense of health and begin to walk, or you begin to ride that exercise bike that is used to hold up a pile of books that you promised your wife/husband that you would read. Do not enter my garage without warning that you are coming over, by the way. It doesn't take long, however, for you to find yourself so busy that you just take a break for a while... probably till the next New Year's resolution is due.

There are times when you let things go when you know you shouldn't. You let them go until they get so bad that the problems that ensue take a long time to rectify. So there you are again, promising to become more diligent. You get on that exercise bike again.

I think it's easy when you are working so hard to make ends meet in the ornamental plant industry, that everyone now and then needs a reminder of how beneficial some policies and requirements are for your industry and that it's not a good idea to become lax about them. From my perspective and from my experience, it makes little sense to put plant material you have just received from an outside source anywhere near your production areas until you are sure they are free of pests and diseases. The potential threat they pose to your entire facility is just not worth it. I have seen entire crops bagged and destroyed over the years, needlessly. I have seen entire acreages treated at great cost for shipments that remained on the dock for too many days that contained serious invasive pests.

There are codes on the books that say that notification is required when you receive plants or plant parts from out of state/country. Some additional requirements were added by the county so that you do not infest your facility with exotic pests. Some of you may have relaxed your efforts over time, and I just want to use this article to remind you of the important aspects of these codes and compliance agreements.

All shipments of plant material from out of the state of California have to be held for inspection by a plant quarantine officer of the San Diego County Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures (AWM). The plants need to remain at the location where they were received without being substantially moved until they are released by AWM staff. Once you receive a shipment of plants or plant parts, you need to notify AWM inspection request line, (760) 752-4713, within 24 hours of the arrival of any shipment.

Here's something I think is very important, and I can't emphasize this enough. The plants are to be placed in an isolated quarantine holding area (a distinct area), one that you can designate yourself, but AWM must approve of it. It also needs to be an area that is reserved for the purpose of holding plants delivered under quarantine until released by AWM. The area also needs to be separated by a sufficient distance from other plants to prevent the likelihood of pest and/or disease contamination of other plants. Doesn't that seem logical?

There have been numerous cases where the plants were placed directly into the stock area. Boy are you taking a chance if you do that. Let's say you've placed your plants into your stock area and during the inspection an 'A' rated pest is present and that they have migrated to your crop. There is a good chance that the entire crop could be destroyed. Think I'm kidding? Think again. With the experiences we have had in the last few years with 'Q' and 'A' rated pests, you can betthat I have little sympathy for you if you cannot find a secure area to separate your incoming plants prior to inspection. The headaches thatthis can cause for everyone involved is just not worth it.

The official compliance agreement also states that when multiple shipments of plant material are received the identity and integrity of each shipment needs to be maintained until each is released. Further, it states that failure to isolate incoming shipments may result in the treatment or destruction of any adjacent plant material as well, which may have become infested or infected. The County will first send you a notice of rejection and all affected plant material must be disposed of within 10 working days. You will need to let AWM know of the method and timing of the disposal prior to any action being taken.

If you receive plant material from outside of CA, you need to maintain records of each shipment for one year from the receiving date. The records need to include the following:

· An invoice of all plants purchased as well as any certificates issued to the shipper

· A copy of the State Border Notice (Form 66-008) or a copy of USDA's Notice To State Plant Quarantine Official of Shipment of Imported Plants and Plant Material

· A copy of the release from AWM for all regulated plant material

Lastly, I commonly see plants that have been bought or shared back and forth among local growers that are infested with difficult to control pests. I think it's great that you cooperate so well with each other, but infested plants can be a source of great headaches. I highly recommend that you take the time to make sure that when you are getting product from another grower that you are not infesting your property with huge numbers of pests or pesticide resistant insects or mites.

You can stay off of that exercise bike if you want, but it's time to exercise due diligence with respect to incoming plant shipments. You might pay dearly for it if you don't. If you have questions you can contact your local AWM inspector.