Possible New World Record Largemouth Bass

The fishing world has just felt the tremors of a bass fisherman’s earthquake. The long standing largemouth bass world record may have just been broken or tied. And of all places in Japan!
Has the United States lost one of its most cherished world records?

The current world record largemouth bass came from a lake in Georgia back in 1932, and weighed a whopping 22 pounds and 4 ounces. It was caught by George Perry and he has held the record for all these years since then. There have been some close runner ups in the last several years in California and Mexico, but so far no greater champions have been caught.

There is still some question however, whether this fish is a new record, a close tie, or could it be disqualified? There are several criteria that must be met in order for a fish to earn the title of world record. Our knowledge of pond management is increasing and every year more and bigger fish are being harvested all across the country.

The Japanese fisherman landed the 22 pound, 5 ounce largemouth bass in one of Japan’s most famous natural lakes in early July. However there are some questions regarding the actual weight and where it was caught. According to Extension Fisheries Specialist, Rusty Wright, a fish would have to weigh at least 2 ounces more than a current record holder to become a new champion. Since this fish is only one ounce more it is technically still a tie.

Also to be declared a world record, a fish must be caught legally using conventional tackle and then weighed on certified scales. There are still some questions whether the fish was taken legally since it may have been taken from an area closed to fishing.

Fish this size are definitely a rare occurance. Like most all species of animals there is a genetic range from the smallest to the largest that may be found in a population. How many people do you know over 8 feet tall – not many I’m sure. Still there are some things that help big fish get bigger. First a pond or lake must have an abundant food supply, a long growing season, and it helps to have some deep cold water. The fish can then feed in shallow warmer water where the food is abundant and then retreat to cooler temperatures that conserves energy and allows it to gain weight rather than expend calories in warmer water.

The Extension Office is planning an Intensive Fish Pond Management Workshop this fall that will cover pond weed control, fertilization, construction designs, supplemental feeding and more. Be sure to subscribe to this blog so you will receive updates as the event is scheduled.

Really Mean Plants

I guess this is the week for mean plants. In the last few days I have had two different people come in and ask for information about two different “mean” plants found in our area. First a friend caught me and started describing a tree he found on his property. He said “this is no ordinary tree, it has long thorns all over it and some of them are huge!” The thorns are really hard and they are in bunches on the trunk and the limbs.

The tree he was describing is called a “honeylocust”. It is not a rare or endangered tree by any means but it is fairly uncommon compared to some of our other native trees. This tree is very unique in that it can produce some very mean thorns. I recall coming out of the woods on a hunting trip one time after dark and running into one of these trees. I guarantee I will never forget that location. The thorns grow on the trunk of the tree and can get quite long, branched and very hard. The thorns have been known to cause a flat tire on ATV’s and even tractor tires.

The honeylocust tree is actually a beneficial tree in some ways. Deer and other wildlife often eat the sweet edible seed pods which look similar to large flat beans hanging on the tree. The tree is a legume and so it can fix nitrogen from the air and make this nutrient available to the plant. The wood is also very durable and resistant to decay so it has been used for fence posts. It is also a fairly durable tree in that it can survive some harsh environments such as along city streets and so it has been used for landscaping. Fortunately, there are cultivars and wild stains that do not produce the mean nasty thorns, because otherwise it is a very attractive tree. It has pinnately compound leaves that look similar to a fern in some ways, so it can be a very nice shade tree. Young trees also transplants quiet well when they are small.

Later in the week, one of our cattle producers came into my office wearing gloves and toting a very mean herbaceous plant to have identified. The plant was growing in one of his pastures and was about to take over. The plant was a “musk thistle”, which is a biennial plant that takes two years to complete its life cycle. The first year it grows as what is called a rosette fairly close to the ground. Then the next year it bolts and runs up these long stalks with seed heads. The plant is prickly all over – the leaves, the stalk, and even the flowers. Cows have no desire to eat it and so it grows, and then makes lots of seed to produce the next generation of weeds. It continues to spread unless it is either dug up and removed by hand or killed with a herbicide.

An application of 2,4-D herbicide in the fall and/or early spring is the best way to control this weed. It is almost impossible to get it all in one year so follow up scouting and spraying will be needed for two or three years. Also keep in mind that spraying a plant that has already made seed is a waste of time and herbicide since that plant will die anyway after making seed. The goal is to kill the young plants in the rosette stage before they flower the second year. Butterflies seem to really enjoy the flowers, so I guess everything has at least one redeeming factor.

Tremendous Trees

Have you ever seen a tree that just made you say “WOW”? I know I have. A few years ago I had the opportunity to visit California and see some of the Giant Redwoods and it seems ironic to me that this little three letter word “wow” is the best way to describe something so big. It was a damp foggy day with water dripping all around, and the trees seemed to evaporate into the sky. I almost expected to see a Tyranosaurus rex come walking through the mist.

We don’t have trees like that here in Coosa County but we do have some trees around here that still make you stop and say that little word. I saw one recently while visiting the home of Mary Franklin and her daughter Joan Hardy in Goodwater. They had called the Extension Office to check on the health of their huge oaks. It was an enjoyable visit to say the least. The largest tree was a white oak that measured fourteen and a half feet around the trunk. It was tall and wide and cast a shade over the entire yard.

I don’t think I could even come close to guessing the age of this beautiful tree, but it had seen a lot of spring, summer, fall and winters come and go. It has weathered storms, wind, hail, droughts, freezing temperatures, and summers reaching near to or over one hundred degrees. How many birds have visited this tree or squirrels found their next meal of acorns here. The City of Goodwater has grown all around this landmark. Just think of the history this tree has seen.

The owner is a landmark in her own right. You see, Mary Franklin, is ninety nine years young and will turn one hundred this month. This is a sharp little lady who is a pleasure to talk to. She explained to me that she grew up in Clay County, but later moved to Goodwater. The oak tree was already there and they have lived side by side ever since. Mrs. Franklin credits some of her longevity to her enjoyment of working in the yard. I can just imagine the many times when she likely paused to cool off in the shade of her mighty oak friend.

The State Forestry Commission has a program that recognizes exceptionally large trees called the Champion Tree Program. It is listing of all the largest trees found and nominated by species. While Mrs. Franklin’s tree does not yet qualify as a state champion it is still growing and in great condition.

Coosa County currently has two state champions – a Chinese Chestnut owned by George and Ronnie Zack in Mt. Moriah and a Sweetgum owned by George and Sondra Neighbors in Hanover, but has since suffered lightning damage that will likely lead to it’s being dethroned. Another near state champion white oak belonged to David and Vivian Crosswy in Stewartville until about a year ago when it was toppled by a strong wind storm. The current white oak champion resides in Montgomery County and has a trunk that is eighteen feet around.

To make the Champion Tree list a formula is used to calculate the total score for the tree. The formula involves adding the circumference in inches, plus the height in feet, plus one fourth of the crown spread in feet. The sum of these measurements is the tree’s total score. For some species this is a very large number but for others it may surprise you. For example the State Champion Witch-Hazel has a trunk that is only 12 inches around.

So if you think you have a large tree on your property, it may be a champion. A complete listing can be found on-line at http://www.forestry.alabama.gov/. If you have a large tree and need help with identification or measurements, feel free to contact me at Coosa County Extension Office in Rockford or visit our website at http://www.aces.edu/counties/Coosa/. Remember that trees can be tremendous and sometimes the owners are pretty special too.

Squash Leaves Shining in the Sun

Every summer I begin to get calls on a variety of home garden problems from cutworms to hornworms and early blight to late blight disease. There are a wide range of potential problems that can “crop up” so to speak and some of these can create some unusual looking plant symptoms. Recently I had a sample brought by my office of some very out of the ordinary looking squash leaves – they were silver. The home gardener noticed them by the fact they were shining in the sun and looked so odd.

This symptom on squash is actually caused by an insect called the Silverleaf Whitefly. The insect damage causes the upper epidermis to separate from the lower cells causing the white appearance. This is not a common garden pest and is more often seen in greenhouse and nursery situations, however the whiteflies can build up very quickly. The whitefly's feeding removes nutrients from the plant which results in stunting, poor growth, defoliation, reduced yields, and rarely death of the plant. On certain plants the Silverleaf Whitefly causes specific damage symptoms such as silvering of the leaves on squash, irregular ripening in tomato, whitestalk in broccoli and cauliflower, light root in carrots and white stem in poinsettia.

Whiteflies life cycle involves laying eggs early in the spring on the underside of plant leaves. The nymphs that hatch from these eggs crawl around until they find a place they like and then they shed their legs and antennae and just stay there sucking juice from the plant. These will then pupate and turn into the adult whitefly which is much easier to see. The nymphs are small flattened soft bodied insects that blend in well. The entire life cycle can be completed in as little as 18 days and so there can be many generations per year.

These insects are especially bad for spreading viral plant diseases, because unlike some other virus transmitting insects such as aphids, many viruses can reproduce in the whitefly before being injected into the next plant. This results in high levels of virus transmission even when populations are fairly low. The best control is insecticidal oils and soaps, being sure to spray the underside of the leaf while they are in the nymphal stage. So if your squash is shining in the sun, it may be time to take action.

Fertilizer Calculations Just Got Easier

The old story goes something like this. A farmer tells the county agent that he has been having trouble growing chickens. The agent asks for more information. So the farmer proceeds to say “I have tried twice but I think I must be planting them too deep or something because they all died”. The county agent replies “Hmmm, I think we need to do a soil test”. Yes, I know it’s a corny joke, but the concept of taking a soil test is very important.

Every year, many dollars are wasted by putting out too much fertilizer or planting an area with inadequate levels of fertilizer. Depending on the particular site, you may only need nitrogen or you may only need phosphorus or potassium. It all depends on the soil and what is being grown. Also an incorrect pH level can cause a lot of fertilizer to be wasted because the plants simply cannot take up the nutrients they need because the soil is too acid or, rarely in our area, too alkaline.

The practice of using a complete fertilizer such as 13-13-13, year after year can present some problems in the long run. Primarily the problem comes from the fact that phosphorus, represented by the middle number, tends to build up over time. This is due to the fact that phosphorus does not leach from the soil as fast as nitrogen and potassium, represented by the first and third number respectively. You can usually get a good idea of how long a home garden site has been in use by looking at the level of phosphorus in a soil test report. Excessively high phosphorus can cause micro nutrient deficiencies and cause plants to struggle, not to mention that phosphorus can be a source of pollution in the environment.

I could go on about the importance of doing a soil test, but I hope the point has been made that although it takes a little extra time and expense, it is usually well worth it to soil test. It is about the best $7 investment you could make considering the price of fertilizer, tractor fuel, seeds, pesticides and so forth. Soil sample boxes are available at the County Extension Office.

Taking the soil test is the first step, but the next step is probably even more important. That is, interpreting the results and then making an application of the correct amount and kind of fertilizer. For small gardens and lawns this has sometimes been challenging since the recommendations are usually given in pounds per acre and requires some math conversions.

Well the task just got easier. The Auburn Soils Lab has developed an on-line fertilizer calculator that can be used to determine how many pounds of almost any kind of fertilizer is needed on any particular size area. You simply type in the soil test recommendations, indicate the type fertilizer you plan to use, the size of the area and then hit the word calculate. It’s just that simple, well, almost. Sometimes to correctly match the soil test recommendations, it requires using two different kinds of fertilizer such as 10-10-10 plus a little 34-0-0. So it may take running the calculations twice - first matching the phosphorus or potassium needs with 10-10-10 and then running the calculator again to get the additional needed nitrogen needed with 34-0-0.

The fertilizer calculator has been added to our Coosa County Extension Webpage. You can find it by typing in the following address http://www.aces.edu//Coosa/ Try it out, I think you will find it very useful. You will also find a convenient lime calculator.

Coral Snake in the News

By now you have probably either read about it in the Birmingham News, or seen it on Channel 6 News - an Eastern Coral Snake has been found in Coosa County. What makes this find so remarkable is not the fact that the Coral Snake can be so deadly, but that it is so rare to find it in this area. In fact it is very uncommon to be found anywhere in Alabama, but most of the sightings have been in South Alabama in the Black Belt Area and further south.

Now before anyone gets into a panic about this highly venomous snake, let’s take a look at a few of the facts. This snake is indeed a relative of the cobra and as such demands a certain amount of respect. However, it is a very non-aggressive snake and would just as soon mind it’s business of catching small rodents, lizards and other small creatures for a meal than try to attack a human which is not on its menu. Also it does not spit venom as some cobras are known to do. The venom is considered a neurotoxin which affects the nervous system and is what makes this snake unique from the other venomous snakes found in Alabama known as the pit vipers. This group includes the Water Moccasin (Cottonmouth), the Copperhead, and three rattlesnakes (Pigmy Rattlesnake, Timber Rattlesnake, and the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake).

The Coral Snake is a beautiful snake with bright bands of red, yellow and black. The Coral Snake is very similar in appearance to a mimic non-venomous snake called the Scarlet Kingsnake, which is of no danger at all and is actually a beneficial snake to have around, since it sometimes attacks and kills “poisonous” snakes. The old saying “red touches yellow will kill a fellow, and red touches black is a friend of Jack” has been used to separate these two very similar snakes. This describes the arrangement of the color bands. Red bands adjacent to the yellow bands are the distinguishing marks of a Coral Snake.

Another fact about the snake that makes it less likely to be observed is that it is mostly nocturnal or active at night. It also spends a great deal of its time underground or under large rocks or other cover. Most daytime sightings have been early in the morning before the snake has returned to its daytime hiding place.

It has been at least 40 years since the last suspected sighting of a Coral Snake in Coosa County. In fact, only three counties (Coosa, Talladega, and Bibb) above the coastal plains (above the fall line) have had any sightings on record. The snake found in Coosa County was in a remote area of the Coosa Wildlife Management Area. It was found by two biologists who were visiting a site known to harbor another rare animal called the Red Cockaded Woodpecker. This tract of land was recently purchased by the State Forever Wild Program and so this home for these rare and unusual animals will remain managed and preserved for years to come.

Multitudes of Millipedes

This spring we have been blessed with an abundance of rainfall, which is a welcome sight after the previous year’s droughts. Home lawns are nice and green and everything is growing including certain pests. One pest that I have had numerous phone calls about this spring is a creepy crawler with lots of legs called a millipede. These are not insects and they are not centipedes. Insects will always have six legs (three pairs). Centipedes have one pair of leg per segment and the millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment. Some folks call them thousand legs because that is what it looks like.

While centipedes can produce a painful bite, the millipedes are basically harmless except for a very foul odor when crushed. There are many different species of millipedes and some can get quiet large. The one we usually get calls about is the common garden millipede, which is brown to black and only about ½ to ¾ inches long and maybe 1/16th of an inch wide. They love moisture and breed in any old decaying organic matter, such as in the thatch of home lawns or under mulch, leaf piles, old boards, or any place of shelter. But once they hatch out there can be thousands if not millions of these little crawlers and they begin to migrate all over the place.

They are often found around home foundations, carports, and patios and don’t mind crawling into your house through any small crack they may find. Interestingly, they tend to invade around new homes more than older homes or maybe it just seems this way. I have seen situations where there were so many you could not take a step without crushing about fifty with every step.

Control involves trying to eliminate wherever they are breeding and reducing any area that retains moisture. Dethatching a home lawn, raking out and changing mulch, removing old boards or stacks of bricks, and so forth will help reduce the potential of this problem next year. However once you have these things crawling all over the place you have several options to get rid of them. Indoors it is best to just vacuum them up and then dispose of the bag. Outdoors, there are several general purpose insecticides that are also labeled for millipedes such as Baygon, Ficam and Sevin. A newer product that has shown good results is Triazicide which can be applied at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon of water. The amount to use depends on the size of the area treated but in general 8 tablespoons in 8 gallons of water will treat about 1000 square feet. If all this fails, the two brick method works every time.