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Two Oriental fruit flies found in Meadowview

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED JUL 15, 2019

Oriental fruit flies look like large houseflies with yellow markings.
(Photos: Courtesy CDFA)

Dreaded pest may prompt another quarantine of fruit and vegetables

Expect to see more bug traps and netting. Sacramento County is back on OFF watch.

After a nine-month quarantine for Oriental fruit fly ended in June, two more of the pests were discovered in Sacramento’s Meadowview neighborhood and confirmed July 10, reports Sacramento County’s agricultural commissioner. Hundreds of traps have been set up in circles going out 4.5 miles from the detection site to see if any more pests are hanging around.

Last year, 16 OFFs were discovered in South Sacramento, prompting a quarantine of 123 square miles. Fruit and vegetables could not be moved out of that area or donated to food banks. Local farmers markets were shrouded in netting.

Officials haven’t instituted another quarantine – yet – but will if more flies (particularly females) are found.

“Fruit flies are serious pests for California farming and backyard gardens,” said Sacramento County Interim Agricultural Commissioner Chris Flores. “These recent detections on the heels of last year’s Oriental fruit fly detections reminds us to be vigilant in protecting our agricultural and natural resources including our local community gardens and gleaning programs. When traveling abroad or mailing packages to California, we urge the public not to bring back or mail fruits, vegetables or meat products as they are pathways for OFF and other invasive species entering our state.”

Considered among the worst invasive pests, Oriental fruit flies attack about 230 California crops, including citrus, stone fruit, apples, tomatoes and peppers. Infestations often start in suburban or urban areas, which means home gardeners need to be on the lookout.

The Oriental fruit fly is slightly larger than a house fly and bears distinctive yellow and black markings.

If you spot one or think you saw one, contact the Sacramento County ag office at 916-875-6603.

For more on Oriental fruit flies, see these pest notes from the state Department of Food and Agriculture at cdfa.ca.gov .

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Oriental fruit flies gardening Sacramento agricultural commissioner CDFA invasive pest Sacramento County Meadowview

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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3

November still offers good weather for fall planting:

* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.

* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.

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