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More aerial spraying considered to halt spread of West Nile virus


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Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED AUG 16, 2018
The shaded areas are being considered for aerial spraying.
City of Davis and north Sacramento County under watch for mosquitoes and dead birds



As numbers of dead birds and positive samples of West Nile virus continue to mount, officials in Sacramento and Yolo counties are considering more aerial spraying to control mosquitoes.

Another round of aerial spraying may come as early as next week, according to the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District. Lab results due Friday will determine the course of action.

This time, the focus is on the city of Davis in Yolo County plus the Sacramento communities of Citrus Heights, North Highlands, Orangevale, Antelope, Natomas, Elverta and Rio Linda.

“The intensity of the virus continues to escalate and aerial spraying may be necessary in order to protect the health of residents living in these areas,” said district manager Gary Goodman. “We need to act quickly, do everything we can to reduce mosquito populations and ensure they are not a public health threat.”

In late July, the district sprayed Sacramento’s Pocket neighborhood as well as parts of Sacramento County south of Fruitridge Road and the city of Elk Grove.

This has been a bad summer for West Nile virus in the greater Sacramento area, with 19 confirmed human cases.

So far in 2018, the district reports 242 positive mosquito samples and 200 dead birds that tested positive for the virus in Sacramento County. An additional 53 positive samples and 19 dead birds were found in Yolo. Positive samples also have been found in Placer and San Joaquin counties.

Control of mosquitoes that may be carrying the deadly virus is essential, according to the district. Ground spraying and treatment of parks, trails, green belts and creeks have stepped up around Davis and northern Sacramento County.

Residents can sign up for spray alerts via the district’s website. For more information: www.fightthebite.net .

Worried about what these pesticides will do? How to prepare for aerial spraying: http://sacdigsgardening.blogspot.com/2018/07/are-you-ready-for-tonights-aerial.html

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GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:
mosquitoes gardening Sacramento aerial spraying birds West Nile virus Yolo County San Joaquin County Placer County

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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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