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Many gardeners are finishing up picking their summer raspberries. The fall raspberries are starting to bloom, and if we get some rain, we will be picking again in a month. Some nuisance pests are on one picking and some are on both.

The sap or picnic beetle can be found on raspberries, sweet corn, or any fruit or vegetable that is over ripe. They are attracted to any fermenting or sour smell or rotting fruits and vegetables.

The best way to control the picnic beetle is through proper sanitation. Avoid attracting them by harvesting fruits and vegetables as soon as they ripen. Remove any overripe or damaged produce and throw it away or bury it to make your garden and raspberry patch less inviting to these beetles.

Over the past several years I have written many articles on the multi-colored Asian lady beetle. They, like the picnic beetle, can only eat overripe or rotting fruit or vegetables. However, if a bird makes a hole in an apple or the skin is broken on a grape the Asian beetle is not far behind.

I usually don't notice any Asian beetles on my summer berries because they are in the soybean fields eating aphids. They leave the soybeans in the fall when the beans ripen. That's when they seek out overripe or damaged fruits and my raspberry patch.

When I pick berries, I use a five quart plastic pail on my belt. Sometimes when I look into the pail, there it is; a stink bug. It is quite a challenge getting it out of the pail without disturbing it. If it is aroused it gives off an odor that is quite bitter, hence it is called the stink bug. The brown stink bug is a broad insect with a flattened, shield shaped body, and a narrow head.

Adults overwinter in protected areas such as fence rows, under dead weeds, ground cover, under stones, and in the bark of orchard and other trees.

They show peaks of activity from May through June, but little activity in July. Populations increase again during a second generation in late July to August.

It wasn't until I did some reading on the stink bug that I realized that they also can cause injury on fruit. Early feeding during bloom will cause the flower or developing fruit to abort. Feeding on larger fruit during mid to late summer may cause various types of damage. One type of injury will cause a deep catfacing much like that on tomatoes.

One insect that was once a nuisance in the raspberry patch has become a real problem for some gardeners. That insect is the yellow jacket. Depending on the species, the yellow jacket builds its nest underground or in old logs, or builds a large paper nest in trees or houses. The worker scavenges food such as caterpillars or other insects, pieces of flesh from dead animals, or ripe or injured fruit. Food is taken back to the nest to feed the larvae. Yellow jackets are attracted to ripe and injured fruit to feed on fluids and sugars, especially in late summer and during dry weather. Their populations peak in the late summer.

Yellow jackets can be discouraged by sanitation, which is regular and thorough picking of berries as soon as they begin to ripen, and frequent removal of overripe fruits and fruit debris. Do not allow pickers to bring sweet drinks, lunches, or other attractions into the planting.

Yellow jackets can destroy the entire crop if they are entrenched in the patch. Another downside to this type of bee is that it can sting multiple times, unlike the honey bee that only stings once. The Associated Press stated in 2003 that this bee is the most dangerous stinging insect around.

It is blamed for up to 100 deaths a year.

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IN YOUR YARD AND GARDEN: Fall vegetable crops should be planted now--carrots, spinach, lettuce, snow peas all need to go in by mid-August. Seed lettuce into containers and keep the cool until until the seeds germinate.

Blossom end rot causes water-soaked to dark patches on the bottom/blossom end of tomatoes and peppers. It's prompted by uneven watering, you can cut off the discolored part and eat the rest.

Look for signs of drought stress on trees-yellowing of leaves, defoliation, wilting. Be sure to keep all woody plants well watered. Even well-established trees may be displaying drought stress. Newly planted materials need several years to replace root systems lost in transplanting, especially balled and burlapped or tree spaded plants. Because transplants retain most if not all of their foliage, they will suffer transpiration loss that their roots system can't replace. So even if a new tree is getting loads of water, it might be lacking the "plumbing" to take it up, so you'll see drought stress.

UPCOMING CLASSES: If you haven't received our fall class series brochure, call 651-674-4417 to have one mailed to you. It is also available in the 'Hot Topics' box at: www.extension.umn.edu/ county/chisago. The series will include classes on food preservation.

PLANT CLINICS: Volunteer Master Gardeners will be available Mondays from 4-7 p.m. at the Extension Office in North Branch at 38780 Eight Ave. to answer your gardening questions.

You can also call 651-674-4417 during these hours to speak with a Master Gardener.

Samples can be dropped off during the day on Monday if you cannot stop in during clinic hours. Please note MONDAY is the only day you can drop off samples, as there is no longer staff at the North Branch Office who can answer gardening questions. We are also at the Lindstrom Farmers' Market on Saturdays from 8 a.m.-noon in the parking lot of St. Bridget’s Church at 13060 Lake Blvd.

VOICE MAIL: You can leave a question for a volunteer Master Gardener at 651-674-4417. Depending on the volume of calls, they try to respond within a couple of days. During office hours ask for the Master Gardener voicemail, after hours, select ext. 18. You can also get your question answered on the web at: www.extension.umn. edu/askmg.

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