Landscape Hawaii March April 2015

LandscapeIndustry
CouncilofHawai’i
P.O.Box22938
HonoluluHI96823-2938
LandscapeIndustry
CouncilofHawai’i
P.O.Box22938
HonoluluHI96823-2938
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THE VOICE OF HAWAII’S GREEN INDUSTRY
DEPARTMENTS
4 PRESIDENT COLUMN
10 TURFGRASS
12 PEST
15 CERTIFICATION COLUMN
28 TOOL TIPS
FEATURES
5 LICH NEWS
18 SEA DWARF
20 INVASIVE AQUATIC PLANTS
24 PESTICIDES
30 HOW TO FIGHT ALGAE
COVER STORIES
6 HILA AWARDS
14 LICT CERTIFICATION
20 LOBATE LAC SCALE
30
Formed in June 1986, the Landscape Industry Council
of Hawai‘i is a state wide alliance representing Hawaii’s
landscape associations: Aloha Arborist Association,
American Society of Landscape Architects Hawaii
Chapter, Hawaii Association of Nurserymen, Hawaii
Island Landscape Association, Hawaii Landscape
and Irrigation Contractors, Hawaii Society of Urban
Forestry Professionals, Kauai Landscape Industry
Council, Maui Association of Landscape Professionals,
Professional Grounds Management Society, Big Island
Association of Nurserymen, and the Hawaii Professional
Gardeners Association.
Landscape Industry Council of Hawai‘i
P. O. Box 22938, Honolulu HI 96823-2938
Editor
Christopher A. Dacus
chris.dacus@gmail.com
Advertising Sales
Michael Roth
rothcomm@lava.net
Membership
Jason Ezell
jason.ezell@gmail.com
Designer
Darrell Ishida
Cover Photo
B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S
Chris Dacus Brandon Au
President Vice President
Matt Lyum Rick Quinn
Treasurer Secretary
Norman Allen Clifford Migita
Orville Baldos Dorothy Mulkern
Chuck Chimera Karen Ostborg
Carl Evensen Edmundo Reyes
Randy Liu Mark Suiso
Christy Martin Josh Sand
Chris McCullough
Director Emeritus
Jay Deputy Steve Nimz
Lelan Nishek Boyd Ready
Garrett Webb
Proudly self published by
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4 LANDSCAPE HAWAII MARCH | APRIL 2015 HAWAIISCAPE.COM 5THE VOICE OF HAWAII’S GREEN INDUSTRY
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Susan Owen
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH/APRIL 2015 | WWW.HAWAIISCAPE.COM
W H AT S H A P P E N I N G
NEWS
lich
UPCOMING ISSUES
May/Jun 2015
Theme: Landscape Design Styles
Story Deadline: April 3, 2015
Jul/Aug 2015
Theme: Site Furniture
Story Deadline: June 5, 2015
Sorry, correction to Jan/Feb 2015 is-
sue…for the LICH student poster
article, David Lingefelser’s affiliation
is the Department of Tropical Plant
and Soil Sciences and not the De-
partment of Plant and Environmen-
tal Protection Services.
SAVE THE DATE –
OCTOBER 8TH
BY RANDY LIU
Mark your calendar for Thursday, Oc-
tober 8, 2015 for this year’s LICH Confer-
ence and Trade Show. This year’s theme
is “Back to Basics, Building for Future.”
The committee is working hard to make
this year’s conference and tradeshow, new
and exciting!
PESTS AND TREES
WORKSHOPS TO BE
HELD IN MARCH
BY CAROL KWAN
Western Chapter International Soci-
ety of Arboriculture (WCISA) is part-
nering with Aloha Arborist Association
(AAA), Maui Green & Beautiful (MG&B),
Kauai Landscape Industry Council
(KLIC), Hawaii Island Landscape As-
sociation (HILA), and the Cooperative
Extension Service to present a Pests
and Trees workshop in March. See the
listing below for the dates and loca-
tions. Participants will earn 6 CEUs for
Certified Arborists and Certified Tree
Workers. Pesticide Applicator CEUs
have been applied for as well.
3/24 (Tuesday) – Honolulu
(McCoy Pavilion)
3/25 (Wednesday) – Maui
(UHMauiCampusAgBuildingRm101)
3/26 (Thursday) – Kauai
(Kauai Nursery & Landscaping)
3/27 (Friday)– Big Island
(Queen’s Marketplace)
This workshop will cover the fun-
damentals of tree biology and basic
entomology and focus on how environ-
mental factors can effect a plant’s health
and increase its susceptibility to biotic
agents (insect and disease pathogens).
It will also explore why introduced
(non-native pests) can be so destruc-
tive and spread so rapidly. There will
be ample coverage of pests of woody
plants and palms in Hawaii, along with
a hands-on opportunity for participants
to view and identify pests in the field.
To round out the day, participants will
learn how to diagnose pest problems
and abiotic disorders caused by adverse
environmental factors that can cause
decline or contribute to serious pest
problems. Emphasis will be on manag-
ing pests by selecting species that are
appropriate to a given site, providing
appropriate cultural practices, and
monitoring regularly for signs and/or
symptoms and any contributing factors.
For more information and to regis-
ter, please visit wcisa.net, click on the
“Events” tab and then on the workshop
that you’re interested in.
2015ISTHEYEAR
OFTHEAMERICAN
SOCIETYOFLAND-
SCAPEARCHITECTS
HAWAIICHAPTER
PROJECTDESIGN
AWARDS!
March 2, Call For Entries
June 5, Entry Submissions Due
Sept 18, Hawaii Chapter Design Awards
Gala
n June 9
Landscape Industry Certified Techni-
cian (LICT) Training Program
5:00 – 7:30 PM at Urban Garden Center
n August 11-12
LICT Written Exam Pacific Pipe Co/
Urban Gardens
n August 8
LICT Field Day (Hands on Training)
Waimanalo Research Station
n August 15
LICT Practical Exam Waimanalo
Research Station
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
AREYOUCERTIFIED?
Certification matters. It’s the professional difference. More and more clients are
requiring certification. Certification shows you understand the principles of land-
scape work and that you aspire to be the very best. We take pride in your work.
Clients know that they can be rest assured when certified LICT professionals are
on the job and they see the difference.
Sign up now for training for this year’s LICT exam. There will be training and
certification tests on the Islands of Oahu, Maui and the Big Island.
Advance your career. Join the ranks of the very best. Become a LICT professional.
Aloha,
Chris Dacus
President
MAHALO TO LANDSCAPE INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF HAWAII SPONSORS
WEBSITE SPONSORS
NEWSTAFFMEMBERSFORTHE
HONOLULUBOTANICALGARDENS
BY JOSH SAND
Brian Groelsma joins the HBG
as the Botanical Garden Supervisor
for Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden.
Brian is an ISA certified arborist with
extensive experience in the local green
industry. He has worked at the famous
Doris Duke estate “Shangri La’ in
Diamond Head , Kualoa Ranch, Aikahi
Services and, most recently, Mainscape,
Inc. at Hickham Air Force Base. The
HBG staff welcomes Brian and knows
this very special 400-acre garden will
be in good hands.
Tim Goldstein joins the Foster Botan-
ical Garden staff as a Nursery Worker.
Tim worked with the Springs Preserve in
Las Vegas where he gained much experi-
ence in both landscape and propagation
projects. He is already making great
progress in renovations in the historic
Foster Garden Terraces. The HBG staff
wishes Tim a warm welcome!

• Specimen Trees in Boxes
• Fruiting Trees
• Palms
• Topiaries
• everything else
in Kona
329-5702
HILAHONORS
HAWAI’IISLAND
KUPUNA
BY CHRISTOPHER MCCULLOUGH
T
he Hawai’i Island
Landscape Association
honored six Kupuna of
the Landscape Industry
at their annual Landscape
Management Conference
and Trade Show in November of 2014.
The conference theme was ‘Celebrat-
ing Hawai’i Island Landscapers – Home
Grown Landscape Wisdom”, and in
accordance with the theme HILA hon-
ored Hawai’i Island landscape greats
Kaz Shigezawa, Fred Nonaka, Raymond
Tanouye, Arnold Hara, Dickie Hanano
and Garrett Webb at a O’o award presen-
tation and recognition ceremony during
the conference lunch break. The following
brief biographies of the honorees were
told to conference attendees:
Kaz Shigezawa: Kaz’s childhood was
spent in Wailuku, Maui, in a family of
twelve children of which Kaz is the ninth.
Upon graduation from Baldwin High
School Kaz attended the University of
Hawaii-Manoa and earned a BS degree in
Horticulture and was commissioned as
an ROTC officer in the US Army. Follow-
ing his service in the Army Kaz decided
to further his professional training and
was accepted to Cal Poly Pomona where
after four years he earned his degree in
Landscape Architecture, thus melding his
background in horticulture and architec-
ture. Through hard work, resourcefulness
perseverance and determination in over-
coming personal challenges Kaz success-
fully operated his own plant nursery and
landscaping company to beautify Kona.
While active in the Outdoor Circle Kaz
helped create green areas which today are
enjoyed by many Kona residents. Private
homes also benefitted from his designs
and satisfied customers continue to refer
Kaz although he is currently retired.
Through his contacts with friends and
clients, landscape associations, orchid and
succulent societies and community groups
Kaz continues to be an avid promoter in
keeping Kona green and beautiful.
Fred Nonaka: Fred was born in Hakalau
and graduated from Hilo High School in
1954. Fred graduated from the University
of Hawaii in 1958 with a BS degree in
tropical crop production. In 1964 Fred
moved to Hawai’i Island as a supervisor
for Makiki Nursery to do the landscaping
at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Golf
Course. With the project completed Fred
joined the hotel as Assistant Superinten-
dent for the golf course and grounds. In
1973 Fred left the hotel and started his
own landscaping business Fred’s Nursery.
During his 41 years as a landscape con-
tractor Fred completed numerous gardens
at Mauna Kea, Mauna Lani, Hualalai,
Kukio resorts and other developments
along the coast. Fred has also done many
projects in Hilo with the Urasenke Tea
House at Liliuokalani Gardens being most
notable. Fred was one of the founding
members of HILA and served as its Presi-
dent in 1991.
Raymond Tanouye: Raymond was born
and raised in Hilo, and is a graduate of
Iolani High School and Cal Polytechnic
State University San Luis Obispo. Born
into an entrepreneurial family, Raymond
helped build family businesses includ-
ing Hawaiian Heart Inc. and Hawaiian
Anthurium Ltd. In 1995 Raymond estab-
lished Mountain Meadows Inc. and began
nursery operations in 2002. Mountain
Meadows has supplied plant material for
numerous landscape projects on Hawai’i
Island and throughout the state. An affiliate with the Hawaii
Island Chamber of Commerce and the Better Business Bureau,
Raymond is also a member of the Hawaii Japanese Community
Association, Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii, Hawaii
Island Landscape Association, Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery
Association, Big Island Association of Nurseryman, Hawaii
Farm Bureau Federation and the Friends of Liliuokalani Gar-
dens. Raymond takes pride in providing products and services
second to none. He periodically sends personal letters to his
customers sharing his philosophies about his core values and
the way business is conducted at Mountain Meadows Inc.
Arnold Hara: Arnold is an entomologist and extension spe-
cialist in the Department of Plant and Environmental Protec-
tion Sciences stationed at UH-CTAHR, Komohana Research
and Extension Center in Hilo, Hawaii. Born and raised in
Hilo, Arnold received his B.S. and M.S. in Entomology from
UH-Manoa, and completed his Ph.D. in Entomology from the
University of California-Davis in 1982. Arnold minored in plant
nematology. Hara has been stationed in Hilo, Hawaii since 1982
with research and extension duties in pest management in the
landscape and of floricultural crops. Hara focuses on preharvest
and postharvest control treatments in a systems approach to
quarantine security. Some of his research accomplishments
include the development of heat treatments to control quar-
antine pests, including aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, slugs,
coqui frog and plant-parasitic nematodes.
Dickie Hanano: Dickie was born in 1926 in Pololu Valley.
Dickie served in the U.S. Army in Dec. 1945. While traveling
Photo courtesy: ERIN LEE
Fred Nonaka with his son Myles and the Fred’s Nursery ohana
Arnold and Myrtle Hara

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2015 Membership New / Renewal Application
Valid through December 2015M
▪ Arborist/Tree Worker
▪ Botanist/Conservation
▪ Facility/Site Manager
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on the Queen Mary on his way to fight
the war it was announced that the war
had ended so Dickie went to Berlin and
worked as a clerk for the Military Police.
After leaving the service, Dickie got a job
working for Hawaiian Airlines in 1947 and
for 38 years Dickie worked at the Waimea
and Hilo airports and later became a
supervisor at Honolulu International
Airport. He started his nursery business in
1970 and began cultivating Poinsettias for
Mauna Kea Resort. Dickie and his Ohana
have been long standing members of the
landscaping community and their nursery
in Waimea has provided plant material
for landscapers and helped make Hawai’i
beautiful. Dickie has been a leader in the
caring of the cherry trees at Church Row
in Waimea town and serves as an “in-
house” docent in the Lions’ booth during
the Waimea Cherry Blossom Festival.
Dickie lost his main worker and loving
wife in May 2014. He holds his family ties
by having them come by every weekend
to have Sunday dinner. His words of wis-
dom… Be nice to people. They will be nice
to you. They may become your boss later!
Garrett Webb: Garrett began his career
in the Kona landscape industry in 1979.
His initial on the job training included
such exotic work as five months of hand
pulling weeds in an organic orchard,
dangling from a rope with no safety
training while chain sawing haole koa
from the Kamehameha III embankment,
and being strapped into a brush cutter
every day for a month clearing California
grass. Starting literally from the ground
up and having paid his dues, Garrett was
rewarded with more interesting jobs:
Nursery Manager for Broderson Land-
scaping, Head Gardener for Kanaloa at
Keauhou and Manager of Golf Irrigation
at Kona Country Club. Garrett became
a licensed Landscape Contractor in 1984
as Kalaoa Gardens. He presently grows
palms and cycads at his nursery in the
Keohole Agriculture Park and works as a
consulting arborist. For Garrett life as a
landscaper has been an interesting and
fulfilling occupation and giving back to
the landscape industry through service
has always been a priority. A graduate of
Class VI from the Agricultural Leadership
Program, Garrett has at various times
served as President of both HILA and
LICH. Garrett was also the Legislative
Chair for the Kona County Farm Bureau.
Garrett currently serves as the State Ad-
ministrator for the Landscape Industry
Certified Technician Program.
For the Board of the Hawai’i Island
Landscape Association and our confer-
ence attendees it was a great feeling to
honor the men who planted the seeds
which has grown into our Hawai’i Island
Green Industry. Their efforts, knowledge
and wisdom have helped us to learn and
grow, to be what we are today.
Christopher McCullough is the Hawaii
Island Landscape Association President,
a Board Member of LICH, and the Head
Horticulturist for DFI Resources LLC.
O’o award recipients left to right Arnold Hara, Kaz Shigezawa, Garrett Webb and Fred Nonaka

HAWAIISCAPE.COM 11
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BY DR. LEE BERNDT
COLUMN
turf
ment, identify if there are any plants that
are in the wrong location. Some plants
which love to be in the sun are inappro-
priately placed under the shade of a tree
or on the north side of the building —
these must go somewhere else. A weak,
unhealthy plant can harbor an ongoing
pest population which can lead to later
re-infestation.
4 STEPS TO NATURAL PEST CONTROL
ORGANIC
LANDCARE
THE VOICE OF HAWAII’S GREEN INDUSTRY10 LANDSCAPE HAWAII MARCH | APRIL 2015
T
here are the four steps I
use to remove insect pest
infestations from high
end resort landscapes
— for GOOD! That’s
right, when you use this
approach, you’ll never have to treat again
with a chemical control — and I mean
NEVER.
The secret is in identifying and treating
the root of your problem — the reason
why the insects are there in the first
place. That would be a whole article in it-
self so let’s stay focused on the four steps
you can do tomorrow to be successful in
Organic Landcare.
Number One — Removal. Prune and
remove as much of the heavily infested
plant material as possible, such as leaves,
stalks, branches, palm fronds that are
infested with pests like whitefly, mealy
bug, black sooty mold, and scale. Wash
off remaining plant materials — spray
with a hose, blast with water, get the
insects moving off of your plants — dis-
rupt them.
Next take a look at your plant place-
Once the planting scheme is correct,
it’s time for step two: organic control
measures that are planet, people, and
pet safe. First I treat with a soap water
solution such as Dr. Bonner’s Peppermint
soap at 1oz. per gallon of water. Soak the
plant down, especially the undersides of
the leaves, be thorough and meticulous.
Insects breath through their skin and the
soapy water acts as a film, suffocating
them, you must coat the insects to be ef-
fective. Some insects such as mealy bugs
actually build up a waxy water-repellent
coating over their bodies to resist this as
well as all chemical control measures.
Three days after your soapy water
treatment, apply a neem oil solution at
a ratio of 1oz. per gallon of water with a
teaspoon of soap as an emulsifier. Mix
well, soak the plant down and be sure
to coat the entire plant surface. Neem
oil contains a potent natural chemical
called Azadirachtin, which not only kills
insects by making them stop feeding, it
also slows down reproduction and acts as
a short term repellent. Caution!!! Neem
is toxic to honey bees, best to apply when
bees are not active at cool times of the
day like early morning or late afternoon.
Neem can also burn plants if applied
directly in the sun so be sure to wait until
a less sunny time.
Rotate applications of soapy water,
Neem, and optionally a third alterna-
tive such as chili water or a botanical
oil weekly until active populations have
subsided. This method will effectively
knock down the pest population within 6
weeks, but to keep them away for GOOD,
there are two more essential steps to per-
manently eliminate insect pest problems
from your organic landscape. Check back
next issue for the second part of this how
to Organic Landcare article…
Micah Barker runs the
organic landscape company
Bioscape Hawaii, and
also serves as Secretary
on the HILA Board of
Directors.

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808-247-3842 atozhi@yahoo.com
C
hinese banyan (Ficus
microcarpa) and weeping
banyan (Ficus benjam-
ina) are two common
landscape or street trees
on many of the islands of
Hawaii. In 2012, an arborist noticed that
the leaves were sparse on the terminal
branches of several Chinese banyans
at the East-West Center on University
of Hawaii at Manoa campus. Further
inspection found many galls present on
the stems in addition to the common
galls on the leaves formed by the aga-
onid wasp, Josephiella microcarpae (first
found in Hawaii in 1989). Wasps emerg-
ing from the stem galls appear to be in
the same family and genus (Agaonidae,
Josephiella spp.) as the leaf gall wasp, but
are a bit larger in size. The banyan stem
galling wasp appears to be widespread on
Oahu and is present at Kahului on Maui
and Hilo on the Big Island. Infestation
of stems and leaves result in progressive
dieback of branches that may eventually
cause tree mortality.
Also in 2012, the lobate lac scale
(Paratachardina pseudolobata) was
discovered on Oahu at Moanalua Gar-
dens during the Hawaii Tree Climbing
Championship. To the large gathering of
arborists, it was obvious that something
was wrong with a weeping banyan (Ficus
benjamina) there. It had major dieback
and the part that wasn’t dead was heavily
covered in black. Branch samples having
a severe sooty mold infection were
delivered to the Hawaii Department of
Agriculture (HDOA) were also found
to be infested with the lobate lac scale,
a pest new to Hawaii. It had previously
been known to occur only in Florida in
the U.S. and was included in the Most
Unwanted Pests in the United States
poster compiled by Dr. Arnold Hara et
al. (2011). This insect is known to infest
more than 300 plant species in Florida
(Howard et al., 2010). The latest informa-
tion shows that this insect infests over
80 plant species on the island of Oahu
(Cheng and Bhandari, 2015).
Arborjet Inc. is working with Dr.
Zhiqiang Cheng, Assistant Extension
Specialist with UH CTAHR Department
of Plant and Environmental Protection
Sciences, to evaluate two systemic in-
secticides, imidacloprid and emamectin
benzoate in an effort to limit further
damage to the trees. The gall wasp proj-
ect started in July 2013, and included 45
Chinese banyans (36 treated, 9 control).
The lobate lac scale project started in
December 2013, and included 10 weeping
banyans (5 treated, 5 control). Dr. Cheng
has found, so far, that the health of the
Chinese banyans has improved the most
with the emamectin benzoate treatment,
while the health of the weeping banyans
has improved dramatically with the im-
DR. DON GROSMAN
COLUMN
pest
WHAT’S BUGGING
Photo: KRISTINE UYENO, KHON2
Chinese banyan infested with both the stem galling wasp and lobate lac scale;
leaves infected with dark grey sooty mold.
THE BANYANS
idacloprid treatment. These studies will
be continuing through 2015.
Dr. Don Grosman, Technology Advance-
ment Manager, Arborjet Inc., is involved in
the evaluation of products and equipment
for protection and/or therapeutic treatment
of trees.
References
Anonymous.2012.BanyanStem-Galling
Wasp,aNewInsectinHawaii,HawaiiDe-
partmentofAgriculture(HDOA),PlantPest
ControlBranch-August28,2012
Cheng,Z.,andB.Bhandari.2015.Biology,
Management,andUpdatedHostRangeofthe
LobateLacScale(Paratachardinapseudolo-
bata)inHawai‘i’sUrbanLandscapes.CTAHR
publicationIP-34.Availableat:http://www.
ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/IP-34.pdf
(linkverifiedon02/05/2015)
Garcia,J.N.2013.Lobatelacscale,Hawaii
DepartmentofAgriculture(HDOA),New
PestAdvisory12-03,January2013.
Hara,A.H.,K.L.Aoki,S.K.Cabral,andR.Y.
Niino-DuPonte.2011.MostUnwantedPestsin
theUnitedStates.CTAHRpublicationIP-29.
Howard,F.W.,R.Pemberton,S.Schroer,,&
G.Hodge.2010.Paratachardinapseudolobata
(Coccoidea:Kerriidae):BionomicsinFlorida.
FloridaEntomologist,93(1),1–7.
ABOVE: Galls in green stem tissue (left)
and old galls in woody tissue with wasp
exit holes (right). RIGHT: Lobate lac
scale adults.
Photo: WALTER NAGAMINE
Photo:HAWAIIDEPARTMENTOFAGRICULTURESTAFF

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n any industry, what separates the
professional from the self-pro-
claimed expert is consistent
self-improvement; field experi-
ence that is supported by educa-
tion, credentials and membership
in professional trade organizations.
The importance of education and
training is clear with obvious benefits.
This is especially true in the landscape
industry, which, like many service
industries tends to have a low bar
set for entry level positions. The
ultimate goal of education and
training programs is to set the
industry standard and work to
raise the level of professionalism and
that is good for everyone.
Beginning on April 8, HILA, in
collaboration with the University of Ha-
waii Cooperative Extension Service, is
offering its annual 10-week Landscape
Maintenance Training program. This
popular series is geared for landscape
maintenance gardeners new to the
field, those already in the field
but desiring more technical
knowledge, as well as experi-
enced landscapers reviewing
for the Landscape Industry
landscapes; insect pest ID and control; safe
pesticide use; plan reading and math for
landscapers; plant and soil health; pruning;
turf care; and irrigation basics.
The training program returns this year
to the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel along
the South Kohala coast. Classes will be
held at the Koa meeting room on Wednes-
day afternoons from 2pm to 5pm. Cost
per class is $35 for HILA members ($40
non-members). The fee for the entire series
is $325 for HILA members ($375 non-mem-
bers).
The national Landscape Industry Cer-
tified Technician (LICT) written and
field tests will be held in Kona in June
provided we have a sufficient number
of candidates. For more infor-
mation and to register for
the training program visit.
hilahawaii.com or contact
Ty at tym@hawaii.edu or
322-4884.
Ty McDonald is an
Extension Agent with the
University of Hawaii and
an advisor to the HILA
board of directors.
BIG ISLAND LANDSCAPE TRAINING
AND CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
TEST DATES
2015 CERTIFICATION
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For Registration Forms for Kona,
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If you want to add Softscapoe In-
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Field Test: June 20th
Maui
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Written Test: July 16th
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Oahu
Ornamental and Turf Maintenance and
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Written Test: August 13th / August: 15th
Garrett Webb, Landscape In-
dustry Certified Manager (LICM)
is the State Administrator for the
Hawaii LICT Program.
LICT TEST CALENDAR | 2015

SCIENTIFIC NAME
Graptophyllum pictum
Sanchezia speciosa
Pseuderanthemum carruthersii
Mangifera indica
Spathodea campanulata
Casuarina equisetifolia
Elaeodendron orientale
Diospyros sandwicensis
Euphordia celastroides
Acacia koa
Acacia confusa
Sesbania tomentosa
Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Hibiscus arnottianus
Hibiscus clayi
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Hibiscus waimeae
Hibiscus kokio ssp. kokio
Hibiscus spp.
Hibiscus kokio ssp. Saintjohnianus
Lebronnecia kokioides
Ficus benjimina
Ficus microcarpa
Ficus rubiginosa
Ficus spp.
Ficus religiosa
Ficus elastica
Pimenta dioica
Eugenia uniflora
Metrosideros polymorpha
Callistemon viminalis
Pisonia umbellifera
Jasminum multiflorum
Plumbago auriculata
Morinda citrifolia
Gardenia taitensis
Gardenia brighamii
Psydrax odorata
Santalum ellipticum
Litchi chinensis
Chrysophyllum oliviforme
Pipturus albidus
Leea guineensis
Guaiacum officinale
COMMON NAME
Caricature plant
Sanchezia
False eranthemum
Mango
African tulip tree
Ironwood
False olive
Lama*
‘Akoko*
Koa tree*
Formosan koa
‘Ohai*†
Dwarf Poinciana
Hawaiian white hibiscus*
Koki‘o ‘ula*†
Chinese hibiscus
Koki‘o ke‘oke‘o*
Hawaiian red hibiscus*
Hibiscus
Koki‘o*
†
Weeping banyan
Chinese banyan
Port Jackson fig
Bo tree
Indian rubber tree
Allspice
Surinam cherry
‘Ōhi‘a lehua*
Weeping bottlebrush
Pāpala kēpau*
Pīkake hōkū, Star jasmine
Plumbago
Noni
Tiare, Tahitian gardenia
Hawaiian gardenia*†
Alahe‘e*
Coast sandalwood*
Lychee
Satinleaf
Waimea nettle, Māmaki*
Leea
Lignum vitae
*Native to Hawai‘i | †Endangered
Table 1.
BY ZHIQIANG CHENG*
AND BISHNU P. BHANDARI
H
awaii’s urban land-
scapes are under a
severe threat posed by
a recently introduced
invasive insect pest,
the lobate lac scale,
Paratachardina pseudolobata (Kerriidae:
Coccoidea: Sternorrhyncha: Hemiptera).
This plant parasite was first discovered on
a weeping banyan tree (Ficus benjamina)
on Oahu in October 2012, and since then,
it has become one of the most severe
plant pests in Oahu’s urban landscapes.
It has not been reported on any other
Hawaiian islands to date.
The lobate lac scale infests the woody
tissues of small, young twigs and branch-
es around the thickness of a pencil and
less frequently the main, older branches.
Major effects on hosts include the forma-
tion of sooty molds, causing an unhealthy
appearance; the dieback of twigs and
branches; the thinning of foliage; and
eventually the death of entire plants of
some species. The lobate lac scale has a
wide range of hosts, consisting of more
than 300 mainly woody dicotyledonous
plant species in Florida (Howard et al.
2010). The Hawaii Department of Agri-
culture (HDOA) reported in 2013 that this
insect had infested at least 21 native and
non-native plant species on Oahu, includ-
ing some that are endangered.
We started the survey of host plants
of the lobate lac scale at the UH-Manoa
campus in April 2014. To date, we have
recorded over 80 host plant species
belonging to 34 families. The list includes
15 plant species native to Hawaii and four
endangered plant species. Some of the
plant families, such as Moraceae, Fabace-
ae, Malvaceae, Rubiaceae, and Myrtaceae,
are more susceptible, as indicated by the
high number of infested species in these
families. In our survey, a plant species was
considered a host of lobate lac scale if at
least one mature female were present on
the plant (Howard et al. 2006). In reality,
we always observed multiple adults and
crawlers on the host plants identified in
our survey. To identify plants to genus
and species, we mainly referred to the
interactive online plant map tool main-
tained by UH Landscaping (http://manoa.
hawaii.edu/landscaping/plantmap.html).
We also consulted UH Landscaping per-
sonnel and other experts as needed. See
Table 1 for a list of common landscape,
native, and endangered plants on the
UH-Manoa campus found to be infest-
ed by the lobate lac scale. For a detailed
list of all host plants found, please refer
to Cheng and Bhandari (2015). Since we
surveyed only the UH-Manoa campus, it
is reasonable to expect the inclusion of
additional host plant species within the
broader urban landscape of the Honolulu
metro area.
Information on the biology and control
of lobate lac scale is limited. Research
conducted at University of Florida showed
that systemic insecticide imidacloprid was
effective to some extent in controlling
lobate lac scale on Ficus retusa [synonym
Ficus microcarpa, a.k.a. Chinese banyan]
when applied via soil drenching (Howard
and Steinberg, 2005). In December 2013,
we started a project at UH-Manoa to test
the efficacy and longevity of imidacloprid
against lobate lac scale on weeping ban-
yans (Ficus benjamina), one of the most
severely infested plant species in Hawaii,
using a trunk-injection method. Our
data to date showed that imidacloprid
via trunk injection was highly effective
against lobate lac scale, with the longev-
ity of control at least one year. We will
continue monitoring the infestation for
up to two years post treatment to assess
the long-term efficacy. In addition, we
observed that moderate irrigation as a
cultural practice provided benefits to trees
infested with lobate lac scales.
A more comprehensive version of the
article, Cheng and Bhandari (2015), was
published at UH-CTAHR, Cooperative
Extension Service.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge UH Landscaping for
the overall support of this research. We
thank Arborjet for providing equipment
and chemical supplies for trunk injection.
We also thank Mrs. Heidi Bornhorst
(previously UH Landscaping manager) for
help with identification of some plants.
Funding for this research came from Z.
Cheng’s start-up fund and Hatch project
at CTAHR, UH Manoa.
References
Cheng, Z., & Bhandari, B. (2015).
Biology, Management, and Updated
Host Range of the Lobate Lac Scale
(Paratachardina pseudolobata) in Ha-
wai‘i’s Urban Landscapes. CTAHR pub-
lication IP-34. Available at: http://www.
ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/IP-34.
pdf (link verified on 02/11/2015)
Hawaii Department of Agriculture
(2013). Lobate lac scale, Paratachardina
pseudolobata Kondo & Gullen. New
Pest Advisory. Available at: http://hdoa.
hawaii.gov/pi/files/2013/01/3-27-2013-Lo-
bate-lac-scale-NPA.pdf (link verified on
02/11/2015).
Howard, F.W., Pemberton, R.W., Hodg-
es, G.S., Steinberg, B., McLean, D., & Liu,
H. (2006). Host plant range of lobate lac
scale, Paratachardina lobata, in Florida.
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc., 119, 398–408.
Howard, F.W., Pemberton, R., Schroer,
S., & Hodges, G. (2010). Paratachardina
pseudolobata (Coccoidea: Kerriidae): Bio-
nomics in Florida. Florida Entomologist,
93(1), 1–7.
Howard, F.W., & Steinberg, B. (2005).
Root drenches and topical insecticide
treatments for control of the lobate lac
scale, Paratachardina lobata (Chamberlin).
Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc., 118, 314–318.
Dr. Zhiqiang Cheng is
an Assistant Extension
Specialist (turfgrass and
landscape pest manage-
ment) in the Department
of Plant and Environmen-
tal Protection Sciences, CTAHR, University
of Hawaii at Manoa.
Bishnu Bhandari is an Entomology M.S.
student, whose major advisor is Dr. Zhiqiang
Cheng.
(PARATACHARDINA PSEUDOLOBATA)
LOBATE LAC SCALE
Invasive plant incest
pest evades Oahu’s
Urban Landscape
Photo courtesy: Zhiqiang Cheng
INSET: Weeping banyan branch with lobate lac scales. Sooty mold formation on
twigs and leaves.

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ing of SeaDwarf. The ability to use salt
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SEADWARFEnvironmentally
Sustainable
Turfgrass
BY DR. LEE BERNDT
P
aspalum vaginatum is a
warm-season turfgrass
known by a variety of
common names including
seashore paspalum and
saltwater grass (United
States), grama bobo (Columbia & Peru),
country club grass (South Africa), herbe
ramparte (France), and herbe la mare
(Madagascar). SeaDwarf seashore paspa-
lum is a patented variety of this turfgrass
developed at Alden Pines in Florida and
sold worldwide. It is characterized by
having a fine texture, good sod strength,
excellent rooting, vibrant color, good
density, and good salinity tolerance. Due
to these characteristics SeaDwarf makes
a fine textured, bright green, durable
turf that is very tolerant to salinity.
Tolerance to salinity makes it a perfect
choice for use in Hawaii on golf courses,
sports fields, home lawns, and other turf
venues where salts may be considered a
management problem and conservation
of potable drinking water is desired. As
a result of its tolerance to salinity it can
be irrigated with a variety of non-potable
water sources including re-use water and
brackish water that contain high levels of
salts that might injure other turfgrasses.
From an environmental perspective us-
ing a turfgrass like SeaDwarf that can be
irrigated with saline non-potable water
is a key strategy for conserving potable
water. Such a strategy is particularly
important as drinking water resources
become more limited.
Tolerance to salts also make SeaDwarf
suitable for seaside applications where
salt spray injures or kills other turfgrass-
es. In fact, SeaDwarf is so tolerant to salt
that salt can be used on it to eliminate
some weeds. Research in Florida indi-
18 LANDSCAPE HAWAII MARCH | APRIL 2015 THE VOICE OF HAWAII’S GREEN INDUSTRY
States, Asia including china and Viet
Nam, and Mexico. And it will tolerate
very close mowing. For example, golf
courses use it for putting greens, which
are mowed as low as 0.085 inches (i.e.,
2 mm). It is currently being used on
greens and fairways on the golf courses
at Kukui‘ula and Princeville on Kauai,
and at Kohanaiki Shores on the Big
Island. In addition, it is being used on
the putting greens at Reserva de Mar-
ipendi near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where
the 2016 Olympic Golf Championship
will be played. Home owners may use
it for lawns mowed as high as 2 inches,
and sports fields may use it mowed at
0.5-1.0 inches for games such as soccer,
football, and baseball.
SeaDwarf is an environmentally sus-
tainable turfgrass. Using it helps to con-
serve water and reduce the inputs of
fertilizers and pesticides while produc-
ing a high quality, attractive, turf suit-
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courses. Read more about SeaDwarf at
www.environmentalturf.com.

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BY CHUCK CHIMERA
F
or those of you who are
fans of the 1984 movie
“Gremlins”, you know that
there are important rules to
follow when taking care of
the Mogwais, a cute race of
small, furry, koala-like creatures kept as
pets by the movie’s hero. Two of these are
to never feed them after midnight, and to
never get them wet, lest they transform
into the mischievous and wicked grem-
lins and multiply out of control. (If you
have not seen the movie, stop reading
this article, and watch if immediately!).
On a somewhat related note, one of Kurt
Vonnegut’s most interesting, and fright-
ening novels, “Cat’s Cradle”, describes
an experimental form of water called Ice
Nine, which, when it comes into contact
with liquid water, acts as a seed crystal
and causes the solidification of the entire
body of water. The solidified water quick-
ly crystallizes into even more Ice Nine
in a self-perpetuating chain reaction.
The original intent of this invention was
to solidify wet and muddy ground and
allow for easier travel by military vehicles.
Without giving away the book’s ending,
it’s safe to say that the consequences of
Ice Nine getting released into the envi-
ronment, are, to put it mildly, less than
desirable.
So what does a quirky 1984 pop film
and a satirical 1963 science-fiction novel
have to do with invasive aquatic plants?
Not a whole lot, but one of the key points
in both the movie and the book is that
something that was originally regarded as
benign, desirable, or even beneficial in a
controlled setting quickly became an out-
of-control nightmare once it came into
contact with water.
So now we finally come to the round-
about connection. Many aquatic plants,
like many pets, are totally fine when kept
in controlled or confined settings, such as
indoors, in cages, or fenced yards for our
animals, or in aquariums or contained
water features for our favorite aquatic
plants. These plants can beautify and en-
hance our yards and landscapes, provide
habitat and make for a more stimulating
environment for fish and other aquatic
life in ponds and aquariums, and in some
cases are an important source of food
for people or animals. The real trouble
occurs when they are released into the
wild. Still, what happened in a fictional
novel or movie is an exaggeration and an
extreme case of a catastrophe that could
never happen in real life, right?
Well, it depends on who you ask
around the world. In the case of the Ha-
waiian Islands, we have a pretty dramatic
example close to home of what can go
wrong when a popular aquarium plant
gets released into an open body of water.
In this case, the aquatic fern Salvinia
molesta (aka giant salvinia) got estab-
lished either accidentally or intentionally
in Wahiawa’s Lake Wilson, and by January
2003, covered close to 90% of the lake’s
surface water area (approximately 270
Photo: PETER T. YOUNG
Salvinia molesta infestation smothering Lake Wilson.
INVASIVE AQUATICS
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acres covered). The invasive fern, which
can double its mass in a matter of days (at
a reproductive rate that would impress
both a gremlin and Ice Nine’s creator),
not only threatened the lake’s other
aquatic plants and animals by depriving
them of sunlight and oxygen, but also had
the potential to cause economic damage
by choking waterways and clogging up
water intake infrastructure. In a heroic
demonstration of rapid response, the
state Department of Land and Natural
Resources, in partnership with an army
of city and state employees, military
personnel, and community volunteers,
spent over $1 million to control just this
one aquatic weed in this one body of
water. The herculean effort, involving
everything from heavy machinery, her-
bicides, and hand pulling to remove the
weed, and fleets of boats, and convoys of
truck and trailers to haul the biomass to
a safe disposal site, appears to have been
successful, and by August 2004, Lake
Wilson was almost entirely free of the
surface-smothering salvinia. Still, all it
would take is for someone to dump more
of the fern in the water to get the whole
process started over again.
As previously mentioned, we’re not
sure how giant salvinia got estab-
lished in Lake Wilson. It has been a popu-
lar plant in aquariums and garden ponds,
but was placed on the Federal Noxious
Weed list, which prohibits the movement
of all such weeds in interstate or foreign
commerce except under permit. Its sale
in Hawaii should therefore also have been
prohibited. Perhaps someone living near
the lake somehow managed to acquire
the plant, was cleaning out their aquari-
um, and dumped out some salvinia that
washed into the lake. Whatever the case
may be, even this notoriously invasive
plant, which was recently added to the
International Union for Conservation of
Nature’s list of 100 of the world’s worst
invasive alien species, would not have
become a problem if it
remained inside an
aquarium or small
body of water (but
please, don’t try to
grow it, purchase
it or ship it into
the state).
So if you are
looking
for
aquatic plants to add to your aquarium,
or to enhance your backyard pond or the
other water features in your landscape,
it would be really worthwhile to do a
little background research to make sure
that you are not planting or cultivating
anything that is prohibited, or more im-
portantly, could spread out of control and
become the next giant salvinia infesta-
tion. A good place to start is to check with
the Federal Noxious Weed list (http://
plants.usda.gov/java/noxious). In addition
to Salvinia molesta, the list includes sev-
eral other highly invasive aquatic species
including: Azolla pinnata (mosquito fern),
Caulerpa taxifolia (killer algae), Eichhor-
nia azurea (anchored waterhyacinth), Hy-
drilla verticillata (hydrilla), Hygrophila
polysperma (Miramar weed),
Ipomoea aquatic (Chinese
waterspinach), Lagarosi-
phon major (oxygen
weed), Limnophila
sessiliflora (ambulia), Monochoria hastata
(monochoria), Monochoria vagina-
lis (pickerel weed), Ottelia alismoides
(duck-lettuce), Salvinia auriculata (eared
watermoss), Salvinia biloba (giant salvin-
ia), and Salvinia herzogii (giant salvinia).
Another useful resource is the website
produced by the University of Flori-
da’s Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences Center for Aquatic and Invasive
Plants (http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/), which
includes links to information on invasive
aquatic plants that is also be very relevant
to the Hawaiian Islands.
Most importantly, the best thing that
you can do to keep your favorite aquatic
plants from becoming the horrifying
subject of a future movie, book, or
multi-agency, million dollar weed control
clean-up effort, is to keep them where
they belong; in an enclosed tank, pond or
body of water and never, ever dispose or
release them into a wetland, waterway or
other natural open body of water.
Chuck Chimera is a Weed Risk Assess-
ment Specialist funded by the Hawaii
Invasive Species Council, an avid reader,
and a fan of 80’s B-movies and pop-culture
references.

RECERTIFICATION CREDITS may be
earned by certified applicators who score
at least 70% on the set of comprehension
evaluation questions about this “recertifi-
cation” article. However, credits may not
necessarily be applicable for the following
categories: Private 2, Private 3, Commercial
7f, and Commercial 11. The question sets
(quizzes) are written and administered by
the Hawaii Department of Agriculture staff.
To ask about earning recertification credits
on Hawaii call Hilo at (808) 974-4143. On
Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai,
call Honolulu at (808) 973-9409 or 973-
9424.
If you find that a pesticide treatment
does not give the result you expected,
review the situation to determine what
went wrong. Here are some possible
explanations.
Eradicate a pest or manage it? Getting
lid of every individual pest forever from
a property is practically impossible if the
pest is present in surrounding areas. The
pest probably can continuously infest
the property, so most pest managers will
accept a small pest population and try to
“manage” it. This means keeping the pest
count low enough to avoid major com-
plaints or damage. A pest management
program can include such strategies as
quarantine, sanitation, crop selection,
traps, and barriers. Pesticides are just one
more strategy; they are not the only one
and are not a cure-all. Several pesticides
can be used together or in sequence to
control different stages in a pest’s life
cycle, or slow the onset of pesticide
resistance. For example, window screens
are very effective against adult flying
mosquitoes trying to get into a building,
while an insecticide is used to control the
immature (“wriggler”) stages swimming
in stagnant water in nearby ponds and
ditches.
Wrong pesticide or misidentification
of the pest. A treatment may fail because
the pest manager applied a pesticide that
was not meant to control the targeted
pest. This can happen if the manager
misidentifies the cause of a problem and
then chose a pesticide based on the mis-
identification. For example, the manager
may see a fungus growing from
holes in some fruit and apply
a fungicide to control the
fungus. But if an insect
created the holes, the
fungicide treatment
wouldn’t stop
more holes from
forming.
Slow-acting
pesticides. A pest
manager may be
disappointed with
the action of a new pes-
ticide product when com-
pared to that of a familiar,
faster-acting product.
It’s possible that the new
product just needs more
time to affect the
pest.
Bait shyness. This problem involves
rodent baits containing a “single-dose”
or “acute” poison such as zinc phosphide.
Single-dose poisons are fast-acting and
only kill the rodent if it eats a lethal dose
of the bait in one feeding. But if it eats
just enough to make it sick after the first
feeding, the rodent recovers and learns to
avoid the bait, thus becoming “bait shy.”
This is usually not a problem with baits
containing slow-acting “multiple-feed”
poisons. Baits containing multiple-feed
poisons such as diphacinone kill the ro-
dent only after it feeds several times and
accumulates a lethal dose.
Newly arrived pests. A pesticide
treatment may have worked
well but a new infestation or
infection can quickly re-
start the problem. Wind,
water, people, and
both large
and small
animals can bring in pests from outside
the treated area. Some examples: wind
spreads mites and aphids; flowing water
spreads snails and weeds; aphids and hop-
pers spread agents of plant diseases (such
as viruses and phytoplasmas); certain
ants spread (and take care of) mealy bugs,
scales, and aphids; dogs and cats spread
flea eggs; and people move many pests
(within a property, across a country, or
around the world).
Pest resurgence. Some insecticides are
“non-selective” or “broad spectrum” in
action, which means they can kill not just
the targeted pest insects but also organ-
isms that eat the pests. These “beneficial
organisms” (such as spiders, and certain
mites, bugs, and wasps) are also called
“natural enemies” or just “beneficials.”
They should be protected because they
help managers control the pest. Without
beneficial organisms, the pest insects that
survive the insecticide treatment can “re-
surge.” This means they can reinfest the
treated area faster and in higher numbers
than before the treatment.
Secondary pest outbreak. After an
effective insecticide treatment to control
a major pest insect, a minor (“secondary”)
The
Pesticide
Label A.I.
Picloram
2, 4-D
Permethrin
Imidacloprid
Malathion
Soil
3-90 d
7 d
12-113 d
40-120 d
1-7 d
Water
3 d
15 d
19-27 d
—
1.5 d @ pH 8,
17 d @ pH 6
Plant Soil Surface
—
—
1-3 wk (plant)
3-5 d (soil, plant)
—
Half-life: time it takes half of the compound to break down in the environment;
Times are estimates based on environmental conditions, soil characteristics, etc.
Half-Life of Some Active Ingredients (A.I) in Pesticide Products
pest insect can thrive and eventually be-
come the new major pest. The insecticide
treatment could have killed the beneficial
organisms that were suppressing the mi-
nor pest. The treatment also could have
killed enough of the major pest individu-
als to relieve the minor pest from com-
petition for food and territory. This can
happen with two or more species of ants.
Pest resistance to a pesticide. Rarely
does a pesticide kill all the individuals in
a pest population. Each time a pesticide is
used, it selectively kills the most suscep-
tible individuals. Some do not come into
contact with the pesticide. Others with-
stand the treatment by breaking down
the pesticide in their bodies. However
they do it, these resistant survivors will
TREATMENTS
(recertification)
HOW PESTICIDE
FAIL

specific pest. Calibrate application equip-
ment often to ensure thorough coverage
and proper dosage, especially after chang-
ing nozzles, spraying pressure, or speed of
travel through the treatment site.
Coverage. A pesticide-either as vapor,
residue, or a direct spray must contact
the pest to be effective. Some pesticides
work only when the pest walks or settles
on the residue. These kinds of pesticides
should form a chemical barrier protecting
all surfaces where pests begin to infest or
infect. When controlling pests on plants
this usually means covering both sides of
the leaves, plus stems, and fruits. This in-
cludes leaves still expanding or unrolling
and parts of fruit touching stems. Adding
surfactant to the tank mix can improve
coverage of waxy plant parts. Choose sur-
factants carefully, because some can cause
chemical burns on plants. For control
of indoor insects, residual insecticides
should be applied to places where insects
stay out of sight (such as in cracks and
crevices) as well as to places where they’ve
been seen moving about. Caution: When
using any pesticide, follow label restric-
tions that tell where or what not to treat.
Bait should be applied where the target
Seek advice from agricultural extension
agents, experienced pesticide distribu-
tors and applicators. Also remember that
a pesticide’s potency could be reduced
when tank-mixed with an incompatible
fertilizer or surfactant. In the worst case,
an incompatible tank mix can damage or
kill the plants you want to protect.
Old pesticide. Even if the manager
applied the tight pesticide, the treatment
may not work if the pesticide was in stor-
age too long.
Bait contamination and spoilage.
The pest may reject bait that has been
contaminated with a repellent chemical.
Reduce contamination by storing baits
in tightly dosed containers and away
from chemicals that give off strong odors.
Replace old bait. Ants have been known
to ignore old bait. Rats and mice prefer
fresh, high-quality food. They will reject
bait spoiled by age, rot, or insect infesta-
tion if another food is available.
Timing of treatment. Many pests un-
dergo changes in form as they mature, re-
produce, or encounter harsh conditions.
Some of these forms can resist pesticide
treatments because they are inactive, have
hard coverings, or stay in hard-to-treat
places. Examples of resistant forms are
dormant weed seeds, dormant forms of
nematodes, fungi, and bacteria, and eggs
and pupae of many insects. Examples of
pests in hard-to-treat places are insects in
cracks and crevices, in the center of plant
stems or fruits, and between the upper
and lower surfaces of leaves, and coqui
and greenhouse frogs under bushes and
leaf litter or among rocks. A pesticide
pest will find it. Some pests are more
efficient than others at finding bait. Some
flies and wasps sense food and mates
at a distance and can fly to them. Ants,
termites, cockroaches, snails, and slugs
leave their colonies or resting sites and
move about their territory until they get
close to the bait. Rats and mice stay along
well-used trails. They don’t wander unless
drought, flooding, or other disturbances
cause them to move to a neighboring
prope1ty. For pests that search less effi-
ciently, exact placement or closer spacing
of baits or traps are more important. Find
information about placement and spacing
on the labeling for the bait. Caution:
Placement and spacing instructions are
enforceable and may be checked by a
pesticides inspector. Place bait only in
areas allowed by the labeling. Put bait in
bait stations when required. Do not space
bait stations closer than allowed by the
labeling.
Obstructions. Things that block or
change a pesticide application pattern can
protect the pest. In outdoor situations,
trash, leaves, stems, and large clods of soil
can stop a pesticide from reaching where
the pest lives. Tall weeds can shield short-
treatment will only control these indi-
vidual pests after they germinate, hatch,
or emerge from their resistant forms or
hard-to-treat places. This often happens
after favorable changes in their surround-
ings such as more warmth, light, mois-
ture, or sunrise or sunset. In the case of
the cat flea (which lives on dogs as well as
cats), the biting adult stage emerges from
its inactive pupal case (stuck on fibers
of carpeting, pet bedding, and furniture
fabric) when stimulated by vibration and
some other cues generated by people and
pets. Learn what stage of the pest’s life
cycle your pesticide will control. Apply
the pesticide when it will affect most of
the pest individuals in their susceptible
f01ms. You may have to make follow-up
treatments to control individuals that
germinate, hatch or emerge later.
Application equipment. Effective treat-
ments are made by pest managers who
choose the light application equipment
and set up and operate it to make a thor-
ough treatment. A pesticide’s labeling will
usually specify important factors for each
combination of pesticide, application
equipment, and the crop, animal, object,
or site to be treated. Important factors
involve pump pressure and nozzle tip
selection for sprayers, and gate openings
for granule spreaders. Speed and pattern
of travel through the treatment site are
important for applications of sprays and
granules.
Dosage and dilution. A treatment can
fail if the dosage or dilution is too weak.
Review the pesticide’s labeling to learn
the proper dosage or dilution for the
pass their traits for resistance to the next
generation. When a pest manager uses
one pesticide repeatedly, each succeeding
generation of the pest will have a higher
percentage of resistant individuals than
be fore. If this selective process works
on a pest population long enough, there
will be so many resistant individuals at
some point that an additional pesticide
treatment will not give the pest manag-
er a satisfactory result. Some managers
will try higher doses and more frequent
treatments, but this will eventually create
a pest population with greater resistance
to the pesticide.
The opportunity for resistance is
greater when a pesticide is used over a
wide geographic area or when a pesticide
is applied repeatedly to a small area where
the pest population is isolated. Resis-
tance generally will build faster in pests
that complete their life cycles in shorter
periods of time. Several ways to avoid or
slow development of resistance are: (1)
using as many other pest control strate-
gies as is practical so that fewer pesticide
treatments are needed, (2) alternating
treatments with a pesticide that controls
the pest by a different mode of action, or
(3) tank-mixing pesticides with different
modes of action. Caution: When choos-
ing an alternative pesticide or tank-mix
partner for a pesticide, only choose one
that is also labeled for the crop, animal,
object, or site you want to treat.
Pesticide breakdown. Some pesticide
treatments last longer than others. Given
enough time, however, all residues will
eventually break down. It may be neces-
sary for pest managers to treat again and
include other control strategies in their
pest management plans. Reapplying a
mosquito or tick repellent would be very
important where these pests could trans-
mit viruses or bacteria that cause human
disease. Some pesticides begin to break-
down as soon as they are exposed to air
or mixed with water in the sprayer tank.
Others contain active ingredients that
breakdown very quickly when mixed with
alkaline (high pH) water (see Table).
There will be warnings and advice
about this on their label. Also, the poten-
cy of a tank mix kept overnight may be
reduced, so make only enough tank mix
for the job at hand.
Incompatible tank mix. It’s possible
for one pesticide to reduce the potency
of another when they are combined in
a tank mix. Review the labeling of both
products. Do not tank mix products if the
labeling any one prohibits tank mixing.
er weeds from herbicide spray treatments.
On indoor surfaces, an insecticide or
disinfectant can be absorbed or deactivat-
ed by grease, dust, or crumbs.
Barriers broken. Even if an applicator
has set up a chemical barrier by thor-
oughly treating the object, crop, animal,
or site, parts of the barrier may later be
disturbed. This would leave gaps where
pests may start an infestation or infec-
tion.
Fumigant covers and seals. A fumigant
pesticide works best when the chemical
is contained and surrounds the site or
object being fumigated. The pest may
survive if the gas escapes too quickly. To
keep fumigant gases in place, contain-
ers, tarps, plastic sheets, or irrigated soil
surfaces are used. A fumigant treatment
can fail if these are not sealed properly,
of if they shake loose, tear, or otherwise
develop leaks.
This article is based on Unit 1 - Princi-
ples of Pest Control-in Applying Pesti-
cides Correctly: Guide for Private and
Commercial Applicators, a 1991 manual
jointly published by the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.

OAHU HILO KONA KAUAI MAUI
91-1831 Franklin D. Roosevelt 111 Silva Street 74-592B Hale Makai Pl. 3651F Lala Rd. 485 Waiale Road
Kapolei, HI 96707 Hilo, HI 96720 Kailua Kona, HI 96740 Lihue, HI 96766 Wailuku, HI 96732
808-682-8282 808-961-6673 808-329-5574 808-246-0097 808-242-4664
Subject to approved installment
credit with John Deere Financial.
Some restrictions apply; other
special rates and terms may
be available, so see American
Machinery for details and other
months.
Super Low-Rate Financing! 0% for 48 months!
Skid steer loaders, compact track loaders and compact excavators. Program expiration is June 30, 2015.
P H Y L L I S J O N E S
TIPS
tool
E
verything mechanical can
stop working or worse, ev-
erything can break!! Really!
That should not be a news
flash. Each time something
breaks we act surprised
and wonder how could that be. Like
my customer’s reciprocator; the blades
stopped moving. One day it was working
and the next day it’s not working; or so
you are told. No one can really recount
what happened; perhaps it’s possessed.
(Like my computer, I hit a button on
my computer and suddenly the screen
went black. Magic! I’m sure I did not do
anything wrong.) The bottom line is, that
as the supervisor, you are responsible for
“knowing what happened”. You are given
the almost impossible task of, knowing
the how, why, and when this happened,
(even though you were no where near it
when it happened); then knowing how
you are going to get it running (and how
soon). In order to accomplish this task,
you must have a systematic approach and
knowledge of the machine. Resist the
urge to guess. This process must be done
in a methodical progression; Start with
step one than go to step two, until you
have a “picture” of what happened and
what your options may be to solving the
problem.
What does “not working” mean?
1. Can you see whether anything is
broken? Are the external parts in the
proper place? For example, is the fuel
tank leaking? Is the key broken? Is the air
cleaner and cover missing? Do you have a
parts break down which shows you what
parts are supposed to be there? (Why
not?)
2. Does it start? Whether it’s a pull
start or electric/key start, does it start?
Did you check the fuel? What noise did
you hear when you pulled the rope? Did
you check the battery? When you turned
the key, what sound did you hear?
3. If it starts, does it throttle up and
idle? How does it sound when it is run-
ning? Are there noises that should not
be there—a knock, a screech, a grinding
noise? Your engine provides power to
“something”—a line head, a blade, a
chemical sprayer, reels. If your engine
starts, is what it powers operating prop-
erly? How does it compare to how it ran
when it was new?
4. If the engine does not start, you
then have to identify why it does not
start. This is probably the most difficult
aspect of troubleshooting, and requires
a thorough understanding of how the
engine works. (this can be learned.) Is it
a fuel issue? Does it have spark? Is the
problem in the electrical/wiring? Do you
have a wiring schematic so you can trace
the wiring? Once you have identified
where the problem is, you can then begin
to identify what you will need to fix it and
get an estimate on repairing it.
Keep in mind, all equipment has lim-
itations. Realistically, you cannot expect
your equipment to keep working if the
machine is not operated properly, the
machine is not appropriate for the job,
you expect the machine to do things that
it was not designed to do, or you do not
have a maintenance schedule for the ma-
NOT WORKING?
MEAN?
WHAT DOES THAT
chine and only work on it when it breaks.
The most common complaint from su-
pervisors is that today’s equipment does
not last as long as the equipment from
years past. This is TRUE! But it is today’s
reality. The equipment that you will be
seeing in the next two to three years will
probably require the same, if not more,
attention because of the Tier 4 guidelines.
The time is now to become proactive and
ready yourself for the changes by re-eval-
uating how you deal with equipment
problems.
Phyllis Jones is with A to Z Equipment
and Sales, formally A to Z Rental Center, in
business for over 25 years.

30 LANDSCAPE HAWAII MARCH | APRIL 2015
Individual results may vary. Roundup Technology®
includes Monsanto’s glyphosate-based herbicide technologies. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup PROMAX and Design,®
Roundup PROMAX,®
Roundup Technology®
and TRUEBLUE
ADVANTAGE PROVEN RELIABLE SUPPORTED and Design™ are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Always read and follow grain marketing and all other stewardship practices and pesticide label directions. ©2014 Monsanto Company.
Get to the root of the problem.
Faster.
For more information,
contact your local dealer
or visit MonsantoITO.com
ROUNDUP PROMAX®
IS A CONCENTRATED AND SUPERIOR
FORMULATION THAT CONTROLS TOUGH WEEDS, BRUSH AND
VINES IN TOUGH CONDITIONS IN UNDER 30 MINUTES.
Roundup PROMAX is weatherproof in signiﬁcantly less time than imitators.
Roundup PROMAX offers a 30-minute rainfast warranty.
Roundup PROMAX provides fast, consistent results
every time you spray.
BY DOROTHY MULKERN
A
lgae, the number one
“buzz kill” when admiring
a pond. The following are
some tips to control it.
Placement, placement,
placement! Think criti-
cally about your space before installing a
pond. Avoid installing it in an area that
will increase maintenance, such as a low
spot or under a tree. Be aware of drainage
and choose a place where water will wash
debris away from your water feature.
Make sure there’s full sun all day to sup-
port the aquatic plants you’d like to grow.
Create a Balanced EcoSystem. Include
aquatic plants in your pond. Water lilies,
bog plants, floating cabbage and sub-
merged aquatic plants block sunlight that
algae need to grow. Plants should cover
about 60% of the pond surface. Also,
submersible plants, like elodia, consume
the same nutrients as algae.
Don’t overfeed your fish. Fish eat
algae. Allow them to do a little work for
their meal. Keep them a little hungry
and encourage them to eat their greens.
Remember, pieces of uneaten food con-
tribute to algae growth so conscientious
feeding is an important sanitation rule.
You can also add tadpoles and snails since
they both eat algae too.
Commit to a Maintenance Program.
We recommend removing dead leaves
and surface debris with a net or by hand
weekly. For small container water fea-
tures remember to add fresh water and
overflow the pot. Thin excessive plant
growth periodically. Clean the filter,
skimmer and back flush filter every two
weeks. Every year or two, clean the pond
thoroughly by completely draining it of
water, scrubbing off any stuck algae and
refilling it with new water. Don’t forget
to re-pot your aquatic plants about once
a year.
If you’re still having algae issues, there
are a few options open to you. Add a
fine bubble aerator in a deep section
of the pond to get water moving and
oxygenated. This will create a healthier
environment for fish and cut down on
algae growth. Add barley straw to your
water in a sunny spot with good water
flow. Chemicals released by the straw as
it breaks down in the water may control
some types of algae. Consider purchasing
an ultra violet pond sterilizer. The UV
light will kill algae by breaking down cell
walls.
Remember, no one’s pond is perfect.
The name of the game is balance! Some
algae are actually beneficial for your
pond. So take a deep breath and just let
that little bit of algae go.
Dorothy Mulkern is the
Assistant Vice President
for Mulkern Landscaping
& Nursery and a certified
Master Gardener. You can
visit Dorothy at Mulkern
Nursery any Saturday 8:30 – 4:00.
HOW TO FIGHT ALGAE IN NATURAL
WATER FEATURES
Photos courtesy: MULKERN LANDSCAPING
& NURSERY
ABOVE: An after photo from Dorothy’s
Pond Cleaning class at the Urban
Garden Center. RIGHT: Dorothy’s and
students thinning out water plants
during her Pond Cleaning class at the
Urban Garden Center.

Canoga Park • Chula Vista • City of Industry • Corona • El Cajon • Encinitas • Escondido • Lake Forest • Orange • Palm Desert
Rancho Cucamonga • San Bernardino • San Diego • San Juan Capistrano • Temecula • Valencia • Vista • Oahu, Hawaii
Personalized
Customer Service
and Technical
Support
Free Ongoing
Professional
Education
Extensive
Inventories to
Ensure Product
Availability
Preferred Source for Irrigation
and Landscape Supplies
LANDSCAPE LIGHTING • LANDSCAPE TOOLS • POWER EQUIPMENT • FERTILIZERS • AMENDMENTS • WEED & PEST CONTROL • OUTDOOR LIVING
1 8 L O C A T I O N S T H R O U G H O U T S O U T H E R N C A L I F O R N I A & H A W A I I
H A W A I I ’ S
808.833.4567 www.hiscosales.com
QUOTES@HYDROSCAPE.COM

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