Are there holes in your tomato leaves?

Have the worms devoured your squash?

Many of us immediately reach for insecticides to solve the problem.

Unfortunately, so do many commercial producers. There is high consumer demand for unblemished fresh vegetables in Alabama today. That demand has increased the use of insecticides on a routine basis: such practices cause high environmental risk and unwanted exposure to pesticides.

Is there a better, safer way to protect plants from damage by insects? Yes, there are many. On Aug. 8, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Tuskegee University and others will be holding a workshop/vegetable field day at the Rural Heritage Center in Thomaston.

Presentations on organic insect control in the home garden, trap cropping, net house insect control, vegetable diseases, drip irrigation, soil management and testing, organic vegetable production and other topics will also be covered at this meeting.

Registration is from 8:30-9 a.m. To register, call your local County Extension Office or the Marengo County Extension Office at (334) 295-5959 so that they can get an estimate as to how many will be coming as to prepare for lunch.

If you should have questions or need more information about the field day, contact your County Extension Office.