Urban Ag Pest Updates: Twospotted Spider Mite

March 3, 2022


If you are an urban farmer in NYC and your tomato or cucumber leaves start showing small light-colored specks in summer, turning into yellowing, wilting, and "drying up," there's a good chance you have twospotted spider mites. The tiny yellow and black mites are the top pest of tomatoes in NYC, and can be a big problem for cucumbers, eggplant, beans, and various other crops grown both outdoors and indoors.

In this lunch session, CCE Urban Agriculture Specialist Sam Anderson will give an overview of what we know about twospotted spider mite in NYC, including how to recognize it early. We will see what has and hasn't worked for other urban farmers, and we will talk through some strategies you can try this year, leaving plenty of time for Q&A and farmer-to-farmer sharing. This is a free event!

Urban Agroforestry Summit

July 14, 2026
9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
New York, NY

Learn and network with urban agroforestry practitioners, service providers and city government partners on ways to scale agroforestry in NYC

Join the Cornell Small Farms Program and Harvest New York for the first annual NYC Urban Agroforestry Summit. Begin the day by learning from invited speakers who will explore the evolution, current landscape, and future potential of agroforestry within New York City's food systems and urban forestry initiatives.

Urban Tree Health: New Pest and Disease Challenges

July 24, 2026
8:30 am - 4:00 pm

Trees in urban environments can face unexpected challenges, including new insects and diseases. Join Cornell Integrated Pest Management, in collaboration with Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Cornell Cooperative Extension, to learn how to recognize and manage some of the most pressing IPM challenges in urban forests. 

Rochester Soil Health Day

September 1, 2026
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Rochester, NY

Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY, New York State Soil Health, and Foodlink for interactive activities focused on soil health and an opportunity to get your garden soil screened for lead (reservation required).