Registration is open for the 2026 Purdue Turf and Landscape Field Day! The lineup for landscapers and arborists can’t be missed this year! In addition to morning and afternoon presentations, there is a trade show and a catered lunch that is included with your registration. The morning sessions for landscapers and arborists include: Mushrooms and…Read more about Field Day Registration Now Open![Read More]
Resources for landscapes and gardens in the Midwest
Landscape Report
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Join Dean Ricci, owner of Ricci’s Landscape Management, Inc. of Hebron, IN, for a free webinar as he details his company’s vast library of SOP’s that have been developed over the years. This presentation focuses on how clear, well-designed procedures can improve efficiency, consistency, and team performance. This presentation guides participants through the process of creating practical…Read more about Building Strong Operations: Developing Standard Operating Procedures for Green Industry Businesses[Read More]
Scale Spotlight: Azalea Bark Scale Have you noticed crusty white flecks or cottony patches building up along the stems and branch forks of an azalea or rhododendron? The culprit is likely azalea bark scale, Acanthococcus azaleae (Comstock). We received a sample of this scale at the Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab earlier this month,…Read more about Azalea Bark Scale[Read More]
Earlier this year, Ohio expanded its quarantine for box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) to include seven additional counties, bringing the total number of quarantined counties in the state to 14 (ODA, 2026). Michigan currently has 13 counties under quarantine as well. Although this invasive pest has not yet been detected in Indiana, populations close to…Read more about Box Tree Moth range is expanding[Read More]
Recent rounds of thunderstorms have brought highly variable rainfall totals across Indiana, continuing a familiar spring pattern of “haves and have-nots” when it comes to precipitation. While some areas have received multiple inches of rainfall over the past week, others have not, allowing dry conditions to redevelop. Heavy precipitation was concentrated primarily from Indianapolis southward,…Read more about Heavy Rainfall Divides Indiana: Some Areas Soak Inches While Others Miss Out[Read More]
Besides nursery inspections, our division assists with phytosanitary inspections in partnership with the USDA’s APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine staff. In my area, I assist mainly with log inspections and ensure the commodities are relatively pest free before leaving the country or, if not, that they will be treated beforehand. Recently I found an interesting…Read more about Painted Hickory Borers[Read More]
After another rainy start to the week, some of you may be ready for a few dry days to get out in the garden or field to start planting. Figure 1 shows how much rain has fallen over the past 30 days and Figure 2 shows how many inches above or below normal those amounts…Read more about Cooler temperatures and rain continues[Read More]
Have you ever touched a pine tree then picked something up – anything – and not be able to put it down? It is now semi-permanently glued to your hand from the sticky resin produced by the tree. If you manage to extricate the object from your hand, you will need industrial strength cleaner with…Read more about Help! My conifer is bleeding![Read More]
The Masters tournament is one of golf’s truest signs of spring. The iconic azaleas blooming and birds singing on the broadcast give golfers a lift after a long winter. Sharp-eyed viewers may have also noticed broadcasters this year commenting on how much water was being applied to the course, particularly on greens, and how it…Read more about Why Golf Courses Aren’t the Blueprint for Home Lawn Irrigation[Read More]
With tulips blooming and peonies emerging, plant sales and garden events are also in full swing across the Midwest. As more gardeners incorporate native perennials into their landscapes, it is important to set realistic expectations and understand how management differs during the first few years. Native gardens are often described as low-maintenance, but this does not mean no maintenance, particularly during establishment. In the first couple growing…Read more about Establishing a Native Perennial Garden: Understanding the “Sleep, Creep, Leap” Pattern[Read More]
For at least 100 straight weeks (since mid-July 2024!) counties in north-central Indiana (from about Newton and Benton counties in the west to Allen, Adams, and Jay counties in the east) have been in some level of dryness. While not all these counties have been impacted, at least some of them have been anywhere from…Read more about Spring rains help relieve northern dryness[Read More]
Emerald Ash Borer Awareness week is taking place this year from May 17th to the 23rd, so it’s a great time to revisit one of Indiana’s most notorious invasive pests. One can walk through state parks and natural areas to find skeletal ash tree husks standing testament to emerald ash borer’s impact on the Hoosier…Read more about Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week is Coming Soon![Read More]
Have you ever noticed what appears to be a dusting of white flecks along the stems and leaves of a euonymus shrub or winter creeper vine? You were likely looking at euonymus scale, Unaspis euonymi (Comstock). This armored scale is one of the most common and damaging pests of ornamental euonymus in the Midwest, and…Read more about Scale Spotlight: Euonymus Scale[Read More]
Many of the leaf spot diseases we observe can cause premature leaf drop in affected plants, which can reduce plant vigor if the disease is severe enough and a large proportion of the canopy falls in one season. Elm trees are susceptible to a number of different anthracnose fungi, including Ophiognomonia intermedia, Gloeosporium betulae, Cryptocline…Read more about Cryptocline leaf spot (anthracnose) of Elm[Read More]
It sounds like the start of a bad joke, but what do a pine cone, a sunflower head, and a pineapple have in common? Your first thought may be an emphatic, “Nothing.” However, they all have a secret code in common – the Fibonacci sequence. While this may not be the typical “how-to” article for…Read more about Unlocking Nature’s Secret Code[Read More]
Each of us utilize mobile devices and daily consume services that require fiber and other utility infrastructure. Necessary utility work along roadways often leaves sunken trenches, compacted soil for lawns that are uneven or stripped of vegetation. If damage is significant, check with the utility provider, as many companies have restoration policies or reimbursement options…Read more about Roadside Rehab: Rebuilding Soil and Cover After Utility Damage[Read More]
What is Rainscaping? Rainscaping is the practice of designing landscapes to capture, absorb, and use rainwater where it falls. Rather than sending water off-site through storm drains, the water slows down, spreads across the landscape, and soaks into the soil. In Indiana, spring often brings intense rain events that can quickly overwhelm drainage systems, soils, and rivers. Rainscaping offers a different approach. Instead of treating rainwater as…Read more about Rainscaping: Turning Water Problems into Sustainable Solutions[Read More]
Temperatures dipped below freezing earlier this week as spring perennials started forcing their way out of their winter slumber. Forecasts over the next few weeks are suggesting temperatures should be above normal. Does this mean no more snow is likely for the season? Can we start putting away our snowplows and make space for our…Read more about Is the snow behind us?[Read More]
The Census of Horticultural Specialties, conducted by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), provides the most comprehensive snapshot of the U.S. Green Industry. Released in February as part of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties captures detailed information on nursery crops, floriculture, greenhouse production, Christmas trees, and other specialty…Read more about The Green Industry in Focus Part 1: National Highlights from the USDA Census of Horticultural Specialties[Read More]
Cut flower production continues to expand rapidly across Indiana, with many farms adding flowers as a high-value crop, an agritourism attraction, or a way to diversify their operations. To better support growers in this emerging sector, Purdue Extension launched a new project to better serve Indiana Cut Flower Farmers, funded by Purdue’s AgSEED program. One…Read more about Free Diagnostic for Cut Flower Samples[Read More]
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