Depending on where you are located in the Midwest, rainfall in 2021 has either been too much or too little. This trend was forecasted several years ago by climatologists, in that more droughts and more floods are projected as the ramifications of climate change take shape in the future. Though this statement doesn’t make logical[Read More…]
Resources for landscapes and gardens in the Midwest
Landscape Report
Found 458 Articles
Wandering fall caterpillars promise the presence of pollinators, bird food, and flashes of fluttering color in your yard next spring, but overly enthusiastic yard cleanup can make you lose out on these benefits. These insects can provide your spring plants with pollination and migratory birds with a snack. You can help them by changing the[Read More…]
The entire Midwest just experienced one the worst fall armyworm (Fig. 1) outbreaks in decades, but for turfgrass professionals and enthusiasts, it’s not over yet. These seasonal, but sporadic insects made their appearance at the end of August, decimating lawns and other managed turfgrass. But, now that the damage is done, our focus shifts from[Read More…]
Contorted filbert is an ornamental cultivar of European Filbert, (Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’), grown for its twisted, gnarly stems. The plant is also sold under the name Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick. While it’s unique architecture can be impressive, it’s highly susceptible to a fungal canker that can cause extensive damage to the tree. Eastern filbert blight[Read More…]
Phytotoxicity is damage to plants caused by chemicals, fertilizers, or pesticides. Phytotoxicity can be a positive (killing weeds) or a negative (damage from pesticides on ornamental plants), depending on the intended results. Some of the common phytotoxic effects can show symptoms such as stunting of leaves and whole plant, necrosis (death), chlorosis (yellowing), abnormal growth[Read More…]
Are you noticing bright yellow, white and brown blobs on wood chip mulch? These growths are known as slime molds. Slime molds are not parasitic and therefore do not cause disease. Slime molds get their nutrients from bacteria and small bits of organic matter which is why it is common to see them growing on[Read More…]
Bright yellow or orange aphids covering a milkweed plant may look shocking, but they usually aren’t a cause for concern. These aphids become more noticeable in late summer or when plants are stressed. Some may find them unsightly, but, for the most part, they cause little to no harm to plants or beneficial insects on[Read More…]
Water covers approximately 71% of Earth’s surface, yet only 3% of the 326 million cubic miles of water on the planet is suitable for growing crops, such as trees. It can be said that water is the single most limiting ecological factor in tree growth and survival. It is a vital “nutrient” that must be[Read More…]
How are your plant identification skills? Personally, without a reference, I tend to have difficulty identifying some of the less commonly used trees in the landscape. However, being a disease diagnostician/plant pathologist I do have a fallback strategy – the diseases. One of the key points here is some symptoms are so characteristic of, or[Read More…]
THREE DAYS REMAINING TO REGISTER! Join Purdue Extension Specialists and Diagnosticians on August 18, 2021 in downtown Indianapolis for a walking tour of diagnosing plant problems. In addition to the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab diagnosticians, the entomology, urban forestry, and nursery and landscape specialists will guide attendees through the diagnostic process and provide[Read More…]
Biology: Common bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) is the most commonly used turfgrass in the southern United States, but it is also a difficult-to-control weed in northern turf. Bermudagrass is a drought tolerant, warm-season, perennial grass species that tolerates low mowing and actively spreads vegetatively by both rhizomes and stolons but also has the ability to spread by[Read More…]
First identified on coleus in the US in 2005, downy mildew has become an annual threat to production of this popular annual. The disease may be caused by the pathogens Peronospora lamii (also infects basil, as well as several species of Salvia and Lamium) or P. belbaharii (also infects basil). The symptoms may range from[Read More…]
Along with many other industries, the green industry experienced changes in the last few years. Since the 2008-2009 recession, the industry has shown signs of recovery, especially for some sectors. More recently, mitigation measures due to COVID-19 and mandatory business shutdowns are expected to contract revenues from landscaping services slightly until 2021; yet revenues are[Read More…]
Rhizoctonia is not very picky. The fungus has a very wide plant host range where it can act as an endophyte, not causing damage to the colonized plant; a mycorrhizal symbiont, in some cases being essential for the hosts survival, like in some orchid species; and, as we commonly see it, a pathogen that causes[Read More…]
Dead leaves covering trees (image 1) or on the ground beneath them (image 2) in July would normally be a worrying sign for tree health, but this year much of the damage can be blamed on 17-year cicadas. This damage is unlikely to cause serious trouble for healthy, large trees and management is relatively simple.[Read More…]
Diagnosing herbicide injury on ornamental plants can be difficult due to the sheer number of cultivated plants and the number of active ingredients used around ornamentals. Modern cultivars of ornamental plants include characteristics much different from the species, so it’s important to know ‘normal’ to properly diagnose a problem. There are several reasons that herbicide[Read More…]
Join Purdue Extension Specialists and Diagnosticians on August 18, 2021 in downtown Indianapolis for a walking tour of diagnosing plant problems. In addition to the Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab diagnosticians, the entomology, urban forestry, and nursery and landscape specialists will guide attendees through the diagnostic process and provide solutions to problems encountered on[Read More…]
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