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To effectively control Taphrina leaf curl fungicides must be applied before bud swell. If you remember seeing red, curled, distorted, leaves on Prunus spp. last year (Figs 1,2) and wondered what might have caused this symptom, the answer is most likely Taphrina leaf curl. Taphrina is a fungal disease that survives in bark and bud…Read more about Taphrina Leaf Curl on Ornamental Flowering Peaches and Nectarines[Read More]


One of the most common diseases found on boxwoods is Volutella blight and dieback, caused by the fungi Pseudonectria foliicola and P. buxi. Both fungi are considered weak pathogens, always around but not causing much damage until plants are injured or stressed, rarely infecting otherwise healthy plants. Volutella blight alone usually doesn’t kill boxwoods, but…Read more about Volutella Blight and Dieback of Boxwood[Read More]



Determining the cause of dieback and decline symptoms in landscape trees can be very difficult due to the many cultural, environmental, and biological factors that could be involved. The first place you should look for a culprit when dealing with this type of tree problem is the base of the trunk and the roots. Stem…Read more about Stem Girdling Roots[Read More]


Offering 27 virtual, on-demand sessions from the IGE 2022 Live Educational Program Only available until May 31st, so sign up now! UNABLE TO ATTEND OUR IN-PERSON EVENT IN JANUARY? NEED TO EARN CCHS/CEUS? THIS VIRTUAL PROGRAM PROVIDES A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE AND EARN CREDITS ON YOUR SCHEDULE, AT YOUR OWN PACE. Click here…Read more about 2022 Indiana Green Expo Available Virtually! Sign up now for 27 education stations and receive CCH’s[Read More]


Surflan (oryzalin) is a part of many preemergence weed control programs.  Being in the dinitroaniline (DNA) herbicide family (along with trifluralin, pendimethalin, prodiamine, and others), this product controls many weeds with minimum phytotoxicity to landscape plants.  Oryzalin is also on the lower end of preemergence herbicide pricing, thus increasing the use of this product.  You…Read more about What Happened to Surflan (oryzalin)?[Read More]



Galls are gnarly-looking problems for plants and now is the perfect time to be looking for galls on woody ornamentals in the landscape. Without their leaves, these abnormal growths on branches can be easy to spot as you look through the open canopy (Fig 1). There are many different types of galls or gall-like structures…Read more about All of the Galls in the Landscape[Read More]



Plant Health Care requires education, experience, and credible resources to make informed decisions on plant interventions. These skills are needed especially for understanding and recognizing nutritional requirements as well.



Throughout the decades, many landscape fads have ended in failure. Dame’s rocket, wintercreeper, and purple loosestrife are a few examples of beautiful and vigorous ornamentals that have wreaked havoc on our natural ecosystems. Nursery professionals, as well as consumers, were unaware of the potential negative impacts of non-native species, often marketed as vigorous, hardy, or…Read more about Planting for our Future: Landscaping with Natives[Read More]


Hair ice, also called ice wool, frost beard, and gnome beard is ice that appears like silky hair (Fig. 1) but forms on dead wood colonized by the fungus Exidiopsis effusa.  It is fairly uncommon and not reported in Indiana…but who has been looking for it? Think of the bragging rights! It has been found as…Read more about Of Gnome Beards and Witch’s Butter[Read More]



It’s almost the time of the year to begin evaluating the season and looking forward to 2022 (after a trip or two to somewhere warmer for many of you) after the second of two of the busiest seasons on record.  Though no one (or very few) is complaining about the glut of work available over…Read more about End of the Year: State of the Industry[Read More]


We are in the swing of the holiday season and Christmas decorations, ranging from trees to living wreathes, are for sale at stores. Thinking ahead, you might already have in mind how to dispose of plant material after the holidays, but it is important to take into consideration an important pillar of plant disease management…Read more about Start Clean, Stay Clean[Read More]


Key Information: Insects rarely get transported inside on decorations. DO NOT treat your decorations with insecticide. This is potentially dangerous to your family and pets. Don’t worry. Most of the insects that hitch a ride on decorations are harmless.   A surprise, six-legged guest is the last thing most people want to deal with during…Read more about 5 Bugs that Might Hitchhike on Holiday Decorations: 3 harmless and 2 to worry about[Read More]




Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) is a Midwest native and is generally well adapted to growth across much of the region, but we get questions about dieback or ‘flagging’ on it fairly regularly. The two most common causes of twig dieback on this host are Kermes scale (Allokermes galliformis and A. kingii) and fungal canker/dieback…Read more about Oak Kermes Scale and Fungal Dieback: A One-Two punch for Northern Red Oak[Read More]


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