Indiana summers are often hot and dry, creating challenging conditions for many landscape plants. Fortunately, some flowers are naturally suited to these conditions. Once established, the following flowers continue to grow and bloom with little supplemental irrigation, making them excellent choices for low-maintenance landscapes. Coneflower – Echinacea spp. (Figure 1) Coneflower is an herbaceous perennial that grows 3 to 4 feet tall in full sun. This Indiana native blooms from early…Read more about Summer Flower Spotlight – Drought Resistant Edition[Read More]
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The term “flash drought” has become popularized in recent years to describe a rapidly intensifying drought situation. It could occur within a prolonged drought period where conditions suddenly deteriorate at a much faster rate, or it could start without any preliminary dry condition. In northwestern Indiana, precipitation has been below normal over the past month. …Read more about Flash Drought Coming our Way?[Read More]
Pollarding is a tree pruning method in which the upper branches of a tree are cut back to the same points on a regular schedule, creating a framework of knobby growth points from which new shoots emerge. The practice has been used for centuries and is especially common in landscapes where trees must be kept…Read more about Pruning Highlight- Pollarding Trees: A Traditional Pruning Practice with Modern Uses[Read More]
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]
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]
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