A question that I often receive goes something like…. ‘How do I control grassy weeds in liriope and iris?’ At first glance, it would appear that those ornamental plants are very similar to grasses, but looks may be deceiving as they are actually not grasses. We know that broadleaf weeds can be controlled in grasses[Read More…]
Resources for landscapes and gardens in the Midwest
Landscape Report
Trees, Shrubs, Vines
Oak leaf blister is caused by the fungus Taphrina caerulescens. Infections occur as buds swell and open during wet, spring conditions. Leaf blister symptoms usually appear within several weeks following infection as 1/4-1/2 inch circular, light green bulges on the top surface of leaves.(Fig 1) From the underside, the affected areas are sunken or depressed. These[Read More…]
Q: I’ve attached pictures of the only tree we have on our property. Because it is our only tree, I am deeply concerned with the possibilities of irreparable damage to it. As you can see, one of the branches broke off during a November windstorm. Unfortunately, that left a bare gap on the trunk. Please[Read More…]
We all know that plants take up nitrogen in significant quantities, compared to some of the other essential nutrients. What most don’t know is that elemental nitrogen (N) is not what is taken up by plants. In fact, nitrogen can be taken up in only two forms, ammonium (NH4) and nitrate (NO3). Fertilizer labels will[Read More…]
The Invasive Terrestrial Plant Rule was signed by Governor Holcomb and published on March 18, 2019. The rule goes into effect 30 days after publishing, so it will be effective later in April. The rule states with respect to the 44 plant species included on the rule: “a person must not: (1) Sell, offer or[Read More…]
It is easy to confuse Hemlock (Tsuga spp.) and Yew (Taxus spp.) unless you can see the overall plant habit or have them both side by side. Further confusing them is that both species may be pruned into hedges or other shapes that obscure the natural plant habits. Hemlock has short needles, 1/4 – 3/4″[Read More…]
A look back at the past year may help us be alert to problems ahead. Here’s a summary of the most common problems received in the diagnostic lab on woody ornamentals in 2018. As is typical for most years there were more non-disease (abiotic) problems than infectious (biotic) diseases found on PPDL lab samples in[Read More…]
The time is now to start protecting your trees! Now that your ears are perked up, let’s talk a bit about Southwest injury on trees. Bark cracking (Fig.1) is a phenomenon that occurs in many species of trees and can have many causes. One of the most common types of bark cracking is termed Southwest[Read More…]
The DNR Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology has discovered that a shipment of boxwood plants infected with boxwood blight was shipped to Indiana in May. This is important because boxwood blight (Calonectria pseudonaviculata) is a fungal disease that infests members of the popular Buxaceae family, and is often transported through the nursery trade. Hosts[Read More…]
Burning bush is so named for its brilliant red foliage display in autumn. But we sometimes get questions asking why their shrub fails to color up, with leaves that remain green until they drop from the plant. Fall color or lack thereof is affected by a number of factors, including genetics of the plant and[Read More…]
Bacterial leaf scorch (BLS) on oak is a systemic disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) (Fig 1). The bacteria live in the xylem vessels (water conducting elements) and restrict water flow. Xf is transmitted from tree to tree by xylem-feeding insects such as leafhoppers and treehoppers. Numerous woody hosts are susceptible to various[Read More…]
Although most “conifers” are “evergreen”, a few species are “deciduous”. Confused? Perhaps a review of these terms will help. conifer = cone-bearing evergreen = retains at least some green foliage year-round deciduous = all leaves die and are shed annually at same time Evergreens provide green color all year long but that doesn’t mean that[Read More…]
Boxwoods losing leaves should not be ignored!! Check them carefully for tell-tale symptoms of boxwood blight, a serious fungal disease that causes rapid defoliation and dieback (Fig. 1). The fungus that causes boxwood blight can infect all above ground portions of the shrub. The first symptoms of the disease are dark leaf spots (Fig. 2[Read More…]
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