Identifying a plant problem is the first step to improve the health of plants in the landscape. We created a series of short (5 to 7 min) YouTube videos to help you learn or just brush up your plant diagnostic skills. Each video guides you through the diagnostic process in real landscapes, reviews pest biology[Read More…]
Resources for landscapes and gardens in the Midwest
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Identificar qué problema tiene la planta es el primer paso para mejorar la salud de las plantas en el jardín. Hemos creado una serie de videos cortos (5 a 7 minutos de duración) en YouTube. Esto lo hemos hecho para ayudarlo a aprender o simplemente mejorar sus habilidades de diagnóstico de plantas. Cada video te[Read More…]
Hydrangea L. (family Hydrangeaceae Dumort) is an all-encompassing description of a group of herbaceous and woody flowering plants, composed of more than 80 species native to Asia (including Japan), Indonesia, the Americas. Popular hydrangea species include the bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla), also known as French hydrangea, panicled (peegee) hydrangea (H. paniculata), oak-leaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) and mountain hydrangea (H. serrata). Hydrangea[Read More…]
An old saying predicts that March will go out “like a lamb”. Another saying predicts April’s wetness with “April showers bring May flowers”. A lot seems to have happened across Indiana since April began, but March finished the month with below-normal rainfall (except for the northern counties) and above-normal temperatures. Does this describe conditions that[Read More…]
Blight, Leafminers, and Moths: The Plight of Boxwoods Boxwoods (Buxus spp.) were introduced into the United States during colonial times, and still today they are one of the most popular evergreen shrubs used in landscapes. They are frequently selected for hedges and topiaries because they are easily trimmed into geometric shapes. They were also easy[Read More…]
Vascular streak dieback is an emerging issue on woody ornamentals in the nursery industry. We have provided information on this topic as the situation has been unfolding (https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/article/vascular-streak-dieback-of-redbud-what-plant-pathologists-know-so-far/; https://indianagreenexpo.com/sessions/vascular-streak-dieback-an-emerging-issue-in-nursery-stock/). Researchers and Collaborators working on vascular streak dieback will be presenting up-to-date information during the tHRIve webinar hosted by Horticultural Research Institute on Thursday, April 11,[Read More…]
I think white pines are beautiful trees, especially at maturity, and they have the added advantage that they are one of the few conifers that don’t try to kill you with their needles. Besides working with the foliage, have you ever had to “rescue” a child who climbed too high in a spike-infested deathtrap of[Read More…]
Dead man’s fingers is an apt moniker for a gruesome-looking fungus (Xylaria polymorpha and related species) that produces club-shaped fungal fruiting bodies that appear as fingers growing around the base of dying or dead woody plants and even wooden objects in soil (Fig. 1). With more than 25 species of Xylaria, generalizations are difficult to[Read More…]
Later this week, fall finally brings the respite of cooler temperatures and a much-needed drink of rainfall. While the cool-season species such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass that dominate most of the Indiana lawnscape revel in this well deserved breather from disease pressure and high temperature stress, the metabolism of warm season plant species[Read More…]
A new invasive insect of concern has been identified in the state of Georgia. In August of 2023, Georgia’s Department of Agriculture, along with the USDA, confirmed the presence of the yellow-legged hornet, Vespa velutina, outside of the city of Savannah. To date, this is the only confirmed identification of this insect in the United[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…]
As bud break is currently occurring on early species in southern and central Indiana, remember to be on the lookout for callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) on properties that you manage for removal. Callery pear (multiple cultivars in the landscape from this species) has become a major invasive species of concern in wild and disturbed areas[Read More…]
Biology: Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea), also known as creeping Charlie, is a very difficult to control perennial broadleaf weed. It can often be seen growing in the shade and invading turfgrass and landscapes throughout the United States. Ground ivy thrives in moist, rich soils located in shaded areas, but will grow in full sun as well.[Read More…]
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