This is the 28th 2009 edition of the Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (BYGL). BYGL is developed from a Tuesday morning conference call of Extension Educators, Specialists, and other contributors in Ohio.

BYGL is available via email, contact Cheryl Fischnich This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to subscribe. Additional fact sheet information on any of these articles may be found through the OSU FactSheet database http://plantfacts.osu.edu/ .

BYGL is a service of OSU Extension and is aided by major support from the ONLA (Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association)  http://onla.org/ ; http://buckeyegardening.com/ to the OSU Extension Nursery, Landscape and Turf Team (ENLTT). Any materials in this newsletter may be reproduced for educational purposes providing the source is credited.

BYGL is available online at:  http://bygl.osu.edu , a web site sponsored by the Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences (HCS) as part of the "Horticulture in Virtual Perspective." The online version of BYGL has images associated with the articles and links to additional information.

Following are the participants in the October 20th conference call: Pam Bennett (Clark); Barb Bloetscher (C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC)); Joe Boggs (Hamilton); Cindy Burskey (Clermont); David Goerig (Mahoning); Bridget Meiring (CWEPPDC); Amy Stone (Lucas); Curtis Young (Hancock); and Randy Zondag (Lake).

***BYGL NOTICE. This is the last regular issue of BYGL for this season. BYGL will return next April for another howling good season. For now, many thanks go out to our loyal readers and followers. We hope you will miss our weekly missives and hope you will eagerly await our return from our long winter nap.

Please watch for the annual BYGL survey in late October or early November. We hope you will spend a little time helping us by answering our survey questions. We look forward to the comments and appreciate everyone's suggestions for improvements. There is one point we're sure we all agree on: the 2009 BYGL season went too fast, doggone it!***

In This Issue:

1. WEATHERWATCH.
2. HORT SHORTS: Gardening in the Land of Nod; and Plants of the Week: Annual (Pansies), Perennial (Blue Star), Woody (Witchhazel), and Weed (Burdock).
3. GREEN SHORTS: New On-Line Storm Water Management Publication.
4. CLINIC CLIPS.
5. BUGBYTES: Calico Scale Clusters; Watch for Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs; and Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle Mass Migration.
6. DISEASE DIGEST: Remember Your 20 Questions.
7. TURF TIPS: No submission for this issue.
8. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS: Weevils in Pots (Black Vine Weevils); and Researchers Share Emerald Ash Borer Results.
9. COMING ATTRACTIONS: Why Trees Matter for Rain Gardens; Free Webinar Training at Emerald Ash Borer University; and Dates Set for Commercial Applicator Recertification Conferences.
10. BYGLOSOPHY.

1. WEATHERWATCH.

The following weather information summarizes data collected at various Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center (OARDC) Weather Stations spanning the dates: January 1-October 21, 2009, with the exception of the soil temperatures which are readings from Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.

At each of the selected weather stations, with the exception of Piketon, normal precipitation totals exceed the actual amounts recorded. Although recent temperatures have rebounded and Ohioans are experiencing Indian summer-like weather, many tender plants were done in by frosts and even a hard-freeze in the Toledo area.

For a link to the OARDC Weather Stations, visit: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/centernet/weather.htm

2. HORT SHORTS.

A. GARDENING IN THE LAND OF NOD. No, this article isn't about gardening in your sleep, although many of us continue to dream about ways we can improve our gardening methods. Now that a hard freeze has officially ended the 2009 growing season across Ohio, it is time to begin the task of putting your flower and vegetable gardens to bed. Dave Goerig and his fellow BYGLers would like to mention a few things you may want to do if you haven't managed them already.

First things first, harvest any vegetables left in the garden like onions, radishes, potatoes, or squash. In the flower garden, dig up any tender bulbs, rhizomes, corms and tuberous root flowers left such as dahlia, gladiolus, and cannas. Store these items in a cool, dark environment such as the basement. Keep an eye on them throughout the winter months to insure they are not drying out. If you are a seed collector, collect any seed that has been produced in your garden. Seeds from plants like sunflowers, cosmos, zinnias, and marigolds to name a few flowers, as well as heirloom vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and squash can all be sprouted next spring. Remove the seed heads or fruit from these plants and bring them into the garage for processing.

Next, remove all the hardgoods that were installed and used throughout the season that helped support your growing efforts. Remove stakes, cages, sections of wire fencing, rain gauges, twine, plant labels, watering devices, scarecrows, slug bars, and stepping stones. These items came in handy earlier in the season and no doubt they will be needed next year. Gather them up and store in the garden shed or garage. Continue closing your garden by using hand pruners or a hedge shear to cut off all dead foliage of any perennial plants. This task is garden specific as some people prefer to leave certain herbaceous ornamentals such as stonecrop, and tall grasses uncut to enjoy their winter look. Vegetable gardens may also have varieties of hardy plants that should not be cut off either, such as horseradish, and garlic.

Once this is done you are ready to remove all annual plant debris left in the planting bed. Do this by pulling these plants out of the ground with the roots included. Once out of the ground shake the soil off of the roots and inspect for disease symptoms. Some insects and many diseases overwinter in the host plant debris. Cleaning your garden of plant residue is the first and most important step in disease and insect pest management. Bury, burn, or compost this debris in sites away from the garden. If composting is the method you use to process dead garden plants, be sure your compost pile heats up sufficiently to destroy the pathogens that may be on the dead plant tissue. If this material is not properly composted before it is reintroduced in the garden you may be spreading the disease and insect problems back onto your soil.

Putting your garden to bed in this manner is just as important as any other growing chore you perform throughout the season. Other end-of-the-season activities you could consider in a vegetable bed would be fall tilling, sowing a cover crop and straw mulching. In ornamental beds, you may want to divide certain perennials now, mulch in new perennial introductions, and work on that edging. In any event the little things you do now will pay big dividends next season.

B. PLANTS OF THE WEEK.

Read all about perennials and landscape trees and shrubs in the ONLA publications "Perennial Plants for Ohio" and "Landscape Plants for Ohio." The descriptions and photographs of plants were provided for these publications by the OSU ENLT Team along with other industry plant lovers. These full-color publications are available at http://Buckeyegardening.com for $5.00. Click on "garden store" and then "ONLA plant guides." ONLA members can purchase these in quantities at a reduced price at http://onla.org .

*ANNUAL - PANSIES (Viola X wittrockiana). Pansies are available and ready to plant in Ohio gardens at this time. In fact, some cultivars of pansies do so well that they last through the winter and come back even more beautiful in the spring. The flowers provide many colors for your garden such as purple, maroon, burgundy, rose, yellow, apricot, and white, and bloom throughout fall into some of the winter season. If it gets extremely cold and there is no snow cover, mulching helps ensure hardiness. Small but established plants tend to make it through the winter easier than large plants. By planting them in the fall, one has a better display of color in the early spring. Pansies don't like summer heat so they will decline in June and then come back again in the fall. They do well in full sun to partial shade and when they begin to look straggly in the summer, cut them back to renew growth.

For more information, see:

• Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center for Home Gardening Pansy Information
• Colorado State University FactSheet on Pansies

*PERENNIAL - BLUE STAR (Amsonia hubrichtii). This plant was the BYGL perennial of the week earlier in the season because of its flowers; however, it packs a 2-season punch because of its wonderful fall color! The golden yellow foliage really stands out in the perennial bed and lasts well past several hard freezes. The plant is extremely easy to grow and tolerates average, well-drained soil. It likes full sun to part shade; the best fall color, however, occurs in the full sun. The shape is a rounded-mound that grows around 2-3' tall and as wide. It is excellent in borders, rock gardens, cottage gardens, or native plant gardens. Mass plants in groups for a greater effect.

For more information, see:

• Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center for Home Gardening Information on Blue Star

*WOODY - COMMON WITCHHAZEL (Hamamelis virginiana). Blooming in northeast Ohio at this time, the common witchhazel is providing an additional boost of color to the fall garden with its interesting fragrant yellow flowers. The flowers sometimes last for 2-4 weeks. This small tree or large shrub is excellent in a naturalized situation, a shrub border, or near large buildings. The winter habit also provides some interest from the zig-zag appearance of the stems. The crooked spreading branches form an irregular, rounded, open crown which adds structure to the landscape. It grows well in full sun or shade and does not like extremely dry sites.

For more information,see:

• Missouri Botanical Garden Kemper Center for Home Gardening FactSheet on Witchhazel
• Oregon State University FactSheet on Witchhazel

*THE WEEKLY WEED - BURDOCK "PIE" (Arctium minus).

3. GREEN SHORTS.

A. NEW ON-LINE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT PUBLICATION. Joe Boggs announced that the second edition of the OSU Extension, Hamilton County publication titled, "Sustainable Landscape Systems for Managing Storm Water," is now available on-line at the following web address:  http://hamilton.osu.edu/landscape-stormwater-management . This 72 page publication, complete with instructional photos and graphics, provides a comprehensive look at the various landscape systems you can use to mitigate storm water run-off.

For more information, see:

• OSU Extension, Hamilton County, Website

4. CLINIC CLIPS.

The CWEPPDC has been hopping with stored product pest samples this week, especially samples of the confused flour beetle on counter tops, drugstore beetles, and the Indianmeal moth. Inspect products containing grain when they are purchased before storing them. Bird seed, squirrel food and pet food are especially prone to being harbingers of these pests. A very interesting species of bark lice was also submitted from a local museum. Although not a serious pest in homes and businesses, they feed on molds and starch and are indicators of moisture and high humidity. Once the humidity has declined, they usually disperse. Please remember that although the Entomologist has reduced her hours in the CWEPPDC, she is still identifying samples and responding to inquiries.

In the past two weeks the CWEPPDC has received many annual bedding plants in decline. We saw impatiens with stunting and alternaria leaf spot, Coleus with unusually thick veins and stunting, and New Guinea impatiens and tuberous begonias with impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV). The begonias had many mosaic ring patterns on their leaves and the New Guinea impatiens had black lesions on the main stem with tip dieback. Two different symptoms but the same virus! In the landscape we diagnosed pin oak leaves with tubakia leaf spot and a spruce with rhizosphaera needle cast and lichens on the outer bark. We did receive one pumpkin sample this fall that tested positive for yellow vine decline, which is a newer disease for pumpkins, squash, and other vine plants. This disease is caused by a bacterium (Serratia marcescens) which infects the vines of the plants through an insect vector, the squash bug.

5. BUGBYTES.

A. CALICO SCALE CLUSTERS.

Pam Bennett reported observing odd clusters of dead CALICO SCALE (Eulecanium cerasorum) females crowded around wounds and old pruning cuts on a hornbeam. It was speculated that the clustering behavior was connected to the scales being attracted to the concentration of phloem vesicles the typically occurs in wound closure tissue. Live females of this large (1/4" dia.) globular soft scale are blackish-brown with distinct rows of squared, white patches. The females were alive in late spring to early summer, but died after they laid their eggs. The dead females are dark brown in color with the squared, white patches fading to become almost indistinct. The calico scale can infest a wide range of woody ornamental hosts including: dogwood, honeylocust, hornbeam, magnolia, maple, magnolia, sweetgum, zelcova, and ornamental fruit trees. The scale is seldom a direct killer of established landscape trees; however, heavily infested trees may lose enough sap to cause them to succumb to other stress related factors. The large quantities of honeydew may be colonized by black sooty molds giving the host an unsightly, black appearance.

The scale has one generation per year and overwinters on twigs as partially developed nymphs. As spring progresses, the nymphs feed, molt, and mature into globular adults. Eggs are laid in late spring to early summer. When the eggs hatch, the nymphs migrate to the underside of leaves where they spend the summer sucking sugary juices from phloem vesicles. In late summer to early fall, the nymphs molt to second instars and move from the leaves to stems, branches, and the trunk where they overwinter. Calico scale populations can be suppressed by making soil drench applications from now into November using imidacloprid as well as other neonicotinoid systemic insecticides such as clothianidin (e.g. Arena) and dinotefuran (e.g. Safari). Unfortunately, results may vary on trees with a caliper greater than 15". Another option for larger trees is to target newly hatched crawlers in early summer with a pyrethroid contact insecticide such as bifenthrin (e.g. Talstar).

For more information, see:

• Penn State Woody Ornamental IPM Fact Sheet

B. WATCH FOR BROWN MARMORATED STINK BUGS.

Along with the fall migration of Multicolored Asian lady beetles flocking to warm sunny walls this fall, look for the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys). This new invasive true bug was first identified in the eastern counties of Pennsylvania in 2001. Since then, the bug has spread westward across Pennsylvania, and it has also been found in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, West Virginia, and Virginia. It then hitchhiked over to Oregon and California, where it is now established. The bug was first reported in Ohio in Franklin County in 2007, and it was found again last year in Franklin and Mahoning Counties. Just this week, Barbara Bloetscher found one on Kottman Hall, OSU Campus!

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) looks very similar to the native BROWN STINK BUG (Euschistus servus). Both have shield-shaped bodies, and mottled brownish markings. Indeed, it has been speculated that the similarity in the appearance and feeding habits between these two bugs may have contributed to the Marmorated stink bug being overlooked in many locations in the U.S. The two bugs may be differentiated by the black and white banding on the antennae and along the edge of the abdomen that is very apparent on the brown marmorated species. It also has blood red eyes.

The BMSB has a wide host range and can become a very serious plant pest, particularly on fruits and vegetables. Both the nymphs and adults use their piercing mouthparts to puncture and disfigure fruits making them bruise, crack, and ooze juice. Severe feeding damage can render the fruits unmarketable. The bugs will also feed on soybeans and woody ornamentals such as rose, maples, and crabapples. They produce stippling and necrotic spots on the leaves of trees and shrubs. Because several overlapping generations occur each season, the bugs move from crop to crop damaging multiple types of plants in each area.

The BMSB may also present a serious nuisance problem to homeowners. The bugs collect in large numbers around homes in the fall to spend the winter in warm structures. If smashed, they emit a foul odor. The bugs may be removed from a home by simply ushering them outdoors, or by using a "by-pass" vacuum cleaner which sends the bugs directly into a collection canister rather than through an impeller which smashes them, thus emitting the smell.

If you find one or think you found some, collect them and place in a bottle of alcohol and send them to the CWEPPDC. These samples will not be charged. Contact the Clinic with any questions at 614-292-5902, or http://ppdc.osu.edu .

For more information, see:

• Penn State University, "Brown Marmorated Stink Bug"
• Rutgers University, "How to Identify the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug"
  

C. MULTICOLORED ASIAN LADY BEETLE MASS MIGRATION.

The annual migration of the multicolored Asian lady beetle (MALB) (Harmonia axyridis) has been witnessed by several BYGLers and other observers of natural occurrences. Joe Boggs wrote about MALB's home invasion characteristic in the last issue of BYGL (BYGL Issue 2009-27), but at the time of writing there were only a few MALBs observed flying around the walls and windows of buildings.

It has been noted in the past decade or so that weather patterns highly influence when MALB makes its move in mass toward man-made structures. It appears that all through the fall, sporadic numbers of MALB will show up on sides of buildings to size them up for overwintering purposes. What really sends this lady beetle scrambling for cover is a drop in temperatures into the low 40s and 30s accompanied by overcast skies and cold spats of rain that lasts for a week or more, and is followed by a welcomed increase in temperatures back into the 60s and 70s accompanied by clear skies and bright sunshine. These are the weather conditions that most of Ohio has just experienced. Although it was not reported on our BYGL conference call on Tuesday morning, Curtis Young observed the mass migration of MALB on Tuesday afternoon when leaving a lecture hall on the OSU Lima Campus. Hundreds of MALB were swarming to a corner of the hall that was brightly lit by sunshine one side of the building and starkly contrasted on the corner of the building to the un-sunlit side of the building. Looking up the side of the building, one could see that the sky was abuzz with the ladies descending on the building.

An irony to this entire scenario is that the weather pattern that triggers the mass migration of the cursed MALB home invaders frequently and coincidentally coincides with the Hallmark Holiday of Sweetest Day. Go figure!

For more information, see:

• OSU Extension Fact Sheet

6. DISEASE DIGEST

A. REMEMBER YOUR 20 QUESTIONS! The BYGL team had several reports of clients talking about spraying for various insects and diseases without first being able to answer some of the key questions of plant problem diagnostics. So we felt a need to revisit this for a little refresher for all!

Question one that we all should be thinking about before looking at what is wrong with the plant is to ask yourself: What is the plant? This will help you determine and focus on what may be happening with the plant.

Question two is: What is normal for the plant? This question is very important because if you’re dealing with a variegated variety this may be misidentified as a deficiency or perhaps salt damage.

Question three is: What are common problems with the plant? Many times we see the same problems in particular species over and over again. By looking at what the common problems are one can typically find possibilities.

Remember that identification of the problem first has to be done before any type of treatment recommendation can be made.

For more information, see:

• 20 Questions on Plant Diagnosis

7. TURF TIPS.

A. No submission for this issue.

8. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS.

A. WEEVILS IN POTS.

Randy Zondag reported that the BLACK VINE WEEVIL (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) has been active this fall in the pots of its favorite hosts: Taxus spp., rhododendron, azalea and hemlock in nursery stock, as well as many perennials. It is very important for nursery managers to check these plants for evidence of these pests- the telltale notches along the edges of the leaves indicating adult feeding or finding the adults hiding in the mulch or leaf litter.

Although the adults are not damaging, the larvae develop in the soil at the base of the stems or in the root zone and will chew roots and the trunks. In moist to wet soil, the larvae feed higher on the trunk and can girdle major roots or the base of the plant over the winter. Dryer soil may keep them deeper in the soil where they chew on root tips. In cases where the plants are stored in greenhouses or protected sites over the winter, the larvae will continue to feed before pupating in January-February. Dense layers of mulch help to keep the roots warm and moist. By spring the plants will have severely challenged root systems, appear stunted, or in cases in which the trunk was girdled, dead.

Fortunately, drenching or applying the granular formulation of imidacloprid can prevent this problem if applied before bedding the plants for the winter. Fall inspection is also a good time to adjust the depth of mulch if necessary, to ascertain if the roots will be adequately protected by soil or if the roots are primarily in mulch. Look for other soil insects as well.

Homeowners also contend with the black vine weevil as well as the strawberry root weevil, both of which are common in landscapes and often find their way indoors for the winter. Keep the mulch away from the foundation of the structure and keep the foundation as dry and uninviting to insects as possible to keep these pests as well as spiders outside.

For more information, see:

• OSU Bugdoc Factsheet, "Black Vine Weevils and Other Root Weevils"
• Penn State University Factsheet, "Black Vine Weevil"

B. RESEARCHERS SHARE EMERALD ASH BORER RESULTS.

Two countries, 13 states, and nearly 230,000 square miles - all describe the impact the emerald ash borer (EAB) has had in North America to date. Researchers from across the United States and Canada presented 67 sessions highlighting research results at this year's EAB Research and Development Meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It truly is amazing the amount of information gained on EAB since its initial detection in 2002, and this week's meeting highlighted those efforts clearly.

In 2009, 62,000 purple panel traps were placed with an enhanced lure that included the addition of 20% Phoebe oil, a change in protocol made based on passed research. EAB finds were detected in 40 new North American counties, with nearly 1/2 or 49% were found on purple traps, and the remaining 51% were found in ways that were classified as outreach, or reports made by visual means from individuals such as the public, volunteers, and green industry professionals.

The updates were broken down in categories that included: biology, behavior and ecology; host relations; regulatory, management and outreach; chemical and microbial control; biological control; and survey. Presentation abstracts will be posted on the regional EAB website at  http://emeraldashborer.info soon. Abstracts from past meetings are also archived on the website.

For more information, see:

• EAB Regional Website

9. COMING ATTRACTIONS.

A. WHY TREES MATTER FOR RAIN GARDENS. Join Green Industry professionals in hearing Jim Chatfield of OSU Extension's Why Trees Matter Signature Program speak about "Why Trees Matter for Rain Gardens" at the next Cincinnati Area Professional Green Infrastructure Network (CAPGIN) meeting on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. The program will be held in the Harold C. Schott Education Center at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. For more information please contact Dave Dyke at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Joe Boggs at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Julie Crook at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or go to:  http://hamilton.osu.edu/landscape-stormwater-management , or call the OSU Extension Office, Hamilton County at 513-946-8989.

B. FREE WEBINAR TRAINING AT EMERALD ASH BORER UNIVERSITY. The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, and Michigan State University are pleased to unveil a web-based training opportunity called EAB University.

Sessions offered through EAB University include: Introduction to EAB; EAB 101: The History of EAB and Basic Information; Pesticides and Biocontrol to Manage EAB; EAB Research Updates; Utilization of Ash in the Wake of EAB; Management of Woodlots to Prepare for EAB; Regulatory Issues about EAB; Helping Communities Prepare For and Live with EAB; What Happens After Ash is Gone? Planning for Diversity; and 2010 EAB Awareness Week: Ways to Get the Word Out.

The first session will be offered on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. (EST). Eight sessions will be offered on selected Thursdays through April 2010. Following the live session of each program, a recording will be posted on the web.

Participants must register for these FREE seminars online at http://emeraldashborer.info . For additional information contact Amy Stone, EAB Outreach and Education Coordinator at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or at 419-578-6783.

For more information, see:

• Multinational EAB Web Site

C. DATES SET FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATOR RECERTIFICATION CONFERENCES. The following dates have been set for recertification conferences this winter. Mark your calendars now!

• January 13, 2010, Dayton Convention Center, Dayton
• February 17, 2010, Kalahari Conference Center, Sandusky
• March 3, 2010, John S. Knight Center, Akron
• March 9, 2010, Columbus Convention Center, Columbus

10. BYGLOSOPHY

"Just before the death of flowers,

And before they are buried in snow,

There comes a festival season

When nature is all aglow."

- Author Unknown