As each day goes by, the season for fall color continues to fade, but one last time (oh maybe another to come), here are a few features from last week, starting with the lead photo of the European larch at OSU’s Wooster Campus showing its final glories before winter quiescence.
Next, check out the roses in German Village, still blooming during the OSU Nursery Short Course and Ohio Turfgrass Foundation Show last week. Now they are surely blasted. But those leaves with the black spot will fall to the base of the plant and lurk into next season, developing spores for next season’s rose black spot fungal infections. Clean them up now, or at least before the roses leaf out in Spring, 2017.
Speaking of cleaning things up, namely cleaning up our plant maintenance acts: the pruning pictured here is not the ticket. Prune back to buds for best growth and plant health. Obviously there are times when haircuts and one cut fits all pruning is necessary with hedges, but in this case – woodman spare these cuts. And throughout the winter and spring, check out the resources of the OSU Extension Nursery Landscape and Turf Team and green industry programs for better pruning practices.
Other features in downtown Columbus showed much more horticultural acumen, from the wind-waving ornamental grasses to the clever green roofs for travelers. And the skyline – priceless.