LAST CHANCE! Skip the Lines and Pre-Register for the 2022 Conference & Show! December 5-8, 2022 at the Columbus Convention Center             

It’s the time of year to start thinking about Christmas. And with Christmas comes decorations. And decorations mean Trees. Most growers and retailers will begin selling the live trees the day after Thanksgiving. So, what can you do to keep your live tree as fresh as possible?

The latest and last Turfgrass Times for 2022!

If your part of the state is anything like Fairfield County (southeast of Columbus), it has been quite some time since your last good soaker. In fact, in Lancaster, Ohio, where Fairfield County OSU Extension is headquartered, we haven’t had a single shower measuring greater than 0.2” since October 13th! It’s hard to walk outside without kicking up a bit of dust.

 

How long has it been since you’ve had rain? One good tool you can use to figure this out is a database called the ...

 

Seven-son-flower or Heptacodium miconioides (HM) can be a large, rangy, irregular appearing, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub, but it can also be trained into a delightful, single-trunked tree.  HM typically grows 15-25 feet in height at maturity with a 10' spread.  As stems and trunks mature, the light brown to tan bark begins to peel off and shed in long strips creating plant interest, especially in the winter.  This incredible plant is in the Caprifoliaceae or honeysuckle family and its name is derived from the flowers it bears; specifically, Hepta...

This BYGL Alert is an update on the box tree moth (BTM) (Cydalima perspectalis). On May 28, 2021, BYGL contributor Joe Boggs authored an alert about this invasive species that was on the radar, and continues to be on the radar for Ohio. The alert can be found at: https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/1792

It’s not too early about starting to think about your live tree. Many “Cut Your Own” operations are going to a pre-tagging or reservation system. Time to go online to your local grower and see how their operation works. Most farms will be open the day after Thanksgiving, which is November 25th, 2022, this year. As in most things, the earlier you are, the better the selection.

Like many other states in the Midwest, Ohio is preparing for imminent infestations of Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). This invasive planthopper, first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, poses a threat to the fruit production and plant growth of valuable specialty crops, most notably grapevines. Though infestations have already been confirmed in several counties throughout Ohio, history tells us that additional infestations will continue to appear and grow. Many eastern states have already been contending with this nuisance for the past few years and possess...

An oil beetle has emerged on the scene this fall in Lucas County and possibly elsewhere in Ohio. It is a type of blister beetle belonging to the Coleopteran Family Meloidae.

Peak Fall Color is dependent on temperature, moisture, wind, and weather. We may have passed the peak this past weekend, but if you look closely, you can still see a great show from some of the later arrivals like oaks, though maybe not a vibrant as the bright oranges and reds of the Sugar Maples, but they are still very beautiful. Keep your eyes open!!