I think it is safe to say everyone is watching the weather forecast, specifically the bone-chilling temperatures that are making their way towards Ohio. Temperatures are predicted to be below zero and falling into the double digits beginning this evening (01.29.2019) through Thursday (01.31.2019). Wind chills are expected to be in the negative twenties, and could reach the negative forties depending upon location.

Damage to trees and shrubs by heavy snow and ice accumulation, or by snow removal efforts, may produce plant symptoms that don't become evident until late spring or early summer. Connecting cause with effect can be difficult because the source of the damage is long gone by the time symptoms appear.

The Tri-State Green Industry Conference (GIC) has been offered annually for over 85 years. From its humble beginnings in a greenhouse head house, the GIC has grown to become a premier regional training event with 7 educational tracks.

The Ohio Invasive Plant Council (OIPC) recently released information on the assessment of 9 new plant species for inclusion on their list of invasive plants. With this announcement also begins a 6-month public comment period for the new additions to the list.  Comments, suggestions or questions during this period should be directed to Theresa Culley (theresa.culley@uc.edu).  

The gypsy moth is a non-native pest that feeds on leaves and needles of over 300 different trees in the buckeye state. The feeding injury occurs in the spring and early summer when populations are present. The early season feeding, when heavy, causes the plants to push new leaves that ultimately are the food-factories for the rest of the year. Healthy deciduous trees can usually recover as long as there isn't repeat defoliation year after year. Evergreens can die in a single season. 

 

 

A diagnostic sample this week had me thinking about this yuletide carol.  A visitor brought a bowl of chestnuts to the Extension Office this week.  This tree has been producing for many years, but the nuts within never fill out into the round tasty treats associated with the holidays.  What is going on?

 

 

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Winterberry, which is a deciduous form of Ilex (Holly), is a fantastic accent to Christmas arrangements. With a variety of colors of berries, the stems make excellent accents to evergreens.

 

It's the holiday season (the holiday season...) and many are digging in attics and basements for decorations and bows, stored sweaters, coats and yes... SNOW boots.  Inevitably, Extension offices receive calls about the unfortunate spider (or stink bug) that was found, dead or alive, while sifting through packages, boxes or bags that haven't seen the light of day for a year.  The question is, "Is it a brown recluse?"

 

 

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Commercial pesticide applicators may now register for the 2019 Commercial Pesticide Recertification Conferences at pested.osu.edu, or by clicking the links below.

I received an e-mail message this past Wednesday from Tom Macy (ODNR) concerning efforts to discover locations of the non-native elongate hemlock scale in Ohio and other states. His message included two attached images taken by Bill Laubscher (Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry) on November 20 that showed both the scale as well as odd looking blackened accretions on hemlock needles.