Jumping spiders (family Salticidae) get their name from their ability to leap long distances with a single bound. These small spiders use their jumping talent to travel great distances, evade enemies, and pounce on prey.

Kentucky coffeetree is a magnificent native tree for the summer and winter landscape. Enjoy its toughness, its stark beauty, its large compound leaves with tiny leaflets, its sturdy branching pattern, and its attractive pods and seeds.

Nursery Growers of Lake County Ohio collaborated with Perry Local Schools to produce a video history of the nursery industry in Lake County, Ohio beginning in 1854 to Present

Did you know that the common onion (Allium cepa) is the most popular vegetable in Ohio home gardens? Onions are known to be adaptable, which helps onions to be grown in various regions and zones. Sabrina Schirtzinger, Extension Educator in Knox County, recently authored OSU FactSheet, HYG-1616, Growing Onions in the Garden. 

There seems to be a growing interest in hydrangeas. Along with the new or renewed interest in this genus, there are some common questions about plant selection, pruning and care. Eric Barrett, Extension Educator in Mahoning County, recently authored an OSU FactSheet HYG 1263, Selecting Hydrangeas for the Home Landscape to help gardeners understand this group of plants in the genus Hydrangea. 

I came across several multiflora roses while walking in a county park last Friday that were being hammered by Rose Rosette Disease (RRD). It was a reminder that this non-native invasive rose serves as a significant source of the rose rosette virus that is responsible for producing Rose Rosette Disease (RRD), as well as the eriophyid mite that is responsible for spreading the virus.

The bladder-like galls produced the Sumac Gall Aphid on the leaflet midveins of its namesake host are almost fully expanded in southwest Ohio. They currently measure between 1/2" to 1" in length; however, despite their size, their light green color can make them difficult to detect.

The English novelist, Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, actually said, "Love thou the rose, yet leave it on its stem." I adjusted his quote to illustrate how to control bizarre looking mossy rose galls. The hairy-looking galls are produced under the direction of a gall-wasp.  Ridding roses of the galls rids them of the wasp.

The Cypress Twig Gall Midge Fly is now producing second generation galls in southwest Ohio. The spongy, snow-white galls are most commonly found on baldcypress where heavy galling may occur year-after-year on highly susceptible trees. Galls may also arise to a lesser degree on pond cypress.

Earlier this week, a team from OSU Extension judged Christmas trees at the 2018 Ohio State Fair. All the trees were grown in Ohio. Trees were judged on shape, fullness, color and overall appearance. Trees needed to be between 6 and 8 feet tall, have a handle between 6 and 12 inches, and have a correct range of taper based on the species.