I'm continuing to get reports of huge numbers of tiny, fast-moving bright red mites scurrying around on sunny surfaces such as on picnic tables, patios, sidewalks, concrete retaining walls, and on the outside walls of homes and buildings. These nuisance mites are sometimes called "concrete mites" owing to locations where they tend to congregate

Calico scale eggs located beneath helmet-shaped females are hatching in southwest Ohio and the 1st instar nymphs (crawlers) are on the move. Unlike armored scales, all nymphal stages of this soft scale are mobile, so nymphs can be called "crawlers" throughout their development

Overwintered Common Bagworm eggs are hatching in southwest Ohio. The tiny 1st instar bags are constructed with pieces of tan to reddish-brown sawdust-like frass (excrement) stuck to the outside of silk and look like "dunce caps."

A day in the garden and landscape. White flowers to identify, some known, some newly known. The more you look, the more you find, the more you learn.

The Asian Chestnut Gall Wasp was introduced to North America in 1974 on imported chestnut cuttings. To date it has be identified in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio.

One of the most often asked vegetable questions during this early season is “How soon can I plant my tomatoes and peppers in the garden?”  There are two reasons that the northeast Ohio gardener’s rule of thumb is “wait for Memorial Day” before planting out the tender annuals like tomatoes, peppers and green beans.  The first reason is the possibility of a frost is almost eliminated by waiting until Memorial Day.  Those tender annual plants like squash, tomatoes, green beans and peppers, cannot tolerate a frost event or even lower temperatures at all!...

Several types of "oak-apple" galls are now obvious on the leaves of their namesake oak hosts in Ohio. These unusual plant growths range in size at maturity from 1/2 - 2" in diameter and are named for their resemblance to apples.

 

This time of the year, some areas can be accumulating growing degree days (GDD) pretty rapidly, while in other areas it is a slower process. Joe Boggs reported to some ENLTers last week that the Cincinnati area broke a record and experienced a 90 degree day. It's truly a different story in Toledo. We have been on the receiving end of lots of rain and much cooler temperatures. There have been some days where our low and high temperatures added together didn't add up to 90. 

 

To illustrate the differences that are occurring in the buckeye state, I have looked at...

 

I was walking today and came upon a sweet smell. Excitement built as the fragrance intensified only to be disappointed. The fragrance was a familiar spring scent that I only remembered when I saw the plant. Its white to light yellow flowers hung against its silvery green foliage - yes you guess it - autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata). This deciduous plant can be consider a small tree or shrub. The stem, buds and leaves are covered with scales that are silver in color. 

 

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