This time of year can reveal some pretty striking brow patches on evergreen trees and shrubs. The question always comes up “Is the browning indicating a decline in the plant? Is the plant going to be OK?” the answer is “It depends……”

One of my favorite times of year has arrived and the colors of leaves have begun to change.  Some trees are a riot of colors while others are just downright… blah-blah.  So, let’s review the science behind why leaves change colors and then maybe you can forecast your own potential fall spectrum of color chances!

 

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With the days getting cooler, people begin to think about cutting wood for the winter. Fall is a wonderful time but a dangerous time for chain saws. One local company seemed to be doing things right when it came to safety.

Check out the latest edition of the Turfgrass Team Times (TTT). Dr. Wu, Dr. Shetlar, Dr. Gardner, Dr. Carr and Dr. Nangle talk irrigation and late seeding, winter annual broadleaves, grub damage cleanup and aeration.

Participants in the BYGL Zoom Inservice this past week reported that swarms of crane flies (order Diptera, family Tipulidae) are bellowing up from lawns in Ohio, particularly in the northern part of the state. These large mosquito-like dipterans are also buzzing porch lights and may occasionally find their way into homes to terrorize the occupants.

Many hands make light work. Corso Growers brought over 25 workers to an on-sight field trip to identify and scout for Spotted Lanternfly. That’s dedication and commitment!

Emerald Ash Borer University (EABU) is a virtual training made possible with funds from the US Forest Service, and a collaborative effort between Michigan State University, Purdue University and Ohio State University.

Want to learn more about about bats - the Ohio Bat Working Group has you covered!

Pit-trapping antlions (Myrmeleon immaculatus, family Myrmeleontidae) have long been one of my favorite insects. My fascination is shared with fellow antlion enthusiast, Ron Wilson (Natorp's Nursery Outlet & Landscaping, Mason, OH), who has had a thriving private stock of antlions in his home landscape for years. He always lets me know when pits appear meaning the antlions are starting to roar.

My fellow Plant Geeks would agree, what plants lack in biceps, they make up for in some pretty remarkable adaptations including the trait of being “armed”. In many species, these plant structures play the first line of defense against threats posed by insects, mammalian browsers, and hasty gardeners, such as myself, who have recklessly forgotten to don gloves. And I would bet my pawpaw harvest that you too have been victim to this passive confrontation. Of course, I am referring to those pointy protrusions that produce temporary, yet sometimes excruciating, pain (and likely a couple of 4-...