Return of the Buckeye Leafmining Fly

We have written a number of BYGL reports over the past several years on the springtime occurrence of leafmining damage on wild Ohio buckeyes caused by an unidentified leafmining fly in Ohio. During this week's BYGL online diagnostic inservice yesterday, Curtis Young (OSU Extension, Van Wert County) reported that he is seeing a return of the damage in northwest Ohio. Likewise, I have seen the damage in the southwest part of the state.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

A Case Study: Peach Leaf Curl on Ornamental Peach Trees

Peach Leaf Curl is a springtime disease caused by the fungus Taphrina deformans. The fungus can infect peach (Prunus persica) as well as a few other members of the Prunus genus. The disease can be devastating in fruit orchards, but it can also appear on ornamental (flowering) peach trees in landscapes and nurseries; the "ornamental" designation does not impart resistance.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Blue Lupine in Bloom

Northwest Ohio is celebrating Blue Week, May 16 - 23, 2017. A symbol of the Oak Openings Region, the wild blue lupine is a native plant that can be found not only growing, but thriving in sandy soils including at the sand dunes in Oak Openings Metropark and Kitty Todd Nature Preserve - both in Lucas County. This brilliant blue flowering plant had been lost in this natural landscape in the 1980s as a result of mowing the prairie-type habitat, the use of broad spectrum weed control, and fire suppression. However, it has recently made a come-back in natural areas and gardeners are planting it...

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Authors
Amy Stone

Oak "Apples" and the Gall-Making Process

Several types of "oak-apple" galls are now obvious on their namesake oak hosts in southern and central Ohio. These unusual plant growths range in size at maturity from 1/2 - 2" in diameter and are named for their resemblance to apples. The galls are constructed of various plant parts that have been hijacked by a gall wasp (Family Cynipidae) to surround a single wasp larva located within a seed-like structure positioned at the center of the gall.
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Authors
Joe Boggs

Recent Cold Temperatures Leaves a Variable Path of Damage to Plants in Ohio

Depending on your geographical location in Ohio, the location of the plant, the actual low temperature, the plant species, as well as the growth stage on the species, the results of frost and freeze damage was variable across the state this past week.  Frost and freeze damage is so interesting because of so many variables.  A plant in a certain stage of growth may be more susceptible to frost or freeze damage than at other times.  The location of the plant in the garden may dictate the extent of the damage.  For instance, there might be two of the exact same plants in the same garden with...

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Authors
Pam Bennett

Garden Centers are Stuffed to the Gills!

On recent visits to area gardens centers I noticed that they are filled with inventory and bursting at the seams!  Since we haven't had the best weather for the first part of May, garden center owners are looking for an incredible Mother's Day weekend - the busiest day of the year for them.  The weather so far looks to be promising not only for this weekend but also for next week.  Plants are looking good right now but they need to be moved out the door and into gardens in order to make way for the next crop that is pushing right behind!

 

A reminder to gardeners that once...

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Authors
Pam Bennett

Act Now to Attract Colorful Visitors to your Yard

Each year in late April and early May many colorful migrating birds move through Ohio, often visiting suburban yards.   Some may only stay a few days before pushing on, others linger longer, and if you are lucky, a few may set up shop!   My favorite visitor is the Baltimore oriole, a bright orange and black bird.   Oranges, grape jelly, and nectar are known to attract this species.  
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Authors
Mimi Rose