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This Week's Observations
Frost Incidence
- Only NE Ohio has reported one or more hard freezes.
- NW and Central Ohio have reported light to patchy frosts on lawns and rooftops, but little noticeable damage to plants.
- To see the historical last spring and first frost dates for OSU weather stations around Ohio, visit: https://weather.cfaes.osu.edu/frostdates.asp?id=1%20class=
Drought Conditions
- Continued drought conditions experienced in NW Ohio. State-wide drought conditions are updated each Thursday at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?OH
- Turf in SW Ohio is spotty and not thriving. Some concern for entering winter with dry soils.
- Last year’s drought in SW Ohio resulted in shorter duration of fall color, muted colors, and emergence of little-seen weeds this year
Insects
- Oil beetle activity was noted in Lucas County. Oil beetles are commonly found in sandy soils, and their larvae parasitize ground-dwelling digger bees. Images and previous article from 2022: https://bygl.osu.edu/node/2073
- Blister beetles were also discussed due to resemblance to oil beetles. There are three types of blister beetles – black, golden, and margined. These are often found on plants in the nightshade and aster families. More about blister beetles here: https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1872
- Late season aphids observed on arborvitae in SW Ohio – need a sample to properly identify species.
Plants
- Sassafrass trees – discussion on their incidence around Ohio, including preference for more acidic soils and conditions that allow them to thrive. A little more on sassafrass from ODNR here: https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/plants-trees/broad-leaf-trees/sassafras-sassafras-albidum
- Tumbleweed amaranth noted in NW Ohio – Amaranthus albus…yes, this is THE tumbleweed seen rolling across movie screens. Here is more info from the USDA Plants database: https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile?symbol=AMAL
- Reversion noted in dwarf Alberta spruce back to white spruce. A common reversion seen under many different circumstances. Discussion on whether to prune out affected portions, are some varieties more prone to reversion than others, do environmental or site conditions promote reversion? More on reversions here: https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1602
Contributing Buckeye Environmental Horticulture Team Members:
For more information on each team member, visit: https://beht.osu.edu/people. Additional contact information for each member can be found on their county website by visiting: countyname.osu.edu (ie. lucas.osu.edu).
- Amanda Perkins, Pike County
- Amy Stone, Lucas County
- Ann Chanon, Lake County
- Ashley Kulhanek, Medina County
- Beth Scheckelhoff, Putnam County
- Curtis Young, VanWert County
- Dr. Dave “BugDoc” Shetler, Professor Emeriti
- Francesca Rotondo, OSU Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic
- Gigi Neal, Clermont County
- Jenny Stoneking, Adams County
- Joe Boggs, Hamilton County
- Pam Bennett, Clark County
- Ryan Slaughter, Ross County
- Rylee Kay Pothoff, Shelby County
- Savannah Ballweg, Preble County
- Thomas DeHaas, Erie County
- TJ Wells, Washington County
