Archive for September, 2010
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Garden Success Tip of the Week
As promised, here is your “Fall Gardening Checklist”:
As summer ends, and the regular gardening season begins to wind down, there are timely garden chores that need to be done in your yard and garden. At the top is providing good soil moisture for your larger trees and evergreens, landscape shrubs, perennials and lawn, as they go into the fall and winter. If your yard receives less than 1 inch of rainfall every 10 days or so, you need to supplement. Good moisture in the soil as well as in the plants is a very important part of how well your plants will make it through the winter and into next spring. And that means watering until the ground freezes. Here’s that fall checklist. Hope it helps keep you on pace, as this season winds down.
Fall Checklist:
___Late August and early September is the best time for core aerating, seeding, and applying a starter fertilizer to your new seed, applying the first fall feeding of the lawn, and if needed, total lawn renovation. Timing for feeding and core aerating can continue on into and thru October if needed. Seeding in October may or may not be successful, depending on the weather, but can be done.
___Plant fall colors such as mums, asters, Montauk daisies, pansies, cold hardy annuals, ornamental grasses, late – blooming perennials, ornamental cabbage and kale, etc. Change out the summer annuals in your containers for these fall bloomers.
___Dig and divide most spring and early summer flowering perennials as needed. Late summer (August thru Sept.) is the time for iris and peonies.
___Bring tropical plants that have been outside all summer, indoors, before night temperatures reach below the 50’s. Acclimate them in the shade for 10 days before bringing indoors. Then, be sure to inspect and treat for insects and other critter before bringing them indoors. Check in the pots and soil for hitch-hikers as well!
___Apply Preen (or Espoma’s Corn Gluten) in the fall to help prevent winter annuals from germinating (chickweed, henbit, purslane) in landscape beds.
___Continue to remove all dead foliage from perennials and clean up left over annuals and veggie plants. Cut them off and leave the roots. They will break down and add organic matter back to the soil. Place disease free dead foliage in the compost pile.
___Start a compost pile; it doesn’t take much space. Today’s yard debris can become tomorrow’s garden gold as a soil amendment. Grass clippings, finely ground leaves, small sticks, vegetable trimmings from the kitchen, spent flowers and foliage, etc, can all be added to the compost pile.
___Clean up areas around fruiting trees and plants to get rid of fallen fruits, diseased leaves and branches, etc, for a cleaner start next spring.
___Start (or pot from outdoors) herbs for growing indoors over the winter.
___Keep those leaves from accumulating on the lawn, especially newly seeded lawns. In mature lawns, feel free to return some of those leaves back to the soil by mowing them into finer pieces. Grass clippings and finely ground leaves actually creates thin layer composting right there in the turf! Be cautious to not over apply finely ground leaves to the established turf. Too much can be a bad thing.
___Check for cracks and crevices, torn or loose screens, anywhere that winter invading insects can get into the house, and seal those up! For added protection, create an insect barrier around the foundation with an insecticide.
___Cover water gardens, ground cover and new seeded areas with nylon netting to keep leaves and debris out, and makes it easier for you to collect the leaves!
___Keep planting trees and shrubs. As long as the soil is workable and the weather is good, you can plant all through the rest of the year. Fall is thee best time for planting most trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials, roses, lawns, etc. Water newly planted trees and shrubs as needed until we get into consistently cold weather. Also check soil moisture between foundation plants and the foundation. If that area is dry, water.
___Protect younger trees (3 inch trunk diameter or smaller) from deer damage (bucks rubbing) with trunk protectors.
___Protect deer browse susceptible plants with DeerScram / Liquid Fence / Repels All, etc. Also consider nylon netting coverage.
___Transplant trees and shrubs and perennials that need to be moved in the yard.
___Expect your evergreens to shed inner needled during the fall. It’s a normal process. But be sure to keep them watered going thru the fall season.
___Do last minute ‘hand trimming’ of evergreens, tree limbs, etc. late fall if needed (plants over grown in their location), but save most hard or severe pruning for late winter / spring. Pruning spring flowering trees and shrubs in the fall will reduce or eliminate spring flowers, so prune after flowering to preserve spring flowers.
___Plant spring flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, crocus, hyacinths, anemones, alliums, etc. Plant several in pots for bringing indoors early next spring. October thru November is the best time for planting spring bulbs.
___Fall (October) is the best time to go after those broadleaf weeds in the landscape and lawns. Using a weed killer in the fall works better as the weeds are taking in nutrients and storing them in their roots for winter, so they take in the weed killer as well. Spot treat the weeds as needed. Remember, if you have new grass; make sure it has been mowed at least 3 times before applying a weed killer.
___Dig, clean and store summer bulbs (cannas, tuberous begonias, gladiolas, caladiums, etc.) in a cool dark place for replanting next year. Let the light early frosts kill the tops, then dig and store away.
___Keep mowing the lawn on a regular basis (change directions each time you mow) until the lawn has stopped growing. For the last 2 cuts, feel free to lower your mower one notch (this is optional – not required). When the lawn has stopped growing for the season, mow it one last time, and feed with a high N fertilizer. Then, go have your mower serviced, and the blades sharpened!
___Gather frost sensitive fruits and veggies before Jack Frost takes them out!
___Till the garden this fall. Exposed soils freeze and thaw over the winter and helps to break up that heavy soil. Add a layer of compost, pine soil conditioner, SweetPeet, manure, or finely ground leaves and grass clippings before you till. Fall is the best time to apply most soil amendments.
___Feed the trees in late fall if needed. Vertical mulching or soil injection with a Ross Root feeder works great. If feeding evergreens, wait until late fall and use ½ normal rate. Spring is good for feeding evergreens.
___Feed the birds, and clean your feeders if it hasn’t been done recently. Make sure your birds have a source of water over the winter, as well as landscaping for the birds, including evergreens, plants with seeds or berries, and thicker growing shrubs.
___Have your soil tested. Many adjustments can be made this fall and early next spring.
___Clean, oil and properly store all garden tools when the season is over. Also, drain and coil all hoses and store where they won’t freeze. Properly store all chemicals to keep them from freezing.
___Empty or properly store containers and planters to prevent freezing and damages to the pots. If you are overwintering planted pots, move them to unheated garages, sheds, window wells, etc, after they have gone dormant and the temperatures have gotten consistently cold. Keep these plants cold to remain dormant all winter. Water once per month.
___Clean out those gutters and down spouts to prevent ice clogs during the winter.
___Brighten your holidays by planting amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs. They take 6 weeks or so to flower, so plan accordingly. Plant them on staggered times to have colors all winter long.
___Spray evergreens (as needed) with WiltStop for greater winter protection. Do this later in the fall. You can also spray rose canes for added winter protection.
___Do not protect roses for the winter until late in the year, after the plants have gone dormant and the soil is close to or frozen. Reduce long branches as needed, but save serious pruning for next spring.
___Winter mulching should not be done until the ground is frozen, or at least down into the lower 40’s or colder. And remember to keep mulch away from the bottom of tree trunks, and for critter protection away from the base of most landscape plants.
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Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Problems in the Garden this Week
This week Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting twig girdler damage (beetle) on persimmons, black locust borer adults now feeding on the goldenrod pollen, vagabond sod webworms in lawns (small white moths), undetected white grub damages in lawns (don’t know that is happened because the lawn is already brown from drought – shows up when we finally get rain and the grass doesn’t green up in patches – those patches will roll up like carpet), and reports of grasshopper damages on ornamental grasses (yes it is true that even though grasshoppers feed on foliage, fruits, grains and just about anything, they have been known to also eat paper, paint, window screen, window caulking, fence posts, hoe handles, etc during heavy grasshopper outbreaks!).
-Catch The Buggy Joe Boggs Report Saturdays 8:45am on 55KRC The Talk Station.
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Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
Garden Questions of the Week
“When do I prune my Knock Out roses for the winter?” -Next spring. We really don’t have to prune them for the winter. If you want to clip them back a bit late Nov / early Dec go ahead, but save the major pruning for next spring. If the weather stays warm enough, they will bloom into November and early Dec. By the way, if there ever was a series of plants that simply out perform others, it has to be Knock Out roses. We talk about Knock Out roses in the spring starting us off with great colors, talk about them all summer giving us great colors, and talk about them all fall giving us great fall colors. And yes, in many cases, giving us colors right into the month of December. Folks, that’s good stuff right there!
“We’re having a new walkway put in and I have spring bulbs planted there. What can I do?” Now is a great time to dig and move them. Just dig them up, and replant in their new location, using the same procedure you would us if planting new bulbs.
“My lawn is dormant, but I have weeds here and there that are green. Okay to spot treat them with a weed killer now?” -I wouldn’t. I’d wait for the lawn to green back up and then spot treat. If you decide you need to do it now, keep the spray concentrated on the weed only. Mid to late October is a good time to treat for weeds, so you have time.
“Hey Ron, what’s with the long hair? If your name hadn’t been mentioned on Local 12, I would not have recognized you!” -This has been the personal question as of late! Long story short, a week before our daughter got married, my new son-in-law commented that after the wedding was over, he was going to just let his hair grow for a year (he has very curly hair). I said it would be no big deal to go a year without getting your hair cut (I have had a flat top for over 20 years). At that point, everyone looked at me and said there was no way that I could go for a year without cutting my hair. Even my barber Gary / Gary’s Barber Shop in Mason, said the same thing. Well, it’s been one year this week! We both made it; although Justin will be getting it cut off tomorrow (he can’t wait). I, on the other hand, will take my time making a decision what to do at this stage. Maybe I’ll just keep growing it, and become the “Hippy Dippy Yardboy”. What ‘cha think? J
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Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
From the Garden to the Kitchen
Yardboy, the secret to good fettuccine Alfredo is to have your plates or bowls warm when serving. Now since I still have some basil growing in the herb garden, I’ll toss a handful of that in, as well.
Fettuccine Alfredo with Fresh Basil
1/2 pound fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package directions and kept warm
While fettuccine is cooking, make sauce:
1-1/2 cups whipping cream
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sour cream
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated, reserve 1/2 cup
Dusting of fresh nutmeg
Fresh basil, julienned (opt)
Bring cream and butter to a boil. Lower to a very gentle boil for about 8- 10 minutes, or until reduced a bit. Stir in sour cream and add salt and pepper. Taste for seasonings. Reduce heat to low and add nutmeg, cooked pasta and 1 cup Parmesan. Mix together – mixture may be slightly running but will thicken quickly. Sprinkle with fresh basil and reserved cheese. This serves 4.
-Rita Nader Heikenfeld, CCP / Herbalist / Witchdoctor www.abouteating.com
OBKB. That’s it for this week. Thanks again to everyone who came to our 2010 Nursery Outlet Sale. If you didn’t make it, the garden stores are still well stocked to handle your fall landscaping needs. As a matter of fact, take the kids this Saturday to the stores for The Great Pumpkin Party! Now, do yourself a favor. Go out and have the best week and weekend of your life. See ya. RW, the Yardboy. (Join us every Saturday from 6-9am ‘In the Garden’ on 55KRC The Talk Station / XM 158.)
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Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
Garden Success Tip of the Week
Coaxing Poinsettias into Holiday Colors – If you by chance grew last year’s Holiday Poinsettia outdoors over the summer, it probably grew like crazy! And now that fall is here, and you’ve brought it back inside, you’re probably wondering what to do with it now, to get it back to the holiday colors! Here is what you can do:
1.) Find a place in the house where your poinsettia will receive good bright light during the day, and have cooler temperatures – right around 68-70 degrees. Keep it away from hot or cold drafts, water as needed (don’t let them totally dry out), and give them a light feeding on a monthly basis. Our goal, obviously, is to keep it as healthy as we can, growing as a houseplant.
2.) Now comes the question, “How do I get it to turn the holiday colors”? Well, the secret is this – poinsettias are a light sensitive plant, and as the days get shorter, and nights get longer, their leaves begin to react by turning colors. So, your goal is to give your poinsettia 10 hours of bright light each day, and 14 hours of total darkness each night. That’s total darkness, which means no light whatsoever, including lamps, overhead lights, outdoor night-lights, etc.
3.) You can achieve this by moving the plant each night into a closet, or placing a cardboard box over the plant. For larger poinsettias, extra large black plastic garbage bags work well. Simply cover the plant each night with the black plastic bag. Or your best bet is placing it in a spare bedroom that has a really bright window for sunlight during the day, but doesn’t get used at night. That way the plant stays cooler, has the sun it needs to grow and remain healthy, but yet receives no light for the 14-hour period. (And there are no hassles on your part!)
5.) You’ll need to keep this procedure going for about 8-10 weeks, or until the leaves begin to turn their holiday colors. Once they do, you can the procedure, and move them to where they can be enjoyed for the holiday season. Now, all through this process, you still need to keep your poinsettia as healthy as possible, so keep up with the usual care. And after the holiday is over, well, you can start the entire process all over again for next year!
Getting Your Amaryllis to Flower Again – Around September 1st (earlier if you want earlier re-flowering), stop watering the bulb. The leaves will yellow and begin to dry up. Remove the dead foliage, bring the bulb inside, and store in a cool dark place for a minimum of 6 -8 weeks. (50 degrees) Do not water. -6-8 weeks before you want flowers, bring the bulb back out, begin to water (lightly at first, until stems begin to appear), and then start the cycle all over again. -Bulbs that do not re-flower typically did not store enough food during the growing season, were stored too warm or too cold, or not given enough dormancy period. Keep them growing and try it again next year. -Plant Amaryllis bulbs at different times to have flowering periods that will last all winter long. Remember, the larger the bulb, the more flower stems it will produce.
Tags: amaryllis, poinsettias
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Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
Problems in the Garden this Week
This week Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting apple drop just before harvest (natural phenomenon – some selections are worse than others doing this), apple scab still showing on, yes, apple leaves (and fruit), leaf spot on oak, nutrient deficiencies on oaks and maples still showing big time, spruce spider mite damages seen on, yes, spruce, and baldcypress rust mites on, come on you can guess it, baldcypress, southern red mite damages on holly and lacebug on azaleas, scorch symptoms on many different types of leaves, also having many reports of increased numbers of butterflies, moths and skippers showing up in the landscapes (good thing), and a reminder to 1.) water as it is very dry, and 2.) the Farm Science Review runs Sept 21 – 23 in London, Ohio, and is a very cool thing to visit. Allow several hours as this is “a really big show”!
Catch The Buggy Joe Boggs Report Saturdays at 8:42am on 55KRC The Talk Station.
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Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
Garden Questions of the Week
”We are in awe about a section of lawn in front of our house that has been totally torn to pieces by something. All of the dry, dead grass (maybe dormant) but now dead has been scratched up (deeply in spots) with great big divot type pieces lying askew all over. It has occurred at night. Any thoughts? In our 38 years here we have NEVER seen such a sight. Looks like we will have to iron rake the whole area remove, the dead clumps of grass and re-seed the whole area. We are shocked.” -It’s that time of the year! Time for the skunks and raccoons to begin their annual late summer ritual of digging in lawns looking for grubs and other soil insects to feed on. They love new sod – they’ll just roll it up. Try applying Milorganite to the area…natural feeding and they don’t particularly like the smell. Works in most cases. If not, you may need to actually net the area until they quit trying to dig there.
“I have a lilac bush that is close to my house and would like to trim it back. When would be the best time to do it – spring or fall?” -Spring, right after it finishes blooming. You can prune late fall or early spring, but then you will remove the flower buds for spring! So if you want spring color, let it bloom first. By the way – one thought here – if the plant is in a spot where you’ll be pruning it back every 2-3 years to keep it smaller, why not move it to a location where it can grow, and replace it with a plant that would stay smaller and require less pruning? Just a thought. J
“My sister told me about Encore Azaleas that bloom all season. She has them growing at Cumberland Lake. Have you heard of them and will they over winter here?” -Lot’s of advertising going on for Encore Azaleas, but what they fail to mention in their ads is that the rebloomers are listed as Zones 7-9, but being cold hardy tested in Zone 6, showing descent results in lower 6, mixed in mid 6, and best planted early spring and protected for the winter. So for Zone 5, looks like you’ll have winter troubles, unless growing in containers and overwintering in an unheated garage or shed. Sorry.
“What are those green things I’m seeing placed at the base of younger trees? Is it some kind of watering device?” -You’re exactly right! They’re called ‘Gatorbags’, and they’re simply a plastic bag that when filled with water, slowly waters the new tree by dripping water out of the bottom of the bag, directly onto the trees root ball. It helps keep an even amount of moisture right at the roots as the tree is beginning to get rooted in. A great way to water newly planted as well as trees that have been planted for 2-3 years.
“I’ve heard you mention that we should apply Preen to our beds in late summer / early fall. Why so late in the season? What’s growing from seed this time of the year?” -Winter annual weeds, such as chickweed and henbit actually germinate in the fall and begin growing. That’s why they’re everywhere in late winter early spring. But applying Preen now, you’ll stop those winter annual seeds from germinating, and save you weeding time come next spring.
“Hey Ron! Got a question for you – what is the green ivy stuff that grows up trees like poison ivy, but it has 5 leaves instead of 3? Does it cause a rash like poison ivy?” -”Leaves of 3 let it be”, but leaves of five and you’ll be fine. Okay, that doesn’t rhyme, but you get my point. It’s called Virginia creeper, and is actually sold as a desirable landscape vine. And no, no rash from the creeper. Interestingly enough, it’s amazing how attractive both can be in the fall, especially poison ivy with the great fall colors and wonderful berries. But don’t be fooled by its natural beauty. It can be a real monster when it gets on your skin.
“I tried to find out more about The Nut Wizard, but I think the links wouldn’t open. Could you give that one more time?” -Yes, it’s www.nutwizard.com. I think I had “thenutwizard”. Pretty cool tool for those who need to collect walnuts, crabapples, sweetgum balls, etc.
“Are the ornamental peppers being sold in garden stores for fall decorations edible? I heard they were not.” -Yes, those peppers are very edible! But beware – some are very hot! Protect your ornamental peppers from early frosts, and eventually bring it indoors to grow over the winter. Give it a sunny spot indoors and you should get flowers and more peppers well into the winter. Speaking of edibles, don’t forget that many of the fall color plants flowers can be eaten. Petunias, mums, dianthus, pansies and violas all have edible flowers. And don’t forget other fall magic flowers that are edible including variegated sage and brightly colored Swiss chard.
“Does deadheading my mums as the flowers become spent help to produce more flowers for the fall?” -Unfortunately it won’t increase flowers for the fall, as the flower buds are all set at the same time. But, it does clear the way for the flower buds to have more sunlight and more room to open up fully – and deadheading mums keeps them looking a little nicer as well. By the way, to be more successful in getting your mums to come back next year, 1.) Get them planted as soon as you can to give them time to get rooted in before winter, and keep them watered as needed 2.) Deadhead the spent flowers so the plant will concentrate on putting energy into the roots rather than those old flowers 3.) Don’t cut them back at the end of the season. Studies in colder temperatures have found that leaving your mum’s dead foliage alone over the winter, and then cutting it back in the early spring, may actually help to improve its winter hardiness.
“I’m already seeing paperwhite bulbs for sale at the local garden stores. Isn’t it too early to start those indoors?” -Well, it depends on when you want them to flower. Remember, it takes about 6-8 weeks from the time you start watering them until they are in flower. So, whenever you want them in flower, count back 6-8 weeks and that’s when you start. As soon as they get water, they will respond and start growing. And you can regulate flowering time, by placing them in warm temperatures for faster growth, and cooler temperatures for slower growth.
“We’re planting new trees in our yard, and we do have deer in the area. Anything we should to help protect these trees?” -YES! A newly planted tree becomes a scratching post to those bucks rubbing their antlers. Protect your new investments with tree guards, tree wrap, bark shields, plastic sleeves, as well as the additional use of deer repellents such as Liquid Fence. Repels All, or DeerScram. Keep these protectors on the new tree trunks over the entire winter, and remove them late next spring.
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Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
From the Garden to the Kitchen
VODKA INFUSED TOMATOES – Yardboy, it’s thanks to you for my recipe this week. You emailed me the link to this recipe and said “Do it!” So, I did. When the infusion is ready, I’ll make you a nice Bloody Rita with it. I won’t tell you how it’s different than the normal Bloody Mary, but trust me on this one!
Cut tomatoes into wedges; discard any pieces with soft spots or blemishes.
Place tomatoes in a clean jar.
Fill jar with vodka and cover with lid.
Store jar in a cupboard or other cool, dry place.
Shake or stir contents every few days.
Allow to steep one week or longer.
When the tomato vodka infusion is ready, strain the tomatoes and seeds from the vodka. Use a kitchen funnel to fill a decorative bottle (or the original vodka bottle) and seal with a cork, screw-top lid or pour spout.
-Rita Heikenfeld, CCP / Herbalist / Witchdoctor / Bootlegger www.abouteating.com
OBKB. That’s it for this week. Final 3 days for the Nursery Outlet Sale coming up this weekend (www.natorpsoutletsale.com), so come out, shop the sale, and save really big on one unbelievable selection of plants! And if you do that, you’ll be sure to have the best weekend of your life. See ya. RW the Yardboy. (Join us every Saturday 6-9am
In the Garden on 55KRC The Talk Station and XM158.)
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Monday, September 13th, 2010
Garden Success Tip of the Week
Bringing Plants Indoors For the Winter – If you’ve been growing your tropical plants outdoors all summer, as summer fades and fall arrives, it’s time to get them ready to go back inside the house for the winter. Begin this process in mid to late September, so the plants will be ready to go indoors before the weather gets too cold. And always keep an eye open for that early frost!
Bringing Plants Indoors – The first thing to do is to move your tropical or non-hardy plants into a shady location outside, and leave then there for 10 days to 2 weeks. This helps to acclimate them to the lower light conditions they’ll be receiving once inside your home. By the way, during this time, do be aware of possible cold temperatures and even frosts, where your plants will need extra protection!
-Just before bringing them inside, there are three things for you to do. Hose them off with a strong stream of water. You may even want to do this a couple times while they’re acclimating in the shade. This helps to blow off any insects that may be hanging out on the plants. Immediately before bringing them inside, give your plants a good spraying of insecticidal soap, making sure you spray tops and bottoms of the leaves, stems, trunks and all. Again, trying to get rid of any hitchhiking bugs! (If you do this the same day you’re bringing them inside, let the spray dry, then bring the plants indoors.)
-If possible, lay the plant on its side, slide it out of the pot, and inspect the root ball for any unwanted bugs or anything else that may be hiding in the bottom of the pot. Rodents, even snakes have been found hiding here. One way to make sure nothing is in the soil (ants, etc.) is to fill a large tub with water, and then submerge the plant pot and all in the water for several hours. Anything in the soil will either drown, or will float to the top of the water. It’s also a great way to soak the soil. Just make sure you allow it plenty of time to drain before bringing it into the house.
-Move your tropical plant indoors to a well-lit area indoors, and away from heat vents and cold drafts. Place a saucer under the pot. As a general rule, water the plants well, let dry, water again. And never let water sit in the saucer. Use luke warm water for watering. Expect leaves to drop as the plants make their final acclimation to the indoor lighting. It’s natural. And do keep your eyes open for any flare-ups of insects on the plants. Keep insecticidal soaps, systemic insecticides, and whitefly traps on hand just in case. Reduce feeding to nothing or an occasional shot of a water-soluble fertilizer, which can be increased once the days start to get longer, come next spring!
-Again, do expect leaves to fall once the plants are inside, as the sunlight just isn’t what it was outside. Stick with them, water only as needed, watch for outbreaks of insects and catch them early, and your tropical plants should make it through the winter, and be ready to get back outside late next spring. We also suggest a good rinsing off several times through the winter, and the shower is the perfect place to do it! Knocks off many bugs, cleans the leaves, and the plants love the water and the humidity in the shower. Use luke-warm water, and let them shower for 5-10 minutes.
Tags: bringing plants indoor for the winter
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Monday, September 13th, 2010
Problems in the Garden this Week
This week Buggy Joe Boggs is reporting dry conditions in SW Ohio which means root decline, early leaf drop, stem tissue damages, and possible plant decline or damages in the future (in other words, get out and water!), be cautious about fertilizing lawns at this stage as feeding can add more stress to the already stressed and somewhat dormant lawns (just too dry), and to wait until sufficient moisture is in the ground before feeding (applying a granular on top of rock hard dry soils – then suddenly getting a rain shower will wash much of it off and into creeks, streams, ponds, sewers, etc), increased reports of Praying Mantids sightings now, as they get into their full size adult stages, blister beetles on goldenrod, soldier beetles on many herbaceous plants, sooty blotch and fly speck on apples, more and more turfgrass crowns (in dormant lawns) appearing dead now rather than dormant (not a good thing), Ambrosia beetles showing up on stressed landscape trees, warm season mites damages showing up here there and everywhere, grub damages now beginning to appear in some lawns, AND THE ODA HAS NOW OFFICIALLY DECLARED ALL 88 COUNTIES IN OHIO UNDER THE EMERALD ASH BORER QUARANTINE.
Catch The Buggy Joe Boggs Report every Saturday at 8:42am on 55KRC The Talk Station.
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