Poison Ivy

/Poison Ivy/

Poison Ivy

This may be poison ivy. The adage "leaves of 3, let it be" is important for poison ivy because it can be a shrub or a woody vine. Found most everywhere, it adapts to sun or shade conditions, various soil types, as well as wet or dry environments and can have different leaf shapes. When the plant is young, its stems are a light reddish-green to red and can be hairy or hairless. When the plant matures more, the stems become brown and woody. In the summer, the leaves tend to have a shiny coat, making it difficult to spray with a product to kill it. Also forms tiny flowers in the summer followed by berries. If it is growing in your garden , we suggest you dig it out and wear gloves. Dispose in the trash, not a compost pile, and do not burn as the toxins will become airborne.

If a small patch, pouring boiling water on them repeatedly can weaken them enough so you can defeat more of the plant, more quickly. (We do realize that hauling boiling water around can be a daunting proposition.)

By | 2016-03-03T12:53:48-08:00 March 3rd, 2016|Weeds|0 Comments
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Buffalo Bur Or Kansas Thistle

uffalo bur, sometimes called Kansas thistle and prickly nightshade, is an taprooted annual weed. It bears long, yellow spines on stems, leaves, and flower heads and can grow up to 2 feet high. Drought resistant, its highest occurrence is in dry, exposed soil. The oblong leaves are 2-3 inches long with deep rounded lobes and are covered with very dense, stiff, and sharp spines. Bright yellow flowers can be seen in summer. In the fall, berries up to 3/8 inch in diameter are enclosed in the dried flower parts and are filled with black, wrinkled, flat pitted seeds. Control of this weedy plant is important as it is a host for the Colorado potato beetle. When mature, the main stem breaks near the ground and the plant rolls like a tumbleweed, widely scattering the 8500 seeds that each plant produces. Buffalo bur can be pulled when the soil is moist. Be sure to wear gloves to avoid injury from the spines.

By | 2016-03-03T12:45:14-08:00 March 3rd, 2016|Weeds|0 Comments
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Japanese Stiltgrass

It looks like a Japanese stilt grass. Japanese stiltgrass was introduced into the United States in Tennessee around 1919 and likely escaped as a result of its use as a packing material for porcelain.
It is highly invasive. Organic methods aren't really viable for this plant. Spray with round-up or other herbicide. It will take a few treatments because new seedlings will continue to appear. You may want to spray the perimeter area as well to get any smaller seedlings. Seed can live as long as 30 years so it is important to kill all the seedlings you find.
Stiltgrass is currently established in 16 eastern states, from New York to Florida. It occurs on stream banks, river bluffs, floodplains, emergent and forested wetlands, moist woodlands, early successional fields, uplands, thickets, roadside ditches, and gas and power-line corridors. It can be found in full sun to deep shaded forest conditions and is associated with moist, rich soils that are acidic, neutral or basic and high in nitrogen.

By | 2017-09-11T15:49:22-07:00 March 3rd, 2016|Weeds|0 Comments
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Winter Injury

This damage is not caused by an infectious disease, but probably caused by a harsh winter, therefore its called winter injury, and in this case it might have been fatal. You can check to see if the plant is still alive by cutting one or two stems about 3 inches below the existing buds. Look for healthy, green or off white tissue that is not brittle. If you find healthy tissue, you can cut the plant back just a bit (removing the dead leaves and buds) to encourage new growth. If the plant does not require the amount of water its currently exposed to, we suggest you move the plant to another location just before or immediately after pruning, apply an all purpose fertilizer, used according to label directions, and water appropriately for the plants needs. This will help to initiate new growth and a healthy root system. If you find brown or brittle tissue when pruning the plant its probably dead, or at least too far gone to generate new growth.

By | 2016-03-03T09:10:41-08:00 March 3rd, 2016|Plant Diseases|0 Comments
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Chewing Insect

The problem may be chewing insects rather than sucking insects. Perhaps some type of beetle or caterpillar or grasshopper? But without seeing the actual pest, we can't say for sure. Look to see if you see any sign of insects- top and bottom of leaves, day and at night with a flashlight (although the grasshopper may be long gone). If there are small black dots, these might be excretions for the insects. You can spray with an organic control effective against chewing insects such as Bt (caterpillars). insecticidal soap or Spinosad. Once the leaves and flowers are damaged, they will not recover but try to control future infestation. Bt is a contact insecticide and Spinosad has a 7-10 day residual. Spray Spinosad in the early evening after the bees have returned to their hives. Once the spray has dried on the plant it is safe for beneficials. Suggest you show your photo or perhaps capture a few in a bottle as well as snip off a damaged frond for a local garden center to confirm their identity.

By | 2016-03-03T06:08:07-08:00 March 3rd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Leaf Miner

This damage appears to be caused by a leaf miner. A small fly or moth lays its eggs beneath the surface of the leaf and when the eggs hatch, the larvae tunnel thru the leaf tissue, consuming the nutrients in the foliage. Once the damage has been done, nothing will reverse it. Chemical pesticides are not effective against this pest because most products won't penetrate thru the leaf surface although organic products containing Spinosad have often
worked to prevent further infestation. If you do use Spinosad, spray in the early evening after the bees have returned to their hives. Once the spray is dry it is safe for beneficials. However, once the damage has been done to the leaf, it is not
reversible. Usually the damage done by these insects is not going to kill the plant unless the damage is extensive.


infestation is extensive. Here is a link that you might find helpful:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/vegleafminers.html

By | 2016-03-03T04:56:56-08:00 March 3rd, 2016|Plant Pests|1 Comment
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Psyllid

The raised spots are likely the work of psyllids, common name plant lice, small insects that depending on the species are host-specific, that is one species of a psyllid will colonize on one particular plant. They become abundant when temperatures warm and host plants develop fresh growth. The psyllid sucks the nutrients out of the foliage, stems, etc. and galls form on the leaves or buds. They also have ecreta, known as honeydew which can lead to the development of black sooty mold. Most experts agree that the psyllid damage is primarily aesthetic, but if population is extensive and the plant is yellowing there are several options: Use yellow sticky traps, spray the plant with Neem or horticultural oil (will need to re-apply until the problem is controlled) or if the plant is an ornamental, not an edible, a chemical insect control containing imidacloprid. Visit your local garden center for confirmation of the problem and appropriate remedy.

By | 2016-03-03T01:24:13-08:00 March 3rd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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Azalea Care

It looks like you have an azalea. If kept in a container, it does very well on a semi-shaded patio or veranda or under the sheltered canopy of a tree, the azalea will receive more sun but in spring-fall will have the filtered light. If planted directly in the ground, it needs well-draining, acid soil planted under a tree with deep roots because azaleas are shallow-rooted and cannot compete with a shallow-rooted tree. Your garden center will be able to help with proper selections and site selections. Just remember that most azaleas thrive in dappled rather than full shade and mulch around the base of the azalea to conserve moisture and to protect its shallow roots from hot, dry weather. And when you do mulch, do not apply directly up against the trunk of the plant as this may lead to disease and insect problems. And feed with an acid fertilizer and make sure the selected tree also thrives with acid food.

By | 2016-03-03T00:45:35-08:00 March 3rd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Constances Spring Parsley

We believe you have correctly identified the plant. The photo isn't quite close enough for us to make a positive identification between bulbosus and constancei. But we are including a link to a site that may help you decide. Note the name was changed in 2012. Constance’s spring parsley is a low growing herbaceous perennial that is typically found in open areas of woodlands. This small plant produces a taproot that may be several inches long, the lower half of which is often enlarged. Each plant produces only a few stems that may bear one or two leaves but are usually leafless. Most of the leaves are basal (not attached to an upright stem) with the largest leaves growing only 4 - 6 inches long. The leaves are light gray-green in color, somewhat fleshy, and divided many times into leaflets that in turn are divided into sub leaflets giving the leaves a distinctive fern-like appearance. The leaf stalks (petioles) are also fleshy.

By | 2016-03-02T19:11:06-08:00 March 2nd, 2016|Perennials|0 Comments
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Scale Infestation

Thank you for your follow up and although it is often challenging to identify insects without a clear close up, we also realize our users need guidance if at all possible. The dark bumps are the insect known as Scale, a sap sucking insect that attaches itself to the leaves, flowers and stems. This looks like a pretty severe infestation. Under the shell is either the sucking insect or she has died and the shell is full of young yet to hatch scale. Inspect other nearby plants and treat them at the first sight of insect. They can be controlled with any insecticide containing Imidachloprid which is a systemic insecticide -- you will drench the soil and the insecticide will be sucked up by roots and into the branches, leaves and hopefully the scale. You can also spray the plant above the soil line with 15:1 water:Ivory soap. Also a horticultural oil will act as a suffocant. If there are not too many, try to gently remove them with your fingernail and dispose in a bucket of soapy water.

By | 2016-03-02T16:29:08-08:00 March 2nd, 2016|Plant Pests|0 Comments
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