Have you ever seen the lovely sight of the “Dog Vomit Fungus” growing in a mulched area ?
The Dog Vomit Fungus is not a fungus, but a slime mold. I guess calling it the “Dog Vomit Slime Mold” wasn’t very appealing…
An attention getting headline, yes, but no, I’m not getting political!
I did note today that acorns are raining down on my driveway for the second year in a row. Yes, the acorns are back!
Last year was epic in my personal acorn forest. Acorns accumulated one to two inches deep in my mulch beds…acorn mulch!…and this year I have plenty of baby oaks. This year, it looks like a repeat. I don’t know that I have seen acorn drop this early, but then everything is early this year due to warm weather since March.
For more than you ever wanted to know about acorns and oak trees, click here.
Fire blight disease has been a serious problem this year on crabapples and ornamental pears in particular. Because this is a bacterial disease, it is not controlled by fungicide treatments. However, a bacteriacide can be applied the following spring to suppress re-infection. Contact us for details.
Oystershell scale has been reported on over 130 host plants including a wide range of trees and shrubs. It is particularly common on dogwoods, lilacs, maples, poplars, roses, and willows. We have even found this insect on ornamental pears. Infestations can rapidly build within 1-2 years to levels that cause significant plant injury including branch dieback and even plant death. As with all armored scales, oystershell scale feeds by inserting their piercing-sucking mouthparts into plant stems to withdraw nutrients from non-vascular stem cells. We have been seeing a lot of this scale and are treating several infestations. Read more in the BYBL article OYSTERSHELL SCALE.
Each year numerous flowering crabapples become diseased, resulting in yellow leaves and defoliation by early summer. The cause of this problem is a fungus disease known as apple scab. This disease can be managed in existing trees with Arbor Doctor’s plant health care program. Genetically resistant trees are available for planting as well, another service provided by Arbor Doctor. Contact us for details.
A few weeks ago, I came upon a puzzling diagnostic canundrum involving a hybrid ‘Valley Forge’ American elm. I called upon the assistance of Joe Boggs and The Ohio State University and the investigation was summarized in the BYGL newsletter in an article entitled HYBRID AMERICAN ELM AND ELM BARK BEETLES here.
The Storm Prediction Center is forecasting …severe thunderstorms expected over parts of the mid Mississippi and Ohio valleys this afternoon and tonight. The worst weather may be just north of Cincinnati, but severe weather is also possible in Cincinnati. Please read the latest public statement about this event.
Hazardous weather outlook here
Depending on how much rain actually falls, conditions have become quite dry in Cincinnati and watering is actually recommended, especially fo new transplants and vulnerable plants.
The NOAA Climate Prediction Center has issued its monthly El Nino/Southern Oscillation discussion, which also includes a La Nina Watch. This indicates that La Nina–a cooling of Equatorial Pacific Ocean waters–is expected during the next three months. This could enhance the strength of the Atlantic hurricane season. Details…
Today during a site visit near Bypass 4 and Route 4 in Fairfield Township, numerous Emerald Ash Borer adults were flying around and landing as I examined two ash trees. Rapid decline and death of ash trees was observed throughout the area.
