Home
BYGL Newsletter
FAQs
Search
Contacts
BYGL E-zine
Pam Bennett, Barb Bloetscher, Joe Boggs, Jim Chatfield, Erik Draper Dave Dyke, Gary Gao, David Goerig, Tim Malinich, Amy Stone, and Curtis Young
Home
Welcome to the BYGL Newsletter
April 5, 2007 This is the First 2007 edition of the Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (BYGL). BYGL is developed from a Tuesday morning conference call of Extension agents, specialists and other contributors in Ohio. BYGL is also made available on the Internet from the Ohio State University Horticulture and Crop Science (HCS) in Virtual Perspective website (http://bygl.osu.edu). Additional fact sheet information on any of these articles may be found through the OSU fact sheet database (http://plantfacts.osu.edu). BYGL is a service of OSU Extension and is aided by major support from the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association (ONLA), with additional funding from the Ohio Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) to the OSU Extension Nursery Landscape, and Turf Team (ENLTT). Participants in the April 03, 2007 conference included: Pam Bennett (Clark); Barb Bloetscher (Entomology/C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC)); Joe Boggs (OSU Extension Center at Piketon/Hamilton-Clermont); Jim Chatfield (OSU Extension Center at Wooster/Hort and Crop Science); Erik Draper (Geauga); Dave Dyke (Hamilton); Gary Gao (Delaware); Michael Loos (Cuyahoga); Tim Malinich (Lorain); Amy Stone (Lucas); and Curtis Young (Allen). Additional factsheet information on any of these articles may be found through the OSU Factsheet Database (http://plantfacts.ohio-state.edu/) Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 15:13 )
Weather Watch This year brings a few new locations to the weatherwatch summary. Each week we will revisit each weather station and report the year-to-date and/or monthly totals. This week's summary includes data from January 1 - April 3, 2007.
Weather Station
Region of Ohio
Ashtabula
NE
Wooster
NE
Hoytville
NW
Ave. High Temp F
Ave. Low Temp F
Ave. Temp F
35.0
20.6
33.0
17.8
25.7
35.1
37.0
20.0
28.9
34.3
NA
39.0
21.4
30.4
36.2
6.65"
28.1
Normal Ave. Temp F
Total Precip "
Normal Precip "
33.8
7.1"
9.42"
5.36"
12.19"
9.21" 12.60"
Delaware
Central
39.0
21.4
30.4
36.2
6.65"
12.60"
South Car.
SW
41.6
27.6
34.5
37.2
5.36
12.19"
Jackson
South
46.4
25.5
36.3
39.3
8.76"
14.38"
Is your area not included in this year's summary? Check out the website to find the nearest research station. For a link to the OARDC Weather Stations, check out: http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/centernet/weather.htm Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 14:43 )
GDD - Growing Degree Days GDD (GROWING DEGREE DAYS). GDD is a measure of the daily maximum and minimum temperature and directly relates to growth and development of plants and insects. The GDD of any zip code location in Ohio is estimated using the GDD of ten OARDC weather stations and is available on the web at the site below. Normally at this time of the year, BYGL would include a listing of a multitude of locals from around the state to compare GDD accumulations to one another. However, the accuracy of GDD calculations are currently being affected by updates to the weather stations. Thus, the GDDs for many zip codes will not be accurate or have not been calculated on the web site. BYGL will keep watching the site for completion of these repairs and updates. Until this happens, the GDD comparisons will be omitted from this publication.
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 14:43 )
Pining Away During last year's BYGL there was an active discussion on the ultimate effect of the heavy rains and flooding on landscape plants in northern Ohio. The caution was that root loss brought about by saturated or flooded soils over the past season could lead to the decline of some plants, especially in poorly drained or heavy soils. Tim Malinich reported that over the past few months, several samples, and in one case a fifteen foot tree (in pieces) were submitted to his office. In all cases the trees turned yellow and eventually brown over the warm wet winter months. No insect or disease problem was apparent, but in all cases the clients eventually reported that the trees were in areas that were frequently saturated or even flooded last year. Though no exact cause could be pinpointed, root decline due to saturated soil was the prime suspect. If this is any indicator, we may see more cases of water-related decline as the season rolls on. This tree decline should not be confused with another common late winter complaint, browning of trees from salt spray. Pine and spruce needles exposed to road salt will partially or entirely brown out, leaving the appearance of a very unhappy tree. In this case, however, the damage is usually confined to one side of the tree - the side that faces the road. Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 14:43 )
Have Your Plants Been hardened? This is a question that consumers should be asking retailers, especially at this time of year when plants are subjected to extreme temperature fluctuations. Of course, retailers should be able to answer "yes" to this question. It is one more reason for homeowners and commercial landscapers to purchase locally grown plants. The ability of annuals and vegetable plants to survive being transplanted into the cruel, cold world of outdoor survival after being tenderly nurtured in the warm cocoon of a greenhouse is enhanced by the process commonly called "hardening-off." Gradually introducing seedlings to outdoor growing conditions increases their food reserves, reduces the severity of transplant shock, and increases their ability to withstand light freezes and frosts. Even cabbage can succumb to a light freeze if it is planted directly from a greenhouse into an outdoor environment without proper hardening. Containerized seedlings should be placed outdoors in an area that can be protected at least 7 to 10 days before being planted. If they had been grown in a relatively low light environment, they should be placed in a shaded area and be gradually exposed to longer periods of light each day. They should also be protected from strong winds but exposed to moderate breezes, and be allowed to dry slightly between waterings. Protection from temperatures below 40 degrees is also necessary. Good commercial growers will harden plants in a greenhouse by providing maximum ventilation, heating only when necessary to prevent them from freezing, and reducing watering or by moving them to outdoor beds, reducing watering, and providing necessary freeze protection. ? Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 14:44 )
Plant of the Week Read all about perennials and landscape trees and shrubs in the ONLA publications "Perennial Plants for Ohio" and "Landscape Plants for Ohio." The descriptions and photographs of plants were provided for these publications by the OSU ENLT Team along with other industry plant lovers. These full-color publications are available at http://Buckeyegardening.com for $5.00. Click on "garden store" and then "ONLA plant guides." ONLA members can purchase these in quantities at a reduced price at http://onla.org. * PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE WEEK. Early blooming TULIPS (Tulipa spp.) were getting ready to burst forth in central Ohio, but the predicted cooler weather may slow them down. There are around 100 species of tulips that can be used in the spring garden. Flower colors, heights, forms, and sizes vary and plants bloom from late winter to late spring. Many of the species tulips are great for naturalizing and come back reliably year after year. Plan your 2008 spring garden now by making note of areas in the garden that would look great with a show of spring color. The main drawback in having tulips in the garden is grazing deer. Tulips are to deer what chocolate is to some humans. If deer are a problem in the landscape, consider planting daffodils instead! * WOODY PLANT OF THE WEEK. EASTERN REDBUD (Cercis canadensis) is an excellent native small to medium size tree for the landscape. The purplish-pink flowers have already opened in southern Ohio, and are just about ready to open in central Ohio. The heart-shaped leaves appear on zig-zagged stems after the blooms. The layered branching structure also adds ornamental value to the plant. Try the cultivars 'Forest Pansy' with its vivid purple leaves that soften during the growing season, or
layered branching structure also adds ornamental value to the plant. Try the cultivars 'Forest Pansy' with its vivid purple leaves that soften during the growing season, or 'Lavendar Twist' that is a small weeping cultivar. Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 14:44 )
Tent Cats Meow Joe Boggs reported that the overwintered eggs of EASTERN TENT CATERPILLAR (Malacosoma americanum) began hatching in southwest Ohio the weekend of March 24th, and eggs of FOREST TENT CATERPILLAR (M. disstria) began to hatch late last week. Forest tent caterpillars (FTC) will feed on a wide variety of deciduous trees including ash, sweetgum, oak, birch, cherry, aspen, elm, basswood, and sugar maple. Despite its common name, FTC constructs only rudimentary mat like silk nests on leaves or bark. The caterpillars congregate in colonies during early instar stages; however, later instars disperse from the colonies and become solitary feeders. Forest tent caterpillars have short grayish-white hairs and a row of distinct white markings running down their backs. These markings have been variously described as looking like "foot prints," or as being "keyhole shaped." The markings are flanked by cobalt-blue lines running the length of the caterpillars' bodies. Eastern tent caterpillars (ETC) are also covered in short, grayish-white hairs; however, they have a distinct, unbroken white stripe down their backs. Unlike FTC, ETC is an accomplished and prolific tent-maker producing highly visible silk nests in the forks of branches. Joe noted tents are now becoming very evident. The caterpillars prefer to feed on trees in the family Rosaceae, particularly those in the genus Prunus, such as cherries. They also occasionally feed on ash, birch, maple, and oaks. Both of these general defoliating caterpillars are capable of causing serious stress to their host trees. Leaves lost to caterpillar feeding this spring must be replaced using energy stored from last season. Small ETC nests and congregated FTC colonies can be eliminated digitally using five-fingered "smash and/or smear" techniques. Less hands-on methods include applications of the naturally occurring bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), applied to early instar stages, as well as other insecticides listed for general caterpillar control in the OSU Extension Bulletin 504, "Insect and Mite Control on Woody Ornamentals and Herbaceous Perennials" http://ohioline.osu.edu/b504/index.html. The tiny cats may only meow now, but they will roar later in the season!
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 March 2008 15:26 )