Archive for February 2022
Winter Burn on Evergreen Bushes & Trees
After experiencing one of the worst (coldest / snowiest) winter in 100+ years of record keeping in Northern Illinois many people are asking me about their brown (orange) evergreen plants. I have personally inspected dozens of plants in the last couple of weeks. I have seen winter burn on a number of different species of…
Read MorePlants Not Favored by Deer & Rabbits
Perennials Anemone (Anemone spp.) Artemisia (Artemisia spp.) Astilbe (Astilbe spp.) Bee balm (Monarda spp.) Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia) Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Columbine (Aquilegia spp.) Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.) Cranesbill (Geranium spp.) Fleabane daisy (Erigeron x hybridus) Foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia) Gentian (Gentiana spp.) Geum (Geum spp.) Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) Hellebore (Helleborus nigra) Hens and chicks (Sempervivum spp.) Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.) Iris (Iris spp.) Jacob’s…
Read MorePlants Tolerant of Black Walnut Toxicity
Black Walnuts and some other closely related species of trees produce a chemical called juglone. This can be found in all parts of the tree including the roots, leaves, and in the hulls of its fruit. Black Walnuts produce a very high concentration of juglone relative to the other species of plants. This can affect…
Read MoreAphid Treatment
Info / Symptoms: Aphids are one of the most destructive pests for plant life. They cause damage to many different types of plants by sucking the sap of the plant as well as transmitting viruses from plant to plant. Aphids can have many effects on plants, especially those in temperate regions or indoors. Because female…
Read MoreAnthracnose Treatment
Info / Symptoms: Anthracnose is a fungal disease caused by several different fungi that are closely related. All of the fungi are generally host-specific, meaning they can only affect one type of tree. The disease spreads in spring when it is cool and wet. The effect on an infected tree can vary, but it will…
Read MoreEspoma Lawn Program
Espoma Organic Lawn Food Organic lawn care focuses on growing a healthy lawn because a healthy lawn is the best protection against weeds, insects, and diseases. To have a healthy lawn, you need healthy soil. Healthy soils are crumbly, brown, and alive with earthworms and beneficial microbes. Healthy soils let grass roots grow deep, making…
Read MoreCedar Quince Rust Treatment
Info / Symptoms: Cedar-apple rust, cedar-hawthorn rust, and cedar-quince rust are closely related rust diseases that require two hosts to complete their life cycle. All three rusts can infect most varieties of eastern red cedar as well as many other junipers and an alternate host. Cedar-quince rust has the broadest host range and can affect…
Read MoreApple Scab Treatment
Info / Symptoms: If you have a flowering crabapple or fruit-bearing apple tree that flowers and leaves out fully in the spring but then starts shedding its leaves in the early summer, your tree may have apple scab. Although apple scab is not fatal in and of itself, it can weaken your tree to the…
Read MoreMagnolia Scale Treatment
Info / Symptoms: Magnolia Scale is one of the largest scale insects in Illinois reaching up to a half of an inch in length. It can also be fairly difficult to treat large infestations. Magnolia Scale will overwinter on twigs on the tree, then start to feed and enlarge throughout spring. Female scale will turn…
Read More