Bagworms
Check your shrubs and trees for bagworms! Bagworms are usually found on evergreen trees but will feed on just about anything (We noticed some on a sycamore tree). If you look closely, you may see the small bags on your trees. They may not look very intimidating but they love to eat and can cause […]
Beetles: The Good and The Bad
I know that many people are grossed out by little creepy insects and spiders, but they are essential for maintaining our environment. There are insects that eat the rotting wood and roots of dead and dying trees; insects that eat other insects; and insects that pollinate our fruits and foods. Let’s discuss the insects from […]
Rose Sawfly
Rose sawflies can cause considerable damage to roses, including Knockouts. It is important to be aware of this little critter and take corrective action. Damage: Rose sawfly is typically noticed first because of the damage they cause as larvae. As the larvae feast, the leaves take on a mosaic or skeleton look because they eat […]
Common Pine Diseases
There are several common diseases that attack Pine trees in the Mid-West. Perhaps the most well-known is Pine Wilt; however there are a few others that are more common but less severe. In this article, we will cover the basic signs and symptoms of these problems and give some ideas on the best course of […]
Galls
What is that?! Peering into the dense woodlands surrounding my house, I see a large number of oddly shaped growths on the leaves of my oaks, hickories, elms, and maples. And I see them on the perennials too. What is going on here? One simple answer, these are galls. What is a gall? A […]
What Will Grow Near a Black Walnut Tree?
Black Walnut trees are wonderful if you are a cabinet maker, eat the walnuts, or leave them as forage for wildlife, or use the husks to make a colorfast dye. But if you are a gardener, they provide a challenge, to say the least. A toxic chemical, juglone, diffuses from the roots into the soil, […]
Three Diseases found in 2014
What a year this has been! With some of the coldest recorded winter days, a very wet spring and fall, and an exceptionally cool summer; we have seen a record amount of diseases popping up in landscapes across northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska. Typically, my consulting covers scorching, chemical drift, and wilting on trees and […]
How To Grow Hydrangeas
We all love those beautiful, large flower clusters that bloom bright pinks and blues. Some of them have just a hint of color or are creamy white. But no matter what color they bare, hydrangeas look gorgeous next to their full, bright green foliage. To plant these beauties can be a trick at times, but […]
