Really? Get rid of it? But, I’m a big fan. I love the relaxing feeling I get when I mow the grass. Yes, there are many benefits of turfgrass, were outlined last week, but really, in the true spirit of the horticultural truism of “Right Plant, Right Place”, turf simply doesn’t belong in all parts…
Month: June 2020
Moles and Grubs
It’s been a good year for moles. A nice amount of rain keeps soils moist and workable—the perfect environment to enable mole movement as they “swim” through the soil. Many people approach the problem of moles by focusing on grubs—that if the grubs are gone, then moles won’t be in the lawn. Though not accurate,…
Is COVID-19 an issue on homegrown or purchased produce?
This post was originally published on The Garden Professors blog in May 2020. Now that much of the world’s attention is focused on limiting the spread of pathogens, well one pathogen, it seems like a good time to talk about some of the questions or concerns we’ve seen regarding vegetable gardens, community gardens, and farmers…
Straw Foxglove
Unlike foxglove that are biennial, straw foxglove (Digitalis lutea) is a true perennial. The light yellow bell-shaped downward-facing flowers are smaller than their biennial relatives, but what is lost in flower size, straw foxglove makes up for in reliability and ease of growth. Straw foxglove does best in average garden soil in a site…
Benefits of Turfgrass
In many gardening circles, lawns and turfgrass in general get a bad reputation. For the most part, this is greatly undeserved. Yes, if turf is misplaced or not cared for properly, it can be a liability rather than an asset in the landscape. But before you write it off completely, consider the following: *Oxygen…
Rose Diseases
Unfortunately, roses are not care-free plants, at least not in the Midwest. They are susceptible hosts to several diseases, namely powdery mildew, rust, black spot and rose rosette. Powdery mildew: The name is apt for this disease, as the foliage of affected stems turns to a whitish cast as if dusted with flour. Powdery…
Tree Galls
Galls are structures made up of plant tissue, forming in response to the saliva of mites or small insects as they feed. The number and variety of galls found on trees in our landscapes are closely associated with the weather and how conducive it is to gall-producing arthropod populations. Galls happen every year, it’s just…