Seven Sons in Fall

In the fall, there are just simply fewer landscape plants that offer great appeal. Sure, goldenrod, asters, plumbago, turtlehead, sedums and mums should be a part of just about any landscape, but the ratio of spring and summer bloomers is probably about 3:1 or even more. For that reason, let’s highlight one more fall appealing plant – the Seven Sons tree/flower/shrub.

Fertilizer Time!

It’s the first of September…that means for cool season lawns such as tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, it’s time to fertilize. After a long summer of heat, drought and pests, it’s time.

Euonymous, Anyone?

In this case, you might want the shrub or vine, euonymous, but not the common euonymous scale insects that often infest them. In fact, in some landscapes, the scale infestations are so common that budding horticulturists and entomologists often think that the symptoms and signs are a natural occurrence, as in “they’re supposed to be there”.

Patio Planter Care in Mid-Summer

In mid-summer, especially when a hot, dry week is predicted, (like this upcoming week), patio planters and houseplants need a little TLC. Four actions are involved:

Tomato Viruses

As difficult as blights are to manage in tomatoes, viral diseases are far worse. This is because there are no effective products to stop their spread.  To make matters even more challenging, virus infection is most often the work of sap sucking insects, such as aphids, thrips, and leafhoppers, that vector diseases. Insecticides to stop…

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Billbugs – Our #2 Lawn Insect

The lawn looks “splotchy brown”…what could it causing it? As you think through all of the possibilities, you are probably also thinking about what you’ve done and haven’t done this year in terms of yard care – fertilizer applications, keeping the turf roots moist, weed control, 3 inch mowing height, sharpened the mower blade – but what about bugs?

Emerald Ash Borer – What’s the Status?

Many of our clients have been asking about this question in recent weeks. Thus far, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestations have been confirmed in 9 counties in Nebraska. They appear to be on the slow gradual trajectory that has been observed in states such as Michigan, Illinois and Ohio, and is expected to become more and more common in the next 3-4 years.

Graft Union Incompatibility

Lots of trees can be grafted—fruit trees, shade trees, and even small ornamental trees. Grafting is the art of putting together two different parts of trees to make one new tree. Unlike Frankenstein, the results are not monstrous, but instead the new tree will have some of the best traits of each of its parts….

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