Gardening Resources for Nebraska from Nebraska Extension
What’s in Bloom Summer is in full swing and I wanted to share some pictures of lesser grown perennials for your garden. All six of these plants are native and do well in an urban setting. Most of these plants do need a little extra care the first year they are in the ground. After…
It’s been a quiet few weeks and I wanted to share some of the things that we have seen coming into the office. Japanese Beetles Japanese beetles have returned and this summer and they are feeding on our favorite herbs, fruits, veggies and ornamental plants. This introduced insect has been recorded feeding on over 300…
Ash Flower Gall Mite We received this picture question to the office this past week about strange growths in an ash tree. This is the work of the ash flower gall mite (Eriophyes fraxiniflora). This microscopic mite will feed on the developing male ash flowers causing them to distort and form these broccoli like structures…
Summer is really here, not quite by calendar, but definitely the temperatures, and bugs. As an Entomologist, I love when insects become active, but I know not everyone feels the same about bugs. I do not like mosquitoes and other annoying bugs that bother me outside and I especially dislike those that do damage to…
Phlox Plant Bug Tall garden phlox are looking a little ratty this season thanks to the phlox plant bug. This insect has a piercing/sucking mouth part (similar to aphids) and they will suck the life out of the plant. Damage will manifest as downward cupping, stippling, dead terminal growth, and lack of vigor. There can…
White Mulberry This week we’ve been getting questions on how to manage white mulberries in the garden. White mulberries (Morus alba) is an introduced small tree/large shrub from China. It was originally brought over as a potential food source but it quickly escaped cultivation. The fruit is tasty and is enjoyed by many animals such…
This time of year, storms can be bad. We have had quite a few storm systems move through the area over the past few weeks. Some of these storms included high winds, hail, and even tornadoes. Unfortunately, when storms are severe they cause a lot of damage to our plants. This damage can’t be ‘fixed’…