Recent News

"Yo!"

"Huh?"

"You with the lawnmower. Turn that thing off and talk to me."

"My tree is talking to me? Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"No joke. I don't have a mouth, but I've got bark, right? Ha ha!"

Turf samples showing symptoms of leaf spot and melting out have been arriving in the Plant Disease Clinic. Leaf spots on grass blades are initially reddish brown to dark brown.

Home gardeners can choose from many species and varieties of perennials. Perennials differ in growth habit, size, leaf morphology, and other characteristics. Sometimes what sets one perennial apart is its interesting flower.

The hurry-up springtime of 1998 has brought strawberry harvest a couple of weeks earlier than normal. Gardeners and commercial growers have started picking berries by now in most of the state.

By now many gardeners have noticed moderate- sized dark speckles on the foliage of many landscape and garden plants (mint, cone flower, black- eyed Susan, to name but a few). On most of these plants the damage in on older leaves.

The spectacle of last year's emergence of Brood III of the 17- year periodical cicadas in central, south-central and south-east Iowa is already becoming a dim memory.

We would like to welcome James Romer to the horticulture extension staff.

An unusual and unexplained defoliation of hackberry trees has been reported around central Iowa during the past week.

Evidence suggests that spring may finally be arriving in Iowa. The tulips are in bloom, the redbud trees are blooming, people are busily mowing their lawns . . . and ticks are starting to become active.

Nonchemical Control of Insects and Diseases

Non-native perennials, such as peonies, daylilies, and bearded irises, are indispensable components of the home landscape. Though suitable for the home landscape, native perennial wildflowers are often unappreciated and not widely planted.

The moderately-common and well-known silverfish are a wingless, flat insects with two long, slender antennae on the front and three long, slender "bristles" at the rear of a tapered, carrot-shaped body. They are PI inch long when fully grown.

Legend has it that Dr. Harold "Tiny" Gunderson, the popular and well-known ISU Extension Entomologist between 1936 and 1971, had a standing bet that he could find carpet beetles in any house in Iowa.

Fresh strawberries are delicious in desserts and fruit salads. They also make an excellent topping for ice cream, pancakes, and breakfast cereals. Fruit not eaten fresh, can be processed into jams or frozen.

Verticillium wilt is a an occasional problem on many species of trees and shrubs in Iowa. It is most common on maples, but also occurs on ash, redbud, smoketree, and other tree and shrub species.

The warm weather in February has prompted some home gardeners to begin their outdoor chores. While March is an excellent time to prune trees, rake up leaves, and clean out the gutters, it's too early for other garden chores.

A useful reference for persons seriously interested in the application of beneficial organisms for the biological control of pests is the California Environmental Protection Agency publication titled, "Suppliers of Beneficial Organisms in North Am

Upcoming state horticulture meetings of possible interest to HHPN readers are listed below. For additional information, contact the individual listed for each meeting.