Issue no. 16 of the Home, Yard & Garden Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE:
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Insect borers are likely to be more numerous than normal
for the next several years. During extended dry conditions, trees lose root
mass, resulting in a reduction of sap flow and dieback of branches. The reduced
sap flow provides opportunities for borer attack that would not be present
otherwise. This increase is likely to be noticeable next year and will build
for about three years. Borer infestations are likely to fall over the following
two years until reaching normal levels around 2018.
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There are a couple of scale species that become much more
numerous after droughts and other tree-weakening events. European fruit
lecanium scale becomes very common on stressed trees and remains in high
numbers for several years until the tree recovers. It is common on maples,
oaks, hazlenuts, crabapples, and many other tree species. Large infestations
produce high amounts of honeydew such that it feels like it's raining under the
tree.
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A rhododendron sample was recently submitted to the U of
I Plant Clinic by an Illinois Master Gardener.
She suspected that her rhododendrons, just recently purchased from a
nursery, were infected with Phytophthora.
We normally think of Phytophthora as a root rot pathogen, but in this
instance, the foliage was infected. The symptomatic
leaf tissue was first tested for the presence of Phytophthora sp. by using an
Agdia ELISA quick strip test at the U of I Plant Clinic. The sample tested positive for the presence
of Phytophthora.
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Heavy rains over the past week have promoted the growth
of mushrooms in landscapes across Illinois. On turf, mushrooms can form in
distinct circles or arcs, a condition referred to as "fairy
rings." Fairy rings obtained their
name from old folklore that theorized the rings to be areas where elves,
pixies, or fairies danced and played.
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