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Japanese beetle season is in full swing! They have been feeding for couple weeks and their damage is becoming very obvious. Below are some common questions about these pesky bugs and tips on managing damage in your landscape. Japanese beetles on rose leaves & flower buds. Image from Pixabay.com. What do they look likeAdult beetles are similar... Continue Reading →
There has been great concern in recent weeks from home gardeners about poison hemlock, also known as poison parsley. Botanically known as Conium maculatum, poison hemlock is blooming right now with large flat clusters of white flowers so can be easily spotted. Poison hemlock is native to Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. It was... Continue Reading →
This spring, some of our lawns look beautiful and others are showing some winter damage. The dry conditions we experienced from September through March have caused patchy grass death in some locations, as in the picture above taken the first week of May 2022 near Hastings. Damage is especially common on south or west facing... Continue Reading →
Warm temperatures in March have had many homeowners wondering about this year’s first spring preemergence (PRE) herbicide application. When is the right time to apply in spring? If you've waited, that's good. PRE Herbicide Residual PRE herbicides act by killing newly germinated weed seedlings; they come in contact with the herbicide as they grow their... Continue Reading →
Raspberries are widely grown in Nebraska and a very popular home garden fruit. They are not difficult to grow if given the proper care. Here are the best pruning, fertilization and watering practices for your raspberries, along with a few tips on weed, insect and disease control. Harvest time. Image from Pixabay. PruningRaspberries can... Continue Reading →
2022 Master Gardener Program Now Accepting Applications Winter is a time many people prefer to stay indoors, enjoy a good book, a crackling fire in the fireplace and a hot cup of cocoa, giving little thought to the outdoors or their landscape. But gardeners know winter is a time to dream and plan for next summer’s gardens. For Nebraska Extension Master Gardener (EMG) volunteers, winter is... Continue Reading →
If you have a saucer or star magnolia in your landscape, magnolia scale is a troublesome insect to watch out for. An integrated approach is necessary for control, targeting the most vulnerable life stages at specific times of year. Late fall is a good time of year for control, so it’s worth your time now... Continue Reading →
Some insects only sporadically cause problems in lawns and landscapes. They are there, every year, but usually in such low numbers they can easily be overlooked. Fall armyworm is one such insect, but it appears they will not go unnoticed this year. There are actually several species of armyworm, including common and yellowstriped, but the... Continue Reading →
Every summer an unusual type of insect makes an appearance in many landscapes. Actually, there is a small group of insects, called twig girdlers or twig pruners, that cause similar damage in a variety of trees. But fortunately, these insects are not a serious problem and their activity doesn't have serious consequences for the trees. But... Continue Reading →
Sweet corn season is here, and there's nothing like eating freshly harvested ears – unless you find a worm when peeling back the husks! That unwanted intruder is usually the corn earworm. IdentificationThese caterpillars vary widely in color and may be green, brown, pink, black or various shades between these colors, with light and dark... Continue Reading →
This spring, there have been many questions about something sticky falling from trees. There are a couple possibilities for this phenomenon, but a common culprit this year seems to be a higher than normal number of aphids. Aphids are very small soft-bodied insects, typically 1/16 to 1/8 inch in length. They have a mouth like a straw, which is inserted into plant leaves or... Continue Reading →
If your landscape has a history of bagworm problems, it’s time to start looking for the next generation of young insects. They will soon be hatching. The insects and their cocoons can be hard for gardeners to spot since they look so much like a natural part of the plant. Many people don’t realize the pointed oval... Continue Reading →
Acreage Life - Nebraska 