Search Results

Boxwood Issue #863853

Asked April 09, 2024, 3:50 PM EDT

Please help I'm not sure what is going on with the boxwood hedge. In places it seems to be "laying down" and others it is so thin. What can I do?



Montgomery County Maryland

Boring insect on laurel #863801

Asked April 09, 2024, 11:08 AM EDT

I have a laurel that has extensive damage and will remove it to prevent spread. Is it possible to identify the insect? Peach tree borer is mentioned for laurels. Is that correct? Can I plant something else in the same place? What other plants are susceptible? 

Thank you.




Montgomery County Maryland

Best Screening trees #863780

Asked April 09, 2024, 7:56 AM EDT

I live out in the country in Ortonville, MI. My neighbor and I have mature pines as a screening between our houses. Whoever planted them did not do a good job as they are directly under power lines and the pines have a disease that is killing them. I am cutting them down and want to put in place (albeit not exactly in the same spot) some quick growing evergreens. I have been looking at Canadian Hemlock and Thuja giant greens. Can you recommend the best evergreen to place there, please.

Oakland County Michigan

Cherry fruitworm on blueberries #863725

Asked April 08, 2024, 1:40 PM EDT

I am trying to determine a spraying plan to keep cherry fruitworms from infesting my blueberries this year. I have a product called dipel. When to spray and how often

Prince George's County Maryland

Why do my blueberry plants have dry, curling leaves with red edges and black spots? #863712

Asked April 08, 2024, 12:38 PM EDT

I have two scraggly blueberry plants that are showing signs of disease. I am worried they are afflicted with Bacterial Leaf Scorch, but I am not familiar enough with this bacterial issue or blueberry plants to make a proper diagnosis. Can you please help me diagnose the problem afflicting these blueberry plants? I have included images of affected leaves from both plants. Species: Vaccinium corymbosum (Sunshine Blue Blueberry) plants. Symptoms: Plants are scraggly. Some leaves are dry, brittle, red on the edges, and curling. Some leaves are falling off (they are not yellow). Some leaves have black spots. There does not appear to be a yellow halo around the black spots. Plants did not produce fruit last year. Pests: There are no signs of insects on leaves, stems, or the ground around the plants, and no sign of fine webbing (mites). Two rabbits in the yard have been messing with the bark on a couple of the azalea shrubs and may have rattled the blueberry shrubs somewhat, but there are no major signs of rabbit damage on the blueberries. Purchased: Plants were purchased from Home Depot in Frederick in the spring of 2023. Plant Age: Two years old. The tags on the plants indicated that both plants were one year old when purchased in Spring 2023, which would make them two years old currently. Soil: Planted in clay-like soil. Not sure what the pH of the soil is currently. Plants/Soil Fertilized in 2024: No Pesticides or Herbicides Used in Yard: No Watering Schedule: We have not watered recently because we have gotten more than enough rain to keep the soil moist. Nearby Plants: Wildflower ground cover - Violets, Virginia Strawberry, etc. - grow around both blueberry bushes. Other Nearby Plants: The two blueberry plants are planted 12 feet apart. There are two small azalea bushes planted in between the blueberry plants. They do not look as bad as the blueberries, but the azalea leaves are starting to show the same signs of disease (black spots, leaves with red curling edges.



Frederick County Maryland

Dead beetles in my home #863669

Asked April 08, 2024, 9:01 AM EDT

I keep finding these Beatles in my family room each morning. I have never found a live one, only dead. I tried identifying them online and can’t figure out what they are or where they could be coming from.



Chesterfield County Virginia

Boxwood Issues #863658

Asked April 07, 2024, 11:23 PM EDT

I put in boxwood spring of 2021 at my home in a partial shade spot. I have been diligent about watering and caring for them, but they have not sent up a lot of new growth since I got them. Last year they got a twinge of yellow, but this year they are looking worse and are losing leaves. What can I do to help them? 



Wayne County Michigan

Found on my Oak tree in Weld County #863619

Asked April 07, 2024, 2:02 PM EDT

Can you tell me what this is on my oak tree and if it is harmful?  I believe it is a Burr Oak or Columnar Oak



Weld County Colorado

Pea seedlings eaten #863618

Asked April 07, 2024, 1:46 PM EDT

Hello, My pea seedlings have been bitten off at the ground. They have been growing under a tunnel the whole time. Is it cutworm? Moles/voles? No sign of larva or tunnels in this area. What do you think? I have only a handful left and want to fill in. But would like to be ready treat the problem if or when it reoccurs. Thank you! Kathy

Baltimore County Maryland

Maple Tree not leafing #863616

Asked April 07, 2024, 1:38 PM EDT

We live in Palos Park and have had a U of I visit a while back.  Last year our maple tree began to bud in early spring, then we had cold weather and it never leafed all summer. This year the same (now reddish brown) buds are on the limbs, and the limbs are sturdy, green when scraped. Have had plenty of rain. Looking for suggestions and what we could do to to promote leafing?  Thank you. 

Cook County Illinois

Insect #863614

Asked April 07, 2024, 1:34 PM EDT

Do you identify insects

Emmet County Michigan

Outdoor Fatsia Japonica sick? #863572

Asked April 06, 2024, 5:12 PM EDT

Hello, my outdoor Fatsia Japonica (in inner SE Portland) seems to be dying. It started about a year and a half ago and now it's looking quite sickly. It is a long-established plant next to others of similar age that are looking better, but not great. Do you know what could be the cause? Thank you!



Multnomah County Oregon

Allium leaf miner on my onions and garlic! #863555

Asked April 06, 2024, 2:41 PM EDT

Hi there - I definitely have allium leaf miners on my garlic, onions, and leek plants. All fall planted. I had them in the garlic last year too but I didn’t know what the pupae were until I just discovered on your website. So it’s early April and my plants have the dotted white lines… discovered when I was installing row covers, obviously too late. So, should I pull them all since they are bound for infestation? Can I replant with spring stock now and install row covers simultaneously? Or wait to replant until the fall? I am at a loss and soooo disappointed. Please advise! Thank you !

Frederick County Maryland

Mosaic Virus #863551

Asked April 06, 2024, 1:59 PM EDT

I have gardened for several years. Last year, for the first time, I was hit by mosaic virus on my cucumbers, beans, and passionflower vine. I removed all affected plant material and debris and threw them away (not composted). I have always been diligent about cleaning my tools between plants, and am even more so after this. This spring, I planted peas and noticed that they seem to already be affected with mosaic virus. Everything I read says that mosaic virus can persist in soil for years, so I assume that must be the case now. I am very dismayed. Is this an issue I am never going to be able to rid the garden of? Now that is is here, is it likely to always come back? Is there anything else I can do besides grow resistant seeds? What do people with this problem do? Just lose half their garden every season forever? Or does it eventually stop?



Montgomery County Maryland

Problem with box woods #863542

Asked April 06, 2024, 12:41 PM EDT

The browning of our box woods started last year and has gotten worse. Can you advise as to the problem and a solution? Please see the attached pictures and thanks so much, Michael



Licking County Ohio

insect identification and elimination #863532

Asked April 06, 2024, 11:53 AM EDT

We have small insects, possibly sugar ants, showing up in out bathroom. We see possibly 2 or 3, or up to 5 or 6 at a time. There is no clear source or path that they follow. What is the best method to get rid of them?

Washington County Oregon

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach in Minneapolis Woods? #863486

Asked April 05, 2024, 5:17 PM EDT

I found this insect in the woods near Minnehaha Creek. It was maybe 2-3 inches long. I need to know what it is.



Hennepin County Minnesota

diease? drought? #863474

Asked April 05, 2024, 3:33 PM EDT

Last year we lost two of these shrubs...mungo pines? ....and another is turning brown.     Do you know what is causing this or how to address the problem?  photo attached



Jefferson County Colorado

Grapevine Red Blotch Virus #863470

Asked April 05, 2024, 3:08 PM EDT

90 vines infected in 8000 Mostly Pinot Noir. Can the pruning shears be a vector How many plants should be replaced? 90 or 270 +1 each side of infected?

Yamhill County Oregon

What's up with my peach tree? #863408

Asked April 05, 2024, 8:10 AM EDT

Hi! I'm hoping this is the right place to ask this. I've never grown a fruit tree before, but I've grown veggies & flowers for years. I planted a redhaven peach about 3 years ago, and it was 2 years old at the time. We've never gotten a single piece of fruit off of it, which is fine, but it seems to be having some issues. For the past two years, I've noticed the ends of most of the branches have sort of turned brown and withered away (see pictures), and it has a couple lesions on the trunk. I tried googling these symptoms to no avail. Do you know what's going on with it, and how I can fix it? I garden organically, so a solution that adheres to organic principles would be preferred. All I've ever done is watered it and built up a big pile of hay/leaves around the base in the fall (leaving a few inches between the mulch and the trunk). Thanks for your help!



Stark County Ohio

Burl growth? #863385

Asked April 04, 2024, 6:57 PM EDT

Hello! Is this bark growth a response to a bacterial or fungal agent, or an insect? It’s on an old cornus florida in SE Portland.



Multnomah County Oregon

source of damage #863383

Asked April 04, 2024, 6:40 PM EDT

I would like to identify the source of damage to the leaves of my portugese laurels. They are about 5 feet tall and were planted last november. There are 5 of them and they all show damage. How should I treat them? Not knowing what caused this I was planning to spray with neem oil and use nemantoads around the soil. Is this a good approach? Thank you!



Montgomery County Maryland

What kind of beetle is this? #863380

Asked April 04, 2024, 5:54 PM EDT

Hello, My kids and I found this giant beetle that's a little over 2 inches long on the street in front of our house in Albany. We tried to identify it, but had no luck. It looks kind of like a ponderosa borer beetle without the antennae. My kids put it in an oatmeal box with holes, and I'm reluctant to release it into the wild in case it's an invasive species. Do you guys want it? I've attached a couple pictures.



Linn County Oregon

What is wrong with this arborvitae #863378

Asked April 04, 2024, 5:47 PM EDT

This tree was here when I purchased the home 2 years ago, I don't know much about it. It looked healthy up until recently; now there are bare/brown sections and this white stuff on the branches. I don't know if this is from fungus or an insect, please help. Thank you 



Mercer County West Virginia

Is this apple tree treatable? What’s killing it? #863377

Asked April 04, 2024, 5:43 PM EDT

Hi, I have a pair of common apple trees. They have consistently produces small apples every year. However, one tree started to show signs of distress last year. I noticed a sort of mushroom going on it at the end of the season and when I went to inspect it this year I found the bark is coming off and under neath and around the areas of the fungus are a sort of bug that has clearly burrowed in. I am curious if they were drawn by the fungus. But my real question is what is it and can the tree be saved or are we better off removing it? Please attached pics. 



Boulder County Colorado