Welcome to the BYGL Newsletter 5/23/08 8:33 AM Ohio State University Extension - extension.osu.edu Home BYGL Contacts FAQ Web Links Search Site Map Pam Bennett, Barb Bloetscher, Joe Boggs, Cindy Burskey, Jim Chatfield, Erik Draper, Dave Dyke Gary Gao, David Goerig, Tim Malinich, Becky McCann, Amy Stone, and Curtis Young Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine provides timely information about Ohio growing conditions, pest, disease, and cultural problems. Updated weekly between April and October, this information is useful for those who are managing a commercial nursery, garden center, or landscape business or someone who just wants to keep their yard looking good all summer. Home Welcome to the BYGL Newsletter May 22, 2008 From: Pam Bennett, Barb Bloetscher, Joe Boggs, Cindy Burskey, Jim Chatfield, Erik Draper, Dave Dyke, Gary Gao, David Goerig, Tim Malinich, Becky McCann, Amy Stone, and Curtis Young. This is the 8th 2008 edition of the Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (BYGL). BYGL is developed from a Tuesday morning conference call of Extension Educators, Specialists, and other contributors in Ohio. BYGL is available via email, contact Cheryl Fischnich [ [email protected] ] to subscribe. Additional Factsheet information on any of these articles may be found through the OSU fact sheet database [ http://plantfacts.osu.edu/ ]. BYGL is a service of OSU Extension and is aided by major support from the ONLA (Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association) [ http://onla.org/ ] and [ http://buckeyegardening.com/ ] to the OSU Extension Nursery, Landscape and Turf Team (ENLTT). Any materials in this newsletter may be reproduced for educational purposes providing the source is credited. BYGL is available online at: [ http://bygl.osu.edu ], a web site sponsored by the Ohio State University Department of Horticulture and Crop Sciences (HCS) as part of the "Horticulture in Virtual Perspective." The online version of BYGL has images associated with the articles and links to additional information. Following are the participants in the May 20th conference call: Pam Bennett (Clark); Barb Bloetscher (Entomology/C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (CWEPPDC)); Joe Boggs (Hamilton/Piketon); Jim Chatfield (OSU Extension Center at Wooster/ Hort and Crop Science); Dave Dyke (Hamilton); Gary Gao (Delaware); Michael Loos (Cuyahoga); Tim Malinich (Lorain); Dave Shetlar (Entomology); Dave Sprootman (Rainbow Tree Care, Minneapolis MN); Nancy Taylor (CWEPPDC); Shawn Wright (OSU Piketon Centers); and Curtis Young (Allen). WEATHERWATCH - May 22, 2008 Wet and cool seems to sum up the weather reports from across the state this week. Counties in all regions were reporting higher than normal precipitation and cooler temperatures seem to be prolonging an early spring climate. Though, in checking the historical data, Shawn Wright reported that out of the last 15 years, 5 were actually colder. The following weather information summarizes data collected at various OARDC Weather Stations spanning the dates: May 1-20, 2008, with the exception of the soil temperatures which are readings from Wednesday, May 21 at 6:00 a.m. Weather Station Region of Ohio Ave. High Temp F Ave. Low Temp F Total Precip." Normal Precip. " Soil Temp F 2"/3" http://bygl.osu.edu/ Page 1 of 10 Welcome to the BYGL Newsletter 5/23/08 8:33 AM Weather Station Region of Ohio Ave. High Temp F Ave. Low Temp F Total Precip." Normal Precip. " Soil Temp F 2"/3" Ashtabula NE 62.5 43.7 2.36" 2.2" 46.22 / 48.66 Wooster NE 65.9 45.7 2.33" 2.5" 53.56 / 54.62 Hoytville NW 66.5 47.6 2.87" 2.0" 45.88 / 49.05 Columbus Central 68.1 48.4 2.58" 2.7" 53.77 / 56.03 Piketon South 70.6 47.6 5.13" 3.0" 48.62 / 52.14 For more information, see: OARDC Weather Station GROWING DEGREE DAYS - May 22, 2008 GDD is a measure of the daily maximum and minimum temperature and directly relates to growth and development of plants and insects. The GDD of any zip code location in Ohio is estimated using the GDD of ten OARDC weather stations and available on the web at the site below. The range of GDD accumulations in Ohio from north to south is 327 to 554. Following is a report of GDD for several locations around Ohio as of May 20, 2008: Painesville, 327; Cleveland, 344; Toledo, 361; Canfield, 352; Lima, 370; Wooster, 370; Coshocton, 404; Columbus, 455; Springfield, 421; Dayton, 430; Cincinnati, 504; Ironton, 525; Portsmouth, 527; and Piketon, 554. To put these GDD accumulations into perspective, the following is an abbreviated listing of plant and insect species with their respective phenological event and average GDD accumulations at which these events occur. Due to variations in weather, temperature, humidity, etc., these events may occur a few days earlier or later than predicted by the average GDD. By looking at a city, town, or village near you from the above list, or visiting the above web site, you can see what could be taking place in the landscape around you. Blackhaw viburnum, full bloom, 322; redosier dogwood, first bloom, 323; dwarf fothergilla, full bloom, 325; winter king hawthorn, first bloom, 328; lilac borer, adult emergence, 330; slender Deutsia, first bloom, 338; Japanese kerria, full bloom, 342; common horsechestnut, full bloom, 344; red chokeberry, full bloom, 351; doublefile viburnum, first bloom, 353; Pagoda dogwood, first bloom, 363; red Java weigela, first bloom, 365; black cherry, first bloom, 368; common sweetshrub, first bloom, 371; lesser peach tree borer, adult emergence, 372; Ohio buckeye, full bloom, 374; holly leafminer, adult emergence, 375; Vanhoutte spirea, full bloom, 406; euonymus scale (first generation), egg hatch, 406; black cherry, full bloom, 419; Miss Kim Manchurian lilac, first bloom, 422; locust leafminer, adult emergence, 437; doublefile viburnum, full bloom, 444; black locust, first bloom, 467; common ninebark, first bloom, 478; oystershell scale, egg hatch, 497; smokebush, first bloom, 501; arrowwood viburnum, first bloom, 534; American yellowwood, first bloom, 546; bronze birch borer, adult emergence, 547; black locust, full bloom, 548; American Holly, first bloom, 556; and mountain laurel, first bloom, 565. For more information, see: Growing Degree Days and Phenology for Ohio Understanding and Using Degree-Days PLANTS OF THE WEEK - May 22, 2008 Read all about perennials and landscape trees and shrubs in the ONLA publications "Perennial Plants for Ohio" and "Landscape Plants for Ohio." The descriptions and photographs of plants were provided for these publications by the OSU ENLT Team along with other industry plant lovers. These full-color publications are available at [ http://Buckeyegardening.com ] for $5.00. Click on "garden store" and then "ONLA plant guides." ONLA members can purchase these in quantities at a reduced price at [ http://onla.org ]. *ANNUAL PLANT OF THE WEEK. PANSIES AND VIOLAS - (Viola spp.) While many have bemoaned the cooler spring temperatures, these plants have been having a blast, blooming their pretty little heads off. Pansies and violas prefer cooler temperatures and begin to shut down when it gets warmer during the summer. However, in the fall, they make a big comeback and show off once more. There are numerous cultivars of these plants on the market today and some varieties are great for overwintering and presenting a great color show early in the spring. Ohio State University Extension Floriculture specialist Claudio Pasian conducted pansy and viola trials in the past; check out the results at: [ http://floriculture.osu.edu/trials/PansyPage.html ]. For more information, see: Fall Pansy/Viola Trial *PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE WEEK. IRIS OR FLAGS - (Iris spp.) "Wow!" can be used to describe the iris bloom in central Ohio at this time; these plants are absolutely beautiful. There are many species and cultivars of iris. Crested iris (I. crestata) usually blooms early in April and is a dwarf plant, growing to around 10" tall. It makes an excellent border or groundcover. Japanese iris (I. ensata ) has somewhat "flat-topped" blooms http://bygl.osu.edu/ Page 2 of 10 Welcome to the BYGL Newsletter 5/23/08 8:33 AM dwarf plant, growing to around 10" tall. It makes an excellent border or groundcover. Japanese iris (I. ensata ) has somewhat "flat-topped" blooms that are usually ruffled. These bloom later, usually around late May in central Ohio. The German or bearded iris is the one most commonly known and is considered the old-fashioned iris. The flowers come in numerous colors and are quite noticeable in the garden. Another low-growing dwarf iris, I. pumila grows to around 12" tall with bicolored flowers. The Siberian iris has clean, narrow, dark green foliage and white, purple or blue flowers. These plants get around 2-4' tall and the foliage is a nice backdrop for other perennials all summer. After iris finish blooming, cut off flower stems; the foliage remains attractive for the season, barring any problems with pests. *WOODY PLANT OF THE WEEK. WHITE FRINGETREE (Chionanthus virgincus). Fringetrees were blooming in Lexington, Kentucky two weeks ago, and Gary Gao reported the start of bloom of this lovely small tree this past week in Delaware, Ohio. Jim Chatfield remembers when vegetable grower par excellence John Graf of Graf Growers in Copley called up to talk of this "wonderful tree next to his farm that he could smell a half-mile away." It was fringetree and Jim will always remember John when he inhales its fragrance. John Graf, himself a true force of nature, passed away earlier this May and we will all remember him each Spring as the crops develop and fringetrees prepare to bloom. White fringetree is a small native tree 12-18' with outstanding fleecy white flowers. It has an open tree form, lustrous green leaves, and attractive egg-shaped blue fruits on female plants.