Winter Bird Feeding Program Offered at Wagnalls

Tuesday, November 14, 2023 – 6:30pm to 7:30pm

Wagnalls Library, 150 E. Columbus St, Lithopolis, OH 43136

A backyard bird feeder can be a source of joy and entertainment during the upcoming winter season. Join OSU Extension Educator, Carrie Brown, as we explore how we can best support our feathered friends as cold months roll in. Topics include food & feeder selection, feeder sanitation, deterring non-winged critters, and general birdscaping tips.

To register, call 614-837-4765 or email waginfo@wagnalls.org.

WINTER BIRD FEEDING at Pickerington Library

Wednesday, November  15, 2023 6:00PM TO 7:00PM

Join OSU Extension Educator, Carrie Brown, as we explore how we can best support our feathered friends as cold months roll in. Topics include food & feeder selection, feeder sanitation, deterring non-winged critters, and general birdscaping tips. This class is free and open to all interested

Register at: https://pickeringtonlibrary.libnet.info/event/8851634

These long-lived perennials provide beautiful displays with their short, shrubby growth; dark glossy foliage (some species); and showy blooms, even though the blooms may not last long.

It is true that garden peonies appear to be immune to four-legged plant pests; deer and rabbits don’t eat the foliage.  Although they are not immune to six or eight-legged pests, insects and mites seldom bother garden peonies to any significant extent.

However, beautiful peony displays are sometimes marred by several diseases with the most notorious being Peony Leaf Blotch caused by the fungus Graphiopsis chlorocephala (formerly Cladosporium paeoniae).  The fungus is also responsible for producing other diseases on peonies with different common names depending on the symptoms.  

Leaf blotch occurs when infections produce large, shiny, brown, or purple leaf lesions.  Peony Red Spot and Peony Measles occur when fungal infections produce distinct red to reddish-black spots on the stems.  Typically, the measles symptoms appear before Continue reading Fall PEONY CARE 101 →

Dahlia Tubers

Tender bulbs include tuberous begonia, freesia, dahlias, gladiolus, caladiums, canna, Oxalis and calla lilies, and all should be stored indoors for winter or they will not survive the cold.

The general rule of thumb is to dig your tender bulbs out of your gardens after the leaves begin to dry up or are killed by frost.  Once the timing is right, carefully dig up the tender bulbs. Use a fork or spade to gently loosen the roots several inches away from the plant’s base. It usually works best to loosen the soil on all sides of the plant before trying to lift up the clump. It is important to avoid cutting, breaking or “skinning” the fleshy bulb. If you damage the bulb it is more susceptible to disease or rot.

After the bulbs have been dug, clean them. Most plants need a gentle wash, but gladiolus corms store best if left unwashed and simply let to dry out. Be sure to dust off any soil before putting them in storage.

Then, the bulbs will need to cure or dry. Curing time varies depending on the species. Dahlias, cannas, callas and caladiums have a short curing period of only one to three days. Gladiolus, oxalis and freesia require a longer curing period of approximately three weeks. Gladiolus should cure in temperatures of approximately 60°F to 70°F. All tender bulbs should be stored out of direct sunlight and in well-ventilated areas while drying.

Next, be sure to inspect for pests before storing them away. Pests include both insects and fungi or other diseases.

You may consider lightly dusting with an insecticide or fungicide according to the product’s label to avoid pests over winter.

Long winters can make it difficult to remember exactly which bulbs are which come spring. Label your bulbs as you put them in their final storage space. You can write directly on the bulb with a soft-tipped marker.

Finally, choose a location that is going to have a consistent temperature appropriate for your bulbs’ storage. Freesia, gladiolus and oxalis should be stored at 35° to 40° F. Cannas and dahlias should be stored at 40° to 50° F.Tuberous begonia, caladium, and calla lily should be stored at 50° to 55° F.

Throughout the winter you will want to check in on your bulbs to ensure there are no signs of rot. Remove anything that shows signs of rot or decay before all your bulbs and all of your work are lost. Saving and storing your bulbs will save you dollars next spring.

SOURCE: University of Minnesota

Garden cleanup or “sanitation” at the end of the growing season is a way to reduce some of the plant disease potential for the following season — The list of plant diseases that can overwinter is long, but those that can perhaps be reduced the following season by good fall clean up include rose black spot, hollyhock rust, Septoria leaf blight on Rudbeckia, bacterial blight on geranium, botrytis blight on peony, bacterial leaf spot on English ivy, canker and dieback on vinca, crabapple scab, and Septoria leaf spot on tomato, just to mention a few.

Disease management can include debris clean up, such as raking up infected leaves, flower heads, and other plant parts, and cutting infected stems back close to the ground. The debris can then be put in yard waste for collection or otherwise removed from the garden area. It can also include turning plant debris into the soil or adding it to a “hot” compost pile where it will degrade quickly. Plant pathogens are less likely to survive over winter if organic debris in the garden decomposes quickly.

Weed management can be important as well, as some weeds are hosts for the fungi that infect cultivated plants and most weeds this time of year also have seeds.  For example, round-leaf mallow, a common lawn and waste place weed, also serves as a host to the hollyhock rust fungus and can serve as a source of spores (inoculum) the following season. Horse nettle, jimsonweed, and nightshade also serve as a host for the same pathogen that causes  Septoria leaf spot on tomato. Tomato rotation without tomatoes but with these weeds, even for four years will not avoid this disease.

Infected plant debris can also be “hot” or fast composted, which involves raising the pile’s temperature so that debris decomposes quickly, killing the plant pathogens and weed seeds. Shredding or chopping plant debris allows more surface area for the decomposing organisms to work on, and will speed up the process. The minimum pile size must be one cubic yard (a three foot cube) and the internal pile temperature must reach and sustain 120°- 160° F for two to three weeks. Making fast compost involves a good mix of green and brown debris initial layering and watering plus turning the pile frequently, keeping it moist (50-60% moisture – moist, but not wet) and making sure enough nitrogen is in the pile to fuel the decomposition process among the microbes. Piling up debris and letting it sit unattended for several months will not kill plant disease organisms or weed seeds, and the compost pile may then actually become a source of inoculum & weeds for the following season.

Asparagus Ferns should be cleaned off the patch in the Fall each year!

The asparagus ferns gradually die in the late fall, turning brown by winter. As they die, they transport carbon and nutrients down to the roots for winter storage. The ferns must be removed every year once they are completely yellow or brown. Do not remove green ferns, as this decreases energy storage in the plants.

Remove ferns in the late fall or early spring. When possible, late fall is preferred, to eliminate insect pests that overwinter in the ferns. Remove ferns from the crowns by chopping, mowing or burning.

In spring, it is best to remove them from the field and burn or compost them elsewhere in order to minimize asparagus insect pests like asparagus beetles and pathogens that have been overwintering in the ferns.

Don’t till the ferns into the soil as it contributes relatively little organic matter and can create insect pest problems.

Source: University of Minnesota

This guy and many of his cousins will soon be seeking refuge in your home!

Soybean harvest is in full swing in Ohio. Something that coincides with this event is the movement of the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) from the fields to our human inhabited spaces. Stink bugs are a diverse group of insects that feed on a wide range of plant material. The BMSB is especially irritating to humans because when fall approaches, the seek refuge from the cooling temperatures in our homes.

This stink bug is native to China.  The six-legged, triangle-shaped bug first appeared in North America in 2001, likely after hitching a ride in boxes or packages. They do not pose a threat to human health, but they certainly Continue reading Stink Bug Season is Here!! →

Don’t miss this dynamic duo as they raise awareness about the Spotted Lantern Fly during prime time tailgating at the OSU – Penn State Game!  Did you know invasive Spotted Lantern Fly was first discovered in Pennsylvania?  Learn more about this invasive pest in this 88.9FM Saturday Morning Farm Page interview with OSU Extension’s Carrie Brown!!

OSU Extension’s Spotted Lantern Fly Amy Stone and Carrie Brown!!

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