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Amy K. Stone, Ohio State University Extension, Lucas County; Joseph F. Boggs, James A. Chatfield, Mary Maloney, Erik A. Draper, Hannah Mathers, Pamela J. Bennett, Jane C. Martin, Marianne Riofrio, |
Soil Samples and Plant Diagnostics
Dr. Charles Darrah, owner of CLC labs (soil and tissue testing), highlighted a number of case studies illustrative of how soil sampling is often essential to plant problem diagnostics, especially relative to salt concentrations associated with road salts and with fertilizer irregularities.
Ask the Right Questions Systematically
Dr. Robert Partyka, long-time Ohio plant pathologist and plant diagnostician, used additional case studies to illustrate how diagnosticians need to use the diagnostic process to systematically ask the right questions and look carefully at the evidence when doing a diagnosis, rather than relying on a few "usual suspects."
Plant diagnosticians are the Sherlock Holmes and Quincys of the horticultural world!
Sharing Outrageous Examples
Participants also shared samples in the Clinic Catharsis and Diagmoshtics sessions, including sycamore and hawthorn lace bug damage, outrageously spectacular euonymus scale infestations on European euonymus in which leaves were spotted and stems were entirely encrusted, and some unusual dawn redwood twigs in which there was a proliferation of buds on the end of some of the twigs.
36th Workshop Scheduled
Set your sights next on the 36th Ohio Plant Diagnostic Workshop. It will be June 6-7, 2002, and features a return to Stone Lab on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie. The usual diagnostics, coupled with the ferry rides, an overnight stay at the Stone Lab dorms, diagmoshtics around the campfire and maybe even the stray rowboat ride around the island at midnight.