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Pamela J. Bennett, Ohio State University Extension, Clark County; Jane C. Martin, |
Winter Injury Report
The winter of 2000-2001 was fairly kind to most plant material. The most common problem observed in spring was damage to English ivy. Ivy in exposed areas received a good bit of damage and required heavy pruning to remove dead plant tissue. It was speculated that the damage was due to a rapid drop in December temperatures, with subsequent damage to plant tissue not properly hardened off due to the mild fall. Most plants recovered as the season progressed.
Tomato Challenges
Gardeners flooded Extension offices this summer with questions regarding tomato problems. Common problems included early blight, Septoria leaf spot, bacterial spot and speck, wilt due to black walnut toxicity, tomato blossom drop, and general poor growth issues. Much of the state experienced poor growing conditions for tomatoes including drastic temperature and moisture changes.
Maple Problem Continues
Manganese deficiency continued to be a problem in Acer rubrum in many areas of the state. This deficiency is often due to a soil pH above 6.5. Manganese may become less available to plants at this pH. Drought conditions may also play a role. Symptoms include interveinal chlorosis on the leaves and young twigs and branches dying from the tips, some with a burned or blackened appearance. Severely affected plants fail to grow and may even die.
Lowering pH around established trees is difficult. Manganese chelates may be used but are only a temporary fix, not a cure. Branches sprayed in the spring with a manganese chelate may green up, but this won't last from year to year. The bottom line is placing the right plant in the right place. Soil test prior to planting to avoid this problem.
Volcano Mulching
The practice of applying mulch in a "volcano-like" mound around the base of the plant still continues, despite OSU Extension's best efforts to educate the public on mulching practices. The recommended mulching depth, depending upon the material selected, is 2" to 2.5". At this depth, the benefits of mulching–weed suppression, soil moisture retention, and temperature modification–will be achieved.
Excess mulch, especially if applied right next to the trunk of landscape plants, leads to constantly wet bark and conditions favorable for disease development. In addition, there have been some anecdotal reports of an increase in girdling roots developing in the excessively mulched areas.