In the tranquil woods of Connecticut, a quiet menace has been steadily encroaching on the majestic Beech trees—Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). First identified in 2012, this enigmatic ailment, primarily caused by the foliar nematode Litylenchus crenatae mccannii (LCM), has spread across multiple states and into Canada. As we delve into the intricacies of BLD, we…
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Category: Garden Pests and Pest Control
The State of Our Trees & Flora
Watch the video below to see Sean McNamara talk to the Redding Garden Club about disease and insect problem impacting Fairfield County. Redding’s Environment: The State of Our Trees & Flora from Robert Moran on Vimeo.
Bye Bye Boxwoods
There had been warnings for years about the coming plague, but outside of a couple of isolated plants there had really never been signs of Boxwood Blight here in Fairfield County until this fall. Then suddenly it was everywhere. A combination of cool temperatures and wet weather allowed this disease to spread. The prophecy was…
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Saving your Ash
WRITTEN BY: Susan Winters at hello, Redding CT The Emerald Ash Borer has been ravaging ash trees for years in the Midwest. But now it’s here, in Fairfield County, having worked its way east, both by flying from tree to tree and catching rides on firewood being transported longer distances. They are killing trees at…
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The Mighty Mite
Mites are a common pest in the landscape and are often thought of as “insects.” But while they are related, mites are actually in the arachnid family along with spiders and ticks. These little critters can reproduce rapidly, and while one mite by itself can’t do much damage to a plant, if the population gets…
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The Trial of the Killer Tomatoes
You say tomato and I say tomahto… But 200 years ago you might have said poison! When the Spanish introduced the tomato to Europe in the 1500s, the plant was greeted with skepticism and fear. The harmless tomato resembles (and is a distant relative of) the belladonna or deadly nightshade plant. For many years Europeans associated…
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“The Revenge of the Acorn”: Lyme Disease Explosion
It is shaping up to be a very bad year for ticks in Redding, Connecticut. The risk of Lyme Disease is higher than ever and the CDC is reporting that a higher percentage of ticks are carrying the Borrelia bacteria spirochetes which cause the disease. This comes as a surprise to many who thought the…
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Best Spring Cleaning Garden Tip: DORMANT OIL
We don’t usually think of our plants needing a good spring cleaning, but landscape trees and shrubs need more than the occasional April shower. Over the previous year, millions of insects have visited our landscaping, many making it their home and laying eggs for the next year. And while insects are an important part of…
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Delightful Deer and the Damage They Do
Growing up in Connecticut in the 1970s, the sight of a deer was such a rare event that you would stop your car and get out to take a closer look. Today there are so many deer you have to swerve your car to avoid hitting them. The same is true in many suburbs across…
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Learning About the Lace Bug
Lace & Bug. Two words that don’t seem to go together. Kind of like “Jumbo Shrimp” or “Awfully Good.” But put these two words together and you create an oxymoron that will make your plants look “Pretty Ugly.” Lace Bug damage is on the rise. Their favorite host plant is Andromeda (Pieris spp.). Like the…
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