Question: We have quite a few stone fruit trees/shrubs in our yard, including sour cherry bushes, apricots trees, and plum trees. This past spring the blossoms on these shrubs and trees browned, and many of the younger branches died. We only got a fraction of the fruit that we usually do, but the fruit that […]
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Question: What is getting into our garden and eating these young cornstalks? Answer: Marjorie Peronto, Extension Educator It looks like damage from a critter, perhaps a woodchuck, who sits on its haunches and eats the stalks, making a mess and leaving evidence. If you do not have fencing around your garden, I suggest you consider […]
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Question: My somerset seedless vine (about five years old) now has berries and they are getting some fatal disease. They start with a brown spot, then it progresses to a brown bullseye, then half the berry shrivels, then the whole thing is mummified. I suspect this is black rot, yet again, even after cutting back […]
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Question: Last year, I bought some bee balm from a vendor at the farmers market and planted it. It is growing well, but it has magenta “stains” on the stalks. The lower leaves are turning yellow, and there are some white and yellow spots on some of the upper leaves. The spots eventually turn brown. […]
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Question: I just planted some organic cucumber seedlings in my garden, and immediately noticed holes in the leaves. I inspected the plant, and can not see any bugs. I submitted a photo. Can you tell me what it is? What I can or can not do about it? What can I do to prevent it […]
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Question: I planted Jacob’s Cattle bush beans. They germinated well, but now have brown spots on some leaves. I do not see any insects on the leaves. Can you tell me what is causing the brown spots, and the best way to help the beans? Answer: Kate Garland, Horticultural Professional Our team agrees this appears […]
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Question: I have two elderberries in the back yard, both are three years old. The tall one suddenly got lots of aphids for the first time. Thick clumps of dark purple aphids (with some ants and ladybugs associated). Maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of aphids total (50-75 stalks involved). I sprayed them off […]
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Question: I planted some zinnias as seedlings. They were doing great but now they look like this. They are indoors, I’ve been putting a grill light on them but they seem somewhere between drowned and parched. The other seedlings in different trays seem to be doing just great. Answer: Frank Wertheim, Extension Educator, Agriculture/Horticulture The […]
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Question: The lower 3-4 feet branches of my large rhododendrons have been eaten by deer. Should these branches be pruned as the upper part of the bush just keeps growing taller? Answer: Frank Wertheim, Extension Educator, Agriculture/Horticulture In the photo it appears that the lower branches, while severely eaten back by the deer, still have […]
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Question: I want to plant bush beans. Last year they got devoured by slugs. What is the best way to limit or stop the slugs? Answer: Brian Erickson, Sustainable Agriculture Professional/Professional I We have a few great resources when it comes to dealing with slugs. Home and Garden IPM from Cooperative Extension, Slugs and Snails […]
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