Question: What has made holes in my blueberries? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant I believe you are dealing with blueberry maggots, the larval form of the blueberry fruit fly. The female adults lay their eggs just under the skin of the fruit and the emerging maggots tunnel through the blueberry, giving you the tiny […]
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Question: I just planted basil seedlings in pots and something is eating them. What could be the culprit and what can I do to prevent it? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant Without knowing more about the damage or seeing photos, it’s tough to diagnose accurately. But I will point you to this excellent Clemson Univ […]
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Question: I have several wild alternate-leaf dogwoods on my property that have died previously. They are all located in a similar section of the property. There are two others nearby that are alive but look terrible, with leaves only at the top of the plant. I have not seen a bug or insect on the […]
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Question: What would be a good late blooming flowering tree for our yard? We currently have two apple trees and have never been able to eat the apples because of a fungus even after we’ve sprayed the tree. It’s time to cut those down and plant a flowering tree that blooms later in the season. […]
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Question: Our maple trees have big black spots on the leaves. My guess is it’s a fungus; is that likely? For now, assuming it’s a fungus, what’s the best product to treat it with? The maples are fairly new and small, so spraying would be possible. Answer: Kate Garland, Horticulturist From what I can see, […]
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Question: A small black bug has taken over my nasturtiums! I’ve never seen an infestation likes this before on any of my plants. What are they and how do I manage them? Answer: Caragh B. Fitzgerald, Associate Extension Professor Those insects are aphids. Often aphids are not very problematic, but sometimes they can be severe […]
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Question: Wireworms are eating my root vegetables. Is there anything that will control them? Answer: Jonathan Foster, Special Projects Assistant Unfortunately, there aren’t any effective treatments after planting and establishment of the pest, and the best controls are preparing the soil properly and siting the plants appropriately. Please refer to these resources for in-depth information: […]
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Question: Our Maple trees have some holes in the leaves that look like something is eating them. They also have red and black raised dots on the leaves. At the tips of some of the branches, the leaves look like they are starting to turn reddish as if fall foliage was starting! Should we be […]
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Question: My Beech trees have curled leaves. What could be causing this? Answer: Kate Garland, Horticulturist There’s a chance it might be beech leaf disease (BLD). It has been spotted and spreading rather quickly in the Hancock County region. I encourage you to take a look at this Maine Forest Service website for more information. Be […]
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Question: We have a dark purple lilac that had this fungus show up this spring on it, or at least that’s when we noticed it. It is well blossoming, plenty of leaves, etc. I am afraid this may be a death sentence for it but have learned not to necessarily rely on the internet. If […]
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