Plants naturally resist infections through a process called Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR). This is similar to our own immune system. The understanding of this phenomenon is quite complicated, involving numerous hormones, proteins and other compounds inside and...
The winter of 2023-2024 was Wisconsin’s warmest on record, worrying many whose properties had endured recent Spongy Moth outbreaks, as a warmer winter can improve pest survivability, leading to another year of heavy defoliation. However, the wet spring that followed...
Water from snow melt, excess seasonal rainfall, and overland drainage settling into the lowest area(s) of a property can cause a common spring experience—temporarily wet areas in the yard. They might cause actual wet feet for homeowners, but these wet spots also cause...
We’ve had it again: the kind of weather that breaks records. Three years ago, we had a record-breaking wet spring; this spring has broken that record. Wet weather has dominated the first half of the 2024 growing season. Evidence of thriving fungi is everywhere to be...
Wisconsin is home to a range of native coniferous and deciduous trees that provide many benefits to your property. Well placed trees can reduce your cooling costs in summer by providing shade, act as a windbreak against bitter winter winds, decrease stormwater runoff...
For those of you who have not yet experienced the impacts of spongy moth activity…beware! For those of you who have, it should come as no surprise that the populations are forecasted to continue to rise and spread throughout Wisconsin. According to the WI-DNR, the...
Like something out of a children’s story book, galls come in many different shapes and sizes. Galls are also a common type of damage affecting tree leaves, needles, and/or twigs. Their size and shape can range from pointy to round and small or large. The color of a...
