Got Nature? Blog

Question: I have a blue spruce that is 40-years old and very tall. It is dying up the middle. I have read about the Needle Cast problem. Also read about Spectro 90 copper based fungus control. I can only spray so high. Is there a chemical that can be placed on the ground to be absorbed by the tree?

Answer: Thank you for contacting us regarding your tree issues. Rhizosphaera needle cast (Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii) is a foliar disease of spruce trees. It is most common in trees growing outside of their native range. It starts on the inner and lower growth and progresses upward through the tree. It can take up to 15 months for the needles to show visible symptoms after the initial infection. Young trees may be killed by this disease, but usually branches die off after 3-4 consecutive years of defoliation, causing trees to look disfigured.

Early identification of Rhizosphaera can prevent major damage to individual trees and prevent the spread to nearby trees. Protecting new growth as it emerges is very important. For best effectiveness, fungicides should be applied when the emerging needles are half elongated (1/2 to 2 inches in length). Needle cast diseases can be effectively controlled with fungicides containing chlorothalonil. For Rhizosphaera needle cast, two properly-timed applications per year for at least two consecutive years, and sometimes three years, is required for control. Heavily infected trees may require several years of fungicide applications but should be sprayed, soil drenches are not effective. Also, clean-up of any infected needles and branches will help reduce the spread of the disease.

Resources
Needle cast in Colorado Blue Spruce, Purdue Landscape Report
Blue Spruce Update, Purdue Landscape Report
Why Spruce Trees Lose Their Needles, Purdue Extension
Blue Spruce Decline, Purdue Extension
Diseases Common in Blue Spruce, Purdue Extension
Tree Installation: Process and Practices, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Planting and Urban Forestry Videos, Subscribe to our Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel
Find an Arborist, International Society of Arboriculture

Lindsey Purcell, Urban Forestry Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Purdue sustaining hardwood extension specialist Lenny Farlee talks about identifying invasive plant species in the webinar below.

Don’t forget to fill out the Invasive Plants Threaten our Woodlands Part 1, Identification survey after watching video to share your suggestions, other forest topics you would like to see and to help us learn more about you.

Resources
A Woodland Management Moment, Playlist, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel
Invasive Species, Playlist
Report Invasive Species, Purdue Invasive Species
The GLEDN Phone App – Great Lakes Early Detection Network
EDDMaps – Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (Report Invasives)
Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA)
Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Woodland Stewardship for Landowners, Playlist
Invasive plants: impact on environment and people, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Woodland Invaders, Got Nature? Blog
Indiana Invasive Species Council
Hardwood Tree Improvement & Regeneration Center (HTIRC)

Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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In this Tree Installation for The Landscape Webinar, urban forestry specialist Lindsey Purcell shares information regarding research finds and current best management practices for tree installation.

Please visit the Tree Installation for the Landscape Survey after you watch the video so we can learn more about you and feel free to share your suggestions for future topics.

Resources
Tree Installation Process and Practices, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Support Systems, The Education Store
Tree Pruning Essentials, Video & Document
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store
Tree Pruning: What Do Trees Think?, The Education Store
Mechanical Damage to Trees: Mowing and Maintenance Equipment, The Education Store
Tree Planting Part 1: Choosing a Tree, The Education Store
Tree Planting Part 2: Planting Your Tree, The Education Store
Planting Problems: Planting Too Deep, Video, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Youtube Channel

Lindsey Purcell, Urban Forestry Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Do you know what’s “bugging” your trees? There are several exotic insects which may be attacking our trees that you should be on the lookout for. Some have already arrived in Indiana, and others are still beyond our borders but have a risk of showing up here in the future.

Dr. Elizabeth Barnes, exotic forest pest educator with Purdue Department of Entomology, and Liz Jackson Purdue extension forestry specialist, describe these exotic insects, symptoms to watch for in your trees, and discuss what some of the biggest future pest concerns are in this Facebook Live session from June 18, 2020.

Resources
Purdue Report Invasive website
Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Entomology & Plant Pathology
Don’t Move Firewood
Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab
Indiana District Foresters
Indiana Consulting Foresters
Purdue Landscape Report
Insect specific sites:
Asian Longhorned Beetle Information (from APHIS)
Spotted Lanternfly (Penn State Extension)
Emerald Ash Borer Information from Purdue
EAB University: Invasive insects and pathogens webinar series

Elizabeth Jackson, Manager Walnut Council/IN Forestry Woodland Owners Association (IFWOA) & Engage Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Elizabeth Barnes, Exotic Forest Pest Educator
Purdue University Entomology

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Are you noticing more birds in your backyard recently since sheltering at home? Do you wish you knew how to identify what you are seeing? Do you know what kind of food to put out to attract different species?

Dr. Barny Dunning, professor of wildlife ecology, and Purdue extension wildlife specialist Brian MacGowan offer advice on birdwatching for birders of all skill levels, including how to bring species to your yard, what apps you can use to identify them and other resources to help you learn more in this Facebook Ask the Expert.

Resources
Sibley Guide to Birds app
Merlin Bird App
Audubon Bird Guide App
Cornell University Ornithology Lab website
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Project FeederWatch from The Cornell Lab
Nesting Box Information – National Wildlife Federation
Project Feeder Watch
Indiana Audubon Society
Sycamore Audubon Society
Attract Hummingbirds to Your Yard, Video, Purdue Extension YouTube Channel
Birds and residential window strikes: Tips for prevention, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
No room at the inn: suburban backyards and migratory birds, The Education Store
Size Does Matter – Nest Boxes for Wildlife, The Education Store

John B Dunning, Professor of Wildlife Ecology
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

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On May 5^th, we held a Facebook LIVE: Ask an Expert with several FNR specialists and one of the questions that came in is a question I receive often.

One of the many benefits of interacting with farmers and land managers is I learn about the problems you face. A question came in around the 17:30 minute mark of how to deal with vole damage problems in their 3- to 5-acre pumpkin patch.  I didn’t have an answer regarding registered pesticides (including taste repellents and toxicants) that are labeled for voles in pumpkins. Doing a broad search on the internet is helpful but it is hard to figure out what you can use in your state. Pesticides are often labeled for use in one state but not others. Luckily, anyone can search for registered pesticides online at on the National Pesticide Information Retrieval System. Most states, including Indiana, are included. You can search by EPA registration number, product name, company name, or active ingredient.  A particular search can still yield many choices but this is a helpful way of finding out what is available. Each product has a link to the EPA website that includes product labels.

Since our program last week, I did some checking and found a product registered in Indiana labeled for voles in pumpkins as well as many other crops. Millers Hot Sauce is a taste repellent with an active ingredient of capsaicin (2.5% by weight), which is an irritant to animals, but one some people enjoy in hot peppers. Per label instructions adding an antitranspirant film former or a sticker may prolong the effectiveness of the product.  Mix the product and additives with water according to label instructions. For heavy damage, start treatment after first true leaves appear and continue treatment every 7 days.  If applying to transplants, start application one week after transplanting and continue every 7 days.

Always read the label completely before applying any pesticide. The efficacy of any repellent depends on a number of factors including animal population size and density, available food, and availability of cover. With voles, the year can be key because their populations tend to cycle. Combining other methods with repellents can often increase success. For example, soil cultivation within plant rows and in adjacent habitat can help reduce the habitat quality for voles. Cultivation can also directly kill some voles. There are of course tradeoffs and every situation is unique. Soil cultivation would not be an option in some cases (e.g., adjacent to water, steep slopes). I was unable to find a toxicant registered for voles in pumpkins. But depending on what the land cover is adjacent to the pumpkin patches, some of these may be appropriate in those areas.

With face-to-face Extension programs on hold for the foreseeable future, look for more live Q&A sessions and other programs on Facebook (PurdueFNR) or Twitter (@PurdueFNR).

Resources
National Pesticide Information Retrieval System
Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Hops Production in Indiana: Integrated Pest Management Guide for Hops in Indiana, The Education Store
Turfgrass Insects: Managing Black Cutworms in Turfgrass, The Education Store
Applied Research in Field Crop Pathology for Indiana – 2019, The Education Store
Managing Alfalfa Autotoxicity, The Education Store

Brian MacGowan, Wildlife Extensions Specialist
Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources

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Resourceful Animal Relationships is one unit in a series available from The Nature of Teaching – the place to go for teaching resources that focus on wildlife, food waste, health and wellness. In this series teachers can find free lesson plans, printables, posters, a photo library, information on upcoming workshops and more.

This lesson will teach third- through fifth-grade students about different kinds of organism interactions and how those interactions affect the ways in which organisms gain or lose resources. Students will learn how to describe the differences between mutualism, parasitism,
and competition along with how to explain the different effects that relationships have on an organism and their resources.

It meets several grade-appropriate Next Generation Science Standards, English/Language Arts Standards, and Math Standards. This 19-page pdf is written by Dr. Rod Williams.

For more resources, please check the Education Store.

Resources
Benefits of Connecting with Nature, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
The Nature of Teaching: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health, The Education Store
The Nature of Teaching: Disease Ecology, The Education Store
The Nature of Teaching: Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians, The Education Store
Adaptations for Aquatic Amphibians Activity 2: Water Quality Sneak Peak, Video, Purdue Extension YouTube channel

Rod Williams, Professor of Wildlife Science
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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With large amounts of white-tailed deer populating the area around forest land, getting your hardwood seedlings established can be difficult.

Purdue Extension forester Lenny Farlee, sustainable hardwood extension specialist, offers some tips on how to protect newly planted seedlings from browsing deer using plastic mesh fencing to exclude the animals from the area. He also mentions tree tubes and electrified fencing as potential options. Learn more in the video below.

If you have any questions regarding trees, forests, wildlife, wood products or other natural resource topics, feel free to contact us by using our Ask an Expert web page.

Resources
USDA Cost Assistance Programs for Conservation Practices
How to Build a Plastic Mesh Deer Exclusion Fence, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Electric Fences for Preventing Deer Browse Damage by White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
Managing Your Woods for White-Tailed Deer, The Education Store
How to Score Your White-Tailed Deer, Video, Purdue Extension Youtube Channel

Lenny Farlee, Sustaining Hardwood Extension Specialist
Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources extension specialists gathered for a Facebook LIVE event held May 5th to answer questions on a wide range of topics from woodland management to wildlife habitat, ponds to invasive species and more.

Topics ranged from what to do about moles, voles and Canada geese causing damage in your yard, to how to pick the right tree for your landscape and how to measure the worth of your trees. The presentation also included segments on what to do about algae in your pond to how to know if you need to restock it as well as what to do about invasive plant species and how to protect your trees from deer damage.

Get advice from extension specialists Jarred Brooke, Lenny Farlee, Brian MacGowan, Lindsey Purcell, Rod Williams and Mitch Zischke in the video below.

If you have any further questions feel free to send your questions by submitting our Ask An Expert form.

Resources mentioned:
Purdue Extension – The Education Store
Purdue Report Invasive Species Website
Midwest Invasive Species Network Database
TreesAreGood.org
Find a Forester in Indiana
Improve My Property for Wildlife, Purdue Extension
Online Mole Program, Event May 14th, Purdue FNR Extension
Have you seen a hairless squirrel, Got Nature? Blog, Purdue FNR Extension
Stocking Fish, The Education Store, Purdue Extension Resource Center
Tree Selection for the “Un-natural” Environment, The Education Store
Selecting a Nuisance Control Operator, The Education Store
Forest Products Price Report (pdf), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Indiana DNR Nuisance Goose Control Options (pdf), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)
Turtles of Indiana, The Education Store
Salamanders of Indiana, The Education Store
Frogs and Toads of Indiana, The Education Store
Snakes and Lizards of Indiana, The Education Store
Aquatic Plant Management, The Education Store
Native Grasses, The Education Store
Preventing Deer Browsing on Trees/Shrubs, Video, Purdue Extension Youtube Channel

Brian MacGowan, Wildlife Extension Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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Our recent cold mornings resulted in late freeze damage to many trees and shrubs. This damage to newly emerging shoots and leaves follows a few hours of temperatures below the freezing mark. Damage is usually characterized by wilting browning of new growth, particularly leaves and needles. It may take a few days, or until temperatures begin warming again, for damage to become evident.

The photos below reveal some late freeze damage in southern Indiana, shared by a concerned tree owner. It is often dramatic and can cause concern for homeowners and landscapers. Fortunately, the damage is largely aesthetic, and plants will quickly resume growth.

 

 

 

 

What can you expect? Typically, the damaged or dead leaves will fall and new leaves will emerge, although somewhat slowly. A reduction in growth and leaf size can be anticipated as well. Just remain calm and wait for the tree to recover. If the tree was vigorous going into winter and had a good store of carbohydrates, it can withstand an environmental hit such as these cold extremes.

If branches or stems don’t show any evidence of bud or leaf emergence, lightly scratch the bark with your thumbnail. If the green cambial layer is revealed, the tree is likely just slowly emerging from dormancy. If there is no green tissue evident, it is likely dead. Prune out the dead branches to a living later branch and assess the plant.

Resources
Question: What are these pretty green flower shaped growth spots? Will they damage the tree?, Got Nature? Post, Purdue FNR Extension
Iron Chlorosis of Trees and Shrubs, The Education Store, Purdue Extension resource center
Tree Diseases: Oak Wilt in Indiana, The Education Store
Tree Diseases: White Pine Decline in Indiana, The Education Store
Mechanical Damage to Trees: Mowing and Maintenance Equipment, The Education Store
Surface Root Syndrome, The Education Store
Tree Appraisal and the Value of Trees, The Education Store

Lindsey Purcell, Urban Forestry Specialist
Purdue University, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

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