damage

As snow recedes, white grub damage is revealed

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu White grubs are the immature form of Japanese beetles. Now that most Minnesotans can see the lawns again after a record-breaking winter, some aren’t too happy with what the melt has revealed. In the metro especially, people are...

Winter damage: Sunscald and winter dieback on deciduous shrubs

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Forsythia flower buds above the snowline did not survive winter temperatures. The buds that are blooming were covered with snow and protected from dieback. You have to be tough to be a plant in Minnesota. Our plants endure cold, heat,...

Winterizing plants: Animal damage

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Winter is a difficult time for wildlife. The cold and snow are challenging and food is scarce. Wildlife habitat is constantly being altered and infringed upon by housing developments, infrastructure and lack of natural predators, and...

Winterizing plants: Cold damage

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu This forsythia may have hardy plant stems and leaf buds, but its flower buds were killed by cold temperatures. The flowers at the bottom of the plant were protected by snow cover. Minnesota winters can be snowy, frigid, warm, dry or...

A homeowners' guide to ice dams

Cold weather contributes to many different conditions that can affect homes.When winds are blowing fiercely, homeowners may soon discover deficits in insulation or in caulking around windows and doors. Icy conditions can cause walkways and stairs to become slick. One winter condition can cause...

Tomato damage

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Tomato damage The rain much of Minnesota received in the past week was very needed, but also led to some problems. The most common being reported is cracks in tomato fruit. These rips in the tomato fruit’s skin are typically found on...

What's digging up your yard?

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu While vertebrates are doing the most visible damage, the white grubs they’re after are the root of the problem. In some Minnesota lawns, instead of the grass greening up, the grass is being torn up. People are reporting lawns ripped up...

Signs of winter lawn damage

Mother Nature can be harsh on a lawn, and it's up to homeowners to nurse their lawns back to health after they endure the elements. That's often the case when winter ends and homeowners uncover signs of damage to their lawns. Homeowners cannot begin to repair winter lawn damage until they learn to...

Wildlife damage to perennial fruits and shrubs

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu Rabbit damage on a shrub My fruit trees and shrubs suffered severe wildlife damage this winter while I was focusing on other personal projects (a newborn baby). If your perennials are also suffering from wildlife damage, you are not...

Cutworms in High Tunnels

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION - www.extension.umn.edu We often hear from growers in the summer about cutworm issues in high tunnel crops, oftentimes long after the damage has been done. It is always hard to retrace the steps and figure out what caused the damage. As we get ready to think...