Providing gardening and growing information for the residents of Hamilton County, Indiana. This educational website is an outreach effort of Purdue Extension.
It's not unusual for Indiana weather to have trouble deciding what season it is. Recent warm spells have had many gardeners wondering what to do about bulbs, and perhaps a few plants that are poking their foliage through the soil. Just what should gardeners do about daffodils, dianthus and daylilies poking out of the ground? The good news is that no action is required. We're used to seeing this happen in late winter during a February warm spell. The plants will survive just fine. The longer the mild weather stays around, the more potential there is for damage when below-freezing temperatures return. Foliage that has popped up may be killed back, but the bulbs and storage roots should remain undamaged underground. As the plants completely push out in spring, damaged foliage will appear brown, giving plants a raggedy appearance. But the plants themselves will survive. Flower buds on spring-flowering trees and shrubs are also starting to plump up, but should be fine so far. As buds progress in their development, they become more susceptible to freeze damage. And, spring is still over a month away, leaving plenty of opportunity for fluctuating temperatures. There isn't much we can do about the weather except to sit back and wait to see what Mother Nature has in store for us!
As we enter Invasive Species Awareness week, it is important to remember that early detection is the best way to slow the spread of invasive species. The early detection of Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) by concerned citizens in 1996, and subsequent involvement by community members, has resulted in the containment or eradication of ALB in four states. Continued public involvement will help us protect Indiana trees in the future. You can report invasive species by calling the Invasive Species hotline at 1-866-NO-EXOTIC (1-866-663-9684) or using the free Great Lakes Early Detection Network smartphone app, which can be downloaded on iTunes or GooglePlay. Purdue has put together a YouTube video to demonstrate how easily the app can be used to alert authorities:
If you’re interested in learning more about invasive pests and how to report them, sign up for one of our free Early Detector Training workshops! The workshops will be held on July 11th in Bloomington, July 12th in Aurora, and July 13th in Nashville. You’ll learn about invasive species such as the emerald ash borer, the Asian longhorned beetle, thousand cankers disease, and the hemlock wooly adelgid, their hosts, and how to use the Great Lakes Early Detection Network app to report them.
