No. 11/September 21, 2022
Insects on milkweed in the home landscape
Throughout the summer I receive messages from landscape professionals and gardeners asking about insects on milkweed. Often people want to learn whether the insect they’ve encountered is a pest and sometimes they ask whether that insect may be a threat to monarch caterpillars they wish to encourage in the landscape. There are a plethora of different insect species that live on milkweed ranging from tiny aphids to large butterflies and voracious mantids. Here are some of the most common insect species on milkweed throughout the summer:
Fall Is Good Time for Broadleaf Weed Control in Turf
With the long hot days of summer coming to a close, we can look forward to cooler days in the fall. If broadleaf weeds populations are unacceptably high in turf areas you own or manage, it’s time to plan your attack. Fall is the ideal time to control broadleaf weeds in turfgrass as winter annual weeds and cool season perennial weeds will soon be preparing for the long, cold months ahead.
Mushrooms Growing in Turf
A recent pattern of moist weather in central Illinois created an ideal environment for mushrooms in many landscapes. Mushrooms can form wherever sufficient moisture and organic matter are present. When found growing in turf, mushrooms tend to stand out and be unsightly to some. The fungi responsible for producing the mushrooms live off the organic matter in the soil, such as decaying tree roots or buried construction debris. The fungi are generally not harmful to lawns, and the mushrooms will eventually disappear on their own. However, they can be picked, raked, or mowed off to speed up the process.
University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Resources - Fall 2022
Looking for more horticulture and gardening information? The University of Illinois Extension has two resources with fall content that may interest you.