Camellia Scale

A client brought in this really yucky sample of a camellia. I have never seen a sample with such obvious and such advanced problems. The spider was just along for the ride. We found out that the sample has both cottony camellia scale and sooty mold. The scale insect makes honeydew which then grows the sooty […]

Read More

Plant Clinic Question of the Week: bean problems

written by Sarah F. Client is growing  Royal Burgundy bush beans  from a reputable seed company. The plants are not thrifty, robust yet have some dark green leaves. The leaves exhibit yellow splotches and streaking as well as fungal leaf spots, necrotic tissue, and upward cupping. These symptoms and sign did not fit either virus […]

Read More

Green Slime Mold

Written by Sarah P. Some slime molds are called “ dog vomit.”   This is the second slime mold that we have seen in clinic this year. This one was on the ground mixed in with some bark mulch.   Here are some interesting links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slime_mold http://ibis.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/eflora/SlimeMolds.html https://duckduckgo.com/?q=slime+molds&t=ffab&ia=images

Read More

Deer love our foodbank bounty

The infamous Port Townsend deer enjoy many things about our Pacific Northwest town, even our foodbank bounty   Linda P. wrote:  I pick up tubs of “leftover” food from the Port Townsend Food Bank to feed to  my worms—   that is if the deer don’t eat it all!   (see video)  I have to believe that […]

Read More

Tansy Ragwort Alert!

June 26, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Alison Halpern, Executive Secretary; 360-902-2053, ahalpern@agr.wa.gov Written by: Cindy Riskin, special to the WSNWCB, Master of Environmental Horticulture; 206-817-0746, cindyri@q.com   Control Tansy Ragwort Now to Prevent Poisonings Noxious weed kills livestock, contaminates hay, and taints milk and honey by Cindy Riskin, special to the Washington State Noxious […]

Read More

Plant Clinic: What the heck is doing this to my roses?

written by Sarah F. A client brought in some rose leaves with a stippled look. We deduced that the problem on the roses was thrips. There is some debate about whether the word thrip is used both as singular and plural – what a strange language we use. Florida Extension web page nailed it by […]

Read More

Plant Clinic: Bracken Fern

Situation/Question: A Port Townsend resident moved into a house less than a year ago where the yard had been neglected, and noticed a lot of brown bracken fern.  She pulled/dug it up. However this spring it is coming up all over the place and she wants to know more about it and the best way […]

Read More

Plant Clinic: Horsetail Management

  Situation/Question posed to Jefferson County plant clinician:   A resident of Port Townsend lives on a lot that apparently used to have horsetail but it had been diminished significantly. However, it has returned and is spreading. Over the past year or two she has researched and attempted to get rid of it to no […]

Read More

Common Raspberry Problem

My first hunch was A virus and then I got off the track  thinking soil amendments. The client had fertilized with both fish emulsion and regular fertilizer. Crazy trick of the brain because the symptoms would show up with lack rather than too much. Madame Parsley My question to WSU: Hi Jenny, The client came […]

Read More