http://www.toledoblade.com The Latest News from Toledoblade.com (v5) Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:14:11 GMT en-us hourly 1 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/15/stone-leave-the-leaves-nature-s-way-of-nourishing-your-yard/stories/20261013089 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/15/stone-leave-the-leaves-nature-s-way-of-nourishing-your-yard/stories/20261013089#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2026 11:30:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/15/stone-leave-the-leaves-nature-s-way-of-nourishing-your-yard/stories/20261013089 Earlier this week, I took a couple of quick trips to the Lansing area. The farther north I drove, the more magnificent the fall colors became. That’s not to say we aren’t seeing the change from summertime greens to vibrant shades of red, orange, yellow, purple, and even brown in our own backyard, but they’re just a little ahead of us, offering a preview of what’s to come. A green caterpillar with distinctive eyespot markings rests on a yellowing leaf at Oak Openings Metropark, where autumn colors are beginning to emerge. Vibrant shades of red and purple brighten the understory at Oak Openings Metropark as plants transition into their fall colors. Bright yellow leaves signal the arrival of fall at Oak Openings Metropark. Fallen leaves provide nutrients for the soil as they decompose. Leaves turn shades of orange and red at Oak Openings Metropark. Allowing fallen leaves to decompose naturally helps improve soil health and provides habitat for wildlife. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/08/stone-fairy-rings-bring-a-little-magic-and-fungi-to-lawns/stories/20261005115 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/08/stone-fairy-rings-bring-a-little-magic-and-fungi-to-lawns/stories/20261005115#comments Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:30:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/08/stone-fairy-rings-bring-a-little-magic-and-fungi-to-lawns/stories/20261005115 This season, I noticed fairy rings when I was out and about. Last week, I was on a horticultural study tour with some former Ohio State University colleagues who remain great friends even after I retired. No matter where our travels took us, we saw fairy rings — and I thought, what a great topic for this week’s garden column. A large mushroom grows as part of a fairy ring in a lawn. Mushrooms grow in a lawn as part of a fairy ring, a circular or partial pattern caused by fungi growing in the soil. Mushrooms form part of a fairy ring in a lawn. The rings can reach up to 15 feet in diameter. A cluster of mushrooms grows along a fairy ring in a lawn. Mushrooms form a visible arc in a lawn. Fairy rings can appear as rings of mushrooms during wet weather. A mushroom grows in a lawn where fungi have produced a fairy ring. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/01/stone-new-plants-offer-fresh-inspiration-for-2027-gardens/stories/20260928096 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/01/stone-new-plants-offer-fresh-inspiration-for-2027-gardens/stories/20260928096#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2026 10:00:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/10/01/stone-new-plants-offer-fresh-inspiration-for-2027-gardens/stories/20260928096 Can you believe that it’s October? As the gardening season winds down this year, nurseries, greenhouses, and garden centers are already tempting us with what is to come. Gardeners looking ahead to next season will have new plant introductions and plants of the year to consider for their landscapes. Even as this year’s gardening season winds down, growers and plant organizations are already introducing new varieties and recommendations for 2027. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/24/stone-know-the-difference-between-bees-wasps-and-their-look-alikes/stories/20260921088 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/24/stone-know-the-difference-between-bees-wasps-and-their-look-alikes/stories/20260921088#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2026 10:59:04 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/24/stone-know-the-difference-between-bees-wasps-and-their-look-alikes/stories/20260921088 In last week’s column, we discussed cicada killer wasps and briefly mentioned today’s topic — other wasps and their relatives. A honey bee visits a milkweed flower. Bees generally have hairier bodies than wasps and have two pairs of developed wings. A hoverfly rests on a flower. Hoverflies can be mistaken for bees or wasps because of their black-and-yellow markings, but as flies they have only one pair of developed wings. A yellow jacket approaches a cluster of berries. Yellowjackets are wasps, not bees, and have smoother bodies and more pronounced, narrow waists than bees. Bald-faced hornets, which are actually a type of yellowjacket wasp, emerge from their nest. Wasps generally have smoother bodies and more pronounced, narrow waists than bees. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/17/cicada-killer-wasps-are-more-friend-than-foe/stories/20260915076 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/17/cicada-killer-wasps-are-more-friend-than-foe/stories/20260915076#comments Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:00:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/17/cicada-killer-wasps-are-more-friend-than-foe/stories/20260915076 In last week’s column, I covered cicadas and ended with a mention of today’s topic — cicada killer wasps (Sphecius speciosus). A cicada killer wasp, Sphecius speciosus, rests on a flower. Despite their large size and intimidating appearance, cicada killers generally are not aggressive toward people. A male cicada killer wasp surveys its territory. Males aggressively defend areas around nesting sites and may buzz people who approach, but they lack stingers. A female cicada killer wasp digs a burrow in the soil. Females capture and paralyze cicadas, then drag them into underground burrows where they serve as food for developing larvae. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/10/stone-dog-day-cicadas-make-their-summer-song-heard/stories/20260910015 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/10/stone-dog-day-cicadas-make-their-summer-song-heard/stories/20260910015#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2026 11:00:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/10/stone-dog-day-cicadas-make-their-summer-song-heard/stories/20260910015 Next time you have a spare minute or two, head outdoors and simply listen. A newly emerged annual dog-day cicada rests on a leaf. Cicadas spend two to three years developing underground before emerging as adults. A female annual dog-day cicada uses her ovipositor to insert eggs into a branch. The egg-laying process can damage twigs, causing leaves to turn brown and the twigs to eventually drop. An adult annual dog-day cicada rests on a branch. The ruler shows the insect is about 1½ inches long. The cast nymphal skin of an annual dog-day cicada clings to a leaf. The empty shells are often easier to spot than the adult cicadas themselves. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/03/stone-defoliated-plants-aren-t-necessarily-doomed/stories/20260831075 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/03/stone-defoliated-plants-aren-t-necessarily-doomed/stories/20260831075#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2026 11:00:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/09/03/stone-defoliated-plants-aren-t-necessarily-doomed/stories/20260831075 Today’s column revolves around the topic of defoliation of plants in your gardens, landscapes, and even larger woodlots or forests. Boxwoods can be severely defoliated by box tree moth caterpillars, leaving plants brown and nearly bare. Feeding by box tree moth caterpillars damages boxwood leaves, sometimes leaving behind only portions of the foliage. A box tree moth caterpillar feeds on a boxwood plant. Heavy infestations can quickly defoliate boxwoods and require a swift response. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/27/stone-fall-lawn-care-can-curb-crabgrass/stories/20260827023 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/27/stone-fall-lawn-care-can-curb-crabgrass/stories/20260827023#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/27/stone-fall-lawn-care-can-curb-crabgrass/stories/20260827023 There can be something satisfying about putting the garden to bed in the fall. Crabgrass thrives along the edge of a sidewalk, one of the tough growing areas where the weed can take hold. Crabgrass spreads through a lawn, taking advantage of thin areas where desirable turfgrass is less dense. Crabgrass grows among turfgrass. Maintaining a healthy, dense lawn is one of the best defenses against the annual weed. A crabgrass plant pulled from the ground. Removing mature plants before they produce and drop seeds can help reduce the amount of crabgrass that emerges the following year. Mature crabgrass can spread aggressively by late summer and produce seeds that remain in the soil through winter and germinate the following spring. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/20/stone-spotted-lanternflies-take-wing-as-adults-emerge/stories/20260819085 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/20/stone-spotted-lanternflies-take-wing-as-adults-emerge/stories/20260819085#comments Thu, 20 Aug 2026 10:59:57 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/20/stone-spotted-lanternflies-take-wing-as-adults-emerge/stories/20260819085 It’s been more than four months since I discussed the spotted lanternfly in this column. An adult spotted lanternfly, top, and a spotted lantern fly nymph in the area of Airport Highway and Lake Shore Avenue Aug. 3, 2023, in Toledo. An adult spotted lanternfly displays its distinctive red hind wings beneath its spotted forewings. The invasive insect develops wings after passing through four nymphal stages. Adult spotted lanternflies are not particularly strong fliers, but they can spread long distances by hitching rides on vehicles and other objects. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/13/stone-the-case-for-testing-soil-before-the-ground-freezes/stories/20260811089 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/13/stone-the-case-for-testing-soil-before-the-ground-freezes/stories/20260811089#comments Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:07:05 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/13/stone-the-case-for-testing-soil-before-the-ground-freezes/stories/20260811089 I’m willing to bet that many of you have heard the old saying, "Don't guess, soil test." And even if you haven’t, it is a pretty simple message that scores of us could hopefully agree on. A tree's lateral roots sit close to the surface, exposed here by erosion on a wooded slope. Sampling depth for a tree runs 6 to 12 inches. Scorch symptoms mark a red oak leaf. 'Why are the leaves on my tree turning yellow?' is the kind of question that sends gardeners to a soil test. A tulip tree's foliage carries the early signs of a nutritional deficiency, the sort of problem a lab report can pin down. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/06/stone-gardening-and-nature-apps/stories/20260803071 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/06/stone-gardening-and-nature-apps/stories/20260803071#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:47:05 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/08/06/stone-gardening-and-nature-apps/stories/20260803071 Many people engage in gardening and nature to be outdoors. Stepping away from technology to spend time without distractions, besides, of course, the occasional pests we may encounter. While many may leave their devices indoors while immersing themselves in the garden or landscape, or enjoying a walk in nature, there are some benefits of having technology within reach. A Blackburnian warbler spotted at Magee Marsh in Oak Harbor. Chestnut-sided warbler at Magee Marsh in Oak Harbor. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/30/stone-what-makes-plants-wilt/stories/20260728090 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/30/stone-what-makes-plants-wilt/stories/20260728090#comments Thu, 30 Jul 2026 10:42:55 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/30/stone-what-makes-plants-wilt/stories/20260728090 We are in the throes of summer, and it’s been a tough one. High temperatures, smoke-filled air impacting the air quality, and hit-or-miss rainfall amounts. And it seems when we receive the “hits” of rain — standard rain gauges can sometimes overflow. If you happen to see Drooping, discolored leaves are a common summer sight, but the cause isn't always dry soil. Heat and wind, saturated ground, vascular diseases, and damage to a tree's stems or trunk can all interrupt water movement and lead to wilting. Drooping, discolored leaves are a common summer sight, but the cause isn't always dry soil. Heat and wind, saturated ground, vascular diseases and damage to a tree's stems or trunk can all interrupt water movement and lead to wilting. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/23/stone-ipm-in-the-garden/stories/20260721077 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/23/stone-ipm-in-the-garden/stories/20260721077#comments Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:30:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/23/stone-ipm-in-the-garden/stories/20260721077 Have you ever heard of the acronym IPM? If you answered yes, you likely said it stands for integrated pest management, and of course you would be right. While working as an extension educator, a friend and colleague tweaked the acronym and would use intelligent pest management instead. Dahlia with feeding injury.