http://www.toledoblade.com The Latest News from Toledoblade.com (v5) Thu, 30 Jul 2026 04:11:03 GMT en-us hourly 1 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. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/16/stone-garden-alert-asian-jumping-worms/stories/20260714074 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/16/stone-garden-alert-asian-jumping-worms/stories/20260714074#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2026 11:09:49 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/16/stone-garden-alert-asian-jumping-worms/stories/20260714074 Who is faster than a speeding bullet? More powerful than a locomotive? And able to leap tall buildings in a single bound? I am sure you all guessed it — Superman. But when I hear those powerful descriptions, and yes, it would be very unrealistic, I think of the non-native and invasive Asian One of the latest garden visitors is a surprise most of us would happily avoid: jumping worms. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/09/stone-hydrangeas-something-for-everyone/stories/20260709019 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/09/stone-hydrangeas-something-for-everyone/stories/20260709019#comments Thu, 09 Jul 2026 10:59:32 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/09/stone-hydrangeas-something-for-everyone/stories/20260709019 With so many sizes, shapes, and bloom times, there is a perfect hydrangea for nearly every garden. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/01/mindful-gardening-cultivating-calm/stories/20260630092 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/01/mindful-gardening-cultivating-calm/stories/20260630092#comments Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:43:15 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/07/01/mindful-gardening-cultivating-calm/stories/20260630092 It seems summer has not only arrived on the calendar, but the temperatures are really heating up. The air feels heavy, the sun feels intense, and the garden seems to wilt right along with us. It can be tempting to rush through our outdoor chores and hurry back inside. But summer also invites us to slow down, notice more, and approach our gardens with a little more intention. One of Patrice Powers-Barker's mindful life lessons from the garden: Stop and smell the roses. Patrice Powers-Barker, Ohio State University Extension Family and Consumer Sciences educator in Lucas County, said gardening offers a natural place to practice mindfulness. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/25/stone-your-garden-s-good-bad-and-ugly/stories/20260623094 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/25/stone-your-garden-s-good-bad-and-ugly/stories/20260623094#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:30:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/25/stone-your-garden-s-good-bad-and-ugly/stories/20260623094 I have to say that I was drawn to horticulture for the love of plants and being able to be outside in nature. The perfect plant combination of color, texture, and size makes my heart feel full. Is that what drew you in to be a gardener? A monarch caterpillar munches its way across a milkweed leaf this summer. Black-and-white spotted lanternfly nymphs gather on a leaf, an early stage of the invasive pest now on the increase in the region. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/18/stone-made-for-the-sun-shade-or-somewhere-in-between/stories/20260618017 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/18/stone-made-for-the-sun-shade-or-somewhere-in-between/stories/20260618017#comments Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:56:34 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/18/stone-made-for-the-sun-shade-or-somewhere-in-between/stories/20260618017 It seems like garden ideas are endless when you have space that gets full sun. Whether it is the lawn, edibles from apples to zucchini, and a wide variety of ornamental plants — the list of plants that excel in full sun often exceeds those that prefer a shady site. And then, there are spaces in between and as gardeners we have to decide what plant choices should be made, and hope that the plants will love their new surroundings. While gardeners may have areas or zones that have varying degrees of sun versus shade, choosing plants that will succeed in the conditions is the first step to success outdoors. Choosing the right plant for the right light, whether sun or shade, is the foundation of a successful garden, whether you're filling open beds with color or brightening a shady spot beneath the trees. Choosing the right plant for the right light, whether sun or shade, is the foundation of a successful garden, whether you're filling open beds with color or brightening a shady spot beneath the trees. Choosing the right plant for the right light, whether sun or shade, is the foundation of a successful garden, whether you're filling open beds with color or brightening a shady spot beneath the trees. Choosing the right plant for the right light, whether sun or shade, is the foundation of a successful garden, whether you're filling open beds with color or brightening a shady spot beneath the trees. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/14/old-orchard-blooms-annual-garden-tour/stories/20260614111 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/14/old-orchard-blooms-annual-garden-tour/stories/20260614111#comments Sun, 14 Jun 2026 18:53:20 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/14/old-orchard-blooms-annual-garden-tour/stories/20260614111 The Old Orchard Garden Tour opened the gates of its neighborhood’s most carefully cultivated and elaborate private gardens. Guests admire the private gardens open to the public as part of the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Marsha Hamernik shows off her garden for the first time as a public stop in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Marsha Hamernik shows off her garden for the first time as a public stop in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Tracy Tersigni welcomes guests to her garden as a stop in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Marsha Hamernik shows off her garden for the first time as a public stop in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Guests admire the private gardens open to the public as part of the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Guests admire the private gardens open to the public as part of the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Atlas and Willow Rhinebolt root themselves in the world of gardening at a stop on the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Nicolle Smith details the history of a 1926 built home and garden, a footprint that remains the same since it was first tended by Suzanne Speck, in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Nicolle Smith details the history of her 1926 built home and garden, a footprint that remains the same since it was first tended by Suzanne Speck, in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Brent Lohmann, Old Orchard Garden Tour event chair, stops for a moment between helping guests on June 14 in West Toledo. Activities take place in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Nicolle Smith details the history of her 1926 built home and garden, a footprint that remains the same since it was first tended by Suzanne Speck, in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Kids play croquet at a stop in the Old Orchard Garden Tour on June 14 in West Toledo. Home owner Jeff Petit details his efforts at restoration of his three-lot flora space in the Old Orchard Garden Tour oon June 14 in West Toledo. He worked to reclaim the garden from wild nature since moving into the home in 2022. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/11/stone-watch-out-for-wheel-bugs/stories/20260609087 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/11/stone-watch-out-for-wheel-bugs/stories/20260609087#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:30:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/11/stone-watch-out-for-wheel-bugs/stories/20260609087 As summer begins, curious gardeners may be noticing some things in the garden that are not flowers, fruit, or even vegetables. We need to turn on curiosity, dial in those detective eyes, and begin searching for the unobvious, unique, and well-hidden or camouflaged. One of the most fascinating Wheel bug nymphs patrol a leaf in search of prey. Their long, spindly legs and upright, curved abdomens often lead people to mistake them for spiders. A young wheel bug in its bright red-and-black nymph stage. Unlike the adults, nymphs have not yet developed the signature cogwheel on their backs, and their coloring darkens to black and gray as they mature. An adult wheel bug displays the distinctive cogwheel-shaped crest that gives the insect its name https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/04/stone-when-more-mulch-isn-t-better/stories/20260604016 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/04/stone-when-more-mulch-isn-t-better/stories/20260604016#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:03:45 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/06/04/stone-when-more-mulch-isn-t-better/stories/20260604016 Mulch is a gift that you can give a tree when applied correctly. Think of it as a blanket for the soil. Applied properly, organic mulch helps trees manage whatever Mother Nature throws their way. But like many good things in life, too much can quickly become problematic. The mulch layer should be Too much mulch can harm the tree. Too much mulch can harm the tree. Too much mulch can harm the tree. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/28/stone-recording-meaningful-observations/stories/20260526082 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/28/stone-recording-meaningful-observations/stories/20260526082#comments Thu, 28 May 2026 10:45:07 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/28/stone-recording-meaningful-observations/stories/20260526082 There is something to be said about going outdoors and simply enjoying nature. I believe it is important to just be in the moment, decompress, and relax with the purpose of spending time without expectations, seeing and enjoying everything around you. This time is grounding. Do not let the Common milkweed hosts a remarkable variety of insects throughout the growing season. Common milkweed hosts a remarkable variety of insects throughout the growing season. Common milkweed hosts a remarkable variety of insects throughout the growing season. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/21/stone-why-hiring-an-arborist-matters-most/stories/20260518076 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/21/stone-why-hiring-an-arborist-matters-most/stories/20260518076#comments Thu, 21 May 2026 10:50:12 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/21/stone-why-hiring-an-arborist-matters-most/stories/20260518076 I have always held a high respect for arborists, but especially those individuals who climb. The admiration stems from my always preferring both feet on the ground. They are agile and seem to be one with the tree, even in dangerous situations. Participants in a recent tree-climbing competition. Participants in a recent tree-climbing competition. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/12/stone-an-abundance-of-environmental-to-dos/stories/20260512085 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/12/stone-an-abundance-of-environmental-to-dos/stories/20260512085#comments Wed, 13 May 2026 12:57:30 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/12/stone-an-abundance-of-environmental-to-dos/stories/20260512085 Have you ever heard the phrase — There is nothing to do? While this can go in many directions, today's column will prove that the opportunities are endless, with a focus on nature and the environment in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. In fact, as we take a deeper dive, there are so many opportunities that we often have to pick and choose, or be scheduling geniuses to fit it all in. Cassandra Boorom, owner of C11 Clean, and her husband, Joe, chat with attendees during EcoFest at the Glass City Metropark in Toledo on May 9. Attendees browse booths during EcoFest at the Glass City Metropark in Toledo on May 9. Amy Stone, former Ohio Sate University extension educator, speaks during a Gardeing 101 panel during EcoFest at the Glass City Metropark in Toledo on May 9. Marvin Gladieux, Toledo Technology Academy teacher, sets a napkin on fire using a solar reflector array, during EcoFest at the Glass City Metropark in Toledo on May 9. https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/07/stone-thinking-inside-the-box-a-new-pest-on-boxwoods/stories/20260505114 https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/07/stone-thinking-inside-the-box-a-new-pest-on-boxwoods/stories/20260505114#comments Thu, 07 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/Gardening/2026/05/07/stone-thinking-inside-the-box-a-new-pest-on-boxwoods/stories/20260505114 Thinking inside the box — a new pest on boxwoods A box tree moth caterpillar measures roughly an inch long. Note the distinctive yellow-green body with black stripes and white markings — key identifiers when scouting your boxwoods. A box tree moth caterpillar at work on a boxwood, surrounded by the telltale silk webbing it spins while feeding.