By Margaret Bayne, OSU Extension Staff-retired, OSU Master Gardener

January 2018

8 tips to gear up garden for cold weather.
(Kym Pokorny, OSU)
http://bit.ly/2ClGiax

The International Space Station had a bright pop of orange, thanks to Astronaut commander Scott Kelly’s green thumb. “Last year, Kelly had to fight off mold that threatened to kill all the flowers in the space station’s mini-greenhouse.”
(Marcia Dunn, Associated Press, Seattle Times)
http://bit.ly/2j1y9Q2

Honey bees fill ‘saddlebags’ with pollen. Read how they keep them gripped tight.
(Katherine Kornei, Sciencemag.org)
http://bit.ly/2o7WB7C

“A Systematic Approach to Diagnosing Plant Damage”.  While this was written almost 30 years ago, it is still used as the standard for diagnosing plant problems.
(James L. Green & Joe Capizzi, OSU, Otis Maloy, WSU)
http://bit.ly/2zdBYuj

Don’t miss this webinar: 2018 All Bugs Good and Bad Webinar Series: Misidentified Pests in the Landscape.  Mark your calendars for March 2!
(Learn.extension.org)
http://bit.ly/2jUQlvA

How to store pesticides over winter.
(NPIC, National Pesticide Information Center)
http://bit.ly/29Wxv5i

Watch as a man dismantles a giant wasps’ nest while they swarm around him!  This yellow jacket nest was so large it had multiple queens.  Scary!(Grace Lisa Scott, Inverse; via Business Insider)
http://read.bi/2CjIv6a

Caterpillar attacks allow aphids to sneak up on plants.  A new study indicates that plants prioritize the protection of flowers over leaves and that simultaneous attack by aphids, caterpillars and bacteria leaves plants vulnerable to aphids but more protected from caterpillars.
(Wiley, via Science Daily News)
http://bit.ly/2yuTbvE

Watch this informative video from OSU experts that demonstrates how to identify and eliminate moss from your lawn. It is a companion to OSU Extension publication EM 9175, “Managing Moss in Lawns in Western Oregon”.  See next entry for link to pdf.
(Brooke Edmunds, Alec Kowalewski, OSU, Youtube)
http://bit.ly/2Arz6bd

NEW PUBLICATION: “Managing Moss in Lawns in Western Oregon”.
(Brooke Edmunds, Alec Kowalewski, OSU, EM9175)
http://bit.ly/2j7oU0t

Revered, then reviled: Tracking the rise and fall of ivy.
(Adrian Higgins, Washington Post)
http://wapo.st/2kt8Eaw

Take a listen! A group of professional nature recordists from around the globe have collaborated to develop Nature Soundmap, an enjoyable and interactive way of exploring the natural sounds of our planet. Combining high-quality field recordings with the latest satellite imagery, the project brings together some of nature’s most beautiful, interesting and inspiring.
(Naturesoundmap.com)
http://bit.ly/1aH67iZ

What’s the largest terrestrial organism?  It’s not what you think!
(Jesse Morrison, Mississippi State University, Soils Matter, Word Press)
http://bit.ly/2B1dDY3

In the Pacific Northwest, many new potential threats to natural landscapes and forests have emerged. Read about recent detections, including new species of whiteflies, lace bugs, sawflies, beetles, and earthworms.
(Robin Rosetta, OSU via RNGR.net, USDA Forest Service)
http://bit.ly/2ksGtIX

Are Traders and Traffickers Winning the Orchid Battle? “Orchids are wanted for everything from decoration to food and medicine, but illegal collectors could be wiping out species before we even know they exist.”
(Rachael Bale, Wildlife Watch, via National Geographic)
http://bit.ly/2ClnrfD

Poison ivy an unlikely hero in warding off exotic invaders?
(Pensoft team, Pensoft Blog)
http://bit.ly/2AZmvNN