Now is the Time to Control Diplodia Tip Blight of Pine
By Sarah Browning, UNL Extension Horticulture Educator

Browning and death of branch tips is quite common in older, well-established pine plantings. Such damage is often due to Diplodia Tip Blight, (syn. Sphaeropsis tip blight). Infection kills current-year shoots and eventually may kill whole branches. This causal fungus becomes increasingly more common and destructive as trees age, although young trees can be affected. Austrian pine is the most severely affected of the pines, but Ponderosa pine, Scotch pine and Mugo pine are also susceptible.

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Leafy Spurge Management
By Brent Meyer, Lancaster County Weed Superintendent

With the warm weather we’ve had leafy spurge is about 4 to 6 weeks earlier than normal. While most landowners are familiar with the noxious thistles in the area, most are not aware of the potential problems they face with leafy spurge. Because it is a soft leafed plant that doesn’t poke you, most don’t realize it is a noxious weed and required by law to be controlled by the landowner.

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Sustainable Landscapes

Sustainable Nebraska landscapes minimize high maintenance turfgrass areas, utilize plant material for shade, wind protection, erosion control and beauty, and use native/adapted plant species to save on maintenance costs.

Native and adapted plants include those which:

• Are hardy to USDA hardiness zone 4 or 5 (depending on where you are located in the state.)
• Resist disease and insect pests to minimize pesticide use.
• Have deep root systems for maximum drought tolerance.
• Use existing soil fertility with low-input fertilizer applications.
• Tolerate Nebraska winters with periods of minimal snow cover, desiccating winds, temperature extremes, and winter warm spells.

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