Horticulture in Mahoning County
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Horticulture Program 
David Goerig,
Ag/Horticulture Educator
PHENOMENAL
PHENOLOGY STUDY
Ohio State University Extension, Mahoning
County is partnering with the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
(OARDC), Mill Creek Metroparks and Mahoning Valley Landscape and Nursery Association
(MVLNA) to conduct valuable research for the landscape, nursery and turf
industry. Mahoning County was selected along with 23 other counties
across the state to be part of the Ohio Phenology Garden Network.
Phenology is the study of recurring biological
phenomena and their relationship to weather. Bird migration, hunting
and gathering seasons, blooming of wild flowers, trees and seasonal appearance
of insects are all examples of phenological events that have been recorded
for centuries.
You may have observed that plants bloom earlier
during warm spring. Insects also emerge earlier when it is warm than
in cooler seasons. Because the development of both plants and insects
is temperature dependent, plants can accurately track the environmental factors
that determine when insects are active.
For this reason, plant phenology can be used
to predict insect emergence. This information could help the landscape,
nursery and turf industries develop more effective pest control programs in
the future.
Indeed, the use of plant phenology to predict
insect activity is an old practice, with recorded observations dating back
at least 300 years. In fact, research at The Ohio State University has
shown that plants bloom and insects emerge in virtually the same order every
year, no matter what kind of weather occurred that winter or spring.
For this reason, the flowering sequence of plants can be used as a biological
calendar to predict insect activity, and to time other gardening practices
that are dependent on a particular stage of plant development, such as plant
propagation or weed control.
This garden will be planted at the Mill Creek
Metroparks Farm (the old OSU Experimental Farm) in Canfield. Those
interested in seeing the planting should park in the Metroparks farm parking
lot and look for the plants along the paved path that leads to the Mahoning
hike/bike trail. The garden will be installed this spring. The
3 to 5 year study will record the dates of first and full bloom of the plants
chosen for the study, as well as any insect activity nearby.
The data will be collected
by the Mahoning County Extension Master Gardener volunteer group and monitored
by David Goerig the Mahoning County Extension Horticulture Agent. The
objective of the study is to create a standardized biological calendar that
can predict pest emergence that is fine tuned for the Mahoning Valley.
This research will also document short-term phenological and weather variation
and possibly long-term climate change. It also hopes to increase public
awareness and involvement in the “world’s oldest science.”
Submitted by Dave Goerig CALENDAR
OF OPPORTUNITIES
June 1 40th Plant Diagnostic Workshop - 9:45 a.m. Wooster Sponsored by Extension Nursery, Landscape, Turf Team June 2 Rose Show Instructions Meeting at Fellows Riverside Gardens. 6:30 p.m. Sponsored by -Mahoning Valley Rose Society June 4 Bed Preparation/Planting Party Canfield Fairgrounds (flagpole) at 10:00 a.m. - Sponsored by Mahoning County Master Gardeners June 10 Tour of Salem Fruit Growers, Greenford Sponsored by Mahoning County Master Gardeners, 6:30 p.m. June 13 Guided tour of Fellows Riverside Gardens, 2:00 p.m. Sponsored by Fellows Riverside Gardens June 18 Breakfast Botany, Fellows Riverside Gardens, Garden Café 8:30 a.m. June 26 Summit County Tour of Gardens, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. - Sponsored by the Stark/Summit County Master Gardeners. June 27 Guided tour of Fellows Riverside Gardens 2:00 p.m. Sponsored by Fellows Riverside Gardens July 5 National 4th of July Celebration - Office closed. Special Events Connections to Web Sites
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All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Issued in furtherance
of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in
cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith,
Director, Ohio State University Extension.
TDD #
1 (800) 589-8292 (Ohio only) or (614) 292-1868
Updated: June 2004