Monthly Archives: April 2017

The Horticulture Diagnostic Lab Can Help!

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Do you have questions about gardening? Need a soil test? Want help identifying plant pests or diseases? Wonder what kind of insect or tick you’ve found? The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County Horticulture Diagnostic Lab can help! Our Horticulture Consultants can assist with plant problem diagnosis, pest identification, and general gardening and landscaping information. You can reach them through Call-In Help Lines, or stop by in person. There are two locations in Suffolk County:

Cornell Cooperative Extension
Extension Education Center
423 Griffing Ave, Riverhead, NY 11901
Open year round, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm
Call-in help line: 631-727-4126; 9:00am-12:00pm

Bayard Cutting Arboretum
Montauk Highway, Great River, NY 11739
Open from April 27-October, Thursdays and Fridays only, 10:00am to 4:30pm
Call-in help line: 631-581-4223; 8:45am-11:45am and 1:00pm-4:00pm

Click here for more information about the Horticulture Diagnostic Labs.

You can also find many great resources here: http://ccesuffolk.org/gardening.

Also, check out this article from the Northforker on the lab!

Distinguishing Red and White Oaks: It’s Important Now More Than Ever!

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It’s more important than ever to know what oak you’re looking at because of the introduction of oak wilt to Long Island, which is a serious disease that affects all species of oaks (Quercus spp.). While all species of oaks are susceptible to oak wilt, the fungal pathogen (Ceratocystis fagacearum) doesn’t impact all oak species equally to the same degree. Species in the red oak group, in particular red oak (Quercus rubra), are most devastated by this disease and die within the first year or less upon infection. With species in the white oak group, however, a much slower progression of the disease occurs—it may be years before the infected tree dies. To learn more follow this link to Oak Wilt Risk: Distinguishing Red and White Oaks.

Leaf from the white oak group on the left, and red oak group on the right. Note the curved leaf margins and hair-like bristles that distinguish the two.