- Author: Belinda Messenger-Sikes
Have you been seeing a lot of defoliated sycamore trees recently? Sparse foliage and early leaf drop on sycamore trees might be due to anthracnose. The cool, wet spring in many parts of California provided the perfect conditions for this disease. Anthracnose is a common fungal disease sometimes called leaf, shoot, or twig blight. It can cause twisted, distorted branches in American sycamore, some varieties of London plane trees, and California sycamore trees. Sycamore anthracnose is primarily an aesthetic concern since it usually doesn't kill established trees.
Symptoms
Take a close look at the fallen leaves for the characteristic irregular blotches caused by this disease. Anthracnose can...
[Originally featured in the Winter 2022 Issue of UC IPM's Green Bulletin Newsletter]
Weeds can be a problem in any landscaped areas including around trees, shrubs, flower beds, or lawns and turf. As we move from cool weather to warmer temperatures, you will see winter weeds grow and become a problem in established landscape plantings. Effective control of weeds include hand-weeding, hoeing, mulching, and herbicide applications. Good management depends on early attention to where weeds are establishing and adjusting the conditions that allow them to thrive.
Managing weeds in landscape...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
An immense amount of rain has fallen across California in recent weeks. While rain is incredibly beneficial, in excess it can cause serious problems. The continued wet conditions opens the door for many pests, so see the list of dos and don'ts below for common wet weather pest prevention tips.
DO
- Check for snails and slugs. These critters thrive in moist environments and can often be seen on sidewalks and driveways after rain. Their feeding causes irregular holes on leaves and flowers, and they'll...
![Wild blackberries growing along a roadway and encroaching into the home landscape. [Credit: Scott Oneto]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/95850small.jpg)
Ripe, juicy, sweet blackberries: what's not to love? Blackberries are grown for us to eat and enjoy, but some species can be considered weeds when they take over home landscapes, roadsides and waterways, and other areas. The most problematic species are the introduced wild blackberries, cutleaf blackberry and Himalayan blackberry. Blackberries can be highly competitive, smothering existing plants with their dense stands. Accumulation of dead stems can create a dangerous fire hazard.
In urban landscapes, blackberry brambles can create habitat and food for wildlife and birds, but also for rats and other pests. When invasive wild blackberries take over a...
- Posted by: Lauren Fordyce
![Mature dallisgrass plant, Paspalum dilatatum. [Credit: K Windbiel-Rojas]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/95301small.jpg)
Knowing what weedy grass you have in your lawn or landscape is very important in being able to properly control it. Dallisgrass is a common perennial weed that is easily identified and grows in uneven clumps in lawns and turf. This growth pattern creates a tripping hazard as well as a poor playing surface for parks, front lawns, and athletic fields. Clumps must be dug out to prevent its growth. Solarization with clear plastic can help control dallisgrass.
For more details about the biology of dallisgrass, management methods, and extensive information about herbicides, see the newly updated Pest Notes: Dallisgrass, authored by UC Cooperative Extension...
