Ash Tree Threats.

9-15-15 SHORT HILLS: We have been besieged by electricians and plumbers repairing the problems that come up in an old house. Everything seems to be working at the moment inside the house.

In the yard there’s a problem with the ash trees. They are being attacked by a bug, a leafhopper, which carries a microbe that clogs the circulation of the trees. The trees die from this attack, which is similar to what happens when Dutch elm disease attacks elms. We have about three dozen ash trees in the yard, and five or six are already in decline. The disease is treated by force-feeding the trees. There is no specific agent to kill the pathogen.

The Emerald Ash Borer is another harmful insect that is present in NJ but not locally, as yet. It is also an ash tree killer. This will be a very different yard without the ash trees.

New blooms: white snakeroot [actually just ID’d it], hibiscus.


We brought the indoor plants back inside today after their summer vacation on the patio. This hibiscus seemed to like the move.

The pond at The Farm, a local nursery, also has ducks and a heron. We were there for a couple house plants that Judy needed.

We see more deer in NJ than VT. There were four others a few houses away.

Is he giving us the raspberry?

This wildflower, or weed, if you prefer, grows everywhere in the yard, sun or shade, wet or dry. It blooms in the Fall, has no stickers or nettles and is not nasty looking. After a brief internet search, I ID'd it as white snakeroot, Eupatorium rugosum. Welcome.