MIRAGE-Benchmark/MIRAGE huggingface dataset:
Lawn Disease

Question: Hi  I have an ongoing problem with what I believe is a Fungal Disease named Microdochium Nivale.  This was first notice about 3 years ago and seems to get worse each year as soon as the weather warms. Additional water does not help and have tried insecticides as well. I live in Bend Oregon and need advise on what this is and how to treat it with chemicals. 
Thank you, 
Steven Newton <personal data hidden>

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 11, 2024, 12:37 PM EDT
response: based on the photos and the season, spring and summer months, I would guessing you are getting anthracnose on annual bluegrass that has invaded your lawn. I would reseed or sod these areas with Kentucky bluegrass in the fall.   If you want to keep the annual bluegrass alive in the summer, it will require fungicide applications (to precent the anthracnose), and daily irrigation.

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 15, 2024, 11:39 AM EDT
response: Good Morning,  Thank you for the response identifying  ANTHRACNOSE as the problem in my lawn. On a visit to the Redmond office the problem was identified as either NECRONIC RING or SUMMER PATCH. Therefore my question would be what fungicide I should use and is there something that works on all these. Thanks for the help Steve    On Thu, Jul 11, 2024 at 9:37 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied July 15, 2024, 5:02 PM EDT
response: If it is necrotic ring spot or summer patch a systemic fungicide (propiconazole and/or azoxystrobin), should be applied in the fall and/or spring months before summer drought stress. Reducing thatch accumulation with hollow tine core cultivation will also help reduce the disease activity.

responder: The Question Asker Replied July 15, 2024, 5:18 PM EDT
response: Thank you for the clarification.  On Mon, Jul 15, 2024 at 2:02 PM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
little beetle on snapdragon flower and buds

Question: how to get rid of

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 24, 2024, 11:41 AM EDT
response: It is hard to be certain, but it looks like a type of root weevil. They are nocturnal so can be hard to control. The damage is typically little irregular notches in the leaves. The link below is a Fact Sheet which has some pictures and information on root weevils. About 2/3rds of the way down is a section on control of both the adults and the larva which are in the soil. You want to be careful to avoid hurting pollinators (also in the Fact Sheet)  https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/root-weevils-5-551/  If you have any further questions, please let us know.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 24, 2024, 5:17 PM EDT
response: Thank you so much for replying.  I agree that it looks exactly like a root weevil, but it does not act like one.  It gets into the buds and causes the blooming part of the plant to be misshapen and weird.  No leaf biting whatsoever.   Not sure what to do but so far, I’m trying to pick them off by hand.  Would Neem work?  Sandy   On Jun 24, 2024, at 9:41 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 26, 2024, 6:56 PM EDT
response: Hi Sandy,  Neem oil can be used, but would have negative impacts on our pollinators. Another option is to apply beneficial nematodes to the soil in order to disrupt the reproduction cycle. We're coming up on the best time to apply them which is mid-July through mid-September. More information can be found in the weevil fact sheet linked in our previous reply or in the following fact sheet on beneficial nematodes:  https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/insect-parasitic-nematodes-5-573/  Please let us know if you have any other questions!
Fireweed

Question: A bunch of the fireweed in my yard has bunching on the tops this year. Seems like something is living in there? Wondering what it might be.

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 19, 2024, 1:17 PM EDT
response: Hi Allyson, could you open the leaves and see if there is something living inside? There are some types of caterpillars that will tie leaves together like this with silk, but also some types of damage of emerging buds can sometimes stick leaves together. If you could dissect open that section it would help diagnose the issue.  Thanks!

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 19, 2024, 4:12 PM EDT
response: I wish I’d written sooner. Looking now, it seems that whatever was in there has emerged. Left some tiny black stuff that is hard to see. And also appears to be some silk.  Sent from my iPhone On Jun 19, 2024, at 9:17 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 19, 2024, 5:25 PM EDT
response: Hi Allyson, that does sound like there was some kind of caterpillar in there, the black stuff may be "frass" (fancy word for bug poo/debris). In the future feel free to reach out if you see it again, if you can get a picture of the critter inside we may better be able to tell what might have caused it.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 19, 2024, 5:45 PM EDT
response: Do you think that would have been like cocoon of sorts? I could look for caterpillars on the fireweed but that would be silly if whatever is in there has since flown away.  Thanks! Sent from my iPhone On Jun 19, 2024, at 1:25 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 19, 2024, 5:57 PM EDT
response: Sometimes it's not necessarily a cocoon, some caterpillars will use the silk to tie up the leaves like that to help protect them from predators while they are eating. As far as cocoons, some of them will pupate directly on the host plant but others will drop down to the soil and burrow beneath the surface to make their cocoons/pupate.   Larvae can be tricky - there are some that are recognizable due to unique markings or other features but many of our caterpillars are not very well-known so often we have to try to rear them to adulthood to get a good identification for them.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 19, 2024, 7:38 PM EDT
response: Thank you for all the info. AllysonSent from my iPhone On Jun 19, 2024, at 1:57 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿
Is this Scab Disease on my young Comice Pear Tree?

Question: Hello, I filled out the information on the OSU Extension, but the submit button didn't seem to work, so here I go again.  I have a 3 year old Comice Pear Tree, it has  bear fruit, but most of it has dropped as it looks like either the birds, or squirrels were trying for it.  The last couple of weeks, the tree has changed completely to some brown/black spots to full-blown spots on the leaves and now they're dropping.  The tree is ill and I would like to know what I should do?  I applied Captain Jacks for organic gardening and have sprayed the leaves only once.  What kind of treatment spray does the tree need and when and how?  It was healthy prior.  It is planted next to a very old apple tree that has numerous illnesses, but seems to produce a few apples each year.  Not sure if it caught something from the apple tree? Thank you for your time, Debora Connolly

responder: Patricia Patterson Replied June 25, 2024, 3:39 PM EDT
response: I cannot be positive on this identification. The most likely cause is Fabraea leaf spot, also known as leaf blight and black spot, caused by the fungus Fabraea maculata. This disease usually appears late in the growing season but can occasionally develop in late May and early June. Fabraea leaf spot attacks leaves, fruit, and twigs of pear. Symptoms first appear as brown to black spots on the leaves. Heavily infected leaves often yellow and drop prematurely. Severe defoliation can substantially reduce tree vigor and yield, especially if trees are defoliated several years in a row. Outside events cannot, however, be discounted, such as spray damage. Ideally a generous sample should be taken to the local OSU Extension office which has hands-on diagnosis and a microscope. Yours is in Eugene at 10th and Jefferson, entrance on 10th. This appears to be a very young tree so there could even be a root problem, but that is less likely.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 26, 2024, 12:17 PM EDT
response: Thank you Patricia, a friend of mine has an orchard of mostly 400 different varietal of apple trees and some pear.  She is also having these same issues with her trees and believes it is pear scab.  We had plenty of heavy rain for 2 weeks and I would imagine that impacted the trees.  I've never sprayed the tree and the leaves are definitely impacted with brown spots all over.  They have not turned yellow either and I've lost about half. Thank you for your input- Debora  On 6/25/2024 12:39 PM, Ask Extension wrote:

responder: Patricia Patterson Replied June 26, 2024, 12:40 PM EDT
response: Thank you for the feedback. I am never quite happy with some of the iffy problems, which is why I referred you to our local extension. Yes, it has been a very difficult year for our plants and is not really improving.

responder: Patricia Patterson Replied June 26, 2024, 12:44 PM EDT
response: Here is the OSU page on pear scab. https://pnwhandbooks.org/plantdisease/host-disease/pear-pyrus-spp-scab
Beetle eating my tree?

Question: I have a weeping cherry that has been accumulating piles of sawdust at the bottom. I believe it is from a beetle that is black in colour that is eating my tree. I don’t know what it is or how to treat it. Can you help?

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 19, 2024, 12:29 PM EDT
response: I have a weeping cherry tree that is quite old, and at the bottom of it there is a pile of sawdust that appears to be coming from a beetle.  I’m not sure how to treat it. Can you help?

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied June 19, 2024, 2:25 PM EDT
response: Wood-boring insects cannot be eradicated with insecticides once they are inside the wood. Preventative sprays applied to the bark might interrupt life cycles so new generations don't re-colonize the tree, but the borer responsible would need to be identified to species first so the proper timing of bark treatment was used. We recommend you have a certified arborist evaluate the tree, since they can look for sources of tree stress and also help to narrow-down a diagnosis. They cannot cure or treat every condition, but can assess a tree's current state of health or decline and make recommendations. By themselves, borers don't always kill a tree. Flowering cherries tend to be comparatively short-lived trees, doing well for perhaps 20-30 years before tending to decline.  Wood-boring insects usually target plants already experiencing stress, even if outward signs of that stress (like wilting, leaf loss, branch death) are not yet obvious. Cherries do not fare well in compacted or poorly-drained / over-watered soils, but they also don't want to get too dry for too long. (Last year, for example, much of Maryland was in drought for most of the growing season.) Injury from storms, improper pruning, or trunk dead zones from advanced girdling roots can also give such insects an opportunity to invade the trunk or major branches.  There are also beetles and other insects that tunnel into already-dead wood, and other than slowly hollowing-out a trunk, they are not causing any damage. This is because the only living layer of trunk wood is just under the bark, extending only a few inches into the wood; the center heartwood is already dead wood, which is natural and normal. If something gave such insects access to the inner trunk wood, like a wound or cut into the bark on the outside of the trunk, then they might be chewing into the wood there, leaving sawdust, without harming any live sapwood. This is something an arborist can help to investigate. Some have more extensive training and diagnosis experience than others, so you can always get a second or even third opinion before deciding on what action to take (if any action is needed). You could ask before hiring someone if they have experience with flowering cherry trees. (Probably...they're so widely grown.)  Miri
Any interest in historical club bulletins?

Question: Hello,

My mother-in-law passed along 4 Michigan State College Cooperative Extension Service club bulletins on home economics (all sewing/fabric related). The booklets are dated from 1939 to 1952. Would your archives department be interested in having them? I am happy to ship them to you.

Regards,
Jill Delor

responder: Ask Extension Question Wrangler Pronouns: she/her/hers  Find your local Extension office here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/county  Find an expert in a specific topic here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/experts/experts-by-topic-area   Find home gardening information here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/home_gardening/  Order a soil test kit here: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/soil-testing-returns-through-msu-extension   Mold questions? We don’t have an expert in mold, but we do have a few resources below or contact the  Michigan health department. Molds in the Home  Indoor Air Quality May be Hazardous to Your Health    Mushroom questions? We can’t identify, but we do have these three resources to help you: Identifying  Morel  Poisonous  MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status. Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabeg, Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi peoples. The University resides on the land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.     Replied June 19, 2024, 12:05 PM EDT
response: 6/19/24  Wow -- what a cool find.  The MSU archives department is always on the look out for those "gems" ;-)  Here's their contact information so you can see if they're interested.  (They may be able to tell if they already have a copy)    University Archives & Historical Collections | MSU Libraries

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 30, 2024, 4:46 PM EDT
response: A very belated thank you.  I’ve reached out to them. JillSent from my iPad On Jun 19, 2024, at 12:05 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿
Weed ID and treatment assistance

Question: We have two fairly new troublesome weeds in our large Beaverton yard that I would appreciate assistance with identification and recommendations for (organic) easy removal and control.  Until now, I have preferred manually removing weeds instead of spraying, but these are quick spreading and recurrent.
-- The first is a single stemmed weed with branched ovate leaves which produces a tiny white flower spike.  It grows only about 6-8 inches tall, and spreads rapidly (see pictures).
-- The second is a flat growing weed with tiny round leaves that hugs the ground and smells like spearmint when you handle it.
Appreciate your assistance.

responder: Jacki D., Master Gardener Diagnostician Volunteer (Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas Counties) Oregon State University Extension Service Volunteer Metro Master Gardeners (http://metromastergardeners.org/) Replied June 24, 2024, 8:16 PM EDT
response: The white flower is a native woodland plant, Circaea alpina, commonly called enchanter's nightshade. I’ll note that it isn’t in the same plant family as bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) or deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) so I’m sorry for this little plant getting the common name it has. Here is more information about this little wildflower, with more here. I don’t see any listing for it being rare or endangered. When it appeared in my garden I quickly realized it was expanding more than I wanted, and has a dormant season when I wanted a showy late-season plant. I used a hoe and kept all the green cut off. Deep woodchip mulch also helped me keep seeds in the dark, limiting sprouting. The second plant is Mentha requienii, or Corsican mint. I buy it at plant nurseries to keep it as a strong groundcover in my landscape because the scent makes me nostalgic for my grandmother’s garden in my childhood. It spreads as branches root and from seed, which is why it pops up where you don’t want it. Both of these grow in moist areas, so keeping it dry is one method is discourage their growth. They both expand under(or above) ground in addition to spreading by seed. Persistent removal of leaves will eventually exhaust energy in roots and kill the plants, while also stopping flowers from making more seeds. I find a hula hoe, also called a stirrup hoe, works well for slicing the tops off patches of plants just below the surface. Check for green growth weekly to begin your attack, and don’t forget to start again in early spring next year. Smothering with a thick coat of wood chips helps in addition to hoeing. Broadleaf herbicide, applied following label instructions is an option. If you’d like more information on that option, let us know.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 27, 2024, 5:05 AM EDT
response: Hi Jacki, Thank you so much for the information!  This really helps : ) Warmly, Cheryl   On Monday, June 24, 2024, 05:16:38 PM PDT, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Insects eating scarlet runner bean seedlings

Question: What is this bug?  I found several of them around my bean and pea seedlings in the early evening that I assume have been destroyed by these bugs.   They probably have infested my potato plants as well.

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 20, 2024, 7:05 PM EDT
response: Hi Gary,  Due to the photo resolution, I cannot be certain of the species. But I can tell you that this is in the family Rhyparochromidae (Dirt-Colored Seed Bugs). As per the name, these insects feed exclusively seeds. Once seeds have sprouted, these insects do not feed on them. So I suspect that a different insect is responsible for the damage to your plants. Feel free to upload pictures of any other insects you suspect as causes of the damage.  As a general preventative measure, I would remove any plant debris and weeds from the vicinity of your beans/peas/potatoes. This reduces harborages for pest insects. If they are more exposed, they are less likely to feed. It will also make it easier for you to observe/photograph them.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 21, 2024, 3:31 AM EDT
response: Sorry for the poor resolution.  The markings on the bugs I am seeing are very similar to the markings of dirt colored bean bugs online.  This could explain why most of my beans are not sprouting at all.  I'll dig up some of the seed beans and see if that is what is indicated. Thank you for the information.  Gary Galloway.   On Thu, Jun 20, 2024, 17:05 Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
White Pine Question

Question: I have several white pines planted in wind rows about 10’ apart in sandy soil. They were planted about 4 years ago and over the last year have gotten new growth that didn’t develop needles or grew stunted needles. Now the old growth is drying up but new growth is emerging. I don’t see any blight but there is some sap forming on some of the tips that are drying up!  Any ideas what I need to do to try and save the trees?

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 19, 2024, 12:30 PM EDT
response: Hello, To better understand the situation, I have listed a few questions below.  If you could reply back that would be helpful in figuring out issues at play.  1) What soil type are the trees planted in?  From the pictures looks to be a very dark/black uniform soil?  Is that similar to the native soil at the site?  Or is this wood chips on top of the ground?  Hard to determine what is going on in photos. 2)Many of the symptoms described are similar to herbicide injury.  Have any herbicides been applied in the area recently or in the past?  A herbicide that was applied on/near these trees many years ago could still be having an impact. 3) Was there any new shoot growth earlier this spring/summer?  White pines should have already a fairly developed new shoot at this time of the year.

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 19, 2024, 2:32 PM EDT
response: The trees are in sandy soil native to area.  There are the fibrous tree rings around the base of the trees so that is what you see in the pictures.  The only herbicide would have been lawn treatments last season for fertilizer and weed control. I can’t attest to what the lawn company might have sprayed around the trees.  There is some new growth on a few trees and some small buds popping where last years buds/candles are drying up. Based on local nursery recommendation I did do a light treatment of Hollytone in early June.  I appreciate any recomendations or advice you might be able to provide. Sent from my IPhone On Jun 19, 2024, at 12:30 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:   ﻿

responder: An Ask Extension Expert Replied June 21, 2024, 2:05 PM EDT
response: Thanks for the update.  From the information we have, it is difficult to determine the cause of the problem.   The best course of action would be to submit a sample (portion of branch that is affected) to the MSU plant and pest diagnostic lab.  Plant & Pest Diagnostics (msu.edu).  How to submit samples (Submit Samples - Plant & Pest Diagnostics (msu.edu)).  There are a few different diseases that could be causing this (Managing needle blights of pine - MSU Extension) and submitting a sample should help solve this problem and find possible solutions.
Lilac trees

Question: We have three lilac trees which are seeping sticky sap constantly and have white mold growing all over the branches.  We're not sure what to do to help the trees. Please advise, thank you.

responder: Barb  Replied June 20, 2024, 5:32 PM EDT
response: Hi,  Sorry but that photo is not in focus.  I suspect insects sucking it but I need good pics.  Could you send a pic of the sap and also of the mold? Thanks, Barb

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 21, 2024, 1:38 PM EDT
response: I hope these pictures are clearer.  Thank you.

responder: Barb  Replied June 23, 2024, 7:45 AM EDT
response: Hi, yes, those are good pictures. The leaves seem to look normal and I don’t see any insects although I am just seeing small parts of the trees. I have forwarded your pictures onto an arborist who is a friend of mine and I will let you know what he says.

responder: Barb  Replied June 24, 2024, 10:19 AM EDT
response: Hi, From my arborist:  your tree is a magnolia, not a lilac, and that is magnolia scale "which is at epidemic proportions locally. I have had more calls about it this year than ever before. Treatment can be challenging and, unfortunately, no quick remedies at this point in the life cycle." Here's a good article about it so you can read about it and possible treatment options: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/magnolia-scale/ Let me know if you have any other questions, Barb