The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center’s outlook through June 30 is a “rinse and repeat” outlook, calling for near normal, to possibly slightly below normal temperatures and likely above normal outlook for precipitation. Despite some areas missing out on recent rains, the U.S. Drought Monitor does not show any drought in most of Michigan, Ohio or Indiana.  The CPC seasonal outlooks for July, August and September, updated May 21, is calling for equal chances of “normal” temperature and precipitation. At the MSU Enviroweather station at Deerfield, growing degree day (GDD) (heat units, base 50ºF) since April 1 have been 844.4 GDD compared to a five-year average of 777.1 GDD.  Since May 1, GDD has been 634.4 compared to a five-year average of 632.1 GDD. At this station, rainfall since April 1 has been 8.36 inches compared to a five-year average of 7.19 inches. Since May 1 at the same location, only 3.17 inches have been recorded, compared to a five-year average of 4.25 inches.

Potato leafhopper (PLH) is an adult insect that blows up from the southern U.S. on warm Gulf weather fronts. Although they feed upon several crops, alfalfa is a field crop that farmers need to scout until a fall frost kills them. Symptoms include a characteristic V-shaped yellow pattern on leaves. There are multiple overlapping generations that require constant attention, as long term impacts are yield and quality loss and shorter stand life. Although the MSU/OSU Field Crop Insect Field Pest management Guide lists 11 insecticides labeled for PLH, careful attention needs to be paid to the pre-harvest interval required after spraying, which varies from zero to 14 days. Some insecticides are highly toxic to bees, so spraying should be done early in the morning or late in the evening when bees are not foraging.

Corn rootworm (CRW) is the only insect currently listed in the MSU Enviroweather site for corn insect pest alert, with a risk level of “high risk.” CRW overwinter as eggs in the soil then hatch in late May and early June. Larvae feed on corn roots for about three weeks, then pupate in the soil. The adults emerge in early July and feed through the summer. Farmers should be scouting now for “floppy” corn, digging up roots to determine root scars, tunneling or severe pruning of root nodes. Damage can include plant stress and yield loss from poor water and nutrient uptake, and later lodging and goose necking of plants resulting in harvest issues. Crop rotation and resistant varieties help, but there have been situations where CRW lay their eggs in soybeans and then injure first year corn the following year.

Mile-a-minute weed (Persicaria perfoliata) is a new invasive, fast – growing annual vine that can grow up to 25 feet in six or eight weeks and overtake native vegetation and smother tree and plant seedlings. This species is on Michigan’s Invasive Species Watch list. 

Low care foliage plants that do well in shade are a consideration when excessive tree, shrub and plant growth from lots of spring rain changes the landscape or garden plans.