A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words

I can’t think of a truer statement than “A picture is worth a thousand words.” It’s long been one of my favorite sayings. But what does a picture have to do with your landscape problem you might be wondering? When submitting a request for help identifying plants and insects, or diagnosing pest and disease problems a series of clear photographs is the first and often the most helpful step. Usually if we receive a telephone call or email with a description but no photos the first thing we will respond is, “Can you send some photos?” We can tell SO much from a photograph, but it is important to provide the right photos.

Submitting photos for analysis: photo quality is very important!

Make sure your photos are in focus and the plant/insect in question is clear and obvious, not obscured by glaring sunlight or shade
Photos need to be high enough resolution that we can zoom in and see details without the image become pixilated
For plant ID and plant problems, submit several images from different angles-including close up of leaves and/or flowers/fruit and from a few feet away showing the full plant, and then from even farther away showing the entire area or site condition
For insect ID, include several photos from different angles and a photo of the location or plant the insect was found on, if possible
If possible, include a ruler, coin or other well known object for scale comparison

Photo of ground close up — Example 1: Close up of problem area. Thin turfgrass and weeds with spots of bare soil. This is helpful so we can observe what weeds are present and the condition of the grass and soil. This photo alone; however, doesn’t show us the full scope of the problem.

Photo of grass in the shade near a picnic table — Example 2: Broader view of problem area directly in front of the picnic table. This photo gives more clues as to why the turfgrass in that area is in decline.

An example of a cohesive photo submission gallery for a plant plagued by insects is:

Shrub in decline — Example 2: Coontie shrub with brown leaves view from the top. This is where insect found.

White substance under a leaf — Example 2: View of underside of an affected leaf.

White insect on leaf — Example 2: Close up of fluffy white insect found underneath many leaves.

white fluffy insect and small beetle on a leaf — Example 2: Another close up of what was determined to be beneficial adult mealybug destroyer beetle and larvae feeding on pests.

Examples of photos with limited diagnostic value:

blurry photo of leaves — Leaves on a single branch. Too blurry to determine leaf shape and arrangement or full plant shape/size. Photo: Stephanie Means

Photo of tree from underneath — Photo looking up, underneath a tree into a bright sky. Too shadowy, dark and far away to distinguish leaf shape or arrangement or see a problem with branches or leaves. Photo: Stephanie Means

Insect laying on concrete — Image is not in focus and too far away to identify the insect. Scale of insect unknown. Photo used with permission

Remember the 9 Florida-Friendly Principles:

We are here to help you with your landscape problems! Submitting good quality photos is a key step to success.

Sometimes it’s just not the right plant for the right place (such as in Example 1- Turfgrass in a deep shade, high traffic area)

When thinking of Principle #6 especially, it’s important to determine exactly what the problem is before rushing to solve it (such as in Example 2-The plant is struggling from an insect infestation, but beneficial insects were spotted, so there is no need to apply pesticide or further treatment at this time. Doing so would also harm the beneficial insects that are there working to solve the pest infestation).

A few caveats:

When it comes to plant or insect identification, sometimes it is impossible to ID from photographs alone. We may request a sample be brought in to the office for further analysis.
For lawn and landscape problem areas, with an array of quality photos we can get a broad view of the conditions which may be impacting the success of the plant. In some cases, such as with many turfgrass diseases, it may be necessary to also submit a specimen at the office for confirmation of the suspected diagnosis.

Help us help you-use the tips and tricks above to level up your photos.

By taking this approach, you can conserve time and effort for all parties involved. You’ll receive a faster and more precise answer, and in many cases, you may not even need to deliver a sample to the office if we can see what we need in a picture! Our Duval County Master Gardener Help Desk is open to Duval County Residents most M-F 9am-12pm & 12:30pm-3:30pm. Submit photos and questions to: duvalmastergardener@gmail.com or call (904) 255-7450.

Example 1 and 2 photos supplied by Stephanie Means

Resources used: https://ddis.ifas.ufl.edu/html/presentations/plantIDGuidlines.pdf and https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/natural-resources/sustainability-identification-resources/