Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Blooming Bardstown Garden Tour


Silent Auction Catalog

Blooming Bardstown FlierTen years ago a small group of Kentucky Home Extension Master Gardeners began planning the first Blooming Bardstown Garden Tour.  We wanted to showcase beautiful gardens of the area and increase the exposure of gardening as a rewarding and meaningful hobby.  Well ten years later we are going strong with one of the best lineups of gardens to date, an expanded silent auction offering, increased vendor participation, and an expanded Master G's plant sale and garden item area.  This year will feature a large vegetable garden, perennial borders, water features, hidden gardens, and many interesting thinks to see.  
Blooming Bardstown Flier


This year there will be more than 50 volunteer Extension Master Gardeners putting on this showcase of horticulturally significant gardens.   We would love for you to come on out and join us for a wonderful day of activities.  All the information you will need is on the Blooming Bardstown Flier just click the link and see the information.  Also click the silent auction link to see the more than 60 items that will be up for bid or buy it now.  

Monday, June 03, 2013

Browning of Arborvitaes (evergreens)


Specks on paper are Spider Mites

After viewing some pictures a client brought in I was pretty certain of what I was seeing but really needed to make certain.  The eleven year old hedge of Arborvitae was impressive but at a glance you could see the off color nature of the plants.  Arborvitae are generally a nice green color but some of these were exhibiting a very off green to brown appearance.  Upon a visit and a simple paper test (where I place a piece of white paper under the limb then tap the limb) I discovered a large spider mite population.  The paper was covered with tiny black specks that begin to move around. It turns out that these particular ones are the Spruce Spider Mite and affect a ton of different evergreens in the landscape.  For control methods see the UK publication Spider Mites on Landscape Plants.
Notice the Discoloration of the forward plant versus the on in the rear of the picture