Master Gardener Classes Forming

The Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program is a wonderful opportunity for individuals to learn more about horticulture and to become leaders in their community.  We help you gain knowledge and build confidence in your abilities to help others with gardening inquiries.  All the information presented in the 10 to 12 session training is sound research based information that will help you see the inter-connected nature of horticulture and the fields of study like entomology, pathology, soils, and much more.

We are in the process of forming the 2014 class of Master Gardeners for the residents of Nelson County, Kentucky.  The classes will begin in late January and run through the first of April.  With your information and availability we can begin setting dates and times for the classes.  Below you will find a brochure and an application link please fill them out and return to the Nelson County Extension office at 317 South Third Street,  Bardstown Kentucky.  You may call the Extension Office after January 2nd for more information at 348-9204.  

Nelson County Master Gardener informational Brochure. 
Master Gardener Application.

Changing the way I Veggie Garden

Traditionally I have been an in row gardener like most folks but have decided to try a different way of conducting veggie business.  Recently I spent a great deal of time in my garden.  In late November I caught a few days when the soil in the garden was quite workable and decided to create permanent garden beds.  To do this I tilled as deep as I could then tilled in the opposite direction as deep as I could get the tiller down.  I know that the tiller does nothing for the soil structure except destroy it but my decision to create permanent beds should offset that activity in a few growing seasons.  After the soil was worked adequately the kids and I began to lay out the garden.  First, we squared up the garden to within an inch and began to lay out the beds and paths.  I took into consideration equipment size, optimal bed widths and aesthetics when creating the final design.

We ended up with a a four foot wide main path and two or three foot wide paths along the beds.  By shoveling the soil out of the path area down to the un-tilled soil and placing it into what would become the beds we created raised beds that became about 40 inches wide and to a depth of about 10 inches.  This will or should create a much deeper rooting zone than what we previously had.  Next spring I'll sod the paths from sod on the farm to make harvest and planting less limited by weather conditions.

The final practice this winter was to top dress with some of our compost on some beds and leaves on others to increase the organic matter in the beds.  I will let you know which one performs best in the spring.

The advantages to the permanent bed garden:

• Easier planning in the off season
• Once established easier spring preparation 
• Start gardening earlier
• Better Drainage
• Deeper Rooting (maybe now I can grow Carrots)
• Allows for more diverse planting 

Tree of the week: Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo leaf late in the season 

I have the pleasure of viewing from my office window a spectacular season long display from an unusual and wonderful tree, the Ginkgo. There are several qualities that make this tree very attractive for the home landscape.  In the spring it adds beautiful umbrella shaped light green leaves that stay blemish free all season long.  With age the tree can be rather large reaching sizes between 50' and 80' tall and 30' to 40' wide. Eventually having a more distinct pyramidal shape with large wide spreading branches.  Furthermore, there are litterally hundreds of varieties that will grow to about any profile.  The sizes mentioned above doesn't happen overnight but more like over centuries.

This tree is very adaptable as evidenced in its fossilization findings dating back 150 million years.  The tree was once native to North America and has been reintroduced.  It prefers a deep well drained soil but, will adapt to about any situation.  This adaptability makes it a perfect candidate for streetscapes, new construction sites, and other hostile situations.  Perhaps the most fascinating part for me is its fall leaf drop. The tree I see everyday just dropped its leaves and the process occurred over an eight hour period.  At 8:00 am the tree was dropping leaves like rain fall and by 4:30 pm 95% of the leaves were on the ground.  As you may have concluded this makes it a one rake tree or one mulching tree as I should say which makes fall clean up a breeze.

Warning: Only choose male varieties of this tree because the fruit of the female stinks to no end.

Why is my White Pine turning yellow?

It's a question I usually get every fall from folks concerned that they are loosing their White Pine tree to some devious disease or insect.  However, the truth is that the tree is simply loosing needles as a result of the fall season and age.  When you look closer you will notice that the tree is loosing needles from a previous years growth and this is simply a healthy part of the growth cycle.  There are no doubts that White pine in our part of the country have a great deal of problems to overcome (mostly cultural) but seasonal needle drop is not one of them.

For more information on White Pines and their qualities and problems in Kentucky see the following for more information.
http://www.uky.edu/hort/Eastern-White-Pine
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id85/id85.pdf

Having a better Lawn starts now!

Wow what a grass growing season we have just been through.  I am, at this point, so tired of being on my mower that first frost can't come fast enough.  Though this has been a good growing season for turf, weeds have seen their glory day as well.  During this post I will outline some of the steps you should take this fall to ensure a quality lawn come next spring.

• Keep mowing until the turf quits growing.  This not only keeps crabgrass from going to seed and adding to that problem but also continues to promote tillering (branching at the crown) in the turf clumps.
• If you need to reseed now is the time to do so.  Just remember that to be successful there needs to be good soil to seed contact.  This means roughing up the soil, adding the seed and then rolling or raking the seed into the soil.  You may also use one of the one pass pieces of equipment that is designed to do all steps in one pass. For more in depth information on reseeding see:  Improving Turf through Renovation
• After the first frost you can begin looking at weed control.  If you have seeded the lawn in September then you will need to put some time between the seeding and the weed control.  The label of your product will guide you on the waiting period.  Oct. and November are good times to control many broadleaved weeds.  Weeds like dandelion, henbit, chickweed, and many other broadleaved weeds germinate in the fall and develop through the winter.  Therefore, fall is the best time to nip the problem in the bud before they become a problem in the spring.  For more information on what to use for control methods see:  Weed Control for Kentucky Home Lawns
• Finally fertilization will be crucial for great turf next spring.  Fall again is the best time of year to deliver fertility to your turf.  The best way to decide on what to apply is to begin with a soil test.  This will ensure there is no waste of fertilize and that the plants get what they need.  Take a look at: How to take a good soil test.    

Nandina berries are toxic to birds, by Tom Barnes

How many books, articles, and other materials have you read that says to plant Nandina, Heavenly Bamboo, or Sacred Bamboo (Nandina domestica) to attract and feed birds in the late winter?  This plant is classified as a noxious weed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and many states list it as a noxious-invasive weed because it escapes readily from the home landscape.  It is used as an ornamental because of the dark glossy green leaves and bright red berries that persist throughout the winter. It is still used, in large numbers by the horticultural industry and landscapers and is a recommended landscape plant by University Extension programs across the country.   Unfortunately this species, which has escaped from cultivation, is highly toxic to birds. The bright red berries contain cyanide and other alkaloids that produce highly toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN) which is extremely poisonous to all animals. Sudden death may be the only sign of cyanide poisoning and death usually comes in minutes to an hour.  The deaths of cedar waxwings in Georgia that were necropsied at the Vet. school showed hemorrhaging in the heart, lungs, trachea, abdominal cavity and other organs.  This is a horribly painful method of death for a bird or any other animal.  Bird deaths in the Houston, TX area and other parts of the country have also documented the death of songbirds as a result of eating these berries. 

Annual flower variety trial update.

As you may be aware the Nelson County Extension office is participating in a state wide variety trial this year and things are going well.  The 4-H teen Council and I planted the twenty varieties in early May on the Extension office property.  The planting was to undergo no miraculous efforts to maintain, just simple everyday maintenance.  This include up front fertilization, weed management, and mulching. 

The Kentucky Home Extension Master Gardeners have evaluated the plantings once a month since the install and will continue to do so until frost.  Later we will publish the findings as to which plants performed best overall.   If you are close stop by and see the planting, it continues to receive compliments from the public for adding a very nice splash of color to the neighborhood.

Bagworms: pest problem of the week!

Bagworms are voracious feeders once they reach a critical size.  Evidently we are at that critical size now which is about a month and a half behind when they usually become a problem.  Bagworms are the tree ornaments of nature.  The caterpillar forms and lives in its own pouch domicile.  The bag is spun to create an extremely tough structure and they continue to add to the size as they increase their size.  They live in, mate in and feed from the comfort of their living room.  When they attach to a branch they resemble a little ornament hanging from the tree. However, gain no satisfaction from their decoration because these buggers can defoliate a spruce, arborvitae, pine, cedar, etc. short order.

Observing your plants will be the best defense to thwart off an invasion. Stay diligent beginning in May and check periodically.  They begin as a hatchling from the overwintered bag (with as many as 300 siblings) and are very small.  Their small size and an incomplete bag make them susceptible to what ever you decide to use as your offense.  For more detailed information and control measures see the University of Kentucky publication: Bagworms on Landscape Plants

Gifted Gardener Newsletter

Enjoy the newest Gifted gardener newsletter.  If you would like to subscribe let us know.

Lumpy Lawns caused by Mole Mania!

Lots of folks are dealing with lumpy lawn syndrome these days.  With the above average moisture for this time of year in Central Kentucky Moles have enjoyed an extended run (pardon the pun). Therefore extending the fury of many homeowners in the process. 

When you have moles it tells me really two things: 1) you have a particularly nice piece of soil and 2) you have an ample selection of earthworms.  Now neither of the two are problem in their own but when that becomes the domicile and smorgasbord for the local mole population a problem is born.  The question usually becomes "How do I get rid of the Moles?".  The process is not an overly simple one and I need to dispel some myths about moles as we go along.  For example white grubs have really gotten a bad rap as being the cause of a growing mole problem.  While moles will eat a grub, they are not the food of choice.   It turns out that they are much happier with a good selection of earthworms.  In other words don't waste your money on controlling grubs to control moles it just won't be effective.  Products that are made from Castor bean extract are intended to run moles off and will do so for only a short period of time.  Once the mole gets used to it he/she comes back.   In fact the only thing that consistently rids you of moles long term is an earthworm shaped bait that contains the active ingredient Bromethalin. 

The nitty gritty includes rolling down all the runs (feeding tunnels) in the lawn, then wait for one to pop back up.  This usually indicates a main feeding run and the bait should be deposited into the run.  Once the bait is taken the mole will survive another 24 hours.  There are usually only one mole per acre because of their territorial nature however once you have removed one mole there remains a good chance that a neighboring mole will take over the runs.  You must remain diligent if you are to rid the lawn of moles.  I have such bad soil that I would love to have a mole working my yard at least then aeration would be taking place. 

Advantages of Fall Vegetable Gardening

I just recently presented a class on fall vegetable gardening at the Bloomfield, KY Library to a an enthusiastic audience.  During that talk I outlined several advantages to the fall garden versus the spring garden or as an extension to the spring garden.  First I will point out the reasons it isn't as popular as the spring garden and then I will list the many advantages to the fall garden. 

Everyone loves a spring garden for many reasons not the least of which is that we have been cooped up in the house all winter looking through seed catalogs and just getting the itch to be outside.  We have a uncontrollable instinct to refill the pantries and strong desire for the flavors that come with a garden.  For me its the smell of freshly tilled soil that just makes me happy.  We begin the garden with vim and vigor and end sometimes in a flurry of I just cant keep up.  This year is one of those years that epitomizes why fall gardening is just not as popular.  In a year like this the garden can easily be run over with weeds, taken by some evil fungi, or wiped out by a marauding herd of potato beetles.  Those scenarios in themselves are reason enough to give up. But lets not quit hastily, here are some of the advantages of the fall vegetable garden:

•  Provides valuable produce production extension
• Excellent quality produce due to cool temperatures
• Sweeter
• Increased tenderness
• Less off flavors
• Vegetables hold longer in a fall garden
• Fewer pests to control
• Helps keep weed seed numbers down for next seasons garden
• Adds additional organic matter to the garden
• Less disease pressure

For more information of vegetable gardening in general stop by the office at 317 south third street, Bardstown KY 40004 or take a look at Vegetable Gardening in KY

What is that yellow grassy looking plant in my lawn and landscape?

Are you as aggravated with the yellow grass like plant that grows faster than your turf, invades your landscape and just makes the yard look anemic?  The plant that we are talking is Yellow Nutsedge.  Yellow nutsedge is in the sedge family and has been long consider a wet area and wet season plant.  That however has changed and it seems to dominate in about any location.  If you believe the patches are getting bigger each year you are exactly correct.  The plant spreads via rhizomes (underground stems) and the dispersion of the tubers through cultivation.  The plant is square stemmed and the growth point is low to the ground which allows it to tolerate mowing.  General cultivation doesn't work for the removal because the plant forms tubers underground that can remain dormant for long periods of time and can get moved around through tillage practices.  So how do we cope with this annoying weed. 

I usually tell folks to move but there are a few things you can try.  Well when we are talking small clumps hand pulling can work.  If the the clump is a stand alone (with nothing else around it) then spot spraying with a glysophate solution can work.  Otherwise a nutsedge control will need to be used to control the population in a turf situation.  The active ingredients you will look for is betazon, halosulfuron, sulfentrazone to see the retail packaging you can find these active ingredients in visit Controlling Weeds in Kentucky Home Lawns and look on page 3 and 5.  Always follow label directions in whatever you decide to use.   

Wet spring means big problems and big blessings

A wet spring means that the water hose is lonely and our boots are muddy.  It also means that we should spend more time in the landscape and garden scouting for a plethora of potential diseases and insects that will be abundant in this season.  The following are some of the things are more prevalent as I walk around yards this spring.

• Roses are being eaten heavily by an insect called the rose slug and the rose rosette virus has become more common on all types of roses.  
• Maples are suffering from what appears to be verticillium wilt
• Bacterial cankers are showing up on all types of plants, from weeping cherries to smoke tree.
• Spider mites are on spruce, juniper, holly, annual flowers etc.  
• aphids are still running wild on many plants but none worse than daylilies
• Tomatoes are being threatened by both early blight and late blight, preventative controls should be implemented for both of these problems.   

Are your Tomatoes Fired Up?

A very common problem I have encountered in gardens this spring is known as Early Blight.  We have had a especially good year for the development of this fungal disease.  Cooler temperatures, heavy and often rains have caused this to progress somewhat faster than in other years.  What to do?

Control begins with clean transplants, which means no spotting on the leaves, and good green color to the plant.  Since this is a soil born disease there should be a mulch placed on the soil to keep soil from bouncing on to the leaves during heavy rains.  Any thing will do such as newspaper, leaves, grass clippings, etc. An early spray program of chlorothalonil or mancozeb (these are active ingredients) will insure that you keep the plant clean longer through the season.  If you are not partial to chemical treatments then particular attention will need to be paid to the cultural practices that will reduce the risk.  Water under the foliage with drip irrigation or soaker hoses, but never over the top with a sprinkler.  Also if you reuse trellises, cages, stakes etc. you will need to sanitize these during the winter.  The tiny spores can overwinter on these structures and cause re-infestation the following year. 

In central Kentucky you still have time to replant tomatoes to get a crop but the above practices need to be used. 

Disease affecting Kentucky roses | UK College of Agriculture News

Disease affecting Kentucky roses | UK College of Agriculture News

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.  

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

Careful with compaction in the garden

Gardening season is in full force with the threat of frost now behind us. It’s a good time to think about your soil. Soil compaction creates an unfriendly growing environment for plants and is a serious problem for many home gardeners. However, it is relatively easy to prevent.


Compaction transforms soil into a difficult environment for plant growth by making it harder for roots, water and soil to penetrate the ground. Major causes are working the soil when it is too wet, foot traffic and excessive rototiller use.

To reduce this problem, it is best to avoid working in the garden or walking in it when the soil is too wet. Squeeze a handful of soil and if it forms a muddy ball, rather than crumbling when you open your hand, stay out of the garden area.

Walk between plants and rows in the garden area to reduce compaction in primary plant growth areas.

Excessive rototiller use destroys soil structure and promotes compaction. When compaction takes place in a dense soil structure, it also makes root growth more difficult.

A little hand hoeing, rather than a rototiller, may be all you need to do to eliminate a few weeds. It usually causes less soil damage than repeated rototilling and is less harmful to the earthworms that help aerate the soil.

You also can use mulch to control weeds instead of tilling. A 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch relieves the pressure of walking on the soil, reducing the degree of compaction.


Source: John Strang, Extension Horticulture Specialist

Follow these steps to keep the Tomatoes coming all season

The staple of many gardens really could use a little help from you to provide fruit for the entire season. That care should start at or just before transplanting to maintain good clean transplants that can thrive and handle all that the summer will throw at them.

 

The major problem of tomatoes comes from a soil born disease called early blight. Early blight is described when the plant begins to “fire up” from the bottom. Firing up refers to the lowest leaves on the plant spotting then turning yellow or black and finally falling off. When early blight is bad enough it will affect the leaves, stem and the fruit. The problem can result in the loss of the entire crop. So, what to do to prevent crop loss from early blight in tomatoes?

•  Start with clean disease free transplants (no spots and good color). Grow your own seedlings is a better way to ensure disease free plants.
•  After planting mulch under the plants to keep soil from bouncing up on the plant. Mulch can be organic, landscape fabric, or paper type products. 
• Early sprays of Chlorothalonil (a protectant fungicide) applied weekly will keep your plants much cleaner. Brand names include Fungonil and Chlorothalonil.  
• Watering should always be done at the root zone and not over the top. Sprinklers in the garden are a sure way to promote disease.

 These steps are sure to help you keep disease free plants all the way to frost.

 

Even though the other prevalent problem on tomatoes (Blossom End Rot) is not disease the cultural practices listed to the left will greatly decrease the occurrences of this abiotic problem. Blossom end rot is a lack of calcium being taken up by the plant because of intermittent watering and the allowing of the plant to dry between watering. So keep the plants moist and mulched and the lovely red fruit will keep coming all season.

Aphids on Daylilies

Lady Bug adult and larva

Aphids and their exoskeleton

Daylilies are by far one of the most popular perennials for Kentucky landscapes and there is no doubt there are plenty planted.  I just wanted to make you are aware that a tiny sucking insect called an Aphid is enjoying your daylilies as you read.  Their damage can develop into a major problem if controls are not taken.  But first lets talk about scouting the beds and knowing what is going on.  When you look through the daylilies what you may find is a white papery looking material on the surface of the leaves.  This will be small and scattered about the plant.  these are the exoskeleton of the aphid and was discarded when they molted. Seeing these signs will indicate that you have a population of aphids present.  The other thing I hope you see is Lady Bug activity.  Lady Bugs are notorious aphid killers and can control small populations of aphids. 

So now for the decision; if the daylily looks green and healthy especially at the crown of the plant and your are seeing plenty of lady bugs then let them work.  If you see plenty of sign of aphids, low amount of lady bugs and the center of the plant seems weak in color (yellow) then a decision to spray an insecticidal soap should be made.  For more information on this subject see Aphids