Opportunities for Learning

Just wanted to let you know that there are a couple of opportunities coming up that should warrant your attention.  First the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference and Trade Show will take place on January 4-5, 2010.  The meeting will be held in Lexington Ky at the Embassy suites on Newtown Pike.  Click on Vegetable Conference for more detailed information.

Next, shortly after this conference the Kentucky Landscape Industries eduacational conference will be held on January 11th, 2010 in Louisville Ky.  The Mid-States Horticultural Expo will follow on January the 12th and 13th. 

Finally, wrapping up the winter conference season for Kentucky is the Turf and Landscape Management Short Course being held on February 15-19, 2010 at the Crown Plaza in Louisville. 

Please take a look at all of these conferences they are excellent and reasonable.

Mistletoe: Tree Thief, Holiday Tradition

Mistletoe: Tree Thief, Holiday Tradition
John Hartman, Plant Pathology Professor Universtiy of Kentucky

Once autumn leaves have fallen, mistletoe becomes highly visible on large trees throughout Kentucky. Phoradendron, the scientific name for this parasitic plant, means tree thief. You can commonly find these small leafy plants on twigs and branches of many hardwood species in the southern two-thirds of the United States. Mistletoes extract water, mineral elements and food from their host tree by way of a parasite nutrient-uptake organ; hence the name, tree thief.

Mistletoes’ use in holiday traditions has roots in pagan times. Its parasitic nature and the fact that it appears to be alive while the host tree appears dead, led some to believe mistletoe mysteriously held the life of the tree during winter. Druids harvested mistletoe in a special rite, never letting the plant touch the ground, then hung it in their homes for good luck.

Our modern-day mistletoe holiday tradition likely originates with a mythological Norse goddess of love and beauty. Frigga, whose son was restored from possible death by mistletoe, was thought to bestow a kiss on anyone walking beneath one. Today, when two people meet under the mistletoe, tradition suggests they must exchange a kiss for good luck.

Phoradendron, the most common mistletoe growing in Kentucky, resembles another species that grows in Europe. It has simple, fleshy green leaves arranged oppositely on the stem. Stems are short and more branched than the host tree, so mistletoe often appears as a spherical bunch of dense vegetation. These bunches may be a foot or two in diameter and are located high in the tree for better sunlight exposure. Mistletoe berries range from white to straw-colored to light red. Birds eat the fruits, reportedly toxic to human and animals, then deposit the seeds onto branches where they germinate and penetrate the host tree.

Since birds tend to roost in open-grown trees, mistletoes do not appear as frequently in forest trees. Generally, they do not cause much damage, although they can be harmful to a tree already under stress. If mistletoe appears on landscape trees or other trees in the urban forest, you can control it through pruning.

Fresh Christmas Tree care

It's that time of year again when christmas decorations begin going up and the decision of when to put up the real tree has to be made.  Always choose the freshest tree possible from a lot you trust.  The needles should bend and not snap.  Also when the tree is thumped against the ground green needles should not dislodge.  Once you have gotten the tree home remove another 1 to 2 inches of the base of the trunk and place the tree in a bucket of warm water.  For a longer lasting tree place the tree out of the direct flow of air and away from direct sunlight.  Once inside and in the stand fill the resevoir with a solution of 1cup of corn syrup and 3 tablespoons of liquid bleach in one gallon of water. Keep the resevoir full with this solution as long as the tree is in the house.

For more specific information go to Christmas tree care.
And for a list of Christmas tree growers in Kentucky visit http://www.kychristmastrees.com/

Blooming Early or Blooming Late

You may have noticed, like many folks, that spring flowering plants haven't given up yet.  Plants like forsythia, lilacs and even iris are blooming this fall.  We can normally blame premature flowering on low rain fall summers followed by wet falls. However that is not the case in this year.  My theory was confirmed after talking to Dr. Rick Durham (our ornament plant specialist at UK) that this premature or late blooming is a result of a wetter and cooler October followed by a warmer and dryer November.  October set the stage for a light dormancy period which was easily broken by our beautiful November weather.  The take home message is we can't really do anything about the situation.  We should hope to see temperatures moderate back to seasonal without any sudden moves down in temperature.

On our Extension Today radio show, airing on WBRT 1320 AM there were several questions asked regarding invasive species.  I thought I would take this opportunity to discuss in more detail some identification and options.  The three that were mentioned on air (purple wintercreeper, burning bush, and japanese honeysuckle) are particulary  problematic when established in a forest setting.  They will simply take over and root out the natives.  There are many other species that are problematic and you can research on your own at Bernheim or our UK Invasive species working group's page.  Control is a difficult task with these plants because they are so efficient at propagating themselves persistence is the answer.  If you want to study further control methods try our Weed Science Page.  Looking into alternatives is an important first step.  This Landscaping with Natives pub will provide you with some direction.

Bush Honeysuckle (above)                                                           

Purple Wintercreeper (Below)

YouTube - UKAgriculture's Channel

Also Check out the Ag colleges you tube channel the link is below. There are several "how to" and "whats going on in KY" videos uploaded with more on the way. YouTube - UKAgriculture's Channel: "UK College of AgricultureUKAgriculture's Channel"

See Blue Go Green

See Blue Go Green is a compilation web site that is designed to be a one stop shop for all things green. We are in the process of updating, adding, and increasing the impact of the site. Our goal is to make this a go to site for eduactors and homeowners wanting to use good research based information to make their curricullums and their lives more green. So check out the link below and let me know what you think.
See Blue. Go Green. Ag. & Natural Resources

Fall Leaves are Falling

It is a beautiful time of year however most don't realize that it is also a great time to hoard those falling resources. Leaves are a resource for nutrients that most of you simple kick to the curb and hope the truck picks them up. Consider this:

Does anyone Fertilize our forests?
When nutrients are removed from the soil by the plants where do they end up?
Why buy fertilize when you can simply recycle your own resources?

The nutrients that are removed from the soil for plant growth are used to expand the plant tissue. What is not used for this purpose is not thrown away by the plant but simply deposited in the leaves to be returned to the ground for redeposit. Nutrients are returned to the soil through decomposition(composting)and again become vailable to the plants for next seasons growth cycle. Forests fertilize themselves in this manner. By simply mulching with your mower you will redeposit the nutrients and encourage an explosion of soil flora and fauna that will only strengthen the planting. You may simply compost them on site but whatever way you decide don't waste your own resource.

This will be a big weekend for some of you as Randy said just breath in a bag and don't be intimidated. I will post the video that was in the class the other night for you to refer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek7dDtZ0lK8

I was in some boxes today and have a few observations to post. Make sure you have ten (10) frames in your deep brood boxes. This is important because you can get a real mess forming with any less than ten frames. They tend to fill every nook and cranny and if you have the right amount of frames they tend to keep a nice neat house. Also the straighter the wax is installed the neater they will build upon it. Remember it is called foundation.

As you all know this will go down as a summer to remember (or forget). Not only has the summer been unbearable lest we forget about the April cold blast that left our plant material in tatters. Our hope then was to have a normal summer so that trees and shrubs could recover their stores of carbohydrates before the onset of winter. That has likely not happened. Unfortunatley we will be dealing with the loss of old and young trees for several years to come as a result of the this most unlikely weather.

This fall you should prepare to fertilize all plant material once a killing frost has occurred. A soil sample will help deterimine what we need to apply however if that is not done 10 lbs of 10-10-10 per 1000ft2 twice this fall six weeks apart will help significantly. If you have the water resources it will only benefit if you can apply 1inch of water per week to any and all trees and shrubs.

Blossom end rot of Tomato

There has been a lot of calls in the last couple of weeks regarding Tomato fruit rotting prior to harvest. This is called Blossom end rot and occurs every year to varying degrees. This problem is associated with the fluctuation of wet and dry conditions in the soil. Sprays after the fact are not affective for this disorder and actually sprays are not effective prior to this problem. The key to this situation is to maintain soil moisture and not allowing the plants to dry out.

The following link is an article written by Dr. William Nesmith and Dr. Paul Vincelli. http://www.ca.uky.edu/agcollege/plantpathology/ext_files/PPFShtml/PPFS-VG-2.pdf

Take a look I think your questions will be answered.

Blooming Bardstown Garden Tour

The Garden tour was a great success. I would like to thank the gardeners who graciously accepted us into their yards and exposed other Nelson county gardeners to the hidden treasures around them. I am surprised each year with the quality and beauty of our neighbors properties. This year we featured elaborate water features, outdoor living areas, creative oasis' and so much more.

Bagworms on the Move

I have been receiving calls this week about Bagworms devouring evergreens. First, we need to describe what it is we are looking for and its damage. Unfortunately the damage at this time is more noticeable than the insect. The appears as defoliation at the top of the tree leaving nothing bu the stem. The insect is a caterpillar that lives its entire life inside a bag. The bag is fashioned out of whatever is on the tree. It could be pieces of leaf, berries, or twigs and the results are a very camouflaged appearance. They start out very tiny and result in a capsule over an inch in length. For much more information and control recommendations please use the link below. http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef440.asp

The beginning of DRY

It seems to be hitting us a little early this year. Lawn and gardens look a lot like they would in mid to late July not the first of May. We are currently in a abnormally dry period in central Kentucky however, our neighbors in southern Kentucky are already in the middle of a drought.

For me water conservation is of the utmost importance. When watering your lawn or garden take measures to conserve water when you can. For example in the garden use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to deliver the water at the root system where the plant needs it most. Even better cover the soaker hose or drip tape with a nice layer of mulch to help keep the water in the ground.

Generally we want to deliver about an inch of water per week (when Mother Nature is not) to the lawn and landscape materials. Do this in one good soaking and not several little dribbles. The plants will benefit to a greater degree to this type of watering. I like to use spot sprinklers to deliver the water to particular plants and I use a mason jar lid sitting level under the sprinkler. When that jar lid is full you have delivered about an inch of water.

Orange Rust on Blackberries

Last week I found the first outbreak of Orange Rust in Nelson County this year. Orange Rust is a big threat to the commercial Blackberry industry in Kentucky. Nelson county has about ten acres of Blackberries planted and that is expanding yearly.

The main problem associated with Orange Rust is the fact that once the plant becomes infected with the disease it can't be healed. Orange Rust moves systemically within the plant infecting the roots, crown, stem, and foliage. The plant will become less vigorous and decline with time. It is easily recognizable this time of year due to its large orange pustules that populate the underside of the leaves. For more information on how to control Orange Rust on Blackberries visit: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ho/ho15/ho15.pdf

Twenty New Master Gardeners have just recently hit the ground running. After successfully testing on Monday, May 7th they are full of knowledge and ready to help. Pictured to the left is this Master Gardener Class at their field trip to the Yew Dell Garden. They all fully participated in all the classes and learned extensively about the botany, pathology, entomology, landscaping, wildflowers and natives, woody ornamentals, annuals a perennials, soils and fertility, turf care, vegetable production, and fruit production. So as you can see they are well rounded and ready to answer questions.

To learn more about becoming a Master Gardener you can email me at robsmith@uky.edu

Vegetable Production and a trip to Yew Dell Gardens

It is time to catch up. Last week we installed, at two county locations, raised row black plastic for vegetable production. Chris Coulter and Adam Wheatley are participating in a program this year to experiment with the production of vegetables on black plastic. The idea is to conserve water, reduce weeds, increase yields, and increase plant vigor. This is by no means a new idea folks around the state and this county have been doing this for some years now with great success. I will supply you some pictures of the process in a future post.

Earlier this week the new class of Master Gardeners visited the gardens of world renown plantsman Theodore Klein. His garden is known as Yew Dell Garden and is located in Oldham County. It has only been functioning as an arboretum for the past few years but oh what a job they have done. It has really interesting architecture and wonderful old specimen plants. Dr. Paul Cappiello is the curator of the collection. Visit their site if you like: http://www.yewdellgardens.org/

Most Plants are Looking up but some still have a long way to go

Most plants are recovering nicely from the big freeze around Easter. Hosta plants are beginning to show new life and several of our shade trees are beginning to show new life. However there are some plants that we must wait to see what will happen.

The plant stressing me the most is 12 year old specimen Japanese Maple that is showing very few signs of life. I don't fear so much about losing the tree as I do the overall shape that has taken the twelve years to get the way I wanted. For many of these type plants we must wait to what Mother Nature will accomplish.

Things that would benefit from a haircut are:
Daylilies
Boxwoods
Some Hollies
Hosta's (remove the browned leaves)
Monkey grass
etc.

Freeze Damage to Ornamentals

It has been eleven days since the Easter freeze and we are still in a wait and see pattern. Many plants were very successful, an example would be the Hawthornes on Stephen Foster that are in full bloom today. I received word this morning that apples may end up with a crop after all. Flowers were open yesterday and Bees were in a flurry of activity.

For most ornamental plants we need to wait and see what happens before we take action. Do not fertilize this spring that will only make the problem worse however fertilization will be important this fall. There will be some plants like Japanese Maples that will likely have stem dieback which will require heavy pruning and as I said before other plants weren't affected in the least.

For much more information on this subject see the following link: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/KYPlantDamage2007.html

Nelson County Soil Conservation District Annual Field Trip

Let me just tell you about my day. AsI said in the title the Nelson County Soil Conservaiton District sponsored a field trip today to visit some of the regions agriculture entrepeneurs. In Nelson County we visited Robert Mayer's aquaculture farm dedicated to the raising of large mouth bass. The unique thing about this operation is the marketing aspect. The fish are shipped live to Toronto Canada to be consumed by an ethnic market. Robert and his family have realy done their homework and created a very nice business niche for themselves. For more information on aquaculture visit the Kentucky State University Aquaculture website.

Second stop on the tour took place at the Roundstone Native Seed LLC. facilities in Upton,KY. Another entrepeneur that has created quite the business with one goal in mind; To be The Best in the Business. An from all indications they seem to know what they are doing. Their main business is seed production of our native grasses such as Big Blue Stem, Little Blue Stem, Eastern Gamma Grass, etc. They also produce over thirty different varieties of wild flowers and other wildlife friendly plants. For more information on this company check out their website by clicking on Roundstone Native Seed LLC.