Hardin County Blooms

Topping Trees Bad Practice

2011-06-27T10:25:00.002-04:00

Topping damages hundreds of trees each year in Kentucky. Many people are unaware of the detrimental effects of topping. Trees are subjected to a number of stresses during their lifetime. Topping is also a form of stress, but it is a stress that can be avoided.

Topping involves drastic removal or cutting back of large branches in mature trees leaving stubs. Topping can make a tree hazardous and reduce its life. This practice is frequently the result of trying to manage trees incorrectly planted under power lines or too close to structures. Site selection must always be considered before planting in order to provide the tree with sufficient room to grow.

Some homeowners believe that stimulation of new growth associated with topping is actually beneficial to the tree. Although the tree appears rejuvenated with new foliage and branches, this only serves to mask the real damage.

Trees are mistakenly topped, under the best of intentions, to remove potentially hazardous dead and diseased branches. Unfortunately, topping indiscriminately removes healthy and unhealthy limbs. Problem limbs are best removed by selective pruning instead of topping.

In some situations, removing large limbs may be necessary; however, correct pruning alternatives such as proper early training, selective thinning out of branches and limbs, or whole tree removal should be considered and adopted.

Removing much of the tree canopy upsets the crown-to-root ratio and cause serious interruption of the tree's food supply and exposes bark to the sun. A 20-year-old tree has developed 20 years worth of leaf surface area. This leaf surface is needed to manufacture sufficient food to feed and support 20 years worth of branches, trunks and roots.

Removing the tree's normal canopy suddenly exposes bark to the sun's direct rays, often scalding newly exposed outer bark. Serve sun scald will cause the bark to split and obstruct the flow of nutrients. Topping not only cuts off a major portion of the tree's food-making potential, it also severely depletes the tree's stored reserves. It is an open invitation for the tree's slow starvation.

Large branch stubs left from topping seldom close or callus. Nutrients are no longer transported to large stubs and that part of the tree becomes unable to seal off the injury. This leaves stubs vulnerable to insect invasion and fungal decay. Once decay has begun in a branch stub, it may spread into the main trunk, ultimately killing the tree.

Topping removes all existing buds that would ordinarily produce normal sturdy branches and instead stimulates regrowth of dense, upright branches just below the pruning cut. The watersprouts or suckers that result from topping are not well integrated into the wood of the tree and because of their weak connections and vulnerability frequently break. Large limbs then fall creating a dangerous situation that must be remedied by tree removal.

Since watersprout regrowth is generally rapid and vigorous, a topped tree often will grow back to its original height faster and denser than a tree that has been properly pruned or thinned. This makes topping, at best, only a temporary solution to oversized trees.

Some tree species such as sugar maple, oak and beech do not readily produce watersprouts. Without the resulting foliage, a bare trunk results and the tree quickly dies. Deteriorating branch stubs, along with weak sucker growth, make topped trees highly vulnerable to wind and ice damage.

From an aesthetic aspect, topping disfigures the tree. Unsightly branch stubs, conspicuous pruning cuts and a broom-like branch growth replace its natural beauty and form.

Unfortunately, even some "knowledgeable" tree services indiscriminately top trees. Avoid patronizing companies that advocate topping.

Here is a list of trees for small spaces, under 25 feet tall: Trident Maple, Flame Maple, Box Elder Maple, small Japanese Maple cultivars, Tatarian Maple, Autumn Brilliance® Serviceberry, Fringe Tree, Kousa Dogwood, Winter King Hawthorn, Leprechaun™ Ash, Amur Maackia, various cultivars of flowering crabapple, Leonard Messel Magnolia, Star Magnolia, Snow Fountains® Cherry, Snow Goose Cherry, Weeping Yoshino Cherry, Ivory Silk® Tree Lilac, and various weeping tree varieties.

For more information, contact the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service at 270.765.4121, email: Amy.Aldenderfer@uky.edu by webpage: www.hardinext.org and on Facebook.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Slimy Molds:What are they?

2011-05-24T14:39:00.000-04:00

Slime molds in your yard. Ugh!

The name alone makes you think of mucky, oozing blobs. Just the appearance of these slimy patches on grasses and yard mulches is alarming. This image has given slime molds a bad rap.

Slime molds actually are more unsightly than harmful. They feed on bacteria and other microorganisms that grow on decaying organic matter. Slime molds aren't parasitic and they don't cause diseases.

At the very worst, slime molds temporarily shade grass leaves which weakens the plants, but this is a very minor effect and causes no permanent harm.

Slime molds spores usually grow unseen in thatch and mulch from late spring to autumn. An abundance of wet weather stimulates the appearance of these fungi above ground. Often, they quickly appear.

Some slime molds become quite large, reaching the size of a dinner plate.

As they begin the reproductive phase, patches of small purple, white or dark gray fruiting bodies appear on grass leaf surfaces, yard mulches, and shrub or tree branches that touch the

ground. These serve as support structures from which spores are dislodged by movement from breezes, water, equipment, people, or animals.

Slime molds look like a slimy blob before they turn into powdery reproductive masses. They usually disappear in one to two weeks. However, they tend to reproduce in the same area each

year.

You can remove slime molds by brushing, mowing or hosing. I don't recommend using fungicide sprays because the fungi are not harmful.

Keeping the roses smelling like a rose

2011-05-11T09:04:00.000-04:00

Prevent Rose Diseases

Spectacular blooms and diverse types and varieties make roses a favorite of many Kentucky gardeners. However, our warm, humid growing conditions create an ideal environment for serious problems each year with black spot and powdery mildew.

Gardeners can nip these fungal diseases in the bud by planting resistant or tolerant varieties and creating an unfavorable environment for disease development. It may be necessary to use fungicides throughout the summer, especially on susceptible varieties.

The Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service has materials on resistant and tolerant varieties. Nursery catalogues also publish this information.

To reduce foliar diseases, try to avoid conditions where rose leaves remain wet for an extended period of time. Do not wet foliage when watering plants and allow sufficient time for leaves to dry before nighttime. Prune out shading vegetation from overhanging trees and provide space between rose bushes to improve ventilation and sunlight penetration.

Sanitation also is important for managing rose diseases. If you have not already removed and destroyed old leaves, winter-damaged canes and debris, do it as soon as possible. These items are a source of disease-causing organisms.

Many fungicides are labeled to control rose diseases. Always check the label to be sure the product controls black spot and powdery mildew and read and follow application instructions. To maintain disease suppression, repeat fungicide applications at 10 to 14-day intervals throughout the growing season.

Black spot produces dark, circular spots with fringed borders on the top or bottom side of leaves. Infected leaves often turn yellow and drop, reducing flower numbers and quality.

White, powdery fungal growth is a sign of powdery mildew. It is easy to locate on such plant surfaces as leaves, stems and flower buds. Infected leaves may be small and deformed.

Two other important, but less common, foliar diseases of roses are downy mildew and rust. Downy mildew produces lesions that are an off-color, later turning purplish brown. It leads to defoliation. Rust-colored spots on leaves and stems indicate the disease, rust. Severely infected leaves may shrivel and turn brown.

Rose Rosette

Another summertime disease is rose rosette, which affects roses throughout Kentucky. It is not a fungal disease.

This disease is spread by a microscopic mite. The primary host is multi-flora rose, a thorny plant native to the Orient and introduced into the United States as a conservation plant and “living fence.” The disease also affects cultivated roses.

Early symptoms are increased growth of shoots, which appear more succulent than normal and develop excessive thorns, and distorted, dwarfed leaves. The affected shoots are not winter hardy and produce few blooms. Rose plants eventually die.

Early disease detection is essential to keep rose rosette from spreading. Remove and destroy any infected roses to keep the disease from healthy plants that are nearby. Carefully remove diseased plants to avoid scattering disease-carrying mites to other plants. Since multi-flora roses might be a disease reservoir, remove and destroy any located within one-eighth of a mile from the rose bed.

For more information on growing roses, contact the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service at 270.765.4121, email: Amy.Aldenderfer@uky.edu by webpage: www.hardinext.org and on Facebook.

Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Rain and Mosquitoes

2011-05-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

The combination of plentiful rain and warmer weather mark the beginning of mosquito season. To get a head start on mosquito control around your home, farm and business, eliminate potential breeding sites that provide the quiet, non-flowing water these bothersome pests need to develop.

You can decrease mosquito populations by depriving them of places to breed. However, eliminating these sites often is easier said than done, because these locations aren’t always obvious. A neglected bird bath, clogged rain gutter or boat bottom allowed to accumulate water can produce hundreds of new mosquitoes daily. Did you know that immature mosquitoes, also known as “wigglers,” can develop into biting adults in as little as one week?

Following the steps below will keep your property from becoming a prime mosquito breeding ground:

Since used tires are a primary mosquito breeding area, remove all discarded tires.

Also, dispose of outdoor, water-holding containers such as empty tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots, plastic sheeting and the like. Don’t let water accumulate in flower pot drainage saucers and pet dishes more than two days.

Turn over wading pools and wheelbarrows when not using them.

Change water in birdbaths and wading pools at least once a week.

Check around faucets, air conditioner units and condensation drains, cisterns, cesspools and septic tanks for water puddles that remain for several days. Eliminate these puddles and repair any leaks to prevent future water accumulations.

Consider stocking ornamental pools with mosquito fish. You can buy these predacious minnows, or seine them from creeks or streams.

Many small fish will feed on mosquito larvae in ditches, ponds and similar locations. To enable fish to get to immature mosquitoes, control emerging vegetation and keep banks steep rather than having a gradual drop off.

Standing water in roof gutters can produce millions of mosquitoes each season; so clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall, and periodically inspect gutters to be sure they properly drain.

Remove standing water from patios, decks or flat roofs.

Clean and disinfect swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs.

Landscape gardens and lawns to prevent water accumulation. Irrigate them sufficiently for good growth, but not to the point that water stands for several days. If you have installed a rain garden, make sure that the water drains out in two days.

To prevent water accumulation in tree holes or stumps remove, or drain them.

Tremendous numbers of mosquitoes can breed in shallow, marshy or swampy locations, ditches, and other low areas. On farms, these pests can develop in standing water in hoof prints around watering troughs, seepage areas and similar locations. Draining or filling up these areas is an effective long-term solution. If it’s not possible to eliminate standing water in all these situations, consider using a mosquito-specific larvicide (insecticide to control immature mosquitoes).

Larvicides contain the active ingredient Methoprene (an insect growth regulator) or the bacterial toxin produced by Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis. These products are essentially harmless to fish, wildlife and other non-target organisms. The easy-to-apply products come in water-soluble granules, pellets or briquettes, and usually are available from farm supply stores, and pesticide dealers, or the Internet.

Gimmicks advertised in print and electronic media generally are ineffective. These include ultrasonic devices, mosquito-repelling plants and candles or garlic. Traps that capture large numbers of mosquitoes haven’t been proven effective at eliminating pest bites, even though they might capture impressive numbers of mosquitoes.

A community-wide effort might be necessary to eliminate standing water such as swamps, marshes and ditches in public areas.

For more information, contact your Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service at 270.765.4121, www.hardinext.org or Amy.Aldenderfer@uky.edu.

Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Don’t Forget about the Lincoln Trail Area Master Gardeners’ 13^th Annual Plant Fair: MAY 21^st from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Hardin County Extension Office, 201 Peterson Drive, Elizabethtown. Rain or Shine! (hopefully, shine.)

Those Pesky Caterpillars!

2011-04-19T13:45:00.000-04:00

TENT CATERPILLAR HATCHING NOW

Eastern tent caterpillar egg hatch has started in Kentucky!

Questions about how soon egg hatch will be completed and when tent caterpillars will begin to feed will soon be answered by Kentucky's spring weather.

"When temperatures are in the upper 70s most of the eggs hatch in eight to ten days, however, highs in the 50s can spread hatch out over a month," said Lee Townsend, Extension entomologist in the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture. "These caterpillars are basically inactive below 50 degrees so it's easy to see how great an effect temperature has on them."

The tent caterpillar, which gets its name from the silken tent it constructs in tree branches, prefers wild cherry but also feeds on peach, apple, crabapple and other trees.

This insect, which is common throughout the eastern United States, is a nuisance but poses no

health threat to humans.

Because the eastern tent caterpillar has been identified as one of the risk factors associated with Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome, UK scientists are intensely monitoring its activity. As part of a comprehensive UK program this spring scientists also are watching other factors, including pasture

conditions and weather patterns.

A patient approach will allow any early natural control, such as heavy rains or freezes, to have an effect, and we need to keep in mind that treating too early can mean that additional applications may be needed. Spraying will be most effective when the nests are established and the caterpillars are actively feeding. Waiting until the nests are about the size of a baseball or softball should be about ideal.

Natural enemies play an important role in reducing eastern tent caterpillar numbers in most years. Caterpillars are frequently parasitized by various tiny braconid, ichneumonid, and chalcid wasps. Several predators and a few diseases also help to regulate their populations. This, in part, accounts for the fluctuating population levels from year to year.

Prevention and early control is important. Removal and destruction of the egg masses from ornamentals and fruit trees during winter greatly reduces the problem next spring. In the early spring, small tents can be removed and destroyed by hand. Larger tents may be pruned out and destroyed or removed by winding the nest upon the end of a stick. Burning the tents out with a torch is not recommended since this can easily damage the tree.

Young caterpillars can be killed by applying an insecticide containing Bacillus thuringiensis var kurstaki. Larvae within the tents are protected beneath the webbing and are more difficult to kill with an insecticide.

Hardin County Extension Office (765-4121) www.hardinext.org is an excellent source of information on insect pest management, as well as the UK entomology department's web site at www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/enthp.htm.

Gardeners’ Tool Box Series:

Spring Flower Arranging - May 3, 2011

Back by popular demand! Assemble a small springtime flower arrangement. The perfect gift for Mothers’ Day or give the class as a gift. All the supplies for the arrangement will be included in the class fee. Registration ($10) and payment must be received by April 22. Class is held at the Hardin County Extension Office beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Don’t Forget about the Lincoln Trail Area Master Gardeners’ 13^th Annual Plant Fair: MAY 21^st from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Hardin County Extension Office, 201 Peterson Drive, Elizabethtown.

Pest Management Tips for Home Vegetable Gardens

2011-04-12T13:14:00.000-04:00

Now is a good time to start thinking about pest control for your home vegetable garden.

You can control pest problems, and perhaps prevent future difficulties, in your garden by doing some advance planning and following a few simple Integrated Pest Management practices. IPM promotes minimal pesticide use and emphasizes use of all available pest control methods including cultural, mechanical and biological practices to prevent pest problems.

Examples of the IPM approach include using plants with natural disease tolerance or resistance, using mulch to control weeds or row covers to prevent insect damage and using naturally occurring organisms such as lady beetles or praying mantis.

Sanitation is another good IPM practice. Keep your garden well-groomed during active growth. Once you spot diseased plant material, remove it immediately to keep diseases from spreading. Also, promptly remove vegetable plants when they cease to be productive. Although you should clear out unproductive vegetable plants from the garden area, you can add this plant material to a compost pile.

Before you buy seeds, plants or fertilizer, start your garden off right by answering these questions.

Have you taken a soil sample to determine if soil fertility and acidity/alkalinity will meet plants’ nutrient requirements?

Soil test results will let you know how much fertilizer is required to provide plants with needed nutrients, while preventing excessive use that contributes to groundwater, stream and lake pollution. Plants that are stressed or weak from insufficient nutrients or a pH that’s too low or too high are more susceptible to disease and can’t readily tolerate insect damage. To give your plants a healthy start, soil test and apply the fertilizer and other amendments according to the recommendations.

Do you plant your garden crops in the same spot year after year?

Crop rotation can help prevent insect and disease build-ups. For example, potatoes, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers are subject to the same insect and disease problems. Therefore, none of these crops should be planted in the same location more than every three consecutive years. After three years, switch to a different crop like beans or corn. If you have limited garden space, plant some vegetable plants in containers such as large pots or half whisky barrels as a form of crop rotation.

Make a diagram of your garden each year to avoid planting the same or closely related crops in exactly the same spot too frequently.

How do you select a vegetable plant variety?

Whether you are planting corn or tomatoes, check to see that the variety you are planting has some disease resistance or tolerance. For example, select tomato varieties labeled “VFN,” as they’re resistant to Verticillium Wilt, Fusarium and root-knot nematodes. Whereas, a tomato variety leveled “V” is only resistant to Verticillium Wilt.

Do you buy the cheapest transplants?

When it comes to transplants, the best buys are the healthy ones. A healthy transplant was seeded at the right time, grown at the proper temperature and received adequate light and moisture. It will have a compact growth structure with very small distances between leaves. The leaves will be dark green, large and upright with no tendency to droop. Stems will be pencil thick and rigid.

Avoid transplants that are beginning to produce flowers or fruit. It might seem that buying a plant with blooms or fruit will give you a head start in the garden. However, plants trying to produce fruit or flowers are slow to develop the good root systems needed to support later fruit production. Never buy plants that have insects present or are showing disease symptoms.

Do you plan to use mulch in your garden?

Mulch helps prevent weeds that will decrease your garden’s production by competing with the vegetable plants for water, nutrients and sunlight. In addition, some weeds harbor diseases and insects that attack vegetable plants. Mulch also helps conserve soil moisture.

Several types of commercial mulch are available, or you can use newspapers for the mulch. Start with five to eight layers, adding more layers as the newspapers decompose to prevent weed growth throughout the growing season. Be sure to use only newspapers printed with soy-based ink and avoid using the glossy inserts.

If you have other gardening questions visit www.extension.org or contact the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service at 270- 765-4121.

For more information on growing vegetables, request our publication, “Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky” (ID-128). It is available from your local Extension Service office, or from the UK Web site at http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id128/id128.htm.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

NOTE: The Lincoln Trail Master Gardeners are at the Extension Office EVERY AFTERNOON to answer your gardening questions. Please call 270.765.4121 to consult with a Kentucky Master Gardener about any gardening questions.

Gardeners’ Tool Box Series:

How Will My Plant Die? - April 19, 2011

Everything dies at some point. But not every plant has to die an untimely death. Learn what you can do as plant-parents to keep your children out of harm’s way. Nutrition, care of the newly planted, and raising the green teenager will set you on the path to long-lived plants. Registration ($7) and payment must be received by April 15. Class is held at the Hardin County Extension Office beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Spring Flower Arranging - May 3, 2011

Don’t Forget about the Lincoln Trail Area Master Gardeners’ 13^th Annual Plant Fair: MAY 21^st from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Hardin County Extension Office, 201 Peterson Drive, Elizabethtown.

Mistletoe: Tree Thief, Holiday Tradition

2010-11-30T15:08:00.000-05:00

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.

For more information about tree parasites and diseases, contact the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service by phone: 270.765.4121, email: Amy.Aldenderfer@uky.edu or on the web: www.hardinhort.org. Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Autumn in the KY Garden

2010-11-04T13:58:00.000-04:00

Autumn in the Kentucky Garden

Autumn is a beautiful time in Kentucky gardens, but it can also be a messy time. The season brings piles of leaves from our trees and spent shoots from our flower beds.

The way we address this yard waste can have a significant impact on our gardens and the environment. Gardeners commonly rake up and bag leaves to be hauled away to yard waste dumps.

This option, while tidy, uses a lot of energy, both yours and the energy to transport the leaves and mixed garden waste.

Mulching leaves and yard waste is another option. Why not use this bountiful resource to enrich your lawn and garden and create less waste and air pollution?

A very simple technique with leaves is to rake them into a line and mow over them with your lawn mower.

The mower will chop the leaves into pieces small enough to fall between the blades of grass in your lawn. The chopped leaves will break down out of sight and provide nutrients to your lawn and improve the quality of your soil.

For larger items like spent flower stalks, composting is a simple, easy and environmentally friendly option. Proper composting produces no odor and provides you with a generous amount of nutrient-rich organic compost for your garden which reduces or eliminates the need to buy fertilizer.

Composting also eliminates the need to transport garden waste, making composting a triple-win situation for your garden, wallet and the environment.

The speed of compost production is influenced by the size of the material placed in the bin, so the more you can chop up the garden debris, the quicker you will have usable compost. Many options for compost bin design and construction are well suited to any location and budget.

Turning leaves into mulch has many benefits. The mulch helps retain moisture in the soil and insulates plants from extreme winter temperatures. The decomposed leaves become an excellent conditioner for warming spring soil helping to attract worms and other beneficial microorganisms.

For more information on mulching and composting, contact the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service via email: Amy.Aldenderfer@uky.edu, webpage: www.hardinhort.org. or phone: 270.765.4121

Master Garder Class Deadline Extended

2010-08-04T14:35:00.000-04:00

Hi All,
I've extended the Deadline to apply for taking the Master Gardener Class for 2010. You have until end of business, Aug 6 to return your application and fee. If you would like to join us for this year, contact the office at 270.765.4121.

Garden Tour!

2010-06-25T13:17:00.000-04:00

Wow, It's hot! We're hosting a part of the Elizabethtown garden Club's Garden Tour this Sunday from 1 p.m to 5 p.m. The Master Gardeners are hard at work pulling weeds, re-signing the plants and generally sprucing up the place. Come out and have a private tour of the Hardin County Extension Office Display gardens. We also would lilke your help in gathering data for the KY Annuals Trial. It's easy and won't take long to complete! Be a part of the research that happens at UK.

2010-03-05T11:34:00.000-05:00

SPRING!!! YEAH. It seams that El Nino and the Artic Circulation has finally allowed spring to begin. Ok, it's not quite t-shirt and shorts weather, but it's a definate inprovement on the sub-freezing temps and the need to bundle up before steping outside.

I just took this picture of crocus blooming at the office. Be looking for these in gardens and where houses used to be.

In the next couple of weeks, take a walk in the woods looking for spring efemerals. These flowers bloom and complete their lifecycle before the trees leaf out. They are only around for about 3-4 weeks.

Look for: Shooting star, toothworts, white troutlily, dutchman's breeches, hepatica, harbinger-of-spring, violets, bluebells, trilliums, and jacob's ladder.

And later in the spring: Lady's Slipper, Mayapple, firepink, spiderwort, blue-eyed grass, jack-in-the-pulpit, wild ginger, solomon's seal.

Don't forget to take time to find the spring wildflowers. They don't last long and soon we will be complaining about the heat of summer.

Happy gardening!

Waiting and NEW PLANTS

2010-01-29T12:12:00.000-05:00

I hate waiting. Right now, Hardin County braces for 2-3 inches of snow. Do not try to go to the grocery...there will be NOTHING left. Milk, bread and eggs are gone. I'm not sure why people buy only B, M and E. I would much rather have soda, chips and soup when I'm snowed in. Although for the last 15 years in Elizabethtown, I've only be house-bound for a day. That was last year during the ice storm.

I've finished what I'm supposed to be working on so I thought to update you all. I gave a talk to the Master Gardeners on Monday. The topic was NEW PLANTS!!! It's one of my favorite things to talk about for a few reasons:

1. I get to spend "work time" looking through seed and plant catalogs. Oohing and Ahhing over the glossy pictures and descripitons.
2. I don't actally have to grow all the plants, flowers and vegetables that I talk about.
3. I get other people excited about new plants. (These other people are also plant geeks!)

4. I can recycle this talk for other groups. This time is WELL spent. (Unlike other office duties)
Finally,
5. In January, we all need to be reassured that spring will come and color will return to the outside world!

To the right is a picture of 'Carnival' Morning Glory, available from Park Seed. They are one of the most happy flowers that I have seen in a long time. I think I will try to grow them in a pot on the bacolny this summer.

Other things happening: I am now on Facebook and will maintain the Lincoln Trail Area Master Gardeners fan page and the Hardin County Farmers Market fan page. (Hopefully, we will get some fans. I know, it's still early in the process.)

It's lunch time here, so I'm meeting friends for Mexican!

2010-01-26T14:42:00.000-05:00

Wow! I thought that the typical January thaw was great! But today we had almost an inch of snow. The wind chill is what will get you.

Now the snow is mostly gone. It only lingers in the shade of buildings and the trees.

This week blooms: the crocus on the southern slopes have their buds peeking above the soil line. If it was warmer for longer, they would be in full bloom! Can't wait.

Winter aconite should be ready soon, as well as vernal witchhazel.

Seeing plants in bloom through the worst of the winter gives me hope! Spring is not too far away.

2010-01-07T15:27:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the new year! I'm looking forward to sharing the bloomin' happenings around here in E'town and what's happening on the local garden scene.

Today: It's snowed about 3 inches today and it's SO pretty to look at. I do have to drive home in it. I've been told that it's slick in the county but the city is looking good. (Hurrah!) I should get off of here and go HOME!

Too little time

2009-08-19T14:45:00.000-04:00

Oh Boy, not only is the temperature getting hotter, the office is getting busier! Today, workers ripped up the tile floor in the big meeting room and are now ready to put down new tile! I'm hoping that this floor lasts longer than the last Only 10 years). The doors are gone and are going to be moved to where the windows are. No one will know where to enter! (Someone will have to boost the signage!)

Plants this week are looking for some water! Spotty showers are not enough to slake the thirst of the not-so-native plants in the garden. Slow and steady will be the best way to water. Most natives and established plants will be OK with the occasional thunder shower.

I still have not found the time to install the three rain barrels that I purchased back in June! I have too many irons to juggle. (Sorry about the mixed metaphor!) I won't have any time after hours because I have to CLEAN THE HOUSE. The parents are coming to drop off a piece of furniture, and I WILL NOT BE EMBARRASSED by the way my house looks! I've enlisted the help of friends to help sort the quilt cave and (I hope) all my clothes. Is that asking too much of friendship?

Slime in the garden

2009-08-11T16:48:00.001-04:00

You will never believe what came in the office this week! Turf grass with SLIME MOLD. This realtive of the fungi actually does little damage to the plants it grows on. They feed on the exudates ($20 college word) or the watery dew that the blades shed in the mornings. Proteins and sugars feed the slime mold. Many years the molds dry up by this time. But with the frequent rains, floods and thunder showers, the molds have lasted longer into the summer than usual.
There are no chemicals to apply. They will disappear when the dry weather hits! Don't spray them with water, it will spread the spores and allow them to germinate on other surfaces.
Other slimy creatures that you can tell have visited the garden are the snails and slugs. UGH! Check your paths and sidewalks for clear, glistening trails of slime. Then, check your plants. If your plants have irregular holes in leaves or stems, you might want to set a few traps. Small dishes of beer or brewers yeast set flush with the soil will attract the slimy ones to feast and drown.
I guess there is room for all the creatures in the garden, but watch out: once they cross the threashhold of the house, all bets are off.

2009-08-05T11:42:00.001-04:00

Wow! how much rain did Louisville finally end up with? Here in E'town, we only have 1-2 inches of rain! Hope everyone is Ok.
The plants sure did need the rain. I was thinking that I needed to have the 3 rainbarrels I bought at the end of the FY attached to the downspouts. You know hindsight is 20/20. I should also have set up the weather station that the Ag Agent purchased over 18 months ago!
The Echinaceas are looking great! All are now blooming. I hope to post picts soon!
It's too quiet in the office today. I need a background noise to block out to work really well.

next week

2009-07-24T16:31:00.001-04:00

I will be out of the office July 27th to 31st. I will be attending the KY County Ag Agents' Assoc meeting in Lexington.

Enjoy the great weather!

Potato Flowers and Flower Trials

2009-07-22T10:41:00.000-04:00

Raining today. The calls have slowed a bit, so I can let you know the question of the day. Today's question: Why do my potatoes have little green fruit and can I eat them?

The Potatoes have fruit on them like tomatoes and eggplant (relatives). Potatoes have purple flowers, when pollinated turn into this fruit. PLEASE DO NOT EAT THE FRUIT. It's poisonous, I think more so than eating a green potato.

Don't bother saving the seeds either. The potato seeds do not breed true. Your "Yukon Gold" potatoes won't be the same if plant seeds instead of keeping a few potatoes.

If you're in Elizabethtown, please come by the Extension Office to visit the Display gardens. We have over 300 species of plants including the University of Kentucky Annual Trial Garden plants and a 32 Variety Echinacea trial. Here's some photos from earlier in the year:

The cone flower is "Katie Saul" one of the newer varieties of Echinacea. I kind of like the purple-pink with yellow highlights. It's a sturdy flower, not likely to fall over in the rain!

This is "Mocha Mint" coleus. It's a finely-dissected leaf emerges a bronze-yellow and ages to a chartreuse. It a shorter plant only reaching 8" by today. It would be eye-catching in a container or at the front of a bed.

Hello

2009-07-16T11:46:00.000-04:00

Hello,
Welcome to the first posting of the Hardin County Blooms blog. I'm Amy, the County Extension Agent for Horticulture. I will try to keep you updated on the horticulture happenings in Hardin County, KY.