Editor: Michele Hébert,Land Resources Agent

Production, Layout & Designby Ronda L. Boswell

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service programs are available to all, without regard to race, color, age, sex, creed, national origin, or disability and in accordance with all applicable federal laws.Provided in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Anthony Nakazawa, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, Universityof Alaska Fairbanks. No endorsement of firms and products mentioned is intended, nor is criticism implied of those not mentioned in the Master Gardener Update.

Master GardenerMaster GardenerJune 2004

TananaValley

Cooperative Extension Service • Tanana District Office • P.O. Box 758155 • Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-8155 • 907-474-1530

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Page 2 The Sourdough Gardener: Advantages of Container GardeningPage 2 Letter to the EditorPage 3 Developing Browse-Resistant Landscape Vegetation Using Trees and ShrubsPage 4-5 How to Make Compost TeaPage 6 The Dirty Dozen: How Safe Are Our

Fruits and Vegetables?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

May 22 Master Gardener Class Tour ofGolden Heart Utilities CompostFacility, 11 a.m., everyone welcome.

May 22 Master Gardeners to plant at Pioneer Park.May 22 Sign-up for Junior Master Gardener

Class, 1-2 p.m., UAF Georgeson Botani-cal Garden (GBG).

May 28 Planting at Golden Heart Plaza, 9:30 a.m.May 29 Hospice of the Tanana Valley Plant

Sale, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 3727 Geist Road.June 1 Master Gardener meeting, 7 p.m., GBG.June 2 Planting on First Avenue, 9:30 a.m.June 5 Master Gardener Class Tour of North Pole Acres Farm (small berry and asparagus production), and Clair’s Cultivars (apple orchard), 12-4 p.m., all welcome.June 5 Fairbanks Soil and Water Conserva-

tion District Tree and Plant Sale, 479-1213.July 6 Master Gardener meeting, 7 p.m., UAF

University Park Building.July 13 College of Fellows Goodies in the

Garden, GBG.July 23-24 Fairbanks Flower Show, Pioneer

Park Civic Center.

Master Gardenersof the Tanana Valley

Prez Sez. . . .Prez Sez. . . .Prez Sez. . . .Prez Sez. . . .Prez Sez. . . .By Virginia Damron,President

Making merry (and money) in May!

WWWWWe had a rip-roaring, wonderful meetingMay 4. Papa of Papa’s Greenhouse talkedto us about container planting and demon-strated by planting a large hanging basketwith a diverse collection of plants. At themembers’ urging, he auctioned it off and itwas bought by Radene Schroeder aftermuch-spirited wagering. What fun and alittle sweetener for the budget. Thank you,

Papa, for a great educational and fun talk. Your board of directors elected the following officers at the April 27 meeting: VirginiaDamron, president; George Wilson, vice president; Radene Schroeder, treasurer; DeborahKoons, secretary; and Papa, member-at-large. If you have questions or just want to makea suggestion, any of us will be glad to take a shot at it. We are particularly interested inwhat you want to learn next fall. Membership cards are always available at our meetings. Your card will get you somenice discounts, so be sure to attend and pick yours up. The board decided it wants all ofyou to attend, so cards will only be mailed under extreme circumstances this spring/sum-mer. Our June 1 meeting will be held at the UAF Georgeson Botanical Garden. Each year, weassist with the planting of beds and then have refreshments. Be sure to bring trowels(marked with your name) and the great Alaska perfume – bug dope. Ourplans for the entrance to Pioneer Park include designing the three bedsMay 11, putting down irrigation and weed block May 15, and plantingMay 22. Everyone is welcome to help at all plantings; call me for times.There are a multitude of places to plant this year, so if you have some timecall me and I’ll point you to someone who has asked for help. Time to close for now with the wish to see all of you at a meeting orplanting opportunity soon. Let’s get our hands dirty together! ✿

The May meetingof the MasterGardeners fea-tured a demon-stration by Papaon how to plant acontainer garden.

The group thendecided to auc-tion off the con-tainer to benefitthe organiza-tion – with Papaserving as offi-cial auctioneer!

Also, RadeneS c h r o e d e rbrought in 13boxes of T-shirtsand other MGitems, whichwere put on a “2for 1” sale.What a bargain!

Photos courtesy of Joanne Klumb.

2005July 24-27 International Master Gardener

Conference and Trade Show, Saska-toon, Saskatchewan, Canada,www.mastergardener2005.usask.ca.

Master Gardener Update June 2004

2

Container Gardening – Nothing but Advantages

THETHETHETHETHESOURDOUGHSOURDOUGHSOURDOUGHSOURDOUGHSOURDOUGHGARDENERGARDENERGARDENERGARDENERGARDENER

From:

From:

From:

From:

From:

(a.k.a. George Wilson)

JJJJJust about anything can be grownin a container, because, like plants,vessels come in all sizes. The smallerones can be hand carried while thelarge, more cumbersome versionswith their additional weight can beon wheels. We should think of con-tainer gardening as mobile becauseof the ease with which they can betransported. Some people grow veryattached to their plants and gardens,like pets. They are reluctant to leavethem behind when moving to a new location. This type of garden can be as small or elaborate as your spaceor budget will allow. It can also be enlarged over time and mayconsist of as many different types of containers as you acquireover the years. The ideas for container gardens are as diverseand endless as the many people throughout the world engagedin this form of horticulture. Gardening in containers has been around since the early Egyp-tian, Greek and Roman times. Their courtyards were filled withcontainers. Every nitch was adorned with statuary, pools, foun-tains and objects related to a garden setting. Today, there is nocity or village on the globe where you will not find some sort ofindoor or outdoor form of container gardening. From windowboxes to hanging baskets to huge tubs containing trees, this formof horticulture is present everywhere–some elegant, some funky. It has many advantages over conventional forms of garden-ing. It is easier to manage or control weeds and pests, cultivate,water and fertilize, and uses less planting media. It can be inmany light levels according to the plant materials used. Failuresare held to a minimum and plant replacement is relatively easy. Plants, which readily adapt themselves to containers, are end-less in variety, but one group in particular flourishes very wellin containers–herbs. These plants take many forms, are excep-tionally attractive, have a wonderful fragrance, and are a must

when it comes to gourmet cooking.Like the aroma of fresh baked breador pie, fresh herbs, when incorpo-rated into cooking, are a sheer de-light. The potted plant industry to-day is huge and accounts for in ac-cess of 70 percent of all nursery andgreenhouse sales worldwide, ac-cording to recent industry surveys. Another advantage of containersis swapping them out. As one col-orful display loses its appeal, an-

other one being held in reserve can take its place. Thus, youhave an ever changing array of your favorite plants that arenever seen at less then their absolute best. This also cuts downon the need for deadheading. Because this type of gardening requires less space, time canbe devoted to individual containers and their special needs.Many alpine and rock garden varieties lend themselves totroughs filled with scree materials. As with any type of gar-dening, there are many publications available that specializein this method of culture and its success. Not only do contain-ers vary in size and shape, they are available in a variety ofmaterials, colors and designs. They vary in texture and maybe crafted by those who fill them with plants. Many plants, which are not cold hardy or are tender, can begrown in pots and moved to a protected area, including somebulbs and roses. This is easier than lifting, transplanting orother forms of winter protection. We could consider container gardening as a form of miniatur-ization as to scale. It can have trellises and any form of support;it just has to be the correct size for pot or container culture. As I have commented in the past, desire, knowledge, tenac-ity and innovation are the key ingredients to success with alarge dash of curiosity for good measure. Experimentation canbring gratification. ✿

Hi Michele: You asked me to keep you informed, so here goes. The link you gave me satisfied the Alaska Department of Labor, which is administering the National Emergency GrantFunds, while the USDA is administering the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Fishermen. The paperwork is enormous, and lots of hoops to go through. I have been approved, and the two-year AA horticultureprogram at Santa Barbara City College has been approved also. I guess they are going to pay for everything, transporta-tion, tuition, and subsistence in some amount. The Dean of the Horticulture program is going to let me spend half my two years on composting problems, especially in regards tofish waste composting. The new EPA standards will prohibit in the future the pumping of fish waste into coastal waters. The Copper River Watershed Project is doing an experimental composting project with Prime Select Seafoods thissummer. I plan to volunteer in the project; can I use the project for some of my 40 hours? I will have to leave Cordova inlate July to drive to Santa Barbara. I am a scuba diver and a roller blader, plus I practice Tai Chi Chuan, so Santa Barbara is an excellent location for mefor two years. I will return each summer to fish. Thank you very much for your help, I really appreciate it. I will keep in touch with you in the future. I will also try tofinish my 40 hours before I leave.

Thanks again,Adam

Editor’s Note: Adam Kenyon is a 2004 graduate of the Master Gardener Corre-spondence Course. A resident of Cordova, he recently sent this e-mail to sharehis upcoming plans for furthering his education in horticulture. Way to go, Adam!

Letter to the Editor

✍

Master Gardener Update June 2004

3

TREES, SHRUBS &PERENNIAL PLANTS

(with some browse resistance)

American Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens, toxic)Austrian Pine (Pinus nigra)Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia, toxic)Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana, toxic)Columbine (Aquilegia spp.)Common Barberry, Oregon Grape (Berberis spp.)Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudanator tuosa)Foxglove (Digitalis spp., toxic)Giant Reed (Arundo donax)Hellebore (Helleborus spp., toxic)Holly (Ilex spp.)Honey Locust (Gliditsia triacanthos)Iris (Iris spp.)Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata, toxic)Juniper (Juniperus spp.)Larkspur (Delphinium spp., toxic)Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri)Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo)Narcissus, Daffodil (Narcissus spp., toxic)OleanderRed Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa, toxic)Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp., toxic)Sagebrush (Artemesia tridentata)SalviaScots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)Smoke Tree (Cotinus coggygria)Snowflake (Leucojum spp.)Trillium (Trillium spp.)Tulip (Tulipa spp.)White, Colorado Blue & Norway Spruce (Picea spp.)

Developing Browse-Resistant LandscapeVegetation Using Trees and Shrubs

By Bob Wheeler, CES Forestry Specialist

hen animals browse on trees and shrubs in the home landscape, it can becostly. Typically, high on the list of culprits are moose, rabbits and voles.These foraging animals on an annual basis can destroy extensive landscap-

ing and expensive plants and trees, costing homeowners thousands of dollars to replace. Gardeners have used chemical deterrents, fencing and browse-resistant plants inan effort to stop animals from damaging prized plants.

It cannot be emphasized enough that even the most browse-resistant trees can bebrowsed or just damaged by desperate foraging animals. See the list at right forsome suggested trees, shrubs and perennial plants that exhibit some degree ofresistance to browse.

Browse-Repellent Compounds There are a large number of products being sold for control of deer and elk browseand a much more limited selection for the control of moose browse. Browse control by repellent compounds has at times been very successful (morethan 50 percent control) in reliable studies. The repellents depend largely upon odorand taste as a deterrent to browsing.

Homemade Repellent Spray Using a blender, mix by pureeing six eggs, oneteaspoon Tabasco sauce and a few cloves of garlic.Strain the mixture before use.

(continued on page 6)

Chemical deterrents include both systemic and leafsurface chemicals such as those found in Plantskyddanimal repellent (87 percent bloodmeal). These com-pounds typically provide limited control, need repeatedapplications during key browse periods and are not eas-ily applied during the winter.

Fencing is the most direct and positive control forcontrolling moose browse, but can be expensive and notaesthetically pleasing.

Browse-resistant plants may be a more preferred al-ternative planted in your yard. However, especially dur-ing the winter, moose can browse on even reputedly re-sistant trees and shrubs, depending upon how hungrythe moose is and the availability of alternative browsematerial. Some plants such as chokecherry exhibit lim-ited browse damage as a result of the concentration ofhydrogen cyanide in the bark and fruit pits, making it avery bitter browse food.

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Master Gardener Update June 2004

4

Attach three separate pieces of hose at least 12 inches longto the gang valve.

Place the gang valve onto the bucket and make sure the hosesreach the bottom of the bucket.

Add your finished compost and make sure the ends of thehoses are covered.

• Two 5-gallon buckets• 1 gallon mature compost• 1 aquarium pump• 4 gallons water• 3+ feet aquarium hose

Supplies Needed:

• Unsulfured molasses• 1 gang valve (to divide the air supply into several streams)

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ompost tea is easily made by soaking or steeping compost in water. The resulting compost tea is usedfor either a foliar application (sprayed on the leaves) or applied to the soil. We all know that compostis a wonderful addition to soil and helps our gardens grow better. You and your garden plants can

benefit even more by using compost tea. By using compost tea to replace chemical-based fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides, you can garden saferand be more protective of the environment. Compost tea increases plant growth; provides nutrients to plantsand soil; provides beneficial organisms; helps to suppress diseases; and replaces toxic garden chemicals. Formore information on making compost tea, a good publication to check out is “Brewing Compost Tea” fromTaunton Press.

How to Make Compost Tea:How to Make Compost Tea:How to Make Compost Tea:How to Make Compost Tea:How to Make Compost Tea:It’s Easy as 1 - 2 - 3!

By Patti Olenick of the Pennsylvania Division of Water Minimization

~ Reprinted with permission from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (www.dep.state.pa.us).

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Add the water, filling the bucket to within 6 inches of thetop. (If you are using water from a public water source, run thepump and bubble air through the water for at least an hourbefore adding the water to the compost. This allows any chlo-rine to evaporate. Chlorine can kill beneficial organisms in the tea.)

Add 1 ounce of unsulfured molasses to provide a foodsource for the beneficial microorganisms.

Turn on the aquarium pump and let the mixture brew fortwo to three days. Stir the brew occasionally to help mix thecompost and separate the microorganisms from the solidcompost particles.

You can sprinkle the compost tea onto the foliage and thesoil around each plant. The tea will provide nutrients and anenergy boost to your garden plants. You can apply compost teaevery two weeks to your garden. ✿

Apply the compost tea to your flower and vegetable plantsimmediately. The beneficial microbes will begin to die shortlyafter the air source is removed.

After brewing the mixture, you need to strain the tea. Usecheesecloth and strain the tea/compost mixture into anotherbucket. (You can put the compost solids back into thecompost pile or in the garden.) The tea should smell sweetand earthy. If it smells bad, do not use it on your plants, butdump the mixture back into your compost pile.

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June 2004Master Gardener Update

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Folk Remedies♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Lifebuoy soap – A study conducted in Virginia with apple trees found that wherethe bar of soap was suspended from the main stem that after three weeks had 100percent control compared to use of barbed wire wrapped around the stem of the treewhich had 30 percent browsing. The control with no deterrents had 43 percent damage.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Milorganite organic turf fertilizer – This type of fertilizer is made fromMilwaukee’s wastewater treatment process using brewery waste. A study using thefertilizer on yews, hostas and tulips in a high deer population area found that whenapplied two times per month (at the rate of 5 pounds per 100 square feet) and aftereach snowfall in winter provided 100 percent deer browse control.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Tiger manure from the zoo.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Balls of human hair from the barber shop.♦ Petrified fish waste (can attract dogs, cats and bears).

Folklore from Alaska♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Bear hide.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Irish Spring soap tied in a bag in the garden.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Human urine around the garden.♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ Cayenne spayed on the plants (beware the cayenne does not get in peoples’ eyes, especially children grazing in the garden).

(continued from page 3) A recent study of moose browse onornamental Kale ( a preferred moosebrowse) indicated a high level ofbrowse control by use of salmon fishoil. Discussion on this as a means ofbrowse control lead to the opinion thatprocessed and dried fish protein (fishwaste such as ground fish carcases)could equally be successful as a moosedeterrent during the growing season. Some repellents are used as a sys-temic application and seek to controlbrowse by effecting the odor and tasteof the plant. There are several sys-temic repellents available as well suchas Repellex, which claims to provideup to one year of protection frombrowsing by the use of a single fertil-izer tablet. DeerBusters uses systemstablets that claim browse control forup to three years by giving plants anextremely bitter taste. They claim thatthe tablets take approximately 30 to45 days to take effect and must be usedwhen the plant is not dormant. ✿

The Dirty Dozen(How safe are our fruits and vegetables?)By Michael Olson of MetroFarm Online Magazine

etween 1992 and 2001, the U.S.Department of Agriculture’s Pes-ticide Data Program conducted

more than 100,000 tests on 46 popularfruits and vegetables for pesticide residue.Contamination was measured in six dif-ferent ways and crops were ranked basedon a composite score from all categories. The Environ-mental WorkingGroup took the in-formation andpublished a“Shopper’s Guideto Pesticides inProduce.” Thisguide does notpresent a complexassessment of pes-ticide risks, nor does it state at what levelof contamination pesticides pose an ac-tual risk to human health. It simply reflectsthe overall load of pesticides found oncommonly eaten fruits and vegetables, asranked from 1, which is the least residue,to 100, which is the most. Regardless of whether the pesticide resi-dues found on our food are actually harm-ful to our health, common sense tells usthere are things we can do to reduce ourexposure. One thing we can do is wash

Most Contaminated Foods

Least Contaminated Foods

Peaches........................100Strawberries..................89Apples............................88Spinach.......................85Nectarines......................85Celery............................83Pears...........................80Cherries..........................76Potatoes......................67Sweet Bell Peppers......66Raspberries...................66Grapes (imported)........64

Sweet Corn.......................1Avocado.........................4Pineapples.....................6Cauliflower.....................10Mango.........................12Sweet Peas.......................13Asparagus.......................16Onions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Broccoli........................18Bananas.......................19Kiwi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Papaya..........................23

the produce. The Food and DrugAdministration’s Web site says: “Washing fresh produce before eatingis a healthful habit. You can reduce andoften eliminate residues if they arepresent on fresh fruits and vegetables byfollowing these simple tips: Wash pro-duce with large amounts of cold or warm

tap water, andscrub with a brushwhen appropriate;do not use soap.” The other thingwe can do is buyorganically-grownfoods. For more infor-mation about the“Dirty Dozen”

listed foods, listen to The Food Chainshow (No. 388), and log on the follow-ing Web sites:

Environmental Working Group: www.foodnews.org/reportcard.phpFood and Drug Administration: www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/pesticid.htmlProduce Marketing Association: www.pma.comUSDA Pesticide Data Program: www.ams.usda.gov/science/pdp/

Olson’s Lawof the Universe:

“The farther away we are fromthe source of our food,

the less control we have overwhat is in our food!”

✿

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