The Garden Spade - University of Missouriextension.missouri.edu/butler/documents/Spade/2012...
Transcript of The Garden Spade - University of Missouriextension.missouri.edu/butler/documents/Spade/2012...
Freez ing Remains a Threat
B y D o n n a A u f d e n b e r g
In this issue:
Freezing Remains
A Threat
1,2
Hot Topic! Pests
Get a Jump Start!
2
April Gardening
Calendar
3
Composting Tips 3
Garden with Youth
in Mind
4
Free Range
Poultry in Gardens
5
Tree Wound Care 6
Composting Issues 7
Native Plants -
Garden Phlox
8
Spring Flowers
Circle a Word
8
Group News -
What’s Happening!
9
Editor’s Corner 10
A monthly Gardening Publication of the University of Missouri Extension -- Southeast and East Central Regions
April 2012
The Garden Spade
Canada this winter.” Guinan also
cautions that freezes can vary across
local terrain. Low temperatures can
vary by more than 10 degrees from
the bottom of a valley to a nearby
hilltop. Urban areas tend to be
warmer than rural areas.
A major concern is the
fruit trees and small fruit
crops. A freeze at this
point would eliminate
the chance of having
even a decent crop this
year. “There’s a
problem with that
beautiful scene of the fruit crop
blooming. There could be a lot of
dead flower buds with major crop
loss if temperatures plummet,”
Michelle Warmund said after working
with her fruit trees and berry
brambles at the MU horticultural
plots.
Most cool season plants such as
cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, spinach
and radishes are traditionally planted
during this time and can handle a frost
and some freezing. Warm season
crops such as tomatoes, peppers,
eggplant, corn, and beans are
commonly planted in the latter part
of April into May and they can’t
tolerate a frost not to mention a
freeze. Gardeners need to consider
University of Missouri, Lincoln
University, U.S. Department of
Agriculture & Local University
Extension Councils Cooperating
equal opportunity/ADA
institutions
The weather has been amazing during
the last several weeks especially when
you consider it’s only March! It has
many of us gardeners asking “Could
we have another freeze or frost
event?” With daytime temperatures in
the 70-80s and lows in the 50s, it
makes a gardener
tempted to go ahead and
plant garden!
Our last average frost
date for Southeast
Missouri is April 15, but
freezes and frosts are
not unheard of past late
April. They are still very possible, so
we are definitely not in the clear of the
danger.
Who wouldn’t love the beautiful
blooming trees and the lush green
growth of perennials, shrubs and trees.
While all gardeners welcome these
wonderful signs of spring, we have to
keep in mind that a freeze at this point
might prove devastating similar to that
of the Spring Freeze of 2007. Many
dollars in crop loss hit orchards, grape
growers, and blueberry growers as
well as agricultural farmers with hay
fields and newly sprouted corn.
MU Extension Climatologist, Pat
Guinan states “Arctic blasts could
return with a slight shift in the jet
stream, which has stayed well north in
Freeze Damage on Oak (Picture
from the University of Tennessee)
The Garden Spade Page 2
Secondar y Stor y Head l ine
planting warmer season crops after April 15.
Trees and shrubs are blooming and leafing out way
ahead of schedule. They seem to be three weeks
ahead of what is considered “normal.” This can be
dangerous for many plants. After the freeze of 2007,
many plants showed evidence of
severe damage to the cambium and
bark, leading to dieback, bark splitting
and weak growth of buds and shoots.
Some trees and shrubs were killed
back to or near the ground, with
suckers arising from the soil line or
lower trunk.
So, what can one do to protect their
plants from a hard frost or freeze?
If you haven’t planted yet, begin by
planting only frost tolerant
vegetables and annuals this early in
the season.
Using a frost blanket can gain you 2-4 degrees F
(depending on the thickness). These thin white
spun bound covers are light weight and are laid
over plants. They utilize the heat that radiates
from the ground to keep the plants warmer.
Grandma’s old method of covering plants with
blankets and sheets can also work just as long as
the fabric remains dry.
A wall of water which is a cone-shaped ring of
connected tubes filled with water surrounding a
single plant can generate enough heat to
keep plants safe in below freezing
temperatures.
If using plastic to cover plants, it
needs to be held up off the plants or it
will freeze the plants where it touches
them. Plastic can be used over a wire
frame or over hoops to make a low
tunnel.
Unfortunately, if a freeze occurs, damage
will happen to many plants that we cannot
protect. We just have to hope for the best
and prune out the damage once growth
resumes.
With luck, hopefully a freeze will not happen and most
gardeners will be happy to have an extended Spring!
Freez ing Remains a Threat
b y D o n n a A u f d e n b e r g
Wall of Water (Picture from
Colorado Extension)
Frost Blanket (Picture from the
University of Maine Extension)
Hot Top ic ! Pests Get a Jump Star t !
b y D o n n a A u f d e n b e r g
Due to our unusually warm start to spring, we are
now starting to see an overwhelming amount of
various pests around flower beds and lawns.
This early warm up speeds up the
development of weeds as well as insects,
experts say. They are warning that extra
scouting will be needed to manage weeds,
insects as well as diseases during this garden
season.
Aphid populations are rapidly increasing on the new
succulent growth of many plants. Gardeners are
already seeing adult stinkbugs and squash bugs
emerging from their winter safe haven.
Many gardeners have been reporting
overwhelming amounts of henbit, deadnettle
and chickweed. Summer weeds such as
crabgrass have already been seen germinating
in lawns so if you’re late in getting pre-
emergent herbicide down, you might as well
forget it and take a post-emergent approach.
Gardeners who try to plant early gardens may not
be early enough this year to avoid some of the pest
Apri l Gardening Ca lendar
B y D o n n a A u f d e n b e r g
Page 3 The Garden Spade
Composting Tips
Don’t throw out
your kitchen scraps
- add them to your
compost pile!
Bigger is better!
Piles need to be 5x5
x3 feet high or
bigger to break
down organic
matter.
Aeration is
important! Make
sure to turn your
pile.
Don’t let the pile
completely dry out
but don’t keep it
too wet.
Too much of one
material will slow
the compost
process down. Mix
greens with browns.
Cut up large pieces
of kitchen refuge so
it is easier for
microbes to break it
down.
Vegetable and fruit
pieces exposed
generally do not
break down - cover
them up!
For more
information, see MU
Guide G6956
Outdoor Plants and Ornamentals
Winter mulches should be removed from roses.
Plants bought out of greenhouses need to be hardened off before planting.
Lift, divide, and replant mums as soon as new shoots appear.
Scatter annual poppy seeds in flower borders. The fine seeds need no
covering. The plants grow rapidly and provide colorful flowers in early
summer.
Plant dahlia tubers as soon as the danger of
frost is passed. Stake at the time of planting
to avoid injury to tubers.
Cut back blooming shrubs right after they
have bloomed
Vegetable Gardening
Plants started indoors should be hardened off outdoors before being
transplanted into the garden.
Plastic jugs make inexpensive and easy-to-use “hot caps” for your vegetable
seedlings.
Plant warm season vegetables in the garden after the chance of frost has
passed.
Make succession sowings of cool season crops.
Flower stalks should be removed from rhubarb plants, if they develop.
Keep your hoe sharp! Don’t allow weeds to get an early start in your
garden.
Fruits and Nuts
Plant bare-root or potted fruits as soon as the soil can be worked.
Remove tree wraps from fruit trees now.
Protect bees and other pollinating insects. Do not spray insecticides on fruit
trees that are blooming.
Indoor plants
Time to repot house plants and trim them if overgrown.
Prevent stem rot of house plants by potting up plants on a slight mound with
the soil sloping 1/4 inch lower at the edge of the pot.
Don’t overpot African Violets. They bloom better in small pots.
Don’t be too anxious to move your house plants outdoors. Even a good
chill can knock the leaves off of tender plants.
Turfgrass
Start mowing cool season grasses at recommended heights.
Aerate turf if thatch is heavy or if soil is compacted.
The Garden Spade Page 4 The Garden Spade Page 4
Secondar y Stor y Head l ine
There is not a garden club or society that does not
focus part of their educational efforts on youth. It is
true that habits established during youth will last for
a life time. The prospect of passing down garden
knowledge to a new
generation and seeing the
fascination that children have
with nature can inspire the
most experienced among us.
Children have an interesting
perspective when it comes to
the world around them.
Objects that an adult finds
ordinary a child may see as
‘larger than life’. Colors
excite children as do smell
and touch. Their imagination
can create a day of
excitement and adventure in
a garden, especially if it is
designed to catch their
attention.
When designing a landscape
for a child keep in mind that a shrub or perennial
that grows six feet tall may make a great hideout for
a toddler. Plants that are fuzzy will speak to a child
and ask them to touch so place them in easy reach
of children. A child may adopt a small plant just
because it lives in their ’space’ or is sized for their
hands. Fragrant plants encourage children to smell
and touch as they move around the yard.
If you don’t have enough room for a vegetable
garden then find small spots in your landscape to put
a few edibles that kids love. If tomatoes are hard to
grow then try a single cherry tomato. Children can
easily pick them off and try them and find it more
fun than eating them from a plate.
If plants with thorns are used they should have a
purpose such as keeping children from going in a
particular direction. Barberry are good for creating
a border that shouldn’t be crossed like those near a
road. Poisonous seeds should be excluded for safety
reasons. Castor bean is a plant that produces a seed
that might be appealing to a child visually but can
cause skin irritation or be harmful if ingested.
Children love to participate in
the garden. It is so easy to
have a child ‘help’ with
gardening at home. Don’t
expect them to be as devoted
to chores as an adult but if
they have a rake or shovel
they will help dig, plant, weed
and harvest right beside
anyone who takes the time to
teach them.
Another great thing about
gardening with children is that
if you don’t already know how
to do something a child will
not make fun as you learn it
together.
Plant seeds indoors or out,
help them to create a row in
the garden that is theirs, let them prune shrubs or
trees and show them why debris is placed in a
compost pile. Talk with them about composting and
show them what is done with the resulting organic
matter. They are like soil, they sponge up the
information like water and may pass it along to
others.
Sources for Youth Gardens:
My first garden (a guide to the world of fun and clever
gardening) - www.urbanext.illinois.edu/firstgarden
National Gardening Association, helping young minds
grow - www.kidsgardening.org
The Missouri Botanical Garden has a place just for
kids. The Doris I. Schnuck Children’s Garden is open
March 31 to October 31 offering activities throughout
the summer or a day of fun on your own.
Garden with Youth in Mind
b y S a r a h D e n k l e r
Photo by Cadence Purdy
Secondar y Stor y Head l ine
Page 5 The Garden Spade
I live in the country and have lots of fun watching
my chickens, geese, and guineas wandering around
our place. Sometimes they huddle down and sleep
in the sun or summertime shade, but usually they
are BUSY! I’m not always sure what they are
scratching or pecking after or
in the case of the geese,
snipping off. They do find
grubs and other bugs, eat a lot
of weed seeds, and tender
weeds. Last summer I had
chickens jumping to grab
Japanese Beetles from low
hanging hibiscus flowers. And
when I turn soil the hens are
always there hoping they’ll see
a juicy grub. However, I’ve
had mulch spread everywhere
by the scratching, the emerging
pea seedlings cleaned off, the
juiciest tomato ruined and
seeds in rows scattered by the
bird’s habits.
So, it has been either confine
my poultry losing some of
their benefit or develop
some strategies. I
recommend fencing. Chicken
wire is not too expensive,
posts are easy to drive in and
if the wire is at least 4 feet
high you will keep the
chickens (and the rabbits,
too) out most of the time.
A snug though not really attractive gate can be
made by edging the end of the roll of wire with a
1x 4 inch board and lapping it over the fence and
tying the overlap to the fence. I allow the birds to
come into my garden throughout the late fall and
winter. In the spring after I’ve planted and things
are just getting established they are kept out.
Then before the tomatoes come on the poultry are
allowed in again until the tomatoes start to ripen.
( I do give my chickens scrap produce in their
feeding area.) Guineas are not as bad to bother the
produce as the chickens, but they can be
extremely noisy! And the
poultry deliver fertilizer
wherever they go.
In unfenced areas like flower
beds or paths covered with
mulch I often lay down sections
of fencing wire. You can place
wire over direct seeded plants
and remove it before the plants
grow large enough to get caught
in it or leave it until the end of
the season and clean it off with
the other debris. (Store it out of
the weather until next spring.)
Chicken wire sections (it can be
purchased in narrow widths at
many farm stores) or scrap
pieces of 2x4 inch fencing
work very well. Small push-in
posts allow me to make
temporary chicken wire fences
by flower beds. Trellis netting,
row covering, nets used to
cover fruit crops and even old
sheets can be used to
temporarily deter poultry.
Sometimes I place coffee cans
with both ends cut out over
plants that the geese have
noticed. Or three thin dowel sticks stuck in the
ground next to a plant keep the geese from
checking it out. So maybe I’m a bit more tolerant
than some and I am willing to try to resolve the
poultry problem in my garden, but my birds are
free-range.
Free-Range Pou l tr y : Fr iend or Enemy for Gardeners
B y J o y c e B r e w e r , P e r r y v i l l e M a s t e r G a r d e n e r
Benefits of Chicken in the Garden
Organic Insect control - They chase
anything that moves!
Organic Fertilizer
Organic Weed Control
Meat with the Vegetables (at least the
eggs!)
Secondar y Stor y Head l ine
Page 6 The Garden Spade
Just like when a person receives a wound, trees
with wounds provide opening for pathogens. The
newly uncovered tissues are exposed to canker
pathogens and decay microorganisms that infect
the tree. The
microorganisms digest
tissues that are
responsible for the
nutrient and water
translocation or
structural support,
resulting in unhealthy,
unsightly or unsafe trees.
Proper pruning and
wound treatment can go
a long way to minimize
these issues.
Trees will attempt to
close wounds naturally by forming callus tissue.
The rate of callus formation varies for different
species and is affected by environmental conditions
such as nutrient and water
availability, and wound size.
There are several ways that
callus formation rates can be
enhanced. First, it is
essential to avoid limiting
oxygen availability to the
wounded tissues. Oxygen is
necessary for the proper
healing process to take
place. Therefore painting
the wound with any kind of
material interferes with
oxygen access and can
prevent callus formation
over the wound. Second, if
trees are healthy and planted in well-drained
quality soils, they will heal faster.
Proper pruning will also aid in the healing process.
Trees are pruned for a variety of reasons,
including to develop proper canopy shape or
remove potentially hazardous limbs. Spring to early
summer is the best time to prune because that is
when the tree is most actively growing and will
produce callus
faster. But if there
is a problem prune
it regardless of
time of year.
What branches
should be pruned?
Anything that is
crossed, diseased,
dead or broken.
Branches with
weak branch angles
should also be
removed. The
strongest branch angle is 90 degrees. More acute
angles are structurally weak and prone to breaking
(think Bradford pear). When cutting a large limb
off, start away from the trunk with an undercut and
then cut through on the top to remove the weight.
The final cut is flush with the branch collar, allowing
good callus formation.
Tree Wound Care
b y K a t i e K a m m l e r
Good Wound Healing
Proper Branch Pruning Cuts
Bad Wound Healing
Secondar y Stor y Head l ine
Page 7 The Garden Spade
Q: Were the USDA plant hardiness zones
changed this year? How can I find out what
zone my garden is in?
A: The U.S. Department of Agriculture released
a new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map in
January 2012. This new map uses data measured
over a 30 year time period (1976-2005). The
previous map released in 1990 was based on data
from 1974-1986.
The climate has warmed and many zone
boundaries have shifted northward. Most Missouri
gardens are in a new zone that is 5 degrees
warmer. For example, Fredericktown was
previously classified as Zone 5b and is now in Zone
6a.
An interactive version of the USDA zone map is
available on the web at:
www.planthardiness.ars.usda.gov . Just enter your
zip code and your hardiness zone will be displayed.
Q: I want to plant a vegetable garden this
year but I’m unsure what varieties to buy
and how much to plant. Can you offer any
suggestions?
A: Nothing is more satisfying than harvesting
vegetables that you have grown in your own
garden. I would recommend starting with a small
garden (no larger than 10 x 15) your first year. A
small well tended garden will generally out yield a
larger weed filled or insect ridden plot.
The MU extension offers an excellent publication
“Vegetable Planting Calendar” (MU Guide G 6201)
that will answer planting questions for vegetables in
Missouri. It outlines the quantities, suggested
varieties and times to plant your vegetable seeds or
transplants. This publication may be obtained from
your local extension office or online at:
www.extension.missouri.edu/G6201 .
Do you have a gardening question for a future
column?? Please email your gardening
questions to: [email protected].
Ask A Master Gardener A Garden Column By Sue Pfoertner, Master Gardener
Page 6 The Garden Spade
B ui l d i n g A Be tt e r So i l
B y D o n n a A u f d e n b e r g
Page 8 The Garden Spade
Nat ive P lants – Garden Ph lox
B y S a r a h D e n k l e r
G R A S S R E W O L F D N I W
S L I D O F F A D Y O W Y O S
U C Y C L A M E N G S A D S A
S S U L O I D A L G M R D E I
E L Y R I S N A E S U F O S N
I I L S U L N A E L I B P O O
L U I N U N R N A F L C U R G
I Q L Q A Z O E R A L A B L E
L N C C W M E E Z Z A Y X S B
A O I E E T E I I A S K D P Y
L J T N S S N N N I G V A I P
L R A A I G I N A W S R L L P
A G I A S A B D L N U S A U O
C S S T S Y L I L R E G I T P
D I A H J C A L A D I U M U S
G R A P E H Y A C I N T H S M
S I L L Y R A M A S U C O R C
Freesias
Gladiolus
Grape Hyacinth
Iris
Jonquils
Stargazer Lily
Allium
Amaryllis
Anemones
Asiatic Lily
Begonias
Blazing Stars
Bulb
Caladium
For the backside of a perennial border, in a native or
cut garden or in a butterfly garden try Garden Phlox
Phlox paniculata. This native flower easily reaches
heights of 4 feet and reseeds itself spreading wider
than the original plant. The flower is a dark pink or
magenta color and fragrant. This plant grows well in
full sun or part shade and makes a visual impact with
an 8 inch bloom. It grows well in zone 4 to 8 and
blooms beginning in July. Soil should be well drained
for best growth.
Ornamental
varieties are
available in many
colors.
Spr ing F lowers - C irc le A Word
B y L e a h W a r n , M a s t e r G a r d e n e r T r a i n e e
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
Page 9 The Garden Spade
April 2012
Group News - What ’s Happen ing
T h e
G a r d e n
S pa d e
Cape Girardeau Co. MG, 7
pm, Cape Co. Ext. Center
Ste. Genevieve MG
Meeting, 6:30pm, at the Ste.
Genevieve Co. Ext. Center
Perry Co. MG 6:30 pm,
Perry Co. Ext. Center
May
1 - Poplar Bluff MGs 1st Tuesday at 6:00pm, Butler County Ext. Center
5 - Perryville MG Plant Sale at Perry Co. Extension Office Parking lot from 8-11 a.m.
5 - Cape County MG Spring Garden Festival at Arena Park from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
5 - Southeast Regional Farm Show at the David M. Barton Ag Research Center in
Gordonville MO
6 to 7 - Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival, Mansfield, MO
7 - Parkland MGs 1st Monday at 6:30pm, Farmington Courthouse Annex (3rd Floor)
10 - Delta Area MGs 2nd Thursday at 7:00pm, Medical Arts Building, Sikeston, MO
17 - Cape Girardeau County MGs 3rd Thursday at Cape County Ext. Center at 7pm
Parkland MG, 6:30pm @
Farmington Courthouse
Annex - 3rd Fl.
If you have a horticultural related event for the calendar call 573-686-8064 to add it.
Contact your local Extension Center if you have
questions about any event on the calendar.
19 & 20 Ste. Genevieve MG Garden Walk and Plant Sale
21 - Ste. Genevieve MGs 3rd Monday, at Ste. Gen. County Ext. Center at
6:30pm
28 - Perry County MGs 4th Monday at the Perry County Ext. Center at
6:30pm
Upcoming Events
June 2 - Day with Natives; Hamilton Native Outpost, Elk Creek, MO 9:00am
July 7 - Warm Season Grass Pasture Walk; Hamilton Native Outpost, Elk
Creek, MO 3-8pm
Poplar Bluff MG, 6:00pm @
Ext. Center
Bonsai; Advanced Training,
Extension Center, Poplar
Bluff, MO;9am-12pm
Core Training: 6:00pm
Cape Co. Ext Center
Core Training: 4:30pm
Butler Co. Ext Center
Core Training: 4:30pm
Butler Co. Ext Center
Core Training: 6:00pm
Cape Co. Ext Center
Core Training: 4:30pm
Butler Co. Ext Center
Core Training: 4:30pm
Butler Co. Ext Center
Core Training: 6:00pm
Cape Co. Ext Center
Dogwood Azalea Festival; Charleston, MO 19-22
Vegetable Grafting Class
Perryville Career Center
at 6:30 p.m.
Wholistic Fair - Cape VFW
Hall from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Over 30 vendors offering
Natural Products and Services.
Contact MJ Myers for more
info.
The Garden Spade is published monthly by University of Missouri Extension staff for individuals and families living in Southeast and
East Central Missouri. This newsletter is provided by your local extension council.
Editors:
Katie Kammler, Plant Science Specialist
255 Market St., Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
573-883-3548
Sarah Denkler, Horticulture Specialist
222 North Broadway Street, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901
573-686-8064
Donna Aufdenberg, Horticulture Specialist
304 High Street, PO Box 19, Marble Hill, MO 63764
573-238-2420
Editor ’s Corner
We welcome and encourage Master Gardener groups
and individuals to submit items to the newsletter. We
encourage the submission of any news such as
upcoming volunteer opportunities, community events
related to gardening, warm wishes or congratulations to
fellow gardeners. We also encourage Master
Gardeners sharing experiences and writing articles on
timely topics.
All entries into the group news sections must be
received by 4:30 on the15th of each month for the
following months news.
Email News to: [email protected],
[email protected], or [email protected]
Disclaimer: No special endorsement of mentioned products is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar
products not mentioned.
University of Missouri, Lincoln University, U.S. Department of Agriculture & Local University Extension Councils Cooperating equal opportunity/ADA institutions
April 2012 Garden Spade