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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.5

1/29/2015

Video of the Week:
Tips for Growing Blueberries

Fruit:
Approaching Time for Peach Leaf Curl Control

If you have ever seen emerging peach leaves that are puckered, swollen, distorted and reddish-green color, you have seen peach leaf curl. Uncontrolled, this disease can severely weaken trees due to untimely leaf drop when leaves unfurl in the spring. Fortunately, peach leaf curl is not that difficult to control if the spray is applied early enough. However, by the time you see symptoms, it is much too late. As a matter of fact, fungicides are ineffective if applied after buds begin to swell. Don't spray when temperatures are below 40 degrees or will fall below freezing before the spray dries. Usually we can wait until March to spray but an extended warm period in February that encourages early bud swell may require spraying in late February.

Though peach leaf curl can be controlled by a single fungicide application either in the fall after leaf drop, it is more commonly controlled in the spring. There are several fungicides labeled for this disease including Bordeaux, liquid lime sulfur, and chlorothalonil (Ortho Garden Disease Control, Fertilome Broad Spectrum Fungicide, GardenTech Fungicide Disease Control, Gordon's Multipurpose Fungicide, and Daconil). Thoroughly cover the entire tree during application. Note that it is much easier to achieve good spray coverage if the tree is pruned before spraying. (Ward Upham)

Dormant Oil Sprays for Fruit Trees

There are a number of dormant sprays used on fruit to control various diseases and insects, but a dormant oil spray is designed to control scale insects. If you have a problem with scale, now is the time to start looking for an opportunity to spray. Normally spray should be applied by March 1, especially with peaches and nectarines.

Apples are tougher, and application may be delayed up to the green tip stage. Temperatures need to be at least 40 degrees so spray has a chance to dry before freezing. If the spray does freeze before it dries, plant injury can occur. Applying the spray during the morning will help insure that it dries properly. Thorough coverage of limbs, branches, and twigs is vital for good control. Note that it is much easier to achieve good spray coverage if the tree is pruned before spraying. (Ward Upham)

Pruning Fruit Trees

Fruit trees can be pruned from now through March as long as the wood isn’t frozen. Following are some general recommendations on pruning mature fruit trees followed by more specific instructions on each species. If you have young fruit trees, see the accompanying article in this newsletter.

General Recommendations

- Take out broken, damaged or diseased branches.
- If two branches form a narrow angle, prune one out. Narrow angles are weak angles and tend to break during wind or ice storms.
- Take out all suckers. Suckers are branches that grow straight up. They may originate from the trunk or from major branches.
- If two branches cross and rub against one another, one should be taken out.
- Cut back or remove branches that are so low they interfere with harvest or pruning. If cutting back a branch, always cut back to another branch or a bud. Do not leave a stub.
- Cut back branches to reduce the total size of the tree, if necessary.
- Thin branches on the interior of the tree.

Follow the steps above in order but stop if you reach 30% of the tree. For a short video on pruning, see http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=980&cat=Fruit&itemid=64&cmd=view#64

Specific Instructions

Peach and Nectarine: Peach and nectarine require more pruning than any other fruit trees because they bear fruit on growth from the previous year. Not pruning results in fruit being borne further and further from the center of the tree allowing a heavy fruit crop to break major branches due to the weight of the fruit. Prune long branches back to a shorter side branch.

Apple: Apples tend to become overgrown if not pruned regularly. Wind storms and ice storms are then more likely to cause damage. Also, trees that are not pruned often become biennial bearers. In other words, they bear a huge crop one year and none the next. Biennial bearing is caused by too many fruit on the tree. Though pruning helps, fruit often needs to be thinned as well. The goal is an apple about every 4 inches. Spacing can vary as long as the average is about every 4 inches.

Cherry, Pear, Plum: Light pruning is usually all that is needed. Simply remove branches that are causing or will cause a problem according to the general recommendations above. (Ward Upham)

Pruning Young Fruit Trees

Young fruit trees should be pruned to begin developing a strong structure of the main or scaffold limbs. This will help prevent limb breakage over the years when the scaffolds carry a heavy fruit load. Apple, apricot, cherry, plum and pear trees generally are trained using the central leader system. The growth pattern for these trees is for a center branch to be dominant and to grow straight up. Peach and nectarine trees are normally pruned using the open center method because they do not have a strong tendency for one shoot or branch to dominate the growth of other shoots or branches. In this system, the tree is pruned to a vase-like pattern with no central leader.

Regardless of the system used, the three to four scaffold branches should:
• Be no lower than 18 inches from the ground. This makes it easier to prune and harvest the tree once it matures.
• Form wide angles (about 60 to 80 degrees) with the trunk. Wide angles are much stronger than narrow angles and are less likely to break under wind or ice loads.
• Be distributed on different sides of the tree for good balance.
• Be spaced about 6 to 10 inches apart on the trunk with no branch directly opposite or below another. (Ward Upham)

Flowers:
Rabbit Resistant Flowers

Rabbits can cause a great deal of damage to plants in Kansas. Though fencing is a very effective control, it may be too unattractive for some uses. In such cases, using plants that are less likely to be attractive to rabbits can be helpful. Note that these plants are resistant; not immune to attack. Young plants or those that are succulent due to overfertilization are more likely to be damaged.

Also, the unavailability of other food sources can result in rabbits feeding on plants that are normally rejected. A list of flowers considered resistant to feeding damage by rabbits include artmesia, aster, bee balm, begonia, blanket flower, bleeding heart, candytuft, columbine coreopsis, crocus, daffodil, dahlia, daylily, ferns, gloriosa daisy, herbs (except basil), iris, lamb’s ears, pincushion flower, red hot poker, surprise lily, sweet violet, verbena and yarrow.

This information came from a University of Arizona publication titled “Deer and Rabbit Resistant Plants.” Other resistant plants including trees, shrubs, groundcovers and vines are also listed in this publication. This publication is available at http://tinyurl.com/y8sfgo2 (Ward Upham)

Vegetables:
Tomato Test: Fruit Size

As we noted last week, Tom Fowler, Horticulture Specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Service, took data on a large tomato planting in both 2013 and 2014. His study included 47 different varieties in 2013, including those that some of our K-State Research & Extension Master Gardeners test for us. The test was repeated in 2014, but some varieties were lost due to cold weather. Also, not all varieties tested last year were tested this year and so we ended up with 21 that were tested both years. Of those, only 16 were slicing tomatoes. This week we will look at total yield.

The top ten varieties for total yield are listed below. We have included the top 10 for 2013, the top for 2014, and the top when these two years are combined. We will only consider those tomatoes which were grown both years. We did not include cherry tomatoes or other small fruited types such as Roma. Weight is given in pounds. We had 16 varieties that met these criteria.

2013

Number           Variety                       Weight
1                      Big Beef                      135.8
2                      Beefmaster                 134.8
3                      Red Bounty                 115.4
4                      Black Krim                 114.2
5                      Scarlet Red                 107.6
6                      Supersonic                  102.2
7                      Rutgers                       102.0
8                      Jet Star                        100.0
9                      Celebrity                     96.0
10                    Hy Beef                       93.6

2014

Number           Variety                       Weight
1                      Celebrity                     73.0
2                      Crista                          70.4
3                      Jet Star                        59.0
4                      Beefmaster                 54.2
5                      Hy Beef                       52.8
6                      Rutgers                       47.0
7                      BHN 961                     46.8
8                      Supersonic                  45.0
9                      Florida 91                   41.8
10                    Red Bounty                 39.8

2013 & 2014

Number           Variety                       Weight
1                      Beefmaster                 189.0
2                      Celebrity                     169.0
3                      Big Beef                      166.6
4                      Jet Star                        159.0
5                      BHN 961                     157.6
6                      Red Bounty                 155.2
7                      Crista                          153.6
8                      Rutgers                       149.0
9                      Supersonic                  147.2
10                    Hy Beef                       146.4

Note that we combined both years and took the total weight of fruit. The data is interesting with Big Beef being the top variety in 2013, but not even making the list in 2014. Also, though Amana Orange is consistently our largest tomato, yield is so low it did not make the top 10 in yield for either year. (Ward Upham)

Pests:
Check Plants for Scale Insects

The dormant season is a good time to check woody plants for scale insect infestations. This time of year, deciduous plants do not have leaves, so scale is more easily seen. If an infestation is detected, make plans to apply a dormant oil for control by March 1. Be sure the temperature is 40 degrees or above before spraying. Scale insects are easily overlooked because they are small and immobile most of their lives, and they do not resemble most other insects. Many of them resemble small shells that are oval or circular, but some have more unusual shapes like oyster shells. Coloring varies, but can include white, tan, and brown. Plants that should be inspected for scales include apples, pears, other fruit trees, bush fruits, lilac, crabapple, oak, ash, elm, lilac, maple, linden, arborvitae, juniper, pine, spruce and yew.

Manhattan euonymus, a broadleaf evergreen, is especially noted for having scale problems. Plants are not harmed if only a few scales are present. But scale population can increase dramatically during the growing season. Heavy scale infestations can damage fruit crops, destroy branches and kill entire plants. (Ward Upham)

Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No. 4

1/21/2015

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Video of the Week:
Pothos and Philodendron: Easy Care Houseplants

Vegetables:
Tomato Test: Fruit Size

Tom Fowler, Horticulture Specialist with the University of Missouri Extension Service, took data on a large tomato planting in both 2013 and 2014. His study included 47 different varieties in 2013 including those that some of our K-State Research & Extension Master Gardeners test for us. The test was repeated in 2014 but some varieties were lost due to cold weather. Also, not all varieties tested last year were tested this year and so we ended up with 21 that were tested both years. Of those only 16 were slicing tomatoes. We will have a couple of articles on what we can learn from this extensive study. This week we will look at individual fruit size.

However, there is a caveat that must be considered when trying to interpret this test.

This is two years of data. Although two years worth of data is better than a single year, more is always better as differing environmental conditions can have a significant impact on yield from year to year. A variety that does very well under certain conditions, may not do well under less favorable conditions. Other varieties may be more forgiving and yield well under a wider range of conditions.

The top ten varieties for fruit size are listed below. We have included the top 10 for 2013, the top for 2014 and the top when these two years are combined. We will only consider those tomatoes which were grown both years. We did not include cherry tomatoes or other small fruited types such as Roma. Weight is given in ounces per individual fruit. We had 16 varieties that met these criteria and yet the same 10 varieties were the top ten in fruit size for both years. That doesn’t happen often.

2013

No.      Variety                     Weight
1          Amana Orange            13.0
2          German Queen           11.4
3          Beefmaster                 7.8
4          Big Beef                     7.7
5          Florida 91                     7.4
6          BHN 961                       7.0
7          Red Bounty                 6.9
8          Black Krim                6.8
9          Celebrity                     6.5
10        Scarlet Red              6.4

2014

No.      Variety                        Weight
1          Amana Orange            10.0
2          BHN 961                        8.8
3          German Queen            8.5
4          Red Bounty                   7.9
5          Beefmaster                  7.8
6          Florida 91                 7.6
7          Black Krim                7.0
8          Scarlet Red                6.9
9          Celebrity                    6.6
10        Big Beef                         6.3

2013 & 2014

No.      Variety                        Weight
1          Amana Orange            12.2
2          German Queen           10.4
3          Beefmaster                    7.7
4          BHN 961                      7.5
5          Florida 91                      7.5
6          Big Beef                         7.4
7          Red Bounty                7.1
8          Black Krim                   6.8
9          Celebrity                    6.5
10        Scarlet Red                   6.5

Note that when we combined both years, we took the total weight of fruit for both years and divided it by the total number of fruit picked. Therefore, years with a higher yield would have more of an effect than those with a lesser yield. In this case, 2013 had much better yields than 2014. (Ward Upham)

Fruit:
Cloning Apple Trees

We occasionally receive calls from gardeners who want to know how to treat an apple seed so it will germinate. Usually, the gardener is trying to reproduce an old apple tree that was special for some reason (good quality fruit, planted by grandparents, etc.) Unfortunately, apples grown from seed will not be like the parent. About 1 in every 80,000 apple trees grown from seed will be as good as the apples we are used to eating.

Apple trees grown from seed usually have small and inferior quality fruit. If you want a tree exactly like the parent, you must propagate that tree vegetatively. In the case of apples, this usually means grafting. Apple trees are actually quite easy to graft, even for novices. Don't be afraid to try even if you haven't grafted before. The step that needs to be done at this time of year is the choosing and cutting of scion wood or small branches that will be grafted on top of a rootstock.

See the accompanying article in this newsletter on how this is done. However, if you don’t have an existing tree to graft onto, you will need to plant a rootstock this year for grafting onto next. Fruit trees are normally grafted (or budded) onto specially selected rootstocks. These rootstocks usually reduce tree size. For example, a tree that normally would reach 25 feet tall will only reach 10 feet if it is grown on a certain rootstock. Dwarfing rootstocks also allow apples to bear fruit a year or more earlier.

A tree on its own roots normally takes 5 to 7 years before it will bear. Semi-dwarf trees bear in 4 to 5 years, and dwarf trees bear in 3 to 4 years. Unfortunately, not all dwarfing rootstocks are well adapted to Kansas. Semi-dwarf trees usually are a better choice for us. Note that rootstock reduces tree size, not fruit size. Therefore, a Golden Delicious tree that only reaches 8 feet tall due to a dwarfing rootstock, will bear the same size fruit as a Golden Delicious tree that is 25 feet tall.

Most nurseries only sell trees that are already grafted. A company that does sell rootstocks is Raintree Nursery, Morton, WA, (360) 496-6400, http://www.raintreenursery.com/Rootstocks/

Another is Cummins Nursery, (865) 233-3539, http://www.cumminsnursery.com/rootstocks.htm though there is a minimum shipping and handling fee of $20. It is also possible to buy a tree from a local nursery and graft your clone into it. This will give you one tree that produces two different apples. One disadvantage of this method is that it is possible to prune off the special clone by mistake in later years.

This information does not include the details of grafting or budding or subsequent care.

The Missouri Extension Service has an excellent publication on grafting at
http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/agguides/hort/g06971.pdf as well as a second publication on budding at http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/agguides/hort/g06972.pdf. Be sure to practice your cuts on wood you prune off in March. After you do about 100 cuts, you will start to get the hang of it. (Ward Upham)

Ornamentals:
Caddo Sugar Maples

Sugar maples often have significant problems with our Kansas weather. Our hot, often dry summers and windy conditions can shorten the life of these trees. However, some sugar maples are better adapted to Kansas conditions than others. Our John C. Pair Horticulture Center has evaluated sugar maples for well more than 20 years and has identified selections that are much better adapted to Kansas. Of particular interest are the Caddo sugar maples which originated from an isolated population in Caddo County, Oklahoma. These are true sugar maples and are considered an ectotype and are more drought tolerant, better adapted to high pH soils and more resistant to leaf scorch and tatter than the norm. Just how resistant to scorch is impressive. The last three weeks of August in 2003 saw temperatures at our research station over 100 degrees each day with no rain for the month prior. All other sugar maples in the trial had severely scorched leaves. Not a single leaf of any of the caddo maples was scorched. Leaf water potential readings taken pre-dawn showed all other trees in the trial past the wilting point while the Caddo maples were barely stressed.

Another interesting characteristic of caddo maples is that they tend to retain their leaves in the winter and therefore have been suggested as screens or for use in windbreaks.

Dr. John Pair, the late director of the Horticulture Center, selected and released two Caddo maples over 10 years ago. Both these selections color early and have consistent good red fall color. Drought tolerance and resistance to leaf scorch and leaf tatter are exceptional. However, neither will do well in a heavy clay soil that is frequently saturated. These trees can be damaged or killed if planted in wet sites.

The first selection, ‘Autumn Splendor’, has the traditional sugar maple growth pattern and needs plenty of room to mature. ‘John Pair’ is smaller and more compact and more likely to fit a residential landscape. This tree is also noted for a dense, uniform crown. If you are in the market for a sugar maple, consider these before making a final decision. (Ward Upham)

Miscellaneous:
Plants Recommended for Kansas

If you have had trouble finding a listing of plants recommended for Kansas, visit our web page devoted to this topic. We have links to a wide variety of plants including annual flowers, perennial flowers (including breakouts for iris and daylilies), fruit, vegetables, turfgrass, low-maintenance roses and tree recommendations that are broken out by areas of the state. We also list recommended low water use plants. You can find this page at:
http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=731

We also have images of hundreds of the following:

Varieties of iris and daylilies found in the University Gardens Collection Gardens

Annual flowers recommended for Kansas (Prairie Star)

Perennial flowers recommended for Kansas (Prairie Bloom)

(Ward Upham)

Collect Scion Wood Now

If you are planning on doing any grafting this spring, now would be a good time to collect scionwood. Following are tips on how to choose good scion wood.

- Scions should be cut from one-year-old wood.

- Buds should be prominent and widely spaced. Water sprouts work well for this. Water sprouts are twigs that grow straight up from a major branch.

- Inner bark should be light green and the wood creamy white.

- Best scions have more wood than pith; small diameter wood often has wide pith.

- Older bearing trees produce poor scions unless pruned heavily. The best scions are toward the top of the tree. You may need a pole pruner even for small trees.

- Cut shoot into 6-8 inch pieces having at least 3 buds per stick.

- The best scion is often the basal piece.

- Always discard the terminal (the end piece).

- Store in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with moist paper towels.

If you are unfamiliar with grafting but would like to learn, the University of Missouri has an excellent publication at http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/agguides/hort/g06971.pdf. Practice your technique on wood you pruned off in March. Try doing about 100 cuts. (Ward Upham)

Use a Planting Calendar

If you start vegetable plants indoors, it is often helpful to list seeding dates on a calendar so that plants are ready for transplanting at the proper time. To do this, choose your transplant date and count back the number of weeks necessary to grow your own transplants. For example, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower are usually transplanted in late March to early April. It takes 8 weeks from seeding to transplant size. Plants should be seeded in early February. Information on how many weeks it takes to grow transplants is available in our January 6 newsletter at http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/doc4036.ashx .

Below are examples of some common vegetables grown for transplants and a recommended date for seeding. Dates are Saturdays as this is when many homeowners have the most free time. The dates are not set in stone, and a week earlier or later will not ruin the plants. Also, you may want to seed a week or two earlier if you are in southern Kansas and possibly a week later if you are in northern Kansas. Keep notes on how well the transplants did so you can tweak the planting schedule. Your conditions may result in plants that need a bit more or a bit less time. (Ward Upham)

Crop                                                          Seeding Date       Transplant Date

Cabbage, Broccoli & Cauliflower                       February 7                    April 4

Lettuce (if you grow transplants)                      February 7                   April 4

Peppers                                                                        March 21                      May 16

Tomatoes                                                                    March 28                      May 9

Local Seed Sources

A couple of weeks ago, we asked for anyone selling seeds in Kansas to contact us with their information. Following are the companies who provided that information.

Clinton Parkway Nursery
4900 Clinton Parkway (corner of Clinton Parkway & Wakarusa)
Phone Number: (785(842-3081
E-mail: clintonparkway@aol.com
In store sales only.
Prepackaged seed only: pre-packaged Renee's Garden.
Transplants: ...a wide variety and assorted sizes!

Jackson's Greenhouse & Garden Center, Inc.
1933 NW Lower Silver Lake Road
Topeka, KS 66608
785-232-3416 fax 785-233-6348
www.jacksonsgreenhouse.com
hort68ksu@gmail.com
We have 60+varieties of tomatoes, 60+varieties peppers, much more.

Seeds from Italy
PO box 3908
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone: 785-748-0959
Fax:   785-748-0609
Web site: www.growitalian.com

Skinner Garden Store, Inc.
4237 NW Lower Silver Lake Road
Topeka, KS 66618
785-233-9657
info@skinnergardenstore.com
www.skinnergardenstore.com
In store sales only.
Everything we sell is prepackaged, but we can special order many thing in larger quantities.
We sell all kinds of transplants.

TLC Nursery and Outdoor Living
1000 S. 10th St. Independence, KS 67301
Phone: (620( 331-8301
E-mail: jjones@Livetlc.com, twila@livetlc.com
Website: www.livetlc.com
Will ship and do in-store sales
Sells prepackaged and custom packaged seed and transplants
(Ward Upham)

Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.3

1/20/2015

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Video of the Week:
Flowerbed Design

Fruit:
Fruit Trees and Frost

Spring in Kansas is often unsettled with apricot and peach tree flowers being the most vulnerable to late frosts. Of course, the tree itself will be fine but there will be no to little fruit for that year. Other species of trees can also be affected but apricots and peaches are by far the most sensitive. Also,the closer a tree is to full bloom, the more sensitive it becomes to frost.

Apricots are more likely to have frost kill flowers than peaches because they bloom a bit earlier. Though there are late-blooming apricot varieties, the differences between full bloom on early-and late-blooming varieties appears to be slight. Research at Virginia Tech in the 90's showed a maximum of a 4-day difference between early and late varieties. However, in some years that may be all that is needed. The trees in the study that were considered late blooming included Hungarian Rose, Tilton and Harlayne. Harglow was not included in the study but is also considered late-blooming. See https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/422/422-761/422-761.html for more info.

Peaches are next on the list for being likely to be caught by a late frost. With peaches, two characteristics become important when considering whether they will be damaged by late frosts. Like apricots, bloom time is very important but fruit bud hardiness is also important. In this case, fruit bud hardiness refers to hardiness to late frosts rather than the ability to survive extreme low temperatures during the winter. Late bloomers included ‘China Pearl’, ‘Encore’, ‘Intrepid’, and ‘Risingstar.’ See http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/research/horticulture/RR782.pdf. The ‘Intrepid’ cultivar also has shown excellent cold hardiness when in flower. See http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357.

So, are there other considerations when looking at possible frost damage? Location can be very important. Planting on a hill which allows cold air to drain to lower elevations can help. Also, a location in town will be more likely to have a warmer micro-climate than an exposed location. Some gardeners will add a heat source under a tree during cold nights if they are close to a building. Heat lamps and charcoal briquettes are sometimes used but safety should be the first consideration. (Ward Upham)

Ornamentals:
Start Trees off Right

Research from K-State’s John C. Pair Horticultural Center has quantified the effect of controlling grasses around newly planted trees. Jason Griffin, William Reid, and Dale Bremer conducted a study to investigate the inhibition of growth of transplanted, seedling trees when lawn grasses were allowed to grow up to the trunk. There were five treatments, including three with different species of grass:
1. Bare soil maintained with herbicides.
2. Area under tree mulched 3 inches deep.
3. Tall fescue allowed to grow under tree.
4. Bermudagrass allowed to grow under tree.
5. Kentucky bluegrass allowed to grow under tree.

All treatments were applied to Eastern redbud seedlings as well as to pecan seedlings. All trees were fertilized according to recommendations and watered during the growing season with up to1 inch of water if rainfall was deficient. At the end of two years, trees were measured and harvested. Data was taken on caliper (diameter) 6 inches above the ground, weight of aboveground portions of the tree, leaf area, and leaf weight. There were no differences in any measure between the mulched treatment and the bare soil treatment for either tree species. All measures showed significant growth increases if lawn grasses were controlled around the tree.

Results include the following:
1. Caliper: Caliper measures 6 inches above the soil surface were twice as large for plots without grass than for those with either fescue or bluegrass, but only 50% larger when compared to the bermudagrass plots.
2. Top growth weight: Redbuds showed a 300% weight advantage for plots with grasses controlled than those without. Pecans showed a significant 200% increase.
3. Leaf area and leaf weight: Leaf areas were 200% larger in plots without grass competition and leaf weight showed a 300% increase.

The obvious conclusion from this study is that grasses must be controlled under a newly transplanted tree to get the best possible growth. Though there were no differences in growth whether mulch was used or not, you may still wish to mulch for aesthetic reasons or to help control weed growth. How far from the trunk should the grasses be controlled? Try a minimum of 3 feet. (Ward Upham)

Miscellaneous:
All-America Selection Winners for 2015

All-America Selections tests and introduces new flowers and vegetables each year that have done well in trials across North America. This year there were ten vegetable winners, two bedding plant winners and two flower winners that were either national winners or “Heartland” regional winners. Descriptions and images below are taken directly from All-America Selection materials. For more detailed information including how to grow, see http://www.all-americaselections.org/winners/index.cfm

Vegetables
Lettuce Sandy
The first AAS winning lettuce since 1985, Sandy is an attractive oakleaf type lettuce with a multitude of sweet tasting frilly dark green leaves. Not just pretty and tasty, Sandy has exceptional disease resistance, especially to powdery mildew and is slow to bolt. Use Sandy as cut and come again baby leaf, or grow to full maturity for loose salad heads. The uniformly mounded loose heads are well adapted to both raised beds and containers. When planted with cool season flowers, Sandy will add an abundance of interesting texture to patio containers. Sandy is the second AAS Winner that is available as organic seed. Can be planted in patio containers with cool season edible flowers to enjoy. Typically not bitter when heat-stressed.

Radish Roxanne F1
Roxanne is a hybrid radish with uniform bright red color and a beautiful creamy white interior. Roxanne is a great tasting radish with no pithiness or bleeding even at a larger size. This radish stays firm and solid even when oversized, and holds well in the garden. Roxanne grows well in a wide range of climates, as verified by our judges who have trial grounds all over North America. In mild climates Roxanne can be sown at intervals in fall and winter for harvest during these seasons. This radish can easily be grown in a pot at least 4 inches deep. A very pretty and tasty radish! Nice bright red color with beautiful creamy white interior. Nice shape, size and uniformity.

Pepper Sweet Sunset F1
Sweet Sunset is a compact banana pepper that is vigorous and sets a large amount of concentrated fruit. This high yielding X3R variety produces attractive colorful tasty peppers that are great fresh or canned. The compact upright plants do not require staking and can be grown in a container. This high-yielding plant produces early, often and late into the season. Judges commented on the good eating quality and Sweet Sunset won the taste test in one trial site open house!

Basil Dolce Fresca
If there was an AAS category for an edible plant with ornamental value, this AAS Winner would fit that classification. Dolce Fresca produces sweet tender leaves that outshone the comparison varieties while maintaining an attractive, compact shape that’s both versatile and beautiful. Use the leaves as you would any Genovese basil and we hear it makes an excellent pesto. After harvest, the plant was quick to recover and kept the desired ornamental shape that’s perfect for containers, borders or as a focal point. Great for gardeners looking for drought tolerant, hearty plants, foodies interested in a new and better basil and anyone who wants that great Mediterranean taste added to their cuisine.

Pepper Emerald Fire F1
A grill master’s delight! At 2,500 Scoville units, this is the hottest pepper in this year’s pepper winners but it boasts extra large and very tasty jalapeno fruits that are perfect for stuffing, grilling or using in salsa. Emerald Fire produces gorgeous, glossy green peppers with thick walls that have very little cracking, even after maturing to red. Gardeners will appreciate the prolific fruit set on compact plants that resist disease better than other similar varieties on the market. Emerald Fire is a strong and vigorous hybrid jalapeno plant that sets a large amount of concentrated fruit. This high yielding X3R variety produces tasty extra large hot jalapenos that are great for fresh and canning uses.

Pepper Flaming Flare F1
Most Fresno peppers are considered rather finicky plants that typically grow better in warm and dry climates. The fact that Flaming Flare is an AAS National Winner means it performed well in all AAS trial sites. The fruit is ideal for making chili sauces and the heat of that sauce will increase depending on how late in the season the peppers are harvested. Flaming Flare is an exceptional pepper that was sweeter tasting than similar Fresno types and consistently produced larger fruits and more peppers per plant. Yet another AAS Winner that culinary gardeners should consider for their kitchen gardens.

Pepper Hot Sunset F1
For banana or wax pepper lovers who desire a prolific and earlier harvest of delicious and spicy (650 Scoville units) fruits, Hot Sunset is for you. Large, healthy, vigorous plants are disease-free and produce tasty and attractive fruits all season long. The AAS Trial judges noted what a great taste this thick-walled pepper has, not like other hot peppers where all you get is heat. We think this tasty morsel should be featured on a TV cooking show where chefs compete to bring out the best in this goodie, whether it’s prepared fresh, grilled, roasted or pickled, it’s sure to win over even the most particular foodie!

Pepper Pretty N Sweet F1
Look...in the garden! Is it an ornamental pepper? Is it edible? Yes to both! Now we can tell consumers that an ornamental pepper CAN be eaten and it tastes fantastic! It’s time for new terminology to describe this multi-purpose plant...how about an “Ornamedible?” Pretty N Sweet is just that: a sweet, multi-colored pepper on a compact 18” plant that is attractive to use in ornamental gardens and containers. Against the comparisons, Pretty N Sweet was earlier, more prolific (you can harvest weekly in peak season) and has a much sweeter taste with more substantial pepper walls to enjoy fresh or in your favorite pepper dish.

Squash Bossa Nova F1
The beautiful dark and light green mottled exterior of this zucchini is more pronounced than other varieties on the market, which sets it apart and makes the fruits easier to see during a long and prolific harvest. Compact plants produce fruits earlier in the season and continue producing for three weeks longer than comparison varieties. During taste tests, the AAS Judges deemed the smooth flesh texture and sweet, mild taste much improved over other summer squash.

Squash Butterscotch F1
This adorable small-fruited butternut squash has an exceptionally sweet taste perfect for just one or two servings. Compact vines are space-saving for smaller gardens or those who just want to fit more plants into the space they have. This is another AAS Winners that is perfect for container gardens and will resist powdery mildew later in the season. Culinary tip: pierce the skin then microwave whole squash for about 12 minutes, cut in half, spoon out the seeds, and enjoy!

Flowers
Impatiens Bounce™ Pink Flame PPAF 'Balboufink'
Bounce impatiens provides gardeners with shade garden confidence. Bounce looks like an Impatiens walleriana in habit, flower form and count, but is completely downy mildew resistant, which means this Impatiens will last from spring all the way through fall. Bounce Pink Flame boasts of a massive amount of stunning, bright pink bicolor blooms with tons of color to brighten your garden, be it in shade or sun. And caring for impatiens has never been easier: just add water and they’ll “bounce” right back! Available in plant form only.

Impatiens SunPatiens® Spreading Shell Pink
The truly unique genetic background of SunPatiens® Spreading Shell Pink delivers unsurpassed garden performance with season long, soft pink flowers that never slow down. Strong roots take hold quickly after transplanting and these impatiens thrive under high heat, rain and humidity. The AAS Judges loved these vigorous spreading plants that keep their shape all summer, plus, they do just as well in full sun as in shade. These low-maintenance plants are perfect for gardeners looking for Impatiens that are resistant to downy mildew. Available in plant form only.

Petunia Trilogy Red F1
The Trilogy petunia series has a new color with this stunningly rich, vibrant red version! Trilogy petunias are known for their compact dome-shaped habit sporting large non-fading blooms throughout the season. The plants cover and recover themselves in upright blooms providing a constant mass of color in flower beds, baskets, and containers. Gardeners in high heat areas will appreciate the heat-tolerance of this variety and all gardeners will like how quickly Trilogy bounces back after a rain.
For growers, judges noted there was less need for PGRs and on the bench, the controlled growth habit meant tidier plants that were easier to separate and ship.

Salvia Summer Jewel White
A third color in the popular Summer Jewel series, white brings a much-needed color to compact salvias. This dwarf sized, compact plant has a prolific bloom count throughout the summer. As a bonus, the blooms appear almost two weeks earlier than other white salvias used as comparisons. Judges noted how the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds loved the larger flowers, making it perfect for a pollinator garden. Because of the compactness and number of flowers, Summer Jewel White is great for large landscaped areas, as well as containers and small beds. Commercial growers now have an excellent compact white salvia coccinea and will appreciate the earliness, uniformity and excellent pack performance. (Ward Upham)

Bird Feeding

Severe winter weather is not only hard on people but can be a life and death struggle for birds. Though birds also require water and shelter, food is often the resource most lacking during cold weather. Many different bird food mixes are available because various species often prefer different grains. However, there is one seed that has more universal appeal than any other: black oil sunflower. If you are new to the bird-feeding game, make sure there is a high percentage of this seed in your mix. White proso millet is second in popularity and is the favorite of dark-eyed juncos and other sparrows as well as the red-winged blackbird.

As you become more interested in bird feeding, you may want to use more than one feeder to attract specific species of birds. Following is a list of bird species with the grains they prefer.

- Cardinal, evening grosbeak and most finch species – sunflower seeds, all types.
- Rufous-sided towhee – white proso millet.
- Dark-eyed junco – white and red proso millet, canary seed, fine cracked corn.
- Many sparrow species – white and red proso millet.
- Bluejay – peanut kernels and sunflower seeds of all types.
- Chickadee and tufted titmouse – peanut kernels, oil (black) and black-striped sunflower seeds.
- Red-breasted nuthatch – oil (black) and black-striped sunflower seeds.
- Brown thrasher – hulled and black-striped sunflower seeds.
- Red-winged blackbird – white and red proso millet plus German (golden) millet
- Mourning dove – oil (black) sunflower seeds, white and red proso plus German (golden) millet.

Extended cold periods can also make water unavailable. A heated birdbath can be a tremendous draw for birds during times when all other water is frozen. Energy use is usually less than what most people expect IF the heater has a built-in thermostat. If you would like more information, Chuck Otte, Agriculture Extension Agent for Geary County has a series of backyard birding guides at http://gearycountyextension.com/NRMW.htm (WardUpham)

Growing Your Own Firewood

With high energy costs, some homeowners are turning to wood for heat. I’m one of them. Fortunately, the farm has a number of volunteer trees that can be used for firewood. The most common species is Siberian elm but there are also some hackberry and mulberry. Though there maybe enough volunteer trees to supply the need, better firewood trees would reduce the time and effort required to supply the wood needed. Actually, storm-damaged trees or trees in the wrong place will always provide a measure of the demand but a significant supply could be supported by a firewood “plantation.”

Plant species is an important consideration as not all trees have the same density and therefore heat value. The greater the dry weight, the better. The highest value for trees commonly found in Kansas is Osage Orange (Hedgeball tree) at 4,800 pounds per cord. Osage orange has a gnarly growth habit and a nasty set of thorns. This species also sparks which isn’t a problem in a wood-fired boiler but certainly would be in an open fireplace.

Black locust is next with 4,200 pounds per cord. Black locust is a fast grower and also has excellent burning qualities and makes a nice bed of coals. However, it is hard to split, suckers, and has some relatively small thorns, especially on young trees. Bur oak and red oak come in at 3,800 and 3,500 pounds per cord respectively but are not fast growers. Mulberry, however, has the same weight as red oak but grows more quickly. Silver maple has less heat value (3,000 pounds per cord) but is a very fast growing tree.

Black locust would be my first choice for this purpose though you may wish to plant rows of several species. However, each situation is different and another species may work better for you. So how do you set out your plantation? Dr. Wayne Geyer, one of our retired forestry professors, has done many woody biomass studies over the past 35 years. Following are some recommendations that have come out of his studies.

- Plant locust a few rows in from a field edge to reduce suckering in the field.
- Plant on a close spacing, 4 to 6 feet apart. This maximizes yield and reduces side branching.
- Control weeds the first two years.
- Harvest every 5 years, most trees will resprout and can be reharvested.
- Plant about 1 acre per year for 5 years if you wish to supply the majority of the firewood needed to heat your home. (Ward Upham)

Bringing Houseplants Down to Size

We sometimes receive calls from gardeners who wish to donate houseplants that have outgrown their location. In most cases, we don’t have room to accept plants and suggest that people bring them down to size by air-layering. Air-layering is a process where a branch or the main stem is encouraged to form roots while still attached to the parent plants. After rooting, the original plant is discarded and the newly rooted one is potted as a replacement. Though this propagation technique cannot be used on all houseplants, it does work well on many that tend to outgrow their boundaries including croton, dracaena, dieffenbachia, Norfolk Island pine, rubber plant and schefflera.

Choose wood that is about 1 year old. Older or more immature wood often roots poorly, if at all. Any place on the stem that is of the proper maturity can be used, but a convenient location is often about 12 inches from the tip. Following are the steps required for air-layering:

- Leaves should be removed around the area to be air-layered.

- Wound the stem. This can be done by making a slanting cut upward, an inch or more in length and halfway through the stem. Place a portion of a toothpick in the cut so it cannot close and heal. If the stem is seriously weakened, use a stick “splint” to prevent breakage. Another method that works well is to strip the bark completely around the stem in a band ½ to 1 inch wide.

- Apply rooting hormone to the wounded surface of the cut or the stripped portion of the branch.

- Pack a baseball-sized wad of moist, unmilled sphagnum peat moss around the wounded area so it forms a ball. This is where new roots will form. It is important to use the long, stringy unmilled peat moss rather than the more common milled material so peat moss does not fall away from the stem when released. Even unmilled peat moss may need to be secured with string to keep it in place.

- Wrap the ball of sphagnum peat moss with clear plastic wrap. Be sure to use enough wrap so that the plastic overlaps and prevents the ball from drying out. Secure the top and bottom edges of the wrap closed with electrical tape, string or other convenient fasteners. Roots may appear in as little as a month though it may take much longer for the plant to be ready for transplanting. Check periodically to be sure peat moss remains moist. Water if needed. When roots have filled the peat moss, the plant is ready to be severed from the parent and transplanted. (Ward Upham)

Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.2

1/12/2015

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Video of the Week:
Palms, Indoor Care

Vegetables:
How Much can a Vegetable Garden Save in Food Costs

Gail Langellotto, Statewide Coordinator of the Oregon State University Master Gardener Program, wrote a blog post a couple years ago summarizing studies regarding the savings a home vegetable garden can provide.

Gail looked at 8 studies and summarized the results. Values were adjusted to 2012 values. Overall, gardens had an average value of $0.74 per square foot of garden and a median value of $0.62 per square foot. That would equal $148 for a modest 200 square foot garden using the average value. Most of these studies included the cost of establishing the garden the first year. These costs would certainly be less in the years following.

Also, interesting were the crops that provided the greatest return per square foot. Those crops were tomatoes, salad greens, beets, broccoli and potatoes. However, be sure to plant crops that will actually be eaten. Vegetables that will not be used are a waste of time and money. To see much more detail, go to Gail’s blog post at http://tinyurl.com/ajrnebb (Ward Upham)

Sources for Tomato Seed

Gardeners who start tomatoes from seed often have difficulty locating a source for specific varieties. We have put together a table identifying sources for all of the tomatoes we recommend at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/L41.pdf *. We have also included a few old standby varieties including some heirlooms and a number of newer varieties that have done well in tomato trials. We could not include all possible sources of seed but tried to include the more common companies used by home gardeners. Let us know if there is a source you feel needs to be added. The document can be found at http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/doc4034.ashx. Note the first page identifies varieties and sources and the second page gives the web address and phone number for each company.

* No sources were found for Sun Leaper or Sunmaster

Note that we have also requested local sources of seed and/or transplants in an accompanying article. That information will be shared in a later newsletter. (Ward Upham)

Call for Local Sources of Vegetable Seed

If your business sells vegetable seed, let us know and we will make a list that our subscribers can link to. We need the following information:

Name of Business:
Business Address:
Phone Number:
E-mail (if applicable):
Web site (if applicable):
Will you ship or in-store sales only:
Prepackaged seed only or will you custom-package:
Do you also sell transplants:
Send the info to: wupham@ksu.edu

We will link to a list of those businesses that respond in a future newsletter. (Ward Upham)

Miscellaneous:
Newer Fluorescent Lights Available for Indoor Gardeners

Many gardeners use fluorescent lights to start young vegetable and flower plants during the spring or to grow certain houseplants all year long.

Traditionally, we have used fixtures with T-12 lamps suspended a few inches above the tops of the plants. However, T-12 lamps are fading away due to newer lamps that are a better choice for indoor gardens. These are known as T-8 and T-5 lamps. The number after the “T” refers to the diameter of the lamp in eighths of an inch. Therefore, a T-12 lamp is 12/8 or 1.5 inches in diameter and are what most people are familiar with. A T-8 is 8/8 or 1 inch in diameter, and a T-5 is 5/8 of an inch in diameter.

So, does a smaller diameter mean less light? Not at all. In fact, the T-5 can be the brightest of the three. Another advantage for these newer lamps is they use less electricity per lumen. Our traditional 48-inch T-12 is rated at 40 watts. However, there are newer styles of T-12's that are 34 watts. The T-8 is rated at 32 watts and the T-5 at 28 watts.

This sounds too good to be true. Are there drawbacks? Maybe so or maybe not. First is cost if you have to replace T-12 fixtures to convert to a T-8 system. However, newer fixtures may be able to handle either T-12's or T-8's. Therefore, if you purchased fluorescent fixtures in the last few years, check to see if they are rated for T-8's before replacing them. Note that lamp costs are comparable between T-12's and T-8's. The T-5 lamps are significantly more expensive and cost over twice as much as either a T-12 or T-8.

The question becomes, is it worth it? If you have a T-12 fixture that is rated for T-12's only and are satisfied with your results, then maybe not. However, if you are investing in new fixtures or have fixtures that can use either T-12's or T-8's, then go with the T-8's. They will use less energy, last longer and provide more light. (Ward Upham)

Conservation Trees from the Kansas Forest Service

The Kansas Forest Service offers low-cost tree and shrub seedlings for use in conservation plantings. Plants are one to two years old and sizes vary from 5 to 18 inches, depending on species. Orders are accepted from now through the first full week in May each year, but order early to insure receiving the items you want.

Orders are shipped from the second week of March through May 5. Approved uses for these plants include windbreaks, wood lots, riparian plantings, wildlife habitat and Christmas trees. They may not be used for landscape (ornamental) plantings or grown for resale.

All items are sold in units. Each single species unit consists of 25 plants. For example, a unit of Eastern red cedar has 25 trees per unit. Though a single species unit is most commonly purchased, four special bundles are also available including a songbird bundle, quail bundle,pheasant bundle and wildlife mast bundle.

Tree planting accessories are also available including marking flags, root protective slurry, rabbit protective tubes, weed barrier fabric and tree tubes. If there have been problems with deer browsing on young trees, the tree tubes are a must.

For details and an order form, go to: https://www.kansasforests.org/public_saps/Welcome.aspx

Order forms are also available from local K-State Research and Extension offices. (Ward Upham)

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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.1

1/6/2015

1 Comment

Video of the Week:
Succulent Plants for your Home

Upcoming Events:

Great Plains Growers Conference
January 8, 9, 10, 2015
St. Joseph, MO
For more information, go to http://www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org/

Horticulture 2014 Now Indexed

All of the articles published in Horticulture 2014 are now indexed according to subject. Indexing by subject is a very time consuming undertaking. One of our Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners, Carole Brandt, has completed this task for us the last six years. Many thanks to Carole in making these past articles much easier to find. You can access the list at http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/doc4037.ashx. The newsletters sorted by date can be found at http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=1055. (Ward Upham)

Vegetables:
Starting Onion Plants Indoors

It can be difficult to find specific onion varieties in sets or transplants, so growing from seed maybe a preferred option. Onions are one of the first plants to be seeded for transplanting because they take a significant amount of time (6 to 8 weeks) to reach transplant size and because they can be set out relatively early (late March in much of eastern and central Kansas). Therefore, we want to start onions in mid- to late-January. Onion seed should be placed ½ to 3/4 inch apart in a pot or flat filled with a seed starting mix. Place the container in a warm (75 to 80 F) location until young seedlings emerge. Move to a cooler location (60 to 65 F) when the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall. Make sure they have plenty of light, using florescent lights if needed. Start fertilizing when the seedlings reach 2 to 3 inches tall using a soluble fertilizer with each or every other watering.

Onion seedlings tend to be spindly with the remains of the seed sticking to the end of a leaf for several weeks. Encourage stockiness by trimming the ends of the leaves when the plants reach 4to 5 inches tall. Start hardening off the onions in early March by moving the plants to a protected outdoor location. You may have to move them inside temporarily to protect them from extreme cold snaps. (Ward Upham)

Using Old Garden Seed

Seed stores best if kept in a cold, dark, dry location. We normally consider seed will remain viable for about 3 years under these conditions though there are exceptions. For example, members of the carrot family (carrots, parsnips and parsley) are short-lived and are usually good for only 1 to 2 years. If you are unsure of viability and have plenty of seed, there is an easy method of determining how good your seed is. Place 10 seeds on a paper towel moistened with warm water and cover with a second moistened towel. Roll up the towels and place inside a plastic bag with enough holes for air exchange but not so many that the towels dry quickly. Place the bag in a warm place such as the top of a refrigerator. Remoisten towels with warm water as needed. After the first week, check for germination. Remove sprouted seed and check again after another week. Add these numbers together to determine the percent germination. (Ward Upham)

Vegetables and Flowers Seeding Table

The following information was adapted from the North Carolina State Publication titled “Starting Plants from Seeds,” HIL-8703

Plant                     Time to Seed Before Germination Planting Date*             Temperature**
Ageratum                              8                                                                                             70
Alyssum                                 8                                                                                             70
Aster                                        6                                                                                             70
Balsam                                    6                                                                                             70
Begonia                                 12 or more                                                                            70
Broccoli                                  8                                                                                              70
Browallia                             12 or more                                                                            70
Cabbage                                 8                                                                                              70
Cauliflower                         8                                                                                              70
Celosia                                    8                                                                                              70
Centuria                                 6                                                                                              65
Coleus                                     8                                                                                              65
Cosmos                                 4 or less                                                                                 70
Cucumber                             4 or less                                                                                 85
Dahlia                                      8                                                                                              70
Dianthus                                10                                                                                             70
Eggplant                                 8                                                                                             70
Geranium                             12 or more                                                                              70
Impatiens                             10                                                                                             70
Larkspur                                12 or more                                                                             70
Lettuce                                     8                                                                                              70
Marigold                                 6                                                                                             70
Muskmelon                          4 or less                                                                                  85
Nicotiana                                8                                                                                             70
Pansy                                      12 or more                                                                             65
Pepper                                     8                                                                                              80
Petunia                                 10                                                                                             70
Phlox                                        8                                                                                             65
Portulaca                               10                                                                                              70
Snapdragon                          10                                                                                              65
Squash                                 4 or less                                                                                  85
Stock                                       10                                                                                             70
Tomato                                 6                                                                                             80
Verbena                                 10                                                                                              65
Vinca                                     12 or more                                                                             70
Watermelon                         4 or less                                                                                 85
Zinnia                                     6                                                                                                 70
* Number of weeks before transplanting to seed.
** Temperature in degree F

Flowers:
Forcing Paperwhite Bulbs

Paperwhites are a form of daffodil that do not require a chilling period in order to bloom. Therefore, they are very easy to force. Following are the steps needed.

- Use a 3- to 4-inch decorative container that does not have drainage holes. It should be transparent enough that you can see the water level in relation to the bulbs.

- Place 1 to 2 inches of washed gravel, marbles, glass beads or stones in the bottom of the container. We will call the material chosen as “media”for the remainder of the article.

- Place the bulbs on the media so that they are near one another. Add enough media to hold them in place.

- Add enough water that the bottom of the bulb is sitting in water. Do not submerge the bulb. Maintain the water at this level. It normally takes 4 to 8 weeks for the bulbs to bloom.

Unfortunately, paperwhites often become leggy and fall over. Growing in cooler temperatures (60 to 65 degrees) can help but there is another trick that can be useful and involves using a dilute solution of alcohol. No, this trick did not come from an unknown source on the Internet but Cornell University’s Flower Bulb Research Program. They suggest the following to obtain a plant that is 1/3 shorter than normal. Flower size and longevity are not affected.

- Grow the bulbs as described above until the shoot is green and about 1 to 2 inches above the top of the bulb.

- Pour off the water and replace it with a 4 to 6% alcohol solution.

- Use this solution instead of water for all future waterings.

There are two methods to add this solution. The first is to add the alcohol solution to what is already in the container. Add enough to bring it up to the proper level. The second will give shorter plants. In this second method, pour off all the old solution and replace it with the new each time additional solution is needed.

So, how do we make the alcohol solution? An easy way is to use rubbing alcohol. This is most commonly 70% alcohol and should be mixed with 1 part alcohol with 10 or 11 parts water. Do not use beer or wine as the sugars present can interfere with normal growth.

The researchers were not sure why this worked but suggested the alcohol made it more difficult for the plants to take up water. This water stress stunted growth but did not affect the flowers. (Ward Upham)

Miscellaneous:
Starting Garden Transplants from Seed

January is often a cold and dreary month for many gardeners. However, planning for and starting vegetables and flower transplants from seed can make this a much more interesting time of year. Following are the steps needed to be successful in seed starting.

Purchase Recommended, Quality Seed: Start by taking a look at our recommended varieties. These plants have proven themselves across the state of Kansas and this is a good place to start when deciding what to plant. However, also talk to your neighbors, friends and garden center about what has worked well for them. Obtain your seeds from a reputable source including garden centers and seed catalogs. If choosing seeds from a business that does not specialize in plants, pay special attention to the package date to make sure the seed was packaged for the current year.

Though most seed remains viable for about 3 years, germination decreases as seed ages. See the accompanying article on using old garden seed for more detailed information.

Determine the Date to Seed: There are two pieces of information that needs to be known in order to determine the date to seed transplants: the target date for transplanting outside and the number of weeks needed to grow the transplant. The target date for transplanting the cool-season crops such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and onions are the end of March to the beginning of April.

Warm-season crops like tomatoes, peppers and most annual flowers are usually planted about May 10. There is a companion article in this newsletter listing common plants and the number of weeks needed to grow a transplant.

Sowing Seed: Do not use garden soil to germinate seed as it is too heavy and may contain disease organisms. Use a media made especially for seed germination.

Keep Seed Moist: Seed must be kept moist in order to germinate. Water often enough that the media never dries. Using a clear plastic wrap over the top of the container can reduce the amount of watering needed. Remove the wrap after the seedlings emerge.

Light: Most plants will germinate in either darkness or light but some require darkness (Centurea, Larkspur, Pansy, Portulaca, Phlox and Verbena) and others require light (Ageratum, Browallia, Begonia, Coleus, Geranium, Impatiens, Lettuce, Nicotiana, Petunia and Snapdragon).

All plants require adequate amounts of light once emergence occurs. South facing windows may not provide adequate amounts and so fluorescent fixtures are often used. Suspend the lights 2 to 4 inches above the top of the plants and leave the lights on for 16 hours each day.

Temperature: The temperature best for germination is often higher than what we may find in our homes especially since evaporating moisture can cool the germination media. Moving the container closer to the ceiling (top of a refrigerator) can help but a heating mat is best for consistent germination. A companion article lists common plants and their optimum germination temperature. After plants have germinated, they can be grown at a cooler temperature (65 to 70 degrees during the day and 55 to 60 degrees at night). This will help prevent tall, spindly transplants.

Plant Movement: Plants react to movement. Brushing over the plants with your hand stimulates them to become stockier and less leggy. Try 20 brushing strokes per day. However, brushing will not compensate for lack of light or over-crowding. Plants grown under inadequate light will be spindly regardless of any other treatment.

Hardening Transplants: Plants grown inside will often undergo transplant shock if not hardened off. Plants are hardened off by moving them outside and exposing them to sun and wind before transplanting occurs. Start about two weeks before transplanting and gradually expose the plants to outside conditions. Increase the number of hours and degree of exposure over the two-week period. (Ward Upham)

“Selling at Farmer’s Markets” Webinar for KSRE Professionals

With the growing interest in farmers markets, KSRE professionals across the state may be getting an increasing number of questions regarding what products can and can’t be sold at a farmers market without a license or how vendors can sell things as safely as possible. In response to this, the food safety sub-group of the Nutrition, Food Safety and Health PFT will be hosting a free zoom webinar for KSRE professionals from 11AM- noon on Tuesday, January 27. Londa Nwadike, KSU and MU State Extension Food Safety Specialist will present on “Selling at Farmers Markets- regulations and food safety best practices” and will also provide information on the updated KS Farmers Market regulations and best practices publication, which was done jointly with KDA. She can also answer questions at that time regarding the upcoming regional farmers market vendor workshops and the state Farmers Market conference. Adam Inman from the KDA Food Safety and Lodging regulatory program will also be on the webinar and available to answer questions from KSRE professionals.

The power point slides and webinar recording will be made available after the webinar.

To join the webinar, use the following information on the day of the webinar:
Join from PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://ksu.zoom.us/j/878118682
Or join by phone: +1 (415) 762-9988 or +1 (646) 568-7788 US Toll
Meeting ID: 878 118 682
International numbers available: https://ksu.zoom.us/zoomconference
Or join from a H.323/SIP room system: Dial: 162.255.36.11 (US East) or 162.255.37.11 (US West) Meeting ID: 878 118 682 (Londa Nwadike)

Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.5

Video of the Week:Tips for Growing Blueberries

Fruit:Approaching Time for Peach Leaf Curl Control

Dormant Oil Sprays for Fruit Trees

Pruning Fruit Trees

Pruning Young Fruit Trees

Flowers:Rabbit Resistant Flowers

Vegetables:Tomato Test: Fruit Size

Pests:Check Plants for Scale Insects

Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No. 4

Video of the Week:Pothos and Philodendron: Easy Care Houseplants

Vegetables:Tomato Test: Fruit Size

Fruit:Cloning Apple Trees

Ornamentals:Caddo Sugar Maples

Miscellaneous:Plants Recommended for Kansas

Collect Scion Wood Now

Use a Planting Calendar

Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.3

Video of the Week:Flowerbed Design

Fruit:Fruit Trees and Frost

Ornamentals:Start Trees off Right

Miscellaneous:All-America Selection Winners for 2015

Bird Feeding

Growing Your Own Firewood

Bringing Houseplants Down to Size

Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.2

Video of the Week:Palms, Indoor Care

Vegetables:How Much can a Vegetable Garden Save in Food Costs

Sources for Tomato Seed

Call for Local Sources of Vegetable Seed

Miscellaneous:Newer Fluorescent Lights Available for Indoor Gardeners

Conservation Trees from the Kansas Forest Service

Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.1

Video of the Week:Succulent Plants for your Home

Upcoming Events:

Horticulture 2014 Now Indexed

Vegetables:Starting Onion Plants Indoors

Using Old Garden Seed

Vegetables and Flowers Seeding Table

Flowers:Forcing Paperwhite Bulbs

Miscellaneous:Starting Garden Transplants from Seed

“Selling at Farmer’s Markets” Webinar for KSRE Professionals

Authors

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Archives

Categories

Video of the Week:
Tips for Growing Blueberries

Fruit:
Approaching Time for Peach Leaf Curl Control

Flowers:
Rabbit Resistant Flowers

Vegetables:
Tomato Test: Fruit Size

Pests:
Check Plants for Scale Insects

Video of the Week:
Pothos and Philodendron: Easy Care Houseplants

Vegetables:
Tomato Test: Fruit Size

Fruit:
Cloning Apple Trees

Ornamentals:
Caddo Sugar Maples

Miscellaneous:
Plants Recommended for Kansas

Video of the Week:
Flowerbed Design

Fruit:
Fruit Trees and Frost

Ornamentals:
Start Trees off Right

Miscellaneous:
All-America Selection Winners for 2015

Video of the Week:
Palms, Indoor Care

Vegetables:
How Much can a Vegetable Garden Save in Food Costs

Miscellaneous:
Newer Fluorescent Lights Available for Indoor Gardeners

Video of the Week:
Succulent Plants for your Home

Vegetables:
Starting Onion Plants Indoors

Flowers:
Forcing Paperwhite Bulbs

Miscellaneous:
Starting Garden Transplants from Seed