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Horticulture Newsletter 2016, No. 40

10/3/2016

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Video of the Week:
Overwintering Geraniums

Kansas Forest Service Seedling Available Now

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​This fall, the Conservation Tree Planting Program of the Kansas Forest Service is offering containerized seedling trees for sale through Oct. 14. Fall is a great time to plant seedlings, as it allows the trees to get established before winter. Seedlings will then have the advantage of growing early during optimum growing conditions in the spring.
 
The conservation team is working to provide a greater variety of seedlings that are adapted to Kansas conditions. The cost is $50 for 25 seedlings, plus shipping and sales tax. Customers are also welcome to pick up the seedlings at the KFS Manhattan office at 2610 Claflin Road. Seedlings must be used for conservation purposes such as windbreaks, wildlife habitats, riparian plantings, wood lots, and Christmas trees.
 
It’s always best to plant seedlings as soon as they are received, but with proper care, they can be held for several weeks. The seedlings can be stored upright in light shade protected from the wind, with the root plug saturated with water three times a week. Do not store the seedlings on the ground as the roots will quickly grow into the soil.
 
After seedlings have been planted, water them in. The amount and frequency of watering will vary depending on the soil type, wind velocity, and temperature. Irrigate by saturating the root zone, then letting it partially dry out as this will promote soil aeration and root growth. Seedlings will need watering assistance for up to three years. After three years, seedlings should be adapted to your soil and self-sustaining.
 
If a fall planting isn’t on your mind, or you aren’t prepared yet, spring planting is on the horizon, and now is a good time for site preparation. Site preparation is critical to the survival of tree and shrub seedlings. Any other vegetation is competition for moisture and nutrients from the seedling. The preparation done before a planting and care after a planting will help to ensure successful establishment of seedlings.
 
Spring conservation tree sales will open on Dec. 5, 2016 and run through May 1, 2017. To order online, visit the Kansas Forest Service website: www.Kansasforests.org and click on “Conservation Trees.” For questions, or to order by phone, call 1-888-740-8733. (From News Release)

Vegetables:
Last Tomatoes of the Season

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​Cold nights are increasing in frequency now that we are into October. If you have tomatoes, you may have some that are approaching maturity. Leave them on the vine until mature or until a frost is forecast. Tomatoes will ripen off the vine but must have reached a certain phase of maturity called the ‘mature green stage.’ Look for full-sized tomatoes with a white, star-shaped zone on the bottom end of the green fruit.
        
When harvesting fruit before a frost, separate tomatoes into three groups for storage: those that are mostly red, those that are just starting to turn, and those that are still green. Discard tomatoes with defects such as rots or breaks in the skin. Place the tomatoes on cardboard trays or cartons but use layers of newspaper to separate fruit if stacked. Occasionally a tomato may start to rot and leak juice. The newspaper will keep the juice from contacting nearby or underlying fruit. Store groups of tomatoes at as close to 55 degrees as possible until needed. (Ward Upham)

Fall Planting of Asparagus and Rhubarb

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​We sometimes receive questions as to whether asparagus or rhubarb can be moved in the fall. Though these crops are traditionally transplanted in the spring (mid-March to mid-April), a fall move can be successful. Wait until the top has been browned by frost and then cut back to the ground.
        
Prepare the soil and fertilize as you would in the spring. See http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/mf319.pdf  for more detail on asparagus and http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/ep99.pdf  for more information on rhubarb.
        
Water well after planting to ensure good root/soil contact. Mulching would be helpful on the rhubarb to prevent the plant from heaving out of the soil during the winter but asparagus requires no such treatment as  it is planted much deeper. (Ward Upham)

Peppers from the Garden

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​Peppers are able to be stored fresh much longer than tomatoes. They can usually keep in a crisper drawer of a refrigerator for several weeks if kept moist but not wet. For longer storage, freezing works well.  Though mushy when thawed, the flavor still comes through in cooked foods. Try dicing them into small pieces and then freezing on a cookie sheet. The frozen pieces can then be poured into a plastic bag for later use. Measuring is much easier as the pieces are not frozen together in a clump. This methods works equally well for hot peppers. (Ward Upham)

Turfgrass:
Should You Let Your Turf Grow Tall in the Fall?

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​Sometimes you will hear people say to let the grass grow tall right before winter sets in. Their reasoning is that the extra foliage will insulate the crown of the plant from the extreme cold of winter. Although this may sound reasonable, in practice it probably does little, if anything, to increase winter hardiness. On the contrary, a canopy that is too high during the winter may lay over and become matted down, leading to an increased incidence of winter-diseases such as snow mold.
        
Turfgrass species vary genetically in their cold tolerance, with warm-season grasses such as bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and buffalograss being less cold tolerant than the cool-season types such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass. Given these differences, cold tolerance is improved by increasing the health of the plants going into the winter, and healthy plants are a result of a sound management program (fertilizing, watering and mowing) during the spring, summer and fall.
        
The lawn will benefit more from continuing to mow at the recommended height than from trying
to gain some insulation against winter cold by allowing it to grow tall.
        
Here is a list of the recommended mowing height ranges (in inches) for home lawns in Kansas:
         Tall fescue 2.5 -3.5
         Kentucky bluegrass 2-3
         Buffalograss 2-3
         Bermudagrass 1-2
         Zoysiagrass 1-2
 
         (Note: Mowing at heights below 1.5 inches requires a reel mower).
        
There may be some benefits gained by adjusting mowing heights WITHIN the recommended range at times. For example, it is a good practice to mow warm-season grasses at the higher end of recommended heights during late summer and early fall because this practice should help them store more carbohydrate reserves for the winter, and it may reduce the incidence of certain cool-weather diseases. But the rule to remember is to stay within the recommended height range for your species. (Ward Upham)

Frost on Lawns

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​If you have ever walked across a frosted lawn that isn't dormant, you may have noticed your footprints showing up later in the day. Though this is unsightly, it does not kill the turf. Grass blades are damaged but the crown is not. Actively growing turf will often recover after two to four mowings. Damage that occurs this late in the fall will continue to show damage until it is masked by the rest of the lawn turning brown due to cold weather. It is believed that the damage is caused by ice crystals killing plant cells when they are forced into the leaf by the weight of a wheel or foot. Remember to avoid damage by staying off of frosted turf. (Ward Upham)
 
Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

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Horticulture Newsletter 2016, No. 3

1/19/2016

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Video of the Week:
Flower Bed Design

Upcoming Events:

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RetailWorks
February 4, 2016
Manhattan, KS
Grow Your Garden Center Business in 2016! We hope you'll join us for this companion conference to the biennial 
NurseryWorks conference--RetailWorks on Thursday, February 4, 2016 in Manhattan. While NurseryWorks focuses on providing resources for wholesale nursery crop growers, RetailWorks is designed with the independent garden center's needs in mind. We continue to bring in outstanding national and local speakers on a variety of topics. You'll 
find great content and networking at RetailWorks 2016--get it on your calendar and register today!  For more information, go to: 
http://retailworks.weebly.com/ or register online at 
https://2016retailworks.eventbrite.com

Fruit:
Fruit Trees and Frost

Fruit tree with snow
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 should also be considered. 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:
Dutch Elm Disease Resistant American Elms

Elm tree Princeton
Our John C. Pair Horticultural Center near Wichita established a National Elm Trial in 2007 with 18 cultivars.   All of these are Dutch Elm Disease (DED) Resistant with 4 being true American elms. The cultivar ‘Jefferson’ would have been a fifth true American elm but proved to be the same cultivar as ‘Princeton’.  The remainder are either hybrids or other elm species.
    
The four true American elms are ‘Valley Forge’, ‘Princeton’, ‘New 
Harmony’ and ‘Lewis and Clark’ (Prairie Expedition).  All have shown excellent tolerance to DED.  Characteristics listed below are primarily from our study at the John C. Pair Horticultural Center but storm breakage is from the University of Minnesota.  See http://www.extension.umn.edu/environment/agroforestry/elm-trees.html for the Minnesota study.

‘Valley Forge’
     Survival: 100%
     Crown Shape: Vase
     Lacebug damage to foliage: Minimal
     European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
     Storm Breakage: Fair
     Comments: Strong grower, broad spreading

‘Princeton’
     Survival: 100%
     Crown Shape: Vase
     Lacebug damage to foliage: Minimal
     European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
     Storm Breakage: Fair
     Comments: Impressive grower, upright habit, attractive tree

‘New Harmony’
     Survival: 100%
     Crown Shape: Vase and round
     Lacebug damage to foliage: Significant
     European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
     Storm Breakage: Not in Minnesota study
     Comments: Narrow, upright habit with strong, central axis

‘Lews and Clark’ (Prairie Expedition)
     Survival: 80%
     Crown Shape: Broad oval
     Lacebug damage to foliage: Minimal
     European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
     Storm Breakage: Good
     Comments: Strong grower with broad spreading habit, some wetwood.

Storm damage can be minimized by pruning when the tree is young.  Maintain a central leader but prune out all lower branches as the tree grows and branches increase in diameter so that there is room to work under the tree.  Also prune out branches attached with a narrow angle as these are most likely to give way in ice or wind storms.
    
For photos and more information from our John C. Pair Horticultural 
Center, see 
http://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/bspm/Kansas%20Elm%20Trial%20Nov%2012%202014.pdf 
(Ward Upham)

Start Trees Off Right

Newly planted tree
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 to 1 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)

Pawpaw Trees: A Native Fruit

Pawpaw fruit
Even though pawpaw is native to eastern Kansas, many people in the state have never eaten one. Fruits resemble fat bananas and are generally up to 6 inches long and as much as 3 inches wide. The taste is unique and is difficult to describe but is often said to resemble bananas or pineapple and has a texture somewhat like custard. They are rarely grown commercially because they are difficult to ship. Ripe fruit will only hold 2 to 3 days at room temperature and up to a week under refrigeration.

Pawpaw prefers a well-drained, moderately acid (pH 5.5 to 7.0), moist soil and high organic matter content. Organic mulch is also recommended. Irrigation will be helpful to necessary depending on what part of Kansas they are grown.
    
In the wild, the pawpaw is an understory tree and may do better with partial shade, especially during the first 2 to 3 years. Protection from high winds is also advisable due to the large leaves. The pawpaw is a small tree that may reach 20 feet high but is less broad.  Trees require cross-pollination and so at least 2 and preferably 3 different varieties should be grown. These trees are pollinated by insects other than bees and must be planted close together. Trees should be no further than 30 feet apart in order to insure good pollination.

The soil for planting should be prepared in advance of receiving the trees.  Amend the soil with organic matter in the area where the trees will be planted.  Do not amend just the soil from the planting hole especially if the soil is heavy and has high clay content. If you do, you have essentially made a pot that will hold water and may drown the tree.  Rather add organic matter to the area in which the tree will be planted before digging the planting hole; at least a 10- by 10-foot square. You may want to treat the entire area where your trees will be planted. Add 2 inches of organic matter to the surface of the soil and then till in.
    
The planting hole should be the same depth as the root system but 2 to 3 times as wide. Pawpaws have fleshy roots and are better planted in the spring (April) rather than fall unless container grown. Container-grown plants can be planted virtually anytime.
    
Keep newly planted trees well watered. The soil should be moist but not waterlogged. Keep the planting area completely free of weeds or any other type of vegetation within 3 feet of the trees. Mulching is recommended.
    
There has been a significant amount of work done on pawpaw by Kentucky State University. You can reach their pawpaw site at http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu/ Information on growing pawpaws is available from Peterson Pawpaws at http://www.petersonpawpaws.com   Neil Peterson’s pawpaws are the result of over 25 years of research and have been widely tested.  Though Neil no longer sells his varieties directly, he does list a number of nurseries that carry them.
    
The Kansas Forest Service (www.kansasforests.org) has seedling trees available for sale though I would recommend getting named varieties instead if you wish to plant only a few trees. The fruit from named varieties will be of a higher quality than that from a seedling tree. Named variety pawpaws are available from Stark Brothers 
(www.starkbros.com) and one from Raintree Nursery (www.raintreenursery.com).
    
The University of Missouri has a couple of different pawpaw cultivar trials. You can find results from one of these trials at http://www.centerforagroforestry.org/pubs/pawpaws.pdf   (Ward Upham)

Miscellaneous:
Bird Feeding

Bird feeder
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   (Ward Upham)

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 may be 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.
    
Trees mentioned above and available from the Kansas Forest Service 
include osage orange, bur oak, red oak and silver maple. (Ward Upham)

Contributors:  Ward Upham, Extension Associate
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Horticulture Newsletter 2016, No. 2

1/12/2016

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Video of the Week:
Indoor Palms

Upcoming Events:

61st Annual Shade Tree Conference
January 13-15, 2016
Ramada Downtown, Topeka,KS
http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/doc4428.ashx
 
RetailWorks
February 4, 2016
Manhattan, KS 

Vegetables and Flowers:
All-America Selections Winners for 2016

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 six vegetable winners (though one is actually a strawberry) and three 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.cf
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Mustard, Japanese Red Kingdom F1
Foodies take note! All-America Selections has never had a mizuna (Japanese mustard) as a winner, much less a beautifully colored variety. Red Kingdom is a great addition to the assortment of AAS Winners now available to the home garden and fresh garden markets.  Judges noted how the color was a vibrant reddish-purple all through the season and suggested that this flavorful, mild tasting green is an edible that can also be used as an ornamental in containersnor in the landscape. Gardeners will appreciate how this variety did not bolt as easily as other mizunas and produced a much  higher yield throughout the season, standing up to mid-season heat.

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Pepper  Cornito  Giallo F1
“DOUBLE YUM” was one judge’s response to our new AAS Winner Cornito Giallo F1 pepper, “The flavor on this one is totally a winner!” Starting as small green fruits, this AAS Winner develops into bright yellow jewels with a delicious sweet and fruity flavor.  The peppers themselves are plentiful and durable, yet easy to eat fresh. Being an early bloomer, you will be able to enjoy these peppers throughout the growing season and well into the fall.  Plant Cornito Giallo F1 in your garden this year and you can join our judges in exclaiming “YUM!”

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Pepper  Escamillo F1
A wonderful sweet taste on a golden yellow pepper makes Pepper Escamillo F1, one of our 2016 AAS Winners. An early bearing pepper plant with a compact habit makes it an ideal choice for any home garden. Gardeners will be captivated with the high yield of peppers per plant and how the fruit itself is held off the ground for easy picking and less rotting. This plant is a winner with its all around qualities of excellent taste either raw, cooked or fire roasted, its compact size and high yield.

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Tomato Chef’s Choice Green F1
Looking for a uniquely colored yet delicious tomato with which to impress your foodie friends?  Then look no further than this AAS Winner, Tomato Chef’s Choice Green F1. The newest addition to the Chef’s Choice series produces beautiful green colored fruits with subtle yellow stripes and a wonderful citrus-like flavor and perfect tomato texture. You’ll enjoy this disease free plant throughout the season with its dark green leaves and well-behaved form. You’ll be the envy of all your tomato loving friends!

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Tomato Candyland Red
Tomato Candyland Red is the only AAS award winning currant-type tomato. Currant tomatoes are smaller in size than cherry-type and are ready to “pop” in your mouth straight from the garden.  Gardeners will appreciate the dark red, sweet flavored fruit that can be enjoyed throughout the season.  The tomato plant itself has a nice tidier habit than other currant-type plants with the fruit tending to form on the outside of the plant making them easier to harvest.

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Strawberry Delizz® F1
What’s not to like about our first ever AAS strawberry winner Strawberry Delizz® F1?  These vigorous strawberry plants are easy to grow, from seed or transplant, and produce an abundant harvest throughout the growing season.  The best part though is the wonderful sweet strawberry burst of flavor from every handpicked berry. To enjoy fresh home-grown strawberries throughout the season, even in hot summer heat, look to Strawberry Delizz® F1.  These plants have a nice uniform and compact size making them perfect for containers, hanging baskets or garden plots. The hardest part of Strawberry Delizz® F1 won’t be the growing but having some strawberries left for anyone else to enjoy!

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Geranium Brocade Cherry Night
Striking foliage with large semi-double blooms of cherry pink make Geranium Brocade Cherry Night an AAS Winner this year.  Gardeners looking for unique and distinct foliage to accent their containers and gardens will be delighted with Brocade Cherry Night.  The bronze leaves with green margins are a remarkable and unusual addition to any design. Add the semi-double bright cherry blooms and this heat tolerant geranium is your winner for any planter, container or garden!

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Geranium Brocade Fire
This 2016 AAS Winner, Geranium Brocade Fire, has unique bi-color foliage with a nonstop display of semi-double orange flowers that gives it an exceptional look in any garden.  Geranium Brocade Fire is ideal for combination planters, landscapes and garden beds. This robust plant keeps its distinguishing foliage color and brilliant blooms throughout the hot summers then becomes a fantastic transitional flower going into fall.  The orange flowers contrast with the striking foliage making this geranium a much appreciated and talked about new annual winner.

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Salvia Summer Jewel Lavender
The fourth AAS Winner in the Summer Jewel™ series of popular AAS Salvia Winners is the newest in color, Summer Jewel™ Lavender.  The unique flower color of dusty lavender purple is a delight in the garden and flower containers as well as a major attractor of pollinators including bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. An extra bonus is how much the Goldfinch loves these flower seeds in the fall.  It’s a photo-ready moment when these complementary colors of gold and lavender connect!  The early blooming, stable, compact uniform growth, and continuous flowering of this plant are additional positives to this plant.  (Ward Upham)

Woody Plants:
Caddo Sugar Maples

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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)

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, three special bundles are also available including a songbird bundle, quail bundle, and pheasant 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/conservation_trees/
 
Order forms are also available from local K-State Research and Extension offices. (Ward Upham)

Indoor Plants:
African Violet Troubles

Picture
If you grow African violets, take note of the causes of these potential troubles:

1) Spotted leaves - this occurs if you allow cool water to contact the leaves. Use only room temperature water.
 
2) Small plants with pale yellow leaves - often caused by too much light and inadequate fertilization.
 
3) Leaves curled downward - may be a result of too low temperatures (below 60 degrees).

4) Long leaf stalks and a few or small blooms - often results when plants don't get enough light.
 
5) Buds dry up - this might happen if there is not enough moisture in the air or soil and if temperatures are too high.
 
6) Plants wilt quickly and crown rots - likely they are getting watered too frequently and/or the drainage may be poor (due to potting mix or lack of container holes) or the plants were set too deep into the soil.
 
7) Leaf stalks rot where they rub against pot edge - high salt concentrations on the sides of the pot and near the soil surface damage the leaf stalks allowing the Botrytis disease organism to enter. You can protect the stalks by putting a strip of aluminum foil, paraffin, or a cardboard cover around the rim of the container.
 
8) No flowers - may be due to one or more of the following: temperature too low, soil is overfertilized, too much light or too much shade, too much or not enough water, or air contains stove gas. (Ward Upham)

Newer Lights Available for Indoor Gardens

Picture
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. The 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 may be more expensive so check prices before converting.
 
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. Prices for T-5's have been dropping so you may want to consider them as well.
 
The newest technology is LED lighting.  LED’s have several advantages over other types of lighting including durability, long life, a cool running temperature and more latitude in choosing specific wavelengths of light. Traditionally, they have been very expensive but costs are dropping rapidly.  We are starting to use LED’s as supplemental lighting in the University greenhouses but would suggest only using them on a trial basis at home until you see how they perform for you.  (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

Picture
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

Picture
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

Picture
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

Picture
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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    Authors

    Ward Upham runs the Horticulture Response Center in the Department of Horticulture and Natural Resources at Kansas State University. Other contributors include K-State Extension Specialists.

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