Great Plains Growers Conference
January 12, 13 & 14, 2017
St. Joseph, MO
For more information, go to  http://www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org

​
​Horticulture 2016 Indexed
 
All of the articles published in Horticulture 2016 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 nine years. Many thanks to Carole in making these past articles much easier to find. You can access the list at  http://tinyurl.com/jb68hbv . (Ward Upham)

 It can be difficult to find specific onion varieties in sets or transplants, so growing from seed may be a preferred option. Onions are one of the first plants to be seeded for transplanting because this crop takes 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 4 to 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)

The extreme cold on December 18 and 19 have people concerned. The 18th (Sunday) was the coldest with a low temperature of -13 degrees in Manhattan. This would not be a concern if there had been consistently cold temperatures earlier. However, the previous Friday our low was 28 degrees. Fortunately, earlier in the week, temps were in the low teens.  I think that our trees had been hardened off enough they will be fine but I’m not sure.
 
Many of you remember the November 10, 2014 freeze when the temperature dropped from 69 degrees to 19 overnight.  Damage to trees was spotty and varied but very noticeable. Most trees showed no damage at all.  However, an apricot tree in my orchard lost a large branch while another apricot 20 feet away was fine.
 
Also, damage may not show up right away. We saw all of the following.
 
- Trees died over winter and didn’t leaf out in the spring.
 
- Trees leaved out and then either all the tree or a portion of the tree died seemingly overnight.
 
- Trees looked stressed and then either recovered or died either in 2015 or, in some cases, 2016.
 
- Trees lost bark but continued to bear leaves until the tree suddenly died. This often occurred late in 2015 or they survived until 2016 and then died.
 
So, what happened in 2014? I think this is all related to damage to the living tissue under the bark. The sharp drop in temperature killed at least a portion the phloem and the cambium. Remember the phloem carries food made in the leaves to all parts of the plants including the roots. The cambium produces new phloem as well as xylem. Xylem will be discussed later. Now that the phloem is dead and the cambium cannot produce new, living phloem, the roots don’t receive the food needed to survive and eventually starve to death.
 
Why didn’t these trees die immediately? First of all, a healthy root system has stored energy reserves that it can use to keep the tree alive. When those reserves are depleted, the tree dies very quickly. However, a tree also needs water. Since the living portion of the trunk was killed, wouldn’t this stop water flow? Actually, it would not. This is due to how a tree grows and, specifically, how xylem works. Xylem is the structure that carries water from the roots to the top portions of the plant. Even in perfectly healthy trees, most of the xylem is dead. This dead xylem forms hollow tubes that carry the vast majority of water and nutrients throughout the plant.

Though there are living xylem cells, the contents of those cells make them inefficient in moving water. Therefore, the functional portion of the xylem wasn’t hurt by the freeze because it was already dead. Since this xylem system still works, the tree can live for quite a period of time until the roots starve.
 
Does that mean a tree with cracking or lost bark will die? It all depends on how much of the living tissue under the bark was killed. If only a small portion was killed then the tree may recover. If the entire circumference was killed, it is done for and there isn’t anything you can do to save it.
 
Again, I think our trees were hardened off enough to escape damage but it is a “wait and see” situation.  (Ward Upham)

Paperwhites are a form of daffodil that do not require a chilling period in order to bloom. Therefore, they are very easy to force and bring in to bloom.  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. Rubbing alcohol is usually 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)

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 at
http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/L41.pdf . 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.  Northern Kansas may be a week or so later than
 
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)

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)

Great Plains Growers Conference
January 12, 13 & 14, 2017
St. Joseph, MO
For more information, go to  http://www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org

Modern poinsettia varieties stay attractive for a long time if given proper care. Place your poinsettia in a sunny window or the brightest area of the room, but don't let it touch cold windowpanes. The day temperature should be 65 to 75 degrees F with 60 to 65 degrees at night. Temperatures above 75 degrees will shorten bloom life, and below 60 degrees may cause root rot.  Move plants away from drafty windows at night or draw drapes between them to avoid damage from the cold.
 
Poinsettias are somewhat finicky in regard to soil moisture. Avoid overwatering because poinsettias do not like "wet feet." On the other hand, if the plant is allowed to wilt, it will drop leaves. So how do you maintain proper moisture? Examine the potting soil daily by sticking your finger about one inch deep into the soil. If it is dry to this depth, the plant needs water. When it becomes dry to the touch, water the plant with lukewarm water until some water runs out of the drainage hole, then discard the drainage water. (Ward Upham)

​Be on the lookout for mouse tunnels around your fruit plants. Trunks and roots of apple trees are among the favorite meals for mice. There is probably no damage yet. But if we receive enough snow to cover winter food supplies, mice will begin to feed on the lower area of tree trunks and roots. This feeding may be severe enough to girdle tree trunks and kill the trees.

Mice like to hide in dead grass and weeds around the trees, especially close to the trunks. They will often tunnel near the soil surface and feed on the tree bark. You can check for mice by placing baited mouse traps in PVC or other pipe near your trees. Insert the traps far enough so that pets are unable to reach the trap. Check the stations about once a week and reset traps if necessary.
 
Mouse damage can be severe enough to kill trees that are old enough to bear fruit. Clear dead grass and weeds away from your trees and monitor for mice if you are using mulch around your fruit plants. (Ward Upham)

Garden catalogs seem to come earlier each year. Since new seed can be expensive, you may want to consider using seed bought in previous years.
 
We normally consider seed will remain viable for about 3 years under cool, dark, dry, 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)

Though trees are a vital part of our landscapes, there are situations where volunteer trees need to be controlled. This is often a case of the wrong plant in the wrong place. If the tree is still small and a desirable species, you may want to consider transplanting in the spring. If it is not, active control measures would be in order.
 
Most trees resprout after cutting though some don't. Cutting those that don't resprout is an effective control method. For example, eastern redcedar is a very common species that will not resprout after cutting. Those that do resprout include Siberian elm, hackberry, Osage orange (hedgeball), oak, ash, aspen, cottonwood, maple, sycamore, willow and many more. These trees will either need to be dug out or the cut stump treated with herbicide after cutting.

Note that when we say volunteer trees, we mean those that come from seed rather than suckers that originate from the roots of an existing tree. The recommendations given in the remainder of this article are designed to kill these volunteer trees. Using herbicides on suckers will damage and very possibly kill the original tree. Trees that commonly produce suckers include tree of heaven, honeylocust, black locust, hackberry, western soapberry, cottonwood, aspen, poplar, willow and boxelder.
 
It is also possible for larger trees of the same species to be root-grafted. Even though root-grafted trees are not suckers, they do share materials between the individual root systems and therefore herbicides used to treat one tree can be passed to its neighbor. Let's say we have a tree we want to control that is a volunteer and there are no other trees of the same species close enough to be root-grafted that we do not wish to harm. What do we do? If the tree is any size, you probably do not want to dig it out. That leaves using a herbicide on the cut stump. Basal treatments are also possible but that is beyond the scope of this article. First decide what herbicide to use.
 
Triclopyr and glyphosate are the herbicides most commonly available to homeowners. Triclopyr is found in many brush killers and glyphosate is found in Roundup as well as numerous other products. Read the label before purchasing to make sure that a cut stump treatment is listed. Most often the undiluted product is applied to the stump immediately after cutting. A paint brush is often used for the application though some people will dip their pruning shears in the products immediately before cutting. Regardless, it is important that the stump is treated immediately or at least within 5 minutes. Note that a paint brush with foam rather than bristles is less likely to drip.
 
Trees do not need to be actively growing to be controlled. Actually this time of year is a very good time to treat as long as applications are made when the temperature is above freezing. (Ward Upham)
 
Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

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

Late spring frosts often eliminate potential peach crops in Kansas.  Since hardiness of fruit buds drops dramatically as flower buds open, even a delay in bloom time of a few days can dramatically affect the size of fruit crop.  A study done in southwestern Idaho investigated the average bloom times of a number of peach cultivars from 2003 - 2007.
 
Cultivar                    Date of full bloom
‘Snow Giant’                April 5
‘Jupiter’                        April 7
‘Yukon King’                April 7
‘Burpeach Six’             April 7
‘Fairtime’                      April 7
‘Coral Star’                   April 7
‘July Sun’                     April 7
‘Zee Lady’                    April 7
‘May Sun’                    April 8
‘Crimson Lady’           April 8
‘Summer Flame’         April 8
‘Elegant Lady’             April 8
‘Sugar Giant’               April 8
‘July Flame’                 April 8
‘Sweet Dream’             April 8
‘August Flame’            April 8
‘September Snow’       April 8
‘Snow King’                  April 8
‘Star Fire’                      April 8
‘Saturn’                         April 8
‘August Lady’              April 9
‘Ryan Sun’                    April 9
‘Brenda Sun’                April 9
‘All Star’                       April 9
‘Autumn Red’              April 9
‘O’Henry’                     April 9
‘Opal Moncav’             April 9
‘Rich Lady’                   April 9
‘Vista’                            April 9
‘Glow Star’                   April 9
‘Summer Lady’           April 10
‘Red Star’                     April 11
‘Fancy Lady’                April 12
‘Sierra Gem’                April 12
 
'Intrepid,' though not included in the above study, is a cultivar not only known for its late bloom time but also its frost-resistant blooms.  A study done in North Carolina noted that exposure to 6 consecutive subfreezing nights at 50% bloom did not eliminate the fruit crop.  All flower buds on all check cultivars were killed. (WU)

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)

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 6            April 2
Lettuce (if your grow transplants) February 6            April 2
Peppers                                                March 19               May 14
Tomatoes                                             March 26              May 7

Miniature roses are dwarf versions of roses including the classic hybrid teas. Though they are much smaller (12 to
15 inches tall or less), they are surprisingly tough and can be planted outside where they will survive our Kansas winters if mulched. However, many gardeners like to grow the miniatures indoors where they can enjoy them during the drab winter months.

Miniature roses grown as houseplants have specific requirements. For long lasting flowers, air should be moist with a relative humidity of 50 to 60 percent preferred though 40 percent is adequate. Placing the pots on a tray that holds moist pebbles will help provide the humidity needed.
 
Like most plants, roses need a lot of light in order to flower. Though miniature roses will survive in a south window, many people will supplement available light with fluorescent lamps. Timers can be used to automatically turn the lights on and off. Providing 14 hours of light per day will be plenty for roses to grow and flower. Lights are normally spaced 3 to 4 inches above the tops of the plants.
 
Probably the most serious pest of these plants indoors is spider mites. These mites are very small but can devastate miniature roses. They like dry, warm conditions. Maintaining adequate relative humidity levels and washing the plants once a week in tepid water will help prevent problems. If mites do develop, try using an insecticidal soap or horticultural oil (2 percent rate) for control. The horticultural oil will probably be more effective than the soap. Be sure to spray or wash the entire plant including the underside of the leaves so that all mites are contacted.
 
Miniature roses can be placed outdoors during the summer to take advantage of higher light levels. Do not place the plant in full sun immediately but gradually grant more light over a period of several weeks. Pots sunk in the ground will not need to be watered as often as those exposed. Turn the pot 180 degrees every couple of weeks to break off any roots that escape the pot and move into the underlying soil.
 
Miniature roses are not the easiest plants to grow as houseplants but can be well worth the effort required. (Ward Upham)

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 at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/ksugardens/p.aspx?tabid=38
 
Annual flowers recommended for Kansas at  http://www.prairiestarflowers.com/Prairie_Star_nav.html
 
Perennial flowers at  http://www.prairiestarflowers.com/Prairie_Bloom_nav.html   (Ward
Upham)
 
Contributors:  Ward Upham, Extension Associate

Great Plains Growers Conference
January 7, 8 & 9, 2016
St. Joseph, MO
The Great Plains Growers Conference (GPGC) is a combination of two great conferences:  Great Plains Vegetable Conference and Mid-America Fruit Conference.  The three-day conference features presentations by knowledgeable speakers from throughout the nation. The conference showcases educational information from all five states:  Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota, along with vegetable specialists and growers from those states.
 
Some of the topics covered this year include: Greenhouse and hydroponic production; honey bees, scaling up worskhop, soil health & management, tree fruits, mushrooms, beginning organic, vegetable IPM, technology, equipment, irrigation, small fruit, advanced organic, cut flower, food safety/GAPS and market ready workshop.
 
The trade show consists of more than 50 exhibitors with the latest seeds, supplies, equipment, and grower information.  There will be ample opportunities to visit with other growers, exhibitors, and speakers.
 
For more information,  http://www.greatplainsgrowersconference.org
 
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
 
Horticulture 2015 Indexed
All of the articles published in Horticulture 2015 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 eight 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/doc4424.ashx. (Ward Upham)

It can be difficult to find specific onion varieties in sets or transplants, so growing from seed may be 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 80F) 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 4 to 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)

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 at http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=731  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)
 
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)

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.  Rubbing alcohol is usually 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)

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

* Number of weeks before transplanting to seed.
** Temperature in degree F
 
Contributors:  Ward Upham, Extension Associate
 
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