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Horticulture Newsletter 2016, No. 49

12/5/2016

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Video of the Week:
Coldframes and Hotbeds

Upcoming Events:

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

Flowers:
Poinsettia Care

Picture
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)

Miscellaneous:
Mouse Damage to Fruit Trees/Plants

Picture
​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)

Using Old Garden Seed

Picture
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)

Ornamentals:
Controlling Volunteer Trees

Picture
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

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Horticulture Newsletter 2016, No. 1

1/5/2016

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Video of the Week:
Succulent Plants for Your Home

Upcoming Events:

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)

Vegetables:
Starting Onion Plants Indoors

onion starts
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)

Starting Garden Transplants from Seed

seed tray
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)

Flowers:
Forcing Paperwhite Bulbs

paperwhites
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)

Vegetables and Flowers Seeding Table

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

Picture
* Number of weeks before transplanting to seed.
** Temperature in degree F
 
Contributors:  Ward Upham, Extension Associate
 
To view Upcoming Events:  http://tinyurl.com/fswqe
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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No. 48

11/30/2015

0 Comments

 

Video of the Week:
How to Choose the Best Poinsettia

Fruit:
Mouse Damage to Fruit Trees/Plants

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)

Flowers:
Poinsettia Care

 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)

Ornamentals:
Controlling Volunteer Trees

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)

Miscellaneous:
Ice Melters

There are five main materials that are used as chemical deicers: calcium chloride, sodium chloride (table salt), potassium chloride, urea, and calcium magnesium acetate.
    
Calcium chloride is the traditional ice-melting product. Though it 
will melt ice to about -25 degrees F, it will form slippery, slimy surfaces on concrete and other hard surfaces. Plants are not likely to be harmed unless excessive amounts are used.
    
Rock salt is sodium chloride and is the least expensive material 
available. It is effective to approximately 12 degrees F, but can damage soils, plants and metals. Potassium chloride can also cause serious plant injury when washed or splashed on foliage. Both calcium chloride and potassium chloride can damage roots of plants.
    
Urea (carbonyl diamide) is a fertilizer that is sometimes used to 
melt ice. Though it is only about 10% as corrosive as sodium chloride, it can contaminate ground and surface water with nitrates. Urea is effective to about 21 degrees F.
    
Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), a newer product, is made from 
dolomitic limestone and acetic acid (the principal compound of vinegar). CMA works differently than the other materials in that it does not form a brine like salt but rather helps prevent snow particles from sticking to each other or the road surface. It has little effect on plant growth or concrete surfaces. Performance decreases below 20 degrees F.
     
Limited use of any of these products should cause little injury.
 Problems accumulate when they are used excessively and there is not adequate rainfall to wash or leach the material from the area. Since limited use is recommended it is best to remove the ice and snow by hand when possible. When these products are applied, practice moderation. Resist the temptation to over apply just to make sure the ice and snow melts. Keep in mind this can damage concrete surfaces as well as the plants and grass growing along the walks and driveways. These problems are normally latent and do not show up until spring or summer. (Ward Upham)

Using Old Garden Seed

Seed catalogs seem to come earlier every year, and many gardeners already have begun to receive them. Garden seed can be expensive, and you may want to consider using seed from previous years. Seed stores best if kept in a cool, dark, dry location. Try a zip-locked plastic bag or a plastic jar such as a reused peanut butter jar to keep seed dry.
    
Seed will be viable longer if kept between 40 and 50 degrees F. 
Temperatures a bit lower than 40 degrees are fine as long as they are not sub-freezing.  Therefore a refrigerator is a better choice than a freezer which can prove detrimental to seed longevity if there is too much moisture in the seed.  Seed that has 8% or less moisture can be frozen without harm and will actually store much longer than seed stored above freezing.  Seeds dried to 8% or less moisture will break instead of bending when folded.  Those that have a hard seed coat such as corn and beans will shatter rather than mashing when struck with a hammer.
    
If your seed is not dry enough for freezing, what should you do?  
The easiest answer is to store your seed under cool, not freezing, conditions.  Drying seeds is a rather involved process and beyond the scope of this article.  However, if you would like to try, an excellent reference on an effective procedure is given in the book “Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth.
    
Crop groups vary in seed longevity. Use the following as a guide 
for seed stored under cool, dry conditions.
     Crucifers (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli): 4 to 5 years
     Corn: 2 to 3 years
     Lettuce, endive: 4 to 5 years
     Spinach, beets, carrots and chard: 2 to 3 years
     Cucurbits: Squash, melons (including watermelon): 4 to 5 years
     Tomatoes: 4 years
     Peppers: 2 years
     Onion, parsley, parsnip and salsify: 1 year
    
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. Re-moisten 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)

Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate
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Horticulture Newsletter 2015, No.2

1/12/2015

0 Comments

 

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

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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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