Volume 8 Issue 6 July 2017 Editor: Carol Machael,

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1 Over the Garden Gate Clinton County Master Gardener Newsletter Volume 8 Issue 6 July 2017 Editor: Carol Machael, cmachael@gmail.com; Published on the first Monday of the month except during January and December. To submit an article it must be sent by as a Microsoft Word attachment to the above address. To be accepted for publication in the next newsletter, please provide articles 10 days before the first Monday of the month. Master Gardener s Day at the Fair July 12, 2017 Free Admission Please come out to the fair and enjoy the day! We are hosting the following events: Outdoor Container Contest in the large tent (prizes to be awarded) Share your creativity! Vegetable Contest in the north room of the auditorium Registration for both contests: 9 to noon Information and Rules are available: Workshops (between the Outdoor Living Classroom/Garden and large tent) Educational hours - 4 9:30 am Hosta, the Friendship Plant: Sally Steward: Scott County MG and Mississippi Valley Hosta Society member 10:30 am Succulents, Plants You Can t Kill: Bud LeFevre, Distinctive Gardens, Dixon, IL. 11:30 am Lunch (we get time to eat this year!) Each Master Gardener receives 2 free lunch tickets 12:00 pm Raised Beds and Containers for Vegetables: Willard Larsen, Clinton County MG with Gayle Powell and Loren Andresen, MG Interns 1:00 pm Native Plants in the Landscape: Pam Steinhaus, Visitor Service Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Thompson, IL. Remember to enter your photos from the Outdoor Living Classroom in the Photo Contest. Prizes to be awarded; the photos will be displayed in the large tent. Please contact Linda Cornelius at if you have any questions. Winners of Outdoor Container Contest will be announced at 2:00 pm followed by judges comments. Containers will also be displayed throughout the fair in the Master Gardener tent. The winner of the People s Choice Award will be announced on Saturday, July 15 th at 5 pm. Master Gardeners are asked to wear their green shirts and name tags.

2 Volume 8 Issue 6 Page 2 July 2017 CLINTON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ADVISORY BOARD MINUTES Advisory Board Mtg. June 20, 2017 Bickelhaupt Arboretum 9 AM Roll Call-Linda L., Deb M., Brenda C., Willard L., Kathy S., Deb N., Margo H., Mark S., Bonnie H., Carol M., Jeff Macomber (ISU) Approval of Minutes-approved by all Financial Report-balance of $ Jeff Macomber of ISU was attending to explain & review the budget system. He is trying to simplify what works for them but makes sense to us. Spent a great deal of time answering question from the board. Mark-Mentioned ISU needs people to enter their hrs all during the year. Had lots of our events mentioned in the Iowa State Newsletter. Mark continues to mention MG activities that are happening on his KROS newscast. Bickelhaupt Arboretum-Hrs are available for MG's at the Arb. Art at the Arb plans are underway for Aug/Sept Committees/Projects/Events OLC-Willard-ready for Garden Walk. New Arbor is up. At fair time will need containers to fill in bare spots. Publicity-Deb N. Update on Plant Sale-total of $ was made from DeWitt & Lyons sales. Thanks to everyone who made the Plant Sale a big success. Events Garden Walk-everything is ready to go & hoping for good weather Master Gardener Day at Fair-Willard made a motion to approve $ for MG Day contests. Deb M. 2nd. Approved by all. Four speakers have been secured for the event. Willard will be working on sheet for help at the event. Set up will be on July 10 at 8:30 and Tear Down will be on July 17, time to be decided. Next meeting will be on July 18, 2017 at the Extension office at 9AM. Secretary, Brenda Council Sagers and Gehrls garden Succulent wreath in Harbison garden

3 Volume 8 Issue 6 Page 3 July 2017 Dates to put on your calendar for fun with fellow MGs, learning new things and earning hours! Linn Co. MG Garden Walk July 8 (see ISU Extension website) Landscape Design for Curb Appeal July 12 (evening) Olbrich Gardens, Madison MG Day at the Fair July 12 Monarch Migration September TBD Christmas Party December 4 Thank you for helping to make the 2017 Garden Walk a huge success! The Garden Walk Committee would like to thank everyone who assisted with the garden walk and made it a success. It was a great day (perhaps a little windy). Visitors were pleased and impressed with the gardens. We had some very nice comments about the variety of gardens. Attendance was excellent with one of the gardens having over 200 visitors! Special thanks to those who opened their gardens for the walk. We appreciate all of the hard work that was involved. The gardens were beautiful! Volunteers Needed for the Fair! During the Clinton County Fair (July 12 th thru July 16 th ), the Outdoor Living Classroom will be viewed by people coming to the fair. Containers from the Outdoor Container Contest will also be displayed in the Master Gardener s tent. There will be an informational table with materials concerning gardening and the Master Gardener program. Accordingly, we are requesting volunteers to work our area during the fair. It is an ideal opportunity to gain easy volunteer hours in the shade! Time periods are the following: Wednesday 3:30-5:00 and 5:00-7:00 Thursday Saturday 1:00-3:00, 3:00-5:00 and 5:00-7:00 Sunday 1:30-3:00 and 3:00-4:30 Volunteers may work more than one time slot and more than one day. Any amount of time you are able to work will be appreciated even if it does not match the times listed above. We ask that you wear your green shirt and name tag while you work. Please contact Willard Larsen at or him at willardflarsen@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer or have any questions.

4 Volume 8 Issue 6 Deb Monroe s elegant garden July 2017 The Harbisons sense of humor can t be missed. It seemed like miles of hostas (300!) under the trees at the Moffit garden Judy Williams stunning clematis Jean Moffit MASTER GARDENERS VOLUNTEER : Extension Office Plant Partners: Willard Larsen willardllarsen@gmail.com Eagle Point Nursing Home and Rehabilitation or Community Garden: Willard Larsen OLC/County Fair: Roger Rittmer rogr@iowatelecom.net Bickelhaupt Arboretum: Margo Hansen mahansen@eicc.edu... and justice for all The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative format for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call

5 Loren Andresen, MG intern constructing the new planter with Mike Selby. Construction crew for the new arbor designed and built by MG intern Loren Andresen Lots of volunteers working on multiple projects together. Master Gardeners at work!!! Left: Jolinda Burr and Judy Willams dividing plants for Plant Sale. It was a huge effort to spiff up the OLC preparing for the Clinton County Fair. Many hands make light work? Well, there were many hands but the work was heavy! The pictures show happy volunteers though, engaged in what they enjoy most, and with fantastic results!

6 Let s Get Growing! And The Plant Sale

7 Reminder to all Master Gardeners Get Out There and Shoot! Master Gardeners are sponsoring our 2 nd annual photo contest at the Clinton County Fair on Wednesday, July 12. Following are the guidelines: 1. All photos must be taken during in the OLC by a Master Gardener or Master Gardener family member. 2. All photos must be in color and not altered (photoshopped) except for cropping. 3. Each participant may enter two photos in the following catergories: Close-up Landscape Enhanced ( a piece of hardscape, trellis, bench, rock, personal item, d or a child is significant in and complements the photo. Seasonal photo depicts which season is highlighted, and the photographer designates at time of display which season it is. 4. Photos submitted must be sized 5 x 7 and mounted flush on a 5 x 7 stiff backing for purposes of display. No deviations, please. 5. Photos must be submitted between 9:00 and 12:00 at the fairground s Master Gardener photography table on Wednesday, July Judging will be done and winners announced after 1: First place in each category will receive $25.00; second place, and third, $ All structures and plants are to be respected and not harmed during shooting. 9. Photos will be judged on the following critieria: A. Power of impact B. Technical Execution C. Composition D. Creativity

8 Iowa State University Clinton County Extension 400 East 11th Street DeWitt, Iowa When Cucumbers and Tomatoes Don't Set Fruit by Richard Jauron, ISU Extension Cucumbers and other vine crops are monoecious. Monoecious plants have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Male and female flowers are similar in appearance. However, female flowers have small, immature fruits at their base. Pollen is transferred from the male to the female flowers by bees and other pollinators. When properly pollinated and fertilized, the female flowers develop into fruit. The first flowers to appear on cucumbers and other vine crops are predominately male. As a result, fruit production is poor when the vines begin to flower. The cucumber vines should start producing a good crop within a few weeks as the number of female flowers increases. Poor weather and the use of insecticides also can affect fruit set on cucumbers. Cold, rainy weather during bloom reduces bee activity. Fewer bees visiting the garden results in poor pollination and poor fruit set. Apply insecticides in the garden only when necessary to avoid harming bees and other pollinators. Unfavorable weather conditions are the primary reason for blossom drop on tomatoes. High daytime temperatures (above 85 degrees Fahrenheit) and low nighttime temperatures (below 55 F) interfere with pollination, causing blossom drop. Optimal growing conditions for tomatoes are daytime temperatures of 70 to 85 F. (Cherry tomatoes set fruit over a wider temperature range than most large-fruited tomato cultivars.) Strong winds and dry soil conditions also may contribute to blossom drop. Strong winds desiccate flowers, while dry soil conditions stress tomato plants. Favorable weather and good care should result in good fruit set. Deeply water tomato plants once a week during dry weather.