The Potting Shed Official Jones County Master Gardeners Newsletter

Transcription

1 The Potting Shed Official Jones County Master Gardeners Newsletter May/June 2015 Master Gardener Spring/Summer Activities Plant and Bake Sale Constructing raised beds at Anamosa Community Gardens in May Volunteers filling beds with soil Coordinators Column Wow this year is flying by quickly... the county fair is less than a month away, then the state fair and May 9th 2015 students back in the Thanks to everyone s efforts another successful fundraising event classrooms again. I m getting discouraged with all the rain this Wild Garlic Mustard Pull Community Service Project Dreary (wet) evening for crew that pulled the garlic mustard at the State Park on May 14th, 2015 past month. Makes the grass and weeds really grow!! Call me for carpooling on July 4th to the Cedar Rapids Farmers Market. Pen Planting Gourds, pumpkins May 26/27/28 plants and ornamental 42 hours planting over 3200 flowers corns look good right now at my place for Pumpkinfest and/or the Holiday arrangement Duck on nest amongst iris at Monument Park workshop, November 1st. Kim

2 Experts recommend these six native trees to plant in the Midwest The hackberry, with distinctive bark, is among natives that experts at Trees Forever recommend for planting in the Midwest. By Cindy Hadish/For Radish Magazine Just as the shady canopies of American elm trees gave way to Dutch elm disease in the last century, the ubiquitous ash tree, a staple throughout the Midwest, is succumbing to emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle that kills all varieties of ash. The lesson from both is one that Trees Forever, a nonprofit based in Marion, Iowa, often shares. Diversity if vital to a healthy forest, whether it be a rural forest or a community or urban forest, said Debbie Fluegel, Trees Forever Field Coordinator for Illinois. We never know when the next disease or pest will come through. Fluegel said recommendations call for not more than 20 percent of one genus in a community and not more than 10 percent of one species, but some communities, for example, have more than 50 percent maple trees. A squirrel sits in a black cherry tree, one of several natives that experts recommend planting in the Midwest. (photo/trees Forever) She and Dustin Hinrichs, Trees Forever Field Coordinator for Southeast and Eastern Iowa, provided recommendations for native trees that are often overlooked, but offer colorful fall leaves and in many cases, lovely spring flowers, as well. Natives provide the most benefits to wildlife as shelter and food sources and Are hardier and adapted to the Midwestern climate. All of these species are suitable for planting in both Iowa and Illinois, Hinrichs said. An acorn is shown on a swamp white oak, a tree that supports a wide variety of wildlife. (photo/trees Forever) Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) is a medium-sized tree that does well in moist to wet soils. The bark resembles white oak and leaves are broad and lobed. In the fall, leaves turn brown, yellow-brown or reddish in color. The acorns are an important food supply for turkeys, deer, raccoons, wood ducks and squirrels. As a family, oak trees support more than 500 species of caterpillars of native butterflies and moths, as well as many other insects and birds. Restoring oaks in urban areas would go a long way toward improving our nation s biodiversity, Hinrichs said. The fruit of the black cherry tree is a valuable food source for birds and other wildlife. Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) Mature trees have distinctive scaly black bark, resembling burnt potato chips, with long slender, shiny leaves and showy white flowers in the spring. Young trees have smooth, thin, striped bark and release an almond-like odor when the twigs are scratched. Black cherry is a moderately long-lived tree (about 250 years) that loves sunlight. The berries provide food for birds and small mammals in late summer. Cherry trees support a wide variety of native butterflies and moths. Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) is a fast-growing, medium-sized tree that does well in all soil types and full sunlight. It has distinctive warty bark and unequal leaf bases. Yellow-green flowers appear in May, soon after the leaves. In the fall, the asymmetrical leaves turn yellow in color. The orange-red to purple fruit persists into winter months, providing valuable food sources for songbirds. Hackberries support many species of native butterflies and moths, including the Hackberry Emperor. River birch beautifies landscapes with its distinctive bark. (photo/trees Forever on next page) River Birch (Betula nigra) has dark gray-brown to reddish-brown, papery peeling bark. River birch are known for their exfoliating bark, making it a great landscape tree. River birch does well in both

3 Continuation.... TREES FOREVER article wet and rocky areas. The nooks and crannies of the peeling bark provide great hiding places for insects during winter months. In turn, those insects provide food sources for woodpeckers and other birds when they need it most. They also support several hundred species of native butterflies and moths. The seeds and flower buds of river birch are important food sources for songbirds, turkeys and small mammals. Varieties of American elm are not susceptible to Dutch elm disease, which wiped out many elms in the last century. (photo/trees Forever) American Elm (Ulmus Americana) is a fast growing, hardy shade tree with dark gray, deeply furrowed bark. In the spring, the American elm has small green flowers, loved by bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The flat, oval, and paper-like seeds provide a beneficial food source for birds and small mammals. Leaves turn yellow in the fall. American elm are tolerant of drought and urban conditions, making it a great tree for the street or yard. With the introduction of Dutch elm disease in the 1930s, many American elms were wiped out. Currently five cultivars are tolerant or resistant to Dutch elm disease: Princeton Elm, American Liberty multiclone, Independence, Valley Forge and New Harmony. The tulip tree is a close relative of the magnolia. (photo/trees Forever) Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) is a close relative of the magnolia and is the tallest hardwood in North America. This large shade tree has a distinctive tulip-shaped leaf that turns yellow in the fall. In the spring, the tulip tree produces yellow-green flowers with an orange flare at the base that give off a faint cucumber scent. Tulip trees grow rapidly in moist soils. They support caterpillars of many native species of butterflies and moths, including the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. River Birch American Elm Tulip Tree KEY LIME PIE recipe from Irene Leonard * Baked pie crust 1 envelope unflavored gelatin ½ cup lime juice 1 ½ tsp grated lime peel 1 cup sugar 2 eggs beaten 2 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese 1 cup whipping cream ¼ cup butter In sauce pan soften gelatin in lime juice for 5 minutes. Blend in 1 cup sugar & eggs. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat & boil 3 minutes. In small bowl add cream cheese and butter. Beat well. Pour in hot lime juice mixture. Beat until smooth and well blended. Refrigerate 45 minutes until cool. Beat one cup whipping cream until stiff. Fold into cooled lime juice mixture and grated lime peels; spoon mixture into pie crust. Let sit 2 hours.

4 HISTORY During the Great Depression circa 1932, Rev. William Masters and Edward Beach encountered dozens of men in our community who had lost the ability to provide for their shelter, clothing and food. Rev. Masters and Mr. Beach began making soup to feed them and rented a house to provide overnight shelter. These were the humble beginnings of The Dubuque Rescue Mission. For 81 years, the D.R.M. has served the needs our brothers and sisters who are poor offering overnight shelter for 45 men; providing over 230 meals a day to those seeking food and fellowship and providing clothing and other material goods to those with no means to pay. We have a small staff of 5 and depend heavily on the charity of others to meet the needs of all those who seek our services. GARDENS Our resident gardener program is designed to identify Dubuque Rescue Mission residents skill sets and to encourage them to maintain and develop these skills. Using the Garden as an opportunity for residents to contribute to the community through growing fresh food, we also foster experiential learning and enable the residents to take pride in their work here at the Dubuque Rescue Mission. EDUCATION and VOLUNTEERING Thanks to a very generous donation from FarmTek, community members, non-profits, and local businesses our green house is installed and will add greatly to the depth of our programing. We have already hosted many visitors and have two vertical hydroponic systems built by West Dubuque s Future Farmers of America group. The green house will be used to grow plants for our garden and other community garden efforts. We will also be putting together aquaponic systems and more hydroponics. The Dubuque Rescue Mission Garden operates as an outdoor classroom, an urban farm, and a place to relax and find peace in town. The garden hosts school groups, Master Gardeners, religious groups, Scouts, and other youth programs. If you would like to volunteer, host a class, or have us host a workshop or class please call or the Garden Manager. Ashley Neises Alejandro, the new Garden Assistant Manager gave our group a tour of the greenhouse and gardens on June 18th, Rick Mihm, Executive Director, of the Dubuque Rescue Mission shared the history and purpose of the gardens. Our group helped pick peas that evening. The Dubuque Rescue Mission Tour

5 Jones County 800 North Maple Street, Ste # 2 P O Box 28 Phone: Fax: kmiller5@iastate.edu Learn it Grow it Teach it Calendar of Events 2015 June 21 first day of summer June 27 Linn County MG Garden Walk July 4 Holiday (office closed on Friday, July 3rd, 2015) July 4 Cedar Rapids Farmers Market 7:30 am to noon July 13 Water in the Garden summer webinar; Dubuque County, register with Laura at or klavitte@iastate.edu cost $5.00 July 15 Kelchen s garden tour/potluck July 21 Assist with 4-H/FFA flower & vegetable judging (Youth Development Center) July 21 Judge Flower Pots (livestock barns) July Great Jones County Fair August Iowa State Fair August 20 Food Preservation 101 with Rachel Wall 6-8 pm September 7 Labor Day (office closed) September 10 Savor the Barn and monthly meeting Website Please PROMOTE fall training of the Master Gardener program starts in September thru November Summer Gardening Tips from RG 105 Fruits Renovate June-bearing strawberry beds immediately after final harvest Remove 3 to 4 inches of shoot tips of black and purple raspberry canes to encourage branching Flowers Deadhead flowers to encourage more blooms Vegetables Regular irrigation of tomatoes will help prevent or reduce problems with blossom-end-rot