TCMG Garden Gazette Tipton County Master Gardener s Garden Gazette

Transcription

1 Tipton County Master Gardener s Garden Gazette August 2015 Carolyn McDaniel, Editor Inside This Issue Hi all, Message from Roxie Phillips, Tipton County Master Gardener President 1 Message From The President 2 A Note From Joellen Dimond 3 Featured Article 4 Member Spotlight: Tom Mashour s Widsom 5 Summer Celebration 6 Speaker Highlights 7 Ask an Agent 8 Sanctioned Project 9 August Gardening Tips 10 Mark Your Calendar 11 Urban Forestry Flyer 12 Urban Forestry Application The graduation of our class of interns is one of our most special events of the year. Eleven dedicated students have been studying, listening, working and learning their way to earning the title of Tipton County Extension Master Gardener, and receiving the accompanying certificates and name badges. We will all come together to celebrate the accomplishment of our newest members on August 25th, 6pm, at the Chamber Center in Covington. I hope you will join the celebration! During these triple-digit days of summer, it s hard to think ahead to our fall crops, and yet, it is time to do just that. I m considering what salad greens, root vegetables, and brassicas I want to include this year. I still have time to order the seeds I need, and get them started if I don t waste time. We are fortunate to have a hoop- house where we like to over-winter some organic vegetables, but it s important to get them planted early enough for them to establish good root systems. It is always my goal to have something to harvest from our backyard year round. Some years we are more successful than others. I m looking ahead to a bountiful winter! Between the bees, the butterflies and the baby hummers, our place is all a buzz these days! The gift of their presence is our reward for planting for the benefit of the wildlife. If the biting insects were a bit less aggressive and the temperatures were a few degrees lower, I d spend more time enjoying them from the other side of my windows! Take Care and Garden On! Roxi Phillips-President

2 Joellen Dimond, Agent UT/TSU Extension, Tipton County Daylilies for summer Blueberry Candy Everyone knows daylilies bloom for their two to three weeks in June and then are done for the summer. Here are a few varieties that bloom in the middle of the summer when temperatures are hot and the rest of your daylilies have finished blooming. I was lucky to inherit from my Father a few daylilies that are still blooming in my yard. I don t know what their names are or where he got them. They are not as pretty as these varieties. Daylilies are tuff perennials that can take the sun, heat, humidity and poor soil conditions here in the Mid-South. It is one plant I recommend if someone is first getting started with perennials. Elegant Candy Black Eyed Susan Pewter Pink

3 Rust on Daylily In the South, gardeners should watch for daylily rust on the leaves of their plants. First signs of rust have small yellow spots on the tops of leaves. If you turn the leaf over, there are orange to yellow powdery pustules that will rub off onto your fingers. There are fungicides that contain myclobutanil or triademefon that will control the rust. If you are looking at your plants often, it is also easy to carefully remove a few infected leaves. Then at the end of the growing season, collect and destroy the surrounding leaves of the affected daylily. Now a little fun from a Master Gardener..Kristy Marrero 10 Reasons to Love Ditch Lilies 1. They make you smile 2. They are free 3. Resistant to herbicides, weeds, or pests 4. Long lived 5. Prolific 6. Young shoots, bulbs and flowers are edible* 7. Can be used as a mild pain killer 8. Great for erosion control 9. Has a great variety of flower colors, and shapes that can be single or double 10. With a little bit of water and fertilizer they have dark green foliage and beautiful flowers

4 You May Never Know Tom Mashour Five years ago I received a call from my brother s former step son. He was looking for him. I had to inform him that he had died. After the tears, he informed me how I had affected his life. Many years ago he came to visit my brother, which was during his fourteen birthday, I gave him a Sinclair computer. This was when home computing was in its infancy, before the internet, modems or even hard drives. You had to learn to program the computer yourself and saved it to cassette tape. He then told me, because of that computer, he learned programming and ultimately ended up as a Senior Programmer for NASA and helped to put over forty satellites in orbit. He was now the Senior Analyst for a major computer company. Without that phone call I wouldn t have known how I positively affected his life. Last year, while attending a high school football game, a neighbor (he was a junior in high school at that time) from my former neighborhood told me that he took my advice and was extremely appreciative of it. He is now very happy in his six figure job. I have no idea what advice I gave him, but if he hadn t ran into me at the game, I wouldn t have known I how I changed his life in a positive manner. What has this have to do with Master Gardeners? A lot! One year the Memphis Area Master Gardeners, through their Plant-A-Row for the Hungry (PAR), grew and provided to the Memphis Food Bank 10,000 pounds (5 tons) of fresh produce. The Master Gardeners had no idea who ate the food nor did the families that ate it probably had no idea who provided it. However, it doesn t change the fact that, in some small way, we affected their life. Every community project we work on is shared by our neighbors in our community. Unless there is a sign, chances are they would know it was done and/or maintained by Master Gardeners. The classes we provide are, for one reason, to affect in a positive manner, the lives of others. I taught small engine maintenance to the Intern classes and more than a few ladies have come up to me later to let me know that they now change their lawn mower s oil and spark plugs. I wouldn t have known if anyone actually was absorbing the information I provided without this feedback. Feedback is rare but still doesn t change the fact that we change people s life. You may never know how many lives we affected directly and indirectly with our classes. You might say we are a face-to-face Pinterest. People who attend our classes may share the information with their family and friends. You never get any feedback, and maybe you may feel that your presentation was a waste of time. I assure you someone in the group was listening and they will take your information home with them and will share it with others. The one time, maybe just one time, someone comes up to you and tells you how your class changed some aspect of their life, at that moment you will get that feeling that, not only did you changed their life, but in a small way changed the world because you will never know how much of that information got shared with others.

5 July 9, 2015 Jackson, TN Summer Celebration Lawn & Garden Show & Plant Sale West TN Research and Education Center.. Beauton Matthews, Paula Sweatt, Mary Lewis Dr. Natalie Bumgarner is the UT Residential and Consumer Extension Specialist with responsibilities for educational content development and programming across Tennessee. Natalie is a West Virginia native with a background in agriculture and has been active in various facets of horticulture for over 15 years.

6 Last Month s Speaker Highlights: The speaker was Mr. James Mason, Water Quality Director for Covington. He spoke about water quality management and conservation. He shared county requirements for wells such as depths, farm land contaminations, local regulations, etc. *************************************************************************** Tuesday August, 25 will be the Tipton County Extension Master Gardener Graduation Celebration and Awards Banquet. Keynote speaker will be Covington Mayor, Justin Hanson. It will be held at the Covington Chamber of Commerce on the square at 6PM.

7 Green Thumb: How to protect crape myrtles from insect infestation (Excerpt from Chris Arp Gang/Special-June 19, 2015 to The Commercial Appeal) Infestations of scale insects on crape myrtles suck sap from the trees and then produce a sweet excretion known as honeydew. As the honeydew falls from the tree onto nearby shrubs, it promotes the growth of sooty mold. Crape myrtle trees badly infested with bark scale insects have responded well to treatment with a soil drench containing the chemical imidacloprid During his program last week at the Agricenter, Chris Cooper, UT Extension Agent, recommended a way homeowners can treat trees with the scales, which appear as little white ovals on branches, crevices and under peeling bark. First, wash off the insects and the sooty mold by using a pressure washer, pressure nozzle on a hose or a soft brush and water. Add a little (a few drops) dishwashing liquid or insecticidal soap to the wash water if possible. Following the recommendations on the imidacloprid label, prepare a soil-drenching solution and pour it around the root zone of the tree as directed. Experts say the best times to do it is in May and June when crawlers emerge. Dr. Mark Follis, owner of Follis Tree Preservation, said some new research indicates the treatment time isn t that critical. He also thinks washing trunks before treatment is unnecessary except for cosmetic reasons. It will take two to three weeks for the tree roots to absorb the insecticide and distribute it through its tissues. Spraying directly on the scales and on branches high in the tree is not recommended. The effectiveness of using dormant oils to suffocate eggs during the winter is unknown. To keep crape myrtles strong and resistant to pests and diseases, do not pamper them with too much water, fertilizer or pruning. All of these errors lead to the proliferation of tender young shoots that are more susceptible to insect damage, Cooper said.

8 Sanctioned Project Update: Atoka Parks Master Gardener Intern, Melinda Tankersley, working in Atkinson Atoka Park garden. Bill Bryant Project Chairman, and Sara Jo Buckley planted and we watered. Also, while cleaning out limbs, leav trimming irises, and weeding one morning, a young man home on leave from Navy stopped and gave us a hand thanks Trevor!!

9 August Gardening Tips I just can't keep my hanging baskets alive. What am I doing wrong? ANSWER Hanging baskets can dry out really fast, so you really need to keep on top of watering for them to thrive in summer heat. All that watering leaches nutrients out of the potting mix quickly, so fertilize regularly with a soluble fertilizer as well. Cutting scraggly growth back in midsummer to promote fresh blooms can help keep baskets looking good longer. I would like to know how other folks save cash gardening! I compost, I clean and reuse pots and I am learning to propagate plants. What are your strategies? ANSWER Watch for tree trimming work being done in your neighborhood. After a company removed some trees and ground the stumps in our area, they gave us the bark chips for free and we used them to mulch a garden path. Also, try a seed swap party in the fall, after you've collected extra seeds from your plants, and trade for plants you don't have. Talk to other gardeners about trading or sharing when they divide their perennials or bulbs. Good luck!

10 August 2 August 5 August 8 August 12 August 25 Lecture: The View from Phlox Mountain Dixon Gallery and Gardens John Lochlear spent a decade researching and writing a book about the 60 species of Phlox and their natural haunts as wildflowers in the US and history of their use in gardens worldwide. Free with admission to Dixon, see dixon.org Dixon Gallery and Gardens Munch and Learn: Phlox and Echinacea: History, Culture, Care and Trialing at the Dixon Horticultural staff of Dixon presents this lecture in the brown-bag series. Free for members and students with ID. For more information visit: dixon.org Memphis Botanic Garden Herbal Work/Study MBG Herbal Work/Study. The Herbal Work/Study-the second Saturday of each month from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Weeding, grooming, thinning, planting, or whatever else needs doing in the Herb Garden. Learn how to use them, fun recipes, and maybe a cook craft or two. Please note: this is a free event, and you must help (Work) the first two hours to be able to attend the last hour (Study) Check the Memphis Botanic Garden website for more information Location: Memphis Botanic Garden Herb Garden Contact: Sherri McCalla Phone: Munch and Learn: Famous Perennial Borders Dixon Gallery and Gardens Ann Riordan, garden designer, and Caroline Brown, local horticulturist will lead this lecture in the brown bag series. For more information visit: Dixon.org Tipton County Extension Master Gardeners 2015 Intern Graduating Class 6:00 p.m. Covington Chamber of Commerce located on the Town Square Covington, TN

11 2015 Urban Forestry Advisor s Class Wednesdays from 9:00-1:00 Sept. 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th and Oct. 7th Join the West Tennessee Chapter of the Urban Forestry Council (WTC/TUFC) and the Memphis Botanic Garden for this opportunity to learn about trees and issues facing the urban tree canopy. The class fee ($85) includes a handbook and dues for both the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council and local chapter. This course is designed for the general public, municipal employees, members of neighborhood associations, and garden clubs. Lectures and field work will cover tree biology, ID and selection, risk management, diagnostics, site analysis, tree inventory, construction protection, and the role of federal, state, and local agencies. Instructors include Eric Bridges, Director of Operations, Overton Park Conservancy, Wes Hopper, Certified Arborist, Past-President, Southern Chapter International Society of Arboriculture, Shawn Posey, West Tennessee Regional Urban Forester, Jim Volgas, Certified Arborist, Joellen Dimond, UT Extension and others. Participants who want to be certified as an Urban Forestry Advisor are required to complete 20 volunteer hours in the field of Urban Forestry. Class size limited, please register early. For additional information call Memphis Botanic Garden Home of the Goldsmith Civic Garden Center 750 Cherry Road; Memphis, TN www. me mphisbotanic garden. com

12 West Tennessee Urban Forestry Council Urban Forestry Advisor Application Fall 2015 I wish to enroll in the fall 2015 Urban Forestry Advisor s class, offered by the West Tennessee Chapter of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. I understand that in order to be certified as an Urban Forestry Advisor, I agree to volunteer at least 20 hours of service to projects recognized by the West Tennessee Chapter within a calendar year. The $85 fee covers class supplies and a one year (through 2016) membership in Tennessee Urban Forestry Council and the local chapter. I understand I will become an Urban Forestry Advisor when I have completed the course and the above required volunteer hours. Name (Signature): (Print): Address: City/State/Zip: Phone (Day): (AltPhone): **************************************************************** ****** Please complete the following: List any experience or training in forestry, horticulture, educational assets, etc. List any professional and/or volunteer affiliations w/ any agencies/organizations. Are you a municipal Employee yes no If yes, with whom? List areas of specialization or hobbies. List experience as a community volunteer: schools, youth, churches, senior groups, etc. Why are you interested in becoming an Urban Forestry Advisor? ******************************************************************************************** Please select areas of interest to fulfill your 20 hours of community service:

13 Representing WTUFC at local events and projects Working with community leaders to understand and implement responsible Urban Forestry practices Assist homeowners with tree damage/disease assessment Take part in planting or pruning projects in the community Help take inventories of street/park trees Speak to school and community groups Organize and teach classes to small groups Write articles for newspaper/newsletter Other Ideas: Explain Where did you hear about the UFA class? Return completed application and check made out to MBG and return to: Laurie Williams Memphis Botanic Garden 750 Cherry Road Memphis, TN Att: Urban Forestry Advisor Program Call Laurie at to pay by Master card or VISA

14 Prayers for: Please remember Master Gardeners, Juanita Hansen (Ted) and Glenda Rider (Don) in the passing of their husbands. Any support you can provide these ladies will be much appreciated.