Reno County Extension

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1 Reno County Extension Nov.-Dec K-State Research & Extension - Reno County 2 W 10th Ave South Hutchinson KS In This Issue: Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Kansas Master Naturalist Program Poinsettia Care Winter Protection for Roses Storing Power Equipment for the Winter Draining Hoses and Irrigation Lines Controlling Volunteer Trees Compost Pile Maintenance Page 5 Ice Melters Page 6 Page 7 Winter Driving Safety Tips Community Clean-up Campaigns Technology Help Windows 10 Tips Just a Reminder This will be the last mailing of this newsletter. If you wish to continue reading it you can do one of 3 things. 1. Send me you address to averyc@ksu.edu and I will send you future newsletter to you through Go to our website reno.ksu.edu and you can read it there. 3. Come to our office and see our smiling faces at 2 West 10th South Hutchinson (just over the bridge on the west side) and pick up a copy. Thank you to all our faithful readers and I hope you continue to enjoy our newsletter. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer K-State Research and Extension is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision or hearing disability, or a dietary restriction please contact Jan Steen by phone at (620) or by at jmsteen@ksu.edu.

2 GET GROWING with Pam Paulsen, Horticulture Agent Kansas Master Naturalist Program The Kansas Master Naturalist is now taking applications for the 2016 training class in South Central Kansas. A Kansas Master Naturalist (KMN) is a trained volunteer who provides expertise and services for natural resource projects that benefit the community. KMNs are trained and certified in Kansas Natural Resource concepts. They in turn give voluntary service for a variety of projects that utilize their training. The KMN training provides 40 hours of classroom and hands on instruction in natural resource concepts. The 2016 Classes will be held Thursday afternoons from February 11 through April 7 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm except for March 31 which will be an all-day field trip. Classes will meet in both Wichita and Hutchinson, depending on the week. There is a one-time fee of $100 to attend the training, which covers handouts and a reference notebook. In exchange for training, individuals are asked to return a minimum of 30 Hours of volunteer service on environmental projects that benefit their community. Classes in the training include: Weather & Climate Geology Soils Plants Birds Insects Fish and Aquatics Mammals Herpetology Ecosystem Management Education and Interpretation Previous and current projects by Master Naturalists include river bank restora on, guided hikes, park restora on, stream surveys, teaching geocaching, trail building and maintenance, aiding in Ci zen Science research, and adult and children s environmental educa on programs. If you are interested in improving your knowledge about Kansas natural resources, are interested in making new friends, would like to serve the community, enjoy experiencing new things in nature and science and would like to share your passion for nature with others then please consider applying for the 2016 class of Kansas Master Naturalists. Additional information and an application are available online under the Lawn and Garden section at or by contacting the Reno County Extension Office at or ppaulsen@ksu.edu or Dillon Nature Center at or mclark@hutchrec.com. Applications are due January 22, 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 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

3 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. Winter Protection for Roses by Richard Jauron, Iowa State University Department of Horticulture Bush-Type Roses Hilling or mounding soil around the base of each plant is an excellent way to protect bush-type roses. Bush-type roses include hybrid teas, floribundas, and grandifloras. Begin by removing fallen leaves and other debris from around each plant. Removal of diseased plant debris will help reduce disease problems next season. Then loosely tie the canes together with twine to prevent the canes from being whipped by strong winds. Extremely tall canes can be cut back to 2 1/2 to 3 feet. Next, mound soil 10 to 12 inches high around the canes. Place additional material, such as straw or leaves, over the mound of soil after the ground freezes. A small amount of soil placed over the straw or leaves should hold these materials in place. Many home gardeners protect their bush-type roses by placing styrofoam rose cones over them. Unfortunately, rose cones by themselves do not provide adequate protection. Additional material is necessary. If using styrofoam rose cones, prune the canes back to allow the cone to fit over the plant. Remove any plant debris, then mound 6 to 8 inches of soil around the base of the canes. Set the cone over the plant. Finally, mound a small amount of soil around the outside base of the cone to keep it in place. Secure the cone by placing a brick or other heavy object on its top. Climbing Roses Most modern climbing roses bloom on the previous season's growth. If extensive winter damage occurs, plants produce few if any flowers. To protect climbing roses, remove the canes from the trellis or support and carefully bend them to the ground. Hold the canes to the ground with pegs or stakes, then cover the canes with several inches of soil. Tree Roses Tree or standard roses are produced by bud-grafting the desired rose variety onto a tall stem. Since the coldsensitive bud union may be 2 or 3 feet above the ground, tree roses are extremely vulnerable to winter injury or death. (Tree roses are best suited to areas with mild winter climates.) The first step is to decide which direction to lay the tree rose. Then loosen the soil in the opposite direction with a spade. Put the blade into the soil about 1 to 1 1/2 feet from the base of the stem. Then gently rock the spade back and forth to loosen the soil and free the roots. Loosen the soil in a semicircle around the plant. On the other side of the tree rose, dig a shallow trench and then carefully bend the trunk (stem) down to the ground. Peg the stem down with stakes. Finally, cover with several inches of soil. Tree roses growing in pots or other containers also need winter protection. Dig a trench in the garden, lay the potted tree rose in the trench, then cover with several inches of soil. Prepare roses for winter when plants are dormant after exposure to two or three hard frosts. Normally, this is late October to early November in northwestern Kansas, mid-november in central areas, and mid- to late November in southern counties. Remove protective materials before bud break in spring, normally late March to early April. Storing Power Equipment for the Winter Late fall or early winter is a good time to service power equipment such as mowers, tillers and garden tractors. Run the equipment out of gas or treat the existing gas with a stabilizer as untreated gas can deteriorate over time. If using a stabilizer, run the engine long enough for untreated gas in the carburetor bowl to be burned

4 and replaced. This is also a good time to replace the (oil and filter, if present) since the engine is warm. Check and replace the spark plug if necessary. Some gardeners will also apply a light, sprayable oil into the cylinder through the spark plug hole. Check and clean air filters and replace if necessary. Many mowers and tillers will have a foam prefilter that can become filthy with use. If allowed to become too dirty, engines will run poorly or may not run at all. Sharpen blades, clean tines, tighten screws, replace broken parts and do all the other things needed to keep equipment in good shape. Though such maintenance takes some time and effort, it pays for itself by reducing frustration and lost time due to poorly performing equipment during a hectic spring. Draining Hoses and Irrigation Lines Hoses and shallow irrigation lines may be damaged over the winter if water is not drained. If there is a main shut-off valve for the system, close it and then run through the zones to make sure any pressure has a chance to bleed off. Lawn irrigation systems usually have shallow lines. Though some lines may be self-draining, check to be sure there are no manual drains. If so, they should be opened. Be sure to map them so they can be closed next spring before the system is pressurized. Drain hoses by stretching them out and coiling them for storage. Water will drain as you pull the hose toward you for coiling. Store in a protected place. UV light can make hoses brittle over time. 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 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

5 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. Compost Pile Maintenance Compost piles should be turned about once per month even during the winter months. This will insure the composting process continues and that all materials are equally composted. A compost pile is turned when uncomposted material is moved from the sides and tops of the pile to the center where it provides fuel for the microorganisms that break it down. Water may need to be added if the material you move to the center is dry. A tree root feeder is an easy way to add water to a compost pile as the needle can be used to inject the pile. Check the moisture content by squeezing a fistful in your hand. It should feel moist but no excess water should drip out. Compress the material as best you can as excess air can slow the composting process. 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 brinelike 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 they 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. Ice Melters There are five main materials that are used as chemical de-icers: 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.

6 COMMUNITY BITS AND BYTES WITH JAN STEEN Winter Driving Safety Tips It s time to prepare for driving in the ice and snow. Here are some tips to help you make your trip safer: Before you travel Check weather and road conditions before you leave. Call 511 for Kansas and surrounding states road conditions, or visit The 511 website has current maps with driving conditions, road closures, and even video cameras set up along major highways in the state so drivers can get a preview of the conditions they ll be heading into. Getting up to date weather forecasts is also important when you re headed out on the road. Weather.gov is a good source for local and national forecasts and conditions. Let family and friends know that you are traveling, what route you plan to take, and when you plan to arrive at your destination. Let someone know if your plans change. Have your cell phone in case of emergency. Be sure to charge it before you leave, and have a charging cable for use in your vehicle. Keep you gas tank filled so that you can start your car without difficulty and not worry about stopping to refuel right away. Having adequate fuel will allow you to heat your car longer if you become stranded. Be sure that your tires are at the proper level of pressure and tire tread is not worn. Have an emergency kit in the trunk or in the back seat. Need to know what to put in your emergency kit? Check out the National Weather Service s recommendations here: When you re on the road Most newer cars feature anti-lock brakes which automatically pump the brakes to stop wheels from locking up. If your car does not have this feature and you find yourself losing control of the vehicle, pump the brakes instead of slamming on them with force. Be cautious of drivers around you. All drivers react differently to snow and ice on the road. Keep extra distance between your car and others. Be aware that other drivers may be nervous, make rash decisions, or drive with too much confidence in dangerous conditions. Always been on the lookout for possible accidents ahead. Do not use cruise control in snowy or icy conditions. You are unable to control acceleration and deceleration as quickly and effectively when using cruise control, which is vital when driving in wintery conditions. Bridges and elevated surfaces tend to freeze first and be more unpredictable than other roadways. Exercise caution when crossing these areas. Sources: U.S. Forest Service, West Virginia Extension, K-State Research & Extension-Reno County Community Clean-up Campaigns It may be getting close to winter, but that doesn t mean it s too early to start planning a spring clean-up project for your neighborhood or community. Read our Conducting a Community Clean-up Fix-up Campaign publication for ideas and guidelines to help you get started: (address is case sensitive). Technology Help Don t forget that we re here to help you with your technology questions. Whether it be software, smartphone, tablet, laptop, social media, or anything in between, our office can answer questions and provide information about many common and sometimes not so common technical issues. Give us a call at or send an to jmsteen@ksu.edu.

7 Windows 10 Tips Wifi network connection loss If you upgraded to Windows 10 from Windows 7 and use wifi to connect to your network, you may have noticed that your connection drops after your computer wakes up from sleep or hibernation mode. Clicking on the wireless network connection to reconnect will get you back online, but there s a way to avoid this extra step. What s happening to cause this? Windows is turning off your wireless network card to save energy, and it doesn t immediately turn back on when your computer wakes up. We re going to use the device manager to change your wireless network adapter s power settings. 1. On your keyboard, hit the Windows Key + R and type devmgmt.msc in the Open: dialogue box. Click OK. 2. In the Device Manager window, expand the Network Adapters line and look for an adapter that has WiFi listed. Click on that adapter with your right mouse button and select Properties. 3. When the properties window opens, click on the Power Management tab. Uncheck the option to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. Then click OK. You can now restart your computer and the issue should be resolved. Windows updates In Windows 10, there is the potential now to receive important updates faster by downloading them using peer-topeer technology rather than directly from Microsoft s dedicated servers. Once you download your updates, if the Get updates from more than one place option is checked in your settings, you become part of the peer-to-peer network sharing these files with other users around the world. It s not a security risk because only those update files are shared, nothing else. The problem with this is, it s using your bandwidth to help distribute the updates, so it may slow down your network, and if you are charged for data use on how much you upload per month, it could affect your bill. You can turn off this feature by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Advanced Options > Choose how updates are delivered. Get updates from more than one place is the defeault option. You can disable it, or if you leave it turned on, you can change the setting to only share update files between computers on your network.

8 Reno County Extension Nov.-Dec. 2015, Issue 11 K-State Research and Extension Pamela Paulsen County Extension Agent - Horticulture Darren Busick darrenbusick@ksu.edu County Extension Agent - Agriculture Coopera ve Extension Service K-State Research and Extension Reno County Extension Office 2 West 10th Avenue South Hutchinson KS Phone: Fax: Jennifer Schroeder jenj@ksu.edu County Extension Agent - Family & Consumer Sciences Joan Krumme jkrumme@ksu.edu County Extension Agent - 4-H Jan Steen jmsteen@ksu.edu County Extension Agent - Technology & Community Development County Extension Director Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service K-State, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating. All educational programs and materials available without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age or disability. K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION Reno County 2 West 10th Ave. South Hutchinson, KS NONPROFIT ORG U.S. Postage PAID Hutchinson, KS Permit 11