Autumn Because I couldn t resist an apple recipe for fall! Leafy greens are always better harvested in the cool night of autumn.

Transcription

1 Hardin County 201 Peterson Drive Elizabethtown KY (270) hardin.ca.uky.edu Autumn 2018 Because I couldn t resist an apple recipe for fall! Leafy greens are always better harvested in the cool night of autumn. The Class of Extension Master Gardeners are now assembling. You re probably wondering what an Extension Master Gardener volunteer is. An Extension Master Gardener Volunteer is a person who has an interest in any type of gardening; wants to teach others to garden; and is trained by Cooperative Extension Service personnel. To become an Extension Master Gardener you need to complete the training course and then volunteer your time to the Cooperative Extension Service. The training classes are conducted by Cooperative Extension specialists, agents, and other horticulture professionals. The subject areas include but are not limited to: botany, entomology, plant pathology, soils and fertilizers, pesticide use and safety, and volunteerism. The cost of training is $125. A fee is charged to cover the cost of supplies and literature used in training. You can find the application and information letter on our website: horticulture. The deadline to apply for this year s class is September 15th. If you have any questions, please contact the office. 12 1

2 Fall is the perfect time to plant new trees. The trees benefit from the cooler temperatures and you can find some good deals at the nursery. If you plan to add new trees and shrubs to the landscape, correctly plant them to help ensure that the plants and your investments of money, time and labor thrive for decades to come. It s important to match the correct plant or tree with the site. Remember, no plants are adaptable to all climates and soil types. If you re not familiar with the growing requirements for a particular shrub or tree, first talk with a professional; then go over the suggestions to make sure these meet your needs. Also, get a professional to help if you lack experience in picking out vigorous, healthy plant materials. Planting healthy specimens with a good branch structure is a good way to get started on your springtime gardening. Having a diverse group of shrubs and trees will slow the spread of diseases and insects and help ensure a healthy plant community. Now that you ve selected the plants and trees, you can do some things to ensure that they become re-established in their new homes and flourish for years to come. Diameter of the planting hole is especially important. The hole should be at least twice the diameter of the soil ball, even wider if the soil is heavy. And never plant the tree or shrub deeper than it previously grew. Poke around soil at the base of the trunk to be sure the soil hasn t been inadvertently piled up at the base of the plant. If the plant is balled and burlapped, use the soil line on the trunk as an indicator of how Continued on pg. 8 2 Putting the Gardens to Bed Oct 23, 6 p.m. $5 - Wondering how much work to do to clean the garden for the winter? Are there different chores for the veggie garden vs. the lawn? What is a gardener to do? COME TO THIS CLASS! We will discuss all these topics and more. How to Register: Go to to sign up for any class. Then mail in your payment. Or call (270) and talk to the receptionist. Then mail in your payment. You will be registered on a first pay, first registered basis. All classes have a maximum number of participants. When this number is reached, there will be a waiting list. Payment for each of the Gardener s Toolbox classes are required to be enrolled TWO WEEKS prior to the class date. You will be registered on a first pay, first registered basis. Cancellations will be fully refunded TWO WEEKS prior to the class date. Please let us know as early as possible if you have to cancel, there may be others on a wait list. The Cooperative Extension Service prohibits discrimination in its programs and employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. To file a complaint of discrimination, contact Tim West, UK College of Agriculture, ; Terry Allen or Patty Bender, UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity, ; or the USDA, Director Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg., 14th & Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC ( ). 11

3 Fall is a wonderful time to try some new baking recipes. If you know me, I don t cook all that often because then there is a lot of food in the house. So most of the extras go to friends. The Pumpkin Apple Muffins are a hit! I suggest you try them. Create A Mosaic Pot - Oct 1 AND 2, 6 p.m. $35 In this two-part class, you will decorate an 8-inch terracotta pot and saucer with mosaic tiles in the first class. Then, come back the next night and learn all about grouting. Class size is limited. Great Plants for Fall Color Oct 3, 6 p.m. $10 - Fall is always a riot of color. Is your garden lacking that autumnal spark? Find out which plants can add color to your fall garden. Divide and Conquer Oct 10, 6 p.m. FREE - Join the Extension Master Gardeners as we divide and conquer the tired, overgrown flower beds around the Extension Office. BYOS (Bring Your Own Shovel) You provide the muscle, Extension Master Gardeners will provide the know-how about dividing and transplanting plants. Whatever you dig, you get to take home. Have you tried Butternut Squash? Although they are hard to find (try the Farmer s Market) they make a tasty side dish! Draped Hypertufa Planters Oct 12, 6 p.m. $10 Draping Fabric with a cement mixture to make lovely pots for your flowers. Planters can be made with any fabric, from a simple inexpensive wash rag, hand towel or bath towel to an old crocheted tablecloth or doily. The fabric is dipped in a mixture of builders sand, Portland cement, sphagnum and water then draped over a container, i.e., trash can, nursery flower pot, or 5gallon bucket, to dry. All supplies are included in the fee. 10 3

4 There is only one species of true garlic. Allium sativum, an herbaceous biennial which belongs to the lily family. It is usually divided into two subspecies: ophioscordon (hardneck or top set garlic) and sativum (softneck garlic). Hardneck garlic produces flower stalks called scapes and bulbils at the top of the stalk. Soft-neck garlic usually does not produce bulbils but produces larger bulbs with more cloves per bulb. The cloves which make up the mature garlic bulb are used for propagation. Propagation from bulbils is more difficult and requires two years to produce mature bulbs. Hardneck garlic cultivars usually do better in colder climates and produce larger cloves that are easier to peel. Planting and culture of garlic differ little from onions, but many gardeners believe garlic is more exacting in its requirements. No one cultivar or cultural practice is best suited for every situation. An open, sunny location, with a fertile well drained soil that is high in organic matter is desirable. Garlic is day length sensitive and begins to bulb around the summer solstice. In Kentucky, it is best to plant garlic in October and early November. Plant individual cloves root end down 4 attract rodents who cause feeding damage; so leave two to three inches of soil exposed at the base of the trunk. It s generally not necessary to stake trees, unless they were bought as bare-root plants. Unstaked trees grow better because the trunk diameter develops faster and the tree produces a more vigorous root system. If you do stake trees, be sure the stakes don t come into contact with the trunk because this rubbing will create an entry site for diseases and insects. Water is the most important thing a newly planted shrub or tree will need to become re-established. So water once a week for the first year. Apply water to a depth of about one inch each time, or enough to wet the soil to a depth of five to six inches. It s not necessary to fertilize newly transplanted trees and shrubs for the first year or two. Fertilizing too soon causes more vegetative growth than the root system cam supply with water and nutrients. I do love the fall; school starts, leaves turn colors and the Horticulture program rolls out the new class schedule! I guess I m not feeling wordy today. So I ll sign off with this: Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. Albert Camus 9 Happy Gardening! Amy Aldenderfer, County Extension Agent for Horticulture

5 deeply to plant it. Although it might be easier on you, never pick up a plant by its trunk because the weight of the soil can put too much strain on roots, causing them to break or tear. Gently place the plant in the hole at the correct depth. If it s enclosed in natural jute burlap, pull the covering back and remove the Natural burlap will burn, plastic will melt.) 8 twine. It s critical to remove burlap if you believe any plastic might be in this material. Otherwise, it will be like trying to get the plant to grow in a container for the remainder of its life -- and this will be a short life. (If you re not sure what type the burlap is, strike a match and try to burn a piece of the material. Backfill the hole with soil you removed from it, minus any rocks or other foreign material. Don t add peat moss, compost or other amendments to soil going back into the hole. This is especially important in heavy clay, poor soils. Gently pack soil around the plant ball and water soil in halfway through the planting process; then fill the rest of the hole without packing the soil and water again. Afterwards, put mulch around the shrub or tree to a depth of two to two and one-half inches, but no deeper. Piling mulch around the trunk in a volcano-like fashion will cause bark decay and disease problems. Even a small amount of mulch at the base of the trunk will and cover with two to three inches of well-drained soil. Allow six inches between sets. On hardneck garlic, remove any flowering stalk that forms to increase bulb size. You can expect to yield about 4 lbs. of garlic per 10 feet of row. One to five feet of row per person should be enough for fresh consumption and for storing. Fertilizer is usually applied beginning in the spring as sidedressings every two weeks until bulbs begin to form. Proper watering will enhance good production. Soak the soil thoroughly when watering, to a depth of at least one inch each week during the growing season. Stop watering about 2 weeks before harvest. Mulch helps provide winter protection and conserves moisture during the summer. Mulching three to four inches deep with herbicide -free grass clippings, weed-free straw, or other organic material will help retain soil moisture and help suppress weeds, decreasing the need for frequent cultivation. Many gardeners enjoy eating the green shoots and leaves of garlic plants. However, cutting them continuously inhibits bulb formation. By early June, flower stalks may appear and should be cut back and discarded so the plant s energies can be directed toward root and bulb formation. Some people eat the flower stalk. Bulbs begin to mature or ripen in mid-july and early August, and the leaves become yellow and the leaf tips turn brown. When the leaves have yellowed, lift the plants and dry the bulbs in a partly shaded storage area for about 2 weeks. 5

6 Autumn is the perfect time to submit a soil sample for analysis: the earth is soft, easily worked and there are fewer samples now than in the spring, so turn around time is faster. Separate samples should be taken from lawn, flower, and vegetable beds. Problem areas should be sampled separately also. Another thing: it s FREE! Yes, I said FREE! To those living in Hardin County, soil testing is one of the services we provide. (To those living outside the borders, check with your county extension office for their prices.) For all the trouble of taking a soil test, you will receive a personalized recommendation report. This sheet will tell you exactly what and how much fertilizer to apply to that area. And if the report is confusing, there s a number to call if you have any questions. So, I highly recommend taking a soil test. I promise you ll pass, and you might save a little money in the process. Soil Test Coupon Redeemable for a free soil test* at the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service This includes the soil tests for: lawns, trees, shrubs, flower beds, fruit trees, and vegetable gardens. Sample must be taken according to UK Soil Sampling Guidelines And returned to the Hardin County Extension Office. A soil probe, auger, garden trowel or a spade and knife are all the tools you need to take the individual cores that will make up the field sample. You will also need a clean, dry bucket (preferably plastic) to collect and mix the sample cores. More accurate results are obtained when problem areas are sampled separately, especially when trouble shooting during the growing season. Collect at least 5 to 10 soil cores for each lawn or garden area. Take the soil cores randomly throughout the area to be sampled and place in the bucket. Sample Preparation: After all cores from one crop area are collected and placed in the bucket, crush the materials and mix the sample thoroughly. Allow the sample to air dry in an open space free from contamination. Spread soil out to dry on newspapers. Don t dry soil in an oven or at a high temperature. When the soil sample is dry, crumble it and fill a 2 cup sample container with soil. Established lawns: sample the top 4 inches of soil only. For areas to be tilled up for a new lawn, sample the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. Annual and Perennial Flowers: sample the top 6-8 inches of soil. Home Landscape Trees & Shrubs: sample the top 6-12 inches of soil. Take samples from under the drip line of established trees (under tips of the longest branches all the way around the tree), or just outside the root ball or planting area for newly planted trees. Home Vegetable Gardens: sample the top 6-12 inches of soil preferably in October or November. Tree Fruits: sample the top inches of soil. Take samples from dripline area under branch tips (or closer to trunk for newly planted trees). Bush and Vine Fruits: sample the top 8-12 inches of soil. Manufacturer coupon: no expiration date *Must be a Hardin County Resident for free soil test 6 7