Woodford HortUpdate. April/May A Note From Faye. USDA Microloans. Happy Spring!

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1 Woodford HortUpdate April/May 2016 Happy Spring! A Note From Faye Cooperative Extension Service Woodford County 184 Beasley Drive Versailles, KY (859) Fax: (859) Join Our Distribu on List. Stay informed by joining our list. Receive periodic no ces, online newsle ers, and educa onal informa on. You can opt out at any me by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in the . Go to h p:// woodford.ca.uky.edu/hor culture to sign up. As always, your hor culture ps, comments, requests and ques ons are always appreciated! USDA Microloans Source: John W. McCauley Three years ago, FSA created a new microloan program tailored especially to borrowers who have small or medium sized farm needs. With its streamlined paperwork, no mandatory minimum amount and up to $50,000 in borrowing authority, microloans have become one of their most popular programs to date, providing $25.8 million to more than 17,000 borrowers, with fully 70 percent of microloans having gone to new farmers and nearly 50 percent to first me FSA customers. These farm opera ng microloans can be used for tools, equipment, livestock, seed, fer lizer, u li es, even marke ng, distribu on and cer fica on expenditures. But unlike conven onal FSA farm opera ng loans, the microloan offers a simplified applica on process, and eligibility requirements have been modified to recognize new and smaller opera ons. This January, FSA expanded the microloan concept to now cover farm ownership expenses, such as land purchases, construc ng or upgrading farm structures and even implemen ng soil and water conserva on prac ces. With a farm ownership microloan, no appraisals are needed, and eligibility has been expanded to include other important skills like experience with a non farm business, military leadership or advanced educa on in an agricultural field. So if you operate a truck farm with direct marke ng and sales, if your farm uses hydroponics, aquaponics, organic or ver cal growing methods, if you work a smaller number of acres and do business with farmers markets, restaurants or community supported agriculture businesses, perhaps a microloan is just what you need to make your business succeed and grow! To learn more about how microloans can help you, visit or contact your local FSA office. To find your local office, visit h p://offices.usda.gov.

2 Woodford County Farmers Market 2016 Season The 2016 Season Opening is listed below. Please come out and support your local market and producers! If you would like to become a vendor at the market, applica ons are now available through our office. Stop by or contact me at Saturdays ~ 8:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Opening April 16, 2016 Courthouse Square, Downtown Versailles Mondays ~ 3:00 6:00 p.m. Opening May 2, 2016 Darlin' Jean's Parking Lot, Midway Wednesdays ~ 3:00 6:00 p.m. Opening June 8, 2016 Versailles Presbyterian Church, Side Parking Lot For weekly market offerings and events, visit the market Facebook Page! April Quick Tips If you haven t trimmed back ornamental grasses and perennials, do so now. Remove flower stalks from bulbs. Apply fer lizer and make sure to leave the foliage to die back naturally. The leaves provide food for next year s flowers. Con nue plan ng trees and shrubs. You can begin trimming evergreens now through late summer. Pruning a er the spring flush of growth will result in less regrowth. Add organic ma er to flower beds and garden plots. Incorporate into the soil where possible. Edge beds for a crisp, clean look. This will also keep creeping weeds from encroaching as rapidly. Apply new mulch to beds as needed. Total mulch depth should not exceed 3 4 and a 2 layer is usually sufficient. Keep mulch away from tree trunks and bases of shrubs. If you have a spray program for fruit trees, begin spraying a er flower petals drop. As always, follow label direc ons very carefully. Be er yet, plant fruit trees with natural disease resistance. Sharpen mower blades. Clean cuts make for a healthier, more a rac ve lawn. Crabgrass preventer should be applied by the middle of the month. If you start seedlings indoors, gradually toughen them up with brief trips outdoors on nice days. Start with short mes in a shady spot at first. They sunburn easily. In the vegetable garden you can plant potatoes now. You s ll have me for peas, le uce and onions if you didn t plant in March. In late April you can begin plan ng beans.

3 Source: North Carolina State Coopera ve Extension Colorado Potato Beetles The Colorado potato beetle, Lep notarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), can cause substan al defolia on of many solanaceous crops, including potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants. The ½ inch long adult beetles overwinter in the soil and emerge in spring to feed and mate. Adults feature yellow wing covers marked by longitudinal black stripes. Females oviposit bright orange, foot ball shaped eggs on the undersides of leaves of host plants. Larvae are dis nguished by reddish orange, convex bodies with two rows of black spots along each side. Larvae feed con nuously on leaf ssue for about three weeks while mol ng through four developmental phases (instars). A er feas ng in your vegetable garden, fourth instar larvae drop to the ground to pupate in the soil for 5 to 10 days before emerging as adult beetles. Up to three genera ons per year are possible in Kentucky, so scout throughout the growing season. Removing Colorado potato beetles by hand is an effec ve control method for small gardens and minor infesta ons. Adults and larvae o en occur on newer growth. Adults and larvae can be eliminated by simply dropping them in soapy water, while eggs, located beneath leaves, can be crushed by hand. Spinosad and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) var. tenebrionus are organic pes cides effec ve on early instar larvae. Because Colorado potato beetles overwinter in the soil near host species, crop rota on out of solanaceous crops can provide longer term control. For more informa on on management see h ps://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef312 Recycling Used Garden Pots Recycling plas c pots, packs, and flats in which plants are grown is not always as simple as recycling drink bo les and food containers. Plant containers are made from a different type of plas c than most food and beverage containers a type of plas c few municipal recycling centers accept. But there are local op ons for keeping these plas cs out of the landfill. Reuse them at home. You can reuse plas c pots for your own gardening. Larger pots are par cularly useful for growing vegetables. Save four and six packs to start seedlings or root cu ngs. Hanging baskets can be replanted with new plants each year. Wash and sani ze pots before reusing by first scrubbing off any soil or plant debris and then soaking the pots for at least 30 minutes in a 10 percent bleach solu on. Take them to Lowe s. Na onwide, all Lowe s Home Improvement stores accept plas c plant pots, flats, and packs for recycling. Look for the recycling rack in the outdoor garden center. Take them to a nursery. A local nursery may be able to reuse plas c pots if you return them clean and in good condi on. Call first and ask if the nursery is willing to take back pots and what sizes are needed. Most nurseries will gladly take back larger pots in which perennials, trees, and shrubs were grown. But many nurseries are not able to reuse six packs or pots in which annuals or vegetables were grown. Your best op on for recycling these is Lowe s

4 May is Kentucky Water Awareness Month Source: Ashley Osborne, extension associate for environmental and natural resource issues Are you water aware? Do you know how your home and garden water use impacts the water around you? May is Kentucky Water Awareness Month, and that s a good me to think about how what we do affects the health of waterways in Kentucky and beyond. Did you know that Kentucky has nearly 91,000 miles of rivers and streams? You can learn about the health of Kentucky s streams by visi ng the Kentucky Water Health Portal. You can search for streams in your area by entering your county name, stream name, longitude and la tude, or address. Website: h p://watermaps.ky.gov/ waterhealthportal/ Did you know Kentucky has one of the most diverse fish and mussel popula ons in the U.S.? Sadly, these popula ons are threatened by aqua c nuisance/invasive species. Learn more about these nuisance species and what you can do to prevent their further spread at KY Department of Fish and Wildlife s website: h p:// fw.ky.gov/fish/pages/nuisance Species Plans.aspx Do you know where your drinking water comes from? If you get your water from a public water supplier then figuring out where your drinking water comes from is an easy task. Public water suppliers are required to provide their customers with consumer confidence reports each year. The report includes informa on about the quality of your drinking water and the source of your drinking water, whether it be a groundwater source or a local surface water body. Website: h p://ofmpub.epa.gov/apex/safewater/f?p=136:102 Have a ques on about how to properly dispose of an old T.V., unused paint, or le over pes cide? Contact your Solid Waste Coordinator or visit Earth911. Remember to never dispose of hazardous waste down sinks, storm drains, or sinkholes. Websites: Earth911 h p://search.earth911.com/ Solid Waste Coordinators Contact Informa on h p://waste.ky.gov/rla/documents/solid%20waste%20coordinators% pdf Source: North Carolina State Coopera ve Extension Edible Flowers Want to liven up your salads and other dishes? Add edible flowers. The blossoms of many plants are edible and can be used raw to garnish a wide range of recipes. Many edible flowers have a mild flavor. Examples include pansies, violas, sweet peas, tulips, gladiolus, and dianthus. A few flowers are known for their intense flavor. One example is nastur um, an annual vine with large, brightly colored red, orange, or yellow blossoms and a sharp, peppery taste. Nastur ums are easy to grow from seed. When sown directly in the garden a er the last spring frost, nastur ums germinate quickly and grow vigorously un l the heat of summer sets in. Toss their blossoms in salads to add color, fragrance, and zesty flavor. Learn more about growing edible flowers from the new online Extension fact sheet from North Carolina Coopera ve Extension Service, Choosing and Using Edible Flowers: h p://content.ces.ncsu.edu/choosing and using edible flowers ag 790

5 Starting Plants from Seed Source: North Carolina State Coopera ve Extension and Purdue University Extension Many vegetable gardeners struggle when a emp ng to start plants from seed. There are two major environmental factors that contribute to this, cool po ng media temperature and insufficient ligh ng. Seedlings of warm season vegetable crops prefer minimum day me temperatures to be around 70 degrees F and that nigh me temperatures are no lower than approximately 65 degrees F. At first glance, this seems reasonable for most homes. However, the temperatures in po ng media can be as much as 5 degrees colder then air temperatures and seed starts are commonly placed in windowsills which are o en one of the coldest spaces in a house. Cold soil temperatures can result in slow germina on, nutrient deficiencies, increased incidence of disease and general reduced seedling vigor. Using an electric heat mat is one way to raise the temperature of your po ng media. Moving plants to a warmer loca on (i.e. out of the windowsill) and providing supplemental ligh ng can also increase success. Supplemental ligh ng is o en recommended and almost always beneficial for vegetable seedlings. Insufficient ligh ng is main cause of leggy or spindly plants. Standard florescent tube lights provide adequate light for vegetables. A combina on of an equal number of cool white tubes and natural daylight tubes is ideal. Lights should be hung no more than 2 to 4 inches from your seedlings. Upcoming Events Rain Garden Workshop, April 12 th 2016, 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m., Woodford County Extension Office Learn from University of KY specialists on the following topics: rain gardens and their role in storm water management, loca ng the site for a rain garden, rain garden construc on, and plant selec on, care and maintenance. There is a $5.00 registra on fee. Please call the extension office to sign up. Venerable Trees of Woodford County, Tuesday April 19, 7pm, Woodford County Agriculture Resource Building A field course on Venerable trees will be held on April 30 th at Airdrie Stud Farm in Midway. For more informa on or to register, visit the following website: h p:// cipate/field courses/ Earth Day Free Tree Seedling Giveaway, Thursday April 21 st & Friday April 22 nd, Kroger, Versailles KY Stop by Kroger for your free tree seedlings sponsored by the Woodford County Conserva on District and visit with many groups including the Master Gardeners, Bluegrass Greensource, KY Division of Forestry, Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary, Woodford County Farmers Market, and Woodford County Recycling Grow, Cook, Eat Series, 5:00 6:30 p.m., 4 th Tuesday of the Month, Woodford County Extension Office Join us to learn firsthand about plan ng, cul va ng, & growing as well as preparing preserving, & cooking. Please call the extension office to register, April 26 th Blueberries & Brambles, $10.00 fee May 24 th All About Tomatoes, $5.00 fee June 28 th Herbs & Oils, $8.00 fee Woodford County Farm Tour, July 25 th More informa on to come. Mark your calendars!! Happy Gardening! View this newsletter and find a variety of other information and upcoming events on our county website. Visit us at: Faye Kuosman County Extension Agent for Horticulture faye.tewksbury@uky.edu Follow us on Facebook at:

6 2016 Kentucky Nature Preserve Guided Hike Series Help us celebrate KSNPC s 40th Anniversary! Joyce Bender, Nature Preserves and Natural Areas Branch Manager will lead us on a tour of the following preserves: April 18 Vernon Douglas April 25 Tom Dorman May 2 Lower Howards Creek May 9 Apple Valley Glade For more informa on on the preserves visit: h p://naturepreserves.ky.gov/naturepreserves/pages/ preserves.aspx Vans will leave from the Woodford County Extension Office at 9:30 a.m. sharp for each tour Hikes will be 2 3 miles long and will last approx. 2.5 hours Bring water, sturdy shoes, snacks and/or lunch Difficulty level: moderate $15.00 registra on fee per tour Part of the proceeds will be donated to the Friends of KSNPC To register contact: Woodford County Extension Office (859) Beasley Drive Versailles, KY 40383

7 2016 Series of Hands On Beekeeping Classes Loca on: 3580 Cummins Ferry Road Versailles, KY Tuesday, April 19th 5:00 7:00 p.m. Spring Maintenance Tammy Horn, State Apiarist, will teach us about spring hive maintenance and we will have a hands on look into some hives. Bring your suits! Wednesday, May 11th 5:30 7:30 p.m. Hands On Seasonal Hive Management Phil Cra, former State Apiarist, will teach us about hive management and we will have a hands on look into the hives. Bring your suits! Please bring your bee suits Space is limited, so please call the Woodford County Extension Service, , for registra on informa on. Space is limited, so please call the Extension Office, , for registra on informa on.

8 May 21, :30 a.m. 12 noon Joe Lacefield, Wildlife Management Biologist with Fish & Wildlife, and local experts will lead us on a nature hike to observe and iden fy the following: Edible and medicinal plants Trees and wildlife Wild Mushrooms Meet at the Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary pavilion at 7:30 a.m. Bring water, sturdy shoes, camera, binoculars, and rain gear Difficulty level: moderate Loca on: Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary 1305 Germany Rd, Frankfort, KY To Register: h p:// events.html or Woodford County Extension Office (859)