THE GARDENER S DIRT The Latest Scoop from the Scott County Master Gardeners

Transcription

1 THE GARDENER S DIRT The Latest Scoop from the Scott County Master Gardeners April 2013 Pick the perfect gift for Mother s Day and watch your love grow all year The Iowa State University Scott County Extension & Outreach Master Gardeners are selling planted containers for Mother s Day giving. Choose from four flowering pot combinations in either a table top or hanging pot or an herb container. Each pot is planted by the ISU Scott County Extension & Outreach Master Gardeners with plants from a local greenhouse especially chosen to create a container that blooms all summer long. The cost is $25 per container with deadline for orders and payment by 4pm on April 2, Call the ISU Scott County Extension Office to order: Your container will be available for pick up at the Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf, IA on Friday, May 10th from 4:30-6:00 pm or Saturday, May 11th from noon-4 pm. Proceeds from the sale supports horticulture education programs in Scott County. The following Master Gardeners have items to be picked up in the MG office. Joleen Bakken Jennifer Dolph Kathy Hoeper Kevin Marker Jackie O Donnell Paula Witt Bob Cohee Dan Hoeper Linda Lueders Emily Navarre Diane Tiedje OOPS!! Joyce Lee was inadvertently left off the list of MG s with 100+ service hours for Sorry Joyce!! Our Mission To provide home horticulture information and education to the citizens of Scott County consistent with Iowa State University recommendations. We also strive to increase members knowledge of horticulture through educational programs.

2 Extension Notes As users of one of the programs offered by Extension, you may wonder what else is done by Scott County Extension. Each month, you will find here a short note about other Extension programs. Partners in Horticulture is a collaborative group formed by Scott County Extension to provide the knowledge and skills needed to design, plant and maintain attractive and environmentally responsible landscapes. This spring and summer, there will be two invasive species workshops to teach about insects and plants that you don t want in your yard or community. Or, join the Garlic Mustard Challenge and help control the spread of this invasive plant. SPURT! Submitted by Kim Scully Most have heard of DIRT... Today, a few words on SPURT. So, why does this word attract my interest? The Dictionary defines SPURT as a short period of time; moment; a sudden brief burst of effort or activity. Now, I like that definition. It relates well to Master Gardeners who lack time and or energy. Take our two fund raisers in May... how will everything get done? Or, another example... I have a big problem this spring because a tree was removed. I m going from a full-shade lawn and garden beds to full sun. To remain sane, I have to tell myself, make lemonade out of lemons. Can I get them all dug out at one time and ready for the Plant Sale? Nope! I have to do it in spurts! I have another dilemma how to get the word out about our Plant Sale. I think that it can be an advantage to be employed when it comes to getting the word out. For example, a MG can post the event at their place of employment. At lunch or breaks, conversation can move from talking about the weather to getting our gardens ready with plants from our Plant Sale! Of course, the subject can go beyond the MG s scope of experience or knowledge the answer It depends may jump from the memory bank. And if that fails, one can always fall back on the Hort Clinic being there to answer questions by knowledgeable MG s and staff. I find myself in a different category than the employed MG. I tend to be similar to the retired volunteering in various ways while planning the upcoming season and frequenting my garden. All the while, I m keeping to myself and minding my own business. I have a few neighbors who know I enjoy gardening but other than that, not many know I m a MG. So, here s an approach I tried last year I had the Extension office make me lots of copies of the Plant Sale Flyer. Then, I placed a Post It on each which read, Hi, We re your neighbors, Kim Scully and Lois Fradel. We re Master Gardeners. Hope you can make our event. I tri-folded each flyer and taped it with scotch tape to neighbors front doors. I even got in some exercise! Did this take me hours to complete? Nope! In a SPURT! (By the way, it paid off I can recall 7 of the people I notified coming to the plant sale.) SPURT!

3 ISU SCOTT COUNTY EXTENSION MASTER GARDENERS PRESENTS 2013 DIG to DONATE PLANT SA L E May 4, 9am to 1pm Scott County Extension Office 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf perennials grown by Master Gardeners and local greenhouse ~ expert advice ~ demonstrations ~ buy local support the Master Gardener program Create a new flower bed. Add more or different plants to an existing bed. Pick from a wide selection of perennials many of which are grown and donated by ISU Scott County Extension Master Gardeners. Not sure what plant to choose? Ask a Master Gardener for expert advice. They can help you find the right plant for your garden. Great prices. Good variety. Cash or check. Phone:

4 2013 ISU Scott County Extension Master Gardener Plant Sale Event: 2013 DIG to DONATE Plant Sale Location: ISU Scott County Extension Office, 875 Tanglefoot Dr., Bettendorf Public Sale: Saturday, May 4, am to 1pm Master Gardener Pre-Sale: Friday, May 3, to 7pm Promotion: All MG s will be ed a PDF of the plant sale flyer, please forward to all your friends, relatives, co-workers and anyone else who may be interested. Print out copies to hang up at your church, work, club, organization or any other public place. If you don t have a color printer, just call the Extension Office and they can print copies for you to pick up. For a successful sale, we need your help in getting the word out. Master Gardener Opportunity: All MG s will be given the opportunity to order from the Swift s Green Houses Catalog this year. Only full flats will be ordered. If you want less than a full flat, it is your responsibility to find someone who might want to split the flat with you. You may also contact Joan Gentzkow, Pam Looney, Joyce Lee or Lois Fradel to see what the committee is ordering as their selections might fit your needs. The cost to you can only be an approximation, as the more ordered, the greater the discount which won t be determined until all orders are on file. The deadline for MG ordering from Swift s Green Houses is March 28th. Plant donations: If you need pots please pick them up from the Extension Office, MG shed (get the key from Amanda.) Please read Sue Laiman s article on the next page on how to treat your perennials for the sale. A $3.00 coupon will be given to all MGs who donate plants for the sale. This coupon may be used toward your purchase at the MG Pre- Sale or at the Public Sale. Also don t forget that you can count the time it takes you to divide and pot your plant donations as volunteer hours. Drop off your plant donations: Tues April 30 10am-4pm Wed May 1 10am-6pm Thurs May 2 10am-4pm Fri May 3 10am-4pm 5 points to remember when donating plants: Pot size 3-4 up to large 3-5 gallon pots No woody plants Use the Plant Donation Form to identify your plants, preferably with complete botanical name including cultivar if appropriate. Plant donation form will be ed to all MG s. However, if you don t know the information, put down what you do know and the MG s available when you bring your plant or plants in will help you fill out the form. No diseased or insect infested plants please. Pot up 2 weeks or more ahead of the sale to allow the plants to become established in the pot. It s very important to have a nice display no newly-dug, wilted-in-the-pot plants please. Want to donate plants but can t dig and divide your plants for what ever reason? Want to help MG s dig their plants for donations? Contact Diane Soltau at or her at ricksoltau@centurylink.net. for information about joining this unique new committee or to schedule an appointment for assistance with your donation. Plants should be dug and divided by April 20, 2013 Continued on next page

5 Continued from previous page. Other donations: We need 3-4 to 3-5 gallon pots. Please clean with a 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Deliver to the Extension Office and put in the MG Shed (get key from Amanda). Cardboard boxes for people to carry their purchased plants to their cars. Consider lending your wagons and garden carts to be used the day of the sale. Items to re-sell are needed, like gently used containers and other garden related items. Educational or demonstration booths needed: The Plant Sale planning committee is looking for Master Gardeners or MG Committees who would like to do a demo or information booth for the plant sale. Must be educational and garden related. your ideas to Lois Fradel at ronlo2@msn.com or Joyce Lee at jlee926@yahoo.com Miscellaneous Not signed up yet to volunteer the day of the plant sale? There are many opportunities for donated items or volunteer time. The success of the plant sale depends on all of us. We work better when we work together. Contact Lois Fradel (ronlo2@msn.com) or Joyce Lee (jlee926@yahoo.com) on the subject line please start out with MG Plant Sale I want to help. Divide and Conquer A Plant Potting Primer Submitted by Sue Laimans It won't be long before we are scouring our gardens in search of plant divisions to pot up for our annual plant sale. We want them to look their best so here is a quick refresher Pots, with drain holes in the bottom, should be cleaned and rinsed in a 10 percent bleach solution. 2. On a cloudy day, if possible, dig up seedlings, divide plants & pot them at least 10 days before the sale so they will have time to recuperate from transplant shock. 3. You can buy potting soil but since I use new soil in my containers each spring, I use that previous year's soil for the sale pots. 4. When digging up volunteers (seedlings), try to avoid disturbing the roots. 5. Using the right tools to divide makes a big difference. Dig up the plant & remove the soil enough where you can clearly see the crown of the plant and root system. Divide the plant so each division has at least 2 to 3 buds & a good root system. Some plants, like daisies & mums, can be pulled apart gently with your fingers. Others are more difficult & though you may struggle, you will conquer! Use pitchforks back to back to pull apart the roots of hostas or Siberian iris or use a sharp spade. I find an old butcher knife comes in handy with threadleaf coreopsis and garden shears with 'Pumila' astilbe. 6. Pot up the plants and water them thoroughly. Place them in a shady spot for about a week or until they look fully recovered. Then provide the amount of light they enjoy. 7. Be sure to provide plant info on our plant donation form which will be ed to all MG s. If you are unsure of the plant s name, list as much information as you know. Help is available for you at the Extension office plant donation area. 8. Before bringing them to the Extension office, water well and wipe the pots. Trim off any dead leaves & blooms or scraggly stems. 9. If you have never divided a particular plant before, do some research on it first. Some plant roots can cause a skin rash so be sure to wear gloves. Others, should never be divided such as Gas Plant & Carolina Lupines.

6 Here are the descriptions Vander Veer s Seasonal Plant Support Courses, just to give you a better idea of some topics to prepare for. Seasonal Plant Support- Seed Starting Getting the spring fever to begin planting colorful and delicious varieties of vegetables and flowers? It s not too early to start growing seeds indoors! Join a Master Gardener to learn tips and techniques to get your seeds started and even plant up a few to take home! We supply the containers and soil, you just bring those special seeds you want to grow! SPR /19 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support-Brilliant Trees for Spring As our days get longer and temperatures rise, dormant trees are preparing for bud-breaking explosions of color and flowers. Come explore some fantastic spring show-offs and identify trees by unique attributes and growth habits! SPR /26 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support-Pruning and Spring Clean-up While you are anxiously waiting for those first green leaves of Spring to emerge, now is the perfect time to get outside and do a little tidying up and pruning in your outdoor landscape. So, before you turn all Edward Scissor-Hands on your prized trees and shrubs, consider this course as a tutorial on how crazy you should go with those pruning shears! Pruning is easy and has bountiful benefits when done properly. Come learn about the various pruning methods and find out which will be best for your plants. SPR /09 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support-Tasty Salad Gardens Have you been waiting all winter for the taste of fresh garden salads? Now is your chance to get your hands dirty and begin growing your very own salad garden! Plant lettuce, spinach, radish, and other mouth-watering cool-weather crop seeds in a container to take home. Please bring a pot of your choosing and we will supply the rest! SPR /16 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support-Plants for Every Season Begin planning your garden or landscape using plants that will provide seasonal interest all year long. Find out which plants provide color, texture, and ornamental value throughout the season and get growing tips on how to make your yard a true show-stopper. SPR /23 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support- Annual Flower Baskets April showers bring May flowers! Join us in welcoming a bright and bountiful May with a personalized annual flower basket. Bring a basket or container to plant your very own annual flower arrangement and we will provide the flowers and soil. SPR /30 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support- Vegetable Gardens If you can t get enough of fresh garden tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and cucumbers, now is the time to get them ready for planting! There are so many wonderful vegetable varieties on the market to choose from! Learn about care and maintenance of vegetable crops and plant one up to take home. Bring a pot or container and we will provide the soil and plant. SPR /07 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support- Composting 101 Tired of lugging yard waste bags around your yard trying to keep up with grass clippings, plant debris, and leaves? Save time, money and resources by starting an urban composting bin! This class provides a quick and easy tutorial on how to construct and utlize a modest compost bin. Instead of paying to have your valuable yard waste hauled away, recycle it naturally into beautiful black soil that is rich in nutrients and organic matter. Addition of organic matter to your soil reduces water requirements and saves the water meter! SPR /14 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support- Perennial Gardening Don t spend all that energy replanting your flower garden every spring, let the plants do the work for you. There are hundreds of varieties of perennials to choose from, you are guaranteed to find the perfect combination of color, texture, and style for your landscape. Learn gardening techniques including propagation, division, and general maintenance of your perennial garden so you can enjoy an effortless garden year after year. SPR /21 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support- Fruit Trees and Shrubs The nostalgia of visiting an apple orchard or picking delicious raspberries off a fence can become a reality by incorporating edible trees and shrubs into your landscape. There are many great fruiting plants that not only provide ornamental appeal but also offer sweet satisfaction. Learn growing tips and maintenance so you can begin your very own adventure in edible landscapes! SPR /28 Fee: $5.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden Seasonal Plant Support Bulk Discount Get all your answers for the season with our ten week Seasonal Plant Support course! Learn about care, maintenance, pruning, and selection of perennials. Also explore spring bulbs, herbs, vegetables, and flowers! Take advantage of our bulk discount and save $15 when you sign up for all ten courses! Don t miss out on this great opportunity! SPR /16-06/25 Fee: $35.00 Tue 5:30 PM - 6:00 PM Vander Veer Enabling Garden

7 2013 ISU Scott County Extension & Outreach Master Gardener Spring Educational Series Still Two Left! Iowa State University Scott County Extension & Outreach Master Gardeners announce their spring educational series designed for gardeners of all experience levels. April 2 Herbs: What You May or May Not Know Scott County Master Gardeners Colleen Adrian and Rhonda Cooper will cover the A-Z of herbs. You will learn about herb history, starting herbs from seed, growing and harvesting herbs, and their use and preservation. After attending this class you will be able to grow and utilize your own herb garden. April 9 Plants for Problem Areas Dan Mays, Scott County Master Gardener, will provide suggestions for plants to grow in those challenging spots we all have in our yards. Slopes, shade, and hot spots near streets and driveways are no match for the ideas Dan will provide to turn problem areas into attractive alternatives. Classes are held in the Cyclone Room at the Scott County Extension Office at 875 Tanglefoot Lane in Bettendorf from 7:00 9:00 pm. A nominal $5 fee is charged and refreshments will be available. Please register for classes by calling the Extension Office at weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Classes are 1-2 hours in length. For directions to the office and information on other Scott County Extension programs, visit *********************************************************************** 2013 Spring Series Classes Monday Nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. U of IL Extension Office, Milan, IL March 18th - Environmental Change Provides Opportunities in Gardening. We ve been rezoned! (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, that is.) The old saying Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it rings true in gardening. Alec Schorg of Aunt Roadie s Landscaping & Design Studio discusses how to deal with a warming planet, wetter/drier periods and the trends of green technology and greener industry practices. Come listen and discuss how these offer the home gardener opportunities in their own garden practices. March 25th - Home Winemaking. Attention DIYers: Learn how to make wine from the fruits of your own back yard. Wide River Winery's Dorothy O'Brien will take class members step by step through the winemaking process. You can use a kit or harvest that rhubarb for a wonderfully refreshing summer beverage. April 1st - Plants That Attract Honeybees & Pollinators & Cooking With Honey. Join Ron Fischer of Fischer s Honey Farm as he teaches how to attract bees and other pollinators to your yard. Then spend some time in the kitchen with the beekeeper as he shares his secret techniques and recipes for using honey. April 8th - Conifers. Ellen Kelly, Scott County Master Gardener, and Past President of the American Conifer Society will show the varied shapes, forms and growth habits of conifers and how they can be used to add year-round beauty to your yard. We'll also discuss some common pests and diseases and some conifers to avoid. Whether your yard is large or small, there is a conifer that fits your landscape. April 15th - Mixed Beds. Ray Wolf, Scott County Master Gardener shows us how to find room for all of those intriguing new plants that grab our attention. We will learn about mixed gardens, their role in the landscape, preparation and design considerations, and see examples applicable to our area. So whether it s a tree, shrub, flower, grass, bulb, annual or perennial that you fancy, learn how to fit it all in with stunning results. April 22nd - What s New In The Greenhouse. Gwen Coobs of Allen s Grove Greenhouse will share the latest and greatest information on new plants varieties available for She ll bring a few of her favorites from years past as well and talk about how to best utilize each plant in your garden or yard. Plants will be available for sale.

8 The Gardener s Dirt ISU Scott County Extension 875 Tanglefoot Lane Bettendorf, IA (563) Fax (563) Upcoming Classes & Events: CEU s Course # Topic When Where Cost Instructor Registration Information * - 5th Annual Day of Insects NA Sunday Garden Forum Identifying Edible Mushrooms Pruning & Spring Cleanup Salad Garden Plants for Every Season Homegrown Challenge Herbs Annuals ISU Scott County Extension & Outreach Master Gardener Plant Sale Homegrown Challenge Mulches, Composting & Winter Crops Vegetables April 6, :00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. April 7, :00 4:00 p.m. April 9, 2013 April 16, 2013 April 23, 2013 April 29, :30 6:30 p.m. April 30, 2013 May 4, 2013 TBA May 6, :30 6:30 p.m. May 7, 2013 Reiman Gardens ISU, 1407 University Blvd Ames, IA Iowa City Public Library Room A 123 S Linn St Iowa City, IA University of Illinois Extension, 321 W 2nd Ave., Milan, IL ISU Scott County Extension, 875 Tanglefoot Ln., Bettendorf, IA University of Illinois Extension, 321 W 2nd Ave., Milan, IL * To be determined by sessions attended. Submit proof of sessions attended to the ISU Scott County Extension Horticulturist. $25.00 Various Free $5.00 $5.00 Marty Augustine Duane Gissel Laurs Klavitter $5.00 Dan Mays Free $5.00 Univ of IL Master Gardeners Tom Dywiak en/2013_day_of_insects/ NA On-line through Parks and On-line through Parks and On-line through Parks and registration/?registrationid=7521 On-line through Parks and Free NA NA Free $5.00 Univ of IL Master Gardeners Tom Monroe registration/?registrationid=7521 On-line through Parks and The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Many materials can be made available in alternative formats for ADA clients. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC or call