IN THE GARDEN NOW. A New Weed to be on the Lookout for Wooly Frogs Mouth HELPING GARDENERS PUT KNOWLEDGE TO WORK. April 2017

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1 IN THE GARDEN NOW HELPING GARDENERS PUT KNOWLEDGE TO WORK April 2017 Lisa Rayburn Extension Agent, Horticulture Wooly Frogs Mouth Contact Us: NCCE-Onslow County 4024 Richlands Hwy. Jacksonville, NC (910) (910) Fax edu North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating. A New Weed to be on the Lookout for Wooly Frogs Mouth A new weed has been identified in Pender County. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture identified Wooly Frogs Mouth in a Pender County pond. This is the first identification of this aquatic plant in the US. This weed is considered high risk for impact and establishment throughout the US according to the United States Department of Agriculture Animal Plant Health Inspection Service. This population was destroyed. Please see the attached fact sheet. Be on the lookout and if you think that you have seen this plant, contact the NCDA&CS Weed Specialist Dr. Bridget Lassiter (bridget.lassiter@ncagr.gov or (919) ). You are always invited to report invasive species to the NCDA&CS by calling or report by newpest@ncagr.gov.

2 Onslow County Master Gardener Volunteers Online Plant Sale The Onslow County Master Gardener Volunteers have partnered with a local nursery to offer an online plant sale. The Online Plant Sale will run from Friday, April 7 through Thursday, April 20 th at noon. We will send you the website prior to April 7. You will browse a selection of beautiful ornamental plants (including pictures and descriptions), make your decisions, place your order and make payment online. You will pick up your plants during our Spring Garden Symposium on April 22 from 8:30 until 1:30 at the Discovery Gardens (located adjacent to the Farmers Market at 4024 Richlands Highway). If you are interested in this event, please lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu. Strawberry Season April marks the beginning of strawberry season in Onslow County. Our relatively warm winter followed by a cold snap in March will have some impact on our strawberry season this year. Growers started picking early with berries ripening the end of March. Normally our strawberry season starts off fairly slow and reaches a crescendo in mid-april to mid-may. The cold snap in March means that we probably will not see a huge number of berries in the middle of the season. Some local growers have estimated losing 20-50% of their blooms during the freeze. If you want to pick berries to put up, head out to your local farms the first couple of weeks in April as we are not likely to see a big peak in production and the season is likely to be done a little early. You can find local strawberries at the farmers market or pick your own farms. We have several local pick-your-own strawberry farms: Mike s Farm Mike and Theresa Lowe 1600 Haw Branch Road Beulaville, NC (910) Putnam Family Farms Steve Putnam 2044 Lightwood Knot Road Kinston, NC Call ahead for hours, pricing and picking information.

3 Tips for Picking Your Own Strawberries: Call before you go. Strawberry availability may be affected by the weather and the number of people picking. Go early if you want to pick on a weekend, a busy morning can pick a field out before noon. Bring wide shallow containers that will hold the amount of berries you want to pick. If you layer berries in a deep container, berries on the bottom will get crushed. Don t layer berries more than 4 inches deep. Some farms furnish picking containers but may charge you for them. Dress for the weather and bring a broad-brimmed hat. It can get hot quickly out in the field. Bring something to drink and a snack (especially if you have kids along). Only pick fully ripe, red berries. Strawberries will not ripen after harvesting. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to pick a quart of strawberries. Pick strawberries carefully by pinching the stem connecting the berry to the plant with your fingernail. Don t pull on the berry you will bruise the berry and may damage the plant. Place berries in containers gently to avoid bruising. Do the grower a favor and if you find strawberries that have rot, sunburn or other issues, pick them and put them in the walkway between the berry rows. If they are left on the plants, they can spread rot to other berries. Please watch your children. Don t let them trample the rows, climb on farm machinery or wander off. Dress small children in red or dark colors. Then you don t need to worry about the inevitable stains. Get your berries out of the sun and cool as soon as possible. Strawberries will store in the refrigerator for two to three days but they will start to lose quality quickly. (continued on next page) Don t wash or hull strawberries until just before use. Any moisture, wound or bruising will make the berries more susceptible to mold during storage. Freeze strawberries as soon as possible for long-term storage. Wash berries, remove hulls, slice, sweeten (if desired) and freeze in freezer bags. This is a great time to use a vacuum sealer if you have one.

4 Strawberry Fields Salad This is one of my favorite spring time salads. Once you get done eating strawberries out of hand, spooning them over desserts, and making jam, try this sweet and savory option. 2 cups baby spinach or spring mix, washed and dried ½ c strawberries, sliced or quartered ¼ c feta cheese, crumbled ¼ c pecans, chopped (lightly toasted if you are spunky) balsamic vinaigrette to taste Layer the spinach or spring mix in a bowl. Top with the strawberries, feta, and pecans. Drizzle with the balsamic vinaigrette. Yum! Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day Saturday, May 13th 9am-4pm 415 Meadowview Rd. Jacksonville, NC The Onslow County Landfill will be offering a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on May 13 th. Residents of Onslow County are invited to bring Household Hazardous Waste to the event. Material should be in the original container or labeled appropriately. Load non-leaking containers into your vehicle. Onslow County personnel will unload the material. Materials Accepted: paint and paint related materials;; including stains, removers, solvents, aerosol cans;; including paint, cleaners, pool chemicals Regular Tipping Fees Apply: $49/ton For more information, contact: Association Meetings Onslow County Farmers Market Association Meeting March 7, 4 pm Contact: Marie Bowman, , marie_bowman@onslowcountync.gov Onslow County Master Gardener Volunteer Association Meeting March 9, 9 am Contact: Lisa Rayburn, , lisa_rayburn@ncsu.edu Onslow County Beekeepers Association Meeting March 14, 7 pm Contact: Jeff Morton, or jeff_morton@ncsu.edu

5 Lawns Do not apply post-emergent herbicides to warm season lawns as they transition from dormant to active growth. At this point in the season, lawns are sensitive to herbicide damage. Meanwhile, winter annual weeds are at their most mature stage. These large weeds are more difficult to control but will quickly melt out with the onset of hot weather. So mow now to keep the weeds under control and be prepared to apply pre-emergent fertilizers proactively next fall. Flower Beds April is still a good time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. You can also divide perennials like ornamental grasses and other plants that bloom later in the summer or fall. Save your springblooming perennials for dividing in the fall. Continue pruning to direct the shape and growth of your trees and shrubs. Save pruning of spring blooming shrubs like azaleas and forsythia until just after they are done blooming. Remember to remove dead, diseased, broken and crossing over wood first. Then step back and determine which cuts are needed to improve the shape of the plant. Ensure that mulch is 3-4 inches deep in your flower beds. This is your first line of defense against weeds. Choose an organic mulch such as pine bark, hardwood bark or pine needles. Avoid inorganic mulches like lava rock and rubber as well as the use of landscape fabric. Landscape fabric does not prevent weeds from growing in the mulch or punching through the fabric from below but they can impede the movement of water and organic material in to the soil below. Make sure to mulch around trees as well but do not let the mulch lay against the base of the trunk. Keep it at least 6-8 inches away from the base to prevent the development of girdling roots. Vegetable Garden April is a great month for the vegetable garden. Most warm weather crops can be seeded or set out as transplants in April. Large seeded crops like sweet corn and beans can be planted at the beginning of the month. Wait until the middle of the month to plant tomatoes in most locations. Peppers and eggplants prefer warmer weather, consider setting them out closer to the end of the month. Okra and sweet potatoes really like it hot so hold off on planting these crops until May. Gardeners along the coast and push planting up a week or two compared to more inland locations. Consider using a slow release fertilizer to feed your vegetables. Slow release fertilizers are less likely to burn the plants or leach out of the soil without being used. Many formulations will feed for 2-3 months or longer.

6 Upcoming Classes, Events & Training Introduction to Raised Bed and Container Gardening April 6, 10 amtarawa Terrace Community Center We ll discuss vegetable gardening in both raised beds and containers. Learn how to build, fill and grow in small spaces. We ll discuss variety choices, spacing, fertilizers and watering techniques that will ensure success in your garden. For more information or to register: Tarawa Terrace Community Center, Growing Great Tomatoes April 7, 10 am, Onslow Feed and Grain (Richlands) Let s talk tomatoes. We ll cover the ins and outs of growing this favorite garden vegetable including transplanting, fertility, support, variety selection, disease and insect pests. Join us for this informative session, we can problem shoot what went wrong last year and how you can set yourself up for success this season. For more information or to register: Onslow Feed and Grain, Vegetable Gardening 101 Series 4th Thursday of each month, 11 am, Discovery Garden (beside the Farmers Market) Come plant and tend the vegetables in the raised bed gardens with us. Each month, we will discuss what we are planting and why. Then you can help plant! These informal classes will be a great way to get your hands dirty, ask questions and get ideas that you can apply in your own garden. This month, the class will be April 27 and we ll be planting tomatoes and bush beans. For more information or to register: extension office, Beautiful Container Gardens, May 5, 10 am, Onslow Feed and Grain (Richlands) Learn how to create beautiful container gardens that add color and interest to your landscape throughout the season. We ll cover plant selection, color combinations, fertilizer choices and maintenance tricks that will keep your containers looking gorgeous. For more information or to register: Onslow Feed and Grain, Spring Garden Symposium April 22, 8:30 1:30, Discovery Gardens (beside the Farmers Market) The Master Gardener Volunteers will have tomato and pepper transplants for sale as well as garden items like birdhouses and trellises. Horn s Hosta Farm, Ash s Japanese Maples, and Shelton Herb Farm will be on site with their plants as well. Classes will run through the morning including: Raised Bed Vegetable Gardening, 9 am Growing Great Tomatoes, 10 am Planting Trees and Shrubs, 11 am

7 Onslow County Farmers Market The Onslow County Market will open for the season on April 8. We will celebrate our grand reopening on April 15. Join us for a selection of local produce, meats, wines, jams and jellies, honey, eggs, baked goods, crafts, vegetable transplants and more! Vendors vary from market to market so make sure you check out all three locations: Saturday from 8:30 to 1:30 at 4024 Richlands Highway Tuesday from 10 to 2 aboard Camp Lejeune in front of the commissary Thursday from 10 to 2 on Western Boulevard in front of Big Lots CONTACT US If you have questions about lawn, landscape or garden problems, contact your local Cooperative Extension office. In Onslow County call , Mon Fri. 8 am 5 pm, or visit us online anytime at While you are there, you can post your questions to be answered by using the Ask an Expert widget (in the upper left hand corner). North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation. North Carolina State University, North Carolina A&T State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and local governments cooperating.

8 Onslow County Multipurpose Complex NC Cooperative Extension Services 4024 Richlands Highway Jacksonville, NC / FAX