Horticulture Newsletter

Transcription

1 Horticulture Newsletter 2017 IN THIS ISSUE Herbaceous - Part 3 Herbal Teas All classes offered by the Horticulture Program require preregistration. Call , to RSVP so you are ensured handouts, notice of reschedule or cancellation. Bullitt County 384 Halls Ln. Shepherdsville, KY (502) Fax: (502) In a Nut Shell Planning Next Planting Season Pre Emergent Herbicides 2018 Tool Box Classes Upcoming Classes and Events December Office Closed December 23rd through January 1st for the Holiday Season January Thursday the 18th at 6PM - Seed Starting Bullitt County Master Gardeners & The Horticulture Council Meet on the 1st Tuesday of Each Month Upcoming meetings: December 5th Meeting is at 6pm No January Meeting February 6th Meeting is at 6pm See enclosed flyer for information about our new Alternative Master Gardener Program and how to join. Tuesday the 30th at 6PM - Insects February Friday the 9th at 6pm Landscape Design 1 (participants must attend all 4 classes in the series) Monday the 19th at 6pm Orchard Production Friday the 23rd at 6pm Landscape Design 2 Lorilee George Lorilee George Bullitt County Extension Agent for Horticulture

2 HERBaceous Part Three Making Your Own Tea Throughout the centuries, people have been making their own tea using herbs grown in their gardens or collected from the wild. Today, as interest in growing herbs increases, so does the desire to try this age-old tradition. If this is "your cup of tea," you probably don't need to look any farther than your windowsill or backyard herb garden for the ingredients you'll need. Chamomile, sage, catnip, lemon verbena, comfrey, scented geranium, and any of the mints- -peppermint, orange mint, and spearmint, for example--are all ideal for tea. Rose hips, while not an herb, also make an excellent brew. If you're new to herb growing, be aware that many of the plants in your "tea garden" will produce generously the first growing season, and may spread more than you'd like by the following year. That doesn't mean you shouldn't grow them, but you will need to contain these invasive plants by planting them in old baskets or bottomless buckets sunk into the ground. Some, like lemon verbena, are not winter hardy in northern climates and so need to be grown in containers or replanted annually. Or try lemon balm instead, which is hardier and also has a lemony flavor. It does well in sun or shade although most of the tea herbs prefer a sunny location. Teas can be made from fresh-cut or air-dried leaves and flower heads. (Chamomile tea, for example, is made from the flowers not the foliage.) Parsley, which makes a surprisingly tasty tea, is best used fresh. Both stems and leaves can be harvested for tea. To ensure peak freshness, harvest herbs in early morning on a sunny day after the dew on the plants has evaporated. Use a sharp knife, leaving enough foliage to keep the plants growing. In other words, don't cut back farther than the second set of leaves. Make cuts at 45- degree angles, cutting close to a fork in the plant if possible. This will encourage the plant to bush out. Choose only healthy looking leaves and flowers, and nothing that has been treated with chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. If you do decide to collect some herbs from the wild, be 100 percent positive that you know what you are picking. And avoid roadside plants that have been contaminated with oil and fumes from cars and trucks and possibly sprayed with pesticides and other toxins. You can harvest herbs for teas throughout the season although perennial herbs will need time to build up their reserves before winter so should not be cut any later than a month or so before the first expected fall frost. Annual herbs, or those

3 perennials you are treating as annuals, can be harvested up until frost. In late summer you can pot scented geraniums, mints, and other herbs for an indoor herb garden. Just be sure you place the pots under lights or on a sunny windowsill to keep the plants producing. The perennials left in the ground need to be mulched with a thick layer of mulch after the last harvest for winter protection. Although you can use fresh herbs for tea, most home tea growers prefer to dry the leaves and flowers to store for use throughout the year. There are several ways to do this. Bunches of cut herbs can be tied with string and hung upside down to dry. Choose a warm, dark place with good ventilation. Herbs may mildew or not dry properly if air circulation is poor. The herbs are ready for storage when the leaves are dry and crackly. Strip the leaves off the stems, crumble in your hands or use a food processor, and store in airtight jars away from direct sunlight. If drying stems with seed pods, tie up bunches as above, then slip a brown paper bag over the clump to catch the seeds. For ventilation, poke a few slits in the sides of the bag with a sharp knife. Or spread the seeds on a cloth towel or layer of paper towels in a dry spot for one to two weeks. When dry, store in jars with tight lids. You also can dry herbs on a screen or in the microwave or a conventional oven. These methods work best for flowers but can be used for all parts of the plant. If using screens for air drying, remove the flower heads or leaves from the stems (discarding the stems), and spread in a thin layer on the screen. You can stack several screens, providing you leave a few inches between each one. If using the microwave, place herbs on a paper towel and microwave on low for 60 seconds. Dry for one-minute intervals until the herbs are almost dry. Then allow to air dry for 24 to 48 hours before storage. In a conventional oven, spread foliage and flowers thinly on cookie sheets, and "bake" at the lowest possible oven temperature setting for several hours with the oven door open. Stir occasionally. When herbs are completely dry, let cool completely before placing in jars. Label your jars of herbs with name and date. Store in a dark place to maintain color and taste. Most dried herbs will keep for up to a year although you should discard as soon as the product has lost its flavor. Making herbal tea is a simple process, requiring little more than boiling water, dried or fresh herbs, and honey, sugar, and lemon

4 depending on taste. Use one tablespoon of fresh herbs or one teaspoon of dried for each cup of water. Try different combinations of herbs to find a blend you like. Place leaves in a tea ball or in your tea pot, pour in boiling water, cover the pot, and allow it to steep. Strain and serve. You will need to experiment with how long tea needs to steep before drinking although for most blends, three to ten minutes is sufficient. The longer the tea brews, the stronger it will be. One exception is mint, including catnip, which should be steeped for no more than eight to ten minutes as the tannins in the plants will give the tea a bitter taste if brewed for longer than that. More information on herbs commonly used in teas: Chamomile: There are two types of chamomile - English (Chamaemelum nobile) and German (Matricaria recutita). German chamomile is a cool -season annual that grows to about 18 inches tall in sun or part shade. The small white and yellow flowers are produced abundantly and dried for chamomile tea. It is easy to grow from seed sown in early spring and will reseed. Roman chamomile is a low growing perennial ground cover that prefers cool conditions. Plant it in part shade in moderately moist soil. The apple-scented foliage can be used in potpourri. The daisylike flowers can be harvested and brewed as tea. Lemon balm (Mellisa officinalis): Lemon balm is an easy-to-grow perennial. It has a strong, sweet lemon scent and makes a delightful tea. The heart-shaped leaves are light green, or yellow in some cultivars. Lemon balm grows to 1½ feet high in sun or partial shade, with well -drained soil. It will spread and self-sow readily. Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus): Lemongrass is a lemon-flavored relative of pampas grass that grows to 4 feet tall. The swollen, white, lower end of the stem is the part used. Lemongrass makes a great tea, and is widely used in southeastern Asian cooking. It grows in full sun to part shade. It is hardy near the coast. Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla): Lemon verbena is the most sweetly scented of all lemony herbs. This rather sprawling shrub is tender and will need to be overwintered inside except near the coast. It can be cut back and all leaves removed before storing inside in a cool area until spring. Lemon verbena is excellent used in teas, cold drinks, sweets and potpourris. It prefers moist soil and full sun. Mints (Mentha species): Mints are a very large group of herbs with many species and cultivars in a wide range of flavors. Most have several traits in common. They are easy, vigorous growers that can become invasive if not confined. All prefer to grow in rich, moist or even damp soil in part shade. It is best to grow mints from cuttings, roots

5 or transplants. Mint seed does not come true to type. Harvest leaves frequently to encourage best growth and prevent flowering. Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is one of the easiest to grow. This is the traditional mint for use in mint juleps and mint tea. Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) has the flavor of candy canes. Other mints include ginger mint (Mentha x gentilis), applemint (Mentha rotundifolia), pineapple mint ( Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata') and the very dwarf Corsican mint (Mentha corsica). Each year I grab at least one stevia plant for harvesting leaves to sweeten my favorite tea with one stevia leaf per cup. teatime.htm In a nutshell: Ever Wonder where the term COLE Crops came from? The German word for Cabbage is spelled KOHL, but our modern day English word is COLE. Origin and Etymology of cole before 1000; Middle English col(e) from Old English cāl, cāw (e)l, from Latin caulis stalk, stem, cabbage; akin to Greek kaulos stem or stalk, Latvian kauls. Cole or kōl/noun a brassica, especially cabbage, kale, or rape. Brassica oleracea is a plant species that includes many common foods as cultivars, including cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, savoy, and kohlrabi. These cool seasoned vegetables can withstand light frost without injury.

6 Planning Next Planting Season Soon, if you haven t already, you ll be receiving seed catalogs for the 2018 vegetable-growing season. While listening to the cold wind blow outside, what a comfort it is to think about spring and summer and planning your garden. To make the most of your garden, every aspiring gardener should follow some planning steps to have a successful gardening season. thinking through crop rotation. Keep the designs year after year to ensure crop rotation also to note what works and what does not! 2. Select a good gardening site that has full sun for at least eight hours each day, is relatively level, well-drained, and close to a water source. 1. Think through what you want to eat! We all know how easy it is to fill your plate with food before counting calories. For a gardener, it is also easy to be overwhelmed wanting to grow everything from those catalogs based on the colorful pictures. Decide what you want to grow and how much time you have to do the work. Plan your garden on paper before you order your seed. When spring arrives, you have a plan to follow because you invested time preparing locations, and 3. Prepare the soil properly and add fertilizer and lime according to soil-test recommendations. Soil Sampling is Important Gardeners should collect soil samples now so that fertility and, more importantly, soil ph can be adjusted prior to planting the garden. Nitrogen fertilization should be applied two weeks prior to planting a vegetable garden. There is no charge for Bullitt County residents for the analysis run through the Bullitt County Extension Office, our district board covers the cost for these services. Samples can be brought to the Extension Office Monday through Friday from 8:00 am. to 4:00 pm. (our office closes at 4:30pm). Soil sampling and following the recommendations according to the soil sample analysis is the best way to get the most out of your vegetable garden. 4. Plan only as large a garden as you can easily maintain.

7 Beginning gardeners often overplant, and then they fail because they cannot keep up with the tasks required. You ll have to control weeds and pests, apply water when needed and harvest on time. 5. Grow vegetables that will produce the maximum amount of food in the space available. Plan and order enough succession crop seed. 6. Plant during the correct season for the crop. Choose varieties recommended for your area. vegetable garden, contact Bullitt County Cooperative Extension for a copy of Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky. 7. Harvest vegetables at their proper stage of maturity. Store them promptly and properly if you do not use them immediately. A well-planned and properly kept garden should produce 600 to 700 pounds of produce per 1,000 square feet and may include many different crops. Finally, the closer the vegetable garden is to your back door, the more you will use it. You can see when your crops are at their peaks and can take maximum advantage of their freshness. Also, keeping up with the planting, weeding, watering and pest control will be easier. For more guidance on Planning your 2018 Or you may download the.pdf from the University s Website

8 Pre Emergent Herbicides for the Lawn If you have a lawn, you have had a weed problem. Keeping those weeds in check is a challenge, but Extension is here to help. Most of us do not think to treat for weeds until they are already a major problem but if you can catch them early they are much easier to handle. This is where pre-emergent herbicides really come in handy. Post-emergent herbicides are applied when weeds are actively growing in the lawn and are most helpful when a weed is immature and small in size. Pre-emergent herbicides kill the weed as it begins to germinate so that the plant never gets a chance to become established. Pre-emergent herbicides can be applied at different times of the year depending on the weeds you are trying to kill. Remember you cannot sow grass seed and apply a pre-emergent herbicide! Winter annual weeds begin to emerge from seed in the fall. Typical winter annual weeds in this area include common chickweed, annual bluegrass, several thistles, wild mustard, Shepherd s Purse, Carolina Henbit Geranium, henbit, black medic and many more. These weeds emerge in the fall when temperatures begin to cool from seeds that have been dormant since late spring. Annual winter weeds grow slowly throughout the winter and begin rapid Common Chickweed growth when temperatures rise in the late winter. Preventing the weed seeds from germinating is the key. Part of the problem is that all seeds don t germinate at the same time. That means that we have to get the pre-emergent herbicide into the ground in a timely basis. September 15th is an easy date to remember and offers the best timing for a fall application. It also means that a second application around December 1st may be necessary to catch the late germinators. If you miss the window for applying a fall preemergent herbicide, you can use postemergence herbicides (chemicals that are applied to the plant itself after germination from seed) on an Plantain. Control in fall with as needed basis. post-emergent herbicide. Post-emergent control of broadleaf weeds (especially perennials), is much more effective if you apply it in fall. At that time, the weeds are storing up reserves for winter and moving nutrients from the leaves to the roots. They move the herbicide to the roots at the same time, resulting in a better kill. And unless your weeds are running rampant, try spot spraying them in the fall instead of putting down herbicide over your entire lawn. That s just one small step you can take for sustainability. Summer annual weeds germinate in later winter, early spring. Pre-emergent herbicides for summer annuals are typically applied late winter for control of many summer annual weeds, particularly annual grasses including crabgrass

9 and goose grass species. Application timing is critical with these products. Specifically, smooth Crabgrass and large crabgrass germinate when soil temperatures (four inch depth) reach 55 degrees F whereas goose grass germinates when soil temperatures reach 60 degrees F. Since these herbicides control susceptible species as they grow through the herbicide treated zone, the herbicide barrier must be established prior to weed seed germination. A good Goose Grass rule of thumb in our area is to apply the preemergent when the forsythia bushes go into bloom. Pre-emergent program checklist: Timing. Most pre-emergence herbicides will not control weeds that have germinated prior to application. Therefore, try to apply these herbicides several weeks before germination. If they are applied too soon before germination, the herbicide may lose its effectiveness. For the fall a good rule of thumb is to apply a pre-emergent the third week of August to mid-september. In spring timing generally falls between late March and mid-april. Specific dates for applications of pre-emergence herbicides are difficult to give due to varying environmental conditions for each location and year. Turf preparation. To ensure the pre-emergence herbicide of getting into the soil where weed seed is located, remove debris such as leaves and grass clipping before you apply the herbicide. Amount. Always read the label and apply the recommended amount on your lawn. Check the label to see that the herbicide is safe for use on your lawn. Coverage. Achieve a complete, uniform coverage by dividing the recommended amount of granular herbicide into two equal portions and spreading each in opposite directions. For adequate coverage, make spray applications at approximately three quarts per 1,000 feet. Activation. Water the pre-emergence herbicide area if 0.5 inch of rain does not occur within 24 to 48 hours following application. All preemergence herbicides are soil applied and must be watered into the soil where weed seeds are located. Second application. A second application may be required for season-long control. This will depend on the particular herbicide and environmental conditions, but pre-emergence herbicides generally remain effective for 60 to 110 days. Forsythia in bloom. Apply spring pre-emergents when forsythias go into bloom.

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18 Check out Bullitt County Horticulture on Facebook to keep up with upcoming classes, events, and get answers to your questions. Check out photos of past events. -Lorilee George Bullitt County Cooperative Extension Service 384 Halls Ln. Shepherdsville, Ky RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED