<![CDATA[-Baxter County Master Gardeners- - 2015 Gardening Calendar Blog]]>

<![CDATA[-Baxter County Master Gardeners- - 2015 Gardening Calendar Blog]]>Thu, 09 Apr 2026 05:48:35 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[January 2015 Gardening Calendar]]>Tue, 29 Dec 2015 22:00:09 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/january-2015-gardening-calendarThis article is based on the Co-Op Extension Service January Gardening Calendar.

Getting Your Garden Ready Inside And Out
If you still have some some spring flowering bulbs you haven't gotten around to planting you still have time but you need to get to it soon. They should still be fine if you get them planted. Don’t try to save them for another season, or they will dry up and be wasted.

Snow actually can act as a great insulator of our plants during cold weather, so the pansies, violas and flowering kale should have fared fine if the weight of the snow didn’t damage them. As the snow melts, it also adds moisture into the ground. Consider adding a boost of fertilizer to your winter annuals on a warm day.

Check your winter vegetable garden—if you planted one. Broccoli, kale and bok choy look fine even after a snow. If you over seeded with greens, even if they got zapped, they will rebound and begin to grow again. Snow is a good buffered from the severe cold weather. Later this month you can start planting English peas and it won’t be long before you can begin to plant other cool season vegetables.

Once the holiday decorations are down, the house looks drab. Add some color with amaryllis bulbs and paper white narcissus. Bromeliads can give you months of color with little care and the left over poinsettias should last for months. Bringing color with flowers into the house makes the dark days of winter seem not so long.

Clean Up
Clean up is always in order. Remove debris, replenish mulch and monitor for winter weeds. I always mulch during the winter there days where it's warm enough to get out into the beds if they ever dry out. It also gives you a head start in spring, your beds will look great as everything starts to come up. In flower beds and vegetable gardens, use good sharp hoe to remove the weeds then mulch. In the lawn, you can spot spray with a broadleaf herbicide or hand pull. Try to keep them from growing larger and blooming, since the bigger they are, the harder they are to kill and if they bloom, they set more seeds for next year.

Indoor Plants
Houseplants indoors grow much more slowly in the winter months, so don’t over water one of my biggest mistakes. New growth is slow with shorter days and lower light levels. You may have to move your plants to a south window for the extra light. I also find I have to turn my plants every week or so that way they grow balanced.

Catalogs
While it is a slow gardening month outside, this can be a good month to plan. Seed catalogs are arriving regularly and vegetable gardening is gaining in popularity. Cool season gardens are always easier to grow, since we don’t have to contend with insects or diseases. So consider building a raised bed garden or even start some plants in pots. If you know you need to re-landscape some areas, begin researching ideas for new plants. Plot your yard on a sheet of graph paper and look at your options.

Submitted by:
Tamara Carl

]]><![CDATA[December Garden Checklist]]>Fri, 27 Nov 2015 19:06:38 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/december-garden-checklistDECEMBER GARDEN CHECKLIST

After your garden has been put to rest, take advantage of a warm spell and work manure or compost into empty flower beds or into your much enjoyed vegetable garden. Working organic matter into the soil during the winter will put you ahead when gardening begins in the spring. Turning gardens in the winter will also kill overwintering insects.
This is the last call to plant spring flowering bulbs. You may find them at bargain prices because garden centers are trying to get rid of their inventory. Bulbs prefer a deep well drained soil with super phosphate worked into the soil before planting.
Between now and spring you need to spray fruit trees on a warm day with a dormant oil to control scale and other insects (eggs) which are overwintering on the tree. If you have scale insect problems on ornamentals, such as on euonymus, spray these also. Be sure to read and follow label directions on the dormant oil.
Lower limbs of young shade trees can be pruned now. Its best to prune up limbs as years pass to about 10 feet off the ground. Remember to cut close to the trunk leaving the bulge called ‘stem collar’. This bulge can be very small on young trees to a few inches in size on large trees. This stem tissue is comprised of very active plant cells which seal off open wounds in a few growing seasons. No pruning sealant is recommended.
When shopping for the perfect Christmas gift for the gardener on your list, don’t forget the wide selection of gardening related items. They include plants – both houseplants and shrubbery, as well as trees and bulbs. Gardening equipment, from shovels and pruning shears, to mini-tillers and lawnmowers, all would be welcome gifts. Then there are bird feeders, fountains and statuary, wind chimes and sundials, containers, and hoses. No gardener ever has enough books.
Keep your poinsettia fresh with even moisture and plenty of light.
During the dormant season, any plants which need to be moved from one location to another should be transplanted from now through February. Be sure to get as much of the root ball as you can, and plant as quickly as possible. Don’t allow the root system to dry out, or to be exposed to cold temperatures for too long. Don’t forget to water them in, and if natural rainfall doesn’t occur, water every two to three weeks.
You may prune hollies, cedars, magnolias, and other evergreens lightly this month to obtain foliage for holiday decorating. Be sure to prune carefully, and take some from all over the bush to keep as natural a shape as possible.
Make sure your ornamental plantings are mulched for the winter. Mulching keeps soil temperature more constant, retains moisture and helps prevent weeds. Besides that, it is more attractive than bare soil. Keep the mulch pulled back from the stem of the plant to help keep rodents away and keep air circulating around the plants. Place mulch two to three inches high throughout the beds and around trees to keep away lawnmowers and weed trimmers.
There is still time to plant pansies for winter color. Choose strong healthy plants which are in bloom, or have flower buds. Plant them in a sunny bed, fertilize and water and you can be assured of flowers all winter long. Pansies are unique in that they freeze solid, yet defrost when the sun hits them, and they bloom all winter. If you already have pansies planted, be sure to deadhead them periodically to keep them blooming. Fertilize them during periods of warmer weather throughout the winter. Pansies are heavy feeders and respond well to fertilizer.
Garden tools should be cleaned this time of year. There should be no soil left on them, and they should be oiled a little and stored in a dry place for winter.

For more information on any of the above points, contact the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at 425-2335.
Submitted by:
Mark D. Keaton
County Extension Agent
]]><![CDATA[November Garden Checklist]]>Thu, 29 Oct 2015 23:24:09 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/november-garden-checklistNOVEMBER GARDEN CHECKLIST

Sometime after a hard freeze, cleanup your perennials by cutting back dead stalks leaving 2 to 3 inch stalks and replenish the beds’ mulch. Remove old mulch in areas where you had a severe disease problem or an insect infestation. Diseases and insects can certainly overwinter in the old mulch.
The easiest method to have more perennials from one plant, is division. Dividing perennials is not difficult and can be done as the plant begins to decline this fall. A general rule, plants that bloom in the spring, should be divided in the fall, with fall bloomers divided in the spring. Summer performers can be done either season, but many choose fall for a stronger plant next season. As the plants enter dormancy, the plant will spend its energy establishing roots, and not foliage, thus giving you a stronger plant next growing season. Lift the plants that need division, and divide them using a sharp knife or spade, being careful to have a crown for each division.
If you have been needing to move some established plants around in the landscape, fall is the time to do so. Transplant deciduous plants after the leaves have dropped and evergreen plants can be transplanted after the first hard freeze.
It’s time to replenish compost heaps with the ample supply of leaves. Remember to add some nitrogen to your layers of leaves for faster decomposition. You can use animal manure or commercial fertilizer for your nitrogen source. If you don’t have good directions on composting, call the Extension office and we will be glad to mail you a composting fact sheet with easy to follow directions.
When planting pansies, be sure to use a fertilizer high in phosphorous. Superphosphate will work. This will stimulate root development which is needed to survive a cold winter. Pansies planted several weeks ago could use one more shot of nitrogen before winter sets in.
Spring flowering bulbs need to be planted by early December. Later planted bulbs run the risk of not getting enough chilling hours to bloom properly especially if we have a mild winter. As a general rule, bulbs should be planted three times deeper than the diameter of the bulb.
Don’t prune roses now. Fall pruning will encourage winter die back. Mulch roses up past graft union for winter protection.
It’s not unusual to start seeing some spring flowering bulbs foliage starting to appear in the fall or early winter. Whatever you do, don’t cut off the foliage or you won’t have a flower next spring. Each bulb only contains one set of leaves, flowers and roots, and damaging these can damage your bulb. Simply ignore them, lightly mulch and wait for a bloom next spring.
Recycle disease-free annual potted plants and potting medium by adding them to the compost pile or directly into the garden. Be sure to break up root balls from the plants.
Clean up emptied pots with a 10 percent bleach solution to get rid of any plant pathogens.
Empty and wash and dry sprayers before storing.
Drain water out of hoses before storing. Water expands as it freezes and can burst hoses.
Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus induce flower-buds this time of year when subjected to the cooler night temperatures. Pulling back on water will help initiate buds also. Do remember that they are frost sensitive, so bring plants indoors for the night when a frost is expected. Plants don’t require the cool night temperatures once you see flower buds.
You can reduce the number of pests next year on fruit trees by picking up and destroying all fallen leaves, fruits and branches. Many diseases and insects overwinter in this debris. Make sure that no fruit is left hanging on the trees which mummifies and is loaded with disease spores. You can also spray with a dormant oil on a nice day after the leaves have fallen off. Be sure to follow label directions.

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.
]]><![CDATA[October Garden Checklist]]>Fri, 25 Sep 2015 19:56:06 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/october-garden-checklist GARDEN CHECKLIST FOR OCTOBER

Applications are being taken for the upcoming Master Gardener training to be held on October 27, November 2 (Baxter County project tour), November 4, 11, 17, and 24 in Mountain Home. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Cost of the program is $75. For more information call 425-2335.
If you didn’t seed your tall fescue lawn in September, do so by the middle of the month. Seed at a rate of 8-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet. For existing tall fescue lawns, overseed now to thicken them up at a rate of 4-5 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Tall fescue makes a wonderful lawn for the shade. Be sure to water it well until it is established. Fertilize now as well with a complete fertilizer.
Planting trees and shrubs in the fall is ideal. Our ground temperature is still warm, so roots will begin to get established quickly. Rarely does our soil ever freeze solid, so the plants will continue to produce roots, even though the tops aren’t growing.
Leaves should be collected as they fall. You don’t want a heavy covering of leaves entering the winter months. A dense layer can actually smother a lawn. People often leave leaves on the lawn until it turns cold and then rake them. If you have a covering of leaves on your lawn prior to the first frost, the leaves may prevent your lawn from going dormant. When you finally do rake up the leaves, you’ll expose actively growing grass to cold weather. Your lawn could suffer winter injury.
Even though the weather is cooler this month, don’t forget to water an inch of water per week if natural rainfall doesn’t occur. It is especially important around trees and shrubs that were planted this year. Don’t severely prune shrubs now because this will encourage rapid regrowth, and the new growth won’t have time to harden off before cold weather arrives.
In the garden plant a cover crop, such as wheat or rye (for green manure) and turn it under in the spring. This holds the soil and organic matter in place, provides insulation and adds nutrients to the soil. Cover crops also encourage continued activity of beneficial soil microorganisms.
Do NOT compost or leave any diseased plants or plant parts in the garden.
For you garlic lovers, it’s that time of the year to plant garlic for next years harvest. Grow garlic in a location that gets at least six hours of full sun each day, and plant in fertile, well drained soil from mid-October to mid-December. Before planting, separate the bulbs of culinary garlic into individual cloves. Set cloves right side up ½ to 1 inch deep and 3 to 5 inches apart in the row.
It's time to set out winter pansies, flowering kale, flowering cabbage and fall mums.
Have your soil tested and follow the test recommendations.
Plant spring bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, Siberian squill, bulbous irises, Anemone and crocus. Select healthy, disease-free bulbs. Add bone meal or bulb fertilizer into the planting hole, as you prepare the soil.
People become worried when their pine trees shed pine needles, but it is a natural process. As long as the needles that are dropping are not at the tip of the branches, everything is fine. Rake up the pine needles and use it as a mulch around your shrubs.
Clean up around your perennial plants. Any leaves that have fallen can harbor insects and diseases for next year. Scatter dry seed heads or store the seeds for later use. Cut back any plants that have lost most of their leaves or that look bad now.
Divide and transplant any perennials that typically bloom in the spring or summer. Plant new perennials. They too will get well established during the fall, winter and early spring. Fall planting can also give you blooms the first season after planting.

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.
]]><![CDATA[September Gardening Checklist]]>Wed, 26 Aug 2015 19:45:48 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/september-gardening-checklist September Gardening Checklist

Horticulture entries are sought for the Baxter County Fair (September 15-19). Entries range from all types of vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants, and field crops. The Baxter County Fair is held in Mountain Home with entries accepted Tuesday, September 15 from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. You can go to www.baxtercountyfair.org for complete details.

September is the beginning of the cool-season lawn establishment period. Turf type tall fescues are best established from September to mid-October with late February through March as a poor second choice. Late seeded lawns will not be strong enough to survive the first summer. Prepare a good seed bed by tilling and bring a pint of soil to the Extension office to determine nutrient needs. Sow 8 to 10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for establishment. If you just need to thicken up your fescue lawn, overseed with 4-5 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

To get the most out of a pre-emergent herbicide program for winter annual weed control, make the application now or at least by September 15. Applications made in late September or thereafter often miss the beginning of germination of winter annual grasses and broadleaves. Remember after applying the pre-emergent herbicide, it needs to be watered in within a few days to activate it. Don’t apply a pre-emergent to a lawn to be overseeded or a newly seeded lawn.

Don’t fertilize or severely prune shrubs now because this will encourage rapid regrowth, and the new growth won’t have time to harden off before cold weather arrives.

Now’s a good time to collect soil samples for your lawn, gardens, and shrubs and have them analyzed by the University of Arkansas. Your soil sample report should be back within two weeks. If the report calls for lime to reduce soil acidity, apply it in the fall. The lime will have several months to work before spring growth begins.

Dig and divide spring blooming perennials.

Save seeds from annuals and perennials for next year’s planting.

Replenish mulch around trees and shrubs.

This month bring life back to your landscape by planting pansies, ornamental cabbage or kale, snapdragons, dusty miller and dianthus as the temperatures begin to cool. Pansies planted by mid-October survive winters best and will put on a tremendous show this fall.

Twig girdler insects should be making their appearance this month. Small branches of pecan, hickory, or elm are uniformly girdled from the tree and fall to the ground. The fallen twigs have eggs deposited in them os dispose of them immediately, to control the twig girdler. this will reduce next year's problem.

Prepare your compost unit for the influx of fall cleanup which is just a few short weeks away. Clean out units and store compost in trash cans for fall gardening. If you are just starting to compost, come by the Extension office for information on composting or go to www.uaex.edu.

Leaves should be collected as they fall. You don’t want a heavy covering of leaves entering the winter months. A dense layer can actually smother a lawn. People often leave leaves on the lawn until it turns cold and then rake them. If you have a covering of leaves on your lawn prior to the first frost, the leaves may prevent your lawn from going dormant. When you finally do rake up the leaves, you’ll expose actively growing grass to cold weather. Your lawn could suffer winter injury.

Start acclimating your house plants for the trip back inside for the winter. Move plants to a less sunny area and then in a couple of weeks move them again to a location that simulates light conditions indoors. All this moving to lesser light outdoors will reduce plant shock when they are moved indoors next month.

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.
]]><![CDATA[August Gardening Checklist]]>Wed, 29 Jul 2015 20:09:50 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/august-gardening-checklist AUGUST GARDEN CHECKLIST

August is the month to start your fall vegetable garden. Bush beans, cucumbers, summer squash and other short season vegetables can be planted now. Cool season vegetables such as radishes, beets, carrots, lettuce, and others can also be planted at this time. To ensure a good stand of fall crops from seed it’s best to cover rows with burlap, paper, straw or even boards to aid in keeping the soil moist and cool.
With proper care, tomato plants can continue growing and set more fruit. Keep them watered and fertilize them towards the end of the month to ensure a good fall crop.
Harvest seedheads of sunflowers as the heads begin to droop and leaves turn brown. Prompt harvest is necessary to protect the seeds from birds and from falling to the ground.
Bermuda lawns can be fertilized for the last time this season with nitrogen fertilizer. Apply 3.5 pounds of 27-0-0 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet by mid-August. Around September 1 you can apply 2 pounds of 0-0-60 per 1,000 square feet for grass to develop a winter hardy root system.
Sharpen or replace mower blades as needed. Shredded leaf blades are an invitation to disease and allow more stress on the grass. For an average lawn you should sharpen your blades three times a season.
Fall webworms are showing up in trees. They particularly like pecan, cherry, and persimmon but can be found in almost any tree and occasionally shrubs. If control is needed, you can use BT, Sevin, malathion, acephate, or bifenthrin.
Trees take a beating with high temperatures and lack of rain. If you have a prized tree you want to keep, water twice a week. When you water, water deep. It is better to water more in depth, less often and early in the morning.
August/September is a good time to get rid of poison ivy and unwanted honeysuckle. Since they are perennials, applying glyphosate (example: Roundup) or triclopyr now can keep them from storing up nutrients for winter and reduce the chance of their surviving until spring. Don’t spray when plants are drought stressed. Wait until 3-4 days after a good rain. Be sure to follow the label directions.
Avoid pruning spring flowering trees and shrubs now because they are setting flower buds. Adequate moisture now will give abundant color next spring. Avoid heavy pruning of others also at this time of year since you run the risk that the plant will not have sufficient time to harden off before frost. Light pruning or heading back can be done at any time.
Strawberry plants are also setting flower buds this month and into September. Fertilize late this month to early September with 4 to 5 cups 27-0-0 fertilizer per 1,000 square foot bed. Moisture is also critical for good flower bud set and ultimately a good harvest next spring.
Make your last fertilizer application in early August on your roses. Continue deadheading and spraying fungicide and insecticide. Propiconazole, myclobutanil, thiophanate-methyl, tebuconazole, or triforine will control most foliage diseases, while acephate is a good choice for insect problems. Rose beds can produce some of the best blooms in the fall. Be sure to keep the soil evenly moist.
Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease. Crape myrtles, lilacs and dogwoods are very susceptible. If you have a powdery mildew problem, spray with propiconazole, myclobutanil, triforine, or chlorothalonil.
Rejuvenate tired annuals by removing faded flowers and cutting back long, leggy stems. Feed with a fertilizer and the plants will be back in bloom in a few weeks. If they are too far gone, pull them out and replace with new ones for fall. Although marigolds are usually considered a summer annual, they are also an alternative to mums and may actually bloom longer.
Stop pinching mums now. They will set flower buds as days get shorter. Fertilize mums once again and keep them watered during dry weather.
Horticulture entries are sought for the Baxter County Fair (September 15-19). Entries range from all types of vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants, and field crops. The Baxter County Fair is held in Mountain Home with entries accepted Tuesday, September 15 from 2:00 to7:00 p.m. Check out the web site (www.baxtercountyfair.org) for more information.
Cooperative Extension Service is conducting a horticulture judging training for people who are interested in judging at fairs. It will be on Thursday, August 20, at 9:00 a.m. – noon at the Baxter County Fairgrounds in Mtn. Home. We will cover the following topics: 1. Judging vegetables, fruits and herbs. 2. Judging flowers and plants. 3. Judging floral arrangements.

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.

]]><![CDATA[July Gardening Checklist]]>Fri, 26 Jun 2015 20:54:09 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/july-gardening-checklist JULY CHECKLIST FOR GARDENERS

It’s time to check for bagworms on all junipers and conifers. As most of you will agree bagworms can be found on any living plant, so check all surrounding plants if you notice some on their favorite host plant junipers. Some of the recommended insecticides are Sevin, malathion, acephate, Bt, bifenthrin, spinosad, and fluvalinate. Always read and follow label directions.
Pumpkins are planted this time of year for harvest this fall just in time for the holiday season. Keep plants well watered and free of insect pests. Spray every 7 days, or as needed with bifenthrin.
Start planning for a fall garden. Make plantings of squash, tomato, beans, cucumbers, southern peas, and any other vegetables which will mature before late October.
If your tomato leaves are turning yellow with dark spots from the bottom up and defoliating, this is early blight. This is a disease that needs to be prevented before it starts. This fungus can survive in the soil for several years. If you have early blight on your tomato plants spray with chlorothalonil (Daconil) every 4-5 days.
Tomato blossom drop is a problem as daytime temperature hits the upper 90s and night temperature does not fall below 75. As cooler temperatures come your tomato plants will set again. If blossom end rot is a problem, remember it is a calcium deficiency and can be minimized by keeping the moisture level constant and applying a soluble calcium called Stop Rot, Blossom End Rot Control or Blossom End Rot Preventer. Soil test to make sure your pH is in the proper range.
As you wrap-up the harvest on your tame blackberries, cut out the old canes (this years producing cane) to allow space for all the new canes that will produce fruit next year. As the new canes reach shoulder height, tip prune to encourage side branching, which also prevents new canes from arching over and reaching for the ground.
Water your shade trees before drought stress begins because you can never play catch up on watering trees. For well established trees, water deep once a week. Apply an inch or more water. Newly planted trees require watering twice a week during dry weather.
Avoid heavy summer pruning. Light pruning is fine. Even small limbs in the way of the lawn mower are fine to remove during a hot summer.
Raise your mower blades to cut your fescue lawn to 3 inches or more. Doing this will help protect grass roots from the summer heat and encourages a more extensive root system. Deeper roots will be beneficial during a drought. Water the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches every 3-4 days if possible. Don’t fertilize your fescue lawn during the summer.
Spider mites can be a severe problem at this time of year. They become very active during hot weather. Most ornamentals and vegetable crops are subject to attack. Bifenthrin, malathion or insecticidal soap are good choices to use on ornamentals and malathion or insecticidal soap on vegetable crops. Read label directions before use and most important follow directions on days to harvest vegetables after use.
Summer is the time to dig and divide irises. Irises do best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. High fertility encourages rhizomes to rot and fewer blooms. Fertilize lightly this fall for beds that you dig and divide this summer.
Beds overrun with bermudagrass are a maintenance headache. You can use herbicides such as Fusilade (fluazifop-P), Segment (sethoxydim), or Envoy (clethodim) right over the top of selected ornamentals and as a directed spray to others to kill the invasive bermuda. In our trials fluazifop-P has been the most effective on bermudagrass. These herbicides are a little costly but it will clean up an eyesore. These are grass killers, so remember to avoid spraying your ornamental grasses. As with any herbicide be sure to read and follow label directions.
If your summer annuals look like they are tired, fertilize them with half a pound (one cup) of 27-0-0 per 100 sq. ft. Watering is also important.
If you haven't already done so, put your leftover garden seeds in a ziplock bag and drop them in the freezer. You can keep many garden seeds this way for several years including seeds you collect from the garden, flowers or vegetables.

Mark D. Keaton
County Extension Agent
For more information on any of the above topics, please feel free to contact the University Of Arkansas Division Of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at 425-2335.

]]><![CDATA[June Gardening Checklist]]>Thu, 28 May 2015 20:54:14 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/june-gardening-checklist The following is a garden check list for June.

Harvest vegetables early in the day for best flavor.
As you harvest, replant warm season vegetables.
If grass is invading flower beds, use a grass-specific herbicide such as Fusilade (fluazifop-P), Segment (sethoxydim) or Envoy (clethodim). In our trials fluazifop-P has been the most effective on bermudagrass. Always read and follow label directions.
Keep moisture levels even around tomatoes to prevent blossom end rot.
Never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf blade from grass when mowing.
Finish up needed pruning to spring blooming shrubs.
Renovate strawberry beds after harvest. Thin back to narrow rows.
Keep a clean garden. Mulch around plants with a 3-4 inch layer of organic material such as shredded bark, pine needles, straw or grass clippings to help prevent weeds, conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature, prevent soil borne disease and slowly add nutrients back to the soil as it rots.
Check junipers for bagworms. They hatched out last month but are still relatively small. If bags were left from last year, you will have them again this year. Spraying early will allow you to use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) or lower rates of Sevin, malathion, or acephate.
Thin tree fruit crops to one fruit (apple, peach, nectarine, and pear) every 6 inches. This will encourage large fruit with more flavor. Total yield by weight will not decrease by thinning fruit.
Now is a good time to take grasshopper control measures with either Sevin liquid or 50% WP, or malathion. Because grasshoppers are mobile, re-infestations are sure to occur. Check routinely for re-occurrence particularly if you are adjacent to an open unkept grassy area.
When harvesting potatoes this month, spread potatoes out in a protected well ventilated area for curing. Once cured (2-3 weeks), store potatoes in a dark cool place. Check routinely and dispose of spoiled potatoes promptly.
Late this month separate crowded clumps of irises. You can dry iris clumps and plant this fall or you can replant right away. Share with all your garden friends any extra irises.
Annuals planted early last month need their first side-dressing this month. Fertilize them with a balanced fertilizer like 13-13-13 at the rate of one-quarter cup for each square yard of bed area. Fertilize again every 4 to 6 weeks, but use calcium nitrate (27-0-0) at 2 tablespoons for each square yard.
Check azaleas for azalea lace bugs. Use acephate, malathion, or permethrin. One application is not going to work, so repeat spray is necessary. Refer to your product label for determining how many days between spraying intervals. Do not spray more than 3 times per incident. Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub insecticide, also known as Merit, claims that one application can give you a twelve month period of control.
Tomato diseases are going to happen if they haven’t hit you yet. Control of foliar disease is important in maintaining productive foliage and for providing shade to fruit for prevention of sunscald. While there are some cultural practices that will help reduce foliar diseases, a spray program is needed to achieve adequate disease control because resistance to common foliar disease is not available in tomato varieties. Formulations of chlorothalonil (ex. Daconil), mancozeb and maneb are effective against Septoria leaf spot, early blight (the most common tomato disease), and anthracnose. The first spray should be made at bloom and a 7-10 day schedule should be maintained thereafter. A preventative schedule is critical because these diseases are difficult to control once they become established. If you have a leaf spot disease, spray every 4-5 days. Always read and follow label directions.
Keep in mind that lack of moisture can happen quickly especially for newly planted shrubs and flower beds. Flowerbeds may require watering twice a week whereas shrubs and fruit trees need a good soaking once a week. Do remember, some plants require more moisture, so pay attention to those specific needs.
Monitor water needs. Keep in mind that plants, trees in particular, exhibit a delayed visual stress symptom. These delayed symptoms could be wilt, leaf scorch, or loss of green coloration. Drought stress to many plants, trees especially, could be the beginning of a slow decline and eventual death that cannot be corrected once it occurs. To avoid these problems, don’t wait to water until you see these visual symptoms. For mature trees, water once a week with a thorough soaking.

Mark D. Keaton
Baxter County Extension Agent
Baxter County Extension office at 425-2335.
]]><![CDATA[May Garden Checklist]]>Tue, 28 Apr 2015 20:07:30 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/may-garden-checklist GARDEN CHECKLIST FOR MAY
In this weeks article I want to mention things gardeners need to be considering for May. The following is a garden checklist:

Harvest lettuce as it develops. If you have leaf lettuce, clip the leaves as you need them, the plants will develop new foliage. With butterhead and crisphead varieties, pull up the entire plant and remove the roots and outer leaves. Harvest frequently because once the weather warms most lettuce will “bolt” or go to seed. Bolted lettuce is bitter.
Keep a clean garden. Mulch around plants with 3-4 inches of mulch to help maintain moisture and discourage weeds. Organic mulches also break down slowly, releasing nutrients into the soil. Mulch also cuts down on soil borne diseases such as tomato blight.
As early vegetables bolt, go ahead and harvest what you have, cutting off the seed stalk will not encourage new growth. Broccoli heads may not be as large, but harvest while they are full and closed. Yellow blooms means the quality is going way down.
To ensure that you will have the largest onions in the neighborhood, fertilize weekly using a liquid nitrogen fertilizer or 27-0-0 fertilizer (1/3 to ½ lb. per 100 ft.). Onions need a constant level of nitrogen to perform their best.
Watch for caterpillars on cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and ornamentals and take control measures early by using Bacillus thuringiensis (Dipel, Javelin and other trade names). Larger more mature caterpillars are harder to control and you may have to use Sevin.
Warm season vegetables – tomatoes, pepper, squash, okra and corn can be planted. As you plant, broadcast a complete fertilizer in the soil, then repeat in about 6 weeks. Mulch and water as needed. Watch for insects, diseases and weeds.
Herb gardens are an easy way to have an ample supply of fresh herbs for cooking. Most nurseries carry herb plants. Many are perennials and some are evergreen and can be used in the landscape as well as to eat. Rosemary is a semi-shrub and thyme makes an attractive evergreen groundcover in full sun. be careful with pesticides around herbs – remember you are going to eat them!
Prune spring flowering shrubs as soon as the flowers fade. If you prune in the fall or winter, you will remove next season’s flower buds.
Check azaleas for lacebugs. This small sucking insect prefers to feed on azaleas or pyracantha but can spill over onto any kind of adjacent plants. The leaves of infested plants are yellowed and stippled on top. Black deposits from the lacebug are left on the underside of the leaves. To control, apply acephate, imidacloprid, bifenthrin, or permethrin according to label directions.
Remember to feed hummingbirds with 1 part sugar and 3 or 4 parts water. There is no need in using red food coloring. Replace sugar water mix at least once a week if it is not emptied sooner.
Don’t forget about bulbs for summer foliage and flowers. Most nurseries have both dried bulbs and growing plants. Look for caladiums, elephant ears, cannas, gladiolas and dahlias. Most summer bulbs like warm soil before they really start to grow.
If you have black ants clinging on your peony blooms, don’t use the bug spray. They are snacking on the sweet fluid produced by the buds as they open. Contrary to popular belief, ants are not necessary for the blooms to open. However, peonies do benefit from the ants’ presence because, while they are feeding on the nectar, they ward off other insects that might want to eat the peony.
Fertilize warm-season lawns – zoysia and bermuda – as soon as they are totally greened up. Use a high nitrogen fertilizer. Most of the weeds that have been blooming are winter weeds and should be on their way out. Start watching for summer weeds – crabgrass and nutgrass – and catch them as they emerge and try to stop their spread.
Spring flowering bulb foliage needs to remain as long as possible (minimum of 6-8 weeks after blooming). Foliage can be removed at first signs of yellowing. As foliage begins to yellow it’s a good time to dig and divide clumps of overcrowded or unwanted bulbs while foliage is still visible.

Mark D. Keaton
Baxter County Extension Agent
Baxter County Extension office at 425-2335.

]]><![CDATA[April Gardening Calendar ]]>Sat, 28 Mar 2015 00:12:43 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/april-gardening-calendar
GARDEN CHECKLIST FOR APRIL

Last average frost is about mid-April for Baxter County. You can get away with planting frost sensitive plants earlier if you are prepared to do some frost protecting when a frost is predicted.
Early treatment can prevent damage by cabbage worms on cole crops such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Cabbage looper, diamondback moth caterpillar, and the imported cabbage worm can cause serious damage pretty quick. Check weekly for eggs and larvae under the leaves. Use Bacillus thuringiensis (BT) spray as soon as they are first noticed.
Onions are rapid growers and heavy feeders. To grow monster size onions, fertilize weekly with a water-soluble fertilizer and mix at half rate.
Plant warm season vegetables from mid month on. Don’t be in a hurry, or you may have to replant.
Hold back on planting okra, peppers, southern peas and sweet potatoes until late this month or the first of May. Warm soil temperatures are critical for these warm season vegetables.
Spray hybrid tea roses with a fungicide to prevent black spot. Spray according to label directions.
Fertilize your bermuda or zoysiagrass lawn after it has fully greened up. This is usually early to mid May.
Prune and fertilize spring blooming trees and shrubs immediately after bloom. Remember to remove the old canes of forsythia, quince, weigela, spirea and other cane producing plants.
Summer bulbs such as cannas, caladiums, dahlias, gladioli and tuberoses can be set out in mid-April. Plant gladioli several times at two-week intervals for blooms throughout the summer.
As pansies play out, replace them with summer annuals.
After Easter lilies fade, plant the bulbs in a sunny part of your perennial garden. Foliage may die back but will green up this fall and take off next spring. Don't expect blooms until late spring to early summer. Easter lilies are pretty reliable perennials if planted in a well-drained spot.
To keep annuals blooming at their best, make regular applications of water soluble fertilizer.
Continue to divide summer and fall blooming perennials.
As flowering bulbs fade, allow 6-8 weeks of green growing time for bulbs to replenish their nutrients. Crocus and daffodils do not have their flower heads removed, but it is beneficial with hyacinths and tulips. Fertilize with complete fertilizer. You can transplant and divide spring flowering bulbs after foliage begins to die down.
Use bird netting to keep birds away from strawberries. Watch for slugs.
Encourage production of runners on newly planted strawberries by removing all flowers the first season. Also fertilize strawberry beds in late August or early September to encourage good bloom set.
Watch for spider mites and bagworms on plants.
To attract butterflies to your garden try planting some host plants that will nourish the young caterpillars after they hatch. Plants to try include, butterfly weed, parsley, dill, fennel, rue, passionflower, and tulip tree.
Plant seeds of annual vines such as hyacinth vine, moon vine and cypress vine from mid to late this month.
Mulching is your best method to prevent weeds, plus it maintains soil temperature and moisture.
Aphids can occur in large numbers in the spring. Aphids dine on the sap of an endless number of garden plants. Their feeding weakens plants and in some cases a total destruction of plants. They are a very prolific insect bearing live young. Fortunately, they are easily controlled by a spraying of malathion or insecticidal soap but beware, reinfestation can occur in days.

For more information on any of the above points, contact the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at 425-2335.

]]><![CDATA[March Gardening Calendar]]>Tue, 03 Mar 2015 15:15:36 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/march-gardening-calendar The following is a garden checklist that gardeners need to be considering for March:

Now is as late as you want to wait if you want to use glyphosate (i.e., Roundup) to control winter weeds in your bermuda yard. If you wait too much longer your bermudagrass will begin to green-up. Check bermuda first for signs of green-up. Look up against sidewalks and buildings where bermuda would start growing the earliest. Do not use glyphosate if your bermuda has started to green-up. Also adding a broadleaf weed killer such as Weed-B-Gon or Trimec will control a broader range of weeds.
Wait to fertilize fescue lawns until they have started growing good. You could even wait until April to fertilize them. If you have some bare spots or a thin lawn, now is the time to seed tall fescue.
Spray broadleaf weeds in lawns with a broadleaf weed killer such as Weed-B-Gon or Trimec. Spray weeds when we have a forecast of 50°F or higher temperature for at least three days.
Pre-emerge herbicides can be applied from early to mid-March on lawns to control early weeds and crabgrass. Don’t apply pre-emerge on newly seeded lawns, however.
March is a good time to plant trees and shrubs. Be sure to remove ties and strings around balled-in-burlap plants. Cut the burlap in several places. Don’t leave any burlap above the ground as it can wick moisture away from the plant.
Bareroot plants, those in plastic sleeves, must be planted while dormant.
Avoid moving houseplants outside until late April.
Avoid planting tender vegetables and bedding plants until mid to late April when frost danger is past.
A general rule of thumb is divide fall bloomers in the spring and spring bloomers in the fall. Dig and divide hostas, chrysanthemums and sedums.
Give ornamental grasses such as liriope a haircut to remove old leaves. This should be done before new growth begins.
Before heading out to the nursery for new plants, have a plan in mind. Space new plants according to eventual size, not what they are now. Ask about sunlight requirements, moisture and growth habits. Proper selection can relieve a lot of headaches later.
Prune hybrid tea roses if not done already. Roses should be pruned in late February or early March. Remember to cut 1/4 inch above an outward facing bud at a 45 degree angle. Seal cut wounds with sealer to prevent dieback from diseases and insects.
Prune fruit trees, grape vines, and blueberry plants. These should all be pruned while dormant. Peaches can be pruned even while blooming, just be careful not to knock off the blooms.
Prune crepe myrtles, buddleias, and summer blooming spireas.
Overwintering tropicals should be sheared back.
Start seeds indoors for tomatoes, pepper, and eggplants.
Plant cool season vegetables – potatoes, turnips, lettuce, spinach, kale. Set out transplants of cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Start planting sweet corn later in the month.
Set out onion plants or onion sets.
Allow bulbs six weeks of growth after bloom.
Prune spring blooming plants after bloom. As soon as quince, forsythia, and other cane producing spring flowering shrubs have finished blooming, prune out a third of the old canes. This rejuvenation cut will encourage vigorous new growth which will bloom next spring.
If you want a specific color azalea, buy it in bloom to assure a color match.
If you haven’t taken a soil test within the past three years, you need to do so. To take a soil sample from a given area, pull soil from 12 or more locations across the area you want to test. From each location, collect soil from the surface down to 4 inches (6 inches for vegetable gardens). Mix all samples from that one given area in a clean bucket and bring one pint of the mixed dry soil to the Extension office. There is no charge for soil testing.

For more information on any of the above points, contact the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.

]]><![CDATA[January Gardening Calendar]]>Fri, 23 Jan 2015 23:42:30 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/january-gardening-calendarThis article is based on the Co-Op Extension Service January Gardening Calendar.

Getting Your Garden Ready Inside And Out
If you still have some some spring flowering bulbs you haven't gotten around to planting you still have time but you need to get to it soon. They should still be fine if you get them planted. Don’t try to save them for another season, or they will dry up and be wasted.

Snow actually can act as a great insulator of our plants during cold weather, so the pansies, violas and flowering kale should have fared fine if the weight of the snow didn’t damage them. As the snow melts, it also adds moisture into the ground. Consider adding a boost of fertilizer to your winter annuals on a warm day.

Check your winter vegetable garden—if you planted one. Broccoli, kale and bok choy look fine even after a snow. If you over seeded with greens, even if they got zapped, they will rebound and begin to grow again. Snow is a good buffered from the severe cold weather. Later this month you can start planting English peas and it won’t be long before you can begin to plant other cool season vegetables.

Once the holiday decorations are down, the house looks drab. Add some color with amaryllis bulbs and paper white narcissus. Bromeliads can give you months of color with little care and the left over poinsettias should last for months. Bringing color with flowers into the house makes the dark days of winter seem not so long.

Amaryllis Bulbs Paper White Narcissus Bromeliads All pictures are free stock photos

Amaryllis Bulbs

Paper White Narcissus

Bromeliads

Clean Up
Clean up is always in order. Remove debris, replenish mulch and monitor for winter weeds. I always mulch during the winter there days where it's warm enough to get out into the beds if they ever dry out. It also gives you a head start in spring, your beds will look great as everything starts to come up. In flower beds and vegetable gardens, use good sharp hoe to remove the weeds then mulch. In the lawn, you can spot spray with a broadleaf herbicide or hand pull. Try to keep them from growing larger and blooming, since the bigger they are, the harder they are to kill and if they bloom, they set more seeds for next year.

Indoor Plants
Houseplants indoors grow much more slowly in the winter months, so don’t over water one of my biggest mistakes. New growth is slow with shorter days and lower light levels. You may have to move your plants to a south window for the extra light. I also find I have to turn my plants every week or so that way they grow balanced.

Catalogs
While it is a slow gardening month outside, this can be a good month to plan. Seed catalogs are arriving regularly and vegetable gardening is gaining in popularity. Cool season gardens are always easier to grow, since we don’t have to contend with insects or diseases. So consider building a raised bed garden or even start some plants in pots. If you know you need to re-landscape some areas, begin researching ideas for new plants. Plot your yard on a sheet of graph paper and look at your options.

Submitted by:
Tamara Carl

]]><![CDATA[February Gardening Calendar]]>Wed, 14 Jan 2015 18:44:14 GMThttps://www.baxtercountymg.com/2015-gardening-calendar-blog/feburary-gardening-calendarIn this week’s article I want to mention some things gardeners need to be considering for February. The following is a garden checklist:

Soak roots of bareroot trees overnight and then plant the following day. Do not fertilizer the first year after planting.
There are no real advantages to pruning back the canopy of ornamental trees after planting. Detrimental effects have been found from this practice including the inability for new roots to grow until shoot growth has recovered. Unless diseased or broken branches exist, leave the plants alone.
This winter, remove bagworm bags from shrubs which were infested this past summer. Eggs were deposited within the bags by female worms, shortly before they died. Physically removing and destroying the bags will reduce or eliminate problems this summer.
You still have time to control weeds in your bermudagrass lawn. An herbicide containing glyphosate can be used on dormant bermuda lawns in February when temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for winter weed control. Make sure your bermuda lawn is completely dormant or you will damage it.
September to October is the optimum time to establish tall fescue lawns. If you missed that window, an early spring seeding (late February through March) can be a reasonable second choice. Tall fescue is the only choice we have for a shady lawn grass.
Base any fertilization on a soil test. Take samples from several different spots within a particular area and mix it together. Bring a pint sample of dry soil in plastic sandwich bag to Cooperative Extension office for processing. Samples are mailed to the University of Arkansas Soils Lab in Marianna, Arkansas. Free test results will be mailed to you within three weeks.
Mulch strawberry beds now with straw. Keep the straw off the crowns. The straw will keep fruit from touching the soil and rotting.
Remove the dead stubble off of ornamental grasses before they resume growth.
Locate the garden near a source of water. Carrying buckets of water can be a real turnoff to even the most passionate gardener. Remember, a vegetable garden needs at least six hours of full sun each day.
Azaleas get hit hard every year with lacebugs. These sucking insects can wreak havoc on an otherwise easy care plant. Without care, the leaves can become bronzed by late summer, and a few plants have been killed by these insects. Lacebugs don’t become active until April or May-depending on the spring we have. You can begin to monitor for them, and spray as needed, but a newer product may take away any worries. Imidacloprid applied in February or early March, can give you full season control.
Late this month or early March prune summer flowering shrubs and hedges. Spring blooming shrubs such as forsythia should be pruned immediately after flowering.
One last point I want to let you know about is the Baxter County Master Gardener Seminar on March 7 at the First United Methodist Church Fellowship Center in Mtn. Home. Seminar topics and speakers are: "Invasive Plants" – Janet Carson, "The Balance of Nature" – Lucinda Reynolds, "Soils and Composting" – Ellen Chagnon, "Edible Native Plants and Their Preparation" – Dr. Tamara Walkingstick and "The Xeriscape Garden – 20 Years of Experience with Sustainable Landscapes" – Patrick Byers. There is a fee of $25 per person to attend the seminar and this includes lunch. Attendance is limited and pre-registration is required. To register mail name, address, phone number, e-mail (if available) and check payable to BCMG to: Kathrine Gilmore, BCMG Seminar, 275 Sharon Dr., Mtn. Home, AR 72653.

Submitted by : Mark Keaton

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.]]>