Plant-Nurture-Grow Master Gardener Leadership Conference 2020
via Zoom August 24 & 25, 2020
Mark your calendar!
Registration link available
See Buddy Messages
​

​PNG Project

County 76
Chair - Gail McClure
Co Chairs - Debora Carpenter, Donna Peebles, Linda Soffer

Seeds from China

You may have heard about the reports of unsolicited packages of seeds being mailed to people across the U.S. that appear to originate from China.
Extension received a call this morning of someone reporting to have received these seeds in Arkansas.
 
If you get seed that you did not purchase you should contact 

Arkansas Plant Industries Division at 501-225-1598,
or email: Paul.shell@agriculture.arkansas.gov 
or email: Mark.stoll@agriculture.arkansas.gov 
 
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture will advise what to do. Seeds should NOT be removed from their packaging and should NOT be planted. Investigators could be sent to retrieve the seed and will likely want to see the envelope and packing materials the seeds were sent in.
 
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture and other state departments of agriculture are working with USDA APHIS to determine what is going on and the risk.  Per Paul Shell with the AR Dept. of Ag, the concern is that there could be an introduction of a potential invasive weed, insect or plant disease associated with these shipments.

​Baxter County Extension Horticulture/Gardening Survey

​Do you get horticulture and gardening information from the Baxter County Extension Office, or is the stuff we put out not what you're after? Either way, we need to know!

Please take 5 minutes and fill out this survey. It helps me know what we're doing well, what we can make better, and how to better plan the future!

​Go here:

https://uaex.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9NduyCQSrxBuDyt”


Brad Runsick
Baxter County Extension Agent Staff Chair
(870) 425-2335
3 East 9th St.
Mountain Home, AR 72653
facebook.com/baxtercountyag​

 

• Toward the end of August is the time to start thinking about 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. Nights above 75 degrees F will slow production.

• To have an herb garden indoors this winter, begin propagating your favorite herbs by taking cuttings or by divisions. Most herbs require more light than most homes can provide during the winter so consider grow lights in combination with natural light.

• 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.

• Add water to your compost pile during dry periods so that it remains active.  Turn the pile to generate heat throughout for proper sterilization.

• Bermuda lawns can be fertilized for the last time this season with nitrogen fertilizer. Apply 3 pounds of 34-0-0 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet by mid-August. In addition, 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 grass 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, walnut, hickory, and persimmon but can be found in almost any tree and occasionally shrubs. If control is needed, you can use Sevin, permethrin, acephate, bifenthrin, Bacillus thuringiensis, or spinosad. However, they’re typically more of just an aesthetic issue and aren’t causing serious harm to the tree.

• 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 cups 34-0-0 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.

• 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.

 
 
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 870-425-2335.

White County Master Gardeners 
Brown Bag Series

White County Extension is hosting Wednesday ZOOM horticultural topics.
The ZOOM sessions start at 12:05 pm.
Preregistration is required.
See Buddy Messages for registration and how to use ZOOM.

​

August 5- Backyard Poultry – Scharidi Barber

August 12 – Made in the Shade – All about Shade Gardening – Sherri Sanders

August 19 – Fire Ants, Fleas and Ticks in the Yard – Kelly Loftin
​
August 26 – Growing a Vegetable Garden  - Dr. Amanda McWhirt


Sherri Sanders
County Extension Agent – Agriculture
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
White County Cooperative Extension Service
2400 Old Searcy Landing Road
Searcy, AR  72143
501-268-5394 (Office)
501-230-9972 (Cell)

The Baxter County Cooperative Extension Service will host a teleconference (Zoom) Master Gardener Training for new members that will be held at our office on five consecutive Wednesdays in September (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th).

The classes will be held in Mountain Home with the exact location still TBD and will be dependent upon state health department COVID-19 guidelines at that time. Each day’s sessions will run from 8:00 a.m. to approximately 4:30 p.m. with a break for lunch. Topics include basic botany, soils, fertilizers, pest control, fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, and lawns. University of Arkansas Extension Service specialists, county agents, and others teach the classes.

We cover a lot of stuff in those 5 days!

This training is for those persons who wish to become a Master Gardener volunteer. For more information on what that entails, give us a call! The application should be completed and returned to our office with your payment by Friday, July 31, 2020. The cost of the training is $100, which includes the Master Gardener notebook, all training materials, first year's dues, and a name badge.

If you have questions or know of others who are interested, or need an application, please contact me at 870-425-2335 or brunsick@uaex.edu. Applications can be picked up at the office at 3 East 9th St. in Mountain Home or can be emailed to applicants.

Follow the Baxter County Master Gardeners on Facebook at:
Baxter County Master Gardeners

For more information about the Arkansas Master Gardener program, check us out
https://www.uaex.edu/yard-garden/master-gardeners/
​
If you prefer a stay at home, self-paced, online training, more information will be provided later this year.

​

​Here’s the checklist for things to be on the lookout for as we get deeper into summer.
 

• 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, Bt, bifenthrin and permethrin. 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 that 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 disease 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 7-10 days.
• Tomato blossom drop is a problem as daytime temperature hits the upper 90s and night temperature does not fall below 75. As we get cooler temperatures, 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.
• Keep pinching back your flowering herbs like basil, oregano and mint to prevent them from flowering and going to seed. You can use or store your trimmings.
• As you wrap-up the harvest on your tame blackberries, cut out the old canes (this year’s 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.
• Monitor water needs. We’ve had an abundance of rainfall, but summer dry spells are right around the corner. 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 an inch or more once a week.  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 they 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.
• If grass is invading flowerbeds, use a grass-specific herbicide such as Fusilade/Ornamec (fluazifop-P), Segment (sethoxydim) or Envoy (clethodim).  In our trials, fluazifop-P has been the most effective on bermudagrass. Alternatively, just get in there and remove it the old-fashioned way…by hand. Always read and follow label directions.
• If your summer annuals look like they are tired, fertilize them with a half-pound, (one cup) of 34-0-0 per 100 sq. ft. Also, keep them well watered.
• You can expect fall webworms soon if not already. We can expect two to three generations of this tree defoliator each year, depending on the weather. Female moths lay eggs on the underside of host trees in April. Eggs begin to hatch in June and sometimes as late as August (depending on weather conditions). Control is not necessary. It is more of an aesthetic problem. Sevin, bifenthrin, acephate, permethrin, Dipel, or Thuricide will control these caterpillars.
• 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 flowers or vegetables.

 
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 870-425-2335.
 
 

SOURCE: Inside a Hydrangea, https://www.facebook.com/backtnature/

​


Keeping landscape plants healthy and beautiful can be a challenge.

Sherri Sanders UAEX White County Agent and colleagues developed this guide for identifying and managing Arkansas' most common #landscape problems caused by weeds, insects, and diseases.

Download this guide for FREE by clicking the link. 

​https://www.uaex.edu/publications/pdf/MP-468_2020.pdf

​

• 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.
• If your summer annuals look like they are tired, fertilize them with half a pound (one cup) of 34-0-0 per 100 sq. ft. Watering is also important.
• You can expect fall webworms soon if not already. We can expect two to three generations of this tree defoliator each year, depending on the weather. Female moths lay eggs on the underside of host trees in April. Eggs begin to hatch in June and sometimes as late as August (depending on weather conditions). Control is not absolutely necessary. It is more of an aesthetic problem. Sevin, bifenthrin, acephate, permethrin, Dipel, or Thuricide will control these caterpillars.
• 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 flowers or vegetables.

 
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 870-425-2335.

White County Extension is hosting Wednesday ZOOM horticultural topics.
The ZOOM sessions start at 12:05 pm.
Preregistration is required.
See Buddy Messages for registration and how to use ZOOM.


The following presentations are scheduled for the series: 

May 6
Kelly McGowan
Field Specialist in Horticulture for the University of Missouri Extension in Springfield, MO
Behind the Scenes Tour of the Springfield Botanical Gardens
The Springfield Botanical Gardens is a 114 acre oasis within the city limits of Springfield, Missouri. The Gardens are home to the Mizumoto Japanese Stroll Garden, the Roston Native Butterfly House, nationally recognized hosta and daylily display gardens, the Master Gardeners of Greene County Demonstration Garden, and much more. During this virtual tour, you will learn about the many gardens as well as the educational mission that make up this beautiful place.

May 13
Dr. Vic Ford
Fungi with a Fun Guy
Ever wondered about the fungi growing in your garden or yard?  Let’s explore an unknown world at your feet. 
 
May 20
Jan Yingling
County Extension Agent - Agriculture - White County Agent
Success with Succulents
 
May 27
Berni Kurz
Extension Educator - Consumer Horticulture
Growing Pumpkins in Home Garden
 
June 3
Alan Galloway
Farm Management Specialist - Unniversity of Tennessee
“Growing Christmas Trees for Fun, Family or Profit”.
Alan’s full-time work is as an area farm management specialist with the University of Tennessee Extension covering 12 counties in middle Tennessee. He provides farm financial planning assistance and educational programs on budgeting, agritourism, estate planning and income taxes. In 2017 he led the effort to write the “Tennessee Christmas Tree Production Manual” and conduct workshops on growing Christmas trees. 

June 10
Donna Hoffman
Horticulture Agent in Casper, Wyoming
TBD

June 17
Sherri Sanders
White County Extension Agent - Agriculture
TBD

June 24
Becky McPeake
Professor/Ext Spec-Wildlife
Oh Deer! Options for Pesky Deer in Gardens and Yards

​

• 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. 
• 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 mean the quality is declining. 

• To ensure that you will have the largest onions in the neighborhood, fertilize weekly using a liquid nitrogen fertilizer or 34-0-0 fertilizer (1/3 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. 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. 
• To prevent early blight on tomatoes, start spraying with chlorothalonil or mancozeb when first bloom clusters are noticed. This disease-causing fungus can stay in the soil for several years. Mulching will help some, which prevents the splashing of soil onto the lower leaves. Planting tomatoes in a new spot will help. However, contaminating your new garden site can happen quickly. This disease is transferred to a new garden by wind-blown spores, contaminated tools and shoes, buying diseased plants, or chewing insects. 
• 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. 

• 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 lace bugs. 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 lace bugs are left on the underside of the leaves. To control, apply acephate, imidacloprid, bifenthrin, or permethrin according to label directions. 
• Fertilize warm-season lawns – zoysia and bermudagrass – 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. 

• Dogwood, flowering plum, ornamental cherry, crabapple, and related plants are prone to borers. Borers usually enter the trunks of these trees at soil line and can cause death in one or two seasons. A preventative control for borers is an application of insecticide applied to the trunk of trees in early May and repeated at six-week intervals 2-3 times. Permethrin or bifenthrin work well in protecting these valuable ornamental specimen trees. Also, applying a 2-3” mulch around these ornamentals helps prevent damage to the trunk from lawnmowers and string line trimmers which helps prevent borers too. 
• Houseplants can safely be moved outside if you have not already done so.  Expose plants to sunlight gradually. 
• When pansies and violas start to fade, replace them with summer annuals for summer color.  There are lots of excellent annuals from which to choose. 

 
For more information on gardening, contact the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Baxter County Extension office at 870-425-2335.
 

Happy is in full bloom!!

Drive by the Extension Office project site and take a look!

​

SOURCE: Amy Grant, "Gardening for Mental Health: How to Manage Isolation by Gardening, 
https://blog.gardeningknowhow.com/trends/manage-isolation-by-gardening/?goal=0_a3b6094552-e3a3a4c769-217612677 
​{Accessed 4/30/20).

​


​April 2020
Baxter County Master Gardeners
Ozark Green Thumb e-Newsletter

​“Happy” is all decorated and ready for Easter. Smiling, as usual, and adding a happy note to your day. 

​Drive by the garden and check it out.
The garden is located at highway 62 and 9th street in Mountain Home.