No matter the weather--humidity, high temperatures, or rain--our dedicated Master Gardeners continue  maintaining their project sites. Take a look at their work.

​County 76 Advanced Master Gardener Training
Water and Plants
Advanced Training Program is Sponsored by County 76
Class is Hosted by Craighead County MG Program

Date/Time: September 29, 2018 
Location: Bono Church of Christ, 101 Craftsbury, Bono, AR
Class Limit: 70
Deadline: September 15, 2018. No refunds will be given after this date. Registration may be 
transferred to another MG but that person must submit a separate registration form and 
you must notify us.
Cost: $65.00 includes training materials & lunch

Purpose of Class: To address some of the common problems associated with water in the garden with solutions available to overcome them, as well as the introduction, propagation and care of underutilized plant materials to use with water issues.

Agenda

Mail Registration to: Craighead County Extension Office
                                     Advanced MG Training Registrar
                                     Address: 611 E. Washington St.
                                     Jonesboro, AR 72401


For more information contact: Mimi Cox at 870-219-0898 or mlcox5@yahoo.com
________________________________________________________________________________
Reminders:
1.       Advanced Master Gardener classes are offered to Master Gardeners who have been in good standing in their county program for at least three (3) years (Since 2015).
2.       Participants must attend the entire class and personally receive their certificate of completion at the end of the session to receive advanced training credit.
​
Other documents
1.       Registration form
2.       Agenda
3.       Speakers & Session Summaries
4.       Hotel List, Plant sources and Area Attractions
5.       Invitation to the Friday night event, "Picnic and Petals"


Go to the MG only portion of our website that is password protected to view the registration form,  lodging, area information, speaker bios and Friday night event "Petals in the Park".  

For more information contact: 
Mimi Cox at 870-219-0898 or mlcox5@yahoo.com
_____________________________________________________________________________
Arkansas Master Gardener Program
www.uaex.edu

​Carzalia Sweet Cobbler 

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced Carzalia Sweet Onions
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
                                                                     1 tsp ground cinnamon
                                                                     4 cups fresh sliced peaches
                                                                     2 unbaked pie crusts

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, saute onion, butter, and cinnamon until onion is tender. Add peaches and sugar to saucepan. Cook until peaches are soft. Line cobbler dish with pie crust. Pour filling into unbaked crust. Cut top crust into strips, then lay them in lattice or criss-cross across top of filling. Bake in pre-heated oven at 425 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown.

From: Carzalia Valley Produce (www.carzaliavalley.com).

HATCHERY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Volunteers

We still need help with the 2018 Hatchery Outdoor Adventure Day which will be held on Saturday, 09/08/18, from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm.  The planned project this year is called Garden in a Glove.  The kids will be placing flower and/or vegetable seeds and cotton balls into the fingers of clear vinyl gloves,  marking the fingers with seed type, tying them closed, and placing them in a warm sunny location at their home.  The seeds germinate in the glove, and when needed are moved from the glove into pots or outdoor locations. . 
 
We have some great volunteers already signed up, but we still need help and are looking for additional volunteers to help with this.  You can either work all day, in the morning shift from 8:00 to 11:30, or in the afternoon portion from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm.  Lunch is provided by Friends of the Hatchery group, and we will have lots of water and refreshments available.  Once again we are anticipating between 400 to 500 kids attending our booth. 
 
We appreciate any and all help.  If you have already let me know by email, or by signing the signup sheets that you're helping then there is no need to reply again.  But if you haven't and now want to help then please contact Darrell Stewart.

​BAXTER COUNTY FAIR HORTICULTURAL EXHIBIT Volunteers

Baxter County Master Gardeners manage the exhibit listings for the horticulture section of the Baxter County Fair Book. We oversee the horticulture room, including the Junior and Senior Horticulture Exhibits at the Baxter County Fair. Coordinators recruit and train other Master Gardeners to register exhibits and to staff the horticulture room at fair time. An exhibit grooming table is also available to exhibitors, staffed by Master Gardeners during the fair registration hours to assist with final entry preparations.  Contact Rick Gatewood if you are interested in helping September 11th-15th.

SPRING SEMINAR Chairperson
We need a chairperson for our annual Spring Seminar. Jane Druff, who has chaired this event for the last two years, has a great committee, many of whom will continue to work on this event.  Jane will also lend guidance and ideas to help the new chair.  The church has already been reserved for March 9, 2019, but it will soon be time to start planning.  Either Jane or myself would be happy to sit down with you and answer any questions or concerns you may have about taking over this job.  And I can promise the Board supports this event and the chair.

So, if you think you 'might' be willing to become Seminar Chair, please get in touch with Ceil Gasiecki; and we'll make sure we deal with any concerns.  Many thanks for all your help and support.

​Whether you’re planning a festive summer party or just looking to get creative on cocktail night, floral ice cubes are sure to impress your guests. Putting flowers in ice is not only easy but is a lovely detail that will make your party goers take notice. Read on to learn more about using flower ice cubes.

What are Floral Ice Cubes?

As the name suggests, floral ice cubes are made by freezing various types of edible flowers inside the cubes. This results in a stunning and colorful addition to drinks. Ice cube flowers can also add visual interest to ice buckets.

What flowers can I use, you ask? The most important aspect of making these gorgeous ice cubes is to harvest only flowers which are edible.  Flowers like pansies, nasturtiums, and rose petals are all excellent options. Be sure to research the type of flower you plan to use ahead of time, as many types of flowers are toxic. Safety first!

Tasting the edible flowers before use is a great way to determine which types work best. Some edible flowers have a very mild taste, while others may have very distinct flavors.

How to Make Floral Ice Cubes

Freezing flowers in ice is extremely easy, and it only requires a few items. For best results, consider using a large, flexible silicone ice tray. Larger trays will not only make it easier to remove the cubes after being frozen but will also enable you to add larger flowers.

Always use edible flowers which have been specifically grown for consumption. Avoid picking flowers that have been exposed to chemicals. Choose flowers at their peak bloom. Avoid any that are wilting or show signs of insect damage. Additionally, be sure to gently rinse the flowers before use to remove any dirt or debris.

Fill ice trays half full with water (Hint: Ice often becomes somewhat cloudy as it freezes. For extra clear cubes, try using water that has been boiled (and then let cool) to fill the trays.). Place flowers into tray face down, and then freeze.
​
After the cubes have frozen, add additional water to fill the tray. Freeze, again. By freezing the cubes in layers, you ensure that the flower remains in the center of the cube and does not float to the top.
Remove from trays and enjoy!

Article from Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/fgen/making-flower-petal-ice-cubes.htm (Accessed 8/22/2018).

The following is a garden checklist for September:
​

• Horticulture entries are sought for the Baxter County Fair (September 11-15). 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 11 from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. You can go to www.baxtercountyfair.org for complete details.
• Applications are being taken for the upcoming Master Gardener training to be held on October 17, 24, 31, November 7 and 14 in Mtn. Home. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Cost of the program is $100. For more information call 425-2335.
• Homeowners should check their lawns for fall armyworms. Heavy populations are capable of causing damage to lawns which resembles scalping with a mower. To check areas for armyworms, use a soap flush (2 tablespoons of lemon-scented dishwashing soap in a gallon of water) to bring larvae to the top of the sod. Insecticides labeled to control armyworms in lawns are Sevin, bifenthrin, trichlorfon, spinosad, cyfluthrin, gamma-cyhalothrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, azadirachtin, chlorantraniliprole, halofenozide, indoxacarb and Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.). Following application, wait 1-3 days before mowing.
• 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.
• 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 so dispose of them immediately, to control the twig girdler. This will reduce next year’s problem.
• 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.
• Chrysanthemums are setting flower buds. Fertilize lightly now and water consistently to ensure a good show beginning this month. Garden Centers have mums to add to your collection.
• 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.
• Christmas cactus initiate flower buds by being exposed to cool night temperatures similar to our outside night temperature beginning in September. Moving your cactus outdoors in an area with plenty of indirect sunlight and giving it one more feeding of houseplant fertilizer later this month will cause your cactus to bloom late fall to early winter. While outdoors, limiting water will encourage flowerbuds to open at the same time. Naturally, you will bring the cactus indoors when danger of frost is predicted and place in a well-lit area until buds are about to pop.

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

The Baxter County Master Gardeners are a fun group of folks who enjoy sharing their love of gardening with any visitor.

At our meetings we have speakers, refreshments, & fun.

Come join us!


Next Meeting Date:
September 6th from 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Meeting Place:
The First Presbyterian Church
1106 Spring Street
Mountain Home, AR

September Speakers:
Vicki Garner, "Herbs of the Bible"
Vicki Lindsey Garner, a native Arkansan, was born in Helena and raised in Little Rock. She has a BA of Psychology from U. of Arkansas, and a masters degree in counseling, from Oklahoma University.
She moved to Mountain Home in 1976, is married to Phil, and has 7 grandchildren.

Vicki opened Plants Alive in 1978, a lawn and garden business that also leased plants to banks and doctor's offices and landscaped several local bank grounds.
​
After closing the shop in 1986, Vicki worked as a counselor in 5 counties for the Dept of Human Services, and later became the first social worker for the Mountain Home School District.  Upon retiring from the school system, Vicki has been the host of the KTLO FM “Gardening in the Ozarks” program.

Horticulture Table: James Lovelace, "Drying Flowers and Herbs"
 
​Master Gardeners Monthly Radio Program:
Mountain Talk Radio September 19th on 97.1   7:15 a.m. - 8:am.
Master Gardener Hosts this month are Tommy Hagan and Ceil Gasiecki

Directions:
From Mountain Home
Take US Hwy. 62B East through Mountain Home until you come to Cardinal Street. Cardinal Street is the intersection just past Harp's Grocery.  Turn right onto Cardinal Street and travel South until you come to the first stop sign which should be Spring Street. Turn left onto Spring Street and go down the hill past the bridge and the First Presbyterian Church will be on your right hand side. 

From Gassville:
Take Hwy. 62/412 towards Mountain Home. Once you get to Mountain Home continue on into Mountain Home on US 62B. This will take you through town till you get to Harp's Grocery and you come to Cardinal Street. Cardinal Street is the intersection just past Harp's Grocery.  Turn right onto Cardinal Street and travel South until you come to the first stop sign which should be Spring Street. Turn left onto Spring Street and go down the hill past the bridge and the First Presbyterian Church will be on your right hand side.

​


Far left is Jon Smith and on the far right are James Wiegand and Debbie Legner mentees from the fall class of 2017.  In the center left to right are mentors Anita Hayden and Audrey Holt.

​

HATCHERY OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Volunteers
​The Hatchery Outdoor Adventure Day is being held this year on Saturday, 09/08/18. The event begins at 8:30 am and ends around 2:00 pm.   Each year we service 400 - 500 children with some type of garden craft.   We are asking for your assistance in working this great event.  This  allows you to gain work hours with no digging, and have so much fun doing it.  Lunch is provided for the volunteers, and we will have refreshments and water.
 
We have a couple of ideas for the kids garden related craft project, but want to see what ideas you might have about what we can do.  In the past we have done planters, sock chia heads, sweet potato growing pots, water bottle bird feeders, and other crafts.  If you have an idea please share that with me so we can see if it might work and/or be better than the other ideas we have already.  The craft should be something that can be done by all ages of children, can be completed in just a few minutes, is not terribly messy, can be carried by the children during the day,  materials can be gathered easily and quickly, and is not too expensive.  We are not going to do anything involving peanut butter to avoid creating problems for anyone that might have an allergy.  Dependent upon which craft idea we choose we may also need to have a work day prior to the actual event to complete preliminary items.
 
Please let me know if would be able to help us this year, if you might have any good ideas, or you have any questions or suggestions. Contact Darrell Stewart if you can help with this fun event.

BAXTER COUNTY FAIR HORTICULTURAL EXHIBIT Volunteers

Baxter County Master Gardeners manage the exhibit listings for the horticulture section of the Baxter County Fair Book. We oversee the horticulture room, including the Junior and Senior Horticulture Exhibits at the Baxter County Fair. Coordinators recruit and train other Master Gardeners to register exhibits and to staff the horticulture room at fair time. An exhibit grooming table is also available to exhibitors, staffed by Master Gardeners during the fair registration hours to assist with final entry preparations.  Contact Rick Gatewood if you are interested in helping September 11th-15th.

SPRING SEMINAR Chairperson
We need a chairperson for our annual Spring Seminar. Jane Druff, who has chaired this event for the last two years, has a great committee, many of whom will continue to work on this event.  Jane will also lend guidance and ideas to help the new chair.  The church has already been reserved for March 9, 2019, but it will soon be time to start planning.  Either Jane or myself would be happy to sit down with you and answer any questions or concerns you may have about taking over this job.  And I can promise the Board supports this event and the chair.

So, if you think you 'might' be willing to become Seminar Chair, please get in touch with Ceil Gasiecki; and we'll make sure we deal with any concerns.  Many thanks for all your help and support.

​To create a medicine wheel, gather five marker stakes, a hammer, measuring tape, compass and some string or lime. Rocks mark the important yearly dates around the outside circle (see diagram below), so a good-size rock pile also would be handy. To start the wheel, drive a stake into the ground at the desired center point. Using a compass, locate the four cardinal directions and mark each with a stake 4 feet from the center. Mark the circle by joining the four cardinal direction stakes with string.

​Once the circle is marked, prepare the circle as you would any herb bed. If the site is on a lawn, till or dig out the sod, being careful to keep the five stakes in place. Mix in peat or compost, a small amount of bone meal (or lime or wood ash) and topsoil. In general, herbs tolerate a wide range of conditions but prefer well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. Lay 24-inch-wide heavy plastic landscaping cloth from each directional stake toward the center to form paths. Spread gravel, shells, wood chips or other natural material over the plastic and replace the four directional stakes with large rocks. These represent the spirit keepers of each direction and may be adorned with drawings or artifacts.

​Use cedar logs, pot shards, bricks or smaller rocks to edge the paths and define the circle. Replace the center stake with a large rock, boulder, piece of driftwood, tree branch or other object with significant meaning. Many traditional medicine wheels feature a buffalo skull in the center because in several Native Plains cultures of North America, it signifies creation or the center of all life.

​The people who formed primitive medicine wheels displayed a reverence for the Earth through sacred rituals, ceremonies, everyday blessings, cleansing and visions. They gave thanks, asked for guidance, used intuition and understood their world on many levels. For us, there is much to learn from the medicine wheel. We too can use it to pause and ponder, dream, reflect, pray and plan.

Excerpt from Mother Earth News
February/March 2004
​By Pat Crocker

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.
• 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 seed heads 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. Also, 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, 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.
• 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 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.
• Horticulture entries are sought for the Baxter County Fair (September 11-15). 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 11 from 2:00 to7:00 p.m. Check out the web site (www.baxtercountyfair.org) for more information.

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

This is an simple recipe that is tart

but not too sweet in a graham

cracker crust.

Combine ingredients. Beat until well blended.
Pour into crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
Allow to chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours before
serving.
Makes 8 servings.

​This is a tasty recipe to use produce from your garden.

Fresh okra is very perishable. Keep no more than
2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Instructions:
​
Heat oil in skillet. Mix okra, tomatoes, onion, and salt.
Saute in oil 5 minutes. 
Add chili powder, pepper sauce, and water. Mix well.
Cover and simmer over low heat until vegetables are tender
and mixture thickens.
​Serves 6-8.

​


The Baxter County Master Gardeners are a fun group of folks who enjoy sharing their love of gardening with any visitor.

At our meetings we have speakers, refreshments, & fun.

Come join us!


Next Meeting Date:
August 9th from 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Meeting Place:
The First Presbyterian Church
1106 Spring Street
Mountain Home, AR

August Speakers:
Linda Glass, "Using Native Plants for a Butterfly-friendly Yard"Linda learned to appreciate the natural world and develop an interest in and a love for wildflowers because of her mother, Wanda Glass.  Since retirement, she has had more time to study and learn about the importance of native plants to other living things.  She is a member of Buffalo National River Partners, Friends of Baker Prairie, and North Central Arkansas Master Naturalists.
​
Janice Rose, Horticulture Table: "Tips for Fair Entries"
 
​Master Gardeners Monthly Radio Program:
Mountain Talk Radio July 18th on 97.1   7:15 a.m. - 8:am.
Master Gardener Hosts this month are Tommy Hagan and Ceil Gasiecki

Directions:
From Mountain Home
Take US Hwy. 62B East through Mountain Home until you come to Cardinal Street. Cardinal Street is the intersection just past Harp's Grocery.  Turn right onto Cardinal Street and travel South until you come to the first stop sign which should be Spring Street. Turn left onto Spring Street and go down the hill past the bridge and the First Presbyterian Church will be on your right hand side. 

From Gassville:
Take Hwy. 62/412 towards Mountain Home. Once you get to Mountain Home continue on into Mountain Home on US 62B. This will take you through town till you get to Harp's Grocery and you come to Cardinal Street. Cardinal Street is the intersection just past Harp's Grocery.  Turn right onto Cardinal Street and travel South until you come to the first stop sign which should be Spring Street. Turn left onto Spring Street and go down the hill past the bridge and the First Presbyterian Church will be on your right hand side.

In this weeks article I want to mention things gardeners need to be considering for July. The following is a garden checklist:

• 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 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 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.
• 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 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.
• 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 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 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 flower beds, 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.  Always read and follow label directions.
• If your summer annuals look like they are tired, fertilize them with half a pound (one cup) of34-0-0 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 425-2335.
 

​
​Another casualty in the homogenization of American culture is the loss of our strong regional identity with food. Food used to be grown in the garden and then taken directly to the kitchen.

​But today, few young families have the time or space for a garden, and even home cooked meals are becoming endangered. Will the next generation even know of traditional southern food? Okra is in high season now, so let's look at how it became a part of our cultural heritage.​

​Okra (Hibiscus esculentus) is a fast growing, heat-loving tropical annual found in the wild along the White Nile, which drains the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. It's usually unbranched with the trunk reaching 6 to 10 feet tall by the end of the season. Leaves are coarse, palmately-veined and covered with a fine bristly pubescence that many find irritating to their skin.

Regardless of the shape or color, okra pods mature quickly. Depending on temperature, they must be picked within four or five days of blooming. After that, the walls of the pod quickly lignify and they become inedible.​

​Some food historians want to give the French-Creoles credit for popularizing the vegetable, known to them as "gumbo." But the name gumbo - a common name used for okra in parts of the Gulf Coast - is also taken from a Bantu word "kigombo," so the Creoles almost certainly learned of the vegetable from slaves.

A tasty side dish when you barbecue.

Tastes a bit like French onion soup.

Cut off top of onion. Peel paper skin from onion, leaving root intact.
Core onion, being careful not to cut into root
Place each onion on a square of heavy-duty foil.
Place a bouillon cube in the center of each onion.
Drizzle with olive oil and place a teaspoon of butter in center of each onion.
Wrap onions and grill on very hot gas or charcoal grill 35 to 40 minutes.
Makes 4 servings

Note: It's best to serve each onion in individual bowl because the onions
           will produce a lot of broth.

​The fungus overwinters on infected tomato debris or on weeds in the nightshade family, the same family to which tomatoes belong. The fungus can also survive on equipment such as plant stakes and cages. Long periods of high relative humidity, temperatures of 60–80 degrees F, and leaf wetness are ideal conditions for development and spread of the pathogen.

​Integrated Pest Management Strategies
​
1. Remove diseased leaves. If caught early, the lower infected leaves can be removed and burned or destroyed. However, removing leaves above where fruit has formed will weaken the plant and expose fruit to sunscald. At the end of the season, collect all foliage from infected plants and dispose of or bury. Do not compost diseased plants.

​2. Improve air circulation around the plants. If the plants can still be handled without breaking them, stake or cage the plants to raise them off the ground and promote faster drying of the foliage.

3. Mulch around the base of the plants. Mulching will reduce splashing soil, which may contain fungal spores associated with debris. Apply mulch after the soil has warmed.

4. Do not use overhead watering. Overhead watering facilitates infection and spreads the disease. Use a soaker hose at the base of the plant to keep the foliage dry. Water early in the day.

5. Control weeds. Nightshade and horsenettle are frequently hosts of Septoria leaf spot and should be eradicated around the garden site.

6. Use crop rotation. Next year do not plant tomatoes back in the same location where diseased tomatoes grew. Wait 1–2 years before replanting tomatoes in these areas.

​7. Use fungicidal sprays. If the above measures do not control the disease, you may want to use fungicidal sprays. Fungicides will not cure infected leaves, but they will protect new leaves from becoming infected. Apply at 7 to 10 day intervals throughout the season. Apply chlorothalonil, maneb, macozeb, or a copper-based fungicide, such as Bordeaux mixture, copper hydroxide, copper sulfate, or copper oxychloride sulfate. Follow harvest restrictions listed on the pesticide label.

Source: Missouri Botanical Garden
Image: ​https://www.uaex.edu/farm-ranch/pest-management/plant-disease/tomatoes.aspx

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN – Zinnias are old-fashioned flowers that are continually being reinvented by breeders and rediscovered by gardeners.Everything old is new again. Nowhere is this truer than in fashion, especially the fashion of flowers. The length of the cycle of popularity may vary, but garden favorites always come back. Take the common zinnia, named the 2000 plant of the year by the National Garden Bureau. It has come and gone in popularity so regularly people have lost track of its true origins.

​Zinnia elegans is native to Mexico and is the most popular of the 20 species of zinnias known to science. It is an annual herb in the daisy family growing from 18 inches to more than 3 feet tall. Plants are stout-stemmed, freely branched and bush like in habit if given enough room.

​At least 15 shades of flower colors are described with this species, which is especially rich in shades of purple and orange. Variegated forms have bred true from seed since at least the 1880s. True blues and scarlet reds are lacking. Flower heads are terminal, and in the typical form, contain one or two rows of ray flowers surrounding a central eye of disc florets.

​Breeding has changed flower sizes dramatically. Heads range from an inch across to giants 4 to 5 inches across. Doubled forms with as many as 15 stacked rows or ray florets are available causing the blossom to elongate significantly.

​The common or elegant zinnia (Z. elegans) was introduced into cultivation by Casimiro Gomez de Ortega (1740-1818), the Spanish botanist responsible for establishing the botanical garden in Madrid. In 1796 he provided seeds to the wife of the English ambassador to Madrid who just happened to be the daughter-in-law of John Stuart Bute, the director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

​But it was not to last. By 1880, zinnias had been hung with the title of "old-fashioned" and they began to fade from popularity. In my 1888 Burpee Seed Catalog, I find most of the types listed today plus a double-flowered, red and white variegated cultivar that won a "First Class Certificate" from the Royal Horticulture Society in London.

​But the decline of zinnias had begun. They continued to lose favor until the "Giant Dahlia" and "Mammoth" strains, produced by California breeder John Bodger, appeared in the early 1920s. Burpee's hybrids during the 1950s saw another revival in interest. Today it is Sakata, a Japanese firm that made hybrids between the old-fashioned zinnia and Z. angustifolia to create the Profusion Series that has revived interest in the old favorites.

Zinnias are easy to grow from seed and will produce their first flower six weeks after sowing, provided the temperature is warm enough. Plants are offered in pots and packs, but try to plant them before they begin to bloom. If blooms are present, cut the plant back ruthlessly to get them to branch and send up new flower stems. They are best grown in bright locations with a fertile, well-watered soil. Zinnias respond well to cutting, so remove as many cut flowers as possible to keep the plant sending up new flowers.

Leaf diseases, especially alternaria leafspot, are a problem with most clones of Zinnia elegans. To avoid the problem rotate zinnia beds from year to year, buy seed from a reputable source and give the plants plenty of air circulation to keep the foliage dry. The Profusion zinnias are resistant to this disease.

​By: Gerald Klingaman, retired 
Extension Horticulturist - Ornamentals
Extension News - August 24, 2007

​

In pre-Columbian Mexico the tomatillo was most likely
consumed in greater quantities than red tomatoes.
Although often mistaken for green tomatoes tomatillos
are actually members of the same botanical family as 
gooseberries and not related to the tomato.

Instructions:
    Pour the oil in a non-stick saucepan and saute the onion and garlic
    for 3 to 4 minutes,
    Add the tomatillos, chilis and water and cook over low heat for 10
    minutes.
    Remove from heat and let cool, then stir in the cilantro, salt and
    pepper.
    Chill in refrigerator for at  least an hour before serving.
   
 Makes approximately 2 cups.

Source: Authentic Southwestern Cooking by Lynn Nusom

​Easy to grow and welcome in any recipe that calls for onions, leeks (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum) allow you to grow oniony crops all year in your kitchen garden. Summer leeks are ready to pull only 60 days after planting, weeks before bulb onions are ready. Slower-growing leek varieties reach maximum size in fall and early winter. Leeks grow best in cool climates, or you can grow them as a fall-to-spring crop where summers are hot. Growing leeks requires moist, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.

Winter leeks tolerate more cold than other varieties, so they are good choices for growing leeks through winter. Mature plants can be left in the ground into winter, or you can sow seed in midsummer for transplanting in early fall. These plants will mature in spring. Under good conditions, the shanks of winter leeks such as ‘Bandit,’ ‘Blue Solaise’ and ‘Siegfried’ exceed 1 inch in diameter.

​Summer leeks are fast to germinate and grow, though they do not get as large as winter leeks. Maturing 90 days from seeding, or 60 days after transplanting, varieties such as ‘Lincoln,’ ‘King Richard’ and ‘Megaton’ can be grown at close spacing, and pulled anytime after they reach pencil size.
​
Autumn leeks include varieties that mature 100 days from seeding, or 80 days after transplanting. Large and vigorous, varieties such as ‘Lancelot’ and ‘Tadorna’ produce leeks of exceptional quality to harvest in fall, after the weather has cooled.

Start leek seeds indoors in late winter provided you can grow them under bright florescent lights. You may also be able to purchase leek seedlings as garden centers or farmers markets in late spring.
Harden off seedlings for at least a week before transplanting them to prepared furrows in deeply dug garden beds. Shape 6-inch deep furrows in the cultivated bed, and line the bottom with a standard application of a balanced organic fertilizer. Refill 1 inch of soil, and set out the leek seedlings in the partially refilled furrow, spacing summer leeks 3 inches apart, fall leeks 4 inches apart and winter leeks 6 inches apart. As the leeks gain size, gradually fill in the furrow and then mound a little loose soil over the base of the plants.

​Keep leeks carefully weeded, and drench plants with a liquid organic fertilizer when they are 15 inches tall. In dry climates, mulch leeks with grass clippings, chopped leaves or another organic mulch that helps retain soil moisture. Leeks need more water than other garden crops, and should never be allowed to run dry.

​Use a digging fork to loosen soil around leeks before pulling them as needed in the kitchen. Trim roots to one-half inch, and cut off all but 2 inches of the green tops. Store in plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Before eating, slice leeks lengthwise and rinse under cool running water to remove bits of soil. Excess leeks are easy to dry in a food dehydrator.

Source: Barbara Pleasant:  Mother Earth News

Oleander is an evergreen shrub growing to 12 feet tall that belongs to the periwinkle family and has been grown so long in cultivation no one knows for sure its origins. It probably originated in southern Asia but due to human intervention has naturalized from the Mediterranean region to Japan. Though most often grown as a rounded shrub it will become a small tree reaching 20 feet in height in frost-free areas. ​

Its leathery, deep green leaves are usually in a whorl of three on the branch, willow-shaped with an entire margin and 3 to 5 inches long. The sap is clear, viscous and capable of causing dermatitis. Eyes are especially sensitive to contact by the sap. ​

Showy flowers in shades of pink, rose, red, yellow, salmon, orange and combinations of these are to 1.5 inches wide and borne in terminal clusters from new growth in the summer and early fall. Flowers may be single or double, fragrant or not. More than 400 cultivars have been named and about 60 are common in cultivation. ​

Oleander has a reputation for being toxic and several urban legends have sprung up about it. 
The most common is the troop of boy scouts who was supposedly poisoned by eating hot dogs roasted using branches cut from oleander branches. This incident never happened but does closely resemble a similar report in various gardening books from the 19th century reporting on French soldiers near Madrid during the Peninsular War of 1809 who succumbed after eating meat roasted over a campfire using spits made from oleander. ​

Oleander has a reputation for being toxic and several urban legends have sprung up about it. 
The most common is the troop of boy scouts who was supposedly poisoned by eating hot dogs roasted using branches cut from oleander branches. This incident never happened but does closely resemble a similar report in various gardening books from the 19th century reporting on French soldiers near Madrid during the Peninsular War of 1809 who succumbed after eating meat roasted over a campfire using spits made from oleander. ​

All parts of oleander are toxic and this plant is often considered the most toxic of the many potentially poisonous plants we grow in our gardens. In a 20-year period from 1985 to 2005, five incidences of oleander related deaths were reported in the United States - with three of these by intentional ingestion, probably with a goal of suicide. Quoting Lankford and Boor in their May 1996 article in “Toxicology”: “The human mortality associated with oleander ingestion is generally very low, even in cases of intentional consumption (suicide attempts).” ​

The remaining two cases of death fall outside of the norm, a pair of adopted 2- and 3-year Russian boys named Alexei and Peter Wiltsey from California. They were found dead in their bedroom on May 4, 2000, after several days of eating oleander leaves from a neighbors bush. According to the toxicologist who oversaw the case, he knew of no other reported cases of children eating enough oleander foliage to cause death. The corners office speculated that the children, perhaps still suffering from malnutrition from their adoption a year earlier from a Siberian orphanage, may have suffered from a condition known as “pica” where malnourished children eat anything, including soil and plants. ​

Domesticated animals, especially horses, are more likely affected by oleander poisoning, especially if prunings are discarded where they can be consumed. ​

Oleander is a tough, easy to grow plant that is best in sunny, well drained sites. Foliage damage usually occurs when winter temperatures fall below 15 degrees F with dieback occurring below 10 degrees F. It can be used for screening, in foundation plantings and as a tall groundcover planting in sloping areas where little attention will be given. Plants are extremely drought tolerant. They have long been favorite patio plants in colder regions where they are grown in large tubs. They can be overwintered indoors in unheated garages where the wintertime temperature does not fall below 15 degrees F, or even in basements where the light level is low and plants wait out the winter in miserable growing conditions. ​

The potential toxicity of oleander is not in question, but because so many of the plants we grow in our gardens are theoretically poisonous, the risk should not be over exaggerated. Attention should be paid to toddlers to protect them from all sorts of dangers, and from the earliest age, children should be taught to not eat anything in the garden that a parent doesn’t specifically say is safe. 
​

The classic of chocolate and peanut butter
makes the perfect marriage in this classic
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.

It's easy as pie to whip up , and better than 
​anything you can buy at the store.

Instructions:

1. Bake pie shell according to package instructions. Let cool.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine pudding mix and milk over
   medium heat. Stir constantly intil boiling then remove from 
   heat.
3. Pour half the pudding into a small bowl. Add chocolate chips
    to bowl and stir until chips are completely melted. Pour into
    pie crust.
4. Add peanut butter chips to remaining pudding and stir until
   chips are completely melted. Carefully pour peanut butter
   mixture over chocolate mixture in pie shell. Cover and chill
   at least 4 hours or untill thoroughly chilled and set.
5. Dress this up by topping with whipped cream and garnishing
​   with miniture peanut butter cups.