-Baxter County Master Gardeners-
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JUNE GARDEN CALENDAR

5/27/2018

1 Comment

 
In this month’s article I want to mention some things gardeners need to be considering for June.
The following is a garden checklist:

  •  Marion County Master Gardener Seminar is on June 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Yellville. Seminar topics and speakers are: “Summer of Blooms” – Janet Carson; “Edible Flowers” – Tina Marie Wilcox; “Bird Friendly Backyard Habitat” – Cindy Franklin; “Trapping Moles and Gophers” – Jesse Taylor and “Frogs and Snakes” – Ken Forman.
  • 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 Marion County Extension Office, P.O. Box 386, Yellville, AR 72687. For questions on the seminar, call 870-449-6349.
  • 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 or 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.​
  • Remember to feed hummingbirds with 1 part sugar and 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.
  • 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.
  • Finish up needed pruning to spring blooming shrubs.
  • 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, acephate, or pyrethroid.
  • 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 a nitrogen fertilizer such as 34-0-0 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.
  • 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.
 
For more information on any of the above points, contact the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at 425-2335.
 
 
1 Comment

BAN ON ORNAMENTAL PLANTING OF COTTON

5/27/2018

3 Comments

 
Subject: Cotton in flower beds, gardens, educational displays, and other non-commercial plantings  

Currently ALL non-commercial cotton MUST be registered through the Plant Board for approval! 

While a boll weevil has not been caught in Arkansas for several years, we are still in an active boll weevil eradication program.  This requires the Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation (ABWEF) to monitor all cotton plantings statewide, sample or trap for occurrence of boll weevils, and take the appropriate measures should a weevil be trapped.  All plantings of cotton in the state are subject to fee on an acre basis to defray the expense of the program.  The collection of fees is coordinated by the Arkansas State Plant Board (ASPB).  To facilitate this process, Plant Board regulations are currently in place that prohibit ornamental (non-commercial) cotton in the entire state of Arkansas.  However, the ABWEF with approval from the ASPB will work with individuals and organizations to place traps where they have cotton plants for educational purposes.  This requires some additional effort by ABWEF personnel and those conducting the cotton educational program or exhibit.  These sites need to be made known to the ABWEF personnel as soon as possible to ensure proper mapping and timely deployment of boll weevil traps to ensure the continued success of the program. 

Those who wish to conduct a cotton educational program or exhibit that includes the planting and growing of cotton are encouraged to contact Regina Coleman ([email protected]), Executive Director of ABWEF.  She will need information on proposed planting date, location, and contact information for the person or group overseeing the project. 

We appreciate your interest in conducting cotton educational programs in Arkansas.  Feel free to contact me or your local county Extension agent for additional resources for your cotton educational program. 


Regards,
Bill 

Bill Robertson, Ph.D.
Professor, Cotton Extension Agronomist
University of Arkansas System
Division of Agriculture
Newport Extension Center
649 Jackson 917
Newport, AR  72112
Cell  (501) 425 0549



Janet Carson
Consumer Horticulture Specialist
Arkansas Master Gardener Coordinator
2301 South University Ave
Little Rock, AR 72204
[email protected]
3 Comments

leeks

5/12/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture

​Almost any time of year is good for growing leeks, the most upright members
of the onion family. Summer leeks are fast to grow from seed started indoors in late winter, or you can start leek seedlings in late summer to grow from fall to spring. This guide also includes descriptions of the types of leeks to try.

​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.
Leeks that have been exposed to cold winter weather produce flowers in early summer, with ripe black seeds about a month later. When the flower heads dry to tan and the seed covers begin to split, gather the seed heads in a paper bag, and allow them to dry indoors for a week. When thoroughly dry, shatter the seed heads and collect the largest seeds for replanting. Under good conditions, leek seeds will store up to three years.
Source: Barbara Pleasant:  Mother Earth News
1 Comment

oleander

5/9/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
The purpose of these weekly articles, now in their 17th year, is to report on plants that are grown in Arkansas gardens and the surrounding areas of the mid-South. The normal minimum temperatures of the state range from a frosty minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zone 6) in Benton County to a more tepid 10 degrees (zone 8) for the southern tier of counties. Oleander (Nerium oleander), though not especially common in south Arkansas, is sometimes grown and deserves a closer look.

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. 
​
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired 
Retired Extension Horticulturist - Ornamentals
Extension News - January 10, 2014
0 Comments

chocolate peanut butter pie

5/3/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
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.

​INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 (9 inch) frozen ready to bake pie shell, thawed or a rolled refrigerated pie shell may be used
  • 1 (4 serving)package cook and serve vanilla pudding and pie filling
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup (3 ounces) peanut butter chips
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.
0 Comments

balsamic bacon brussel sprouts

5/3/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
This is a tasty side dish that can
be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Serving Size: 1 cup

  • 1 pound Brussel  sprouts, halved
  • 6 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
Place brussel sprouts in a bowl. Add a splash of water, cover with a fresh
paper towel and microwave 2-3 minutes. Or you may boil in salted water
for about 2 minutes.

Place a large, nonstick pan over medium high heat. Add bacon and saute
until brown and a bit crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain all but 1 tablespoon
of the bacon drippings. If the pan looks too dry, add a splash of water
before scraping up your bacon bits.

Add brussell sprouts to pan. and saute about 5 minutes, or until they
are golden on the outside.

Add balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons 
water to the pan. Saute for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to heat
and top with lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Information: 
Per Serving: Calories 136,  Total Fat 5 g,  Sodium 316mg, 
Carbohydrate 16gm,  Fiber 5g, Protein 5g


0 Comments

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  • About Master Gardeners
    • National Mission Statement
    • UAEX - Univ of AR Extension Service >
      • Baxter County Extension Office
      • The UA Cooperative Extension Service
      • UAEX Master Gardener Program
    • Baxter County Gov't >
      • County Extension Council
      • County Extension Service
    • Our Structure, Rules & Guidelines >
      • 2023 Organization Chart
      • Bylaws
      • Standing Rules
      • Duties, Projects & Events
      • New Member Orientation
      • Continuing Education & Training
      • Member Status
      • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Events & Outreach
    • Calendar of Events
    • Join Us At Our Meeting
    • Radio Program
    • Annual Plant Sale
    • Spring Seminar
    • Farmers Market
    • Fair Horticulture Room
    • Public Education Booths
    • Hatchery Outdoor Adventure
    • Scholarship
  • Garden Projects
    • Fairgrounds Garden
    • Bull Shoals
    • Clysta Willett
    • Cooper Park
    • Fish Hatchery
    • Extension Office
    • Memorial Gardens
    • Library Pollinator Garden
  • Gardening Tips
    • NATIVE PLANTS
    • Seminar 2025
    • Bringing Nature into your Garden >
      • Native Plant Finder (research by Doug Tallamy, PhD)
      • Creating a Landscape With Native Plants
      • Native Drought-Tolerant Plants
      • Well-Behaved Natives
      • Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants
      • Invasive Non-Natives
    • Seminar Horticulture Table
    • DIY Projects
    • Miscellaneous Gardening Projects
  • Members Only
    • Enter Your Hours
    • MG Roster
    • Forms