​Here’s your October gardening checklist!
 

• If you didn’t seed your tall fescue lawn in September, do so by the middle of the month. Seed at a rate of 8-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet. For existing tall fescue lawns, overseed now to thicken them up at a rate of 4-5 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Tall fescue makes a wonderful lawn for the shade, but you still need to have 3-4 hours of sunlight. Be sure to water it well until it is established. Fertilize now as well with a complete fertilizer.
• Planting trees and shrubs in the fall is ideal. Our ground temperature is still warm, so roots will begin to get established quickly. Rarely does our soil ever freeze solid, so the plants will continue to produce roots, even though the tops aren’t growing.
• Leaves should be collected/mulched as they fall. You don’t want a heavy covering of leaves entering the winter months. A dense layer can actually smother a lawn. People often leave leaves on the lawn until it turns cold and then rake them. If you have a covering of leaves on your lawn prior to the first frost, the leaves may prevent your lawn from going dormant. When you finally do rake up the leaves, you’ll expose actively growing grass to cold weather. Your lawn could suffer winter injury.
• Even though the weather is cooler this month, don’t forget to water an inch of water per week if natural rainfall doesn’t occur. It is especially important around trees and shrubs that were planted this year. Don’t severely prune shrubs now because this will encourage rapid regrowth, and the new growth won’t have time to harden off before cold weather arrives.
• In the garden plant a cover crop, such as wheat, rye, alfalfa or crimson clover and turn it under in the spring.  Don’t let your cover crop go to seed. Cover crops hold the soil and organic matter in place, provide insulation and add nutrients to the soil. They also encourage continued activity of beneficial soil microorganisms.
• Do NOT compost or leave any diseased plants or plant parts in the garden.
• For you garlic lovers, it’s that time of the year to plant garlic for next years harvest. Grow garlic in a location that gets at least six hours of full sun each day, and plant in fertile, well drained soil from mid-October to mid-December. Before planting, separate the bulbs of culinary garlic into individual cloves. Set cloves right side up ½ to 1 inch deep and 3 to 5 inches apart in the row.
• It's time to set out winter pansies, flowering kale, flowering cabbage and fall mums.
• Have your soil tested and follow the test recommendations.
• Plant spring bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, Siberian squill, bulbous irises, Anemone and crocus.  Select healthy, disease-free bulbs.   Add bone meal or bulb fertilizer into the planting hole, as you prepare the soil.
• People become worried when their pine trees shed pine needles, but it is a natural process. As long as the needles that are dropping are not at the tip of the branches, everything is fine. Rake up the pine needles and use it as a mulch around your shrubs.
• Clean up around your perennial plants. Any leaves that have fallen can harbor insects and diseases for next year. Scatter dry seed heads or store the seeds for later use. Cut back any plants that have lost most of their leaves or that look bad now.
• Divide and transplant any perennials that typically bloom in the spring or summer. Plant new perennials. They too will get well established during the fall, winter and early spring. Fall planting can also give you blooms the first season after planting.
• Recycle disease-free annual potted plants and potting medium by adding them to the compost pile or directly into the garden.  Remember to break up root balls from the plants.
• Clean up emptied pots with a 10 percent bleach solution to get rid of any plant pathogens.
• Empty excess water out of hoses before storing.  Water expands as it freezes and can burst hoses.
• As you harvest your Halloween pumpkins, or when you purchase yours, pick one with a good solid rind, free of blemishes or wounds. Always make sure that at least an inch or two of stem is left attached. If they have no stem, they are more prone to rotting. Paint a face on your pumpkin as early as you want, but avoid carving your pumpkin until a day or two before Halloween. Once they are carved, they deteriorate rapidly.

 
For more information, contact the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 870-425-2335.
 

​Master Gardener Mondays is a monthly Zoom session discussing Master Gardener and horticulture topics. It is open to all Master Gardeners and County Agents. 
 
MGM meetings are held ONLINE in ZOOM the third Monday of the month during the noon hour unless otherwise noted. 

The dates are posted in Buddy Messages and our e-Newsletter, Ozark Green Thumb​.

An email from UAEX or a Buddy Message will be sent out notifying you of the upcoming MGM.
You must preregister to get the ZOOM link.

Here are some aids to help you join a Zoom Meeting:

 Quick Tip sheet for Joining a Zoom Meeting  

​Arkansas Orchid Society's annual rhizome sale will be Sunday, Sept. 19 at 1:30 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 6th & Scott Streets in Little Rock. 

For more information contact Jerry Brown jerrynalice@att.net or follow us on Facebook 

​

​Chairs: Gail McClure, Linda Soffer & Rose Ann Houston
For questions about these meetings, contact Gail McClure - gail.y.mcclure@gmail.com or 501-348-4774
OR  Julie Treat - jtreat@uada.edu or 501-671-2231

​Here are a few items to pay attention to around the garden in the coming weeks

• 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 flower buds 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 870- 425-2335.

 







August 2021 
BCMG
Ozark Green Thumb
e-Newsletter

The following positions are available.

Board Positions -  contact Susan Chamberlain 

• Board Treasurer
• Board Secretary
• New Member-at-Large (Classes of 2020/2021)

Event Positions - contact Ceil Gasiecki

• MG Plant Swap
• County Fair Horticulture Room

Membership Positions - contact Julie Stewart

• Sunshine
• Time Keeper

​
Administration Positions - contact Susan Chamberlain

• Facebook 
• Webmaster 

​

• 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.

Master Gardener 2021 Award Winners (awarded in 2021 for program year 2020)

Challenge Award (51 or more) - Washington County, Susan Gardner
Master Gardener Newsletter of the Year (50 or less) Greene Garden News, Angela Loveless, Editor, Greene County.  
Master Gardener Newsletter of the Year (51 or more) Weeder's Digest, Donna Tolewitzke, Editor,  Craighead County
Friend of Master Gardener (Individual) Jim Howard, Greene County
Friend of Master Gardener (Individual) Christy Gerard, Craighead County
Friend of Master Gardener (Business) Cleveland County Herald, Cleveland County
Friend of Master Gardener (Business) Harps Food Store #391,Garland County
Master Gardener Rookie of the Year (50 or less) Mark Skalka, Lonoke County
Master Gardener Rookie of the Year (51 or more) Joan Lambert, Garland County
Master Gardener of the Year (50 or less) Marty Bowlin, Cleveland County
Master Gardener of the Year (51 or more) Stephanie Neely,  Craighead County
Master Gardener Project of the Year (50 or less) Cabot Library Project, Lonoke County
Master Gardener Project of the Year (51 or more) Helping Hands Food Pantry Garden, Benton County
Excellence In Education Award (50 or less) Green County Youth Teaching Garden, Greene County

MG Program Agent of the Year (50 or less) Randy Black, Montgomery County

MG Program Agent of the Year (51 or more) Randy Forst, Pulaski County


Master Gardener Years of Service 
Click the link below to view the list
Years of Service List (pdf)


2021 Janet B. Carson County Scholarship Recipient
Pope County's Garden of Hope
The garden is a cooperation between Pope County Master Gardeners and the Pope County Probation Department.  Children are assigned to do their community service hours at the garden.  The goal of the project is to provide a positive life experience to young people by teaching gardening principles.  These will include preparing the soil, caring for plants from seed through harvesting, composting and the importance of pollinators.  The objective is that through this process the children will learn important life lessons.  



2021 Janet B. Carson High School Scholarship Recipients

Matthew Exum, Green County Technical High School, Greene County  
Matthew has always been interested in all aspects of agriculture.  After working as an assistant for a crop consulting firm, he was drawn toward learning more about making the best possible crop and yield and the science behind the development of the various products used.  He states, “Agriculture is changing daily, and I want to be part of that change.”  His career goal is to become an agronomist.  Matthew is known as an exceptional student, having a tremendous work ethic, and being very dependable.  Matthew has been accepted at Black River Technical College where he will pursue a degree in Crop Science.


Clay Farmer, Marmaduke High School, Greene County
His experience of working with various farms inspired Clay to realize the importance of maintaining crops, which allows farmers to make timely, informed, and economical decisions. His ultimate goal is to become a crop consultant where he hopes to enable farmers to confidently make impactful decisions.  Clay is known as an organized and proactive leader with an outstanding work ethic, and as a model citizen to his community.  Clay has been accepted at Arkansas State University where he will pursue a degree in Plant & Soil Science.


Sunny Jones, Conway High School, Faulkner County
Sunny believes that plant science serves as the foundation for civilization’s future.  His plans include owning a business with regenerative agriculture and environmentally friendly spaces to support healthy biodiversity.  His ideas include an ecological haven with a native plant garden, a community garden as well as a commercial vertical garden for organic produce.  Sunny is known as being intelligent, intuitive, and self-reflective and as having a giving nature.  Sunny has been accepted at the University of Arkansas Honors College where he will major in Horticulture, Landscape, and Turf Sciences/Environmental Science.

​BCMG  Service Award recipients are:

10 years
Wayne Buck
Janice Rose

15 years
Margareta Schmutzler

20 years
Theresa Boekholder
Anita Hayden

25 years
Nancy Buff
Jane Druff
Barbara Goodlett
Duane Goodlett

​RRR Project of County 76
(Recruitment, Retention & Recognition)
Mimi Cox, Chair
Hilde Simmons, Co-chair

​









July 2021
Ozark Green Thumb
e-Newsletter

Baxter County Master Gardeners will be hosting a training class on

September 22, 29 and October 6, 20, & 27
All 5 classes must be attended to complete the training.
Each session runs from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm.

Class location will be determined based on the number of trainees. 
​The classes are via ZOOM streamed at the class location.

The cost will be $100 to cover the training, first year dues, and a name badge.
Deadline to register is Friday, August 27th.

Click here to download the application:

2021 ZOOM Master Gardener Training Application

For more information, contact Brad Runsick
at the  Extension Office at (870) 425-2335;
or stop by to pick up an application at 3 East 9th St., Mountain Home.

Master Gardeners have a problem, and we're coming to all of you for our help. 

We have a garden project at the corner of 5 South and 62B, across from the Sheriff's office.  We have a planting there with a 'dude' standing there saying "Hi" to all who pass by him.  But he doesn't have a name!!!  So we are having a Name the Dude Contest.

Entries can be made at the Baxter County Fair, which will be held August 24 to 28 of this year.  

And yes there is a prize for the winner -- only one winner, and there will be a choice of one of the following:

One Free Registration for the Master Gardener Training Class, a $100 value
or
$100 Gift Card to Kelley Thomas Nursery
or
$100 Gift Card to Carl Wayne Nurseries
or 
$100 Gift Card to Wal Mart

.....the winner's choice of one of the four prizes!!!

So get those wheels turning, and let's 'Name the Dude'!

​Come visit us at the County Fair at the Horticulture Room in the Education Building to submit your entry.

​The following positions are available.

Board Positions -  contact Susan Chamberlain 

• Board Treasurer
• Board Secretary
• New Member-at-Large (Classes of 2020/2021)

Project Site Positions - contact Susan Chamberlain​

• Bull Shoals/White River Project Site Chairperson(s)

Event Positions - contact Ceil Gasiecki

• MG Plant Swap
• County Fair Horticulture Room

WHAT: MG Program via Zoom, We Are Here for You - Welcome to the Arkansas Master Gardener Program
 
WHEN: August 5, 2021
 
TIME: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 
 
WHO CAN ATTEND: Newly Trained Master Gardeners, Their Mentors and County Extension Agents from 2020 and 2021.
 
 
Welcome to the Arkansas Master Gardener Program and remember
“We Are Here for YOU!” 
 

 
RRR Project of County 76
(Recruitment, Retention & Recognition)
Mimi Cox, Chair
Hilde Simmons, Co-chair
​

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
​​Arkansas Master Gardener Program | 2301 South University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204

​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.