July 2016

Issue 46

Upcoming Meetings 2

Events of Interest 3

2016 Gardening for Gold 4

Upper Midwest Regional MG Conference

4

The Tenacious Gardener 5

Blueberry Mango Nachos 5

Volunteers in Action 6

Keep Weeding 7

Crabgrass vs Quackgrass 7

Inside this issue:

What are the berries that first come to mind? Blueberry? Strawberry? Raspber-ry? What about bananas, watermelon, tomatoes or grapes? According to the botanical definition of a berry, bananas, tomatoes, watermelon, grapes and pumpkins are berries. Strawberries raspberries, blackberries are not berries at all, but are classified as an aggregate accessory fruit.

Over the years, the “everyday” definition of berries has taken over and includes what we would normally consider ber-ries, including strawberries and raspber-ries. The Wisconsin Berry Growers As-sociation and the UW Fruit Program website list strawberries, raspberries and blueberries as Wisconsin berry crops. The UW also includes information on currants, gooseberries, and elderberries. Publications on growing these crops in the home garden can be found online at the UW-Extension Learning Store.

Berries are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are low in fat and sodium. They can be eaten fresh, frozen or dried. They are added to salads, des-serts, smoothies, cereal, ice cream, made into jams and jellies or enjoyed fresh from the picking.

Berries grow in the same location for several years so it is important to plan ahead. Select the location and take a soil test to determine the soil nutrients and soil pH. The results will provide rec-ommendations for the type and amount of fertilizer to add to the soil. Any im-provements need to be done prior to

panting. Before planting is also a good time to work on perennial weed control as it is easier to do now than when plants are in the ground.

Blueberries grow best in soils that are well-aerated, high in organic matter and acidic (below pH 5.5.) Blueberries have shallow roots and don’t like having their feet wet. Lime should never be added to soils where blueberries are going to be grown.

Raspberries prefer an area that receives good air circulation, good drainage and full sun. Strawberries also like full sun and are adaptable to most soil types, but sandy loam is ideal and poorly drained clay soils should be avoided.

Native American Indians used blue-berry juice for medicinal purposes and to dye textiles and baskets.

The United States produces 90% of the blueberries in the world.

Strawberries are a member of the rose family.

In medieval times strawberries were served at important functions to bring peace and prosperity.

There are over 200 species of rasp-berries that are grown from the Artic to the equator.

More raspberries are made into jams and jellies than are eaten fresh.

Chris Jacobs Certified Master Gardener

Dodge County Master Gardener Association

Digging in Dodge

July is Berry Month

Photo by Carol Shirk

Upcoming Meetings

Anyone with an interest in gardening is welcome to attend the following free programs. Master Gardener meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of the month. Unless otherwise noted, the meetings are at 6:30 p.m. in the Administration Building, 127 E. Oak Street, Juneau.

Page 2 Digging in Dodge Issue 46

July 28 – Tour of Kirschbaum’s Strawberry Acres, Beaver Dam by Stan Kirschbaum. Stan Kirschbaum own-

er/operator of Kirschbaum’s Strawberry Acres (KSA) will give a tour of his farm, located at N5802 Highway

151, Beaver Dam. KSA started as a hobby farm on County Road W between Beaver Dam and Juneau in

1980 with a 1/3 acre strawberry planting. It expanded to its current location on Highway 151 with 15 acres of

fruiting berries each year and about 40 acres of winter rye for weed free berry mulch. What started as 99% u

-pick has evolved into 50% u-pick and 50% already picked strawberries, most which is sold as fresh produc-

tion on the farm. Recently KSA joined with the only licensed winery in Dodge County, Edwin Brix Vineyard in

Juneau. The second bottling of Wild Stan’s Strawberry Wine was done August 24, 2015. Stan is a 1970

graduate of Beaver Dam High School with a degree in Biology and a Chemistry minor from UW-Oshkosh.

He is a member and past president of the Wisconsin Berry Growers Association and has been growing

strawberries since 1980. This is a 6:00 start time.

Master Gardener Websites

http://www.wimastergardener.org/ http://dodge.uwex.edu/master-gardener/

Master Gardener E-mail

askamastergardener@att.net

August 25 – Plant Pigmentation: Where Beauty Meets Science by Amy Freidig. Imagine that first zing of

spring color in the landscape or the wild mix of blooming flowers in a cottage garden. Plant colors are a vi-

brant part of the gardening experience and there is some fascinating science behind the beautiful dis-

play. Come learn about five common plant pigments that are in your garden. We’ll cover a range of topics

from what red lobster shells have in common with many garden plants to the relationship between plant pig-

ments and human health. A Madison area native, Amy has recently completed MS degrees in horticulture

and plant breeding and researching beets, her favorite plant. She is now employed part-time in with the Wis-

consin Master Gardener Volunteer program where she is responsible for developing interactive educational

materials, assisting with outreach programs, and helping to start a therapeutic horticulture program in con-

junction with an area health care facility. Personally, Amy and her family are new homeowners wrestling with

the joys of establishing their own home garden and landscape.

September 22 – Plants on the Frontier by Kate Redmond. In 1492, an exchange of plants began between the

Old World and the New. What plants did the Native Americans and later, the Europeans use in a time before

drugstores, grocery stores, home improvement, and department stores? How did they know what was safe to

eat? Kate Redmond will answer those questions and more. Kate is a Wisconsin interpretive naturalist/

environmental educator. She is excited about wetlands, prairies, writing, insects (especially dragonflies), car-

nivorous plants, native orchids, and photography. She served for 10 years as a founding board member of

the Friends of the Cedarburg Bog, wrote the on-line field guide to the Mequon Nature Preserve and as the

Bug Lady, has written more than 350 essays about local insects, and other invertebrates.

Photo by Carol Shirk

Events of Interest

Page 3 Digging in Dodge Issue 46

Native Gardening Conference

Native by Design: Gardening for a Sustainable Future

Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

UW-Madison Arboretum, Madison WI

Workshops, practical take-home knowledge, A Wisconsin Native Plant Garden tour, and a bountiful resource table will help you become an inspired and successful native plant gardener. Experts will lead you through developing, maintaining and improving your native garden. Beginning to experienced gardeners can get their questions answered, learn from fellow gardeners and come away with enthusiasm, inspiration, and an im-pressive collection of resources. Registration deadline—September 8, 2016. For more information or to reg-ister: https://arboretum.wisc.edu/

Native Bees and Predatory Wasps of Prairie Ecosystems:

Their Role as Pollinators and Beneficial Insects

Thursday, August 18, 2016 at 7 p.m.

Room UC114 UW-Fond Du Lac, Fond du Lac WI

Learn about the nesting habitat, life cycle, pollen collection, foraging behavior, and general characteristics of the common genera of native bees and predatory wasps in prairie ecosystems. This presentation examines factors that influence prairie management decisions including pollinator seasonality, oral preferences, plant community structure, bee-plant specialist relationships, and timing of prescribed burns and mowing.

Author of Pollinators of Native Plants, Heather Holm owns a Minnesota-based landscape design and consult-ing firm specializing in pollinator landscapes and native landscape restorations. She is currently working at the University of Minnesota Extension faculty on a three year study to determine the types of native bees that visit cultivated blueberries in Minnesota. Heather is an environmental educator and frequent presenter at conferences in the Midwest and Northeast. She writes for Houzz, a social media website, about pollinators, beneficial insects and native plants. http://gottfriedprairiearboretum.org/documents/Education2016.pdf

Stirring the Crock: Fermentation Basics and Beyond Workshop

Thursday, September 15, 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Madison WI

Fermentation is a food preservation technique that is fun, simple, and nutritious. Join Linda Conroy of Moon-wise Herbs for this workshop that offers information, as well as hands-on experience transforming vegetables, fruit, and other food items into delicious, healthy, nutrient-dense food that can be put to use throughout the year. You will be amazed at the taste and simplicity. You will go home with resources, tips, and samples of our creations from class. All supplies provided. Whether you have been fermenting for a while or are new to it, you will learn useful 'tricks of the trade.' Limited space; register early. Registration Deadline: September 8. For more information: http://www.olbrich.org/education/classes.cfm#workshops

Dodge County Fair

August 17 - 21, 2016

Dodge County Fairgrounds, Beaver Dam

The Dodge County Fair is the area’s main event. An outdoor main stage concert venue entertains country and rock concert goers, taste great fair food, view the many exhibits and animals while learning, doing and just having a great time!

Don’t forget to visit the Dodge County Master Gardner’s booth while at the fair. The booth will be in the 4-H Youth Building and will be highlighting invasive plants Master Gardeners will be on hand Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. to answer gardening questions.

Page 4 Digging in Dodge Issue 46

2016 Upper Midwest Regional Master Gardener Conference

The conference will be held at the Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI, September 14 - 17, 2016.

Listen to and learn from exciting speakers from Wisconsin and beyond, and tour some of Wisconsin’s finest

horticultural and natural treasures with knowledgeable guides. Enjoy networking with other Master Gardeners

from around the Midwest during coffee breaks and social time. Visit with vendors exhibiting their products and

services.

For more details see the official conference website: https://midwestmgconference.wordpress.com/ or follow

the event on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/midwestmgconference?ref=hl

November 5, 2016

8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Public is Welcome

Horicon Marsh Education Center

Pre-registration is Required

Gold Sponsors:

Kaycee, Allison, Nicole & Stephanie Zindl

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

Kathryn J Hassin Attorney at Law

Waukesha WI

Presentations

Adding Gourmet & Medicinal Mushrooms to

Your Garden ~ Lindsey A. Bender

Making Paper from Dried Plants & Grasses ~

Mel Kolstad

Vernacular Gardens ~ Liza Lightfoot,

Hydrangeas for Wisconsin ~ Mike Maddox

Page 5 Digging in Dodge Issue 46

The Tenacious Gardener I have a well-established asparagus patch. It is not

old, as asparagus patches go; a mere 6 years. It is

not too big, just enough for my two person household

with enough to share. I have been successful at

keeping it weed free until this spring when I had an

infestation of the dreaded quackgrass.

I spent several hours sitting, kneeling, and crawling

through the patch pulling each blade of grass out and

teasing out miles of long, slender, white roots. (At

least it seemed like miles of roots.) Did I get it all?

Anyone who is familiar with the growing habit of

quackgrass knows I would be a foolish woman indeed

to think that I got it “all”, but I definitely gave it a good

headache.

As I worked, I thought of the many gardeners I know.

They are a varied group, some whimsical with gar-

dens that reflect that light and airy personality. Some

are practical and down to earth, with gardens all in a

row, neat and clean. Some are colorful with gardens

that burst forth each year with sights that dazzle the

senses. Some are quiet and purposeful that have

gardens which gently unfold during the season with a

newness to encourage you each day.

But, the one common factor I see in each gardener is

tenacity. Any person who is going to garden with reg-

ularity will encounter setbacks. We set our teeth and

go at it again to figure out the problem. Quackgrass

invades the asparagus? Abandon the patch? Not a

chance! I will win over that weed and recover the

patch. The key is getting ahead before the quack

gets too far.

Are your dahlias diseased? Your cosmos curling?

Your watermelon wilting? I know you will tackle the

issue and find a solution. Have you always wanted to

grow a particular plant? I am almost certain that at

some point you will find a place in your landscape for

it. Maybe not this year or next, but your determination

will find a way to make it happen.

Maybe this tenacity is the reason gardeners make

such lovely friends, not to mention some of the finest

people that walk the face of the earth.

Happy Gardening.

Carol Shirk Certified Master Gardener

Ingredients

4 10-inch flour tortillas

1 tablespoon butter, melted

4 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup vanilla yogurt

1 cup blueberries

1 ripe mango, peeled and diced

2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Brush one side of each tortilla lightly with melted butter.

2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprin-

kle buttered side of tortillas with cinnamon sugar.

3. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Lay tortilla wedges out in a single layer on two baking sheets.

4. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp and golden on the edg-es. Let cool.

5. Place tortilla chips on a serving platter. Top with yo-gurt, blueberries and mangoes. Sprinkle with mint. Serve. Number of servings (yield): 4-6 servings

Blueberry Mango Nachos

Recipe from US Highbush Blueberry Council

Page 6 Digging in Dodge Issue 46

Volunteers in Action

Training

Booths

Educating &

Assisting

Presentations

Page 7 Digging in Dodge Issue 46

Keep Weeding

In the middle of summer, our focus in the vegetable garden often turns from weeding to harvesting. After all, harvesting is the whole point of planting a garden, and it’s more fun than weeding, which we’re already tired of. But if you don’t keep up with the weeds, you’ll pay the price later. It’s extremely important that you don’t let weeds go to seed in your garden. Each weed can produce an enormous number of seeds that fall to the ground and enter the soil seedbank. If you allow a weed to pro-duce seeds, you’ll be pulling that weed’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for years to come. Some of our most common weeds, like foxtail, can produce 4,000 seed on each plant. Pigweed can produce 230,000! And some of those seeds can remain viable in the soil for 10-15 years or more, meaning every time you work up the soil, you will have a new crop of weeds to pull. Keep an eye on those areas along the edges of the garden, or places where you’ve already completed harvest of early-season crops, such as peas. It’s important that you prevent the weeds from going to seed, even if that means running a lawn mower over them. You’ll thank yourself.

Diana Alfuth, Horticulture Educator - Pierce County UW-Extension

Printed with permission from Diana Alfuth

SOME COMMON WISCONSIN WEEDS

Weed Seeds Per Plant

Common Lambsquarter 38,000

Pennsylvania Smartweed 6,500

Eastern Black Nightshade 40,000

Green Foxtail 4,000

Velvetleaf 15,000

Common Purslane 200,000

Shepherds Purse 50,000

Black Mustard 3,000

Lambsquarter

Purslane

Photos by

Carol Shirk

These two weedy grasses with coarse leaves are often confused. Quackgrass is a perennial grass that has

extensive underground whitish rhizomes (underground stems) from which new plants can arise. New, upright

leaves appear early in the spring. This plant is difficult to control by weeding; chemical herbicides are most

effective. Crabgrass is a low-growing, warm season annual grass that germinates about the time common

lilac is in the early bloom stage, sets seed in late summer, and dies with the first frost. It often forms patches

in lawns, with plants growing together to form large clumps. The best defense is a thick, vigorously growing

lawn, but it is easy to control in both lawns and ornamental beds with pre-emergent herbicides (applied before

it germinates) or can be removed by hand.

Crabgrass vs Quackgrass

Mini-hort sheet– Wisconsin Master Gardener Association

Board of Directors

Loretta Ortiz-Ribbing

Crops and Soils Agent

UW-Extension Office

920 386-3790

Diane Hemling

President

920-960-6351

Lynn Stanton

Vice President

920-296-1868

Jan Krause

Secretary

920-261-7939

Joan Loomis

Treasurer

920-988-2153

Gae Bergmann

Local Record Keeper

920-928-3486

Al Krause

Local Representative to

the WIMGA

(920) 261-7939

Dodge County Master Gardener Association

UW-Extension, Administration Building 127 E. Oak Street, Juneau, WI 53039

Phone: (920) 386-3790