master gardeners of rutherford county, tn july 2014 … · 2018-11-04 · experienced by the...

July 2014

The Scoop

MASTER GARDENERS OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN

UT Jackson Summer Celebration

Lawn & Garden Show

July 10, 2014

Admission $5.00

This years event will be tipping it’s hat to

tradition...Southern Tradition! With some

of the South’s best gardeners on the

program, it’s sure to be a fun fact-filled

day!

Lectures, demonstrations, vendors,

exhibits, and the Master Gardener plant

sale (begins at 9am) will make this well

worth the trip to Jackson!

West Tennessee Research Center

605 Airways Blvd.

Jackson, TN 38301

For more info, visit their website:

westtennessee.tennessee.edu

Great lectures...indoors & outdoors include:

From Trash to Treasure / Jason Reeves

A Melee of Plants and Garden Art /

Felder Rushing

UT Gardens: Inspire, Educate, Cultivate /

Sue Hamilton

Plant This, Not That! / Troy Marden

Armegeddon in Your Small Fruits Garden /

Frank Hale

Cutting Back / Amy Fulcher

Cooking From the Vine / UT Kitchen Diva’s

Got Grapes? / Peter Howard

Super Hero’s / Rita Jackson

Recycling in the South / Marcus & Amy Chandler

City Chicks / Sherl Rose

Shrubs & Trees / Andy Pulte

Growing Heirloom Vegetables / Annette Wszelaki

Something to Hide? / Carol Reese

Stories from the Sticks / Dr. Allan Houston

Southern Belles Get Better with Age

Pig Headed Plaques / Alan Windham

Next Master Gardener Meeting…. July 21 6:30pm Community Center Ms. LInell of Monarch Meadows will be talking about the life & habits of Monarch Butterflies. Everyone is welcome!

Helpful Hints…. “Gator Bags” used for watering young trees can be very

expensive. Make your own by recycling large plastic

bags (the kind that animal feed, dog food etc come in)

Simply hang from a low branch (or use an inexpensive

short shepherds hook) and fill with water. The water

will seep thru the stitching at the bottom of the bag.

Submitted by Viann Clements, MG

Instead of this Try this!

Inspired to Grow Grain Corn

By Edwina Shannon, MG Mark Murphy, CMG, presented an informative and fun class on growing your own grain corn at the May 20 Farmer’s Market class. His own favorite is the Floriani Red Flint Corn and he brought enough of his freshly baked cornbread from his own freshly ground corn to share with the class. Yum! Then to top the taste, he even shared his recipe.

“Floriani Red Flint corn is a rare, open pollinated variety from the Valsugna Valley of the Italian Alps. This corn is becoming increasingly popular among homesteaders and grain afficionados and is renowned for its outstanding flavor,” states Mark.

Mark’s presentation convinced this group of home gardeners that we, too, could grow enough corn in a 4x4 space to make our own highly nutritious cornmeal. Yield is dependent on the variety chosen.

His recommended varieties: Cherokee White Flour ~ Bloody Butcher ~ Painted Mountain ~ Oaxocan Green ~ Hopi Blue ~ Floriani Red

Some varieties produce more than one ear per stalk. Harvest the ears when the plant starts to turn brown. Remove their husks and either hang dry or spread out on a flat surface, always with good ventilation. Store either on or off the cob in a cool, dry, dark location. When ready to use as cornmeal, grind then.

“The flavor of freshly ground whole-kernel corn can’t be matched by typical packaged cornmeal. The meal can be used for cornbread, grits, polenta, and pancakes,” says

The Scoop MASTER GARDENERS OF RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN

July 2014

Floriani Red Flint Buttermilk Cornbread Created by Mark Murphy

Ingredients: ½ c (1 stick) butter ¼ c sugar ¼ brown sugar 2 eggs at room temperature 1 c buttermilk 1 c milk 1 tsp baking soda 2 cups cornmeal 1 cup all purpose flour 1 tsp salt Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease iron skillet. Melt butter in microwave. Start mixer and continue while all ingredients are added: butter, sugar, eggs, Combine milks, baking soda, and then add to mix-ture. Add cornmeal, flour, salt. Pour into cast iron skillet. Bake 35 minutes

CMG Mark Murphy, at RC Farmers Market class

Share your Helpful Hint by sending email to: [email protected]

Gardening Tips for July (thanks to Jason Reeves, West Tn UT Gardens)

It’s not necessary to fertilize well-

established trees or shrubs. If you are

trying to encourage faster growth on new

plantings, a balanced granular fertilizer

scattered on the soil surface is effective.

Be careful not to overdo it. Tree spikes or

drilling fertilizer into the root zone is

unnecessary and expensive.

Plants that show excessive damage or

have not come back from our cold winter

can be removed. It was worth giving them

time to “come back” but if new growth

hasn’t started by now, think about

removing them.

Look for some of the exciting new

cultivars of old dependable shrubs at your

local nursery.

“Ruby Slipper” and “Munchkin” dwarf

oakleaf hydrangeas, BoomStruck big leaf

hydrangea, the golden form of the small

anise tree Illicuim pariflorum ‘Florida

Sunshine’, and the beautiful sun-loving

gold cultivar of shore juniper Juniperus

conferta ‘All Gold” are some to look for if

replacing shrubs.

Prune spring flowering shrubs (azaleas,

flowering quince, forsythia, loropetalum

etc) now that they have finished flowering.

Selectively remove old or unruly branches

by reaching deep into the shrub, making

the cut just about over a joint, leaving no

visible stub. This will keep your shrubs

naturally shaped and not looking like

meatballs.

Azaleas often show symptoms of lace

bug and spider mite infestation. This can

be prevented by a one-time application of

the systemic insecticide imidacloprid. This

should be poured in liquid form around the

root system as the flowers fade. Uptake by

the roots spreads the active ingredients

throughout the plant tissue where it

remains effective throughout the

growing season. Always follow label

directions. Polinators won’t be

affected if you wait until after the

flowers fade.

Continue to watch for Rose Rosette

disease. This virus disfigures the rose’s

stems, leaves and flowers. Symptons

include witches broom, where the

stems branch thickly. New grow is

more red than normal. There is no

cure for infected plants. just pruning

out the affected growth has not been

shown to be effective, so remove the

entire plant, roots and all, as soon as

the virus is discovered to prevent

spread to other plants. We don’t

know a lot about rose rosette. As more

research is done, we will keep you

posted on the results.-


July 2014

BENEFITS AND GOALS OF

THERAPEUTIC HORTICULTURE ~ by Linda Lunday, CMG

Gardening and plants have a healing quality about

them. Throughout history, since the time of Christ,

gardens have been instrumental in treating people with

mental and physical challenges. Dr. Benjamin Rush, a

professor at the Institute of Medicine and Clinical

Practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was instrumental

in the recognition of horticulture as a beneficial form of

treatment for mental illness in the United States. “In

1798, Dr. Rush announced that he had found field labor

in a farm setting to have curative effects on people who

were mentally ill. His findings were sufficiently received

by colleagues elsewhere in the United States and Europe

to initiate a rush of further testing in the early

1800’s.” (p. 4) Throughout the 1800’s, horticultural

practices were followed with people who experienced

mental disabilities, the elder population and

disadvantaged young people. “Throughout the 1800’s it

had been well-established that horticulture was an

important addition to treatment programs for persons

with psychological or mental disabilities, but it was not

until the world wars of the twentieth century that its

value in programming for persons with physical

disabilities was thoroughly tested and validated.” (p. 6)

During World War I, gardening and plants were used in

hospitals for the purpose of occupational and physical

therapy. It was during World War II that horticultural

therapy became a routine part of therapy and

rehabilitation therapy.

Today, facilities that oversee the health needs of

clients and patients are limited financially and are not

actively hiring horticultural therapists. Volunteers often

gladly supply horticultural activities to assist medical

professionals in bringing the enjoyment of working with

plants and flowers to the various groups of people who

have special physical and mental needs. ‘Horticultural

Therapy’ is a term used for specifically prescribed

therapy by physicians that will offer designated results.

Either certified Horticultural Therapists or Occupational

or Physical Therapy personnel direct the therapy.

Otherwise, volunteers’ work with people is termed

‘Therapeutic Horticulture.’ The purposes and

goals for gardening activities remain the same,

however. “…the common goal of improving the

physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual

wellbeing of garden participants through

horticultural activities and experiences encourages

some common features….The purpose of any

therapeutic garden is to maximize the number,

quality, and intensity of interactions with plant

materials in the garden landscape. The benefits

of such interactions with plants can be realized

through active participation in the horticultural

tasks of the garden or through passive

appreciation of garden spaces and features.” (pp.

287-288)

An online source, People and Plants

Together, describes therapeutic horticulture and

its benefits very thoroughly and concisely.

“Therapeutic horticulture uses an array of year-

around floral, gardening and other plant-related

activities, in professionally conducted, interactive

programs. Therapeutic horticulture programs are

stimulating and enjoyed by all, including persons

with cognitive, emotional, physical impairments

and the elderly. Therapeutic horticulture benefits

those who have physical disabilities, mental health

problems and learning difficulties, and those

recovering from major injuries or illnesses and

elderly people.”

http://www.peopleandplantstogether.com/

therapeutic_horticulture.html

Continued, Page 5


July 2014

http://www.peopleandplantstogether.com/therapeutic_horticulture.html

http://www.peopleandplantstogether.com/therapeutic_horticulture.html

Horticultural Therapy Classes

to be offered

Several of our members have expressed an

interest in horticultural therapy. The

Memphis Botanic Gardens is offering training

on horticultural therapy and horticultural

outreach on July 31st & Aug, 1st.

Call 901-636-4128 for more information or to

request a brochure. Be sure to ask about the

Master Gardener Discount.

(source: List Serve Announcement)

Horticultural Therapy, from Page 4

“Benefits of therapeutic horticulture include physical

activity, relaxation and enjoyment, creative expression and

sensory stimulation. Therapeutic horticulture provides

opportunity for intellectual and personal growth, skill

development, a sense of productivity and self-satisfaction,

and a spiritual connection with life. Therapeutic

horticulture improves physical health by providing

opportunities for exercising, increasing flexibility,

improving coordination and balance, and building physical

strength.”

h t t p : / / w w w . p e o p l e a n d p l a n t s t o g e t h e r . c o m /

horticulture_benefits.html

Therapeutic horticultural garden designs may vary,

from traditional gardening or container gardening.

Traditional gardening may include a prepared, in-ground

planting area or a raised planting bed, depending on the

garden facility. The in-ground flower bed utilizes the

native soil or specially formulated soils for the area at

ground level. The slightly raised beds, as pictured below,

may be encased with a frame or edging. Container

gardening consists of horticulture activities in which plants

are grown in pots, containers, window boxes, or tabletop

planters.

During times of inclement weather, indoor activities

may be planned. These may consist of craft projects,

floral design, and plant propagation—all that offer

rewarding and stimulating therapeutic results. The

primary focus is on the safety, welfare, and enjoyment

experienced by the horticulture participants.

Reference: Simson, PhD, Sharon Pastor and Straus, BA,

BS, HTM, Martha C. Straus, Horticulture as Therapy

Principles and Practice, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca

Raton, Fl, 1998.


July 2014

Grass Masters Lawn Care Academy August 13—16, 2014

There’s a really good chance you’ll learn way more

than you bargained for about turfgrass and lawncare

if you complete this lawncare course slated for

August 13-16, 2014. Extension Agent, Mitchell Mote

will be teaching about the different kinds of

turfgrasses we can (and can’t) grow here and how to

manage them, options for establishing a new lawn,

renovation tips for existing lawns, weed control,

fertilization, and more!

Class time is from 6:00-8:00 p.m. nightly August 13-

15 and from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Saturday morning

August 16. All sessions will be held in the Lane Agri-

Park Office Complex auditorium located at 315 John

R. Rice Blvd in Murfreesboro.

The course is free for everyone interested in

learning more about home lawncare.

Space is limited and you must register by Friday, August 1 to guarantee that course materials will be available for you!

You can register by calling the Extension office at

898-7710 from 7:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday

or email Mitchell Mote at [email protected]

http://www.peopleandplantstogether.com/horticulture_benefits.html

http://www.peopleandplantstogether.com/horticulture_benefits.html

mailto:[email protected]

A Visit to the Farmers Market

Today was July 4th which meant a Friday off and a foray to the Farmer's Market. One of our own Master Gardener's, Les Heaberlin has a booth there. Les calls his place Stone Goose Farm. I knew that Les grew onions but didn't know he was also into different tomato varieties. I spoke to him for a while. He told me about the different tomatoes and the one in the picture is a Tennessee tomato. He also has one he calls the 58 tomato as apparently that's when it was developed. I met Les's wife, Patsy, and his grand-daughter who he professed were his marketing manager and cashier. I purchased the items in the photograph and have already snacked on the blackberries, very tasty, and the beans. The tomato I'm saving to have with a little salt and pepper and goat cheese.

The butterfly garden is looking very good with all kinds of flowers in bloom. There were lots of visitors to the garden in the short time I was watching. The coneflowers are in full bloom as are the zinnias, snap dragons, lavender, vinca, salvia, butterfly weed and several others. I am happy to say that there were butterflies present as well.

The raised beds are also looking good and there are a few cherry tomatoes ready for picking.

Inside the Farmers Market, Master Gardeners were manning the concession stand and two tables where you could ask questions and check out some of the literature available at the Extension Office

Working full time doesn't allow me much time to volunteer but I am proud to be a member of the Master Gardeners of Rutherford County. We are out there participating in the community, gardening, teaching and making a difference.

~Linda Schien, CMG

The Lane Agri-Park orchard has been undergoing renovation for the past two years, thanks in large part to Master Gardener Les Heaberlin and his crew of volunteers. Strategic pruning and removal of some of the old trees, planting new trees and varieties have turned the orchard into an outdoor classroom used for fruit tree pruning & care demonstrations. Photo by Linda Schien, CMG

The vineyard at Lane Agri-Park has been maintained by Dr. Warren Anderson, CMG and various Master Gardener volunteers as well as MTSU students for several years. The vineyard is planted in Norton grapes, a variety that is native to North America and most likely is one of the oldest native grapes now in wide cultivation. It is prized for it’s flavor in the making of dry wine. Last years crop was sold and the proceeds used to finance Master Gardener programs.

Photo by Linda Schien, CMG


July 2014

Julys’ “to do” list….

Here is your “to do” list for the garden for July. These

tasks were submitted to UT Gardens on-line newsletter

by Jason Reeves, horticulturist and curator at the

University of Tennessee Gardens in Jackson.

▪ Many plants are easily propagated by layering.

Hydrangeas, viburnums, weigela, trumpet honeysuckle, Carolina jessamine, and climbing roses are a few that will

root if the stems are fastened down and covered with

soil.

▪ Start planning your fall vegetable garden. Late July is the time to start seeding your winter

broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts to be transplanted into the garden in mid-

August.

▪ You should be receiving fall nursery catalogues in the mail soon. Now would be the time to

begin planning a new garden.

▪ Raise the height of your mower to reduce stress on your lawn and to conserve moisture in the ground. For best results, mow 2 inches for Bermuda grass, 1 to 2 inches for Zoysia and 2.5 to

3 inches for fescue.

▪ July is a good month to prune “bleeder” trees like maples, dogwood, elm and birch and other

trees that “bleed” when pruned in winter.

▪ Give your chrysanthemums and aster a last pinching no later mid-July.

▪ Keep your perennials deadheaded so they will continue to flower. Be sure to remove the

fading flower down to a leaf node or new bud.

▪ Cut back early planted annuals that are getting leggy or out of control by one-third to keep

them looking good into the fall. Give them a shot of a water-soluble fertilizer. Good candidates include impatiens, salvia, sweet potato vine, trailing or ground-cover-type petunias and herbs,

like basil.

▪ Avoid pruning spring-flowering shrubs from now until next spring. Anything you remove now will also be removing next year's flowers. Spring-flowering shrubs include azaleas, camellias,

witch hazels and rhododendrons among others.

▪ Now is the time to prune overgrown oakleaf and mop-head hydrangeas.

▪ Cut flowers for a bouquet early in the morning. Immediately place them in water. Good cut flowers include purple or white Echinacea (coneflower), Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan), zinnias, salvia, dahlias, sunflowers, Mexican sunflower, celosia, jewels of opar, cosmos, dill, fennel,

Gomphrena (globe amaranth), Gaillardia, Monarda (bee balm), phlox, yarrow, ornamental

grasses and Artemisia.

▪ Cut old flower heads off Hydrangea arborescens such as 'Annabelle' to get a second, but

smaller, flush of flowers.

▪July is a good time to buy crapemyrtles. They are in flower now so you can be certain to get the flower colored desired. Crapemyrtles should not be fertilized after mid-July to allow them

time to properly harden off by fall.

▪ Keep birdbaths clean and filled with water through the hot weather, but be sure to control

mosquitoes by eliminating sources of stagnant water.


July 2014

“The Scoop” is the official newsletter of the Master Gardeners of Rutherford County, Tennessee and is published by email the second week of the month. Those

members without email and who are not able to attend meetings may receive the newsletter by U.S. Postal mail.

Please send articles, photos, and comments to Linda Lindquist, Editor: [email protected] The deadline for articles, and other items to be included in the newsletter is the last Friday of the month. Meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at the Lane Agri Park at 6:30 p.m., unless specified. Membership is $30 for a single or $40 for a couple at the same address. All memberships are valid January thru December and are pro-rated for new members only.

Trade and brand names are used only for information. UT/TSU Extension does not guarantee nor warrant the standard of any product mentions; neither does it imply approval of any products to the exclusion of others which also may be suitable.

Programs in agriculture and natural resources, 4-H youth development, family and consumer sciences and resource development. University of Tennessee Institute

of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, county governments cooperating, UT Extension and Tennessee State University.

Growing Community through

Gardening Facebook.com/mborogarden

The Murfreesboro Community Gardening group has partnered with a church and a neighborhood in downtown Murfreesboro to create the State Street Garden. Together we're growing veggies and so much more!

Key Memorial United Methodist church has been tilling up a plot behind their church at 806 East State Street for years in hopes of creating a garden to serve their community. This year the Murfreesboro Community Gardening group got connected with them. We've helped weed, tend to the plants the church planted, and plant a lot more. We got a bit of a late start, but things are going really well!

Our goals are to provide gardening space for people in Murfreesboro who may not have their own space to grow food, serve the State Street neighborhood, build lots of new friendships and community, and also teach kids the value of gardening, healthy eating and community.

We have a bunch of great reasons to do this, and several great hearted volunteers.

We are also learning a lot as we go - but that's what community is all about!

The Murfreesboro Community Gardening group is also involved in teaching gardening/healthy eating classes to kids of all ages at Franklin Heights and Patterson Park.

We're welcoming gardeners, gardening advice, and anyone else who wants to get involved to like and share the Facebook page or give Autumn Shultz a call at 615-497-5936.


July 2014

Photos provided by Autumn Shultz

master gardeners of rutherford county, tn july 2014 … · 2018-11-04 · experienced by the...

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