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PERMIT #72

Mercer County Horticulture Newsletter

December, 2018

Mercer County

1007 Lexington Road Harrodsburg, KY 40330

(859) 734-4378 Fax: (859) 734-4379

From The Ground Up Wishing everyone a safe and very happy holiday season! Happy Gardening!

Jessica Bessin, Mercer County Extension Agent for Horticulture

NOTICE

Public Notification of Procedure for Filing a Complaint:

The Cooperative Extension Service prohibits discrimination in its programs and employment on the basis of race, color, age, religion, gender, disability, or national origin.

To initiate a complaint at the college level, contact Tim West in the Business Office at 859-257-3879. At the University level, Terry Allen and Patty Bender in the UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity (859-257-8927) may be contacted. Additionally, employee or clientele complaints involving any research or

extension sponsored program or activity may be directed to the USDA, Director Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg., 14th & Independence Ave. SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 (202-720-5964).

Holiday Cactus

Many families have different heirlooms that are passed down

through the generations, a common one for plant lovers is the

holiday cactus. My family is one of those. I currently have a

Christmas cactus in my living room that was a piece of my great-

grandmothers. The reason these plants enjoy such a long life is

because they are easy to grow. They thrive on benign neglect, have

few insect and disease problems, and don’t require frequent

repotting. There are actually three types of holiday cactus that

often all get called Christmas cactus. The one you come across the most is probably the Thanksgiving cactus.

Thanksgiving cacti are available from early fall through Christmas. The flower colors range from white through red,

lavender, and salmon with many shades of each. The leaf margins of the Thanksgiving cactus bear two to four saw-

toothed, upward pointing projections on the sides of the stem. The flowering period is generally from about Thanksgiving

through the Christmas season. The true Christmas cactus, has leaf margins that are rounded with scallops along the edges

of the stems. The arching branches produce 3-inch-long, rosy-red flowers from late December through March. The Easter

cactus, sets buds from January to March and blooms from March through May with pink or red flowers. It may bloom

again in early fall. The leaf margins of Easter cacti are smoother than the other seasonal cacti, with 4 to 6 slight ripples

along their edges, and brownish hair-like bristles at their tips. These holiday cacti have their origins in the forests of

South America. They are epiphytic plants, which means they live on another plant but are not parasitic. They grow in the

crotches of trees and derive their nutrition from the heavy jungle rains, decaying organic matter, and filtered sunlight.

The big question is how to get these plants to bloom? All three groups require similar growing conditions. However, the

Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti depend on short day lengths and cool temperatures to set flower buds, while Easter

cacti will bloom with cool temperatures at the normal seasonal day length. Thanksgiving and Christmas cacti are short-

day plants. To ensure that the plants bloom around Thanksgiving or Christmas, place them in a spare bedroom or

basement where no artificial lights are used at night. The plants should receive bright light during the day and the

temperature should be kept cool, under 65°F. Some Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti will bloom if kept at 55°F. during

the fall, regardless of day length. Keep the plants a bit on the dry side until you see pinpoint buds forming, then resume

normal watering. Once buds have formed, you do not need to continue the short-day treatment. However, you do need to

keep the soil moderately moist, give them bright light, and maintain a cool temperature to avoid bud drop. Epiphytic cacti

require a well-drained potting soil. A commercial potting soil can be used if it drains well. The branches of holiday cacti

may become limp and shriveled if grown in a compacted, poorly drained soil. Although a member of the cactus family, a

holiday cactus should not be kept dry like its relatives. Keep the soil moisture and fertilize during the summer. During the

summer, you can move them outdoors to a partially shady location. If you buy a holiday cactus during this holiday

season, this could be the gift in your family that keeps on giving! Source: Iowa Extension Horticulture.

Mark Those Calendars!!!

Mercer County Master Gardener Class Spring 2019

See insert for more details.

Master Gardener Meeting and Holiday Party– December 6th, Boyle County Extension Office 6:00 PM

We will discuss upcoming volunteer opportunities and have our annual holiday potluck.

Farmers Market Classes (Marketing Class)– December 13th, Mercer County Extension Office 6:00 PM

Join us for the second class in our farmers market series, this class will focus on marketing your products and yourself at

the farmers market.

Mercer County Extension Holiday Open House-December 13th, Mercer County Extension Office 3:00-6:00 PM

See insert for more details.

Holiday Day of Fun!- December 14th, Mercer County Extension Office

See insert for more details.

Fresh Green Wreath Class– December 14th, Mercer County Extension Office 1:00 PM

Learn how to make your own fresh green wreath! This class is limited to 20 people and has a fee of $10. Call the

Extension Office at 859-734-4378 to reserve your spot today!

Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference– January 7th-8th, Embassy Suites in Lexington , KY

The KY fruit and vegetable conference is a great meeting for anyone who is interested in gardening. The conference

covers many topics from fruit production, organic gardening, commercial vegetable production, farmers markets, wine

and grape production, insect management, disease management, and a variety of vendors will be present selling

horticultural supplies. There is a registration and fee that can be completed at the door or mailed in at an earlier time. See

insert for more details.

Adult Country Ham Workshop– January 21st, Mercer County Extension Office 12:00 PM

See image under amaryllis article.

Fort Harrod Beekeeping Club – January 28th , Mercer County Extension Office 6:30 PM

The bee club WILL NOT meet in the month of December. The club will resume its normal schedule at the end of January.

Make sure to check out the Fort Harrod Beekeeping Facebook page for all the latest updates and announcements!

Amaryllis Amaryllis add a tropical look to your home and provide some much needed winter color. In addition, few indoor plants are as long lasting and easy care as amaryllis. Amaryllis are popular gifts and have huge flowers (up to six inches across) in winter. There are normally two to four or more flowers on a twelve to twenty-four inch stalk. Some larger bulbs will even have two stalks of flowers. The range of dramatic colors are brilliant red, orange, salmon, pink, white, striped or variegated. When we get amaryllis bulbs as gifts it seems so easy -- just add water and sunlight and watch them grow. The bulbs have already gone through a rest period. The challenge comes after we enjoy the beautiful flowers and then wonder what to do with this huge bulb and its long floppy leaves. Once the flowers fade, remove the flower stalks but leave the leaves. The leaves will help to replenish the food storage in the bulb. Amaryllis should be grown as a houseplant by watering and fertilizing regularly with a houseplant fertilizer such as 5-10-5 or 5-10-10. In early summer once the danger of frost has passed, they can be placed outside under a shady tree. Continue to grow the bulb for 5-6 months after flowering. In order to get amaryllis to bloom in winter they must go through a rest period. It seems amaryllis bulbs have a sleeping beauty complex -- they sleep a long time before they reveal their beauty. Luckily they don't require a kiss from a handsome prince to awaken. In August, it is time to stop fertilizing and time to gradually reduce watering. After about three weeks, stop watering completely. Let the leaves yellow and die down naturally. Cut the yellow leaves off to a couple of inches above the bulb. In September or early October, set the bulb, pot and all, in a cool (50–60°F), dark, dry place for at least six to eight weeks. The six to eight weeks of rest should not be counted until all the leaves are yellow. In November or later, move the potted plant back into a warm bright area and start the growth cycle again by watering. Amaryllis like to be somewhat pot-bound so don't worry about repotting for a couple of years. Keep the soil, moist but not soggy. Don't let the bulb dry out especially once it starts to flower. Rotate the pot daily as it grows so the plant doesn't lean to one side. Ideal temperature is 55–65°F. Warm temperatures promote long, weak and spindly growth. Be patient. The bulb should flower within 4 to 8 weeks from the time you start watering again. The reasons why bulbs fail to bloom include: bulb too young/small; too short a dormant period (the bulbs should be completely dormant with no green leaves); or too high of temperature during or after dormancy. The longer you have an amaryllis bulb, the bigger the bulb gets and the more flowers so it is worth the little extra effort to keep it year after year. Source: Sandra Mason, Illinois Extension Master Gardener Coordinator