Garden

The

Spade May 2016

Monarda for Pollinators Sarah Denkler, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

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**In This Issue**

Pinecrest Azaleas

Marginally Hardy

Plants

Emerald Ash Borer

Fleas

Wildflowers in May

Elephant Ears

“Reliable, Responsive and Relevant Information for the Missouri Gardener”

An excellent perennial plant for attracting butterflies, Monarda also works to

attract hummingbirds and is a great nectar source for bees. This is a plant that

will bring elegant variety to the landscape in summer and is tall enough for the

back of a border. It can tolerate some shade but

needs some sun.

The leaf is fragrant, like mint, and used for

making tea. The plant grows in full sun and can

grow to 4 feet in height. The flower is showy and

can be cut for arrangements. The plant flowers

for about 8 weeks in summer with an orange like

fragrance. It is a plant that will grow under

walnut.

This plant spreads rapidly through rhizomes so it

will need to be thinned out over time. Deadhead

flowers as blooms fade to prevent seeding which

is unnecessary for propagation. The plant can be

split and shared when thinning in early spring.

Mulch to prevent soil from drying out as this will

weaken the plant.

The plant is very susceptible to powdery mildew.

Thin plantings every 4 years to allow air

movement and reduce wet leaves. If powdery

mildew is an issue select varieties that are

resistant such as: Marshall’s Delight, Sunset, or

Violet Queen. This disease can reduce the life of

the plant to just a few years.

Monarda pictures courtesy of

Missouri Botanical Garden

The Garden Spade May 2016 · 2

Plants with Winter Interest Katie Kammler, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

Hot Spot! Pinecrest Azalea Gardens Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

I’ve heard over the years about a beautiful azalea garden just outside of the Jackson area. I just couldn’t

imagine what laid before me on my excursion to see what all the fuss was about this year. What I found

was amazing and inspiring. For a plant addict, it was absolutely

dangerous! I somewhat felt sorry for my husband on this trip because he

knew that there was going to be a lot of dreaming, wanting and planning

in the days to come because I was on plant overload.

Pinecrest Azalea Gardens is one magnificent place. Spring blossoms

abound from Mid-March to Mid-May. It is open to all visitors free of

charge. While some visitors prefer just a drive through, other (like me)

prefer to “take it all in” on a stroll through the intoxicating beauty of all

the flowers. There are benches for sitting and soaking up the beauty

along the way.

Be prepared for the bees and the pollinators. What a busy place it was

on the Sunday I visited for those little guys. My two girls were so

petrified with so many bees buzzing about. They feared the bees were

after them. I finally resorted to finding my way almost into the middle of

a bush to prove to them that the bees didn’t want me. They just wanted

the flowers! The bees never paid me any mind…they just went on with

their business. I told my little Lauren that they didn’t want her because

she didn’t look like a flower and sure didn’t smell like one either. At

least we all finally got a good laugh at the situation.

I was so inspired by Pinecrest Azalea Gardens that I spoke with Linda

Penzel the day after I visited. She referred me to the website for

information on the gardens. Here is an excerpt from the website...

“Gene and Linda Penzel are the owners of Pinecrest and devote a great

deal of time and energy to the caring of their plants and every year they

add more to the gardens.

Gene's parents, Carl and Mettie started the gardens back in 1963. They

lived in Jackson but bought the 52 acres not far from Millersville where

they could go out on weekends and in the summer. Carl started planting

Azaleas and Rhododendrons on the grounds and kept adding more each

year. He also planted 6,000 pine trees to help increase the acid content

in the soil. In the early 1980's, Carl built a house at the gardens and it

served as their summer home. They would come out in February and stay

until October. When Carl retired from Penzel Construction Company,

they stayed at the gardens most of the time. Carl died in July of 2000.

Mettie died April 19, 2008 at 100 years, 11 months old.

After Carl's death, his son Gene, took over the Continued to page 8

The Garden Spade

January Gardening Calendar

Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

Outdoor flowering plants and Ornamentals

Pinch azaleas and rhododendron blossoms as they fade. Fertilize plants after bloom

and use a fertilizer that will acidify the soil.

Do not remove spring bulb foliage prematurely or next year’s flower production will

decline. Foliage should be left to feed the bulb.

Pinch back mums to promote bushy growth.

Some common ground covers suitable for sunny locations include Ajuga, creeping

phlox, and creeping juniper.

Lightly side-dress perennials and spring bulbs with a 5-10-10 or 10-10-10 fertilizer,

being careful to avoid the center or crown of the plant.

If you love to garden, but don’t have a lot of time, choose plants that are easy to

maintain. Plants that do not need “deadheading” include begonia, impatiens, coleus,

alyssum, ageratum, lobelia, vinca and salvia.

Prune blooming shrubs right after flowers have faded if needed.

Vegetable Gardening

Growing lettuce under screening/shading materials will slow bolting and extend

harvests into hot weather.

Place cutworm collars around young transplants. Collars are easily made from

cardboard strips.

Set tomatoes in warm soils after May 1st. Place support stakes or cages at planting

time in addition to mulching the plants.

Control caterpillars on broccoli and cabbage plants by handpicking or use biological

sprays such as B.T. (Bacillus thuringensis).

Place a stake by seeds of squash and cucumbers when planting in hills to locate the

root zone watering site after the vines have run.

Watch for striped and spotted cucumber beetles now. Both may spread wilt and

mosaic diseases to young squash and cucumber plants.

Plant sweet corn and beans every two weeks through June for an extended harvest.

Fruits and Nuts

Prune unwanted shoot as they appear on fruit trees.

Consult G6010 Fruit Spray Schedules for the Homeowner for information on what to

spray for particular fruits and timing of sprays.

Thinning fruit may be needed as fruits develop and start to increase in size.

Keep on top of weeds in the strawberry patch. They can quickly get out of hand.

Weeds are detrimental to strawberries.

Miscellaneous

Herbs planted in average soils need no extra fertilizer. Too much may reduce flavor

and pungency at harvest.

Four to five layers of newspaper will serve as an effective mulch in the garden. Cover

it with sawdust or straw to reduce the white glare and prevent it from blowing away.

Marginally

Hardy Plants are

hardy to zone 7 to 8

but are not completely

hardy to zone 6 (most

of southern Missouri).

The plants can survive

a mild winter or in a

protected micro-

climate but can quickly

succumb to long

periods of temperatures

in the teens and single

digits and die. More

and more nurseries are

carrying marginally

hardy plants. Some

have grouped these

plants with regular

nursery stock. When

selecting nursery

plants, care should be

taken to ensure the

plant variety of interest

is hardy for your area.

It is wise to read the

tag or research the

variety in books and/or

online. Examples

include:

Camellia

Jasmine

Gardenia

Calla Lily

Rosemary

Bay Laurel

Caladium

Figs

May 2016 · 3

May Gardening Calendar Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

The Garden Spade

Adults of the emerald ash borer (EAB) will start emerging about the time that black locust trees bloom in late

April or early May. EAB adults are metallic green, bullet-shaped and about a half-inch long. To distinguish

EAB from other green insects and view infested tree symptoms, refer to photos at eab.missouri.edu.

Where EAB infestations exist, adult emergence is expected to start after April 20 in southern Missouri, during

the last week of April across the middle of the state, and in early May in northern Missouri. EAB adults then

will be around through July.

If you think you’ve found an

EAB infestation in a county

where it has not yet been

detected, please report it.

Reports can be submitted by

toll-free phone (866-716-

9974) or online at

eab.missouri.edu. Current

infestations have been

reported in Bollinger, Butler,

Madison, Oregon, Perry,

Reynolds, Wayne counties in

southeast Missouri. Other

counties include Buchanan,

Clay, Jackson, Marion, Platte,

Pulaski, St. Charles and St.

Louis. To view the map visit

http://extension.missouri.edu/

treepests/documents/

EABmomap.pdf.

If you live in a county where EAB has been detected, and you have ash trees that you are considering

protecting with a systemic insecticide, the time to do that is either now or coming soon. Use of insecticides for

EAB is recommended only in the same county or within 15 miles of where EAB has been detected. Consult

the “Emerald Ash Borer Management Guide for Missouri Homeowners” (https://mdc.mo.gov/sites/default/

files/resources/2015/04/mo_eab_management_guide_2015.pdf) to determine if your ash trees should be

treated, when to treat, and what treatment options are available. Do-it-yourself insecticide treatments, using a

soil drench containing imidacloprid or granules containing dinotefuran, can be applied in mid to late April;

refer to the Management Guide for details. Treatments that are applied by professional arborists through

injection or spray on tree trunks should be applied in late April or May after leaves have fully emerged on ash

trees.

Emerald Ash Borer Adults Emerge Soon Missouri Department of Conservation

May 2016 · 4

Because a lot of little green insects look like EAB, it's important to know the difference be-

tween harmless insects and ash-killing EAB. (Photo by Paul Andre, Missouri Department of

Agriculture.)

The Garden Spade

If these strategies do not work, chemicals can be

used for control of larger populations. Apply these

after a thorough cleaning of the pet area inside or

outdoors.

Products containing pyrethrins or pyrethroids are

the most common. These products

have been successful when used

along with a product containing an

insect growth regulator (active

ingredients are methoprene or

fenoxycarb) which disrupt the

breeding cycle of adult fleas feeding

on an animal. These products are

odorless and non-staining.

When using spray treatments, a

second application is usually

necessary 10 to 14 days after the

first because eggs and pupae are

more resistant and may not have

been affected by the initial

treatment. By the second

application, eggs and pupae will

have developed into larvae and

adults, which are more susceptible

to spray treatments.

An indoor control strategy will not

work if the outdoor area is not

addressed. When treating outdoors mow the yard

and remove the clippings first. Remove any feed

and water containers from the area and clean.

Remove any debris or litter and do not bring it

back. Treat areas where pets spend most of their

time, following the label directions. This

application may need to be repeated in 3 weeks.

Be patient as cocoons can sit for weeks before

releasing adults to the environment and chemicals

do not penetrate cocoons. If control measures do

not work then professional pest control may be

required. Persistence is key, don’t give up.

May 2016 · 5

It is the time of year when fleas will be showing

their bite. If you have pets that spend any time

outdoors and fleas have been an issue in the past

then prepare now to control the pest before the

population grows.

Fleas have multiple life stages

happening at one time. Egg, larva

and adult are present in the

environment now. Each of these

stages has a different control

strategy. Each stage will be found

both on and off of pets and may be

inside the home or in the yard.

When trying to control a flea

population, each stage must be

targeted at the same time for control

to be effective.

The female can lay up to 400 eggs

which may fall to the ground or

floor to be picked up by another pet.

These hatch in 1 to 10 days and

grow as larva for 1 to 3 weeks.

They spin a cocoon and wait for a

warm animal meal to emerge as

adults. Any one growth stage that

survives control is capable of

restarting the population.

Begin control by targeting the pet, the warm

blooded animal the flea is interested in feeding on.

Fleas prefer animals and will often move straight to

a pet instead of feeding on humans. Choose a

sleeping area for your pet that is easy to clean. If

they have a blanket or pillow, wash it with soap

multiple times each week. Give your pet a warm

bath each week leaving the soap on for at least 10

minutes before rinsing to help control fleas.

Vacuum once each week to remove larva and eggs

as well as adults. Take special care to address

cracks, carpet, furniture and baseboards. Empty the

vacuum immediately into a plastic sealable bag.

Fleas Sarah Denkler, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

Dog Flea - Ctenocephalides canis;

Auburn, Lee County, Alabama, USA

The Garden Spade May 2016 · 6

Growing Winter Onions Rennie Phillips, Scott County Master Gardener

Wildflowers Blooming in May Katie Kammler, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

Summer Bulbs: Elephant Ears Katie Kammler, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

fertilizer throughout the growing season keep the

bulbs increasing in size. After the fall frost, cut off

the foliage and dig the bulbs, cleaning off soil to

dry. Store in a frost-free, dry location until the next

spring. I keep mine on an old table in a dark

basement room. There are lots of colors and sizes

to choose

from so it

might be a

plant to try

this year or

try a new

variety.

Elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta) are popular

summer bulbs that can be a backdrop in the garden

or an eye-catcher. Most people are familiar with

the green leaf varieties but there are many color

variations from the emerald green to black to

brown to chartreuse gold leaves. They are

considered an ornamental foliage plant because the

blooms are hidden under the foliage. They are

native to tropical areas so they are grown as a

summer bulb that is planted after spring frost and

dug and stored before the fall freeze. Bulbs are

planted 2 to 4 inches deep and you need to make

sure they are planted with the top up. It can be

tricky to distinguish the top for the bottom on

newly purchased bulbs. They like well-drained

soils in sun to shade. Additional water and Elephant Ear Pictures courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden.

Ox-eye daisy

Rose Verbena

Shooting star

Spiderwort

White trillium

Wild hyacinth

Wild Sweet William

Yellow lady’s slipper orchid

For more information on native wildflowers, see

Grow Native http://grownative.org/

This list is from the Missouri Department. of

Conservation Calendar.

Beard-tongue

Bird’s foot violet

Columbine

Cream Wild Indigo

Dutchman’s Breeches

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Larkspur

Missouri Primrose

Rose Verbena Yellow Lady’s slipper orchid Yellow Star Grass with

Bird’s foot violet Ox-eye Daisy

The Garden Spade

May 2016 · 7

Upcoming Events The following Master Gardener meetings are held each

month. All are welcome to attend. Please contact your local extension office to confirm location if you did not

attend the previous meeting.

Parkland MGs - 1st Monday at 6:30pm, Horticulture Classroom at MAC, Park Hills

Poplar Bluff MGs - 1st Tuesday at 6:00pm at Fist Episcopal Church in Poplar Bluff, MO (Do not meet in January)

Ste. Genevieve MGs - 2nd Thursday, at 6:30pm, Ste. Gen. County Extension Center

Cape Girardeau MGs - 3rd Thursday at 7:00pm, Cape County Extension Center

Perry MGs - 4th Monday at 6:30pm, Perry County Extension Center

May

7 Kress Farm Garden Preserve's 18th Annual Plant Sale,

5137 Glade Chapel Road, Hillsboro, MO. From 9-

3pm. Large selection of native perennials, annuals,

vegetables, daylilies, succulents, cacti and Forrest Keeling

plants. Raffle. Lunch available. Contact Jo Ferguson,

636-296-9306 for more information.

14 Native Plant Workshop from the Missouri Prairie

Foundation at Arcadia Academy, 211 South College

Street, Arcadia, MO. From 9:00-3:00pm. Registration

fee of $22 can be made at http://grownative.org/?

p=10131

14-15 Ste. Genevieve Garden Walk and plant sale, 10-4pm.

Downtown Ste. Genevieve, MO. Fee of $7

17 “Composting to Better Soil” at Bollinger County

Extension Center in Marble Hill at 6:30 p.m.; Call 573-

238-2420 to RSVP

26 “Home Fruit Production” at Madison County Extension

Center at 6:30 p.m.; Call 573-783-3303 to RSVP

Do you have an interest in gardening? Would

you like to learn more about working with

plants? This is an opportunity for you.

The University of Missouri Extension is offering

educational events through October to enhance

your gardening skills. For those who wish to

become a Master Gardener, you need to attend a

minimum of 10 events – total cost $150.

Classes are still being scheduled for later in the

summer. You may choose from the following in

April, May and June:

May 12 Vegetable Gardening – Van Buren;

1-4pm

May 24 Vegetable Gardening – Greenville;

1-4pm

June 9 Plant Protection, Diseases and

control – Greenville; 1-4pm

June 22 Plants and Plant Growth

Environments – Poplar Bluff; 3:30-

6:30pm

July 12 Insects - USDA office Hwy 25, Dexter; 1-4pm

August 18 Landscape Design - 4-H Building in Doniphan; 4-7pm

August 23 Plant Propagation - USDA office Hwy 25, Dexter; 1-4pm

Sept 15 Insects - Extension Center Poplar Bluff; 4-7pm

To learn more or to register for the Master

Gardener Core Training, please contact the

Extension Center at 573-686-8064. Call your

local extension office if you are interested in

attending a single local program.

Carter - 573-323-4418

Poplar Bluff - 573-686-8064

Ripley - 573-996-2921

VanBuren - 573-323-4037

Wayne - 573-224-3035

Garden Program Slated

for Spring!

The Garden Spade

Hot Spot! Pinecrest Azalea Gardens

Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Horticulture Specialist

management of the gardens. He and his wife

Linda, have made it their lifestyle. They do most of

the work themselves which is a never-ending process. They are working

to clear the entire 52 acres and plan to have the whole area planted

some day. Each year they dig up and transplant all the volunteer

Azaleas that have grown up in the pathways. Some years they have

transplanted as many as 250 Azaleas.

In the early spring, you will

be amazed at approximately

300,000 Jonquils and

Daffodils in full bloom. They

have also been moving

Jonquils to other areas. "It's

a lot of work, but we just love

doing it," Linda says. "Gene

says it is his hobby, but

really, it's his life."”

What a legacy that Carl and

Mettie Penzel started. The

love of this place has lead

many people back year after

year. Even though the

azaleas are past their peak,

there may be some “late

bloomer” showing their stuff.

Linda also mentioned that

the rhododendrons usually

were blooming about two

weeks after the azaleas ended

their masquerade. I must

also note: Pictures...whether

mine or other peoples, sure

don’t do justice for the breathtaking experience of visiting.

If you get a chance and feel adventurous, stop by this place in the next

few weeks to get a glimpse of beauty. I plan on going back shortly. To

reach the gardens from Jackson, take Highway 72 West to Route B and

turn right. Continue on B to County Road 472 and turn left. Go one

half mile to Torre Lane and turn left to enter the gardens. Also, check

out their website. http://pinecrestazaleagardens.com/index.html

May 2016 · 8

Published monthly by University of

Missouri Extension Faculty for

individuals and families living state-

wide in Missouri. This newsletter is

provided by your local Extension

Specialists and Extension Councils.

Newsletter Editors:

Donna Aufdenberg

MU Horticulture Specialist

Marble Hill, MO

573-238-2420

aufdenbergd@missouri.edu

Sarah Denkler

MU Horticulture Specialist

Poplar Bluff, MO

573-686-8064

denklers@missouri.edu

Katie Kammler

MU Horticulture Specialist

Ste. Genevieve, MO

573-883-3548

kammlerk@missouri.edu

The Garden Spade

Continued from page 2

Educating youth about bees is important!

Top picture is before my bee talk and bottom

picture after bee fear has subsided! They are

more comfortable now!