Woodford HortUpdate

April/May 2019

Woodford County 184 Beasley Drive Versailles, KY 40383-8992 (859) 873-4601 Fax: (859) 873-8936 Extension.ca.uky.edu

would you like to become a Master Gardener?

F r a n k l i n / W o o d f o r d C o u n t y 2 0 1 9 M a s t e r G a r d e n e r P r o g r a m T r a i n i n g

C o u r s e

Are you interested in improving your gardening techniques while also pursuing an opportunity to give back to your community? Become a Master Gardener!!!

Topics in this training program include:

Basic botany, entomology, and plant pathology Growing better lawns with less effort Understanding how soils affect plant performance

Date/Time: Thursdays August 22nd - December 12th(except holidays)

DEADLINE TO APPLY: July 31, 2019

Proper care & maintenance of plants Fruit, flower and vegetable gardening Diagnosing plant problems

The 2019 season schedule for the Woodford County Farmers market is listed below. Please come out and support your local market and producers! There will be many special events planned this year and the Woodford County Master Gardeners will have a booth the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month to answer your gardening questions! Saturdays ~ 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (May 4 - October 26th) Lexington Road Plaza, 525 Marsailles Road, Versailles Mondays ~ 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. (June 3rd - October 28th) Darlin' Jean's Parking Lot, Midway Wednesdays ~ 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. (June 5 - October 30th) Lexington Road Plaza, 525 Marsalles Road, Versailles Interested in becoming a vendor at the Woodford County Farmers Market? Find more information on our page at: https://woodford.ca.uky.edu/content/farmers-market-membership-information

The Monarch Grant Program is designed to encourage Woodford County residents to establish or expand Monarch waystations by planting native plants that will attract and sustain Monarch butterflies as well as other species of butterflies and pollinators.

The Woodford County Cooperative Extension Service and the Woodford County Conservation District in partnership with The Woodford County Extension Master Gardeners are sponsoring up to 10 grants in 2019. Each grant recipient will receive approximately 10 plants (a value of about $50) to plant at their residence or on other property in Woodford County. These plants will be a combination of milk weed and nectar plants selected by the master gardeners. If you have received this grant previously, you are still eligible to apply.

Those receiving the grant are strongly encouraged to follow these management practices: Manage the density of plants, keeping them relatively close though not crowded, in order to provide shelter for caterpillars and chrysalises from predators and the elements. Eliminate the use of insecticides and herbicides.

Remove old growth from the previous year before the growing season, preferably in spring. Caution: Some butterflies overwinter in the garden as eggs, caterpillars, or chrysalises. Fall clean-up may destroy next year’s butterflies.

Minimum size for a Monarch waystation = 100 square feet (10 ft. X 10 ft. or any combination equaling 100 sq. ft.)

To receive an application, stop by our office or email Faye at faye.tewksbury@uky.edu.

Source: Amanda Sears, Madison County Extension This time of year it is common to see swarms of in-sects emerging in buildings. Our first instinct is to think of termites. While the insect may be a termite, there is a very good chance it may be a winged ant instead. There are a few differences between the two insects, although you may need to get a magnify-ing glass to tell. Look at the antennae of the insect. Termites have straight antennae while ants have an elbow –like crook. Are the two sets of wings of equal size? If so, you have termites. With ants, the front set of wings is longer. Finally check the “waist” of the insect. An ant’s waist is constricted between the body regions, while a termite’s abdomen is uniform. Appearance of winged ants (left) versus winged termites (right). Note the pinched waist and elbowed an-tennae on the ant.

Home to over twenty-five hundred plant species, Kentucky is a veritable wildflower garden. Now is a great time to take a hike at some of the beautiful natural areas our State has to offer. The nature preserves are a great place to find spring wildflowers and below is a link to a list of preserves across the State. Enjoy nature! https://eec.ky.gov/Nature-Preserves/Locations/Pages/default.aspx

If you would like to have your tomato plants produce earlier in the year, there are certain things to keep in mind. Most people who try to get a jump on the season set their tomatoes out early and hope they do well. However, that is often not a good plan, as tomatoes have to have certain requirements before they will grow well. Those requirements are an acceptable soil temperature for root growth and an acceptable air temperature for both plant growth and fruit set. Root Growth: Tomatoes need a soil temperature of at least 55 degrees to do well. Plastic mulch is most commonly used to warm the soil. Several days may be needed to raise the soil temperature. Check the soil temperature 2.5 inches deep in the soil at about 11:00 a.m. If that is not possible, check the temperature before leaving for work and again when you return and use the average of the two. It is best to lay a drip irrigation line before installing the plastic to make watering more convenient. See accompanying article on laying plastic mulch. Air Temperature: Plants must be protected from frost. Hot caps or water teepees are placed over the young plants to provide protection as well as provide a higher average temperature to encourage growth. Eventually the plants will outgrow the cover and start to develop flowers. But if the temperature goes below 55 degrees at night, tomato flowers may not set. The plant is not hurt, but the blossom will not set fruit, or, if it does set fruit, the fruit is often misshapen. How early can you transplant? Start with a date about 2 weeks earlier than normal.

Vegetable Crop Earliest Date

Peas, Spinach March 1

Collards, Onions (sets), Radishes, Turnips, Rhubarb

(crowns), Parsnips

March 10

Asparagus, Beets, Potatoes March 15

Carrots, Chard, Kale, Parsley, Kohlrabi

March 20

Cabbage, Lettuce March 25

Broccoli (plants), B. Sprouts (plants), Cauliflower (plants), Cel-

ery

April 5

Sweet Corn April 20

Beans April 25

Cucumbers May 1

Pumpkins, Tomatoes (plants), Watermelons

May 5

Eggplant (plants), Muskmelons, Okra, Peppers

(plants), Sweet Potatoes, Sum-mer Squash, Winter Squash

May 10

Source: by Susan Brackney, Hobby Farms writer Through gardening, you can help your own honeybees or, if you don’t have a hive, attract more pollinators to what you grow. With a thoughtful mix of flowering bulbs, annuals and perennials you’ll see good results. Here are just a few examples of plants that attract bees and other pollinators through the seasons.

For a list of trees and shrubs that attract pollinators, see the flyer ‘Plants Bees Like Best; at the following website: http://growwise.org/ChallengeToolkit/ For a comprehensive list of annuals, perennials, wildflowers, trees and shrubs that bees and other pollinators like best, see ‘Protecting and Enhancing Pollinators in Urban Landscapes’ at the following website: https://www.canr.msu.edu/publications/how_to_protect_and_increase_pollinators_in_your_landscape

Source: Jill Henderson, ACRES U.S.A.

Elderberries have recently been dubbed a superfood, yet these big, beautiful plants with tiny dark berries have long been renowned for their versatility and flavor. Today, new elderberry cultivars are being bred from their wilder cousins to produce plants with improved disease resistance and higher production rates; a perfect combination for anyone wanting to add these luscious fruits to their edible landscape.

Recognizing Your Elders Elders and elderberries belong to the Adoxaceae family of plants. Within this family is the elderberry genus known as Sambucus. This large genus contains more than 30 diverse species of shrubs and small trees. However, the two most common edible species of Sambucus in the United States are the relatively small native American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) and the larger, more widely cultivated European elderberry (Sambucus nigra). These two species have been used to breed a wide array of commercial and ornamental cultivars that are often referred to as Common elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis). These three elderberry species have very similar growth habits. All are perennial multi-stemmed shrubs characterized by their upright, bushy appearance and a tendency to grow in large colonies if not kept in check. Traditionally, the berries are used in pies, jellies, syrups, candy and wine (Note: Berries must be cooked prior to consuming; the raw blue/black fruit are slightly toxic.). The entire flower head makes a great fritter when battered and deep-fried. The flowers also may be eaten raw or steeped into teas. Functional Landscaping with Elderberry Elderberries are pretty plants that can vary in size and fullness depending on growing conditions. In deep shade, they might only reach 3 to 5 feet tall and be lean and lanky, while an adjacent patch growing in deep, rich soil and full sun might reach upward of 16 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter.

Elderberries generally grow in small clusters and large colonies alike and can thrive in the most challenging of soils; from sandy loam to gravel and even heavy clay. In the wild they are typically found in moist forest clearings, field edges and along streams, ditches and roadsides. It is not uncommon for people to take cuttings or divisions of wild elderberries to grow in their home garden. If you’re not the wild forager type, you will be glad to know that elderberries are easily grown in the yard or garden. Several new ornamental varieties of elderberry are available. Of particular note are two stunning European cultivars; ‘Black Beauty’ and ‘Black Lace.’ Both have dark purple-black foliage, but the leaves of ‘Black Lace’ are reminiscent of those found on Japanese maples. Both cultivars also have pink flowers, but the ones sported by ‘Black Beauty’ have a distinct lemon scent. In addition to ornamental value both of these varieties bear copious clusters of edible black berries. When selecting a variety for the edible home landscape, keep in mind that elderberries are basically self-incompatible. That is, they need another distinct variety in order to complete pollination. To ensure fruit set, take care to plant two distinct varieties within 60 feet of one another. To ensure your plants get off to a good start, select an area of full sun. Elderberries sucker and spread and therefore work best when used in naturalized landscapes. This versatile plant also works well in shrub borders, roadside plantings, as a screen, in edible landscapes, to attract wildlife, or as part of a native plant garden Elderberry is perfect for birders or wildlife gardening enthusiasts. Its berries are an important source of summer food for more than 50 kinds of songbirds across the country, including indigo bunting, red-shafted flicker, mockingbird, red-breasted nuthatch, song sparrow and cedar waxwing (“American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits,” A.C. Martin, et al., 1951).

Elderberry bush in bloom

The Kentucky Division of Forestry provides ‘Forest Health Highlights’’ at the end of each year to highlight some of the most important pests and diseases currently impacting Kentucky’s forests. Here are the common diseases reported from last year that you may have seen on trees in your yard and to be on the lookout for this year.

Anthracnose and Cedar Apple Rust Foliar diseases are common every year in Kentucky. Reported impacts fluctuate though, often based on weather trends and amount of precipitation each region receives. Anthracnose and cedar apple rust are two diseases that benefited from the wetter than average spring over most of Kentucky. Anthracnose is caused by a number of different species of fungi that are associated with specific plants but all generally cause similar symptoms. Common tree groups impacted include ash, oak, maple, dogwood and sycamore. Symptoms can be seen in the spring and include irregular brown spots on leaves and leaf distortion (Figure 1).

Another disease, cedar apple rust, was a minor issue on eastern red cedar trees (Figure 2) across much of north central and north east Kentucky. Again, the increased occurrences of this disease is likely attributed

to the heavy and prolonged rains from March and April. Guignardia leaf blotch and Tubakia leaf spot Other diseases can be common when there are periods of persistent rain during the summer and early fall months. Two such examples from 2018 are Guignardia leaf blotch and Tubakia leaf

spot. These diseases were observed in certain parts of the state that received higher than average rain fall this year. Disease symptoms of Guignardia leaf blotch start as small lesions on buckeye leaflets and over time expand into larger dark brown blotches (Figure 3). Tubakia leaf spot was common on sporadic oak trees in northern Kentucky. Symptoms of the disease include dark brown or reddish brown spots (Figure 4). Bacterial leaf scorch Bacterial leaf scorch is caused by a disease that impacts a number of tree species including elm, maple, oak, and sycamore. Symptoms include a scorched leaf appearance that can begin to appear in July and progressively gets worse through the end of summer (Figure 5). Symptoms occur annually as the disease progresses through the crown (Figure 6). Leaf scorch occurs as a result of a bacteria growing inside the tree’s vascular tissue where it blocks water movement. Reduced growth and branch dieback soon follow, resulting in a slow decline and eventual death of the tree. Bacterial leaf scorch is common on red oak species, especially pin oak, in urban areas.

Figure 1. Oak

Figure 4. Tubakia leaf spot

Figure 5. Bacterial leaf scorch damage

Figure 6. Bacterial leaf scorch

Figure 2. Cedar apple rust

Figure 3. Guignardia leaf

April 12 - Irrigation Systems: Considerations and Installation, 1-4 p.m. ET, at the UK Horticulture Research Farm, Lexington. For details and to register, go to https://www. oak-ky.org/field-days. April 13th - Earth Day Tree Giveaway, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Versailles Kroger Mark your calendars for the annual tree seedlings giveaway. Trees will include red bud, wild plum, paw paw, roughleaf dogwood, permission, bald cypress, walnut, pecan, bur oak, grey dogwood, hazelnut and more. April 18th - Container Gardening Workshop, 6:00 p.m., Woodford County Extension Office Jefferson County Master Gardener, Terry Gibson, will lead this fun, hands-on class. Call our office to register 859-873-4601. April 24th - Green Living Seminar & Rain Barrel Workshop, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Woodford County Extension Office The Green Living portion of the Seminar is free and will include the following topics: home composting, homemade green cleaning supplies, recycling in Woodford County and all about rain barrels. Call 859-873-4601 with any questions. Register online at greenlivingseminar.eventbrite.com. April 27th - Master Gardener Plant Sale at Court Street, Downtown Versailles, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Join us for our second annual plant sale! We will have a variety of tomatoes, peppers, herbs, perennials and annuals and garden art. May 1st - Meet the Native Bees; Native bees and how to attract them, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Woodford County Extension Office We are likely familiar with honey bees, but what about our native bees? Native bees are excellent pollina-tors and are much gentler than honey bees. Meet the different species of native bees, their behavior, native bee homes you can have at home, and how to create pollinator habitat for them in your own garden. Join Katrina Kelly from EARTHeim Landscape Design Studio for this very informative class! May 9th, Plant Native, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., Woodford County Extension Office Join us as we host Growing Native, Presented by Alicia Bosela of Ironweed Nursery. Do you want to know why Native Plants are important to your home garden and landscape? Not sure of Native Plants that are front yard worthy? Would you like to attract butterflies, birds and beneficial insects to your garden and land-scape? Alicia will discuss all of this PLUS she will have Native Plants for sale, including milkweed, and some of the front yard worthy natives. The event is free. Please pre register by calling 859-873-4601. To learn about Ironweed Nursery visit https://www.ironweednursery.com/Default.asp May 16th - Grafting Tomatoes, 6:00 p.m., Woodford County Extension Office University of Kentucky Vegetable Specialist, Rachel Rudolph, will teach this hands-on class. Each participant will receive 3-4 grafted tomato plants to take home. The fee will be $5.00 per person and pre-registration and payment is required. The class will be limited to the first 20 people that sign up. Call 859-873-4601 with any questions or to register.

View this newsletter and find a variety of other information and upcoming events on

our county website.

Visit us at: http://woodford.ca.uky.edu

Follow us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/woodfordcountyCES

Walk-behind BCS Tractor -

Attachments include: 3ft.

Plastic Layer with Drip Tape

Applicator, Single Rotary Plow

and 30 inch Tiller

Raised Bed Plastic Mulch Layer - Model 2400

lays 4ft. wide plastic and adjustable 3 inch to 5

inch bed height (requires 30-hp and 4-wheel

drive)

Walk-behind BCS Tractor and Raised Bed Plastic Mulch Layer require a $25.00 rental fee. Please contact the Extension Office, 873-4601, for availability.

New to Our Tool Kit Motorized Honey Extractor

Rental Includes: Motorized Extractor and

Stand—Extracts (6) 6 ¼ inch Frames

Bottling bucket kit Electric knife Plastic uncapping tub Capping Scratcher A $50 deposit will be collected at time of pick up and will be returned at time of return. Extractor equipment cannot be kept for longer than 48 hours and must be thoroughly cleaned prior to returning. If equipment is not properly cleaned when returned, you will forfeit your deposit.

Happy Gardening! Faye Kuosman, County Extension Agent for Horticulture faye.tewksbury@uky.edu