Container Gardening

Regardless of the size of your outdoor living area, you can have a garden. Many successful gardens are on balconies, decks, patios and even rooftops. Whether you want to surround yourself with lovely blooms, create privacy from the neighbors or have fresh, organic vegetables at your fingertips, you can do it in containers. Horticulture Agent, Kathy Wimberley will be presenting a program

on container gardening at the McCracken County Extension Office on Tuesday April 7 at 11:00 a.m. For more details, call the Extension Office at 270-554-9520

Protect those tender plants!

Spring has arrived! Daffodils are in full bloom, new growth is showing on shrubs, plants are emerging from hibernation and gardeners are anxious to get out and play in the dirt. Keep in mind, tender plants are still at risk for frost bites and freezing. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the average date for the last freeze of the season in our zone (7 a) is April 7. If you absolutely must put some plants in the ground, keep something handy to cover them and keep a watch on the weather forecast. We like this idea posted on the Extension Master Gardener Facebook page.

Those plastic zipper bags that come with bedspreads and linens can make great temporary greenhouses. Remember to allow for air circulation.

It is best to wait a few weeks before planting plants like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and others that need warm soil to grow. The University of Kentucky Extension Service recommends setting out these transplants when the soil reaches 70 degrees. For more information download a copy of Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky. The publication is also available for free at the McCracken County Extension Office, 2705 Olivet Church Road in Paducah.

The Garden Club of Kentucky

From: The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc. 2015 Convention

            Carolyn Roof, Chair

To: McCracken County Master Gardeners Association

The MCMGA members are invited to attend the GCKY 2015 Convention, Tuesday, April 14, Lake Barkley State Resort Park – Convention Center. We are so delighted with the workshops and flower design program prior to the convention that we would like to share them with you. You may register for the workshops only or both the workshops and design program/buffet dinner.

The afternoon activities will include the following workshops:

1:00 pm - Photographing Butterflies and the Garden by Tom Waltham, professional photographer.

2:00 pm – Miniature and Dwarf plants in the Landscape by Anita Stamper, free-lance garden writer Kentucky Gardener and other gardening magazines.

3:00 pm – Cooking with Herbs by Marilyn Kunz, Sugar and Spice, former owner of The Mansion, Golconda, IL.

Monarch, Butterfly, and Garden Photography contest display

Vendors – Art Guild of Paducah (containers), Heart to Heart Publisher (children and cookbooks), Ironweed Native Kentucky Nursery, Plant Oddities (tillandsia and bromeliads), Sugar and Spice (40 different chocolates), The Treasure Tree (clothing), and Willow Walk (willow furniture).

The Garden Club of Kentucky, Inc.

84^th Annual Convention

“All-a-Flutter”

Lake Barkley State Resort Park, Cadiz, Kentucky 42211

April 14, 2015

Mail complete form and your check for the total amount to: Treasurer Julie Smith, 145 Pendleton Point

Cadiz, KY  42211. Make checks payable to: GCKY 2015.

For more information: 270-924-0120  ejbjusa@mac.com

Name__________________________________________  Phone___________________

Address________________________________________  District__________________

City____________________________________________  State_______ Zip_________

Email____________________________________________Club name_MCMGA_______

Registration and all three workshops                               $35.00_____

                After April 1                                                          $40.00_____

Flower Design and Buffet                                                  $23.00_____                       

The Year of the Coleus – Part II

Multiplying Coleus

Carol Ullerich, Master Gardener

Last week I introduced you to the beauty and versatility of coleus, an ornamental annual being promoted in 2015 by the National Garden Bureau.  This week I’ll share with you tips for propagating coleus—allowing you to save, or purchase, one plant and turn your initial investment into many plants. 

(Photo courtesy of National Garden Bureau)

From Seed

Begin sowing coleus seed 8-12 weeks from last frost date.  Coleus seed is small; mixing it with sand may promote more even distribution of the seed during sowing.  Sow in three inches of moistened growing medium—and cover the container—maintaining a constant 70 degrees.  Sow lightly as seed requires light to germinate.  Seedlings should appear in about two weeks.  As seedlings emerge, remove cover, but don’t allow potting medium to dry out.

From Cuttings

I collected and overwintered coleus that performed well in our trial beds at the UK Demonstration & Trial Garden in 2014.  I liked the varieties well enough to give them a chance to shine in my garden in 2015.  In February, I began propagating new plants from the “mother plants” I had saved.  I snipped several 2” lengths, (some sources recommend beginning with 4” – 6” lengths), removed the lowest set of leaves, lightly dipped the lower end in rooting hormone (including the now bare leaf nodes) and placed the segment in moistened potting soil (about 2” deep) inside a clear clamshell container.  I closed the container, creating a mini-greenhouse, and placed it in a sunny window with indirect light.  (If you don’t have clamshell containers, use a pot and place it inside a clear baggie or cover the pot with plastic wrap—the tops of the seedlings should not touch the top of the container or plastic wrap).  Roots should form in two to three weeks.

(Photos by Carol Ullerich)

After about six weeks, I’ll transplant the “babies” from the clamshell containers into individual pots.  TIPS:  While a 2” segment works well, more important than the length of the segment is that your cutting have at least two sets of leaves because you will remove the two bottom leaves and it is those nodes you’ll dip into the rooting hormone. 

(Photos by Carol Ullerich)

(Photos by Carol Ullerich)

Too much rooting hormone is not a good thing.  After dipping the segment’s end into the hormone, lightly tap the segment to remove any excess powder, leaving only a very light dusting on the segment.  (Rather than dipping directly into the jar of rooting hormone, put a small amount of powder into an empty pill bottle or film container into which you’ll dip your segments.  This keeps the hormone in the original container unadulterated).  Use a pencil to create several small planting holes in the moistened potting soil, otherwise you’ll knock off the hormone when you insert the segment into the clamshell container.  

Pinch the top out of your cutting to promote growth rather than flowering, leaving at least one set of leaves for photosynthesis. 

(Photo by Carol Ullerich)

Keep new cuttings moist (not wet) and maintain high humidity—you should see condensation on the lid of the closed clamshell container.  (The clamshell containers I use are recycled from take-out salads).  

In Water

Coleus may also be propagated by starting segments in water and then transferring them to potting soil once roots have formed.

Enjoy the beauty, durability and reliability of coleus this summer.  2015 is, after all, the Year of the Coleus!  And next fall, save some mother plants to get a head start on your 2016 garden.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

The good, the bad and the ugly in the home garden; what does that mean?

Obviously the good is luscious fresh vegetables and beautiful flowers. As gardeners, we all know that, in spite of our good intentions and hard work, it doesn’t always happen. Often it is because we don’t use the best fertilizer or perhaps we use the incorrect amount and therefore we have the bad. 

The ugly is when we use fertilizer incorrectly and our environment suffers the consequences.

So, how can we have beautiful, productive gardens while protecting our environment? Master Gardener, Jack Resser, will explain the elements that make up fertilizer and how to use it safely while protecting our natural resources at the April 7^th  Toolbox, at 5:00 p.m. at the McCracken County Extension Office, 2705 Olivet Church Road in Paducah. The free program does not require advance registration and qualifies for one educational hour for Master Gardener certification. 

2015 the Year of the Coleus!

(part 1)
Planning Your Garden 
Carol Ullerich, Master Gardener

Do you dream of coming home to an impressive swath of color like this?

(Photo provided by National Garden Bureau)

Perhaps you’d like to flank the entrance to your home with matching urns of these neon beauties?

(Photo provided by National Garden Bureau)

                                      

If I've struck a chord with you—or perhaps given you a theme for plantings along your driveway or sidewalk, you are in luck!  The National Garden Bureau has declared 2015 the Year of the Coleus!  While blossoms certainly catch the eye in any landscape, it’s foliage that creates the backdrop and allows those showy blooms to shine.  This year, make coleus your “go to” annual for colorful foliage, durability and a wide variety of leaf textures and plant shapes. 

Thought to have originated in Southeast Asia, Dutch botanist, Karl Ludwig Blume, is credited with naming and introducing coleus to England in the mid-19^th century.  Its square stems and opposite leaves confirm its place in the mint family and explain why this herbaceous perennial grows so consistently and reliably.

(Photo provided by National Garden Bureau)

Also known as flame nettle or painted nettle, over time coleus has fallen in and out of favor with gardeners.  Its heyday may have come during the Victorian era when coleus was used to create vivid, intricate bedding designs known as “carpet gardening” and even launched a frenzy among gardeners known as “coleus fever.” 

Since the 1980s, new coleus varieties have been introduced annually.  Hybridizers continue bringing new leaf shapes and color combos to market, but they are keenly aware of our desire for more sun tolerant varieties.  No longer reserved for shade-only gardens, in sunny areas, plant any of these coleus series:  Stained Glassworks; Wizard; Versa and Marquee; or any variety with the word “sun” in its name.  Coleus planted in direct sun will probably require more water, so be prepared to supplement with moisture.  As a rule, darker cultivars are more sun tolerant, while lighter-colored varieties appreciate morning sun and dappled afternoon shade.  Too much sun can result in leaf scorching; too little light results in weak stems, reduced vigor and less than desirable color.

                                        

(Photo provided by National Garden Bureau)

Most gardeners consider the dainty flowers produced by coleus to be insignificant and routinely pinch them out to promote bushier plants.  The most common colors found in coleus are green, pink, yellow, orange, red, dark maroon (almost black), brown, cream and white—with many shades of each.  Color patterns feature splashes, blotches, streaks, flecks, margins and veins.

There are three basic forms of coleus—upright, rounded or trailing.  Snip, pinch or trim plants every few weeks to prevent flower formation and promote bushier plants.  Pinch just above a set of leaves or branching junction for the best appearance (avoid leaving a stub).  Consider planting a trailing form as a groundcover or “living mulch” to add interest to beds, shade soil to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

In part shade/part sun areas, try these series:  ColorBlaze, Fairway, Superfine Rainbow, Main Street and Kong.  Coleus generally thrive so long as air temperature remains between 55 and 95 degrees F.  Plant once danger of frost passes, soil temperature is warm, and evening temperatures are above 60 degrees.  Strive for consistently moist soil, avoiding ground that is too wet or too dry.  Fertilize lightly every two weeks.
Part 2 next week. 

Help Save the Butterflies

Most everyone is aware of the rapid decline of the Monarch Butterfly population. According to the National Wildlife Federation, one of the main reasons is the eradication of their host plant, milkweed. As more of the nation’s grassland is converted to farmland and urban development the milkweed is disappearing. Milkweed is the only plant on which the Monarch will lay eggs. The National Wildlife Federation is urging home gardeners to plant milkweed in effort to help save the Monarchs. Their website lists seven varieties of milkweed that will grow successfully in Kentucky.

Common Milkweed requires a lot of sun and moist soil. It usually grows 3-5 feet.

Butterfly Weed requires a lot of sun is drought tolerant, grows 1-2 feet.

Swamp Mlkweed is shade tolerant, needs a lot of water, grows 2-5 feet.

White Milkweed is moderately shade tolerant and likes a dry soil, grows 1-3 feet.

Whorled Milkweed moderately shade tolerant and requires little water. It grows 1-3 feet.

Green Milkweed likes lots of sunshine, moist soil and is both heat and cold tolerant. The mature plant grows to 4 feet.

There is a milkweed that will grow in most any location.

To find out other ways you can help save the Monarchs, visit the National Wildlife Federation

If you are age 55 or older, you are invited to a Seniors Learning for Fun presentation by  Bill Black on the Monarch Butterfly including its normal behavior pattern of migration, how stress of migrating is creating the danger of extinction and how we can help by what we plant in our yards. Tuesday, April 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the Emerging Technology Center, Room 109, at West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah. For more information,  (270) 534- 3335 or click on view the brochure on their website. 

Garden Solutions

Yes, folks, spring will be here and we will be able to plant our gardens!  Along with the beauty of the flowers and the taste of fresh vegetables, there can be some frustrations. Snails like your strawberries as well as you do. Weeds can threaten to take over the flower garden. Those beautiful red tomatoes can develop an ugly blossom end rot. Your plants may just sit and refuse to grow or produce. These and other problems can take the fun out of growing flowers and vegetables. Should you just quit before you start? Of course not! McCracken County Master Gardeners can provide answers to your garden problems and questions. So, you may ask, how can you contact a Master Gardener?

You can post your question on the Purchase Area MasterGardener Association Facebook page.

Email your question to McCCMGA@gmail. com

or

You can call the Hort Line at 270-554-9520; leave your name, telephone number and the nature of your problem. A Master Gardener will return your call.

Now, just sit back, relax and wait for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw. Soon enough you will

be as busy as a bee planting, watering, weeding and harvesting.