Spring showers bring weeds.

Spring showers bring May flowers is true; it also brings weeds. Not only are weeds an eyesore, but they also compete with desirable plants for nutrients, water and sunlight.

See all those little seeds? With a little wind, they will become new dandelions.

It is important they are destroyed before they go to seed and spread. There are several ways to control the weeds for successful and beautiful gardens.

While hand pulling is the most desirable, it is not always the most practical except in small areas. Pulling while the weeds are small and the ground is moist works best. It is important to remove the roots.

Solarization with clear plastic will work on annual weeds but must be done early in the season.

Mulching, both organic and inorganic, is also useful in controlling weeds.

If using chemical weed control, it important to follow the directions carefully. Keep in mind, preemergence herbicides do not kill existing weeds; they keep weed seeds from germinating.

For more information on controlling weeds, refer to the University of Kentucky Extension Service publication Home Vegetable Gardeningin Kentucky.

A few of the common weeds found in Western Kentucky.

Purslane

Creeping Charlie, Ground Ivy

Nutsedge

Crabgrass

An excellent source for weed identification can be found here.

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 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. 

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.

Raised Beds are now the Traditional Way to Garden

Each year, more gardeners are transitioning to raised beds and for good reason.

Photo from Your Life Today Magazine

Maintenance is at the top of the list. Since the garden is constrained to an enclosed area, usually 4 feet by 4 or 6 feet, it is easier to keep ahead of the weeds without the use of chemicals. And it is out of the reach of creeping Bermuda grass!  The beds can be any depth from one to four or more feet, making it easy to sit on the edge and pull weeds (a welcome relieve from bending or kneeling) They can also be built to accommodate gardening from a wheel chair.

The soil drains much better in a raised bed allowing earlier planting and preventing water pooling from spring rains. Since a raised bed dries quicker, special attention should be given to watering during the dry months.

Photo from the garden or Master Gardener Chris Jannne

Raised beds easily lend themselves to hoop houses made with plastic and PVC pipes, extending the growing season for several months. An easy method for creating a hoop house can be found on the Grow Organic website.

Raised beds can be made from a huge variety of materials, wood, brick, stone, plastic, repurposed barrels, or just about anything that can hold soil and provide drainage. When using repurposed materials one should take care that its previous use was not for a toxic substance.

Because they can be built to almost any specification, raised beds are a garden designer’s dream. Whether it is on a patio, terraced on a slope or any a formal garden, raised beds can not only be functional but attractive.

Local gardener, Phyllis Robertson, will share her experiences with raised bed gardening at the  McCracken County Master Gardener Toolbox on March 3. The presentation will be at 5:00 p.m. at the McCcracken County Extension Office, 2705 Olivet Church Road in Paducah.There will be no charge and no advance registration is required.

An in-depth article on raised bed gardening can be found on the The University of Missouri website. 

Fingers itching?

It is mid-February and most gardeners' fingers are itching to dig in the soil. The soil has been tested and amended according to the Extension Service analysis and perhaps a germination station has been set up. What is next?  Now is a good time to decide what, when and where.

If you have not done so, it is time to purchase seed. Look through those beautiful catalogs and make a list. Check to see if your favorites will grow successfully in your zone (west Kentucky is in Zone 7a.) Before you place an online or catalog order, see if the local nurseries or farm stores have them, saving the cost of shipping.

Hopefully the decision on where was decided before the soil was tested. Vegetables require a sunny location fairly close to a water source. Remember, it is not unusual to have extended periods of time without significant rain fall during the summer months.

The early spring garden can be started as soon as the soil can be worked. Raised beds will be ready to plant earlier than traditional gardens. Peas, spinach and beets can be planted as early as March1.

 The University of Kentucky Extension Service publication, Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky, gives detailed information of the what, when and where as well as how to care for the garden after it is planted. The free publication can be downloaded here or a copy can be picked up at the McCracken County Extension office, 2705 Olivet Church Road in Paducah.