Spring
Volume 4, Issue 1
2013
From the Ground Up A Gardening and Native Plants Quarterly
Colorado State University Extension-Pueblo County 701 Court Street · Suite C · Pueblo, CO 81003 · 719-583-6566 · coopext_pueblo@mail.colostate.edu KNOW YOUR NATIVES
PASQUEFLOWER by Mary Porter, Native Plant Master, 2009 Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla ludoviciana), a member of the Ranunculaceae family, is a springbloomer that’s known by many other common names: Easter flower, wild crocus, prairie crocus, prairie anemone, windflower, blue tulip and lion’s head. This common native perennial often appears while the ground still is wet and muddy from snow, and its lavender or purple flowers emerge before the leaves and can last for many days while the rest of the plant develops. Pasqueflower often grows in colonies, in open spots from the plains to alpine areas. It can be seen in the Wet Mountains, including at Pueblo Mountain Park in Beulah. Pasqueflower has overlapping tepals and many stamens that give it its sunny yellow center and attract pollinators such as flies, butterflies, wasps and native bees. The flower has a fused pistil and a superior ovary and is radially symmetrical. Its female parts mature before the male parts to avoid selfpollination. The flower stalk is hollow. After blooming, pasqueflower produces a fruit (achene) with long, silky plumes and its seeds are dispersed by the wind. The leaves and stems of pasqueflower are pubescent, and it’s thought that this fuzziness reduces the force of the wind blowing across the plants. Air that’s trapped by the fine hairs becomes warmer than the surrounding air. Pasqueflower can be used in sunny rock gardens or crevice gardens, on semishaded or open slopes, and in meadow or prairie gardens. Growing to about 15 inches, it makes a nice border for taller plants. This plant is toxic and domestic sheep have died Photos courtesy of Ernie Marx, after eating it. Native peoples have used it for medicinal http://easterncoloradowildflowers.com/ purposes, including to speed childbirth or to induce abortion. Herbalist Gregory Tilford describes it as ―potentially very toxic.‖ It carries a warning label in his book, ―Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West,‖ because he says it is known to slow the heart. Pasqueflower previously was classified as belonging to the genus Anemone, but William Weber lists it in the genus Pulsatilla.
INDEX
Know Your Natives 1 Garden Walks 2 Cold Weather Protection 3 Gardening Risk 4&5 Digging Deeper 5 Division of Plants 6 Harmonious Hardscapes 7
Book Review Interesting Insects Raspberries Perennial People Wicked Weeds Advertisements Fabulous Families
8 8&9 9 & 10 11 & 12 12 13 14
GARDEN WALKS
LONGWOOD GARDENS IN KENNETT SQUARE, PA by Cheryl DeLong, Colorado Master Gardener, 2008
Longwood Gardens is located in Kennett Square, PA, about 30 miles west of Philadelphia. This garden has an interesting, rich history of its development and the generations of people involved. Pierre S. du Pont (1870 – 1954), industrialist, conservationist, farmer, designer, impresario and philanthropist, made the most enduring contributions. Mr. du Pont was an avid gardener and began to develop expansive gardens based on designs of gardens that he and his wife visited throughout the world. Longwood Gardens are complimented with an open air theater, dazzling fountains, the original farm house, and the Longwood Conservatory—the first ―winter garden‖ opened in 1921. The walk through the conservatory not only shows off its finely designed windows and ceilings, but all of the various rooms with specific water features complimenting the specific plantings. This magnificent structure built on 4.5 acres shelters 20 indoor gardens and 5,500 types of plants. During the summer and especially the winter, the conservatory provides an incredible floral show. This building was used by the du Ponts for entertaining guests with a music room and pipe organ. The center of the building has a water feature in which the center island holds a table seating about 40 guests. When we visited, the setting was incredible—beautifully decorated and very fancy. At Christmas, the gardens are open until 10:00 p.m. and you will find a wonderland of lights—over 500,000 grace trees, shrubs, garden collections and walkways. Lighted tree houses allow for the climbing and admiration of the architecture. Many of the light installations are considered works of art and remain during the entire year. Across a lake, following the flow of the water’s edge, is an area that must be seen in the midst of the blooming season—a wide and long swath of flowers, maybe lilies. But, in the winter darkness, you find over 7,000 individual lights on stakes that change in color and intensity of light as you walk along the path. The fountains at Longwood Gardens are Photo courtesy of C. DeLong magnificent in design and size. All were lighted and many choreographed to music, providing one of many entertaining extravaganzas. Throughout the year, Longwood hosts many events for the public as well as educational classes for adults and children. Longwood Gardens covers about 325 acres with 20 outdoor gardens. The distance covered is about 1 mile and walking time is about 1 1/2 hours. There are over 6,000 different types of plants. You will find picnic areas, tree houses (which most everyone can walk through), lovely cafes and restaurants, as well as a welcoming visitors’ center and gift shop. The du Ponts left a legacy for the town of Kennett Square and Pennsylvania and provided funding to help sustain the gardens and facilities and build for the future. We had many opportunities to visit historically significant places while in Pennsylvania. This was a jewel and I encourage anyone traveling to Pennsylvania to visit the gardens and the One of the many orchids on display in the home of the du Ponts. Longwood Gardens conservatory. Photo courtesy of C. DeLong
Subscribe to this quarterly horticulture newsletter by contacting Carolyn at 583-6574. Available in paper and electronic formats. 2
Cold Weather Protection For School Garden Plants by Christina Hopewell, Public Health Educator/UGARDENS Project Coordinator
In the early morning hours of Saturday, February 2, 2013, twenty individuals gathered at the Pueblo School of Arts and Sciences. ―Why?‖ you may ask. All in the name of the community gardens movement. Six Colorado Master Gardeners, eleven participants from many sites in Pueblo County, the Colorado Youth Service Ambassador, and two Co-Facilitators (Liz Catt, CSU Extension and Christina Hopewell, Pueblo CityCounty Health Department) gathered to discuss the advantages of using cold frames and hotbeds to combat some of the curveballs that Mother Nature can throw at us in our state and to extend the growth season for a more productive harvest. The morning began with a short PowerPoint presentation by Liz Catt regarding the multiple benefits and types of cold frames available. The participants asked many questions and actively dicussed how these ideas could be implemented at many of the 32 UGARDENS program school and community gardens in Pueblo County. After a short lesson indoors, participants then moved outdoors to the Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences Spiral Spirit garden to construct cold frames of donated windows, straw bales, cinder blocks, and wood. Terry Goff, Victor Boley, Greg Nolan, Chris Comins, and Sylvia Sanchez, all Colorado Master Gardeners, gathered the required materials and invested more than two weeks of planning to ensure that the class would be a success. Liz Catt stated, ―Everybody always wants a greenhouse. But do you really need a greenhouse that is expensive and that requires ventilation and electricity? In many cases, cold frames work just as well for what we need to do, and they can be very cheap to build.‖ And, she was correct. Our cold frames averaged 1/10th of the cost of a pre-fabricated cold frame, and all were constructed in under two-and-a-half minutes. To demonstrate the effectiveness of a cold frame, participants were asked to read a thermometer located inside a wood and plastic cold frame that was previously constructed at the school. The temperature inside the cold frame increased 22 degrees in only one hour! At the end of the three hour class, the schools were eligible to win Above: Cold frame constructed from a door one of two cold frames constructed, as well as extra windows to use in and door frame left over after a remodeling their own community gardens. La Familia Community Garden won the project. Photo courtesy of S. Sanchez wooden cold frame and the corresponding windows. The cold frame will Below: Wood and window cold frame. Photo courtesy of C. Hopewell. be used for an early crop of lettuce and other cool season crops. Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences won the cinder block cold frame and immediately placed it in the Spiral Spirit Garden. The additional windows went to Greenhorn Valley Community Garden and Craver Middle School in Colorado City and to Milagro Christian Church Community Garden in Pueblo. Throughout the remainder of the year, the CSU Extension and Pueblo City-County Health Department will collaborate on more classes at the request of the participants. Many gardeners stated that they loved the ―culture of sharing‖ that the Cold Frame Construction class fostered. Susan Ingraham of the Greenhorn Valley Community Garden stated, ―I just love how we are all talking and sharing ideas about gardening. We have a tendency to be very separated, and activities like this one are great because they bring us all together.‖ Editor’s note: If you have old windows or other garden materials that you would like to donate to a local school garden, contact Christina Hopewell at 719-583-4481 or Liz Catt at 719-583-6566. If you need any special accommodation(s) to participate in any Colorado State University Extension event, please contact CSU Extension-Pueblo County at 719-583-6566. Your request must be submitted at least five (5) business days in advance of the event. Colorado State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Pueblo County cooperating. Extension programs are available to all without discrimination.
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2013 Native Plant Master Education Two courses have been scheduled. Each course consists of 12 hours of classroom and field training with certified NPM instructors. Course 1-Pueblo Nature and Raptor Center, May 14, 16, 21, 23, evenings, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Course 2-YMCA Camp Jackson, 2 Saturdays in June, dates TBA No need to complete course 1 to take course 2. Tuition is $35 for volunteers, $50 for non-volunteers, per course. Fee includes class materials. Pre-registration required. Course fulfills requirement for teacher recertification with no college credit. Additional information and registration forms available at CSU Extension-Pueblo County. Call Linda at 719-583-6566 or email linda.mcmulkin@colostate.edu.
Garden at Your Own Risk! by Ed Roland, Native Plant Master, 2009 Despite a few sports-related injuries here and there, I had never spent a night in a hospital in my entire adult life. If I had thought about it (which I hadn't), my list of activities most likely to put me there would probably start with 50 mph+ bike descents down Bigalow Pass on Hwy. 165. Or, maybe it would start with an accidental slip on glacial scree on my way to a high country lake for some fishing in the Sangres. Somewhere down the list, maybe number 7,385 or so, is gardening. The reason it's even on the list would be the unlikely -but possible -- cactus garden tumble into those damnable barbed chollas. So, when I woke up one morning last November with a small raised area on my ring finger, I disregarded it. That is, until the next morning when my entire arm was red and extremely painful to raise even to chest level. I decided to stop in at the Parkview emergency room, where I was given an immediate IV antibiotic, then sent home with a prescription for an oral version of the same medication. After spending 24 hours of flu-like symptoms, I woke up with a series of obvious red streaks progressing up my arm. I went back to the ER. This time, the examining doc strongly recommended that I stick around for a while. I was wheeled upstairs and given a hospital bed for the night. Things got worse from there...the streaks on my arm kept spreading and began to form hard bumps and large inflamed areas, my hand looked like it belonged to the Pillsbury Doughboy, and the finger that started it all took on a spectrum of unnatural colors, including green and black. After three days in the hospital working crossword puzzles, getting regular IVs, blood analysis, and examinations, my arm was even worse. This was topped off when a surgeon decided to ship me off to the hospital operating room to "clean out the infection" down to my finger bone under general anesthesia. Yikes! I'll avoid any additional clinical details with a brief summary. Things finally started to improve after the doc's got together and reversed their erroneous assumption: that the bugs in my system were the antibiotic resistant MRSA bacteria (now common in spider and centipede bites). The real cause, as noted in the headline of this piece: GARDENING! Gardening? "Well you know,‖ pointed out the infectious disease doc (after seeing my lab report), "the weather's been unseasonably warm. Have you been moving plants around or anything like that?" The only thing I could think of was emptying the soil out of the big pots on our patio. That had to be it! The bug was Actinomyces israelii, a very common soil-borne organism that looks something like a pile of orange pick-up sticks under the microscope. It's a close relative of the rhizobium that fixes nitrogen for our garden peas and beans, but A. israelii particularly likes to proliferate in decaying organic matter. Like the potting soil used in patio pots. When they finally switched to the right antibiotic -- a penicillin derivative -- the swelling, red streaks, etc., started to mitigate. It took another three days of IVs and blood tests before they let me go. Continued on page 5
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Garden at Your Own Risk continued from page 4
So, after 6 days in the hospital including a trip to the OR, what would I recommend when handling potting soil? In considering that I've been using the stuff for years -- sifting it, filling seed germination cells with it, heating it up in my plant starting box -- I can't really say that Actinomyces is "a clear and present danger." However, I will definitely keep in mind that any scratch, nick or other compromise to that natural protective barrier, my skin, is really an entry point for Actinomyces and its nastier friends like Scanning electron micrograph of tetanus. If I cut or nick myself while working in any kind of soil, an Actinomyces israelii (false color) Photo courtesy of Grahamimmediate splash from a small bottle of alcohol followed by a quick coat of Colm@en.wikipedia super glue (used for first-aid these days) or Nu-Skin should keep these guys where they belong: in the soil breaking down organic matter to free up plant nutrients. And not doing their bacteria division-reproduction thing in my arm. Garden Tip: Grafted Tomatoes The biggest thing in tomatoes this year? Grafted plants. Producers are combining the quality produce of an heirloom or hybrid cultivar with disease and insect resistant root stocks. Yes, you will pay extra, but should reap the benefits in flavorful fruit with fewer soil-borne pathogen problems. Grafting at home is possible, but it may take some time to develop the skill. All it takes is the proper cultivars, a sharp knife, and some grafting clips to hold the two plants together until they bind. According to Horticulture magazine, commonly used rootstock tomatoes include 'Maxifort', 'Beaufort' and 'Emperador'.
DIGGING DEEPER:
BOOKS FOR TREE AND SMALL FRUIT GROWERS by Linda McMulkin, CSU Extension-Pueblo County Horticulture Coordinator
A current trend in home gardening involves increasing the number of plants that provide food for the family. In addition to traditional vegetable gardens, more homeowners are adding fruit trees and small fruits. Growing Small Fruit by K. Badertscher and H. Hughes has been available from CSU Extension for several years, but until recently I was scrambling to find a single source for information on growing apples, peaches, cherries, and all the other tree fruits. So, I was pleased to learn about a publication called Utah-Colorado Commercial Tree Fruit Production Guide from Utah State University Extension and the Western Colorado Research Center, Colorado State University. This 143-page guide is aimed at commercial growers, but contains a wealth of information that can be applied in backyard orchards. I was impressed by the information on pests, which includes details on life cycles, color photographs, and a list of products for control. Other chapters cover evaluation of frost damage to blossoms, irrigation and fertilization, and thinning different types of fruit during development. The tree fruit production guide is available from the Western Colorado Research Center in Grand Junction (970-434-3264) or in electronic form at http://www.colostate.edu/programs/wcrc/pubs/publications/UT-CO%20Tree% 20Fruit%20Guide,%20final,%20-low%20res%20(HL%20corrected).pdf. Growing Small Fruit can be ordered from local CSU Extension offices. Cost is $12.00 per copy. 5
Division of Plants by Pat Myers, Colorado Master Gardener, 2001 Spring is just around the corner and for many of us our interest will soon be in our garden. Last fall I planned to divide many of my perennials; however, time got away and the task still waits for me. Most perennials are easy to divide and, in fact, need to be divided every 2 to 3 years in order to keep them at their top performance. Most plants should be divided when they are dormant, from late fall to early spring. There are exceptions. Fall-blooming plants, including many xeric species, do not transplant well in the fall because of their growth habits. If available, follow instructions about the plant. Weather should not be very cold, wet or dry when transplanting. Fleshy-rooted perennials such as iris, peonies, and poppies are best moved in late summer in order to establish a good root system before winter. These plants can also be moved in very early spring just as the ground is thawing and slightly damp. Make sure to always keep roots protected when doing early division. Peonies will live many years in the same place. Consequently, they don’t need to be divided very often. If you have older plants that have stopped blooming as they once did, some division may be needed. When dividing peonies, dig deeply to the sides of the plant, lifting with your spade all the while until the plant comes up from the soil. Separate the plant so that each section contains several eyes (the small reddish buttons pointing upward) and plant these eyes no deeper than one inch. The success of future blooming peonies will depend on not planting too deep or shallow. Peonies do well in both full sun and partial shade, but the new transplants may take two years to bloom again. They will be worth the wait. Irises are easy. Divide the rhizomes, destroy the damaged parts, and replant about 3 plants in a triangle pattern. Cover them with soil up to the green part of the leaf. Poppies can be stubborn. They have deep roots so one must be very careful when digging. Make sure to dig deep under the plant so as not to disturb or damage the roots. Dividing fibrous-rooted plants (ornamental grasses, daisies, etc.) is easy to do. Tools should include garden spades and forks. Remember to have the soil slightly damp for easy digging and use care when removing the plant. Carefully separate the buds and roots by pulling apart or use garden tools to slice or cut them. Once divided, destroy the old woody stock and replant divisions as soon as possible. It is important to not let the new starts dry out. If you’re not able to plant immediately, keep plants damp by dipping them in water and store them in plastic bags or covered boxes in a cool, shaded area. Large divisions, if replanted in early spring, will probably flower in the same season. Small divisions will take longer and could benefit if potted and healed in. You can place the small divisions in a nursery bed (a place where special care can be given to new plants). In a few months to a year, the plants will be ready for a permanent bed. What can you do with all those divisions? Here are some ideas: 1. Start a new perennial bed, increase the plants in your present garden, or redesign all of your garden areas. 2. Give plants to friends or set them by the curb. They will be gone by evening! 3. Have a plant exchange party. Everyone brings the same amount of plants (eight people, eight plants), so everyone gets to take a new plant home. 4. Sell plants at a garage sale. From past experience, this really works! 5. Donate plants to garden clubs for resale and help with fundraising events. Happy 2013 Gardening everyone! Garden Tip: Starting Lettuce From Seed Lettuce can be a hard crop to start in our climate. Either it's too cold, or too dry. Try laying a piece of row cover over the seed bed, after planting, and keep it wet. When plants get to be 3" tall, remove the row cover and thin your lettuce crop. Also a good tip for other shallowly planted crops. 6
HARMONIOUS HARDSCAPES
GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS by Elizabeth Catt, CSU Extension-Pueblo County Horticulture Assistant
Fences serve many purposes and being clear about why you want to install one should help you determine the design. They can be purely utilitarian or a work of art. Fences can afford a sense of privacy, protection from intruders, contain pets and children or just be a beautiful garden decoration. Poorly designed fences can make a yard feel like a prison or block out a good view. How about a living fence? Planting a hedge is sometimes a better alternative for screening a bad view. With few exceptions there are rarely ―regulations‖ for planting a hedge, but be sure to check local codes about fence height or placement in relationship to property lines. Choose plants whose mature height fits your needs and local codes. If you feel you need a wind break, plant one. The aerodynamics of a properly planted windbreak can be much more efficient than a fence. Wind breaks should be planted with graduated plant heights and at least three rows deep to direct prevailing winds up and over a property. If you can imagine it, you can build it when it pertains to fences. Fencing is available in many heights and a plethora of materials, from chain link and welded wire to picket and panel. Some fences are more simple and rustic such as a stacked-rail one. After pondering the Examples of good and bad fences in Pueblo. reasons or needs for building a fence, consider the style of Photos courtesy of your home and garden when designing it. An adobe wall L. Catt would be more appropriate for a southwest style home and a little white picket fence for a Victorian cottage. Fences can actually direct wind into a yard. The wind in southern Colorado is a major consideration when designing and building a fence. A poorly constructed fence is sure to create problems. Solid plank fences can become weakened by constant winds, so consider a more open design, perhaps by simply spacing planks slightly apart to allow air to flow through. A solid wood fence causes a visual barrier, stopping the flow of the view. Perhaps a welded wire fence would be a better option, allowing no wind resistance and a longer, more inclusive view of the whole landscape, making the garden seem more spacious. Fences can be built to exclude wildlife like rabbits and deer if installed properly. Rabbit fencing must be buried about 18‖ below ground and deer fencing should be a minimum of 6’ tall. It also helps to angle the top outward to discourage deer or add another rail above the fence. Fences are basically very simple: posts, stringers, and infill. The fence posts themselves can add another design dimension. They can be built out of wood, rock, brick or metal and can be wider or taller than the fence itself. Posts need to be dug deeply enough to create a sturdy footing, because they are the ―foundation‖ for the whole fence. Everything literally hangs on the posts. The next part of a fence is the ―stringers‖, the horizontal rails that the planks, pickets or wire are attached to. Finally, secure your chosen material to the stringers. There are many resources available on the internet and at your public library to help you decide on a design and how to build a fence. Garden Tip: Save Your Shade If your community announces irrigation restrictions, where will you focus your available water? Since trees and shrubs are your biggest investment, limited water should be used to maintain their health. For information on how to effectively water your woody plants, visit http://www.ext.colostate.edu/drought/woody_plant.html. 7
Gardening For A Lifetime By Sydney Eddison reviewed by Pat Myers, CMG 2001 I first read an article by Sydney Eddison in a garden magazine a couple years ago. The article so impressed me that I contacted Barnes and Noble to purchase her new book. It wasn’t in their inventory so I had them order it. I enjoyed reading her book as I can relate to the love of plants and the dedication of the long time gardener/writer. Ms. Eddison is in her early 80’s and has come to realize that she cannot continue to garden as she did in the past. She takes the reader through her lifetime journey of gardening and her frustrations of not being able to keep up with what she has created. In many ways, as I grow older, I have these moments as I’m sure many of our garden friends do. Her book takes you down an easier garden path with ideas of how to enjoy our passion of gardening with less work and stress. Her latest garden article is in the Garden Gate magazine, Feb 2013, Issue 109. INTERESTING INSECTS
ELM LEAF BEETLES by Edith Brideau, Colorado Master Gardener, 2007
American Elms were planted generously throughout the United States early in the 20th century. This over-planting contributed to this tree’s demise by hastening the spread of Dutch elm disease, which has destroyed nearly all American elms in the United States. While not a replacement for American elm (Ulmus americana), Colorado is home to two non-native Ulmus species, the Siberian elm (U. pumila) and Chinese elms (U. parvifolia), small to medium-sized trees notorious for their prolific seed production. In addition, there are a number of new hybrid elms on the market that are being promoted as street and shade trees. These elms are not affected by Dutch elm disease but can be damaged by elm leaf beetles. Elm leaf beetles feed on elm leaves, causing them to dry up and die, giving trees an unsightly, general brown color. Trees weakened by insect injury are prone to branch dieback and wind injury. Adult beetles over winter in protected locations such as structural cracks, woodpiles and debris. In midspring, they fly to elm trees and feed on emerging foliage, causing small holes in leaves. Over several weeks, females lay yellow egg masses on the leaves, which hatch in 10 to 14 days. The resulting larval stage then feed on the leaves. Areas around the feeding site dry up and die; entire leaves may drop prematurely. Within a few weeks, the full-grown larvae cease feeding and begin to pupate at the base of the tree or in folds of the bark. In 1-2 weeks, the adult stage emerges from the pupae. Photo courtesy of A second generation occurs in midsummer (in warm temperatures, a Whitney Cranshaw, third generation is possible). An injury cycle may be associated with each Colorado State University generation. As days shorten in August, adult beetles stop producing eggs. They briefly feed before seeking winter shelter. Elm leaf beetles have few natural enemies; however, long winters or a late spring freeze may kill some overwintering beetles, and strong winds can force small larvae from trees. Biological controls include predatory plant bugs and stink bugs. Several insecticides (carbaryl, neem, or some pyrethroid) are effective when sprayed on foliage after most eggs are laid by overwintering females but before larvae cause significant injury to the leaves. Timing depends on local conditions, ranging from mid-May to mid-June in southeastern Colorado. A single application to control the first generation may provide adequate season-long control. Continued on page 9
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Insects Continued from page 6
Systemic insecticides may be applied to soil or injected into the trunk, eliminating the need to spray, reducing problems with pesticide drift. Imidacloprid is registered for this use and can provide excellent season-long control of elm leaf beetles. It typically takes 4-6 weeks after soil application to effectively control beetles feeding on leaves. The treated area must be regularly watered to allow absorption by roots. Some control of elm leaf beetle populations is possible by banding trunks with insecticide before larvae start to crawl down trunks in search of pupation sites. One-foot bands should be placed on the trunk just below where the lowest major branches join the trunk. Repeat in midsummer to control the second generation. Trunk banding does not prevent damage by first generation larvae but can lessen second generation larval injury and reduce the number of overwintering beetles if properly applied to most elms in the area. For more information about these damaging insects and effective insecticides, consult Colorado State University Extension Fact Sheet No. 5.521, by W. S. Cranshaw. For information about elm trees, consult Colorado PlantTalk No. 1746, Elm trees.
Understanding How Raspberry Plants Grow Or What Are These Prickly Things and How Do I Prune Them? by Joel Reich, Extension Agent-Horticulture, Boulder County Raspberries are a great, productive fruit plant that can be grown by gardeners in many parts of the United States, including all but the highest elevation areas of Colorado. In addition to all of the delicious fruit they produce, they can also be an attractive visual element in the landscape. Unfortunately, backyard raspberry patches are often overgrown and unkempt looking. This is primarily due to the fact that most gardeners do not have a good understanding of how raspberry plants grow. This leads to improper pruning, or even a total avoidance of pruning. Without proper pruning and management, raspberries will be less productive and more prone to diseases and pests. Raspberry plants are perennials. This means they come back year after year. But there is a catch… only the crown of the plant and its roots are truly perennial. The above ground portions, known as canes, are actually biennial. This means that the canes have a lifespan of only two years. Their first year is spent growing vegetatively, the second year is spent flowering and fruiting. After they have produced a crop of fruit, they will die. In any given year, new canes grow from the crown of the plant, emerging sometime during April. These new canes will grow tall and leafy (and prickly), but they will not produce flowers or fruits. These first-year canes are known as ―primocanes‖. They will drop their leaves and go dormant during Source: the fall and remain so until the following spring. After emerging www.flickr.com/photos/roosterfarm/2876777680/ from dormancy in their second year, these same canes are referred to as ―floricanes‖. At this point, these canes are not going to grow any taller. They will put all of their energy into flowering and fruiting on relatively short branches known as ―fruiting laterals‖. These fruiting laterals grow from the axillary buds that formed during the prior year at the base of each leaf. Once the resulting fruits have been harvested, it is time to cut the floricanes to the ground. The growth habit described above is the norm for raspberries. Raspberries that grow in this fashion are known as ―summer-bearing‖ or ―floricane-bearing‖. They produce crops of ripe berries during July. This is the way all raspberries grew until a major breeding breakthrough in the years after WWII, when breeders began working with wild plants that showed the ability to flower Continued on page 10 9
Raspberries continued from page 9
and fruit on primocanes (a.k.a. first year canes). These original wild plants produced small, seedy berries, but they did so from mid-August until a hard frost. Plant breeders recognized the season-extension potential of this trait and within a decade had succeeded in creating commercially viable, primocane-fruiting raspberries with great flavor. This primocane-bearing type of raspberry is also known as ―fall-bearing‖ or ―everbearing‖. The vast majority of raspberries grown in Colorado gardens are primocane-bearing varieties. Primocane-bearing raspberries start each season by producing vegetative canes, just like floricanebearing types. The big difference occurs in mid-summer. At that point, the primocanes of floricane-bearing types are still busy growing in a purely vegetative fashion. Primocane-bearing types, however, start producing fruiting laterals on their upper portions, leading to a late summer/fall crop of raspberries. The fruits produced typically start to ripen sometime in August (depending on variety) and continue producing fruit until a hard frost or freeze occurs. There are two major advantages to growing fall-bearing (primocane-bearing) raspberries: 1) easy pruning, and 2) no winter hardiness issues. Both of these advantages come from the fact that the primocanes grow and fruit in one season. Because you do not need to maintain any canes through the winter, pruning is as simple as mowing the whole patch to the ground. Similarly, since no canes need to overwinter, and because fruit buds develop in the same year as the fruit will develop, there is no chance for fruit buds to get damaged by cold during the winter. Considering the fickle winter weather we get in Colorado, as well as our frequent spring frosts, the fall-bearing varieties have been hugely popular in our state. Before you decide you will only ever grow fall-bearing types, you should know that there are several varieties of summer-bearing raspberries that have adequate winter hardiness for our climate. By planting both summer- and fall-bearing varieties, you can greatly extend your raspberry season. If you want to get a little more advanced in your raspberry pruning, there is a way to get your ―fallbearing‖ raspberries to give you two crops per year (one in July, the other in August-Sept.). Keep in mind that your primocanes only produce fruit along the upper portions of each cane. The remainder of the cane (the lower ½ to 2/3 of the cane) will behave like a summer-bearing type and produce flowers and fruit the following summer. So, after the plants have gone dormant in the fall, you will want to prune off only the upper portions of the primocanes. The following spring, the buds along the length of those shortened canes will start to grow and will produce fruit in July. Simultaneously, new primocanes will emerge from the soil. These will give you your fall crop. So, are you confused yet? Don’t lose hope. While this may seem very confusing now, there is an easy and fun way to understand it all: observe your plants. Now that you know what kinds of structures and growth habits to look for, you will be amazed at how clear the distinctions are when you watch your raspberry plants grow for a 12-month cycle. You’ll be explaining the ins and outs of raspberry growth to your friends and neighbors in no time. Editor’s note: For information on selecting raspberries for Colorado, see CSU Extension fact sheet 7.001: Raspberries for the Home Garden at http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07001.pdf. Garden Tip: Colorado Drought Update Drought conditions continue throughout the west. You can find weekly updates of United States drought conditions on the US Drought Monitor, http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/monitor.html. The map to the right was generated on March 5, 2013. Much of Pueblo County is listed as ―exceptional drought‖, although the recent snow storms have eased conditions in western Pueblo County a little. 10
PERENNIAL PEOPLE
MIKE BARTOLO, CSU Extension Specialist/Vegetable Crop Research Scientist by Mary Knorr, Colorado Master Gardener, 2009, and Native Plant Master, 2009
Dr. Michael Bartolo was raised on the St. Charles Mesa east of Pueblo and thoroughly enjoyed the rural agricultural lifestyle. He went to college at Colorado State University and the University of Minnesota. In 1991, Mike started as a Vegetable Crops Specialist and in 2004 became the eleventh Arkansas Valley Research Center (AVRC) Manager/Research Scientist. The AVRC was established in 1888 to aid Southeastern Colorado farmers and is the second oldest research center in Colorado. The Research Center was the first to develop a rust-resistant cantaloupe and a sweet Spanish onion variety adapted to the Valley. Both were instrumental in Arkansas Valley crop production. Other important crops Photo courtesy of extensively studied at the center have been peppers and melons. CSU Extension In 2005, Mike and others at the AVRC released the Mosco (Capsicum annuum L.) roasting-type chile pepper. The Mosco chile pepper started with a single plant grown from seed produced on his Uncle Harry Mosco’s farm on the St. Charles Mesa. After the initial selection in 1994, it took Mike four more years (1995-1998) of selection, before the seeds were ready for testing at the AVRC. The center’s testing results from 1999-2004 proved the Mosco pepper had a superior yield, and was a better tasting and roasting pepper than other types. It was also uniquely adapted to the Southeastern Colorado climate. The Mosco chile pepper has surpassed its ancestor, the Mira Sol-New Mexico Chili Improved pepper and is a source of pride for Southeastern Coloradoans. Mike’s interest extends beyond the Mosco chile pepper. At the AVRC, Mike has been experimenting with ornamental peppers to the delight of local gardeners enjoying the Biennial Agricultural Field Day tour. You’ll find a couple of his favorites out in the AVRC pepper area; the Masquerade (Capsicum annuum ‘Masquerade’) and the Prairie Fire (C. annuum ‘Prairie Fire’) ornamental peppers. The Masquerade is a 10-12‖ plant; peppers have white flowers, grow in clusters, and turn from green, to purple, to orange, to red when they mature. The Prairie Fire pepper is a compact 6-8‖ plant and the fruit turns green, yellow and then a fiery red when mature. Both the Masquerade and Prairie Fire peppers would make a colorful addition as a garden bedding plant or border. ―The development of the Rocky Ford melon industry is largely credited to Top: Masquerade, photo George Washington Swink. Swink came to this area in the 1870’s and quickly courtesy of M. Bartolo discovered the amazing potential of soils and climate for producing high quality Bottom: Prairie Fire, photo melons.‖ From 1900 to 1932 the AVRC was tasked to provide outreach to the courtesy of M Knorr. local cantaloupe growers and provide assistance with cantaloupe disease. As a result, the Research Center was the first to develop a rust-resistant cantaloupe. Mike continues the tradition of working with the growers today, something that became even more critical as they faced food safety and other production issues. During the first half of the twentieth-century, the Rocky Ford area was a major national seed supplier for Rocky Ford melons. Until recently, anyone could market their melons as Rocky Ford, because it wasn’t a legally protected trademark. The melon has been integral part of the Rocky Ford area’s culture for over a century. Mike has been helping the local farmers with food safety and handling guidelines, fielding media questions, and trying to restore consumer confidence in Rocky Ford cantaloupes after the Listeria outbreak. Due to a decrease in cantaloupe demand, he feels that some growers will switch to other Continued on page 12 11
Perennial People continued from page 11
high-value/less risky crops, instead of the traditional melon. In the spring of 2012, the Rocky Ford producers created a new Rocky Ford Growers Association. They have trademarked the ―Rocky Ford Cantaloupe™‖ and only growers in Otero and Crowley counties can be members. ―Anybody who belongs to this organization, and is going to market through this organization is going to have to comply with some definitive guidelines as far as food safety and handling,‖ Bartolo said, noting that new training, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification, and twice-yearly audits by state agricultural inspectors will be part of that. ―They’re going to hit every potential aspect of it and make sure all of the bases are covered,‖ according to Mike. Positive steps are being taken to protect the quality Arkansas Valley Rocky Ford Cantaloupe for consumers. Mike’s work with chile peppers and melons at the AVRC has been and will continue to be instrumental to the Arkansas Valley region, as well as a tremendous source of local pride! Groups can arrange a visit by contacting the Arkansas Valley Research Center at 719-254-6312. They are located at 27901 Road 21, Rocky Ford. Also, view their website at www.colostate.edu/depts/avrc/. If you plan on going, bring boots, sunscreen, SPF clothing, water and a wide-brimmed hat! Links to related articles:―Off The Vine: Homegrown Traditions,‖ dated September 16, 2004, blueskyquarterly.com; http://denvergreenchili.com/the-mosco-chile-pepper/ for more chile pepper history; Colorado Cantaloupe, http://freshcut.com/index.php/magazine/article/rocky-ford-cantaloupe-growers-mobilize WICKED WEEDS
HOARY CRESS by Linda McMulkin, CSU Extension-Pueblo County Cardaria draba, commonly known as hoary cress, whitetop or pepperweed, is an invasive perennial found along roadsides and in disturbed soil. Originally from Eurasia, the plant was accidently introduced to the United States in the early 1900s, likely in contaminated seed. The plant forms monocultures that choke out native vegetation unless actively managed. Hoary cress grows from 10 to 18 inches tall, although last year’s crop was often stunted due to drought. The leaves are 1/2 to 2 inches long, grayish green and covered with fine hairs. The early season rosette, with large, slender leaves, develops an upright stem with clasping leaves. In May or June, the white flowers open with the typical 4 petals of the mustard family. The seedpods are heart shaped. All in all, a rather pretty plant. Its impact on the landscape is not pretty. Hoary cress reproduces by both seeds and rhizomes and is believed to be allelopathic, meaning it can suppress the germination and seedling establishment of neighboring plants. The roots, which can hold large food reserves, are capable of growing deeply and spreading well laterally. If water is available in the spring, a single plant without competition can cover an area 12-feet in diameter after one year. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, Similar to bindweed and Canada thistle, control measures are N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora complicated by the plant’s ability to regenerate from the roots. In the of the northern United States, Canada and the home garden, repeated pulling before the plants flower can weaken the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 2: 165. plant by using up stored reserves. Foliar herbicides will need to be applied repeatedly, focusing efforts before the plant flowers or as new plants emerge from the ground. The goal is to weaken the plant by preventing seed production and reducing the foliage so that the plant can’t build a reserve of stored food in the roots. For more information on Cardaria draba, see the US Forest Service Weed of the Week bulletin at http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/whitetop.pdf. 12
SAVE THE DATES: Saturday, March 16, 2013, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Plant Sale at the Pueblo Zoo Saturday, May 4, 8 a.m.—1 p.m.
Pueblo Community College, Fortino Ballroom, 900 W. Orman Ave., Pueblo, CO. Tickets on sale at CSU Extension-Pueblo County, 701 Court Street, 2nd Fl. Advance tickets are $18 or 2 for $30, at the door $20.
2013
Xeriscape Tours
OF PUEBLO & PUEBLO WEST Take a FREE self-guided tour of neighborhood Xeric gardens.
Pueblo Locations Saturday, June 1, 2013 only 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Pueblo West Locations Sunday, June 2, 2013 only 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Xeriscape Tour Maps will be available in early May at:
Online at: www.secwcd.com, pueblo.colostate.edu and www.westernlandscape.org
2013 Yard and Garden Classes Vegetable Gardening for Beginners and Experts Saturday, March 30, 9 a.m—3:30 p.m. $25/person or $40/couple sharing materials.
Growing Healthy Turf Grass Saturday, April 6, 9 a.m.—12 p.m., $15/person or $25/couple sharing materials. Registration forms are available online or at our office. Registration forms with payment must be turned in one week before class. Cash or checks only/no credit cards. Please call 719-583-6566 or visit our website at http://pueblo.colostate.edu.
The CSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences program has many interesting upcoming classes. For details http://www.coopext.colostate.edu/Pueblo/fam/fami.shtml or contact CSU Extension at 719-583-6566. Class size is limited. Payment with registration required. Cash or checks only/no credit cards. Preserving the Harvest Food Preservation Classes: Fermenting, May 22, 6-8 pm, Fee: $5 Deadline—May 15 Jams & Jellies, June 6, 6-8 pm, Fee: $5 Deadline—May 30 Pressure Canning, June 27, 6-8 pm, Fee $5 Deadline—June 20 Pressure Canning Hands-On Workshop, July 16, 1-5 pm, Fee $10 Deadline—July 9 13
FABULOUS FAMILIES
THE CELASTRACEAE OR BITTERSWEET FAMILY by Ed Roland, Native Plant Master, 2009
The idea to cover this particular family, which -- despite having about 850 species worldwide -- is represented by only one native plant in our area, was my interest in one of its ornamental representatives: Celastrus orbiculatus, commonly known as "Bittersweet." It's one of those shrubs I see now and then and think, "I should have one of those." It turns out that C. orbiculatus is an alien endemic to Japan and China. I also learned that, in several eastern states, it's on their invasive species lists because it can take on the form of an aggressive, tree-killing vine. There's a much tamer native version, Celastrus scandens, endemic to the same eastern states. But it's an unlikely transplant for this area because it requires moist, rich soils with a low pH (high acidity) in shady woodland locations, all of which are in short supply in most Colorado home landscapes. In fact, I couldn't find it offered as a landscape plant by any of the big wholesale nurseries anywhere in the U.S. As you might guess, the reason C. orbiculatus is so pervasive is that it's much less demanding. It grows in a wide range of sun/shade locations and soil types. Also, it can get by on the scant moisture we get in the foothills and prairies of Colorado. Its appearance differs from C. scandens primarily by having significant thorns and denser clusters of drupes (fruit) that are more orange than red. It's a striking plant when mature: the small whitish-green flowers are inconspicuous, but leave behind a myriad of bright orange drupes on the dioecious female plant that burst forth from capsules and persist -- along with its whorled foliage -- for months. It adds a colorful presence just when you need it most in a Colorado landscape, from late fall into early winter. As with many transplants that are pesky in the rich, acidic soils of the eastern U.S., C. orbiculatus appears to be well-behaved in our area. It takes on a shrub-like form -- we have a couple mature plants near us that are about 6 feet tall -- without vining up the nearest wall or telephone pole. Other representative ornamentals of this family in our area Above: Blooming Paxistima myrsinites. are typically in the Euonymus genus. The various Euonymus species that Plant with pale green new growth. grow here all seem to have inconspicuous flowers and attractive berries and Below: Leaves darken as they mature. Photos courtesy foliage that persist into winter. One excellent ground cover for this area is of Al Schneider, swcoloradowildflowers.com Euonymus fortunei 'Coloratus', or Purple Wintercreeper. It's a tough, persistent "evergreen" (leaves turning purple over winter) that grows in the shade as well as partial sun. It can also be a bit invasive, but again, much less so than in eastern soils. Finally, that one native representative of the Celastraceae? It's the Mountainlover, Paxistima myrsinites, a beautiful low-growing plant with lanceolate, scalloped and shiny evergreen leaves that is very common in the montane, but often overlooked. Because of its almost invisible reddish flowers, it's one of the "I wonder what that is?" plants you come across while looking at other things. In Colorado Flora, Eastern Slope, William Weber states that Paxistima is a Tertiary relic, which means it's been around for at least 7 million years. Maybe it's time we get out there to take a look at it! In Colorado, the Celastraceae is a family of paradoxes. Potentially invasive, but subdued in western soils. Deciduous, but persistent foliage (if not always technically "evergreen"). Inconspicuous four or five-merous flowers, but attractive -- sometimes striking -- drupes that feed the birds and persist into winter. The representatives may be few, but the Celastraceae make a significant contribution to our gardens year-round, and probably deserve an even bigger role in our home landscapes. Note: My research says that C. orbiculatus is relatively easy to propagate from the seed within the drupes (after removing the fleshy pericarp), green-wood stem or root cuttings. I'll probably give all three a try. 14