Kentucky Horticulture Newsletter

www.uky.edu/hort/

Nov - Dec

2015

Clean Up for

Clean Plants

by Kimberly Leonberger & Nicole Ward Gauthier

Autumn has arrived in Kentucky and, as leaves change color and fall from trees, it is time to focus on landscape sanitation. Good sanitation practices can help reduce disease-causing pathogens. These organisms can survive for months or years on dead plant material or in soil, causing infections in subsequent years. Elimination of disease-causing organisms reduces the need for chemical controls and can improve the effectiveness of disease management practices. Following these sanitation practices both in autumn and throughout the growing season can reduce disease pressure in home and commercial landscapes.

(Photo: Nicole Ward Gauthier, UK)

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Discard all above- and below-ground portions of heavily infected perennial and annual plants. Severely infected trees and shrubs should be cut down and stumps removed/destroyed.

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All discarded plant material should be burned, buried, or removed with yard waste. Do not compost diseased plant material. Exercise caution when storing limbs and trunks as fire wood or using for mulch.

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Soil from containers should be discarded and not reused.

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Remove weeds (including roots), which may serve as alternate hosts for pathogens.

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When treating infected plants with fungicides, remove infected tissues prior to application.

Sanitation Practices:

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Remove diseased plant tissues from infected plants.

Prune cankers and galls from branches by making cuts well below visible symptoms.

Clean tools between each cut with a sanitizer, such as rubbing alcohol or household bleach.

Rake and remove fallen buds, flowers, twigs, leaves, and needles.

ing gh watering before putt ou or th a ns ee gr er ev l Be sure to give al dleaf evergreens, such asand evergreen oa Br r. te in w r fo s se ho olly, away the xwoods, Oregon Grapeh ugh the winter. bo , es lli ho s, on dr en od ro th rhod the worst if they are dry euonymus often suffer

Composting

Fall Leaves

Home Lawn

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By Rick Durham

As the fall season progresses, many folks obtain large amounts of leaves and other yard wastes that need to be removed from their property.

When you compost leaves, other yard debris and kitchen waste, a microbial process converts these items into a more usable organic amendment. You can use finished compost to improve soil structure in gardens and landscape beds. You also can use finished compost as a mulch to help reduce weed problems, moderate soil temperatures and conserve soil moisture.

Composting yard and kitchen wastes also reduces the volume of material going into landfills. Yard and kitchen wastes comprise more than 20 percent of the waste generated each year. By composting these wastes, you help reduce disposal costs and extend the usefulness of landfills. This increases the return on your tax dollars.

Weeds free of seed heads and residues like vines and pruned limbs make a good addition to a compost pile. It is not necessary to remove grass clippings if you follow proper lawn management practices. If you decide to compost grass clippings, mix them with other materials like leaves or brush. You also can compost many kitchen scraps such as fruit and vegetable peelings and cores, coffee grounds, tea bags and crushed eggshells.

However, avoid cooked foods, meat, bones, fat or dairy products because they attract animals.

Put your compost pile on a well-drained site that will benefit from nutrients running off the pile. If you are just starting to compost, prepare the pile in layers of materials. This will ensure the proper mixing of materials to aid decomposition. If your compost material contains no soil, sprinkle a little soil or a compost starter in each layer to inoculate the pile with microorganisms.

Ideally, the pile should be 1 cubic yard (3 by 3 by 3 feet).

The composting process can be completed in one to two months if materials are shredded, turned to provide good aeration, kept moist and supplied with nitrogen and other materials that cater to compost-promoting microorganisms. Otherwise, it may require 12 months.

Periodically turn the compost pile once a month or when the center of the pile is noticeably hot. The more often you aerate, the more quickly you will have useable compost. Compost is useable when it fails to heat up after turning.

Adequate moisture is essential for microbial activity. Water the pile so it is damp but does not remain soggy. Your compost pile should have the moisture content of a wellsqueezed sponge, so you can squeeze a few drops of water from a handful of material.

It is especially important to supply water during dry periods and when you add leaves and other dry materials to the compost pile.

If the pile emits an ammonia smell, it is too wet or packed too tightly for oxygen circulation. Turn the heap and add some coarse material such as small twigs to increase air space.

Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments, and you can use it instead of commercial fertilizers. Best of all, compost is cheap. You can make it without spending a cent. Using compost improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil’s water-holding capacity.

Composting improves both your property as well as environment.

To ensure good aeration and drainage, occasionally put down a 3-inch layer of coarse plant material like small twigs or chopped corn stalks, or use a wooden pallet.

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Fruit & Veggie Garden

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Fall Cleanup Essential for

Spring Success

By Anthony R Tackett Some homeowner’s fall gardens are in full swing now. However, a majority of home gardeners seem to prefer skipping the fall garden ritual as they are ready to forget about dealing with plant disease and insects in the vegetative garden until next spring. Even so, this time of year is actually the perfect time to start controlling next year’s disease and insects. A little work in the fall can prevent a lot of trouble next spring. Why is this so? A fall cleanup of the vegetable garden involves the removal of spent leaves and stems on which many plant disease organisms (called pathogens) and insect pests survive the winter.

This cleanup, formally known as fall sanitation, is a crucial step that will increase the amount of time it takes for populations of plant pathogens and insect pests to reach damaging levels as it reduces their populations. The following are some specific suggestions that are especially important.

Practicing good sanitation measures in the garden is important throughout the year. This is especially important for gardens that are only being partially used or not used at all during the cool fall and winter season. In many cases, high incidents of disease in the spring time can be traced back, in part, to leaving diseased roots, foliage, stems and unharvested vegetables to decay on the surface of the soil.

material is not badly diseased, it can be placed in a compost pile to undergo decomposition and then returned to the garden to add valuable organic matter.

Thoroughly till or deeply spade the soil to chop and incorporate all remaining foliage and roots into the soil so the plant material will be welldecomposed before the spring growing season. If possible, till or spade the soil a second time. Infected leaves, stems and fruits can serve as a primary source for future infections on spring-planted vegetables especially if infected foliage is left on top of the ground.

A neglected garden site also can become an insect haven waiting to explode next spring with hundreds of hungry and unwanted insect pests.

Ideal places for garden insects to survive the winter period are trash, vegetable stubble, unharvested fruits and tubers, boards and overgrown grass and weeds along the edge of a garden and fence rows. Removing crop residues and disposing of debris, weeds and other volunteer plants helps eliminate food and shelter for many garden pests such as cutworms, aphids, wireworms, white grubs, millipedes, sow bugs and spider mites.

Gardeners should properly dispose of all plant parts remaining in the garden soon after plants have finished producing an edible product. If the

ing soil-borne diseases. ag an m r fo gy te ra st od Rotating crops is a go s and rotate their locations every few years.

Grow a diversity of crop . For example, replace tomatoes with beans Rotate between families ce potatoes and tomatoes belong to the but not with potatoes, sin same family.

Winter is for

Witchhazel

Trees & Shrubs

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by Amy Aldenderfer

The cold winter season is enough to keep many plants, and most gardeners, in a state of suspended animation patiently waiting for warm breezes and bright sunshine. But, among these droves of winter evaders, there is one with the fortitude to tempt ‘old man winter’ and produce not solely a plump bud or a greenish stem, but a flower with fragrance and style unlike any other blooming shrub. The plant is Witchhazel and it is the hero of a winter garden.

The name witchhazel has little to do with witches or hazels. The word “witch” is a derivative of the word “wych” meaning pliable or flexible. During colonial America, the pliable forked branches of witchhazel made for favorite divining rods of dowsers searching for hidden water sources or precious metals.

There are five species of witchhazel - two native, two from Asia, and one hybrid. Most witchhazels used in landscapes are cultivars of the hybrid. Even still there is reason to consider the others. Both natives, for example, are unique as one is the last shrub in our area to flower, the other the first.

The Common Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is native to the eastern United States and commonly found along forest edges, sometimes on floodplains and along boggy or rocky streams. It is a large shrub or small multistemmed tree with a broadly rounded form growing to 20 feet tall. H. virginiana is the hardiest of all witchhazels surviving at temperatures 35 degrees F below zero. Its leaves are dark, glossy green, about 3 to 6 inches long, turning to a clear yellow in the fall.

Unlike the other witchhazel species, the common witchhazel blooms in the fall after all its leaves have

dropped. In late autumn and winter, the squiggly yellow petals of fragrant flowers appear. Each of the long petals is narrow and crumpled, looking not unlike the legs of a spider or octopus. The fruit that develops will ripen the following summer and have a unique means of mechanical distribution. In other words, when they are ripe, the seed capsules explode apart with a cracking pop and catapult seeds up to ten yards from the shrub.

Our other native, Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) is the earliest-flowering shrub blooming during the warmer days of winter and persisting into spring. Its flowers are extremely fragrant but less noticeable due to their small size and the plant’s habit of holding onto last year’s leaves which effectively mask the blooms.

The blooms are variable in color from yellow to orange to a rusty color. Each petal is thin and thread-like with the ability to roll up and withdraw as a survival mechanism to avoid freezing damage. This shrub is smaller than the common witchhazel, maturing at 8 to 10 feet tall with a similar spread. Fall color is chartreuse most years but golden-yellow in good years. Vernal Witchhazel is very adaptable to a wide range of soil types, sunlight exposures, and moisture conditions. It would be an excellent choice for naturalized areas, erosion sites, or neglected areas.

Witchhazels have a unique place in the landscape. Not unlike the daffodils that herald in the spring, witchhazels give us a reason to stir during the hardest part of winter and the hope of warmer days ahead.

Early November is not too late to plant most trees and shrubs; wait until spring for broadleaf evergreens and azaleas. When digging the hole to plant any tree, make it 2 to 5 times wider than the root ball, but no deeper.

Plant it with the root ball on solid ground (to prevent settling), keeping the plant at the same depth as it was growing in the nursery.

Flowers Brighten Winter with

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Amaryllis Blooms

by Kristin Goodin Hildabrand

This time of year, amaryllis is a popular winter blooming bulb found on shelves in local flower shops and garden centers. Their large showy trumpet shaped blooms produced atop a tall flower stalk provide a nice welcome to the cold winter. Below are a few steps to ensure the biggest and brightest amaryllis blooms.

Most amaryllis bulbs are sold either as bare root bulbs or in a kit which includes the bulb, container, and potting soil mixture. If purchasing bare root bulbs, select a large, firm bulb that is free of cuts and bruises.

Large bulbs indicate a healthy plant that will produce larger blooms and more flowering stalks. There are a wide variety of colors and types of amaryllis blooms available from traditional red, white, pink, orange, salmon or bicolored which are white with brush strokes of pink or red.

Choose a container that is 1 to 2 inches wider than the diameter of the bulb, since amaryllis bulbs prefer a slightly pot-bound container. Look to see if the container has drainage holes before planting. If no drainage holes are present, drill a few small holes in the bottom of the container to provide adequate soil drainage.

Next, purchase a quality potting soil mix that is a sterilized, well-drained, and high in organic matter.

A mixture containing equal parts of peat and perlite is an excellent choice for growing amaryllis. Moisten the potting soil mix with water prior to adding to the container to assist in establishing a good root system.

To begin planting, add a small amount of moistened potting soil to the container and place the amaryllis bulb in the center so that one-third to one-half of the bulb is located above the soil level. Continue to fill the container with soil until the potting medium reaches 1 inch below the

top rim. This step keeps the fungal disease known as red blotch from occurring and allows for space when watering. Tap the container on the counter to remove any air pockets from the soil, add more soil if needed, and lastly firm the soil around the roots and bulb.

After planting, water the soil thoroughly with lukewarm water and place in a warm 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit location. A well-lighted area such as a south-facing window or sunroom that receives at least four hours of direct sunlight would be ideal for amaryllis growth.

While the bulb is growing, keep the soil slightly moist until flowering. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch. Rotate the plant frequently to promote a straighter flower stalk rather than one that leans toward the light. Flowering usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks after potting.

Once blooms appear, locate amaryllis to a cooler location indoors around 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit to extend the life of the flowers. After flowering, apply a liquid or slow release fertilizer for houseplants according to recommendations on the label for amount and frequency.

It may seem that amaryllis requires extra care and time investment, but once people see the bright, almost tropical shaped blooms, it can brighten any room on even the gloomiest winter day!

Several weeks after brin complete houseplant fe ging houseplants home, start using a higher phosphorus fertilirtilizer. For blooming plants, choose a soap can be safely used zer (the middle number). Insecticidal insecticides, if labeled fofor most houseplant insects. Other r use on houseplants, ar acceptable. e also

Pests 6

Brown Marmorated

Stink Bugs

by Ric Bessin and Mike Potter

While monitoring vegetable and soybean fields in the Lexington area, I have noticed that the number of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) adults has dropped off as the numbers of nymphs on these crops has remained constant. Last year, BMSB began to gather on the sides of homes the first week in September. This makes me believe that BMSB is changing its behavior from plant feeding to begin searching for overwintering sites, possibly your home. I did spot 15 BMSB on the side of my house on Saturday. So, over the next several weeks we should expect BMSB to gather on buildings in search of suitable overwintering sites. Once inside buildings they will remain active until mid-spring.

In addition to BMSB, there are several other insect invaders that enter buildings, including boxelder bug, multicolor Asian lady beetle, cluster flies, and western conifer seed bug. But BMSB has the potential to gather in larger numbers in homes than these other pests. Besides just being a nuisance, the nearly 他-inch BMSB releases a cilantro-like odor when disturbed and may feed on houseplants during winter months.

With BMSB, as with other household invaders, the best strategy is prevention: keep them out of your home. Buildings that have had previous problems may be more likely to have future problems. Seal and screen (1/6-inch mesh screen or finer) entry points to the attics, around doors and windows, and to basements and crawl spaces to limit numbers that enter. Topping chimneys with screens or caps can also help. Dr. Mike Potter lists a number of steps that can be taken to pest proof your home in How to Pest-proof Your Home (Entfact 641).

Indoors during the winter, BMSB try to congregate in various places inside structures. This can be in chimneys, closets, window air conditioning units, attics, behind books on a shelf, etc. The best way to remove them once they gain entry is with a vacuum. A knee-high stocking can be used in the suction tube of the vacuum to reduce the number of bags needed. The stink bugs can be disposed of into soapy water. Various types of light baited/funnel traps and soapy water traps can be used to remove them from dark areas in a home.

Last fall, Mike Potter and I conducted an insecticide barrier study with three pyrethroid insecticides available to pest control operators. Bricks were treated with a pyrethroid or water (control) and allowed to air dry for 24 hours prior to the study. Stink bugs were confined under petri dish lids for either 5 minutes or 24 hours of exposure.

After 24 hours BMSB mortality was assessed. With 24-hour exposure on a treated brick surface there was 100 percent mortality, and a 5 minute exposure resulted in over 60 percent control with each of the pyrethroid insecticides. The new labeling with pyrethroid barrier sprays is more restrictive to prevent contamination of runoff water, but treatment of cracks and crevices (with a narrow band of spray) and under eaves that are protected from the rain, is still possible. Read and follow all label restrictions carefully.

Set mole traps on active burrows between 4-6 PM in early November. Later in the winter, moles may aban don surface tunnels and go into deep tunnels, 2-3 feet under gr ound. Then trapping is no longer eff ective. Another option no w is "Tomcat Mole Killer", or "worm-li ke" poison baits containi ng Talpirid.

Upcoming

Upcoming Events

November 3, 2015 Vine to Wine hardinext.org Hardin County Extension Office (Elizabethtown)

December 7, 2015 Landscape Design Class 270-554-9520 McCracken County Extension Office (Paducah)

November 3, 2015 Crazy for Conifers bcarboretum.org/events Boone County Extension Office (Burlington)

December 10, 2015 Wreath Making Class 270-842-1681 Warren County Extension Office (Bowling Green)

November 3, 2015 Holiday Cactus 859-336-7741 Washington County Extension Office (Springfield)

December 16, 2015 Floral Crop Production Meeting 270-886-6328 Christian County Extension Office (Hopkinsville)

November 5, 2015 Decorating from Nature 606-864-4167 Laurel County Extension Office (London)

January 5, 2016 Toolbox Series- Citrus Trees 270-554-9520 McCracken County Extension Office (Paducah)

November 11, 2015 How to Grow: Holiday House Plants hardinext.org Hardin County Extension Office (Elizabethtown)

January 12, 2016 Landscape Drawing Class 270-554-9520 McCracken County Extension Office (Paducah)

November 17, 2015 Winter Botany: Tree and Shrub ID 859-586-6101 Boone County Extension Office (Burlington)

January 20, 2016 Fruit and Vegetable Production Meeting 270-886-6328 Christian County Extension Office (Hopkinsville)

November 17, 2015 Amaryllis & Paperwhites 606-864-4167 Laurel County Extension Office (London)

January 22, 2016 Landscape Design Class 270-554-9520 McCracken County Extension Office (Paducah)

November 21, 2015 Beginner Beekeeping School 502-348-9204 Nelson County Extension Office (Bardstown)

February 2, 20016 Master Gardener Training 270-842-1681 Warren County Extension Office (Bowling Green)

November 23, 20015 Santa’s Workshop (Homemade Gifts) 270-842-1681 Warren County Extension Office (Bowling Green)

March 8, 15, 22, 29, 2016 Backyard Fruit Series 270-842-1681 Warren County Extension Office (Bowling Green)

December 3, 2015 DIY: Garden to Garden Gift Ideas 859-586-6101 Boone County Extension Office (Burlington)

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