HORTICULTURE
Gifted Gardener
O C T O B E R
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Hornets Having a Good Year Locally
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Fall Land- 4 scape Care Impact of 6 Your Forest on the Economy Forestry Fall Webinar
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Brown Patch Active in Lawns
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Whitetail 10 Deer That’s An 11 Idea Upcom11 ing Activities
NELSON COUNTY BEEKEEPERS DOING GOOD Beekeeping in Nelson County has been embraced by many in our community for generations. Some seek it as a hobby and some look at it as a viable way for additional on farm income. Either way the Nelson County Bee club can help you learn more about the art and science of keeping bees. In the fall of 2012 a group of interested beekeepers with varying backgrounds began talking about the formation of a bee club to help disseminate information and to learn from one another. In December of 2012 the first meeting was attended by 18 folks interested in beekeeping at some level. Flash forward about 20 months and you will see that the club now has about 50 paid members and an average attendance at the monthly meetings of around thirty folks. The leadership committee of this group has done a wonderful job of filling each month with an educational opportunity and sharing of experiences for all levels of 1
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understanding. In the winter of 2014 on a snowy Saturday morning they hosted a beginners beekeeping class. The workshop was well attended and went into depth about beekeeping . In the last year they have explored the topics of: Wooden Ware building Making your own wax foundation Mite control Small Cell Honey bee Queen Rearing Feeding and care Disease Control Making Splits Swarm Catching The group has also purchased shared use equipment through their fundraising efforts and begun to pool their purchasing power on various items. Currently the group meets every first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm (this may change after the first of the year). If you think this is something you are interested in come to a meeting and see what it is all about for yourself.
See Page 5 for more details
ENTOMOLOGY
The European hornet was introduced into the United States at New York between 1840 and 1860.
places are covered with a brown envelope (paper) composed of chewed plant fibers. The brown color will help distinguish it from the more common gray nests of aerial nesting yellow jackets (also called baldfaced or black hornets).
HORNETS HAVING A GOOD YEAR LOCALLY The European hornet, Vespa crabro germana, has become almost commonplace in Kentucky. Where the European hornet overlaps living area with humans, the competition for control of that area becomes very heated. This publication is intended to help you know and understand this insect before you attempt to deal with it. The European hornet was introduced into the United States at New York between 1840 and 1860. Since that time, it has spread and inhabits portions of all states east of the Mississippi River plus several on the western bank. Until 1984, its known distribution in Kentucky was limited to south central and southeastern counties. The European hornet is a woodland species, usually building its nest in hollow trees. However, nests also can be found in barns, attics, hollow walls, and abandoned bee hives. Those built in unprotect-
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European hornet nests are large but this is partly because
the insect is so large. A mature colony will contain 1500 to 3000 cells in 6 to 9 combs. There will usually be 200 to 400 workers present during the peak population. The life cycle of the European hornet is like that of yellow jackets. Each spring, foundation queens come out of hiding and look for nesting sites. Limited observations indicate that this happens in early May in west Kentucky. The queen begins the nest and lays some
eggs. While the first generation is growing and maturing, the queen enlarges the nest, hunts for food and cares for the larvae (called grubs). When the grubs become adults, they take over housekeeping, nest expansion, hunting and care of the grubs. The activity of the queen during the rest of the season is limited to laying eggs. The nest will continue to grow in size as the number of hornets increases. About mid-July, production of sexually active males and females begins. Until this time, only nonreproductive females are produced. Mating occurs and the reproductive and inseminated "overwintering queens" go into hiding until the next spring. European hornets come into conflict with man in several ways. Basically, problems arise when the hornet tries to utilize space or resources that humans are using. This is really a competition for resources between man and insect. The most common problems are as follows:
Nest located too close to house
or other structure utilized by humans.
Hornets hunting in human use
area.
Hornets attracted to lights.
Hornets stripping bark from
three are actual destruction of desirable property. Ornamental plants can be protected from wasp injury by spraying the bark with Sevin(tm). However, relief from both types of problems can be accomplished by only one method - nest destruction. Before anyone tries to control a European hornet problem, they would be wise to stop, think and plan very carefully. Remember, you may be encountering a nest of 400 hornets that can sting repeatedly, will fly at night, have guards at the nest entrance, may have more than one entrance to the nest, and may have nested almost anywhere. If a nest is located, it can be treated with a pressurized wasp and hornet jet spray. Several brands are available, but they all are about equal in effectiveness. Although the knock-down is quick, it may not be quick enough if you are too near the nest or do not take other precautions. It is best to treat at night with the aid of a flashlight. Prop the light on something and aim it at the nest or nest opening. When you begin to spray, the wasps usually will attack the light rather than the source of the spray. Wear heavy clothing and a bee veil, if available, to protect yourself from any wasps that may not be fooled by the light.
ornamental plants.
The first three problems listed result from humans not wanting to share a living area with a stinging insect. The last
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LANDSCAPE
FALL LANDSCAPE CARE
It is better to prune plants in late winter, around midFebruary to mid -March. This also allows you to evaluate and remove winterdamaged.
Source: Rick Durham, Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist So often we hear that fall or winter is a particularly good time to do certain things in the landscape. This is usually due to the fact that plants have entered into winter dormancy. You can compare dormancy to an extended period of "rest" for plants, when they are relatively inactive in terms of metabolic processes (photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration, for example). I say relatively inactive, because although these processes slow during dormancy, they do not cease altogether. Most temperate perennial plants will enter dormancy in autumn as daylight shortens, temperatures (including soil temperatures) become cooler, terminal buds are set, and perhaps as a result of drier conditions during late summer and fall. Going dormant is the way these plants survive the cold of winter. It is important that land-
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scape maintenance activities not interfere with the plant's natural process of becoming dormant. Let's use pruning and fertilization practices as examples. Fall is considered a poor time to prune most woody perennials. Pruning will remove terminal buds that help to maintain dormancy in many species. The presence of the terminal bud, even in a seemingly inactive state, suppresses the growth of lower buds through a process called apical dominance, a type of dormancy imposed on the lateral buds. If you remove the apical bud, it may encourage lateral buds to initiate growth in a plant that has not yet fully entered a dormant state. Once lateral bud growth is initiated, dormancy will be hard to achieve, even with the advent of shortening day length and cooler temperatures. So pruning in the fall may trigger new growth that delays dormancy and predisposes the plant to winter injury. It is better to prune plants in late winter, around mid-February to mid-March. This also allows you to evaluate and remove winterdamaged limbs. Pruning in late winter will occur just before one of the most active times of plant growth, bud break, when the plant is redirecting stored nutrients from the root system out to the branches. This would be the most rapid
Images from the Arbor Day Foundation: Tree First aid after a Storm web site time for the plant to heal wounds (in our case the pruned surface), while fall would be the slowest time for wound healing. An exception is if you are removing dead or severely damaged limbs due to breakage, insects or disease. In that case, it is best for you to remove them as soon as possible at any time of the year. If the plant you are pruning is spring-blooming (generally flowering before early June), it would be better from a flowering display perspective to wait until after flowering to prune since the pruning process will remove preexisting flower buds. What about fertilization of woody plants? Fall and winter are considered the best times to apply fertilizer, but you should only do this once woody plants are fully dormant. Otherwise, applying fertilizer might trigger new growth and predispose the plant to winter injury. How can you tell if the plant is dormant? If leaves are falling, the plant has probably entered dormancy
sufficiently to allow fertilization. To be doubly safe, wait until temperatures are unlikely to climb into the 70-degree range. In Kentucky this could occur anytime from mid-October to midNovember, so to be absolutely safe this probably means mid-November or later. It’s best to get the fertilizer down before the soil has frozen so it won’t remain on the soil surface and won’t be subject to runoff with any additional precipitation. If you don't fertilize between Thanksgiving and Christmas, wait until the ground thaws in late February or early March to apply fertilizer. However, you must realize that February and March are not the best times for applying fertilizer to lawns composed of cool-season grasses (fescues, bluegrass and perennial ryegrass). If you are regularly applying fertilizer to your lawn, woody plants growing nearby are likely getting sufficient nutrients from these applications and probably don’t need additional fertilizer.
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WOODY PLANTS Kentucky is one of the leading producers of hardwood forest products in the south and exports wood products across the nation and the world.
IMPACT OF YOUR FOREST ON THE ECONOMY The forest industry has a huge impact on our local economy and the state’s economy as well. In the Kentucky Forestry Impact Report 2013-2014 the authors wrote: “Forests are a valuable part of Kentucky’s landscape providing significant resources and opportunities benefiting the Commonwealth. One important and verifiable benefit is the economic contributions of Kentucky’s forest and wood industries. Analysis of these industries indicated a total economic impact of $12.8 billion and 59,000 jobs in 2013. Kentucky is one of the leading producers of hardwood forest products in the south and exports wood products across the nation and the world. This economic impact was generated from forests located in all 120 counties of the Commonwealth providing resources harvested by over 1,800 logging firms and processed at 703 facilities located in 109 counties. These industries include: sawmills, pulp and paper mills, and a wide variety of secondary producers such as cabinet, barrel, and flooring manufacturers. The Kentucky forest industry improved signi6
ficantly in 2013 and most sectors and commodities performed better than expected. 2013 saw a reversal of sluggish delivered log prices experienced in 2012 with overall statewide average prices increasing by 11.4% compared to 2012. Analysis indicates that Kentucky will remain the leading producer of hardwood sawlogs in the South and one of the top three in the nation. This report highlights the economic contribution of the forestry sector to Kentucky in 2013 and provides insights to the sectors predicted performance in 2014.” To the right you can find educational opportunities that can help your woods grow your savings.
Forestry Fall Webinar Series Make plans to attend one or more of the upcoming Forestry Fall Webinar Series starting on October 7 and running through November 11. All the webinars start at 7 PM (Eastern Time) and will last about an hour. All can be viewed at the Nelson County Extension office. Call 348 9204 to reserve your space. October 7: HELP for You and Your Woodlands Most woodland owners are unaware of the extensive help available to them in caring for their woodlands. This webinar will cover the top 20 agencies, organizations, and programs available to help Kentucky woodland owners. Knowing where to get help and how to get started is critical to get the most from your woodland ownership. October 14: Woodland Certification You will learn how forest certification is benefiting woodland owners in Kentucky; these benefits include increased markets and price premiums being received by woodland owners for their timber, increased technical assistance, and global recognition of your good stewardship. Certification is an important tool that can assist you in caring, protecting, and managing your woodlands for the future. October 21: Black Bears in Kentucky In this webinar you will learn about the black bear population in Kentucky as well as recent and current work going on with this wildlife species. This webinar will also address some of the best practices for dealing with human and bear interactions. October 28: What's Killing Our Trees and What We Can and Can't Do Our trees are under attack from invasive insect pests. The emerald ash borer and the hemlock woolly adelgid are making their way across the Commonwealth leaving dead trees in their path. Unfortunately, these insect pests are not the only ones threatening trees. This webinar will address current and looming insect threats including how you can make your woodlands as resilient as possible. November 11: Winter Tree Identification There are more than 100 native trees in Kentucky and being able to tell one from another is not only enjoyable but an important skill when caring for your trees and woodland. This webinar will teach participants how to use tree characteristics in the process of grouping and eventually identifying individual trees. Knowing the trees in your yard or woodlands can make your time outdoors more enjoyable and rewarding. The process of identifying trees by use of a tree identification key is designed for all age groups. Many County Extension Offices across the state are hosting the webinars. If there is not a hosting office nearby you can view the webinars from home. Kentucky Master Logger Continuing Credits are available for all webinars at hosting County Extension Offices. For more information, click here. 7
LANDSCAPE
BROWN PATCH ACTIVE IN LAWNS
Areas in the lawn affected by brown patch develop as a jagged circle, varying in size from 6 inches to 5 feet or more.
Annette Meyer Heisdorffer Daviess County Extension Agent for Horticulture
82 degrees F and nighttime lows above 60 degrees F create conditions that favor disease activity.
When high temperatures become stressful for tall fescue, the brown patch fungus infects the leaves of the grass and causes spots on the leaf blades. These leaf spots in tall fescue are very characteristic. The irregular spots on the leaves are olive-green when fresh, or tan when dried, surrounded by a thin dark brown border. These spots can be readily distinguished from stresses due to other causes, which often cause All of the possible causes of yellowing and dieback bebrown areas in a tall fescue ginning at the leaf tip. The lawn should be considered thin, brown border will still carefully. Also keep in mind show the outline on an old that a disease called brown spot even though the entire patch is now active in small leaf may have been killed. areas of tall fescue lawns. Areas in the lawn affected What can be done to manby brown patch develop as age brown patch? a jagged circle, varying in Brown patch is a disease size from 6 inches to 5 feet caused by the fungus Rhior more. The affected area zoctonia solani, which is may lose the circular apvery common in our soils. pearance and become irregHumid weather combined ular in with daytime highs above Brown patches in the lawn seem to be increasing and so are the questions about them. Several factors may cause these brown patches including disease, improper fertilization, chemical injury, mower problems, dog or insect injury, localized dry spots, poor soil drainage, excessive thatch, competition from other plants, buried objects, high temperatures, and other environmental stresses.
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shape as the disease progresses. In an established lawn, fungicide sprays are not recommended to control brown patch. Cultural practices will usually do a great deal to reduce the disease. Even if an outbreak of brown patch occurs, crowns and roots of established plants usually survive, and the infected brown areas of turf begin to recover when cooler weather arrives. An established, well-managed lawn will usually recover from brown patch without fungicide applications. Fungicide applications to control brown patch may be considered if the lawn was newly seeded last fall or spring. Research at the University of Kentucky and elsewhere has shown that the brown patch disease in tall fescue is worse when high levels of nitrogen fertilizer have been applied, especially during spring and summer.
Make sure the mower blade is sharp. A dull blade shreds the leaves, creating an ideal site for infection. If the lawn is irrigated, it should be done in the early morning so that the leaves dry off quickly. This also washes off the dew, which is rich in nutrients favorable for fungal growth. Irrigating in the late afternoon or evening allows the grass leaves to be wet from the time of watering until several hours past sunrise. This lengthy period of leaf wetness gives the fungus a long period of time to grow and infect more plants. It may be inconvenient to water in the early morning, but when irrigating turf, this is the way to help reduce brown patch during hot, muggy weather.
When irrigation is necessary, wet the soil to a depth of at least 4 inches to promote deep rooting. Check the watering depth by pushing a metal rod or A taller mowing height reduces air circu- screwdriver into the soil. It will sink easily until it reaches dry soil. Avoid frelation among the leaf blades. Poor air quent, light waterings. These encourage circulation leads to conditions that are favorable for greater fungal growth and the grass to develop a shallow root system and frequently provide the surface disease spread during humid weather. moisture that the Rizoctonia fungi, Research has shown that raising the which causes brown patch, need to inmowing height above 2 to 3 inches infect the leaves. Remember to water tensifies the disease. Mow regularly to promote air circulation and rapid drying deeply and infrequently. of the turf, making the lawn environWhen seeding or renovating a lawn, ment less favorable for fungal growth. avoid using excessive seeding rates, To avoid stressing the grass, mow often since overcrowding can aggravate an enough so that no more than one-third outbreak of brown patch. to one-half of the leaf length is removed at any one mowing. 9
Whitetail Deer – From Field to TableLEARNING
Have you always wanted to hunt for your own food? Are you trying to protect your farm or garden from deer damage?
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Join Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources staff and members of the Derby City Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association for a hands-on course designed to give first time hunters basic instruction on acquiring a free-ranging sustainable source of meat. The course includes one night of classroom instruction followed by a day-long field course. The cost of the course is $30 and includes a 2014-2015 Combination Fishing and Hunting License for Kentucky residents. This fee will be waived for Kentucky residents who show a current annual Kentucky combo hunting and fishing license. The classroom portion of the workshop will be held at the Nelson County Cooperative Extension office and will cover a variety of topics including deer biology and behavior, the history of whitetail deer in Kentucky, finding a place to hunt and basic hunting strategies. The class room portion of the course will be limited to 30 participants. The field portion of the course, will be held at the Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area in Meade County, and will include an introduction to firearms and archery equipment, deer processing and preservation, tree stand safety, hide tanning and the identification of plants and habitats important to deer. All workshops are recommended for ages 16 and up and participants are encouraged to attend both the classroom session and field portion of the workshop. To register for the course or for more information, contact Jason Nally at (502) 477-9288 or e-mail him at jason.nally@ky.gov. The deadline to register for the course is September 26, 2013. Monday September 29th Nelson County Cooperative Extension 317 S. Third St. Bardstown, KY 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4th Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area 850 Otter Creek Road, Brandenburg 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 10
Upcoming Activities:
THAT’S AN IDEA
Get rid of weeds in the garden before they go to seed
Trees should not look like telephone poles going into the soil. If this is the case check for girdling roots.
Lawn seeding should be taking place now for best results. Cover crops on the garden promotes soil health. A healthy soil is a healthy garden.
Fall is a good time to plant garlic for spring harvest
Remembers soil testing is free in Nelson County and should be done every few years.
Plant mums now with minimal flowers open, that way you can enjoy the entire show and not the store Start thinking about adding fall bulb planting to your list of chores. This will make spring even more welcomed.
Many perennials can be divided now.
Turf fertilization should begin in late October.
Seasonal invaders like the Lady Bug will be entering homes soon.
Fall is the
See page 5 for a series of Webinars from the Forestry Department. All of them can be viewed from the Nelson Count Extension office. Call to reserve your seat.
Sept 23rd @ 4:00 pm Planting Bulbs for Spring Color educational session at the Bloomfield Branch Library.
September 30 @ 7:00pm Nelson County Farm Bureau Presents “Measure the Candidates” at the Nelson County Civic Center.
October 1st @ 6:30 pm Nelson County Beekeepers Club will have their regular meeting at the Nelson County Extension Office
October 30th @ 5:00 pm— Identifying fossils and the Geology of Central Kentucky with Dr. Steve Greb of the University of Kentucky. Please call to sign up and bring your found fossils with you for identification.
November 15 @ 8:00 am until 1:00 pm— Beginning Beekeeping Basics. Presented by the Nelson County Beekeepers association
time of year to knock our many lawn broadleaf weeds.
Robbie Smith County Extension Agent for Horticulture
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Phone: 502-348-9204 Fax: 502-348-9270 email: robsmith@uky.edu Website: http://nelson.ca.uky.edu/ @hortagentrob
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RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
University of Kentucky Nelson County 317 South Third Street Bardstown, KY 40004
Cooperative Extension Service
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