KCG Feb20

The Kansas City

GARDENER A Monthly Guide to Successful Gardening

February 2020

All-America Selections 2020 Winners

Kids Ask Dr. Bug Green Mulch? You Don’t Say Help Your Plants Recover for Spring

editor’s notes

The Kansas City

GARDENER A Monthly Guide to Successful Gardening

Winter project

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his month marks the 24th anniversary of our move to the Midwest. A modest splitlevel home on a tree-lined street, in a well-established neighborhood was perfect for this family of transplants. Coming from a small twobedroom Florida bungalow, the kids were thrilled to walk (race) through this palatial dwelling place. Three bedrooms, converted attic space as a fourth, and two bathrooms, gave everyone much needed breathing room. There was even an “emergency potty” downstairs in the utility/laundry room off the two-car garage. And with four kids between the ages of two months and 12 years, I knew having a third toilet would prove to be handy.

Through the years, we have made modifications and renovations as needed and as finances have allowed. Nothing major, updates mostly. However, there is one makeover that Mr. Gardener has been aching to accomplish – the garage. More specifically, the entire space – garage, utility and laundry room. This project has been in queue for years, waiting for the budget and time allowances to proceed. Well friends, to his delight, this winter his dream project was put into motion.

February 2020 | kcgmag.com

nity to build it yourself? How ’bout I loan you my tools instead.”

Custom cabinets now line the utility room walls. Instead of standing jumbled and tangled in an old tree bucket, the rakes, shovels, loppers and pruners are organized, easy to find, and accessible. There is space for lawn bags and twine, and we will have no trouble locating his and hers garden gloves in matched sets.

Birding accessories and food have designated shelf space replacing the worn plastic tubs stacked on top of each other. There are cabinets for laundry needs and cleaning supplies. And the emergency potty is a little more glamorous than before.

Speaking of chic, the cat litter boxes are now enclosed, and their food is housed overhead. Yep, it’s a cat condo.

Well done Mr. Gardener. You never cease to amaze!

I’ll see you in the garden!

In this issue February 2020 • Vol. 25 No. 2 Ask the Experts ........................ 4 Green Mulch, You Don’t Say ..... 6 Kids Ask Dr. Bug ...................... 8 MGGKC Spring Seminar .......... 9 All-America Selections 2020 Winners ........................ 10 Plants on Your Plate – Kale ....... 12 Bird Facts ............................... 13

about the cover ...

Help Your Plants Recover for Spring .............................. 14 Upcoming Events ..................... 16 Powell Garden Events .............. 16 2020 Horticulture Classes ........ 17 Garden Calendar .................... 18 Meet a Master Gardener ......... 19 Subscribe ................................ 19

Tomato Celano looks delicious, right? This is an All-America Selections winner.

Learn about other AAS winners beginning on page 10. Photo courtesy of All-America Selections, all-americaselections.org

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Naturally, this was a gut job (taking it down to the studs, as they say), where all the electrical and plumbing of this old house would be exposed. There were plenty of experts on site to evaluate and make improvements where necessary. Once their work was complete, Mr. Gardener could begin to implement his plan to outfit the entire space with cabinets for storage. A place for everything, and everything in its place!

We could furnish a Dewalt dealer showroom with the cordless power tools in our possession. Of course, this love affair with power tools started a couple of years ago when Mr. Gardener decided to build a greenhouse for our backyard. It was quite a project, and a huge success. One that we constantly appreciate.

As garage renovation progressed the neighbors got a glimpse of this undertaking. There were multiple invitations to duplicate the plan for others in their garage, and his response was always the same, “...what, and deny you the opportu-

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Indoor plant care, simplified.

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The Kansas City Gardener | June 2016

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Ask the Experts Gardeners have plenty of questions about soil and plant issues, DENNIS PATTON answers a few of them here.

COMPOSTING HONEY LOCUST PODS Question: I am attempting to compost more at home, reducing what needs to be picked up by the trash service. I have a honey locust that rains down the long, woody seed pods. If I chop up these pods, can I add them to the compost bin? Will the seeds germinate and grow in the compost or garden?

Answer: Yes, they can be composted but a couple of thoughts.

Being large and course, these pods will take longer to breakdown. The more finely shredded they are, the faster they will decompose. As for the seeds, they may germinate during the composting process. The seedlings will die as the material is turned. As no composting process is ever complete, I would expect some seeds to survive the process

and sprout in the garden. If you stay on top of the seedlings, they will be easy to rouge out.

ATTEMPT TO OVERWINTER LANTANA Question: Lantana is one of my favorite summer annuals. I am attempting to overwinter a plant in my home. Can this be done, or would the garage be a better location?

Answer: It is hard to beat Lantana when it comes to flowering in the heat of summer. It is somewhat drought tolerant but grows best when watered, as do most plants. I have tried overwintering Lantana with mixed results.

Since Lantana is a full-sun plant, it needs the brightest, sunniest location in your home, either a south or west window. The goal is for it to stay alive, not necessar-

Trying to save amaryllis bulb is worth effort.

Overwintering Lantana is difficult. ily grow and flourish. Withhold fertilization, keep on the drier side and hope for the best. My hunch is it will defoliate and be ugly come spring. If it does survive, give it a trim and boot it back outside once the danger of frost has passed.

My experience in the garage has not been successful. Each time I have tried, it has died. The leaves dropped, becoming messy.

The plant was crispy and dead by spring. Personally, I have just decided it is easier to purchase new plants.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO SAVE GIFTED AMARYLLIS BULB Question: I was gifted an amaryllis bulb for Christmas. Usually, they come with a pot and soil to plant and grow. This was just the

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bulb dipped in wax. The directions basically said, set it out and watch it grow. As a gardener that cannot kill a plant, how can I save this bulb?

Answer: I saw this method of marketing, which, like paperwhite narcissus, truly treated it as a disposable plant. For this bulb to be saved, it needs to be potted so that roots can form and support the growth.

Like all bulbs when shipped, the plant has stored all the energy needed to flower, but nothing left to support any growth. Basically, the bulb is shot and ready for compost. If you wanted to save the bulb, get a pot around 6 inches with drainage holes and quality potting soil. Amaryllis bulbs are planted with the top half or third above the soil line. Water and wait for flowering.

Once done flowering, place the plant in a bright sunny area. Green

strapping leaves will appear. These leaves help produce the energy needed to rebloom next year. At this point, treat it like a houseplant, water and fertilize. I like to place my amaryllis outside during summer for robust growth. In the fall, bring the plant inside, stop watering, set in the dark and let the bulb rest for a month or two. At this point, it should be ready to flower again.

Broccoli thrives on abundant fertilizer.

SOIL TEST RESULTS CALL FOR PELLETIZED SULFUR Question: I had a soil test done this fall. It showed that my flower garden had a high pH, 7.5, and advised I add pelletized sulfur.

The recommendation was to apply 2 pounds of sulfur per 100 square feet. I am confused as I have a couple of azaleas and a few perennials scattered around. How do I do this? Also, what is pelletized sulfur?

Answer: Every time I provide soil testing information, I wish I could talk to the person as each situation is different. But here is my best interpretation. Sulfur is usually found in two forms – a powder for dusting or pelletized. Dusting sulfur is best used as a fungicide. It is difficult to spread on the soil as it is like spreading flour. Sulfur that has been pelletized is like fertilizer.

It looks like a split pea and spread with a gloved hand or through a fertilizer spreader. This makes it easier and more accurate to spread.

The goal with pH correction is not just to change the level around the roots but the entire planting area. Thus, the recommendation to apply sulfur over 100 square feet.

If they are isolated plants, then we need to portion it down – 1 pound for 50 square feet, half pound for 25 square feet and so on. Basically, it would be a couple of tablespoons

per plant. The best way to apply sulfur is by working it into the soil as the change is more rapid. But digging around the roots of established plants is not recommended.

Pull back the mulch, spread and water into the soil. Hope this clarifies and puts you at ease.

HOW TO GROW BIG, BEAUTIFUL BROCCOLI HEADS Question: I see the best, large heads of broccoli at the farmer’s market. I have tried but have not had great success. Can you share some tips about how they are able to grow such beautiful broccoli?

Answer: Broccoli is one of my favorite crops to grow. It’s easy if a few guidelines are followed.

Plant broccoli in mid to late March, early April may be on the late side. Frost protection is needed if the temperatures fall back into the mid-20s. Use broccoli transplants with healthy, green foliage. Avoid transplants with a purple cast to the leaves or which seem to have stunted stems.

Broccoli thrives on an abundant supply of nitrogen fertilizer.

It takes a big plant for a big head.

Before planting, spread and work into the soil about ½ pound, or around one cup, of fertilizer such as 25-5-5 over 100 square feet.

That would be a half-cup to 50 square feet. This can be a lawn fertilizer and, of course, without herbicides. Water the transplants with a weak houseplant fertilizer for an extra kick. About a month later, shake one tablespoon of the same fertilizer a foot away from the base of each plant around the foliage. Sit back and watch the plants grow like weeds. A note of caution though, do not fertilize your root crops at this high level or you will harm their production.

Broccoli has pest problems. If worms eat holes in the leaves, treat as needed for a higher yield and prettier plants. Look for a shorter day variety, which matures in about 55 to 65 days. Shorter season maturity beats the heat. One last tip, the big head is nice but the side shoots, or small bunches, significantly increases overall yield and extends the harvest season.

Dennis Patton is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.

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Saturday, March 7 Rockhurst University

Join us for a day of lectures by acclaimed garden experts focused on the challenges we face in our Kansas City-area gardens.

Implementing the Design Workshop taught The Symposium by garden designer Nick Banquet, featuring a McCullough will program by Brie Arthur be Friday, March 6. discussing “Fragrance Nick will use case in the Air,” will be studies and hands-on Friday, March 6. exercises to help you The venue will be Lidia’s take inspiration and Kansas City near Union Station, ideas and translate where attendees may choose them into a garden. tableside from three dinner options.

Attendees get a field guide with Caesar salad before and tiramisu for Nick’s personal resources, tips dessert are included. and garden breakdowns.

For tickets and more information, visit

GardenSymposium.org The Kansas City Gardener | February 2020

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Green Mulch? You Don’t Say Native plant guru, SCOTT WOODBURY describes how plants function like living mulch by preventing most weeds. in and out, potentially causing soil erosion. Though the gravel itself lasts forever, it still needs to be added every few years when silt and organic matter build up.

Green Mulch In recent years, gardeners have noticed something different. When plants are installed close together and actually touch each other, they function more like they do in nature.

They overlap each other (above and below ground) so densely that they do a good job of preventing weeds (but not all weeds!) from sprouting, even without brown mulch. This “green mulch” method requires

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February 2020 | kcgmag.com

Photos by Scott Woodbury.

Brown Mulch Every gardener knows what happens when you install plants two feet apart in a garden without mulch: the soil between the plants grows up in weeds. And so for decades, gardeners have used mulch, a cheap, organic, and low-tech barrier to suppress weed seeds from sprouting. Mulch is added once or twice yearly, and normally are non-composted shredded bark or leaves. Note that compost isn’t used as mulch because it breaks down too fast and encourages weeds, which defeats the purpose. Gravel mulch is used for rain gardens where water flows

Groundsel, sedge, horsetail, and sensitive fern

Virginia spiderwort, starry campion, common violet, zig-zag goldrod, indian plantain

selecting the right plants for the right place, and also plants that are long-lived and able to compete equally with each other. Weaker plants will get overtaken by stronger ones without the watchful eye of a gardener who “edits” out seedlings, stems, and side-shoots that are overly vigorous.

Green mulch, or living mulch, has the added benefit of allowing rainwater to enter the ground and prevent surface soil erosion.

This happens without the need for brown mulch because networks of deep plant roots are pathways for rainwater, assisting with absorption deep into the soil. Green mulch is alive and growing, and so as long as plants are thriving, you never have to add traditional brown mulch, once plants are established.

Additionally, green mulch plants inject nutritious organic matter deep into the soil column as roots grow deeper each year and then die (a natural process caused by regular cycles of drought, floods, and severe winters). Over time, this cycle of root growth and dieback transforms poor, compacted clay soil into richer organic soil deep below the soil surface. Though it can take five or ten years to transform really poor soil, the end result is deep organic soil and more robust plants. By contrast, traditional mulch breaks down at the

soil surface, releasing nutrients to roots only at the surface where roots tend to congregate, making them more vulnerable to drought and dependent on regular watering.

If plants are planted more closely in the garden, there is greater potential for increased plant and wildlife abundance diversity, because you can install more plants per 100 square feet. For example, if you plant an area ten by ten feet (100 square feet), then you would need 13 plants when planted 3’ a part; 29 plants at 2’; 115 plants at 1’; and 260 plants if installed 8” apart. I’m not suggesting that 8”-spaced green mulch is for everybody. At this close spacing, the look more resembles nature than a garden. The style and method of this kind of garden is referred to as a designed plant community. But when combined with mowed grass or split-rail edges, boulders, pathways, benches or sculpture, it can work nicely in any neighborhood.

Also, if you buy plugs at $0.75 each, it becomes affordable.

Jon Steele, a horticulturist in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden, recently planted 6,000 plugs in a new garden using 7” spacing.

The installation worked well. He grew the plugs in plastic flats with 72 grooved cells per tray and found that 30 plants per square yard (9 square feet) was ideal for

Wild geranium, common violet, sweet william, celadine poppy, beak grass

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the installation. Any more than 30 gets too crowded for the volunteers installing the plants. Thanks to advice from restorationist Gary Schimmelpfennig, we found that planting small plugs (1.25” x 2.5”) with matching dibble bars made the planting go quickly.

We planted on a grid, laid out with string in square yards. Each square received a slightly different arrangement of 30 plants so that the planting area overall was solid with sedges and grasses, and drifts here and there with colorful species like Eastern blazingstar, sweet coneflower, and prairie aster (our planting was in light shade and well-drained soil).

Lastly, we began planting along one edge and planted backward to avoid stepping in the area just planted. This requires working out a planting grid on paper in advance. Our plant palette had 35 species of native plants. Of these, about one-third were sedges and grasses and two-thirds were showy flowering plants (forbs). Some of the forbs were planted in drifts and some were planted everywhere. As long as you include sedges and/ or grasses spread out everywhere, there is no wrong way to arrange the forbs, as long as you select the right plants for sun or shade and wet or dry soils. Immediately after planting plugs (best done in April-

May or September), gently sling one inch of fine-ground leaf mulch over the top of the plantings, and be sure none of the seedlings get buried. Yes, you need to brownmulch these seedlings in the first two years while they are getting established, but once established, they won’t need mulching again.

During establishment, care must be taken to prevent any one species from taking over. This requires “equalizing” the growth of each species by hand-pruning the foliage of the more aggressive species.

If you don’t, the weaker-growing species will get crowded out. Be careful not to trample plants when walking through the planting, and remember that not all species get established at the same rate. Some will grow fast and flower in year one, others may take three to five years. During the first two years of establishment, it’s not about colorful flowers: it’s all about “equalizing” the playing field. By year three, all or most species should be established and require lessintensive attention. At this point, you can say goodbye to brown mulch and hello to permanent, low-maintenance, high-diversity

green mulch. Happy green mulching ya’ll!

On April 23, 2020 Shaw Nature Reserve will be launching a new Native Plant School program called Council Ring Conversations from 5-7 p.m. The first conversation is on Designed Plant Communities in the Whitmire Wildflower Garden with Scott Woodbury; Gabe Presley, a landscape architect at DTLS; and Victoria Hatfield, garden designer and owner of Wallflower Design.

Registration is limited to 40 people.

Registration is at http://www. missouribotanicalgarden.org/learndiscover/classes.aspx Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmore Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for 28 years. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program. Find suppliers of natives to serve as green mulch, and many native shrubs, trees, vines, wildflowers, grasses, and sedges at www.grownative.org, Resource Guide.

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Kids Ask Dr. Bug Home to more than plants, kids ask DR. TAMRA REALL about the curious things found in the garden.

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But some lay them on damp surfaces where water will later cause them to hatch. ~Jennifer Henke @ JenniferAHenke

Why do mosquitoes lay their eggs in water? Soren, 12 What an excellent question!

Mama mosquitoes deposit their eggs in water because their babies need it to survive. Baby mosquitoes, also called larvae, are aquatic and cannot survive on dry land.

Only adult mosquitoes live outside of water. ~Samantha Daniel Many insects lay their eggs where the larvae (immature insects) will have food. Larval mosquitoes live in water and breathe air using siphon tubes. Most mosquitoes lay their eggs on the surface of the water either singly or in batches.

Why do scorpions glow in the dark?

Thomas, 12 Scorpions are among some of the COOLEST arthropods ever!

A UV light can really make those scorpions glow and help you find them if they happen to be wandering around your home. ~Faith Oi Scientists don’t know why scorpions fluoresce, meaning, they glow when UV light shines on them. Some hypotheses include helping them find each other, confusing their prey, and protecting them from sunlight. Are you the future scientist who will figure it out? ~Tamra Reall @ MUExtBugNGarden

big part of science is collaboration and this month I worked with other entomology experts to answer your questions.

Fluorescing emperor scorpion by Rosa Pineda CC-BY-SA-3.0

Is it okay to touch a butterfly?

Olivia, 9 You can, but sometimes it makes it hard to fly because scales can be lost. Also, just like you wouldn’t like to be touched by a stranger, it’s hard to know what a butterfly prefers. So maybe we should leave them be until we figure out how to ask permission. ~Gwen Pearson @bug_gwen Butterflies are so beautiful and it’s very tempting to want to touch them. But doing so could be hazardous to their health! Butterflies have many fine scales covering their wings. In fact, their scientific name “Lepidoptera” means “scaly wings.” The problem with touching them is that some of those scales may come off and affect their ability to fly. It’s probably best just to take a photo! ~Sandy DeBano

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February 2020 | kcgmag.com

Dr. Tamra Reall (@MUExtBugN Garden) is the new horticulture specialist for MU Extension in Jackson County. For free, research-based gardening tips, call 816-833-TREE (8733), email mggkc.hotline@gmail.com, or visit www.extension2.missouri.edu.

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What do butterflies eat?

Aliyah, 8 Perhaps you’ve seen a butterfly crawling on a flower. What are they doing? They are slurping up a sugary drink! Butterflies don’t have teeth to chew, but they have a long straw-like mouth to suck up liquid. Imagine all the things you could eat with just a straw for a mouth. For butterflies, they are drinking nectar from flowers.

This gives them the energy to keep flying around and looking beautiful! ~ Grant Bolton @ LGrantBolton Butterflies drink nectar from flowers when they are adults, but when they are larvae (caterpillars) they eat the plants. In that case, they may even be pests. A famous example is the Monarch butterfly that feeds on the milkweed nectar when an adult, but eats the plant leaves when a caterpillar. ~Emilie Demard @DemardEmilie Scan the QR code to see butterflies feeding on nectar.

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Make Plans to Attend the Annual Spring Seminar March 14

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Renowned native plant author, Dave Tylka will headline the annual spring seminar scheduled for Saturday, March 14.

Native presentations for the Missouri Conservation Department.

Gardeners want tangible rewards, so it became Dave’s mission to teach gardeners how to use native Midwestern plants to beautify your property and benefit wildlife. For instance, he encourages people who want more chickadees to plant host plants that feed caterpillars which in turn the chickadees feed to their young.

Dave was very young when he realized the close connection between plants and animals. He was always the kid with animals, the kid getting muddy in the creek, and the kid wondering if he could save that fat (pregnant) garter

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Seminar to learn how to incorporate Native Landscaping to Benefit Wildlife and People.

Rounding out the daylong seminar are 11 additional sessions including David Bird, owner of Bird Botanicals, on Orchids and Succulents, Patrick Byers, Commercial Horticulture Field Specialist with MU Extension, who will discuss Pawpaw-A Unique Native Fruit. Sarah Crowder, Heartland Tree Alliance, will present Right Tree, Right Place.

Additional, Jennifer Hopwood, Xerces Society, Alix Daniel, MDC, Jim Hedgecock, owner Comanche Acres, along with Joe Sandbrink and Mark Glenshaw will share their experience and ideas to educate and inspire every Midwest gardener.

See you on March 14! Please visit mggkc.org/spring-seminar for detailed information on each speaker plus registration instruction.

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snake by taking it home. The most exciting thing he had ever seen was a praying mantis eating a captured skink – he immediately called all of his friends over to see it.

He would be delighted to see a change someday – that instead of people needing a permit to plant functional yards, they would need a permit to plant a turf grass yard, which he calls a sterile biological desert. “Make your yard more exciting than TV!”, he advises if you want kids to be outdoors and off their electronic devices. He encourages gardeners to mimic nature in their home landscapes – for instance, if you live near prairies, go see what’s there and attractive about them, then go for it. He loves our National and State Parks for their inspiration and beauty.

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ave Tylka, who will be presenting Native Landscaping for Wildlife and People at the Master Gardeners Annual Spring Seminar, is a semi-retired professor of Biology at St. Louis Community College at Meramec where he taught fulltime for 20 years. When not in the classroom, he and his wife are outside enjoying their home native landscape where they grow over 100 species of native plants – they love biodiversity.

Dave was the first St. Louis Urban Biologist for the Missouri Conservation Department, a position he held for 14 years. While with the Conservation Department, he also co-produced and hosted “All Outdoors” on TV Channel 11 in St. Louis. In 2002 he wrote the Missouri Conservation Department book Native Landscaping for Wildlife and People, which he then revised in 2009 for the second edition. Dave has also written several popular pamphlets on backyard landscaping, bird feeding, and butterfly gardening. As a widely recognized educator, biologist, nature author, and photographer, he brings together a wealth of information on native species and ideas that can inspire any landscaper.

Dave traveled around Missouri for over three years giving Grow

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The Kansas City Gardener | February 2020

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All-America Selections 2020 Winners CHELSEA DIDDE RICE shares All-America Selections winners that are sure to succeed in your garden.

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s we turn our attention to the 2020 gardening season, it’s helpful to take stock of plants that are new to the garden center, especially when they’re top performers. I’ve selected a few particularly exciting plant varieties to profile as we focus on this year’s All-America Selections winners.

All-America Selections (AAS) is an independent non-profit organization that tests new, neverbefore-sold varieties for the home gardener. After a full season of anonymous trialing by volunteer horticulture professionals, only the top garden performers are given the AAS Winner award designation for their superior performance. Thank you to AAS for providing descriptions of these exciting new varieties.

Fair warning – Because these varieties are so new to the market, it may be a bit tough to get your hands on them for the 2020 growing season. If you are searching for one, I suggest calling several garden centers and asking about availability before making the trip.

If you’re inspired to start plants from seed, the AAS buyer’s guide will provide you with names of companies that sell AAS winning seeds and plants. Visit all-americaselections.org/buy-winners for more information.

Main Street Beale Street Coleus The first coleus to be named an AAS Winner! Main Street Beale Street coleus is an outstanding variety exhibiting deep red foliage that holds its color extremely 10

well in the garden. The rich color doesn’t fade, bleach or get spotty even as the season moves into late summer. The lush, bushy plant grows uniformly and as a huge bonus, does not flower until very late in the season – up to six weeks later than the comparable varieties! One unique feature of this coleus is that it can be successfully grown from full sun to full shade, making it an ideal foliage item for anywhere in the garden.

Growers, retailers, landscapers and homeowners will all appreciate the beautiful color and uniform height of this coleus.

Blue Prince Pumpkin For any edible entry to become an AAS Winner, it must outperform the comparisons and Blue Prince Pumpkin certainly scored high in the areas of maturity (earlier), yield, fruit size and uniformity, disease resistance, color, taste and texture. Vigorous trailing vines produce 7-9 beautiful blue flattened pumpkins with non-stringy, deep orange flesh and a savory sweetness. These pumpkins are as pretty as they are delicious. After you use them for fall decorating, bake the flesh for a tasty dish.

Tip Top Rose Nasturtium Somewhat similar to a 2019 AAS nasturtium winner, Tip Top Rose is a strong yet compact nasturtium with unique and showy rose-colored flowers that rise atop medium green foliage. These 14×18” mounded plants were more floriferous than the comparable

February 2020 | kcgmag.com

Tip Top Rose Nasturtium

Photos courtesy of All-America Selections.

Main Street Beale Street Coleus

Blue Prince Pumpkin varieties in the AAS trials, producing a bigger and better garden show while staying healthy throughout the season. The uniquely colored flowers are a great addition to the nasturtium family especially since they don’t fade as they age. Judges described the color as “a warm, bright rose with less of the black undertones typical in nasturtium flowers.” It makes a great winter annual in warmer climates and a spring annual in other areas, whether used in containers or in the landscape. Bonus: This nasturtium is great for pollinator gardens and both the leaves and flowers are edible!

Tomato Apple Yellow F1 If you’ve never tried an appleshaped tomato, now is the time.

This AAS Winner offers incredible garden performance, a uniquely dimpled apple-shaped fruit with a deliciously sweet citrusy taste and firm, meaty texture. Indeterminate five-foot-tall vines produce abundantly in clusters, resulting in up to 1,000 fruits per plant. The fruits are an eye-catching, bright, lemon yellow color reminiscent of a taxicab. Judges were excited that a non-splitting, long-holding, uniformly shaped tomato had such good eating quality and just the right balance of sugar and acid.

Sounds like a yummy option.

Tomato Celano F1 Because gardeners never tire of tomato varieties, here is another to consider. Celano is a patio type grape tomato with a strong bushy habit. It is best grown with some support, such as a tomato cage. This semi-determinate hybrid tomato is an early producer of sweet oblong fruits weighing about 0.6 oz. each. Plants grow 40” high by 24” wide and have excellent late blight tolerance. In comparing it to other grape tomatoes on the market, one judge summed it up by saying “(Celano) is sweeter, the texture is better, the color is deeper, the plants are healthier, and the yield is phenomenal.” Prova Celano oggi!

Tomato Apple Yellow F1

Learn about the rest of the 2020 AAS winners by visiting allamericaselections.org. Winners include Cucumber Green Light F1, Echinacea Sombrero Baja Burgundy, Rudbeckia x America Gold Rush, Tomato Buffalosun F1, Tomato Chef’s Choice Bicolor F1, Tomato Crokini F1, Tomato Early Resilience F1, Tomato Galahad F1 and Watermelon Mambo F1.

When Chelsea Didde Rice isn’t at work as a senior communications specialist, she’s an avid gardener who enjoys teaching people how easy it can be to garden.

Tomato Celano F1 The Kansas City Gardener | February 2020

11

Plants on Your Plate – Kale DENISE SULLIVAN talks about nutritious food and preparing healthy meals, including leafy greens like kale.

K

ale…it often shows up after the new year in smoothie recipes and baked as a crispy chip as healthier alternative to snack chips. While I personally enjoy both of those preparation methods, I prefer kale mixed into a salad…either with other salad greens or in a hearty grain and green salad.

Though kale is available all year round, as a hearty coldweather plant, it is more prevalent in the winter months since it can withstand snowy conditions.

Kale is cruciferous vegetable and a ‘cousin’ to Brussels sprouts and cabbage.

Kale is one of the best sources of vitamin K, and also a good source of calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, folate and of course, fiber. Calcium, magnesium and

Kale and Wheat Berry Salad Calories: 198, Total Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 192mg, Carbohydrates: 21g, Fiber: 3.5g, Protein: 5g

vitamin K are important in bone health, while vitamin A is important to eye health. Folate is beneficial to heart health and is important for pregnant women in the prevention of neural tube defects.

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½ cup dried wheat berries ½ cup dried cranberries 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 3 Tablespoons raspberry balsamic vinegar ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 5 cups chopped kale (try a mixture of Tuscan and red kale) ½ cup diced red onion ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Rinse wheat berries. Combine with 4 cups water in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook, covered, until wheat berries are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in cranberries during the last minute of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water. In large plastic bag, combine 1 Tablespoon olive oil with kale and massage bag to soften kale leaves.

Whisk remaining oil with vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in wheat-berry mixture, kale, and onion.

Sprinkle with crumbled cheese and serve immediately.

Keeps well, refrigerated, up to 1 day.

Serves 6.

Recipe from personal files, analyzed by verywellfit.com.

Kale has both soluble and insoluble fiber, which benefits both heart health and digestive health. People taking blood thinners should talk to their health care provider regarding high vitamin K vegetables.

Just as there are many varieties of lettuce, there are multiple varieties of kale available, so you want to choose the one most appropriate for your preparation method. Curly kale is the most common to find bundled in the produce aisle. The sturdy leaves are best separated from the tough stem before sautéing or baking into a crispy chip.

Curly kale can be used fresh in a salad, but needs to be massaged with oil and/or vinegar to soften the leaves and make them more palatable. Tuscan kale-also known as dinosaur kale-is similar in appearance to curly kale, but not as course and tough, making it more versatile for both cooked and raw preparations. Tuscan kale is a very popular last minute ingredient in soups and pasta dishes. Red (or scarlet) kale is similar in appearance to curly kale except for color and can be prepared similarly. Depending on

specific variety, soil conditions and time of harvest, red kale may have vivid red stems and leaves or ruddy colored stems and grayish green leaves. Baby kale is a younger, more delicate variety, making it perfect for use in tossed green salads. Baby kale is my personal preference for smoothies, since it breaks down and blends in more completely.

If you haven’t experimented with kale, I recommend that you start with baby kale as a baby step.

You might even look for a prepared salad mix that contains baby kale and Brussels sprouts, because I have tried some tasty ones. Then, when you a feeling a little more adventurous, try the recipe below.

It makes a great hearty lunch salad that packs well for school or work.

Denise Sullivan (@MUExtJackson Co) is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in Jackson County. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, call 816-482-5850 or visit www. extension2.missouri.edu.

Bird Facts

Winter Service Special

ED REESE talks history and folklore of the American Robin.

T

he American Robin is one of the larger North American songbirds. It is also one of the few species that may be found in virtually every part of the continent. A common misnomer is that Robins are a sign of spring, as they have returned from a southern migration. Robins typically stay in

most of the lower 48 states yearround. They are members of the “Thrush” family.

Robins are also commonly referred to as “Robin Redbreast.”

This term comes from England as Robins were originally called Redbreasts, then Robin Redbreasts.

This stemmed from the old practice of English Postmen wearing a red tunic. Robins often adorn English Christmas cards to signify delivery of good news. In Wales, folklore claimed the red breasts of Robins

were caused when the Robin went to the rescue of a Wren who has stolen fire from heaven and as the Robin came to its rescue, the Robin came too close and its breast was burnt.

Native American folklore tells the tale of Opiche, a boy that became a Robin during his trial of manhood fast. The fast was intended for the soon-to-be brave to find his guardian spirit. In Ophiche’s fast, he painted his chest red and became a Robin to be a guardian spirit over all of his people.

Robins are unique bird feeders, in that they prefer eating insects, including worms, usually in the mornings before transitioning to berries and fruit later in the day.

During the winter they are usually found in flocks, gleaning the berries and fruit from late fall bearing trees and shrubs. A great offering for Robins during the winter time are apple slices, frozen blackberries, blueberries and moistened raisins.

Ed and Karen Reese own and operate the Wild Bird House in Overland Park, provisioning outdoor backyard bird lovers for over 26 years. Contact them at 913-3410700.

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13

Help Your Plants Recover For Spring DANE KIETZMAN offers tips to promote a healthy revival from root systems damaged by last year’s record spring rain.

A

t this point in the year some businesses are still frantically finishing up their 2019 financial documentation, and most of us are organizing our own paperwork at home preparing for April 15. Over a month into 2020, 2019 is well in the rearview mirror. As we prepare to head into spring next month, last spring’s weather is probably the last thing on our mind.

It can be easy to forget that trees and shrubs are biological organisms that don’t segment their life into convenient periods of time. Just like people, last year’s injuries can persist for some time. Last year’s torrential rains in the spring left soils unconducive to root growth during the time of the year when plants typically do most of their recovery.

Damage done to a perennial plant’s root system can cause stress, dam-

age and even die-back for several years. This year there are several things we can do to help stressed plants recover more effectively.

Monitor Moisture Plants develop roots best when soils are near saturation and sub-

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sequently dry out before repeating the process. As such, too much time on either end of this spectrum can inhibit root growth. Although we have no control over the weather, we can try to monitor and regulate ground moisture as best as we can. I’ve lost count of the times throughout the year when I’ve driven by a home in the middle of a thunderstorm and their irrigation system was running full throttle. A new rain sensor on an older system, or even a new smart controller, can help eliminate this waste and avoid over-saturating soils this spring. Although the technology isn’t perfect, a new smart controller accesses local weather data and

can help plan your water schedule accordingly.

Although it’s usually not a problem, we do run into drought conditions in spring from time to time. Most homeowners are under the impression that their in-ground irrigation system is sufficient for keeping their woody plants watered. While some systems have separate drip lines for landscape beds, their watering schedule is oftentimes inadequately set up on a turf-type watering cycle. Most irrigation systems are run for 10-15 minutes every other day which means the amount of water that makes it to the root system is insignificant. Generally, trees consume about 10 gallons of water per inch of trunk caliper per week. Factoring in the water absorbed by the much shallower grass roots which often surround them, many trees rarely receive adequate moisture for optimal growth and recovery.

If, like me, you find yourself without an automated irrigation system or a fancy way to monitor it, you’re in luck! If you are ever in doubt about whether your plants need additional water—or perhaps have too much—you can use this old standby. Take a long

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February 2020 | kcgmag.com

screwdriver and push it into the ground. Soil with sufficient moisture will offer little resistance. If the soil is dry or partially dry, the screwdriver will begin to offer resistance at the depth at which you’ve reached dry soil. For trees and shrubs, we would like moisture to reach a depth of at least eight to ten inches.

Fertilize The root systems on trees do a majority of their development when soil conditions are favorable in the spring and fall. This is the reason why these are the two-time frames in which fertilizer is recommended for perennial plants. While fertilizing turf yields fast and noticeable results, that’s not the case for trees and shrubs. For these, fertilizer really only functions to increase root production. While a healthy root system will often lead to increased canopy growth, the primary benefit happens below the ground where the casual observer will never notice its benefit.

For targeted fertilizer of landscape plants, there are many great options available at your local garden center. They can be applied to the surface if you provide plenty of follow-up watering or can be injected with ground spikes or applied with a root-feeding hose attachment. For larger landscapes, it may be best to hire a professional company that has specialized equipment that can make short work of what may otherwise be a long weekend chore.

Mulch If you walk around the woods, you’ll quickly notice that in places where trees are doing well, they are not surrounded by grass. If you’ve ever over-planted a landscape bed, you know that after a couple of years the canopy and foliage begin competing with one another for space and sunlight. This competition is even more important underground, where root competition can often be enough to kill off weaker plant material.

Keeping a healthy layer of mulch will aid in moisture control, suppress weed competition and provide nutrient-rich organic matter to the soil as it breaks down. It may seem odd to some but mulching a shade tree all the way out to the edge of its canopy is one of the best things you can do for the health of a tree and its roots.

Regulate Plant Growth My last tip is best reserved for specimen trees or plants that suffer from dramatically reduced root systems. Plant Growth Regulators—or PGRs—are products applied to plant material which manipulate hormone levels within the plant. A mature plant is essentially pre-programmed to prioritize canopy and fruit growth, often at the expense of root growth.

PGRs have many effects such as decreasing canopy growth and increasing resistance to several diseased. In essence, the energy of the plant is redirected towards root development. This can help recover a damaged root system, prepare a healthy tree to resist construction damage and increase a plant’s drought tolerance. Of all these recommendations, PGRs are best reserved for application by a professional. Many plant varieties have a very specific tolerance for these types of products.

Under-apply, and the product doesn’t work, apply too much and the plant can be “over-regulated” which leads to long term issues.

More sensitive plants can even be killed by over-regulation from plant growth regulators.

I have often been warned about the ravages of time! If you’ve ever broken a bone, damaged a joint, or been in a car crash those injuries can take years to heal properly. Even then it is likely they will never be the same. I hear from those approaching retirement complaints that the old injuries suddenly reappear as aches and pains. Trees are no different. Last year’s record level of springtime rain has damaged the root systems on woody plants that will take years to recover, if ever. Keeping the above recommendations in mind can help promote as healthy of a recovery as possible this year.

Hopefully, to increase both the short-term and long-term vitality of our landscapes.

Dane Kietzman is a seven-year professional ISA Certified Arborist with Ryan Lawn and Tree, currently serving as Team Lead for the Plant Healthcare Department out of Overland Park. Kietzman has a bachelor’s degree in Park Management and Conservation from Kansas State University with eight years in green industry experience since graduating in 2011.

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1-800-DIG-RITE or 811 The Kansas City Gardener | February 2020

15

Powell Gardens February Events Members-Only Day Saturday, February 8 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The gardens are closed but no need to fret! Dress in your warmest fleece and come out for Powell Gardens’ member only days! Not a member? No problem! Renew or join at the door. Must have active membership for entrance.

Work & Learn: Orchids Thursday, February 13 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. | $25 (Members receive 10% off) (Instructor: Brent Tucker, Senior Gardener – Visitor Center) This behind-the-scenes workshop in the Powell Gardens greenhouses offers a hands-on opportunity to learn how to take cuttings and transplant orchids. Participants will learn how to trim roots and gain transplanting expertise while working with the Powell Gardens orchid collection.

SAGES: We Love Roses!

Thursday, February 20 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | $35 (Members receive 10% off) (Instructor: Glenn Hodges, Kansas City Rose Society Rosarian) Location: The Atriums, 7300 W. 107th St., Overland Park, Kansas, 66212 Stay in that Valentine’s Day spirit with this hour-long illustrated talk highlighting the history and symbolism of roses. Learn about the varied attributes of roses—their distinctive shapes, colors, and growth habits, and about their uses in medicine, perfume and cooking. Enjoy an overview of the challenge of growing roses in Kansas City with a history of the rose garden in Loose Park. This talk is presented in collaboration with the Kansas City Rose Society. A box lunch follows the talk and is included in the program fee.

Members-Only Day Saturday, February 22 | 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The gardens are closed but no need to fret! Dress in your warmest fleece and come out for Powell Gardens’ member only days! Not a member? No problem! Renew or join at the door. Must have active membership for entrance.

Landscape Design & Installation Services From trees and shrubs to perennials, mulch and stone, expert Landscape Designers are ready to help with your next project!

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Upcoming Garden Events places to go, things to do, people to see Club Meetings African Violet Club of Greater Kansas City Tues, Feb 11 and Feb 25, 6pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Membership Bonsai Society of GKC Sat, Feb 1, and Feb 22, 9am-12:30pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Workshop. Info and Master Classes, visit www.bsgkc.org.

Greater Kansas City Gardeners of America Mon, Mar 2, 6pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Andrew Fox, new owner of Arnold’s Greenhouse, will speak about exciting new plant introductions available this year.

Greater Kansas City Herb Study Group Wed, Feb 12, noon-2:30pm, at Rose Room, Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Facebook: check us out at Greater Kansas City Herb Study Group. Friends and visitors are always welcome. Questions: Call Lynn at 816-308-5450.

Kansas City Cactus and Succulent Society Sun, Feb 16, 1:30-4pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 51st St and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Visitors are welcome! For information on the Kansas City Cactus and Succulent Society, call 816-444-9321, visit kccactus.com.

Leavenworth County Master Gardeners Wed, Feb 12, 11am; at Riverfront Community Center, 123 Esplanade St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Mark McKellar, owner of Backyard Bird Center, presents “Spring Birds.” Meeting is free, open to the public. For more information, contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

Mo Kan Daylily Society Sat, Feb 22, 10am-4pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Membership Orchid Society of Greater Kansas City Sun, Feb 9, Beginner’s group and Growers’ Roundtable 1:30-2pm, Speaker 3pm; at Lenexa Senior Center, 13425 Walnut St, Lenexa, KS 66215. Mark Prout, AOS Judge and OSGKC member: “Species, Hybrids and Cultivars...Oh My!” understanding the mysterious world of orchid names and tags. Open to the public. www. osgkc.org or on Facebook.

Raytown Garden Club Tues, Feb 4, 10am; at Blue Ridge Presbyterian Church, 6429 Blue Ridge Blvd, Raytown, MO. Club theme this year is “Grow Strong Roots; Grow Our Community”. We will have a brief presentation entitled “Tufted Titmouse – Bird Study and Conservation”. Program Lecture is entitled “Growing Our Community: What’s Happening At Cave Springs?”, presented by Iz Groceman, Cave Spring Program Director. Refreshments served, visitors are welcome! Check out our Facebook page at Raytown Garden Club or visit https://sites.google.com/site/fgcmwestcentral/ clubs/raytown Sho Me African Violets Fri, Feb 14, 11am-1pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 5200 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO 64112. Visitors welcome. 816-513-8590

7130 Troost, Kansas City, Mo. www.soilservice.com Garden Center • 816-444-3403 Nursery • 816-333-3232 16

February 2020 | kcgmag.com

Water Garden Society of GKC Tues, Feb 18, doors open at 5:30pm for snacks, socializing, meeting begins at 6:30pm; at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 2552 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108. We are planning for one or two guest speakers to highlight landscaping ideas. Part of our focus will be extending the

beauty of our water features and ponds to the rest of our yard. Parking is free and just outside the lower level doors in back. All Greater KC Water Garden meetings are open to the public.

See you there!

Events, Lectures & Classes February Soil Health Equals Human Health Tues, Feb 4, 4pm; at Lansing Community Library, 730 Terr, Suite 1, Lansing, KS 66043.

How do we become more resilient to modern day stress? How do we make our garden ecosystem more resilient? Loretta Craig, a Leavenworth County Master Gardener, will give a presentation on how our digestion and plant digestion depend on nurturing the symbiotic relationship between humans and microbes. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

A Rose for Every Garden Thurs, Feb 6, 11:30am-1pm; at Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1216 N 79th St, Kansas City KS. Anyone can grow beautiful roses. All it takes is understanding the plant’s needs and picking the right variety for your garden. This class will be taught by Laura Dickinson, a consulting rosarian with the American Rose Society, and retired Master Gardener from Johnson County.

Ms. Dickinson will discuss basic rose care, rose varieties, how new hybrids are developed, and how to select the best roses for your gardening needs. Registration is not required. Fee: $5.00 payable at the door (waived for currently certified Master Gardeners). For info, call 913-299-9300.

Seed Starting Thurs, Feb 6, 6:30-7:30pm; at Clinton Parkway Nursery, 4900 Clinton Pkwy, Lawrence, KS 66047. Learn how to start your own seeds and what seeds work best to start indoors. Typically we focus on starting annuals and vegetables from seed. Handouts provided. FREE, seating is limited, so please RSVP either by clicking on “going” on our Facebook page or call 785-842-3081.

African Violets of GKC Sale Sat, Feb 8, 9am-3pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Soil Health Equals Human Health Wed, Feb 12, 7pm; at Basehor Community Library, 1400 158th St, Basehor, KS 66007.

How do we become more resilient to modern day stress? How do we make our garden ecosystem more resilient? Loretta Craig, a Leavenworth County Master Gardener, will give a presentation on how our digestion and plant digestion depend on nurturing the symbiotic relationship between humans and microbes. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

OrchardKeepers Tues, Feb 18, 9am-3:30pm and Wed, Feb 19, 10am-12pm; at Anita B Gorman Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City, MO 64110. Heartland Tree Alliance is offering a NEW educational course. This series of classes focuses specifically on planting and caring for fruit trees and would be great for anyone looking to plant their own orchard or fruit tree. All tools provided, must register in advance, $50 fee. https://tinyurl.com/orchard2020 or call Sarah 816-561-1086.

Soil Health Equals Human Health Thurs, Feb 20, 7pm; at Leavenworth Public Library, 417 Spruce St, Leavenworth, KS 66048.

How do we become more resilient to modern day stress? How do we make our garden ecosystem

more resilient? Loretta Craig, a Leavenworth County Master Gardener, will give a presentation on how our digestion and plant digestion depend on nurturing the symbiotic relationship between humans and microbes. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

Gardening by Design Symposium in Paola Sat, Feb 29, 9am-3:30pm (check-in at 8:30am) at the Lighthouse Church, 1402 E 303rd St, Paola, KS. Theme: “The Color-Filled Garden.”

Presenters and topics are Lenora Larson, “Eye Candy: Color Theory for Gardeners” and “Beyond Impatiens: Colorful Shade Gardens.”

Ania Wiatr, “Designing with Colorful Native Plants.” Timothy Moloney, “354 Days of Amazing Color.” Susan Mertz, “Colorful LowMaintenance Gardens.” Sponsored by Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardeners. The $40 fee includes lunch and snacks. Open to all, but pre-registration is required by Feb 15. Space is limited. Watch for details and registration form at www.maraisdescygnes.ksu.edu. For more information call 913-294-4306.

Annual Beginning Beekeeping Workshop Sat, Feb 29, Registration 7:30am, Workshop 8am-4pm; at Westminster Hall, 417 W Lexington Ave, Independence, MO 64050. Learn about bee biology, equipment, acquiring bees, seasonal management, bee diseases, pest management, extracting honey and much more. Hosted by the Midwestern Beekeepers Association. The complete course includes classes, handbook, association membership, refreshments, lunch, monthly newsletter, prizes and beekeeping supply vendors on site. Cost $65. For information and to register, visit http://www.midwesternbeekeepers.org.

March and beyond Perennials That Pack A Punch Thurs, Mar 5, 11:30am-1pm; at Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1216 N 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Presented by Erin Busenhart, Family Tree Nursery. Sponsored by Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Registration not required. Fee: $5.00 (waived for currently certified EMGs). For information, call 913-299-9300.

Kansas City Garden Symposium Mar 6-7, 2020; in Arupe Hall at Rockhurst University. Composed of three events spanning two days. A Friday workshop and Banquet with a full day Saturday Symposium. Attend any of the events or attend all three for maximum learning and fun. Symposium: A full day of programs by four acclaimed garden presenters including lunch, $99 through Feb 15. Reg Price $129.

Banquet: An evening of dinner at Lidia’s Kansas City including a program by presenter Brie Arthur entitled Fragrance in the Air; $79 through Feb 15, Reg Price $99. Workshop: Implement the Design. A garden design for the gardener workshop. $49 through Feb 15, Reg Price $69.

For details, including purchase tickets, go to gardensymposium.org Raising Vegetables in Large Containers Wed, Mar 11, 1pm at Mound City Library, and Tues, Mar 17, 6:30pm at LaCygne Library.

Need a way to maximize your yields while making gardening easier on your body? Marais des Cygnes EMG Mike Brown will share his real-world experience using 20-plus gallon pots to grow very lush, productive produce. Growing in large containers produces many unexpected benefits, even for flowers, and was especially advantageous during the unusually wet weather of last season. Mike will emphasize the effects of colored containers and their sun orientation in maximizing plant growth.

2020 Greater KC Home & Lifestyle Show Fri, Mar 13, Noon-9pm; Sat, Mar 14, 10am7pm; and Sun, Mar 15, 10am-5pm; at Bartle Hall. Designer Bobby Berk from Netflix’s hit series Queer Eye will be at the Greater Kansas City Home & Lifestyle Show Sunday, March 15 sharing his design tips and dishing about Queer Eye during his stage presentation at 11:30am, followed by a meet and greet with fans. KC’s very own TV celebrity designer Tamara Day will be headlining the show on Sat, Mar 14.

Day will highlight some of the local vendors she often works with when remodeling homes for HGTV’s Bargain Mansions. Afterward, she will meet fans and answer their questions on the show floor. New this year, the Dream Home Contest offers show attendees the opportunity to guess the correct combination to unlock a vault and win $500,000. Purchase tickets in advance online for $10; $12 at the door. Kids 12 and under and Veterans with ID free. For more information, visit kchomeshow.com.

19th Annual Spring Gardening Seminar Sat, Mar 14, 8am-3pm; at Rockhurst University, Arupe Hall. If you’re a novice or avid gardener, our seminar has something for you. The all day event offers practical advice and new ideas to inspire you. The morning starts with Dave Tylka discussing Native Landscaping for Wildlife and People. The day continues as speakers familiar with the Midwest present a variety of topics from natives, mushrooms, owls and backyard vineyards. These are just four of the 12 presentations to choose from during the seminar. Bring your friends and spend a day exploring new ideas that will inspire any gardener. Counts as 6 hours continuing education. Open to the public. Presented

by Master Gardeners of GKC. For more information go to www.mggkc.org/spring-seminar.

Sho-Me African Violet Club - 36th Annual Show and Sale - “Galaxies of Violets” Sat, Apr 11, 9am-3pm (Not open Sunday); at Loose Park Garden Center, W 51st St and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64112. Suggest not following GPS directions. Instead, follow this route: The Loose Park entrance is the West driveway immediately South of 51st St. The Garden Center side street is located just past the Pavilion (a right turn). Let us provide a colorful gift for upcoming celebrations – birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, anniversaries! Then brighten up your own home with a variety of plants and colorful blossoms. NO ADMISSION FEE. If further information is needed, call Brent Scheuerman 913-738-9955.

Paola Spring Plant Sale Thurs, Apr 30, Fri, May 1, and Sat, May 2; 9am-5pm; in the Family Center parking lot, 808 Baptiste Dr, Paola, KS. As part of the MdC Extension Master Gardeners’ mission to educate the public and help save our essential insects, the sale will feature butterfly host plants and the best pollinator plants, as well as other annuals, perennials, natives and veggies, all from local growers. Expert EMGs, including butterfly expert Lenora Larson, will be on hand to assist shoppers throughout the sale. More info at www.maraisdescygnes.ksu.edu. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdcemg.

Central Missouri Master Gardeners’ Annual Plant Sale Sat, May 2, 7am-noon; at the Jaycee Fairgrounds, 1445 Fairgrounds Road, Jefferson City, MO. The indoor plant sale features tomatoes, vegetables, peppers, herbs, annuals, perennials, natives, hanging baskets, container plantings, shrubs, and trees. Proceeds from the sale fund scholarships, community garden projects, and the River City Gardens.

2020 Horticulture Classes All classes listed here are held at Johnson County Extension Office, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe, Kansas 66061, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $10 per person. Please register at: johnson.ksu.edu or 913-715-7000. Space is limited.

February 11, Tuesday Drought Tolerant Perennials, presented by Judy Sharp, Johnson County Extension Master Gardener Who knows what our weather will bring… hot or cold? dry or wet?

Selecting plants tolerant to the changes are a must. We are all looking for tough-as-nails plants and that starts by selecting those that will tolerate dryer conditions. This class will have you ready to make your list for a more drought tolerant garden.

February 17, Monday Growing Fruit at Home, presented by Nancy Chapman, Johnson County Extension Master Gardener Have you considered adding edible plantings to your garden? There are options for every size landscape, large or small and even patios and balconies. Learn how to select, plant and maintain fruit trees and berries for fresh from your home deliciousness.

March 10, Tuesday How to Start a Vegetable Garden and What to Plant, presented by Jennifer Stefanchik, Johnson County Extension Master Gardener Have an interest in growing your own vegetables? Have a vegetable garden and want new ideas? Have a vegetable gardening question?

Or just want to learn more about cultivating a prolific home garden no matter the size? Join this discussion to get started, what vegetables and fruits work best, and tips for growing healthy plants.

Now Hiring for Spring

We are looking for friendly, enthusiastic people to fill positions at our Lenexa, Overland Park, So. Kansas City retail locations and our growing farm in Edgerton, Kansas.

Cashiers Phone Operators Hardgoods Sales Plant Sales Merchandising Receiving Clerk Marketing Associate Human Resources Generalist

Truck Drivers, (CDL & non-CDL) Equipment Operators Landscape Maintenance Trimming, Mowing, Planting Horticulturist Grow Farm Labor

More events are posted on our website, KCGMAG.COM, click on “Events.”

Promote club meetings, classes, seminars, plant sales, regional conferences and other gardening events for FREE! Send details to:

elizabeth@kcgmag.com

Deadline for publishing in the March issue is February 5.

Fax resume to 816-941-3838 Email resume to suburban@suburbanlg.com Apply in person at our Corporate office.

13635 Wyandotte // Kansas City, MO 64145 Questions? Contact Human Resources at 816-941-4700.

The Kansas City Gardener | February 2020

17

February

garden calendar

n LAWN

• Prepare garden soil for early planting.

• Avoid working the soil when wet.

• Check stored seeds and discard old supply.

• Prune grapes, raspberries and blackberries.

• Jumpstart the compost bin. Turn and add water.

• Rake fallen leaves, carried by wind into yard, to prevent suffocation.

• Review lawn service contracts and make changes.

• Tune-up and repair lawnmowers before the spring rush.

• Avoid damage to the grass. Keep foot traffic to a minimum when soil is frozen.

n TREES AND SHRUBS

n FLOWERS

• Check for rabbit damage on young trees and shrubs.

• Water fall-planted trees and shrubs.

• Water evergreens if soil is dry and not frozen.

• Apply dormant oil for control of scales and mites.

• Begin spring pruning on warm days.

• Delay pruning spring-flowering trees and shrubs until after bloom, enjoy the full flowering effect.

• Force twigs of spring shrubs into blooming indoors, adding a splash of color.

• Remove snow carefully from limbs with broom.

• Check fall-planted perennials, water if needed.

• Watch for frost heaving of tender perennials. Push back into soil and water.

• Replenish winter protective mulch around hybrid tea roses, protecting the graft.

• Check bulbs in storage for decay and discard.

• Prepare orders for mail.

• Start seeds for transplanting.

• Obtain a soil test and make needed improvements.

n INDOOR PLANTS

n VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

• Rotate plants in sunlight to produce a balanced plant.

• Withhold fertilization until spring light arrives.

• Check plants for insects, mites and other problems.

• Remove dust from plants by placing in the shower under room temperature water.

• Give a plant to a friend for a winter pick-me-up.

• Repot root-bound plants in a 1-inch larger pot.

• Take cuttings of plants to make new ones for friends.

• Shape plants for spring growth to produce a more balanced and attractive plant.

• Create garden layouts to assist with planning process.

• Order seeds.

• Obtain a soil test and make needed improvements.

• Start broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage transplants.

• Prune apple, pear and cherry trees.

• Prune peach and nectarines just prior to bloom time.

• Select varieties and order new fruit trees.

• Check for rabbit and rodent damage on trees.

• Apply manure or compost to garden areas and incorporate for soil improvement.

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension recommends environmentally-friendly gardening practices. This starts by identifying and monitoring problems. Cultural practices and controls are the best approach for a healthy garden. If needed, use physical, biological or chemical controls. Always consider the least toxic approach first. Dennis Patton is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension.

For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.

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February 2020 | kcgmag.com

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Please enclose your check payable to The Kansas City Gardener and mail with this form to: P.O. Box 8725, Prairie Village, KS 66208 The Kansas City Gardener is published monthly Jan. through Dec.

Meet Extension Master Gardener, Julie Perez

What first drew you to the hobby of gardening: The people that most influenced me were my Dad who was a landscape designer, and my Mother who loved flowers. In Australia, our lawns are very tight and mowed to about 1/2” and I remember riding on Dad’s back as a three-year-old while he was on all fours, weeding out his precious lawn by hand with a screwdriver. We had every shrub and flower possible in that garden.

How long have you been an Extension Master Gardener: I have been a master gardener for over 20 years. I had just moved to

the farm and started planting a blank slate. I called the Extension office to ask a question, and the agent actually came out here to walk around the garden with me. It was then that he invited me to be in the first class of master gardeners for Miami County. I was thrilled and honored to be asked. When I first moved to this country, I was in an apartment, so tropical plants were abundant at my home. To this day I have tropical ‘envy’ and try to incorporate as many as I can overwinter. I love the unusual or bright colors offered by tropical plants and fragrance is an added bonus.

Favorite tool: I could never live without a shovel to dig out iris, daylilies and peonies for people, along with a plain old kitchen knife.

Most valuable information learned: As a volunteer you learn how generous people are with sharing their time and knowledge.

My first ‘aha’ moment was learning how companies market their products to attract us avid gardeners. Planting and trimming a tree correctly also was a very valuable lesson I learned from a fellow master gardener.

Favorite plant(s): Favorite trees: Shantung and Trident Maples; shrub would have to be Callycanthus Carolina Sweetshrub. Every garden needs this for a dappled shade spot.

It blooms for months and reblooms again in

the fall if conditions are met. My perennial favorites are Iris, Daylilies and Peonies – well actually all flowers!

Do you have a specialty: I’ve belonged to various garden clubs and have learned a lot about iris, daylilies, and peonies. I love to push the zones, as well, so I have plants from all over the world. If you want to know how to grow and overwinter the Hawaiian Lei flower, Plumeria, I can help you.

What are you passionate about: I’m passionate about flowers of all kinds, and I get excited about breeders introducing new plants, creating fantastic gene pools for future generations.

The possibilities are endless, as seen in daylilies and iris now boasting over 80,000 varieties each.

What challenges do you face: As an aging gardener, keeping the fitness level up is a challenge to be able to handle the work. There are so many choices out there, it’s hard not to want it all and know you only have so much space.

Advice to share: Look at your garden as valuable real estate. Pull out any plants you don’t love, and replace them with award winners.

You will be glad you did. There is a reason those plants became award winners, their attributes speak volumes.

The Kansas City Gardener | February 2020

19

Bird Feeding

Refresh

Don’t Forget The Birds Suburban Lawn & Garden has a large selection of: Birdhouses • Bird Feeders • Bird Seed •

Purify Air Quality

Perfect For Gifting

Refresh Your Decor

Midwinter is a great time to check out Suburban’s great selection of House Plants, whether you are interested in refreshing your decor or improving the indoor air quality of your home. Come on in to one of our three convenient locations. We’ll help you choose the right plant for your light conditions.

Terrarium & Smallscapes Workshop February 8 // 1-4pm // 105th & Roe February 8 // 1-4pm // Lenexa

105th & Roe (913) 649-8700

Sign up in store, online or call to register.

Space is limited.

20 February 2020 | kcgmag.com

K-7 & Prairie Star Pkwy (913) 897-5100

135th & Wornall (816) 942-2921

#suburbanlg // suburbanlg.com