KCG Jun22 by The Kansas City Gardener

The Kansas City

GARDENER June 2022 | kcgmag.com

Daylily Dynamos

Hydrangea Care Calendar | A Better Way to Weed SCENT-sational Garden | Gentle Giant Swallowtails | Rose Report

GREETINGS FROM

LOUISBURG, KS Come with us on an exciting journey and discover the ultimate water garden destination. A place where you can experience first hand what "living in paradise" could be like. Located on 8 acres in Northern Miami County you'll find a quaint village, the water garden destination of your dreams. A place where we live and breathe the "water garden lifestyle" every single day. WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Kevin and Diane Swan’s love for the unique style of water gardening began in 1994 after building their first water garden in their own backyard so they could enjoy the peace and tranquility that accompanies any water feature. After building that single feature they were hooked and “living the water garden lifestyle” became their passion. They took this new inspiration and turned it into a career. Swan’s Water Gardens came to life as they strived to share this lifestyle with the world. For 20 years Kevin and Diane built their business on Padbury Lane in Spring Hill, KS. Eventually the opportunity arose to move to the current location near Louisburg, KS after having rebuilt the previous homeowners water feature years earlier. Story goes the main store building was originally an old bank that was later brought to where it now sits. The history of the building is evident from the outside detail and continues inside with an intricate ceiling and charming accents. All the other buildings are original to the property but with each addition have created a small village making for a special destination visit. What started as a small design and installation firm 28 years ago specializing in the creation of naturalistic waterfalls, streams and

ponds quickly grew to be so much more. Now spanning several departments, Swan’s offers design and installation, pond service, hardscaping, landscape lighting and the retail village, the ultimate water garden destination. Located on 8 acres in Northern Miami County the quaint village sits. What started as one water feature and acres of surrounding grass has gr own to be so much more in just 8 short years. Now surrounded by 11 water features, strolling gardens, and even a small lavender garden, it’s a place unlike any other.

TOUR THE GARDENS

Imagine the breathtaking sights and sounds of a true water garden paradise. Glistening waterfalls catch your eye; a cadence of ripples and waves wash your troubles downstream. A school of fish, painted across a crystal clear canvas, swim about a rainbow of lilies blooming proudly above the surface. The gentle breeze over calm water brings a reflection of sunshine to life. All the senses are at peace. Most people get to experience this scene in one water feature in their own backyard but at Swan’s you can enjoy this many times over as you tour the retail village and surrounding gardens. You’ll find ponds large and small, waterfalls, flowing streams, and bubbling rock fountains. Exploring Swan’s Water Gardens leads to discovering a vast selection of aquatic plants throughout the ponds from the tropical giant Queen Victoria Water Lily that showcases stunning beauty with a hidden defense to the Lotus’ showy blooms and leaves standing proud above the water. Hardy and tropical water lilies in an array of colors dress the water’s surface while countless marginal aquatic plants with intriguing names such as Lizards Tail, Bloody Dock, Society Garlic, Mosaic and Obedient Plant adorn streams and waterfalls.

Though Swan’s specializes in water gardens, they take pride in their landscaping as well. Diane’s love and knowledge of perennial and native plants has led to a large following of plant lovers from all around the Kansas City metro to visit and enjoy the many expanding landscape gardens. The “Secret Garden” is host to many shade plants. The “Kansas Native Garden” is home to a pondless waterfall and stream, a visitor favorite. The “Strolling Garden” path lined with a birch tree tunnel leads to the dainty “Pink and White Garden” that invites you to sit and enjoy the large natural pond complete with singing bull frogs. A stroll through Swan’s many gardens will surely leave you more at peace than when you arrived.

THE RETAIL VILLAGE

In addition to the peaceful gardens, you'll find so much more at the retail village. Everything you need for your water garden can all be found in one place. Liner, underlayment and an under-gravel filtration system if you're looking to build your own feature. For those water gardeners who enjoy doing maintenance you'll find pumps, aerators and algae control products to ensure your feature always looks its best. Accent your feature with aquatic marginals, lilies, lotus, landscape annuals and perennials. Don't forget to take home a new koi or goldfish friend too!

AQUATIC PLANTS

Our retail village specializes in aquatic plants so you can add your personal touch and bring more life to your water feature. Available varieties fluctuate throughout the season but we always have a diverse selection of styles and sizes to accent your feature. This includes: hardy & tropical water lilies night blooming lilies miniature lilies hardy & tropical marginals

floating hyacinth & water lettuce oxygenators lotus

Let us help you bring life to your water feature!

A SWAN'S WATER GARDEN

With a Swan's Water Garden you can rest easy knowing your feature has been built by experienced hands who have a true passion for water gardens and the joy they bring.

leak are revealed. You can relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility your water garden provides without worry. The experienced and passionate installation crew will make what were once dreams a reality. We are the only full-service water garden company in the Kansas City Metro area with a five year, leak-free guarantee, and we stand behind it 100 percent. We truly leave a piece of ourselves behind with every project! Contact us for a project quote.

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP

Once a Swan's feature is built the relationship doesn't end there. As a full-service water garden company spanning several departments, Swan's has the resources and the man-power to assist you with all things water gardening. For those who want all the perks of a flourishing water feature, but just don't have the time, Swan's Water Gardens offers spring cleanouts as well as a twelve or eight month maintenance program for worry free water gardening. We also service ponds on an as needed basis for those who occasionally need extra assistance. Our dedicated maintenance crew works to ensure that your feature will always look its best.

Throughout the Kansas City area we have been building and maintaining water gardens for more than 28 years. Over those many years our pond building techniques have been honed to perfection through hard work and experience.

If you are more hands on we also cater to the DIY water gardener. Our pond supply store carries all the necessary materials to build and care for your water feature including pond liner, pumps, plants, product and more. The educated staff can also lend support and direction along the way.

Not only will you marvel at the precise excavation of your pond but you'll be amazed at how well your finished water garden actually blends into your existing landscape.

We don't stop there. We also offer light packages and paver patio add-ons. Let us help complete your outdoor living space so you can enjoy your water feature 365 days a year.

Once the excavation is complete the true artistry of the building process begins. It's also where our secrets to building ponds that don't

Visit our retail location to view several display features, paver patios and landscape lighting. Come see what living in paradise looks like!

EVENTS & CLASSES

The changing of the seasons brings a whole new experience to our gardens. Whether it's a ladies night, miniature garden workshop or a snowy Christmas village we love to share our little piece of paradise with you. Starting in the spring and continuing throughout the summer and fall we host many events and classes at our retail village. Some events to come this year include the annual Lotus and Lavender Days, Succulent Saturday's, Fairy Friday's, Ladies Nights, Fall Festival, Lily Blossom Festival, and the Old Time Christmas Village. Our events often include a fun workshop for all and occasionally complementary snacks. The lavender lemonade and lavender sugar cookies are a customer favorite during Lotus and Lavender Days! Follow our Facebook page to stay updated on what events are coming up this year. You won't want to miss out!

HELP WANTED!

Looking for energetic, self-starting individuals to join our water garden team. Enjoy creating Paradise in Customers' Backyards. Immediate Openings. Call today 913-837-3510.

MAKE YOUR PLANS TO VISIT SWAN'S WATER GARDENS IN 2022 AND SHOP IN PARADISE WITH THE POND PROFESSIONALS!

4385 W 247th St. Louisburg, KS 66053 Tues-Fri 9am-5pm & Sat 9am-4pm

swanswatergardens@gmail.com swanswatergardens.com 913-837-3510

editor’s notes

The Kansas City

GARDENER Independently owned and operated since 1996 EDITOR Elizabeth Cavanaugh CONTRIBUTORS Stacey Hirvela Glenn Hodges Sean Holland Lenora Larson Jason Mispagel Dennis Patton Tamra Reall Jessica Sharp Denise Sullivan Scott Woodbury DISTRIBUTION Publishers Delivery Solutions, Inc. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISTRIBUTE the magazine at your place of business, please contact Mike Cavanaugh at mike@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 NEED MORE MAGAZINES? mike@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 CONTACT US P.O. Box 8725 Prairie Village, KS 66208 913-648-4728 ADVERTISING Mike Cavanaugh at mike@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 EDITORIAL Elizabeth Cavanaugh elizabeth@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 HOW TO SUBSCRIBE See details on page 31. SUBSCRIPTION Elizabeth Cavanaugh elizabeth@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 WEBSITE kcgmag.com

Garden splendor

arly spring presented plenty of awe-inspiring landscapes filled with riotous color of blooming bulbs and flowering shrubs and trees. For me, it was impossible to overlook the fountains of white flowers on the oldfashioned Bridal Wreath spirea, and the pink-magenta flowers on Prairifire Crabapple trees. It seemed as though every landscape I passed was a display of splendor. What stood out to you? Was there a particular tree or shrub that caught your attention? Enough to motivate you to find a spot for that attentiongetter in your garden? It’s taken longer than expected for new growth to appear on the boxwood. Likely due in large part to the severe pruning in March, where about one-third of the plant was clipped away. This particular hedge was overgrown and I was behind on pruning. I learned this technique from horticulturist Duane Hoover, at Kauffman Memorial Gardens in Kansas City, Missouri. In order to keep boxwood tight and tidy, aggressive pruning down to the white wood in late winter achieves that goal. Last I checked, there was loads of tender new green growth on the way. I am pleased. Recently Mr. Gardener and I updated the southwest facing garden bed up against the front of the house. In place for 15 years or

more, the conical-shaped boxwood lining the bay window had become onesided. Back then we had a male dog who peed on them which certainly did damage, and no amount of pruning would improve that. Over time the plants had become unattractive. Also planted there are miscellaneous hosta, and a weeping Japanese maple that outgrew the space. This is the kind of gardening job Mr. Gardener likes. The kind of job a tree man likes. The kind of job that requires leather gloves, a sharp digging shovel, and a vehicle full of new shrubs. Today he went out to repair the dry stack wall where he discovered a wobbly rock. Three hours later the job transitioned to rebuilding the wall rather than repairing the wall. “I never liked the way that wall ended,” he says. Now the vehicle was full of rock. A Mr. Gardener kind of job. Anyway…… The maple was moved to the other end of the garden where it has more room to grow. Then, proceeded with planting the new moundshaped boxwood, new hosta for a more cohesive look, and several

fern to add texture diversity. Remaining is the liriope that borders the bed. I love it! It’s fresh, and upto-date. And I’m grateful the maple hardly noticed the move. Plants are amazing. To quote my friend Lenora Larson, “Plants just want to live.” I treasure witnessing their splendor. I’ll see you in the garden!

In this issue

June 2022 | kcgmag.com 6 Ask the Experts 8 Kids Ask Dr. Bug 10 National Pollinator Week 11 Bountiful Bougainvilleas 12 Hydrangea Care Calendar Pt 2 14 Rose Report 16 Daylily Dynamos 18 Gentle Giant Swallowtails

20 22 24 26 28 30 31 31

A Better Way to Weed SCENT-sational Garden Indoor Gardening–Cloning 101 Plants on Your Plate–Potatoes Upcoming Garden Events Garden Calendar Subscribe Hotlines

About the cover: Hemerocallis ‘Ruby Spider’ is one of those daylily must-haves. Learn more about daylilies for your garden beginning on page 16. 4

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

There’s still time.

Fall offers another opportunity to grow fresh, tasty salad crops. Spinach and lettuce, for example, prefer cooler growing conditions. To get the best results, be sure to use Osmocote® Smart-Release® Plant Food Flower & Vegetable.

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The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Ask the Experts IT IS GOOD TIME TO TREAT BAGWORMS Question: Last summer bagworms got the best of me. I did not notice them until large areas of my arborvitae turned brown. How can I stay on top of them this summer? Answer: Good timing with this question. Bagworms can feed on over a 100 different plant species. Their favorite is evergreens, junipers, spruce, and arborvitae to name a few. Bagworms are best controlled after they hatch and emerge from the bags overwintering on plants. They also move from plant to plant on fine silky threads which transport them on the wind. Bagworms hatch in early to mid-June in the Kansas City area. When they hatch they are small, maybe the size of a sharpened pencil point, slowly growing into the two-inch noticeable bag or cocoon structure. The smaller the size the easier to treat. Two treatments a couple weeks apart in June should control the outbreak. Good coverage is a must as the insecticides work by contact. At this time of year just about any insecticide labeled for bagworms is highly effective. SHRUB RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SHADE Question: I am looking for a shrub recommendation for shade. It is under a large tree and receives very little light. I would like something that flowers. Answer: Shade tolerant shrubs are few and far between, especially ones that flower. Flowering plants require brighter light to develop flower buds. The denser the shade the less options you will have for shade shrubs. Here is a short list to consider. Evergreens to consider would be yew, boxwood, holly, azalea, and rhododendron. Keep in mind low light plants are usually less dense with foliage, and flowers are fewer due to lack of sunlight. Shade can also be dry and many of the ever-

ceed depends on your perception of the plant as a weed or pollinator friendly plant.

Bagworm on arborvitae

One of the best shrubs for shade is Kerria.

Wild violets are a host plant for the fritillary butterfly.

greens would do best with even moisture. One of the best shrubs for shade is Kerria, Kerria japonica. Kerria reaches 4 to 6 feet tall and has sunny yellow flowers in the spring. It does slowly spread and has bright green stems in the winter. This might be your best bet for a shade tolerant shrub with lower maintenance.

to eradicate. Wild violets are stubborn and have a will to survive. It will be an ongoing battle to keep them in check. Violets reseed freely and do best in shady areas where the lawn struggles. Herbicides containing triclopyr would be recommended in the spring and fall. Your other option is to embrace violets. They can be a problem solver. They thrive in shady areas where the lawn thins. Consider them a ground cover and enjoy the pretty blue/purple flowers. Another bonus is violets are a host for the fritillary butterfly. The pollen is an important food source of bees and native pollinators. How you pro-

WILD VIOLETS CAN BE A PROBLEM SOLVER Question: Wild violets are taking over a shady area in my lawn. What can I do? Answer: You have a couple of options. One is to treat and attempt

DENNIS PATTON Horticulture Agent 6

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

LEFT WITH PILE OF CHIPS AFTER STUMP GRINDING Question: I had a tree removed and the stump ground out. What do I do with the mass of wood chips and dirt? Can I plant grass seed in this mixture? Answer: Tree stump grinding results in a pile of chips and soil. It is ideal to remove as much of this mixture as possible. Over time the wood will rot and decay resulting in a depression from settling. If you Remove the chip mixture and add soil to level the area, it allows for a more rapid repair. It might be best to create a slight mound with new soil to compensate for the decay and settling. Leaving the wood chips will make establishing grass difficult as the wood mixture dries out rapidly and its breakdown will rob nutrients needed for plant growth. BEST LOCATION FOR PLANTING A TREE Question: Can I plant a tree in the same location where a tree has been removed and the stump ground out? Answer: Can you and should you are two different questions. You could but it is not highly recommended. Utilizing the same planting hole is difficult as not all the old roots are removed, making digging the planting hole challenging. The remaining wood will decay and robs needed nutrients from the new plant. If you do use the same location, first remove as much of the wood debris as possible and bring in new soil to level. The best solution would be to plant the new tree in an area away from the removed stump. This will make digging the hole easier and avoids the issue of decaying wood affecting new growth. How far away? The further the better but it will depend on other factors.

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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The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Kids Ask Dr. Bug

about the curious things found in the garden How are ants so strong? Ants are super strong – they can lift 10 to 50 times their own weight, and likely a lot more. Counterintuitively, they are so strong because they are so small. Being so small, as well as the shape and structure of their multilayered exoskeleton, allow the ants to use their powerful muscles to carry heavy things while their external skeleton distributes the weight, so it doesn’t crush them. Compared to other insects, ants even have larger muscles relative to their body size. They can also work in groups to carry their food and build nests. This super strength is something that has fascinated people for a long time. When I was a kid, I would sometimes see if I could get ants to carry things and how much they could carry. Sometimes, when the object was too big for an individual ant, she still found a way to move it by dragging it or recruiting some of her nestmates to help either break it down into smaller pieces or work together to move it. While movies have been made about supersized ants taking over the world, it is a relief to know that their superstrength does not scale up. They need to be small so they can get enough oxygen, and so the oxygen can make it through their bodies. Also, their exoskeleton would become too heavy if they were much bigger. Their strength vs. size is also something being studied by scientists and engineers and this research could lead to micro-sized robots that can be used to help humans. Why do mosquito bites itch? In order to maximize her effort, and for you not to notice that a mosquito is biting you and sucking your blood, this tiny fly injects a chemical with her saliva, called an anticoagulant, to prevent your blood from

slip through the surface and sink. However, the molecules on and near the surface of water stick together tightly and resist coming apart. This is called surface tension and is what makes it possible for some objects and animals, even with their higher density, to float or walk on top. Water striders also have hydrophobic legs, which means that they repel water, and they have special hair that protects them from getting wet. Finally, all these characteristics combined with the water strider’s carefully distributed weight, keep the bugs safely skating on top of the water.

Male cicadas create sound by vibrating part of their body called the tympanic membrane. clotting and makes it easy to suck. Unfortunately, most people have a slight allergic reaction and produce their own chemicals, called histamines, to “protect” them from the mosquito’s chemical. This causes the area around the bite to become red, swollen, and itchy. Wash bites with soapy water and add an anti-itch cream to keep you from scratching. If you develop a fever or feel ill after getting a mosquito bite, see your doctor. Mosquitoes can also share viruses and parasites

TAMRA REALL Horticulture Specialist 8

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

in their saliva that cause diseases. This video gives more information about what happens when a mosquito bites: https://youtu. be/HZFmlBTYGSQ (or scan the QR code). How do water striders walk on water? Water is an amazing substance! For many heavy things when dropped onto water, they will just

How do cicadas chirp? Insects do not have vocal cords. Instead, they use other body parts in fascinating ways to create sound. Male cicadas have a body part called a tympanic membrane, which, when it vibrates causes an incredibly loud, 10-second-long chirp. Males make this sound, typically in the evening, to attract a mate. They will also make the sound if you get too close. Other insects use different body parts to make sound. Crickets use a scraper on their hind legs to rub a special structure on the edge of their wings. Grasshoppers can make snapping sounds with their wings when they fly. And, tree hoppers vibrate plant stems to “talk” to other tree hoppers. However, we can’t hear tree hoppers without special tools. We are still learning about how insects communicate with each other – there is so much to discover! Do you have questions for Dr. Bug? Send them to ReallT@Missouri.edu or https://bit.ly/KidsAskDrBug. Include your name and age. To help me learn what you learn from this monthly column, would you please consider filling out this survey: bit. ly/KidsAskDrBugSurvey. Thank you!

Dr. Tamra Reall (@MUExtBugN Garden) is the 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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The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Celebrate National Pollinator Week at Pollinator Prairie in Olathe Friday, June 24

lease join us for a celebration of National Pollinator Week with the “Wonders of Discovery” event at the Pollinator Prairie near downtown Olathe at 320 S Blake Street on Friday, June 24, 2022, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wonders of Discovery is a free event for all ages hosted annually by the Johnson County Extension Master Naturalists. Fun planned activities and exhibits will include a Caterpillar Petting Zoo, a Birds of Prey Exhibit from Operation Wildlife, What’s the Buzz about Native Bees, exhibits by the Idalia Butterfly Society, Monarch Watch, Northeastern Kansas Beekeepers, Wild Birds Unlimited, and much more! We always have games and activities planned for children, so this is a fun as well as educational event for the whole family. We hope you will join us for this celebration of National Pollinator Week. Your first question might be “What is National Pollinator Week?” It is an event managed by the Pollinator Partnership. The first National Pollinator Week in the U.S. was observed in June 2007 after the Senate unanimously approved the week as a necessary step to address the urgent issue of declining pollinator populations. The week is observed as an international celebration to protect the ecosystems that sustain pollinators. A pollinator is any type of insect or bird that takes pollen from one flower to another, enabling those plants to continue reproducing. Pollinators include butterfly species, honeybees, native bees, wasps, hummingbirds, dragonflies, beetles, and bats just to name a few. Wherever their journeys may take them, pollinators of all types are always welcome at the Pollinator Prairie. Since it opened in 2012, this native habitat has provided food and safe shelter for a wide 10

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

Giant Swallowtail butterflies are pollinators that feed on nectar plants like Joe Pye.

variety of pollinators by providing pollinator-friendly plant species. Pollinator Prairie’s seasonal gardens provide plants for different species of insects and wildlife to meet their unique needs from season to season. This beautiful prairie ecosystem has not always been a safe place for plants and wildlife. From 1951 to 1989, this land was the site of a chemical brokerage and recycling facility. Over time, substances leaked or spilled into the soil and groundwater, requiring a comprehensive remediation program. Beginning in the early 2000s, a Citizen’s Advisory Group partnered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and members of the local community to implement cleanup of the site. In the years since, numerous businesses, community organizations, and volun-

teers have collaborated to develop an ecological habitat using native plants to create a natural environment for native bees, butterflies, moths, birds, and other pollinators. The Pollinator Prairie Garden is free and open to the public from sunrise to sunset every day of the year. The gardens of the Pollinator Prairie are linked by an accessible trail that winds around four gardens. The Bee Garden is a place buzzing with life. The plants in this garden represent mostly native Kansas wildflowers that attract bees. The Monarch Garden is labeled as “Nature’s Great Migratory Wonder” and describes how Monarch Butterflies migrate to central Mexico where they overwinter in large clusters on trees in the mountains. The Monarch butterflies return in the spring when the females lay eggs on milkweed,

the only plants on which Monarch larvae will feed. While caterpillars need milkweed to feed, the adults need nectar for water and energy. In addition to milkweed, you can find other nectar plants in the Monarch Garden such as asters, coneflowers, and Joe Pye. The Bird Garden has seed and berry-producing plants that provide food for songbirds through the summer and in winter when insects are scarce. Various butterflies seen every year feeding on nectar in the Butterfly Garden include Monarchs, Common Buckeyes, Swallowtails, and the beautiful Red Admiral Butterfly. For more information on the Wonders of Discovery Event or the Pollinator Prairie, you can check out the Pollinator Prairie page on Facebook or call the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension office at 913-715-7000.

Bountiful Bougainvilleas

he first time I really took notice of the bougainvillea was on a Christmas vacation to Cozumel, Mexico. As we walked the warm sunny streets in the dead of winter I noticed beautiful woody vines engulfing the sides of the stone buildings. The vibrant colors seem to dance in the breeze and the blooms resembled that of delicate crape paper. There were fuchsia, red, orange, yellow and even white ones. I was in awe. I soon learned that the colorful “blooms” I was seeing were not flower petals but instead bracts or modified leaves. The true flower lies within the nest of the paper-like bracts and resemble a white trumpet which are delicacy for butterflies.

Bougainvillea are native to the warm climates of eastern South America. It comes as no surprise that they love our hot Midwest summers. Being a heat lover, our winter temperatures are far too low for them to survive. They are only considered perennial in zones nine through ten. Otherwise, they will ideally need to be kept at a minimum of 40 degrees. It is best to wait to put them out in spring after the risk of frost has passed. Their heat tolerance makes the bougainvillea a fabulous contain plant or annual in the ground. They will even thrive baking in the sun on a hot concrete patio. They can be grown up a trellis, trained into a tree form, bush form or cascading

JESSICA SHARP Tropicals Enthusiast

elegantly out of a hanging basket. For season long color it is best that your bougainvillea receive a minimum of five hours of direct sun but will take it all day.

When caring for your plants they should be potted in a well-draining soil in a container with good drainage. In between thorough watering it is best let your plants go on the dry side. If you see many leaves but few flowers try letting the soil dry out more. To help ensure abundant flowering and good overall health it is best to use a balanced, slowrelease blooming plant fertilizer. It also helps to remove the spent blooms branches after flowering as bougainvillea bloom on new growth. This will also keep your plant looking fuller. By following these simple steps bougainvillea are sure to be a showstopping addition to any patio, porch, deck or flower bed.

Jessica Sharp is the Tropical Department manager at Suburban Lawn and Garden, on Roe Avenue in Overland Park, Kansas. You may reach her at jessicas@suburbanlg.ddns.net.

The Greater Kansas City Water Garden Society Presents

Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour 2022 The 2022 Season of Tours are on the following Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Rain or Shine Tour # 1 Tour # 2 Tour # 3 Tour # 4 Tour # 5

Tickets for all 5 tours are $10. Tour one or all five for the same price. Children under 14 attend free. Purchase tickets through Eventbrite by scanning the QR code, or visit kcwatergardens.com/tour.

July 9, Kansas South July 23, Missouri North Zone Aug 6, Kansas North Zone Aug 20, Missouri Central Zone Aug 27, Missouri South Zone

GET YOUR TICKETS AT THESE RETAILERS BEGINNING JUNE 1ST. BLUE SPRINGS Westlake, 1205 N 7 HWY FAIRWAY Hen House Fairway Mkt, 2724 W 53rd St GLADSTONE Westlake, 5945 NE Antioch Rd KANSAS CITY, MO Planter’s Seed Company, 513 E Walnut Soil Service Garden Center, 7130 Troost Suburban Lawn & Garden, 4 W 135th St Sutherlands, 311 W 72nd St, Van Liew’s, 7347 Prospect Ave Westlake, 1000 Westport Rd Westlake, 1020 W 103rd St Westlake, 5009 NE Vivion Rd Westlake, 104 W 63rd St

KANSAS CITY, KS House of Rocks, 1725 Merriam Ln Hen House, 8120 Parallel Pkwy LAWRENCE Clinton Pkwy Nursery, 4900 Clinton Pkwy Westlake, 711 W 23rd St Westlake, 601 Kasold Dr LEAVENWORTH Westlake, 3400 S 4th St Trafficway A LEAWOOD Hen House, 11721 Roe LEE’S SUMMIT Return to Nature, 56 NE Sycamore St Randy’s Lakeview Nursery, 1820 NE County Park Rd

Westlake, 120 N Clairborne

Westlake, 444 SW Ward Rd Westlake, 103 S M-291 HWY LENEXA Hen House, 15000 W 87th Pkwy Westlake,15225 W 87th Pkwy Suburban Lawn & Garden, 9275 Dunraven St LIBERTY Family Tree Nursery, 830 W Liberty MERRIAM Merriam Feed & Seed, 9309 Johnson Dr NORTH KANSAS CITY, MO KC Pond, 1557 Swift OLATHE Hen House, 13600 S Blackbob Rd

OVERLAND PARK Family Tree Nursery, 8424 Farley Hen House, 11930 College Blvd Hen House, 6900 W 135th St Suburban Lawn & Garden, 10501 Roe Ave Westlake, 9301 Santa Fe Dr PARKVILLE Westlake, 9200 NW HWY 45 PRAIRIE VILLAGE Hen House, 4050 W 83rd St Hen House, 6950 Mission Ln SHAWNEE Earl May Garden Ctr, 21700 Midland Dr Family Tree Nursery, 7036 Nieman Rd

The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Hydrangea Care Calendar: Part 2 Introduction by Natalie Carmolli, Proven Winners® ColorChoice®

ollowing up on last month’s article, it’s the second half of the hydrangea care calendar! As with most shrubs, midsummer care is pretty easy, but we’ll start with watering notes. Sometimes in midsummer, you’ll notice your hydrangea wilting. To determine the cause, think about conditions and how often you water them. Is it watered by hand or with a sprinkler system? Has it been hot and dry, or has there been good rainfall? While hydrangeas perform best with regular water, they can suffer in situations where the soil stays wet for long periods, how much water it has been getting is key. Drooping foliage on overwatered plants tends to feel soft and flabby. It may look dark brown or even black. Often the flowers wilt dramatically as well. If the plant is being overwatered/has poor drainage, water less frequently, or adjust irrigation heads to deliver less water. If the plant is getting too little water, drooping leaves often feel dry and crispy, and take on a dusty look. Unless the lack of water is extreme, the flowers usually won’t wilt when the plant is under-watered. Extra, deep watering during hot periods should be sufficient. A 2-3” layer of shredded bark mulch will keep roots cool and conserve moisture. Hydrangea Care July-December July – bloom time! Earlyblooming panicle hydrangeas, like Little Quick Fire®, usually start around July 4, and the rest usually get started a week or so later, depending on the climate. While it is tempting to cut fresh hydrangea flowers to enjoy in a vase, they often wilt if cut too fresh. It’s best to wait until the florets feel slightly

Above: Hydrangea paniculata Little Quick Fire Below: Hydrangea blooms from the garden liven any room indoors.

dry and papery before beginning to cut. You may deadhead spent flowers on bigleaf hydrangeas if you wish – follow the stem back to the first set of buds below the spent bloom and cut just above them. This isn’t strictly necessary, it’s a matter of personal preference. Because smooth and panicle hydrangeas develop interesting

STACEY HIRVELA Horticulturist 12

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

color that persists into fall, do not deadhead these types unless the blooms go brown, which indicates heat/drought stress. Stop fertilizing no later than late July – fertilizing past this time can push soft growth that can be damaged by cold weather in a few months. Water as needed. Note that bigleaf hydrangea flowers will of-

ten flag in the heat of the day, then spring back in the cool evening. But if it’s too extreme, make a note to move it the following spring to a more favorable spot. August – time to cut hydrangea flowers for drying. Whatever color they have when you cut them is the color they will stay when they are dry, so if you want, say, ‘Limelight’ or Quick Fire Fab® with their characteristic pink colors, wait until that develops before cutting. Water as needed – any drought stress will shorten bloom time. September – flowers can still be cut, if desired. October – your hydrangea is likely going dormant and needs little attention. If it developed leaf spots over the season, remove and discard the fallen foliage to minimize the chance of reinfection for next year. Top-up mulch to maintain a 2-3” layer for winter protection. As your plant goes dormant, resist the urge to cut it back or prune it. Doing so could remove all of the flower buds for the following season on some hydrangeas. When in doubt, don’t prune! November – hydrangeas should be going completely dormant. I generally recommend spring pruning, but it is permissible to follow the March pruning instructions if you prefer, or if you won’t be around in March to prune then. December-February – your hydrangea is dormant and resting up for another great season. If you see any snow or ice damage to the plants overwinter, don’t panic – you can fix it with spring pruning. Note: in warmer climates (USDA zones 7-9), the March-July timeline may be shifted up by as much as 6-8 weeks compared to what’s laid out here, which is what you’d expect in USDA zones 3-6. And that’s it! No matter the hydrangea, once you establish a care calendar that works, these floriferous plants will give you months of beautiful blooms.

A graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, Stacey Hirvela currently works as the marketing manager for Proven Winners® Color Choice® shrubs.

The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Rose Report

What needs to be done in the rose garden in June Photos by Glenn Hodges.

he peak bloom for roses in the Kansas City area is the end of May or early June. So now is the time to start deadheading or removing spent blooms. Deadheading encourages new growth and more flowers. Usually it is recommended to cut the cane back to about one-quarter inch above an outer facing bud when deadheading. Most roses in the Kansas City area should be fertilized three times a season, mid-April, mid-June, and mid-August. If the roses are being grown for exhibition, monthly fertilization is usually done. Be sure to water the roses well after each fertilization. Continue spraying for blackspot control every 7-14 days if your roses are susceptible to blackspot. Be sure to follow the directions on the spray label. To minimize possible spray damage to the leaves, spray in the coolest part of the day, morning or evening. Container grown rose plants can still be planted in June if there is a need to replace an underperforming plant or to fill an empty spot in the garden. And, bargains may be found at the local garden centers. But, the plant will need a little extra care over the summer. Make sure it receives enough water in the heat of the season. Remember, as the weather heats up in June, supplemental watering will be needed to keep the roses in top condition. Watering is best done using a drip system or by hand with a water wand to keep the foliage dry and discourage blackspot. If overhead watering is required, water early in the day, so the foliage has time to dry before nightfall. Do you want one large bloom per stem for bouquets? To encourage one bloom per stem, the side buds next to or under the central, larger bud on a stem can be pinched off. This is called disbudding. The

Lots of beautiful entries were presented at the Kansas City Rose Society rose show in June 2018. resulting flower will be larger than if the side buds were not removed Further information about rose care can be found on the Kansas City Rose Society website at www. kansascityrosesociety.org/growingroses. Specific questions can be sent to kcrosehelp@gmail.com. And, information about any of the roses grown in the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden at Loose Park in Kansas City, MO can be accessed at www.kcroselibrary. com. COME TO THE ROSE SHOW! In America we have a tradition to celebrate agricultural and horticultural harvests and production with fairs and festivals. To continue this tradition, the American Rose Society encourages local rose societies and regional districts to hold annual rose shows, and it sponsors several annual national shows. The Kansas City Rose Society rose show in the Garden Center

GLENN HODGES Consulting Rosarian 14

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

Gold Medal Award winning photograph of ‘Perl d’Or’ from the Kansas City Rose Society rose show in June 2021. at Loose Park in Kansas City, Missouri, will be open to the public on Sunday, June 5, 2022 from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. Last year there were over 300 roses and over 100 rose photographs entered in the show. Come see the diversity of roses grown in the Kansas City area, and celebrate the beauty of our national floral emblem. Also, there will be festivities in the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden. If you grow roses, you are eligible to enter the rose show. You do not need to be a member of the Kansas City Rose Society to enter. Entries will be accepted for judging on Saturday, June 4, 2022, from

8:00 a.m. to noon at the Garden Center. For exhibitors whose roses may not be at their peak for the show, photographs of roses may be entered. The photographs need not be of roses grown by the photographer. But, the name of any rose entered as a specimen or photograph needs to be known. The schedule and rules for the show are posted at www.kansadcitysosesociety.org. Not enough time to prepare a specimen or photograph this year? Plan on entering next year. Entries will be received and judged on June 3, 2023. Hope to see you in the Rose Garden.

Glenn R. Hodges is an Extension Master Gardener in Johnson County, Kansas, an American Rose Society (ARS) Master Rosarian, and an ARS Accredited Horticulture Judge. He has been growing roses in Lenexa, KS since 1974 and successfully exhibiting roses since 1998. He is a past-President of the Kansas City Rose Society.

Summer’s Here!

Live Life in Full Bloom Garden Symposium

Bringing glorious living color to your garden since 1977.

We still have a large selection of perennials, roses, and shrubs.

Hosted by the Leavenworth County Master Gardeners

Memorial Day Flat Sale • May 28th-30th

8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

25% off all Annuals & Perennials (full flats only)

Cost is $45.00 per person. Box Lunch included. Riverfront Community Center, 123 Esplanade, Leavenworth, KS

Review our 2022 Plant List available on our website and Facebook. We hope to see you soon.

Tickets on sale June 1 to August 31. Download and print a ticket to mail in: https://www.leavenworth.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/ master-gardeners/. Payments accepted: check, Visa or Mastercard. Purchase tickets by contacting Leavenworthmastergardeners @yahoo.com or calling the K-State Research and Extension Leavenworth County office at 913-364-5700.

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New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden Kelly is one of the leading horticulturists of his generation. An award-winning author and Plantsman, Kelly’s work in gardens has been featured in the New York Times, Organic Gardening, Better Homes and Garden, Martha Stewart’s Living, Fine Gardening and Garden Design.

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Afternoon Speakers

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Selecting Trees and Shrubs For Urban Living

Crystal is a 40 plus year Horticulturist and certified Arborist with design and maintenance experience in private, commercial and public landscaping.

Jonah Nelson

Fall Container Design

Jonah is the 3rd generation owner and store manager of Family Tree Nursery. He has a degree in Horticulture with an emphasis in landscape design.

For more information, contact Mikey Stafford at 913-426-3794 and Anne Rielly at 913-683-4646.

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The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Daylily Dynamos others (including the old favorites ‘Stella de Oro’, and ‘Happy Returns’) rebloom freely throughout the summer. Many of the reblooming types will bloom in cycles, meaning that they will bloom for a few weeks, then take a break and start back up again for a few more weeks. Some gardeners may be attracted to the double blooms of ‘Double

‘Stella de Oro’ Pardon Me’ and ‘Siloam Peony Display’, both great for areas that need a little extra impact. Others prefer the ruffled edges of ‘Always Afternoon’, ‘Lavender Blue Baby’ and ‘Blackthorne’. For those gardeners in search of a white flower that doesn’t fade, ‘Sunday Gloves’ is the perfect choice. Each has its value in the landscape. As a clump-forming perennial, the daylily has versatility in the landscape. Shorter varieties lend themselves to be planted along walkways and fronts of borders, and some of the taller types are great as a specimen tucked here and there into a larger landscape or in small masses. As their original, albeit demeaning, nickname sug-

SEAN HOLLAND Perennials Manager 16

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

gests, they do well when grown in ditches and embankments as a form of erosion control. Personally, I find the strength of the daylily in the landscape is in a mixed bed. Though I usually warn against using too many different varieties and plants in a given area of the landscape (it tends to get too busy and wild looking), daylilies seem to be the exception to that All photos courtesy of Walters Gardens.

s I sit on my patio with my morning coffee and toast, pondering this article, my eye wanders to the future site of my daylily bed. In my yard, this will be the back of the yard, in full sun, and in that spot where I can’t seem to get anything else to grow—in other words, the perfect place for daylilies. Growers have come a long way from the invasive orange ditch lily native to parts of Asia. With a variety of colors and bloom types, daylilies are the perfect plant for novices and experienced growers alike; the plethora of varieties lends them to be sought out by collectors as well. Though each bloom only lasts for a day and there are thousands of registered cultivars, most varieties on the market for gardeners today retain the best attributes of the original. Daylilies (genus Hemerocallis) are possibly the easiest sun perennial to grow, especially in tough areas of the landscape. They tolerate a wide range of soil types, including heavy clay, and are drought tolerant once established. Some gardeners have success planting them in part sun, or even shadier spaces, but they will be healthiest where they receive over 6 hours of direct sun each day. Also, be mindful that even though they will survive a drought and still bloom, daylilies give their best show when receiving about an inch of water per week. When surveying the different varieties available, it is hard to imagine that hybridizers were able to unlock such a color palette from the genetics of just a few varieties of yellow, orange, and red. Some varieties, classified as standard daylilies bloom for a few weeks with spectacular flowers (‘Primal Scream’, ‘Ruby Spider’, ‘Bela Lugosi’ and ‘Mighty Chestnut’) while

rule. Nothing tops the unique appearance of a standard daylily in bloom, but a garden with standard daylilies only has color for a short time. I recommend selecting your favorite standard daylilies, then mixing in a variety of reblooming types to add season-long color even when the standard types give their final bow for the season. Daylily gardens are great areas to plant a few spring bulbs; as the bulbs fade, the daylilies will grow in and cover the dying bulb foliage. For the same reason as mixing standard and reblooming cultivars in a bed, I also like to recommend planting a few Asiatic and Oriental lilies as well; just be sure to give the Asiatic lilies a little extra space

as they can multiply. When selecting daylilies at your local garden center, look for plants that have multiple “fans” in the pot, if possible. This indicates that the plant is already beginning to multiply and will mature in the landscape faster. Daylilies are fast growers, so don’t stress if you can only find single-fans, especially in the springtime when the garden centers are bringing in young plants. Most perennials, including daylilies, do not like to be in their grower’s pot, and may drop an occasional leaf. If there is a brown or yellow leaf, this isn’t an indication that the plant is sick; simply remove them at the time of planting. Plant daylilies in areas that receive at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. They tolerate a wide range of soil types, but will quickly die in soggy/wet soils. If they are going in an area that stays wet for many days after a rain, amend the area with compost when planting. Fertilizer is generally not necessary for daylily success, but an application of slow-release balanced or bloomboosting fertilizer in springtime can give them a boost and encourage a better show in the summer. Pests and diseases are rarely a problem; the most common issue is daylily rust. Rust is a foliar fungus that frequently occurs during the humid summer, especially if the garden is frequently watered by a lawn sprinkler system (the least favorable watering option). If your lilies begin to show signs of rust on the foliage, copper fungicide can be used to help mitigate the problem. Never compost foliage from any plant that exhibits a disease problem. For more information on daylilies, or if you are a daylily enthusiast and would like to join fellow daylily fans, I encourage you to check out local and national organizations.

Sean Holland is Perennials Manager at Suburban Lawn & Garden, 135th and Wornall location, in Kansas City, Missouri. You may reach him at seanh@suburbanlg.com.

‘Always Afternoon’

‘Bela Lugosi’

‘Siloam Peony Display’

‘Blackthorne’

‘Double Pardon Me’

Above: ‘Ruby Spider’; Below: ‘Mighty Chestnut’

Above: ‘Primal Scream’; Below ‘Happy Returns’

Above: ‘Lavender Blue Baby’ Below: ‘Sunday Gloves’

The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Photos by Lenora Larson.

A mating pair, the female is on top. Her swollen belly contains eggs ready to be fertilized.

The caterpillar flicks its red smelly osmetaria to scare predators.

A sideview of the Giant Swallowtail. In addition to flowers, the males puddle on moist gravel to collect salts for their spermatophores.

The romantic male showers his intended mate with pheromones to get her in the mood.

Gentle Giant Swallowtails

ou are relaxing in your garden when suddenly a dark shadow blocks the sun. Is it a bird? A plane? No, it’s a Giant Swallowtail, the largest butterfly in North America and a native of Kansas and Missouri. The Giant Swallowtail is differentiated from our other five species of swallowtails by its immense size and the black and yellow patterned upper surface which looks like a clown’s gaping grin, while the undersurface is dusty yellow. In the insect world, females are larger than the males and this lady can have a wingspan up to 6 inches, while the males top out at about 5 inches. Why is this tropical-looking butterfly native to the Midwest? Simple, we have two native citrus trees, Hop Tree, Ptelia trifoliata and Prickly Ash, Zanthoxylum americanum.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Herb gardeners may also see the Giants because their caterpillars eat Rue, Ruta graveolens. Who would ever guess that, despite their common names, Rue, Orange and Lemon Trees, Prickly Ash and Hoptree all belong to the Citrus family? The Giant Swallowtail butterfly knows and she only lays her eggs on Citrus plants. In the south the host plants are Orange, Lemon and Grapefruit trees. The caterpillars, also known as Orange Dogs, incur the wrath of citrus growers who relentlessly spray insecticides to kill them. Fortunately, in the Midwest the host plants are not eaten by humans so we don’t compete for food and can enjoy this beautiful butterfly. Do the caterpillars taste like veal piccata from eating citrus plants? To hide from hungry diners, the caterpillar looks like a bird dropping, the best possible defense.

LENORA LARSON Butterfly Maven 18

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

The Giant lays her eggs on top of citrus leaves and the caterpillar sits motionless all day because a crawling turd would attract a curious bird. When the sun goes down and the birds are sleeping, the caterpillar moves about feeding. It then returns to the same spot at dawn because a bird would notice if the turd had moved. The 2” full grown (fifth instar) caterpillar resembles a snake and when disturbed it displays bright red osmetaria, looking like a snake flicking its tongue. We typically have two broods each year so the adults are seen flying from April through September. The fall caterpillar over-winters as a chrysalis, disguised as a small twig. Please do not clean up your garden in fall because you risk killing next year’s butterflies. Love Is in the Air Many male butterflies are ag-

gressive serial rapists, but the Giant Swallowtail gently romances in the afternoon as he patrols his territory near Citrus plants. When he spies a lady in flight or nectaring, he approaches fluttering from above and showering her with pheromones, his male “cologne”. If she’s interested, she joins him in flight, spiraling upward with synchronized wingbeats. And if he is judged suitable to be the father of her children, the pair land and link tail tips. They may remain connected for several hours as he pumps in his spermatophores, little packets containing sperm as well as proteins, carbohydrates and salts to provide extra nutrition for the female. Adults live only 6 to 14 days, so the lady must act quickly to find the best mate. She will die when she has laid all her eggs, exemplifying a “live fast, die beautiful” lifestyle.

A Marais des Cygnes Master Gardener, Lenora is a member of the Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society. She gardens in the clay soil and cruel winds of Paola, KS. She may be contacted at lenora.longlips@gmail.com.

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The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

ou would think that pulling weeds is simple enough that anybody can figure it out. Surely it does not require a degree to master—just grab the weed and yank it out of the ground. Many people think that it is as easy as that. Though time after time, I see new volunteers, homeowners, and interns who struggle to stay on top of reoccurring weed problems. One thing I’ve noticed is that people obsess over getting every weed out, all at once. They start hand pulling at one end of the garden, and meticulously work through to the other side, until every weed, large, medium, or small, is gone. That’s fine if you can get it all done in one session, but that’s not how weeding always happens, especially in larger gardens. In most cases, noticeable weeds are the biggest ones that stand out like a sore thumb. It only takes a quick pass through the garden to pull those big, obvious weeds—the ones that are a foot tall or more. The ones that your neighbor can see. The ones that are getting ready to flower, or already are. These are the low-hanging fruit. These are the weeds that you can pull while fetching the paper, or taking the recycling to the curb. And what to do with those weeds after you knock off the dirt and have them in hand? Direct compost them, of course. No need to gather them in a pile or in a bucket and haul them away. Hide them under or behind another plant and let them rot out of sight, directly in the garden. Or wad them into a ball and heave them to the back of the garden where they disappear. Remember, you are only grabbing the biggest, most obvious weeds in sight, and be sure that they are not covered with ripe seeds! Weeds with seeds need to go to the compost pile or trash. The rest of the small to medium weeds can wait until the weekend. For the myriad tiny weeds that you encounter, you may not need to pull them by hand. Try a scuffle

Photo by Jen Sieradzki.

A Better Way to Weed

Scuffle hoe (l) and Dutch hoe (r) hoe or a Dutch hoe when soil is dry, to scrape and sever the tops from their roots. Those tiny weeds will shrivel up in 24 hours and virtually disappear so there may not be a need to remove them from the garden. Keep in mind that the reason there are so many tiny weeds is that the mulch was too thin or gone altogether. If you are using brown mulch, top dress these thin areas, making sure that mulch is 2 inches deep to prevent future weeds. When hand pulling larger weeds in conventionally mulched garden beds (leaf or hardwood mulch), it is easiest to yank most weeds when the soil is moist. Don’t forget to knock off the dirt, but be careful to return the clods of dirt back into the hole you just made and cover with mulch. Dirt clods sitting on top of mulch will sprout new weeds quickly. A rookie mistake. Take advantage of leaves that naturally fall from the trees. In fall, rake them off the lawn and evenly (and thinly) spread them on bare ground, between plants in flowerbeds. I love using the leaves of bald cypress and pine. Their color and texture are unbeaten. Pesky weeds like tall goldenrod, wild germander, and horse nettle are frustrating because they have suckering roots that spread far and wide. Pull them when the soil is moist, to remove as many roots as possible. You will likely miss

SCOTT WOODBURY Horticulturist 20

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

Turtlehead

Longleaf pine straw

Wild strawberry some roots and need to pull repeatedly through the spring and summer months to get them under control. Be sure to prevent them from going to seed, or they will spread out of control. Lastly, we have been tinkering with groundcovers—sometimes referred to as “living, green mulch”—that meander through flowerbeds, covering bare ground and supressingsuppressing weeds. In full sun to part shade, we use wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) between wild indigo (Baptisia spp.), rose mallow (Hibiscus lasiocarpus), and turtlehead (Chelone obliqua). When the strawberry fills in (it only takes one growing season), weeds have a hard time moving back in, and there is no

need for brown mulch. In shady areas, we are doing the same with round-leaved groundsel (Packera obovata). Eventually, the taller natives will shade out the wild strawberry and fill in, shading out weeds as well. Reoccurring weeds can be the bane of a gardener’s existence. But they don’t have to be. Here are the words to a favorite song of mine, Walking the Beans, by Greg Brown: “Bandana on my head, I got a long-handled hoe in my hand. You know people are afraid of hell and now I understand, ’cause I can picture some devil from that land below, and he’s a-pushin’ pigweed up from under every row I just hoed.” Happy gardening y’all.

Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmore Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, Missouri, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for 30 years. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program. Find suppliers of native plants and seeds at www.grownative.org, Resource Guide.

Apply now for Johnson County K-State Extension Master Gardener program

f you enjoy gardening, working with others and having fun while sharing your passion, then the Extension Master Gardener (EMG) program may be the opportunity for you. Applications are now being accepted for the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Master Gardener Class of 2023 training program. The application deadline is July 15, 2022. Training sessions are held every Thursday from September 1 to December 15, 2022. All classes will be conducted utilizing a combination of in-person or online using Zoom. In-person classes will be conducted at the Johnson County Extension office, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite 1500 in Olathe. There is a $125 administration fee for those accepted into the class. Class members must be Johnson County residents. Applicants are selected based on gardening and volunteering experience, ability to attend training sessions and volunteer activities, and, most importantly, willingness to commit long term to the annual requirement of volunteer service. Gardeners who join the program bring many different experience levels and interests to the program. If you are a novice gardener, do not let the title of Extension Master Gardener intimidate you. Your love of gardening and passion for sharing your garden experience is the

foundation for success. An orientation session to learn more about the program will be held on Monday, June 6th at 1:00 over Zoom. Preregistration is required for the orientation. Please contact Mary Matthew, EMG Volunteer Coordinator, at Mary.Matthew@jocogov. org to receive the invitation. The EMG program, sponsored by K-State Research and Extension, is designed to teach area gardeners about horticulture and give them the opportunity to share their knowledge through various gardening-related volunteer projects. Applicants who are selected will receive intensive horticulturerelated training from university and industry experts. In return, newly trained recruits will be required to volunteer a minimum number of hours each year. EMG volunteers get involved in a variety of projects, including maintaining demonstration gardens, staffing a gardening hotline, and giving presentations through the speakers’ bureau. Youth programs are also another avenue for volunteer participation. If you are interested in applying for the program or would like more information, please contact Johnson County Extension at (913) 715-7000 or visit www.johnson.kstate.edu and click on the Extension Master Gardener link for details.

Heartland Hosta & Shade Plant Society

Annual Fundraiser Plant Sale Saturday, June 18, 9am–1pm

Woods Chapel Community of Christ 500 NE Woods Chapel, Lee’s Summit, MO 64064 Over 60 cultivars of hosta and companion perennials, many only available locally at this sale! The sale is open to the public, and Society members will be on hand to assist shoppers. Pictures and descriptions of sale plants will be posted on the Society website prior to the sale. For more information please visit www.HeartlandHosta.club or www.Facebook.com/HeartlandHostaAndShadePlantSociety/. Or call Charlene at 816-517-5287.

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@yrroundgarden www.year-roundgarden.com The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

Savor a SCENT-sational Garden with Fragrant Plants

hat’s your favorite garden memory? Is it burying your nose in sweet lavender lilacs, sneaking a sip of nectar from fragrant honeysuckle as a child, snipping spicy roses for a bouquet, or harvesting piney rosemary for recipes? Whatever your memories evoke, they’re sure to be tied to scent. After all, smell, emotion, and memories are closely linked, due to the brain’s anatomy. And while choosing plants based on color scheme or texture may be at the forefront of your mind when plant shopping, selecting deliciously fragrant plants adds a whole new dimension to your garden design. When selecting plants for a fragrance garden, you’ll find spectacularly scented shrubs, perennials, bulbs, annuals, and – of course – herbs. Today we’ll explore a few scented shrubs to consider. Before you begin shopping, take a moment to plan your garden, choosing fragrant plants that bloom at different times throughout the year for a succession of scent through the seasons. You’ll enjoy sweet scents all season long with a little planning. Your local garden center professional is eager to help you select the best plant for your landscape. Sweetbush A southeastern native that ranges from New York to Florida and west to the Mississippi River region, sweetshrub – also known as Carolina allspice – is a gardener’s dream. The fragrant blooms smell like citrus, banana, strawberry, pineapple, bubblegum, or even gin, depending on whom you ask, plus the shrub grows beautifully whether planted in full sun or deep shade. Native plant lovers will adore Green Thumb Awardwinner Sweetshrub Simply Scentsational®, a cultivar hardy in zones 4-9. Deep maroon blooms appear in spring throughout summer, smelling like pineapple or bubblegum. ‘Venus’ produces large shows of clear white, magnolia-like blooms with a banana fragrance in early summer. 22

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

Above: Sweetshrub Simply Scentsational Below: Viburnum Sweet Talker

Mockorange An extremely fragrant North American native deciduous shrub for zones 4-7, mockorange produces huge shows of springtime flowers with the scent of orange blossoms. Traditionally used as a specimen plant or a hedge in the landscape, new cultivars offer a variety of sizes. Illuminati Tower® grows in a columnar habit with a unique 4-sided “tower” effect, producing hundreds of fragrant white flowers in early summer. Reaching only 3 to 4 feet tall and 1.5-feet wide, it’s ideal for narrow spaces. Compact ‘Snow Dwarf’ grows only 2 to 3 feet tall and produces pure white, double flowers with fabulous orange-blossom fragrance, perfect for small gardens. Viburnum Beautiful blooms, fabulous fragrance, multi-season interest, and food for wildlife—what’s not to love about viburnum?

Above: Lilac Virtual Violet Below: Mockorange

With so many varieties available, you’re sure to find the perfect fragrant viburnum for your garden. Sweet Talker® produces hundreds of pink, trumpet-shaped flowers with a spicy, honey scent in late winter/early spring. The plant provides good extended seasonal interest, with the leathery evergreen leaves turning purpleburgundy in fall. With its upright, vigorous growth reaching up to 7 feet tall, ‘Spice Girl’ Koreanspice viburnum makes a gorgeous hedge or specimen plant, with its spicysweet pink blooms in mid-spring and bright-red autumn foliage. Or, if space is an issue, choose ‘Baby Spice’, a compact form of its big sister. Lilac Many gardeners fondly remember fragrant lilac hedges from grandparents’ gardens. Until recently, only gardeners living in colder zones could

recreate those sweet memories. Fortunately, breeders took pity on southern gardeners, creating lilac cultivars that perform beautifully even in warmer climates, such as ‘Josee’, a small, reblooming lilac with the widest hardiness range, growing well in zones 3-9. Plus, while lilacs often battle powdery mildew, newer varieties offer good disease resistance. Compact, mildew-resistant New Age™ Lavender Syringa makes a perfect low-maintenance addition to small gardens. Today’s lilacs also come in a wide range of colors: red, pink, blue, yellow, cream, white, and even picotee. For a compact, reblooming pink variety, try Bloomerang™ Dwarf Pink Lilac. It grows only 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, blooms profusely in spring, and then continues to produce fragrant pink blooms throughout summer. Article courtesy of National Garden Bureau, ngb.org.

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Indoor Gardening: Cloning 101

hether it’s a birthday, anniversary, graduation or celebration of life, giving plants to friends and family just makes us feel good. For the most part, gifted plant varieties tend to be reserved to ornamental flowers and tropical houseplants, each holding a unique, symbolic meaning. It’s a practice mired in tradition that has withstood the test of more than four millennia. Often overlooked, though, is the gift of edible plants. Fruits, vegetables and herbs can be just as aesthetically pleasing as their floral counterparts with the added benefit of producing delicious homegrown food. While its certainly possible to purchase such a gift, you can add to the thoughtfulness by sharing one of your favorite plants directly from your garden – think exceptionally succulent tomatoes or aromatic Thai basil. But fret not, you don’t have to dig your best producing plants up from the roots to share them; simply create a clone. Technically, plant “cloning” is a form of asexual vegetative propagation that produces a genetically identical copy of an existing plant. Rather than growing from a seed (sexual propagation), a cutting is taken from a healthy parent plant, provided a specific set of environmental conditions and allowed to flourish into a mature plant of its own. Not all plants are conducive to cloning, but for those that are, it’s a great way to duplicate your favorites. Cloning methods vary from species to species, with some cuttings taking place in the root zone, others at the base of leaves and the majority from a portion of stem. For the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on mint, an edible plant that can be propagated from a stem cutting. Other plants in this category include basil, rosemary, tomatoes, peppers, grapes, raspberry and more. If you are cloning for the

Mint can be propagated from a stem cutting. first time, mint is a nice entry point because of its minimal requirements for ongoing maintenance once its roots are established. Mint also makes a great gift that can be enjoyed for both its fragrance and flavor. Start by choosing a well-hydrated plant with fresh, healthy growth. Select a branch that has at least four or five nodes (sites where new leaf buds are forming). Cut the branch off entirely at a 45-degree angle just below the third or fourth node, leaving at least one node so your “mother” plant can regenerate. The portion of branch that you have removed will become your clone with roots eventually forming from the cut side. If there are any overly large, mature leaves still attached

JASON MISPAGEL Indoor Gardener 24

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

to it, trim off a portion (up to 50%) of the leaf tips. This will serve two purposes. First, it encourages the clone to focus more of its energy on developing new roots rather than supporting its existing vegetation. Second, it reduces the amount of leaf material susceptible to rotting or developing mold, during the humid conditions it’s about to experience. Place the cut end of your branch securely into a pre-moistened grow media of your choosing. During the cloning process, your plant will use the energy already stored within its stem and leaves to develop new roots. Since no nutrition is required, a neutral media such as peat pellets, coco coir, rockwool or other root cubes can be used. Potting soil is

also a viable option. Their purpose is purely to secure the branch in place, provide area for the roots to develop and hold moisture. High levels of humidity are ideal for encouraging root development. The easiest way to create these is by placing your clones on a seedling tray covered by a translucent humidity dome. As the clones transpire and moisture from the grow media evaporates, it will be trapped within the environment, elevating humidity. Rooting speed also improves with temperatures in the high 70s to low 80s. Low temperatures mixed with high levels of humidity are an invitation for mold and extremely high temperatures will basically cook your tender clones. If you’re struggling keeping temperatures warm enough, a seedling heat mat with a thermostat can be placed under the tray to ensure optimal conditions. Light requirements during the rooting phase are almost non-existent and even the ambient light in a room is sufficient. If supplemental lighting is going to be employed, a single T5 fluorescent bulb or LED replacement hung 18 inches above the cuttings is more-than-ample. If lighting is too intense, it can burn and curl leaves. In fact, yellowing leaves are a sign that the plant is attempting to perform photosynthesis with excessive light, but it’s suffering since it has no root system to uptake nutrients needed during the process. After that, it’s just a waiting game. Monitor the grow media to ensure it remains moist, watering as necessary. Never let it completely dry out. Within 2-3 weeks, you’ll see white roots emerging – a sign that the clone has now become a plant of its own. Pot it up into a larger container with a nutrient-rich soil or fertilizer and make your next gift of a plant one that’s truly special.

Jason Mispagel is the co-owner and operator of Year-Round Garden, a grower’s supply center serving both home and commercial customers since 2016. To contact Jason, call 816-216-6917 or jason@year-roundgarden.com.

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PLANTS ON YOUR PLATE Potatoes

s I began pondering the topic for this month, I realized that I have never highlighted the most popular vegetable in the United States – and the world. Though there are some that would debate the fact that potatoes are worth including in the diet, potatoes are the number one vegetable in the shopping cart of more than 60% of American shoppers. Potatoes are a tuber or root vegetable, belonging to the nightshade family Solanaceae. Vegetables in this family may have inflammatory properties that cause concern for some people, though most of the population is unaffected. A greater concern is concentration of the compound solanine, which is concentrated in sprouted and green sections of the potato peel. This risk can be reduced by proper storage of potatoes in a cool, dark space with minimal light exposure. For optimum quality, store away from onions, which can encourage sprouting. Most potatoes store well for several weeks to a month, but early spring ‘new potatoes’ have a shorter storage life. Potatoes that have green areas or are shriveled or sprouted should be discarded. Potatoes originated in the Andes mountains of South America, likely in Chile or Peru, though historical evidence isn’t entirely clear. Following the conquest of the Incan

Empire, Spaniards introduced the potato to Europe in the late 16th century. It took over one hundred years for the potato to become a staple crop in Europe and played a significant role in the population growth. The increased popularity in crop production and lack of diversity in plant varieties also led to plant diseases and the Great Famine in the 18th century. Potatoes made their way to the New England colonies in the late 17th century. Today, the top potato producing states are Idaho and Washington, with 15.1 billion pounds and 11 billion pounds, respectively. Production reports also reveal that 25% of the potato crop is consumed in fresh form, while 40% is used in frozen potato products and 23% in chips. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and contain more potassium than a banana. They are also a source of complex carbohydrate and fiber, particularly when the skin is eaten. The type of starch found in potatoes, resistant starch, which has been shown to be beneficial form of starch to gut health. Colored varieties, such as gold and purple also provide phytonutrients that are powerful antioxidants that combat free radicals and are beneficial in disease prevention. Because potatoes vary in moisture and starch content, choosing

DENISE SULLIVAN Nutrition Ninja 26

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

the right potato for the preparation is key to success. High starch/ low moisture potatoes like russets are best suited for baking and do not hold their form well in soups. Low starch/high moisture potatoes like most red skin potatoes make the creamiest mashed potatoes and hold their shape well for potato salad. Gold potatoes are a medium starch potato and share characteristics of both low and high starch varieties. Specialty potatoes, like purple potatoes are also a medium starch variety and suitable for most

any preparation that red potatoes are. Like many foods, preparation is key to nutrient retention. Considering that more than half of potatoes consumed are in a frozen or chip form, starting from fresh is a better choice. The recipe below is a favorite preparation at my house. We like to use a medley of petite potatoes, including purple potatoes when I can find them. You can also use russet potatoes cut into strips for tasty oven fries.

Perfect Herb Roasted Potatoes MAKES 6 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS vegetable cooking spray 1 pound potatoes (try Yukon gold or a mixture of colored petite new potatoes) 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon rosemary ½ teaspoon thyme ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper DIRECTIONS Wash hands and all work surfaces. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cover baking sheet with foil and spray with vegetable cooking spray. Scrub and cube the potatoes; put into large bowl. Drizzle oil over potatoes and toss to coat. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir together. Sprinkle the herb mix over the potatoes and stir to coat the potatoes evenly. Spread the potatoes on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. NUTRITION INFORMATION Calories: 89, Total Fat: 2.5g, Saturated Fat: .5g, Sodium: 106mg, Carbohydrates: 15g, Fiber: 1.5g, Protein: 2g Recipe adapted from MyPlate Kitchen, analyzed by verywellfit.com.

Denise Sullivan (@MUExtJacksonCo) is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. For research based nutrition and food safety information and programs, call 816-482-5850 or visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region.

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Upcoming Garden Events Fortopia May 26 – Oct 16; at Powell Gardens. Fortopia, a playful outdoor exhibition comprised of awe-inspiring forts, invites explorers of all ages to discover Powell Gardens. This vibrant edition to summer in Kansas City encourages outdoor discovery and taps into the nostalgia of childhood fort building. Registration link can be found at powellgardens.org/calendar. Train Garden Tour Sat, Jun 4, 10a-4p and Sun, Jun 5, Noon4p. Adults and kids are invited to tour the unique train gardens at homes in the greater Kansas City area. They are like a miniature world with model trains running through garden landscaping, with small houses and buildings, trees, plants, water features, bridges and tunnels. Hosted by the MOKAN Garden Railroaders, the admission cost for this self-guided tour to all gardens is $10 per car. Fifty percent of proceeds go to Harvesters Food Network. For tickets and tour guide, go to www.mokangardenrailroaders.org. Cultivating a Neighborhood Historic Walking Tour Sat, Jun 4, 10a-4p; Brookside Neighborhood. Discover little known historic facts and visit fascinating places and spaces in the Brookside neighborhood! “Cultivating a Neighborhood” explores how the Brookside neighborhood went from remote Wornall family farm to thriving residential and commercial neighborhood in the heart of Kansas City. The walking tour traces an approximately two-and-a-half mile path through the Brookside commercial district and Wornall Homestead Homes Association neighborhood. Participants will receive a map and digital booklet to guide their tour. Several notable stops will be available for tour and Wornall/Majors representatives will be scattered along the route to provide assistance and answer questions. In addition to learning fascinating historic information, guests will enjoy sips and surprises from reenactors along the route. Tickets are $20 or $15 for Wornall/ Majors members. Information at https:// brooksidewalkingtour.eventbrite.com Native Plant Sale Sat, Jun 4, 9a-2:30p; at Douglas County Fairgrounds. Plants are $4 each or 3 for $10. Plants are pollinator and bee friendly. Sponsored by Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners. You will be able to preorder native plant Bloom Boxes beginning in May. See all the available Bloom Box plants at https://dgemgks.com/native-plant. We will also have individual plants available to purchase the day of the sale. See the full list of Native Plant Sale plants at https://dgemgks.com/2022-native-plantsale-plants/ Terrestrial & Aquatic Invasive Species Control in Missouri Sat, Jun 4, 10a-noon; at Powell Gardens. $10 | 10% less for members; Conifer Room. In partnership with the Missouri

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

Department of Conservation, this workshop focuses on terrestrial and aquatic invasive species common throughout Missouri. The workshop will cover identification and control, and include real world discussion about controlling invasive species in native ecosystems. Attendees may also bring in their own terrestrial or aquatic invasives for identification before or after the workshop. Registration link can be found at powellgardens.org/calendar. Kansas City Rose Show Jun 4; at Loose Park Garden Center. Free and open to all rose gardeners with assistance provided for first-time exhibitors. Classes for live blooms and rose photographs. Entries accepted 8a to Noon. Visit https://www.kansascityrosesociety.org for the show handbook with class list and show rules. Also find links to tips on how to grow and show prize-winning roses. Kansas City Rose Day Jun 5, 1-5 p; at Laura Conyers Smith Rose Garden in Loose Park. View the results of the rose show with hundreds of blueribbon winners and gleaming trophies. Enjoy family activities, live entertainment, and an afternoon of beauty in this worldrenowned rose garden. Free. Visit https:// www.kansascityrosesociety.org for further information. 27th Annual Town and Country Garden Tour, Hermann, MO Jun 4-5. The Garden Tour includes both a walking tour of gardens in downtown Historic Hermann and a driving tour to gardens in the hills around Hermann. The $15 ticket price includes visits to at least four private gardens; these gardens are both in town and in the country and include a traditional four-square garden. Tickets will be sold online before the tour at Eventeny and at Topiaries (138 E. 4th) in downtown Hermann during the tour from 10-5 Sat and 10-3 Sun. A map to the gardens will be provided starting on Sat Jun 4 at the Topiaries ticket sale site. The Hermann Garden Club’s website www.hermanngardentours. com provides all details. Leavenworth County Master Gardeners Wed, Jun 8, 11a; at Riverfront Community Center, 123 Esplanade St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Our speaker is Chad Gilliland of Next to Nature Farm. His presentation, “Gardening for Pollinators” will touch on the critical importance of different pollinators and the role they play in our world’s ecosystem. The meeting is free. Visitors are welcome. For more information contact the Leavenworth County Extension office at 913-364-5700. KC Cactus and Succulent Society Plant and Pottery Sale Fri, Jun 10, 8:30a-5p and Sat, Jun 11, 8:30a-3p; at Stoney Creek Hotel, 18011 Bass Pro Dr, Independence, MO. This is it! Our HUGE plant and pottery sale. Hundreds of plants and pottery items. Opened to the public. See our website: www.kccac-

tus.com or visit us on Facebook for information on the KCCSS. Enchanted Faire Sat, Jun 11; at Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. There are 3 sessions – 10:00 a.m. to Noon; 1:00-3:00 p.m.; and 4:00-6:00 p.m. Guests may enjoy the rest of the Arboretum before or after their session. Purchase tickets online at opabg.org. Tickets are $7 each plus the cost of admission to the Arboretum ($3/adults and $1/ children 6-11). Children age 23 months or younger are free. Family Frolic: Fortopia Kick-Off Jun 11-12, 9a-5p; Powell Gardens. Included with general admission. Help us kick off the opening of our new summer exhibition, Fortopia! As you play on, around, and in eight unique forts, explore the rest of the Gardens to learn nature skills, build a fort of your own, and craft something special to take home. Registration link can be found at powellgardens.org/calendar. Lunchtime Lecture: Lavender 101 (This Bud’s For You) Sat, Jun 18, 11:30a-1p; at Powell Gardens. $50 | 10% less for members, Conifer Room. Calling all lavender lovers! Immerse yourself in the wonderful world of lavender at Powell Gardens, in partnership with Shelti Farms. While many are familiar with the scent of lavender and its therapeutic qualities from essential oils, lavender is gaining wider recognition as a complex and delightful culinary herb as well. Explore various cultivars along with their particular uses, as well as tips for growing lavender successfully in our area. The class will discuss the many beneficial properties of the essential oil and taste samples of lavender used as a culinary herb. Registration link can be found at powellgardens.org/calendar. Pond Management Workshop Sat, Jun 25, 10-11:30a; at Powell Gardens. $10 | 10% less for members. Presented in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation, this workshop will help you better manage your pond and its watershed. Learn about fish management, aquatic plant identification (good ones and bad ones,) plant management and control, and how to avoid and control aquatic invasive species. Please bring nuisance aquatic plants from your pond for MDC staff to identify and recommend control options. Registration link can be found at powellgardens.org/calendar. Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour The 29th annual Greater KC Water Garden Society tour will continue with the successful multi-day format success of 5 Saturdays in July and August. The tour dates are July 9 and 23, and August 6, 20 and 27. Our “Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour” will highlight different locations around the entire metropolitan area. As we celebrate the art of nature, we will continue to host plein air artists during the day at each site and

will conclude with a local business-sponsored evening garden party. Plan to attend 50 plus water features this summer. Tickets for all 5 tours are $10 and are available at Eventbrite.com and June 1st in local garden centers. Children under 14 attend free. Cactus Show and Sale Sat, Jul 23, 9a-5p and Sun, Jul 24, 1-5p; at Botanica, 701 Amidon, Wichita, KS. Wichita has a great Botanical Garden and we have a large room in their events building. There is a snack bar. Admission is free for the show and sale. To visit the gardens, it is $10 for adults and $8 for seniors. Our grower supplying the succulents and cactus for the sale is Chaos on Coyote Trail out of Sand Springs, OK. Coyote Trail is on Facebook. They have a lot of succulents and cactus that are not found in local nurseries and stores. Our cactus club is an old club. Some of our members have been in the club for 30 some years. They have traveled and added many unusual succulents/ cactus to their collection. The club brings old mature plants to the show so people can see how big they can get. We also bring our unusual plants in. Garden Symposium Sat, Sep 17, 8:30a-4p; at the Riverfront Community Center, Leavenworth, KS. Leavenworth Co Master Gardeners will host a Garden Symposium “Live Life in Full Bloom.” The speakers are; Kelly Norris, Crystal Miles and Jonah Nelson. Tickets are $45 and will go on sale Jun 1-Aug 31. A box lunch is included. To purchase tickets contact leavenworthmastergardeners@yahoo.com or call the Leavenworth County Extension office at 913-364-5700. Or download a mail-in form at https:// www.leavenworth.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/master-gardeners/. For more information contact Mikey Stafford at 913-4263794 or Anne Reilly at 913-683-4646. Northwest Missouri Master Gardener’s Garden Symposium Sat, Sep 24, 8a-4p; at Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art, 2818 Frederick Ave, St Joseph, MO 64506. Speakers/Topics: Tim Moloney - The Art of Plunking; Lenora Larson - Be A Butterfly Bartender; The Artistic Garden; Carol Davit - Grow Missouri Natives. Registration opens May 1, 2022. $35.00 includes Breakfast pastries, Lunch, and snacks. Check in registration 8:00. Vendors 8:00 - 3:00. Welcome/Keynote 9:00. Seating is limited. Send $35.00 check payable to University of Missouri Extension, 4125 Mitchell Ave, St Joseph, MO 64507. Call Extension Office for questions 816-279-1691.

Promote plant sales, club meetings, classes, and other gardening events for FREE! Send details to: elizabeth@kcgmag.com. Deadline for publishing in the July issue is June 5.

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he Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens is going to be especially charming and enchanting on Saturday, June 11, as the fun of the annual Enchanted Faire returns to the gardens. Costumed characters, Mother Wind Puppet Theater with tales of magical happenings in the forest, and Inspire Dance Academy will entertain throughout the day. Children of all ages are invited to enjoy whimsical crafts, hair paintings, tattoos, and the thrill of spotting one of the Arboretum’s resident garden sprites who just might make an appearance. The Enchanted Gift Shop will have magic wands, ribboned halos, fairy wings, and more for sale. Everyone is encouraged to come in costume. Purchase tickets online at opabg.org. Tickets are $7 each plus the cost of admission to the Arboretum ($3/adults and $1/children 6-11). Children age 23 months or younger are free. Like all activities presented by Friends of the Arboretum, proceeds benefit programming and improvements at the Arboretum. To ensure a festive experience for all, attendance is limited. There are 3 sessions – 10:00 a.m. to Noon; 1:00-3:00 p.m.; and 4:00-6:00 p.m. Guests may enjoy the rest of the Arboretum before or after their session. The Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens is at 8909 W. 179th Street. Summer hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday through Tuesday; 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesdays; and 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays.

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www.enrightgardens.com The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

GARDEN CALENDAR June list of what to do in the garden.

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

• Harvest spring vegetables until the end of the season then remove. • Plant squash, cucumbers, sweet corn, green beans, and other summer vegetables. • Treat tomato leaf disease with a fungicide if needed. • Watch for development of squash bugs as they multiply rapidly. Control as needed. • Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds. • Harvest herbs to keep bushy and fresh with new growth. • Apply 1 inch of water per week if there is no rain. • Fertilize strawberries regularly to promote new growth. • Renovate June bearing strawberry beds. • Continue a regular fruit disease and insect control program. • Treat peach trees for borers. • Remove sucker growth from the base of trees and along branches. • Turn compost pile and keep moist to hasten breakdown.

FLOWERS

• Pinch chrysanthemum tips for development of bushier plants. • Remove (deadhead) spent flower blossoms to keep plants flowering.

• Remove flower stalks from peonies and irises. • Fertilize roses and trim spent blossoms. • Check plants for insects. • Remove dead foliage from spring bulbs after it dies naturally. • Water and fertilize container plantings regularly to encourage growth and flowering. • Maintain a 2-to-3-inch mulch layer to reduce moisture loss, control weeds and cool the soil. • Apply 1-inch of water per week if there is no rain.

LAWN

• Mow bluegrass and tall fescue 3 to 3½ inches to improve drought stress. • Avoid fertilizing tall fescue and bluegrass during summer. • Mow zoysia to a height of 1 to 2 inches all season. • Fertilize zoysia with high nitrogen fertilizer such as 27-3-3, one to two more times this summer. • Repair dead spots and bare areas in zoysia by sodding or plugging. • Core aerate zoysia to control thatch and improve water and nutrient uptake. • Spot treat for summer broadleaf weeds. • Fertilize naturally by letting grass clippings fall.

• Water the turf sparingly to increase drought tolerance during the heat of summer. • Begin grub treatments with preventive type insecticides. • Keep mower blade sharp for a clean cut.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• Check for bagworms and control. • Prune elongated new growth of pines and spruces to shape/control size. • Prune spring flowering shrubs. • Water newly planted trees and shrubs. • Check for spider mite damage by shaking a branch over white paper. Mites look like small dots. • Clip hedges to maintain shape. • Maintain mulch ring around young trees and shrubs. • Prune dead or damaged limbs to correct structure and maintain health.

HOUSEPLANTS

• Water and fertilize on a regular basis to promote summer growth. • Repot overgrown plants, shifting up to a 1 inch larger pot. • Rotate pots to provide sunlight on all sides producing a balanced plant. • Prune and shape plants.

MY GARDEN (Use this space to list additional tasks to accomplish in your garden.) • • •

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. 30

June 2022 | kcgmag.com

Plan for a Summer of Tours

he 29th annual Greater Kansas City Water Garden Society tour will continue with the successful multi-day format success of five separate Saturdays in proximity this July and August. Our “Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour” will highlight different locations around the entire metropolitan area. As we celebrate the art of nature, we will continue to host plein air artists during the day at each site and will conclude with a local business-sponsored evening garden party. Eventbrite is selling $10 tickets now, and tour books and tickets will be available at area garden centers June 1st. The Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour is a laid back, go-at-your-ownspeed kind of tour. Take your time to drink in the sights and sounds as you stroll around the different water features. Each water garden has a unique feel, sometimes dictated by the style and era of the home, lay of the land or homeowners dreams. You may see formal symmetry,

Zone—Jackson County North and west of 435, Independence, Blue Springs, and Raytown. • August 6, Kansas North Zone—Merriam, Shawnee, Prairie Village, Wyandotte County and Leavenworth County. • August 27, Missouri South Zone—Jackson County south and east of 435, Lee’s Summit, Lake Winnebago, Cass and Ray Counties.

a casual relaxed flavor, or a rustic and charming cottage flair. At each turn you will find a surprise, whether it be a garden train traveling over a rushing stream, chickens and ducks calling your name, or museum quality statuary and everything in between. Full-sun backyards with riotous, noisy colors of lilies and Lotus or dappled shade

Hotlines for Gardeners Extension Master Gardeners are ready to answer your gardening questions.

CASS COUNTY

816-380-8494; Wed, 9am-noon

DOUGLAS COUNTY

785-843-7058; dgcogardenhotline@gmail.com; Mon, Wed, Fri, 1-4pm

GREATER KANSAS CITY MISSOURI AREA

816-833-8733 (TREE); Mon-Fri, 9am-noon; mggkc.hotline@gmail.com

JOHNSON COUNTY, KS

913-715-7050; Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm; garden.help@jocogov.org

gardens with ferns, hostas, and mosses whispering their secrets can be found on all five Saturdays. • July 9, Kansas South— Leawood, Lenexa, Overland Park, Olathe and Louisburg. • July 23, Missouri North Zone—Clay and Platte Counties • August 20, Missouri Central

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For convenient mail delivery, complete the form below and send with your check for $25.00. You will receive a one-year subscription to The Kansas City Gardener.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY

Phone:

MIAMI COUNTY & LINN COUNTY

E-mail: Where did you pick up The Kansas City Gardener?

913-294-4306; Thurs, 8am-noon

WYANDOTTE COUNTY

913-299-9300; Mon, Wed, Fri, 9am-4pm

QUESTIONS ABOUT ROSES?

Ask a Rosarian; kcrosehelp@gmail.com; www.kansascityrosesociety.org

d the W ate Butterflies and Bee s Love These rlilies Spooky Plants

July

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Name: Address:

913-364-5700; Leave a message. A Master Gardener will contact you.

GAR G A RENEDREN E R N D E D R A G ER Beyon The K T ty K an sa Cihe s C it y a n s a s C Th e Ka ns as ity A M on

JOHNSON COUNTY, MO

660-747-3193; Wed, 9am-noon

Our Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour is our only fundraiser to build ponds for schools and other nonprofits. To date we have built and sustained over 60 water features. Plan to attend 50 plus water features this summer. Tickets for all five tours are $10. Tour one or all five for the same price. Children under 14 attend free. Purchase tickets Eventbrite by scanning the QR code, or visit kcwatergardens. com/tour.

City, State, Zip:

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.

The Kansas City Gardener | June 2022

‘Veronica’ Spike Speedwell

A popular and showy sunny perennial with tall spikes of blue, purple or white flowers in early summer.

Finishing Touches

Dipladenia

TROPICAL PLANTS Summer-Long color for your deck or patio! • Hibiscus Trees • Palms • Ferns • Mandevilla • & More!

Shrub Sale now through 6/19/22 FLOWERING & EVERGREEN SHRUBS

Unique Gifts

Statement Pieces

Colorful Containers

The finishing touch to bring color and elegance to your garden or deckIs it a colorful pot, a cooling fountain, an elegant statue? You’ll find hundreds of choices at Suburban. Your outdoors will look fabulous!

105th & Roe (913) 649-8700

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KCG Jun22

Articles inside

Upcoming Garden Events

Plants on Your Plate–Potatoes

SCENT-sational Garden

Indoor Gardening–Cloning 101

A Better Way to Weed

Ask the Experts

Gentle Giant Swallowtails

Kids Ask Dr. Bug

Bountiful Bougainvilleas

Daylily Dynamos

Hydrangea Care Calendar Pt 2

Rose Report

National Pollinator Week