KCG 09Sept19

The Kansas City

GARDENER A Monthly Guide to Successful Gardening

Panicle

September 2019

spectacular and irresistible

Hydrangeas

Fall Preparation for 2020’s Butterflies Rain Gardens at Kaw Point Park Rose Report – What’s Bugging Roses WANTED: Bed and Breakfast (for wintering birds, that is)

editor’s notes

The Kansas City

GARDENER A Monthly Guide to Successful Gardening

Independently owned and operated since 1996

Oh Summer, don’t go just yet

Publisher Michael Cavanaugh Editor Elizabeth Cavanaugh Contributors Nik and Theresa Hiremath Lenora Larson Dennis Patton Judy Penner Tamra Reall Ed Reese Chelsea Didde Rice Tom Schroeder Craig Thompson Scott Woodbury Distribution Publishers Delivery Solutions, Inc.

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P.O. Box 8725 Prairie Village, KS 66208 Phone: 913-648-4728 For advertising information contact Michael Cavanaugh at mike@kcgmag.com

W

ith autumn in sight, a sense of relief envelops me. Heat, humidity, and lack of rain causes stress in the garden, especially the newly planted perennials. Although the summer season has been milder than usual, and we’ve certainly benefitted from higher than average rainfall, I, like the garden, welcome cooler days.

There is a part of me that hates to see summer go. From outdoor outings to shindigs with the neighbors, summertime has always meant fun in the sun.

My most loved memory from this summer is the time our grandchildren spent with us. Nothing beats an afternoon at the park, going out to eat, and ice cream indulgences.

We attended the butterfly festival at Powell Gardens, too. The grands ages are 12, 11, and 4 years, and it was fascinating to watch each of them curious and engaging in the conservatory exhibit.

Why do these exotic butterflies eat smashed bananas, or how come they land in the moisture on the tile floor? Add in the display of chrysa-

Submit editorial questions to Elizabeth Cavanaugh at elizabeth@kcgmag.com

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lis—the kids were captivated by butterfly behavior and beauty.

We explored the Gardens further, searching for the LEGO® brick sculptures of artist, Sean Kenney.

We found the pair of gardeners and wheelbarrow, a six-foot-tall hummingbird, and a proud peacock that made us laugh. We were lucky to find them all, as this was the last day of the exhibit.

Of course, there is nothing quite like the spontaneity of a four-yearold encountering water on a hot summer day. We joyfully made time for playing in the Fountain Garden, a 42-foot diameter interactive water feature with spray heads adding to the impromptu fun. There were lots of other laughing children soaking in the fun making the adventure bigger than life!

Those summer days spent together mark what we all hope

will be the first of annual occurrences.

No doubt we’ll keep the Gardens on the list of possible activities.

It makes my heart sing to know my grands want to spend time with us. I’ll take all of that I can get!

Summer isn’t really over until Mr. Gardener and I make our annual trip to the beautiful beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, our paradise! This is our time to reconnect and renew.

The slower pace with no schedule releases the spirit to revival mode. Long walks on the beach, hours devoted to relaxing (in and out of the sun), and bobbing in the healing gulf waters.

If for some reason you don’t see an October issue, you’ll know we decided to stay.

I’ll see you in the garden!

In this issue September 2019 • Vol. 24 No. 9 Kids Ask Dr. Bug ..................... 4 Ask the Experts ........................ 6 Blue Jay, Jay! Jay! ................... 8 Fall Prep for 2020 Butterflies .... 10 Rose Report ............................ 11 Panicle Hydrangeas ................. 12 Pollinators Match Game ........... 14

about the cover ...

Little Quick Fire Hydrangea makes quite a statement in the garden. Learn more about these panicle hydrangeas starting on page 12. (Photo courtesy of Monrovia.)

September 2019 | kcgmag.com

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Gardens Kaw Point Park .......... 15 Gifts from the River .................. 16 Upcoming Events ..................... 18 Garden Calendar .................... 22 Bird Facts ................................ 23 Hotlines .................................. 23 Subscribe ................................ 23

14

FALL IS THE TIME FOR PLANTING. Clean the air. Conserve energy. Provide habitats.

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The Kansas City Gardener | September 2019

3

Kids Ask Dr. Bug How do insects make their home?

Zaari, 6 Insects are very creative when it comes to finding shelter. Some insects don’t need a place to return to each night and just live on the go. Others create a protected place to live, such as in a rolled leaf or between the top and bottom of a leaf. Some insects lay eggs in a protected place the babies will grow up—in a plant stem, in a leaf gall, or even inside other insects or spiders. Most insects live all by themselves. Some insects live in colonies. These are called social insects. For example, a bumble bee queen finds an unused mouse hole, creates wax containers for eggs, and as the new bees grow up, they start taking care of the newer bees and their home. Did you know that insects have to do household

chores? Jobs include taking out the trash and keeping their room tidy.

Sound familiar?

doctor check-ups, your pets need these things to be protected against pests so they stay healthy, too.

What insects affect pets? James, 8 “Affect” means to have an effect on and this can be positive or negative. I’ve seen puppies playfully chase butterflies and lizards hungrily watch a cricket wander across a cage. Sometimes, it’s an insect that is the pet—I used to have a pet praying mantis. While most insects do not harm our pets, there are some instances where insects, or other arthropods, cause discomfort or diseases. Fleas, lice, mosquitoes, and ticks are some critters that can be risky to our furry, feathery, and scaly friends. Healthy animals are better able to deal with pests. Just as it’s important for you to eat nutritious food, exercise, and have

These bugs are biting each other’s necks. What’s going on? (See picture) Tahi, 5 It’s the season for these wasps to find a mate. Sometimes males don’t realize that another male has already made contact with a female and he will latch on to where he knows the head should be. It just so happens that, in this case, two other males had the same idea as the first male and they each latched on to each other.

Top 10 Reasons to Topdress* with STA-Certified Compost this Fall 1. Supplies beneficial microorganisms 2. Encourages a healthy, more disease resistant lawn 3. Increases nutrients in your soil 4. Improves soil structure 5. Helps grow deep and strong roots 6. Reduces compaction in heavy clay soils 7. Aids in building a strong over-winter foundation 8. Improves water retention and drought resistance 9. Increases pore space for better water movement 10. Gives your neighbors LAWN ENVY

I heard that some bugs dance. I can do the robot. Do they dance like that?

Acelyn, 6 I would love to see your dance moves! Some arthropods, including insects and spiders, do indeed dance, but not necessarily for the same reasons you do. Honey bees dance to tell their sisters where to find the best food. Some male flies flick their wings and tap their feet to get the attention of female flies. Peacock spiders have elaborate dances to attract a mate—lifting their

Photo by Kelly McGowen.

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

Two wasps have latched on to each other. abdomen and fanning their legs.

Scan the QR code or go to this website (https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=mq-r20mlGes) to watch a video with more information.

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

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September 2019 | kcgmag.com

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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 | September 2019

5

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

WHAT ARE INERT INGREDIENTS Question: So just what are the inert ingredients on a pesticide label such as Insecticidal Soap?

Answer: Inert ingredients in a pesticide can be several things from being a carrier to helping the product be more effective or stable on the shelf. The active ingredient is the compound that provides the control. Water is probably the primary inert material as it would be a carrier. Ingredients are added as a preservative or to keep the product in solution from breaking down while in storage. Other inert additives are often used to improve effectiveness or mode of action. These additions help the active ingredient adhere to the leaf, improve coverage or not breakdown as quickly improving effectiveness. This information is usu-

ally proprietary as these ingredients help ensure the product has maximum effectiveness. Most products have a low percentage of active ingredients compared to the inert materials in the solution. Hope this helps.

WHERE ARE THE BLOOMS Question: My oakleaf hydrangea did not bloom this spring. What might have caused this to happen?

Answer: Oakleaf hydrangeas are usually very dependable bloomers. My first hunch is illtimed pruning. Oakleaf species bloom on old wood so pruning should be done after full bloom in the spring. Pruning in the fall or into early spring will remove the blooms. This a common mistake as several other hydrangea species bloom on new wood, such as the

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September 2019 | kcgmag.com

Annabelle and panicle types. These are pruned in early spring. Heavy shade also reduces flowering. Let’s hope it was a fluke and you will be blessed with beautiful blooms next spring. This summer should help set the plant up for excellent blooming as it has been relatively stress-free so far.

PROHIBITED PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE Question: I am very confused about the plant Lythrum or purple loosestrife. Can I grow it in my garden?

Answer: Lythrum salicaria was, at one time, a popular perennial gracing many gardens in our area.

However, because of its invasive tendencies, it should not be grown in the garden by plant protection laws in both Kansas and Missouri.

I am most familiar with Kansas laws. The Kansas Department of Agriculture states “the movement

of Purple Loosestrife into the State of Kansas” or “the movement of Purple Loosestrife within the State of Kansas” by any person is prohibited. So technically it is illegal to sell or plant it in Kansas. This quarantine came into effect in 2003 calling Lythrum a “plant pest” with innate tendencies for invasiveness.

The wording of the quarantine suggests any Purple Loosestrife planted before 2003 in Kansas is legal.

Missouri has listed Lythrum as a noxious weed, and therefore it is illegal to grow or sell in the state.

But interestingly enough, I saw this plant for sale on the Missouri side of the state line and even saw it used in a landscape planting on the Kansas side this spring. You might ask why the concern. It has a tendency to reseed and establish in boggy areas, choking out native plants. There are varieties on the market indicating they are

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sterile and do not produce seed.

The issue becomes if they crosspollinate with another variety, then viable seed can be produced. This same phenomenon occurred with the ornamental pears, and now they are everywhere.

ARE WEEDS FEWER IN RAISED BEDS Question: I have heard raised vegetable beds have fewer weed issues than a traditional garden area. Is that true?

Answer: Raised beds can have less weeds for a few reasons. First, plants are spaced closer together, so there is less open or bare soil. The plants shade out the weeds. Second, raised beds are smaller plots and easier to weed. It does not seem like a daunting task. Third, the soil mix of topsoil and organic matter may have fewer seeds. However, I tend to think the first two reasons are primary reasons there are fewer weeds. I have seen raised beds that are a weed patch without care. The bottom line is either vegetable bed can be a weedy mess if you do not stay on top of weeding. Oh, only if we could garden without weeds.

ASTERS YELLOW IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL Question: I love coneflowers and have grown them for many years. Recently some of my plants have looked sick with the cause identified as asters yellow. Can I still grow coneflowers in my garden because of this problem?

Answer: Echinacea, or coneflower, is a popular plant for the perennial garden. Asters yellow is caused by an organism called a

phytoplasma. The disease is common on weeds such as goldenrod and beggar-ticks (Bidens sp.). It is also damaging to perennial flowers such as coneflower, black-eyed Susan, marigold, perennial statice, gladiolus and many others. It has the potential to infect vegetable crops as well.

Asters yellow is transmitted from plant to plant primarily by the aster leafhopper. Symptoms of asters yellow may be variable depending on the host plant, the strain of the phytoplasma, etc.

Initial symptoms may include vein clearing or yellowing progressing to an overall yellowing of the leaf.

Infection early in the season causes stunted, shortened internodes, and dwarfed, deformed or lopsided flower heads. The most diagnostic feature is adventitious shoot proliferation, which appears as a mass of leaves with a bushy, witch’s broom effect. This may also occur in place of normal flower production. Because the phytoplasma is a systemic pathogen, plants will remain infected.

Once a plant has the disease, it must be destroyed. I have good news and bad news. Good news is the pathogen is not in the soil and you can replant. The bad news is additional plantings can become infected as it is difficult to control the aphid that carries the yellows.

Pond Management Workshop Saturday, September 14 9 a.m.-noon $10 per person Powell Gardens Members are Free (Registration Required)

Pond Management Workshop Instructors: Missouri Department of Conservation and Powell Gardens staff Do you have a pond on your property? If so, you need to attend this in-depth workshop, presented in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation, that 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.

You will gather information and resources for managing, and maintaining pond plants and fish. Please bring nuisance aquatic plants from your pond for MDC staff to identify and recommend control options.

Please register in advance to reserve your space by September 9.

Go to powellgardens.org and click on Events.

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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Right now birds are hiding food to retrieve and eat at a later time. This behavior is called “caching” and it helps birds survive during bad weather and when food sources are low. You can help by keeping your feeders filled with a reliable source of food!

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The Kansas City Gardener | September 2019

7

Blue Jay, Jay! Jay! Local birding expert, THERESA HIREMATH talks about the habits and unmistakable vocals of the Blue Jay.

T

he Blue Jay is one of the most-easily recognized birds at your backyard birdfeeding station. They display a distinctive crest, and their blue, black and white feathers are strikingly vivid, especially on the wings and tail, and their belly is soft white. Both male and female Blue Jays display the same beautiful plumage as one another, and their plumage does not change after molting, making it even easier to identify them in your yard consistently throughout the year.

Because of their dominance over many of our favorite backyard feeding birds, including Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, American Goldfinches, House Finches, Northern Cardinals, and our winter friend, the Junco, along with

their loud and raucous calls, they have a reputation as a bit of a bully. But did you know that Blue Jays are dominated themselves by Red-Billied Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, and Starlings? Many smaller birds are alarmed and flee when larger birds approach feeders, but if you watch for a bit, you’ll see that they will return to the feeder even when the Blue Jay is still there dining.

Blue Jays vocalize frequently and loudly, and when in a group, can give the appearance of a loud and raucous mob, especially if they perceive a predator. Some of their calls are accompanied by a bobbing up and down motion, that I find quite endearing. The most typical call is that of “Jay! Jay!” but one of the most interesting calls of the Blue Jay is the one that mimics a

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hawk. I always know a Blue Jay is about to visit my feeders when I hear that hawk cry in my backyard!

Some believe that the Blue Jay’s hawk mimic is used to scare other visitors away from feeders.

Blue Jay vocalizations include loud, nonmusical ‘jeer’ calls that are many times associated with mobbing and/or made when a predator is near. Other Blue Jays will join in with the jeer call to harass the predator, and they will even sometimes mob the predator to drive them away. Smaller birds will dash for cover when they hear the warning jeer call, while the Blue Jays drive the predator away. Other common calls are the pumphandle call, which is a clear, musical whistle; intrapair contact calls, that are low clucking or chukking sounds that change into a whinny as excitement increases: and rattle calls, which are rapid, dry, raspy clicks. The Blue Jay’s repertoire also includes many other sounds

that can be part of the above vocalization groups, including clicks, chortles, mews, whirrs, whistles, twitters, buzzes, and more.

When extremely relaxed, Blue Jays sing a whisper song, which is soft and quiet, and females make a ‘peep call’ around egg-laying time. Makes my heart melt! If you’d like to listen to a sampling of the variety of Blue Jay calls, download the Merlin Bird ID app, and search Blue Jays under the ‘Explore Birds’ option.

Amazingly, Blue Jays (as well as other birds) can make two different sounds at the same time because of the structure of their voicebox which is called a syrinx.

It is shaped like a ‘y’ and they can control airflow through both sides to make two different sounds at one time. Isn’t that cool?

Although Blue Jays can be aggressive toward some of the smaller birds, they are remarkably tolerant of each other. The position

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Backyard Bird Center, 6212 NW Barry Road, KC MO 64154, Platte Land Trust Native Plant Sale, Saturday, September 14, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Missouri State Fairgrounds, 2503 W. 16th Street, Sedalia MO 65301, Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale, Saturday, September 14, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

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September 2019 | kcgmag.com

of the Blue Jay’s crest is an indicator of their aggression level—a lowered crest indicates a peaceful disposition, and a raised crest shows an aggressive attitude. They hang out together in pairs, family groups after fledging, or in small flocks. They don’t defend their territory against other Blue Jays, and territories frequently overlap to a great extent.

Migration of Blue Jays does occur, but some remain in all parts of their range. Since they remain in our area year-round and tolerate the presence of other Blue Jays, they are quite commonly seen.

Being a larger bird, Blue Jays prefer to feed from a tray, but I have also observed my Blue Jays eating from my suet feeder and clinging to my peanut feeder. Their favorite food in nature is acorns, and at my feeders they love peanuts, both in and out of the shell, and sunflower seeds.

Blue Jays are amazing cachers!

They can carry away multiple nuts and seeds in their throat pouch and bill during each caching trip, and using this technique, a single Blue Jay can cache thousands of nuts and seeds in a single season!

Another positive quality of Blue Jays is that they are loyal parents.

Mated pairs of Blue Jays remain together several years, with the pair breaking up typically only due to the death of one of the pair. Blue Jays build open cup nests with mom doing most of the construction and dad providing most of the materials. The male feeds the female during incubation and during the first days of the nestling period. Once the babies fledge, the whole family feeds together as a group until the babies are on their own.

Predators of adult Blue Jays include hawks and owls. Blue Jays will mob these predators, as well as snakes, raccoons, and domestic cats. They will also chase squirrels and people away from active nests.

If you want to learn more about Blue Jays or any other birds, I recommend the Cornell Lab of Ornithology websites, or feel free to visit us at the store – we love to talk about birds!

Nik and Theresa Hiremath own and operate Wild Birds Unlimited of Leawood at 11711 Roe Avenue, Leawood, Kansas. Contact them at 913-491-4887.

Powell Gardens Family Frolic Hedge Apple Days Saturday, September 28, noon-4 p.m.

Festival Admission and $5 Parking Fee Apply (Members are FREE) In partnership with Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Hedge Apple Days will feature seed-themed scavenger hunts, nature games such as hedge apple bowling, and the iconic Hedge Apple Goblin art activity. Search for, collect, and play with the unique seeds and seed pods from Missouri’s native plants. Fun familyfriendly activities will be held at both gardens on different weekends, so pick the weekend that fits your schedule or visit both to have twice the fun. Bring the family to Hedge Apple Days at Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens on September 21st and Powell Gardens on September 28th.

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The Kansas City Missouri Parks Department in partnership with the Kansas City Rose Society presents a free Rose Demonstration on October 5th, 2019 from 10 AM to Noon at the Loose Park Rose Garden. Judy Penner, Director of the park, will present “Prepare Your Roses For Winter. There will be a drawing & refreshments.

The Kansas City Gardener | September 2019

9

Fall Preparation for 2020’s Butterflies

T

he garden will soon be at rest, but there is no rest for the dedicated butterfly gardener.

Start thinking: “What can I do to help next year’s butterflies?” You will have plenty of time to assess, study and plan since fall clean-up is MINIMAL. Remember, when you remove debris, you risk also removing over-wintering butterflies and other pollinators.

Following Mother Nature’s Lead When does Mother Nature mulch? That would be in the fall.

Adding, NOT removing, should be your main outdoor focus after the hard freeze. If Mother Nature has not mulched sufficiently, add more organic matter, including leaves, small twigs and branches, rotten hay or silage, grass clippings, etc.

This mulch will shelter slumber-

ing perennials, protect overwintering butterflies, prevent soil heaving and break down into nourishing compost.

If you remove the leaves and other plant debris, you are removing nutrients from your garden.

How does Mother Nature fertilize? Certainly not with bags of chemicals. She composts all of the dead plant material to feed the soil microbes and THEY feed your plants. If the leaves are in deep bunched mats, you can hand-crush in place to reduce their volume and promote more efficient microbial action.

Your Lawn Mother Nature does not have a lawn and uses herbivore grazing and fires to keep her prairies tidy.

Since buffalo and fires are not wel-

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10

September 2019 | kcgmag.com

Photo by Lenora Larson.

LENORA LARSON talks about what you can do to help next year’s butterflies.

A butterfly gardening book such as this one published by Xerces Society provides useful information.

Beware of over-zealous fall clean-up of “twigs” like this, a host for overwintering Giant Swallowtail in its chrysalis.

come in your neighborhood, you’ll need to deal with the accumulating leaves or they will mat down and kill your grass. Unless you love raking, use your lawnmower to grind up the leaves. You can leave the finely shredded leaves on your lawn to improve your soil, or add them to your garden beds to feed your plants.

guides tell you which host plants serve each species of butterfly, but the location dictates which plant you choose. “Right Plant, Right Place” is as true for butterfly gardening as it is for general horticulture. The NABA (North American Butterfly Association) website or Alan Branhagen’s new book, Native Plants of the Midwest (500 garden-worthy native plants), are among the many resources that can help you match the host plant to your conditions and desired butterflies.

In the Vegetable Garden Does this advice to leave all debris over winter apply to your vegetable garden? NO! Your ornamental landscape is a diverse collection of perennials and attracts a diverse community of beneficial insects. In contrast, your vegetable garden is a series of mono-cultures that attract specific insect pests.

Do you want to protect squash bugs and asparagus beetles? Of course not, so you should remove all plant debris that would shelter them through the winter. Do not compost this infested material.

Burning is best if allowed or pack it off in the trash.

Adding More Host Plants Remove sick, non-performing and ugly plants now because you have fresh memories of their shortcomings. Next spring, you’ll be full of hope, tender mercies and second chances. Use the empty spot for another butterfly host plant. But which plant? Butterfly

Next Year Will Be Better!

Take a good look. Without the distraction of blooms and foliage, is the yard still pleasing? Were the flowers a hit with the pollinators?

Does it meet your needs and, just as importantly, the needs of butterflies and pollinators? Think of “Plants with Purpose” to make it better. Armed with butterfly field guides, nursery catalogs, paper and pencil, the butterfly gardener remains busy through the long fall and winter.

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

Rose Report JUDY PENNER offers solutions for what’s bugging your roses.

T

his is the question that buzzes in the ears of all rose gardeners during the growing season. Unfortunately, roses are a delicacy for a multitude of insects and we, as gardeners have to figure out how to make the rose buffet, less appealing through gardening practices and chemical control.

Although rose pests are formidable adversaries, the most important task of a gardener, is daily inspection of your roses to identify the pests present and create a plan to get rid of them. You will be surprised how quickly an invasion of bugs can happen. So remain vigilant.

The pest for 2019 was Rose Midge. The pesky Rose Midge has several generations in a single year. Each generation lasting about two weeks. We treated the soil with Merit grub control monthly but this had limited effect. The midge’s destruction of the rose blooms and new growth continued, even though the main body of the plant still appeared to be healthy.

The female rose midge is quite prolific in laying her eggs in the sepals of the flower buds. The resulting larvae began a feeding frenzy, evi-

denced by new growth and buds turning brown.

I used Tempo (Beta-Cyflutherin) and in one application, the roses began growing and blooming once more. Hooray!

An additional preventative practice, would be to cut off the tips of all growth and rosebuds that appear to have damage and dispose of them in a trash bag (don’t compost the buds).

This will help reduce the midge population.

At the end of the fall season, remove the mulch and leaves from all the beds. This will help eliminate a good many of the pupae, still living in the top few inches of mulch. A good head start for the next growing season.

Moral of the story: Pay attention to what is eating your roses, study the insect’s life cycle, then prepare to attack it with a combination of chemical as well as non-chemical solutions. It works for me. It might work for you. Remember to Stop and Smell the Roses!

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11

Panicle

spectacular and irresistible

Hydrangeas Touting panicle hydrangeas as easygoing, sure-fire performers, CHELSEA DIDDE RICE shares her tips for success.

W

Winning Characteristics Unlike a few other species you may be familiar with like bigleaf, mountain or oakleaf hydrangeas, Hydrangea paniculata, or panicle hydrangeas, produce flower buds on new growth that’s formed in the spring, not on the tough, woody stems grown during the previous gardening season. This spring growth means that it’s almost impossible for a late spring freeze to destroy the buds and prevent flowering, which is great for our unpredictable midwestern weather.

Another positive aspect of how the flower buds form is that pruning couldn’t be simpler! While the plants will flower and grow without any trimming, experts recommend pruning the plant down by one third of its total height in late winter. This pruning results in a plant that’s strong, full and more balanced in shape. It’s a perfect job for a sunny, warmer-than-average February day when gardeners are itching for something to do outside.

Speaking of sunny days, some people believe that all hydrangeas prefer shady areas. After speaking to industry experts and reading books and articles by horticul12

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners.

ith full, fluffy flower clusters in a rainbow of hues and fresh green foliage covering the plant, it’s hard not to love hydrangeas. Of the 70-75 species of hydrangeas, a few are known for being especially stalwart and sure-fire performers in the garden year after year. One of these dependable species is the panicle hydrangea.

Limelight turists, I’ve learned that although panicle hydrangeas (and many other plants, for that matter) may tolerate shade, they don’t prefer too much of it. The ideal site for most hydrangeas is one that gets direct or indirect morning sun and is protected from the sweltering afternoon rays. However, this isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, as I have one panicle hydrangea that gets sun

September 2019 | kcgmag.com

from noon to sunset and loves it.

To be safe, research the individual variety’s light preference or speak to an associate at your local garden center.

Their adaptability when it comes to sun isn’t the only aspect in which panicle hydrangeas are easygoing. They’re also fairly flexible when it comes to environmental conditions like soil, growing

zone and water requirements (once established). Remember to always mulch your hydrangeas for added moisture retention and apply some slow release fertilizer in the spring.

Popular Varieties Limelight One of the bestselling varieties of panicle hydrangea is called Limelight. Winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, it’s a large shrub, growing six to eight feet tall and wide when mature. In mid-summer, Limelight begins to grow its massive, cone-shaped flower heads.

The blooms start out chartreuse green and after the flowers reach their mature size, they stay on the plant and transition to a pale white, then gently age to light pink when fall’s cool weather arrives. Because the tough yet delicate blooms stay on the plant for so long, they’re also a great option for cut flower arrangements or dried crafts.

If Limelight is too large for an area but you adore its color and shape, check out its younger sibling, Little Lime, which grows three to five feet tall and wide, and is ideal for placing in smaller landscapes or creating short hedges.

Fire Light A recent addition to my garden is another panicle variety called Fire Light. Growing six to eight feet tall and wide, this plant looks absolutely stunning in the midsummer through late fall garden.

The blooms, atop strong stems, start out as a creamy white and

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

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners.

Little Quick Fire In the same way that Little Lime is a smaller version of Limelight, Little Quick Fire is the smaller sibling of a variety called Quick Fire. Little Quick Fire is a feisty dwarf hydrangea that is a favorite of many gardeners because it’s early blooming, flowering about a month before most other hydrangeas. Like all of the varieties I’ve mentioned, it has flowers that start

out white and transform to a pinkish red near the middle to end of summer. I won’t pretend to know how plant breeders develop varieties like Little Quick Fire, but this is one situation where science and nature were united to create a masterpiece.

Gardeners love panicle hydrangeas for many reasons. It may be their chameleon-like color-changing blooms that inspire you, or the fact that pruning is a breeze. No matter the reason, they’ll always have a place in my garden and I think they should in yours, too.

Fire Light Photo courtesy of Proven Winners.

age to a speckled light pink before progressing to a brilliant ruby red color by early fall. The dramatic color shift is a sight to behold!

One other notable benefit is that no matter what time of the season you cut them, Fire Light blooms make quite a statement in a cut flower arrangement.

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners.

Little Quick Fire

Fire Light

Little Lime The Kansas City Gardener | September 2019

13

The Pollinator Match Game TOM SCHROEDER, Master Naturalist, teaches about bees, their important work, and inviting them to your garden.

Photos by Tom Schroeder.

I

love garden grown tomatoes.

Big, round, juicy fruits just right for slicing on a sandwich. But no matter how robust my plants grow, they will not form fruit unless the flowers are pollinated.

Bees do the pollination work. By increasing their population, you can increase the production of your garden.

Tomato flowers, because of their structure, can only be pollinated by a bee that performs buzz-pollination. Only bumblebees and certain native sweat bees can do that. They are able to vibrate their flight muscles to dislodge the pollen from the flower.

Honey bees do not possess that talent. If you want a bountiful crop of tomatoes, you need a bountiful population of these buzz-pollinating bees.

Eastern Bumblebee

Polyester Bee

Spring Sweat Bee

I eagerly eat the delicious fruit from the spring blooming apple, peach, pear, and cherry trees. The types of spring native bees pollinating these flowers are different from the summer ones visiting my tomatoes. The spring emerging Mining, Polyester, and Mason Bees visit my fruit trees.

Different types of native bees emerge at different times in the growing season. They only live for 6 to 8 weeks in their adult, flying form. The rest of the year they live in their nest chambers developing in the larval and pupae form waiting for their time to emerge as adults.

I grow large patches of Raspberry and Blackberry bushes and fill my freezer with their tasty fruit. Their summer flowers are pollinated by some of the small summer native bees like Sweet Bee species, Leaf Cutter Bees, and Small Carpenter Bees.

These little grain-of-rice sized bees cannot fly very far because they have little wings. They live their entire lives within a 150 foot circle. They must find a ground or cavity nesting site and enough flowers to provision their nest within their 100 to 200 foot flight distance.

Native bee expert, Mike Arduser, recommends planting a variety of native plants that bloom from April to November close by the garden. The native plants will supplement the vegetable and fruit flowers.

One scientific study showed that a native Leaf Cutter bee has to visit over one thousand flowers to get enough pollen to provision just one bee egg. So, to have a good population of little bees, you need to provide an abundance of flowers.

Arduser also recommends leaving some patches of ground bare

for ground nesting bees and leaving some plant stalks standing for cavity nesting bees. You could also hang a commercially available “bee house” at the edge of the garden for the cavity nesting bees.

One last recommendation is to limit your use of pesticides. The chemicals you use to kill the bad bugs can also kill the good bugs.

Arduser has created, for the Grow Native! Program, a list of native bees that visit the common garden vegetable and fruit plants.

It also describes native plants that support the bees that help fruits and vegetables thrive. It can be found at the www.grownative.org website or at https://drive.google.com/ file/d/1jwISZ-4x83cFS_-IOECXCV_SEn16mh1z/view.

Planting native plants near the garden, leaving ground bare for nesting, leaving the previous year’s plant stalks standing, and limiting pesticide use, all benefit the population of native bees. By following the basic principles of caring for the native bees that visit your garden, you can increase your production of big, juicy tomatoes and tasty fruit.

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Tom Schroeder is a Missouri Master Naturalist and a volunteer for Kansas City Wildlands. Kansas City Wildlands is an organization focused on restoring and managing the remnants of original landscape in the Kansas City Metro area.

Visit their website at https://www. bridgingthegap.org/kansas-citywildlands/.

Rain Gardens at Kaw Point Park looking for interested club members

By Craig Thompson Photos by Craig Thompson.

K

aw Point Park, located in Kansas City, Kansas at the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers, has five rain gardens planted with native wildflowers and grasses. The project was developed by Friends of Kaw Point Park, Inc., and completed in 2017 with help from volunteers, donations, and grants, and support from Wyandotte County Parks and Recreation. The goal of the project was to create these rain gardens on a steep 25% slope to retain rain water and to prevent soil erosion.

Additionally, rock and gravel was used to stabilize the steep hillside and a flagstone rock stairway was laid down between the gardens.

The design for the rain gardens came from Mike Calwell and Dean Zagortz. Mike, who recently passed away, has been instrumental in completing several projects at the park including building a boat ramp and an amphitheater.

Laura Calwell, his wife, applied for a storm water grant through Wyandotte County to fund the project. John Scafe along with several volunteers created the gardens with a donated Track hoe and excavator from West Star Energies.

The gardens have come a long way since they were planted in 2017. Native wild flowers and

Sunflowers with a spectacular view

Coneflower and coreopsis

Coneflowers border the boardwalk

grasses were purchased from the native plant sale at the Missouri Department of Conservation “Go Native” event at Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center. Many of the wildflowers were purchased and planted to attract pollinators. Prairie blazing star, Butterfly milkweed, Aromatic aster, New England aster, Purple coneflower, Wild bergamot, Black-eyed Susans, Lanceleaf coreopsis, Prairie coreopsis and native sunflowers are some of the species planted in the gardens.

Also native grasses like Little bluestem, Indian grass, Prairie dropseed and Switchgrass line the perimeter of the garden area.

Personally, I find gardening at Kaw Point Park very enjoyable and interesting. Right now, birds, like the American Goldfinch, are

enjoying the seeds of Purple coneflower. Many butterfly species are making sure the flowers are being pollinated. I believe the views from the gardens of downtown Kansas City, Mo., and of the Kaw and Missouri Rivers is spectacular. It is one of the best kept secrets in the Kansas City metropolitan area. There is always some activity going on while gardening. Whether

it’s watching boaters, bicyclists or people simply taking in the view, it makes working in the gardens a whole lot of fun.

To keep the gardens flourishing, I would like to form a garden club. The club would meet once a month to take care of the gardens.

If interested in joining the club, please contact me at my email address: cthompsun@gmail.com.

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The Kansas City Gardener | September 2019

15

Gifts from the River to the Garden

O

ur family and friends visit gravel bars in Missouri.

The kind that serves sunburns and skipping stones. This is one of our traditions. Our 12-yearold heads for the water, no matter the season, in search of muscles and crayfish. He also picks up, or attempts to pick up, every treasure that gets lodged in sand and gravel, including tires, a Coleman’s folding chair, an old Bardenheier’s wine bottle cap, odd chunks of metal, and a whole truck! My wife keeps an eye to the horizon looking for eagles and hawks. I keep my head down, in search of native plants to consider for gardening.

Along rivers is where I have learned about some of my favorite native annuals for the garden.

16

Annuals survive well on gravel bars because deep deposits of sand and gravel brought in by floodwaters snuff out most woodies and perennials. Annual wild gourd (Cucurbita pepo var. ozarkana) is one of them.

This relative of cucumbers and squashes is a rambling vine producing fruits that look like turkey eggs. When fully dried, they can be turned into rattles when shaken vigorously. Its vigorous growth is in scale on big gravel bars where it can spread out, but grows out of control like a volunteer watermelon in gardens. It is best grown on a tall trellis or long arbor or where its ten-foot vines can stretch out.

Its flowers are edible dipped in a yeast batter, fried in olive oil

September 2019 | kcgmag.com

Photos by Scott Woodbury.

Native plant guru, SCOTT WOODBURY describes discovering native annuals along local rivers.

Red Whiskers

Wild gourd

and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

They are delicious for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Red whiskers (Polanisia dodecandra), another annual, blooms through summer and attracts clearwing hummingbird moths on the gravel bar and in the garden. It is perfect for gardens because it is small and it attracts a profusion of pollinators. You might recognize its close relative, the taller South American species called spider flower, sometimes called grandfather’s whiskers.

Blue curls (Trichostema dichotomum), a lesser-known annual, has delicate, pale-blue flowers on tidy clumps that fit into small spaces like planters and patio’s.

Plants that grow naturally in gravel and sand tolerate extreme drought and are good choices for well-drained garden areas on or near boulders, gravel, flagstone patios, rock walls, containers, and green rooftops. They also have a unique ability to tolerate flooding, so they also work well in rain gardens.

In more stable gravel bars with less dramatic shifting sand and gravel, perennials like shining bluestar (Amsonia illustris), calamint (Clinapodium arkansanum), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) thrive.

Shining bluestar is a diehard plant that grows in any sunny garden. It tolerates clay soil and has

Switchgrass and sweet coneflower

make a refreshing tea. The flowers resemble baby’s breath: they are delicate, lacey and white. I like using it in containers and flagstone walkways where it gets brushed when you walk by.

Switchgrass grows 3-4 ft. tall and is versatile. It tolerates full sun, part shade, clay soil, sandy soil, winter salt, drought, and floods. It is highly variable in color, height, form, and texture with at least two dozen cultivars used in agriculture for pasture, erosion control, biofuel, and dozens of others used in gardening. At the Whitmire Wildflower Garden, we feature switchgrass grown from seeds from plants that grows wild at

Shaw Nature Reserve. It is smaller in stature than some other ecotypes, topping out at 3 feet. It has sturdy stems with an attractive rounded inflorescence with green summer foliage turning lemon-yellow in fall.

With property along the Meramec River, Shaw Nature Reserve has one of the most picturesque and accessible gravel bars in eastern Missouri. I am in awe of the stunning beauty and functionality of gravel bar plants. But these gravel bar gifts come at a cost. They, and their watersheds, need to be watched over, protected, and restored by land and business owners, river experts, government agencies and members of organizations like Shaw Nature Reserve who work tirelessly to speak for the river. Without unique habitats like these, there would be fewer awesome native plants to grow in gardens. Let’s all do our part and support organizations that are hard at work protecting land. I guarantee that it will make a difference for our planet and our gardens. Happy gardening ya’ll!

Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for 28 years. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program. Find suppliers of native plants and native plant services at www.grownative.org, Resource Guide.

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New this year is a Native American Showcase PowWow. Men and women dancers will compete in full, colorful regalia on Saturday, with finals on Sunday at 1 p.m. The whole family will enjoy live music and living history demonstrations, such as a blacksmith, outdoor cooking over a wood fire, a cider press, log sawing, the Missouri Town Dancers, and demonstrations of old-style rifle firing. For the children, there are supervised games and activities of the 1800’s, pony rides, wagon rides, and Boy Scout rope climbing. For purchase, find a wide range of products from local artisans and lots to eat from KC food trucks and tents. The Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners will have gardening tips and display the historical gardens they plant and maintain at the Mission.

This festival makes enduring memories for everyone, including children who came with their parents years ago, and who now bring their own children to learn about local history and, most important, have a very good time. All events at the Mission, 3403 West 53rd St., Fairway, KS. Information: www.simfoundation.org or 913-262-0867.

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clean, dark green and shiny leaves that grow on four-foot tall plants.

I like to trim them into regular shapes or hedges when it’s done blooming in spring. This reduces its size, prevents it from flopping and gives it a shape that contrasts with loosely arranged native plants.

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Greater Kansas City

Dahlia Society Show September 21, 8-4pm September 22, 10-3pm

Suburban Lawn & Garden // Martin City Contact Bernard Lohkamp at 816-763-7526 for any questions.

Upcoming Garden Events places to go, things to do, people to see Club Meetings African Violets of GKC Tues, Sep 10, 6-8pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Membership. Presenter: Steve Scheuerman, “Judging and how you can prepare your entries for judging.”

Visitors welcome. 816-513-8590 Bonsai Society of GKC Sat, Sep 7, 10am-12pm; at Loose Park Garden Center, 52nd and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Workshop. www. bsgkc.org; 816-513-8590.

GKC Herb Study Group Wed, Sep 11, noon; at Overland Park Arboretum. This month the members will take a field trip to the 100-acre Overland Park Arboretum which is an educational and recreational treasure for Kansas City. There are 13 Gardens with more than 1,700 species of plants, trails and paths, acres of prairie home grasses and wildflowers, bird, dragonflies, and other wildlife. Facebook: check us out at Greater Kansas City Herb Study Group.

Friends and visitors are always welcome.

Questions: Call Lynn at 816-308-5450.

GKC Gardeners of America Mon, Sep 9, 6pm; at Loose Park, 5200 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO. Attracting Birds to your Backyard and enjoying them, Nik and Theresa Hiremath with Wild Birds Unlimited, have been enjoying backyard bird feeding for decades and were thrilled when the opportunity arose to run their own Wild Birds Unlimited store here in Kansas City.

Please come and enjoy learning about birds. Refreshments will be served.

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You’ll enjoy strolling through our lushly landscaped water gardens as you make your way to the market center where you’ll find our courteous staff waiting to assist you with all your questions and water garden needs. We always carry a large inventory of aquatic plants: tropical and hardy lilies, marginal plants and everyone’s favorite—the lotus. For the DIYers, we carry the same professional quality pond supplies that we use in building water gardens for our customers, pumps, liners, filtration systems, and more.

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September 2019 | kcgmag.com

Heartland Hosta & Shade Plant Society Sat, Sep 14, Check-in and Hospitality at 9:30am, Meeting 10am; at First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd, Mission Hills, KS. Don Rawson will present “Rare and Unusual Plants for the Garden, and Where to Find Them”. The presentation presents a wide range of plants (particularly many woodlanders) that are uncommon and hard-to-find. In addition, handouts are offered which include a brief description of the plants covered and a list of nurseries from which the plants can be ordered. Don has a vast knowledge of hostas and would be excited to answer questions from the simplest “how to plant a hosta” to the highly technical questions about hybridizing.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from the best. The Club will provide grilled and baked chicken for a potluck at noon, bring your favorite dish to share. Come for great information, food, door prizes, and great raffle options.

Everyone is welcome! For more information, visit www.heartlandhosta.club, our Facebook page www.facebook.com/

HeartlandHostaAndShadePlantSociety/, or email drileycook@aol.com.

KC Cactus and Succulent Society Sun, Sep 15, 1:30-4pm; at the Loose Park Garden Center, 51st St and Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO. Visitors are welcome!

For information on Kansas City Cactus and Succulent Society, call 816-4449321 or visit our website: kccactus.com.

Kansas City Garden Club Mon, Sep 9, 10am; at Loose Park Garden Center Building, 5200 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, MO 64112. Our program will be “Demystifying Common Midwest Mushrooms” presented by Alix Daniel, with the Missouri Department of Conservation and a member of the Missouri Department of Mycological Society. Alix will share tips about getting started mushroom hunting, identifying some of our area’s most common mushrooms and then passing along a few yummy recipes. Bring a sack lunch and join us for lunch with drinks and desserts furnished by club members. Also, from noon until 1pm, you may want to view the judging results of our annual flower show themed “September Song”. You will see both horticultural exhibits of flowers, herbs, and vegetables in addition to several floral designs. 913-341-7555.

Leavenworth County Master Gardeners Wed, Sep 11, 11am; at Riverfront Community Center, 123 Esplanade St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Shirley Rockwell, a Leavenworth County Master Gardener, will present “Forcing Bulbs, Both in Winter and in the Ground”. The meeting is free. Visitors are welcome.

For more information contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

Leawood Garden Club Tues, Sep 24, 10:30am; at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, 9401 Mission Rd, Leawood, KS. At about noon, Carol Fowler, a Johnson County Master Gardener, will present “Basic Garden Photography.” The meeting and our membership are open to everyone and guests are most welcome. Please bring a sack lunch; beverages and desserts are provided. For more information, visit www.leawood.org/committees/lgc or email leawoodgardenclub@gmail.com.

Lenexa Field and Garden Club Tues, Sep 10, 7pm for a private member garden tour and business meeting. For additional information, contact the club at Lenexa.fieldandgarden@gmail.com.

Raytown Garden Club Tues, Sep 3, 10am; at Blue Ridge Presbyterian Church, 6429 Blue Ridge Blvd, Raytown, MO. We will have a brief presentation at the beginning of the meeting entitled “A Unique Vintage/

Retro Raised Bed Flower Garden”. Our program PowerPoint and lecture is entitled “Planting Easy Care Roses”, presented by Laura Dickinson, American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian, and member of the Kansas City Rose Society Board. Refreshments will be served, and visitors are always welcome! Please come meet our group, we would love to get to know you! Check out our Facebook page at Raytown Garden Club or visit our website at https://sites.google.com/site/ fgcmwestcentral/clubs/raytown Water Garden Society of Greater Kansas City Tues, Sep 17, 5:30pm for snacks and socializing, meeting at 6:30pm; at Our Lady of Sorrows Church lower level meeting room at 2552 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108. We are fortunate to have Lenora Larson as our featured guest speaker, her credentials include Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardener, Idalia Butterfly Society and a Kansas Native Plant Society Member, also a contributing writer for “The Kansas City Gardener.” We hope you will join us as we reflect on the success of our tour “Jewels of the Water Garden” and look forward to the 27th annual tour July 11 and 12, 2020.

Events, Lectures & Classes September Online Food Preservation Class MU Extension offers a self-paced online food preservation course that provides research based information to safely and successfully preserve food at home.

Participants of all levels of food preservation experience are welcome, including individuals with little or no previous food preservation experience. The course covers pressure canning, boiling water bath canning, steam canning, dehydration, and freezing. Highlights of the course include preserving salsas, pie fillings, pickling, sweet spreads, and harvesting and storage of produce. Enroll at: https://extension2.missouri.edu/courses. Urban region Nutrition and Health Education Specialists will offer hands on practice sessions this summer and fall as follow-up learning opportunities. For more information, contact Nutrition and Health specialists: Denise Sullivan: 816482-5850; Lydia Kaume: 816-252-5051; Amy Vance: 816-407-3490.

Beekeeping II Wed, Sep 4 & 11, 6:30-8:30pm; at Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS. This course offers an in depth review of current beekeeping practices. You will study beekeeping in the classroom and explore a beehive in the field. The course will give you hands on experience working a beehive. Fee: $59. To enroll go to https://ce.jccc.edu or call 913-469-2323.

Lawn Care 101, Mowing, Reseeding, & Fertilizing Wed, Sep 4, 6-7pm; at Clinton Parkway Nursery, 4900 Clinton Pkwy, Lawrence, KS 66047. Time to start thinking lawn

renovation and fall fertilizing. Get a hands-on demonstration on how to reseed, best mowing practices, and fertilizing. This workshop last an hour plus time for questions. FREE, but seating is limited, so please RSVP either by clicking on “going” on our Facebook page or call 785-842-3081. Handouts provided.

TreeKeepers Starting Thurs, Sep 5, 6:30-9pm; at Wyandotte County Extension, 1216 N 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Heartland Tree Alliance is offering an evening series, 5 consecutive Thursdays and one Saturday, for anyone wanted to learn more about shade and ornamental trees. Learn about soils, biology, selection, pruning, ID, and planting. Classroom and hands-on learning taught by area experts. All tools provided, must register in advance, $50 fee www.tinyurl.com/treekeepersks or call Sarah 816-561-1086.

Winter Gardening Thurs, Sep 5, 11:30am-1pm; Sunflower Room of the Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 North 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Join us for a presentation by Dennis Connor, Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardener, as he explains why the gardening season for vegetable growers doesn’t necessarily have to stop with the first hard freeze of the year. In this class we will look at some options available to the home grower that may provide desired fresh vegetables through the winter months.

These options can range from the expensive to the economical depending on the needs of the grower. This presentation, sponsored by the Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Fee: $5.00 (waived for certified master gardeners).

Please call 913-299-9300 if you need further information.

Fall Herbs – Healthy Ways to Use and Preserve the Harvest Sat, Sep 7, 1-4pm; at Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS. Discover ideas about what to do with your abundance of healthy Fall herbs. Discuss harvest techniques and various preserving methods for culinary and medicinal uses.

An informative beginner’s class, with hands-on learning and useful recipes for the kitchen. Don’t let all those precious herbs die with the first frost. The goal is to get you comfortable growing and using more of these flavorful, healthy, and nutrient-packed garden gems. Fee: $39. To enroll go to https://ce.jccc.edu or call 913-469-2323.

Kansas City Garden Club Annual Flower Show Mon, Sep 9, noon-1pm; at the Loose Park Garden Center Building, 5200 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, MO 64112. This year’s theme is “September Song”. Enjoy viewing both the floral designs and the horticultural exhibits.

Everyone is invited to attend our free flower show. For further information call 816/569-3440 or 913/441-2433.

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(continued on page 20)

The Kansas City Gardener | September 2019

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September 2019 | kcgmag.com

Upcoming Garden Events places to go, things to do, people to see

(continued from page 19)

Gardening Basics for the Fall Tues, Sep 10, 4pm; at Lansing Community Library, 730 Terrace, Suite 1, Lansing, KS 66043. Leavenworth County Master Gardeners, Anne Reilly, Meaghan Bircher and Linda Forsberg, will give a presentation on getting your yard and lawn ready for fall and winter plantings. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

Gardening Basics for the Fall Wed, Sep 11, 7pm; at Basehor Community Library, 1400 158th St, Basehor, KS 66007. Leavenworth County Master Gardeners, Anne Reilly, Meaghan Bircher and Linda Forsberg, will give a presentation on getting your yard and lawn ready for fall and winter plantings. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

Grassland Heritage Foundation Fall Native Plant Sale Thurs, Sep 12 and 19; 4-6:30pm; at the Cottin’s Farmers Market behind Cottin’s Hardware & Rental, 1832 Massachusetts St, Lawrence, KS. Native plants are beautiful, hardy, and can thrive in home gardens – and pollinators love them!

Fall is a great time to plant natives. Pick up yours at the Fall GHF Native Plant Sale. All plants are locally grown Kansas natives and are neonic free. The cost for all plants is $4.00. We cannot take advance member orders during the fall sale. Contact us at grasslandheritage@ gmail.com or 785-840-8104 for more information.

ARS Rose Show and Conference Sep 13-15; at the Country Club Plaza Holiday Inn. The Kansas City Rose Society is hosting the American Rose Society’s Central District Rose Show and Conference. All rose growers are invited to enter the show. You do not need to be a member of the ARS or Kansas City Rose Society to participate. The show will be open for public viewing from 2-4pm Sep 14. For more information, visit www.kansascityrosesociety.org.

Fall Native Plant Sale Sat, Sep 14, 9am-2pm; at Backyard Bird Center, 6212 NW Barry Rd, Kansas City, MO 64154. Fall is a great time to plant natives. The growing season is almost over; the warm soil and cooler air temperatures give plants a boost in root growth, gaining a year development on natives planted in the spring. Native plants improve habitat in your yard by supporting insects that serve as an important food source for nesting birds. If you have been to one of these sales, you know that it is important to come early as

there are only limited supplies of certain plants. Visit www.mowildflowers.net to get an idea of what kinds of plants he will be bringing and even place a preorder.

Plan It Native Regional Conference Wed, Sep 18 through Fri, Sep 20; at Intercontinental Hotel Kansas City, 401 Ward Pkwy, Kansas City, MO. Presented

by Deep Roots KC, formerly the KC Native Plant Initiative, Plan It Native is coming to Kansas City. This inaugural conference brings tools, tips and experience from leading national and regional landscape professionals to one locale and combines that learning with networking time to help you advance your landscape practices. We look forward to Planning It and planting it native with you! Contact: Sarah Beier, sarah@deeprootskc.org, 816-301-7545 x 701

Beekeeping III Wed, Sep 18 & 25, 6:30-8:30pm; at Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS. This class will be a fun and active way to learn how to be a successful backyard beekeeper. We will provide the basic knowledge needed to keep and manage a healthy beehive, and produce honey and beeswax. This class will cover bee behavior, hive management, diseases, pests, swarming and how to harvest honey right from your own backyard.

Fee: $59. To enroll go to https://ce.jccc. edu or call 913-469-2323.

Changing Global Weather Patterns Thurs, Sep 19, 7pm; at Leavenworth Public Library, 417 Spruce St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Ken Lassman will give a presentation on changing global weather patterns. How is it affecting Kansas? What to expect? The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Paula Darling at 913-240-4094.

Hasta Luego Monarchs at Pollinator Prairie Sat, Sep 21, 9am-2pm; at Pollinator Prairie, located at 320 S Blake St, Olathe, KS. People of all ages are invited to attend a family-friendly event hosted by the Johnson County Extension Master Naturalists to celebrate the annual migration of the Monarch butterfly to Mexico.

This event is free. Participants will learn about Monarchs and other butterfly species with hands-on activities including: Demonstrations by Monarch Watch including catch and release of butterflies every half hour; Hands-on caterpillar and butterfly exhibit hosted by the K-State Extension Master Gardeners Wildlife Habitat Committee; Exhibits on benefits of pollinators; Entertainment, music, and more. For more information on the Hasta Luego Monarchs Event, visit www. johnson.k-state.edu or call 913-715-

7000. If you would like to see more about the Pollinator Prairie, please visit www. pollinator.org/pollinator-prairie or www. facebook.com/PollinatorPrairie/

Bird Feeder Cleaning Day Sat, Sep 21, 9am-4pm; at Backyard Bird Center, 6212 NW Barry Rd, Kansas City, MO 64154. We have been cleaning feeders pretty much since we have been in this building and we hope that the event has led to cleaner feeders and healthier birds around our area. We also sincerely hope that this isn’t the only time people clean their feeders. In a perfect world, you would clean your feeders once per month. Here is how it works: Drop off your feeder(s) in the morning (no later than 3pm) and $3 will get your feeder cleaned with all of the proceeds going to the Parkville Nature Sanctuary. If the feeder is either exceptionally dirty or if minor repairs are required, we ask that your donation be $5. We do have a “deem a feeder too fragile to clean” rule we use in the rarest of occasions.

Butterfly Garden Open House Sat, Sep 21, noon-3pm; at 500 Eisenhower Rd, Leavenworth, KS 66048.

Leavenworth County Master Gardeners will host an open house at their Butterfly Garden. Please join us as we follow the migration of the Monarch Butterflies as they continue their journey to Mexico.

Learn about our Monarch Waystation.

There will be activities for children.

If available, there will be opportunities to capture and tag Monarch butterflies. For more information contact the Leavenworth County Extension office at 913-364-5700 and leave a message for Charlotte.

Fall Parade of Homes Kicks off Sep 28 Sep 28-Oct 13. The Parade features homes by some of the area’s finest builders and includes townhomes, villas and single-family homes with a variety of floor plans featuring the latest design trends. Presented twice a year by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City (HBA), the Kansas City Parade of Homes is the second largest in the United States. Since 1947, millions of greater Kansas City residents and visitors have enjoyed viewing the latest in-home innovations, styles and decorating, and this year’s Spring Parade will be no different as it showcases the area’s premier new homes, home builders and communities. All homes will be open daily from 11am-6pm with free admission. Free Parade guides will be available for pickup at the HBA (I-435 & Holmes) beginning the week prior and at all Parade homes during the event.

In addition, consumers will be able to download a user-friendly mobile app at KCParadeofHomes.com.

October and November Advanced Beekeeping – Pests and Diseases Wed, Oct 2, 6:30-8:30pm; at Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS. Explore the greatest challenges in today’s beekeeping world. You will do an indepth study and review of beekeeping diseases and pests. Learn how to identify pests and diseases in the early stages and the best practices for treatment alternatives. In addition, review new regulations and laws that impact our bees. Fee: $29.

To enroll go to https://ce.jccc.edu or call 913-469-2323.

Kansas City Butterflies Thurs, Oct 3, 11:30am-1pm; at Sunflower Room, Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 North 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Kansas City Butterflies: Betsy Betros, author of “A Photographic Field Guide to the Butterflies in the Kansas City Region” has compiled an extensive and impressive field guide of butterflies in the Kansas City region. Not only is she very familiar with our butterflies, but she is also knowledgeable about how to attract these beauties to our gardens, and chock-full of information about naming system, range, flight times, habitat.

Join her in this class sponsored by the Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Registration is not required.

Fee: $5.00 (waived for certified master gardeners). Please call 913-299-9300 if you need further information.

Fall Festival Fri, Oct 4, 9am-5pm and Sat, Oct 5, 9am4pm; at Swan’s Water Gardens, 4385 W 247th St, Louisburg, KS. Our annual Fall festivities are just around the corner!

Bring friends and family to spend the day touring the gardens, fill up on free lunch and enjoy cooler weather and time outdoors. We will have a new selection of plants and retail items specific to the Fall season. You will leave inspired for the new season ahead! Phone: 913-837-3510 Plants that Add Interest in the Winter Thurs, Nov 7, 11:30am-1pm; at the Sunflower Room, Wyandotte County Extension Office, 1208 North 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Plants that Add Interest in the Winter: Does the winter and its gloominess get you down? Come learn from Lynn Loughary, K-State Research & Extension Horticulture Agent, about the many plants that will add interest to your landscape, particularly in the winter months. This presentation, sponsored by the Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners. Registration is not required.

Fee: $5.00 (waived for certified master gardeners). Call 913-299-9300 if you need further information.

More events are posted on our website,

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

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Deadline for publishing in the October issue is September 5.

816-842-5012 • pondskc.com • 1557 Swift Ave., KCMO The Kansas City Gardener | September 2019

21

September

garden calendar

n TREES AND SHRUBS

• Plant trees and shrubs, deciduous and evergreen.

• Rake up fallen leaves and compost.

• Prune broken and dead branches from trees.

• Avoid pruning spring flowering shrubs to ensure spring flowers.

• Handpick bagworms to reduce problem infestation next year.

n LAWN

• Seed bluegrass or tall fescue lawns early in the month for best results.

• Sod new lawns or dead spots for quick recovery.

• Renovate bluegrass or tall fescue by verticutting then overseeding.

• Core aerate cool-season turf to aid in root development and thatch breakdown.

• Fertilize cool-season grasses with high nitrogen sources of fertilizer.

• Mow turf at 2 to 3 inches • Sharpen mower blade for a clean cut.

• Continue to mow zoysia but do not fertilize or aerate this late in the season.

n FLOWERS

• Plant spring flowering bulbs, tulips, daffodils and others.

• Divide, transplant or plant peonies.

• Divide or transplant hosta.

• Divide perennials, especially spring bloomers.

• Remove seed heads from perennials to prevent reseeding in the garden.

• Plant chrysanthemums for fall color.

• Dig gladiolus as foliage begins to yellow and air-dry before storing for winter.

• Clean up garden areas to reduce insects and disease as plants dieback for winter.

• Enrich the soil by adding organic matter such as compost.

• Soil test for the next growing season.

n VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

• Continue to harvest vegetables.

• Pick apples and pears and store in a cool place to extend freshness.

• Harvest pumpkins when the flesh is entirely orange. Avoid carrying by the stem.

• Harvest winter squash when the rind cannot be punctured with your fingernail.

• Plant lettuce, spinach and radishes for fall harvest.

• Remove weeds from garden plantings before going to seed.

• Tender herbs can be dug from the garden and placed in pots for indoor use this winter.

• Remove small tomatoes to increase late development of more mature fruits.

• Spade or till garden plots incorporating fallen leaves or grass clippings to improve soil.

• Plant garlic cloves for next year’s crop.

n HOUSEPLANTS

• Bring plants in before temperatures drop into the 50’s.

• Clean and wash before moving indoors to reduce insects.

• Fertilize before winter conditions arrive and growth slows.

• Force poinsettias into Christmas bloom by starting dark treatment.

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

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

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Bird Facts ED REESE talks the importance of feeding now so birds are familiar with your food stations.

WANTED: BED & BREAKFAST Family seeks winter lodgings, with regular meals; all-day buffet preferred. Central heating not required, but water a decided plus. Applications now being taken in your back yard.

You might not see the above ad in your local newspaper, but wild birds are already making decisions about which back yards they will visit this winter.

What you do as the days grow shorter lets the birds know that you want their business and invites them to come back when serious winter comes.

People who don’t start feeding birds until severe weather arrives may be missing out. Fall is the season to begin, even though natural foods are plentiful and the birds like the tufted titmouse may not spend much time at your feed-

er yet. They are out in the fields and woods, feasting on seeds and berries and well-fed insects.

The birds that do visit feeders in the abundance of autumn are scouting. They need to be ready when cold weather hits. The red-bellied woodpecker was well acquainted with our feeding station before winter arrived.

Cold will increase their calorie requirements, right at the moment that food becomes harder to get.

Insects stop flying and wiggling.

Snow covers seeds. Ice seals away tree buds, wild fruits, and the insects that woodpeckers and nuthatches like to find under the bark of trees.

So they need to be ready.

That is why they’re studying their resources in advance. Noting where food is available. Locating

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; mastergardener@douglas-county.com; Mon-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

JOHNSON COUNTY, MO

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

Winter visit from red-bellied woodpecker. alternatives. Taking inventory of contingent provisions.

It’s good to be included in their inventories. If the birds discover that your yard is worth visiting, they will remember. And when that first storm hits, they will show up. Hungry. Chirpy and chattery.

Red and blue and black-and-white

th ly G ui de to Su A Mon thly cc es Guid e to Suc October 2014 sf ul cess ful Gard Garde ning G ar de enin g to Succe ssful August 2015 ni ng A Mont hly Guide

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.

QUESTIONS ABOUT ROSES?

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

July

2015

r Garden

for the Octobe

ity with Grasses Beauty and Divers een Not Just for HallowCall 811 Orange and Black: Lemon rd of Digth Control BeforeBiYou Daylily: Beau Park eM ty for fy Weeds for Better Identi Decis ThanBu ion Time: ShouSeeded Lawn More a tte Dayrfl onth: Blue In the bird y Ask andExpe Feeding of Newly ld You Remove YourGaAsh rdenTree Conserva rts about weed Proper Carethe with tories control, oozin g sap and more Marvin Snyder

Address: City, State, Zip:

MIAMI COUNTY

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

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

Name:

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

WYANDOTTE COUNTY

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

Phone:

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and yellow. Fun to look at on a snowy day.

On the other hand, if you wait until hard weather arrives, the birds may not ever realize what you have to offer. Under the stress of freezing weather, they can’t afford the luxury of exploring.

They must go where they know there will be a payoff. They might not discover your feeder all winter, even though it is abundantly supplied. So start offering provisions now.

Special thanks to Birdwatching. com.

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 | September 2019

23

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