Service Project Overview for 2013

 A Guide to 2013 Service Projects 

of 

Hickory County Master Gardeners 

Dear Viewer, 

You are cordially invited to visit our gardens!  During the growing season, Hickory County Master Gardeners are working at the sites often and welcome the opportunity to share information about the Service Projects.  Please return to our blog for ongoing photo arrays and news of our garden service projects.  

Beginning in the city of Weaubleau, visitors may pause at the Veterans' Memorial.  The remembrance garden includes an array of plantings, a walking path and bench to use for moments of reflection.

Continuing to the Wheatland area, local Master Gardeners have enhanced the site of the reproduction Settlers' Village with a courtyard garden and herb garden. The village as well as the gardens serves to remind the viewer of the traditions of nineteenth century Missouri.  The grounds of the McCarty Senior Center is home to the club's Greenhouse.  We are pleased to be one of the few groups statewide that are able to support a greenhouse!  Our Donation Garden is also at the center...during the summer growing season we donate fresh produce to the center for use in meal preparation.

At the outskirts of Hermitage, the city Welcome Signs are surrounded by native plants that may survive dry and poor soil conditions.  The Hermitage Community Building and nearby, the Hickory County Library host small gardens with roses and day lilies tended by Master Gardeners.  The gazebo on the lawn of the Hickory County Courthouse is encircled with plants of texture and high-color.

The Preston Post Office Entry Garden is a pleasure to view when passing through the highway community.  It is a three season garden spanning spring, summer and fall, sure to brighten the viewers' eyes!

Tucked away from the center of Pittsburg, the Community Building boasts border gardens filled with grasses, small shrubs and perennials.

 Posted 7/9/2013

  



Good Bugs vs. Bad Bugs

         ...Beneficial Insects in the Home Garden...

Arthropod is any invertebrate animal of the phylum Arthropoda with a segmented body, jointed limbs and an external skeleton, e. g., an insect, spider, or crustacean. To the gardening public, these are BUGS and may be a bane or boon...most insects, spiders and other arthropods found in the yard and garden do not feed on or harm plants.  Many are innocuous or just passing through with others feeding on and destroying pest species.  In many cases, the activities of these beneficial species can completely prevent or greatly limit pest problems.  It is important to recognize these beneficial arthropods so they may be appreciated and conserved!

Beneficial arthropods are categorized broadly as either predators or parasites. 

Insect predators actively search out and eat prey insects.  Common predators are ladybugs and spiders.  Common parasites are tachninid flies and the braconid and ichneumonid wasps.  Ladybugs are the most familiar insect predator.  Both the adult and larvae ladybug feed on large numbers of small soft-bodied insects such as aphids.  All spiders feed on insects or other small arthropods.  As well as the familiar web-making spiders, there are many others such as the wolf, crab or jumping spider that do not build webs, but instead move about hunting their prey on soil or plants.  Spiders assist in controlling beetles, caterpillars, leafhoppers and aphids.

Woe to the big green tomato worm or hornworm caterpillar.  The tachnid fly, an insect parasite, lays eggs on various caterpillars, beetles and bugs, usually near the head.  The eggs hatch almost immediately, and the young maggots feed on the host eventually killing it.  This fly is rarely observed by the average gardener, and the beneficial activities are often overlooked.

The braconid and ichneumonid wasp is a very large and diverse group of insect parasites.  Some are small and attack small insects such as aphids with others living in eggs of various pest insects.  Larger parasite wasps attack caterpillars or wood boring beetles.

In the yard and garden, it is important to recognize naturally occurring insect predators and parasites.  Before making insecticide applications, check plants for existing beneficial organisms.  Their abundance may be enough to provide control.  When possible, use insecticides that are selective in their activity or less harmful to the insect predators and parasites. 

The predators and parasites mentioned commonly occur in the central Missouri area.

Source:  W. S. Cranshaw, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension entomologist.  Publication Number 5.550

Posted 7/3/2013