Final Harvest Before Hard Freeze

The Trick was a hard freeze on Halloween night but the Treat was that much was harvested the day before - Chives, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro, Tarragon, Peppers, Spinach, Green Tomatoes.  Zinnias were the best cut flowers this time of year.  

22 degrees the morning of November 1, 2014 was too cold for most plants.  Our frost date is October 15th each year but there was no frost before this hard freeze.  Leeks and Carrots will do well in the ground and pulled up as needed.  Spinach was planted as a fall crop.  Harvesting all but the smallest leaves will allow the root to maintain and produce a fresh crop in early April.

Frozen Zinnia…too bad I couldn't cut all the beautiful flowers in my yard before the hard freeze but I sure filled a lot of vases in my house with zinnias!  There are still a few blooming plants alive outside such as mums and blanket flowers.  Petunias have done well in past years but I didn't plant any this fall.

The Food Dehydrator is the most controlled method for drying.  The house sure smells great on drying day!  The red peppers do well by threading a needle and "sewing" each pepper on a 2-3' thread to hang anywhere in your kitchen.  Then they can be removed to a jar to last longer.

Excess Herbs can be tied to a string or loosely stuffed into a mesh bag and hung in an airy place like a carport out of the sun for a few days.  Sometimes this works and sometimes the humidity and temperature varies too much for success.  Oven or microwave drying can work too but has some limitations such as good air circulation and even temperatures that would need a lot of attention to maintain.

Peppers are very easy to freeze as they do not require blanching like most vegetables.  Just clean, wash well, pat dry, and slice or dice before laying on wax paper lined cookie sheet.  They will freeze overnight.  I like to wash and dry herbs before drying/freezing but some say that washing is not necessary.  I always freeze some herbs on their branch such as thyme, rosemary, and keep sage whole leaf; just place in freezer bags as they will be easy to separate.  Spinach must be blanched and then placed in freezer bags and used in recipes that call for cooked spinach.  The green tomatoes were fried up and ate over the next couple days…yum!

There is much information available from the University of Missouri Extension about preserving fruits and vegetables produced in your gardens or obtained from local Farmer's Markets in season.  I have been using this wonderful source since 1978.

Source:  Beti Pearson, Hickory County Master Gardener and Missouri Master Naturalist,
University of Missouri Extension:
Growing Herbs at Home
Freezing Vegetables

Posted:  11/7/2014

Pruning

Prune Nothing in the Fall!

There's something about this time of the year that makes people crave pruning more than vampires yearn for blood. Don't allow the Halloween goblins to get to you! 

With fall garden cleanup in full swing, maybe it's all the raking and mulching that has people going for the sharp tools! 

Fall is not the right time to trim trees and shrubs, even though the fallen leaves have exposed all their imperfections. That's right, put your pruning shears back in the shed for at least a month or so.

Here are some pruning basics, to be used when it's a safer time to trim back trees and shrubs:

• Understand why fall is not prime time for pruning. Pruning them now stimulates new growth just when the plants are trying to go dormant, and this severely weakens the plants. If you prune on a warm day, sap rises up into the plant. Then, it drops below freezing that night and major damage can happen.

Instead, prune in the dead of winter or in early spring. That's if you can't stop yourself. Spring bloomers can get a haircut right after they finish flowering. Few plants other than fruit trees actually require it, and most gardeners do too much, not too little.

Still, proper pruning of overgrown flowering shrubs or fruit trees near your house will help the plants produce more flowers and fruit, which can also benefit wildlife. Doing it wisely can also help trees and shrubs give diseases and pests the cold shoulder. Just remember…don't do it in the fall! Waiting until winter means that most woody plants are dormant, and because leaves have already fallen, it makes it easier for you to see what you're doing. For early spring bloomers (like lilacs and spireas) that only need light pruning, prune them just after they finish blooming. For very overgrown deciduous shrubs, winter pruning is probably best.

• Don't prune when it's wet. As a general rule of thumb, don't prune when it's damp outside. "Absolutely, do not prune if it's wet out, it spreads a lot of diseases," explains horticulturist April Johnson, landscape coordinator at the Rodale Institute. Damp weather encourages the growth of microbes that will make the most of the damage your pruning does. "Wait until the sun's out for a little while; it dries out and kills mold and bacteria," she says.

• Know how to hack. Pruning can allow more sunlight and air to filter through the trees and shrubs, which can help keep them healthy. When it's time to prune, focus first on removing dead or dying branches. If you see a sickly branch, cut between the diseased spot and the body of the plant. Johnson also recommends pruning when branches rub or cross each other (cut the smaller branch off), or if a branch is growing vertically. You can also take off really low branches that could interfere with foot traffic or lawnmowers. Cut the branch as close to the source as you can. "I prefer to prune back to the main stem. If you leave a stub sticking out, it's an area for bacteria and insects to harbor," says Johnson. And make sure you cut at the same angle as the branch collar—the furrow of bark where branch and trunk meet. If you’ve done it right, a circle of healthy callus will eventually swell around the spot.

• Know what to hack. According to Organic Gardening magazine, there is a long list of trees and shrubs that you can prune from winter until the sap starts flowing again in spring. Some of them include: glossy abelia, beauty berries, hydrangeas, Bradford and Callory pears, crabapples, poplar, spruce, junipers, sumacs, cherries, and plums. However, because some trees can ooze sap when pruned in the winter, you're better off waiting until the summer to prune maples, birches, dogwoods, walnuts, and elm trees.

• Keep tools clean. Johnson says she prefers Felco Classic Manual Hand Pruner #F-2, and also uses hand-folding saws. No matter what type of pruning tools you decide to use, make sure you keep them clean. If you've cut out diseased branches, make sure you clean the tools thoroughly before moving on to another tree, to avoid spreading disease. Johnson says you can disinfect the tools by using just a teaspoon or two of bleach in warm water. Hot, soapy water also kills most germs. Remember to dry tools well after washing, too. And if you can't trim from the ground using pole pruners, or if there's any pruning to be done near power lines, make sure you hire a professional instead of climbing high and taking on the dangerous task yourself.

• Do your homework.  For more specific information on the trees and shrubs growing in your backyard, tap the brains of master gardeners involved with your local extension service, peruse OrganicGardening.com for free info, or buy Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening and Landscaping Techniques, or borrow it from your local library.

Area homeowners can get information on tree pruning at a Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) tree pruning workshop at 3 p.m., Oct. 18 at the MDC Office in El Dorado Springs. The office is located at 1109 S. Main St. in El Dorado Springs.

Missouri Department of Conservation foresters will share tips on selecting proper tools and what are the best methods that will help you avoid future problems.

Registration is requested, but not required. To register or to get more information, call the MDC offices in El Dorado Springs (417-875-5792) or Joplin (417-629-3423). People can also e-mail MDC Urban Forester Jon Skinner at jon.skinner@mdc.mo.gov.

Sources:  Rodale News and 

Missouri Extension Publications:

Pruning Ornamental Shrubs

Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs

Pruning Raspberries,Blackberries, Gooseberries, Currants and Elderberries

Butterfly Gardening and Your Gardening Personality

Master Gardener's Road Trip 

A great way to spent a hot day on Aug 28, 2014 was with members of the Master Gardeners of Hickory County attending an event sponsored by the Barton County and Four Seasons Master Gardeners.  The event was titled:  Flying Flowers in your Garden and Your Gardening Personality.  The speaker was Lenora Larson who is a member of the  Miami, Kansas Master Gardeners, the Idalia Butterfly Society, and the Kansas Native Plant Society.  She is an informative speaker with a great sense of humor that kept everyone cackling the entire time! 

The workshop provided great information on how to create a better butterfly environment.  A hand-out pamphlet, "How to Convert your Beautiful Garden into an Even More Beautiful Butterfly Garden" contained a wealth of information and included links to help create a better environment for butterflies.  Missouri has a lot of different kinds of butterflies but unfortunately they are becoming less common because of the plight of the Monarch butterflies - migratory butterflies that are dying in record numbers.  Creating a better butterfly environment will not only help our butterfly population and bring these beautiful creatures into our gardens, but will also aid the Monarchs in their migration to and from South America. 

Monarch Caterpillar on Native Milkweed

The workshop attendees learned that to survive and thrive, the butterfly needs nectar plants and host plants - nectar plants for the adult butterfly and host plants for the caterpillar and cocoon stages to feed on.  The nectar plants can be from a wide variety of flowering plants that flower from as early and as late in the growing season as possible to benefit the largest group of butterflies.  

Monarch on Marigold  (Tagetes patula)

As gardeners, we all have a variety of beautiful flowering plants in our yards and gardens. Unfortunately, many are unsuitable for butterflies. The issue seems to be that most plants we consider for flowers are hybridized and do not provide nectar.  That's right…they are nectar sterile!  I had no idea!  I assumed all flowers buds had nectar.  Knowing this, I will surely be attuned to what varieties I will plant in the future.  As I looked over the flowers that I had chosen, I realized that I could have had the same flowers and colors by simply planting the native variety of those plants attracting more butterflies to our yard.  A case in point: I planted some hardy marigolds having no idea they were sterile.  If I had just planted more of the native variety of marigold, Tagetes patula, I would have provided more of the nectar the butterflies needed.  Luckily, we had some varieties of marigolds and zinnias that did attract a few Monarchs in my yard.  We can do better and still have the beauty!

Monarch on Zinnia

I encourage everyone to look at your flowers and to see if they are attracting butterflies or bees. If they are not being visited, this could be an issue that is easily remedied. The link to the Missouri Conservation Dept. provides a good list of native nectar and host plants that will last throughout the growing season.

After the event's morning session, we took a brunch break with the pot-luck items that we all provided.  The afternoon session focused on landscaping principles.  The speaker's approach focused on a person's personality and not the standard that you see in most gardening books. The idea is to find out what your unconscious gardening personality is and by being conscious of your unconscious personality, you will be better able to create a one of a kind landscape. This was accomplished through a series of visual pictures on different elements of a landscape and a self-quiz as to what you like to do if given choices. 

This was a great workshop and provided much useful information!  Traveling  by carpool was ample time to chat with fellow Master Gardeners and share other perspectives on related issues.  Butterflies have specific needs that must be met as does all wildlife.  The presentation reviewed their biology and habitat requirements with an emphasis on garden design.  Additional information can be found at:

Monarch Watch

North American Butterfly Association

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery

Source:  Keith Pearson, Hickory County Master Gardener
Posted:  9/13/14

Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping may become the method future gardeners will use to develop their gardens as water becomes an increasingly precious asset, especially in arid climates such as the desert. The term Xeriscape was coined by the Front Range Xeriscape Task Force of Denver Department in 1978 as a way to promote water efficient landscaping. The name Xeriscape is a registered trademark of Denver Water.  Xeriscape gardening is varied and beautiful no matter the location. It does not mean gardening with only cacti, succulents and rock. It means to design a garden with plants that use lesser amounts of water to help people lower their water use and reduce landscape maintenance.  Here in Southwest Missouri, it is a good planning method for the typically low-rain month of August.

1.   Analyze the site. The key to xeriscaping is to understand which plant needs are satisfied easily by the site, and the only way to know this is to determine what the site provides naturally, with minimal effort. Draw a map of your yard, (try to keep it to scale, if you can) and gather the following information: 

       a.)  Find out which are the sunniest and which are the darkest parts of your site. Every few hours, record where the sun is shining on your map. Keep in mind that the site's exposure to sunlight will also vary at different times of the year.

       b.)  Perform an Accurate Soil Sample analysis. Which nutrients are readily available (or deficient) in the soil? What is the pH? What kind of soil are you working with--clay? silt? loam? gravel? All of this will affect which plants can thrive on the site. You might consider amending or tilling the soil to "jump start" the soil processes that create healthy soil, but don't try to dramatically alter the nature of the soil you're working with or else it's becoming a time-consuming, high-maintenance effort (the opposite of xeriscaping).

       c.)  Study the rainfall patterns for your site. How many inches or centimeters of rain does the site get per year?
  
2.  Classify the zones. There should be three ways to classify every zone in your site:
Oasis - Close to a large structure; can benefit from rain runoff and shade (which reduces evaporation, keeping more water in the soil); can also exist surrounding a large tree or at the edge of a forest/orchard.
Transition - A "buffer" area between oasis and arid zones.
 Arid - Farthest from structures, low-traffic, receives the most sunlight.

3.  Select the appropriate plants. Obtain a list of plants appropriate for your region. Use the USDA guidelines or the ''Sunset Western Garden'' book for zone information. From that list, choose a variety of plants that will tolerate drought conditions. Consult the list below for suggestions. Another way to target appropriate plants is to find out which are native to your area.  Remember that your site should be planted in receding "layers". Think of each structure (the house, a large tree) as a focal point. At each focal point, you add a few bright, eye-catching species that are well-suited to local conditions. As you get further away from the focal point, the plants become more subtle and also more drought-tolerant. As you're browsing lists of plants that are suitable for your area, keep these design guidelines in mind, as well as the sunniness, rainfall, and soil type of your site.

4.   Fill large areas with a lawn substitute. The typical green lawn is a thirsty and high-maintenance "carpet". You can replace that carpet by restoring a prairie or planting ground cover, or you can use ''ornamental'' grasses which grow in clumps, surrounded by mulch (the idea being to only use grasses as an accent, rather than make them the major focus of the garden). The area that would normally be the lawn is usually classified as arid, so covering that area with  low-maintenance plant species makes a big difference.  If the "lawn" area is so expansive that the low-maintenance plants draw too much attention, consider ''creating'' a focal point at the center. This can involve planting a drought-resistant tree or shrub, a raised bed, or a decorative structure (such as a wheelbarrow overflowing with flowers). It may require a little additional watering (try to minimize this) but at least it'll keep the site aesthetically pleasing while the surrounding area "rests" with low-maintenance species.

5.  Group water-needy plants together near structures. '' Preferably, plant them in containers so the roots will get more water (rather than it seeping into the surrounding soil, where it can encourage the growth of weeds); you may even consider using self-watering pots. The pots themselves can be decorative accents.  An alternative to using containers would be to create a retaining wall (essentially a very large container), which has the added benefit of making your oasis plants stand out more.  Arrange plants based on the amount of sunshine available. Some sides of the structure will get a lot more sunlight than others. Since some plants can take more sun and heat than others, plant the more sun-friendly, drought-tolerant plants where most of the afternoon sun will be located.  Develop a water thrifty system. If necessary, install a drip watering system to water plants. Water evaporation is minimized thereby saving precious water for other uses. Also, the slower you water, the less run-off there is.

6.  Soften the boundaries. Fill the transition areas between arid and oasis zones with plants that fall in the middle of the spectrum in terms of water and sunlight needs and aesthetics. One way to do this is to create a "cascade" effect from the oasis plants (tall and bright) to the transition zone (a little shorter, catching attention by texture rather than color, such as shrubs, bushes, or ornamental grass clumps) to the arid zone (low-lying, subtle and very drought-resistant). If there is a retaining wall, however, a transition zone may not be necessary. Ultimately, see what looks best to you.

7.  Choose an appropriate mulch to help reduce erosion and suppress weeds. Organic, wood-based mulch will also retain moisture. As it decomposes, it'll improve the soil over time, but it needs to be replaced regularly. A stone or gravel mulch, on the other hand, does not need to be replaced, but it should be lined with landscape fabric in order to keep weeds from growing through the mulch, and it will retain a good deal of heat (which can damage delicate plants). It also attracts fewer insects. 

Some Recommended Plants:

''Shrubs''

*Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa)

*Barberry, Japanese (Berberis thunbergii)

*Bladder-senna (Colutea arborescens)

*Ceanothus (Ceanothus fendleri)

*Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)

*Cliff rose (Cowania mexicana)

*Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster spp.)

*Lead Plant (Amorpha canescens)

*Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.)

*Peashrub (Caragana spp.)

*Privet (Forestiera spp.)

*Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus spp.)

*Rock Spiraea (Holodiscus dumosus)

*Sage (Artemisia spp.)

*Saltbush (Atriplex canescens)

*Sand cherry (Prunus besseyi)

*Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)

*Sumac (Rhus spp.)

*Yucca (Yucca spp.)

''Perennials''

*Catmint, Select Blue (Nepeta x faassenii "Select Blue")

*Claret Cup Hedgehog (Echinocereus triglochidiatus)

*Curlicue Sage (Artemisia versicolor "Seafoam")

*French Lavender (Lavandula spp.)

*Giant Thrift-Leaf (Hymenoxys acaulis)

*Hummingbird Mint (Agastache spp.)

*May Night Sage (Salvia "May Night")

*Pineleaf Beardtongue/Penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius)

*Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

''Trees''

*Burr oak (Quercus macrocarpa)

*Goldenrain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata)

*Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica lanceolata)

*Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

*Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica)

*Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

*Pinyon pine (Pinus edulis)

*Thornless honeylocust (Gleditsia triancanthos inermis)

*Western catalpa (Catalpa speciosa)

Not all plants can be grown in all areas. Check with your local university extension, garden club or Master Gardener for more information. 

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/g6912

http://extension.missouri.edu/greene/demonstration.aspx

Click here for a video of the Springfield, Missouri Xeriscape Gardens.

For additional information and sources:  http://www.wikihow.com/Xeriscape

Many Missouri Native Plants have low water needs such as Black-Eyed Susan, Blazing Star, and Coneflowers.

Yuccas (Missouri Native Plant) do well most anywhere but are a good choice for poor, dry soil on a slope at the edge of my yard along a terraced stone wall.

Hens & Chicks succulent blooms in late July.  Located at the edge of my brick patio.

Sedum is a good choice for color in late summer and fall.

Blackberry Lilies bloom in July/August; very low water requirements.

Blackberry Lilies seed out in August/September which extends the attractiveness of the plant.

Magic Carpet Creeping Thyme is a low-growing blooming herb that grows tightly in-between pavers and tolerates dry conditions and foot traffic; highly fragrant!

Prickly Pear Cactus & various sedums/succulents located in an area of my yard that is too far to water.

Prickly Pear Cactus blooms each Spring; a Native Plant of Missouri

== Tips ==

*Plant trees and wind breaks first, then grasses and start a Native Plant Garden in ground cover. The trees and wind breaks will provide shade and slow down wind gusts, protecting your garden.

*Some favorite drought tolerant flowers include Four O' Clocks (mirabillis), Sweet William (dianthus), Moss Roses (Portulacas), and Nasturtium.

*Install pavers intermixed with gravel, rock, or woody mulch along with Xeriscape.

*Work with a garden architect, Master Gardener or read books on gardening in your area. Xeriscaping is practiced worldwide. 

*Learn and use water conservation.

*Check with your water agency and university agricultural office for more information about Xeriscaping.

== Warnings ==

* Check with local authorities about plant collection. Most desert cacti and plants including Joshua trees are considered protected species. In other words, you cannot dig up and take desert plants home to plant in your garden. Desert plants can usually be purchased at local nurseries.  Do not dig plants from any public land.  There can be special permission; just ask someone in authority.

Sources:  Information given above is from Dave's Garden and the Colorado University Extension service.  
For additional information and sources:  http://www.wikihow.com/Xeriscape
Photos:  Beti Pearson, Hickory County Master Gardener and Missouri Master Naturalist

Posted:  8/22/2014