Master Gardener Newsletter Fayette County Master Gardener Association

Summer 2016 Fro m O u r P re s i d e n t

IN THIS ISSUE: Continuing Education

Digital Photo Archive Arbor Day & Demonstration Veg. Garden

Only Roses Watering in the Long, Hot Summer

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Spring is here! Well, actually, it has been here for a while. We have had a beautiful Spring, indeed! I think April and May mixed up their types of weather – we had lots of sun in April, and now May is bringing us rain and cooler weather. The Spring-blooming trees and flowers have been glorious, and some are continuing their great show, but whether rain or shine, we have been able to be in the garden planting, cutting flowers, and generally enjoying our love of digging in the dirt. The EMG committees have been hard at work in their specific areas – we heard of the work that has begun (and some completed!) at the EMG board meeting. It is exciting to know about all of the activities and how we are able to share our information in the community. Also, the continuing education opportunities have expanded to include online classes – thanks to Jamie, Suzann, and the continuing education committee for their hard work in getting this offering available to the EMGs. There are continuing education opportunities coming up soon, as well as throughout the next few months. Be on the lookout for information about these offerings. If you haven’t volunteered for a committee, but would like to be more involved, check out the opportunities on the website. Have a wonderful Summer, and happy gardening! ~Brenda Owen, President

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Annual Dues (Made payable to FCMGA) Please send your annual dues of $20

Lexington Lions Club Bluegrass Fair Flower and Vegetable Show

The 7th Annual Lexington Lions Club Bluegrass Fair Flower and Vegetable Show will be held at Masterson Station Park in Lexington. Flower and vegetable entries will be accepted on Saturday, July 16th from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM. J udging begins at 1:00 PM. The show is open to the public July 16th-17th from 3:00 to 10:00 PM.

All EMGs are encouraged to enter your favorite flower, a sprig of Kay Fischer herbs, or vegetables. The flower show committee is standing by to 1905 Porter Royal Ct. help you every step of the way! Lexington, KY 40504

Thank you!

For more information please go to www.bgflowershow.com or contact Debbie Johnson at 859-280-2250 or [email protected]. Please support us and SHOW WHAT YOU GROW!!!

CONTINUING EDUCATION As a reminder, all EMG’s are now required to complete 10 unit hours of continuing education each year. In addition to a variety of classes, educational programs, lectures and field trips sponsored by the Continuing Education Committee, Toolbox classes, and the State EMG Conference can be used to fulfill these requirements. You can also obtain CEU’s online by completing modules located at the following web address: http://fayette.ca.uky.edu/MGCEUS 2016 Approved Continuing Education Programs and Field Trips (EMGs will be notified by email once the number of CEUs assigned to each activity has been determined. Also, EMGs will receive email notifications of new CE opportunities as they become available.) Field Trips July 13

Greenhouse 17 (Bluegrass Domestic Violence Program farm), 10:00 a.m.

October 18 Locust Trace AgriScience Center, 9:15 a.m. Fall Lecture October 11 Allen Bush of Jelitto Perennial Seeds, “Perennials That I Can’t Be Without”, 6:30 p.m., Fayette County Extension Office Workshops The Continuing Education committee is in the process of planning lectures on topics of general interest to EMGs. Details will be sent via email at a later date.

Toolbox Classes There will be no fee waiver for EMGs wanting to fulfill CEU requirements with Toolbox classes, but at least six Toolbox classes will be offered at no charge to attendees. State Extension Master Gardener Conference EMGs may receive credit for their attendance at this conference. The amount of CEU credit to be received will be determined by the University of Kentucky EMG Coordinator or the host counties.

DANDELINE A.K.A THE HELP LINE The months of April and May have been active. One of the most frequently asked questions we are getting is about roses. Something is eating the leaves. If you are having this problem you may be hosting a slew of little critters known as the “Rose Slug” who like to stay on the underside of the leaf. They are hard to see with the naked eye since they are the color of the leaf with little brownish-orange heads. There is a way to treat for them. For more information Google: rose slug extension. Click on the Purdue Extension website. This will give you more information and explain treatment options. 2

WE NEED PHOTOS—NEW DIGITAL PHOTO ARCHIVE A Committee of EMGs has created a new way to store photos taken at volunteer projects and events. Here’s how you can help! 1. Take photos—action shots are great! 2. Name the photos—for each digital photo, provide your group’s archive identifier, plus an additional 2-3 word description of the event. Find your identifier in the archive key listed below. 3. Select the best—please select no more than 15 photos to represent your group’s event or activities per year. 4. Send your photos—send them to Jane Peters at [email protected]. Please send no more than 5 photos per email and label the emails by the activity. 5. Use the archive—if you need photos, email Jane Peters at [email protected] and be specific with your request.

MG IMAGE ARCHIVE KEY (2016) MG16-AD Arbor Day Event at the Arboretum MG16-AP

Annual Party

MG16-AM

Master Gardeners Annual Meeting

MG16-BGF

Lexington Lions Club Bluegrass Fair Horticulture Contest

MG16-CE

Continuing Education Committee

MG16-CHTG Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital Therapy Garden MG16-DHG

Demonstration Herb Garden at the Arboretum

MG16-DVG

Demonstration Vegetable Garden at the Arboretum

MG16-EBG

Extension Backyard Garden

MG16-FFF

Follow the Food Farm tour

MG16-FM

Farmers Market Booth

MG16-GC

Growing Community Program

MG16-HL

Helpline Clinic

MG16-LA

Logo Apparel

MG16-C&M

Master Gardener Course: Support & Mentoring

MG16-NC

Nominating Committee

MG16-NL

Master Gardener Newsletter

MG16-CKOTA Central Kentucky Ornamental Turf Association Annual Meeting MG16-SB

Speakers Bureau

MG16-SG

School Gardens

MG16-VP

Volunteer Projects Committee

Thank you for your assistance in archiving all the wonderful work EMGs do! 3

The Arbor Day celebration was held on April 30, 2016. It was very special this year because it was the Arboretums 25th anniversary of celebrating Arbor Day. The theme for 2016 was “Celebrating the past, PLANting the future”. Planning meetings started back in October 2015. We provided volunteers to assist in the following areas: parking lot captains, assist exhibitors and vendors with unloading and loading, volunteer check-in, the EMG table, tree giveaway, children’s garden, counters, and selfie station. On Arbor Day we volunteered in force with 35 EMGs donating a total of 132 hours, some working multiple shifts or all day. The Friday before, 7 EMGs spent an additional 18 hours helping the Arboretum set up. The new layout of tents grouped together in a more central area and the addition of a new restroom facility near the Children’s Garden contributed to the public’s comfort and enjoyment of the event.

A total of 572 members of the public attended. Attendance was down because of a steady rain all day but volunteers arrived well equipped with big smiles and loads of rain gear. Molly Davis, Director of the Arboretum, was very appreciative of all of our efforts. ~ Written by: Debbie Johnson, Chair

Demonstration Vegetable Garden Update Work began in the Arboretum Demonstration Vegetable Garden in mid-March this year. Twenty-nine committee members work in the garden on Monday and Thursday mornings. Weekend sessions will be planned during the Summer months to reach out to more of the public. The beds, covered by straw during the winter, were remarkably free of weeds. Since it was cold and wet in March, the planting of cole and other spring crops (peas, leeks, carrots, radishes, beans, beets, lettuce, spinach, and kale) was delayed until April. This year the use of floating row covers in more of the beds has kept the pest population down. In its third year, the asparagus bed is yielding a small but healthy-looking harvest each week. Now that the weather is warming up, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are being planted. The straw bale garden, a method of raising vegetables directly in a bale of straw, will be used again as an interesting way to grow tomatoes. The straw turns into a rich mulch after decomposing over the Summer. All plants are either purchased from local sources or brought from home by generous committee members. In addition to the 734 pounds of produce that was harvested and donated to God’s Pantry and Catholic Action Center last year, friendships flourish among members of this dedicated, hardworking group of veggie gardeners! Written by: Scott Lemaster, EMG 4

ONLY ROSES In Central Kentucky, where the rose-growing season extends from mid-May through October, Fayette Master Gardener Helena Taulbee tends to her roses with a regimen dictated by consistency. “You can’t plant roses and walk away,” she said. “Set up a schedule of feeding, watering, spraying, deadheading, pruning, and winterizing, and stick to it to have healthy, productive plants,” Taulbee said. If you want to grow roses, listen to what Helena says, because she is considered one of the Tropicana rose foremost rose experts in the area. She once had a business called “Only Roses” here in Lexington. During that time she created rose gardens for many horse farms, private homes, and businesses. In her own yard, she once had as many as 130 roses, but now has “only” about 100. Her garden includes Hybrid Tea Roses, floribundas, grandifloras, climbers, and miniatures. She grows many other flowers, too, but for 30 years, roses have been her favorite. We asked her to share a few tips: Planting: Locate an ar ea that gets six hour s of sun per day. Pr epar e your soil with a mixtur e of topsoil, commercial gardening soil, compost, and sand. Group the plants with plenty of space in-between each plant for ease of care, for concentration of color, and for effective landscaping. Don’t crowd your plants. Feeding: Feed ever y two weeks. Ther e ar e many commer cial r ose foods, some of which she mixes with other additives, such as epsom salt, for routine use. For a neglected plant that you hope to bring back to life, she recommends a bold mix of epsom salt, rose food, fish emulsion, and alfalfa or compost tea. Watering: Helena pr efer s a dr ip hose – that way the foliage doesn’t get wet, and she doesn’t have to drag hoses around. As with most perennials, a good soaking (hopefully some by rain) once a week – about one inch – will suffice. However, in unusually dry periods, a more frequent watering of every 4 or 5 days in the early morning will be enough. Rose slug damage

Spraying: Ther e ar e commer cial spr ays for common r ose pests such as aphids, r ose slugs, and Japanese beetles, and fungicides for molds, but since Helena has so many roses, she orders the compounds in bulk and mixes them herself. This is where major consistency is called for – she recommends frequent examinations of your plants so they can be treated at the first sign of a problem. Deadheading: Fast r emoval of dead flower s helps to contain the spr ead of pests and disease, and it encour ages more growth in perennials. Make it part of your routine care. Pruning: Ther e ar e r ules to follow for pr uning in your MGA manual and online. Winterizing: Wait until after a couple of “hard” freezes, then strip the leaves and cut the plants back to about 1 1⁄ 2 feet. Remove all mulch from around the roses and discard it, because it will harbor mold over the winter, then replace with new mulch. Helena also puts wire cages around each of her roses during winter. We had to ask… What do you do with all of those beautiful roses? She said, “I give most of them to my church, my friends and neighbors, and to visitation groups. I seldom bring them into the house – I’d rather see them outside in the garden setting, or have others enjoy them.” By the way, she does not have a gardener… she and her husband, Roy, take care of everything. Written by: Judy Harmon, EMG Helena’s circular bed of 52 rose bushes

Authors Note: The Rose r osette disease continues to spr ead among Kentucky Knockout roses, and can spread to other roses if not contained. The virus is spread by mites, and eventually destroys the roses. Symptoms are elongated shoots with rose-colored stems and leaves; Witches' Broom growths of clustered shoots off one stem, and lots more thorns than usual. The best recommendation is that you remove affected plants. Go to Google and type Knockout Roses Virus for photos.

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WATERING IN THE LONG, HOT SUMMER It’s hard to remember the guidelines for watering all our living, breathing plants during the Summer, and when we say plants, we are including trees, shrubs, lawns, vegetables, and flower and container gardens. Whew! To refresh your memory, we’re providing you a cheat sheet for watering. The information is gathered from Extension Service publications as well as the Master Gardener Association Manual for Kentucky. Step One: Check your equipment. We would all love to have inground irrigation systems and soaker/drip hoses throughout our property, but for many it’s just not possible. So the next best thing we can do is be sure we have hoses, watering cans, rain barrels, outside faucets, sprinklers, water gauges and other equipment to help us do our job. Step Two: Choose a watering day and do your very best to stick to the same day of the week throughout the summer because consistency is crucial. Step Three: Follow these simple guidelines for watering: Trees and Shrubs: Supply an inch of water per week to trees and shrubs if rain is less than that. Lawns: A new lawn needs to be kept moist for 2-3 weeks. Once a lawn is established, water it only during excessively dry periods. When you water, water thoroughly. The soil should be wet about 4 inches deep. This usually requires 1⁄2 to 1 inch of rainfall or irrigation. A rain gauge is helpful for measuring amounts. Vegetables: Vegetables require about one inch of water per week. The drip/ trickle hose method of watering is preferred. If using a sprinkler, make sure you water early in the morning so plants dry before nightfall. Annual and Perennial Flowers: Annuals and perennials should be watered by drip/trickle hose or sprinkler methods, to about one inch per week during growing season. Mulches help hold moisture. Keep watering perennials into late Fall because Kentucky tends to have dry Fall seasons. Container Gardens: Plants in containers will need to be watered about every 3-5 days. Plants in stack containers need to be watered every day. While the hoses are out: Don’t forget to water your compost bins/ piles and put some water in the birdbath. Consult your MGA Manual for suggested amounts for aerobic or anaerobic composting processes. Written by Judy Harmon, EMG

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