Frequently Asked Questions in Home Gardening

A good part of my job at the Extension office is answering homeowner questions about their lawn and gardens. I thought it might be helpful to share a few of them and my answers.

When should I prune my Japanese maple?  Never.  This is one plant that I just would not put the pruners to at all.  Japanese maples are beautifully shaped with graceful branches.  I know that I would never be able to do anything with my pruners to improve upon such elegance.  If you have one that is too tall for the space, then you (or the person who owned the house before you) planted the wrong one.  There are dozens of varieties of Japanese maples that have different mature heights.  Choose carefully which one to plant. 

 What grass should I plant for my shady yard?  None.  If you have shade, choose a groundcover, make new beds, or mulch.  Turfgrasses are full sun plants.  If you have moving shade, you could try zoysia.  But even zoysia will not tolerate full shade.  You might get a good stand for a while, but each year the grass will get thinner and thinner.  There simply is no substitute for sunlight.  You could always try a moss garden.  That would be lovely. 

 Should I apply paint or tar to my tree if I have to prune off a limb?  No.  Trees are very good at handling damaged tissues.  They make “calluses” around the wounded area, then seal the damage off and continue to grow around the wound.  Research has shown that painting over the wounds does nothing to help and may actually make things worse. Tar or paint can prevent the area from drying out, prevent the tree’s natural process of compartmentalizing the area, and possibly even act as a food source for pathogens.  If you have a limb that broke off of the tree, perhaps in a storm, and it was not a clean break, then you can help the tree by cleaning up the ragged edges to make it easier for the callus tissue to form. 

 

I figured I needed a photo to give my blog post interest, so here is a random chipmunk.

Master Gardener Recognition Night

On Friday, May 23, University of Tennessee Extension held a recognition night to honor several Fayette County Master Gardeners.  Twelve Master Gardeners graduated from their internship and received a certificate as well as their green Master Gardener name badge.   The badges are earned after an intern attends fourteen weeks of gardening classes and completes forty hours of volunteer service. 

 

Alida Gover, Cindy Matlock, Anne Chase, Martha Shaeffer, Judy Schmunk, Beth Mize, Laura Winfrey, Katherine Robinson, and Robin Comella.  PJ Bartholomew, Susan Hines, and Dan Sutherland not pictured

 

Five year pins were given to five Master Gardeners to acknowledge their continued years of service to their communities through the Master Gardener program. 

 

 

Loretta Taylor and Will Gresham receive their 5 yr. pins.  Elizabeth Baker, Beverly Culver, and Darlene Rike not pictured.

 

 Four Master Gardeners received the gold leaf pin award for completing 100 hours of volunteer service with the Master Gardener program for the 2013 year.  Everyone enjoyed dinner at the Oak Room and the commencement address given by Dr. Christopher Cooper, the State Master Gardener Coordinator. The eighth annual training class for Master Gardener interns will be starting in August.  If you are interested in joining our group, call the Extension office at 901-465-5233 to get more information.  

Alida Gover, Cindy Matlock, and Vivian England receive 100 hr. pins.  Darlene Rike not pictured.

4-H Archers Score Big at State Shoot

On Saturday, May 3, nine 4-Hers from Fayette County traveled to Murfreesboro to compete in the State 4-H Archery Shoot.  There were nearly 400 youth from across Tennessee at the shoot to compete in the recurve, Genesis, and compound bow divisions. Fayette County was well represented in each division. 

Our Senior High Compound Team, Hunter and Rebecca Winstead and Cameron Hart, came in second place.  Cameron Hart won first place individual in the high school compound division, shooting a 299 out of a possible 300. He hit the bullseye 18 times in his 30 shot match.  He also won premiere archer in that category, which takes into consideration the scores on a written skills test. 

 

 In the Genesis bow division, Cameron came in 7^th place. 

 

In the recurve category, we had two youth place in the top ten.  Mitchell McCreless placed 8^th in the Senior High age group and Haddon Carter placed sixth in the Junior High group.  4-Hers Beau Hart and Landon Carter shot in the Genesis division, while Ben Dixon and Corbin Hart shot compound bows. If your child is interested in 4-H Archery, contact Tonya Ashworth at 901-465-5233.  UT Extension offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability or veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity employer.

 

Cameron and Corbin Hart

Corbin on the left, Cameron on the right

Landon, Mitchell, Hunter, Cameron, and Rebecca

Haddon and Mitchell

Hunter

Mitchell, Landon, and Beau

Rebecca and Hunter

Ben, Rebecca, and Hunter

 

Starting a New Vegetable Garden?

Having a vegetable garden at your home can be very rewarding. You get food that is fresh and tasty and you know exactly what was or was not sprayed on it during the growing season.  Additionally, you get the extra exercise, stress relief, and sense of accomplishment that goes along with gardening.  To insure your success, you need to plan before the first seed is planted.  Here are some tips for starting your own backyard garden.

 

·         Your garden spot should receive at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.

·         Put the garden near the house so that the water hose will reach it.  You are more likely to go work in the garden if it is nearby. 

·         Take a soil sample and do a soil test.  The kits are available at the UT Extension office in Somerville.  The cost is $7, and it tells you exactly how much lime and fertilizer your soil needs.

·         Put lime on as soon as possible, because it takes a while for it to work.

·         Add any manures you plan to use before planting.  However, don’t top dress with manure, because of food safety issues and the bacteria that may be splashed up when watering.

·         Decide which vegetables you want to grow.  This time of year, you should only plant warm season vegetables such as okra, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.  The time for broccoli and spinach is over.

·         If you are starting a new bed, spray an herbicide to get rid of the vegetation that is currently on the site.  After it dies, you can till the soil for the bed. You should work the top 6-7 inches, but not when the ground is too wet. 

·         Plant your seeds or plants, but don’t overdo it!  Many beginning gardeners underestimate how much yield they will get and end up with okra by the boatload.

·         If you are unsure about how much seed is needed or what yields will be like or what will and won’t grow this time of year, come by the Extension office and pick up our “Guide to Warm Season Vegetables.”  It has a chart that tells you which plants to plant, when to plant, how many seed per 100’ row to use, how to space the plants, and how many days until the first harvest. It is free, as is all of our educational materials on gardening. UT Extension offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, disability or veteran status and is an Equal Opportunity employer.

 

December Gardening Gift Ideas and Tips

By Jason Reeves, research horticulturist and garden curator, UT Gardens, Jackson

Need a Christmas gift for a gardener? How about a King of Spades 18" Dura Rake or Diamond Point Spade with foot pad. At the UT Gardens in Jackson we are now using many of the W. W. Manufacturing King of Spade tools made in New Jersey. Once you use their products, you will not want any other. They are costly, but well worth it. To find a retailer near you go to http://www.wwmfg.com/ or order online at http://www.kingofspadesonline.com/.

Another tool that would make a great gift and I wouldn’t garden without it, is the Harper Hand Truck. This dolly is great for moving heavy pots and bags of soil, mulch or other supplies. Whether you purchase the Harper brand or some other, make sure the tires are inflatable, which will allow for rolling on soft surfaces like the lawn.

Be sure to check out sale racks at local garden centers for bulbs that have been reduced in price. If they feel firm and are not moldy, they should still be good. Plant them as soon as possible. There is still time for them to get the winter chilling they need.

The idea of a living Christmas tree that can be planted outdoors after the holidays often sounds appealing, but without proper selection and care, this can be a disappointing experience. First, you should carefully select one that is suited to your part of the state. While white pine, spruce and fir will work in the cooler parts of Tennessee, they should be avoided in the warmer areas. Virginia pine, Eastern red cedar, Japanese cedar and Arizona cypress are good choices for all parts of Tennessee. Hemlock and Leyland cypress should be avoided due to numerous problems with insects and disease once in the landscape. Any living tree brought indoors should not remain inside longer than five days. One option is to go ahead and put the lights on the tree and enjoy it outside before time to bring it indoors. Be sure to keep it well watered but not standing in water. Once Christmas is over, move it outdoors and plant.

Cyclamen, kalanchoe, poinsettia, paperwhites, amaryllis, Christmas cactus, English ivy and rosemary topiaries offer weeks of added color and interest to the home during the holidays. Most perform best in bright, indirect light away from drafts, but rosemary would appreciate as much light as possible. The cyclamen, kalanchoe and poinsettias are often best added to the compost pile once they begin to decline. Keep your paperwhites from flopping over by adding alcohol. For more information, check out this link: http://blogs.cornell.edu/hort/2009/11/10/pickling-your-paperwhites/. 

Deck your halls and walls with things found in your garden. Gather fresh-cut greenery from your landscape. When pruning, cut back to a branch so as not to leave a stub. When cutting conifers, don't go beyond the innermost needles. If you do, it may not regenerate from that point again. To extend the life of fresh-cut greenery, soak it in a bucket of water overnight to hydrate the leaves and stems before using and or spray with the product like Wilt Proof. Wilt Proof forms a waxy coating that slows desiccation.

Fall Buttercup Control in Grass Pastures and Hay Fields

Tired of looking out across your pastures and hay fields and seeing that “sea of yellow” every spring?  Unfortunately,  many producers in Tennessee are all too familiar with buttercups. According to Neil Rhodes, Professor and Extension Weed Management Specialist with The University of Tennessee, most of these members of the genus Ranunculus are winter annuals that are easily controlled with a timely application of 2,4-D, and  interest in fall applications has increased in Tennessee over the past few years.

Why spray in the fall?

Historically, the vast majority of applications for control of buttercups have been in March to early-April. However, University of Tennessee research and producer experience has continued to show that fall (late October to mid-December) is actually a better time to spray for them.  Why is that?  Buttercups emerge in the fall and they are small and actively growing then.  As we have discussed numerous times, one of the most important keys to getting good results is to spray buttercups before they bloom.  This is an automatic with fall applications, given that buttercups generally do not bloom until spring.  Also, oftentimes in the late-winter to spring it is very wet and windy, making it difficult to spray before they are in bloom.  Another  reason for fall spraying is that many producers may have more available time then, compared to the spring.  Time consuming late-winter to early-spring activities such as calving, spreading fertilizer  and getting ground ready for row crop planting often make it difficult to get pastures and hay fields sprayed on a timely basis.  Last, but certainly not least, fewer vegetable crops, gardens and active greenhouses are present then; this means the risk of off-target damage to sensitive plants is lower.

 

In most cases, 2,4-D ester at 1 qt./acre provides excellent control of annual buttercups in the fall. The same rules apply as with spring applications.  Favorable weather (3 days of day time highs of 60 F); plenty of water (at least 20 gallons per acre spray volume); and the addition of a good, nonionic surfactant (1 qt./100 gallons of spray mix)  are all important ingredients in success.  An added bonus for the fall spray program is that it is also a very good time of the year to control musk thistle, buckhorn plantain and wild turnip.  These are controlled by 2,4-D and are often present in the same fields alongside buttercups.  If buckhorn plantain is severe, consider increasing the rate of 2,4-D.   Keep in mind that 2,4-D, unlike some of our newer pasture herbicides (ForeFront HL, GrazonNext HL, etc.),  breaks down relatively quickly in soil.  A benefit of this is that with fall applications of 2,4-D, clovers can be planted the following February. 

Are buttercups becoming resistant to 2,4-D?

This is a startling question we have received from a number of producers over the past couple of years.  Our answer for now is “We don’t thinks so, and we sure hope not!”.  What has prompted this question is that a number of 2,4-D failures on buttercup have occurred in our area over the past few years.  These were not cases of late sprays, low rates, not enough water volume, or bad weather.  These were timely applications where everything was apparently done correctly.  We are keeping a close watch on this situation and are conducting research to address it.  Late this winter we scouted a number of pastures in Blount County where 2,4-D had failed the previous year.  Upon close inspection, we found that the predominant species present was not hairy buttercup (a winter annual and our most common species), but rather bulbous buttercup, a perennial that is not effectively controlled by 2,4-D.  While the leaf and flower structures of these two species are somewhat different, the most reliable way to identify bulbous buttercup is to dig up some plants and look for the swollen corm at the base of the stem.  We conducted a replicated research trial at one of the locations this past spring.  Ratings taken at 2 months after application revealed that 2,4-D ester (1 qt. /A)  gave only 42 percent control.  However, GrazonNext HL (1.6 pt./A) gave 90% control.  What we believe is happening in a number of area fields is not the development of resistance, but rather a species shift from the more easily controlled hairy buttercup to a predominance of the more difficult-to-control bulbous buttercup.  We will keep you posted on this issue.

Always remember to thoroughly read the herbicide label before application and follow all directions and precautions.

 Jeff Via

 

Knotroot Foxtail: A Major Issue in Bermudagrass Hay Production

Much of Tennessee, particularly West Tennessee, is well-suited for production of bermudagrass hay.  An increasing number of producers across our state have been successful producing high-quality bermudagrass hay in small bales for sale at a premium to horse owners, municipal zoos, and other buyers.  Weed management has always been a challenge in bermudagrass production.  However, that challenge has greatly increased in recent years for many producers in West Tennessee due to the spread of knotroot foxtail, a fast-growing, perennial weedy grass.  The grass not only reproduces by seed, as is the case with the annual foxtails, but it also produces rhizomes, or underground stems.  The key problem with this weed and the other foxtails is that the bristly seed heads in hay cause serious problems with mouth ulcers in horses.

 

Becky Muller (Shelby County Extension Agent),  Jeff Via (Fayette County Extension Director)  Trevor Israel ( Extension Assistant – Weed Management) , and Neil Rhodes (Professor and Extension Weed Management Specialist) have teamed-up to work toward solutions for producers affected by this costly weed.  During the winter of 2012, problem hay fields in several West Tennessee locations were sampled.  Dormant foxtail clumps were exhumed and inspected for the presence of the tell-tale rhizomes.  As expected, knotroot foxtail was confirmed in numerous locations.  The team visited with researchers and Extension Specialists  in other southern states where knotroot foxtail has been present for much longer than in Tennessee, and learned that although a number of investigators have conducted research on this weed over the past 2 to 3 years, the best herbicide options have only given suppression.

 

In spring, 2012, the team worked closely with a number of producers and encouraged them to implement a sequential program of Pastora + glyphosate, followed by a second application of Pastora, with the goal of seed head suppression.  Where properly implemented, the program did suppress seed heads and allow for cleaner hay for the first 2 to 3 cuttings.  However, the program is expensive and quite injurious to bermudagrass.  And, the weed rebounded in late summer. 

 

Efforts in 2013 have included numerous farm visits to work with affected producers, educational  meetings, on-farm, replicated research trials in the spring and fall, and a fact sheet that is currently in development.   It is hoped that these and other future efforts will lead toward effective, affordable solutions to this problem, thereby increasing the viability of this high value agricultural enterprise in Tennessee.

                                   

 

Jeffery D. Via