Horticulture 2019 Newsletter

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Kansas Turf Conference in conjunction with KNLA December 4, 5 & 6 Hilton Garden Inn, Manhattan

Mark the date to attend the Kansas Turfgrass Conference in conjunction with KNLA on December 4, 5 & 6 in Manhattan

The conference is an excellent way to learn about turf, nursery and landscape management, visit with old friends, network with new ones, and see all the latest equipment and supplies from local and national vendors.

The conference has been approved for Commercial pesticide recertification hours:

1 Core hour      3A – 7 hrs          3B – 7 hrs

International Society of Arboriculture CEUs and GCSAA education points will also be available by attending the conference.

Download a copy of the program, get exhibitor information, or register online http://www.kansasturfgrassfoundation.com/annual-ktf-conference.html

 

FRUIT

Winterizing Strawberry Plants

Winter can be a difficult time for strawberries in Kansas. Plants

need time to become adjusted to cold weather and will gradually become

more cold resistant as fall progresses. Strawberry plants are able to

withstand colder temperatures in the middle of the winter than in the

fall before they have gone through much cold weather. For example, if

temperatures suddenly plummet below 20 degrees F before the plants

harden to the cold, they can be severely damaged. A drop to 15 degrees F

may kill them. Hardened plants can withstand such temperatures with ease.

Normally, strawberries should be mulched for the winter around

Thanksgiving.  Mulching plants helps protect strawberries not only from

low temperatures but also from heaving damage. Heaving damage occurs

when the alternate freezing and thawing common in Kansas winters heave

plants out of the ground where the roots are exposed and the plants die

from lack of water.

Wheat straw makes good mulch if it is clean (free from weed seed

and wheat kernals). The straw should be spread over the plants to a

depth of 3 inches. Shake the slabs of straw apart so there are no large

compressed chunks. This straw mulch not only helps protect the plants

over winter but can also help avoid damage from late spring frosts by

delaying blooming a few days in the spring. Mulch should be removed

gradually in the spring as plants begin new growth. Remove enough so

leaves can be seen.

Leaving some mulch in place keeps the berries off the ground and

conserves moisture. Also, mulch left in the aisles helps protect pickers

from muddy conditions. (Ward Upham)

 

FLOWERS

Poinsettia Care

Modern poinsettia varieties stay attractive for a long time if

given proper care. Place your poinsettia in a sunny window or the

brightest area of the room, but don’t let it touch cold window panes.

The day temperature should be 65 to 75 degrees F. with 60 to 65 degrees

at night. Temperatures above 75 degrees will shorten bloom life, and

below 60 degrees may cause root rot.  Move plants away from drafty

windows at night or draw drapes between them to avoid damage from the cold.

Poinsettias are somewhat finicky in regard to soil moisture. Avoid

overwatering because poinsettias do not like “wet feet.” On the other

hand, if the plant is allowed to wilt, it will drop some leaves. So how

do you maintain proper moisture? Examine the potting soil daily by

sticking your finger about one-half inch deep into the soil. If it is

dry to this depth, the plant needs water. When it becomes dry to the

touch, water the plant with lukewarm water until some water runs out of

the drainage hole, then discard the drainage water. (Ward Upham)

 

Are Poinsettias Poisonous?

At times, an old time rumor is resurrected that poinsettias are

poisonous. This is NOT true. Though there may be an allergic reaction to

the milky sap, there has never been a recorded case of poisoning. This

rumor has been so persistent that members of the Society of American

Florists have sought to dispel it by eating poinsettia leaves for the press.

The AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants states that the

poinsettia “has been found to produce either no effect (orally or

topically) or occasional cases of vomiting. This plant does not contain

the irritant diterpenes” which is the toxin in other members of the

genus Euphorbia to which poinsettia belongs.  (Ward Upham)

 

MISCELLANEOUS

Ashes in the Garden

You may have heard that using wood ashes on your garden can help

make the soil more fertile. Though  ashes do contain significant amounts

of potash, they contain little phosphate and no nitrogen. Most Kansas

soils are naturally high in potash and do not need more. Also, wood

ashes will raise the pH of our soils, often a drawback in Kansas where

soils tend toward high pH anyway. Therefore, wood ashes add little

benefit, and may harm, many Kansas soils. In most cases it is best to

get rid of them. (Ward Upham)

 

Storing Power Equipment for the Winter

Late fall or early winter is a good time to service power equipment

such as mowers, tillers and garden tractors. Run the equipment out of

gas or treat the existing gas with a stabilizer as untreated gas can

deteriorate over time. If using a stabilizer, run the engine long enough

for untreated gas in the carburetor bowl to be burned and replaced. This

is also a good time to replace the oil (and filter, if present) since

the engine is warm. Check and replace the spark plug if necessary. Some

gardeners will also apply a light, sprayable oil into the cylinder

through the spark plug hole. Check and clean air filters and replace if

necessary.  Many mowers and tillers will have a foam prefilter that can

become filthy with use. If allowed to become too dirty, engines will run

poorly or may not run at all.

Sharpen blades, clean tines, tighten screws, replace broken parts

and do all the other things needed to keep equipment in good shape.

Though such maintenance takes some time and effort, it pays for itself

by reducing frustration and lost time due to poorly performing equipment

during a hectic spring. (Ward Upham)

 

Why Do Houseplants Lose Leaves After Being Brought Inside?

 

Newly bought houseplants or those brought in from outside often

lose at least a portion of their leaves. In order to understand why this

occurs, we need to look at how these plants are grown and what the plant

needs to do to adapt to its new environment. Houseplants are normally

produced either under shade outdoors in southern states or in

greenhouses. Also, many homeowners move their houseplants outside during

the summer. Regardless, the plants receive much more sunlight than they

do in an indoor environment. Research done in Florida in the late 1970s

revealed that tropical plants grown under high light conditions produce

‘sun leaves’ while those grown under low light conditions have ‘shade

leaves.’ These leaf types differ structurally in that sun leaves have

less chlorophyll (the substance that plants use to convert sunlight to

energy) and the chlorophyll that is present is located deeper inside the

leaf. Sun leaves also tend to be thick, small and numerous while shade

leaves are more thin, larger, and fewer in number. When plants are moved

from one light condition to another they need time to adjust. This

process is known as acclimatization. If they are forced to acclimatize

too quickly, they will drop their sun leaves and produce a new set of

shade leaves. If the acclimatization process is slower and less drastic,

the plant can convert their sun leaves to the shade leaves that do

better under low light. If going from shade to sun, this process is

reversed.

Some houseplants are acclimatized before they are sold but many are

not. So how do we help our new houseplants or those moved inside

acclimatize to their new home environment? Houseplants should start out

in an area of the home that receives plenty of light and then gradually

moved to their permanent, darker location. This process should take 4 to

8 weeks depending on the degree of difference in light levels between

the initial and final location of the plant. Remember, plants need to be

acclimatized whether they are moved from a sunny location to one that

receives less light or from shade to sun. Understanding plant processes

allows us to anticipate potential problems. Acclimatization gives our

houseplants a greater  chance of retaining leaves and avoiding the

stress of completely replacing them. (Ward Upham)

 

Contriubtors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

 

Division of Horticulture

1712 Claflin, 2021 Throckmorton

Manhattan, KS 66506

(785) 532-6173

 

For questions or further information, contact: [email protected] OR

[email protected]

This newsletter is also available on the World Wide Web at:

http://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html

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