Monday, March 16, 2026
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Valentines day is quickly approaching!

By
Guest Columnist
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Valentines day is quickly approaching! It is known as the holiday of romance. Giving a loved one a gift such as chocolates or roses is a tradition. If you are fortunate enough to receive roses from a loved one this Valentine’s Day, follow these guidelines to help extend the life of your flowers.

For floral arrangements:
1) Keep the vase filled or floral foam soaked with warm water. Add fresh, warm water daily. If the water turns cloudy, replace it immediately. If possible, recut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Do this under water. This allows the stems to draw in water instead of air.
2) Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or near radiators.
3) If a rose starts to wilt, remove it from the arrangement, and recut the stem under water. Submerge the entire rose in warm water. The rose should revive in one to two hours.

For loose stems:
1) If you can’t get your flowers in a flower food solution right away, keep them in a cool place.
2) Fill a clean, deep vase with water and add the flower food obtained from your florist. Be sure to follow the directions on the package.
3) Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial growth.
4) Recut stems under water with a sharp knife and place the flowers in the vase solution you’ve prepared.

KU News: Research shows effects of ‘hyper-palatable’ foods across four diets

By
Guest Columnist
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From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Headlines

Contact: Jen Humphrey, Life Span Institute, 785-864-6621, [email protected], @kulifespan
Research shows effects of ‘hyper-palatable’ foods across four diets
LAWRENCE — If losing weight was among your 2023 resolutions, findings by researchers from the University of Kansas and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) may provide clearer guidance about the food you put on your plate.
Using previous study data, researchers sought to determine what characteristics of meals were important for determining how many calories were eaten. They found that three meal characteristics consistently led to increased calorie intake across four different dietary patterns: meal energy density (i.e., calories per gram of food), the amount of “hyper-palatable” foods and how quickly the meals were eaten. Protein content of the meals also contributed to calorie intake, but its effect was more variable.
First described by KU scientist Tera Fazzino in 2019, hyper-palatable foods have specific combinations of fat, sugar, sodium and carbohydrates — think of potato chips — that make them artificially rewarding to eat and harder to stop consuming.
“We wanted to know how hyper-palatable characteristics of foods, in combination with other factors, influenced how many calories a person consumed in a meal,” said Fazzino, who is associate director of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research & Treatment at the KU Life Span Institute and assistant professor in the KU Department of Psychology.
Fazzino, together with researchers from the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, wrote in the journal Nature Food that hyper-palatability increased the amount of energy consumed across four diet patterns: low-carbohydrate, low-fat, a diet based on unprocessed foods and one based on ultra-processed foods.
Diet recommendations for weight management could be informed by understanding how some foods result in people eating fewer calories without making them hungry. People are often advised to avoid energy-dense foods, such as cookies or cheese, that can lead to passive overeating. Instead, foods low in energy density — like spinach, carrots and apples — are often advised. But foods characterized as hyper-palatable may be less familiar to people, and they may be unknowingly adding them to their plate.
While hyper-palatable foods are sometimes also energy dense, the new study suggests that these hyper-palatable foods independently contribute to meal calorie intake. Fazzino said the findings add to a growing body of research that shows that hyper-palatability plays a role in the food choices that people make and in their weight.
“We hope to get the information about hyper-palatable foods out there for individuals to consider as they make dietary choices, and we hope that scientists continue to examine hyper-palatable characteristics as a potential factor influencing energy intake,” she said.
Fazzino co-wrote the findings in Nature Food with researchers Kevin Hall, Amber Courville and Jen Guo of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

REFLECTIONS ON OUR BIRTHDAY

By
Roger Ringer
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“HISTORY IS A CYCILIC POEM WRITTEN BY TIME UPON THE MEMORIES OF MAN.”

Percy Bysshe Shelly

 

On January 29 Kansas became a state 162 years ago. A turbulent bloody time when the nation was in the throes of slavery and Kansas was right in the middle of it. Though long in coming the act of signing the bill by President Buchanan was the defining step for the Civil War to commence. John Brown had lit the fuse with the explosion happening at Fort Sumter. Though modern day elites scoff at a state that has not the mountains or sea shore Walt Whitman said that the plains are the true example of the American character.

Four and five generations ago my family came to Kansas and prospered. Thru hard times and plenty the families of my parents have left their mark on the land and my heart. It is only natural that I must write about Kansas and Kansans. Though other states make great claims the proof is in the quiet record of Kansas.

Kansas defies categorization. We have produced a president, an almost president, and possibly a presidential candidate. The land looked upon with fear by those raised in forest rich states did not recognize the underlying strength of the land. The thrift, work ethic, and imagination of the Kansas people quietly are the foundation of the country. We feed the world, put mankind flying over it, in uncounted ways many of the ideas and people of many vocations had their roots in our Kansas soil.

Once a year there are quiet celebrations that get little notice yet the nation and world should stop and take notice. Quietly, as we always have, we will smile and go on with our lives. It is said that the meek will inherit the earth. We have and you enjoy the fruits of the plains when you sit down and eat. Though Marx always claimed that it is ‘the people’ that should rule, Kansas has proved that it is a people of free thinking individuals that actually make a society and country prosper.

It is a shame that many cannot have the pride in Kansas as Texans do there. We have so many that do not recognise what Kansas has and is. So many look to other places for their pursuit of happiness. I find that there are no more enthusiastic supporters of Kansas as those who get here late with their eyes wide open. I wish that there were people that quit looking slack jawed at a new arrival and ask the question “How in the world did you come to Kansas?”

To those who arrive here and get that question I would advise borrowing the phrase used in Texas. ‘I got here as soon as I could!’

 

KU News: KU leading project to aid students who internalized anxious feelings from pandemic

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Guest Columnist
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From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu

Headlines

KU leading project to aid students who internalized anxious feelings from pandemic
LAWRENCE — The Institute for Education Sciences has awarded a four-year, $3 million grant to a University of Kansas research team to launch Project ENGAGE. The project will analyze existing data to determine how internalizing and externalizing behavior patterns among students may have shifted during the last several years and to test a new intervention designed to improve outcomes for students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders.

KU Legal Aid Clinic, Douglas County DA’s Office and Lawrence Public Library to host criminal record expungement clinic
LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas School of Law’s Legal Aid Clinic will host a Clean Slate Criminal Record Expungement Clinic this spring in partnership with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office and the Lawrence Public Library. The clinic will take place in person from noon to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont St.

Virtual visit with ‘Disability Visibility’ editor heralds upcoming Common Book events
LAWRENCE — A virtual visit Feb. 22 by Alice Wong, disability rights activist and editor, will usher in several remaining activities surrounding the University of Kansas’ 10th Common Book, “Disability Visibility: First-person Stories from the Twenty-First Century.” Other events will include talks by authors Rebekah Taussig and Chloé Cooper Jones as well as multiple performances at the Lied Center of Kansas.

KU nominates 5 undergraduates for 2023 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships
LAWRENCE — Five University of Kansas students who have been actively involved in undergraduate research during their university careers are competing for Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships, regarded as the premier undergraduate award to encourage excellence in science, engineering and mathematics. Winners will be notified in late March. KU’s Kansas nominees are from Lawrence, Liberal and Overland Park.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Mike Krings, KU News Service, 785-864-8860, [email protected], @MikeKrings
KU leading project to aid students who internalized anxious feelings from pandemic

LAWRENCE —The University of Kansas has secured grant funding to conduct a project to look for students with internalizing behaviors who have anxious feelings that may negatively affect their education, and to help teachers implement new strategies to attend to those feelings while re-engaging in school.

As the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it school closings, remote or hybrid learning and other academic changes, students often lost instructional time and struggled with health and well-being. The Institute for Education Sciences has awarded a four-year, $3 million grant to a KU research team to launch Project ENGAGE: Enhancing Student Engagement to Facilitate Learning and Well-being. The project will analyze existing data to determine how internalizing and externalizing behavior patterns may have shifted during the last several years and test “Recognize. Relax. Record,” a new intervention designed to improve outcomes for students with and at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders.

“We will look at data from years prior to the pandemic, during and now to see how internalizing behavior patterns have shifted over the time,” said Kathleen Lane, Roy A. Roberts Distinguished Professor of Special Education at KU and principal investigator. “Building on lessons learned from Project ENHANCE, we’re now digging deeper to learn more about how kids are faring with anxious feelings and how a newly developed, evidence-based intervention can help students, teachers and schools.”

For the first goal of the project, data from approximately 8,000 students in 22 schools in two diverse districts will be analyzed. The second goal will begin with two elementary teachers and a small group of students experiencing internalizing behaviors – specifically anxious feelings.

That will be followed by a randomized control trial of Recognize. Relax. Record., also known as RRR, with about 65 teachers and nearly 200 students. Data will be gathered throughout the project to gauge how students who received the intervention fared compared with students in the control group. By the end, all teachers and students will have access to the intervention materials.

RRR is designed for use by teachers, and the KU team will deliver it in the initial phases to reduce workload on educators. It has three primary components, all addressed through explicit instruction. Students learn to recognize or identify thoughts and feelings related to being anxious. They also learn relaxation strategies and to support self-regulation, then record their thoughts and feelings, their use of selected relaxation strategies and their sense of engagement in school activity.

The research team will also analyze data throughout the project for dissemination in public forums, presentations and peer-reviewed publications. If successful, RRR and Project ENGAGE can be scaled for wider use. Co-principal investigators for the project are Mark Buckman, assistant research professor at KU; Wendy Peia Oakes of Arizona State University; and Eric Alan Common from University of Michigan Flint. Buckman and Common are both KU graduates.

Project ENGAGE was funded on the first submission, which Lane said is testament to the skill and dedication of the team.

“We are all very excited about Project ENGAGE, and the support it has received is a testament to the achievements of this talented group and illustrates how KU has continued to thrive during difficult times in education,” Lane said. “Most importantly, we are proud we will be able to work directly with teachers and our amazing district partners to help students to engage in their education and ensure their health and well-being.”

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The official university Twitter account has changed to @UnivOfKansas.
Refollow @KUNews for KU News Service stories, discoveries and experts.


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Contact: Emma Herrman, School of Law, [email protected], @kulawschool
KU Legal Aid Clinic, Douglas County DA’s Office and Lawrence Public Library to host criminal record expungement clinic

LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas School of Law’s Legal Aid Clinic will host a Clean Slate Criminal Record Expungement Clinic this spring in partnership with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office and the Lawrence Public Library. The clinic will take place in person from noon to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 707 Vermont St.

“As a public library, we want to expand public knowledge about the expungement process,” said Marc Veloz, community resource specialist at the Lawrence Public Library. “A tangible way we can do that is by providing a space for this service and helping get the word out to our community partners.”

An expungement seals an arrest record, diversion or conviction from public view, with certain exceptions. The Legal Aid Clinic will provide free legal representation to eligible individuals seeking to expunge records in Douglas County District Court and/or Lawrence Municipal Court.

“Convictions for certain crimes shouldn’t be a life sentence,” District Attorney Suzanne Valdez said. “Through this opportunity, individuals can access the expungement process for free and remove long-standing barriers to education, housing and employment. We are fortunate to be able to work with the Legal Aid Clinic to provide this service to our community.”

The clinic can accept clients with income up to 250% of the federal poverty level. Clients who qualify for Legal Aid Clinic representation but who do not qualify for a waiver of the court’s per-case filing fee will need to pay that court fee, but no attorney’s fees, as long as they are eligible for services.

After the intake clinic day at the library, clients will need to attend one additional appointment and any required court hearings with their Legal Aid attorney.

“We are excited for our law students to partner again with the District Attorney’s Office and the Lawrence Public Library to offer this clinic to individuals with records to expunge in Douglas County,” said Melanie Daily, clinical associate professor and director of Douglas County Legal Aid Society Inc. “Criminal record expungement serves an important role in the justice system by allowing qualified individuals to get back into the community and do good work – in their homes, schools, workplaces and beyond. It’s a last step in getting their records to reflect not their mistakes, but the progress they have made.”

For any questions regarding the clinic and expungement eligibility, contact the Legal Aid Clinic at 785-864-5564.

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Subscribe to KU Today, the campus newsletter,
for additional news about the University of Kansas.

http://www.news.ku.edu
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Contact: Kevin McCarty, KU Libraries, 785-864-6428, [email protected], @KULibraries
Virtual visit with ‘Disability Visibility’ editor heralds upcoming Common Book events

LAWRENCE — A virtual visit from Alice Wong, disability rights activist and editor, will usher in several remaining activities surrounding the University of Kansas’ 10th Common Book, “Disability Visibility: First-person Stories from the Twenty-First Century.”

Wong will respond to submitted questions in an online presentation Feb. 22 and participate in an informal conversation with students Feb. 23 as the university community continues its yearlong exploration of the anthology, which provides diverse perspectives on the lived experience of both visible and invisible disabilities. Questions can be submitted through an online form by Feb. 2.

The Common Book program, presented in partnership by KU Libraries, the Hall Center for the Humanities and KU Academic Success, aims to build community among students, faculty and staff; encourage intellectual engagement through reading and discussion; and create shared conversation about topics and issues of significance in today’s world.

The talk is just one of many “Disability Visibility” events happening on and around KU’s Lawrence campus this spring. Here’s a rundown of the remaining activities:

1. KU’s New Music Guild will perform an interactive concert that examines how disability is treated in the medium of sound. The concert will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Lied Center of Kansas with an informal reception to follow. During the reception, the audience will have an opportunity to reflect with the performers, mingle, ask questions and discuss the themes of the concert with the performers.
2. On Feb. 12, Kansas Public Radio’s Kaye McIntire and her show “KPR Presents Book Club” will welcome Rebekah Taussig, author of “Sitting Pretty: The View from my Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body,” and Megan Kaminski, KU associate professor of English. Taussig is a KU graduate with a doctorate in creative nonfiction and disability studies. The group will discuss Taussig’s memoir and share collections of solicited essays, poems and short stories about listeners’ personal experience living with disability.
3. Alice Wong, editor of this year’s Common Book, will speak at a virtual event at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22. Register to attend the event and use this form by Feb. 2 to submit questions for the presenter. Students can also register here to join Wong for a student conversation at 3 p.m. Feb. 23 as well as submit questions for consideration using this form.
4. KU’s Educate & Act series turns its focus to “Disability Justice and Public Policy” in its March 2 panel on civic action and engagement. Presenters from across campus, along with specialists from outside the university, will take part in a session beginning at noon. Access the event through this link to the Zoom conference.
5. Join the Emily Taylor Center for Women & Gender Equity and campus partners at 6 p.m. April 13 for the release of “Disability Justice is a Feminist Issue,” a collaborative zine project complementing “Disability Visibility.” After select contributors reflect on their submissions, there will be opportunity for Q&A. All are invited to submit an 8.5-by-11-inch page exploring the themes of disability justice, ableism, gender and feminism by April 1.
6. The Dancing Wheels Company and School, a professional dance organization bringing together dancers with and without disabilities, will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 14 at the Lied Center. Performing since 1980, Dancing Wheels offer performers with disabilities full and equal access to the world of dance. The performance is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which awarded a grant aimed at “Utilizing the Performing Arts to Enhance Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives.” A team from KU worked with the dance company and school to integrate curriculum into KU classes.
7. Chloé Cooper Jones, KU graduate, philosophy professor and freelance journalist, will speak about her memoir, “Easy Beauty,” thoughts about disability, motherhood and the search for a new way of seeing and being seen at 7:30 p.m. April 25 in the Hall Center Conference Hall and online via a Hall Center Crowdcast, a video platform for online conferences and webinars. Cooper Jones, a Tonganoxie native, was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in feature writing for “Fearing for His Life,” a profile of Ramsey Orta, the man who filmed the killing of Eric Garner.

Please visit the Common Book website for updates and more information on these events.

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Don’t miss new episodes of “When Experts Attack!,”
a KU News Service podcast hosted by Kansas Public Radio.

https://kansaspublicradio.org/when-experts-attack
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Contact: Erin Wolfram, Academic Success, 785-864-2308, [email protected]
KU nominates 5 undergraduates for 2023 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships

LAWRENCE — Five University of Kansas students who have been actively involved in undergraduate research during their university careers are competing for Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships, regarded as the premier undergraduate award to encourage excellence in science, engineering and mathematics.

The students’ applications are coordinated by the Office of Fellowships in Academic Success.

KU’s 2023 nominees:

1. Sivani Badrivenkata, Lawrence, a junior in pharmaceutical sciences
2. Thresa Kelly, Kansas City, Missouri, a junior in engineering physics – digital electronic systems with a minor in astronomy
3. Brandon Nguyen, Liberal, a sophomore in chemistry and with a minor in mathematics
4. Audrey-Rips Goodwin, Overland Park, a junior in chemistry and mathematics with a minor in psychology
5. Kate Wienke, St. Louis, a junior in physics.

Seventy-six KU students have received Goldwater scholarships since they first were awarded in 1989. Congress established the program in 1986 in tribute to the retired U.S. senator from Arizona and to ensure a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers.

The Goldwater Foundation trustees will announce the 2023 winners in late March. The scholarships cover eligible expenses for undergraduate tuition, fees, books and room and board, up to $7,500 annually. Each year the trustees award approximately 450 scholarships.

Only sophomore- and junior-level students with outstanding academic records, significant research experience and high potential for careers in mathematics, the natural sciences or engineering are eligible for nomination. Nominees submitted applications that included essays related to their career goals and research experience and three faculty recommendations. Students interested in applying next year should contact the Office of Fellowships via email.

Brief descriptions of the nominees’ research experience, organizational involvement and career plans follow.

Sivani Badrivenkata, from Lawrence, is the daughter of Dayakar Badri and Haarisa Valasa and a graduate of Free State High School. Badrivenkata is majoring in pharmaceutical sciences and plans to pursue a doctorate in pharmaceutical chemistry to teach and conduct translational research in academia with a focus on integrating biologics in formulations to address global health needs. She currently conducts research in Michael Hageman’s pharmaceutical chemistry lab to assess the viability/efficacy of lactoferrin to treat vaginal E. coli infections in pregnant patients to prevent neonatal sepsis. Badrivenkata is a recipient of a spring 2023 Undergraduate Research Award, presented at the 2022 Kansas Pharmacists Association’s annual meeting and tradeshow and participated in the 2022 summer Undergraduate Research Program within the KU Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. She currently works as a speech and debate assistant coach at Free State High School, and in summer 2021, she was a research intern for a prostate clinical research project through KU Medical Center. Badrivenkata is a KU Global Scholar and a member of the University Honors Program, for which she serves as a program ambassador and previously served as an honors seminar assistant. Additionally, she hosted an art exhibition at the Kansas Union Gallery in fall 2021 and currently has five paintings displayed in KU campus libraries through spring 2023.

Thresa Kelly, from Kansas City, Missouri, is the daughter of Cassy Kelly and Scott Bergman and a graduate of Lincoln College Preparatory Academy. Kelly is majoring in engineering physics – digital electronic systems and minoring in astronomy. She aspires to earn a doctorate in astronomy and become a professional scientist researching active galactic nuclei. Kelly spent summer 2022 in David Sander’s lab at the University of Hawaii Institute for Astronomy researching the multiwavelength properties of X-ray and midinfrared identified active galactic nuclei which resulted in both oral and poster presentations, and she is currently writing a first-author paper for submission to an academic journal. Currently, under the direction of Allison Kirkpatrick, KU Department of Physics & Astronomy, Kelly is researching the use of a James Webb Space Telescope to analyze active galactic nucleus host galaxies. She and Kirkpatrick presented this research at the 241st Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in January 2023. Kelly is a member of the University Honors Program, Tau Beta Pi National Honor Society, Out in STEM and the Society of Physics Students. She also formerly served as the treasurer and DJ for KU’s Swing Society. Additionally, Kelly is the recipient of multiple scholarships and awards, including the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Scholarship for academic achievements in engineering, Gene E. Feaster Award for academic and research excellence in physics and astronomy, Underclassman Achievement Award for academic superiority and Patricia Frist Memorial Scholarship (four consecutive years) for academic success and character.

Brandon Nguyen, from Liberal, is the son of Joe and Nguyen Nguyen and a graduate of Liberal High School. Nguyen is majoring in chemistry and minoring in mathematics. He plans to pursue a doctorate in chemistry and conduct research in inorganic or organic chemistry and teach at a university. As a freshman, Nguyen joined Timothy Jackson’s research lab, where he measured the reactivity of manganese(III)-hydroxo complexes with phenols. Through this research experience, he performed kinetic studies on an inorganic complex by analyzing the change in absorbance in a reaction and determined the rate of the reaction through kinetics. He presented a poster presentation on this research at the American Chemical Society Midwest Regional Meeting in 2022. Nguyen also serves as the development chair of KU’s Chemistry Club and is the recipient of the Drs. Bijan and Mary Taylor Amini Scholarship for demonstrating exceptionality as a chemistry student, a KU Center for Undergraduate Research Travel Award, Bricker ChemScholars Program Award for academic and research achievement and an Honors Opportunity Award.

Audrey Rips-Goodwin, from Overland Park, is the daughter of Cheryl Rips and Stanley Goodwin and a graduate of Blue Valley Southwest High School. She is majoring in mathematics and chemistry and minoring in psychology with plans to pursue a doctorate in neuroscience and conduct research in neuroscience/neuroeconomics of addictions, eating disorders and obesity. In 2021, Rips-Goodwin contributed to a large series of studies examining how age-related increases in Phosphodiesterase 11A4 contribute to age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease with Michy Kelly at the University of South Carolina. Rips-Goodwin is a co-author of a paper based on this research which is currently in review. In 2022, after transferring to KU, she joined Tera Fazzino’s lab and determined the accuracy of reported energy content of hyper-palatable foods combining her research interests in both chemistry and psychology and leading to two presentations. In 2022, she was named a Kansas Idea Network for Biomedical Research Excellence program scholar to conduct independent research. Rips-Goodwin is also a student ambassador for the KU College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, a Green Scholar for her sustainability efforts, a Bricker ChemScholar and a Frances H. Gayetta Lensor Scholarship recipient awarded to an exceptional female student majoring in chemistry. Outside of research and academics, she serves as a weekend volunteer at Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Kate Wienke, from St. Louis, is the daughter of Libby Clabaugh and Steve Wienke and is a graduate of Webster Groves High School. Majoring in physics, Wienke aspires to earn a doctorate in astrophysics and lead a team conducting research on astrobiology or exoplanets. She also plans to teach at the university level and start a mentorship program for young gender and racial minorities in physics. In 2021, within Ian Crossfield’s KU ExoLab, she compared the densities of exoplanets with the elemental abundances of their stars. She presented on this research at the KU 2022 spring Undergraduate Research Symposium. Currently, Wienke is conducting research with Jessie Christiansen, California Institute of Technology, on using Spitzer Phase Curve Analysis to detect an atmosphere on the Super Earth-HD within the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute. In September 2022, she was one of 36 students invited to participate in Caltech’s FUTURE of Physics for junior and senior undergraduate gender minorities in physics. Wienke is an Honors Ambassador and University Scholar and served as the project leader on a team examining diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within the KU Department of Physics & Astronomy. She also serves as the social chair for the Women’s Rugby Club and was a member of the KU rowing team her freshman year. Wienke has received numerous accolades, including the KU Gene R. Feaster Physics Scholarship and KU Francis W. Prosser Physics Scholarship and was on the 2021 Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team for achieving a 4.0 GPA while participating as a Big 12 athlete.

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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs

Horticulture 2023 Newsletter No. 4

By
Ward Upham
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https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html

Blog Post: http://www.ksuhortnewsletter.org

Video of the Week: Flower Bed Design
https://kansashealthyyards.org/all-videos/video/flower-bed-design

UPCOMING EVENTS
More Plants From Your Plants: Introduction to Vegetative Plant Propagation
Wednesday, February 1, noon to 1 p.m.
Vegetative propagation, cloning, and asexual propagation are all terms used to describe the process of making new plants that are genetically identical to your existing plants. Join Dr. Jason Griffin, Woody Ornamentals Horticulture Extension Specialist, as he discusses the basics of plant propagation for the hobby gardener. With a little knowledge and some simple tools, learn how to be successful propagating your plants.
https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/consumer-horticulture/garden-hour/

VEGETABLES
Preventing Potatoes from Sprouting in Storage
Home gardeners have had to rely on proper storage conditions (cool and moist) to prevent potatoes from sprouting. But sprouting will eventually occur even if the gardener does everything right. Research by Mary Jo Frazier, Nora Olsen and Gale Kleinkopf from the University of Idaho have found products that should help home gardeners.
These researchers were looking for an organic method to control potato sprouts. They found essential oils from some herbs and spices to be effective sprout inhibitors. Specifically they found that spearmint oil, peppermint oil and clove oil suppressed sprouting by physically damaging rapidly dividing cells in the sprout. Each of these products is so safe that the FDA has approved them for addition to food.
Several application methods were considered though most were only suitable for commercial storage facilities. The only practical method for homeowners was one the researchers labeled a “low-tech” wick method. This was accomplished by placing a small piece of blotter paper saturated with spearmint or peppermint oil in a box with the potatoes. This method was not recommended for the clove oil. Though it was found that peppermint and spearmint oils were equally effective in suppressing sprouts, the peppermint oil was less likely to affect flavor of the potatoes. Reapplication at two- to three-week intervals will be needed for continued sprout suppression. Little to no residue was found on the potatoes from these products due to their high volatility. The first application should be done before sprouting occurs.
Blotting paper is much more difficult to find than it was in the past and so you may want to substitute blank newsprint. However, if blotting paper is desired, try herbarium supply houses. Blotting paper is used to press plant specimens. (Ward Upham)

Saving Vegetable Seeds from Crops Grown This Year

If you wish to save vegetable seeds from one year to another, there are certain things that must be kept in mind. Seed from hybrid varieties will not come back true. In other words, the plants grown from seed from a hybrid will grow but will be quite variable and will not be like the parent. For example, if you save seed from a hybrid tomato, you will still get a plant that produces tomatoes but yield will likely be much less and the fruit will lack many of the good characteristics of the parent. If you want a plant just like the parent, you must use seed from an open-pollinated variety rather than a hybrid. Heirloom plants are open-pollinated. Any plant listed as an “F1” is a hybrid.
Not only must you use open-pollinated plants but you must prevent contamination from other plants of the same species. Note that contamination from other varieties has absolutely no effect on the current season’s fruit characteristics. It only affects the fruit grown from seed of those contaminated varieties. Preventing cross-contamination can be done via several methods.
• Distance: make sure that your plants are far enough away from other varieties of the same species that the pollen from neighboring plants cannot reach yours. The distance varies considerably depending on species and whether the plant is wind or bee pollinated.
• Mechanical: This can be as simple as covering the unopened female flower of a bee pollinated plant with a bag and then hand pollinating with the male flower of the same variety. The bag is then placed back over the flower until the fruit starts to form. This is commonly used for the vine crops such as squash, muskmelon and watermelons as these produce separate male and female flowers and are bee pollinated. Another mechanical method is to place a screened-in cover over plants that are bee pollinated. This would work well for peppers.
• Time of Flowering: Commonly used for sweet corn. Many farmers will plant a small area of sweet corn in with their field corn even though sweet corn quality is much less if it crosses with field corn. The reason this can work is usually the sweet corn has finished pollination by the time the field corn tassels, thereby preventing contamination.
This seems way too complicated. Is there an easy way to start? Yes there is! Start with tomatoes. They will not cross-pollinate unless you grow a potato-leaved variety. Therefore, you can grow several different open-pollinated varieties in the same garden without worrying about contamination.
If you would like to save seed from other species, I would suggest you buy a good reference. The book I use is “Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth. (Ward Upham)

FRUIT
Collect Scion Wood Now
If you are planning on doing any grafting this spring, now would be a good time to collect scionwood. Following are tips on how to choose good scion wood.
– Scions should be cut from one-year-old wood.
– Buds should be prominent and widely spaced. Water sprouts work well for this. Water sprouts are twigs that grow straight up from a major branch.
– Inner bark should be light green and the wood creamy white.
– Best scions have more wood than pith; small diameter wood often has wide pith.
– Older bearing trees produce poor scions unless pruned heavily. The best scions are toward the top of the tree. You may need a pole pruner even for small trees.
– Cut shoot into 6-8 inch pieces having at least 3 buds per stick.
– The best scion is often the basal piece.
– Always discard the terminal (the end piece).
– Store in the refrigerator in a plastic bag with moist paper towels.
If you are unfamiliar with grafting but would like to learn, the University of Missouri has an excellent publication at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6971.
Practice your technique on wood you pruned off in March. Try doing about 100 cuts. (Ward Upham)

Cloning Apple Trees
We occasionally receive calls from gardeners who want to know how to treat an apple seed so it will germinate. Usually, the gardener is trying to reproduce an old apple tree that was special for some reason (good quality fruit, planted by grandparents, etc.) Unfortunately, apples grown from seed will not be like the parent. About 1 in every 80,000 apple trees grown from seed will be as good as the apples we are used to eating. Apple trees grown from seed usually have small and inferior quality fruit.
If you want a tree exactly like the parent, you must propagate that tree vegetatively. In the case of apples, this usually means grafting for homeowners. Apple trees are actually quite easy to graft, even for novices. Don’t be afraid to try even if you haven’t grafted before. The step that needs to be done at this time of year is the choosing and cutting of scion wood or small branches that will be grafted on top of a rootstock. The rootstock is a separate tree that has good root characteristics and often disease resistance. Also rootstocks can have a dwarfing effect on the grafted tree. So our fruit trees are actually two trees spliced together. The roots and beginning of the trunk is the rootstock. The upper portion of the trunk and all the branches is called the scion. It is the “good” part of the tree. For example on apples, the scion might be a Jonathan, Winesap, Granny Smith or any other of a number of different cultivars. The rootstock for all of these varieties may vary or may be the same depending on the desires of the propagator. See the accompanying article in this week’s newsletter for instructions on how to collect scionwood.
If you don’t have an existing tree to graft onto, you will need to plant a rootstock this year for grafting onto next. Fruit trees are normally grafted (or budded) onto specially selected rootstocks. These rootstocks usually reduce tree size. For example, a tree that normally would reach 25 feet tall will only reach 10 feet if it is grown on a certain rootstock. Dwarfing rootstocks also allow apples to bear fruit a year or more earlier.
Note that rootstock reduces tree size, not fruit size. Therefore, a Golden Delicious tree that only reaches 8 feet tall due to a dwarfing rootstock, will bear the same size fruit as a Golden Delicious tree that is 25 feet tall.
A tree on its own roots normally takes 5 to 7 years before it will bear. Semi-dwarf trees bear in 4 to 5 years, and dwarf trees bear in 3 to 4 years. Unfortunately, not all dwarfing rootstocks are well adapted to Kansas conditions. Semi-dwarf trees usually are a better choice for us. Fully dwarfed trees often are uprooted or break at the graft during high winds. Semi-dwarf trees are usually more than 50% the size of a standard (non-dwarfed) tree.
So, where do you buy rootstocks to graft onto? Most nurseries only sell trees that are already grafted. A company that does sell rootstocks is Raintree Nursery, Morton, WA, (360) 496-6400. See https://raintreenursery.com/collections/apple-rootstock for apple rootstocks.
Another is Cummins Nursery, (865) 233-3539, https://www.cumminsnursery.com/buy-trees/index.php?type=rootstock .
What rootstock is best? There are a several choices that should work well in Kansas. An old favorite is Malling-Merton (MM) 111 as it is well-adapted to Kansas conditions and can tolerate heavier soils. Trees will be 80% the size of a “standard” tree. Malling-Merton (MM) 106 is a good choice for well-drained soils. Trees will be about 70% the size of a standard tree. Other rootstocks can be used but make sure they are well-anchored and not described as brittle.
It is also possible to buy a tree from a local nursery and graft your clone onto a side branch. This will give you one tree that produces two different apples. One disadvantage of this method is that it is possible to prune off the special clone by mistake in later years.
This information does not include the details of grafting or budding or subsequent care. The Missouri Extension Service has an excellent publication on grafting at
https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6971 as well as a second publication on budding at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6972 .
If you use a knife, be sure to practice your cuts on wood you prune off in March. After you do about 100 cuts, you will start to get the hang of it. A grafting tool can make this job even simpler as it makes the proper cut automatically. Do a search on “grafting tool” to see what is available.
If you find grafting intimidating, Raintree Nursery does custom grafts. In other words, you must collect your own scionwood and send it to Raintree Nursery. They will make the graft and send it back to you. See https://raintreenursery.com/collections/pear-rootstock/products/custom-graft for details. (Ward Upham)

Multiple Grafts on Apple Trees
Nurseries often sell apple trees that bear more than one variety of fruit. The secret is grafting. All apple trees are grafted, which is done by grafting the apple-producing variety (the scion) on a variety chosen for its dwarfing effects (the rootstock). A tree with more than one variety simply has more than one fruiting variety grafted onto a single rootstock. Grafting allows growers to have a single tree that could produce Jonathan, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apples. These trees can be a unique attraction and a good conversation point in a fruit garden. If space is limited, a multiple grafted tree may allow growers to have a greater variety of fruit than with individual varieties on separate trees. However, there are some possible drawbacks. Whoever prunes the trees may not recognize the individual grafts and may unknowingly prune off one of the varieties. Also, varieties may vary in vigor, and stronger varieties can crowd weaker ones. There also may be a difference in susceptibility to disease among varieties and among different kinds of fruit. Some may have resistance to a disease and not require protection, but others are susceptible and do require protection. If the susceptible fruits are protected, the more resistant ones will be sprayed unnecessarily. (Ward Upham)

MISCELLANEOUS
Growing Your Own Firewood
In order to avoid energy costs, some homeowners are turning to wood for heat. Plant species is an important consideration as not all trees have the same density and therefore, heat value. The greater the dry weight, the better.
The highest value for trees commonly found in Kansas is osage orange (hedgeball tree) at 4,800 pounds per cord. Osage orange has a gnarly growth habit and a nasty set of thorns. This species also sparks which isn’t a problem in a wood-fired boiler but certainly would be in an open fireplace.
Black locust is next with 4,200 pounds per cord. Black locust is a fast grower and also has excellent burning qualities and makes a nice bed of coals. However, it is hard to split, suckers, and has some relatively small thorns, especially on young trees. Suckering means the parent trees sends up additional trees from the roots. Therefore these trees spread.
Bur oak and red oak come in at 3,800 and 3,500 pounds per cord respectively but are not fast growers. Mulberry, however, has the same weight as red oak but grows more quickly. Silver maple has less heat value (3,000 pounds per cord) but is a very fast growing tree.
Black locust is a tempting choice for this purpose due to its heat value and fast growth. However, black locust suckers and is invasive and can spread to areas you don’t want and so be careful if you choose this species. Another species, such as mulberry may work better for you. Or consider planting several different species in rows.
So, how do you set out your plantation? Dr. Wayne Geyer, our late forestry professor, did many woody biomass studies over a period of 35 years. Following are some recommendations that have come out of his studies.
– Plant on a close spacing, 4 to 6 feet apart. This maximizes yield and reduces side branching.
– Control weeds the first two years.
– Harvest every 5 years though slower growing trees will take longer. Most trees will resprout and can be reharvested.
– Plant about 1 acre per year for 5 years if you wish to supply the majority of the firewood
needed to heat your home.
Trees mentioned above and available from the Kansas Forest Service include mulberry, osage orange, bur oak, red oak and silver maple. (Ward Upham)

Use a Planting Calendar
If you start vegetable plants indoors, it is often helpful to list seeding dates on a calendar so that plants are ready for transplanting at the proper time. To do this, choose your transplant date and count back the number of weeks necessary to grow your own transplants. For example, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower are usually transplanted in late March to early April. It takes 8 weeks from seeding to transplant size. Therefore, plants should be seeded in early February.
Information on how many weeks it takes to grow transplants is available in our January 10 newsletter at: https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/horticulture-resource-center/horticulture-newsletter/documents/2023/230110-Newsletter-01.pdf . The table is in the last article in the newsletter.
Below are examples of some common vegetables grown for transplants and a recommended date for seeding. Dates are Saturdays as this is when many homeowners have the most free time. The dates are not set in stone, and a week earlier or later will not ruin the plants. Also, you may want to seed a week or two earlier if you are in southern Kansas and possibly a week later if you are in northern Kansas. Calendars can be reused year after year by a slight reset of the dates. Also keep notes on how well the transplants did so you can tweak the planting schedule. Your conditions may result in plants that need a bit more or a bit less time.
Crop Seeding Date Transplant Date
Cabbage, Broccoli & Cauliflower January 28 March 25
Lettuce (if you grow transplants) January 28 March 25
Peppers March 18 May 13
Tomatoes March 25 May 6

(Ward Upham)

Contributors: 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
The web version includes color images that illustrate subjects discussed. To subscribe to this newsletter electronically, send an e-mail message to [email protected] or [email protected] listing your e-mail address in the message.

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K-State Research and Extension is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision or hearing disability, or a dietary restriction please contact Extension Horticulture at (785) 532-6173.

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