American Heart Assoc Recognizes HRMC
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently bestowed the prestigious Lifeline Gold Plus STEMI Receiving Achievement Award on Hutchinson Regional Medical Center (HRMC).
A spokesman for the AHA said the award was granted to the Cardiovascular team at Hutchinson Regional for demonstrating a commitment to follow up-to-date, research-based guidelines for treatment of heart disease, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital.
Aubrey Nuss, Director of Cardiovascular Services at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, said medical issues involving the heart continue nationwide at an astronomical rate. “Every 40 seconds, another person within the United States suffers a heart attack or stroke, the number one and five causes of death in the nation respectively,” Nuss said. “Research shows that patients can recover better when providers, like Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, consistently follow treatment guidelines.”
The AHA Lifeline Award puts the expertise of the AHA to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest evidence-and research-based guidelines. As a participant in the Lifeline program, Hutchinson Regional Medical Center qualified for the award by demonstrating how their organization is committed to improving quality care.
John Warner, M.D., FAHA, past president of the AHA and executive vice president for health system affairs at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, gave Hutchinson Regional high marks for their work in treating cardiovascular patients. “Hospitals, like Hutchinson Regional, that follow the American Heart Association’s quality improvement protocols often see improved patient outcomes, fewer readmissions, and lower mortality rates—a win for health care systems and communities,” Warner said.
Ken Johnson, President and CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System (HRHS), said the Cardiovascular team is totally committed to improving care by adhering to the latest treatment guidelines and streamlining processes to ensure a timely and proper care for heart patients. “The AHA Lifeline programs make it easier for our teams to put proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis, which helps us ensure more of the residents in Hutchinson and within our service area longer, healthier lives,” Johnson said. “This most recent national designation is reaffirmation of the quality of care provided by Hutchinson Regional and our local team of cardiologists.”
Hutchinson Regional Medical Center is an entity of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System. Other entities are Health-E-Quip, Horizons Mental Health Center, Hospice & HomeCare of Reno County and the Hutchinson Regional Medical Foundation.
KU News: KU-led study explores predictive factors of youths who run from foster care
From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu
Headlines
KU-led study explores predictive factors of youths who run from foster care
LAWRENCE — What drives young adults to run away from foster care placements? A new study conducted by University of Kansas researchers included interviews with Kansas youths in foster care to determine contributing factors to the decision to run away. The researchers identified five key themes, including the importance of maintaining connections with kin.
KU center secures $2.37M for College Assistance Migrant Program
LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas Center for Educational Opportunity Programs (CEOP) has been awarded a five-year, $2.37 million project to serve 175 students across KU and three additional institutions of higher education. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Migrant Education, the Heartland College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), a college first-year success program, expands upon the two-decade legacy of CEOP supporting the children of migrant agricultural workers. Heartland CAMP’s goal is to help students from migratory agricultural backgrounds start college on a strong path to break the cycle of poverty and interrupted schooling that often accompany this agricultural work.
California couple establishes KU School of Business professorship with $1 million gift
LAWRENCE — Analytics, information and operations management is an emerging area in business, and University of Kansas alumnus Roger Davis recognizes its growing importance. He and his wife, Julie, secured a place for that area of study in the KU School of Business by giving a $1 million gift to establish the Davis Analytics, Information and Operations Management Area Director Professorship, honoring retired dean Tom Sarowski.
Full stories below.
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Contact: Mike Krings, KU News Service, 785-864-8860, [email protected], @MikeKrings
KU-led study explores predictive factors of youths who run from foster care
LAWRENCE — What drives young adults to run away from foster care placements? In a new study conducted by University of Kansas researchers, youths reported running away to have a say in their own lives, to connect with family and to escape untenable placement environments. And sometimes, they ran simply out of anger or impulse. Most striking among these messages from the study, KU researchers said, was the need for family connection, belonging and normalcy.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General issued a report in 2022 that more than 7% of Kansas foster children went missing during a 30-month period, placing it as one of the highest such rates in the nation. TFI Family Services Inc., one of the state’s contracted case management providers for youth in foster care, partnered with School of Social Welfare researchers at KU to better support children in their care. The goal was to identify and mitigate the factors that contribute to youth decisions to run away from care and better protect young peoples’ safety and well-being.
Through a mixed-methods study that included interviews with 20 young adults ages 12-17 in Kansas foster care who both had and had not fled their foster placements, the research team identified five key findings.
“These findings from youth highlighted the significance of family and kin connections while in foster care and the critical importance of maintaining those connections, even if they are not placed with their family,” said Kaela Byers, research faculty at KU’s School of Social Welfare and principal investigator. “Youth should have a voice in determining what family is, and the system should work to ensure that stays intact safely.”
The study revealed five themes:
1. Historical family bonds or attachments can serve as an important protective function related to youth placement stability.
2. Fear and/or lack of control of their own circumstances perpetuated by the system and/or placement constraints increased risk of runaway decisions.
3. Supportive placements, extending beyond basic needs, and promoting belonging and a sense of normalcy mitigated risk factors related to runaway decisions.
4. Family bonds and their role in meeting youth needs influenced decisions to run away or return.
5. System shortcomings (such as worker turnover, bias, resource scarcity) fail to protect against risk of decisions to run away.
The study also identified groups of youth with varying levels of risk and protection related to running from care. Those most at risk had experienced a high number of placements, more hospitalizations and were often removed from their parents’ homes due to neglect. Young adults with higher levels of runaway risk also had more trauma experiences than their peers, more often had behavioral issues and were more likely to be male. Those at lower risk were more likely to have access to family, siblings and kin and felt they had a voice in the decisions made about their care.
“One of our main questions was, ‘Are there different groups in this population that experience different outcomes, and can those differences tell us something about how to better support youth in the future?’” said graduate research assistant Jessica Wesley. “We found there are. Some of the things that were most protective were placements with siblings.”
Youths who go missing are at risk for exploitation, trafficking, negative health outcomes, arrest and many other potential problems.
“For the same reasons we would not want our own children to run away and to protect the most vulnerable people in our society, we want to prevent this from happening,” said Jared Barton, research faculty in KU’s social welfare school and co-principal investigator.
“It is also important to understand that runaway events are likely a red flag for other underlying issues,” said Becci Akin, associate professor of social welfare and co-principal investigator. “In addition to immediate safety and stability issues, our prior research has shown that youth who run away are also less likely to exit foster care to a permanent home. These young people may be vulnerable to other poor outcomes and deserve more attention and resources to support them in staying connected to family and kin.”
In 2021, the Kansas Department for Children and Families announced its intentions to become a “Kin-First State,” which strives to keep youths placed with their families and kin whenever possible, and if a child is placed in foster care, to keep people they are close to accessible to them. However, that is often not the reality as they are unable to see close relatives because of geographical distance, legal issues, workforce limitations and a host of other reasons. For those reasons, youths said they ran from foster care.
The study included recommendations for practice and policy for action by the agency, and for the larger child welfare system, to address issues that participants shared. Among the recommendations:
1. Improving family visitation and maintaining youth connections with self-identified family and nonrelative kin
2. Supporting service approaches for youths that honor and amplify their voices, choices and family connections
3. Improving the quality of placements and individualization of services.
Next, the team will reconvene the young adults who took part in the study to confirm if the results and recommendations accurately represent their experiences.
“One of the key findings from the interviews was the lack of youth voice in placement decisions. As such, we want to honor and lift youth voice in the research to ensure their experiences are accurately reflected and understood to better inform policy and practice changes,” said Whitney Grube, associate researcher in the social welfare school.
The findings also will be translated into action to support youth in foster care.
“TFI is invested in reducing the incidents of missing youth in foster care,” said Rachelle Roosevelt, senior vice president for permanency services. “We are using the recommendations and results from this research to make changes to our practice to build protective factors and address risks factors for our youth.”
For example, TFI began implementing Placement Stability Team Decision Making in January 2022 to hear from both youth and their families in making placement decisions.
“TFI has seen some positive progress in reducing frequency of missing youth and recently had 45 consecutive days in Area 8 where no children were missing from placement for 24 hours or more,” Roosevelt said.
Having a say in their own care, ties to family and the importance of belonging are key takeaways, KU researchers said.
“When those conditions were available to youth, they shared with us the growing sense of self-actualization and well-being that you expect and want for a young person,” Byers said. “It’s not enough to just feed and clothe these youth. They need a home and a family.”
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Contact: Laura Kingston, Center for Educational Opportunity Programs, 785-864-3415, [email protected], @CEOPmedia
KU center secures $2.37M for College Assistance Migrant Program
LAWRENCE – The University of Kansas Center for Educational Opportunity Programs (CEOP) has been awarded a five-year, $2.37 million project to serve 175 students across KU and three additional institutions of higher education.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Migrant Education, the Heartland College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), a college first-year success program, expands upon the two-decade legacy of CEOP supporting the children of migrant agricultural workers. Heartland CAMP’s goal is to help students from migratory agricultural backgrounds start college on a strong path to break the cycle of poverty and interrupted schooling that often accompany this agricultural work.
“Even when students from these backgrounds are accepted into college, if they do not have the full range of support services, the likelihood of their success is disproportionately diminished,” said CEOP director Ngondi Kamaṱuka. “A confluence of socioeconomic disadvantages works against these students, but this program provides the type of support system that can make all the difference between staying in school and thriving, and dropping out.”
The CAMP grant administered by CEOP joins more than 50 other CAMPs nationally and will serve eligible students at KU and at Kansas City Kansas Community College, Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska, and Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, Iowa. The four schools have strong histories of working with first-generation and low-income students, especially through federally funded TRIO Student Support Services programs.
Under the leadership of CAMP director Stacy Mendez, 175 students at the four institutions will receive a first-year scholarship and laptop award as well as intensive, holistic advising, academic supports and community building opportunities.
“We know from research that a successful transition during the first year of college is crucial to students returning for their sophomore year and earning their degree,” Mendez said. “We also know that students from migratory agricultural backgrounds come to college with unique strengths gained from their life experiences, families and communities. One of our goals is to help our first-year students recognize and tap into those strengths to successfully transition to college.”
As a first-year transition program, CAMP connects students to other student support programs and education resources to ensure they have the resources they need to complete a college degree. The impact of support during the first year of college is crucial.
Looking back at starting her journey as a Jayhawk, Tanya Sánchez said, “As a first-generation freshman, having the support of CAMP was my biggest comfort and best resource.”
Sánchez earned a bachelor’s degree in human biology from KU in 2020 and, thanks in part to the support from CAMP, she is continuing her education at UIW Rosenberg School of Optometry.
“I am so grateful to have been a part of Heartland CAMP,” she said. “It helped me become a confident student.”
Learn more about CEOP, part of the Achievement & Assessment Institute at KU.
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Contact: Michelle Strickland, KU Endowment, 785-832-7363, [email protected]; Michelle Keller, KU Endowment, 785-832-7336, [email protected]; @KUEndowment
California couple establishes KU School of Business professorship with $1 million gift
LAWRENCE — Analytics, information and operations management is an emerging area in business, and University of Kansas alumnus Roger Davis recognizes its growing importance. He and his wife, Julie, secured a place for that area of study in the KU School of Business by giving a $1 million gift to establish the Davis Analytics, Information and Operations Management Area Director Professorship, honoring retired dean Tom Sarowski.
The unique gift also includes an initial expendable gift of $120,000 to provide immediate supplemental support for the Davis AIO Area Director Professorship. The Davises, of Montecito, California, will continue to make annual gifts to the supplemental fund assuring that the combined endowed and supplemental funds provide no less than an annual total of $100,000 to support the position.
Roger Davis, who received a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from KU in 1972, attended a meeting of the School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board in fall 2021. At that meeting, Dean Paige Fields projected upcoming needs for the school, including support for highly qualified faculty chairs. The Davises talked it over and agreed that faculty was the area they felt most drawn to support.
“It was never a question of whether we would do something, but what we would do,” Roger Davis said. “Dean Fields — and the whole school — would benefit if we responded to her request. We approached this with urgency and intensity because we wanted to immediately demonstrate our support of the dean’s initiative to significantly increase faculty support.”
The Davises said they believe analytics, information and operations management, known collectively as AIO, is the most important area in the business school. Their decision to support AIO aligns with their 2015 gift to create the Davis Center for Figure Sense at the school, focusing on evidence-based decision making.
Debabrata “Deb” Dey, who up until recently was a professor of information systems at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, has been selected as the inaugural Davis AIO Area Director Professor and said he is looking forward to the opportunities the position presents.
“The rapid and ongoing digital transformation around us makes AIO the area to be in,” Dey said. “AIO holds the key to the digital world, its operational efficiencies and its successes. AIO bridges the gap between technology and business — it provides technology-based solutions to practical problems and fosters innovations through technology.”
Dey expressed his gratitude and excitement to be in this pivotal role.
“As the incoming area director, I want to thank the Davises for recognizing the potential AIO holds in today’s technology-driven business and society,” he said.
Roger Davis recognized Sarowski in the naming of the professorship because the two worked together during Sarowski’s tenure as dean from 1995 to 2000. For three of those years, Davis was chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board.
“While Tom was not an academic, he brought extensive senior-level consulting industry leadership experience,” Roger Davis said. “Tom laid the groundwork for a lot of progress in the School of Business. Being his board chair for three years, I learned so much from him, and I wanted to make sure he was recognized.”
Fields thanked the Davises for their vision and generosity.
“This gift advances the school’s efforts to recruit top-tier faculty, such as Professor Dey, which also helps elevate our academic reputation,” she said. “Bolstering an academic area director position in this forward-focused way ensures the retention of strong faculty leadership within the school.”
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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
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Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]
Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs
KU News: Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center graduates 296th Basic Training Class
From the Office of Public Affairs | http://www.news.ku.edu
Headlines
Contact: Jason Levy, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, 620-694-1400, [email protected]
Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center graduates 296th Basic Training Class
HUTCHINSON – Twenty-one new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on July 29 at a ceremony held in the KLETC Integrity Auditorium.
Officer Spencer Putman of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Chief Karl Oakman of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. James Buettgenbach, KLETC Senior Instructor of Police, was the class coordinator for the 296th Basic Training Class.
Officer Ryan Lies of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks along with Deputy Irlick Moreno of the Rice County Sheriff’s Office were placed on the Director’s Honor Roll. Moreno was additionally awarded the Larry Welch Academic Award for having the highest GPA in the class. Officer Tyler Hynes was awarded the Fitness Medal for having the most miles completed (223.8) and for having the most improvement on his physical assessments. Lies was recognized during the ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class’s “Top Shot.”
Graduates receive certificates of course completion from KLETC and Kansas law enforcement certification from the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement licensing authority. The training course fulfills the state requirement for law enforcement training. Classroom lectures and hands-on applications help train officers to solve the increasingly complex problems they face in the line of duty.
Established by the Kansas Legislature in 1968, KLETC trains the majority of municipal, county, and state law enforcement officers in Kansas and oversees the training of the remaining officers at seven authorized and certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson, and is a division of the University of Kansas Lifelong & Professional Education.
The graduates, who began their training in April 2022, represented multiple municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas. Graduates are listed below by county and agency:
Cherokee County
1. Joshua Davis, Galena Police Department
Dickinson County
1. Spencer Garten, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office
Douglas County
1. Cory Roberson, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
2. Kyle Zeller, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
Finney County
1. Kalu Elmu, Garden City Police Department
2. Matthew McGarth, Garden City Police Department
Franklin County
1. Jason Hedges, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
Geary County
1. Tyler Hynes, Grandview Plaza Police Department
Harvey County
1. Carter James, Newton Police Department
Pottawatomie County
1. Eric Shepard, Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office
Pratt County
1. Ryan Lies, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
2. Spencer Putman, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
Reno County
1. Vincent Beaudoin, Hutchinson Police Department
Republic County
1. Brooke Poppe, Belleville Police Department
Rice County
1. Irlick Moreno, Rice County Sheriff’s Office
Sedgwick County
1. Austin Barrett, Haysville Police Department
2. Bryan Tuxhorn, Cheney Police Department
Sumner County
1. Laura Freeman, Oxford Police Department
Thomas County
1. Landon Skolout, Colby Police Department
Wyandotte County
1. Jonathan Cortes, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office
2. Elijah Ming, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Read more about the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center.
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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 2022 Newsletter No. 31
https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html
Blog Post: http://www.ksuhortnewsletter.org
Video of the Week: https://kansashealthyyards.org/all-videos/video/when-to-pick-tomatoesComposting: Making Black Gold
https://kansashealthyyards.org/all-videos/video/composting-making-black-gold
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Kansas Turf & Ornamental Field Day will be held Thursday, August 4 at the John C. Pair Horticulture Research Center (1901 E. 95th St. S., Haysville, KS)
The field day program is designed for all segments of the turf & ornamentals industry – lawn care, athletic fields, golf courses, landscape, nursery, and grounds maintenance. Included on the program are research presentations, problem diagnosis, commercial exhibitors, and equipment displays. There will be time to see current research, talk to the experts and get answers to your questions.
One hour of pesticide recertification credit in both 3A and 3B are available, as well as GCSAA education points.
For more information, go to www.kansasturfgrassfoundation.com, or you can register online at https://2022turfday.eventbrite.com
REMINDERS
• Divide iris if needed.
• Do not fertilize the warm-season turfgrasses, buffalograss, zoysiagras and bermudagrass, past August 15. Doing so may increase the chances for winter damage.
• Check mulch layers and add additional material if needed.
VEGETABLES
Still Time for a Salad Garden
Plant salad crops such as lettuce, radishes, spinach, turnips, mustard and other greens from mid-August to early September for a fall harvest. Plant slightly deeper than you did in the spring. This will keep the seed slightly cooler though still warm and the soil should retain moisture longer. Water frequently (if needed) until seedlings start to emerge — which should be fast with our warmer soils. Watering heavy soils can sometimes cause a crust to form. This can be prevented by a light sprinkling of peat moss, vermiculite or compost directly over the row. Reduce watering frequency after plants emerge. Plants may need to be protected from hungry rabbits and insects. (Ward Upham)
FRUIT
When Are Apples Ready to Pick?
Apples mature over a long period of time depending on variety. Some varieties such as Lodi can mature in July and others as late as October or even November. Here are some guides to help you decide when to pick your apples.
Days from bloom: The number of days from bloom is a reliable guide for general maturity time, but weather conditions will have some influence. Some kinds of apples and approximate days from bloom to maturity are Jonathan, 135, Delicious, 145, Golden Delicious, 145, and Winesap,155 days.
Flesh color: As apples mature and starches change to sugars, the flesh changes from very light green to white. When you cut a thin slice and hold it up to the light you can see the difference.
Seed color: The seeds of most apples change from light green to brown as the fruit ripens. This indicator should be combined with other changes since it is not absolute. The flavor of the apples, the change in color of the stem and calyx basins and flesh color are important in deciding if apples are ready to harvest.
Color change: As apples mature, the skin color in areas of the stem and the calyx basin at the bottom of the apple turns from an immature green to a light-yellow color. Some apples will develop a red skin color over the majority of the fruit before they are ripe, so this is not a reliable indication of maturity.
Flavor: This is a good guide if you are familiar with the apples you have and know how they should taste. Even if you do not know the characteristic flavor of the kind of apple you have, you can still sample slices of a few apples and decide if they have a sweet flavor. If they are not ready to harvest, they will taste starchy or immature. If apples have already fallen and taste a bit starchy, store them for a period to see if they become sweeter. (Ward Upham)
Fertilize Strawberries
Early- to mid-August is the time to fertilize strawberries in order to increase the number of fruit produced next spring. Plenty of daylight and warm temperatures during June, July and August promotes the growth of new runner, or daughter, plants. As daylight hours dwindle and temperatures grow cooler in September and October, fruit buds for the next year’s fruit crop develop. To get a good berry crop next spring, it is important for strawberry plants to be vigorous during this period of fruit bud development.
Nitrogen, applied now, will help promote fruit bud development. A general application rate is ½ to 3/4 pound of actual nitrogen per 100 feet of row. The nitrogen may be in the form of a fertilizer mixture such as ammonium phosphate or 12-12-12, or in a fertilizer containing only nitrogen such as urea or ammonium nitrate. Some specific examples would include:
Iron + (11-0-0) at 6 pounds per 100 feet of row.
12-12-12 at 5.5 pounds per 100 feet of row.
Nitrate of Soda (16-0-0) at 4 pounds per 100 feet of row
Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) at 3 pounds per 100 feet of row
Urea (46-0-0) at 1.5 pounds per 100 feet of row
As a general rule, each cup of fertilizer weighs ½ pound. On sandy soils, the rate may be increased by about a half.
After spreading the fertilizer, water the area applying at least a half-inch of water to move the nitrogen into the strawberry root areas. (Ward Upham)
PESTS
Mimosa Webworm on Honeylocust
Honeylocust trees in some parts of Kansas are browning due to mimosa webworm. Damage is caused by the larvae, which mat leaves together with webbing and use them as a nest. These nests are normally found on the tips of branches and appear as brown areas from a distance. Closer inspection reveals the white webbing. Mature larvae are 0.5 inches long, light green to dark brown and sport five longitudinal white stripes.
The adults are silvery gray moths with small black spots on the wings. Mimosa webworm can severely defoliate trees. However, if the damage occurs late (such as now), healthy trees are not significantly harmed. Also, it’s late enough in the season that spraying will not help the trees. If mimosa webworm is a yearly problem on your honeylocusts, apply an insecticide such as BT (Dipel or Thuricide) or spinosad. Spinosad is found in Natural Guard Spinosad, Captain Jack’s Deadbug Brew, Bonide Colorado Potato Beetle Beater and Monterey Garden Insect Spray. Both of these products are organic controls. Traditional controls that contain cyfluthrin or bifenthrin are also effective. However, any of these products must be applied earlier in the year when you first notice webbing. (Ward Upham)
MISCELLANEOUS
Plants for Late Season Bloom
Landscapes are often drab this time of year. You can add interest to your home by planting shrubs this fall or next spring that flower later in the growing season. Consider one or more of the following.
Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is a tall shrub that produces single or double flowers. Colors range from white to red, purple or violet, or combinations, depending on the variety.
Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) are dwarf-to-tall shrubs or trees. They are not reliably winter hardy in Kansas and often die back to the ground. Crapemyrtle flowers on new wood, so plants pruned (or killed) to the ground while dormant in late winter or early spring will bloom later the same year. Flower color varies from white, pink, to purple or deep red on different plants.
Bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis) is also known as blue-spirea, blue-mist shrub, or caryopteris. It usually is found with blue flowers, but some cultivars have a bluish-violet to violet flower color. Plants are usually cut back in late winter or early spring. Flowers are borne on the current season’s growth.
Sweet Autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora) is a vigorous vine with large masses of small, white flowers that have a wonderful fragrance. Be careful with this one; it can easily outgrow its bounds. It is often a good idea to cut it back to the ground in early spring.
Davidiana clematis (Clematis heracleifolia var. Davidiana) is a bush-type clematis with small but interesting violet-blue flowers. Female plants bear interesting fluffy seed heads into the
winter. This clematis needs to be cut back to the ground each year to help maintain the shape of
the plant.
The PeeGee hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata Grandiflora) is a somewhat coarse plant that develops large clusters of white flowers. It can be trained into a tree-like form. (Ward Upham)
Composting: The Science
Composting is a process whereby you can turn trash into treasure by recycling garden waste and kitchen scraps into humus that can improve soil structure and act as a fertilizer.
Microorganasims drive this process and are composed of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi. Bacteria are composed of three different types that work best and different temperature ranges. Psychrophilic bacteria start the composting process and prefer the lowest temperature range and are most active at 55 degrees F. Their activity produces a small amount of heat so that the mesophilic bacteria can take over. Mesophilic bacteria prefer a temperature within the pile of 70 to 100 degrees. They are followed by the most heat-loving bacteria which are the thermophilic bacteria. They thrive at temperatures between 113 to 160 degrees F. These microorganisms die when they finish digesting the material in the pile and the temperature drops.
Actinomycetes are a special bacteria that are similar to fungi and molds. They are important as they help decompose some of the more resistant materials such as lignin and cellulose. They work best at moderate temperatures.
Fungi are less heat resistant and prefer temperatures between 70 and 75 degrees F. They are compost “finishers” and are most active after the other microorganisms are done.
So the compost pile goes through a process whereby the compost pile starts cool, builds up to a high temperature and then cools. Next week we will look at what we need to make a compost pile. For more information on compost pile microbes, see https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics/homecompost/microbes (Ward Upham)
Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate
Division of Horticulture
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Manhattan, KS 66506
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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, Ernie Minton, Dean.
