THE GARDEN PATH , SEPTEMBER 2013 a Publication of Kerr Lake Extension Master Gardeners
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE GARDEN PATH , SEPTEMBER 2013 A publication of Kerr Lake Extension Master Gardeners PLANT OF THE MONTH FOR Now for two cultivars of Iochroma cyaneum, ‘Royal SEPTEMBER Queen’ and ‘Purple Queen.” I knew that Dr. By Marty Finkel, Allan Armitage at the U. of Georgia had done Kerr Lake Extension Master Gardener breeding with Iochroma for the Athens Select line of plants, so I contacted him. He replied that he has Mini Angel’s Trumpet, Iochroma australe ‘Good done a fair amount of breeding with this plant and Blue’ and I. cyaneum ‘Purple Queen’ and ‘Royal that the University of Georgia released the cultivar Queen’. Here is a flowering shrub or shrubby ‘Purple Queen” about 4+ years ago through the perennial (depending on whom you ask) that Athens Select program. He said it is quite probably no one reading this newsletter has seen. beautiful, the best, and definitely hardy in Athens I saw Iochroma australe in June this year on a garden for the past 3-4 years. The tubular flowers are a trip to the Channel Islands and decided to see if rosy purple and are in clusters. On the Athens the JC Raulston Arboretum had one. I looked in Select Gardener Database, its description is: their photo gallery and the photo looks like the Hardy in zones 7-11, grows 3-5’ tall, sun, blooms same plant. I contacted the Mark Weathington, in summer, has large velvety leaves. Assistant Director of the Arboretum, for information on “our” Iochroma, and this is what he replied: "In zone 9 it is evergreen and blooms off and on throughout the season. It is not reliably hardy in zone 7 but certainly zone 8. We've been successful in a protected spot (high shade, near the building, plenty of protection on all sides) for 2 years but even so the winters were very mild. I would expect in zone 7 an established plant would Left: Iochroma cyaneum ‘Purple Queen’, U. GA June, be root hardy with good mulch in all but the 2008 Photo Iochroma. harshest winters. If it dies back to the ground, Right: Royal Queen,Photo used with permission of flowers wouldn't appear until late summer. It did Logee’s Greenhouses, Ltd. not die back for us this past winter since it was so mild and we got a good flower show in spring. It There is another cv of this plant, ‘Royal Queen’, in has spit out a few flowers over the summer. I'm the trade, and it has deep purple flowers according hoping we get 1 more good show this season." – to several photos and descriptions found on the MW Internet. On several horticultural-related websites, the cvs ‘Royal Queen’ and ‘Purple Queen’ were used interchangeably. Each is trademarked. When I contacted Logee’s Greenhouses for hardiness information, their horticulturist determined the one they sell is Zone 8 hardy, so for Zone 7 it would be a houseplant. Left: Iochroma australe, July 2013, Channel Islands, photos by M. Finkel. Right:: Iochroma australe ‘Good Blue’ JCRA photo CHECKLIST FOR SEPTEMBER spinach, and turnips can continue to be planted. By Mary Jane Bosworth, See the August 13 issue for more details and web Kerr Lake Extension Master Gardener links. A garden is a friend you can visit anytime. Anonymous Carefully monitor your fall crops for insects. See the NC Chemical Manual for recommended September is here. The nights are cooler and I am treatments or contact your local extension agent. inspired to get back out into the garden. Always follow label instructions and observe minimum days to harvest waiting period. Now is the time to order bulbs for planting in October and November for great spring In the later part of the month, clip new blossoms color. off tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants so that the Collect seeds from spent flowers for the last fruits will mature quicker. coming year. Cut back impatiens for new spurts of Fall to early winter is the best time to plant trees growth. and shrubs. If you are planning to start or expand Plant pansies for splashes of color. tree and nut plantings, you should check local If your fescue lawn needs work – it is time plant nurseries and/or online/mail order sources to seed and renovate. to have plants when needed. Small fruits are Fertilize established tall fescue lawns in usually planted in the spring. mid-September. Plant dill, parsley, coriander seeds. Sow For October lettuce, radishes, carrots, peas and kale. For the time period 1971-2000, the average first o Put out broccoli and brussel sprout plants. frost date (32 F or less) for Henderson was Oct Compost leaves and grass clippings. 20 with a standard deviation of 11 days. That Put a pre-emergent herbicide on lawn and means that the first frost will be between Oct 9 shrub plantings to control winter weeds. and Oct 31 about 70% of the time. About 10% of Enjoy the cooler evenings. the time (1 out of 10 years) it will be before Oct 6 and about 10% of the time after Nov 3. The average first frost date for 1981-2010 is Oct 22 and GARDEN TO DO –SEPTEMBER o By Carl Shafer, the first freeze date (28 F or less) is Nov 4. I have Kerr Lake Extension Master Gardener not found SDs for these dates but I assume they are not much different from the earlier values. For September: Note that low areas that collect cold air will often Prune out fire blight killed wood from apples, have frost earlier, and in town, sheltered areas, and pears, and pyracantha if you have not already done hillsides that allow cold air to drain away may have so. Be sure to check crab apples and Bradford frost later in the fall. pears also. If you wait until winter it will be more difficult to determine the dead wood. We often have two or three weeks of nice weather after the first frost in the fall. To avail oneself of Continue to remove spent crops and plant cool this additional growing time for tender vegetables weather fall crops, cover crops or cover the bare (green beans, summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, ground with a layer of mulch that can be tilled etc.) have frost protection material ready to use under in the spring. It is too late for beans, when frost is predicted. Materials to consider: cucumbers, and squash unless you use robust frost Row covers – light weight and easy to use, Sheets protection (i.e. Row covers with tunnels or hoop and blankets – need support structures because of houses.). You can try cool weather cole plants- their weight, Plastics – need to be kept off of the Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, and foliage and removed in the morning before Cabbage, but they should have been set out in late sunshine hits to prevent overheating. When a hard July or August. Cool weather seeded crops freeze is forecast, harvest your tender and semi- include: kale, lettuce, mustard, onions, radishes, hardy vegetables. See the Aug 13 Issue for web links with more details on season extenders www.ces.ncsu.edu/lawn-and-garden-publications/ including extending into the winter season. Note that little or no growth is expected when daylight Note that web sites for almost any problem, is 10 hours or less. This occurs between about product, or topic can be found by doing a web Nov 24 and Jan 17. For comparison the shortest search. Also when you find a useful/interesting day is 9 hr 41 min around Dec 21, equal day and site, bookmark it so that you do not need to search night around Mar17 and Sept 25, and the longest is for it again. 14 hr 38 min around June 19. These times and dates are for Henderson. HELP PROTECT BEES AND OTHER Continue to monitor your fall vegetables for POLLINATORS insects. See Sept recommendations above. Please remember to always use extra caution when using ANY insecticide. The label will provide Harvest sweet potatoes, gourds, pumpkins, and details about any possible risks to honeybees or winter squash before frost. other pollinators, and precautions that you should take. For example, many insecticides should NOT As fall clean-up continues, remove any diseased be applied when plants are blooming. plants and leaves from the garden area and discard. Do not compost this material. If considering a Also note that there is a group of insecticides cover crop, see the Aug 13 Issue for web links in known as neonicotinoids which are long-lasting the NCOrganic-Prduction section. A relatively and absorbed by all plant parts (including flowers new cover crop is forage radish. This is the and pollen). These may pose additional risks to ‘Daikon’ or ‘Japanese’ radish. To learn about this pollinators. While these products are valuable tools crop do a web search for: Fact Sheet 824, in the pest control arsenal, they should be used Maryland Cooperative Extension. sparingly and with great caution. Fall is an ideal time to have soil tests done on More information about protecting pollinators can garden and lawn areas. If lime is needed, fall is an be found at the following link: excellent time to apply it. The freezing and http://www.ent.iastate.edu/dept/faculty/hodgson thawing in winter helps work the lime into the soil /files/ul/Purdue%20pollinator%20fact%20sheet.p in areas that are not cultivated. On Tue, Aug 13 I df received an email announcing that there will now be a fee charged for soil tests done from HERB OF THE MONTH- SEPTEMBER December through March.