June Garden Spade
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The Garden June 2021 Spade “Reliable, Responsive and Relevant Information for the Missouri Gardener” Value of Plant Tags Subscribe Now! Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture Receive a monthly email with 573-243-3581, [email protected] a direct link to “The Garden Recently, my family has been talking about rehabbing our front landscape. The Spade”. plants we love, we would like to buy newer/smaller versions. Unfortunately, I SUBSCRIBE HERE!! have discarded the plant tags listing the cultivar that was purchased. You would think that I, a plant enthusiast, would remember each and every plant I placed in the yard, but my memory fails me. Lately, I have been thinking about the virtues of plant tags. All tags are **In This Issue** different. Some tags give little information, while other tell the whole story from Value of Plant Tags 1, 2 common name to planting suggestions. Here is some of the typical information found on a tag. Gardening Calendar 3 Organic Fertilizers 3 A. Common C. name of the plant Kids Ask Dr. Bug 4, 5 E. Every plant has a What is It? 5, 8 D. common name by Town Hall Snippets 6 G. I. which we refer to Monthly Recipe 6 H. it. For example, Common Chickweed 7 F. purple coneflower Book Review 8 (common name) Specialty Melons 9 J. is actually Herbicide Damage 9 Echinaceae Lavender Study 10 A. purpurea How Flowers Got 10 B. (Botanical or scientific name). Their Name Upcoming Events 11 B. Botanical or scientific name - These are in a two name format, genus and species, and are usually found in italics on the tag. There is usually a third word that is found in single quotes. This is a ‘cultivar’ of the plant. The cultivar is a specific version An equal opportunity/access/ of the species propagated for specific traits. For example, affirmative action/pro- Continued on page 2 disabled and veteran employer June 2021 · 1 Value of Plant Tags Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture 573-243-3581, [email protected] Continued from page 1 the tag has Lagerstroemia indica ’Sioux’. This is a cultivar of crape myrtle that has been selected because it reaches 15 to 20 feet tall, has a delightful pink flower, and winter hardiness for –10F. C. Type of plant - Annual, perennial, wildflower, native, bulb, shrub, tree, or vine. D. Photo of the plant - The plant tag usually has a picture - may it be good or bad. Some photos represent the plant well while other are lacking. From experience, sometimes it is hard to capture the essence of a plant in a snapshot. E. Overall description - Plant descriptions can be all over the place on accuracy; however, tags can give you an overall idea of whether you would like to plant it or not. You might consider a brief internet search of reliable websites to find out more about a particular plant. F. USDA Hardiness zone - One of the most important pieces of information on the plant tag. This will tell you how hardy the plant is. The zone is based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. Most gardeners in Missouri are in zones 5b (northern) to 7b (most southern). When looking at plants to purchase, it is always wise to seek out this information first. We are seeing many plants in our garden centers and nurseries that are not hardy for Missouri. Click on the USDA Hardiness Zone Map G. Sun exposure or light requirements - All plants need a certain to take you to the website. amount of light in order to thrive. Different plants need different light intensity and duration. Tags should give indicators in words or symbols what the plant needs: full sun, part- sun, part-shade or shade. Full sun refers to 6 to 8 hours or more of sun. Part sun refers to 3 to 6 hours of sunlight. Shade refers to less than 3 hours of sunlight. H. Size - Mature height, width, growth habit and growth rate - Based on the growth rate of the plant, maximum height and width can be reached in a few years or many years. It is wise to research how fast this happens. Growth habit is the shape of the plant– columnar, pyramidal, or low-mounding. Other information on the tag - spacing, bloom time, water requirements (I.), growth rate, and planting instructions (J.). Key terms to pay attention to on tags are “prolific” or “self-sowing.” You want to avoid these plants. On the other hand, terms like “disease-resistant”, “low maintenance” or “drought tolerant” are very positive terms. I have learned over the years that if a planting tag gives you a wealth of information about the plant, it is worth keeping. Since they are small and flat, they are easy to store. The key is remembering where you put them for future reference. Consider a box, pouch, or binder that is labeled “plant information” or “plant tags.” Another option is to make a digital image by taking a picture or scanning so the images can be stored in a folder on your computer. Color photos can be made from these, and tags can be placed in a gardening notebook or binder. The Garden Spade June 2021 · 2 June Gardening Calendar Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the Southeast Region 573-243-3581, [email protected] Outdoor Flowering Plants and Ornamentals Organic Forms of • Keep applying mulch in planted areas to conserve moisture, discourage weeds, Garden Fertilizers and enrich the soil. • Trees and shrubs may be fertilized before July. Fertilizing after July leads to Blood Meal new growth that will not harden off by the time freezing temperatures arrive. 13 - 2 - 1 • Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are best for applying water directly to the soil while keeping the foliage dry to prevent diseases. Bone Meal • Fertilize annual flowers in containers with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer 1 - 15 - 0 once a week. Follow the directions for fertilizer rate. • Sow seed sparingly of biennial flowers such as hollyhock and foxglove. Mark Alfalfa Pellets the area to keep from disturbing any seedlings coming up. Plan to thin 3 - 0.5 - 3 seedlings that are too thick. • Mite activity increases with hot, dry weather. Consider spraying plants with Cotton Seed Meal strong jets of water every couple of days. 6 - 3 - 1.5 Vegetable Gardening Corn Gluten • As soon as cucumber and squash vines start to run, begin control methods for cucumber beetles and squash vine borers. 9.5 - 0.5 - 0.5 • To keep cauliflower heads pure white, layer several of the long, outside leaves Fish Meal onto the flat, open head. Secure the leaves together with clothespin or two toothpicks in the form of an X until the head is ready for harvesting. 10 - 6 - 0 • Make certain sweet corn has sufficient water at two crucial times: when the Fish Emulsion tassels at the top are beginning to show and when silks are beginning to show 4 - 2 - 2 on the ear. • Scout the garden; remove any leaves or stems that show signs of disease and Rock Phosphate destroy them. 0 - 20 - 0 • Plant pumpkins in mid-June. Large varieties will need 100+ growing days. • Pinch top growth on herbs to encourage new growth and branching. Keep Cow Manure flowers removed off plants if you plan on harvesting and drying. 1.2 - 2 - 2.1 Fruits and Nuts • Renovate strawberry beds after they quit producing fruit. Sol-Po-Mag • Treat trunks of peach trees and other stone fruits for peach tree borers. 0 - 0 - 22 • If you are doing any summer pruning, make sure to disinfect pruners between cuts to keep from spreading disease from one plant to another. Disinfectants Kelp Seaweed include 10% bleach or 70% rubbing alcohol. Make sure to oil your pruners 1.5 - 1 - 4.9 afterward to keep rust at bay. Wood Ash • Control Japanese beetles on fruit crops as they can destroy the fruit and defoliate plants 0 - 2 - 6 • Start summer-tipping new bramble canes. The Garden Spade June 2021 · 3 Kids Ask Dr. Bug Dr. Tamra Reall, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the Kansas City Urban Region 816-252-5051, [email protected] How do you make an insect collection? Christina, 14 Collecting insects is a great way to study and learn about these fascinating, tiny animals. Depending on why you are making a collection – school, 4-H, FFA, or just because – your collection could take different forms and may be various levels of complexity. Photo collection A photo collection has the advantages of not needing to capture and kill insects, and it can be easy to carry and share. However, keep in mind that insects are small and many are very fast. To get good pictures, you will need patience, perseverance, and a good camera with a macro lens or setting (many smart phones have this capability). Insects are not patient models, so you need to be fast(er). Make sure your image is clear so you can see the characteristics necessary to identify the insect. Specimen collection A specimen collection allows you to study insects in 3-D. To capture insects, here are some helpful tools of the trade (see image): a net (A), collecting jar (B), insect pins (C), identification guide (D), and a box to store your collection (E). I also have a pooter to collect tiny insects (F), Styrofoam for pinning (G), featherweight entomology forceps (H), hand lens and/or microscope (I), notepad (J) and a bag (K). You can find or make some of these supplies at home, and you can also purchase supplies at biological supply stores.