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 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

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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 –10F. 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.

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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 and Nuts • Renovate strawberry beds after they quit producing . 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.

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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. Capturing insects - Insects can be found in nearly every habitat – on and in plants, scurrying along the ground, under the ground, flying through the air, on and in the water, etc. A net is a great way to capture insects, either by swinging it over flying insects or sweeping the net back and forth through plants as you walk. Traps let the insects come to you. A pitfall trap is made by placing a cup in the ground with the rim of the cup level with the soil, so insects walking along will fall into the cup. Another trap can be made using a plastic water bottle with the top cut off, turned upside down and placed back into the water bottle (L). Hang this trap in a tree to see what flies or crawls in. If you place food into either trap, you will start to see a diversity of insects visiting the traps. Visit your traps frequently and remove them when you have the insects you need so that you don’t unintentionally trap more than necessary. Another way to attract insects is by Continued on page 5

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Kids Ask Dr. Bug Dr. Tamra Reall, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the Kansas City Urban Region 816-252-5051, [email protected]

Continued from page 4 hanging up a white sheet and shining a black light on the sheet at night. Captured insects are placed in a kill jar, or a bag that is placed in a freezer. Please take care when collecting insects. Some insects sting or bite so you need to handle them carefully, especially if you could be allergic to insect stings. Pinning insects - Most insects are pinned on the right side, although there are some exceptions, such as butterflies which are pinned in the middle with their wings spread. Some insects are too small to pin and so they are glued to a tiny piece of paper that is pinned. This site describes the process in more detail: bit.ly/3f4PdkM After pinning, leave the insects to dry all the way before storing them. This can take a couple of weeks. Identifying insects - How closely do you need to identify your insects? Order, family, genus or species? A dichotomous (2-way) key (example: http://www.knowyourinsects.org/step1.html) and good field guides are helpful. Label each insect with the date, location found, other interesting information, and your name. Storing insects - An airtight box is best, ideally with a clear cover for viewing. Airtight is important so other insects do not get in and eat your collection. An excellent free resource for creating a collection, called “How to make an awesome insect collection” is available from Purdue Extension (bit.ly/3ezHtZ7). 4-H also has entomology spin-clubs and you can submit your collection in your local county fair insect collection competition. Done responsibly, collecting insects is not just a great hobby, but you can learn so much about insects’ life histories and their habitats. As you learn about these tiny animals that are essential to our ecosystems, you can become an advocate for insect conservation.

What is it? Debi Kelly, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the St. Louis Urban Region 636-797-5391, [email protected]

What is it? Can you figure out what this mystery picture is from?

Turn to page 8 to find out if you are correct!

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Town Hall Snippets Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the Southeast Region 573-243-3581, [email protected]

Each Wednesday during the noon hour, Field Specialists in Horticulture from across the state answer your questions virtually via a Zoom session. All sorts of questions have been asked and we continue to get new questions each week. Each week a topic is selected from our presenters to be made into a video snippet. Recent video snippets include: • Why are my zucchini, cucumbers and squash rotting on the vine? • Plant Hardiness • Rhubarb • Leaf Scorch • Planting Tomatoes • Fire Blight These videos can be found at MU Extension Integrated Pest Management - YouTube Join us for our next live Horticulture Town Hall, register at https://ipm.missouri.edu/townHalls/; it is free.

Recipe: Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Pasta Bethany Bachmann, MU Extension CES in Nutrition and Health Southeast Region 573-547-4504, [email protected]

Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Pasta Yield: 4 servings Ingredients Preparation 1. Prepare pasta according to directions on box. • 8 ounces rigatoni pasta (whole wheat if possible) • 2 cloves garlic, minced 2. Remove sausage meat from casing, set aside. • 1 pound lean turkey sausage 3. In hot skillet saute’ onions. Add sliced red peppers and crumbled sausage meat. Stir and • Red pepper flakes, to taste cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes. • 1/2 onion, chopped 4. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Add chicken • 3/4 cup chicken stock stock and bring to a simmer. Add florets and • 1/2 red pepper, sliced cover to steam. • 1½ cups broccoli florets 5. Once broccoli is tender add rigatoni to pan. • Add salt/pepper or Italian seasoning to taste Stir to coat. Adapted from: www.missourifamilies.org

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Weed of the Month: Common Chickweed Gatlin Bunton, MU Extension Field Specialist in Agronomy in the East Central Region 573-775-2135, [email protected]

Common chickweed (Stellaria media) is a low-growing winter annual weed of turf, gardens, and crops. It is found throughout most of North America and becomes very evident in early to late spring when its light green coloration and sprawling growth habit make it stand out in the home garden. Common chickweed emerges primarily in late summer, with some emergence possible in the spring. After emergence the plants will go into winter dormancy until spring. Seedlings have ovate cotyledons that are attached by a slender hypocotyl that may be sparsely hairy. Older leaves are oval and arranged opposite each other. Each leaf ranges in size from one half to over one inch long and retains the characteristic light green color. Common chickweed flowers Leaves are smooth with small hairs possible on the base or on the petioles. Upper leaves are attached directly to the stem without a petiole and older, lower leaves are attached by a long petiole. Stems are long and tend to run prostrate along the ground and over other foliage. Rooting is possible when nodes touch the ground. Upper stems begin to ascend when flowering is initiated. Small flowers occur in clusters or alone at the end of stems. The flowers consist of five deeply lobed white petals. After flowering the plants develop a small seed capsule containing many small orange seeds. Seeds dispersed in late spring often germinate the following fall or spring, but may remain viable for up to 10 years in the soil. Young common chickweed Control of common chickweed is relatively easy compared to some other common garden weeds. Hand pulling or using weeding tools is a great way to remove common chickweed from gardens and lawns. The fibrous root system of this weed allows for easy removal. Where labeled, chemical treatments are very effective. Certain preemergent herbicides when applied in late summer can prevent chickweed from germinating. Spot treatments of selective postemergent herbicides in the early spring can also provide excellent control when used in labeled crops.

Sprawling habit of common chickweed — growing over turf and other weeds

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Book Review: Green Places in Small Spaces Joyce Loos, Master Gardener in Cape Girardeau County, Southeast Region [email protected]

Book: Green Places in Small Spaces: A Practical Guide to Designing and Planting a Small Space Garden authored by Kerwin Fischer is an attractive edition that provides an enormous amount of information to tickle the interest of any inexperienced gardener as well as horticulture enthusiasts. I love everything about Green Places in Small Spaces as it showed me how to evaluate my yard. Things I never considered were shade opposed to sun and its direction of light throughout the day. The sun at noon in July provides far more sunlight than it does at noon in January. Plants need water, but not too much, which reminds me to purchase a rain gauge. This book mentioned so many practical things also. Blueprints illustrating color, size, texture and variety compel me to remove some existing plants and replace them for those pictured. It explained what to plant, where to plant, when to plant and how to plant, as well as helpful tools to accomplish the task. The importance of good soil continues to fascinate me as well as their recommended choices for amendments, compost, fertilizers, and mulch just to name a few. And who could garden successfully without knowledge of how to deal with those hungry annoying bugs that appear outside and inside. Speaking of inside, container gardening was covered throughout this book. The only thing I struggled with was trying to learn the botanical names for plants, which is very challenging for me, but I’m up for the task. All in all Green Places in Small Spaces was a great read, one that I plan to utilize frequently.

What is it? Debi Kelly, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the St. Louis Urban Region 636-797-5391, [email protected]

It is a Sweet Bay Magnolia! The Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is an evergreen tree in its native habitat of the southeastern region of the U.S. In Missouri, it is a deciduous tree. When in bloom, the flower can provide a light vanilla or a lemony scent. The tree is also known as the “beaver tree” since in colonial days, it was used for bait to trap beavers. Sweet bay magnolia is liked by many animals from cattle and deer to squirrels, birds, turkey and quail. It is also known as an attractant for caterpillars of the tiger swallowtail butterflies and sweetbay moths. The tree likes moist soil, so it can be planted near rain gardens.

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Specialty Vegetables: Melons Katie Kammler, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the East Central Region 573-883-3548, [email protected]

When people think about melons, the most typical ones are , , and . However, there are many more specialty melons that are fun to grow in your home garden, and even better, they taste great. Melons come in different shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors. I do not care for the flavor of cantaloupe, but there are a lot of great melons out there without that cantaloupe flavor. One I grew in graduate school trials was called a sprite . It was a small melon with a yellow rind and white flesh that had a great flavor. There are many others out there to try, be it a yellow watermelon or a personal-sized melon or an heirloom variety. Melons are warm season crops that like warm, dry weather. They are in the vining cucurbit family, so be sure to have plenty of room for them to grow. They have separate male and female flowers, making pollinators essential for fruit production. Melons are harvested at slip when the vine easily separates from the fruit. are harvested when the tendrils on the stem turn brown, the color becomes waxy and dull, the skin resists penetration by a thumbnail, and the bottom of the melon turns light green to yellowish. You can grow seedless watermelon in home gardens, but remember that they tend to have poor seed germination and must be grown with a seeded variety for pollination. Watermelon varieties to try include: Cotton Candy (seedless), Yellow Doll, Sorbet Swirl, Baby, Moon & Stars (heirloom) and many more. Melon varieties include Casaba Golden Beauty (white Top: Banana Melon; Middle: flesh), Honeyshaw (pink flesh), Torpedo (white flesh), Banana melon, and many Yellow Doll; Bottom: Moon more. and Stars Watermelon

One Hot Topic - Is It Herbicide Damage? Donna Aufdenberg, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulture in the Southeast Region 573-243-3581, [email protected]

We are receiving many calls from gardeners questioning whether they have herbicide drift. Before jumping to conclusions, gardeners need to consider all the possible causes of plants exhibiting curling, twisting, strapping of leaves, stunting and discoloration. Insects, plant stress, weather conditions, contaminated compost and herbicide drift are all possible causes. It is important to also look for possible damage on various plants throughout your landscape. Herbicide damage tends to be on multiple species. For more information on possible causes, contact your local MU Extension Horticulturist or Agronomist.

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Helping Growers Make Lavender Thrive in Missouri Kelly McGowan, MU Extension Field Specialist in Horticulturist in the Southwest Region 417-874-2965, [email protected]

COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension is about to take some of the guesswork out of growing lavender in Missouri. The first of three lavender demonstration plots in the state was planted May 14 at the MU Extension center in Ste. Genevieve. Two others — at the Springfield Botanical Gardens and the Adair County MU Extension center in Kirksville — will also be planted as part of a $39,274 grant through the Missouri Department of Agriculture to help determine how to grow lavender as a commercial crop in Missouri. “There is a lot of interest and potential market for specialty crops like lavender that can be grown on smaller acreage, but we don’t have any research-based guidance and information to share with growers,” said MU Extension horticulturist Kelly McGowan, lead researcher for the grant. Lavender appeals to small growers, McGowan said. Every part of it can be used as product — from essential oils to dried arrangements — and it offers opportunities in agritourism. But the plant thrives in arid climates, so Missouri’s cold winters and humid summers can make it difficult to grow here, she said. Research on the three plots — each planted with six cultivars and located in different microclimates — will help develop standardized practices such as cultivar selection, soil preparation, establishment, fertilization, winter protection, dealing with insect and disease issues, and parameters for optimal flower and oil production. Beginning in late 2022 or early 2023, MU Extension will share results through publications, presentations and workshops. “One of my favorite things has been all the people who’ve reached out to me since this project has started,” McGowan said. Funding for the Missouri Department of Agriculture grant comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

How Flowers Got Their Names Kittye Hall, Master Gardener in Butler County, Southeast Region [email protected]

COMMON NAMES: Crape or crêpe myrtle BOTANICAL: Lagerstroemia FAMILY: Lythraceae Crape myrtle grows all over the American south. They came here on a Chinese cargo ship and were introduced by a Frenchman, Andre Michaux, and named by Linnaeus after a generous benefactor to Uppsala University, Magnus von Lagerstrom. Crape myrtles were sometimes called “China berries”, and the seedheads were used for rosaries. They are called “crape” or “crêpe” myrtles from the Latin crispa (curled), as the blossoms are crinkled, like crêpe paper or crêpe de Chine. They were often planted near stables as they were supposed to keep away flies. Information obtained from the book by Diana Wells, “100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names”

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Upcoming Events

The Garden Spade

You may visit your local MU Extension County Facebook Published monthly by University of page to find out what is occurring locally in regards to posts, Missouri Extension Faculty for web trainings, workshops and Extension newsletters. individuals and families living state- July 2021 wide in Missouri. This newsletter is Home Horticulture Town Hall Meetings - Weekly Town provided by your local Extension Hall webinars every Wednesday of the month - noon to 1 pm. Specialists and Extension Office.

Email reminders will come out the day before the Town Hall. Newsletter Editors: It is a great opportunity to ask gardening questions and learn Donna Aufdenberg from others. To register, go to ipm.missouri.edu/TownHalls Field Specialist in Horticulture Women Owning Woodland/Women Caring for the Land Jackson, MO 573-243-3581 Forest Management Field Day, June 9, 2021 from 8:30 to [email protected] 3:30 p.m. Face to Face at Mt. Vernon, MO. For more information and registering, click here. Katie Kammler Field Specialist in Horticulture Garden N Grow Program, June 7, 2021-August 12, 2021 at Ste. Genevieve, MO the Fairview Christian Church in Kansas City, MO For more 573-883-3548 information and registration, click here. [email protected]

Pollinator Festival - Celebrate Pollinators, June 26, 2021 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at St. Paul’s Community Gardening Websites of Interest in Independence, MO. For more information and registration, click here. Visit Missouri’s beautiful public gardens. Soils 101 for Gardeners and Homeowners: Unlocking • Missouri Botanical Garden https:// Your Garden’s Full Potential & Understanding Soil Test www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/ Reports on July 7, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom. For more • Springfield Botanica Gardens at information and registration click here. Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park https://www.parkboard.org/274/ Newsletters available through MU Extension Springfield-Botanical-Gardens

What’s New in MU Extension Natural Resources? • Powell Gardens, Kansas City https:// Subscribe to a bi-monthly newsletter full of information about powellgardens.org/ upcoming natural resource events, information about natural • Shelter Gardens, Columbia https:// resource topics and links to citizen science opportunities. www.visitcolumbiamo.com/directory/ Click Here to subscribe. shelter-gardens/ What’s New in Commercial Horticulture? Click Here to • Kress Farm Garden Preserve https:// Subscribe to the “Missouri Commercial Horticulture Video www.kressfarm.org/ Newsletter”

Each month there is a title picture on the front cover of the newsletter. This month: purple coneflower and penstemon.

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