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January 29, 2003

Signs Of Spring?
What a beautiful cold winter's day today!  It was brisk and sunny and that bright sunshine made me want to be outside walking around.  I am beginning to smell spring!  I could especially smell it in the air yesterday with all of the thick moisture hanging around.  With the snow slowly melting away, I could actually smell the dirt every time I walked outside.  A terrific day for sensory overload!  For those of us who are waiting patiently to get outside in the garden we may not have to wait too much longer.  It sounds as if the temperatures are on the rise heading into the weekend.  A good time to get outside to check on perennials, shrubs and evergreens.  You can bet that if the temperatures are in the high 50's, as they seem to be forecasting,  I will be outside doing something!

We are headed into the month of February and there is a lot going on for Kansas City-area gardeners.  There will be two garden shows, The Metropolitan Lawn & Garden Show, February 14-16 at the American Royal and then the Johnson County Home & Garden Show February 28 - March 2 at the new Overland Park Convention Center.  Also don't forget about the Lawrence Garden & Home Show February 21-23.  Kevin and I will have a booth at the Johnson County Home & Garden Show and will let you know where we will be stationed so that you can come by and say hello.  We will not have a booth at the Metropolitan Lawn & Garden Show but will be down there chatting with other gardening friends and sponsors so if you happen to see us (we'll have our Savvygardener shirts on) stop us and say hello.  At last, something to take our minds off the winter weather.

I am sure that you all remember that this is the week of the anniversary of the horrific ice storm we had last year.  I was interviewed by Fox-4 Television Tuesday afternoon about the storm and discussed the extreme damage that was done to the trees in our area.  If you are interested in watching the piece, tune in to Fox-4 Friday night at 6:00 PM .  

I hope we get the opportunity to enjoy a great outdoor weekend!

~ Shelly  

Black Knot Knowledge...
Have you seen black knots that look something like charred marshmallows along the branches of your cherry or plum trees?  If so, you are dealing with black knot, a fungal disease caused by Plowrightia morbosa.  Knots initially appear as green to light brown swelling on younger branches that harden off into elongated black knots.  The knots slowly expand each year until the branch is girdled and dies.  Eventually, black knot can kill a tree.  Knots are easiest to spot during tree dormancy and should be pruned out as soon as they are found.  (Cut three to four inches below the knot to insure that you remove all the diseased tissue.)  As spores overwinter in the knots and spread during rainy periods in the spring pruned knots should be buried or burned.

Source

Ooh, Ooh, Onions...
Next to garlic, onions are probably the most common garden-grown plant that we cook with in the Marsh household.  (We keep a lot of breath mints on hand also!)  Onions are one of the earliest crops that can be planted in the garden - late March in most of eastern and central Kansas.  As they usually require 6 to 8 weeks of growing time before transplanting they should be started indoors now.  Plant onion seeds fairly close together - ½ to ¾ inches apart in a pot or flat filled with commercial seed starting mix.  (A lot of onion plants can be grown in a small area.)  Place the container in a warm (75º to 80º F) location until the seedlings emerge.  When the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall, move them to a cooler (60º to 65º F) location with plenty of natural or artificial light.   After the onion seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall, apply a soluble fertilizer with each or alternate waterings.  When they are 4 to 5 inches tall "give them a haircut" by trimming the ends of the leaves to produce a shorter, stockier plant.  In early March, move the plants to an outdoor, protected location for a few weeks prior to actual transplanting.

A Gentler Approach To Houseplant Pests...
Insects on houseplants are a major pain.  Not only are they hurting your plants but control measures using chemicals are pretty undesirable to a lot of homeowners.  Here are three control approaches that minimize risk to you and your housemates.

  • Physically pick-off caterpillars, slugs, and other larger pests.
  • Swab pests with a small brush or cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol. This method is feasible when plants are small and infestations very light. It is tedious and must be done once a week over a period of time.
  • Plants can also be washed in a dilute mixture of water and insecticidal soap, or gently spray-washed with lukewarm water.  Repeated washings over a period of time are necessary to gradually reduce infestations.  

If the infestation is severe, it may be preferable to discard the plant and replace it rather than attempt chemical control.

Source

 


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Viability Verification...
So, you're getting ready to start some seeds indoors and don't know if last year's leftovers are still good.  Well, you can start by checking the typical viability of 20 popular vegetable seeds in the table below:

Vegetable Viability
(Years) 
Vegetable Viability
(Years)
Beans 3 Muskmelons 4-5
Broccoli 3-5 Peas 3
Brussels Sprouts 3-5 Peppers 2-3
Cabbage 3-4 Pumpkin 4-5
Carrots 3 Radish 5
Cauliflower 3-5 Spinach 5
Corn, Sweet 2 Squash, Summer 3-4
Cucumbers 5 Squash, Winter 4
Lettuce 5-6 Tomato 3-4
Lima Beans 3 Turnip 4-5

To be absolutely sure here's a trick we use to determine if seeds are still good:

  • Take ten seeds from the package and place them on a paper towel that you have moistened with warm water. 
  • Fold the paper towel over to cover the seeds.
  • Keep the towel moist and warm (on top of the fridge usually works for warmth) until they start to germinate. 
  • If less than six seeds (60%) germinate you might as well throw the rest away. 
  • If six or more germinate it will be worthwhile to plant the rest. 
  • Don't waste your test seeds!  The ones that germinate should be carefully moved to your preferred seedling container and cared for until ready for transplanting outdoors.

Source


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Winter Wisdom...
Think you've got your indoor plant care covered?  Don't be so sure.  Indoor plants need special attention - especially those that spend the warm-weather month outdoors and are only indoors for the winter.  If you have any plants that fit this description you won't want to miss this week's
Winter Wisdom...

Seed Scarification...
The coat of certain seed is extremely tough and must be penetrated by special means.  Particularly hard seed may be scarified.  Scarification involves breaking, scratching or softening the seed coat to allow moisture penetration.  Two methods of scarification commonly used by the home gardener are mechanical and hot water.  

  • Mechanical scarification involves breaking or weakening the seed coat with a file, sandpaper or hammer. 
  • Hot water scarification involves placing seeds in water that is 170º to 210º F. After the water cools, seeds should continue to soak for 12 to 24 hours. 

Then they are planted. Specific instructions for scarification are usually mentioned on the seed packet or in the seed catalog.

Source

Finally...
"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

~ Marcel Proust Author, 1871 - 1922

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