14
IN THIS ISSUE: Horticulture Class Schedules Winterize Rain Barrels Musings of a Master Gardener Winter Squash and recipe Winter Bird Feeding Calling all Beekeepers Adopt a Kentucky Tree Lorilee George Lorilee George Bulli County Extension Agent for Horculture Bulli County Extension 384 Halls Lane, Shepherdsville, KY 40165 (502) 543-2257Fax: (502) 543-6940 www.bulli.ca.uky.edu Upcoming Council Meetings: Master GardenersFebruary 5th at 6 PM March 5th at 10 AM Beekeeping February 13th at 7 PM March 13th at 7 PM Extension Council January 29th at 7 PM January 1/15/19 6pm Soils 1/18/19 10-2pm Soils & Composting 1/23/19 10-2pm Intro, Botany & LAB 1/25/19 6pm Botany & LAB 2/6/19 10-2pm Organic & Vegetable Gardening 2/19/19 6pm Organic Gardening 2/27/19 10-2pm Entomology & Vertebrate Pest 2/28/19 6pm Entomology 3/15/19 10-2pm Indoor Plants, Propagation & LAB 3/19/19 6pm Plant Propagation & LAB 3/26/19 10-2pm Pesticides, Plant Pathology & LAB 3/27/19 6pm Pesticides Pre-register for all Horticulture classes, to avoid cancellations 543-2257 MARK YOUR CALENDARS and Register for our 2019 Classes Alternative Master Gardener Syllabus: Toolbox open to Public: 2/1/19 6pm Landscape Design 1 2/13/19 7pm Beekeepers Association Meeting 2/15/19 6pm Landscape Design 2 2/25/19 6pm Fruit Production Series - Orchard 3/4/19 6pm Fruit Production Series - Tree sprays 3/8/19 6pm Landscape Design 3 3/13/19 7pm Beekeepers Association Meeting 3/22/19 6pm Landscape Design 4

January - bullitt.ca.uky.edu · Buttercup and banana squash store longer than butternut and acorn squash. Winter squash can ... winter squash in the refrigerator. Refrigeration is

  • Upload
    others

  • View
    14

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

IN THIS ISSUE:

Horticulture Class Schedules

Winterize Rain Barrels

Musings of a Master Gardener

Winter Squash and recipe

Winter Bird Feeding

Calling all Beekeepers

Adopt a Kentucky Tree

Lorilee George

Lorilee George Bullitt County Extension Agent for Horticulture

Bullitt County Extension

384 Halls Lane, Shepherdsville, KY 40165

(502) 543-2257— Fax: (502) 543-6940

www.bullitt.ca.uky.edu

Upcoming Council Meetings:

Master Gardeners’

February 5th at 6 PM

March 5th at 10 AM

Beekeeping

February 13th at 7 PM

March 13th at 7 PM

Extension Council

January 29th at 7 PM

January

1/15/19 6pm Soils 1/18/19 10-2pm Soils & Composting

1/23/19 10-2pm Intro, Botany & LAB 1/25/19 6pm Botany & LAB

2/6/19 10-2pm Organic & Vegetable Gardening

2/19/19 6pm Organic Gardening 2/27/19 10-2pm Entomology & Vertebrate Pest

2/28/19 6pm Entomology

3/15/19 10-2pm Indoor Plants, Propagation & LAB

3/19/19 6pm Plant Propagation & LAB

3/26/19 10-2pm Pesticides, Plant Pathology & LAB 3/27/19 6pm Pesticides

Pre-register for all Horticulture classes, to avoid cancellations 543-2257

MARK YOUR CALENDARS and Register for our 2019 Classes

Alternative Master Gardener Syllabus:

Toolbox open to Public:

2/1/19 6pm Landscape Design 1 2/13/19 7pm Beekeepers Association Meeting 2/15/19 6pm Landscape Design 2 2/25/19 6pm Fruit Production Series - Orchard 3/4/19 6pm Fruit Production Series - Tree sprays 3/8/19 6pm Landscape Design 3 3/13/19 7pm Beekeepers Association Meeting 3/22/19 6pm Landscape Design 4

An important garden task, if you have not winterized yet it can’t hurt to invest 15

minutes to detach your barrel and reconnect the standard downspout to route storm

water away from your home.

Inspect for damage, if any ice remains in the barrel, roll it into full sun and open all

valves.

Once everything has thawed and emptied, remove all components, clean hoses,

spigots, and mesh components, and the barrel itself. Store the barrel upside down

and keep it out of the sun light.

Musings of a Master Gardener by Barb Moore

Last year while in casual conversation with a

prospective Master Gardener candidate, the

subject of Monarch Butterflies came up. The

candidate said that she is trying to attract

Monarchs to her landscape. In my 40 odd

years of living in Kentucky, I have never seen

one in the wild. Yes, I have seen them in their

butterfly, caterpillar and chrysalis stages at

IdleWild Butterfly Farm, but never in the wild.

I was lucky

enough to see

both Monarch

butterflies and

caterpillars

during my recent

trip to Northern

Wisconsin. While

visiting family this past July, I was struck by

the amount of Common Milkweed (Asclepias

syriaca) that is growing there. I saw it along

the sand shores of Lake Superior, in ditch lines

along country roads, mixed into wood lands

and even in well maintained private and public

gardens. A real effort to help the pollinators,

especially the Monarch Butterfly, is very much

evident in that area.

I have tried to make

my home landscape

pollinator friendly

over the years

using a variety of

perennials that

bloom from spring

to frost. I even have planted Butterfly Weed

(Asclepias tuberoa), which I planted originally

because I love the bright orange flower

clusters. Even though I know that the Monarch

Caterpillar only feeds on milkweed, that was

not my motivation

to include several

plantings within my

landscape.

Over the years I

have seen many an

insect, caterpillar, butterfly and moth frequent

my Butterfly

Weed. Some

strip the

leaves as

food, some

gather pollen

and nectar

and I

tolerate all of them as I know they are

necessary for the big picture of life.

This season, during my daily routine of

inspecting, weeding and watering my many

flower gardens I was ecstatic to find, yep you

guessed it, a Monarch caterpillar happily

munching away on one of my Butterfly Weed

plants.

On closer

inspection I saw

that it had

already eaten

most of the

leaves off

another plant. I

hurried back to the house and got my camera

as I wanted to document this special occasion.

My first Monarch sighting in Kentucky, yes it

was just the caterpillar stage but a Monarch

none the less. The next morning it was still

munching its way through another plant. More

than likely I will not get the chance to see the

next two stages of its life. Hopefully I will get

to see all the stages next year as the Monarchs

Common Milk Weed

Buttterfly Weed

Monarch Caterpillar, LaPointe WI

Milkweed Tiger Moth Caterpillar

Mt. Washington KY

9-2016

Monarch Caterpillar

Mt. Washington KY

pass through Kentucky. I would like that a lot,

but then it does not take much to make this

Master Gardner happy.

Winter Squash

The squash family (Cucurbitaceae) includes

pumpkins, summer squash and winter squash.

Varieties come in a wide range of flavors and

textures. They have tough outer shells, but

they do not all look the

same. They can be

smooth, bumpy, thin or

thick, and hard with a

wide array of colors. The

most popular winter

squashes are acorn,

buttercup, butternut,

calabaza, delicata,

Hubbard, spaghetti, sweet dumpling, and

Terk's Turban but there are many more.

Growing Squash Rich organic, well-drained

soils are required to grow squash. Organic

matter, such as compost or aged manure will

help increase uptake of water and nutrients and

give plants a good start. New garden sites

should be amended with at least 4 to 5 inches

of good organic matter and then tilled 8 to 10

inches into the native soil. The ideal soil

should be slightly acidic (between a pH of 5.8

and 6.8). Squash is a tender vegetable so the

seeds do not germinate in cold soil. Seedlings

are injured by frost. Do not plant until all

danger of frost is past and soil is thoroughly

warmed.

When planning seed to purchase, this chart can

help you decide the size of fruit you can

manage:

Vines require at least 50 to 100 square feet per

hill, give giant Pumpkins more space.

Plant seeds one inch deep (four or five seeds

per hill). Allow 5 to 6 feet between hills. When

the young plants are well-established, thin

each hill to the best two or three plants. Allow

7 to 12 feet between rows.

Winter squash are a warm-season vegetable

that can be grown in most of the country. They

differ from summer squash because they are

harvested and eaten in the mature fruit stage,

when the seeds within have matured fully.

80 to 120 days are required to mature winter

squash. It is mature when fruits are fully

colored, vines are starting to die back, and the

rind is hard and resistant to scratches with

fingernails. Matured fruits should be harvested

with the stem attached and stored in a cool

dark location, kept at 50 to 55 degrees F.

Common Problems Cucumber beetles

attack seedlings, vines and both immature and

mature fruits. They can be controlled with an

insecticide applied weekly either as a spray or

Spaghetti

1-4 lb 6-12 lb 15-40 lb 50-100 lb

Acorn Banana Blue Hubbard Big Max

Butternut &

Buttercup

Cushaw Boston Marrow Mammoth

Delicata Hubbard Jumbo Pink

Banana

Spaghetti Jack o Lantern

Sugar Pie

Mt. Washington KY 8-20-18

Monarch Caterpillar

dust. There is usually a peak in beetle activity

each spring that lasts two to four weeks. This

is the most important time to control the

beetles. Squash bugs attack vines as the fruit

begin to set and

increase in

numbers

through the late

summer, when

they can be

quite damaging

to maturing

fruit. They hatch

and travel in groups, which seem to travel in

herds until they reach maturity. Using the

proper insecticide when the numbers of this

pest are still small minimizes damage.

The university has helpful entomology fact

sheets if you need specific assistance

overcoming either of these pests, ENT-313

and ENT-311, let us know if you need copies

543-2257.

Harvest Winter squash is planted in the

spring, grows all summer and is always

harvested at the mature stage in early autumn

before the first frost. Immature winter squash

lacks flavor, so wait until the rind is hard.

Harvest winter squash with two inches of stem

remaining. A stem cut too short is like an open

wound, which will cause early decay.

Harvest sturdy, heavy squashes with fairly

glossy skin unblemished by soft spots, cuts,

breaks or uncharacteristic discoloration. Most

winter squash benefits from a curing stage; the

exceptions are acorn, sweet dumpling and

delicata. Curing is simply holding the squash

at room temperature (about 70 degrees) for 10

to 20 days.

Buttercup and banana squash store longer than

butternut and acorn squash. Winter squash can

be baked, steamed, simmered or mashed.

Winter squash does freeze well (peel, cut into

cubes and remove seeds; cook covered in

water until soft; mash it and pack into containers

leaving a 2-inch headspace; it will keep about a

year).

The smaller acorn and butternut do not store as

well, only up to 3 months. Store cut pieces of

winter squash in the refrigerator. Refrigeration is

too humid for whole squash, and they will

deteriorate quickly.

Wash the fruit with soapy water containing one

part chlorine bleach to ten parts water. This will

remove soil and kill pathogens on the surface.

Be sure fruits are well dried before storage.

After curing, transfer to a cool (45 to 50

degrees), dry place such as the basement or

garage for long term storage. Do not allow them

to freeze. The large hard rind winter squashes

can be stored for up to six months under these

conditions.

Herbs and spices used to enhance the flavor of

winter squashes include garlic, nutmeg, ginger,

cinnamon, basil, parsley and ground cloves.

Sweeten squash pulp with maple syrup, honey,

brown sugar, or orange juice concentrate.

Squash Bread Recipe Equally delicious for

breakfast, snack or as a light dessert, this honey

sweetened loaf can be spread with low-fat cream

cheese or whipped

butter.

Preheat your oven

to 350o.

On a plate, sift

together the first

six ingredients,

set aside.

1. In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar and honey

together until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in egg and egg white. Add squash puree

and beat until smooth.

3. Fold in dry ingredients. Turn into a greased

9x5 inch loaf pan.

4. Bake until golden brown and a wooden

skewer inserted in the center comes out

clean, about one hour. Remove from the

oven, let stand in pan 10 minutes. Turn out

onto a wire cooling rack to cool.

Optional Nut Topping :

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine,

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts.

Pour melted butter over the top and sprinkle

with chopped nuts.

Let bread cool before dusting with powdered

sugar.

To warm:

Wrap thick slices

in a paper towel

and microwave

for 15 to 20

seconds on high.

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 cup butter or margarine 1 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey 1 egg plus 1 egg white

1 1/4 cup pureed cooked Powdered sugar

Winter Bird Feeding

Feeding birds is a great way to brighten a

dreary winter day, and also provides a source

of entertainment and enjoyment. Action,

color, drama, song; it's all there at your

feeder. You'll get to know the regulars and,

if you're lucky, you'll be rewarded with

surprise visits from birds not usually found

in your area. Where you set your feeders,

how much protective cover each species

prefers, and the amount of water you offer

affect utilization of a specific feeder.

Initially, choices can seem overwhelming.

Here are some considerations to begin or

modify your bird feeding program.

Remember that no one type of seed, or

feeder, is preferred by all birds.

The variety of seed you provide, determines

the birds attracted to your feeder. Over 20

types of seeds are sold as birdseed. The best

all-round is probably the small, black-oil

sunflower seed. It costs a little more but is

preferred by many smaller bird species,

including chickadees, nuthatches, and

titmice. Black-oil sunflower seed has a high

oil content that is nutritionally important for

birds, and a thin seed coat that is easy for

them to crack open. If you are focusing on

one seed to provide, black-oiled sunflower

is the obvious choice.

The striped

sunflower seed is

slightly larger and

very popular with

blue jays and

cardinals, but it is

difficult for many

smaller species to

crack open.

Sunflower seeds usually are provided in a

hanging feeder. A disadvantage of sunflower

seeds is that birds eat only the hearts,

dropping hulls on the ground, creating a

mess under the feeder. You may buy hulled

sunflower seeds, which come without the

seed coat. These are more expensive but

without the mess. A higher variety of seed

will attract a higher variety of species. Other

popular seed types include white proso

millet, niger, and peanuts.

White proso millet is cheap and attracts

dove, house

sparrows

and brown-

headed

cowbirds.

Niger or

thistle seed

is popular

because of

its

attractiveness to goldfinches, house finches,

and purple finches. Niger seed is very small

and usually offered in a special feeder with

small holes for dispensing the seeds.

Peanuts attract blue jays, chickadees,

titmice, and woodpeckers. They can be

offered as shelled kernels, in the shell, or as

peanut hearts--the small chips left when

peanut halves are broken apart. These small

hearts are valuable and can be eaten by

many smaller

species of

birds.

Many feed and

implement

stores sell a

bagged mix

Niger or Thistle Seed

that allows you to provide a variety of seed.

When purchasing a mix, look at the content

label.

Birds can tell

the difference

among seeds.

Some of the

inexpensive

commercial

mixes contain

items such as

wheat, milo,

hulled oats,

rice, and rye

seed that are

not attractive

to birds. If you

have used

these mixes in the past, you may have

noticed how the birds sorted through the

mix, selecting the seeds they preferred and

discarding the rest.

Aside from seed, you can offer other types

of foods to enhance the attractiveness of

your feeding station. Suet is a high-quality

fat that is highly sought-after in winter. It is

particularly attractive to woodpeckers,

chickadees, nuthatches, and titmice. Suet is

sold at grocery stores in the meat section. It

can be hung in a mesh bag (often provided

with the suet) or you can buy special suet

feeders. Processed suet cakes are available

at many stores that sell bird feeding

supplies. These cakes may contain other

pieces of seed and fruit and are processed so

that they don't turn rancid in warmer

weather.

Above is a "Marvel Meal" recipe fun for

children to make, and is a favorite of several

species of birds. It can be pressed into the

holes of a log feeder or smeared directly

onto the bark of trees. Marvel Meal can be

frozen into blocks and put in a suet feeder,

or sliced into chunks and placed on a feeder

tray. When you make your own, you can stir

in more or less of an ingredient, and control

consistency. Making your own also allows

you to shape or mold, then freeze into

specific shapes.

Image the garden roof coop

Marvel Meal Recipe

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup vegetable shortening

4 cups corn meal

1 cup flour

Handful seeds or nuts

Google Image

Types of Feeders

To increase diversity of visitors, consider

providing a variety of feeder types, at varied

heights. Ideal feeders are sturdy and tight so

that they stay put and do not allow water in.

Feeders should be easy to assemble and

clean. The three main types of feeders are

hopper (or house feeders), tube feeders, and

tray (or platform feeders).

A hopper feeder looks like a house with

Plexiglas sides on top of a platform where

the seed is dispensed as birds eat it. The

Plexiglas makes it easy to tell when more

seed needs to be added. Seed is protected

against the weather but not so well against

squirrels.

Tube

feeders

are hollow

Plexiglas

cylinders

with

multiple

feeding

ports and perches. These hanging feeders

attract species that typically feed off the

ground, and perch size can influence which

species use them. Large birds need large

perches, whereas small birds can feed on

either large or small perches. You

can attach a tray to the bottom to

catch scattered seeds and to allow

larger species to feed.

Tray or platform feeders are simply

flat, raised surfaces on which you

spread seed. Easy to make, they are

one of the most popular feeders.

Birds that typically feed on the

ground are particularly attracted to

this type of feeder. A disadvantage of

platform feeders is that they provide little

canopy for safety, are not squirrel proof, or

weather resistant. They should have drainage

holes for water and need to be cleaned often

to remove bird droppings. Only one day's

worth of food should be put out at a time.

Aside from these three primary types, there

are various specialty feeders, including those

designed specifically for suet, thistle,

peanuts, mealworms, and fruit.

Feeder Placement

When selecting a site for establishing your

feeding station, consider feeder placement

from your point of view and the birds. Your

feeders should be visible to you from inside

your house and offer safety for the birds.

With this in mind, place feeders near a

favorite window and within 10 feet of pro-

tective cover, such as trees and shrubs. Most

birds don't like to venture far from cover that

gives them protection from the elements, a

safe retreat, and a place to perch while

eating or resting between feeder visits.

Water

Along with providing food for birds, it is a

good idea to supply a source of water that

birds can use for drinking and bathing.

Species you don’t normally see at your

feeder, will come to water. Birdbaths come

in a variety of sizes, shapes, and prices.

You can buy them at most lawn and garden

stores or make them at home with a variety

of materials. A non-slippery surface is

required and a depth of no more than three

inches. Plastic saucers used under large

plants make excellent birdbaths. You can

also use a garbage can lid with a few stones

placed inside.

Cold winter temperatures can mean a time

of drought for birds, so water becomes

particularly attractive to birds in winter.

Heaters to keep the water from freezing are

available at stores that sell bird feeding

supplies. When your birdbath is placed near

overhanging branches, birds also have a

place to sit and preen after bathing. Where

cats are present, place the bath away from

dense shrubbery where cats can hide and

surprise the birds, experiment with height

and location.

The type of habitat around your home

influences the number of birds visiting your

feeder. The greatest diversity appears at

feeders in wooded rural areas, whereas the

smallest comes to feeders in urban areas.

Use field guides, bookstores, libraries and

the internet to help you identify new birds

this winter.

Calling all Beekeepers

We have some great news! Bullitt County

now has an official beekeeper association that

meets on the second Wednesday of each

month at the Bullitt County Extension office at

7 pm. The time may change if we are having a

field day at a local apiary or bee yard.

If you are a beekeeper, want to be a beekeeper,

or are just curious about honey bees, please

come join us.

The fee for

membership is

$15.00 per year

per household.

You do not

have to be

a member

to attend

meetings.

If you are

interested in

keeping bees,

now is the time

to order your bees. Some people order

package bees and some order nucleus colonies,

which are five frame starter colonies. Orders

placed now, are available in the spring. There

are various bee supply companies and

individuals that you can purchase your bees

from.

It is also time to prepare your beehive boxes

and get together all the equipment needed to

keep your bees so that everything is ready

when the bees arrive in the spring.

Check out our Facebook page, “Bullitt

County Beekeepers Association”. Post your

bee questions and get information.

Adopt-A-Kentucky-Tree

By Laurie Thomas, UK Extension Forester, U of K

Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Bundle up and get some brisk air, because this

is still a good time to get outside and enjoy

nature. While you are out enjoying nature

consider adopting a tree. Adopt-a-Kentucky-

Tree is a hands-on project that provides you

and your family a simple way to highlight a

tree that has enhanced your life. Participation

in this project helps you become more aware

of the many ecosystem services that your tree

provides you and your community. All you

need is a favorite tree, access to the internet, a

tape measure, camera, and a calculator. Follow

this link for step-by-step instructions on the

internet at: https://ufi.ca.uky.edu/adopt-a-tree

This is a good time to gain and implement tree

identification skills. The Adopt-a-Kentucky-

Tree program was developed by the University

of Kentucky Urban Forest Initiative as a way

to get the public engaged with the trees in their

community.

The program utilizes the National Tree Benefit

Calculator (NTBC) which is a tool based on

the U.S. Forest Service's i-Tree (http://

www.itreetools.org/) street tree assessment

tool.

By entering locations, species and tree sizes,

users gain an understanding of the environ-

mental and economic value trees provide on an

annual basis. The Calculator will provide you

the following environmental and economic

values of your tree:

• Storm water run-off the tree intercepts

each year.

Property value the tree adds to your home

or favorite surroundings.

• Energy reported as the conservation of

kilowatt hours of electricity for cooling.

Trees modify the climate and conserve

building energy use by shading which

reduces the amount of heat absorbed by

a building and tree canopies slow down

winds thus reducing the amount of heat

lost from a home.

• Air quality benefits such as absorbing

pollutants, intercepting particulate

matter and releasing oxygen through

photosynthesis.

• Atmospheric carbon dioxide reduction in

pounds annually based on tree size. Trees

lock-up or sequester CO2 in the roots,

trunks, stems and leaves while they are

growing and in wood products after they

are harvested.

Each of these environmental and economic

parameters are totaled to give you the overall

benefit of your adopted tree at its current size.

Once you have chosen your tree, measured

it and determined its ecosystem services you

then "register" your tree on the

Adopt-a-Kentucky-Tree site to share with

others. This is a great activity to do with your

family, community, or youth group you may

be working with. It is a great way to get out

and enjoy nature, enjoy our trees, learn more

about their benefits and then share with others

in the community. You knew that was a great

tree, now this tool allows you to share it with

others!

If you enjoyed this article and want more in-

formation about trees, The Woodland Owners

Short Course (WOSC) is designed to assist

Kentucky’s woodland owners in the care and

management of their woodland resource. It is

conducted on a regional basis with a wide

variety of subjects at Saturday programs in the

East, Central, and West regions of the state.

The WOSC offers two programming tracks:

Green for woodland owners just getting started

and Gold for those already actively managing

their woodlands. The WOSC is one of the best

woodland owner educational opportunities

available in the state and anyone with an

interest in forestry or wildlife will benefit from

attending. Register early, space is limited.

Wondering which track you should attend?

Use the image below to review the statements

provided. This helps you to identify which

tract fits your experience and interest levels.

After you have selected the tract with two or

more statements that will fit your needs, and

you know what you wish to focus on, then you

will register for that educational track on this

website: https://forestry.ca.uky.edu/wosc

Each tract is led by Kentucky forestry and nat-

ural resources experts. If you determine the

Green track best meets your needs, consider

inviting a friend to attend the gold, so that you

may exchange information.

https://forestry.ca.uky.edu/wosc

Master Gardeners’

11th Annual Garden Art & Plant Sale

Saturday - April 27th, 2019 Rain or Shine 8 AM to 2 PM

Bullitt County

Cooperative Extension Office

384 Halls Lane, Shepherdsville, KY 40165

Over 30 vendors selling

Vegetables,

herbs, fish,

aquatics, flowers,

tropicals and yard art.

Call 543-2257 for information Vendor Booths $25.00

Bullitt County Cooperative Extension Service

384 Halls Ln.

Shepherdsville, KY 40165

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Check out Bullitt County Horticulture on

Facebook to keep up with upcoming classes,

events, and get answers to your questions.

Check out photos of past events.

-Lorilee George