1

(continued on page 2)

Inside this issue

Mark Your Calendar .................... 2 Mushroom Workshop ........ 3-5, 7-8 MO Botanical Highlights ..............5 Jefferson County Master Gardener volunteers help in Festus ............. 6 Kress Farm Garden Preserve Education Series ......................... 6 Jefferson College volunteers ....... 8 June Garden Tips ....................9-10

Hello Master Gardeners!

The Garden Path From the President ...

(continued on page 3)

JUNE 2016

Mushroom Workshop By JoAnn Burke, Advanced Master Gardener

WOW – What a class we had at Kress Farm on edible mushrooms on April 30th. Gregory Ormsby Mori, Education and Outreach Coordinator at the Center for Agrofor-estry at the University of Missouri, taught us about mushroom home production in a classroom setting at Kress House, then we went to the pavilion for some hands-on experience! We learned, watched, drilled, inoculated, waxed and took home an inocu-lated shiitake mushroom log.

When we started the class, all I knew was I loved mushrooms and that I didn’t really know one mushroom from another. That day about 34 folks learned the basic growing techniques for shiitake log mushrooms, setting up totems for oyster mushrooms and making a wine cap mushroom bed with wood chips and straw-like materials. These techniques are easy enough to do at home.

Shiitake Mushrooms require an oak log 36-40” in length and 3-8” in diameter. It is best to cut logs in early spring before the sap really begins to move up the tree. Care-fully, drill holes 1” deep about every 6 inches across log, then each row every two to three inches. Inoculation can be done with commercially purchased spawn. The spawn is sterilized sawdust colonized by mycelium that has been proven to work for

The group currently taking the 2016 Master Gardener Classes is most impressive! As of this writing they have four classes remaining and several in the group have already begun to attain the volunteer hours necessary to reach Master Gardener status. It is very positive, at the classes I have attended, to see this group ask great questions regarding the topics the speakers are presenting and all indicate a great knowledge of gardening they have already attained prior to enrolling in the Master Gardener Program. Certainly, we will continue to welcome this group of gardeners as they move forward in completing the program. Again, I would request that if any member of the 2016 MG class has any questions or needs help in completing the program to not hesitate in contacting me.

2

From the President ...

Calendar of Events

(continued from page 1)

June 12 – 6th Annual Sustainable Backyard Tour, www.sustainablebackyardtour. com

June 18 – St. Charles County Master Gardener Garden Tour

Sept 10 – Seed Saving Workshop

Sept 16-18 – Missouri Master Gardener Conference, Kansas City, http:/www.mggkcconf.com/

Monarch butterflies can travel between 50—100 miles a day; it can take up to two months to complete their journey to winter habitats.

DID YOU KNOW . . .

The Garden Path June 2016

Speaking for myself it would be alarming to see members of this class dedicate all the time they have given to the program and leave for a rea-son that could have been corrected by good communication. So again, thanks to all the members of the Class of 2016 for the dedicated effort all are giving to complete the program.

Moving on it is time to give accolades to the Kress Farm Plant Sale! The sale actually took place on May 7 and if you missed it I would recom-mend you mark it down on your calendar for the future. In my opinion the Kress Farm Plant Sale has, at this point in time, become the #1 plant sale in the St. Louis and surrounding area. You might ask why? Where else can you go and shop for a huge variety of plants, gardening items, trees and bushes, have breakfast and or lunch and at the same time en-joy the beautiful surroundings of Kress Farm. More important is the op-portunity at the same time to visit with your friends. Offerings at the Sale included unique planters and other very unique gardening items, hostas, day lilies, a huge assortment of native plants, vegetable plants, cactus planters, unique annuals and perennials and a huge assortment of trees and bushes – everything from black cherry and paw paw trees to persim-mon and oak trees. What was really special were the Master Gardeners from our chapter who were readily available to answer questions and provide planting instructions to the customers. What’s more is that peo-ple were available to carry newly purchased plants or merchandise to the customer’s vehicle. What more could one ask – I thought that type ser-vice left us years ago. The native plant portion of this Sale was most im-pressive. I personally purchased 17 native plants and after taking them home had to wait two weeks due to heavy rainfall before I could plant them into a native plant area I am currently working to establish on my property south of Festus. These native plants are some of the most du-rable plants I have ever attempted to grow. All are doing very well and hopefully life will be given to some Monarch Butterflies! If anyone has interest in purchasing plants left over from the sale or native plants they remain available at Kress Farm on Wednesdays or you may contact Liz Copeland @ (314) 808 7499 to make other arrangements.

Yes, it is. It’s time to get out in the garden and harvest some beautiful cabbage and to place straw around some tomato, pepper and sweet po-tato plants. Thanks very much for all your support, cooperation and mostly your good nature. Please do not hesitate in contacting me at (636) 543 4847 or by email at jkemp1016@yahoo.com if I may be of any assistance. Have a great day out there in the garden and please be careful. Best Wishes, Jerry Kemp, President

3

From the President

Mushroom Workshop (continued from page 1)

The Garden Path June 2016

home use. Fill each hole with the spawn, heat wax and cover each filled hole. Keep log in shade and don’t allow to dry out. Moisture must be over 35% for the mycellium to establish itself. It will take a year before shiitake mushrooms appear from the drilled holes on the log. This process is called “fruiting” from the dead wood inside the log. See the recommended web sites for more details. Oyster Mushrooms can be grown on large tree trunk logs. The best tree logs are aspens, poplar, soft-maples. Cut two sections of the tree trunk into 12-18” length and 10-18” in diameter and one additional section of 2" thickness which is called a cap. It will look like a totem pole when stacked. To inoculate take a large black trash bag open wide put commercially purchased spawn in the bottom and be-tween each layer of the totem, with cap on top. Pull trash bag up over the totem and tie it closed leaving a 4 inch opening for air exchange. Leave in place for 2 months and avoid direct sun. Oyster mushrooms can fruit same year. Wine Cap Mushrooms can be put in a semi-shade area and made out of wet leaves or straw with wood-chips. Purchase commercial spawn and layer as a lasagna with 1-2” of each starting with natural material, spawn and finish with natural material. Bed should not be higher than 4”. Cover with clear plastic for two months. Mushrooms should appear in 7-12 weeks. This was one of the most interesting classes I’ve attended and everyone had a great time. The day went

too fast!

For a lot more details and other suggestions and purchasing of spawn check out the following web sites.

http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/agguides/agroforestry/af1010.pdf

https://www.fieldforest.net/

4

The Garden Path June 2016

Come along for some fun and learning with other Master Gardeners on Saturday, June 18th to tour the St. Charles County Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens. We will start at 10 am at the St. Charles County Extension Center, 260 Brown Road, St. Peters, MO 63376 and will end no later than 2 pm. At the tour we will divide up into groups of 6 and rotate from one garden stop to another, hearing about each stop along the tour throughout the entire demonstration garden. Below are the different stops we’ll make as we meander along. For those of you working on your Advanced Training as a Master Gar-dener, this tour will give you 3 hours of advanced training towards Level II. The tour will begin at 10 am and go until 2 pm. A boxed lunch will be served along with drinks. The cost of the tour will be $20. The vision of hands-on demonstrations for the general public spurred Master Gardeners to establish various gardens on site at the St. Charles County Extension Center. The gardens give residents a place to learn about plants that do well in St. Charles County; as well as, to see gardening techniques and methods. Master Gardeners also use the gardens in many of the gardening classes they offer and donate produce to the local food pantry.

Sign Garden - presents a preview of the various gardens and contains perennials, bulbs, annuals, herbs and vegetables.

St. Charles County Master Gardeners Demonstration Gardens Tour

When you RSVP, please let us know which lunch you would like and if you will be seeking Level II credit. Lunch choices: Sierra Turkey * Mediterranean Veggie * Smoked ham and Swiss * Roast beef (All boxes include chips, pickle, cookie)

Please call 636-797-5391 to RSVP and send your

payment to the Jefferson County Extension office by

June 10th. Make checks payable to University Extension and mail to

PO Box 497, Hillsboro MO 63050.

Bulb Garden - ablaze of earliest color in the garden with bulb varieties that carry a garden all spring and are followed with summer and fall bulbs (and a few annuals for added color)

Perennial Garden - began as a focus on MOBOT's program of "Plants of Merit” showcasing hearty perennials for the home garden. With the demise of the POM program, additional choices were added for a full 3 seasons of color.

(continued on page 5)

5

Herb Garden

Missouri Botanical Highlights

The Garden Path June 2016

(continued from page 4)

St. Charles County Master Gardeners Demonstration Gardens Tour

Native Garden - features both wetland and dry soil areas where the use of Missouri native plants thrive. All of these old favorites are welcomed by our visiting birds and insects. (www.grownative.org)

Prairie Garden - has been planted with many of prized prairie plants seen decades ago in the vast plains of our state. With the current fashion of planting hearty natives and wildflowers, this is an opportunity to view plants at all stages of growth. (www.mowildflowers.net)

Composting area - This structure of 3 bins allows the reclamation of plant wastes to be turned into compost to enrich the gardens. A free standing tumbler is an added area for compost creation.

Herb Garden - contains a wide variety of herbs used in medicinal and culinary practices. The raised bed design of this garden further emphasizes the need for good drainage these plants require

Lasagna Garden - This garden was built from the ground up. The layering of cardboard, straw, peat, leaves, shredded newspaper, manure and grass clippings created an idea soil bed without the need for a shovel or tiller. Each year, additional leaves are lay-ered on top and "left over" plants are added for color.

Pantry Garden - this series of 12 raised beds was one of the first efforts of Master Gardeners. The design of the beds aids in easy care for the homeowner. Three seasons of vegetable growth in each bed has developed into current soil building practices with a few beds focusing on intensive gardening versus the favored row design. All produce continues to be distributed to area food pantries. (continued on page 7)

Native Garden

See more at: www.missouribotanicalgarden.org

Sensational Summer Nights

Thursdays, June 2 through September 1 5 to 8 p.m. Regular Garden admission rates apply. Experience the beauty of the Garden with all of your senses during extended hours each Thursday evening between Me-morial Day and Labor Day! Sip flora-inspired cocktails and savor delectable fare from the Botany Bar, engage with plants at sensational stations and gather gardening tips from experts.

6

The Garden Path June 2016

Jefferson County Master Gardener volunteers help with flower planting in the Festus downtown area

After having had contact with Happy Welch, City Administrator for the city of Festus and with Councilman Brian Wehner, Jefferson County Master Gardeners formed a volunteer group to help get flowers planted in the planters located in the Festus downtown area. Master Gardeners Jeana Womack, Donna Daugherty, Judy Price, Schellie Shaduck, Jerry Kemp and future Master Gardener Merry Miller all worked together with Happy and Brian on Monday, May 16, to plant flowers in the planters located along the Main Street area in Festus. This is the second year the planters have been in place and after some planning and work the project was completed. It was most positive to see JCMG involved in this community effort! Please take a look at the results if you happen to be driving over that way!

Kress Farm Garden Preserve Education Series All classes will be held at the Kress Farm Garden Preserve

June 12 – Household Hazardous Waste and Vermicomposting, Kara Dunnam, Jefferson County Solid Waste District

July 10 – The Man Who Made St. Louis Beautiful, Carolyn Willmore, Lafayette Park Conservancy

August 14 – Ozark Herbology, Ken Porter

September 11 – Straw Bale Gardening, Steve Stacey, Central Missouri Master Gardener

November 13 – Glades of Missouri, Carol Gravens, St. Louis Master Gardener

Web Links:

Garden Spade

Jefferson County

Master Gardeners

State Master Gardeners

Kress Garden

Newsletter

DID YOU KNOW . . .

The Gas Plant or the Burning Bush as it is sometimes called, earned it's name because it's leathery green leaves, flowers and seed pods give off a strong lemon scented vapor which, on a calm summer night can be ignited with a match?

7

Jefferson County Master Gardener Wall of Fame

The Garden Path June 2016

Annual beds - the focus of the annual beds is to demon-strate annual plants with a continual show of color. Most selections will bloom for 5 - 6 months.

Orchard - Behind the wire fence is the orchard and berry beds. A vineyard showcases 3 types of grapevines hardy in Missouri supported on 3 forms of trellis. Fruit trees are carefully trimmed and sprayed each year to give a bumper crop. Newly added berry raised beds contain June bearing strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. Care in pruning and mulching are always evident.

(continued from page 7)

St. Charles County Master Gardeners Demonstration Gardens Tour

Raised beds - Four additional raised bed designs appear upon leaving the orchard area, some stone, some reclaimed wood. Plantings of perennials, vegetables and a cover crop as displayed.

Square foot garden - this design of intensive gardening practice, touted in the 70's has returned to modern day gardening. This garden demonstrated the structures; as well as, the suggested planting of Mel Bartholo-mew's design.

Lawn - Lawn renovation began in 2013 with subsequent areas renovated each year.

Pergola - built as a shelter for master gardeners and the public alike is an area for climbing vines that attract insects and a shady place to rest or picnic while viewing the garden.

Propagation Area: Behind the pergola sits the propagation area with a hoop house. The enriched soil in this area is home to many of our "mother" plants or extras for next year's plant sale. The hoop house provides potted perennials and natives a home for protection from the winter winds. As the weather warms, the winter cover is removed and a shade cloth covering is attached. The house now serves as a propagation site for new trials.

Enabling Garden - located immediately off the parking lot, this garden is handicapped accessible. Designs include raised beds, leaning structures, seated gardening in containers and vertical structures. Two apple trees in different espalier design are mulched with strawberries for a quick snack. An easy to spin composter rounds out the garden.

Butterfly garden: Attached to the last concrete bin is the new butterfly garden containing both nectar and host plants to en-courage Monarch fly bys!

(continued on page 8)

8

The Garden Path June 2016

(continued from page 7)

St. Charles County Master Gardeners Demonstration Gardens Tour

Greenhouse - is not a specific garden, but home to Master Gardeners propagation practices during the winter months. Here gardeners learn the techniques for growing from seed or cuttings. The spring plant sale is a culmination of these efforts. Adjacent to the Greenhouse are 3 cold frames used for early start up of slow to grow plants.

Bird Seed Garden - located behind the greenhouse is the new Bird Seed Garden featuring plantings that provide both food and shelter to area birds.

Foundation and Vertical gardens - beside the Bird Seed Garden is a pot storage area that currently features vertical structures planted with annuals. This garden is considered one of the "Foundation" plantings, the area completely surrounding the buildings, and is planted and maintained by MGs.

Daylily Garden - A donation of 100 named daylilies from the Daylily society, bloomed into our "Daylily Walk", alight with blooms all during June.

Iris garden - Like the daylilies, donations from the Iris society enabled us to not only enjoy the beautiful blooms, but teach the all important planting techniques with iris.

Jefferson College

The Master Gardeners who volunteer at Jefferson College, led by veteran Master Gardeners Ron and Jan Patrick, were faced with a terrible dilemma this spring season. All of the beautiful rose bushes at the flagpole area became infected with the disease Rose Rosette, also known as Witches' Broom. Sadly, the decision was made to completely remove the rose bushes. We have now replaced those with Azaleas and Euonymus bushes.

Chyree deRoode , Maryann Heuer, Janet Patrick, Carolyn Stephens

Flutter by Garden - The original butterfly garden, features not only native, but cultivars prized by both butterflies and hummingbirds.

Cottage Garden - across the wooden bridge is the cottage garden. A distinctive style of gardening, features informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. This garden was once an area for shade plants, but adapted to its current form when the post oak died.

Maryann Heuer, Carolyn Stephens, Janet Patrick, Chyree deRoode, Larry Schmidt, William Signor

9

June Gardening Calendar

-Missouri Botanical Garden-

The Garden Path June 2016

Ornamentals

Deadhead bulbs and spring flowering perennials as blossoms fade.

Watch for bagworms feeding on many garden plants, but especially juniper and arborvitae.

Apply a balanced rose fertilizer after the first show of blooms is past.

Most houseplants brought outside prefer a bright spot shaded from afternoon sun. Check soil moisture daily during hot weather.

Apply organic mulches as the soil warms. These will conserve moisture, discourage weeds, and enrich the soil as they decay.

Softwood cuttings can be taken from trees and shrubs as the spring flush of growth is beginning to ma-ture.

Continue spraying roses with a fungicide to prevent black spot disease.

Trees and shrubs may still be fertilized before July 4th.

Pruning of spring flowering trees and shrubs should be completed before the month's end.

Lawns

Mow lawns frequently enough to remove no more than one -third the total height per mowing. There is no need to remove clippings unless excessive.

Gradually increase the mowing height of zoysia lawns throughout the summer. By September, the mowing height should be 2 to 2.5 inches.

Mow bluegrass at 2 to 3.5” height.

Zoysia can be fertilized now while actively growing. Do not exceed 2 -3 pounds of actual nitrogen ferti-lizer per l000 sq. ft. per year.

Vegetables

Repeat plantings of corn and beans to extend the harvest season.

As soon as cucumber and squash vines start to 'run,' begin spray treatments to control cucumber bee-tles and squash vine borers.

Set out transplants of Brussels sprouts started last month. These will mature for a fall harvest.

To minimize diseases, water with overhead irrigation early enough in the day to allow the foliage to dry before nightfall.

Start seedlings of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. These will provide transplants for the fall garden.

Control corn earworms. Apply several drops of mineral oil every 3 to 7 days once silks appear. Sprays of Bt are also effective.

To maximize top growth on asparagus, apply 2 pounds of 12 -12-12 fertilizer per l00 sq. ft., water well and renew mulches to conserve moisture.

Fruits

Thinning overloaded fruit trees will result in larger and healthier fruits at harvest time. Thinned fruits should be a hands-width apart.

Renovate strawberries after harvest. Mow the rows; thin out excess plants; remove weeds; fertilize and apply a mulch for weed control.

Spray trunks of peach trees and other stone fruits for peach tree borers.

Prune and train young fruit trees to eliminate poorly positioned branches and to establish proper crotch angles.