April 2008 At the Garden Gate

Extension programs are available to all without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability.

Inside this Issue: Do your perennials need divided? 2 Morel Mushrooms 2 Discarded Evergreen Trees … 2 It is not a Dream! Summer is on its Way 3 ISU Extension Publications 3 Gardening Guide 4 Sowing Carrot Seed 4 Learn About Native Grasses and Wildflowers 5 Planting Hybrid Tea Roses 5 Junior Gardeners 5 Types of Peas 5 Upcoming Events 6

Thank You!!! The Mahaska County Master Gardener Speaker Series wouldn’t have been the success it was without... Our great presenters: Wayne Peterson, Bob Wilson, Marlys Anderson, & Susan Appleget Hurst. Our door prize donors: Earl May, Holubs, Sunnyslope, & Stams Greenhouses Our refreshment providers, and of course our attendees!

Plan to Attend the Mahaska County Master Gardener Plant Sale

Saturday May 10, 2008; 8 am – Noon

Mahaska County Extension Office, 212 North I Street, Oskaloosa

Featuring: Perennials, Annuals (flowers & vegetable)

including heirloom tomatoes, Quality Garden Art & Gifts, and Second-Time-Around gardening books, cookbooks, & periodicals

Proceeds will be used to support future activities

and speaker fees

Demonstrations: 9 am Tomato Cages 10 am Trash Can Composters 11 am Quick & Easy Plant Markers

Family Gardening Family Gardening,a program for young gardeners in grades K-3 with an accompanying adult, will be held Thursday evenings in April. We have chosen a children’s book for the theme of each session and it’s related activity. Our sessions are: April 3 Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert (caterpillar garden ornament); April 10 The Surprise Garden by Zoe Hall (grasshead); April 17 Anna’s Garden Songs by Mary Q Steele (stepping stone); April 24 Sunflower House by Eve Bunting (plant markers). All sessions start at 6:30 pm and last approximately one hour at the Mahaska County Extension Office. Cost is $2.50 per child per session. Accompanying adult is FREE! Please contact the Mahaska County Ex-tension Office for registration forms.

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Discarded Evergreen Trees and Storm Produced Tree Branches Can be Beneficial to Acreage Living Rather than a Burden Winters in Iowa bring a mix of weather condi-tions from snow to sleet to inches of ice. Combine that wintery mix with the northwest wind that Iowa is also known for and even the strongest of trees can succumb to the extra weight of snow and ice. This often results in large amounts of downed branches that are ice coated and viewed as a burden rather than an opportunity. Instead of dragging those branches to the bonfire pile, place them in a location that is out of the way and let nature take its course. A loosely piled brush pile will provide years of habitat for wildlife, a home for song and game birds and shade and protection for amphibians, and a host of other reptiles and small mammals. This pile can be added to over the years or be allowed to naturally decay and return to the soil. In Iowa it is estimated that there are more than100,000 farm/acreage ponds. Many of these man-made ponds can benefit from additional fish habitat structure. Following the Christmas season when most people are looking to the curb to dispose of their Christmas trees, the acreage owner has a unique opportunity to potentially improve their aquatic ecosystem. This is done because fish use structure for protec-tion from other predatory fish and from the midday sun. Using a length of nylon rope long enough to suspend the tree about 6-10 feet below the surface of the water, tie a cinder block to the base of the tree and when there is a sufficient thickness of ice, place both the block and tree in an area of the pond where structure is needed. Care should be taken when placing the sunken trees as you do not want to place them in areas frequented by swimmers or boaters (e.g., around docks, etc.). Over successive years your pond structure will improve and the fishing should as well. One caution to remember is that as these trees break down (decompose) in the water, they are adding additional nutrients to the pond. A final option would be to chip or mulch these branches and trees. There are relatively inexpensive stand-alone or small tractor mounted PTO-powered wood chippers on the market that will turn branches and used Christmas trees into wood chips and mulch. These chips and mulch can be used on decorative flower beds around the home to re-duce soil moisture loss and control weeds. Chips and mulch can be placed around both newly planted and established trees to reduce mower damage, increase soil moisture, and decrease summer soil temperatures. This article was prepared by Jesse Randall, ISU Assistant Professor and Extension Forester, and Rich Clayton, Extension Fisheries and

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Do your perennials need divided? The Mahaska Master Gardeners are looking for a garden or two which need the perennials divided. They will divide the perennials leaving a “mother” plant and offer the excess divisions for sale at the Master Gardener Plant Sale May 10th. We will also be happy to pick up excess divisions that need potted. Please contact Suzette Striegel or a Master Gardener if you have such a garden, or divisions. We would like the divisions to be in pots a week or two before the sale. Labeled Plants can also be donated by dropping them off at the Mahaska County Extension Office May 9th.

Morel Mushrooms are the wild mushrooms that people pick in April and May. The season usually lasts 3-4 weeks. The mushroom’s growth de-pends on spring rains and warm tem-peratures.

The safe morels are those that have a hollow stem. The first picking of mushrooms are usually the gray ones and the later ones become more yellow. The tops all look like a sponge, very holey.

They can be kept as picked (not washed) in the refrigerator 1-2 days, three days, the very most for safety's sake.

Do not soak in water. They are best if you use a mushroom brush, before cooking. If you feel you must put them in water, do a quick rinse. Source: Dr Lois Tiffany, ISU Botany More information in ISUE publications NCR 129 & PM 1204

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ISU Extension (ISUE) Publications of Interest

PM 607 Suggested Vegetable Varieties for the Home Garden PM 719 Rhubarb in the Home Garden PM 819 Planting a Home Vegetable Garden PM 870b Container Vegetable Gardening PM 944 Asparagus in the Home Garden PM 1072 Establishing a Lawn from Seed PM 1083 Why Fruit Trees Fail to Bear PM 1707 Growing Grapes in the Home Garden PM 1788 Growing Fruit in Iowa PM 1896 Cole Crops RG 301 Growing Annuals in Containers RG 319 When to Divide Perennials RG 503 Growing Blueberries RG 601 Gardening for Butterflies RG 702 Guidelines for Selecting Trees Copy costs at the Mahaska County Extension Office: First 3 pages free, $.05 per page after 3. This applies when our office makes the copy even if the publication is free. These publications (as well as many others) are available to purchase at the Extension office or at the ISUE online store www.extension.iastate.edu/store. Many of ISUE publications are avail-able for download at the same site.

Ponds Specialist. It appeared in the March 2008 issue of Acreage Liv-ing. This newsletter is published online monthly. Topics will include neighbor relations, pet and horse care, small farm enterprises, rural residence maintenance, water quality and management, wildlife manage-ment, recreation and safety, landscape plantings and ponds. The March newsletter can be found at www.extension.iastate.edu/acreage/.

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It is not a dream! Summer is on its way I’m dreaming of summer – who wouldn’t be after the winter we’ve had this year? Instead of more of snow and ice, I am dreaming of two months or more of flowers in my landscape. While many annual flowers will bloom for months, I’m too busy (and lazy) to plant large numbers of an-nuals every year. Believe it or not -- there are many perennials that are capable of bloom-ing continuously for months. (See plant list at the end of this arti-cle.) Long-blooming perennials not only maximize your dollar, they also provide beautiful complements and backdrops for short-blooming peren-nials, like poppies and peonies. Prolonging the Bloom Period of Perennials As with any plant, proper perennial placement is essential to its suc-cess. Be sure to research the site requirements for each plant before plant-ing it in your landscape. Plants that prefer or tolerate existing light re-quirements (sun or shade) and soil conditions (wet or dry) will go a long way to ensure success. Regular maintenance will also extend a perennial’s bloom period. For example, many of the perennials on this list bloom better if they are deadheaded frequently. Deadheading is the removal of spent flowers. Prompt removal of faded flowers prevents the plants from wasting en-ergy in producing seeds, but instead channels that energy toward addi-tional flower production. Another maintenance task that will lengthen the bloom period of many perennials is irrigation, particularly during periods of dry weather. Flower production is often one of the first things sacrificed when a plant is under severe stress. When watering, remember to keep the foliage dry to reduce disease problems. Finally, division may be necessary to keep some perennials thriving and blooming well. Some perennials need to be divided every three to five years. Most perennials will not bloom well the season after they’ve been divided. Be patient; flower numbers should increase dramatically by the second year. Tips on Combining Perennials One pitfall of having large numbers of long-blooming perennials is that

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Gardening Guide

* Remove mulch from strawberries when new growth appears * Divide overgrown hostas or daylilies as the foliage emerges * Plant potatoes in loose, fertile soil * Apply pre-emergence herbicide to the lawn to control crabgrass April 22 Earth Day April 25 Arbor Day * Remove spent flowers on tulips (but not the leaves). These items were taken from the 2008 ISU Extension Garden Calendar. When should I sow carrot seeds? Sow carrot seeds at a depth of a quarter to half an inch beginning in early April in cen-tral Iowa. For a con-tinuous harvest, make additional plant-ings every 3 to 4 weeks. The last practi-cal planting date for carrots is Aug. 1. Space rows 18 to 24 inches apart. If necessary, thin the seedlings within a few weeks of germination. After thin-ning, seedlings should be spaced 2 to 3 inches apart. Source: Ask the ISU Extension Gardening Experts March 28, 2008 Additional information: For long straight roots, carrots need deep sandy loam soil free of stones or other debris. Raised beds work great! Carrot seed is very tiny! There are many different strategies for planting carrot seeds. One should work for you! Seed for carrots of color is becoming more available. This makes it more fun for young gardeners to grow!

your landscape can get a bit “stale” viewing the same flowers every day. So place perennials carefully in the landscape. Plant several of the same perennial species in large masses for impact near entrances, patios or frequently viewed locations. And don’t forget to scatter a few short-blooming perennials in your garden as well. They will add shots of “seasonal interest” and diversity to your landscape. Spring will be here soon – I know it’s out there somewhere! So as the snow and your winter blues melt away, get outside and find a few places for long-blooming perennials. Then you too can be dreaming about summer blossoms during those long winter nights.

This article was prepared by Cindy Haynes, Horticulturist; Iowa State University Extension. It originally appeared as a Yard & Gar-den column March 21, 2008. An archive of Yard & Garden columns can be found at www.extension.iastate.edu/news/yardgarden.htm

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If you want more information about any of the Mahaska County Extension horticulture events or have horticul-ture questions, please contact Suzette Striegel, Mahaska County Extension Horticulturist by calling 641-673-5841 or emailing striegel@iastate.edu.

Junior Gardeners Due to April’s sunlight situation we will have clean up & mulching at the Lacey Garden Complex on Saturday, April 26;

9 am. Our weather backup will be Monday April 28; 5:30 pm. Bring your work gloves & tools. Many hands will make for light work! Junior Gardeners is a special interest 4-H club.

For more information, please contact Suzette Striegel at the Mahaska County Extension Office.

How do the various types of peas differ? There are three main types of peas. The garden pea is grown for shelling. Snow and snap peas are edi-ble podded peas. The garden or English pea has been widely grown for years. Garden peas are harvested when the pods are well-filled and the seeds are sweet and tender. (The seeds in over-mature pods will be hard and starchy.) The pods of garden peas are not edible. Snow peas (sugar peas) are harvested when the pods are long and thin, just as the seeds begin to develop. Young pods are tender, stringless and may be stir-fried in Chinese dishes, steamed or cooked like snap beans. If the seeds are allowed to develop fully, they may be shelled and used like garden peas. Snap peas are best picked when the seeds are nearly full size. The pod walls are thick, fleshy, and crunchy. Snap peas may be eaten raw in salads, snapped and cooked like snap beans or shelled for gar-den peas. They also freeze very well. *

Learn About Native Grasses and Wildflowers! Through the Trees Forever Stewards of the Beautiful Land program, residents of Mahaska County and surrounding communities are invited to discover how Iowa’s native plants can make our surround-ings more attractive and functional for themselves, others, and their community through a program called Stewards of the Beautiful Land. Trees Forever is offering Stewards of the Beautiful Land as an educa-tional class, for participants to learn how to beautify and enhance parks, community entryways, roadsides, schools, backyards or farms by planting native grasses, wildflowers, trees and shrubs. In addition to learning about prairie wildflowers and native grasses and their use, people in the class will be able to participate in planting a prairie area and butterfly garden. Trees Forever professionals and invited guest speakers will teach you about: Plant Identification; Basic Design Principles; What, Where, and How to Plant; Establishment Practices; Site Maintenance and Management Techniques; Safety Considerations, and Potential Fund-ing Sources. The four sessions of the Stewards of the Beautiful Land class are scheduled for Tuesdays 6-9 pm: May 13th, at Mahaska Co. Secondary Roads Office, June 10th, at Mahaska Co. Secondary Roads Office, July 8th, at Eddyville Sand Dunes, and August 12th, at Mahaska Co. Secondary Roads Office.

You may register on-line at www.treesforever.org or by phone at 1-800-369-1269. The deadline for registration is May 15th. No prior experience or knowledge of prairies and trees is necessary, only a com-mitment to actively participate in the workshops. Communities are en-couraged to send more than one volunteer to the workshops so that par-ticipants can share their knowledge and experience with others. Refer-ence materials are provided. Although there is no registration fee, space is limited. This course is possible through generous support by the Living Roadway Trust Fund of the Iowa Department of Transporta-tion and partnerships with local agencies and organizations. How deep should I plant a bare-root hybrid tea rose? Hybrid tea roses are produced by grafting (budding) the desired variety onto a hardy rootstock. Exposure to low temperatures and rapid tem-perature changes in winter can severely damage or destroy hybrid tea roses. The bud union area is the most important part of the rose. When planting hybrid tea roses, the bud union (denoted by a knob or crook in the stem) should be planted 2 to 4 inches below the soil surface to pre-vent the destruction of the bud union area from harsh winter weather. Source: Ask the ISU Extension Gardening Experts; March 28, 2008 *Source for pea types information Ask the ISU Extension Gardening Experts; March 6, 2008 More Ask the ISU Extension Gardening Experts columns are found at www.extension.iastate.edu/news/yardgarden/htm

Suzette Striegel, Horticulturist Brian Dunn, County Extension Education Director Bob Wells, Agricultural Economics Specialist Amy VerMeer, County Youth Coordinator Amanda McCrea, Program Assistant Veronica Congdon, Office Assistant Childcare Resource & Referral Jerri Leighton, Coordinator Patti Mitrisin, Parent Referral Specialist Amanda Brown, Provider Service Specialist

~Office Hours~ Monday—Friday 8:00 am—1 pm, 1:30 -4:30 pm

~Mahaska County Office Staff~

Mahaska County Extension 212 North I Street Oskaloosa IA 52577 Phone: 641-673-5841 Fax: 641-673-0559 www.extension.iastate.edu/mahaska

3 Family Gardening 6:30 pm 10 Family Gardening 6:30 pm 12 Extension & Hospice Garden Clean Up 8 am Weather date April 19 12 Russell Garden Clean Up 11 am 15 Master Gardener Meeting 6:45 pm Tour of Larry and Vi Engbers. 7 pm 17 Family Gardening 6:30 pm 24 Family Gardening 6:30 pm 26 Junior Gardener 9 am Weather Date April 28 5:30 pm

Upcoming Events