Master Gardeners all over Tuscaloosa County are gathering plant materials for the upcoming Annual Plant Sale, better known as the Pass-Along Plant Sale on April 30 2016. The sale will be held at The Tuscaloosa County Extension Office; 2501 7th St, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 from 8 until 2. All proceeds go to funding a horticulture scholarship to Auburn University. Here’s a sneek peak at some of the items that will be available for sale:
Ginger Lily
Shasta Daisy
Native Columbine
Stokes’ Aster, Queen Anne’s Lace, Toad Lily, Lenten Rose, Garden Phlox, Lemon Balm, and a rose bush.
Mum-Kathy’s Rust
Eggplant
Heirloom plant-Byzantine Gold
Garden Phlox
Formosa Lily
Climbing Rose
Black and Blue Salvia
Astia Zucchini
Judith Rives
Members of the Tuscaloosa County Master Gardeners recently enjoyed an evening at the home of Master Gardener, Judith Rives.
Participants brought their favorite spring garden party appetizers and desserts to share.
Dexter Duren
Dexter Duren, Outings Leader for West Alabama Sierra Club conducted a “Yard Walk” to identify Judith’s lovely choices of plants and trees.
Special thanks to Kay Smith for sharing the wonderful pictures that she took of this event.
Save the date- September 29, 2016 will be an exciting day of learning and fun at the AMGA Fall Seminar – it will be in Birmingham ………. More details will be sent as they are finalized!
Springtime is eight weeks away, and we are all eager to get outside and ready our flower and vegetable gardens.
Please plan to attend our monthly association meeting on Tuesday, February 9 at 5:00 p.m in the auditorium of the Tuscaloosa County Extension Service. The CEU speaker for this month’s meeting is Vince Wallace, co-owner of Miss Emily’s Tomatoes. His presentation will focus on “Growing Hydroponic Tomatoes”.
Tuscaloosa County Master Gardener meetings are open to
the public.
There is a new Tuscaloosa County Master Gardener Class beginning soon. The class is set for February 23, 2016 from 10:00 to 2:00pm. Inquiries to Extension Agent Neal Hargle atpnh0003@auburn.edu. To learn more about Master Gardener requirements and to find a membership application, click here.
Here’s your gardening “to do” list for the month of February.
Feed the soil by applying compost to plantings throughout your landscape: trees, shrubs, lawn, and all garden beds.
By the third week of the month, plant potatoes 4 inches deep in warm soil.
Begin sowing seeds of leaf lettuces, collards, and other greens outdoors; for continuous harvest, repeat sowings every 2 weeks.
On Valentine’s Day, prune roses, clean up debris, and then top-dress the shrubs with fresh mulch. No roses? Plant some now!
Prune fruit trees, then spray them at their “pink bud” stage with either a copper or lime-sulfur solution if you’ve had trouble with foliar and fruit diseases.
Plant alyssum (Lobularia maritima), hollyhocks (Alcea rosea), edging lobelia (Lobelia erinus), rocket larkspurs (Consolida ajacis), and Canterbury bells (Campanula medium). From Rodale’s Organic Life
Please join us for our December, TCMG membership meeting on Tuesday, December 8 at 5:30 pm in the auditorium of the Tuscaloosa Extension Service Building.
This is our annual CHRISTMAS SOCIAL; therefore, our theme for our refreshment table is “MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS TREAT”.
Special recognition will be given to our 2015 Interns and to TCMG’ MASTERGARDENER OF THE YEAR.
We are accepting canned/boxed food items to be donated to West Alabama Food Bank on TCMG’ s behalf. Membership dues for 2016 are also due in December as are your 2015 Volunteer Hours.
I am looking for people to profile in a future article, called “Where’d you get your green thumb?”. I think it would be fun to learn how you got your green thumb; did you inherit it OR did someone inspire your love of gardening? Tell us about it in a paragraph or two and include a picture(s), if you have them. Send information to Amelia PIlsch, ampil2010@gmail.com. I think I’ll write about my grandfather, how about you?
Be sure to note the new look on our front page, it’s quite chilling!
In an early Master Gardener class, when the topic was preparing soil for planting, a member asked the speaker about “lasagna gardening.” Now, I had never heard this term before, and it felt a little sketchy when the speaker appeared to brush over the question. I asked my seat mate about it, trying not to disrupt the class, and later, “googled” it to learn more.
Preparing a new garden bed using the lasagna method refers to building a garden by adding layers of organic materials that will “cook down” over time, resulting in rich soil that will help your plants thrive. Also called sheet composting, you don’t have to dig at all, you simply layer your materials directly on top of the ground where you’ve planned your new garden, even on top of the grass!
Inspiration: I have big dreams, people!
Being a single, teacher person, and getting a little long in the tooth, I thought my days of creating a new garden space were over. Honestly, cutting the grass has even become a chore, but I still prefer that chore over the alternate, indoor kind. The idea of creating a new bed without the hours of back breaking labor seemed very appealing to me. Plus, I already had a space in mind and, I’d been saving an inspiration picture…don’t judge me. I decided to give it a try.
The garage connects to my house by a mudroom, creating a very, small courtyard area. Half of the space gets afternoon shade, the other half, full sun all day long. The soil was hard, red clay covered with Bermuda grass.
I started my garden in the fall after a friend built the trellises along the wall. I used my garden hose to outline the new space, then covered the entire area in cardboard and newspaper. Here’s a tip; I filled my garden cart with water and soaked the newspaper to keep it from blowing around before I added another layer.
The paper and cardboard are an invitation to earthworms, they love paper and are vital for good soil. Earthworms aerate the soil as they move by burrowing small holes. They process organic matter in their bodies and return vital compounds to the soil, increasing the nutrients available to plants.
The second layer that I added was peat moss. I have learned that using peat moss is environmentally unfriendly, non-sustainable, and now, I’d recommend mulch instead. Sometimes, peat moss can turn into a wet, mushy bog, but not to worry, my bed is fine! I topped the peat with wheat hay, covered the entire concoction with a tarp and left it for several weeks. From time to time, I’d uncover the space, add another layer and wet it with the hose. I used manure, mushroom compost, more hay, grass clippings, and hardwood leaves.
When spring came, I started adding items to my new bed. I decided to experiment with espalier, training a shrub to grow flat against a wall using my trellises. I selected Camellia Sasanqua “October Magic” because I needed something evergreen and loved the idea of having blooms in the fall. I also added three dwarf lorepetulums. Existing plants included a hydrangea, a gardenia, irises and day lilies. Instead of a fountain, I installed a bird bath.
A Work in Progress
I needed a way in and out so I put in pavers, but hope to replace those with personalized, stepping stones, mementos of my family. It’s still a work in progress but that is the beauty of gardening isn’t it?
In case you are wondering what soil looks like that has been “lasagnafied”, I’ve included a picture here.
From red clay to “lasagnafied”Personalized stepping stones
Ok, I admit it. I am a garden conference junkie. It’s really hard for me to pass one up!
I just returned from a one-day conference in Clanton, sponsored by the Alabama Master Gardeners Association. There were programs on permaculture, seed saving, pollination in the garden, and bulbs. In the next 6 weeks, there are more events I’m already registered for, including an herb cooking class, a local one-day conference, and a 3-day native plants conference.
Don’t get me wrong; there is no substitute for just getting out in your own garden with your hands in the soil. However, garden classes provide you with great information and inspiration, and you sometimes need the basics to springboard into your grand garden experiment.
If you are interested in gardening, learning opportunities abound! Events range from short classes to a three-day conference. Some may even be hands-on workshops, which are especially fun to attend with a friend. For several years, my mom and I chose one workshop to attend together each fall. That was years ago and that nursery is now closed, but there are others that offer similar classes. Petals from the Past, in Jemison, Alabama, has an ongoing list of classes that can be found on their website.
Groups such as Master Gardeners or Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) sponsor many educational opportunities, and you don’t have to be a member to attend the workshops. Educational outreach is actually the mission of the Master Gardener program, in support of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service.
If you are interested in native plants, there is an entire course of study offered through BBG, and you can take one class or the entire series. The South Central Native Plant Conference will be held Oct. 30-31 at BBG and is only scheduled every other year. Information about this conference can be found on the BBG website, www.bbgardens.org.
Locally, the Tuscaloosa County Master Gardeners will host a fall seminar on Saturday, October 17, at the Tuscaloosa County Extension Auditorium. The keynote speaker is Roald Hazelhoff, Director of the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham-Southern College, who will speak on urban forests. There are also programs on native trees, honeybees, and bulbs, tubers and corms. Cost is $25, which includes lunch. Deadline for registration is Oct. 12, so check out our website, https://mg.aces.edu/tuscaloosa/ for information/registration and announcements of other conferences and workshops
In less that ten days our 2015 TCMG Fall Conference will take place. So, if you have not sent in your registration, please do so by October 12 so that the correct number of boxed lunches can be ordered and the correct number of registration bags can be prepared! Maybe you’ll be the lucky winner of one of the GRAND DOOR PRIZES! Click here to get a registration form.
Octavia Miles, president of TCMG, recently attended Auburn University’s College of Agriculture’s Annual Scholarship Recognition for recipients and donors. The winner of The Tuscaloosa County Master Gardener’s Scholarship for 2015-16 is Ms. Hannah Kittrell from Chatom, Alabama. Hannah is an Auburn University senior majoring in Horticulture.
Summers are hot and dry in Alabama and keeping potted plants from wilting is always a challenge. Have you ever walked out onto your porch or patio to find your petunias drooping or your ferns turning brown? Succulents, on the other hand, love this climate!
Succulents have thick, fleshy leaves and stems that help them to retain water. Even in the hottest months of the year you can get away with less watering than most other plants. Even if you go on vacation for a week, when you return your succulents will still look great. Succulents have the ability to thrive on limited water sources such as mist and dew.
Aloe Vera
There are many different types of succulents. Some are spiky, chubby, flat leafed, rosette forming and some form “babies” on the edges of their leaves. Two of the spiky plants are Aloe and Agave. These two look a lot alike, but agave will form a spike on the end of each leaf.
Aloe Vera can be used to treat burns by breaking the leaf in two and spreading the gel-like substance inside on the affected area. It is very soothing and helps the burn heal. Agave is the plant from which tequila is made… enough said. It grows much larger than the Aloe and even comes in shades of blue.
The Jade plant is a deep emerald green and Purslane blooms in bright magenta, lemon yellow and creamy peach. These two are in the chubby category with thick, puffy leaves. Purslane is in the portulaca family and is even edible. The Christmas Cactus is a flat leafed succulent and blooms in late fall to early spring. It is a native of Brasil and prefers less sun and more humidity than other succulents.
Jade Plant
Purslane
Christmas Cactus
Examples of the rosette forming plant are Echeveria and Sempervivum (commonly known as Hens and Chicks). The leaves look like the petals of a rose. Some are edged with red or purple. They multiply easily when smaller versions of the mature plant grow next to it. They also come in many colors and textures. They look great in groups too.
Some my favorites are the succulents with reproductive leaves. They actually have “babies” growing on the edges of the leaves and are one of the Kalanchoe species. I have one called Million Babies from Central America. From a single leaf I’ve planted babies and now have dozens to share. I pot them in small seed trays and up-pot as they grow. Before long, they too are producing little ones. I have found that they produce babies more when the plant is a little stressed, not over-watered and have plenty of direct sun.
Some succulents bloom and some do not, but all have interesting leaves and come in an array of colors. When planting them be sure to use a light-weight soil rich in nutrients like Happy Frog (available from the Plant Lady Nursery) that drains readily. Place in bright light facing east or south with twelve to fourteen hours of sunlight daily. Use tepid or luke-warm water and never let the pot sit in a saucer of water. Allow the plant to dry out almost completely between waterings. I have a birdbath that leaked, so I re-purposed it into a sedum bowl for my succulents. I like to plant several together in a round, shallow bowl and the old birdbath was perfect. Succulents are very happy living and growing in southern gardens.
The Tuscaloosa County Master Gardeners would like to thank the following organizations for partnering with us to enhance your experience at our Fall Conference planned for October 17, 2015. To learn more about our conference and how to attend, click here.
UPDATE! The Tuscaloosa County Master Gardener Fall Conference WILL be held at the Tuscaloosa County Extension Auditorium! Please register quickly and don’t miss this GREAT GARDENING INFORMATION! Our speakers are OUTSTANDING!
Pre-registration for our Fall Conference on Sat., Oct.17, is required. Deadline is Oct. 12, to allow for us to order the correct number of catered lunches. If you know you want to attend, click here and print off the registration form and mail in today!
Have you been thinking about those delicious recipes that Judith Rives shared in her presentation, “Tricks with Herbs?” Click here to get a preview before they are posted to our recipes page!
(For people who don’t like goat cheese, use cream cheese. I like a cream cheese/Greek yogurt blend that I found in the cream cheese section in Wal-Mart.
Heard the News?
Signaling yet another victory for the clean food movement, the largest spice company in the world has announced it will be almost entirely organic and non-GMO by the year 2016.
Because of the organic and non-GMO food boom, other companies such as Simply Organic have been able to grow thanks to the support of customers looking for cleaner options.
The McCormick spice company has maintained its spot as the world’s largest, however, and is now making a move that comes as a surprise to many in order to keep other companies from stealing its market share.
McCormick to Officially Go Organic, GMO-Free Soon
According to this article from the website Food Dive, the compay has
announced that a huge majority of its spices and herbs will be
organic and non-GMO by the year 2016.
In total, about 80% of its products will meet the new standard. New labels will also adorn the familiar McCormick packages, with over 70% expected to sport new “non-GMO” labels according to the article.
As noted by Food Dive, many of the company’s herbs and spices are already non-GMO, but the increased transparency is expected to be a selling point for many consumers as it has been for products that have become Non-GMO Project Verified.
Also announced by McCormick, a new non-GMO vanilla extract will be introduced along with numerous other organic spices and flavorings to compete with its rivals for the growing organic dollar in the United States (and elsewhere).
“The announcement comes ahead of the peak fall cooking and holiday season where consumer usage of herbs, spices & extracts as key ingredients in recipe favorites increase,” according to the news release.
McCormick a Healthier Option?
Believe it or not, numerous companies use irradiation in order to make spices “more safe” for the consumer.
If you’re buying from any old spice company there’s a high risk that you could be getting irradiated spices.
Luckily for people who wish to avoid irradiated spices there are options. Simply Organic, Frontier and other organic brands are good bets according to a report from FoodBabe.com, and McCormick, while not organic just yet, is another company that does not use irradiation.
According to this article from Food Safety News, McCormick opts instead for steam treatments, preserving more of the health benefits of their spices (although some say it harms the taste more than radiation treatments).
– See more at: http://althealthworks.com/7696/victory-worlds-largest-spice-company-to-go-organic-and-non-gmo-by-2016/#sthash.JQrSkIsb.pb1bQ0nX.dpuf
This “ugly” heirloom Brandywine would most likely never make it to a store. In addition to being irregular in shape, it has major creasing on the underside.
If we are lucky it would make it to a food pantry or the ketchup factory. But it just as likely would be composted or sent to the landfill.
Of course when you cut into it and taste it, you get to experience amazing flavor. You really can’t compare a garden tomato to one of those red tomatoes from the store.
It’s not just how we grow and distribute our food that is a problem but also how we as consumers affect the market.#FoodMatters
TCMG’ regular monthly meeting will be TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 at 5:30 pm in the auditorium of The Tuscaloosa County Extension Service Building.
Judith Rives, herb specialist
Our CEU speaker will be Judith Rives, herb specialist, who will present “New Tricks with Herbs”. The public is welcome to attend.
These opportunities will be available at this meeting:
1. TCMG’ Fall Conference Registration for October 17, 2015 ($25 per person)
(Bring family and/or friend)
2. TCMG’ Membership Renewal for 2016 ($25)
3. Accepting nominations for TCMG’ officers & committee chairs. (Give the names to Brenda Lynch)
We are still seeking donations to fill Fall Conference registration packets. Items might include (about 50) pencils, cups, notepads, community information flyers, hand sanitizer, keychains, etc.
Looking forward to seeing you Tuesday, September 8 @ 5:30. Have a FUN WEEK ahead, including the long Labor Day weekend that follows!!!
Kudzu
Invasive plant species are an increasing issue across the country–pushing out native flora and changing ecosystems. Dr. Nancy Loewenstein, an Alabama Extension invasive plant specialist a, says invasive plant species’ should be taken seriously and can be battled with the proper information and techniques.
“An invasive species is one that has become weedy and is displacing native plant species and changing the way ecosystems function,” Loewenstein said. “For example, some burn more easily, or hotter, while others prevent fires in areas that need to burn and some change wildlife habitats.”
An invasive plant is a non-native species that has been introduced to an area by mankind that causes, or is likely to cause, environmental or economic harm.
In Alabama, the most commonly seen invasive plant species include kudzu, Japanese honeysuckle, Chinese tallowtree and Chinese privet. These species were introduced to the area as ornamental plants that then escaped cultivation into the wild.
“Many of the invasive species in Alabama are escaped ornamentals,” said Loewenstein, who is an Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences research fellow. “They produce a lot of seeds and take up a lot of room, crowding and outcompeting native plants.”
This competition with native plant species presents a danger to animals that live in invaded areas. Next to habitat loss, invasive plants have one of the largest impacts on endangered species and biodiversity. This impact also comes from a lack of contribution to the food chain.
“Non-native plants don’t have insects on them like native plants do,” Loewenstein said. “In a lot of ways, they are biological deserts.”
For these reasons, it is important to understand the difference between native and non-native plant species and to know how to respond to them.
“Many invasive plant species are spread by birds, so if you find that you are harboring a species, such as Chinese tallowtree, with seeds that are being eaten by a lot of birds, you might consider removing it from your yard,” Loewenstein added.
Removal methods for invasive plants depend on the different kinds of species. When cut down, most invasive plants will grow right back. In order to target the root of the species, careful and selective use of herbicides work best.
“The earlier you catch something, the better,” Loewenstein said. “The longer you wait, the more time and money it’s going to take to remove the infestation.”
Although there are removal options for invasive plants species, the best way to stop the spread of invasive species is to avoid planting them altogether.
“What we plant in our yard has an impact beyond our yard,” Loewenstein said. “Think about what you’re planting… think about the impact.”
Learn more about invasive plants and their impact at Alabama Extension’s Invasive Species website.
I’m a B, I think…sometimes I get very lucky and create something beautiful. What are you? Leave a reply!
August air is thick. Walking through the garden in the early morning is like stepping into a sauna. While morning is the coolest part of the day, it’s still sultry. August gardening in the Southeast is not for the faint at heart. Some even give up and pray that September comes early.
Effectively, gardening during August requires a schedule change, unless you relish punishment. I happen to tolerate an August garden because the wildlife keeps me interested, but admittedly, the anticipation of the meteorological fall, which often happens towards the end of the month, is one of my favorite times in the gardening season. I press on in August and enjoy the South in all its sultry glory.
Harvest vegetable gardens as needed. Most of what you have growing in your vegetable garden are annuals. By August, they are looking a little wrung out. As plants end their production cycle, remove them from the garden; otherwise, they may attract insects and disease to the plants that are still productive.
Deadhead flowers. Keep your flowers blooming longer by removing faded blossoms from your cannas,roses, daisies and more.
Fertilizer dos and don’ts. As August arrives, some plants will benefit from an application of fertilizer. For other plants, it could do more harm than good.
Do fertilize:
Summer veggies such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplant continue to produce when fertilized regularly. Use a product that contains 5 percent nitrogen.
Fall vegetable crops
Fall-blooming perennial and annual flowers
Chrysanthemums and dahlias
Cannas
Reblooming iris would benefit from a light application
Warm season lawns (Bermuda and Zoysia) can be fertilized
Remember to water any application of fertilizer well into the soil to provide nutrients for the roots of the plants.
Don’t fertilize:
Azaleas and camellias, because the fertilizer will disturb bud formation.
Summer-flowering shrubs shouldn’t need fertilizing for the same reason.
Water your container plants well. From hanging baskets to veggies on the deck, most of us have some kind of container planting. August can be hot, so be sure to keep your container plantings well hydrated.
Propagate roses. Roses can be propagated by layering as late as mid-August. Long, flexible canes are the easiest to propagate because they are easiest to bend into place. Use a clean knife to remove two thorns near the top of the stem and bend it toward the ground. Make a couple of small cuts into the bark between where the thorns were. This is called “wounding the cane.” Hold the wounded area in good contact with the soil with landscape pins and cover with soil, leaving the growing tip of the stem uncovered. It’s also a good idea to put a brick or stone over the covered and wounded cane to give it extra hold.
Next spring, you should see new growth emerge. Once you see new leaves on the rooted stem, carefully remove the entire stem from the parent plant, and recut the stem just beneath the new root mass. Now you are ready to plant your new rose bush.
Pests. See these on your pines? They’re the Pine Sawfly larvae. Pick them off and drop them in a bucket of soapy water.
Bulbs. Select and preorder your spring-blooming bulbs now while supplies are plentiful. Don’t put off today what will be gone tomorrow. The most unusual bulbs sell out fast. I can say this now because I’ve already put in my order. Try something fun such as the species tulip Tulipa clusiana.
Cut flowers. Remember those zinnias you seeded in July? Seed more in August, and be sure to cut some to enjoy inside!
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