A Note From Faye

Woodford HortUpdate

April 2018

Woodford County

184 Beasley Drive

Versailles, KY 40383-8992

(859) 873-4601

Fax: (859) 873-8936

Extension.ca.uky.edu

Woodford County Monarch Waystation Grant Program

Happy spring! Be sure to check out the upcoming events page and attached flyers. There are some exciting events and classes coming up including the annual Master Gardener Plant Sale, Monarch Waystation Grant Program, Tree Seedling Giveaway and much more!! Please ‘like’ the Woodford County Horticulture and Extension Master Gardener Facebook pages for tips and tricks and to keep up with our events/activities: https://www.facebook.com/woodfordCES/ and https://www.facebook.com/WoodfordCountyMasterGardeners/. The Woodford County Farmers Market will open for the 2018 season on Saturday, April 28

th, same day as the plant sale!

The Woodford County Cooperative

Extension Service and the Woodford

County Conservation District in partnership

with The Woodford County Extension

Master Gardeners are sponsoring up to 10

grants in 2018. The Monarch Grant

Program is designed to encourage

Woodford County residents to establish or expand

Monarch Waystations by planting native plants that attract

and sustain Monarch butterflies as well as other species of

butterflies and pollinators.

Bee-Friendly Trees and Shrubs

A University of Kentucky entomology student has developed a list of bee-friendly trees and shrubs for our region. “This list allows the average homeowner to participate in meaningful bee conservation efforts using science-based plant recommendations,” said Bernadette Mach, a doctoral student in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment who is working with Professor Daniel Potter’s program. In the past five to 10 years, researchers estimate that pollinator populations have declined between 30 to 60%, depending on the pollinator. While much of the attention has focused on dwindling honeybee populations due to colony collapse disorder, native bee populations including bumblebees, mason bees and many other solitary bee species, are also on the decline. Habitat loss due to urban and suburban sprawl is one of the main reasons.

“This research provides a way to help restore the habitat and resources of bees and other pollinators while diversifying urban landscapes with horticulturally desirable plants,” Potter said. The list includes bee-friendly ratings of plants along with the bloom times of each. The full list of bee-friendly trees and shrubs titled, “Plants Bees Like Best,” is available at https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/files/bee_friendly_shrubs_and_trees_handout.pdf Also, check out this list of 25 Kentucky native plants that attract butterflies, other pollinators and Birds: http://www.ksbabeekeeping.org/wp-content/uploads/3-7-14-25-native-plants.pdf Check out Kentucky’s Pollinator Handbook for more information and plant lists: https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/KY/KPH5a.pdf

Each grant recipient will receive approximately 10 plants (a value of about $50) to plant at their residence or on other property in Woodford County. These plants will be a combination of milk weed and nectar plants selected by the master gardeners. Minimum size for a Monarch waystation = 100 square feet

(10 ft. X 10 ft. or any combination equaling 100 sq. ft.)

Application deadline is April 30th and can be picked up at

the Extension Office or Conservation Office at 184 Beasley

Drive, Versailles, KY. For more information call 873-4601.

Floating Row Covers for Pest Control & Season Extension

Floating Row Cover is a spun-bonded or woven plastic, polyester or polypropylene material that is placed over plants to exclude pests, act as a windbreak or extend the growing season by retaining heat — all while still being permeable to light, water and air. For Pest Control Covering crops can eliminate many pests on a variety of plants, including: caterpillars (imported cabbageworm, cabbage looper

and diamondback moth) on cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower

fleabeetles on cabbage, potato, eggplant or salad

greens early season cucumber beetles on cucurbits thrips on a variety of plants and more The row cover prevents the insects from getting to the plants, so it must be put on at planting. Adult flea beetles

and onion maggots, however, emerge from the soil so you must be careful not to enclose plants over an infested area. It is therefore important to practice crop rotation and not plant related crops or those crops susceptible to a

particular pest, in the same location in successive years. Also, you must remove row covers from insect-pollinated crops, such as cucumbers or squash, during bloom to allow for pollination. As Season Extenders Depending on the weight of the covering you choose, you can gain between 2 and 8 degrees of frost protection, or warm the local environment sufficiently to harvest certain crops a week or two early. You’ll get the maximum benefit if the crop is planted on a south-facing slope.

Types of Covers There are several weights of these covers for different uses. Lightweight covers tend to be the least expensive and are suitable for most crops. They will protect plants from desiccating wind, but there is only a minimal increase in temperature beneath the cover. Because of the light weight they don’t require supports. Medium weight covers help speed up crop maturation and increase yield. They are useful for extending the season in both spring and fall by retaining some heat. These types are suitable for use over cucurbits, lettuce, peas, carrots, radishes, potatoes, sweet corn and blueberries. Heavyweight covers provide frost and freeze protection up to 4-8ºF, so are particularly good for early and late season extension for cool season crops. They can enhance crop growth, particularly for warm-season crops, since they raise ambient daytime temperatures 10ºF or more. But be aware that tomatoes and peppers may get blossom drop if the temperature beneath the cover exceeds 86ºF. Also, transmission of sunlight and water is reduced by these heavy covers. They are the most expensive, but can be reused. Using Row Covers Floating row covers can be laid directly over low-growing, flexible crops. Just be sure to leave enough slack when covering rows so the cover can “expand” as the crop grows. You have to bury the edges completely if you’re using floating row cover for pest exclusion. If you are not using it to keep bugs out, you may use rough lumber or rebar to hold down the edges. It may be necessary to support the cover material on hoops for taller crops or sensitive plants, such as spinach, that can be abraded by the material if it sits directly on the leaves. PVC pipes are easy to bend and stick in the soil to create a framework over which to drape the row cover. Remove covers gradually to harden off the crop. Choose a cloudy day to do the final removal. Store row covers out of direct sunlight, as UV rays will cause breakdown of the material. Row covers provide a mini-greenhouse for the plants that grow beneath — this include weeds. Periodically you will have to remove the row covers to eliminate weed seedlings that have germinated. Floating row cover can be purchased at local garden centers or from specialty mail order catalogs. (Source: NC State Extension)

Get Ready for the Hummingbirds!

Instead of buying premade hummingbird food, try mixing your own...

Mix a solution of one part sugar to four parts water.

Boil water and sugar mixture for two minutes. Do not heat in the microwave.

Cool the mixture and refrigerate.

There is no need to add red dye. If you are using a red feeder, that should be enough to attract the birds. Go to http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for97/for97.pdf for more information on hummingbirds. Check out Journey North to track migrations of many other birds and butterflies: http://www.learner.org/jnorth/ Did you know… Hummingbird nests are made of bits of plant material encircled with pieces of spider web. The spider web allows the

tiny nest to expand with the growing young. Hummingbirds are the only vertebrates capable of sustained hovering flight, like a helicopter. They can also fly

backwards and upside down! A hummingbird's wings will beat about 70 times per minute during direct flight and up to 200 times per minute during

dives. (Source: Amanda Sears, Madison County Horticulture Agent)

Upcoming Events

April 5th – Webinar, Less Common Fruit Bearing Plants, Speaker: Elizabeth Wahle, University of Illinois Extension Commercial Agriculture Educator. For details and to register visit the following website: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/registration/?RegistrationID=17593

April 18th - Webinar, What to Look for: Pests and Diseases of Specialty Crops, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. EDT,

Registration is available on the CCD website at http://www.uky.edu/ccd/content/what-look-pests-and-diseases-specialty-crops-webinar-registration. April 19th – PBPT Training, 9:00 a.m., Woodford County Extension Office If you are a farmer’s market vendor and wish to offer samples of products, you are required to take this training to get a sampling certificate from KDA. Also, many markets require the certification to become a member.

April 21st – Earth Day Tree Giveaway, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Kroger Don’t miss your chance to pick up a variety of tree seedlings including dogwood, redbud, white pine, pawpaw, several oak varieties, cypress and much more. Also, visit the master gardener informational booth where we will have free seeds and more! April 23rd – Seed Starting, 6:30 p.m., Versailles Library Learn simple methods to grow vegetable and flower seedlings for your garden. Growing your own seedlings allows you to save money while you expand your garden’s variety. Each participant will receive a pepper and tomato plant to take home. Call 873-5191 to sign up.

April 26th – Beginning Vegetable Gardening, 6:30 p.m., Midway Library There are many great reasons to grow some of your own food. We will teach the very basic concepts of growing vegetables. This class will focus on the early spring crops that can be planted and harvested before the main spring planting window. It is far easier than you might think. Participants will receive a copy of our vegetable growing guide and a packet of seeds. May 17th – Tree ID Hike, 10:00 a.m., Walter Bradley Park, Midway Joe Lacefield, private lands biologist with Fish and Wildlife, will be leading this hike. Participants will learn to identify tree species common in our area. This is always lots of fun! Call our office to sign up, 873-4601.

July 23rd – Farm Tour, 7:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Woodford County Annual Farm Tour. More details will be coming soon!

Happy Gardening! Faye Kuosman, County Extension Agent for Horticulture faye.tewksbury@uky.edu

Free Soil Testing Free soil test vouchers are available at the Woodford County Conservation Office to be redeemed when

soil samples are submitted through the Woodford County Extension Service. Up to 20 free soil tests are

available per farm or homeowner. This program runs through June 30, 2018, or until funds are depleted.

Woodford County Extension Service Equipment

Grain Moisture Meter

Liquid pH Meter

Sprayer Calibrator

Grain Test Weight Meter

Hay Probes

Soil Probes

Please contact the Extension Office, 873-4601, for availability

Electrical Conductivity (EC) Meter

Walk-behind BCS Tractor - Attachments include: 3ft. Plastic Layer with Drip Tape Applicator, Single Rotary Plow and 30 inch Tiller

Raised Bed Plastic Mulch Layer - Model 2400 lays 4ft. wide plastic and adjustable 3 inch to 5 inch bed height (requires 30-hp and 4-wheel drive)

View this newsletter and find a variety of other information and upcoming events on

our county website.

Visit us at: http://woodford.ca.uky.edu

Follow us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/woodfordcountyCES