Video Segments
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Protecting Landscape Plants in WinterWinter can be hard on plants. Retired MSU Extension Horticulture Specialist Lelia Kelly talks about things you can to do protect your plants. She encourages people to pay attention to the weather forecast to see when they need to take action. Lelia talks about various coverings you can put on plants to insulate them from the cold weather. She does not recommend plastic, she likes blankets, which she gets for cheap from the thrift store. She talks about how to use them to take advantage of the heat radiating from the ground. She also talks about how to protect young trees from sunscald.
Related Videos: Winter Landscape Maintenance Ornamentals and Trees in the Winter Related Resource: Protecting trees and shrubs in winter Winter Protection of Ornamental Plants |
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Nuisance Wildlife: DeerRetired UT Extension, Agent Mike Dennison, talks about deer. Deer are a worsening problem in urban and suburban areas because of a lack of predators and hunting. When deer populations get high there are several diseases that will kill a large portion of the population. Mike gives some advice about how to try to keep deer away including fences, electric fences, frightening devices, etc. One of the most effective methods is to have a dog.
Related Videos: Common Garden Pests Voles Related Resources: Managing Iowa Wildlife: White-Tailed Deer Reduce Deer Damage in Your Yard Deer Resistant Plants Preventing Deer Damage to Your Trees and Shrubs |
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Nuisance Wildlife: ArmadillosRetired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about armadillos. Armadillos do not eat plants, but they do dig around in gardens looking for grub worms. A female armadillo gives birth identical quadruplets every year. Mike gives some advice about how to try to keep armadillos away including clearing habitat, shooting, trapping, etc.
Mike referred to this publication: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Related Videos: How Do I Stop an Armadillo from Tearing Up My Garden? Live Animal Traps Related Resources: Armadillos Armadillos |
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Nuisance Wildlife: GeeseRetired UT Extension Agent, Mike Dennison, talks about geese and how to keep them away. Geese are considered a migratory bird species, so they cannot be killed outside of a hunting season. Besides for being annoying and leaving droppings, geese can damage plants. They pull up small plants by the roots. Mike gives some advice about how to try to keep geese away including modifying habitat, fences, netting, etc. Perhaps the most effective method is to have a dog that will chase them away.
Mike referred to this publication: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage Related Videos: How do I Protect My Strawberries from Birds? How Do I Keep Birds Out of Blueberries Related Resources: Managing Canada Geese Options for Controlling Canada Geese |
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Basic Ikebana Flower Arranging
Master Gardener Mary Heim shows how to make a basic ikebana flower arrangement. Ikebana was developed in Japan over many centuries. It is minimalist by western flower arranging standards often only including three flowers. This arrangement is in the Moribana style. Moribana ikebana requires a container (Mary is using a shallow round container), a kenzan (a disk of prongs to hold the flower stems), a mat, and a few small stones. For this arrangement Mary uses three hydrangeas and three leaves. The flowers are arranged in a triangle with the largest on the bottom. Mary then adds the leaves between each flower. None of the flowers or leaves touch. While she is working, Mary explains how to place each piece to create a simple elegant arrangement. When she is done she places the container on a mat.
Related Videos: Ikebana in a Vase Arranging Grocery Store Flowers Related Resource: Ikebana |
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Lawn Chemical Spreading Options and Sprayer Calibration
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison reviews some options for applying weed killer on lawns. Weed killer must be applied evenly based on the label directions. Mike reviews several spreading options including hose-end sprayers, rotary spreaders for granular herbicides, and sprayers. His favorite method is to use a sprayer. He shows how to calibrate the sprayer and also how to calculate how much chemical you need to add to the tank.
Related Videos: Cultural Lawn Weed Control How to Calibrate Your Fertilizer Spreader Turf Grass Varieties Related Resources: Proper Herbicide Application Weed Control in Home Lawns Controlling Weeds in Home Lawns |
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How to Cut Down a Tree
Sometimes trees die and need to be removed. Certified Arborist Wes Hopper shows how to safely fell a tree with a chainsaw. The tree is standing straight, and he uses a rope and an assistant to make sure it falls the way he wants it too. He also talks about how he makes a notch and a back cut to drop the tree exactly where he wants it.
Related Videos: Chainsaw Safety Which Way Will the Tree Fall? Related Resource: Safe and Effective Use of Chain Saws for Woodland Owners Chainsaw Safety |
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Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses bring a different texture, sound, and movement to the garden. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talks about the uses, kinds, and care of ornamental grasses. Ornamental grasses include grasses, sedges, rushes, millets, rices, oats and cattails.
Joellen talks about some of her favorite grasses including Mexican feathergrass, carex, miscanthus, pennisetum, Panicum. Ornamental grasses are easy to care for. Each variety likes certain conditions and should be planted in those conditions. If there are not planted in the right place, they will not thrive and may succumb to disease. If they are planted in the right place, they require little maintenance or fertilizer. They can be planted any time the ground is not frozen. If the grass goes dormant for the winter, it needs to be cut back mid- to late-winter before the leaves fall apart and blow all over your yard. Joellen also talks about how to rejuvenate your grass. Related Videos: Grass Lawn Alternatives Spirea Related Resources: Ornamental Grasses Ornamental Grasses and Grass-like Plants Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape |
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Chainsaw Safety
A chainsaw is the most dangerous hand tool sold in the store. Certified Arborist Wes Hopper talks about basic chainsaw safety and reviews some safety equipment to use when cutting. Wes reviews some chainsaws. Older saws do not have critical safety features like chain brakes. He also shows important safety equipment like a hard hat, safety glasses, chaps, and a first aid kit. He also talks about things you can do to keep yourself safe.
Related Videos: Garden Safety Tools for Pruning Trees Cutting a Tree Branch Related Resources: Chainsaw Safety Tips Chainsaw Safety |
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Boxwood
Boxwoods are very common shrubs in the landscape. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond gives all the details. Boxwood are evergreen, and they have small leaves so they are considered a fine textured plant. Boxwood do flower in the spring and although the flowers may not be obvious, some are fragrant.
Boxwood like well-drained soil and even moisture, and once established can tolerate dry conditions. If the roots are kept too wet they will become diseased or attract harmful insects, and Joellen lists some of them. The insects are easy to take care of if boxwood get them. Boxwood are shallow rooted and like to have undisturbed root systems, plant them where you won’t be regularly digging. There are a few major types of boxwood. Microphylla boxwood include the Korean, little leaf, and Japanese boxwoods. They are more cold hardy. They prefer zone 6 and 7 but will live in zones 4 to 9. They get about 3-4 feet around. Sempervirens boxwood more commonly called common box or English boxwood, can grow to 20 feet tall. Sempervirens also includes the dwarf boxwoods. Joellen then talks about some of the history and historical uses of the boxwood. Related Videos: Boxwood When is the best time of year to prune boxwood? How do I do it? Related Resources: Boxwood Boxwood Culture and Diseases - Including Boxwood Blight Pruning Boxwoods |
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Spring Flowering Shrubs
There are many Spring blooming shrubs. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talks about camellia, forsythia, flowering quince, fothergilla, spirea, weigela, viburnum, azalea and rhododendron, lilac, ninebark, and deutzia. Most are deciduous, but there are some evergreen shrubs on the list. Some of these shrubs bloom very early and others bloom in late spring.
Related Videos: Spirea Viburnum Related Resources: Early Spring-Flowering Shrubs for the Landscape Pruning Flowering Shrubs |
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Fruit Tree Rootstock Basics
Retired UT Extension Agent, Mike Dennison, talks about fruit tree rootstocks. Rootstocks are the roots of one tree fruit onto which the top of another fruit tree is grafted. This is the preferred method for growing many different kinds of fruit trees. Rootstocks are chosen because they are more prolific and faster growing than tree from seed. Apples, pears, peaches, plums and nectarines are grown on rootstock. If you plant a seed from these trees the plant will probably not do as well or last as long as if it had been on a rootstock. Also, because of cross pollination, you don’t know what fruit you are going to get. Because of this it is best to purchase a grafted tree of the variety you want with the rootstock that will do well in your area. Mike gives a list of rootstocks that do well in Tennessee for many different fruits. This list will be different in other states. Contact your local Extension office to find out what rootstocks do best in your area.
Rootstocks also determine the final height of the tree in apples. Depending on what rootstock you choose the tree can be anywhere from 8 feet to 50 feet tall. Mike was referring to the UT Extension publication: Home Fruit Tree Plan Related Videos: Fruit Tree Planting Tips Fruit Tree Pruning Spraying Peach Trees Related Resources: Fruits and Nuts Home Fruit Tree Plan Fruit Culture in Alabama Recommended Rootstocks Growing Fruit: Grafting Fruit Trees in the Home Orchard |
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Planting Wave Pansies and Snapdragons
Early fall is the time to plant winter annuals. This will help them get established before the winter cold sets in. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond shows how to plant wave – or trailing – pansies and snapdragons. After removing the summer annuals, she fertilizes with a slow-release fertilizer. She lays out the pansies on the surface without planting to make sure she gets the right distribution. There are two different colors of pansy, and she is going for a random look. Then she plants the snapdragons between the pansies. While planting she also digs up daffodil bulbs and replants them. The wave pansies will flop over and spread and fill in the area between them.
Here are videos of previous plantings in this bed: Planting Scaevola, Pentas and Vinca Planting Pansies and Tulips for Winter and Spring Color Planting Tropical Hibiscus and Begonias Planting Daffodils, Dianthus, and Pansies Planting Sunpatiens, Joseph's Coat, and Colocasia Planting Fall Flowers Planting Summer Flowers Planting Dusty Miller and Pansies Planting Petunias, Vinca, and Salvia Planting Summer Flowers Related Videos: Squirrels Eating Pansies My pansies had blooms when I planted them. Now they don’t. Why? Related Resources: Snapdragons meet winter challenges Cool Wave pansies bring superb cool-season color |
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Plant Superstitions
Through history, plants have been part of superstitions. Retired MSU Extension Agent Dr. Lelia Kelly talks about some of the superstitions and also some plant-based causes of “supernatural” events. Everyone knows that garlic will keep vampires away but in the Middle Ages people also used fennel seed to ward off evil. Another superstition is that you can use a sprig of basil to tell if your romantic interest is worthy and pure. Potatoes were brought back to Europe from America, but people thought they were the devil’s food because they grew underground.
Dr. Kelly talks about the Salem Witch Trials. She says that modern researchers have studied the symptoms displayed by the bewitched girls. The symptoms can be explained by eating rye contaminated with the ergot fungus. She also talks about the roots of the legends of vampires. Pale skin, sensitivity to light, and blood around the mouth are some things you think of describing vampires. These things also describe the symptoms of a nutritional deficiency of niacin called pellagra. This deficiency was common in Eastern Europe in the late 1800s, especially among the poorer class when they had only corn to eat. Related Videos: Potatoes Garlic |
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Fall Rose CareRose bushes can be beautiful in the fall. Rose expert Bill Dickerson shows how to prune and maintain rose bushes for spectacular fall blooms. He starts with a floribunda rose bush and shows how to lightly prune it to encourage more blooms and open up the center to allow air circulation. He fertilizes it and talks about how to fertilize roses late in the growing season. He also prunes and fertilizes a hybrid tea rose.
Related Videos: Deadheading Roses Basic Rose Care Related Resources: Growing Roses Pruning Roses Roses: fertilizing |
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ChrysanthemumsDirector of Landscape at the University of Memphis Joellen Dimond talks about chrysanthemums or mums. Chrysanthemums are popular for fall color. Chrysanthemums are early, middle, or late blooming, that’s how the stores keep blooming mums in stock for so long. Each plant will bloom for about two weeks. Chrysanthemums are perennials, meaning you can plant them in the ground and thy will come back the next year. They are picky about where they are planted. Joellen recommends planting them in a raised, well-drained area. When they die back in late fall, leave the dead foliage on the plant. This will help protect the crown of the plant from the cold weather. If you live in a colder area you may want to mulch around the plant and even in the branches. In the spring, remove the mulch and fertilize with a complete fertilizer. Fertilize again in June.
Often chrysanthemums will try to bloom in June or early July. If you let them bloom they may or may not bloom again in the fall. If you trim off all the blooms in early July, they will bloom better in the fall. Chrysanthemums are rather fungus and insect free. The insecticide pyrethrin comes from chrysanthemums. When you buy mums at the store, Joellen recommends getting plants that are just starting to bloom, that way the blooms will last the longest. Related Videos: Fall and Winter Flowers Planting Dusty Miller and Pansies How to Plant Flower Bulbs Related Resources: Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum Care |
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Intro to Birdwatching
Birds are a colorful and sometimes secretive garden visitor. Mary Schmidt from Lichterman Nature Center in Memphis, TN talks about how to get into birdwatching and shows some of the basic tools you need. She talks about binoculars and birding guides. She also talks about some of the premiere birdwatching apps that let you record what you see and share it with other birdwatchers.
Related Videos: Setting Up a Bird Feeder Attracting Winter Birds Birdhouses Related Resources: Keys to Successful Bird Identification Attracting Birds to Mississippi Gardens |
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Moving and Renovating Strawberries
Master Gardener Tom Mashour shows how to prepare a strawberry bed and move strawberries into it. After the location is marked and the grass killed he rototills organic matter and fertilizer into the ground. Then he covers the location with white plastic and cuts X’s where he will plant the plants. He then goes to the existing strawberry bed and digs up some plants to move. He shows how to prepare them and then plant them in the new location.
Related Videos: Planting Strawberries How do I protect my strawberries from birds Related Resources: Renovating Strawberries in the Home Garden Strawberries Growing Strawberries |
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Choosing the Right Variety of Apple for Your Area
Choosing the right apple tree for your area of the country is essential. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about what you need to look out for when deciding what variety to plant. He talks about disease resistance and winter chill hours and how they affect the long-term health of the tree. Mike also lists apple varieties that grow well in different areas of the United States.
Related Videos: Disease Resistant Apple Trees Pruning Apple Trees Related Resources: Home Garden Apples Growing apples in the home garden |
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How to Plant Flower Bulbs
UT Extension Agent Lee Sammons, shows how to use various tools to plant tulip and daffodil bulbs. For most tools loosening the soil before planting is essential. Bulbs are planted right side up about five inches below ground. Lee starts by planting a group of tulip bulbs in a hole he previously dug. He also shows how to use an auger on an electric drill. This method allows a hole to be dug without pre-loosening the soil. This may be useful for a no till area or around existing plants. Finally, Lee shows how to use a traditional bulb planter.
Related Videos: Planting Fall Flowers Plant Propagation When is the best time to Plant Tulip Bulbs Related Resources: Flowering Bulbs for Tennessee Gardens Spring Flowering Bulbs Fall Planted Bulbs and Corms |
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Setting an Armadillo Trap
Trapping is one way to catch troublesome armadillos. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to modify a live animal trap to catch armadillos by adding wings. Armadillos are not the smartest animal and instead of baiting a trap you just need to funnel the animal into the trap. Mike shows how to attach wings using wire or zip ties. He also shows how to use a fence as one wing of the trap.
Related Videos: Live Animal Traps Nuisance Wildlife: Armadillos Related Resources: Nuisance Wildlife Control: A Training Manual: Tools and Techniques Armadillos |
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Monarch Butterflies
Mary Schmidt from Lichterman Nature Center talks about monarch butterflies. Monarchs are unusual in the butterfly world for several reasons, they are one of a few migrating butterflies, and the males and females can be distinguished visually.
Monarchs spend the summer in the United States where there are three to four generations per summer. Then a “super-generation” lives about 6 months and migrates to central Mexico for the winter. Monarchs follow the growth of milkweed north the next spring up to about the Canadian border – which is the northern limit of milkweed. Female monarch butterflies can lay 200-300 eggs which are laid one per milkweed leaf. The egg hatches a few days later. The caterpillar then eats and grows to about 2000 times its hatching size over the next two weeks. At this point they create a chrysalis that is green with gold accents. They emerge from the chrysalis after 9-14 days as an adult butterfly. Planting milkweed attracts monarch butterflies to your yard. The caterpillars eat the leaves and the adults drink the nectar from flowers. There are many kinds of milkweed available. They tend to grow in full sun and can reach up to five feet in height. Relate Videos: Monarch Butterfly Tagging Planting a Butterfly Garden Related Resources: Growing milkweeds for monarch butterflies Gardening for Monarchs Attracting Butterflies to the Garden |
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Preparing Southern Lawns for Winter
Winter can be a stressful time for lawns. UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh talks about some of the things you can do to get your lawn ready for winter and the next spring. While the above ground part of the lawn may be dead, the roots are still alive and actively growing. Booker recommends cutting your grass at the same height going into fall and winter, getting a soil test to determine what amendments you need - like lime - and then adding those so they will have done their job by spring.
Related Videos: Fall Lawn Care Fall Lawn Care2 Late Fall Lawn Fertilization Related Resources: Fertilization and Management of Home Lawns Fall Lawn Care |
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Plant Propagation
Kim Rucker from the Dixon Gallery and Gardens talks about different ways to propagate (reproduce) plants. She talks about using seeds to get new plants. Seeds are and easy and fast way to get new plants. Also she demonstrated how to take cuttings from a herbaceous and hardwood plant. She also demonstrates and explains using rooting hormone.
Related Videos: Propagating Ferns from Spores Easy Way to Root Cuttings from Annuals Related Resources: Propagation Bed Construction — for Seed or Cuttings Plant Propagation |
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Common Warm Season Lawn DiseasesLawns can get diseases that will create dead spots or other unsightly problems. UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh talks about the most common diseases on warm season grasses: brown patch, rust, fairy ring, and spring dead spot. These diseases are fungal, and many are a result of poor drainage or standing water both in summer and in winter. Booker talks about each one, what it looks like with pictures, what causes it, and how to treat it.
Related Videos: Summer Lawn Problems How do I get rid of this grey fungus in my lawn? Fall Lawn Care Related Resources: Slime Molds on Home Lawns Turfgrass Diseases and Their Control |
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Dividing and Potting HostasChris learns how to divide Hostas with the help of master gardener Cheryl Lockhart. Be sure to check your Hostas for any and all diseases before dividing and remember to water, water, WATER!
Dividing your Hostas can be a great way to proliferate these beautiful plants all around your lawn and garden. Doing this in the winter can help make sure that by spring you've got a whole family of Hostas to admire. Related Videos: Hostas Is fall a good time to divide my hostas? Related Resources: Hosta Hostas Growing Hostas |
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Common Tree Diseases
Trees can look awful when they have a disease, even if that disease doesn’t cause long-term harm. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talks about some of the most common tree diseases, what the symptoms look like and the appropriate treatment. She talks about anthracnose, bacterial scorch, oak leaf blister, shot hole disease, and powdery mildew.
Related Videos: Bacterial Leaf Scorch Powdery Mildew on Zinnias Related Resources: Diseases of Shade and Ornamental Trees Disease Control for Trees, Shrubs and Flowers |
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Preserving Herbs
Sherri McCalla, Herb Curator for Memphis Botanic Garden talks about different ways to preserve herbs. The way most people think about is hanging the herbs to dry. This is a good way but has some draw-backs. Drying herbs reduces their flavor and some herbs can drop leaves or seeds as they dry. The dropping leaves can be caught by a screen or paper bag. Another option for preservation that keeps the taste is to make a paste by combining the herb with oil in a food processor then freezing the result (see below for Sheri's Herb Pesto Recipe). Another option is to make herb vinegars where the flavor is infused into the vinegar. The vinegar then can be used for dipping bread. Dried herbs can be ground and combined with salt to use to dip tomatoes or other vegetables. Another option is to put some herb sprigs into wine to add the herbs flavor.
Related Videos: Planting an Herb and Flower Container Garden Easy to Grow Herbs Related Resources: Herbs: Preserving and Using Harvesting, Drying and Storing Herbs Drying Herbs Sherri's Herb Pesto Recipe |
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Cleaning-Out and Planting Flowers in the Butterfly GardenThe butterfly garden is three years old and some of the plants have bolted, others have died. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond cleans out the garden and plants more flowers. There are a few issues in the butterfly garden. There aren’t many weeds, but the parsley has gone to seed. This needs to be removed and some of the seed planted for next year. Also, the aster is trying to take over. Some of it needs to be dug up. After doing these things Joellen plants gaillardia, yellow coneflower, Russian sage, and monarda. She also plants milkweed seeds for next year. Butterflies will be attracted to these flowers.
Related Videos: Planting a Butterfly Garden Planting Annuals in the Butterfly Garden The Season End of the Butterfly Garden Related Resources: Butterfly Gardening Butterfly Gardening |
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Introduction to Farm Goats
Raising goats can add a whole new dimension to your family garden. Jeff Terry, Farm Operations Manager at Bobby Lanier Farm Park in Germantown, Tennessee, talks about the basics of raising goats. Jeff talks about some of the features of goats including their eyes, teeth, and stomachs. He also talks about the breeds he has: Lamancha and Nigerian Dwarf. He describes what they eat and the shelter he uses. Jeff talks about goat milk and meat.
Related Resources: Penn State Extension: Goats Breeds of Livestock - Goat Breeds |
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Common Summer Vegetable Garden Problems
There are certain problems that seem to affect every vegetable garden. UT Assistant Professor of Residential and Consumer Horticulture Natalie Bumgarner points out five of the most common problem and talks about how to prevent or fix them. Three of the five are problems of tomatoes: early blight, tomato horn worm, and blossom end rot. Blossom end rot also affects many other garden vegetables. She also talks about bacterial spot on peppers and powdery mildew on squash.
Related Videos: Tomato Early Blight Blossom End Rot Tomato Hornworms Related Resources: Early Blight of Tomatoes Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon Tomato hornworms in home gardens |
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Homegrown Greenery for Flower Arranging
Many houseplants and plants in the landscape can be used to add greenery to flower arrangements, or even be used to create greenery arrangements. Master Gardener Mary Heim shows some of her go-to greenery from her house and yard she uses in her arranging. She also makes a greenery arrangement with those plants. She talks about and demonstrates alocasia, aspidistra, caladium, fatsia, leopard plant, equisetum, mother-in-law’s tongue, Solomon’s seal, ornamental grasses, papyrus, philodendron, and ferns.
Related Videos: Arranging Grocery Store Flowers Basic Ikebana Flower Arranging |
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Houseplant Potting SoilsThere are many kinds of potting soil available at the store. The range of choices can be daunting. UT/TSU Extension Agent Celeste Scott talks about the most common components of potting soil and what each one does. She then shows several soil mixes and explains what each is good for.
Potting soil is a soil-less media, not soil from the ground. This allows the components to be mixed together to optimize water and nutrient retention and anchoring root support for each kind of plant. The primary components of potting soil are peat moss for water holding, perlite and vermiculite for porosity, sand for weight and porosity, and shredded bark for structure and drainage. You can go to the store and buy premixed bags of soil, or you can make your own. Related Videos: What is in bagged soil? What is the best soil for starting seeds? Related Resources: Find Homemade Potting Soil recipes here. Find ideas for Organic Potting Mixes here. |
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Squash PestsEvery spring there are insects just waiting to attack your squash plants. UT Extension Entomologist Dr. Frank Hale talks about the most common pests of squash.
Cucumber beetles feed on the leaves of squash. They can skeletonize the leaves. Frank recommends using floating row covers to keep the bugs off the plants for as long as possible. Adult squash bugs overwinter in debris around the garden and find and lay eggs on squash in the spring. He recommends laying down boards around your garden in the fall. In the early spring lift them up and you will find the squash bugs hiding underneath; just dispose of them. Squash bug adults will lay small groups of bronze colored eggs which hatch into nymphs which grow to adults. You can crush or remove the eggs to help control them. Another squash pest is the squash vine borer. It is the larva of a clearwing moth. The adult lays eggs on the stem of the plant and the larvae burrow into the vine stalk to feed. This kills the plant. Frank recommends using floating row covers to keep these insects away from the plants for as long as possible. You will eventually need to take them off because the bees need to have access to the flowers to pollinate them. If you want to use insecticides, he suggests using imidacloprid. This will kill the insects feeding on the plant but not the insects that land on the plant. Related Videos: Organic Control of Squash Bugs Squash Vine Borer Related Resources: Squash Bugs and Squash Vine Borer Cucumber, Squash, Melon and Other Cucurbit Insects and Pests |
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Summer Flowering Woody Perennials
Many popular shrubs bloom in the spring, but there are shrubs that give a long show of blooms in the summer. UT/TSU Extension Agent Celeste Scott talks about several different kinds of summer blooming shrubs: abelia, buddleja (butterfly bush), Hydrangea paniculata, vitex, rose of Sharon, and crape myrtle. For each type of plant she talks about some popular and well performing varieties. She also gives information on some compact varieties for each.
Related Videos: Common Hydrangeas Annuals and Perennials for the Garden How to Prune Shrubs Related Resources: Woody Ornamentals Woody Ornamentals For Cut Flower Growers |
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Canning Peaches
Canned peaches can be enjoyed year around. Canning is the process of sealing food in a container without bacteria or other germs or microbes so that it will stay good to eat for a long period of time. Juanita Jones from Jones Orchard shows how to can peaches. One of the first things to do is to make sure the jars are clean and sterilized. Peaches can be put in the jars as quarters or halfs. Wash and peel the peaches and place in the jar. When the jar is full, pour a simple syrup (sugar and water) into the jar so it covers the peaches. Parts of the peaches not covered by the syrup will discolor but still be good to eat. After removing as many of the air bubbles as you can, wipe off the rim of the jar. This will allow the rubber of the lid to seal. Put the ring on the jar and put it in the water bath canner. After the water comes to a boil process for 25 minutes. The jars can be immediately removed from the water bath and should seal within a few minutes of being removed from the canner. If a jar is unsealed when you go to eat it or the contents of the jar are discolored throw the jar away. It is likely contaminated.
Related Videos: What should I spray to prevent brown rot on my peaches? Thinning Peaches Related Resources: Perfect Canned Peaches Preserving Peaches USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning |
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Common Peach Diseases and Insects and How to Prevent Them
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Beehive Tour
The Bartlett Bee Whisperer, David Glover, gives us a tour of a beehive and gives some beekeeping tips. Like all beekeepers he uses smoke. Smoke alerts the bees but it overpowers their method of communication, pheromones. It also prompts some bees to start sucking up as much honey as they can to save some from the fire. This makes these bees unable to sting. Using a hive tool David opens up the beehive. This hive was recently removed from a house and he wants to check to make sure it is doing well. He shows some comb that has fresh nectar in it, so the bees are active. He also shows drones that are in the hive and explains what purpose they serve. One of his reasons for checking on the hive is to make sure there is a laying queen present that can perpetuate the hive. David finds her and sees her laying eggs.
Related Videos: Removing Honey Bees from Houses What type of tree is this? Bees love it. A: Honeysuckle tree Related Resources: Beekeeping in Tennessee Beekeeping Tips for Beginners Agricultural Alternatives: Beekeeping Honey Bees and Beekeeping |
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Changing Garden Soil pH
The correct pH is critical for garden success. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison explains that most plants like a soil pH between 5.8 and 6.2. If you are outside this range, you will need to correct the soil pH to allow plants to absorb the nutrients they need. Mike talks about the different products to raise and lower pH. To raise pH lime is used. To lower pH sulfur is used. Mike has a few blueberry plants that require very acid soils so he shows how to use a soil test to calculate the amount of sulfur to use. He then applies the sulfur.
Related Videos: Taking a Soil Sample Liming a Lawn Related Resources: Changing the pH of Your Soil How To Change Your Soil's pH |
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IPM (Integrated Pest Management)
The goal of IPM is to focus on the non-chemical control methods of pests. TSU Extension Agent Amy Dismukes explains that often the chemical control method may not be needed. First you need to determine what is going on and recognize and correctly identify the insect or disease damage. Just because you see a problem does not mean it needs to be treated.
IPM includes cultural control like keeping weeds pulled to deny a hiding place for insects. It also includes mechanical solutions like proper pruning or removing fallen plant material. IPM also includes biological controls like beneficial insects. If an insect infestation is minimal and some beneficials are present, the beneficials will likely take care of the problem. The last approach is the chemical approach when the problem has reached a point where immediate control is necessary. When using chemicals use the most targeted, lowest power insecticide you can. After talking about IPM, Amy shows some examples of insect damage that does not require control in the normal way. Related Videos: Horticultural Oils Cultural Lawn Weed Control Related Resources: IPM: Smart pest management for the vegetable garden Integrated Pest Management (IPM)for Home Gardeners Integrated Pest Management Ideas for Vegetable Gardens |
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Invasive Plants
Non-native invasive plants are a major problem. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond says invasive plants can cause extinction of native plants and animals and alter habitat. Not all non-native plants are invasive. Invasive plants tend to be vigorous growers that produce many seeds and easily adapt to different environmental conditions – in short, they have the characteristics gardeners want in their plants. Many were brought to this country on purpose as easy to grow garden plants. A good example of this is the Bradford pear which Joellen describes.
Joellen identifies the top 6 invasive plants in the United States: 1. Kudzu 2. Norway Maple 3. Japanese Honeysuckle 4. Purple Loosestrife 5. Japanese Barberry 6. English Ivy Joellen says each state has a list of plants that are invasive in that state. Gardeners should not purchase or plant plants that are on the list in their state. Related Videos: Are all barberry plants invasive and draw ticks? How do I remove Italian Arum successfully? Related Resources: Identification and Control of Non-Native Invasive Forest Plants in Tennessee Invasive Plants |
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Easy Way to Root Cuttings from Annuals
Horticulture Expert Dr. Lelia Kelly shows how to easily and cheaply root cuttings from garden annuals. Every year there are annuals that you hate to see die in the frost. Most of them root easily. You can take cuttings from them in late summer, root them, grow them over the winter and replant them outside the next spring. Lelia demonstrates how to root a coleus. She uses a knife to cut off a terminal (end of a branch). Then she pinches off the leaves that are low on the cutting and pokes the cut end into some moistened potting soil. She them makes a greenhouse for the plant from either a few sticks and a shower cap or a soda bottle. The greenhouse keeps the plant from drying out. After a few weeks, the cutting will have grown some roots. Place the plant with roots in a bright place and water occasionally during the winter. In the spring, you can go plant it back in the garden. Repeat every year to keep your favorite and best performing plants going year after year.
Related Videos: Potting Rooted Cuttings How do you root roses from clippings? Related Resources: Flowering Annuals: Characteristics and Culture Growing Annual Flowers Propagation |
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Planting Scaevola, Pentas and VincaSummer annuals provide season long color for the garden. This year University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond plants red, white and blue flowers with blue scaevola, red pentas and white vinca. She fertilizes the bed with a slow-release fertilizer that will feed the plants all season. She creates a checkerboard pattern with the plants, laying out and spacing each kind before planting.
Related Videos: TWIG–Planting Annuals in the Butterfly Garden Planting Sunpatiens, Joseph's Coat, and Colocasia Related Resources: Annual Flowers Scaevola or Fan Flower Pentas Annual Vinca |
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Tips for Growing Corn
Corn is one of the classic garden vegetables. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about how to grow corn including planting, fertilizing, pollinating, harvesting and how to control the insects and critters that want to eat the corn before you do.
Related Videos: Planting Corn Corn Fertilizing (Side Dressing) Corn Related Resources: Growing Sweet Corn in Home Gardens Vegetables: Growing Sweet Corn in Home Gardens Insect Pests of Sweet Corn |
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Repotting Houseplants
Rick Pudwell, Director of Horticulture at the Memphis Botanic Garden demonstrates how to repot a houseplant and gives some tips for healthy, happy houseplants.
The first plant he repots is a sansevieria, otherwise called a mother-in-law tongue. The plant he is working with has grown for many years in a small pot. Rick teases out the roots to stop them from circling. The new pot he uses has a drainage hole at the bottom, which you want. He puts some broken clay pot shards in the new pot over the hole. This allows good drainage but keeps the soil from falling out. He uses a potting mix and fills soil around the plant so it sits in the pot at the same depth as the previous pot. He also makes sure the soil level is below the top of the pot to prevent water from running over the sides. He packs the soil around the plant to hold the plant and soil in place. Finally, Rick places the pot on a saucer to catch the water that will run out the bottom. Rick then gives watering instructions for this plant. Rick then repots a Croton. This particular plant has a poor root system. Most of the roots have rotted away from overwatering. The plant is also laying down in the pot. Because of the poor condition of the root ball Rick selects a smaller pot than he was originally going to use. He sets the plant at an angle in the new pot – so it is growing straight up – and fills in the soil. Then he uses a bamboo stake to hold it up. When he is done repotting the plants, Rick gives general houseplant care advice. Most houseplants are from the tropics so they do better when watered with luke-warm water. He also recommends getting a small spray bottle and spritzing the plants in the morning to give them a little humidity. Houses are usually drier than tropical plants prefer. For fertilizer Rick recommends fertilizing from March to October with a liquid fertilizer at half the strength recommended on the box. He also gives advice on how to control insects on houseplants. Related Videos: Building a Self-Watering Houseplant Pot Repotting Aloe Vera Related Resources: Indoor Plants - Transplanting & Repotting Repotting Houseplants Caring for Houseplants |
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Summer Lawn Watering
UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh talks about the ins and outs of watering lawns in the heat of the summer. Booker says that the best time to water your lawn is early in the morning. This way the water has time to soak in before it evaporates like it would in the heat of the day. The grass will also have time to dry before evening. If plants are wet at night it encourages the growth of diseases.
Lawns with warm season grasses like Bermuda and zoysia should have about one inch of water a week. It is best if the lawn gets that water all at one time. This allows the water to really soak into the soil. Also, the top of the soil will dry out between waterings. This will force the grass roots to grow deeper into the soil in search of water, which also makes the grass more drought tolerant and healthier. With frequent shallow watering, grass roots will be near the surface where they can easily dry out and die. Booker also gives tips for watering new grass seed and watering before and after you lay sod. Related Videos: Summer Lawn Problems Lawn Fertilization Lawn Weed Killer Application Related Resources: Watering Lawns Home Lawn Watering Guide Summer Lawn Management: Watering the Lawn |
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Square Foot Gardening Basics
Gardening Expert Tonya Ashworth talks about the basics of square foot gardening. Square foot gardens are grown in raised beds, usually four feet square. The bed is then divided into square foot sections. There are several advantages to a square foot garden. They are small in size, you don’t need large garden equipment like a rototiller, there are almost no weeds, and they can grow many plants in the small space. In each square foot of garden you can grow sixteen carrots; a tomato, pepper or eggplant; four bush beans; or nine sweet peas.
Related Videos: Building Raised Bed Planting Vegetable Seeds Related Resources: Square Foot Gardening for Beginners The Facts of Square Foot Gardening Create a Square-Foot, High-Yield Vegetable Garden |
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Imidacloprid
Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid which means the chemical resembles nicotine. It is a systemic insecticide that interferes with insect nervous systems. It is effective both as a contact and ingestion insecticide. There is some controversy about imidacloprid, it has been accused of being part of colony collapse disorder in honey bees. Read and follow the label.
Related Videos: Carbaryl Permethrin Related Resources: Imidacloprid Imidacloprid General Fact Sheet |
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Making Low-Sugar Strawberry
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Wildlife Friendly Gardens
Garden Expert Tonya Ashworth talks about things you can do to encourage wildlife to visit your garden. Wildlife will come to your garden when there is food, water, and shelter. These things can be provided by plants in your yard, and you can supplement with feeders.
If you want to attract birds, you should use your entire yard. Also, think about all the vertical space you have available from tall trees to short perennial flowers. Plant trees, shrubs and flowers that provide both shelter and food for the birds. Tonya lists good tree, shrub, and vine choices. She also talks about feeders that provide seeds, fruit and suet. You can also provide birdhouses. To attract butterflies, you need to think in two ways. First, you need to plant host plants for the caterpillars. Caterpillars are very choosy about what plant they will eat so you can attract a certain species by planting a certain host plant. Second, adult butterflies – and hummingbirds – feed from nectar plants. Tonya gives a list of some of these plants. Bees are attracted to blue and yellow flowers. They will be attracted to many of the same flowers as the butterflies. Also, you can provide a place for solitary bees to lay eggs. You can make a bee hotel out of a block of wood and Tonya explains how. Related Videos: Planting a Butterfly Garden Birdbaths Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder – Family Plot How to attract butterflies hummingbirds and bees to shady yard Related Resources: Attracting Birds to Your Yard Attracting Butterflies to the Garden Attracting Native Bees to Your Landscape |
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Replacing a Wooden Raised Bed with Concrete Block
Wooden raised beds last several years but eventually they rot and need to be replaced. Gardener Peter Richards shows how to remove the wood around a bed and replace it with concrete blocks. Having a level bottom layer is essential to having a stable wall. Peter shows how to make sure the base layer is level before building up. This same method can be used with cinderblock or brick raised beds.
Related Videos: Building Raised Bed Watermelons In Raised Beds Related Resources: Building a Raised Bed Garden Raised-Bed Gardening Raised Bed Gardening |
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Preparing lawns for Summer
Getting your lawn ready for summer in the spring will keep it happy and healthy for the whole growing season. UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh explains what to do. His first recommendation is to get a soil test so you know what to add to your soil. Do you need to change the pH and how much fertilizer do you need? Booker also recommends sharpening your mower blade to get a nice clean cut. He recommends cutting your lawn in different directions each time and at the right height. Booker also talks about common lawn diseases and insect pests. He also talks about aeration, dethatching, watering, and fertilization.
Related Videos: Soil Testing Lawn Aeration Sharpening Mower Blades Related Resource: Lawn Management Through the Seasons |
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How to Calibrate Your Fertilizer Spreader
For best results you need to spread a certain amount of fertilizer evenly over your yard. UT Extension Agent Celeste Scott shows how to calibrate your spreader to make sure you are spreading evenly. She first shows how to check the application rate of a rotary spreader and then calibrate it to apply at the desired rate. She then talks about how to calibrate your pump sprayer and hose end sprayer. She also talks about handheld rotary spreaders.
Related Videos: Correct Lawn Fertilizer Application Lawn Fertilization Related Resource: Calibrating Your Fertilizer Spreader Calibrating Spreaders |
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Fish for Water Features
Andy Williams from the Lichterman Nature Center talks about the different kinds of fish for water features in your yard. The three main kinds of fish to consider are minnows, goldfish, and koi. Fish such as bluegill and bass need more space and are more suited for a large pond. To support fish in your water feature you should make sure you only put fish into the water feature so you have one square foot of water surface per inch of fish. The fish will grow but that is a good starting out rule of thumb. Andy briefly tells the history of each kind of fish, how big they will grow and the different varieties available. He also talks about what to look for when purchasing fish.
Related Video: Basic Pond Maintenance Related Resources: Ornamental Ponds & Water Gardens in Texas Water Gardens Species Profile: Koi and Goldfish Ornamental Garden Pools |
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Planting Blackberries
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to plant a blackberry plant. He is planting a plant of the Natchez cultivar. It is a semi-erect thornless variety. Mike advises to make sure you know how big the plant will get before you plant it. Blackberries should be planted at container depth - the top of the container soil is at the same level as the ground. He digs a hole as deep as the pot and about twice as wide and scores the sides. The plant he has is root bound so he does some root pruning with a knife and then sets the plant into the hole. He then backfills around the plant.
Related Videos: Blackberry Pruning and Fertilizing Building a Blackberry Trellis Related Resources: Blackberries and Raspberries in Home Gardens Blackberry Blackberries for the Home Garden |
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How To Support Growing Tomato Plants
There are many options for supporting tomato plants in your garden. Gardener Peter Richards shows several methods he has tried and talks about what he likes and does not like about each one. He says that the traditional wire tomato cages do not work, instead you need a sturdier structure. He talks about and shows the pros and cons of heavy tomato cages, the Florida weave, livestock panel platform, tying the plants to a pole and tying them up with string. His personal favorite is to prune the tomatoes into a vine and use string to tie them up. He says this method makes it so you don’t need to spray fungicides nearly as often or at all and the plant will stay blight free for most of the year.
Related Videos: Tomato Support: The Florida Weave Tying up Tomato Plants Tomato Stake Extension Related Resource: Growing Tomatoes Tomatoes - Staking |
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Companion Planting
Gardening expert Tonya Ashworth talks about companion planting in the garden. Companion planting is when you plant two or more crops together to try to influence pest pressure, increase yield, or gain some other benefit. A classic companion planting from the Native Americans is called the “three sisters,” corn, green beans and squash were grown together. The corn provided a place for the beans to climb, The beans provided nitrogen to the corn and the squash kept out the racoons and provided shade and weed suppression. In the 1960s and 1970s there were many lists of companion plantings circulated. Most of these have been debunked by scientific study. There were a few companion plantings however that have proven to work: Basil and tomatoes, potatoes and beans, onions and carrots, among others.
Marigolds are also often planted ward off insects. Marigolds can be effective against soil nematodes but not in the same season. If you have nematode problem plant the marigolds and then wait a few seasons. Marigolds can also reduce insect pressure but it is not always beneficial to yields. For example, marigolds will reduce the number of Mexican bean beetles on beans but will also reduce yield. One way to benefit from a companion planting situation is to plant a polyculture – plant of many varieties close together. This confuses the insects and they may not be able to find their favorite host plant among all the different smells from the plants. Another idea is to plant a group of plants near your garden to host beneficial insects. This way when harmful insects invade your garden they will be nearby. Related Videos: Planting a Butterfly Garden Planting Tropical Hibiscus and Begonias Related Resources: Trap Crops, Intercropping, and Companion Planting Companion Planting (University of Nevada) Companion Planting (Cornell University) |
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Hostas
Hosta expert Jim Crowder from Memphis Botanic Garden talks about basic hosta care and shows a few varieties. All hostas prefer shade. They can also tolerate extremely dry shade. They can be planted next to a large tree - that would out-compete many other plants - and do well.
There are a lot of variation in hostas. Some are small, others large. There are a wide range of leaf colors and flower colors. There are over 4000 named cultivars of hostas. Jim shows some of his favorite cultivars: ‘designer genes’ which has a red petiole, ‘Hadspen Blue’ has leaves that have a steel blue color, ‘high society’ has yellow variegation in the center of the leaf and does not fade, ‘remember me’ is another variegated hosta with a yellow leaf center, ‘curly fries’ has long slender wavy leaves that start out yellow and turn green through the season, ‘ivory coast’ is a taller hosta with lighter variegation, and ‘Empress Wu’ which grows four feet high and eight feet wide. Many hostas sport unique-to-the-plant features like white leaves or unique variegation patterns. One of the biggest problems with hostas is voles. They will tunnel under mulch or travel in unused mole tunnels and devour the roots and crown of hostas. Voles don’t like to be in the open so avoid using mulch. Hostas are relatively disease free. A few years ago there was a disease called virus X that caused changes to the plant like corrugated leaves or streaks or ripples in color of the leaves. Virus X is only transmitted by man. A hosta that is infected can be removed and a new hosta planted in its place without transmitting the disease. Hostas grow and spread by growing pups. Some hosta varieties do not pup quickly. You can encourage this by rossizing the hosta. Related Videos: Dividing and Potting Hostas Rossizing Hostas Vole Proofing and Planting Hostas Related Resources: Hosta Hostas A Host of Hostas |
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Spring Soil Preparation
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about getting your garden soil ready for planting. The best way to start your soil prep is to get a soil test. This is best done in the fall to give any needed lime a chance to change the soil pH. If it is spring, get the test and put out the lime. It will take a few months to take effect but will change the pH over the season. The soil test also tells you how much fertilizer you need.
Remove vegetation from the area you are going to plant. You can do this with a rototiller, chemicals, a shovel, etc. Don’t work the soil when it is too wet because it will form clods that will stay through the growing season. If you would like to get an early start on your garden create 6-8-inch ridges in the fall. These ridges will dry out and warm up faster than flat ground. There is an online national soil survey and you can find out what kind of soil you have in your garden for free. This will help you know if your soil is sandy or has lots of clay and the percolation rate of the soil. You need drainage in your garden. If water is standing in your garden you need to create a way for it to drain, dig a ditch. Related Videos: How To Take a Soil Sample Tilling and Amending a New Garden Garden Fertilizer Math Related Resources: Soil Testing Prepare Your Soil Soil Preparation for Vegetable Gardens |
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Problems to Avoid in Nursery Plants
Nurseries have lots of plants. Some are in better condition than others. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talks about and shows examples of what you should avoid when buying plants. Diseased and root bound plants are an obvious no, but there are many other red flags to look out for. Joellen talks about potential problems with old wounds, suckers, staking, roots, shape and even weeds.
Related Videos: Nursery Plant Selection Tree Staking Options Related Resource: Selecting quality trees from the nursery |
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Pruning (Not Murdering) Crape Myrtles
Certified arborist Wes Hopper prunes a Crape Myrtle that has previously been “murdered,” or the top has been chopped off. He starts by removing the low hanging branches and twigs that will poke him as he prunes. He throws the debris away from the tree so he will not trip on it as he is moving around while looking up. This Crape Myrtle tree has multiple stems. Some of those stems are crowded so Wes cuts off several of the stems. This opens up the middle of the tree. Wes likes to use hand pruners whenever possible to avoid damaging the thin bark. Wes removes the epicormic growth, or growth that grows secondary like water sprouts. Epicormic growth is weak and loosely attached to the tree. Wes tries to cut the branches he does not want to grow beyond the branch collar. This will keep them from growing. Wes then prunes the upper canopy of the tree with a pole pruner. He removes the old seed pods. He cuts just above a node to allow for future growth. Finally, he cuts back the suckers around the base of the tree.
Related Videos: Treating Crape Myrtle Bark Scale What is this bark damage on my crape myrtles? Related Resources: Crape Myrtle Pruning Pruning Crapemyrtles Crapemyrtle Pruning |
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Spring Garden ChecklistThere is a lot to do in the garden in the spring. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talks about what she does to get her garden ready for the growing season. The first thing on the list is pruning perennials and ornamental grasses. Also, spring is a good time to plant trees and shrubs. She also talks about spring insect treatments and pruning for fruit and ornamental trees.
Joellen then talks about vegetable gardens. Joellen lists cool season vegetables to plant in the spring. She also talks about how to protect them from unusually cold nights. Also, spring is a good time to plant berries and small fruits like grapes. When the ground warms to about 70 degrees it will be time to plant summer blooming bulbs. Also, later in the spring is the time to prune evergreen shrubs. There may be some winter damage and you want to be able to see what survived before you make pruning decisions. Related Videos: Spring Lawn Care Spring Soil Preparation Early Spring Rose Care |
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Pruning Fig Trees
Garden expert Bill Colvard shows how to prune a neglected fig tree. It has been an unusually warm late winter and early spring so the fig tree started growing leaves but they were killed by a recent frost. The tree will be okay but right now you can’t tell how much of the branch will be effected by the frost. Bill talks about some of the things to look for and do while pruning and then he gets to work. He cuts off most of the branches coming from the base including all the ones growing horizontal. He leaves just a few stronger vertical branches. Then he shortens those branches so the tree will grow more full and less leggy. When he is done, the tree is much smaller but will be better looking and better suited for producing fruit.
Related Videos: Tools for Pruning Trees Figs Related Resources: Figs in the Home Planting Figs Fig Production Guide |
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Rose Bush Pruning
Rose expert Bill Dickerson shows how to prune a rose bush. After showing the tools he uses, he starts by pruning off all the dead wood. As he works on the bush he also cuts off all the canes that are thinner than a pencil. He prunes to open up the center of the bush by removing branches growing toward the center and pruning just above buds that are facing outward. Bill says that as the dead wood and small branches are removed it gets easier to see what needs to be cut. If you prune the bush taller you will get more smaller roses, if you prune down to 12-18 inches from the ground you will get fewer larger roses. Bill shows how to identify a bud on the cane. He explains that each bud can have up to three growths from it. Because he wants a cane to grow from the bid by his cut, he removes any leaves that are growing from the bud below his cut. As he is pruning, Bill finds a cane that had a cane borer last year. He cuts it back and explains what he does to try to prevent borers.
Related Videos: Basic Rose Care What's eating holes in my rose leaves? Spring Rose Care and Pruning Related Resources: Pruning Roses A Quick Guide to Pruning Roses Growing Roses |
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Tools Every Gardener Needs
TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond shows the tools that every gardener needs and that she uses regularly. There are many specialized tools available but Joellen uses basic garden tools available in most garden stores. The tools include: hand pruners, gloves, loppers, pruning saw, hand cultivator, trowel, garden fork, morrow hoe, small and large shovel, leaf and garden rake, and a broom. She talks about how she uses each tool. If she had to pick only one tool she would take her hand pruners.
Related Videos: Tools for Pruning Trees Getting Tools Ready for Winter Related Resources: Maintaining Lawn and Garden Tools Hand Tools Safety |
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Frogs and Toads
Mary Schmidt from Lichterman Nature Center talks about frogs and toads and why you want them in your garden. They are amphibians that are tied to water. They lay their eggs in the water and have part of their life cycle there too. The bumps or warts on toads are a protection. The bumps contain glands that secrete a toxin. Toads are a kind of frog. Mary has several frogs and toads with her to demonstrate the differences. Frogs like the bullfrog have long back legs and leap. True toads have dry rough skin and shorter stubbier legs to hop. She also brought a tree frog and spadefoot toad.
Frogs and toads are beneficial in several ways. The most obvious is that they eat a lot of insects. Also, frogs and toads can absorb things through their skin, so they can be an indicator that you have problems in your yard or garden. To attract frogs and toads to your garden you need to provide habitat they like. They need water and moisture. You can also provide places for toads to hide. Mary shows how to make a toad abode with a flowerpot and a couple of rocks. Toads look for movement to find insects to eat. When they eat they pull their eyes into their head to help push the food down their throat. Bull frogs eat anything they can fit into their mouth including insects, other frogs, and even birds. Mary feeds some mealworms to the toads to show how they eat. Related Videos: My toad abodes only attract black widow spiders. How do I attract toads? Raptors Snakes in the Garden Related Resources: Frogs and Toads Frogs, Toads, and the Garden Frogs & Toads of Florida March 27, 2021 |
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Songbirds as Pests
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about how to handle songbirds when they are pests. You cannot kill songbirds, so you have to discourage them. Songbirds can be a problem in the garden because they eat fruit. One thing you can do is plant enough for you and the birds. The only sure way to keep birds from your fruit is to use bird netting. If you have too large of an area to cover you can use frightening devices like propane cannons, plastic owls, mylar tape, a blaring radio, plastic snakes, or anything else that looks like a predator. With all of these things you need to change it up once in a while or the birds will figure out that it is fake. Nests are usually not a problem, but they can stop up your gutters and swallows can build mud nests on your house. This is where rubber snakes work best. If you place a rubber snake close to where the birds typically build their nests they will go elsewhere. You must discourage nesting before the birds arrive in the spring. Once there are eggs in the nest you can’t disturb them.
Related Videos: Protect Strawberries from Birds Keep Birds Out of Blueberries Related Resources: Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage: Birds Controlling Birds Around Farm Buildings Urban Pest Birds: Controlling Damage March 27, 2021 |
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Pruning Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums
Nectarines, peaches, and plums are all pruned the same way, to an open center. Retired UT extension agent Mike Dennison prunes two nectarine trees.
The first one is young. Mike demonstrated how to give the tree its first pruning and open up the center. The second tree is about ten years old and is much larger. Mike cuts several large limbs off of the tree in order to open up the center of the tree and removes other branches. Related Video: Fruit Tree Pruning Concepts Spraying Peach Trees Pruning Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums Related Resources: Pruning Neglected Fruit Trees Pruning Peaches & Nectarines Training and Pruning Fruit Trees March 20, 2021 |
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Cabbage is a popular cool season vegetable that is a member of the cole crop family. It is rich in many vitamins and minerals. There are four major members of the cabbage family: the familiar green cabbage, red cabbage, savoy cabbage which has crinkly leaves, and Chinese cabbage which includes bok choy. When planting cabbage enough space needs to be left between the plants to allow them to grow. 18-24 inches is usually needed. Cabbage is a heavy nitrogen feeder and requires fertilizer whether compost or artificial. To see if the cabbage is ready for harvest squeeze the head. It should be firm, it is not leave it for another week or two. Cabbage is attacked by several insects including the cabbage looper, imported cabbage worms, cut worms, aphids, harlequin bugs, flea beetles and cabbage maggots.
Related Videos: Planting Cabbage, Broccoli and Cauliflower Q&A - How to keep worms out of my cabbage Related Resources: Guide to Spring-Planted, Cool-Season Vegetables Cabbage in the Garden March 20, 2021 |
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Pruning Apple Trees
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to prune a three year-old apple tree. The first thing to do is to prune scaffold limbs – The limbs coming out of the main trunk or central leader – to one whorl of limbs every 18-20 inches going up the trunk. Mike talks about why he chose to cut the limbs he did. After that he looked for any crossing branches or branches growing back toward the center of the tree. Finally, he tipped or headed back about one third of last year’s growth by cutting just above a bud that was pointed in the direction he wanted the branch to grow.
Related Videos: Fruit Tree Pruning Pruning Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums TWIG–Tools for Pruning Trees Related Resources: Home Tree Fruit Plan Pruning Neglected Fruit Trees Pruning & Training Apple & Pear Trees Training and pruning apple trees March 13, 2021 |
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LettuceMaster Gardener Tom Mashour talks about lettuce. There are three main kinds of lettuce: head or iceberg, romaine, and leaf. Iceberg lettuce requires a long cool season to grow so it is hard to grow in the Mid-South. Romaine is much better in this climate and has very few bug problems. Leaf lettuce can also be grown. One of the great things about lettuce is that it can be eaten from the time it sprouts so you can eat the thinnings out of your garden.
Related Videos: Lettuce seeds When is the right time to plant lettuce and other leafy greens? Cool Season Vegetables Related Resources: Lettuce Lettuce in the Garden Guide to Spring-Planted, Cool-Season Vegetables March 13, 2021 |
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How a Tree Works
Certified Arborist Wes Hopper explains the basics of how trees work. Trees use photosynthesis to convert nutrients into sugars for the tree to use. Wes also explains how the vascular system in the tree transports water and nutrients from the roots up to the leaves, and the sugars from photosynthesis from the leaves to the other parts of the tree. Wes shows the different layers of a tree trunk and talks about what each layer does. He talks about the different kinds of roots and what they do. Wes also talks about how trees react to high summer heat.
Related Videos: Translocation Encouraging Tree Feeder Root Growth Planting a Tree Related Resources: Tree Physiology Trees The Cornell Guide for Planting and Maintaining Trees and Shrubs March 6, 2021 |
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The Worst Weeds
What are the worst weeds in your garden? Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison goes over several lists of the worst weeds and throws in some weeds of his own.
Related Videos: Controlling Weeds Cultural Lawn Weed Control Lawn Weed Killer Application Related Resources: Weed Identification Photos Common Weeds of the Yard and Garden Weed Control Guide March 6, 2021 |
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Tree BorersWood boring insects can cause the decline or death of a tree. UT Extension Entomologist Frank Hale says the borers tunnel into the tree and feed beneath the bark cutting off the flow of nutrients from the roots to the canopy. Usually they attack weakened or declining trees, but they can also attack healthy trees.
The wood borer feeds in the tree for a year or longer before it emerges. This is often the first time you know the tree has a borer because it leaves an exit hole in the bark. Frank talks about the ambrosia beetle which as it borers into the tree, leaves a toothpick like frass tube sticking out of the bark. The beetle larva inoculates the tree with the ambrosia fungus which they then feed on. To protect the tree an insecticide is sprayed on the bark of the tree in the spring around the time of the first 70-degree days. This is when the beetles become active and start laying eggs. Another class of borer is the clear-wing borer. They look like wasps but are really moths. These include the peachtree, lilac, and dogwood borers. The moths fly during the day and the larvae burrow into the tree, often killing it. Flatheaded borers are the larvae of metallic woodboring beetles. The beetles lay their eggs on the sunny side of a tree in the spring and the larvae hatch, burrow into the tree and feed there for about a year. Emerald ash borers are an invasive metallic woodboring beetle that has been found in eastern Tennessee. It kills all native ash trees that are not treated with systemic insecticides. The larvae girdle the tree. Frank shows what it looks like and the damage it does. To prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer, do not transport firewood or non-certified ash trees. Any tree affected by woodboring insects will begin to show signs of weakening. There will be a thinning of the leaves and branch dieback in the upper canopy. Frank also talks about the Asian longhorn beetle. That invasive wood borer has been found in the area east of Cincinnati, Ohio. It likes to attack maple trees. There are eradication efforts underway which are showing some success in preventing the spread of this insect. The publication Frank talked about (PB-1589) is available here Related Videos: Tree Holes and Borers Emerald Ash Borer TWIG - Peach Tree Borer Related Resources: Shade Tree Borers Common Tree Borers in Tennessee Insect Borers of Fruit Trees Insect Borers of Shade Trees and Woody Ornamentals February 27, 2021 |
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Plants to Avoid Around Pet
There are many plants that are dangerous or toxic to dogs and cats. TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond goes over some of the more common plants you may have in your house or landscape. Joellen lists annuals, perennials, fruits and vegetables, trees, and vines that pets should not eat.
The list of poisonous plants Joellen referenced is available at the ASPCA website Related Resources: Pet Friendly Gardening 10 Garden Plants That Are Toxic to Pets Toxic Plants February 27, 2021 |
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Fertilizer BasicsMadison County Extension Agent Celeste Scott talks about fertilizer. Fertilizer is described by three numbers. The first number is the percent nitrogen content. The second number is the percent phosphorus content. The third number is the percent potassium content. For example, a 15-5-10 fertilizer has 15% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. The rest of the contents of the bag are fillers. Fillers are important to help you get an even spread on the fertilizer. Balanced fertilizers have a non 0 number in each space. Fast release fertilizers release all of their nutrients over a two to three week period. Slow release fertilizers release nutrients over a two to three month period.
Most available fertilizers are synthetic but there are organic options too. Blood meal is a source for nitrogen; bone meal is a source of phosphorus; and seaweed, kelp, or wood ashes are a source of potassium. Organic fertilizers have less nutrients than the same amount of synthetic fertilizers and are more expensive. Related Videos: How Often Do I Need to Fertilize My Vegetables? Planting and Fertilizing an Organic Garden Garden Fertilizer Math Related Resources: Fertilizers Fertilizing Your Garden Fertilizing the Organic Garden February 20, 2021 |
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How To Lay Sod
Shelby County Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh shows how to lay sod. Before you lay sod you should kill all the existing grass and weeds using a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate and then till the ground to loosen the soil. This is a great time to amend the soil so get a soil test and lime or fertilize the soil as directed. It is important to choose the correct variety of grass that will thrive in the conditions. In this case, where the grass will be under trees, Royal Zoysia was chosen because it does not require as much direct sun. When sodding in the summer water the ground before laying to cool the soil and help keep the sod moist. Rake out the ground to level it and then lay the sod. Sod is cut in a way that it fits together like a puzzle. Make sure the pieces fit together correctly. In each row the gaps in the sod should be offset from the previous row. This will prevent water channels from developing and washing out the soil. When the sod it all laid, roll the sod to press the roots into the ground to promote good root growth. You can tell if your sod it taking root because it will be difficult or impossible to pick it back up. Keep the sod moist until it has taken root.
Related Videos: Do I need to kill my existing grass before I lay sod? How much light does palisade zoysia need and when is the best time to lay sod? TWIG –Inexpensive Zoysia Lawn Cultural Lawn Weed Control Related Resources: Lawn Establishment Installing and Maintaining a Sod Lawn Turfgrass Establishment Sodding and Plugging February 20, 2021 |
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Keeping Your Orchid Alive
Orchid expert Randall Bayer talks about keeping your orchid alive and happy. Orchids live on trees in tropical areas. Their roots absorb water from the almost daily rains in those areas. The tree bark where they are growing then quickly dries out. The orchids store the water in special structures called pseudo bulbs or in their leaves.
Orchids for sale in stores are usually potted in sphagnum peat moss. The peat moss holds water and does not let the orchid roots dry out between watering like they do in the wild. This means that without special attention, the roots will rot, and the plant will die in a short time. To keep the plant from dying the orchid must be repotted. Randall repots an orchid purchased in a grocery store and shows and explains all the steps. Related Videos: When repotting an orchid should I put the air roots in the potting medium? Repotting Houseplants Related Resources: Growing Orchids in the Home Growing orchids for beginners Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum species; easy orchids to grow as houseplants February 13, 2021 |
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Planting Summer Flowers
TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond plants summer annuals in the Family Plot flower bed. This is the sixth group of flowers Joellen has planted in this bed. Over the last three years she has taken the bed from compact soil left after construction to rich loose amended soil.
Last fall she planted dusty miller and pansies. It is getting warm and it is time to pull out the pansies, but the dusty miller will continue to grow through the summer. To replace the pansies, she is planting: Bat Face Cuphea, Angelonia ‘Big Blue’, Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’, and begonias. Because some of the winter plants are staying Joellen does not turn over the soil. She pulls out the pansies, applies a slow release fertilizer, and plants. Then she replaces the mulch that she removed from the bed. Related Videos: Planting Summer Flowers Planting Petunias, Vinca, and Salvia Planting a Butterfly Garden Related Resources: Flowering Annuals for Georgia Gardens Annuals for Part to Full Shade Growing Annual Flowers February 13, 2021 |
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Composting
The Compost Fairy Mike Larrivee talks about how to get good compost in your garden. Mike shows what the different stages of compost look like as it breaks down. The whole process takes anywhere from a month to years depending on several factors. If you pay a lot of attention to a larger pile and turn it every few days it will break down faster. Also, to make it decompose quickly you need the correct ratio of greens and browns or nitrogen and carbon. There are other factors like moisture, heat, location, and how small the pieces are you are trying to compost. Mike also explains what is a green, what is a brown and what you should not put in a compost pile.
Related Videos: Worm Composting Turning a Compost Pile Related Resources: Composting for the Homeowner Home Composting: A Guide for Home Gardeners Cornell Composting February 6, 2021 |
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Removing Honey Bees from Houses
Honey bees are great until they move into your house. The Bartlett Bee Whisperer David Glover is a hive remover and beekeeper. He talks about the process he uses to remove beehives from houses. David says if you suspect you have a beehive in your home look at the bees, if they are black and yellow, they are not honey bees but hornets or yellowjackets. Honey bees are muted colors.
When he arrives at a home, David uses a thermal camera to find the hive in the walls. Bees keep their brood at 94 degrees and that can be seen. Most hives are in the ceiling and they are removed from the inside where repairs are easier. When the hive is removed the comb that contains the brood is saved and put into a hive box, the honey is harvested, and the queen is found and captured to be placed back into the hive later. The bees are collected with a vacuum into buckets which are later put into the hive box with the brood. If you have a beehive in your home the worst thing to do is spray them with a pesticide. The pesticide will kill at least some of the bees and make the honey inedible. The pesticide will be absorbed by the first comb and the bees will find another way out and keep growing the hive. If the bees are totally killed by the insecticide they will stink, and the honey will start to drip down inside the wall, or through the ceiling, causing structural damage. It will also attract other animals. Without pesticides, the bee remover will be able to contain the honey and clean the comb out of the structure with minimal damage. As side benefits, they can harvest the honey and save the bees. Related Videos: Beehive Tour How do I get rid of a nest of bees in my flower bed? Carpenter Bees Related Resources: Removing Bees from Walls Controlling Nuisance Honey Bees Honey Bees and Beekeeping February 6, 2021 |
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Birdhouses
Debbie Bruce from Wild Birds Unlimited talks about birdhouses. Some birds build an open cup nest. Others build in cavities in trees or birdhouses. You can tell what bird built the nest by looking at the building materials. Providing the correct building materials can assist birds in building their nests. Birdhouses for smaller birds will have a 1-1.5 inch opening and a floor space of about 4x4 inches. Larger birds such as owls will require 8x8 inch floor space and a larger opening up to 3” wide. The best birdhouses have thick enough wood to provide some insulation, a way to clean it out, drainage in the bottom, an overhang to keep the rain out, and a opening extension to keep predators from being able to reach and take nestlings. Predators can be raccoons or snakes. Putting a baffle on the pole where the bird house is mounted can keep predators from getting to the birdhouse. When putting up a house you should target the species that are in your area. If no birds come to your house in two seasons move it to a different area. Also, providing live food in your yard will attract birds, but don’t put the food too close to the birdhouse. Birds like privacy with their houses.
Related Videos: Setting Up a Bird Feeder Attracting Winter Birds Related Resources: Birdhouse Basics Bird Houses for Songbirds Attracting Birds with Birdhouses January 30, 2021 |
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Live Animal Traps
Retired Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to set and bait a live animal trap for raccoons or possums. There are several different mechanisms for tripping the trap. This one uses a hook to release the door. Mike places bait in the back of the trap. He uses a can of tuna which raccoons love. Then he places the trap on the ground in a place where animals are less likely to to try to get the food from the side of the trap. He then drops chunks of tuna outside the trap and in the entrance to the trap. The idea is the raccoon would follow the path of food into the trap and trip the trap once inside. To prevent the spread of disease, many states do not allow the transportation of wild animals without a license. Contact your local wildlife agency or game warden to learn your local laws and regulations.
Related Videos: How do you get rid of moles without using traps? Fences to Keep the Critters Out of the Garden Common Garden Pests Related Resources: Managing Nuisance Animals and Associated Damage Around the Home Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency FAQ on Animal Damage Control Nuisance Wildlife Control: A Training Manual: Tools and Techniques January 30, 2021 |
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Raptors
Raptors or birds of prey can help control rodent population in the garden. Mary Schmidt from Lichterman Nature Center says all raptors are carnivores. They have three main features that set them apart from other birds: talons, a curved beak, and good eyesight. There are many different kinds of raptors including hawks, eagles, and owls and she talks about each kind. Most raptors eat small rodents like mice, rats, voles, chipmunks, or squirrels, which can all be problems for gardeners. Other raptors eat birds. The best way to encourage raptor populations in your area is to not use rodenticides as these poisons will build-up and kill the raptors eating the poisoned animals. Mary brought a live owl to show some of the features of birds of prey.
Related Videos: Owls Wildlife Friendly Gardens Bird Feeders Related Resources: Attracting Birds of Prey for Rodent Control Attracting Wildlife for Pest Control on Farmland What makes a bird a raptor? January 23, 2021 |
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Fences to Keep the Critters Out of the Garden
There are many fences available and some do better than others at keeping animals out of the garden. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about the different kinds. Wooden privacy fences will keep deer out of the garden. Adding metal mesh buried under the wood fence will keep out rabbits. But raccoons will be able to climb over a wood fence and wooden fences are expensive. A less expensive option is poly deer fence, but that is still not as effective as an electric fence. Mike talks about electric fences and how to put them up to keep both deer-sized and raccoon-sized animals out of the garden. Electric fences are very effective with minimal effort and cost.
Related Videos: Nuisance Wildlife: Deer Common Garden Pests Live Animal Traps Related Resources: Preventing Deer Damage How to Build a Plastic Mesh Deer Exclusion Fence Problem Wildlife in the Garden and Yard January 23, 2021 |
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Gardening in 5-Gallon Buckets
If you don’t have the space or time for an in-ground garden, planting vegetables in five-gallon buckets is a great option. UT Extension County Director Walter Battle shows how to plant a tomato in a five-gallon bucket. Make sure your bucket is safe to use. Don’t use a bucket that has been used for chemicals or oil-based substances. Walter recommends using a new bucket. Walter drills holes in the bottom of the bucket and places a piece of landscape fabric in the bottom to keep the soil from running out. He adds some rock to the bottom for drainage and then soil. He also adds some manure for nutrients and plants a tomato plant. Tomatoes like to be planted deep, so he adds more soil around the plant. He also talks about how to water the plant and take care of it. Walter talks briefly about growing other vegetables like peppers and squash in buckets.
Related Videos: Planting an Herb and Flower Container Garden Building Raised Bed Related Resources: DIY Basic Bucket Garden Container Gardening Growing Vegetable in Containers January 16, 2021 |
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Easy to Grow Herbs
An herb is any useful plant, but most often they are used to flavor food. Reni Erskine, president of the Memphis Herb Society talks about four easy-to-grow herbs and how she grows them.
First is flat-leafed or Italian parsley. It is easier to grow than the curly-leafed varieties. If you let the parsley bolt it will reseed. Very few insects eat parsley, but parsley is a favorite food for the caterpillar of the swallowtail butterfly. Dill is another of Reni’s favorites. Dill is a good herb to use with fish or in a vinaigrette or sauce. Dill grows best when planted in the fall. It tends to bolt in the heat of summer, but it will reseed itself as well. Chives give a light onion taste to food and are easy to grow. She also shows garlic chives which grow prolifically and like to take over. Both chives have flowers that are both beautiful and a great addition to salads. Basil is a favorite herb for many people. There are many different kinds with different flavors. It does well in the windowsill in the kitchen. Basil also works well as a companion plant for tomatoes. Most herbs like moist well-drained soil. Growing many kinds of herbs in among vegetables reduces insect pressure on the vegetables. Related Videos: Planting an Herb and Flower Container Garden Preserving Herbs Related Resources: Growing Herbs Indoor Herb Gardening January 16, 2021 |
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Organic Gardening
Gardening Expert Tonya Ashworth talks about organic gardening in the home garden. There is no single definition for organic gardening. Organic gardening in the home garden is trying to grow food using all natural products including not using synthetic pesticides. It may be difficult to control insects and diseases when growing things organically. Because of this diseases need to be prevented because they are difficult to sure. For example, mulch can help prevent blight on tomatoes by keeping the fungus spores in the soil from splashing on the lower leaves. Growing a disease resistant variety will also help. Crop rotation can reduce disease pressure. Tonya shows some organic products that can be used including: insecticidal soap, BT, horticultural oil, neem oil, sulfur, Pyrethrin, diatomaceous earth.
Related Videos: Planting and Fertilizing an Organic Garden Organic Gardening Related Resources: Growing an Organic Garden—The Fundamentals Growing Vegetables Organically Organic Vegetable Gardening Techniques January 9, 2021 |
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Worm Composting
Bill Abresch from Happy Daze Worm Farm talks about worm composting basics. Worms break down organic matter in the soil. They also produce worm castings which is nutrient rich. You can feed them with the same scraps you would put in a compost pile. Bill talks about how he starts a worm colony, feeds them and then gathers the castings to put on his plants. Worm castings are very high in bacteria which benefit plants when put into the soil.
Related Videos: Composting Turning a Compost Pile Related Resources: Worm Composting Earthworms Vermicomposting - Composting with Worms January 9, 2021 |
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Building a Grow Light
Building a homemade grow light stand is cheap and easy. It will cost about $26. You will need an 8 foot 2x4, 8 screws, a couple wood scraps, and a fluorescent light fixture. Master Gardener Tom Mashour shows how to put it together. Grow stands provide the light seedlings need to grow before it gets warm enough to put them outdoors in the spring. They can also be used to provide light to plants you bring in for the winter.
Related Videos: What light do you need when you put plants in the garage for the winter? Starting Fall Vegetables From Seed Related Resources: Starting seeds indoors Starting Plants Indoors From Seeds Starting Seeds Indoors January 2, 2021 |
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Finding Good Gardening Advice Online
There are many internet sites that have bad or misleading gardening information. UT Extension Horticultural Specialist Carol Reese talks about how to find the good information.
Her first piece of advice: be wary of sites that are trying to sell you something. They may not be telling you the whole truth. National and big box store websites often have information that does not apply to your area or climate. Carol also recommends going to .edu sites where there is information backed up by scientific research. There is a problem even at a .edu site: the publication you are looking at may be old and out of date. Check web sites from several different states to make sure there is a consensus as to what to do. Another good place to go are the web sites of professional organizations. They have an interest in giving you good information. Along the same lines there are many large plant societies that focus on one species. They are looking to provide accurate information to help their members and others who have in interest in that plant. Related Videos: Gardening Resources Gardening Ergonomics Related Resources: Finding accurate information on the Internet Criteria to Evaluate the Credibility of WWW Resources January 2, 2021 |
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Viburnum
TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond talks about viburnum. There is allot of variety within viburnum. Some viburnum are shrubs, but others can grow as large as a tree. Depending on the type, they are deciduous, evergreen, or semi-evergreen. There are several things all viburnum do: they bloom in the spring with white or pink flowers, they also have red fruit that turns to purple if it stays on the plant. The berries are good food for birds. Viburnum likes full sun but will grow in a fairly shady location with a reduction in blooming. They are very tolerant of wet soils, but they do not like wet feet.
Joellen talks about several varieties of viburnum that she likes including David Viburnum (Viburnum davidii), which is a smaller plant; Korean spice viburnum (Viburnum carlesii) with fragrant flowers; Doublefile Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum tomentosum) which produces many berries; and leather leaf viburnum (Viburnum rhytidophyllum) which has thick leaves. Related Videos: Pineapple Lily What is This Plant? Allium Related Resources: Viburnum Viburnum Diseases and Insect Pests December 26, 2020 |
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Aster
TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond talks about asters. Asters have been the subject of allot of scientific research, and as a result of DNA testing many plants traditionally thought of as asters have been reclassified. But, many plants that are not technically asters anymore are still called aster. Most asters found in garden centers are Symphyotrichum novi-belgii. There are many cultivars of these asters with many different color flowers. All asters bloom in the fall and most have very vibrant colors. Native asters are available from seed catalogs and you can find asters blooming in the fall in nature. Asters like full sun and well-drained soil. Joellen shows a cutting from a fragrant aster.
Related Videos: Sowing Wildflowers Fall and Winter Flowers Related Resources: Asters Growing Fall Asters December 26, 2020 |
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Fall and Winter Fruit Tree Care
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about how to care for fruit trees in fall and winter. As fruit trees go dormant for the winter you should clean up under the trees. Get rid of fallen leaves, branches, and fruit. These items may harbor diseases and removing them will lessen disease pressure next year. Dispose of these in the trash or burn them. Over the winter you can spray dormant oil and fungicides to kill overwintering bugs and disease. Dormant oils will control many insects. Lime Sulphur will help control bacterial and fungal diseases. Fixed copper controls fungal diseases. Mike gives recommendations on when and how to use each of these. Always read and follow label directions. Another thing you can do is paint the trunk of the fruit tree with white latex paint. This acts as a sunscreen and will help keep the bark from splitting from freeze-thaw cycles in the winter and spring. Finally, fall and winter is the time to start thinking about ordering new trees to plant next year.
Related Videos: Fruit Tree Rootstock Basics Fruit Tree Pruning Related Resources: Growing Fruits: Care of Mature Backyard Apple Trees Fruit Tree Management Timetable December 26, 2020 |
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Spirea
TSU Extension Agent, Joellen Dimond talks, about Spriea and some of the available cultivars. Spirea is a blooming deciduous shrub. Traditionally, they are very large but there are many new smaller cultivars available including dwarf varieties that grow to about one foot tall. Depending on the cultivar you can have blooms from spring till frost including through the heat of the summer. Some varieties also have beautiful colorful leaves. Spirea likes well drained soil but can tolerate many soil conditions.
Related Videos: Planting Shrubs in Wet Heavy Soil Abelia Related Resources: Spirea Using Trees and Shrubs for Privacy and Wind Screening Selecting Landscape Plants: Deciduous Shrubs December 19, 2020 |
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Dealing with Landscape Professionals
Madison County Extension Agent, Celeste Scott, talks about the different types of landscape professionals and gives tips on how to have your landscape project go smoothly and get what you want.
Landscape architects have engineering experience and design the overall master plan. They are less concerned with the plants and more with the overall flow and function of the space. Landscape designers are more artistic and make the plant choices and plant design for the area. If your project is not extensive you can hire a landscape designer and forgo the architect as architects can be expensive. Landscape contractors move the dirt and do the installation of the plants. Landscape designers on a small project may do the contractor work themselves. Celeste also gives some tips for project success including: - Build a relationship with the professional you are hiring. Be open and able to communicate with them. - Have a budget in place before you start. - Be open about what you want in the landscaped area. - Make sure you sign a contract. - Identify your personal garden style and communicate it to the professional. Related Videos: Landscaping Principles Planting a Tree Related Resources: Choosing a Landscape Professional Landscaping Your Front Yard Low Maintenance Landscape Ideas December 19, 2020 |
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Microgreens
University of Tennessee Assistant Professor of Residential and Consumer Horticulture Natalie Bumgarner talks about how to grow microgreens. Microgreens are young edible plants that can be used as garnishes for other dishes or used as an entire salad. The plants have developed their first true set of leaves before they are harvested, usually about two weeks after they are planted. Anything that has an edible leaf and stem can be grown as a microgreen. Some of the commonly grown plants include: Cabbage, Broccoli, herbs, lettuce and amaranth. Natalie uses a soil-less germination mix that already has fertilizer in it. Because the harvest time is so short you usually don’t need to add more fertilizer. They need to be grown in high light locations but not in direct sun because they will dry out and die. Under porches or even in a bright window will work. Because the plants are so close together it is important to keep the stems dry to prevent disease. Watering from the bottom of the tray keeps them dry. Microgreens are best harvested by a pair of scissors. They do not store well so harvest them as you need them.
Related Videos: Young Tree Checkup Nursery Plant Selection Related Resources: Microgreens Growing Microgreens for the Mississippi Gardener Growing Microgreens In Your Home December 12, 2020 |
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Home Mouse and Rat Control
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about how to keep mice and rats out of your house and how to get rid of them once they are inside. Mice and rats have skulls that can compress allowing them to squeeze through very small spaces. Mice can get through a hole larger than ¼ inch, rats can get through a hole larger than ½ inch. To block possible entry points on your home use sheet steel or hardware cloth with ¼ inch spacing. Mike shows many different kinds of traps and bait stations including snap traps, single use traps, and humane no-kill traps. He also talks about the different kinds of bate and safety precautions that should be taken with baits and poisons.
Related Videos: Garden Rodent Control Voles Related Resources: Rat and Mouse Control Controlling House Mice Controlling Rats December 12, 2020 |
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Build a Holiday Evergreen Display
Jason Reeves from the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson, demonstrates how to make beautiful holiday greenery displays using large pots and cuttings from evergreen shrubs and trees. Large plastic pots work best because they will not crack in the winter like clay pots may do. The existing soil and roots in the pots work well to hold the greenery in place. Jason adds many kinds of evergreen cuttings including junipers and cypresses. He cuts the branches at an angle and pokes them into the soil. Once he has an evergreen base he uses holly, magnolia, and branches from red twig dogwood and twisted willow to add pops of color and different textures to the arrangement. The greenery will last up to a month depending on the temperature and humidity of the air. Watering the arrangement will help it last longer. The branches stuck in the soil will draw the water from the soil and help the arrangement last.
Related Video: Making a Fall Pumpkin Display Related Resources: Holiday Decorating With Fresh Greenery Pruning Evergreens December 5, 2016 |
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Getting Tools Ready for Winter
If you take care of your tools they will take care of you. Part of that is cleaning and preparing your garden tools for winter. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows what he does to get his hand tools ready for winter. He uses a flat file on the metal parts of his tools to remove burs and sharpen the edges of his sharp tools. Once they are sharp, he covers the metal with penetrating oil like WD40 to prevent rust. Then he lightly sands the wood handles of his tools and applies linseed oil to the wood to protect it. The tools are now ready for winter storage and use in the spring.
Related Videos: Tools Every Gardener Needs Fall Garden Tool Care Related Resources: Caring for Your Tools Tool Care Maintaining Lawn and Garden Tools December 5, 2020 |
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Propagating Ferns from Spores
Ferns are one of the most primitive vascular plants in the world today. Gardeners can propagate ferns by dividing and sometimes with cutting rhizomes, but in nature ferns reproduce by spores. Kim Rucker the Greenhouse manager at Dixon Gallery and Gardens tells how to propagate ferns from the spores. In the late summer or early fall the fern spores on the back of the leaves are mature. Kim collects some leaves in an envelope and shows how to get the spores to release. Then she prepares a small container with germinating mix and vermiculite and dumps the spores in. After several weeks a moss-looking green covering will be seen on the soil. This is the gametophyte stage of the fern’s life cycle. If you continue to let it grow the sporophyte stage will grow, which is what we know as a fern.
Related Videos: How do I take care of Boston Ferns especially in the winter? Why are my fern fronds dying? Related Resources: Growing Ferns Growing Tropical Ferns Indoors November 28, 2020 |
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Daylily Basics
Daylilies are forgiving plants that add color to the garden. It is the favorite flower of UT Extension Agent Lucas Holman. There are over 60,000 hybrids of daylily, but there are two main distinct types: diploid and tetraploid – which refers to the number of chromosomes. Daylilies need full sun. They do well in many kinds of soil from heavy to loose. Lucas briefly talks about how to cross different plants and create new hybrids. He also talks about how to divide the plants, which is best done in the spring. If you are interested in growing daylilies Lucas recommends joining the American Hemerocallis Society which is the national daylily growing organization.
American Hemerocallis Society Website at daylilies.org Related Videos: Lily Japanese Maple Basics Related Resources: Daylilies Daylily November 28, 2020 |
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Pressing Flowers
Pressing flowers is a great way to preserve beautiful blooms and create works of art. Master Gardener Mary Heim shows how to do it. She says thinner flowers work best. She shows how to arrange the items in a flower press and then apply pressure. After several weeks the flowers will be flat and dry and can be removed and mounted for display. She shows several pressed arrangements she has done with flowers from her yard.
Related Videos: Fall and Winter Flowers Basic Ikebana Flower Arranging Related Resources: How to Press Flowers Drying Flowers and Foliage for Arrangements November 21, 2020 |
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How to Make a Lasagna Garden
Preparing a garden the traditional way – with herbicides, a shovel, and a rototiller – is hard work. Starting your beds with a lasagna garden is much easier and doesn’t require any power tools. Master Gardener Ginny Fletcher demonstrates how to build a lasagna garden. Essentially, a lasagna garden is a large compost pile built on top the ground. Ginny recommends starting by laying down several layers of cardboard or thick newspaper and watering to keep them in place. The cardboard or newspaper will smother all the existing grass and weeds without herbicide. Then she layers organic material on top as follows:
You can sprinkle bone meal, wood ash, or other amendments on the pile to contribute other nutrients. The best time to do a lasagna garden is in the fall when the layers will have time to compost over the winter so in the spring you can plant directly into the lasagna. If you build the lasagna garden in the spring, cover the layers with garden soil so your plants will have something to grow in while the rest breaks down. Related Videos: Tilling and Amending a New Garden Composting Related Resources: Sheet mulching — aka lasagna composting — builds soil, saves time Multiple benefits of a lasagna-style heritage garden November 21, 2020 |
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Spring Blooming Bulbs
Spring bulbs, especially tulips are some of the first flowers of spring. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talks about how to choose and care for bulbs. Bulbs need the cold of winter to trigger root growth and also plant and flower growth when it warms up in spring. Joellen talks about options for keeping deer and rodents from eating your bulbs. She also lists some bulbs they won’t eat. Where you live influences what bulbs you can grow and what you have to do to get the bulbs to bloom. Joellen goes through all the USDA zones from 3-10 and gives instructions for success in each. She also shows how to force a bulb, or make it bloom out of season.
Related Videos: How to Plant Flower Bulbs Planting Pansies and Tulips for Winter and Spring Color Planting Daffodils, Dianthus, and Pansies Related Resources: Flowering Bulbs for Tennessee Gardens Spring Flowering Bulbs Fall Planted Bulbs and Corms November 14, 2020 |
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Attracting Winter Birds
Debbie Bruce from Wild Birds Unlimited talks about how to attract winter birds to your yard. There are some birds that stay in the area for the winter but there will also be many birds that have traveled south to your area for the winter. You can attract birds with feeders and birdbaths. Birds like clean bird feeders. In feeders, you can provide loose seed or compressed seed cylinders. You can also provide suit which is rendered fat. Suit is not found in nature so the birds will need help discovering the suit, frost it with peanut butter and put some seeds on it. Cut up apples will attract several colorful species of birds. Water is important for birds in the winter. Birds need it to drink and wash. When the weather is cold and most water frozen, birds will frequent a bird bath that is not frozen. A bird bath deicer will keep it liquid when the temperature drops. Birds also like to have shelter close to the feeder to protect against hawks. Staking your old Christmas tree close to a feeder will provide shelter to the birds while they are waiting for their turn to eat.
Related Videos: Birdhouses Attracting Purple Martins Related Resources: Winter Bird Feeding: The Basics Winter Bird Feeding Remember the Birds in Winter November 14, 2020 |
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Planting Pansies and Tulips for Winter and Spring Color
Even though winters are cold it is still possible to have color in your flower beds. Joellen Dimond, Director of Landscape at the University of Memphis, shows how to prepare a bed and plant pansies and tulips. She first removes all the plants and turns over the soil to break up any clods. In the process she digs up the daffodils that were planted last year and sets them aside to replant. She then turns her attention to planting the bulbs. For fertilizer, she spreads bone meal on the soil and then plants the tulips about 6 inches deep. The bone meal is incorporated into the soil as the bulbs are planted. She also replants the daffodils. Once the bulbs are planted, she spreads a slow release fertilizer and mulch. She then lays out and plants the pansies through the mulch. The bulbs are deep enough they are not disturbed by planting the pansies. The pansies will give a splash of color in the winter and the tulips and daffodils will pop up in the spring.
Past Plantings in this flower bed: Planting Summer Flowers 2016 Planting Fall Flowers 2016 Planting Petunias, Vinca, and Salvia (2017) Planting Dusty Miller and Pansies (2017) Planting Summer Flowers (2018) Planting Violas (2018) Planting Sunpatiens, Joseph's Coat, and Colocasia (2019) Planting Daffodils, Dianthus, and Pansies (2019) Related Resources: Success with Pansies in the Winter Landscape: A Guide for Landscape Professionals Darling Dianthus Spring Flowering Bulbs: Daffodils Dusty Miller, Senecio cineraria November 7, 2020 |
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Garlic
UT Extension Agent and garlic fanatic Lucas Holman talks all about garlic. There are two major types of garlic: soft neck and hard neck. Soft neck garlic is what you usually find in the store. It does not have a flower stalk through the middle of the bulb. It grows best in zones 8 and warmer. Soft neck garlic stores for up to a year. Hard neck garlic has a flower stalk and only keeps for 5-6 months. It grows best in zone 6 and colder. Both kinds can be grown successfully in zone 7.
Garlic is easy to grow. It should be planted in the ground in the fall and harvested early the next summer. It will grow a green stem in the fall and then not do much in the cold of winter. It will begin growing again in the spring. It should be fertilized, but not with nitrogen after April as that will encourage green growth not bulb formation. Lucas harvests his garlic when the bottom leaves have turned brown but there are still 5-6 green leaves on the plant. He bundles the garlic and hangs it in a well-ventilated area out of the sun to dry. After it has dried he cuts off the top and places them in net bags for storage. Related Videos: Cleaning Garlic What is this plant? - Garlic Related Resources: Growing garlic in home gardens Garlic Garlic Production for the Gardener November 7, 2020 |
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Tilling and Amending a New Garden
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to get a section of turf grass ready to become a new garden. He is doing this in the fall so the amendments have time to break down over the winter. The first thing he did was get a soil test. The soil test allows him to know exactly what to do to the ground with fertilizer and amendments. He sprayed the area that would be tilled with glyphosate (Round-up). This killed the grass. The grass yellowed but did not turn brown. This is because in the cooler weather the grass was not growing. The grass is still dead, just not brown. Then he tilled the grass. After that he added three inches of amendments to the top of the soil. Lime is best added when tilling but he did not add any because the soil test said the soil was very basic already. He then went over the soil several times with the rototiller to mix the amendments in. Mike only tilled half of the garden because the other half was too wet to work.
Related Videos: Rototilling a Garden Soil Preparation Related Resources: Soil Preparation Improving Garden Soil October 31, 2020 |
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Liming a Lawn
Liming Increases pH. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about different kinds of lime - including dolomitic and agricultural lime - and then shows how to spread pelletized limestone. Before he spreads the lime, Mike uses a soil test to calculate how much lime is needed. Then he puts the correct amount in his spreader and explains how to get an even application by spreading a small amount per pass in several different directions.
Related Videos: Lawn Aeration Lawn Fertilization Related Resources: Liming Your Lawn Fertilization and Management of Home Loans October 24, 2020 |
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Starting a Compost Pile
Composting is a great way to get free fertilizer for your garden. Garden Expert Tonya Ashworth explains that compost in addition to being a great soil conditioner, contains all the macro-and micro-nutrients your plants need. She builds a compost pile and explains what to add and what not to add. She also talks about weed seeds and manure in the compost pile. She builds the compost pile from leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen scraps. She talks about how to mix and take care of the new compost pile.
Related Videos: Composting Worm Composting TWIG Turning a Compost Pile Related Resources: Composting in home gardens Home Composting October 24, 2020 |
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Scale
Scales are one of the most destructive insects on plants. TSU Extension Specialist Amy Dismukes talks about hard and soft scale and how to treat infestations on your plants.
Hard scale feeds on the very outside of the phloem layer of the plant so it is difficult to control with a systemic insecticide. They need to be controlled in the juvenile stage with horticultural oils or insect growth regulators like Talus. There are multiple generations of hard scale each year, but the best time to control them is in early spring when the crawlers are active. If you have a limited infestation, you can prune out and dispose of the problem branches. Soft scales feed deeper in the phloem layer and suck more sap that they can use. Because they have more sap passing through them, they can be effectively controlled by systemic insecticides like Imidacloprid or Dinotefuran. They also only have one generation per year. Soft scale produce honeydew which provides a surface for fungus to grow. This fungus is called sooty mold and creates a black layer on leaves, patios, sidewalks, and cars that are under plants infested with sap-sucking insects like scale. Related Videos: What do I do about the scales on my euonymus Treating Crape Myrtle Bark Scale Related Resources: Armored (Hard) Scale - Trees and Shrubs Soft Scales October 17, 2020 |
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Making a Fall Pumpkin Display
The Fall is here, and with it all the beautiful shades of orange and yellow we're used to. Horticulturist Jason Reeves shows us how to take those gorgeous hues in squash and pumpkins to make a fall display in our yards. Make sure to check your pumpkins for blemishes, and wash them in bleach mixed with water to to avoid rot. If you want some extra shine, and don't mind the artificial look, some clear shellac can add some shine to your gourds as well. Using all different sizes, shapes and colors of pumpkins can add variety to your display. Also, don't expect to come up with the perfect arrangement on the first try. Take a break if it does not seem to be working and come back to it later. Also, Jason takes a minute to show off a Tennessee dancing gourd, which spins like a top.
Related Videos: Fall and Winter Flowers Build a Holiday Evergreen Display Related Resources: Choose, Store And Decorate Pumpkins and Gourds For Fall Displays Pumpkins, gourds make attractive fall displays October 10, 2020 |
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Building a Hoop House
Chris and Master Gardener Stephan Leonard build a hoop house greenhouse on a raised bed garden. All you need to do this are a few PVC pipes, a big sheet of plastic and some simple hardware. We go step by step on how to build it. Hoop houses - like greenhouses - use the sun to warm the soil and air inside. This lets you plant your plants earlier and keep them growing later in the season when outside temperatures would kill them.
Related Videos: Cool Season Vegetables Installing a Drip Irrigation System Related Resources: Here's How To Build a Hoop House Constructing a Low-cost High Tunnel October 10, 2020 |
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Fertilizing Trees
Fertilizing trees gives them the nutrients they need, but it can help in other ways. Certified Arborist Wes Hopper talks about fertilizing trees and the different ways to do it. Roots need air and space in the soil. Certain fertilizing methods help create this space and get the fertilizer down into the ground where the tree can get it. Wes also talks about mycorrhiza and the interaction of fungus and plants. He also describes how proper fertilization will encourage tree roots to grow down and not grow on the surface. Wes also talks about pruning roots.
Related Videos: Encouraging Tree Feeder Root Growth How a Tree Works Related Resources: Fertilizing Shade Trees Fertilizing Trees & Shrubs October 3, 2020 |
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Gardening Under Trees
UT Extension Horticultural Specialist Carol Reese talks about growing plants under trees. One of the most important things to consider is the shade the tree will make. Another consideration is the competition from the tree roots. Often the area under the tree is full of roots. Covering the roots with additional soil seems like the easy fix but it may harm the tree. The tree roots need oxygen from the air so covering them will smother them. If you do need to add soil, Carol recommends mounding a light and fluffy material like gin trash or composted sawdust. The new plants will need lots of water. The light added soil will dry out quickly and the tree will suck water out of the soil.
Carol does not recommend tilling under trees but she does say that trees can handle up to about 30% of their roots being disturbed. Carol does not like vigorous ground cover because it will take over the area and spread beyond where the gardener wants it to be. In the South-east United States a woodland garden is the easiest to maintain because that is the natural state of nature. Also, the shade is nice in the summer. Related Videos: Gardening on Slopes Gardening Ergonomics Related Resources: Gardening in Shade Annual and Perennial Flower Shade Gardening in Tennessee Gardening in the Shade October 3, 2020 |
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Gardening On Slopes
UT Extension Horticultural Specialist Carol Reese talks about growing plants on slopes. Erosion is the big challenge on slopes. Water runs downhill so it will erode bare dirt. Carol says you need to do something to stop the water from running down the slope while the plants to get established. Carol recommends diverting the water to keep it from eroding. If you can’t, use terraces, either formal or temporary. Her method of temporary terracing is rows of sticks stuck in the ground with straw or pine straw against them to catch the eroding soil. When the plants are established the straw and sticks will decompose into the soil.
Carol prefers shrubs over groundcover to stop erosion on slopes. Shrubs are less expensive because you need fewer of them to cover the same area. Also with shrubs there are fewer plants to take care of before they are established. Carol likes several plants for covering slopes. Winter Jasmine is a weeping shrub that will anchor wherever it touches the ground. It also blooms in the winter. Another option that goes along with the sticks and straw above is to replace some of the sticks with plant cuttings that will root easily by themselves like elaeagnus ebbingei (ebbing’s silverberry) or forsythia. Trees are also a possibility but you will need to build a containment system while it gets established. Related Videos: Gardening Under Trees Water-Wise Gardening Related Resources: Gardening on a Hillside Gardening on Steep Slopes Raised-Bed Gardening October 3, 2020 |
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Winter Cover CropsMaster Gardener Carl Wayne Hardeman talks about the benefits of cover crops in the garden. Cover crops are planted to cover bare ground. They can be used for erosion prevention or adding nutrients and structure to the soil. Soil microbes are important to plants and live on the roots of plants. Having bare ground can starve the microbes, cover crops can feed the microbes until the next crop is planted. Good cover crops for the winter are cold hardy plants like turnip greens, rutabagas, annual rye grass, winter wheat, clover, vetch, and peas. The cover crop also helps choke out weeds that might try to grow. Legumes can be especially valuable as a cover crop because they fix nitrogen into the soil that is available for the later plants. In the spring winter cover crops can be tilled in, but also can be left and the spring planting made through the cover crop. Related Videos: Winter Garden Vegetables Fall and Winter Flowers Planting Cool Season Vegetables Related Resources: Cover Crops for Home Gardens Cover Crops Cover Crops in Missouri: Putting Them to Work on Your Farm |
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Boxwood
UT Horticultural Specialist Carol Reese talks about boxwood. There are several species of boxwood. The most common species is the English or common boxwood. These are frequently, and incorrectly, called American Boxwood – which is not a species. It comes from North Africa and western Europe. It is a picky plant. It has very specific sighting requirements regarding heat, cold, and roots. Korean and Japanese little leaf types are more tolerant to the hot summer sun. It is important before you plant to make sure you research your site and boxwood that will tolerate it. Boxwood are most often pruned to a shape by shearing the outside branches and leaves. This is not the best way to prune boxwood. They should be pruned by plucking inside branches, opening-up the plant to light to encourage growth on the inside. This method will also allow you to reduce the size of the plant. Do not prune boxwood in the fall. If you really love boxwood, there a number of societies you can join that specialize in boxwood.
Realted Videos: Boxwood When is the best time of year to prune boxwood? How do I do it? Related Resources: Boxwood Boxwood Diseases & Insect Pests The American Boxwood Society |
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Summer Rose CareIn the summer roses slow down. Their best blooms are in spring and fall. Summer is the time to get your plants ready for large fall blooms. Rose expert Bill Dickerson shows how to care for rose bushes in summer and then how to get them ready for fall. He shows the fertilizers and amendments he uses. He also talks about mulch. Bill shows how to deadhead or remove spent blooms. He also shows how to cut dead wood out of the bush. He talks about how to get roses ready for producing large blooms in the fall when the weather cools.
Related Videos: Basic Rose Care Rose Bush Pruning Related Resources: Growing Roses Pruning Roses Roses: fertilizing |
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Fall Fruit Tree Care
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about fall fruit tree care. Once fruit is harvested there are several things you should do. The base of the tree should be weed free. Mike recommends bare ground. He uses a selective herbicide that will not harm the trees. Also, make sure that all mummy fruit is removed from the tree and the ground under the tree. The mummies are one place where disease and insects can overwinter. Fall is a good time to do a soil test and lime as appropriate. If your trees were blighted there is not much to do this year, but follow a spray schedule next year. Fruit trees can be planted in the fall of the year if you can find them. Fall is a good time to select and order trees for next year.
Related Videos: Planting Fruit Trees Fall and Winter Fruit Tree Care Related Resources: Home Tree Fruit Plan Fruit Tree Management Timetable Disease and Insect Control in Home Fruit Plantings |
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Starting Cool Season Vegetables From Seed
Master Gardener Tom Mashour talks about starting cool season vegetables indoors. The cool season is often not long enough to allow cool season vegetables to fully mature before frost. Starting the vegetables early in containers allows them to get a head start. Tom uses two kinds of soil mixes: germinating mix, which is very fine; and “Pro Mix,” which is what you see with nursery plants. He only uses the germinating mix for the finest of seeds. A tool called a dibble is very useful for planting seeds. You can use it to poke the hole into which you will plant the seeds. Small pots work well for planting monocot seeds (like onions) that have a more contained root system. Larger pots are useful for dicot seeds and seeds which will have a larger root system. Tom shows how to plant onions and broccoli. He also talks about the grow light he uses for the plants while they are inside.
Related Videos: Lettuce Cabbage Related Resources: Starting Seeds at Home Starting Plants Indoors From Seeds Vegetable Planting Guide |
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Figs
Bill Colvard has been growing figs for years. Figs are actually the blossom of the plant. The interior of the fig, the part that you eat is the flower and it is encapsulated by the body. Figs are from a Mediterranean climate which is hot and dry. In more humid climates figs can rot before they are ready. In humid climates like the southeast United States look for figs that have a small eye. The larger the eye the more problems you will have with fermentation and ants. There are several ways to propagate figs. The most successful way is layering which is bending a branch down to the ground and holding it there until it forms roots of its own. The bark should be wounded on the underside of the part of the branch that is in contact with the ground. The main pests of figs are ants and birds.
Related Videos: How do you know when to pick figs? When to Plant Figs Related Resources: Figs Figs in the Home Planting Fig Production Guide |
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Correct Lawn Fertilizer Application
Putting out the right amount of fertilizer, in the right way, is essential for a green, healthy lawn. UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh shows how to do it. He starts out talking about the importance of soil testing and soil pH. He demonstrates how to apply fertilizer so there is even coverage with no gaps. Booker also shows fertilizer burn, where a lot of fertilizer was dropped in a small area causing a brown spot. Each bag of fertilizer will have three numbers that tell the percentage of the product that is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Booker also gives fertilizing tips.
Related Videos: Fertilizer Basics Garden Fertilizer Math Kinds of Fertilizer Related Resources: Fertilization and Management of Home Lawns Fertilizing Lawns |
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Canning Green Beans
UT Extension Agent, Cathy Faust, shows how to cold pack can green beans so you can enjoy your garden all year. She starts by preparing her equipment including the pressure canner. Then she puts the beans in a hot jar and pours hot water over them. She leaves about one inch of headspace in the jar and adds a teaspoon of canning salt. Then she places the lid on the jar and screws the lid on fingertip tight. She puts the jars in the pressure canner and processes them. When the canner has cooled, and the pressure has returned to zero, she removes the canner lid and the jars. Cathy shows what a bad, spoiled jar of beans looks like. Find Cathy's Green Bean Canning Notes, here.
You can download the UT Extension Canning Publication that Cathy References here (PB724). Related Videos: Pressure Canning Tomatoes Preserving Herbs Canning Peaches Related Resources: Canning Vegetables Canning Foods Canning Fruits and Tomatoes |
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