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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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Grass Lawn Alternatives
Director of Landscape at The University of Memphis Joellen Dimond gives some ideas for what to do if you are tired of maintaining your grass lawn. Before you run out and kill your grass you need to determine your needs for landscape. Do you have children that want to play or pets? The options run the gamut in price from an expensive pool to hardscape to bare gravel and mulch to shrubs to meadows. Even without grass there is still maintenance that must be done on any landscape.
Related Resources: Alternatives to Lawn Replacing Turf Grass With Pollinator Friendly Lawn Alternatives Shady lawn alternatives |
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Carbaryl
Carbaryl has been around for a long time. It is the third most used insecticide in the US and is sold under the trade name Sevin. It is an acetyl colanase inhibitor so it disrupts the nervous system if the insect. Insects can absorb or ingest the insecticide so it is very effective on chewing insects who ingest it. Some insects have developed a resistance to carbaryl. Be careful when you use it because it is non-selective and will kill most insects including beneficials like bees. Research and use alternatives that are more targeted to the pest you have.
Relate Videos: Imidacloprid Permethrin Related Resources: Carbaryl Carbaryl General Fact Sheet |
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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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Permethrin
Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid. It mimics pyrethrin, a natural occurring chemical found in chrysanthemums. It is an acetyl colanase inhibitor so it disrupts the nervous system if the insect. There are many synthetic pyrethroids on the market. It is non-selective so be careful in applications to minimize the effect on beneficial insects. It was first used as a head lice treatment for humans. It has been put on the World Health Organization list of essential medicines because it will kill insects that carry disease. Insects can develop resistance to permethrin.
Related Videos: Carbaryl Imidacloprid Related Resources: Permethrin Permethrin General Fact Shee |
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Correct Way to Cut Your Lawn
Cutting your lawn the right way will help keep it looking the best all season long. UT Extension Agent Booker T. Leigh talks about some things you can do. He starts with correct mowing height. He also shows what scalped (cut too low) grass looks like and tells what to do to fix the problem. Booker also talks about cutting your grass in different directions to help it stand up straight which creates better nutrient and water flow to the roots. He also talks about sharpening mower blades and when to bag or mulch the clippings.
Related Videos: Summer Lawn Watering Summer Lawn Problems Related Resources: Turfgrass Maintenance Mowing Mowing practices for healthy lawns August 22, 2020 |
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Wildflowers
Andy Williams from Lichterman Nature Center talks about three of his favorite native wildflowers: baptisia, purple cone flower, and New England aster. Baptisia, commonly called false wild blue indigo, blooms in the early spring. It has blue-green foliage and blooms with a blue flower. It is a legume and has large seed pods. The pods start green and turn black over the summer. Baptisia is a sturdy plant when grown in full sun but if you cut is back by a third after it blooms it makes a nice blue green shrub that stands up without staking for the entire season. The pruning also helps remove the seed pods which cause reseeding. Purple coneflower (echinacea purpurea) is beautiful, with purple flowers with a yellow center that turns black. The seed heads are also food for birds. Purple coneflower normally blooms in the spring but can be delayed by pruning so you have some control over bloom time. In full sun it will stand upright unless there is a wind. With selective pruning, you can create a sturdier plant. Echinacea will reseed profusely in your garden. If you want to collect and save the seeds you will need to scarify them over the winter. New England aster blooms in the fall. The plant produces masses of purple-blue flowers with yellow centers which provide a good fall nectar source for bees and butterflies. Wild New England aster can grow up to six feet tall. Named cultivars have been bred to be shorter, have more blooms, and have more intense flower colors. Pruning the plant in the spring or early summer will encourage a bushier growth with less height. These plants do produce seed but reproduce from rood division. They will spread so they need to be contained which can be done easily. Related Videos: Sowing Wildflowers Where to Plant Poppies Related Resources: Wildflowers Wildflowers August 22, 2020 |
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Planting Shrubs in Wet Heavy Soils
UT Extension Agent Joellen Dimond and Chris Cooper plant a bed in front of WKNO’s studios. Joellen finds the bed has several problems. The soil test (found here) comes back okay, but the soil is heavy and wet, so wet that a percolation test could not be conducted because the water just did not drain from a freshly dug hole. The bed also has a very thick mulch layer, 6+ inches in some places.
Using this information, Joellen designed an attractive layout using plants that can tolerate living in a wet area (her design can be found here). She chose to use Florida Anise, Dwarf Yaupon Holly, Anthony Waterer Spirea, Stella de Oro Daylily, Plumbago, Ogon Sweet Flag, and Canna. She also chose these plants because they should be easy to find in the nursery. Read much more, see the soil test, learn about each plant, and see Joellen's plan here. Related Videos: TWIG–Spring Tree Pruning TWIG–Dividing Cannas TWIG–Canna Leaf Roller TWIG - Dividing Ogon |
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Pressure Canning Tomatoes
UT Extension Agent Cathy Faust demonstrates how to pressure can tomatoes. To peel tomatoes boil them for two minutes then put them in ice water. The peels will slip off. After chopping the tomatoes to the desired size, simmer them with no additional liquid. Fill the jars with the simmered tomatoes to within ½ inch of the rim. Add citric acid and canning salt, wipe the rim of the jar, and put on the lid finger tight. Place the jar in the pressure canner and process. When done let the canner cool and remove the jars. They should pop as they seal. Canned tomatoes are good for several years.
Related Videos: Tomato Chicken Tortellini Growing Tomatoes Related Resources: Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products Preserving Tomatoes Canning tomatoes |
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Pesticide Lifespan and Storage
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about pesticides. Pesticides have a very long life span. They retain potency for many years. Store them where they don’t freeze. The best way to dispose of a pesticide is to use it for its labeled purpose. If you have to get rid of a pesticide because you will never need it again take it to a local household hazardous waste facility. Fertilizers also have a long life. The only difference is when the bag is broken open the chemicals can become volatile and evaporate – especially nitrogen. Often fertilizers will get wet and turn into hard blocks. The fertilizer is still good. Break it up and use it.
Related Videos: Pesticide Modes of Action TWIG Mixing Pesticide Related Resources: Shelf Life of Pesticides Pesticide Shelf Life Waste Pesticides Proper Storage, Handling, and Disposal |
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Training Cucumbers: String and Trellis
Trellising cucumbers helps with plant disease, reduces the space they need, and makes them easier to pick. UT Assistant Professor of Horticulture Natalie Bumgarner shows two methods of having cucumbers climb. First, she shows how to set up a system to use a top wire and twine so the cucumbers can climb. She also shows what to do when the cucumber gets to the top of the string and is still growing. This method is especially useful when you have only a few plants. Then, she shows how to install a livestock panel as a trellis. She also talks about tendrils and other useful information about cucumber plants.
Related Videos: Cucumbers Why are my cucumbers bitter this year? Related Resources: Vine Crops for the Tennessee Vegetable Garden Growing Cucumbers in the Home Garden |
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Mixing and Applying Fungicide
Mike Dennison shows how to mix fungicide and apply it to tomatoes to prevent blight. He tells how to read the fungicide label and calculate how much concentrate to use. He then shows how to mix the concentrate in a sprayer. Finally, he shows hot to apply the fungicide to tomato plants to cover all the leaves.
Related Video: Fungicides Will fungicide cause sunburn on a tomato plant Related Resources: Fungicides and Bactericides for Home Fruits, Vegetables, and Ornamentals (UT Redbook) Using Organic Fungicides Fact Sheets - Early Blight Of Tomato |
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Building a Rain BarrelRain barrels can catch and store water off your roof for use in the garden. Tonya Ashworth from Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Tennessee shows how to build a rain barrel. She starts with a used 55-gallon plastic drum. She shows how to cut a hole in the top to catch the water from a downspout. She also shows how to install a hose valve. She talks about how to keep mosquitoes from breeding in the water and how to use the water.
Related Videos: Rain Gardens Water-Wise Gardening Related Resources: Building a Rain Barrel Build Your Own Rain Barrel |
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Common Tree Bugs
There are many kinds of bugs that can infest your trees. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison identifies some of the most common in the Southeast United States. He talks about bagworms, fall webworms, peachtree borer, and stinkbugs. He also talks about how to control them in your trees.
Related Videos: Tree Borers Related Resources: Control of Common Pests of Landscape Plants |
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Tomato Support: The Florida Weave
Tomatoes need to be supported as they grow to prevent disease and fungus. UT Assistant Professor of Residential and Consumer Horticulture, Natalie Bumgarner, shows how to use the Florida weave method to hold up tomato plants. The Florida weave – also called the California weave or basket weave – uses twine strung between stakes to hold up the tomato plants. Natalie talks about different post and twine options. She shows how to tie the twine to support the tomatoes and gives pointers on tying the tomatoes up.
Related Videos: Tying up Tomato Plants Tying Up Tomatoes Related Resources: Growing Tomatoes Tomatoes - Staking |
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Easy Drip Irrigation System
Installing a drip irrigation system makes it so your plants get the water you need without you having to stand in the sweltering heat of summer every day. Master Gardner Melisa Nowag talks about all the equipment and steps to install a drip irrigation system for your garden. She talks about timers, pipes, couplings, and risers (sprinkler heads).
Melisa then puts together a simple system to water a vegetable raised bed. She starts with a main half inch pipe and shows how to connect it to a hose. Then she attaches smaller tubing that runs to an emitter (sprinkler head) for each plant. Related Resources: Drip Irrigation for Home Gardens Building and Operating a Home Fruit and Vegetable Garden Irrigation System Drip Irrigation for the Yard and Garden |
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Hydroponics Basics
Master Gardener Stephan Leonard talks about Hydroponics. Hydroponics is growing a plant without soil. Hydroponics is where the root system is gathering its nutrients directly from water. The water contains a nutrient solution that has the macro-nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It also contains the 13 micro-nutrients the plants need to grow. The plants are planted in a soilless medium that provides structural support. Mediums can include Rockwool or beads. The medium allows the roots to grow through to the solution below.
With hydroponics, you can grow year around outdoors or indoors with a more consistent and predictable yield. With hydroponics you are controlling all the variables but you need a power source to circulate the nutrient solution. Aeroponics is like hydroponics but the system mists the nutrients onto the roots of the plant. One of the important things to monitor in a hydroponic system is the pH of the solution. If the pH is not in the correct range then the plants cannot take up the nutrients with their roots and will not grow properly or may even die. Also, you need to provide light to the plants. This can come from the sun or from artificial lights. Most hydroponic kits require changing out the solution every week or so. This prevents salt build-up and helps keep the pH in the correct range. In a traditional hydroponics system you cannot grow underground vegetables and peppers do not taste normal because they lack the pepper heat. Related Video: Changing Hydroponics Nutrient Solution Related Resources: Hydroponics Home Hydroponics Hydroponics for Home Gardeners |
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Building a Blackberry Trellis
Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to build a blackberry trellis out of four t-posts and a 16-foot piece of livestock panel. The blackberries, planted last year, have outgrown their nursery provided stakes. Also, as blackberries do, they will be spreading and multiplying. Mike starts off driving the t-posts into the ground. Once the two end posts are driven into the ground he uses a fencing trick by running a string between them. He uses the string to keep his line of posts straight. After the posts are in place, he attaches the livestock panel to them with t-post clips.
Related Videos: Blackberry Pruning and Fertilizing Should I avoid wood chip mulching to reduce fungus on my raspberry/blackberry hybrid? Preparing Blackberry Plants for Winter Related Resources: Trellis Construction to Grow Fruit Growing Blackberries in Your Home Garden Home Garden Raspberries and Blackberries |
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How to Prune Shrubs
Pruning if done correctly will leave a balanced looking plant that does not look pruned. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond shows and talks about the basics of pruning shrubs. Joellen starts by talking about some of the reasons you prune shrubs, then shows the tools you can use. She then shows where to make the cuts to direct the plant which direction to grow. She then talks about and shows better shrub shapes to allow air and light to get to the interior of the plant. Joellen shows how to prune several shrubs, reducing their size while balancing the plant. The shrubs do not look pruned when she is done.
Related Videos: Pruning Tools Overview Pruning Flowering Annuals Pruning Greenery For Winter Related Resources: Best Management Practices for Pruning Landscape Trees, Shrubs and Ground Covers Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs June 27, 2020 |
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Snakes in the Garden
Andy Williams from Lichterman Nature Center talks about the beneficial qualities of snakes in the garden and also what to do if you find one – venomous or otherwise. Snakes are opportunistic feeders, they eat what they can get. Young snakes eat slugs, worms and other small creatures. As they get larger snakes start eating rodents. Water snakes eat diseased fish and thin the herd. Snakes are also good for controlling fleas and ticks. Snakes eat thousands of fleas and ticks each year as they eat the rodents they are attached to. Snakes like to live in the same habitat as their prey.
When you see a snake, you should take three steps back and walk away. This applies to venomous and non-venomous snakes. Snake bites are rare but 40% of all snake bites are from people trying to handle the snake. Andy tells of two recent cases of snake bites where people handled snakes. Also, UT Extension Horticulture Specialist Carol Reese tells of her experience getting bitten by a copperhead and what she learned from the experience. Related Videos: What is this snake like creature? -Horsehair worm Snake Bites Related Resources: Snakes |
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Planting Tropical Hibiscus and Begonias
Summer flowering annuals give a colorful pop to flower beds. This year University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond plants tropical hibiscus and begonias around already growing dusty miller. She selected red hibiscus and pink bronze-leafed begonias for a red, white, and pink color scheme. After removing the winter annuals, she fertilizes with a slow release fertilizer and then plants. The bed was previously mulched by landscapers, so she only adds a small amount where needed.
Related Video: Should I cut back my hibiscus in the spring? Should I dig up my hibiscus for the winter? Begonias and Full Sun Related Resources: Hibiscus Begonia |
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Kinds of Mulch
Mulch is decorative and helps reduce weeds. It regulates soil moisture and temperature. Jim Crowder, from Memphis Botanic Garden, also talks about some of the down sides of mulch. Jim talks about and shows the different kinds of mulch available including leaves, pine needles, hardwood, pine, cedar, cypress, and stone. He talks about each of these and the effects of each on your soil pH. He also talks about plastic, landscape cloth and newspaper as mulch.
Related Video: TWIG - Mulching Tomato Plants TWIG–Newspaper Mulch Volcano Mulch Related Resources: Types and Uses of Mulch in the Landscape Mulching Your Trees and Landscapes |
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Problems for Garden Seedlings
The number one problem with seedlings in the garden is that they were planted too early according to retired UT Extension agent, Mike Dennison. Wait until the ground warms. After proper preparation, plant your seeds at the correct depth, about twice the diameter of the seed. If you are using old seed, you may need to plant more seeds to compensate for the ones that don’t sprout. If transplanting plants, make sure they are healthy and harden them off by gradually getting them accustomed to the outside weather.
Damping off is a problem for young plants. The stems of the plants will look pinched. Eventually the plant will fall over and die. This is caused by a fungus in the soil that thrives in cool damp conditions. Mike referred to “The Tennessee Vegetable Garden” available here. https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W346-B.pdf Related Videos: Planting Vegetable Seeds Planting Cool Season Vegetables Related Resources: Growing Your Plants from Seeds Starting Plants Indoors From Seeds |
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Arranging Grocery Store Flowers
Master Gardener Mary Heim shows how to take a grocery store flower bouquet and turn it into a beautiful flower arrangement. First, when you get home with your flowers cut a small amount off the stem and put them in water. Grocery store bouquets often have three or five large blooms that will be the anchors of your arrangement. Place them in your vase after cutting the stems to different heights. Different heights add interest. You should remove all the leaves that will be under water in the vase. For a stem that has many flowers, remove some of the flowers, it will look more natural. Mary often buys two bouquets to get a different selection of flowers or colors. She also will use some greenery either from the grocery store or from plants in her yard. After a few days when the flowers start to age She recommends taking the flowers out of the vase re-cutting and rearranging them. Also, change the water in your vase daily. This will keep the flowers fresh longer. The more you do it the better your arrangements will look.
Related Video: Homegrown Greenery for Flower Arranging Related Resources: Principles of Floral Arrangement Flower Arranging Care of Cut Flowers and Foliage |
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Planting a Container Flower Garden
Tonya Ashworth shows how to plant a container flower garden in a barrel. She shows how to arrange the plants for visual appeal using a tall central thriller plant, filler plants and spiller plants that hang over the side to break up the edge of the barrel.
Related Resources: Annual and Perennial Flower Shade Gardening in Tennessee Flowering Bulbs for Tennessee Gardens |
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Building a Self-Watering Houseplant Pot
Most houseplants like even moisture, but it can be hard to maintain the right amount of moisture. Dixon Gallery and Gardens Volunteer Coordinator Tonya Ashworth shows how to build a pot that will keep your houseplants watered for up to two weeks and shows when it needs more water. The system works by using another larger pot as a reservoir for the water, and capillary mat fabric to wick the water up to the plant. Tonya also shows how to build a water level indicator and then hide the system with Spanish moss.
Related Video: Repotting Houseplants Related Resource: Self-Watering Containers |
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How to Read Garden Chemical Labels
Knowing how to read chemical labels is critical for safely using garden pesticides. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows and explains the main parts of a pesticide label. He us using liquid Sevin for the demonstration but the same principles apply for all garden chemical labels.
The federal government requires certain things to be on a label. On the front of every container is the list of the ingredients. There are long instructions attached to the container, usually a booklet on the back. The booklet contains first aid information for exposure. It also has information for physicians if someone has been poisoned by the chemical. The booklet contains information on if or how the chemical is harmful to the environment or pets. It also contains the words “It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.” Because of this, the only allowed uses of the chemical is what is specified on the label. The label also talks about how to store and dispose of the chemical. Then the label talks about specific application rates, insects, timing, etc. There are signal words on the front of every container (in order of seriousness): Caution, Warning, and Danger. Most chemicals available to homeowners are listed as caution because they have low toxicity. Restricted use pesticides often carry the Warning or Danger signal words which indicate a higher toxicity. In all cases the label is the law. The label needs to stay with the chemical. You cannot store the chemical in another container without the label. Related Videos: Pesticide Lifespan and Storage Pesticide Modes of Action Related Resources: Reading and Understanding Pesticide Labels Understanding the Pesticide Label |
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Planting a Butterfly Garden
TSU Extension Agent Joellen Dimond plants a butterfly garden and explains why she picked the plants she is planting. She also makes a place for the butterflies to get water and sun themselves.
Joellen has picked a combination of perennials and annuals. Some are useful to the adult butterfly and some are eaten by the larvae. All of them have bright colored flowers which attract the butterflies. Also, all the plants have the same growing requirements: full sun and drier conditions. Joellen also plants some herbs that the butterflies will like. For more information, including a list of all the plants, click here. Related Resources: Butterfly Gardening Butterfly Gardening |
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Japanese Maple Basics
UT Extension Horticulturist Carol Reese talks about different kinds of Japanese maples and some considerations when growing them. The traditional Japanese maple form is produced by a grafted plant which is why they are so expensive. You can grow trees from seed but the traditional weeping form is obtained from grafting. There are thousands of cultivars of Japanese maple and Carol talks about a few that do well in the southern United States. Carol also talks about some of the diseases and insects that attack Japanese maples.
Related Resources: Acer palmatum: Japanese Maple Japanese Maple |
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Straw Bale Gardening
If you don’t have a place to grow a garden or your ground is bad, a straw bale garden is a great option. Dixon Gallery and Garden Volunteer Coordinator Tonya Ashworth shows how to prepare and plant a straw bale garden. In a straw bale garden, the plants grow in the straw instead of soil.
Before a straw bale can be planted it needs to start decomposing. Tonya shows how to start the process and what to do to the bale each day. Once the Bale is starting to decompose, planting is straight forward, and Tonya shows how to plant tomato plants and zucchini seeds. She also talks about fertilizing the plants through the growing season. At the end of the season you can compost the bale or use the straw to mulch. Related Video: Planting an Herb and Flower Container Garden Related Resources: Straw Bale Gardening Straw Bale Gardening |
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Garden Fertilizer Math
How do you know how much fertilizer to spread on your yard? You will probably need to do some math. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to figure out how big your yard is and then do the math to determine how much fertilizer to spread. He gives an example and walks through the steps.
Related Resources: Calculating the Amount of Fertilizer Needed for Your Home Fertilizing Your Garden Fertilizing Your Lawn |
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Disease Resistant Apple Trees
There are over 5000 varieties of apple, and some are better suited to home gardens due to disease resistance. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison outlines 14 varieties that are resistant to the major diseases of apple: apple scab, fire blight, Juniper rust (cedar apple rust), and powdery mildew. You won’t see these varieties in the grocery store because they are not the popular varieties, which tend to be susceptible to these diseases. Even if the trees are resistant to these diseases, you should still spray because there are many other disease and insect problems. The disease resistance of these trees can help the homeowner if a spray is missed.
Related Video: Apple Tree Diseases Pruning Apple Trees Related Resources: Disease Susceptibility of Common Apple Cultivars |
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Planting Potted Roses
Planting roses correctly will help them get off to a good start. Rose Expert Bill Dickerson shows how to plant a potted rose. Bill recommends getting your rose from a nursery in the spring. Preparing the hole is important and Bill shows how he does it by adding gravel, soil, fertilizer, and Epsom salts. He also shows how to plant the rose in such a way as to not disturb the young roots in the pot. Once the rose is in the ground he talks about mulching the young rose and about how to prune it.
Related Video: Q&A – How do you root roses from clippings? Related Resources: Site Selection, Bed Preparation and Planting of Roses Selecting and Planting Roses |
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Spraying Peach Trees
Retired Extension Agent Mike Dennison shows how to spray a peach tree. Before you spray, read the label and follow the safety guidelines on it. Wear long pants, a long sleeve shirt, and rubber gloves. It is likely the spray will drift onto you so the protective gear is important. The tree Mike is spraying is about 8 feet tall and 8 feet in diameter so he needs between half a gallon and a gallon of spray. The tree he is spraying still has some blooms, so he will not be spraying an insecticide on this application. He will be spraying a fungicide to try to control brown rot. Mike uses a fan nozzle on his sprayer. He sprays the top and bottom of the leaves along with the limbs and trunk. Spray almost to the point of runoff. Because the tree was pruned to an open center it is easy to spray.
Related Video: Pruning Nectarines, Peaches, and Plums Related Resources: Disease and Insect Control on Home Fruit Plantings Fruit Spray Schedules for the Homeowner Managing Pests in Home Fruit Plantings |
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Setting Up a Bird Feeder
Debbie Bruce from Wild Birds Unlimited shows how to set up a bird feeder on a pole. The pole system she is using allows for two feeders to be hung at the same time. One feeder she loads with bird seed and the other feeder with suet. This selection will attract a range of birds to the feeders. There are squirrels and raccoons that live in the area so Debbie installs a baffle to keep them from climbing the pole and also sites the feeder at least 12 feet away from trees so squirrels cannot jump to the feeder.
Related Video: TWIG - Bird Feeders Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder – Family Plot Related Resources: Feeding Wild Birds Attracting Backyard Birds: Bird Feeder Selection Bird Feeding - Tips for Beginners & Veterans |
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Horticultural Oils
Horticultural oils provide a safer way to control insects, scales, mites, and eggs on plants. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about the different kinds of oils, and shows how to mix, and apply oils. Oils are contact insecticides, they only kill the insects and eggs that are directly sprayed. There is no residual effect. To be effective you need to spray the entire plant. Complete coverage is important, spray from all angles and make sure the spray goes into all the cracks in the bark of trees. Any place you miss is where the insects will survive. Oils should only be used in a certain temperature range. They work best in lower humidity. All the specifics for the kind you are using, how to mix, and application instructions can be found on the label.
Related Video: Spraying Dormant Oil Related Resources: General Comments about the Use of Horticultural Oil Insect Control: Horticultural Oils |
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Beneficial Garden Bugs
Garden expert Tonya Ashworth talks about different kinds of beneficial bugs that you find in the garden. She focuses on predatory bugs: braconid wasp, green lacewing, minute pirate bug, spider, and praying mantis. Each of these bugs feed on another bug that would be considered a garden pest. Some of these beneficials can eat thousands of harmful insects in their lifetime. Tonya talks about what each beneficial bug likes to eat and what you can do to attract each of them to your garden.
Related Resources: Beneficial Insects, Spiders, and Other Mini Creatures in Your Garden Beneficial Insects in the Yard and Garden Beneficial Insects and other Arthropods |
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Planting Cabbage, Broccoli and Cauliflower
Cabbage, Broccoli, and Cauliflower are all in the brassica family. They are sometimes called cole crops. UT Extension Haywood County Director Walter Battle shows how to plant them in the home garden. Brassicas can grow in many different soil conditions, but they like well drained soil. Fertilizing can improve results. Generally,they should be planted with 15-inch spacing in rows 36 inches apart. If you have limited space,you can reduce the row spacing to 15-18 inches. They should be planted the same depth as the container,and if you ridge them up or place them on top of a small mound it will improve drainage,and Walter shows how to easily do this while planting. Walter talks about planting radish and mustard,and turnip greens seed.If you plant these plants,they will get the cabbage worm and cabbage looper. Bothcan be stopped by using BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) which is an organic insecticide that kills caterpillars.Cabbage,broccoli, and cauliflower should be transplanted to the garden 30 days before the last frost and will be ready to harvest about 60 days later.
Related Video: Cabbage Related Resources: Growing cabbage in home gardens Broccoli Growing Cauliflower |
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Seven Great Landscape Trees
There are many kinds of trees to choose from and Joellen Dimond, University of Memphis Director of Landscape, talks about some of her favorites. For each variety she talks about the characteristics, climate range, size, and ideal growing conditions:
-Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) -American Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) -Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) -Dogwood (Cornus spp.) -Washington Hawthorn (Crataegus phaenopyrum) -Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) -Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) Related Video: Planting a Tree Related Resources: Trees in the Home Landscape Small Deciduous Trees Search for the best tree based on site characteristics |
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Planting Onions
Onions are a simple vegetable to grow in your garden. UT Extension Director Walter Battle shows how to plant several different kinds of onions including seeds, slips, and bulbs. In the field they need to be planted in rows 36 inches apart, but in a small home garden they can be closer together. The individual plants need to be at least 3 inches apart - far enough to let them grow to full size. Walter also talks about how to prepare the soil for planting. He also talks about when onions are ready to harvest and how to prepare them for storage.
Related Video: Onions Related Resources: Onions Growing onions in home gardens Onion, Leek, Shallot, & Garlic |
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Avoiding Common Landscape Mistakes
There are many mistakes a gardener can make when caring for their garden. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond talks about the ones she sees the most. Some problems she identifies include planting too deep, planting in the wrong place, Scalping grass and impulse buying plants
Related Video: Landscape Principles Related Resources: Planting Landscape Trees and Shrubs Post Scalping Lawn Care Girdling Roots |
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Daffodils
Daffodils come back to beautify the garden year after year. University of Memphis Director of landscape Joellen Dimond explains that daffodils are simple to plant and grow and require little if any maintenance. The American Daffodil Society and Royal Horticultural Society have 13 categories into which they classify daffodils. Joellen talks about each category.
Links to Daffodil Society Webpages: American Daffodil Society (US) The Royal Horticultural Society (UK) The Daffodil Society (UK) Related Videos: Planting Daffodils and Tulips Related Resources: Spring Flowering Bulbs: Daffodils Spring-Flowering Bulbs |
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Pre-Emergent Herbicides
Pre-emergent (or pre-emerge) herbicides are a very useful tool to reduce weeds. Retired UT Extension Agent Mike Dennison talks about how to use pre-emergents. Most pre-emergents work by preventing a germinating seed from growing roots. It does not kill weeds that are already growing.
Application timing is important. You need to apply the pre-emerge long before you see any weeds. Mike talks about the best times to apply pre-emergent in the spring and fall. You need to make sure the pre-emerge is labeled for how you want to use it. There are grass pre-emergent and broadleaf pre-emergent herbicides. Also, you need to make sure the product you are using will not affect desirable plants in the area. The label will contain all this information. There are liquid and granular pre-emerge herbicides. Mike prefers liquid because it is less expensive. The granular has an advantage in that it is less particular about when it needs to be watered in. All pre-emergents need to watered-in so they can be in the soil when the weeds germinate. How soon it needs to be watered in can be found on the label. Mike referred to the publication "Lawn Weed Management" get that publication here Related Resources: Applying Pre-Emergent Herbicides to Lawns Managing Weeds in Warm Season Lawns |
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