Video Segments
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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 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 Resources: Figs Figs in the Home Planting Fig Production Guide |
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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 Resources: Perfect Canned Peaches Preserving Peaches USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning |
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Pests and Diseases of Annual Flowers
UT/TSU Extension agent Joellen Dimond talks about common problems with annual flowers in the garden. Growing the same kind of plants in the same place every year encourages disease. Rotate your flowers. Vinca is a good example. The plant is healthy but then wilts and dies. Often it is because of a disease called phytophthora which is a rot that happens when there is overwatering. This disease stays in the soil and will infect vinca every year in that spot of ground. Planting other less susceptible plants will reduce the chance of disease. Impatiens suffer from impatiens powdery mildew. Petunias suffer from Botrytis or phytophthora. All of these diseases are encouraged by wet conditions. Mounding or raising the soil before you plant the plant will help drainage. When a plant dies of a disease don’t compost the plant, throw it in the garbage.
Related Resources: Flower and Foliage Plant Diseases Insect & Disease Management in Annual Flower Beds IPM Series: Annuals and Perennials |
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Tree Borers
Wood 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 Resources: Shade Tree Borers Common Tree Borers in Tennessee Insect Borers of Fruit Trees Insect Borers of Shade Trees and Woody Ornamentals |
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Plants to Avoid Around Pets
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 |
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Basic Rose Care
Rose Expert, Bill Dickerson, talks about basic rose care. He starts with pruning. Roses should be pruned in late winter. Cut the rose canes to 12-16 inches – the larger canes can be longer, the smaller canes shorter. First cut out the dead wood, then the spindly branches. Prune the bush to be open in the center. That increases air circulation which reduces disease.
There are many rose fertilizers on the market. In the spring Bill uses cotton seed meal and alfalfa pellets. These build the soil. He also uses Epsom salts and some nitrogen fertilizer. He will then use additional fertilizers throughout the year. When buying rose plants go to a nursery so you can get a good quality rose and the nursery can recommend plants that will do well in your area. Rose plants need about 1 inch of water a week throughout the year. Roses like dry feet so don’t overwater. Flowers that are mature or starting to wilt should be cut to encourage future growth. The rose stem should be cut back to above a five leaf cluster. The plant will produce a new rose in 40-45 days. Black spot is the main disease of roses. It starts with a black spot on the leaf. The leaf will turn yellow, die, and fall off. Black spot is a fungal disease so fungicides need to be applied to reduce it. Fungicides are only preventative in nature and do not cure a damaged leaf. You will have to spray every week or so. Also, clean up the diseased leaves from the ground. Mulching helps conserve moisture and reduce black spot. Related Resources: Growing Roses Pruning Roses Roses: fertilizing |
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Gardening Terms Part 4
Horticulture expert Dr. Lelia Kelly defines the following terms and gives information about each:
Blight Crown Green Manure Scarification Sweet/Sour Soil Wet Feet Related Videos: Gardening Terms #2 |
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Garden Crafts For Kids
Mississippi State University Extension Horticulture Specialist Dr. Lelia Kelly talks about fun gardening activities and crafts to do with kids. First up is pressing and drying flowers or other plant parts. With some newspaper and a heavy book kids can press flowers to use in everything from wall hangings to bookmarks. With old newspaper and a plastic cup you can make your own pots to plant seeds in. Making wildflower seed balls is something else that children enjoy doing. Put seeds in mud, roll into a ball and let dry. Kids can then throw or scatter the balls and see flowers come up the next. Also, kids can decorate or shape their mud balls into something fun. Finally, she talks about how to make a plant creature from pantyhose, dirt, and grass seed. Kids get to make, decorate, and take care of their creation. Nature scavenger hunts are also fun. Make a list of things to find with items on it like ‘something smelly' or ‘something fuzzy.’
Related Resources: Drying and Preserving Flowers and Plant Materials for Decorative Use Seed Balls Have It All Environmental games and activities: Scavenger hunts |
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