May 2016

Gallatin County
May, 2016
Volume 3, Issue 5
Horticulture Headlines
Horticulture
Headlines
Boring Begonias? I Think Not!
Inside this issue:
Tree of the Month
Pawpaw
2
Land of Awes
2
Timely Gardening Tips
3
Perennial of the Month
False Indigo
3
No Brainer Containers
3
Almost all gardens have a place
suitable for begonias! They have
gotten a bad name for being
difficult to grow, but with a little
patience and knowledge, there’s
a begonia
that will work
for you!
Begonia is
native to
Central/
South America with over
6,000 varieties. In our
Angelwing Begonia
area, begonias are annuals—lasting only one
growing season.
Plant begonias outside (or in
containers outside) after all risk
of frost (after May 20).
Begonias need , at least, 4 hours
of filtered or indirect light when in
flower.
Keep moist,
but do not
overwater.
Do not let
plants sit in
Dragonwing Begonia water. They
are very
susceptible to mildews, so air
circulation is important.
Angelwing Begonias are my favorite, and, I think, easiest to
grow. The plant is covered with
“dancing” blooms all summerlong. As the breeze blows, the
Rex Begonia ‘Escargot’
dangling
flowers
“dance” —
lovely!
Rex Begonias are
grown more
Wax Begonia
for their
patterned foliage, the flowers are
inconsequential.
Begonias like attention; remove
spent
blooms,
wilted
leaves
and
stems -you will
be rewarded
with
beautiful blooms Tuberous Begonia
all season!
Ant or Termite?
A garden is a
delight to the eye
and a solace for
the soul.
Sadi
In spring, ants and termites both
swarm in order to mate and reproduce. At first glance, the two
may seem identical, but a closer
look will reveal significant differences.
Termite
• has no waist, body is more
rectangular
• has straight, beaded antennae
• has 4 wings that are of equal
size & shape. Wings are longer
than its body
Ant
• has a defined narrow
waist
• antennae are bent or
‘elbowed’
 has 4 wings-back
wings are shorter
than the front, fore
wings
Determining whether you have
flying ants or winged termites is
important in how you treat the
problem. Call a professional if
you identify them as termites.
Page 2
Horticulture Headlines
Volume 3, Issue 5
Tree of the Month: Pawpaw
The Pawpaw tree is an interesting, native tree which works great
in a naturalized area along a
creek or stream. It flourishes in
moist, deep soils.
Pawpaws grow 15’ - 20’ tall and
wide; can grow to 30’ in favorable
locations. It may grow as a multi
-stemmed shrub or small tree
with a short trunk and spreading
branches which form a dense
pyramidal head. Pawpaws tend
to sucker and form loose colonies in the wild. Looks somewhat tropical in appearance.
The best part of the Pawpaw tree
is it’s delicious fruit! The 2—5”
long greenish yellow berry turns
Asima triloba
brownish –black when ripe. It
has a taste similar to a banana
with a custard consistency. It is
sometimes called the “Kentucky
banana”.
It is somewhat difficult to transplant and should be moved as a
small (3—6’) b and b or container grown plant. Pawpaw has no
serious disease or insect problems.
Animals LOVE the fruit, so it is
wise to
plant it
away
from the
house
and landscape.
Kids in the Garden!
Gardening is the
purest of human
pleasures.
Francis Bacon
All young children enjoy digging
in the dirt! It they are going to
dig, make it worthwhile and plant
a simple beginner’s garden.
If the children haven’t gardened
before, or, if they are under 6 yrs.
old, start by planting a fail-prove
vegetable—-lettuce, carrots,
onions, or radishes. Then they
can graduate to other plants they
like—tomatoes, beans, squash,
and/or zucchini. And remember
to add easy-to-grow flowers—
Zinnia, Marigold and Sunflowers
are simple and fun!
Give them time to just investigate
in the garden—-looking at worms
and insects, watering the plants,
putting mulch around them, and,
of course, harvesting. Then,
together, use the produce to
make a favorite dish—-salsa
from your tomatoes, bread with
the zucchini and why not add a
Land of Awes Cincinnati Zoo & Botanic
Gardens
The Cincinnati Zoo opened in
September, 1875, making it the
2nd oldest zoo in the country.
Known nationally for its successful
animal breeding program, it is
becoming just as well-known for
it’s plant collections and displays.
It is accredited as a public garden
by the American Association of
Museums.
The zoo gardeners care for over
3500 species of annuals, grasses,
perennials, trees, shrubs and
bouquet to the table with the beautiful
flower blooms!
Must-See Gardens
vines, including the extensive
bamboo grove which makes
you forget, for just a few moments, that you’re in the heart
of a large city.
The zoo’s horticulture department , besides providing the
public with eye-popping plant
displays, has yearly plant sales,
teaches an outstanding Home
Landscape Lecture series, and
gives tours of the grounds to
garden clubs and others interested in plants .
Go to www.cincinnatizoo.org
For more information , hours and
upcoming special events.
**This is a new article that will
occasionally appear in the newsletter to showcase beautiful gardens close to our area.**
Horticulture Headlines
Volume 3, Issue 5
Page 3
Timely Garden Tips
Trees & Shrubs



Plant new trees and shrubs.
Water throroughly at planting
time and continue for the first
year with 1 inch o f water
weekly.
Mulch root zones to conserve
moisture.
Prune spring-flowering shrubs
immediately after bloom.
These include forsythia, viburnum, lilac, azaleas, small
magnolias.

Flowers


Lawns


Mow lawn at 2—21/2”, removing one-third or less of the
leaf blade.
Fertililze lawn in mid-May, if
necessary. Late fall is a
preferable time.
Monitor for weeds and hand
pull or spot treat if necessary.



Monitor roses for insects
and diseases. Check daily
for black spot.
Let spring bulb foliage yellow and wither before removing it. They make food
that is stored in the bulb for
next year’s growth.
Plant warm-season annuals
after May 15, or last chance
of frost.
Vegetable Garden
No-Brainer Containers

Plant seedlings of warm
weather vegetables after
May 15.
Plant herbs in containers or
directly in the ground.
Soil temperature should be
above 60˚ to plant warm
season seeds (beans, corn,
cucumber, squash).
General Gardening


Monitor weekly rainfall .
When it is less than 1”, supplemental watering may be
necessary.
Mulch beds & garden plots
to smother weeds and maintain moisture.
— Thrillers, Fillers & Spillers
Designing beautiful container gardens is as easy as 1,
2, 3! All you have to remember is: buy a Thriller,
Fillers, and Spillers.
The Thriller is the tallest
plant in the pot. It’s job is to
catch the eye of the observer, so use bright colors,
strong textures or plants
with movement.
they are shorter plants that tend
to spread so the soil is covered
—or “fill in” the empty spaces.
The Spillers are usually vining
plants. Their job is to spill over
the rim of the container and visually soften the edges of the pot.
It is always exciting
to open the door &
go out into the
garden for the first
Now is the time to shop for the
prime plants for your container
garden!
The Fillers do just that —
Perennial of the Month: False Indigo
Baptisia is a lovely, late springblooming perennial. It is easy to
grow; but, choose your planting
site carefully, once established, it
should not be moved. It develops a deep and extensive root
system that usually doesn’t survive being transplanted. It performs best in full sun; growing
upright, 3—4 feet tall. The foliage reminds me of eucalyptus
leaves—slightly blue in appearance.
The seeds of False Indigo turn
Baptisia australis
black when ripe and rattle when
the wind blows—adding another
aspect to the garden. American
settlers used them when making
baby rattles.
Baptisia has no serious insect or
disease problems.
It is best used as a specimen
plant or in a small grouping.
time on any day.
Marion Cran
Business Name
Gallatin County Cooperative
Extension Service
395 US Hwy 42W
P.O.Box 805
Warsaw, KY 41095
Phone: 859-567-5481
Fax: 859-567-5432
Website : http://gallatin.ca.uky.edu
David Hull
Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources
The Gallatin Co Extension Office will be closed
May 30
In honor of Memorial Day
Upcoming Events
May 7, 2016, 1:00 — 4:00pm
Mother’s Day Tea
Take pleasure in tea, cookies, and finger sandwiches
with family and friends. Remember to wear your
prettiest hat! Prizes will be awarded for best decorated tables and hats.
$5 per person or reserve a table for 8 for only $40!
Reserve your seat by calling 567-5481! Tickets available at the Extension office or at the door.
Proceeds support the Gallatin Co. Homemaker Scholarship Fund!
May 19, 2016, 1:00 pm
Using Annuals in your Garden
Is your garden looking a little ho-hum? Not much
color, or “pizazz” in it? Annual flowers are the answer! We will discuss easy solutions and display
samples of some favorite annuals.
Register by calling 567-5481!