Master Gardeners hear it... through the Grapevine

UT Extension Service The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
Master Gardeners hear it...
through the Grapevine
Volume 13,
Issue 8
August
2006
Master Gardeners of Hamilton County
President’s Letter
Words of Wisdom
Who loves a garden
still his Eden keeps,
Perennial pleasures
plants, and wholesome harvest reaps.
-Amos Bronson
Alcott
A garden is the best
alternative therapy.
-Germaine Greer
In a Nutshell:
Cookbooks
2
Boxwood
2
Calendar of Events
2
Tom’s Tidbits
3
Horseradish
4
Preparing for Birds
5
Mosquitoes
5
Hamilton County Fair
6-8
Hummingbirds
9
I can certainly say my first few months as Master Gardener President have been
exciting and with the County Fair preparations in full swing, I doubt things will
change anytime soon.
Unfortunately, not all the excitement has been kind. Joy Sewell, our Secretary, has
resigned from the Board. Due to personal obligations she can no longer attend
Board meetings. She will be difficult to replace, but I am confident that our Master
Gardeners are up for the task. Nona Harp is taking nominations for a new Secretary
and we will vote at the August Membership meeting.
Everyone should have been e-mailed, called, or heard through the grapevine that
we need volunteers and decorating material for the County Fair Project. Scott
Drucker and Charlene Smith are pulling together a great display. Charlene has a
list of materials that are needed. What an opportunity for the Master Gardeners to
show our stuff!
Another area we are working on is communication. Communication is vital to any
organization. Our MG website a valuable tool for reaching all the Master Gardeners
with up to date information such as announcements, current projects, events and
resources. Mike Smith is working on this goal, but he can’t do it alone. We need
your suggestions and website experience. This is a wonderful opportunity to get volunteer hours (without getting dirty or sweaty).
We should all take advantage of the tools available to us. Whether it is our MG
website or the plethora of knowledge from our fellow Master Gardeners, we need to
share information with each other. Your input is vital. Gina Turley, our Newsletter
Editor, would love to hear about any interesting items you discover or tips you can
share.
I hope to see everyone at the Membership Meeting on August 17th. Bring your
thoughts and suggestions. If you have not gotten you new MG Directory, there are
copies available at the Ag Center and at all the meetings.
Stephanie Payne
August’s Meeting
The August membership meeting will be held at the Ag Center
on the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. At the August
MG meeting, Tom Stebbins will present CSI for Plant Diagnosis. Join in the mystery while Tom teaches what to look for
when inspecting a plant for disease and pests. This class was
a hit at the conference!
Page 2
Master Gardeners hear it...
Hamilton County Master Gardener Cookbooks!!!
Cookbooks are now on sale:
 750 recipes
Books are $15 each
 They make wonderful gifts for family and friends!!!
Contact Melissa Wehman at [email protected]; or 842-8759

Boxwood Rust Infects Pennsylvania
This spring USDA's APHIS identified boxwood rust
(Puccinia buix) in Pennsylvania, according to North
American Plant Protection Organization. It's the first
record of the disease in the U.S. It's believed the
disease arrived on boxwoods imported from
Europe. In summer 2005, an undisclosed site received a shipment of boxwood (Buxus sempervirens) cuttings collected from the wild in Greece.
The cuttings were accompanied by a phytosanitary
certificate. The infected plants were bagged and
destroyed.
Calendar of Events
August 12; Seed Saving at Crabtree Farms by Patrick Ironwood
from Sequatchie Valley Institute. The workshop will cover all the basics
of seed saving, from what fruits to harvest to how to store the seeds. Participants will craft their own seed packets and take home seeds from Sequatchie Valley Institute's educational farm. Register by phone 493.9155
x16.
 September 9; Growing Fruit Trees at Crabtree Farms by Patrick
Ironwood from Sequatchie Valley Institute. This workshop will focus on planting, growing and
caring for fruit trees in your own home garden. Register by phone 493.9155 x16.


September 23 -26; Hamilton County Fair at Chester Frost Park. Features music, games,
country crafts, livestock, rides and more. Don’t forget the Hamilton County Master Gardner
exhibit too!
Volume 13, Issue 5
Page 3
Tom’s Tidbits
Surveys Measure the Interest in Gardening
It is always interesting to read surveys on what the general population thinks about gardening.
Is gardening only for mature audiences? Will artificial turf cover the lawns at our condominiums? Will silk flowers go from indoors to the outside patio? Some surveys publish statistics
yearly so trends can be determined. Here is information from recent surveys which I found.
The 2006 National Gardening Survey, conducted for The National Gardening Association by
Harris Interactive Inc., cites retail sales increases in nine of the 16 lawn and garden categories,
including:
Lawn care, up 9%, from $8.887 billion to $9.657 billion
Flower gardening, up 10%, from $2.735 billion to $3.003 billion
Vegetable gardening, up 9%, from $1.058 billion in 2004 to $1.154 billion in 2005
Container gardening, up 8%, from $1.196 billion in 2004 to $1.295 billion last year
Better Homes and Gardens' recent survey of 60,000 Americans shows that indoor/outdoor livability tops homeowners' wish lists. Building a major garden or landscaping project is the second most popular home-improvement choice among respondents asked what they would do
with $20,000. The No. 1 reason given for remaining in an existing home is "watching something
grow that I have planted." And 92% of respondents report that "looking great from the curb" is
an important criterion in selecting a home.
About 83% of American households participated in some kind of do-it-yourself indoor and outdoor lawn and garden activities in 2005.
Households that spent the most on their lawns and gardens include those with no children at
home, married households, college graduates, two-person households, those in the South, and
among people 45 years of age and older.
The 18-34 year-old segment is the largest group in the U.S. Surveys show they participate less
and spend less in lawn and garden activities than others. I think once this group buys property
they will become more interested in all aspects of gardening. The increased awareness of nutrition will encourage everyone to seek out fresh foods, possibly grown in their own backyards.
There isn’t a need for a survey to measure Master Gardener’s
dedication to gardening.
All Master Gardeners love to garden: big time.
Surveys only show that Master Gardeners will have students
for many years to come.
For Masterful Gardens
Tom
Page 4
Master Gardeners hear it...
Horseradish By Donna Adams
Looking at the different plants at a nursery this past year, I came across a plant that I planted many years
ago........ horseradish. I remember that I bought a root from the grocery store and planted it. What ever
happened to that root anyway?
Horseradish is a favorite herb, but not found in many gardens. Matter-of-fact, it is fun to grow and ideal for
the organic herb garden. It has crinkled, tall leaves which will grow about 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide.
The horseradish contains no fat and is high in vitamin C and the flavor will spice up your meal and your
nose.......... and is used in home remedies, sauces and many recipes.
The Egyptians knew about horseradish back in the 1500 B.C. area and the early Greeks used it as a rub for
low back pain. Legend has it the Delphic oracle told Apollo, “The radish is worth its weight in lead, the beet
its weight in silver, the horseradish its weight in gold.”
Horseradish spread from Central Europe to Scandinavia and on to England. In 1640 British ate horseradish
and only by country folk and laborers. By the late 1600’s the horseradish was the standard accompaniment
for oysters and beef among Englishmen. Early settlers brought horseradish to North American and started
cultivating it and by 1840 it grew wild near Boston. By the late 1890’s a horseradish industry developed on
the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. After WWII homesteaders in Northern California began cultivating it
and other areas soon followed. Today there are 6 million gallons of prepared horseradish produced annually in the U.S.
You can visit the International Horseradish Festival in Collinsville, Illinois each summer where you will see
the newly crowned “Little Miss Horseradish” in all her glory. There are horseradish dishes galore and lots of
fun and games.
What all can you do with the horseradish? Well, add a splash to tomato juice, put a spoonful on your scrambled eggs, mix it with apricot preserves and a little mustard for a ham glaze, add to mash potatoes, serve
with pork roast, cut down on cholesterol by using it instead of butter and salt to top vegetables, season pizza
sauce, serve with salmon or asparagus and put into deviled eggs for a tangy yolk. You can also blend with
cream cheese and spread on thinly sliced ham, and add 1 tbsp horseradish to French dressing to liven up a
salad. There are so many ways to use this herb (Including opening up your air-way passages).
There is also a horseradish information council composed of six horseradish processors working together to
broaden the appeal and increase year round usage of horseradish. The Council’s message to consumers is
that the horseradish is unique and very versatile.
Horseradish Trivia:
Bottled horseradish is one of the first convenience foods
Before being named “horseradish” it was called “redcole” and
“stingnose”
Dagwood Bumstead is the most widely recognized horseradish fan in
the world
Germans brew horseradish schnapps and some add it to their beer
Al Weider earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records by tossing a
horseradish root 80.5 feet
Now I know why I need to grow more horseradish…………..
Volume 13, Issue 5
Page 5
Bird Preparation for Fall and Winter
By
Donna Adams
Here we are in the middle of August. Now is the time that you need to start
thinking about preparing your yard for fall and winter when it comes to your
feathered friends. If you keep different types of feeders in your yard that will
mean you will have more viewing pleasure from those birds that stay in the
area. Also suet feeders are great for winter feedings.
 Make sure your feeders are cleaned (with warm water only). If the
feeder has mold you can use a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water.
 Clean area around the feeder – this helps eliminate build up during the
winter.
 Clean out old nests from bird houses. This will keep down the possibility
of parasitic bugs surviving the winter and the birds will have a clean house
to roost in.
 Provide an open source of water for the birds. You can place a plastic
dish out or birdbath. You can find birdbaths with heaters to keep the water
thawed.
 Roosting boxes should be placed out for woodpeckers, owls, flickers and
birds that might stay all winter in your area.
 Check the hardware of your birdhouses and poles. They can be replaced or painted before the cold and wet weather sets in. Tighten all
screws.
 Calories need to be increased during cold weather. Buy black oil sunflower seed and Niger or thistle. These are rich in oil.
 Buy a table feeder for the birds – this seems to be the best.
 Stock up on suet so you will avoid running out during peak dinner times.
A mixture of seed will also bring a variety of different birds.
Start now and the birds will reward you all winter long.
Shrub Thwarts Mosquitoes, Study Shows
Scientists at Univ. of Miss. have isolated compounds in American beautyberry
(Callicarpa americana) that may keep insects away. The plant's bug-repelling
properties made it a traditional folk remedy. "Traditional folklore remedies many times are found
to lead nowhere following scientific research," said Charles Cantrell, an ARS chemist. "The
beautyberry plant and its ability to repel mosquitoes is an exception. We actually identified naturally occurring chemicals in the plant responsible for this activity." Don't expect to see beautyberry-derived repellents on the market anytime soon. Scientists still need to scrutinize toxicity
levels and evaporation rates.
2006 County Fair Update by Charlene Smith
Plans for the 2006 County Fair display are rocking!!! We had a very spirited meeting Monday, Aug 7, with great
creative ideas and suggestions erupting spontaneously from every table.
Our theme this year is a big one with lots of small parts. The multi-sectioned display tells the story of a chipmunk
searching for the treasures of the earth with guidance from a riddle and 3 seeds he discovers in a treasure chest
using a magical map he receives from the spirit of the forest. The “treasure” is actually the three seeds in his paws,
but he must visit six eco-system “departments” to realize that.
We determined our needs in creating these “departments” as listed below. Please look around your house and
garden and let the department chairman know what you can help us with. YOUR treasure is being part of this exciting project!!
General Needs:
PLEASE LABEL ANYTHING YOU WANT RETURNED WHEN FAIR IS OVER &
PLEASE MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO RETRIEVE IT YOURSELF (TO BE
SAFE)
Needed:
Entrance:
Banner -- check w/ Fast Signs
Mulch for paths -- 35 bags
Landscape Fabric for underneath mulch on paths
Pine Straw for ground cover in each dept -- 35 bales
Podiums w/ branch bases for each dept – Mike will create
Lumber for signs for each dept -- Mike will get - $50
Character costumes -- Carol Matthews will create, advise
3’ rebar -- 20 pieces
Art Work -- Scott & Gretchen
Flowers - purchased & kept fresh w/ water tubes (Charlene
Has tubes).
Straw Bales
Discount coupons for Michael’s, A.C. Moore, Hobby Lobby,
Silk Trees, Petals & Ivy
Top Soil (20 bags)
Pine Cones (Charlene has some)
Magnolia Pods
Garlands
10 six-foot long tables for tent
Packets of Seeds – LOTS OF ANY KIND
Rustic Bird Feeder
Rustic Bird House (Lynne Finnell’s husband will build)
Bird Bath (Jean Patten)
½ whiskey barrel (1-2)
Pumpkins, Squash, Gourds, Bean plants, Turnip plants
Dry corn stalks (Donna Adams?)
Cornucopia (Jean Patten)
Wooden Bowl (Charlene)
Water Lilies. Cattails, Pickerel Weed, Bamboo
Flag Iris, Reeds, Lizard’s Tail
Ferns (woodland & others)
Wreaths of natural materials
Nuts, Berries, Acorns (LOTS)
Mums & Asters
Arbor (Susan Babineau
Treasure Chest (Gretchen)
County Fair Continued:
Needed:
Grape leaf w/ riddle (Scott will create)
Giant acorn (Charlene) & Seeds (Scott)
Map on white birch bark (Scott will create)
Toadstool (Elaine)
Fair-goers will enter our display through a grapevine-covered arbor near which sits an open treasure chest in which
is a giant grape leaf. On the grape leaf is written a riddle about “treasures of the forest” and alongside it are three
giant seeds (acorn, coneflower & grape) and a map showing six “departments” or eco-systems that the little chipmunk will visit in his effort to solve the riddle. A laminated copy of the “Treasures of the Forest” story, illustrated
and in color, will rest on a podium low enough for children to see and browse.
Food Dept:
Stephanie Payne – Chairman
Character - Madame Squirrel
Needed:
Good-sized papier-mache tree
6’ maple tree (in plastic pot)
Stuffed animals (2’ tall, realistic looking??)
Straw Bales
Apple baskets (Gretchen)
Rustic Bird Feeder
Children’s Table/Chairs (Charlene is checking)
16’ round table top (covered w/ checked cloth & on tree branch legs?)
Oak tree “slice” as table top??
Other natural baskets
Acorns, Hickory Nuts, Pecans, etc. to fill baskets
Fall vegetables – pumpkins, squash
Bird Feeders
Big Sunflower (Donna Adams?)
Lemon tree (Sue Henley) ?
The Food Dept. is the first place the chipmunk visits. A woodland café that offers the treasure of food for animals
and a small garden where fall vegetables are growing are the highlights. In the “café” will be a tree (papier-mache /
real in a pot) (?) around which will be tables, one covered in a red-checked cloth. Large stuffed animals may be
sitting at the tables in front of flower-shaped plates loaded w/ nuts & acorns & berries
Air Cleaning Dept:
Bud Hines, Chairman
Character - Old Man Spruce
Needed:
Lederhosen (Charlene checking on this)
6+’ tall Blue Spruce (in plastic pot)
4 other various-sized evergreens
Fan w/ streamers (Gretchen will paint hers black)
(Dee has tall one)
Lichen/moss-covered logs/rocks (Gretchen, Dee)
The chipmunk finds in this department that it’s the trees that take in the polluted air, cleanse it and return it to us
clean and ready for us to use. A fan with streamers blowing our in front of it will emphasize the “cleaned” air we
receive from the trees’ work. An MG in lederhosen will welcome Fair-goers to the Glen.
Pollination Dept: Nectary -- Dee Clark, Chairman
Character - Suga Magnolia (Butterfly)
Needed:
Any native vine still blooming (or natural-looking artificial vine)
Passion-flower vine (Gretchen)
Fire-Bush (Charlene) if needed
BIG butterflies or bees made of chiffon, etc.
The Nectary will contain butterfly bushes, a passion flower vine (Gretchen) and other sweet-smelling bushes and
flowers that attract bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, bats (?)
County Fair Continued:
Soil/Composing Dept: Lisa Lemza, Chairman
Character - Oli the Earthworm
Top Soil (20 bags)
Needed:
Ferns (woodland, preferably)
Lichen/moss-covered logs/rocks; old, rotting wood
Burlap
Concrete Critters - Possums, Squirrels. Mushrooms
Cauldron (Susan Babineau)
Chicken Wire for “home” composting
Animal Skeletons (Susan B – possum/)
cow skull (Gretchen)
Trash bins (small) labeled “leaves,” “dead animals,”
“fungi,”,
“bacteria,” “husks,” “poop,”
“Antique” tools (Sue Henley * & Dee Clark
Oli’s Basement will feature a large pile of soil in which an oversized earthworm is at work stirring ingredients in a
cauldron. On his topsoil lie a pile of leaves, some pine needles, a possum skeleton and a cow skull. The chipmunk
learns from Oli that seed husks are rich ingredients in compost which supports the growth of other seeds.
Warehouse & Market of Collectibles: Sue Michelena, Chairman
Character: Dr. Arrow - (a Frog in a fez)
Needed:
Wheelbarrow as planter (Dee)
Arbor (Susan or Dee)
Bottles for “medicines” (wine bottles?)
Someone to create labels, e.g. “Heart Medicine from
Foxglove” etc.
Musical Instrument
Perfume bottle (Gretchen)
Large Inflatable Pencil
Birdhouse, Bathouse
The Warehouse will feature some of the gifts the earth provides us – directly or indirectly. There will a grapevinecovered arbor and a bench (Susan Babineau, rattan (bamboo) stacking tables (Charlene) on which sit a violin, a
box of raisins, a perfume bottle, a bottle of grape juice, a large inflatable pencil (?), Also in this dept. are vine
wreaths, vine baskets, wooden clogs (?) , etc. Nearby are coneflowers, foxgloves, sage, etc. with large “medicine”
bottles labeled “Cold Medicine,” “Sore Throat Gargle,” “Heart Medicine.”
Here the chipmunk learns that the final product from his seeds provide materials for much of what we enjoy daily –
wood for musical instruments, perfumes, pencils, furniture, chewing gum as well as much of our food.
Dipper’s Dive & Water Cleaning Dept: Pat Gilbert & Sue Henley, Chairs
Character - Mr. Dipper, a water bird
Needed:
Tall metal water bird
Water Feature w/ focus on water wheel or pond with cattails, water lilies, pickerel weed, Bamboo, Flag Iris, Lizard’s
Tail, Ferns
In this department Little Chippy learns how essential water is for making the seeds sprout and grow and how the
plants then cleanse the water.
More specifics on this “water department” soon.
Exit: Another treasure chest near a grapevine-covered arbor at the exit point will reveal that the seeds Chippy is
carrying in his paws are indeed the true treasure of the earth and he has solved the riddle with what he’s learned.

Call Department Chairmen or Charlene to volunteer
Hummingbirds by Gina Turley
It’s not too late to put out a feeder for hummingbirds!
In fact, it’s a great time to attract them almost immediately. Two weeks
ago, I put out my two feeders and the next day had visitors.
This is the time of year that hummers are “bulking-up” to start on their long
migration to warmer climates. The feeders we put out give them quick energy and help them get prepared. It also helps supplement their protein
intake. Most people do not realize that hummers eat tiny insects that are
usually pests such as mosquitoes. Taking the feeders down by a certain
date is a myth. Sugar water will not stop the engrained drive to migrate.
The feeders we put out also helps northern hummers on the way down
south.
To start feeding hummers, choose a feeder that is easy to clean. Feeders can be very inexpensive or very expensive (such has hand blown colorful glass tubes found in specialty shops). Mix
your own food using four parts water with one part white sugar. The water should NOT be distilled. The sugar should be plain white table sugar. Do NOT add red dye. Researchers have
found an increase in tumors in hummers. They are looking at a link between red dye and these
tumors. The red dye does not help attract them anyway.
Change the food and clean the feeder every few days. Change the food immediately anytime
you see cloudiness or mold.
Hummingbirds can be very territorial. They will fight each other to dominate a feeder. Placing
multiple feeders around the house can be helpful. Make sure that one feeder cannot be seen
from the other feeder. Hummers will try to dominate two feeders if they are close to each other
and the hummer can see the feeders at the same time.
Ants are a big problem with feeding hummers. Coating the wire or pole with oil will usually frustrate the pests. Bees can be an issue too, so look for feeders with “bee-guards”.
For next year’s garden, think about including plants that
hummers like.
A few of these plants include:
Salvias
Honeysuckles
Yellow bells
Morning Glories
Azalea
Lantana
Foxglove
Bee Balm
Columbines
Evening Primrose
Agastache 'Firebird'
Butterfly Bush
Four O'Clocks
Petunia
Board of Governors
2006-2007
Master Gardener Officers:
2 Year Members
Linda Billingslea
Lisa Lemza
Food Bank Garden Tour:
Susan Babineau
Historian:
Joy Sewell
President– Stephanie Payne
Vice President– Dee Clark
Secretary– open
Treasurer– Jane Elmore
Past President/Advisor– Sue
Henley
Master Gardener Coordinator–
Tom Stebbins
AdvisorSue Henley
New Class Representative-Bud
Hines
Certification Officer-Gretchen
Rominger
1 Year Members
Charles Quarles
Nona Harp
Sue Michelena
Hospitality Committee:
Kelley Walker
Tammy De Ark
Master Gardeners Committee
ChairpersonsBonny Oaks Arboretum:
Elaine Barker
Budget/Finance:
Jane Elmore
County Fair CommitteeCharlene Smith
Scott Drucker
Crabtree Garden Plot:
Linda Billingslea
Tommy Jackson
Photo Directory:
Wanda Wilkey
Project Committee:
Sue Henley
Rebecca Goldberg
Newsletter Committee:
Gina Turley
Lucie Brant
Service Hours (ACE/CEU):
Gretchen Rominger
Website Committee:
Mike Smith
Websites: Check it out
www.hamiltontn.gov/agextension/ Find UT Ag extension pubs online at: http://www.utextension.utk.edu/
Master Gardeners of Hamilton County
P.O. Box 25194
Chattanooga, TN 37422