Neighborhoods across Cobb County are awash in the reds and yellows of autumn leaves, and the cool-season blooms of asters, mums, pansies, snapdragons, and more are keeping our landscapes lively, but we all know that winter will be upon us soon, and much of the color will fade. Forward-thinking gardeners, however, prepare for the early return of blooms with spring bulbs.
It isn't quite time to start planting most spring-flowering bulbs in Cobb County -- November is our best month -- but it isn't too soon to start selecting the bulbs and planning where to place them.
For gardeners who may be new to our area, the UGA Extension publication "Flowering bulbs for Georgia gardens," by Paul Thomas, Gary Wade, and Bodie Pennisi, describes the many flowering bulbs that can be grown successfully in our area. In addition to the familiar and hardy daffodils and crocus, gardeners here can select Spanish bluebells, glory-of-the-snow (which is glorious even without snow), hyacinth, star flower, rain lilies, and more.
The 2012 Georgia FACES article "Plant flowering bulbs now for color later," by UGA's William Tyson, emphasizes the importance of selecting high-quality bulbs that are large for their type and that are unblemished.
For planting, Tyson explains, "Most prefer a moist, well-drained, medium, sandy loam that does not
remain wet and sticky after heavy rain or dry out too quickly. Good
drainage is essential."
For spacing and depth, Tyson includes these details:
"A general rule of thumb for planting depth (from the top of the
bulb to the soil surface) is two to three times the greatest diameter
for bulbs 2 inches or more in diameter, and three to four times the
greatest diameter for smaller bulbs.
Spacing will vary from 1 or 2 inches to as much as several feet. When
spacing bulbs, consider not only how much space each plant needs, but
also how frequently it will be dug up and divided."
For fuller information, read the complete text at the linked titles above.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Curing Sweet Potatoes Enhances Sweetness and Storage-life
Home gardeners all over Cobb County will be digging up their sweet potatoes this month, if they haven't already. These gardeners probably know what UGA Extension specialists Malgorzata Florkowska and Robert Westerfield, in their publication "Home garden sweet potatoes," explain about sweet potatoes -- that they "...should be harvested before the first frost. Cool soil reduces their
quality and storage life."
However, soil temperature isn't the only factor that can affect the "quality and storage life" of sweet potatoes; correct post-harvest curing and storage can vastly improve the sugar content and keeping qualities of home garden sweet potatoes.
Clemson University's Extension Sweet potato publication explains, "Sweet potatoes should be cured to heal wounds and to convert some of the starch in the roots to sugar. The optimal conditions for curing are to expose the roots to 85 °F and 90-percent humidity for one week. Few home gardeners can supply these conditions, so place the sweet potatoes in the warmest room in the house, usually the kitchen, for 14 days. No curing will occur at temperatures below 70 °F."
The online article "Growing sweet potatoes in the Sacramento area," by the Master Gardeners of Sacramento County, California, also notes that newly dug sweet potatoes are more starchy than sweet, and that the curing process that improves keeping quality also aids in the conversion of some of that starch into sugar.
For curing, these gardeners suggest using a slightly longer exposure of 10-14 days at 85 degrees F and 90% humidity. Most of us do not have access to the once-ubiquitous sweet potato curing barns (see this 2009 Master's Thesis -- Sweet Potato Curing Barns: An Agricultural Landmark) that were designed to provide these ideal conditions, but the Sacramento article includes ideas for how to create those conditions at home.
For storage after curing, the Sacramento Master Gardeners offer this additional information: "Once the roots are cured, they can then be stored in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place at 55° to 60°F for several months. Sweet potato roots are very sensitive to chilling injury at temperatures below 50°F, so do not store them at lower temperatures or quality will deteriorate. Symptoms of chilling injury include fungal decay, internal pulp browning, and root shriveling."
 |
| Newly harvested home garden sweet potatoes PHOTO/Amy W. |
However, soil temperature isn't the only factor that can affect the "quality and storage life" of sweet potatoes; correct post-harvest curing and storage can vastly improve the sugar content and keeping qualities of home garden sweet potatoes.
Clemson University's Extension Sweet potato publication explains, "Sweet potatoes should be cured to heal wounds and to convert some of the starch in the roots to sugar. The optimal conditions for curing are to expose the roots to 85 °F and 90-percent humidity for one week. Few home gardeners can supply these conditions, so place the sweet potatoes in the warmest room in the house, usually the kitchen, for 14 days. No curing will occur at temperatures below 70 °F."
The online article "Growing sweet potatoes in the Sacramento area," by the Master Gardeners of Sacramento County, California, also notes that newly dug sweet potatoes are more starchy than sweet, and that the curing process that improves keeping quality also aids in the conversion of some of that starch into sugar.
For curing, these gardeners suggest using a slightly longer exposure of 10-14 days at 85 degrees F and 90% humidity. Most of us do not have access to the once-ubiquitous sweet potato curing barns (see this 2009 Master's Thesis -- Sweet Potato Curing Barns: An Agricultural Landmark) that were designed to provide these ideal conditions, but the Sacramento article includes ideas for how to create those conditions at home.
For storage after curing, the Sacramento Master Gardeners offer this additional information: "Once the roots are cured, they can then be stored in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place at 55° to 60°F for several months. Sweet potato roots are very sensitive to chilling injury at temperatures below 50°F, so do not store them at lower temperatures or quality will deteriorate. Symptoms of chilling injury include fungal decay, internal pulp browning, and root shriveling."
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Upcoming Events and Classes
Thyme to Read Book Club (note updated, slightly earlier start-time)
Friday,
October 10, 10:30-11:30 10:15 -11:30 a.m. Book club sponsored by Cobb County Master
Gardeners will meet at the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab,
662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.). This month’s book
is The Forgotten Garden, by Kate
Morton. November’s book will be The Founding
Gardeners, by Andrea Wulf. Schedule and information can be found at www.cobbmastergardeners.com.
Landscaping and Septic Tanks
Friday,
October 10, noon-1:00 p.m. Presented by Cobb County Extension Horticulture Agent Neil
Tarver, as part of
the ongoing Lunch & Learn series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb
County, at the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab, 662 South Cobb Drive
(at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.). Free and open to the public.
Trees of Our Lives: Small Native Trees for
the Landscape
Tuesday,
October 14, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Presented by Dawn Hines, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out
presentation series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at South
Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton, 30126.
Moving Toward Organics in the Vegetable
Garden
Saturday,
October 18, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Free and open to the public. Learn what
organic gardening and farming really means and steps you can take to have a
more environmentally friendly garden.
Presented by Cooperative
Extension horticulture staff member Amy Whitney at the community garden at
Chestnut Ridge Christian Church, 2663 Johnson Ferry Rd, Marietta, GA, 30062.
Gifts
from the Kitchen
Tuesday, October 28, 6:00-8:30 p.m. Learn to use a
water bath canner to make holiday gifts from your kitchen. Taught by Family and
Consumer Sciences Agent Cindee Sweda at UGA Extension/Cobb County, second
floor, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. $10 fee; preregistration
required before Oct. 17; space is limited. For additional information and to
preregister, call 770-528-4070.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Pansies for Winter Color
Even as the summer growing season winds down, homeowners are thinking about ways to add flowers to the winter landscape. Happily, garden centers currently are overflowing with flats of pansies, and those can make great additions to a yard.
UGA's Success with Pansies in the Winter Landscape, by Extension Horticulturists Gary Wade and Paul Thomas, includes helpful information for home-plantings of pansies, even though it was written for landscape professionals. In addition to a map that shows best planting dates for all of Georgia, details of how to amend the soil, plant, mulch, and care for the pansies through the winter are all explained.
For Cobb County, the first two weeks in October are shown to be optimum for planting pansies. For planting, the publication describes the procedure outlined here:
1. Raise the planting bed above-grade to help create well-drained soil - "pansies cannot tolerate wet feet."
2. Rake away any old mulch and remove and discard old vegetation.
3. Amend the soil with fully decomposed organic materials, but not too much (less than 25%).
4. Check soil pH and adjust to a range between 5.4 and 5.8.
5. Fertilize, but "Avoid using fertilizer containing high amounts of slow-release ammoniacal nitrogen."
6. Plant at 6, 8, or 10-inch spacing.
7. Mulch the soil surface.
8. Water! "A thorough watering immediately after planting will help eliminate air pockets around plant roots."
For fuller information about the above steps and about after-planting care of the pansy bed, read the article linked through the article title.
UGA's Success with Pansies in the Winter Landscape, by Extension Horticulturists Gary Wade and Paul Thomas, includes helpful information for home-plantings of pansies, even though it was written for landscape professionals. In addition to a map that shows best planting dates for all of Georgia, details of how to amend the soil, plant, mulch, and care for the pansies through the winter are all explained.
For Cobb County, the first two weeks in October are shown to be optimum for planting pansies. For planting, the publication describes the procedure outlined here:
1. Raise the planting bed above-grade to help create well-drained soil - "pansies cannot tolerate wet feet."
2. Rake away any old mulch and remove and discard old vegetation.
3. Amend the soil with fully decomposed organic materials, but not too much (less than 25%).
4. Check soil pH and adjust to a range between 5.4 and 5.8.
5. Fertilize, but "Avoid using fertilizer containing high amounts of slow-release ammoniacal nitrogen."
6. Plant at 6, 8, or 10-inch spacing.
7. Mulch the soil surface.
8. Water! "A thorough watering immediately after planting will help eliminate air pockets around plant roots."
For fuller information about the above steps and about after-planting care of the pansy bed, read the article linked through the article title.
rs containinghigh amounts of slow-release ammoniacal nitrogen.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Manage Spring Dead Spot with Fungicide Application Now
Did your Bermudagrass lawn suffer from spring dead spot disease this year? The UGA Extension publication "Identification and Control of Spring Dead Spot", by Extension specialists Alfredo Martinez, J.B. Workman, and F. C. Waltz, explains that the disease is especially prevalent after a hard winter, such as the one we experienced last year. This means that any Bermudagrass lawn affected this past growing season had plenty of company.
Even though it may seem counter-intuitive, chemical controls for spring dead spot (SDS) should be applied in fall, when soil temperatures are still above 60 degrees F, according to Martinez et al. This application can help prevent re-emergence of the disease next year.
SDS first shows up in late spring. The publication says this about signs of infection: "As turfgrass 'greens up,' well-defined circular patches of dead, bleached-out grass are noticeable in affected areas. Non-infected bermudagrass resumes growth, accentuating the infected areas."
The authors add, "Patches can get larger year after year." To avoid this outcome, altering cultural practices to promote good health of the lawn is important. One practice in particular is to avoid applying more than a half-pound of nitrogen fertilizer per thousand square feet after mid-September; another is to consider applying a potassium fertilizer, at the rate of one pound potassium per thousand square feet, in fall.
The Turf section of the Georgia Pest Management Handbook, homeowner edition, by Extension homeowner IPM specialist Elizabeth Little, agrees with these recommendations, and includes a listing of currently recommended products for controlling SDS. Regardless of the product selected from the list, be sure to follow label recommendations and safety precautions.
The Turf section of the handbook linked above, which also contains information about insect and weed control in lawns, lists specific cultural practices that can help to manage SDS:
Even though it may seem counter-intuitive, chemical controls for spring dead spot (SDS) should be applied in fall, when soil temperatures are still above 60 degrees F, according to Martinez et al. This application can help prevent re-emergence of the disease next year.
SDS first shows up in late spring. The publication says this about signs of infection: "As turfgrass 'greens up,' well-defined circular patches of dead, bleached-out grass are noticeable in affected areas. Non-infected bermudagrass resumes growth, accentuating the infected areas."
The authors add, "Patches can get larger year after year." To avoid this outcome, altering cultural practices to promote good health of the lawn is important. One practice in particular is to avoid applying more than a half-pound of nitrogen fertilizer per thousand square feet after mid-September; another is to consider applying a potassium fertilizer, at the rate of one pound potassium per thousand square feet, in fall.
The Turf section of the Georgia Pest Management Handbook, homeowner edition, by Extension homeowner IPM specialist Elizabeth Little, agrees with these recommendations, and includes a listing of currently recommended products for controlling SDS. Regardless of the product selected from the list, be sure to follow label recommendations and safety precautions.
The Turf section of the handbook linked above, which also contains information about insect and weed control in lawns, lists specific cultural practices that can help to manage SDS:
- "Avoid late summer or fall applications of nitrogen fertilizers which may enhance disease severity.
- Use ammonium sources of nitrogen fertilizer from spring through early August.
- Control weeds in affected turf to enhance recovery from spring dead spot.
- Apply moderate to high levels of phosphorus, potash, and minor elements.
- Improve drainage of turf.
- Reduce thatch.
- Use preventive fungicide applications in late September and October."
Monday, September 15, 2014
Upcoming Events
Fall Landscaping Activities
Tuesday,
September 16, 6:30-8:00 p.m. Presented by Cobb County Extension Horticulture
Agent Neil Tarver, at UGA Extension/Cobb County, second floor, 678 South Cobb
Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060. Free and open to the public, but please preregister
by calling 770-528-4070.
Indoor Plants
Thursday,
September 18, 10:30 a.m. to Noon. Presented by Cobb Extension horticulture
staff member Amy Whitney, at UGA
Extension/Cobb County, second floor, 678 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060.
Free and open to the public, but please preregister by calling 770-528-4070.
Green
Industry Update
Tuesday, September 30, 8:30 a.m. (registration until 9 a.m.) to
noon. Recertification credits: 21/23/24/27 = 3 hours; ISA = 2.5 hours;
Private = 1 hours. $10 per person at the door; Pre-register with cornelius.tarver@cobbcounty.org
or by calling 770-528-4070. Reduce pest problems with proper tree selection and planting, Joe Burgess,
Georgia Forestry Commission; Control spring turf diseases with fall fungicide applications,
Neil Tarver, UGA Extension in Cobb County; Interpreting pesticide labels is key
to pesticide safety, Milton (Micky) Taylor, UGA Dept. of Entomology.
Bluebird Trail Tour
Saturday,
October 4, 10:00 a.m. –Noon. Free and open to the public. Cobb Master Gardener
and Bluebird expert Jim Bearden will conduct a guided walk of the 2.3-mile Bluebird
Trail at Green Meadow Preserve Park, at 3780 Dallas Hwy., Powder Springs, GA, 30127. Follow
the Bluebird Trail blog at bluebirdtrail.blogspot.com.
Thyme to Read Book Club
Friday,
October 10, 10:30 -11:30 a.m. Book club sponsored by Cobb County Master
Gardeners will meet at the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab,
662 South Cobb Drive (at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.). This month’s book
is The Forgotten Garden, by Kate
Morton. November’s book will be The Founding
Gardeners, by Andrea Wulf. Schedule and information can be found at www.cobbmastergardeners.com. Free
and open to the public.
Landscaping and Septic Tanks
Friday,
October 10, noon-1:00 p.m. Presented by Cobb County Extension Horticulture Agent Neil
Tarver, as part of
the ongoing Lunch & Learn series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb
County, at the Training Room of the Cobb County Water lab, 662 South Cobb Drive
(at the intersection with Atlanta Rd.).
Trees of Our Lives: Small Native Trees for
the Landscape
Tuesday,
October 14, 7:00-8:00 p.m. Presented by
Master Gardener Dawn Hines, as part of the ongoing Gardeners Night Out
presentation series of the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County, at South
Cobb Regional Library, 805 Clay Road, Mableton, 30126.
Friday, September 5, 2014
Cover Crops for the Home Garden
The GA FACES article "Fall cover crop will boost spring garden soil's nutrient content", by UGA's Sharon Dowdy, explains that home gardeners who are planning to give the vegetable garden a rest this
winter can take a simple step to help next year's garden. The key is to grow a cover crop instead of simply leaving the garden fallow.
Dowdy interviewed UGA Extension sustainable agriculture specialist Julia Gaskin to get the scoop on cover crops. Gaskin explained that cover crops can add organic matter and nitrogen to the soil. The choice of which cover crop to grow will depend on the needs of the garden.
For added nitrogen, Gaskin recommends crimson clover and Austrian winter peas; to suppress root-damaging nematodes, tillage radishes and mustards are a good choice. Cereal rye (winter annual ryegrass) excels in suppressing weeds.
For all the cover crops, the additional organic matter, from tilling the cover crop under in spring, is a great boost to home gardens. Gaskin explained the gain this way: "Boosting up soil matter is critical for encouraging healthy soil biology, which helps to make nutrients available for plants.”
Cornell University's article "Improve your soil with cover crops" lists additional benefits of growing cover crops in the garden: "Cover crops help to retain the soil, lessen erosion, and decrease the impact of precipitation on the garden by slowing the runoff of water. They also reduce mineral leaching and compaction, and suppress perennial and winter annual weed growth. The top growth adds organic matter when it is tilled into the garden soil. The cover crop's root system also provides organic matter and opens passageways that help improve air and water movement in the soil."
UGA's Gaskin said that cover crops need to be sown in the garden before the end of September in the Piedmont region of Georgia, which includes Cobb County. For gardeners who are interested in taking a break from tending vegetables, planting a cover crop within the next few weeks can be a great option.
(For fuller information, select the linked article titles above.)
Dowdy interviewed UGA Extension sustainable agriculture specialist Julia Gaskin to get the scoop on cover crops. Gaskin explained that cover crops can add organic matter and nitrogen to the soil. The choice of which cover crop to grow will depend on the needs of the garden.
For added nitrogen, Gaskin recommends crimson clover and Austrian winter peas; to suppress root-damaging nematodes, tillage radishes and mustards are a good choice. Cereal rye (winter annual ryegrass) excels in suppressing weeds.
For all the cover crops, the additional organic matter, from tilling the cover crop under in spring, is a great boost to home gardens. Gaskin explained the gain this way: "Boosting up soil matter is critical for encouraging healthy soil biology, which helps to make nutrients available for plants.”
Cornell University's article "Improve your soil with cover crops" lists additional benefits of growing cover crops in the garden: "Cover crops help to retain the soil, lessen erosion, and decrease the impact of precipitation on the garden by slowing the runoff of water. They also reduce mineral leaching and compaction, and suppress perennial and winter annual weed growth. The top growth adds organic matter when it is tilled into the garden soil. The cover crop's root system also provides organic matter and opens passageways that help improve air and water movement in the soil."
UGA's Gaskin said that cover crops need to be sown in the garden before the end of September in the Piedmont region of Georgia, which includes Cobb County. For gardeners who are interested in taking a break from tending vegetables, planting a cover crop within the next few weeks can be a great option.
(For fuller information, select the linked article titles above.)
Monday, August 25, 2014
Green Industry Update Scheduled for Sept. 30
A Green Industry Update, offered through UGA Extension in Cobb County, is scheduled for Tuesday, September 30, 2014. Recertification credits are offered in the following categories:
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.- registration
9:00 a.m. - noon - workshop
Topics:
Reduce Pest Problems with Proper Tree Selection and Planting, by Joe Burgess, Senior Forester, Georgia Forestry Commission
Control Spring Turf Diseases with Fall Fungicide Applications, by Neil Tarver, Cobb County Horticulture Agent, UGA Extension in Cobb County
Interpreting Pesticide Labels is Key to Pesticide Safety, by Milton (Mickey) Taylor, PhD Pesticide Safety Education Program, UGA Dept. of Entomology
Cost: $10 per person, payable at the door. Location: Cobb County Water System Lab Training Room, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 For Information or to Preregister: email cornelius.tarver@cobbcounty.org or call 770-528-4070.
21, 23, 24, 27 -- 3 credits
Private -- 1 credit
ISA - 1.75 2.5 (updated on 9/2/14)
8:30 - 9:00 a.m.- registration
9:00 a.m. - noon - workshop
Topics:
Reduce Pest Problems with Proper Tree Selection and Planting, by Joe Burgess, Senior Forester, Georgia Forestry Commission
Control Spring Turf Diseases with Fall Fungicide Applications, by Neil Tarver, Cobb County Horticulture Agent, UGA Extension in Cobb County
Interpreting Pesticide Labels is Key to Pesticide Safety, by Milton (Mickey) Taylor, PhD Pesticide Safety Education Program, UGA Dept. of Entomology
Cost: $10 per person, payable at the door. Location: Cobb County Water System Lab Training Room, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, GA, 30060 For Information or to Preregister: email cornelius.tarver@cobbcounty.org or call 770-528-4070.
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