SPRING WORKSHOP SCHEDULE-KENT COUNTY

PLANNING A VEGETABLE GARDEN
Friday, March 19,2010
Time: 6:30 pm Instructor: Beverly Gemmill
Oh joy! Spring is coming! It is time to decide what you will grow this year and how planning your garden now will help you later as you plant during the year.
We will lead you through planning your garden step by step. When you leave this class, you will have a
good start on your written garden plan. All participants should bring a composition book and a pencil.

SMALL HOME GREENHOUSE MANAGEMENT
Wednesday, March 24,2010
Time: 9:30 am
OR
Thursday, March 25,2010
Time: 6:00 pm
Instructor: TomDix
Location: Modern Maturity Center, Dover Fee: $5.00
This class is aimed at the person with a small home greenhouse or someone who has always
Wanted one. Master Gardener, Tom Dix, will discuss and demonstrate the important thing to
know when setting up and using your greenhouse such as light, climate control, watering, fertilizing
and soils.
Both workshops will meet at the Modern Maturity Center AND will be the exact same workshop.

ATTRACTING SONGBIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE USING NATIVE PLANTS
* Monday, April 12,2010
Time: 1:00 pm Instructor: Brent Marsh
Songbird populations have been declining for years because they are losing habitat. Home gardeners can help by adding native plants to their yards and gardens. Unlike the non-native plants many of us have in our gardens, native plants provide the food for insects that then become the food for baby songbirds. Native plants are attractive and interesting additions to the garden.

CERTIFY YOUR GARDEN FOR WILDLIFE
Thursday, April 29,2010
Time: 6:30 pm Instructor: Deloris Donnelly
Do you enjoy watching the birds, butterflies and wild animals in your yard? For more than thirty five years, the National Wildlife Federation has shown people the benefits of gardening for wildlife. Learn what you must do to have your yard and garden become a certified wildlife habitat. I

THE CUTTING GARDEN
Tuesday, May 4,2010
Time: 6:30 pm
Instructors: Marion Brewington and Beverly Gemmill
So much joy can come from your own backyard cutting gardenl Learn how to plan your cutting garden, even in a small area, and what plants provide you with continuous blooms.

GARDENING IN THE SHADE
Thursday, May 13,2010
Time: 1:00 pm Instructor: Joan Parman
If you have a shady area you can grow some wonderful shade loving perennials that get more beautiful with each spring. Our Master Gardener will demonstrate how to grow the shade loving plants that will add an outstanding accent to your shady area.

Unless otherwise indicated, all workshops will be held free of charge at: University of Delaware Paradee Center, Registration is required

Make check payable: to Kent County Master Gardeners
Mail with Name,Address,Phone#, Email and workshop choice to
Kent County Master Gardeners
University of Delaware Extension Office
69 Transportation Circle
Dover, DE 19901

POTATOES

Boy, after this winter and all of the snow, we gardeners are more than anxious to get our garden soil ready for the early spring cool season plants and seeds. Unfortunately, most soils are going to be too wet for tilling and preparing a seed bed. How can we tell if our soils are too wet? Go to your garden site and scoop up a small handful of soil, put it in the palm of your hand and squeeze it; if it stays in the palm shape, it is too wet. If, when you open your hand and the soil ball falls apart, that’s good news. Your soil is dry enough to be worked.
One early spring crop that the old timers say needs to be planted by St. Patrick’s Day is potatoes. When I was growing up, planting potatoes was a real family activity.
My dad would till a small space in the garden just for the early crops. He would make a five-inch trench and we would drop in the potatoes, which my mother had cut into planting sizes.
If you are more than ready to do some gardening this spring, here are some tips on growing potatoes:
You can purchase certified seed (potato tubers) potatoes from your local garden supply stores or order them from reliable garden seed catalogs. Varieties recommended for Delaware gardeners are round superior whites – Kennebec, Haig and Katahdin; red skin potatoes - Norland and Lasoda; and russets - russet Burbank and Belrus. In seed catalogs, you may have noticed potato varieties are more than just the white flesh-colored. They come in many colors like theYukon Gold, which has yellowish-colored skin with butter-yellow colored flesh, or Rose Gold that has rosy-red skin and golden-yellow flesh. There are also shades of blue and red. An example of the red flesh is All Red or Cranberry Red, while the All blue has blue flesh. There is also a blue skin variety with pure-white flesh called Caribe. A variety that grew last year and that is going to grow again this year is a white potato called King Harry. This potato has more hairs on the leaf surface and is not a favorite of the Colorado Potato Beetle, which is a major pest to this crop. Last year, I had three plants infested with the Colorado Potato Beetle and one of the plants I handpicked the pests off to destroy the egg masses. If you are thinking about using potatoes purchased in the produce department at your local grocery store, they may not work, as they are usually treated with a sprout-inhibiting product.
As I said, when I was growing up, it was my mom’s job to cut the seed potatoes. She did this the day before planting to allow the cut edges to heal. The cut pieces should be blocky and average about two ounces (approximately two inches by two inches) and should have at least two sprouting eyes. Make sure you have an adequate amount of potato flesh surrounding the eyes because the plant will be using this stored food while sprouting.
Potatoes grow best in acid soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.0. They respond to high fertilization and frequent watering. Have your soil tested prior to the gardening season so that you can amend your soil as required. Potato plants will need an additional side dressing of fertilizer (10-10-10) when they are six-inches tall.
To plant your potatoes, dig a trench about five inches deep. Rows should be 36 inches apart. If your garden space is limited, then why not grow them in a bushel basket or two? The seed pieces should be dropped every nine to twelve inches apart in the trench. Fill in the trench with soil. After the young plants have sprouted and are approximately five inches tall, “hill” up the sides of the young plants with soil and mulch with straw. “Hilling” is the process of mounding loose soil around the plants to completely cover the developing tubers. This will help maintain soil moisture and temperature and help prevent “greening” injury of the young potatoes that may be exposed to sunlight at the soil surface. Be sure to hoe or cultivate when the potato plants are young, before rows have closed in.
Potatoes are mature and ready to harvest when the majority of the tops have died. You may use a spade or fork to dig your potatoes, but be careful not to cut or bruise them. Allow the newly dug potatoes to dry as quickly as possible and store them in a cool, dark place.
In the next week or two, when our garden soils have dried out enough to prepare a seed bed, why not consider growing some potatoes? If you would like a fact sheet on potatoes for the home garden, contact your local Cooperative Extension Office in Kent County (302) 730-4000 or (302) 857-6426, or in Sussex County, (302) 856-7303.

By: Maggie L. Moor-Orth
Delaware Cooperative Extension
Delaware State University

MARCH GARDENING CALENDER

For the first half of March:

· Finish pruning shrubs and ornamental trees, except spring flowering shrubs before growth starts. Prune spring flowering shrubs (lilac, forsythia, etc.), as soon as they finish flowering.

· In addition, finish pruning home fruit trees. Do not leave stubs; they usually die and become great entry ways for fungus.

· To prevent the infection of fungal spores and bacteria into the plant as a result of fresh cuts, do not prune in damp or wet weather.

· Plan your vegetable garden on paper. Use space efficiently and rotate vegetables to reduce insect and disease problems.

· Turn your compost pile or start one.

· If soil is dry enough, begin primary soil tillage.

· Add soil nutrients based on results of soil test.

· To support newly transplanted trees from spring winds, use flexible ties between rigid stakes.

· If weeds are beginning to grow in flower bulb beds, pull them by hand to prevent disturbing the bulbs and roots.

· Spray home fruit trees (apples and pears) before buds swell with dormant oil and when temperatures are not likely to drop below 40o for twenty-four hours.

· Spray peaches with Ferbam or Lime sulfur. No spray is needed for cherries or plums at this time.

· Fertilize trees, roses, shrubs and evergreens.

For the second half of March:

· Plant cool-season crops (peas, lettuce, cabbage, onions, kale, broccoli, radishes, and turnips) if weather conditions permit.

· Harden off young tender plants, even hardy varieties, before transplanting in the garden to reduce the chance of frost damage. Place them outdoors in a protected spot from the cool spring winds. Gradually reduce water and temperature to allow plants to toughen up so they will be able to tolerate their new living environment.

· If a pre-emergence weed control is going to be used on the lawn, apply it now. Please read and follow all label directions.

· Leave mulch over strawberries until the plants begin to grow. At that time, the mulch must be removed to allow leaves to develop in the light.

· Prune hedges before new growth begins.

· Fertilize azaleas and rhododendrons with acid-type fertilizer.

For more information on any of the above, call your local Extension Office:

Sussex County - #856-7303

Kent County - #739-5205 or #697-4000

SEED STARTING

I always look forward to March. My seed orders have arrived and it is time to get a jump on the growing season by starting my seeds indoors. Starting seeds is relatively easy. In most instances, following the directions on the back of seed packs will lead to a successful garden. Not sure when to start your seeds? The seed pack will tell you this, too. It says, “Start 8 weeks before setting out in the garden.” Grab your calendar and count backwards. That is the date or week you should start your seeds.
Many types of containers (peat pots, peat pellets, plastic trays, and cell flats) are available in gardening supply stores. A recycled clean styrofoam egg carton is also great for starting seeds.
It is important to choose the correct soil medium such as peat moss, sterile sand and vermiculite or perlite. Mix these (1/3 part each) to create the perfect seed starting medium. A commercial seed starting mix such as Jiffy-Mix or Pro-Mix can also be used. It is not wise to use garden soil unless it is sterilized because disease organisms could be present.
To determine how deep to plant the seeds, check the seed pack for directions. The general rule for proper depth is about three times the diameter of the seed. Label the rows in the starting trays with a waterproof marker.
Find a warm spot in the home to germinate the newly planted seeds. The top of a hot water heater or a refrigerator are good spots. Maintain a 75oF temperature for germination and approximately 60oF for growing the young seedlings. Make sure the area is free from drafts.
Light is not needed on the seeds until they have sprouted. To ensure proper growth and development after they emerge from the soil, move them to a sunny or bright window and turn daily. Allowing the young seedlings to grow in poorly lighted areas will cause them to grow tall, spindly, and weak (this is called leggy).
Maintain an adequate amount of moisture for germination and growth. Air circulation, heat, and bright light will cause the soil medium to dry out more quickly. Avoid over-watering; this could result in poor root development and fungal diseases, such as “damping-off.”
It is not necessary to fertilize plants until they have emerged from the medium and are off to a good healthy start. Young seedlings should be fed a half-strength solution of fertilizer after they are about 3-1/2 weeks old.
Young seedlings will continue to grow with the right growing conditions and before you know it, March and April will pass. May will arrive and our warm season seedlings will be healthy young transplants,

By: Maggie L. Moor-Orth
Delaware Cooperative Extension
Delaware State University

Workshops Continue

Master Gardeners in Kent Co. will sponsor two more workshops this fall. All workshops will be held in the Paradee Center. Call Jan Unflat at 302-730-4000 to register. Offered are:

Hollies for Delaware Gardens – Dr. Susan Yost Thursday Nov 12 6-7pm

.

Make a Holiday Wreath – Pat Renfrow – Thursday, Dec. 3 from 1-3 p.m. Class limited to 15.

To register for Sussex Co. Master Gardener Workshops, contact Karen Adams at 302-856-2585 ext. 540/adams@udel.edu. The workshops are free. On the list are:

Gourds and Pumpkins – Ingrid Hetfield – Tuesday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m. at the Carvel Center.

Holiday Decorating Tips and Techniques – Lisa Arni & Virginia Wright – Thursday, Nov.12 1pm

Fall Basket

I have been enjoying working around the gardens cutting back perennials and annuals that soon will be gone with a hard frost. I gathered these colorful stems from millet, crepe myrtle, burning bush, fire bush and dill and to make this arrangement in one of my favorite baskets. The gourd was dried several years ago. Together they make a colorful fall arrangement and will be a nice welcome to friends and trick or treaters (well, maybe their parents!).

Marilyn McFarlin, Master Gardener

Gardening Calender Final Week of September

Keep strawberry beds weed free. Every weed pulled now will make weeding
much easier next spring.

¨ When planting spring bulbs, the depth of planting varies with the size of the bulb; for example, tulips are about five to six inches, four to seven inches for daffodils, three to four inches for hyacinths and one and one-half to three inches for small bulbs. A good rule of thumb when planting bulbs is to set them three times as deep as the bulbs’ greatest width.

¨ Bring poinsettia inside. It is best to repot into a similar but slightly larger container, using a regular commercial potting soil. Then, place in a warm, sunny window.

¨ Don’t wait for frost warnings to bring houseplants indoors. For many tropical houseplants, night temperatures of 50^oF or lower, can cause damage. Check all houseplants for pests and diseases and repot if needed.