Gardening

Cover Crop Experiments

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One of the best ways to improve a patch of ground is by using a cover crop.  Cover cropping is when you plant a certain plant or mix of plants into an area to solve an problem or improve the soil. Things cover crops can do include:

  • add biomass
  • smother weeds
  • drill through hardpan
  • increase fertility
  • prevent runoff and erosion
  • tie nutrients up in the soil

Almost sounds too good to be true, but it is not.  Cover crops have been used for a long time in agriculture and with the increased focus on preventing nutrient loss into our waterways and the resulting problems this has resulted in, you will be hearing more about them in the future.

Currently I am monitoring/helping with three different small scale cover crop experiments.  I do not have 100 acres of corn or soybeans so I am observing them in three different community garden experiments.

Experiment 1: Demonstration garden at the fairgrounds. 

Tomatoes into no-till residue

Tomatoes into no-till residue

Rob and Rebecca planted winter rye, crimson clover and vetch into the raised beds last fall and crimped them over in spring, the tomatoes went straight into holes in the residue and are doing great.  This cover crop mix added fertility from the legumes, mulches the soil to prevent disease and water loss, prevented erosion over winter and added biomass from the top growth and root remnants. The tomatoes are doing great.  If you go to the garden, you will see they are outperforming tomatoes planted into straight compost.

Experiment 2: Logan Community Garden

Buckwheat in unused plots

Buckwheat in unused plots

The Logan Community Garden had some space that needed filled that was not going to be used this season and had a fair amount of weeds present.  The cover crop for this area needed to smother weeds, prevent erosion,  keep the soil in use, tie up nutrients and be easy to manage. The crop chosen was Buckwheat, which is elite at all these needs.  The crop is entering flowering right now if you visit the garden and will be a magnet for pollinators, helping the vegetables the gardeners have as well.  It will be mowed to prevent it from setting seed and allowed to decompose in place adding organic matter.

Experiment 3: Wallace Community Garden

BMR sorghum x sudangrass

BMR sorghum x sudangrass

Sheesh,  what guy planted this? (me).   This spotty planting of BMR(brown mid-rib) Sorghum X Sudangrass is being used as a three year rotation in my garden plot.  My needs are for weed control, increased fertility, increased biomass/organic matter and sub-soil drilling through hardpan.  I have not used this variety before, but have heard many wonderful things about it and its reputation is stellar.  It will get very tall, like corn, and should completely take over this plot by mid summer.  I will mow it to keep it a couple/few feet tall which will signal the roots to double down on root growth.  I will let you all know how this turns out over the season.

Would you like to learn more about cover crops?   I will be talking about cover crops as well as Fertilizers, Organic Matter and Soil Health on Tuesday June 14th at 7pm in a FREE class at the Youth Center,  bring friends and questions and hope to see you there.

Protect Your Skin before Fun in the Sun

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From the time I could understand words to the time I left home it was drilled into my head to wear sunscreen. My mother would constantly say things like this as I was headed out the door somewhere: “Did you put on sunscreen?” “Do you have a hat?” “I know it’s hot, but you should wear long sleeves.” What would I say? “Yes mom. I know.”

You see, my mother was a stickler about protecting my skin because she was diagnosed with melanoma when she was 30.  She knew the worry and pain associated with being told she had skin cancer and she didn’t want that to happen to me. Moms will be moms right? Well, over the years her words really sunk in and would echo in my head, especially when I look in the mirror and find little freckles on my checks, forehead, and ears that weren’t there last year. Now that I am a mother, I find her words coming out of my mouth. “Make sure you put sunscreen on Beth.” “Does she have a hat?” “Make sure you put the umbrella up on her stroller.”

I am not a doctor. I have no association with healthcare or skin products. I am an agriculturalist. That is what keeps me alert about the dangers of sun exposure. Many of us spend our time working outside in the middle of the day when the sun is most intense. Sometimes it is unavoidable. Sometimes we can’t follow all the doctor’s recommendations for sun safety, but we should try our best. Why? Because skin cancer is the most common type of cancer there is and it can be prevented.

Check out this information published by OSU Extension from Dr. S. Dee Jepsen, Associate Professor and State Safety Leader, Agricultural Safety and Health, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Jeffery Suchy, Graduate Student and Lecturer, Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering about sun exposure and protecting your skin:

 

Sun Exposure (Protect Your Skin)

Gardeners work long hours, often outside in the sun during peak exposure hours. Repeated exposure to the sun can cause skin damage and certain cancers. Skin damage can include dark spots, irregular pigmentation and wrinkles. Long-term exposure and repeated damage can lead to melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer. Damage typically occurs through progressive exposure over several years. Limiting exposure, dressing appropriately and applying sunscreen can reduce the chances of skin damage and disease.

Gardeners should take greater precautions against sun exposure if they:

  • Have a history of skin cancers.
  • Have a lot of freckles or moles.
  • Burn easily or have a fair complexion.
  • Have blonde or red hair.
  • Have blue, green or gray eyes.

A common misconception is that people with darker complexions are not at risk for skin cancers because they do not easily sunburn. While it is true that people with darker complexions are more naturally protected (melanin blocks UV rays) from damage than those with lighter complexions, everyone can experience skin damage from prolonged exposure. Prolonged exposure and repeated damage can lead to certain forms of skin cancer and, if left unchecked, can be deadly.

Facts About UV Rays

Although they affect the skin in different ways, both UVA and UVB rays have been linked to skin cancer.

Watching for Skin Cancer

Check any skin spot that spontaneously bleeds, changes color, or changes size. For anyone working outside in the sun, it is important to check the skin on a regular basis for visible signs of skin cancer. Look for these physical signs:

  • Asymmetrical spots.
  • Irregular borders.
  • Color variations.
  • Diameters bigger than the end of a pencil eraser.

For answers to questions about the possibility of skin cancer, consult a doctor.

In order to minimize the risk of skin damage or cancer, follow these basic recommendations:

  • Stay in the shade and avoid sun exposure between 10 am and 3 pm.
  • Schedule outdoor work for early mornings or later in the afternoon.
  • When operating a mower or other unprotected vehicle, consider adding a shade canopy to the driver’s seat.
  • Put up a collapsible tent if working outside in one location for an extended period of time.
  • If possible, perform equipment repairs and maintenance in a workshop rather than outside.

 

To conclude this article inspired by my mother, Mom you are right. Thanks for annoying me about sun safety. I will pass on the legacy to my daughter too. I hope you readers will do the same. Remember to love your life and love your body. It’s hard to have one without the other.

17 year periodical Cicadas

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In case you haven’t seen them yet,  

They’re Back!!!!

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Photographed by Marcus McCartney at the Washington County Extension office on the old oak tree in the front yard

For more information on the 17 yr. periodical cicadas contact your local extension office.

Also, click the link to read OSU’s factsheet about this natural phenomenon:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-58

 

 

Lilyfest 2016

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Bishop Educational Gardens will host the celebratory 25th year of Lilyfest this year on July 8th, 9th, and 10th.

LILYFEST25TH_LOGO_150

Celebrating 25 Years!

About

Lilyfest’s history dates back to 1992 when Bobbi and Bruce Bishop first hosted the event at their home in the Hocking Hills, Ohio. Bruce Bishop’s lily gardens were showcased and five artists displayed and marketed their works. Lilyfest has grown to over 60 artists, with live music throughout the three acres of beautifully designed gardens, showcasing ponds and a variety of unique garden sculptures. Look for plant sales and ask a master gardener your garden-related questions. Enjoy the Butterfly House and stroll through The Lost Viking Hoard Encampment. See you there!

Volunteers are needed!

Anyone who wishes to volunteer to make this festival happen CLICK HERE to access the volunteer page.

Master Gardener Volunteers and Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists are encouraged to staff their program booths to answer questions.

OSU/WVU Extension Radio Jan-Feb 2016

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OSU/WVU Extension Radio

Catch us on 1170 WWVA, Sunday mornings at 5:00 AM

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OSU-FAES-HorizK-RGBHEXExtensionServiceLogo2015

 

1/3/2016: 

Knowns and Unknowns of Oil and Gas from Landowner  Perspective

 

 1/24/2016: Marketing Beef Cattle

 

2/14/2016: Advantages of Crop Diversity in Pasture Fields

 

 2/21/2016: GMOs: Why They are Created and Labeling

 

2/28/2016: Bt and its Variable Uses and Agrobacterium  

Save the Date – May 10th, FREE CLASS “Pests and Diseases in the Garden”

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Last class I offered in the Seed to Storage gardening series drew some folks all the way from Washington County.  Feel free to make the drive to the Hocking County Fairgrounds on May 10th at 7pm for a FREE class on “Pests and Diseases in the Garden”

hornwormA Beneficial and a Pest

 

This Tomato Hornworm was snacking on my Juliets.  When those little white egg cases hatch the Braconid Wasps will feed on the Hornworm and then spread throughout my garden doing good things.

Transplanting Into the Home Garden

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It is that time of the year when the soil is warming up and people are starting to put in their garden starter plugs that they grew indoors. Starting plants indoors is a great way to get a “head start” on things and be safe from some late frosts that occur in April and May.  When you are transplanting some of these plants, be sure to check the frost tolerance and make sure you put them out during the proper times.

Besides the frost, plants have to acclimate or “harden” from indoor conditions to outdoor conditions. When a plant grows indoors the light conditions can be as much as 40 times less intense than the full sun, and exposure time can be less than half of what it will be outside.  Plants will generally grow thicker leaves and produce more chlorophyll to make better usage of the light energy provided to the plant when they are grown in low light conditions (indoors).  This is actually one reason why lettuce is grown in partial shade.

Low Light vs High

(Plant Physiology 3rd ed.)

Taking this idea a bit deeper (down to the roots); it is important to remember that the water and nutrient uptake is essentially all done through very fine and tender root hairs. When a plant is moved many of these hairs are damaged and water uptake can become insufficient for the plant’s needs.

Seedling

So let’s combine the problems now: A plant is moved to 12 times the sun, with increased chlorophyll and 2 times the light exposure that it is used to.  On top of that the plant cannot get the water to support the increased photosynthesis demand in that direct sunlight.  That could set the plant back, and all the sudden that “head start” might not be so advantages anymore.

 

Some tips from OSU Extension:

  1. Slowly transition the plant from indoors to outdoors by bringing it out for a few hours at a time without damaging the root hairs during the move (keep it in the original container).
  2. Don’t put out frost sensitive plants too early.
  3. Wait for the soil temperatures to warm up nicely (60 degrees or greater).
  4. When transplanting the starter plant, don’t let it get too big and don’t shake off too much soil from the root mass (root hair damage).
  5. Be sure to actively water the plant during the first week especially. This will compensate for the decreased water uptake ability of the plant.
  6. If you are utilizing weed control, make sure the pesticide doesn’t have a long residual period (refer to the label).

These tips will work for both gardening and landscaping; so when you buy a plant from a nursery, ask about the growing conditions. Things like: “Has the plant been growing indoors or outside?”  And “How long has it been out and how much sun is it getting here?”

Mole Control

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This is the time of year I receive phone calls about moles causing problems. Over the past 27 years, few critters can stir such emotion as these little animals. When I started in Extension 27 years ago, the solution was fairly simple: put down an insecticide, kill the food source, and the moles would move away (maybe to your neighbors) to find a new food source. The problem was that the insecticide would kill all the insects, good and bad. The moles favorite food is grubs, but the most common food is earthworms. The older generation insecticides would kill both. Newer generation lawn insecticides are much safer to the environment and many are insect growth regulators targeted to work on grubs only and leave the earthworms alone.

If you are trying to control moles, these newer insecticides will not encourage moles to move away as well, but they are still very effective in controlling grubs which can damage lawns. So what can we do? When it comes to “home remedies”, the ones I have heard of simply will not work. I have heard of putting chewing gum or laxatives in the holes but we need to keep in mind that moles are carnivores and only feed on insects, so these will not work. I suppose some other remedies that I have heard could work somewhat as they could act as a repellent.

When these remedies are tried and in a period of time, the moles go away; was it the remedy or was it the weather? Right now the weather is warming up and the ground is saturated, so the moles are moving up near the surface. When it gets hot and drier, they will probably move down into the soil and I doubt if we will see much damage. In the fall, it will cool down, the ground will get wet and they will move back up, then when winter sets in, they will go back down deep. My “guess” is that it is probably the weather.

So what can we do? I see two options. First, don’t worry about it and they will go away in a month or so. Or if you do want to do something, there are traps that can be used. If you can find an active runway (the tunnel under the soil) and set the trap in, you should catch moles. Generally, the most active runway is one that goes from the nest to the feeding areas. The nest will usually be around the edge of the lawn, maybe in a grassy meadow or some woods with cover over the soil. In my old lawn, the nest was between the sidewalk and the wood house, where my wife had a flower bed. The runway would go under the sidewalk, then branch off where the moles would feed. If a trap could be set between the nesting area and where the runway branched off for feeding, that would be an excellent location for a trap. Just check it every day, and if you have not caught a mole, consider a new location. In my lawn, it wasn’t the moles that caused the most damage, it was my Golden Retriever trying to catch the mole and was always six inches behind!

moles

The Label is the Law

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The word “pesticide” inherently has a negative connotation, after all anything that ends with “cide” refers to the death. However, pesticides are generally used to improve the conditions of an environment. They kill pests. The definition of what is considered a pest can change depending on the situation and the opinion of the parties involved. Herbicides, insecticides, rodenticides, and fungicides are all examples of commonly used pesticides. Anti-bacterial/viral soaps, sprays, and sanitizers can even fall into this category, because they kill bacteria and viruses. Given that the applicators and users follow the directions specific to the product they are using, there is very little resulting risk to humans. These directions include proper storage, application, and treatment or use of the affected environment following application.

When using ANY type of pesticide, the label is the law and there are no exceptions. Whether the substance can be purchased and used by anyone or requires a special license, the protocol is the same. Read the label and follow the instructions. If you have any doubts about using the product correctly, do not use it. In nearly all cases where an issue arises associated with pesticide use it is a result of not following directions. These substances can be credited to improving the quality of human life in many ways over the centuries, but they are to be respected.

In general, when confronted with a situation that prompts the question, “Should I use a pesticide for this?”, I look for an alternative method that could solve the problem first. For example: Sugar ants found their way into my candy drawer. Should I use ant spray to get rid of them? -Maybe, but first let’s clean it out, wipe down the trail from where the ants were lead inside, and see if that stops them before we decide to spray.

Following the directions for pesticide use allows us to solve problems while still being good stewards. Being good stewards is important to maintaining the health and safety of our environment on all scales. So, if using a pesticide is appropriate for your situation, make sure to take the steps needed for proper safety and use.

Anticipation of Asparagus

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This article originally appeared in the March 28, 2016 issue of The Journal-Leader.

Asparagus is one of the first spring vegetables ready to harvest in Ohio. The enticing green stalks begin to pop out of the ground in early April and asparagus lovers start to get excited. Harvest time typically stretches through June. Did you know that a successful patch of asparagus can produce a crop for up to (and beyond) 20 years? However, getting it established can be tricky.

Asparagus is picky about the soil it grows in. It does not tolerate soils that are acidic and it prefers well-drained sites. Planting crowns (which are segments of plant roots and emerging stems) in your garden is quicker and easier than starting asparagus from seed. It is important to give the crowns or seedlings time to establish before harvesting the stalks. One-year old crowns should not be harvested until they have been in the garden bed for at least a year and seedlings need two years. The reason they need this time is that the stalks, which we eat, will grow out into a fern and make energy to send down to the roots. When you harvest the stalks, energy is lost from the roots and if this happens too early the asparagus will not produce in subsequent years.

Asparagus is diecious (which means it has separate male and female plants). After the female plants growing out into a fern they will produce flowers and eventually seeds. Removing the seed stalks from the plant before the seeds form helps save energy in the roots for the next year. Seed production can be avoided by specifically purchasing crowns of only male plants.

After the asparagus has had time to get used to its new home and harvest time comes, pick it when the stalks are about the length of your hand (7-9 in). You can snap the stalks off at the soil, or to avoid cutting the tough part of the stalk off later, leave an inch or two sticking out. Harvest every week or two until 75% of the stalks are about the circumference of a pencil. To store fresh asparagus, place the ends upright in a shallow tray of water to keep them sweet and tender (if you buy fresh asparagus at a market, look for bunches that have been stored this way to get the best taste and texture). Once the harvest period has passed, let the remaining stalks grow out into ferns again to store energy for next year.

If you’re not a fan of asparagus (like me), maybe it is time to give it another try. The spring issue of OSU Extension’s Chop Chop Magazine features a recipe for Cheesy Roasted Asparagus that I plan to make with dinner sometime this month:

Ingredients: 1 bunch of fresh asparagus, 2 tbs. olive oil, ¼ tsp. salt, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, and ½ of a lemon

Directions: Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt, coating the asparagus. Roast in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until bright green. Sprinkle asparagus evenly with cheese and return to the oven until the cheese melts and turns golden (about 2 min). Remove from the oven, squeeze the lemon juice over the roasted asparagus, and serve.

Happy Tasting!