Are you thinking of breaking new ground in order to start your garden in a different spot? If so, this 13 minute presentation offers valuable tips on not only “breaking” the new spot, but also assessing and amending the soil fertility, along with a variety of other considerations.

A soil thermometer can be a gardener’s best friend especially this spring!

With a thermometer, no guess work is needed. Soil temperature is the best indicator of when to plant each type of vegetable, no matter what climate zone you live in.

Crops that germinate in the coolest soils (down to 40 degrees F) include arugula, fava beans, kale, lettuce, pak choi, parsnips, peas, radicchio, radishes and spinach seed. When the soil temperature reaches above 50 degrees, Chinese cabbage, leeks, onions, Swiss chard, and turnips can join them in the garden.

At 60 degrees you can sow Continue reading Is it time to plant vegetables? Ask your soil thermometer →

– Rosie Lerner, Purdue University, Dept of Horticulture

Many gardeners might have gotten that itch to get out the tiller, work up their garden soil and maybe even put some potatoes in the ground! But many areas are still soggy from excessive weekend rains, making soils too wet to work.

It really is best for your garden’s long-term health to resist the urge to work the soil when it is still wet. Whether you use a tiller, plow or just a garden spade, working wet soil can Continue reading Resist the Urge To Work Wet Soil →

Thinking about planting a tree in 2019 . . . believe it or not, NOW is the time to begin making plans for it! This video is a “must see” regardless if you’re planting trees yet this spring, or planning for the future.

– Connie Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County

Purple deadnettle is a winter annual meaning that seeds germinate in late summer to early fall. They are just beginning to bloom throughout Ohio!

Purple deadnettle is a winter annual meaning that seeds germinate in late summer to early fall. Members of this sneaky group of weeds grow throughout the winter and sing their flower song in the spring. This isn’t a problem for farmers because winter annuals are easily plowed under in the spring so they don’t compete with summer annual crops. In fact, in some ways, they act like winter cover crops.

However, winter annuals can create headaches for landscape and turfgrass managers. Since preemergent herbicides are typically used to target the spring germinating seeds of summer annuals (e.g. crabgrass), winter annuals such as deadnettle can escape to Continue reading Purple Deadnettle is turning everything purple! →

Warmer, drier weather will create a window of opportunity to apply crabgrass preventer

Hopefully, now that the ice and snow have melted and spring weather is rapidly approaching, it’s time to apply early season crabgrass preventer. Crabgrass is a summer annual grass that will reestablish itself each year from seed that remains near the soil surface from last year’s crabgrass crop. The seed of crabgrass begins to germinate in areas of a lawn where light can penetrate to the soil surface and the soil temperatures warm to nighttime minimum temperatures of 52 – 54 F for at least 5 consecutive nights under conditions of moist soils.

When applied in a timely fashion, preemergence herbicides can effectively control the germination of crabgrass. A “timely” application requires that the herbicide be applied and rained into the soils surface before soil temperatures are such that germination can occur. In Fairfield County, ideal timing for the application of a crabgrass preventer herbicide is typically Continue reading The time to prevent crabgrass is upon us! →

– Paul Hang, Pickaway County Master Gardener Coordinator

Repeatedly planting crops of the same family, in the same garden spot, year after year, is never a good idea!

Besides the TV quiz show Family Feud, another family feud, that of the Hatfields and McCoys, illustrates the danger of getting families too close. Did your tomatoes do poorly last year? How about your zucchini or your cucumbers? Have you been gardening the same way for years and are now getting poorer results?

One reason may be family feuds. If you plant members of the same vegetable family in the same place year after year, you have been depleting the nutrients that members of that family use. Another result of not rotating plants from the same family is that pests and diseases that the family is susceptible to will Continue reading Vegetable Garden Family Feud →

– Dr. D. Gerken, veterinary toxicologist and Fairfield County Master Gardener Volunteer

Potted tulips are a potential health risk to your pets!

‘Tis the season to buy potted blooming bulbs for inside the house to decorate for Easter or to just celebrate the coming of spring. The most common are daffodils, tulips or lilies which may be planted outside once the foliage has died back, or stored in a cool dry environment and planted in the fall.

All are considered members of the Liliaceae family and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, depression, excessive salivation and Continue reading Beware of Potted Daffodils, Tulips and Lilies around Pets! →

Recently on her WLRY 88.9 FM weekly radio show, The Farm Page, OSU Extension PA Connie Smith visited with Ohio State University graduate student Jerad Jaborek about the Jersey crossbreeding beef research project he’s been working on that also includes Wagyu, Angus and SimAngus genetics. That conversation evolved from a discussion about the human health aspects of beef, and more specifically whether Connie needed to eat less beef and more chicken. Listen in and hear what they had to say:

After that, the conversation turned to the rapidly approaching home grilling season, and Continue reading “No, you don’t need to switch to chicken” →

The “Super Powers for a Super You! Challenge” is an on-line challenge designed to help participants improve their health by encouraging regular exercise, nutrition, and wellness during the upcoming spring. Participants will explore “villains” that may interfere with our wellness goals. Do you need a little extra motivation to help you get started? Are you stressed for time and need ideas to help you fit activity into your day? Are you distracted and need help refocusing your wellness goals? If so, join us for this Super Challenge!

Each week participants will receive free Continue reading Join the Spring Wellness Email Challenge! →