Dahlia Tubers

Tender bulbs include tuberous begonia, freesia, dahlias, gladiolus, caladiums, canna, Oxalis and calla lilies, and all should be stored indoors for winter or they will not survive the cold.

The general rule of thumb is to dig your tender bulbs out of your gardens after the leaves begin to dry up or are killed by frost.  Once the timing is right, carefully dig up the tender bulbs. Use a fork or spade to gently loosen the roots several inches away from the plant’s base. It usually works best to loosen the soil on all sides of the plant before trying to lift up the clump. It is important to avoid cutting, breaking or “skinning” the fleshy bulb. If you damage the bulb it is more susceptible to disease or rot.

After the bulbs have been dug, clean them. Most plants need a gentle wash, but gladiolus corms store best if left unwashed and simply let to dry out. Be sure to dust off any soil before putting them in storage.

Then, the bulbs will need to cure or dry. Curing time varies depending on the species. Dahlias, cannas, callas and caladiums have a short curing period of only one to three days. Gladiolus, oxalis and freesia require a longer curing period of approximately three weeks. Gladiolus should cure in temperatures of approximately 60°F to 70°F. All tender bulbs should be stored out of direct sunlight and in well-ventilated areas while drying.

Next, be sure to inspect for pests before storing them away. Pests include both insects and fungi or other diseases.

You may consider lightly dusting with an insecticide or fungicide according to the product’s label to avoid pests over winter.

Long winters can make it difficult to remember exactly which bulbs are which come spring. Label your bulbs as you put them in their final storage space. You can write directly on the bulb with a soft-tipped marker.

Finally, choose a location that is going to have a consistent temperature appropriate for your bulbs’ storage. Freesia, gladiolus and oxalis should be stored at 35° to 40° F. Cannas and dahlias should be stored at 40° to 50° F.Tuberous begonia, caladium, and calla lily should be stored at 50° to 55° F.

Throughout the winter you will want to check in on your bulbs to ensure there are no signs of rot. Remove anything that shows signs of rot or decay before all your bulbs and all of your work are lost. Saving and storing your bulbs will save you dollars next spring.

SOURCE: University of Minnesota

Garden cleanup or “sanitation” at the end of the growing season is a way to reduce some of the plant disease potential for the following season — The list of plant diseases that can overwinter is long, but those that can perhaps be reduced the following season by good fall clean up include rose black spot, hollyhock rust, Septoria leaf blight on Rudbeckia, bacterial blight on geranium, botrytis blight on peony, bacterial leaf spot on English ivy, canker and dieback on vinca, crabapple scab, and Septoria leaf spot on tomato, just to mention a few.

Disease management can include debris clean up, such as raking up infected leaves, flower heads, and other plant parts, and cutting infected stems back close to the ground. The debris can then be put in yard waste for collection or otherwise removed from the garden area. It can also include turning plant debris into the soil or adding it to a “hot” compost pile where it will degrade quickly. Plant pathogens are less likely to survive over winter if organic debris in the garden decomposes quickly.

Weed management can be important as well, as some weeds are hosts for the fungi that infect cultivated plants and most weeds this time of year also have seeds.  For example, round-leaf mallow, a common lawn and waste place weed, also serves as a host to the hollyhock rust fungus and can serve as a source of spores (inoculum) the following season. Horse nettle, jimsonweed, and nightshade also serve as a host for the same pathogen that causes  Septoria leaf spot on tomato. Tomato rotation without tomatoes but with these weeds, even for four years will not avoid this disease.

Infected plant debris can also be “hot” or fast composted, which involves raising the pile’s temperature so that debris decomposes quickly, killing the plant pathogens and weed seeds. Shredding or chopping plant debris allows more surface area for the decomposing organisms to work on, and will speed up the process. The minimum pile size must be one cubic yard (a three foot cube) and the internal pile temperature must reach and sustain 120°- 160° F for two to three weeks. Making fast compost involves a good mix of green and brown debris initial layering and watering plus turning the pile frequently, keeping it moist (50-60% moisture – moist, but not wet) and making sure enough nitrogen is in the pile to fuel the decomposition process among the microbes. Piling up debris and letting it sit unattended for several months will not kill plant disease organisms or weed seeds, and the compost pile may then actually become a source of inoculum & weeds for the following season.

Asparagus Ferns should be cleaned off the patch in the Fall each year!

The asparagus ferns gradually die in the late fall, turning brown by winter. As they die, they transport carbon and nutrients down to the roots for winter storage. The ferns must be removed every year once they are completely yellow or brown. Do not remove green ferns, as this decreases energy storage in the plants.

Remove ferns in the late fall or early spring. When possible, late fall is preferred, to eliminate insect pests that overwinter in the ferns. Remove ferns from the crowns by chopping, mowing or burning.

In spring, it is best to remove them from the field and burn or compost them elsewhere in order to minimize asparagus insect pests like asparagus beetles and pathogens that have been overwintering in the ferns.

Don’t till the ferns into the soil as it contributes relatively little organic matter and can create insect pest problems.

Source: University of Minnesota

Don’t miss this dynamic duo as they raise awareness about the Spotted Lantern Fly during prime time tailgating at the OSU – Penn State Game!  Did you know invasive Spotted Lantern Fly was first discovered in Pennsylvania?  Learn more about this invasive pest in this 88.9FM Saturday Morning Farm Page interview with OSU Extension’s Carrie Brown!!

OSU Extension’s Spotted Lantern Fly Amy Stone and Carrie Brown!!

231019_003

Where did Summer Go?  bye..bye..birdie!!

by Edna Wilson, Master Gardener 2017

Autumn is coming soon and the Hummingbirds (Hummers) will soon prepare for their fall migration flight back to Mexico and South America. This flight will take approximately two weeks allowing for weather, etc. Most birds will stop along the way to rest and feed. The Hummer’s flying speed averages 27 miles per hour. If the hummer is flying across the Gulf of Mexico it can take 18 to 24 hours of nonstop flying. Once a hummer leaves shore it must Continue reading Let’s talk about those Hummingbird Feeders in the Fall!! →

Want to learn more about those insects you might see in your garden?  Be sure to listen into the 88.9FM Saturday Morning Farm Page Interview with OSU Extension Educator Carrie Brown!!

Aphids on Pepper!!

230706_001

What should I be doing in my garden now?  Be sure to listen to our interview on the Saturday Morning Farm Page  with Master Gardener  Keith Eichhorn about mid season gardening chores and succession planting!

210701_003

The beautiful Italianate building that sits on the corner of Main and High Streets in Lancaster, Ohio, has housed our Fairfield County Auditor’s Office since 2020. The original building dates back to around 1837 as a private home. Over a hundred years later, it became a public building and has housed numerous businesses including the Health Department, Board of Education and Sheriff’s Office.  In 2019, was extensively renovated, expanded and upgraded to meet the needs of Fairfield County.

Our current county auditor, Carri L. Brown, PhD, MBA, CGFM, contacted the Fairfield County Master Gardner program in 2022 regarding planting perennials on the grounds. At that time, we discussed native plants and trees, ongoing garden maintenance, public education of the project, radiant heat from the surrounding asphalt and the building, pollution from the constant traffic, safety of pollinators and the public — all while considering the building’s design and history.

Very soon these garden beds will be filled with Pollinator Plants for all to enjoy while traveling Main Street in Lancaster

Early in 2023, we revisited the project and came up with an action plan with input from other master gardeners. We were able to enjoin a local garden expert who could do the “heavy lifting” of creating the garden beds, augment the soil and get the selected plants into the ground. That addressed a major concern which paved the way for implementing our plan. Plants had to be able to tolerate the environment created around the building. We kept the current boxwoods at the entry way and added more along the west side of the building to provide continuity in that line of sight.  We added some splashes of color with hydrangeas and colorful spirea.  The pollinators will be happy with the catmint, cranesbill, allium, rudbeckia and sedum. Karl Forester grasses were added at the ADA entrance to provide softening of the railings.

The Auditor’s Office building is on the Fairfield County Heritage Tour which is scheduled for June 24 and 25, 2023. While the gardens are not part of the tour, everyone is welcome to come take a look at our newest project.  The grounds are always open to the public.

For a more detailed history on this building, go to https://www.co.fairfield.oh.us/auditor/timelime.html.

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 badly compact soil, and the negative effects will last for many years.

Working wet soil will pack soil particles tightly, leaving less room for water and air to penetrate. Compacted soil also makes it more difficult for plant roots and gardening equipment to move through the soil. The compression forms tight clumps of soil that become hard as rocks upon drying and are difficult to break up. In addition to making it difficult for plants to grow, compacted soils also tend to drain more slowly, in turn delaying the ability to work the soil after the next rainfall.

Once compacted, it will take many years to rebuild a healthy soil structure, requiring annual applications of Continue reading Resist the Urge To Work Wet Soil →

TAKING A WALK IN THE WOODS….

There are few plants that scream “Spring is Here!” louder than Virginia bluebells, Mertensia virginica. A definite fan favorite, this plant is a real treat to see this time of the year; not only because it’s a true beauty, but also because of its ephemeral nature….it won’t be here long! 

Spring ephemeral wildflowers are unique because they occupy a very narrow blooming window. This is a time after the soil begins to warm but before the tree canopy fills. Because of this lack of leaf canopy, at least 50% of the sunlight is reaching the forest floor. This percentage will decrease considerably in mid-May as trees and shrubs leaf out.

Other spring ephemerals you may be familiar with include pink lady’s-slipper (Cypripedium acaule), Jacob’s ladder (Polemonium reptans), wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), and Ohio’s state wildflower, great white trillium (Trillium grandifolium). You have to give these plants credit, as they have figured out a way to fill a niche – when, frankly, it is a hard time to be a plant!  If you would like to take a walk in the woods , virtually with OSU Extension’s Carrie Brown, here’s the link you need https://youtu.be/qo4lu4mNSVY

 Virginia bluebells grow in partial to full shade and prefer woodlands with moist, rich soils. Large stands of this erect, clump-forming perennial can be found statewide in stream floodplains, touting tubular flowers that begin as pink buds before expanding into blue trumpets. These blooms are extremely showy and are a favorite among bumblebees and other native long-tongued bees, as well as several species of butterflies and moths. 

Plants grow up to 2 feet tall and exude a sweet, light fragrance. However, don’t blink, as this species is short-lived in the spring, withering back to Continue reading Taking a Walk in the Woods Virtually!! →