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AUGUST 2018 Cooperative Extension Service

Scott County

1130 Cincinnati Road

Georgetown, KY 40324

(502) 863-0984

Fax: (502) 863-2392

scott.ca.uky.edu

sflynt@uky.edu

MASTER GARDENER CERTIFICATION CLASSES BEGINNING

Sharon P. Flynt,

Agent for Horticulture

Have an interest in gardening but want to LEARN MORE? Want to give

back to your community through VOLUNTEERING? Do you have time to

volunteer 40 hours a year to SCOTT CO. EXTENSION HORTICUTURE?

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers help County Extension Agents with

Community Outreach through horticultural such as volunteering at community

events, teaching horticulture to beginning gardeners, assisting with demon-

stration gardens, and using your special talents such as writing or photog-

raphy for newsletters, etc. You can become an Extension Master Garden-

er Volunteer by attending Class Orientation on September 25, 2018, at

5:00 p.m., and filling out an application for class. Once you are accepted into

the class series, you will need to successfully complete the Extension Master

Gardener Volunteer Certification class followed by volunteering 40 hours of

your time from December 2018 to June 2019 to Scott Co. Extension Horticul-

ture Program.

Call 502 862 0984 for information

email sflynt@uky.edu

WEBSITE: https://scott.ca.uky.edu/content/horticulture

*unless otherwise noted

SCOTT CO. EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers are trained

in a variety of horticulture topics:

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EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER CORNER:

GROWING FLOWERS FOR CUTTING BY ANN BROOKS-WALLER, SCOTT CO. EXTENSION MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEER APPRENTICE

Growing a cut

flower garden can

be very rewarding.

Who doesn’t like

fresh flowers on the

table, on the coffee

table, in the bath-

room, on the porch,

everywhere?! Alas,

there are probably

some, but if you

answered “I DO!”,

then keep reading for tips on growing your best cut

flower garden ever.

When choosing flowers for your cut flower garden

there are some tried and true species I recommend.

For perennials I like: Peony, Black Eyed Susan, Gar-

den Phlox, Yarrow, Salvia, Astilbe, and Echinacea.

As for annuals I usually have good luck with Sunflow-

ers, Zinnias, Celosia, Cosmos, Gomphrena, and

Bells of Ireland. There are certainly others, however

these are the ones that are easy to grow in our area

(Zone 6) and have a good vase life.

Most flower species do their best with 1 inch of

water a week. Drip irrigation is the best way to do

this, supplying water right to the root zone. If you do

water by hand, be sure to water at the base of the

plant and not on the foliage. Disease can occur when

foliage is wet or soil has splashed up on the plant.

Watering in the morning or evening is best so the

plant has ample moisture for the heat of the day.

Fertilizing flowers for best results is essential.

When you plant your flower beds be sure to

add some com-

post to the soil. This will give the young plants a good

start. During the season you can fertilize with organic

(plant or animal material) or inorganic (chemical) ferti-

lizer. I personally use both. I like to use organic as

much as possible, however I give my container annu-

als a shot of inorganic fertilizer from time to time. You

can buy both kinds of fertilizer at your local garden

center. Look for fertilizer specifically for flowers.

Here comes the fun part..harvest! Even if your

blooms aren’t the prettiest, because they have been

chewed on by a pest) you should still harvest them.

This is one mistake many make. A plant has one goal

and one goal only, to flower and make seeds to keep

the species alive.

Deadheading, or cutting the spent blooms, can

cause regrowth and the chance to flower again. If you

want larger showier blooms in preference to many

blooms, thinning your perennials will help with this.

The best time to harvest your beauties for the vase is

in the early morning. Keep a bucket of water handy to

put them in as soon as they are cut and you will have

less chance of losing any. Grab your favorite vase or

mason jar, snip the stems again, use some flower

food if you like and “Voila!” instant happiness for the

home!

Check out the University Of Kentucky Extension Horticulture page for more information on gardening. http://articles.extension.org/horticulture

Ann Brooks-Waller is a Master Gardener Apprentice. She owns Annie’s Flowers and grows and sells her own flowers along with offering a wide range of other floral services from special occasions to everyday arrangements. Contact her at 859-433-2949 or look her up on Facebook @freshflowersonthetable.

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Home gardeners may likely be seeing early blight

and Septoria leaf spot of tomato in their plantings at

this time. As the most common diseases of tomato in

Kentucky, homeowners always have at least some

Septoria leaf spot and early blight pressure. Both

early blight and Septoria leaf spot commonly occur

in the field under wet, humid conditions. Prevention,

early identification, and management will help re-

duce plant losses.

Think this may be what’s wrong with your plants?

Below you will find the symptoms to look for, preven-

tative tactics, and brief suggestions on how to treat

once disease is confirmed.

Early Blight—Early blight is caused by the fungal

pathogens Alternaria solani and A. tomatephila.

These pathogens overwinter in plant debris from the

previous season, or sometimes in association with

solanaceous weeds. Spores are initially splashed

onto the lowest leaves, where symptoms first be-

come apparent, but frequent rain or overhead water-

ing can spread spores throughout plants. Leaves,

stems, and fruit may become infected at any stage

of the growing season, but are most common on ag-

ing plant tissue. Early blight is favored by moderate

temperatures, high humidity, and frequent rainfall.

Once established, the disease can spread rapidly in

dense plantings. Most potatoes are also very sus-

ceptible to early blight, and symptoms, preventative

tactics, and management are similar to tomato.

Early blight appears as dark-brown lesions with con-

centric ring patterns developing on leaves or stems,

sometimes with chlorotic (yellow) halo around le-

sions (Figure 1). Older leaves are usually affected

first, with the disease spreading up the plant to affect

newer growth. Lesions enlarge and may coalesce to

result in blight (rapid dieback). Affected fruit develop

dark-brown lesions with concentric ring patterns, typ-

ically at the attachment end (Figure 2).

More on Page 4 . . . .

Figure 1: Early blight results in the development of dark-brown lesions with a

concentric ring or bulls-eye pattern. (Photo: UMN Extension)

Figure 2: Fruit affected by early blight develop dark-brown lesions with concen-

tric rings. (Photo: Univ. of Kentucky Vegetable IPM Scouting Guide Team, UK)

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“GROWING GARDENERS” CLASSES SEE CLASS DESCRIPTIONS ON THE SCOTT CO. HORTICULTURE WEBSITE: HTTPS://SCOTT.CA.UKY.EDU/HORTICUTLURE

AUGUST 16 5:30-7:30 FALL LAWN RENOVATION SCEO

AUGUST 21 5:30-7:30 GROWING CABBAGE AND OTHER

FALL VEGETABLES

SCEO

SEPTEMBER 6 5:30-7:00 MAKE A SUGAR MOLD HYPERTUFA SCEO LIMIT 15—COST $10.00

SEPTEMBER 13 5:30-7:30 DIVIDING PERENNIALS SCEO

September 25 5-6 p.m. Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

Class Orientation

SCEO

Septoria Leaf Spot

Cause and Disease Development—Septoria leaf spot is caused by the fungal pathogen Septoria lyco-persici. The pathogen overwinters in plant debris from the previous season or in association with sola-naceous weeds. Spores are initially splashed onto the lowest leaves, but frequent rain and overhead watering will spread the disease throughout the plant. Only leaves, stems, or petioles may become infected, which can result in significantly reduced plant vigor and overall blighting. Septoria leaf spot is favored by moderate temperatures and high humidity and rainfall. Once established the disease can spread rapidly in dense plantings of tomatoes.

Symptoms—Small circular lesions with darkened borders and tan-brown centers are characteristic of this disease. Septoria leaf spot is typically first ob-served in the lower plant canopy, but eventually spreads to new, younger growth. The number of spots increases as disease severity increases.

Blighting (rapid dieback) may occur in severe cases, which may kill plants while leaving a few unblem-ished fruit (commonly occurs in garden tomatoes). The fungus produces additional spores in pycnidia, which can be seen as small, black specks in the cen-ters of older lesions.

Cultural management practices

- Select varieties with resistance or tolerance to early

blight and/or Septoria leaf spot.

- Do not set transplants with visible leaf spots.

- Remove plant debris or weeds from growing areas.

- Remove and destroy heavily infected, lower leaves

from indeterminate tomatoes.

- Use drip irrigation or water around the base of the

plant (instead of overhead watering) to reduce leaf

wetness.

- Use recommended plant spacing to facilitate air

movement and leaf drying.

- Practice crop rotation.

Chemical approaches— Fungicide treatment is a preventive treatment only and should be started within 2 weeks of planting. For more information on fungicide use contact Sharon Flynt, Agent for Horti-culture at sflynt@uky.edu

Figure 3: Tomato plants infected with Septoria leaf spot develop

Please call the office to register at least 5 days before class beginning. Any class fees are due at registration. Our number is

502 863 0984; please ask for Jan or Marlene who will take your registration.

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Just the other night, my husband and I were sitting outside, when he noticed a bagworm hanging in a Japanese maple close to our porch. He picked it off, squeezed bag to de-stroy the larvae inside and disposed of it. Then, I noticed one and then he another, anoth-er, etc., etc. That is the problem with bag-worms, you don’t notice them until there are many. Once discov-ered like that, is it too late to prevent feeding damage on your tree?

Maybe not…

First, let’s make sure we are discussing the same pest. Some people also refer to eastern tent caterpillar and fall webworm as bagworms Tent cat-erpillars and fall armyworms are not BAGWORMS. Eastern tent caterpillars occur in spring. The larvae gather at a fork of a tree and build a web or "tent." Fall webworms occur later in the season (noticeable in August and September), but they too build large, protective nests (webs) that usually start on the ends of branches. Bagworms are quite visible now as dangling brown bags on branches of eastern red cedar and other evergreens, (Figure

1),but they can also be found on deciduous hosts (my maple!).

Female bagworms lay 500-1000 eggs in the fall and the eggs overwinter inside a silken bag constructed with needles, bits of bark, and other plant parts. Those eggs hatch from mid-May through early June. Upon hatching, the young larvae begin feed-ing and construct silken shelters to protect their bodies. When disturbed, larvae will retract back into their bag and hold the opening closed. The larvae (Figure 2) feed on needles and leaves for a period of 8 to 10 weeks (usually into August) enlarg-ing the bag exterior with bits of foliage, bark, and/or other plant parts as it grows. Once feeding is complete, the mature larvae firmly attaches their bag to a twig with silk strands – the bags we are noticing now. Once the bag top permanently closes, larvae

reverse their position in the bags so that their heads face downward. Pupal (resting) stage development begins and the pupa remain in this life stage for about 4 weeks. During September and early October the males leave their cases and fly to bags containing females where mating takes place. Each mated female deposits a mass of eggs inside her bag. She crawls out of the bag after laying eggs, drops to

the ground and dies.

The bagworm may be managed on small shrubs and trees by handpicking or cutting the bags from infested plants. Destroy/dispose of the bags so that this pest will

not reenter your landscape.

White-footed mice, European sparrows, and several species of

parasitoid wasps (i.e. biological control agents) provide effective

natural control of bag-

worms. Parasitoids

(Figure3) are organisms

that live in close associa-

tion with their host and

ultimately kill it. The pres-

ence of flowering forbs

(herbaceous plants that

are not grass or grass-

like) or flowering annu-

als and perennials

around trees and shrubs

can significantly increase attack by parasitoids because these

plants provide nectar, pollen and cover needed by biological

control agents.

When all other controls fail, an insecticide application may be indicated. Several registered insecticide formulations are labeled for bagworm management. These products should be applied from late May to mid-June while larvae are hatching; treatments may not be as effective against larger larvae later in the season. Be sure to follow all insecticide label directions.

Resources: UK Cooperative Extension Service, The Penn State Univeristy Extension

Program, University of Illinois Extension

I’VE SUDDENLY NOTICED LITTLE STICK COV-

ERED BAGS HANGING FROM THE BRANCHES OF

MY BLUE SPRUCE—WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW

DO I GET RID OF THEM? By Sharon Flynt,

Scott Co. Horticulture Agent

ASK

THE AGENT:

Figure 1. Attached bagworm bags; about

50% contain flightless female moths. (Photo:

Katie Pratt, UK)

Figure 2: Bagworm: head of larva protrud-

ing ;G.J. Lenhard - Louisiana State University

Figure 3-Itoplectis conquisitor an example of a

parasitoid that attacks bagworms. (Photo: Thomas

Wilson from BugGuide, Iowa State University,

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REMEMBER: When using pesticides, read and follow directions

and safety precautions on labels. Handle carefully

and store in original labeled containers out of the

reach of children, pets, and livestock. Dispose of

empty containers right away, in a safe manner

and place. Do not contaminate forage, streams,

or ponds.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the government body that regulates pesticides

in the U.S., a pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying,

repelling or mitigating any pest. Frequently misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, the term pesticide

also applies to herbicides, fungicides, and various other substances used to control pests. Pesticides also

include plant regulators, defoliants and desiccants. REMEMBER: THE LABEL IS THE LAW—Pesticides

are poisonous. Read and follow directions and safety precautions on labels. Handle carefully and store in

original labeled containers out of the reach of children, pets, and livestock. Dispose of empty containers

right away, in a safe manner and place. Do not contaminate forage, streams, or ponds.