The Vine Franklin County Master Gardeners

University of Missouri Extension in Franklin County 116 W Main, Union MO 63084 636-583-5141

Vol. 13, Issue 2, July 2015

A Successful Franklin County MG Plant Sale, 2015 Karen Leslie, Franklin County Master and Chair—2015 Plant Sale Committee

T he Franklin County Master Gardener plant sale

was held May 16th at JC Penney’s parking lot in

Washington from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The day prior to our plant sale, perennials from mem-

ber’s gardens were inspected at Georgianne McClanahan’s

farm. The last of the donated boutique items were

dropped off there as well and priced by Judy Schuck and

Georgianne. Eighteen beautiful hanging baskets, arranged

by Georgianne, were waiting to be loaded into her van.

Friday afternoon, I had an abundance of native plants

at my place waiting to be delivered to the plant sale. Four

hundred native plants from MO Wildflower Nursery were

stored in Kathy Huygez’s horse trailer. My truck was

filled with native plants I picked up from Bill Schwab at

Shaw’s Nature Reserve, plants which he grew and nursed

from seeds. “Thank you” Bill! A special “thank you” to

all FCMG members who donated plants from their gar-

dens and boutique items from their homes.

Scattered showers were predicted for the day of the

sale. However that did not dampen our spirits. At 6:45

a.m. the set-up crew began placing tables, putting up cano-

pies, large umbrellas, chairs, pricing posters, and plant

signs. By 7:45 all the plants, MO Wildflower Nursery

items, Bill’s plants, perennials, annuals, house plants,

grasses, trees, hanging baskets and boutique items, were in

their places, organized and ready for the customers. It was

fantastic. Thanks to the members of our set-up crew for

the great job they did: Yvette Luedde, Kathy and Henry

Huygez, Marsha and Marty Riggs, Tammy Poertner, Pau-

lette Monzyk, Sharon Jenicek, Karen Geisert, Richard

Jackson, Georgianne and Ray McClanahan, Judy Schuck,

and my husband Bob.

Customers began arriving at 8:00. The day could not

have been better. We only had one little rain shower, but

no mishaps with wind. The last customer left at 3:00 p.m.

and the teardown crew: Tammy, Richard, Yvette, Kathy,

Henry, Judy Morrow, Judy Schuck, Georgianne , Ray, I

and Bob began loading remaining plants, boutique items,

tables, chairs, canopies and umbrellas in appropriate vehi-

cles. We were done in record- breaking time and JC Pen-

ney’s lot was back to its original state. We had a very suc-

cessful day and all the credit went to the volunteers and

steering committee.

I would personally like to thank Georgianne McClana-

han, Judy Schuck, and Colleen Simmons for an outstand-

ing job with the Boutique. A big “thank you” to Marsha

Riggs, Teresa McPherson, Beth Kleekamp, and Lynn Moll

for their fantastic plant knowledge and customer service

talent. It was very rewarding to know that customers were

in good hands with them. A special “thank you” to Kathy

Huygez for a fabulous job as the queen native plant sales

lady. Karen Geisert, Judy Morrow, and Richard Jackson

deserve a huge “thank you” for their outstanding jobs as

general sales and great customer service members, and

making the customers feel confident in their selections.

“Thank you” to Tammy Poertner and Sharon Jenicek for

their outstanding job as cashiers and making sure the cus-

tomers left happy. Our team was impeccable in all aspects

of the plant sale. They all deserve an award for outstand-

ing plant knowledge, customer service talent, dedication,

and hard work. A warm and sincere “thank you” to ALL

our customers who came and bought plants and items that

helped make our plant sale a great success. Please forgive

me if I have omitted anybody who helped. A sincere

“thank you” to you.

We made an outstanding profit of $1,559.70. These

monies will help provide Franklin County Master Garden-

ers with continued education classes to help individuals

within our communities to create a safe environment,

beautiful gardens and landscapes, and horticultural train-

ing. We will also use the monies for funding naturalist

community projects and activities.

2

Poppy: A Plant of Remembrance Parts of this article were adapted from an article by David Trinklein,

Associate Professor, University of Missouri Division of Plant Sciences

T hese lines are excerpted from the poem , Flanders

Field. I was introduced to this poem in grade

school through the Faith and Freedom reader series

which was used in the school I attended in grades three

through eight. It was a superb series and I still remember

many of the essays, poems, biographies, stories--fiction

and non-fiction I read in those books. Every Memorial

Day I take a few minutes and read this poem. It has be-

come even more poignant to me since I visited a cemetery

in Belgium, not Flanders Field, several years ago. Ameri-

can and Canadian soldiers were buried there during

WWII and it continues to be attended by volunteers from

the local village.

The poem was written in 1915 by Major John McCrae,

a physician serving in a Canadian artillery unit during

World War I. It is believed he wrote it after conducting a

burial service for a young Canadian artillery officer who

was killed in the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium.

The poem inspired Monia Michael who is credited with

immortalizing the poppy as one of the most recognized

memorial symbols honoring soldiers killed in combat. A

century later it still symbolizes Memorial Day. A profes-

sor at the University of Georgia when the U.S. entered

World War I, she took a leave of absence from the Univer-

sity and volunteered to assist at a training headquarters for

overseas YWCA workers. After reading McCrae’s poem

she vowed to always wear a red poppy to honor those who

served in the war. After the war, she returned to the Uni-

versity of Georgia and taught a class of disabled service-

men. To provide financial and occupational support for

them she pursued the idea of selling silk poppies. In 1921,

as a result of her efforts, the poppy was adopted as a sym-

bol of remembrance for war veterans by the American Le-

gion Auxiliary. Known as the "Poppy Lady" for her hu-

manitarian efforts, Michael received numerous awards

during her lifetime. In 1948, four years after her death,

the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp

honoring her life’s achievement. In 1969, the Georgia

General Assembly named a section of U.S. Highway

78 the Moina Michael Highway.

The poppy referred to by McCrae is known today as

the Corn poppy or Flanders. It was a common flower na-

tive to Europe that grew wild including in the cemeteries

where fallen soldiers of World War I were buried. It is

from this poppy that the garden poppies we know as

Shirley poppies were developed.

It is suggested that wild poppy was domesticated by the

indigenous people of Western and Central Europe between

6000 and 3500 BC. Today the poppy family, annuals and

perennials, contains 30 genera and about 600 species.

Most are cold tolerant and prefer cool locations. The Ori-

ental poppy and Iceland poppy are two of the most famil-

iar perennial types.

Among the annual poppies, in addition to Flanders, is

the more notorious opium poppy which is illegal to grow

in Missouri. The use of poppy as an opiate was known to

ancient Egyptian doctors who had their patients eat seeds

from a poppy to relieve pain. Poppy seeds contain small

quantities of both morphine and codeine, pain-relieving

drugs still used today. Poppy seeds and fixed oils can also

be nonnarcotic because when they are harvested the mor-

phine practically disappears from the seeds twenty days

after the flower has opened.

The Oriental poppy is the most popular garden variety.

It produces large spectacular orange-red flowers 3½ to 4

inches in diameter. Petals have a crepe-paper texture. Sin-

gle blooms grow on wiry stems extending above the low-

growing and sharply toothed foliage. Broken stems and

leaves yield a white, milky sap. Since it is not suited to

extreme heat, in Missouri it flowers in the spring, usually

April, and disappears by July. . My mother always had

poppies in her flower gardens.

Oriental poppy prefers

well-drained soil and a sun-

ny exposure. It should not be

overwatered during its

dormant period including

throughout the winter. It can

be planted with other species

of annuals and perennials

that will provide color in the

area once the poppies go

dormant. Oriental poppy can

be started from seeds but

will not flower until the sec-

ond (or third) year. In addi-

tion to the orange-red varie-

ty, other colors include rose,

salmon, pink and white.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row…

…The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

3

Established plants of Oriental poppy can be divided

after they have developed significant size, usually after

about five years. Division should be done after flowering

occurs and while the plants are dormant. Dividing early in

the spring usually eliminates flowering that season and

may encourage crown rot, especially during a wet spring.

Iceland poppy prefers cool climates and tends to be

short-lived in Missouri and should be considered an annu-

al in our climate. Iceland poppy has flowers that are very

colorful and distinctive. One of the more durable varieties

is the ‘Champagne Bubbles.’ I’ve seen ice poppies in Can-

ada at Lake Louise. They are in multiple colors and are

very pretty. My traveling companion bought a packet of

seeds but they didn’t survive here.

If annual poppies interest you, the Shirley poppy is a

good option. Some are quite colorful, have flowers that

have been likened in texture to tissue paper, and are fairly

easy to grow from seed. As a general rule, poppies do not

transplant well; therefore, annual types should be seeded

directly into the garden where they are to grow. If started

indoors, do so in a cool location and seed them in peat

pots or other biodegradable containers that can be planted

along with the plant into the ground. This practice will

minimize root disturbance and maximize transplanting

success. Poppies tend to reseed themselves very readily

and can become invasive in the annual flower garden. To

prevent this, remove seed pods before they mature and

shed seed. Since poppies are a pollen source for bees, gar-

deners may consider adding them to their annual gardens

A second type of poppy, the peony-flowered poppy,

treated as an annual in Missouri actually was developed

from the opium variety and is legal to grow in Missouri. It

bears spectacular, fully double flowers up to five inches.

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of sleep,

peace, and death: sleep because the opium extracted from

them is a sedative, and death because of the common

blood-red color of the red poppy in particular. In Greek

and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the

dead. Poppies used as emblems on tombstones symbolize

eternal sleep. This symbolism was evoked in the children's

novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which a magical

poppy field threatened to make the protagonists sleep for-

ever. A second interpretation of poppies in Classical my-

thology is that the bright scarlet color signifies a promise

of resurrection after death.

Poppy . . . . . . (continued from page 2) Parts of this article were adapted from an article by David Trinklein,

Associate Professor, University of Missouri Division of Plant Sciences

R ecently my son Luke and I were working in the barn and I noticed light filtering through an

open doorway hitting the floor near me. The light was red. I could not recall a time seeing

sunlight look this red. Later while outside I looked toward the sun and saw that it was bright red

and was again the next day. I had noticed that the atmosphere had seemed cloudy, but yet, differ-

ent. A day or two later I read that smoke from forest fires in Canada had drifted to Missouri and

caused the sunlight to be filtered giving us this unique light. Always enjoying learning something

new it also gave me pause to think about the impact of an action on someone miles away. In Exten-

sion we wrestle with measuring impact of our educational efforts. Taxpayers expect return on their “investment” in ed-

ucation. What yardstick is used to measure impact can be debated. Numbers of participants, hours of education, topics

covered are all important. What has been emphasized more in recent years is what people do with the education that

they receive. How do they change their lives? How are their lives enriched? What has changed? I always appreciate

hearing stories from you letting me know how you have made changes in your garden, and the changes you have seen

others make as a result of the information and education.

We are in the midst of registering for Master Gardener training for this fall. It is exciting to welcome new peo-

ple to the training and resulting efforts as Master Gardeners.

Matt

From Matt’s Desk

4

Chinese Lantern Festival: Magic Reimagined Rosalie Laune, Franklin County Master Gardener

T he Chinese Lantern Festival opened at the Missouri

Botanical Garden May 23 and will be there

through August 23. This year’s event has all new sets

some of which depict cities in China and their botanical

gardens.

The MO Botanical Garden has a long history of collab-

oration with China. The most recent is the Flora of China

project which began in1988. This international project

resulted in the publication of a catalog of all Chinese wild

plants. It includes descriptions if 31,500 species and illus-

trations of 20,000. It will be included in the World Flora

Online, a collaboration the MO Botanical Garden is under-

taking with 24 other institutions worldwide in an effort to

document all the world’s known plants. It is due to be

completed by 2020. An electronic version of the Flora is

available at http://flora.huh.harward.edu/china/ The Gar-

den is also researching the effects of climate change and

plants of economic value in southwestern China and Tibet.

More than half of Chinese vascular flora plant species

are found nowhere else in the world, making China a glob-

al hotspot for biodiversity protection. Fifteen species of

peonies from China are recognized in Flora of China; ten

of these species are endemic to China. One of the lantern

features at the Gardens is Full Bloom Peonies. It features

Paeonia suffruticosa, a subspecies which has been culti-

vated for more than 2000 years.

Another lantern feature is the Chrysanthemum Path-

way. The mum depicted in this feature is in the family

Asteraceae which consists of 37 species. Thirteen of these

species are endemic to China. In ancient China the chry-

santhemum was associated with longevity. It signifies the

tenth month of the lunar calendar and is one of the Four

Gentlemen along with the orchid, bamboo, and the plum

blossom. In China the mum symbolizes people who main-

tain their virtue despite adversity and temptation.

In the 19th century, plant explorers brought plants

from China to Europe and the United States for cultiva-

tion, including lilacs, hydrangeas, primroses, roses, rhodo-

dendrons and the peony. Blooming cycles of rhododen-

drons and cherry blossoms are changing as a result of cli-

mate change and are the subject of research to study this

impact.

5

Year of the Sweet Pepper David Trinklein, Associate Professor, University of Missouri Division of Plant Sciences

I n his quest to find a a shorter trade route to the spice-

laden East, Christopher Columbus decided to sail in a

westerly direction. The land he first encountered was an

island in the Caribbean where he found an unfamiliar veg-

etable being consumed by the indigenous peoples. Its fiery

taste was reminiscent of black pepper (Piper nigrum), a

spice grown in the East Indies that helped prompt his voy-

age. With the taste connection in mind, Columbus gave the

piquant vegetable the name “pepper.”

Sweet pepper often is called bell pepper because of its

blocky, campanulate shape. It is noted for its crisp,

crunchy flesh and is a variant of the species encounter by

Columbus. Since the National Garden Bureau has chosen

it as its vegetable to promote this year, 2015 is the “Year

of the Sweet Pepper” for gardeners.

Peppers (from the scorching habaneros to the sweet

bells) are members of the Solanaceae, or nightshade, fami-

ly, as are tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants. Although

there are five species of pepper that are cultivated, the

most common and the one to which sweet pepper belongs

isCapsicum annuum.

It appears that all peppers originated in Central and

South America. Archeological evidence in Mexico sug-

gests that native peoples gathered wild (hot) peppers as far

back as 7,000 B.C. and by 2,500 B.C. they were cultivat-

ing them. History does not record when sweet peppers

arrived on the scene, but we do know why they are sweet

and not hot.

The “fire” in hot peppers is due to capsaicin, a chemi-

cal compound produced by most members of

the Capsicum genus that causes a burning sensation when

it comes into contact with mucous membranes. Sweet pep-

pers contain a recessive gene that blocks the production of

capsaicin, making them benign from the standpoint of

“fire”. Presumably, this recessive gene was the result of a

chance mutation in nature that someone discovered and

considered to be an improvement to this species.

Most gardeners associate sweet peppers with being

green in color. The fact is that, while most sweet peppers

start green, all will develop color if allowed to mature ful-

ly. This usually takes about ten days following develop-

ment of full size. Peppers allowed to develop color are

higher in vitamin content and sweeter than those that are

fully-developed yet green in color when harvested.

Peppers should be planted in the garden in the spring,

after all danger of frost has past. They require warmer

growing temperatures than tomatoes and typically are

planted about two weeks later. Early planting of peppers

often leads to poor early fruit set since the latter is ham-

pered at temperatures of 55 degrees F. or less.

When establishing peppers in the garden, it is best use

transplants rather than seeds. Pepper seeds are slow to ger-

minate in cool soil. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart

within rows separated by a minimum of 24 inches. Popular

varieties of sweet pepper for the home garden include

‘Revolution’, ‘King Arthur’, ‘Yolo Wonder’, ‘Big Bertha’

and ‘Aristotle’.

Peppers perform best with full-sun exposure in a well-

drained, loamy soil with a pH ranging from 6.0 to 7.0. Fer-

tilizers with a 1-2-2 ratio (e.g. 5-10-10) can be added to

the soil before planting at the rate recommended by a soil

test. High rates of nitrogen as a pre-plant should be avoid-

ed since it can reduce fruit set. Instead, nitrogen should be

added as a side-dressing during the course of the growing

season, after a significant fruit-set exists. Since pepper

plants have a relatively shallow root system, they are sus-

ceptible to moisture stress when rainfall is inadequate.

Moisture stress will cause flowers and small fruit to drop.

Additionally, it will reduce leaf area, causing the remain-

ing fruit to be sun-scalded. Failure to apply adequate wa-

ter can also exacerbate a physiological disorder of peppers

called blossom-end rot.

Gardeners with limited space might want to consider

growing peppers in containers. Their large, glossy leaves,

petite white flowers and colorful mature fruit add decora-

tive appeal to patios, decks, etc. Select containers that are

least two gallons in size and fill with a porous, well-

drained growing medium. Commercially available mix-

tures containing Sphagnum peat, vermiculite and perlite

are ideal for container production of peppers. Peppers

have relatively few disease problems. They can be at-

tacked by several diseases, including bacterial leaf spot,

phytophthora, anthracnose and several viruses. When

available, choosing a genetically-resistant variety of pep-

per is the most effective management strategy for control-

ling diseases.

6

S ince I generally don’t see the appearance of mon-

archs before early July, I was surprised and delight-

ed to see my first one of the season on April 22nd. Alt-

hough I only viewed a glimpse of her, I quickly realized

from her pale and frayed appearance, she must have trav-

eled from Mexico. Indeed, it would also have been too

soon for the first generation to have matured. Again, the

next day she appeared, and on a hunch, I began checking

my milkweed plants, some of which were just appearing

above ground.

As I began inspecting the plants, I soon discovered at

least a dozen eggs. Wow! This early in the season I am

really going to be busy keeping track of them so that I can

bring them inside when they are about ready to pupate.

Since only about one to five percent survives in the natu-

ral world, they have a better chance of becoming a butter-

fly when they are in containers safely inside.

Each day I checked on the eggs and when the little cats

didn’t appear in the usual time, I assumed that the cold

weather had prevented their appearance, and they weren’t

going to make it. How wrong I was! I continued check-

ing the plants; the weather began to warm, and there ap-

peared the tiny cats. Of course, I checked them every day,

sometimes two or three times a day. They were eating

nonstop and growing, and I was relieved to see that my

milkweed plants were able to keep pace with their rav-

enous appetites.

Leaving them for a weeklong conference that I was

attending in Virginia was not easy. I really did want to

bring them in when the time was right. I just hoped that

they would still be growing when I returned. Indeed they

were. My first day back, I was able to bring in eight fat

little caterpillars. As I write this, five are getting ready to

do their chrysalis.

Last winter, I started native milkweed seeds and now

have been busy planting them around my home in any

available space. Dr. Chip Taylor, renowned entomologist

from the University of Kansas, states that because so

much of the monarch’s habitat continues to be destroyed

daily, it will be our job to each plant milkweed in our

yards, school yards, community areas, etc.

With this in mind, a wonderful project has been started

by the Master Naturalists of Confluence Chapter. To

quote: “The goal of this project is to establish a ‘monarch

migration corridor’ through Missouri by initiating a

statewide effort to restore populations of native milkweed

throughout the State of Missouri. This will be achieved

by engaging Master Naturalist Chapters, Master Gardener

Chapters, and other organizations and agencies in an orga-

nized effort to plant native milkweed in nonagricultural

areas free from herbicide applications.” We already have

several volunteers in our Master Gardener and Master

Naturalist Chapters and would welcome more interested

members. There are seven different areas that are part of

the project.

There are so many organizations that are getting in-

volved with helping monarchs, and that is great news.

The U S Fish and Wildlife Service is currently studying

the plight of the monarch to determine if it should be put

on the endangered species list.

On May 19th of this year, The White House Pollinator

Health Task Force has constructed a plan which will be

the first executive strategy for pollinator conservation.

The monarchs are included in this. Monarch Joint Ven-

ture now list approximately 25 members, and the list is

growing almost daily.

We must remember that we

humans have caused the prob-

lem for the monarchs by de-

stroying their natural habitat.

Therefore it is our responsibility

to fix the problem, and we can.

Working together, we can save

this beautiful iconic butterfly.

A Ray of Hope, But—

Joyce Oberle, Franklin County Master Gardener

Insect pests that typically damage peppers in Missouri

include European corn borer, pepper maggot, aphids,

thrips, stink bugs, spider mites and cucumber beetle.

Whether picked when green or allowed to develop col-

or, peppers should be stored under cool, humid conditions.

To avoid chilling injury, do not expose peppers to temper-

atures lower than 45 degrees F. Long-term exposure to

temperatures above 50 degrees F can cause the peppers to

change color, lose fresh weight and decay.

Sweet peppers are “powerhouses” of nutrition. One

serving of chopped sweet peppers has only 30 calo-

ries .Yet it contains 11 percent of the daily minimum re-

quirement of vitamin A and amazingly 200 percent of that

for vitamin C. Additionally, sweet peppers are good

sources of vitamins E and K, potassium, manganese, thia-

min, riboflavin and niacin, and very good sources of vita-

min B6, dietary fiber and folate.

Sweet Pepper. . . . . . (continued from page 5)

7

The Lowly Dandelion

Rosalie Laune, Franklin County Master Gardener

T here is probably no greater bane to the gardener

than the dandelion. Yet dandelions actually can be

beneficial weeds. Their taproots bring up nutrients for

shallower rooting plants, adding minerals and nitrogen to

the soil. They are an important source of food for certain

birds, and an important source of nectar and pollen for

bees and some butterflies and moths. Some parts of the

plant are medicinal. If all those benefits don’t weaken

your disdain for the plant, think of the joy on the face of

your child or grandchild as she presents you with a bou-

quet..

Incidentally all parts of the plant are edible. My par-

ents made dandelion wine from the blossoms. One of my

uncles had a field on his property which supplied the blos-

soms; many were required even for a small quantity. My

cousins and I would collect the blossoms--we were cor-

rupted early. If memory serves me, the finished product

was very sweet, more like a brandy than a wine. One

would think it would be a cheap wine to make. However

apricots were also required and they were not cheap.

Hence only small quantities were made.

My mother had a more practical use for the humble

plant. Every spring she made a potato salad with dandeli-

on greens. A cousin who lived with us and I would often

reminisce about how much we enjoyed and missed it.

Last winter I came across a recipe for a warm vinaigrette

dressing which renewed my interest in trying to recreate

the salad. In April I collected enough tiny tender leaves

and made a small amount. I took half to my cousin and

we both agreed it was pretty close to what we remem-

bered. I made it once more for the two of us, a bigger

amount, before the leaves got too big and bitter.

Supposedly the

roots of the dandelion

can be roasted and used

as a coffee substitute.

Even with the price of

coffee being what it is,

I don’t think I’m ready

to turn in my Folger’s

Columbian.

The dandelion’s

reputation as a noxious

weed cones from the

fact that it is a ruderal

species, meaning it is

quick to colonize and

can crowd out native

species.

Potato Salad w/ Dandelion Greens and Vinaigrette

THE RECIPE BOX

1 lb potatoes (recipe recommends red—I used Yukon)

4 T olive oil

1 T Dijon mustard

1-2 sliced apple smoked bacon, cooked and diced

4 packets Splenda or equivalent sugar

1 hard boiled egg, diced

Saute onions in the olive oil until tender, add vinegar and mustard, pour over diced potatoes, egg, bacon and greens;

toss to coat. Season to taste.

1 loosely packed cup of dandelion greens

(about 2/3 cup chopped)

3-4 shallots, diced

4 T white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste