Inside this Issue - Extension · Plant pussy willows, a pollinator-friendly, powerhouse of a shrub!...
Transcript of Inside this Issue - Extension · Plant pussy willows, a pollinator-friendly, powerhouse of a shrub!...
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A newsletter by the Renville County Master
Gardeners containing USDA Zone 4 appropriate
information Volume 134 February 2020
Meet the Renville County Master Gardeners
Louise Schweiss Anderson–Fairfax;
Joy Clobes - Fairfax
Teide Erickson - Winthrop Sandy Feldman –
Renville,
Cathi Fesenmaier – Olivia;
Erin Grams – Hector;
Susan Haubrich –
Danube;
Betsy Hennen – Olivia;
Jan Howell – Olivia;
Pam McColley -
Franklin;
Linda McGraw –
Buffalo Lake; Beth O'Keefe –
Morton;
Marie O'Keefe –
Morton
Barbara Stone-
Renville
The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and
employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion,
national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation
Master Gardener Meeting
Our first meeting will be at Max’s
Grill in Olivia on February 4th
at
5:00PM 2020. Please join us.
Inside this Issue:
Welcome – Page 2
February Garden Tips - Page 2
Houseplant Care During Winter – Page 3
Choose Plants with more than one purpose -Page 4
Don’t Throw it Out – Page 5
Plant Pussy willows -Page-6
My Hoya Plant– Page 7
What’s Happening – Page 10
.
“Help us to be ever faithful gardeners of the spirit, who know that without darkness nothing comes to birth, and without light nothing flowers. ” May Sarton
Visit us on Facebook at:
Extension Master Gardeners - Renville County
This Photo by Unknown Author
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Welcome:
We would like to welcome our new and returning readers back to our Garden Gatherings
Newsletter. This 2020 year we hope to continue to educate and inspire your garden dreams and
needs. We decided this year we would focus an educational article on a houseplant each issue.
We have also heard from many that you would like more house plants at our bi-annual sale at
the Renville County Fair, which will be this August Thursday 6th- Saturday 8th. So, we will
have more house plants, but also many outdoor perennials. If you have friends that would like
to join our newsletter, email their email address to us at [email protected] and we would
love to add them to our list. Thank you again for being a reader of our newsletter.
Renville County Master Gardeners
February Garden Tips • Inventory and clean tools. Use a wire brush to remove
excess soil. Follow this with steel wool to remove any
rust that formed on metal surfaces. Sharpen the soil
cutting edge of trowels and shovels with a triangular
file. Rub in a couple of drops of oil to prevent further
rusting.
• Visit home and garden shows to get new ideas. The
professionals at these shows can give you terrific design and planting tips. Or check out landscape books
at the library for ideas and pictures.
• Start finalizing your garden plan. List the vegetables your family likes to eat, and remember to include
the ingredients for your favorite recipes. Visit a local garden center and see if they have the seeds you
need to start indoors. Order any unusual or hard-to-find seeds from a reliable company.
• Trees can be pruned during the dormant season, when it is much easier to see the overall shape of the
tree and what needs to be removed. Prune oaks in winter to reduce risk of oak wilt.
• Beat the spring rush and have your lawn mower serviced now.
• It is the time to start impatiens, petunias, wax begonias, pansies and gerbera daisies. They should be
started by mid-February. If in doubt when to start, check the planting dates on the seed packets or
catalogs.
Source: “Month-By-Month Gardening Minnesota & Wisconsin” by Melinda Myers
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Houseplant Care During Winter
By Richard Jauron, Willy Klein, Horticulture specialists, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Growing conditions for houseplants are less than ideal during the winter months. Short days and long nights,
low relative humidity and cold drafts can be stressful to many houseplants. Good consistent care should keep
them healthy and attractive
How often should I water houseplants in winter? In general, houseplants require less frequent watering
during the winter months than in spring and summer. Watering frequency depends upon the plant species,
composition of the potting mix, environmental conditions (temperature, light and humidity) in the home and
other factors. When watering houseplants, continue to apply water until water begins to flow out the bottoms of
the pots. Discard the excess water.
Should houseplants be fertilized in winter? Fertilization is generally not necessary during the winter months
as most houseplants are not growing during this time. Indoor gardeners should fertilize their houseplants on a
regular basis in spring and summer when plants are actively growing.
How can I raise the relative humidity indoors for my houseplants? Many houseplants prefer a relative
humidity of 40% to 50%. Unfortunately, the humidity level in many homes during the winter months may be
only 10% to 20%. Humidifiers are an excellent way to increase the relative humidity in the home. Simple
cultural practices can also increase the relative humidity around houseplants. Grouping plants together is an
easy way to raise the humidity level. The water evaporating from the potting soil, plus water lost by plant
foliage via transpiration, increases the relative humidity in the vicinity of the houseplants. Another method is to
place houseplants on trays (saucers) filled with pea gravel or pebbles. Add water to the trays, but keep the
bottoms of the pots above the water level. The
evaporation of water from the trays increases
the relative humidity around the plants.
What are proper indoor temperatures for
houseplants in winter? Most houseplants
prefer daytime temperatures of 65 to 75 degrees
Fahrenheit and night temperatures of 60 to 65F.
(In winter, day and night temperatures in the
lower range of the aforementioned temperatures
are fine for most houseplants.) Temperatures
below 55F or rapid temperature fluctuations
may harm some plants. In winter, keep
houseplants away from cold drafts and heat
sources (such as fireplaces, furnace vents and
radiators). Also, make sure houseplant foliage
doesn’t touch cold windows.
Source: Iowa State University
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Smart Gardening in 2020: Choose plants with more than one purpose
Quick Fire® hydrangea.
Photo: PovenWinners.com
Winter came early this year with lots of snow and cold temps, but it's
never too early to start thinking about new plants for your garden and
yard. Maybe you've had a shrub that has not lived up to expectations and
you are ready to replace it.
Or you have lost a tree lately and suddenly have a large sunny spot for
planting. Got a fence that needs screening? A vine is a good option.
Regent serviceberry
Whatever your reason, a smart gardening good goal for 2020 is to choose
plants that serve more than one purpose. Here are some favorite multi-
purpose plants in my yard:
The Regent serviceberry shrub (Amelanchier alnifolia 'Regent') has lovely
white flowers, edible fruit and provides pollen and nectar for bees.
Multi-purpose Grasses
Grasses can create waves of texture and show off other plants. Some, like our native prairie dropseed
(Sporobolus heterolepis) and blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), also provide food for butterfly larvae.
Sedges (Carex spp.) can be planted under taller plants to reduce weeds and serve as a growing mulch.
Beatlemania sedge
The flowers of one of my favorite plants, Quick Fire hydrangea
(Hydrangea paniculata 'Bulk'), turn a deep mauve in late fall, and can be
cut and added dried to floral or container arrangements in the winter.
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Flowers good enough to eat!
Edible pot marigold flowers (Calendula spp.) provide pollinator food, bloom well into fall and the
petals can be sprinkled on salads for a citrusy bite.
Bee-friendly vines
Vines like the new self-fertile bittersweet Autumn Revolution (Celastrus scandens 'Bailumn' PP19811)
serves as food
Calendula flowers
for birds and pollinators and can be cut and twisted into decorative vines.
Unlike Oriental bittersweet, it is not invasive.
In 2020, resolve to choose plants for more than just their good looks as
they can serve multiple purposes in your yard and garden!
Author: Julie Weisenhorn, Horticulture Extension educator
blog-yard-garden-news.extension.umn.edu/2020/01/smart-gardening-in-2020-choose-plants.html
Don't throw it out--make your poinsettia re-bloom!
Poinsettias with a variety of colors and patterns. “How can I make my poinsettia rebloom?” is a common question we hear in January. Poinsettias can be grown as attractive green plants, but most people are interested in making their green poinsettia colorful again and ready for the holidays.
Can I make my poinsettia re-bloom? It is not an easy task, as it requires excluding light from the plant for
a period of time while keeping the plant healthy. The reduction in light prevents the plant from producing chlorophyll, the pigment that makes plant parts green. This changes the bracts to red, pink or white, depending on the poinsettia variety.
An E-Z to follow system of care Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension professor emeritus at the University of Vermont and author of Caring for Your Poinsettia Year-Round, developed an easy-to-follow poinsettia care calendar based on the holidays of the year! For more info, read this article on our Extension web page--be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page: Poinsettia Care after the Holidays and Reblooming Author: Julie Weisenhorn, Extension Educator – Horticulture; Yard and Garden News
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Plant pussy willows, a pollinator-friendly, powerhouse of a shrub!
Pussy willows (Salix discolor), a large 15-20 foot shrub native to
Minnesota and much of northern U.S. is one of the first plants to bloom in
the spring. Pussy willows provide some of the earliest flowers and pollen
for honey and other native bees.
The foliage also supports native butterfly caterpillars. This fast growing
shrub prefers wet sites but will tolerate a wide variety of soils.
What is a pussy willow?
"YouBetcha" Stick Sculpture made out of
willows by artist Patrick Dougherty,
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
Photo: Jim Douglas
Willows are dioecious with only male flowers on 1 plant and only
female flowers on another plant. The male flowers are showier and
what we think of a pussy willow flowers.
The female flowers can disperse and move with the wind…. similar to cottonwood flowers, and may be
a nuisance. Male flowering plants are usually what is sold in the garden centers. You do not need
plants of both sexes to get flowers…planting one male plant will give you showy flowers.
Regardless of flower sex, this species is vigorous grower. Cutting the plants back to the ground will
produce new shoots with many flowers.
Cuttings can be woven to make a wattle fence or garden border, or if you are ambitions look at what
artist Patrick Dougherty has done with the "Youbetcha" Stick Sculpture at the Minnesota Landscape
Arboretum.
A powerhouse, energy-producing shrub
Cornell University is working extensively on willows for bioenergy,
see Willopedia. Wood chips made from willows can be dried and
pelletized to produce heat and/or electricity and biofuels such as
ethanol.
They have a "low nutrient and nitrogen demand compared to other
[energy] crops."
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This shrub produces a dense cluster of stems on each plant, so they can be also planted to form living
snowfences, privacy hedges, riparian buffers or used to restore stream banks.
Researchers have developed many hybrid willows from additional species of fast growing European
and Asian willows that also produce attractive spring flowers.
Read about the chance of invasiveness and the complex chromosome number and seed set of these
willows. To date, no willows are on the invasive plant lists for any state in the U.S.
Where can I buy it?
According to the UMN Plant Information Line, several retail nurseries in Minnesota sell Salix discolor,
native pussy willows, including Gertens, Inver Grove Heights; Outback Nursery, Hastings; Prairie
Restoration, Princeton; Prairie Moon, Winona, Minnesota.
Goat willow or French pussy willow, Salix caprea, is native to Europe and Asia, and has many cultivars
grown for their attractive stem color or shape.
Locally Dundee Nursery lists several goat willow cultivars for sale at their nursery. Check your favorite
garden center in the spring for pussy willows. I look forward to planting 2 or 3 Salix discolor in in the
sunny, native section of my garden this spring.
For more information see:
Pussy Willow - A valuable native plant
--Mary H. Meyer, Extension Horticulturist & Professor
blog-yard-garden-news.extension.umn.edu/2020/01/smart-gardening-in-2020-plant-pussy.html
My Hindu Rope Plant (Hoya Carnosa Compacta) BY: Sandy Feldman Renville County Master Gardener
Some common names for my Hindu rope plant (Hoya carnosa compacta) include the Krinkle Kurl, porcelain flower, and wax plant. Each of these highlights a distinctive characteristic of this unique plant. The Hindu rope plant is native to southern India. Like many other types of hoyas, this species is epiphytic in its natural habitat, which means it’s actually an air plant, and its thick, crinkly leaves are succulent. The plant is a slow-growing plant that is fairly adaptable and doesn’t require a lot of attention.
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These plants have draping rope like vines with contorted leaves. They can be solid green or variegated white and have a waxy glossy appearance. They can have small star shaped flower clusters, unfortunately mine has never flowered.
While a Hindu rope plant may appear to do just fine in low light conditions, particularly if it has solid green rather than variegated leaves, this will cause it to grow more slowly. Also, the plant won’t blossom unless it receives very bright indirect sunlight. I have mine in my west facing bay window on the south side, because I don’t have a south window for my plant and it is probably why I have not seen any blooms.
They like higher humidity levels, so you might want to employ a humidifier, or you can set the pot on a rock-filled trey with water in it to generate the humidity that this plant craves.
During spring and summer, when the plant is in its active growing phase, you should allow the potting medium to become almost dry before watering. During the cooler months, when the plant is experiencing its resting phase, you should cut back even further and only water the plant occasionally.
To water a Hindu rope plant, flood the potting mixture with plenty of water and allow the excess to drain out of the pot, making sure to never leave the plant standing in water for more than 15 minutes, if you are setting it in the sink or using a watering tray.
This light feeder is generally happy with a monthly feeding during its vegetative growth period, which starts in mid-spring and continues throughout the summer.
The most reliable way to propagate is with stem cuttings. Using clean, sharp pruning shears, cut at an angle to remove a section off the tip of one of the plant’s vines that includes at least one pair of leaves. You can either place the bottom portion of the cutting in water, making sure to remove any lower leaves so they are not submerged, or in a dampened lightweight growing medium to root. Rooting hormone may help, but it isn’t a necessity.
The best time to re-pot any plant is in spring to midsummer, when the plant is entering its growing phase. But you should avoid repotting when the plant is in bloom, as it may cause the flowers to fall away. Of course, if it’s an emergency, then you have to do what you have to do to save the plant. Choose a new pot that’s no more than 2 inches (5 centimeters) larger in
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both depth and diameter than the pot you are replacing. But this plant seldom needs to be repotted.
• Soil: Lightweight medium, well-aerated, fast draining growing medium, airflow to the
roots is essential. If you prefer to make your own potting mix, pine bark, sphagnum
moss, clay pellets, pumice pebbles, perlite, coconut coir chips, and loam-based compost
are all great options to consider.
• Container: Use a small sized pot that keeps the roots tightly packed; Drainage holes are
a must. Hindu rope plants make great hanging plants. Prefers to have its roots packed
together rather tightly. Seldom need repotting.
• Light: Although this plant will survive in low light conditions, bright indirect sunlight is best
• Temperature: Daytime 70 F (21 C) and above, nighttime 60-65 F (16-18 C)
• Humidity: Higher humidity than average household levels (40-60 percent)
• Watering: Water when the soil is almost dry during growth phase, infrequently during winter
• Fertilizing: Feed monthly with diluted water-soluble fertilizer only in spring and summer
• Propagation: Stem cuttings
https://smartgardenguide.com/hindu-rope-plant-care/
https://www.plantedshack.com/hindu-rope-plant-hoya-carnosa-compacta/
Need to contact us? Call the Renville County Extension Office at
320-523-3713, or e-mail us at [email protected]
Monday – Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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What’s Happening
In our area ; If you are interested in more information, contact a
Master Gardener or email the Renville County Extension
Office at [email protected]
March 7, 8 a.m.- Gardening Education Day, College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph - April 4- Let's Get Growing Gardening Day - Alexandria, April 4, 2020 Gardening Education Day, Sat. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Crow River Golf Club, Hutchinson. There will be four speakers on "Ten Commandments of Growing Roses", "Minnesota Fruit Trees", "Site Specific Perennials" and "Ferns for Minnesota Gardens and Homes". More information coming. May 2, Saturday, the annual Morton Garden Party and this year they are doing "Make and Take" sessions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum:
Saturday, February 8, 2020; 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
Growing & Repotting Orchids at Home, 150-02-08-
20-02 Steve Gonzalez, American Orchid Society
judge, presenter, and internationally known orchid
expert
Saturday, February 8, 2020;noon-2 p.m.Growing Tillandsias & Bromeliads at Home 150-02-08-20-
03, Steve Gonzalez, American Orchid Society judge,
presenter, and internationally known orchid expert.
Saturday, February 8, 2020;1:30-4:30p.m.Pruning Essentials: Deciduous & Coniferous Trees150-02-
08-20-01,Jim Calkins, landscape and production
horticulturist, Research Information Director - MN
Nursery & Landscape Assn
Saturday, February 15, 10:30 a.m.-noon 150-02-
15-20-02
Saturday, March 14, 1-2:30 p.m. 150-03-14-20
Creating Habitat for Birds and Butterflies in your Yard & GardenSelect a session
Julie Boden, Gardener and Nature Enthusiast
Saturday, February 15, 2020;1 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
New Perennials & Exciting Combinations for MN Gardens150-02-15-20-01
Mike Heger, Lecturer and Author of "Perennials A to
Z", Retired Owner Ambergate Gardens
Saturday, February 29, 2020; 9:30 a.m.-11
a.m.Promise of Spring: Forcing Branches to Bloom Indoors; 150-02-29-20 Jim Calkins,
landscape and production horticulturist, Research
Information Director - MN Nursery & Landscape
Assn
Saturday, March 7, 2020;11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Houseplant Patrol: Basic Care, Problem-Solving & Resources150-03-07-20 Julie Weisenhorn,
Horticulture Educator, University of Minnesota
Extension For more information on what’s happening at the
For more information on what’s happening at the Arboretum, please visit
http://arboretum.umn.edu/gardeningclasses.aspx