2008

I will probably say this again in the next section, but what a great week this has been weather wise! Great to work in the yard, great to air out the house, and great to go visit the Cincinnati Flower Show! Outstanding gardens this year, with one of the best and largest selections of plants I think I have ever seen at the show. Congrats to several Natorp employees for their winning displays - Pat Greeson, Best of Show in Container Gardens, Sharon Hennies Gold Medal, Jennifer Radcliffe Gold Medal, Susan Fox, Best of Show in Window Boxes, and congrats to Natorp landscape designer Tom Fryman (lead designer) for the Midwest Garden, also an award winner! Very cool, wouldn't you say? By the way, this is the last weekend for Zoo Blooms at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Be sure to check that out as well as the Flower Show! Now, on with the newsletter!

[Did you hear about the self taught comedian who made a fool of himself?]

Whether It's The Weather

weather

What can you say about a week like this one? Absolutely and most definitely magnifico! So far, it truly has been a very 'normal' spring - or at least like the springs I've always imagined. "Slow ride, take it easy." And, in some situations, it's actually a little dry. I saw a sprinkler running today on spring planted landscape bed. So, I will remind you to water those newly planted plants as needed, making sure they have good even moisture in the root ball and surrounding soils as they settle in and begin to root into their new planting spot. And, once newly planted grass seed begins to germinate and grow, you'll need to do the same there as well. You know what? It's been a long time since the early blooming magnolias have actually made it through their flowering cycle without getting frozen!

[When Jesus entered Jerusalem, people waved palm branches because they were being frondly.]

What's Bugging You?

bug

Still not much bugging the ole Yardboy, but I am starting to see a few eastern tent caterpillar nests here and there, a few more flies, moths and other flying critters, and last night, we had a bronze bomber (May beetle) get in the house and bounce off all the lamps and lights until our cat Zoe knocked it down. I'm also seeing more than usual Carpenter bees buzzing everywhere. Now don;'t forget that if you get buzzed by one, it's usually the male trying to protect its nesting site by scaring you away. But don't bee fooled. The male carpenter bee has no stinger. He's all buzz and no sting. Now, the female does have a stinger, but rarely uses it. Carpenter bees over winter as adults, then mate in the spring, and while the male protects the nest site, the female borers the holes in the wood and lays the eggs. She supplies each cell with "bee bread" made out of pollen and nectar, which will feed the larvae when they hatch out and develop into an adult. By the way, if the male is bothering you, feel free to grab a tennis racket and practice your backhand on him. Works every time. Okay, let's check in with BJB.

Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting massive invasions of 'Lesser Celadine" (fig buttercup) into the landscape beds and throughout the lawns. Their waxy leaves and yellow flowers are absolutely stunning, but so is their ability to take over everywhere! Physical removal (leaves, tubers and soil) works, as well as repeated sprayings of non-selective herbicides (which must be applied during it's short growing season). In the turf, Trimec or multiple chemical broadleaf weed killers applied while the celadine is active, does a descent job in helping to control its spread. BJB is also reporting Forest tent caterpillars hatching, eastern tent caterpillars hatching, Brood XIV cicadas beginning to clean out their mud tunnels, overwintering bagworms looking forward to hatching out in late May, a new website to help identify grasses in your lawn (www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tool), and also wanted to stress the importance of cleaning up the landscape beds and gardens before you start planting for 2008. Getting rid of last years debris helps to get rid of over wintering insects and disease, helping to get your garden off to a cleaner start.

-Catch the Buggy Joe Boggs Report, Saturdays at 8:42am on 55KRC The Talk Station.

[I can't tell you where to buy soy sauce tonight, but I can shoyu tamari.]

Question Mark & The Mysterians

mystery

"Last week you mentioned the bees have returned. Actually they have been with us all year, surviving the winter. Don't forget honeybees tend to swarm and usually happens mid April thru mid May. Let's remind folks to NOT be afraid of these swarms. Simply report them to a "Swarm Catcher" of the South Western Ohio Beekeepers Assn. (SWOBA.org) Someone will retrieve them and house them in a manageable hive." -Actually, I think the comment was just the fact that we are seeing active bees again, but good point. And thanks for the head's up on the swarms! :)

"I've been seeing advertisements for a lawn grass called Canada Green that says it grows in the worse abuse. Any opinion on this "miracle product?" - If it sounds too good to be true, then it usually is. I think I have seen a couple mixes of Canada Green advertised, but the basic mix is 48% creeping fescue, 26% annual rye (yes annual), and 26% Ky. bluegrass. Not a mix that I personally would use or recommend for our area. I think the tall fescues are your better bet, using TLC or Turner 5 Way. That's my opinion.

"You say it's too early to plant tender annuals, but what about the Wave petunias you'll have on sale this weekend?" -Good question! Fortunately, Wave petunias have shown to be very cool hardy and one annual that can be planted a little earlier in the season. Protect from a strong frost, but otherwise, they tolerate the cooler ups and downs of temperatures we experience this time of the year. Tomato, peppers, and many other usual annuals are definitely a different story!

"This question is for Rita. My husband loved the hot pepper vinegar I made and asked for garlic vinegar. I peeled fresh garlic and added the vinegar, and today, the garlic is turning blue! How can I prevent this?" -Don't worry; it's a harmless reaction between the garlic and the vinegar. I've even had garlic turn blue without and acid being introduced to the garlic. Unfortunately, as far as I know, there's no way to prevent it. -Rita

"What can you tell me about catmint (nepeta)?" -I can tell you we're using it more and more in the landscape. Not only for the early summer flowers (which will flower again after a good shearing), but for the wonderful foliage, lack of insect and disease problems, tough in the sun, and best of all, very deer resistant! Border, massing, specimen (18-30inches tall).

"I'm hearing commercials saying now is the time for weed n feed in the lawn. Is that right?" -NO! It's too early. Those need to be applied later in May. If you want to spot treat with a water soluble weed killer right now in the lawn, go ahead. Try Bonide's new Weed Beater Ultra. Does a decent job on wild onions in the lawn!

"My rhubarb flowered last year. Why is that happening?" -Some varieties flower more than others (Victoria), as well as more mature clumps will begin to flower. Cut it off as soon as you see them begin to appear. Unless you're only growing it for looks, then you can let it flower.

"Ron, love your show. What is the spray you're recommending for use on fruit trees?" -For a good all purpose spray, look at Bonide's Complete Fruit Tree Spray. It covers insect and disease problems, and has a great spray chart on the label for you to follow.

"I have one holly bush that has never gotten berries. How can I tell if it's a male or female?" -Great question, as it's the female holly that has the berries, but needs a male holly for pollination and they need to be within a bee's flying distance. The only way to tell is to look at their flowers, and bring back a few terms we learned in our botany classes in high school. All Holly flowers have four (sometimes 5) white petals. The male flower has four prominent stamens each having a stalk that supports an anther. The anthers have the sticky pollen on them. But here's the 'tell tale' of the male flowers - look in the center of the flower. The ovary is very small or not there, and the center looks hollow.

Now, look at the female holly flower. Four white petals and they even have the four stamens like the male flowers, although they don't produce pollen. But, look at the center of the female flower. You'll find a prominent pistil made up of a stigma, style, and a very large green ovary. Males have no green ovary in the center of the flower and females have a large green ovary in the center of the flower. It's as simple as that!

"I have wild onions popping up in my landscape beds. I keep pulling them, but they keep coming back. What should I do?" -Only pull them if you're going to eat them; yes, they're very edible. But by pulling, you'll leave enough roots and bulbs below for them to re-grow. If you physically remove them, dig them out, roots and all, and replace the soil with new soil. Make sure you get everything when you dig them out. The other option is to spray with concentrated Roundup, but make sure you bruise the foliage first by hitting it or swiping it, to help remove the waxy coating on the outside of the foliage. And yes, it will take repeated applications of Roundup, to kill the onion clump totally.

In the turf, use Bonide's Weed Beater Ultra. Takes out the onions and leaves the turf. By the way, wild onions are highly edible; just make sure they have not been sprayed with a non edible herbicide. Hey, 2 for a dollar at the grocers - free in your backyard. That's a great deal!

[I had some back trouble, but it's all behind me now.]

Success Tip of the Week

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Gardening with the Bees

Isn't it interesting that whenever we see a honeybee, our first reaction is to kill it? Of course, if you've been stung before, you know how it can hurt. So naturally you become defensive (especially if you're allergic to bee stings). But if at all possible, we need to change that defensive mode, and turn it into an offensive bee mode. You see, honeybee populations are extremely low, and with the sudden Colony Collapse Disorder we're now experiencing, honeybee populations are taking an even bigger hit. Some reports say the bee populations have been reduced by 50% over the past 50 years! And without the bees and their pollinating abilities, we won't have fruits and vegetables to eat!

Granted if you or your children are allergic to bee stings, then choosing plants which will not attract bees may be a good choice. On the other hand, if no one is allergic, try to plant flowering trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and vegetables that will attract honeybees. Educate the children as to the importance of the bee, and how to watch for and avoid the bees as they do their job in the garden (they are generally non-aggressive). And if a swarm of honeybees should visit your yard, don't panic. Again, they're usually not aggressive at this stage. Give them time to move on (looking for a nesting area) or call your local Extension Office for phone numbers of beekeepers who will come and remove the hive safely and transport it elsewhere.

Controlling destructive insects without harming the bees -One big question that always comes up is how to control destructive insects in the garden without harming the bees? Well, it can be a little tough, but here are some suggestions:

-Think organic gardening and organic methods of insect control. Hosing off insects, hand picking, knocking them off into a bucket of soapy water, grow covers, etc. are several ways to help control the "bad" bugs without even spraying.

-Use integrated pest management methods, so the use of insecticides is limited.

-If insecticides are needed, use those that are less toxic to bees. This list includes Bt, Pyrethrum, Rotenone, Insecticidal Soap, Horticultural Oil, Methoxychlor, and Dylox.

-Be sure to spray when the bees are less active - early morning or early evening, and if possible, don't spray any flowering plants that are attractive to bees.

NOTE: Pesticides vary in their effect on bees. Dusts and wettable powders are more hazardous to bees than solutions or emulsifiable concentrates. Systemic insecticides are a safe way to control many harmful insects without sprays (that may harm the bees), but may contaminate nectar or pollen, which could kill the bees in the hive. Pesticides that are highly toxic to bees include Diazinon, Lindane, Malathion, Orthene, and Sevin. (Malathion and Sevin are actually low in toxicity and used on veggies, crops and turf, but are very toxic to bees.) As always, read the labels before applications, and follow the directions as listed. By the way, "most" fungicides and herbicides are relatively low in toxicity to bees.

So let's all do our part to invite and allow these honeybees to due their jobs in our gardens. And the next time you smack or step on a honeybee, just think about the impact you've made on our world! Do you really want to imagine what the world would "bee" like without our honeybees?

[I call our copy machine "Bob Marley" because it keeps jammin.]

From the Garden to the Kitchen

Rita

Yardboy, guess what's up this week in Adams County: morels! Chef Jackson Rouse of Murphin Ridge Inn was part of our Chef's Challenge at the Flower Show and he added fresh picked morels to his shrimp entre. Yum! What that means is that they should be popping up in Clermont County where I live, as well. When Mother Nature allows the red buds, dogwoods, may apples and trilliums to bloom, it's a sure bet the morels won't be far behind.

Oh, one more thing - you know those violets that a lot of folks are asking you about on your radio show and consider them as weeds? Well, violets are one of the most nutritious flowers you can eat. The blossoms have lots of vitamin C and the leaves are excellent sources of vitamin A. (The Amish include the leaves in the wild greens they cook). Violets also lend a gourmet touch to salads and as a garnish on cakes. Today I'm sharing a beautiful and gourmet jelly recipe for violets. (Violas and pansies from Natorp's work, too). As a matter of fact, the flowers of redbud and crab apple trees make a tasty jelly, as well. Just remember, don't eat any flowers that have been sprayed.

Nancy's Violet Jelly

I call it Nancy's Violet Jelly because the recipe originated with my friend and vintner, Nancy Bentley of Kinkead Ridge Winery in Ripley.

Pour 2-1/4 cups boiling water over 2 cups of washed, tightly packed violets (no leaves, no stems). Let sit overnight or for 12 hours to infuse. Strain and measure. You should have 2 cups liquid; if not, add water. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice, strained, and one package of powdered pectin. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add 4 cups sugar all at once. When mixture comes to a hard boil, cook 1 minute. Pour into sterilized jars and seal. Store in cool, dry place. Elegant on scones and biscuits.

Tips from Rita's kitchen: A sprig of lavender, lemon verbena, rose geranium or mint is wonderful in here. Blanch quickly before placing in jars to kill any insects, bacteria, etc.

Rita Nader Heikenfeld, CCP / Macy's Regional Culinary Professional / Herbalist / Author / Local TV and Radio Cooking Expert / Adjunct Professor U.C. Clermont College / Community Press Papers / PT Witchdoctor -Maker of Strange Potions / www.abouteating.com

[The couple grew fruit trees and lived to a ripe old age.]

Yardboy's "Plant to Ponder"

plant

This week, let's ponder an ornamental tree that offers something for every season. In the spring, just after the bright green leaves have appeared, sweet smelling white flowers develop (racemes about 3-6 inch long) filling the tree with wonderful lacey clumps of spring color. After the flowers are finished, many develop into a small fleshy red fruit, which is eaten quickly by the birds. Then, something very unusual happens to this tree. Those bright green leaves begin to darken, turning a wonderful maroon-red, and remain that way for the rest of the season, making Canada Red Cherry, one of my favorite ornamental trees. 25-30 feet or so in height, and 15-20 feet in width, these trees are available in single trunk and multiple trunks. Note: Some Canada Red Cherries will send up suckers around the base of the trunks. If that happens, prune them out, or treat with Sucker Stopper. Prunus v. 'Shubert' or commonly known as Canada Red Cherry. A great ornamental tree for you to ponder.

[If we don't conserve water we could go from one ex-stream to another.]

A Little Bit of This,
A Little Bit of That

IF IT'S GROWIN' YOU NEED TO KEEP MOWIN' - This time of the year can get a little frustrating, as the grass is growing at twice its normal rate! Please, mow as the grass needs to be mowed, not when you have time to mow it. In some cases, it may be twice in the same week. This won't last long, but stick with it while it does. Mowing tips:

-Mow as the lawn needs to be mowed, not when you can mow.

-Mow at a higher level, rather than too short.

-Never remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade each time you mow.

-Throw the grass clippings back into the existing turf (they return valuable nutrients back to the lawn, they're 85% water and decompose quickly, they do not contribute to thatch, it's easier on you and time saving, and you help reduce yard waste sent to the landfills).

-Change directions each time you mow.

-Clean the underside of the mower deck after each mowing.

-Sharpen your mower blades on a regular basis.

DEADHEADING NOT RECOMMENDED ANYMORE FOR DAFFODILS - As the years go by, gardening practices change. New ideas and new methods are introduced and we all learn new ways to garden. Mr. Bill Lee, daffodil expert extraordinaire, and gardening friend, has passed along this reminder. "As for deadheading daffodils, modern thinking has stopped recommending it. For the few that actually develop seed pods, there is little weakening of the bulbs. And we are seeing the real danger in deadheading daffodils as the potential to spread a virus from one clump to another. You can easily transfer it with your fingers or clippers, which will result in the 'dwindles'." Now, Mr. Bill still promotes leaving those daffodil leaves alone as long as you can (at least 6 weeks after flowering) before cutting them off, and he definitely does not recommend braiding or rubber banding the foliage. Thanks for the info, Mr. Bill!

If you like to wear gloves, the Bionic Gardening Gloves are for you. Designed by a world renowned hand surgeon and the folks who make Louisville Slugger line of products, this glove, made of washable goat's skin, is one of the most comfortable gloves you'll ever wear. They're padded and hinged at the right spots, and believe it or not, actually improve your grip strength, and ability to twist things. And to top it off, have been shown to improve the ability to use your hands for those who suffer from arthritis. These gloves carry the 'Arthritis Foundation Ease of Use Commendation'.

[Those who study the moon are optimists. They look at the bright side.]

OBKB. That's it for this week. If you're out and about Friday night, come see me at Kings Toyota in the Kings Auto Mall bewteen 4 and 8pm. I'll have free flowers! Now, do yourself a favor. Go out and have the best weekend of your life. See ya. RW, the Yardboy.