2024 Getting Ready for the Garden Season

 

Row covers, arbors, bean/plant teepees, and more.

Yes, this is a repeat from 2023 but the information is so-o good. And at the bottom is information about our May 18 Annual Master Gardener Sale.

Check out the Master Gardener class Small Space Gardening - Sat, Mar 16 10- Noon
 https://extension.psu.edu/small-space-gardening

Get Ready for the Gardening Season

The planning is over and now is the time to head outdoors and prepare your garden for summer's beautiful blooms and tasty harvests. Here are a few things to put on your to-do list for the next week or so.

Do a final clean out of the gardens, removing the last of the fall leaves and any of the spring weeds like hairy bittercress, henbit, and purple deadnettle along with speedwell. Get the roots now and avoid herbicide use later. Look for weather or animal damage to your plants and gardens. Don’t forget to clear your paths. Now is also a good time to look for animal burrows or nests.

You still have time to replace, repair, or build wood structures in the landscape while the gardens are still dormant. If you build raised beds for next month’s transplants remember that 4 feet is a good measurement for a comfortable reach. Now is a good time to set up any row covers or plant supports you need. You should have a few dry days to touch-up any painted areas that need it.

Proper soil fertility is the foundation for plant health. Different types of plants have specific nutritional requirements. Soil pH and nutrient levels vary greatly from site to site, so guessing about nutritional needs often misses the mark. A Penn State soil test measures the levels of several essential plant nutrients and recommends proper amounts of lime and fertilizer. The test will measure soil pH, the levels of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and will also make a nitrogen recommendation. Soil test kits with easy- to- follow instructions are available at your local Penn State Extension Office for $10. Franklin County will have them available at their May 18 Plant Sale. More information is available at https://extension.psu.edu/dont-guess-soil-test.

Take time to check your tools for repairs or replacements. Tighten loose nuts and screws, sand rough spots on wooden handles, clean, sharpen and oil, where needed. Don’t forget to sharpen lawnmower blades and check your wheelbarrow tires. Make sure you have a clean, dry space to store your tools.

Start now to loosen up your body for seasonal gardening. Everyone is different so be sure to check with your doctor even though stretching is a low impact exercise. As you putter around getting all these chores done, take time to stretch. You might do some shoulder shrugs, a few arm windmills, let your wrists go limp, rotate a little each way, and shake them out. When gardening, it is best not to bend over to plant or weed. To avoid lower back problems, get closer to the ground by getting on your knees or sitting. Other reminders –use sunscreen and pace yourself.

With all those chores checked off, take a break in the shade with a cool non- caffeinated drink. All that cleaned and prepared garden space just begs for great transplants.

2024 MASTER GARDENER ANNUAL PLANT SALE

The Master Gardener May 18, 2024, plant sale will have lots of vegetables, herbs, annual flowers and perennial plants and much, much more. Look for more information and activities on our Facebook page. Lines begin to form at 7:30 am for the 9 am start. Come early and get the best choices available. Oh, and bring a big box or wagon.

In 2024 we will have children's activities at the 4-H booth, Beekeepers, and Audubon Society displays. We will have one or more drop in, free talks on gardening topics. The demonstration gardens will be open, as always (dawn to dusk) to visit.

CKagan, Master Gardener

* * * * *

Interested in herbs? Looking for a gift?

Perfect for a hostess gift, or birthday or housewarming.

And there is a price reduction as we look forward to spring gardening.

 Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

SPECIAL Price reduction on this 5  *  *  *  *  * book

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.

Get Ready for Gardening Season

Row covers, arbors, bean/plant teepees, and more.

Get Ready for the Gardening Season

The planning is over and now is the time to head outdoors and prepare your garden for summer's beautiful blooms and tasty harvests. Here are a few things to put on your to-do list for the next week or so.

Do a final clean out of the gardens, removing the last of the fall leaves and any of the spring weeds like hairy bittercress, henbit, and purple deadnettle along with speedwell. Get the roots now and avoid herbicide use later. Look for weather or animal damage to your plants and gardens. Don’t forget to clear your paths. Now is also a good time to look for animal burrows or nests.

You still have time to replace, repair, or build wood structures in the landscape while the gardens are still dormant. If you build raised beds for next month’s transplants remember that 4 feet is a good measurement for a comfortable reach. Now is a good time to set up any row covers or plant supports you need. You should have a few dry days to touch-up any painted areas that need it.

Proper soil fertility is the foundation for plant health. Different types of plants have specific nutritional requirements. Soil pH and nutrient levels vary greatly from site to site, so guessing about nutritional needs often misses the mark. A Penn State soil test measures the levels of several essential plant nutrients and recommends proper amounts of lime and fertilizer. The test will measure soil pH, the levels of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium and will also make a nitrogen recommendation. Soil test kits with easy- to- follow instructions are available at your local Penn State Extension Office for $10. Franklin County will have them available at their May 20 Plant Sale. More information is available at https://extension.psu.edu/dont-guess-soil-test.

Take time to check your tools for repairs or replacements. Tighten loose nuts and screws, sand rough spots on wooden handles, clean, sharpen and oil, where needed. Don’t forget to sharpen lawnmower blades and check your wheelbarrow tires. Make sure you have a clean, dry space to store your tools.

Start now to loosen up your body for seasonal gardening. Everyone is different so be sure to check with your doctor even though stretching is a low impact exercise. As you putter around getting all these chores done, take time to stretch. You might do some shoulder shrugs, a few arm windmills, let your wrists go limp, rotate a little each way, and shake them out. When gardening, it is best not to bend over to plant or weed. To avoid lower back problems, get closer to the ground by getting on your knees or sitting. Other reminders –use sunscreen and pace yourself.

With all those chores checked off, take a break in the shade with a cool non- caffeinated drink. All that cleaned and prepared garden space just begs for great transplants.

The Master Gardener May 18, 2024, plant sale will have lots of vegetables, herbs, annual flowers and perennial plants and much, much more. Look for more information and activities on our Facebook page. Lines begin to form at 7:30 am for the 9 am start. Come early and get the best choices available. Oh, and bring a big box or wagon.

In 2024 we will have children's activities at the 4-H booth, Beekeepers and Audubon Society displays. We will have one or more drop in, free talks on gardening topics. The demonstration gardens will be open, as always (dawn to dusk) to visit.

CKagan, Master Gardener

* * * * *

Interested in herbs? Looking for a gift?

Perfect for a hostess gift, or birthday or housewarming.

And there is a price reduction as we look forward to spring gardening.

 Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

SPECIAL Price reduction on this 5  *  *  *  *  * book

Now available retail at Snavely's Garden Center in Chambersburg, PA

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon. 

Just click this link to find it.

An Intelligent Murder of Crows

 BIRDS WITH AN ATTITUDE

It was very late. I couldn't get to sleep and began cruising COMCAST for something to watch and found a PBS Nature show, A Murder of Crows. I learned some fascinating things.

New research has shown that crows can make and use tools, can recognize 250 distinct calls, and not only can recognize human faces but can pass down, through generations, that recognition.

Crows are social birds that mate for life and raise their young for up to five years. And they learn from each other’s misfortunes. When one is killed in a farmer’s field, it’s not uncommon for them to change entire migratory patterns so that no crows fly over that field for as long as two years.

CROWS MAKE AND USE TOOLS: For example, they use twigs to pry insects from wood or from inside long slender flowers. Crows are shown (in the program) using twigs to obtain other twigs that would allow them to obtain food - sequential tool use. Using tools to act on non-food objects – for example, to make or retrieve other tools – is considered to be a hallmark of human intelligence.

Crow using a stick to get a longer stick to get some food

CROWS HAVE OVER 250 CALLS: Calls are complex and vary by species and also regionally, sort of crow dialects. Not only the call but the tone and level of sound change the meaning of vocalizations – loud when defending territory or hungry and quiet, almost purring, to show affection. Distress calls bring other crows to their aid, as crows will defend other crows not known to them.

Univ. of Seattle researchers don masks to test recognition

CROWS KNOW  WHO YOU ARE: Crows recognize individual human faces, and hold grudges against people who have been mean to them in the past. They have the ability to recognize individual human faces and pick them out of a crowd up to two years later. If a "dangerous face" is recognized by a crow, a call of warning is sent out among the crows. In a generation later,  the same face sends out caws of warning. Univ. of Washington researchers used masks in experiments that revealed that crows do not forget.

*     *     *

Interested herbs? Looking for Gifts? Check out the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

The Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019) is available through Amazon.

 

 

Spring Garden Tips

We had a few mild days and started either thinking about working in the garden or actually doing some chores. Here are some tips for Spring.

Survey the garden and landscape. An important part of planning is having information about your garden.  Note what light is available – full sun for 6 or more hours each day during the growing season, part sun/shade, and full shade. For some plants it is important to know if the site is wet or dry. Make note of what bulbs and perennials need to be divided.

Get your seeds! Last year there was a seed slam as gardening interest exploded during lockdown. Whether you order seeds or go to the garden center, look over your plans and get your seeds now. Look for plants that are listed for Zone 6b, the Franklin County USDA Hardiness Zone. Hardiness zones are areas with the same temperature - the coldest zone is 1 and the warmest is 10.

Sow any seeds you plan to start indoors. This will give you about 6 weeks before the last threat of a late frost (average is May 12 in Franklin County) and planting outside. Penn State’s Seed Starting Demystified article has good information.

 

Get a soil test. Since garden soil is the container for your plants, have it analyzed through Penn State. They are available for $9 at the Extension Office, 181 Franklin Farm Lane, Chambersburg (8:30-4:30 M-F). Find out if the soil needs amended and, if so, what it needs. Soil tests information.

Buying plants. Often the plants we want, especially annuals, are already out at the nurseries even though it is too early to plant them; however, later the selection will be small. If you buy them ahead of time you will need to babysit them until May.

Tune-up your tools. Shovels, spades, trowels, hoes, pruning shears, loppers, and hedge clippers should be sharpened. Clean garden tools now and after each use. Check for loose handles or screws. Make sure there is easy access storage for the garden season.

Do garden clean-up. Perennials and grasses left standing can be cleared. Remove fallen leaves over spring bulbs so that sun can reach the emerging foliage. Remove mulch from roses, azaleas, and other tender shrubs. Be prepared to recover if a cold-snap hits.

Prune dead and damaged branches from trees and shrubs. Prune only what you can reach. Leave big tree pruning to professionals.  Delay pruning spring-flowering trees and shrubs until after they have bloomed. For example, do not prune forsythia until after it has bloomed.

Plant cool season crops. Once clean-up is done, and before working in the garden, make sure the soil is not wet. Working soil when it is wet destroys soil structure and causes compaction. When the garden is dry enough (feels crumbly like chocolate cake), it is planting time. Cool season vegetables such as peas, onions, shallots, leeks, salad greens, cabbage and broccoli be planted. Some are available as transplants and other seed-sown. Penn State Extension has a list of planting dates for common garden vegetables. 

Check your soil temperature. Plants are sensitive to temperature below ground, too. Use a soil or meat thermometer and take the temperature at 2-3” deep around 11 a.m. Try to get readings over a period of four to five days. Transplant local warm season crops at 60° to 65° F. These include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, pumpkins and squash. A daily soil temperature reading is available for Franklin County from Cornell University.  More on soil temperature at Garden and Life Notes.

CKagan, Master Gardener

**********

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HERBS?

My book, the Second Edition Herb Sampler (2019), is available through Amazon.

Check out the new Spring Sale price. 

 More information about the Herb Sampler on this Blog  

Twas the Night Before Christmas for Gardeners

 

‘T was the Night Before Christmas for Gardeners

 

‘T was the night before Christmas, and all through the yard,

The branches were bare and the ground frozen hard.

The roses were dormant and mulched all around

To protect them from damage if frost heaves the ground.

 

The perennials were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of fertilizer danced in their heads;

The newly planted shrubs had been soaked by a hose,

To settle their roots for a long winter’s doze.

 

And out on the lawn the new fallen snow

Protected the roots of the grasses below;

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a truck full of gifts of gardening gear.

 

St. Nick was the driver a jolly old elf,

And he winked as he said, “I’m a gardener myself.

I’ve brought new seeds and light systems, too,

Give them a try and see how they do.

 

“To eliminate weeding, I brought bags of mulch,

To attract the pollinators I have flowers for best results.

To add to your joy, I’ve plenty of herbs

And ornamental grasses for your hell strip curb.

 

“For seed planting days, I’ve a trowel and a dibble,

And a roll of wire mesh if the rabbits should nibble.

I have the latest books, plus some gadgets you’ll love;

Plant stakes and frames, and waterproof gloves.

 

“Here are sharp shears and a new compost pit

And, for pH detecting, a soil testing kit.

With these colorful flagstones, lay a new garden path.

For the view from your window, a bird feed and bath.

 

“And last but not least, some well-rotted manure,

A green garden year-round, these gifts will ensure.”

Then, jolly St. Nick having emptied his load,

Started his truck and took on the road.

 

And I heard him exclaim through the motor’s loud hum,

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Green Thumb!”

 

Taken from PegPlant, December 2016