Mercer County 1007 Lexington RD Harrodsburg, KY 40330-9203 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID Harrodsburg, KY

PERMIT #72

Mercer County Horticulture Newsletter

November, 2017

Mercer County

1007 Lexington Road Harrodsburg, KY 40330

(859) 734-4378 Fax: (859) 734-4379

From The Ground Up Jack frost has finally arrived, but there is still plenty do for us plant lovers. Make sure to check out the calendar of events,

we have a lot of exciting programs happening over the next two months! Happy Gardening!

Jessica Bessin

Mercer County Extension Agent for Horticulture

NOTICE

Public Notification of Procedure for Filing a Complaint:

The Cooperative Extension Service prohibits discrimination in its programs and employment on the basis of race, color, age, religion, gender, disability, or national origin.

To initiate a complaint at the college level, contact Tim West in the Business Office at 859-257-3879. At the University level, Terry Allen and Patty Bender in the UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity (859-257-8927) may be contacted. Additionally, employee or clientele complaints involving any research or

extension sponsored program or activity may be directed to the USDA, Director Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg., 14th & Independence Ave. SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 (202-720-5964).

Insect Invaders

You may have noticed your home being invaded by an assortment of pests this fall, including

Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, crickets, spiders and Brown marmorated stink bugs. These

creatures typically visit homes that provide an easy entry this time of year, often seeking

refuge from the changing weather. Pest proofing your home is the most efficient way to keep

these critters out. A swatter, broom or vacuum cleaner and trash container will take care of

pests that occasionally wander indoors. Following these guidelines will help pest proof your home

and some may even help you conserve energy and increase the comfort level this fall and winter. Install door sweeps or

thresholds at the base of all exterior entry doors, paying particular attention to the bottom corners that are a common

entry location. Insects and spiders can enter through a gap of one-sixteenth of an inch or less. Get down on the floor and

check for light entering under doors; this indicates possible pest entryways. To close other potential pest entries, apply

caulk on the bottom outside edges and sides of door thresholds; fit garage doors with a rubber bottom seal because vinyl

doesn’t seal well in the winter; and line the bottom track of sliding glass doors with foam weather stripping ½ to ¾ inch

wide to seal any gaps. Utility openings where pipes and wires enter the foundation and siding are common entry points

for spiders, ants, yellow jackets and rodents. You can use caulk, cement, urethane expandable foam, steel wool and

copper mesh to plug openings around outdoor faucets, receptacles, gas meters, clothes dryer vents and telephone or

cable television wires. Apply a good-quality silicone or acrylic latex caulk to cracks around windows, doors, and other

openings. To reduce the entry of lady beetles, cluster flies and other overwintering pests, repair gaps and tears in

window and door screens. Keep windows closed when adults are emerging to prevent entry. Repairing screens also will

keep out flies, gnats, mosquitoes and midges next summer. Another way to prevent pest entry is to apply an exterior

barrier treatment with insecticides. This is the best way to deal with boxelder bugs and lady beetles outside, before they

enter your home. To gain the most from this effort, apply long-lasting liquid formulations that contain synthetic

pyrethroids. These products are available at some hardware, lawn and garden shops. If you apply the barrier treatment,

use a compressed air or hose-end sprayer to treat the base of all exterior doors, garage, crawl

space entrances, foundation vents, utility openings and beneath siding. It’s also useful to treat the

outside perimeter of the foundation with a two- to six-foot wide band along the ground and two to

three feet up the foundation wall. If you prefer not to tackle these pest-proofing activities, contact a

professional pest control firm. If you have any questions about pest proofing your house or the

insects that are invading please call the Mercer County Extension Office.

Source: Lee Townsend Entomology Extension Specialist

Brown Marmorated Stink bug

Asian lady beetle

Mark Those Calendars!!!

County Extension Council Meeting-November 9th, Mercer County Extension Office 5:30 PM

Recycle Day-November 15th, Mercer County Extension Office 1:00-3:00 P.M.

Need to shred some confidential documents? Bring them to the Extension Office and dispose of them for free. We will also

be accepting blue jeans and pop tabs for recycling.

Holiday Plant Class-November 16th, Mercer County Extension Office 2 PM

It’s that time of year where we start receiving amaryllis, Thanksgiving cactus, and poinsettias. Come out and join us and learn how to take care of these plants so you can enjoy them for years to come. Participants will go home with a holiday plant, please register by November 3rd, call 859-734-4378.

Day of Holiday Fun– November 17th, Mercer County Extension Office Morning and Afternoon Sessions

See insert for more details.

Crafting with Seeds-November 17th, Mercer County Extension Office 1:00-4:00 PM

Have any left over pumpkin seeds that are no longer viable? Join us and make a poinsettia seed ornament

out of them. While we are on the seed theme, we will also make bird seed wreaths to place out in the

garden to feed the birds this winter.

Please register for the class by November 14th by calling 859-734-4378.

Community Chili Supper-November 18th, Mercer County Extension Office 5 to 7 PM

See insert for more details.

Deer Management 101 – November 21st, Mercer County Extension Office 7 PM

This webinar will cover assessing the health of your deer herd, how to monitor the population, and health status, and the varying management strategies that can be used to meet deer management goals. Presented by Dr. Matthew Springer, Wildlife Extension Professor. Please register by November 17th, call 859-734-4378.

Fort Harrod Beekeeping Club –November 27th, Mercer County Extension Office 6:30 PM

Beekeepers don’t forget this meeting is a potluck, so please bring your favorite dish to share!

Twelve Crafts of Christmas –December 2017, Mercer County Extension Office

See insert for more details.

Fresh Greenery Kissing Ball -December 5th, Mercer County Extension Office 5:30-7:30 PM

Learn how to make your own kissing ball to hang in your home this holiday season. This class is limited to 12 people and has a fee of $5. Please register by December 1st by calling 859-734-4378.

Fresh Greenery Holiday Wreath- December 11th, Mercer County Extension Office 1:00-3:00 PM

Learn how to make your own fresh greenery wreath! This class is limited to 12 people and has a fee of $10. Please register by December 8th by calling 859-734-4378.

Holiday Open House– December 14th, Mercer County Extension Office 3:00-6:00 PM

More details to follow in Decembers newsletter.

Beef Festival Planning Meeting– December 14th, Mercer County Extension Office 6 PM

Winterizing Garden Tools

As the growing season ends and gardeners mow, snip and spade for the final time this

fall, it's time to think of proper cleaning and storage of all that equipment. A little

preventative maintenance now can prevent frustration and expensive repair in the

future. Proper maintenance also extends the life of tools and equipment and makes

working with them easier and more efficient. While hoses don't need a great deal of

care, the care that we provide is important if we want them to last. Store hoses on hose

supports or reels or coil loosely rather than hanging them on nails. Hose supports or

reels prevent sagging and kinking. Before storing hoses away for the winter, drain all

the water from them and store in a dry location. Remove caked on soil or vegetation from all tools using a wire brush,

scraper or a strong stream of water. Wire brushes marketed to clean grills work great since they usually include a

scraper. Lubricate all tool pivot points and springs. Sharpen hoes, spades, pruners, loppers and saws. Check all tools

thoroughly for loose screws or nuts and tighten them accordingly. Replace or repair broken handles and other bent or

broken parts. Finally, spray all bare metal parts and cutting edges with penetrating oil such as WD-40 to prevent rust.

Wipe wooden handles with boiled linseed oil to help prevent wood from cracking and drying. Or paint handles red or

orange for quick location in the garden or your neighbor's garage. Colored tapes can also be used for quick location. Hang

tools in their proper storage spot. All sprayer parts should be thoroughly washed and rinsed. Most pesticides recommend

triple rinsing of sprayers. Tip the sprayer upside down or hang upside down when not in use so that they can drain and

dry thoroughly. Wheelbarrows, carts and wagons may also need some attention before winter. Clean them thoroughly

and touch up paint chips with spray paint to prevent exposed steel from rusting. Grease wheels to prevent squeaking.

Power equipment, such as lawn mowers, tillers and chippers, require additional winter preparations. Always refer to the

owner's manual for specific information. However, in general, the following steps can be taken to winterize lawnmowers.

Wipe the equipment to remove collected grease, dirt and plant material. Theoretically this should be done after each use.

Tighten loose screws and nuts. Sharpen cutting edges and wipe with an oily rag if this wasn't done earlier. If your

equipment has a four-cycle engine, change the oil by following instructions listed in your owner's manual. Remove all

gasoline from tank by running engine until it stops or remove most of the gasoline with a meat baster and run it until it

stops. Do not return meat baster to kitchen. Remove spark plug and squirt a little oil into the cylinder head. Give the

engine a turn or two to coat the cylinder walls with oil, and then replace the plug. Two-cycle engines, or engines that run

with a gas and oil mixture, also should have the oil-gas mixture removed for the winter. Run the engine with the choke

open to remove fuel from the lines. Check the spark plug and replace if it is worn. Replace other worn or damaged parts

as well. Avoid storing gasoline over the winter. Old gasoline does not ignite easily, making the machines using it work

harder. This is the time of the year when many gardeners feel they've finally caught up with all their activities. However,

don't put your feet up until after the maintenance projects have been completed. Source: University of Illinois

Horticulture Department

Day of Holiday Fun!

Barbara Logue’s

Cream Pull Candy

9 AM

$10, limit 15

Easy NO-SEW

Ornament

9 AM

$5, limit 10

Bird Seed Wreath

& Seed Poinsettia

Flower Ornament

1 PM

Mystery Sewn Craft

1 PM

$Free, limit 10

12 Crafts of Christmas....and more Dec. 1—Wine Bottles and more, 5-7pm, $5, limit 15, if you have a wine bottle please bring it (or

them).

Dec. 5—Fresh Greens Kissing Ball, 5:30-7:30pm, $5, limit 12

Dec. 6—Traditional Holiday Cookies with Mary Mac, 10am-12noon, $10, limit

8

Dec. 7—Bourbon Balls, 6:30-8:30pm, $5, limit 15

Dec.11—Fresh Greens Wreath, 1-3pm, $10, limit 12

Dec.12—Hammered Spoon Necklace, 2-3:30pm, $5, limit 12

Dec. 13—Personalized Christmas Card, 10am-12noon, $5, limit 6

Dec. 14 - Barbara Logue’s Cream Pull Candy, 6-8pm, $10, limit 15

You must pre-register for each class if

you wish to attend. Please register by

November, 13th by calling the

Mercer County Extension Office at

859-734-4378.

Friday, November 17th