Grow with us ... The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County

Newsletter January 2018

Welcome to our very first newsletter. Through this and

subsequent issues, we will keep you informed on timely home

gardening and horticultural topics. Plus, we will bring you the

latest news, activities, and projects of the master gardeners.

Even though it’s winter, there are lots of things to do!

This issue is covering:

Salt damage

New Year’s resolutions you can actually keep

The benefits of volunteering

About us

Snow can be fun, slipping and sliding on it,

isn’t. Being safe is important, but too much

of a good thing is bad for your landscape.

Salt Damage

Winter is finally here. Whether that is good or bad depends on your perspective.

Some like the quiet blanket of snow outside their window. Others enjoy being

active through skiing, hiking, and snowboarding. And some of us hibernate.

Shoveling, scraping car windows, plowing, and salting are inevitable regardless

of when winter arrives. All the while, we think the home landscape is dormant,

needing little care, and waiting for spring to arrive. Your yard may be in jeopardy

now, and the symptoms won’t appear for months.

De-icing products such as rock salt are ever-present and necessary this time of

year. It is important to realize though, these melting mixtures can have a

detrimental effect on your landscape.

What is spread on the driveway eventually finds its way onto plants and into the

soil. Salt spray and splashes can accumulate on anything grown curbside.

Unfortunately, the damage is detected long after exposure. If you are perplexed

why your landscape dies in the nice weather, even with the proper care, salt build

up might be the culprit.

First line of defense is to use less salt. Most homeowners apply too much. Even

though it is not on the forefront of your mind, think about where that melting

snow, with salt will go. Alternatives include using ashes, kitty litter, and sand.

Consider mixing some of these with an application of salt. The layer of grit pro-

vide traction as the salt melts the snow and ice.

Be careful not to pile up snow banks around trees and shrubs. The salt products

build up over the season to toxic levels. As the briny snow melts, it percolates

into the soil and your plants take it up through the root system. The result is a

slow poison. And, the build up of salt in the soil changes its structure, displaces

essential nutrients, and the soil is less fertile.

Secondly, shovel often and quickly, decreasing the need to use salt as much. We

spend a great deal of time physically gardening, so consider shoveling an inte-

gral part of landscaping care. Wait until you have cleared the snow before

spreading the salt. Much less is needed that way.

Third, around the beginning of March is a critical time for the trees and shrubs as

they begin to become active again. Reduce greatly the amount of salt products

applied at this time. It is a good idea to flush the areas around them with water

regularly in spring if there has been large amounts of salt used.

Ten Resolutions You Can Easily Keep in 2018

1. Test your soil: Your growing success or failure depends on the quality of your soil. If you take a soil test you will know what nutrients are lacking and the soil pH. You can easily correct any deficiencies. Your garden will thank you. Penn State Extension has soil test kits for purchase in our offices.

2. Compost: This is nature’s recycling program. Take your grass clippings, fallen leaves, and spent healthy plant material, and turn it into a free amendment that your soil will thank you by increased yields. Finished compost has natural inoculants that benefit the landscape. In addition, you save time by not bagging your yard waste, and it does not take up valuable landfill space.

3. Use less chemicals: Before reaching for a spray or powder, know what the problem is. Sometimes a small sign of a disease can be tolerated without the use of chemicals. Remember too, just because a product is labeled organic, it does not mean it is harmless. A pesticide, regardless of its origin, is still dangerous. Pyrethins, a common and popular insecticide, will kill bad bugs, but also good ones like honey bees. Please read the label!

4. Plant natives: Choose a perennial well suited for this area. These plants are tolerant of our weather changes, soil conditions, and pests. They tend not to be invasive so they will live in reasonable balance with the other parts of your landscape. There are trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns, and flowers from which you can choose at your local garden center. The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have lists of natives we can send to you.

5. Plant for pollinators: Bees and butterflies depend on your garden for sustenance. For them, it can be feast or famine. A lot of native plants are great for the pollinators too. Besides the plants, pollinators need a source of water and shelter. Visit http://ento.psu.edu/pollinators for a wide variety of information.

6. Learn to identify insects: You see all sorts of bugs around your garden. Can you tell the difference between a nuisance and a beneficial insect? Some may be doing damage while other bugs are keep-ing the bad ones in check. Make sure, if you are going to use a pesticide, what the insect is, if it is damaging anything or it is a beneficial bug helping you.

7. Plant extra to give away: Plan ahead to grow some extra vegetables for a food pantry. There always seems to be an abundance of fresh food and hungry people. Think about finding and helping some-one in need. Giving something from your garden, or dividing a perennial is a great way to make friends with someone new in your neighborhood.

8. Plant some flowers in your garden for cutting: You can have fresh flowers on your table just about every day during the summer. Give them as a gift to brighten someone’s day. You will be amazed how much of a boost you will get from a beautiful bouquet you grew yourself.

9. Cut your grass a little higher: Most homeowners mow their turf too short. Generally, two and half to three inches is the optimum height for a lawn. This benefits the roots by keeping them cool and crowds out the weeds. You mow less often so you win too. Remember to let the clippings lay. They will break down easily and are great source of nitrogen for the soil. If not, you should compost them instead of sending them to the landfill.

10. Learn something new: Whether you educate yourself on a new plant variety, an emerging garden-ing trend, or a technique, there are vast arrays of resources of reliable information. Look for the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County on Facebook as we have the latest news and plenty of learning opportunities coming up.

Helping others can improve your own well-being

According to the Mayo Clinic, being an active volunteer can be beneficial to yourself, as you lend your

time and abilities to your community.

Volunteering helps you meet others and develop new relationships. Volunteering helps you extend

your social circles. Participating in a shared experience is one of the easiest ways to make new friends.

Having common goals and interests is a great building block for strengthening relationships.

Volunteering helps you live longer and better. The Mayo Clinic quoted several studies where

research indicated volunteers have a lower mortality rate. In addition, volunteering helps reduce stress. By

focusing on accomplishments and appreciation for their hard work, volunteers have noted their stress

levels have decreased. It redirects the volunteer’s attention to quality of life and changes they bring about.

Volunteering keeps you physically and mentally active. Volunteering gets you thinking and moving

at the same time. The Mayo Clinic reports volunteers tend to be in better health and have a positive

outlook on life.

Volunteering gives a sense of purpose. Many organizations, big and small, global and local depend

on volunteers and some cannot exist without them. Volunteering is a great way to make great changes. You

can make a difference!

About us The Penn State Master Gardening Program is a volunteer program that takes people with an interest and

enthusiasm for horticulture and gives them basic training in a broad range of horticulture topics. In exchange for the

training, volunteers are expected to give at least 50 hours of volunteer time within one year of completing the

training to help Penn State Extension better serve the home gardening audience. Volunteer hours can be served in

any number of ways, such as answering home gardening questions over the phone at the Penn State Extension

Office, speaking to garden clubs, civic organizations, schools, or other groups about horticultural topics, community

beautification projects, or in other ways which help to educate the public to techniques and benefits of gardening.

If you are interested in becoming a master gardener, we will have a training beginning in March 2018. We will have

informational meetings at which you can learn more about the program, the training requirements, and how we are

involved in the community.

Come visit with us:

North Pocono Community Library

1315 Church St, Moscow, PA 18444

Saturday February 10, 2018

9:30 a.m.

The Greenhouse Project

(at Nay Aug Park)

200 Arthur Ave, Scranton, PA 18510

Saturday February 10, 2018

Noon

Abington Community Library

1200 W Grove St, Clarks Summit, PA 18411

Tuesday February 20, 2018

6:30 p.m.

For more information on being a master gardener, or if you have any home gardening, horticultural,

or landscaping questions, please call us at 570-963-6842, 0r email LackawannaMG@psu.edu.

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