Newsletter of the Delaware County Master GardenersPublished each even numbered month

Maquoketa River BotanistDELAWARE COUNTY

1417 N. Franklin StreetP.O. Box 336 Manchester, IA 52057

PH: 563-927-4201 FAX: 563-927-3744

October 2014

Extension programs are available to all without regard v race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or disability.

Hannah Childs

Its o!cially fall! I see pumpkins and gourds everywhere and the "rst colors of autumn. As much as I love spring and summer I do enjoy fall too. I can’t wait for the squash to ripen and for my garden to "nally be done. I’m about full up of tomatoes for the season. I’m de"nitely looking forward to the weeds dying out and the "rst snow!

I hope all your gardens were plentiful and thriving this season. Even though our gardens are coming to an end, this is just the beginning of the next garden! Enjoy the crisp air while you can.

Karen Thomsen- Karen has been gardening since she moved to the farm in 1983. She used to can tomatoes and lots of other vegetables. Now that she’s living alone she would like to concentrate on her lawn and !owers. Karen lives on an acreage of 15 acres (8 acres is for crops and the rest is a building site and lawn. Finally, she has incorporated a windbreak of about 150 trees.

Erica Thomsen- Erica is taking this class to improve her gardening skills. Her grandmothers both had wonderful gardens that she would like have. She is also building a new house and wants to be able to landscape, garden and decorate. Erica loves the gardening that she has done to this point in her life and can’t wait to further her gardening knowledge.

Roger Skattum- Roger resides in Edgewood and is the previous owner of the Edgewood Reminder. Currently he is employed part-time at the Edgewood Convalescent Home. Roger is married with two children and has six grandchildren.

Julie Vandermen- Julie is a wife and a mother of four children. When her children were younger she was kept busy by being active in the 4-H program showing animals, plants and indoor exhibits. She enjoyed taking the kids to many plant workshops. Julie moved to Illinois and decided to take classes at ICC, the nearby community college and this was the beginning of her love for gardening. She enjoys plants and anything to do with them. Julie is landscaping their new home and will have a large vegetable garden next year. She also plans on teaching in schools here in Manchester.

INTRODUCTIONS

Karen and Erica Thomsen

Roger Skattum

Julie Vandermen

Amber Luckstead- Amber is your newly appointed County Extension Program Director in Delaware County. She has always enjoyed gardening but hasn’t had a home of her own to really enjoy and practice. Now that she has returned home to Iowa, Amber plans to garden and landscape with her !ancé Justin near Cascade.

Barb Recker- Barb and her husband, Dick, have lived " mile north of Manchester for over 30 years. They have three children and eight grandchildren. Barb works at F & M Bank and was involved with the care of the gazebo park #ower beds for the !ve years that the bank sponsored it. She has had vegetable and #ower gardens for over 40 years. Her main interest now is perennial #owers, especially hydrangeas and propagating them. Barb admires the Master Gardener group who cares for and designs the #ower beds around Manchester.

Karen Kramer- Karen is a stay at home mother of three, ages 16-20. Her husband is a business owner in Dyersville, where they live. She also teaches yoga classes part-time. Karen’s earliest memories are summers at her grandparents where they had a huge vegetable garden and fruit trees. Identifying wild #owers while camping or hiking is one of her favorite pastimes, as well as tending to her home #ower gardens. Karen’s teachers have been her grandparents, mother and mother- in-law who is a Master Gardener. She has spent a lot of time as a volunteer and looks forward to sharing plant knowledge.

INTRODUCTIONS

Amber Luckstead

Barb Recker

Karen Kramer

Dan Eibey- Dan grew up on a farm outside of Manchester and has always enjoyed raising and growing things. He went to Iowa State University and graduated in 2008 with a degree in Agronomy. He currently is working as a crop consultant for CPS in Winthrop, Iowa along with helping farm with his father and grandfather. Dan currently lives on his grandparent’s farm west of Ryan with his wife Trisha and their dog, Joon.

Trisha Voelker- Trisha was born and raised on a dairy farm near Ryan, Iowa. She enjoys taking classes to learn more about the hobbies that she enjoys. They include: baking, gardening, photography and quilting. Trisha also enjoys walking and training her dog, Joon.

Carol McNamara- Carol is a “city girl” that has moved to the country and has been on the farm now for 10 years. She is semi-retired and has been a house designer for over 20 years. She has three grown children and one grandson, who keeps her young. Carol enjoys designing and redesigning her yard. Her passion has been vegetable gardening where she starts in January with seeds, planning the garden and ordering more seeds. Carol has always been interested in the Master Gardeners Program and is excited that she is !nally able to participate in the program.

INTRODUCTIONS

Dan Eibey and Trisha Voelker

Carol McNamara

ARTICLE | THU, 09/25/2014 - 08:30 | BY RICHARD JAURON, GREG WALLACE

As fall arrives and the leaves begin to change, we are reminded that it won’t be long until the !rst frost hits and winter arrives. We all have outdoor plants, but many of us wonder about the best way to treat them to survive winter. How should you handle your geraniums to make sure they last through winter to thrive next spring?

Here are some tips from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulturists on overwintering geraniums. To have additional questions answered, contact the ISU Hortline at 515-294-3108 or hortline@iastate.edu.

How can I overwinter geraniums indoors?Geraniums can be overwintered indoors by potting up individual plants, taking cuttings or storing bare-root plants in a cool, dry location. Remove plants from the garden (or take cuttings) prior to the !rst fall frost.

How do you overwinter geraniums as potted plants?Before the !rst fall frost, carefully dig up plants growing in the ground and place in large containers. Water each plant thoroughly. Plants growing in containers can simply be brought indoors. Place the geraniums in a sunny window or under arti!cial lighting. Geraniums prefer cool indoor temperatures.

Daytime temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and slightly cooler night temperatures are ideal. During their stay indoors, water plants when the potting soil becomes dry. Geraniums are likely to become tall and lanky by late winter. In March, prune back the plants. Cut back the geraniums by one-half to two-thirds. The geraniums will begin to grow again within a few days and should develop into nice specimens by May.

How do I take geranium cuttings?Using a sharp knife, take three- to !ve-inch stem cuttings from the terminal ends of the shoots. Pinch o" the lower leaves, then dip the base of each cutting in a rooting hormone. Stick the cuttings into a rooting medium of vermiculite or a mixture of perlite and sphagnum peat moss. Pots and #ats with drainage holes in the bottom are suitable rooting containers.

Insert the cuttings into the medium just far enough to be self-supporting. After all the cuttings are inserted, water the rooting medium. Allow the medium to drain for a few minutes, then place a clear plastic bag or dome over the cuttings to prevent the foliage from wilting. Finally, place the cuttings in bright light, but not direct sunlight. The cuttings should root in six to eight weeks. When the cuttings have good root systems, remove them from the rooting medium and plant each rooted cutting in its own container. Place the potted plants in a sunny window or under arti!cial lighting until spring.

How do you overwinter geraniums as bare-root plants?Carefully dig up the geraniums before the !rst fall frost. Shake the soil from the plant’s roots. Then place one or two plants in a large paper sack and store in a cool (45 to 55 degree Fahrenheit), dry location. An unheated bedroom or indoor porch might be a suitable location.

An alternate method is to hang the plants upside down in a cool, dry location. The foliage and the shoot tips will eventually die. In March, prune or cut back each plant. Remove all shriveled, dead material. Prune back to !rm, green, live stem tissue. After pruning, pot up the plants and water thoroughly. Place the potted geraniums in a sunny window or under arti!cial lighting. Geraniums that are pruned and potted in March should develop into nice looking plants that can be planted outdoors in May.

YARD AND GARDEN: PROPERLY OVERWINTERING GERANIUMS

This article was published originally on 9/26/2014By Richard Jauron, Department of Horticulture

Forcing spring-!owering bulbs indoors is an excellent way to brighten the cold, gray days of winter. Hyacinths are a special treat as their !owers are both attractive and fragrant. If properly planned, hyacinths can be enjoyed indoors from mid-winter to early spring.

To successfully force hyacinth bulbs indoors, you'll need high quality bulbs, a well-drained commercial potting mix, and suitable containers. Containers for forcing can be plastic, clay, ceramic, or metal. Almost any container can be used as long as it has drainage holes in the bottom.

Hyacinth cultivars suitable for forcing indoors include 'Amethyst' (lilac purple), 'Blue Jacket' (navy blue), 'City of Haarlem' (soft primrose yellow), 'Deft Blue' (porcelain blue), 'Gipsy Queen' (salmon apricot), 'Jan Bos' (pinkish red), 'Peter Stuyvesant' (blue purple), 'Pink Pearl' (deep pink), 'White Pearl' (white), and 'Yellow Queen' (yellow).

Begin by partially "lling the container with potting soil. Then place one or more hyacinth bulbs on the soil surface. Adjust the soil level until the tops of the bulbs are even or slightly below the rim of the container. The number of bulbs to plant per pot depends on the size of the container. A single hyacinth bulb is appropriate for a 4-inch-diameter pot, while 3 bulbs make an attractive !oral display in a 6-inch-diameter pot. Once the bulbs are in position, place additional potting soil around the bulbs. However, do not completely cover the bulbs. Allow the bulb tops (noses) to stick above the potting soil. For ease of watering, the level of the potting mix should be # to 1 inch below the rim of the container. Label each container as it is planted. Include the name of the cultivar and the planting date. After potting, water each container thoroughly.

In order to bloom, hyacinths and other spring-!owering bulbs must be exposed to temperatures of 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 16 weeks. Possible storage sites include a refrigerator, root cellar, or trench in the garden. (When using the refrigerator for storage, place the potted bulbs in a plastic bag if the refrigerator contains apples or other ripening fruit. Ripening fruit give o$ ethylene gas which can inhibit !ower development and plant growth.) During cold storage, keep the potted bulbs in complete darkness and water the bulbs when the potting soil begins to dry out.

Begin to remove the potted hyacinth bulbs from cold storage once the cold requirement has been met. At this time, yellow shoots should have begun to emerge from the bulbs. Place the hyacinths in a cool (50 to 60 degree Fahrenheit) location that receives low to medium light. Leave them in this area until the shoots turn green, usually in 4 or 5 days. Then move them to a brightly lit, 60 to 70 degree Fahrenheit location. Keep the plants well watered. Turn the containers regularly to promote straight, upright growth. On average, !owering should occur 3 to 4 weeks after the bulbs have been removed from cold storage. For a succession of bloom indoors, remove pots from cold storage every 2 weeks.

Hyacinths and most other spring-!owering bulbs that have been forced indoors are usually discarded after !owering. Most spring-!owering bulbs are badly weakened during the forcing procedure and usually don't bloom well when planted outdoors.

FORCING HYACINTH BULBS INDOORS

ARTICLE | WED, 09/17/2014 - 11:20 | BY RICHARD JAURON, GREG WALLACE

One of the best aspects of fall gardening is the harvesting of pumpkins and squash. The closely related members of the squash family are popular parts of the fall calendar, from Halloween through the making of favorite fall and holiday recipes. Tips from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulturists help gardeners enjoy these fall favorites. To have additional questions answered, contact the ISU Hortline at 515-294-3108 or hortline@iastate.edu.

When should I harvest my pumpkins?Pumpkins can be harvested when they have developed a deep, uniform orange color and the rind is hard. Mature pumpkins can also be left in the garden or !eld until the vines are killed by a light frost or freeze.

When harvesting pumpkins, handle them carefully to avoid cuts and bruises. Cut the pumpkins o" the vine with a sharp knife or pair of lopping shears. Leave several inches of stem attached to each fruit. A pumpkin with a three to !ve inch stem or handle is more attractive. Also, pumpkins with stems are less likely to rot. Do not carry pumpkins by their stems. The stems may not be able to support the weight of the pumpkins and may break o".What is the proper way to store pumpkins?After harvesting the pumpkins, cure them at a temperature of 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 percent relative humidity for 10 days. Curing helps to harden their skins and heal any cuts and scratches.

After curing, store pumpkins in a cool, dry location. Storage temperatures should be 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. When storing pumpkins, place them in a single layer where they don’t touch one another. Good air circulation helps to prevent moisture from

forming on the surfaces of the fruit and retards the growth of decay fungi and bacteria. Placing the pumpkins in piles generates unwanted heat which may result in the rotting of some fruit. Promptly remove and discard any pumpkins that show signs of decay.

When do you harvest winter squash?Harvest winter squash when the fruit are fully mature. Mature winter squash have very hard skins that can’t be punctured with the thumbnail. Additionally, mature winter squash have dull-looking surfaces.

When harvesting winter squash, handle them carefully to avoid cuts and bruises. These injuries are not only unsightly, they provide entrances for various rot-producing organisms. Cut the fruit o" the vine with a pruning shears. Leave a one-inch stem on each fruit.What is the proper way to store winter squash?After harvesting, cure winter squash (except for the acorn types) at a temperature of 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity of 80 to 85 percent. Curing helps to harden the squash skins and heal any cuts and scratches. Do not cure acorn squash. The high temperature and relative humidity during the curing process actually reduce the quality and storage life of acorn squash.

After curing, store winter squash in a cool, dry, well-ventilated location. Storage temperatures should be 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not store squash near apples, pears, or other ripening fruit. Ripening fruit release ethylene gas which shortens the storage life of squash.

When properly cured and stored, the storage lives of acorn, butternut, and hubbard squash are approximately !ve to eight weeks, two to three months, and !ve to six months, respectively.

YARD AND GARDEN: ENJOYING FALL PUMPKIN AND SQUASH

This article was published originally on 9/26/2014By Donald Lewis, Department of Entomology

In the last issue of the Hort News it was the larger-than-usual-number of inquiries about bumble !ower beetle that caught my attention. This time it's an insect that was new to me this summer; the clouded plant bug (Hemiptera: Miridae). I suppose the rest of you have seen this cute bug on !owers, admired the expanded "rst antennal segments and went on about your interesting lives. I had to stop and "gure it out.

The clouded plant bug is not a pest species in Iowa (probably explains why it gets so little attention). The adults visit !owers as shown below. They also come to lights so maybe you've seen this at the back porch light. I haven't. Otherwise, they don't seem to garner much attention except in Tennessee where they are an occasional pest of cotton

Clouded plant bugs are medium size at about one-quarter inch. They are mottled brown in color. Uninspiring so far! The distinctive and unique characteristic is enlarged "rst segment of the antenna coated in small hairs. A closer look at the "ne features of this handsome insect is available at BugGuide.

CLOUDED PLANT BUG - ANOTHER UNUSUAL SIGHT OF 2014

is a little light?

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Please make some time to get any and all articles to Hannah Childs for the December/January Newsletter.Articles you wrote, events, pictures, recipes and much more is welcome, look for the reminder email prior to Dec. 1, email is mouszehrc@yahoo.com