Earth Day and Arbor Day

Next week has some important dates to remember. Both Earth Day and Arbor Day will be celebrated, and for anyone interested in home horticulture, they are of great significance.

April 22 is the forty-fifth anniversary of Earth Day. Most consider this the beginning of the modern-day environmental movement. At the time, people drove big gas guzzling cars, industry grew without regard to any consequences, and air pollution was accepted as common and a sign of prosperity. Protests of many kinds merged with new energy of public concern for the environment.

Since then, Earth Day has grown to cover 184 countries, 5,000 environmental groups reaching hundreds of millions of people to promote a healthy, sustainable environment coast-to-coast.

Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment. Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values. Forty-five years later, Earth Day is building world that is clean, healthy, and diverse for generations to come

Arbor Day in America was originated in Nebraska on April 10, 1872. On that day, one million trees were planted. In 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation was founded, and currently has over one million members. Globally, the foundation has planted 250 million trees, helped preserve rainforests, and protected wildlife.

Each state has differing celebrations of Arbor Day. In Pennsylvania, April 24 is our day. We have over 43,000 members of the Arbor Day Foundation. In 2014, 370,000 were planted by them in the state.

In honor of both of these days, The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County will be having a special event to mark the occasion, “Earth Day Is Your Day.”  We are committed to values of Earth Day and want to equip people to be more environmentally aware of the decisions they make in the home landscape. We will have the latest, research-based information on topics such as:

• Greener gardening
• Tree care
• Gardening in alternative spaces
• Using native plants
• Reducing pesticide use, and more.

We will be giving out seed packets and seedling trees as a take home gift. “Earth Day is Your Day” will have fun and educational activities for children from 4H.

Giving people the tools to better manage the home landscape is only part of our purpose for this event. The motive for Earth Day is to encourage people to be more involved in their community as well. We will have special guests joining us, to give people opportunities to both enjoy and be more involved in our area:

• The Greenhouse Project
• Lackawanna County Conservation District
• Lackawanna River Corridor Association
• Lackawanna Backyard Beekeepers Association
• Lackawanna County’s Office of Environmental Sustainability and Department of Community Relations

 “Earth Day is Your Day” will be held Saturday, April 18, 2015 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The Mall at Steamtown will be hosting us, and is free to attend.

For more information, please contact us 570-963-6842.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Extension
Lackawanna County

Tools Of The Trade

Gardening, no matter how much we enjoy it, is work. Cultivating, tilling, planting, weeding, and pruning keeps even the avid gardener busy.  Often overlooked, are the tools we use.  Choosing the right ones will make the tasks easier.  No need to buy every tool sold at the local garden center so here are some recommendations:

• A long handled spade, which is more important than a shovel. A spade is designed for digging whereas a shovel moves material from one area to another.
• A spading fork, which has flat square tines and is used for moving heavy soil, preparing it in the spring. It is different than a pitchfork, having rounded slender tines.
• A steel rake, used to break up clumps, smooth out the soil and stir in fertilizers and amendments. Also a leaf rake is handy for lawn care year-round.
• A hoe, needed to form rows, cover seeds, move soil, cut out weeds, and make holes for transplanting. They come in all sorts of sizes so find one that is a comfortable fit for you.
• A hand trowel, a small tool like this will become a gardener’s best friend. They are useful for marking rows, weeding, furrowing, and moving plants.

Remember to try before you buy.  Pick up the tool and make sure it is a good fit, well balanced and comfortable.  Bigger and heavier are not always better.  Take good care of your investments as well.  Clean and disinfect the tools after every use, and applying penetrating oil after will keep the tools of your trade in good shape.

For more information on this, the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have the free factsheet, “Tools of the Trade”, please contact us at 570-963-6842 or email LackwannaMG@psu.edu  for a copy.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Managing Rabbit Damage

There is one familiar furry resident in your home landscape which does tremendous damage in the winter months, but it’s not the famous Phil from Punxsutawney. The groundhog is notorious for doing quite a bit of damage in the garden. Who hasn’t lost a tomato in its prime or noticed gnawed ornamentals in their yard? This time of year, in the dead of winter the groundhog is not to blame.  A fair amount of landscape injury comes from cottontail rabbit, and this creature can do extensive damage in winter around your home.
 
While rabbits live year-round in your garden, their behavior is more pronounced now. Protecting the trees, shrubs, and perennials from these varmints will help them cope with the seasonal struggles better. Rabbits chew off buds and stems of shrubs and other low-growing plants. Rabbits harm the bark of young trees, especially fruit trees. Damage is usually confined to 18 to 24 inches above ground or snow level. Stems are cut off cleanly, leaving a sharp 45-degree angle cut. Other tell-tale, or maybe bunny-tail, signs of a rabbit visit include elongated tracks in the snow and little piles of round brown droppings.

You can control rabbits by:

• Eliminating hiding places such as brush, tall grass, and weeds, and close up any openings in crawl spaces, under decks, and sheds.
• Protecting gardens with fencing. A chicken wire fence, with a one-inch or finer mesh at least two feet high, provides adequate protection. This time of year the fence cannot be buried, but when the ground is workable, extend the bottom of the fence at least six inches below the soil line.
• Using tree guards, wraps or hardware cloth around the trunks of young trees. The higher the snow, the higher the guards must be. Do the best you can with anticipating more snow.
• Using repellants. These are available at local garden supply stores. By law, all commercial repellents must be used according to instructions on the product label. This should be the last resort. Any kind of chemical control is a hazard to wildlife, humans, and pets.

If you would like more information on managing the damage done by these animals, The Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have the free publication “Wildlife Control: Rabbits.”  Please contact us at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu for a free copy.

Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

How To Extend the Life Of Your Cut Flowers

One, if not the biggest time for cut-flowers is approaching quickly- Valentine’s Day.  Survey those special women in your life, and they will most likely remember the last time you gave them fresh flowers. And why not? A floral bouquet has an immediate positive impact on the recipient. Here are some tips for Valentine’s Day.

Keep in mind the personality of your Valentine. Dr. Terrill Nell, University of Florida professor of Floriculture, offers these hints, based on traits:

• Natural types, earthy and outdoors: tend to like flowering or green plants and meadow flowers.
• Romantics like pastel colors, ribbons, and light fragrances.
• Expressive personalities like exotic flowers, unusual combinations of shapes, colors, textures and creative arrangements
• Traditional people enjoy classic styles and lush arrangements
• Trendsetters favor styles in vogue right now, or a display of a few but large flowers.

Whether it is the classic and timeless dozen red roses, or a last minute dash to the store type arrangement (because I forgot it was February 14^th AGAIN), here are a few things to remember in choosing cut flowers:

• Look at the petals- there should be no marking, damaged, or brown areas
• Look at the foliage- there should be no wilting, and should be crisp
• Look at the stem- there should be no slime and should be in clean water

To make your bouquet last the longest, bring the flowers home as soon as possible. Remember, the stem is the bloom’s source of vitality. Cut a small portion of the stem off, underwater, and place them in your choice of a vase filled with fresh water. Most floral shops provide a preservative to enhance the life of the bouquet. Be sure not to use, aspirin, wine, pennies, mouthwash, and other lore, they do not extend the bloom time and may be harmful. Finding a suitable location helps, too. Choose one with bright lighting, even temperatures, and no draft. Keep the bouquet away from ripening fruit as they emit ethylene gas and will age the flowers faster.  Proper care can extend your colorful expression up to two weeks.

Most importantly, Don’t forget. February 14th is six days from now, so mark your calendars.

The Penn State Master Gardeners have information on making fresh flowers last longer. Please call 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu and request a free copy of Long Lasting Cut Flowers.

Steve Ward

Master Gardener Coordinator

Planning Your Spring Garden and Ordering Seeds

We are in the midst of the inevitable: winter. The short days, gray skies, howling, biting winds, snow, and ice are all around us. Winter comes every year, but we never get used to it. For many, the end of this season is the best part. For the home gardener, this time of year is best suited for planning for spring plantings. The seed catalogues have already started teasing us in the mailbox.

Whether you are a novice, thinking of starting your plants for the first time, or an experienced gardener, January and February are great times to think about what to grow and ordering seeds. In order to achieve the best results, there are some things to consider before making a purchase.

Know the USDA hardiness zone. In 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture updated its hardiness zones. What this means is, after looking thirty years of records, a more accurate and precise tool is available to help determine what plants will grow best in your area. With the enhanced information, you find out by zip code in which zip code your garden is. For more information go to http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov

Know the garden conditions. What kind of soil makes up your landscape: loam, clay, sandy? The quality of the soil will have an impact on the plants rooted in it. Do you have good drainage, or water pooling after a rain? Some plants thrive moist soils and other need dryer areas. The amount of sunlight is critical, vegetables need at least six hours of direct sun to produce a decent crop. But there are a lot of tender annuals that need shade.

Know the seed packet. Look at the information listed on the front and back of the seed package. It is too easy to get lost in the picture, with its promise of a beautiful harvest, but the information will help you decide if that particular seed is the best choice for you. Besides the basic description, the label will give you the light and soil requirements, spacing, plus germination, and maturity days. Germination days indicates how long before the first sprouts appear, and days to maturity means how long until the plant is ready to be harvested or in bloom.

Know the kind of seed you want. “Hybrid” are seeds cross between varieties, usually grown for specific reasons not found in nature by itself, like color, size or flavor. “Open pollinated” describes natural pollination, cloning or self pollinated. It can be a controlled situation though, by using plants with known characteristics. “Heirlooms” are seed produced through open pollination and grown for many years to keep their distinctive traits. These plants are not usually disease tolerant like hybridized seeds. “Treated” means the seed has been coated to protect it from diseases or insects. Usually, they are colored too, so they won’t be confused with untreated seeds. “Organic” are seeds grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. If being organic is important to you, look for the USDA Organic label on the package. These were once difficult to find but are becoming common place now.

The benefits of purchasing your own seeds and starting plants from them are numerous: you will save money, know the supply chain, the quality of their care, and give you a productive hobby in the middle of winter. For more information on purchasing and starting seeds at home the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County have a free packet of information on this topic. Contact us at 570-963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu for a copy of “Sowing Seeds at Home.”

Steve Ward

Master Gardener Coordinator

Penn State Extension

Lackawanna County