May 14, 2009
**Horticulture Q&A Teleconferences for 2009 Growing Season: So far we have six sites requesting participation in our annual horticulture question and answer sessions! We urge you to participate as this is an easy way to keep up to date on plant problems around our state. Those of you who have not participated are encouraged to do so. Just let us know.
The videoconferencing system is run by the state and we now have locations, dates, and times:
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Locations are:
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Laramie, Beta House on campus
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Cheyenne, City Center, Suite 410
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Powell, NWCC Orendorrf Bldg., Room 122
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Rock Springs, WWCC, Room 1229E
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Worland, Community Complex/Ag Extension, Suite G
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Casper, UW Outreach Bldg., Room 113
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Times are all noon to 1 p.m.
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Dates are:
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June 3
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June 24
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July 8
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July 22
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August 5
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August 19
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All are free and open to everyone!
**News from Growing Produce online: 2,4-D is again under fire, this time from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) http://www.growingproduce.com/news/avg/index.php?storyid=1643. The EPA is considering rescinding approval of the herbicide, according to the article.
**Recent Questions: We're still answering lots of questions about high tunnels and greenhouses. And producers of horticultural crops around the state have asked questions on all sorts of other topics recently: HID (high intensity discharge) lighting for production of native ornamentals in a commercial production operation (lots of options); the best time to take cuttings for snowberry (Symphoricarpos) propagation (softwood cuttings in June, July, August); adaptability of zoysia grass for Wyoming (not!); and tons of winter desiccation on evergreens, particularly conifers.
**Notes on Overwintering Aquatic Plants: This was a first and we carried over some lotus (Nelumbo luteum, family Nymphaeaceae), water lilies (Nymphaea, family Nymphaeaceae), water hyacinths (Eichhornia crassipes, family Pontederiaceae), water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes, family Araceae), canna (Canna, family Cannaceae), papyrus (Cyperus papyrus, family Cyperaceae), water garlic (Tulbaghia violaceae, family Amaryllidaceae), and parrot feather (Moriophyllum aquaticum, family Haloragaceae). This is going to take some practice! The easy ones were the canna, papyrus, water garlic, and parrot feather. The other ones, not so much.
Lotus weren't too difficult. Once dormant, they stayed
dormant, and we only needed to keep them constantly wet. A few weeks
ago we dug them out of their pots, separated the good rhizomes from
the bad ones, repotted them in heavy clay soil, and kept them wet.
They;ve re-emerged and are doing very well.
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Lotus after division and repotting.
Large leaf in lower photo is about 8 inches across. Photos May 5, 2009. |
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Water lettuce inside its floating container.
Photo May 5, 2009. |
The problem plants were the water lilies, one of which immediately died (the other survived, but barely), and the water hyacinths. The water hyacinths and lettuce were in the same "pond" in the greenhouse, with the water kept at about 70 F. We used aquarium heaters for consistent temperature control. Despite repeated water changes and fertilizing, the plants did not thrive and only a few managed to make it through the winter. We also had a few problems initially with aphids on the water lilies but we managed to drown them.
One note on
the parrot feather: it is regarded as invasive and many companies
cannot ship these to Wyoming. This is also true of some of the other
aquatic species.
**In the Panter Back Yard: Spring! Everything was cut back a few weeks ago - ornamental grasses, perennials that were left intact over the winter, etc. The early iris and crocus are already done, and in full bloom right now are the hyacinths, anemone, and a few daffodils. The species tulips are up and blooming. Lots of other perennials are up and green. The Spring Snow crabapple is budded and the Montmorency cherry is not far behind. Snow peas (edible pods) were planted two weeks ago - and they're up. The raspberry bushes are leafing out too. And we now have a garage full of miscellaneous annuals and perennials that get to go outside during the day, but get dragged back inside in the evening. It's still way too cold for most of them to manage outside at night.
The grass got its first mowing of the season last Friday!
And the big cottonwood's days are numbered. It either needs serious pruning or to be removed completely. A certified arborist suggested it just be taken out as it is in such poor shape. We had it pruned a few years ago, mostly to keep branches off the roof. But it continues to break even in the slightest breeze, and so now we're getting estimates to totally remove it. Stay tuned.
And last but not least is our Mama Robin. She decided the dwarf (8 feet or so) blue spruce in front of the house would be a great place for her nest. So, she built a beautiful one, but it's only about 3 feet high in the tree. Plus, it;s right next to the walk from the front door to the driveway - a busy spot! Every time one of us walks by she flies off. There are three blue eggs in the nest right now. A little research turned up incubation of about 14 days, so we should see youngsters around May 26. After that it takes another two weeks or so for them to fledge. Hopefully our neighborhood fox won't find them. A 2 a.m. stroll through my living room yesterday morning (who can sleep?) put me right up close and personal with Mr. or Mrs. Fox who sniffed around the tree but apparently didn't pick up the bird's scent.
**Upcoming Events:
--7th Annual Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Conference “Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities: Pushing the Envelope,” June 3-5, 2009, Atlanta, Georgia. Contact: www.greenroofs.org.
--OFA Short Course, July 11-14, 2009, Columbus, Ohio. Contact: www.ofa.org.
--American Society for Plasticulture ;09, Penn State University Campus, July 13-16, 2009, University Park. Contact: http://www.plasticulture.org/.
--American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Conference, July 25-28, 2009, Millennium Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri. Contact: www.ashs.org.
--ProGreen Expo, February 8-12, 2010, Colorado Convention Center, Denver. Contact: www.progreenexpo.com.
--Wyoming Groundskeepers and Growers Association Annual Conference, January or February 2010 (dates not yet determined). Contact: www.wgga.org.
Karen L. Panter, Ph.D., C.P.H.
Extension Horticulture and Specialty Crops
Plant Sciences - 3354
University of Wyoming
1000 East University Avenue
Laramie, WY 82071
phone 307-766-5117
fax 307-766-5549
email kpanter@uwyo.edu
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Glen Whipple, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.
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