June Meeting

We toured Aaron and Kala's gardens and then went to Europe Park for our meeting and refreshments.

Spring is tomato planting time!

By Dennis L. Patton, M.S., County Horticulture Agent, K-State Research and Extension/Johnson County


Tomato planting is the moment many gardeners wait for each spring. Tomato transplants thrive best planted after the first of May when the soil temperatures are warm and the danger of frost has passed. Successful planting tips can lead to a summer of success.

How to properly plant a tomato transplant is often a topic of discussion. It seems that everyone has his or her own formula for success. Some recommend planting the tomato plant deeply in the soil so strong roots develop along the stem, while others prefer to lay the plant on its side. Both methods will work, but the laying on the side may be better according to research. Planting deeply may restrict the valuable oxygen needed for quick growth. Plants respond better if the same oxygen conditions can be maintained when they are set out. For this reason, it is best to plant in a more horizontal direction keeping the root system shallow. Vigorous roots soon develop along the stem for added growth.

Should you use a starter fertilizer or transplant solution for quick establishment of tomato transplants? Recent research has shown that starter fertilizers for transplants may be unnecessary. Research has found that plants grown in fertile and warm soils in the spring respond the same with or without the transplant solution. Avoid the use if planting under good conditions. On the other hand, if the transplants are stressed coming from the garden center, then a quick boost of a starter solution may be helpful.

In addition to the different planting methods, tomato gardeners have very strong opinions about which variety to grow. Many use the old standbys for continued success. Kansas State University, along with other regional universities, conducts variety trials to determine the best of the best. K-State has recently updated its list of recommended varieties for Kansas.

Early season varieties include:

• Sun Start
• Sunny
• Daybreak

Main season recommended types are:

• Mountain Spring
• Mountain Fresh
• Merced
• Celebrity
• Floralina
• Jet Star
• Sunmaster
• Sun Leaper
• Carolina Gold (yellow variety — give it a try!)

Cherry types with good yields include:

• Cherry Grande
• Mountain Belle
• Sweet Chelsea

Paste types are:

• Roma
• Plum Dandy
• Super Marzano

It's time to plant potatoes

By B. Rosie Lerner
Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist, Purdue University

Chances are that some dedicated gardeners have already tilled their gardens and planted their "seed" potatoes. Some gardeners aim for planting on or around St. Patrick's Day, while some of us will be lucky to have them planted by Mother's Day!

Because our weather can be so unpredictable, it's hard to be any more precise when advising on planting time. Potatoes are considered to be a cool-season crop and can be planted just as soon as the ground has thawed and dried enough to safely work the soil. It is critical to allow the soil to dry adequately. If worked while it's still too wet, soil becomes hard and compacted, leading to long-term frustrations for the eager gardener.

The potato plant can adapt to most types of soil, but must have good drainage to prevent the tubers from rotting before they can be harvested. Choose a sunny location and work in 2-3 pounds of a balanced, low-analysis fertilizer, such as 12-12-12, per 100 square feet to promote vigorous plant growth.

The part of the potato plant that we eat is called a tuber, a technical name that refers to an enlarged modified stem that grows underground. Potato tubers that are used to create a new planting are called seed potatoes. You'll want to start with the best quality seed potatoes, so look for those that are labeled as "certified disease-free" at garden shops and in mail-order catalogs.

To start a new planting, cut the seed potato into pieces so each individual piece has at least one healthy-looking bud (often called an "eye"). That bud will become the shoot of the new plant and, as the stem develops, it also will produce new roots. The piece of tuber attached to the bud provides a source of carbohydrates to sustain the young plant until those new roots and shoots develop. Plant the pieces 2-3 inches deep, space them about 12 inches apart within the row, and leave 24-36 inches between rows.

New tubers that will become this year's harvest generally begin to form sometime in early to mid-summer and continue to grow in size until early fall, as long as adequate moisture, air and nutrients are available.

The tubers can be harvested as "new" potatoes in mid- to late summer, before they reach full size and before the skins start to toughen. New potatoes are tender and tasty, but they don't keep very long. Since the plant must be pulled up to harvest the tubers, yields are generally small.

If you want bigger yields of full-size tubers, it's best to leave the plants until they begin to die back on their own, usually by late summer or early fall. As the plants begin to turn brown, gently lift the tubers with a digging fork and remove them from the plants. If the potatoes are going to be used immediately, no further treatment is needed. However, to be able to store the potatoes for later use, you'll want to allow the tubers to "cure," or air-dry, for 1-2 weeks to allow the skins to thicken and dry.

The biggest challenge for gardeners is finding dark storage conditions at a temperature of 40 F to 45 F. Both light and warmth promote sprouting of the buds. For best results, store only the best quality tubers that are free of cuts, bruises and diseases. Potatoes can be stored from two to nine months, depending on the cultivar and storage conditions.

Landscape Answers: Plants can need water in winter

Q: I've noticed that many of my evergreen shrubs – mostly junipers and boxwoods – are starting to look off-color, sort of brownish or light green. Should I be worried?

A: An off-cast color can be an evergreen plant's response to cold temperatures and chilling winds. The effect is common during heartland winters, but it tends to be mild and not very long-lasting. We don't see actual foliage loss or twig dieback except during unusually cold weather.

But, off-color also can result from dry conditions. Evergreens provide the most obvious clues of winter drought in the landscape because they retain their leaves year-round. In turn, they use and lose more water during winter than the deciduous plants do.

Although evergreens are at greatest risk during cold-weather dry spells, other plants that are likely to suffer from a wintertime moisture shortage include new lawns established the previous fall and any trees or shrubs that are five or fewer years of age.

Fortunately, you can water landscape plants any time the air temperature is above freezing and the soil isn't so frozen that moisture can't soak in. A deep soaking is best, which can easily take several hours. If the temperature drops below freezing after that, however, no plants will be harmed.

Just be sure that your water carrying system is detached from its source, drained and stored again for winter when you're through. You won't need to water again until a long-bladed screwdriver or metal rod, pushed into the ground, stops before it reaches 4 to 6 inches deep. That kind of rod only stops when it reaches thirsty, thirsty soil.

-- Source: Dennis Patton, horticulturist, K-State Research and Extension

Email warning about using cocoa mulch

Spring is mulching season, and this landscaping essential just can't catch a break. First came a Web-based rumor in spring 2006 that termite-infested mulch was being shipped out of the Hurricane Katrina-affected zone and into flower beds across America. That alert proved bogus.

Next to circulate was a fear-inducing e-mail alerting pet owners to the fact that fragrant cocoa mulch can kill dogs that eat it. But there is truth to the claim, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Some dogs are attracted by the mulch's chocolate aroma, and according to a warning from the ASPCA in 2003, "Eaten by a 50-pound dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces, death."

Cocoa mulch is made from crushed cacao shells, which contain caffeine and theobromine, two compounds to which dogs are particularly sensitive. (These substances are also present in everyday comestibles like baker's chocolate, chocolate bars and candies, colas, and tea.) Depending on the size of the dog and the amount of cocoa mulch it ingests, symptoms can range from stomach upset to cardiac arrest. Dogs metabolize the compounds slowly, so symptoms may take hours or even days to manifest themselves. The ASPCA's advice: Avoid using cocoa mulch anywhere unsupervised dogs roam. Other natural alternatives to cocoa mulch, like cedar chips and pine straw, are typically less toxic but still may contain resins and oils that trigger gastrointestinal disorders in pets that ingest them. And all mulches, including those made from recycled plastics, pose a choking hazard, especially in pooches with less-than-discriminating palates.

If you suspect your dog has eaten cocoa mulch or any other toxic substance, immediately contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435. The center, open 24/7 every day of the year, charges $55 per consultation.

www.ConsumerReports.org