Looks like it's time to put our landscapes to bed ............ for the winter.

The last couple of days have brought a change to our Kansas weather.  Dipping temperatures, freezing rain and snow in the west. 

2011 has brought us one of the prettiest Autumn seasons that we have had in awhile.  The yellows are brilliant and the oranges are deep and rusty this year.  I hate to see all this color go away, but go away it will.  Before this season is entirely finished and we're in the deep freeze there are a few things yet that need to be accomplished.

1.  Our nitrogen should be on the lawn by this point in time. 
2.  Until we receive more rain than we have lately, we need to keep 2 year old and younger shrubs and perennials watered.
3.  It's time now, with this cooler weather, to get our yards sprayed for dandelions.  
4.  These beautiful leaves can be raked up and tossed onto the compost pile.
5.  The vegetable garden should be cleaned off and readied for next planting season.
6.  Long rose canes should be trimmed up and compost or mulch applied around the plant base.
7.  If mulch around newly planted shrub beds is getting thin, add more to protect the bed from extreme temperature variations during the winter.
8.  Gather up all of our gardening tools and put them away. 
9.  Drain those garden hoses and put them inside. 
10.  Enjoy this "down" time until it starts all over again next spring!

If you haven't already .......... it's time to fertilize.

September has been here and gone!  Hard to believe.  It is now getting towards the last opportunity to get our lawns fertilized.  I cannot put it off any longer so am getting the dry nitrogen on before the rainy weekend hits.  For the last several years, I have used just nitrogen.  I buy it at our local grain elevator for a fraction of the cost of pre-bagged fertilizer.  As you spread it on your lawn, give your shrubs and perenniels a hit as well. This is also the time to feed them. Nitrogen is all that our lawns need right now.  If you really would like to mow a lot in the spring, then you can put another application of the nitrogen on in November.  By putting it on this fall, you will not have to fertilize next spring at all.  You lawn will come up thick and green.  If you put your crab grass killer on in October that will knock your crab grass problems back for next season as well.  You will be finished with lawn maintance for a while.  Enjoy the fabulous weather this week and get something done outside.  We all know that it won't last!   

Keeping up with the Gardening times...........

Each fall, Kansas State University's Research and Extension department hosts a statewide Master Gardener conference in Manhattan.  This year 270 MG's from across the state gathered for two days of advanced training classes.  Not only is it a wonderful resource for learning new gardening techniques, it is a great time to touch base with old friends.  Often times......... the info exchanged at the coffee tables is as valuable as a formal class! 

Our opening speaker was David Salman, President/Chief Horticulturist from High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  He has spent over 26 years in pursuit of better plants for western landscapes.  My first mental flash about New Mexico is sand and cactus.  David did a great job of dispelling this idea.  He presented beautiful photos of the mountainous areas around Santa Fe. The key being........ use of plants that readily adapt to the climate with minimum water and care.  Many of these plants will thrive in our Kansas gardens.  I quickly compiled a "mental list" of plants I sure want to try next year.  You will want to check out his catalog and make a list of your own.  You can find the catalog as well as many other facts and photos of High Country Gardens by checking it out on Google. 

Davie Salman, High Country Gardens

Low maintenance garden in Sante Fe, N.M.

High Country Garden catalog

Another program was on Landscaping our home yards with the idea of making up "rooms".  We were instructed to first establish what each area of our yard would function as.  There are three major areas, Private, Service and public. Tips were given as to movement into and through these outdoor rooms.  This is a new program from K-State.  We were their first class presentation. 

Example of a landscape drawing

Color and the use of it was a program presented by Sandy DeFoe.  Many examples of color indoors and out were shown.  We are encouraged to look at upscale fashion, home decorating and gardening magazines to detect colors for the next season.  Not only do the colors of flowers change with the year but also the size and shape of blossoms are ever changing.  Color in our flower beds plays a big part.  Cool colors recede and warm colors jump forward.  If we would like our beds to have the illusion of looking deeper, we could plant cooler blues towards the back of our bed and edge it with a hot orange!  Neat trick hugh?

Basic Color Wheel





If you are seeing a color or design over and over again, you are looking at a current trend.



Paint chips can be a "free" source of playing with color.

 My favorite class this year was Books, Blogs and Columns by Gregg Eyestone, Riley County Horticulture Extension Agent and Dr. James K. Roush, Riley County Master Gardener.  The Extension service has it's blog at rileycountyextension.blogspot.com.  Jim's blog is kansasgardenmusings.blogspot.com.  He has also written a book, Garden Musings.  These are both good blogs and will lead you to many more gardening blogs by checking out the blogs that they subscribe to.  One thing leads to another! 

Another blog that you will enjoy!

Malabar Spinach

Malabar Spinach is not spinach at all but it sure looks like it and tastes like it!  I stumbled on to it in a seed catalog last winter.  It was billed as being heat tolerant, bolt resistant and would last through out the summer. 

While visiting with some other Master Gardeners, I found out that some of them had seen it growing in Olathe at K-State's demo gardens.  By the time they found it, it was growing huge.  Vining up and spilling over a trellis.  This gave me hope for a successful crop of Malabar of my own.

Not sure why, but mine was slow, slow, slow in taking off.  We had a really diverse (to say the least) growing season so that was likely the problem.  After a bit of babying..... it took off.  It's best to get it training onto a trellis early on.  The mid stem is thick so will break off easily if forced to stand up straight later on. 

Right now we are having lots of Malabar spinach at our table.  The leaves get large and it has a thicker texture to it.  Looks like it was worth messing with all Summer after all!

Plan for Spring this Fall ........ with perennials

Now is the time to start thinking about your Perennial Gardens for next Spring.  It's time to add new plants that you decide to try.  It's time to divide and transplant those plants that have outgrown their spaces. 

One of our Master Gardener instructors drew the conclusion that the holiday is called "labor day" because this is the time to reseed our lawns and get our perennials started.  Of course he was a bit off base but never the less, I always remember to get started early in the fall season!

The idea is to let these plants have a nice long root growing session before frost.  This reminds me ....... a gal who grows perennial grasses for a living once told me that these grasses do not have long enough legs (roots) to survive fall transplanting well.  She warned that they are best started in the longer growing season of Spring. 

 Once you have your plants in the ground, go ahead and mulch them with a good layer of compost and keep them well watered.  If you have planted something that will die back and will be slow to come back up next Spring it is helpful to place a small wire flag at the site.  Write the plant name on the plastic flag and you'll be set!

Take a walk around your gardens and see if there are overgrown plants that need divided.  If you have your eye on something that your neighbor has offered to share this is the time to do that too.  I have been in several garden centers this week and they are offering beautiful perennials to take home.  Hope you will use this last growing season opportunity to play in the dirt a bit longer!

Eat a Peach...........

It's fresh peach season again.  One of my favorite fruits and I'll bet you love them too!  They come from all over the country right now.  Folks around here get pretty excited about the arrival of a load of peaches from Colorado.  The ones from Oregon and Washington state are similar.  My all time pick are the O-Henry's from Idaho.  They are the complete deal.  Nice texture, freestone, sweet and keep fairly well.  I get them from the East Side Market in Manhattan. They are the last peach to come in and usually show up the mid part of Sept.  Keep your eyes open for them other places as well. 

A couple of years ago, I tried something that I had seen in a magazine somewhere.  It turned out so well that I want to share it with you. 

My purchase was a full lug of peaches but this can be scaled up or down.  I bought a stack of plastic freezer containers with screw on lids.  Some quarts and some pints.  I blanched my peaches, pulled the skins off and sliced them into a big bowl.  Next I poured a large can of unsweetened pineapple juice over them and gave it all a big stir. You want the juice/fruit ratio to be about equal.  We do not want the peaches swimming in pineapple juice. Notice that I did not use any sugar on this.  I ladled the peach mix into the freezer containers, screwed the top on and froze. 

The really yummy way to eat this is to set one of these frozen boxes in the fridge a few hours before serving time.  When you pull it out, you have a heavenly slush!  It beats any frozen desert that we have around here!  The added bonus is that it is healthy....... If you are in the mood for ice cream, try spooning some of this defrosted peach goo over the top of a bowl of vanilla.  OMG!

Hibiscus.............

My mind has been on hibiscus plants lately.  Everywhere one looks, they are blooming those huge, dinner plate size blooms.  So far I have seen light pink, dark pink, dark wine, bright red and white versions. I have seen pictures of yellow, orange and even blue flowers!  You are all seeing them too........... those big branchy plants that stand 5 feet tall.  I have been noticing them planted in rows at the edge of yards.  Some are individual specimen plants.  I saw one in Mankato that was tucked in a corner up against an east facing front porch.  Very nice! 

I saw an arrangement last evening at the Clay Center Country Club.  Wish I had had my camera and could have taken a picture but didn't.  There were 2 foot tall, big round dark red planters placed on each side of the entry steps.  There was a bright red hibiscus planted toward the back of each pot with peach colored "million bells" and a variegated sweet potato plant planted around the base.  It was just stunning! 

There are two distinct types of hibiscus, annuals and hardy perennials.  In my experience, the annuals have the same huge bright colored blooms but tend to be more compact and shorter. They have a longer blooming season as well.  I am sure the potted ones that I saw were annuals.  The downside to these is that they have to be replaced every year.  Honestly though, after seeing those in the big pots, I believe they would be well worth your time and money.  The perennials grow larger and branchier every season.  During the winter, they die down completely.  Spring brings no sign of them.  As the ground warms up, green shoots pop up.  Within weeks, the plant grows to the stage where it is wise to provide some support for it.  Otherwise it will become heavy with blooms and lay over on the ground.  I have mine planted in front of a utility pole surrounded by English Lavender.   I weed it, mulch it and put a wire frame in front of it and forget it for the rest of the season.  Pretty easy keeper!  I should also tell you that mine gets all afternoon full sun.  My neighbor has one that is identical to mine.  Hers was in a partly shady spot and it has stayed small with limited blooming.  She just moved it into the sun.  It should really take off now! 

The hot pink hibiscus in our yard.

If you have a spot that could use a blast of color late July-Aug try a perennial hibiscus.  If you have a spot for a big pot full of color, give that annual hibiscus a try!

Following is a list of perennial hibiscus that Kansas State recommends for Kansas growing:

Anna Arundel
Candy Stripe
Fireball
Lady Baltimore
Lasiocarpos
Hardy Hibiscus
Pink Cloud
Sweet Carolina

Our River Valley Master Gardener group has a display of Perennial Hibiscus planted at Utility Park in Clay Center.  They are planted in front of the rock wall across from the zoo. 

Give planting fall beets a try..........

Now I have a new challenge.............  how do I answer a question posed on my blog comment box?  I've tried a few different things and nothing worked so will answer with ....... another short blog.
Can anyone out there in "blog land" tell my how to respond?

This is for you Kate....... or anyone else who might be thinking of planting fall garden crops.  Beets prefer cool weather but we haven't had much of that in the middle of Kansas this summer.  If the forcast is right on for next week and it cools off, this would be a great time to start some beets from seed.  You will have to keep the area fairly moist until it stays cool at night.  The moisture will keep the area around the tiny seedlings cooler.  If you still have your rabbit, you may have to invest in a garden fence to keep him out and your beets growing!  (By the way, your roasted beets sound very good!)

The joy of Sweet Success ................ Cucumbers

We have friends who are new to small town Kansas living.  They are from a very big town in California.  In their semi retirement, they have taken up gardening.  Gardening in the middle of Kansas involves four different seasons and this is a new concept for this couple.  I am amazed at how much time and effort they have invested in a very large backyard garden.  They have really done their homework and it has paid off. Their garden is beautiful as well as productive. 

Bruce and Ester are adventuresome in their planting.  A couple of years ago Ester shared a cucumber variety that they had grown.  Sweet Success.  They are the perfect blend of the best characteristics of a cucumber.  You will get lots of cucs from just a few plants.  They have a nice smooth skin and remain straight in growth.  They live up to the "sweetness" in their name.  No matter how large they grow, they remain crispy and sweet!  Speaking of growth......... I should tell you to keep an eye on your Sweet Success patch.  These cucumbers really take off!  One day they are three inches and the next they are double that!!!  They are like any cucumber, and require a fair amount of water and full sun.  Their leaves are huge so provide a nice shade.  Mine are crawling around and over one of our raised beds but Bruce & Ester have trained theirs to climb a heavy wire panel.  I am having trouble thinking of faults for this plant.  It would seem to be the perfect cucumber choice for every reason! 

Following is a cucumber & onion type recipe that I have been making for several years.  Everyone that I have shared it with has really liked it so I think you will too!

                                           Refrigerater Pickles
7 cups thinly sliced cucumbers
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup thinly sliced green pepper (I add a hot pepper or two as well)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp celery seed
2 cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients and store in a gallon glass jar in the refrigerator for three days.  Stir each day.  After three days, they are ready to eat.  They can be kept in fridge for a couple of weeks or can be frozen in smaller containers. 

The incredible, edible......... BEET.

Detroit Red Beets

June and July is beet season in our part of the country.  I think that appreciating the wonder of a beat is an acquired thing.  As I grew up, I didn't know many kids, myself included, who were very crazy about them.  Maybe kids now days like them.  I hope so.  At any rate, as a grown-up, I just love beets!  Baby beets in butter, harvard beets, beet juice, pickled beets and beet greens in salads. Have you ever grated a beet over a lettuce salad?  If you use a hand grater and would rather not have pink fingers, hold the beet with a sheet of plastic wrap as you grate.  A boiled egg pickled in pickled beet juice is a real treat.  If you haven't tried a beet in a while, you should.  They are full of healthful benefits for us.  They are loaded with vitamin C and low in calories. Beet tops are high in vitamin A.   If you have never grown a beet you may not know how pretty the plants are.


Myself, I like to cut the top off the beet bulb off. (stash the tops in a plastic bag in the fridge for salad later) I peel and cube the beets into a small saucepan.  If you are peeling lots and lots of beets, then you save time if you blanch them, slip the skins off then cute them up.  I add a couple of tablespoons of water to the saucepan and simmer until the beet cubes are fork tender.  I stir another tablespoon of butter into them and sprinkle with salt & pepper and a little lemon juice.  Oh my........ how delicious! 

freshly pulled beets

A very popular version of beets is to pickle them.  The following is my Grandmother's tried and true recipe for Pickled Beets.  

Lula's Pickled Beets

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups water

2 cups white vinegar

1 tsp pickling spice

Cook and peel beets.  Bring liquid to a boil.  Boil 20 minutes.  Put beets in jars and pour hot liquid over and seal.  Makes 11 pints.  This is a very old recipe so I would advise putting the filled jars through a hot water bath canning process.  It also doesn't tell us how many beets this will take so you would have to visualize 11 pints and start there.  I am sure that they harvested the beets they had available, then kept canning and making syrup until they were all put up for the winter.

Bubble Gum Petunias are the ones...........



A single petunia plant!

 Of all the plants that Kansas State Research promotes, the Vista series Bubble Gum petunia is by far the most talked about garden flower.  Each Spring, the university plants research gardens to multiple species of various plants.  The plants change each year so that over the years, hundreds  and hundreds of plants are researched. The plants are kept relatively weed free with no fertilization and depend on rain water.  The theory being that if certain varieties flourish in these conditions, they are likely going to do well in our gardens.   Annual flowers who "make the grade" are listed in an Extension publication called Prairie Star.  Perennial flowers are on the Prairie Bloom list.   These lists may be found at ksu.edu  

What's the buzz all about over these Bubble Gum petunias?  They are a bright "bubble gum" pink color.  They retain their vibrant color, even in the mid-summer heat.  They bloom continuously without dead heading and they grow to be HUGE!  The following picture is ONE plant. The color in this blog doesn't do true justice to the petunia color.  It is exactly the color of bubblegum!  Notice that this is a standard size washtub.

Bellow is a group of 5 Bubble Gums planted at our Welcome to Clifton sign on the south east side of town.  I planted them in mid-May.  They haven't been fertilized and have been watered once!

Our corner driveway bed is planted to different colors of pink Vista series petunias.  You can see that they are all doing well but the Bubble Gum still have outgrown the rest.  If you have a garden color scheme that doesn't go well with bright pink,  the Vista series petunias come in many colors and any will perform well for you.  Just keep an eye out for the Vistas......

Introducing Broken Prairie Gardens

Sagae Hosta

It is safe to say that I have had a life-long attraction to gardening.  I grew up, surrounded by family and friends who viewed gardening as a natural way of life.  Both sets of Grandparents, were avid gardeners.  My Grandparent Alcorns, Bert and Lula, lived in town on a huge corner lot.  Their garden spot was several times larger than their home.  An orchid and grapes filled the back acre or so of their yard.  They were adventuresome in their gardening.  Bert's family was from Kentucky so he experimented with a variety of southern crops.  His biggest success was ....... of all things....... peanut growing! 

As soon as I was able to get into the dirt, I was right in the middle of my folk's garden.  To this day, I remain mystified that one can plant that tiny seed, cover it with dirt, water it and then........ there is a tomato!  I have been planting seeds and covering them with dirt most of my life.  With Mark spending long hours in the "big garden" (farming), our family garden has fallen to my doing.  I don't mind a bit.  Gardening is very therapeutic!  Over the years, I have had huge gardens.  I used to can mega amounts of fruit and vegetables.  Now I have what I call my "kitchen garden".  It produces an amount of vegetables that we can use up during the summer.  With the exception of sweet corn, decent produce can be purchased at our grocery store during the rest of the year.  My family is convinced that there is no equal to our homegrown frozen sweet corn so we put up a year's worth of that. 

When our kids were in 4-H, I learned about a Master Gardener program sponsored by Kansas State University Extension.  At the time, our county was not eligible to train for it :-(   Six years ago, I saw the news article stating that Clay county was invited to attend classes for the River Valley Extension Master Gardener program!  Yeah!  I was the first one to sign up that year.  The intent of this program is to train people who will go back out to their communities and volunteer to educate others. The program in my area has grown and we have over 30 volunteers in the district.  We have a variety of programs and projects going in our county.  I hope that this blog will be another means in which to pass on information that has been thoroughly researched. If it is something that is hearsay, or that may have worked once for me, I will let you know.  I will do my best to keep it entertaining!