Olathe Gardeners of America

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Horticultural Highlights

Exploring the wonderful world of gardening together

April, 2003
Volume 10, Number 4

PLANT OF THE MONTH: BAY LAUREL

Photograph and Article by Andrea Ray Chandler

The bay laurel is the source of sweet bay leaves that we use in soups in stews.  Its branches were also twisted into laurel wreaths that graced the heads of Greek and Roman heroes.  Laurus nobilis grows into a tree.  Native to the Mediterranean, it’s only hardy to Zones 8 or 9.  Kept in a container, it becomes a shrub, and should be pruned (harvested) in a manner that encourages dense, short growth.  It needs full sun.  Pests are few, limited mostly to scale which can be wiped off with alcohol swabs.  Because bay is generally propagated by cuttings, you’ll end up paying several dollars for a small plant, but can expect it to live for years (assuming you don’t forget to water yours).  Culinary note: bay leaves never soften up during cooking, so count them going in and count them coming out.

Flower Delivery

Thanks to Mary Lou and George Carson, Phil Gronemeyer, Sally Davis and Melissa Hanlin for picking up and delivering tulips and mums to the area senior community. Deliveries were made to 12 different places bringing a touch of spring to over 800 clients/residents. The flowers were courtesy of KC Parks and Rec. department and were on display at the Bartle Hall Home and Garden Show.

Location change

Due to Maundy Thursday services, we will not be able to meet in the basement as usual. However, the April meeting will be in the boardroom. Instead of heading right toward the basement, take a left down the hall. We’ll make it easy to find!

Melissa’s Monologue

There are many reasons why I love April.  Rachel was born in April.  The weather warms up nicely--for the most part.  Perennials start really waking up and growing from their winter naps.  The nurseries around town have something other than tropicals blooming.  We get our tax refund back--normally, so I don't feel bad about picking up that neat looking plant that I have no place to put, but must have!!!   I'll find a spot somewhere, I always do.  Hope you are enjoying the weather and all that is spring. Have a happy Easter and don't forget to pick up your plants from my house starting April 23-24th.  I want my garage back before it gets too hot.

Recap of March Meeting

Beth Reed

Our speaker in March was Dr. Norlan Henderson, who is in charge of caring for the bearded iris garden at Powell Gardens.  There are over 440 varieties of iris in the garden, and 66 more will be added this year.  Every year they add all the irises that won a Merit Award from the American Iris Society.

Dr. Henderson told us about the breeding and development of bearded irises in America.  They now come in every color except a true red.

To make bearded irises happy in your garden:

• plant in full sun; they can take the heat

• provide good drainage

•  fertilize once, in March, with a fertilizer not too high in nitrogen

•  don't mulch

• prevent iris borers by cutting back the leaves in early Spring

•  when dividing, dip the cut ends of the rhizomes in a solution of 10% Clorox, to prevent rot

Powell Gardens has a sale of all their bearded iris divisions the last weekend in July; this is a good time for planting them.

Club Plant Order

As of today, the order for the club should arrive on the 22^nd or 23^rd.  Your order will be ready for pickup by the 24^th at Melissa’s house.  You will also be able to do your impulse shopping of any leftovers not sold out of the flats when you pick up your order.  If you can’t pick them up on the 24^th, call Melissa to make other arrangements.

April Program

At our April meeting the program will be "Soil Amendments." Come and find out what to do with the heavy clay soil we all have! (Your plants will love you for it.)

Welcome to Our New Members

• Lenny & Mary Chesser from Olathe

• Richard Worker from Olathe

Updated membership lists will be available at the April meeting.

Refreshments for April

Nancy Langley and Phil Gronemeyer-drinks

Remnant Plant Dispersal - April 26^th 9-1

Any remnants not bought by club members will be sold at the Blackbob Branch of the Olathe Public Library  on April 26^th from 9-1.  If you can help in any way, please contact Melissa.  We will need help in taking plants to the library, selling and answering questions.  The rain date will be May 3^rd.  Postcards have been mailed out to past customers informing them of this opportunity and inviting them to visit our club.

Fundraising Ideas

Several members have put their heads together to come up with ideas to raise funds for club activities and projects.  Some of these include:

• Having the spring plant sale as we have had in the past

• Offering landscaping advice to homeowners for a donation/fee

• Slave Labor sale (we’ll do gardening work for a set time and price for elderly who can’t)

• Raffling off a chance to win “one time landscaping advice/labor provided by our club members” at a booth at the Johnson county fair and/or Old Settlers

• Host a homes tour

• Add $5 to each members’ dues and not do any fundraising activities

We would love to hear your ideas as well as feedback on any of these suggestions.  Contact one of the board members.

Spring Horticulture classes

Johnson County Extension is sponsoring free Spring Horticulture classes developed specifically for the conditions and needs of Johnson Co residents.  Call 764-6300 to sign up.

Class times are 7-9pm.  For more info on a specific class visit their website, http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/Johnson Click on Horticulture events

• Container Gardening     Tuesday, April 15

• Why Hostas?                Tuesday, April 22

• Watering Your Lawn    Tuesday, April 29

Invitation

The Overland Park GOA has invited our club members to attend their May 12^th program.  Duane Hoover, the horticulturalist at Kauffman Gardens will speak about plants and shrubs—“What’s New and What’s Underused”

Colonial Church, 71^st and Mission

The meeting begins at 7 with refreshments and socializing and the program will commence at 7:30

RSVP to Melissa by May 5^th so we can let them know how many to plan for from our club.

Gardening Programs @ the Library

Johnson County Extension Master Gardeners & the Olathe Public Library present “Gardening At the Library, 2003”

• April 17           Herb Gardening

• May 22            Annuals

• June 26           Cutting Gardens

• July 24             Shade Gardening

• August 28        Patio and Container Gardening

• Sept. 25           Bulbs

• October 23      Pruning

All programs will be given at the Olathe Public Library, 201 E. Park, at 7pm. No registration necessary.  Programs are free.  Questions, call 971-6888.

Trading Post (Stuff for Sale)

Nancy Langley has a pair of Toro compost bins with lids that are taking up space and for $15 apiece, she would be willing to part with them.

If the worms in your garden need a new picnic site, contact Nancy at (913) 829-0207.

News From Rob, the Hosta Guy

For those of you that might be interested, we will be speaking on our favorite subject (hostas of course) at the Johnson County Extension Office on Tuesday, April 22nd from 7 to 9 pm. A phone call to the Extension Office at 913-764-6300 will get you registered and reserve you a seat.

We are pleased to add a number of new and exciting hosta cultivars to our inventory this year. Check out what's new on our website.

Made in the Shade Gardens will officially open on Friday, April 17th. We look forward to seeing you soon. Just give us a call in advance to let us know when you'd like to visit.

In the meantime, follow this link for hosta care tips for the month of April. http://www.hostaguy.com/Tip_of_the_Month_April_2003.html

Hosta'ly yours,

Discounts Available around town

With spring right around the corner, you will soon be making trips to the local nurseries and greenhouses.  As a perk of membership, show your Gardeners of America membership card or name tag and get 10% percent off non-discounted items at these Olathe garden shops:

• Earl May

• Grass Pad

• Accent Landscaping by the Executive Airport

• Tobler’s Flowers

• York Contractors (Lawn Irrigation)

Other area businesses offering discounts to GOA members include:

• Powell Gardens Gift Shop

• Colonial Nursery (Blue Springs)

• Rainy Day Books (Fairway, KS)

• Planters Seeds and Spices (City Market)

• Rosehill Gardens (KCMO)

• Water’s Edge (Lawrence)

• Family Tree Nursery

• Van Liew’s Home and Garden (KCMO)

• Audrie Seeley Nurery & Garden Center (KCMO)

What’s your favorite place to go?  Maybe we can add it to the list.  Let us know!

Christ Episcopal Church Presents Garden Walk 2003

OVERLAND PARK (March 2003) – Master and backyard gardeners alike will delight in the six outstanding gardens on tour rain or shine, Saturday, June 14, 2003 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sprinkled throughout central Johnson County, these private gardens were hand-selected for the biennial event sponsored since 1992 by Christ Episcopal Church of Overland Park.

“We’re thrilled that six avid Johnson County gardeners would open their private gardens for our tour,” said Floyd Hooper, Master Gardener and co-chair of the event. “Garden enthusiasts will be treated to six very diverse settings in Leawood, Mission Hills and Overland Park.”

An authentic Japanese garden incorporating fifty plus tons of granite boulders is a must see along with the shaded tranquility and magnificent split cascading waterfall at another Overland Park garden. A collector’s dream of dwarf conifers, rose covered pergolas, spectacular statuary and a dramatic Mission Hill’s garden complete the very high quality tour.

A garden boutique will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the day of the tour at Christ Episcopal Church, 5500 West 91^st Street (91^st and Nall) in Overland Park. Box lunches will also be available at the church for $7.00 and will be served from 11:30 a.m.  to 1:30 p.m. An afternoon tea follows from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m.

Visitors are encouraged to bring cameras and notepads. Informational fact sheets will be distributed to all who attend.

Garden Walk tickets are $10 in advance and $12 the day of the tour. Tickets will be available at all Johnson County Hen House locations after May 15 or may be purchased in person at the Christ Episcopal Church office or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Christ Episcopal Church, Attn: Garden Walk, 5500 West 91^st Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66207. Tickets will also be available at any of the gardens during the tour.

Proceeds will help two special local gardens grow: Bishop Spencer Place, an Episcopal Continuing Care Retirement Community at 4301 Madison, near Saint Luke’s Hospital and Christ Episcopal Church gardens which include a Columbarium.

For more information, call Christ Church at 913-648-2271.

Canna Bulbs Anyone?

Melissa has a few orange-flowered canna bulbs that she really doesn’t want to dig anymore. If you have a home for them, you can pick them up with your plant order. Give her a call.

Early Spring Weed Control in Warm Season Grasses

Taken from the KSU Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources
Horticulture 2003 Newsletter
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/dp_hfrr/hnewslet

Spring has demonstrated its arrival, and broadleaf weeds, along with cool-season turfgrasses, are starting to show strong signs of life. While early spring can be an ideal time to control broadleaf weeds, there are some precautions to be taken, especially if you have a warm-season turfgrass area.

Applications of broadleaf herbicides like 2,4-D or even nonselective herbicides like Roundup can be safe to warm-season grasses like bermuda, zoysia, or buffalograss when they are fully dormant. However, these applications must be avoided if the turf is already starting to come out of winter dormancy. The usual window of opportunity for use of nonselective herbicides is from March 1 to mid-April. Beyond mid-April, new growth has usually commenced in warm-season grasses and the risks from this type of application increase dramatically. New spring shoot growth is tender and applications at this time can either delay spring green-up or, in severe cases, cause long-lasting injury to the turf. This precaution is very similar to that for newly seeded cool-season grasses in the fall. To be sure if your warm-season turf is still fully dormant, look near the crown of the plant. If there is green growth there, you should not make the application. Instead, wait until the grasses have fully greened-up, and then apply a product labeled for your species. The good news for warm-season turfgrass managers and homeowners is that there is still time for nonselective and aggressive broadleaf herbicide use. But do it soon if you haven't yet targeted your spring weeds. Time is running out.

For perennial weeds like dandelion, if you miss the early spring application window when warm-season grasses are still dormant, it may be best to wait until the fall when control will be more effective. (MF)

11 May, 2003