KCG Apr21

The Kansas City

GARDENER April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Ferns

prized garden treasures proper for shade

GREETINGS FROM

LOUISBURG, KS Come with us on an exciting journey and discover the ultimate water garden destination. A place where you can experience first hand what "living in paradise" could be like. Located on 8 acres in Northern Miami County you'll find a quaint village, the water garden destination of your dreams. A place where we live and breathe the "water garden lifestyle" every single day.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Kevin and Diane Swan’s love for the unique style of water gardening began in 1994 after building their first water garden in their own backyard so they could enjoy the peace and tranquility that accompanies any water feature. After building that single feature they were hooked and “living the water garden lifestyle” became their passion. They took this new inspiration and turned it into a career. Swan’s Water Gardens came to life as they strived to share this lifestyle with the world.

For 20 years Kevin and Diane built their business on Padbury Lane in Spring Hill, KS. Eventually the opportunity arose to move to the current location near Louisburg, KS after having rebuilt the previous homeowners water feature years earlier. Story goes the main store building was originally an old bank that was later brought to where it now sits. The history of the building is evident from the outside detail and continues inside with an intricate ceiling and charming accents. All the other buildings are original to the property but with each addition have created a small village making for a special destination visit.

What started as a small design and installation firm 27 years ago specializing in the creation of naturalistic waterfalls, streams and ponds

quickly grew to be so much more. Now spanning several departments, Swan’s offers design and installation, pond service, hardscaping, landscape lighting and the retail village, the ultimate water garden destination. Located on 8 acres in Northern Miami County the quaint village sits. What started as one water feature and acres of surrounding grass has grown to be so much more in just 7 short years. Now surrounded by 11 water features, strolling gardens, and even a small lavender field it’s a place unlike any other.

TOUR THE GARDENS

Imagine the breathtaking sights and sounds of a true water garden paradise. Glistening waterfalls catch your eye; a cadence of ripples and waves wash your troubles downstream. A school of fish, painted across a crystal clear canvas, swim about a rainbow of lilies blooming proudly above the surface. The gentle breeze over calm water brings a reflection of sunshine to life. All the senses are at peace.

Most people get to experience this scene in one water feature in their own backyard but at Swan’s you can enjoy this many times over as you tour the retail village and surrounding gardens. You’ll find ponds large and small, waterfalls, flowing streams, and bubbling rock fountains.

Exploring Swan’s Water Gardens leads to discovering a vast selection of aquatic plants throughout the ponds from the tropical giant Queen Victoria Water Lily that showcases stunning beauty with a hidden defense to the Lotus’ showy blooms and leaves standing proud above the water. Hardy and tropical water lilies in an array of colors dress the water’s surface while countless marginal aquatic plants with intriguing names such as Lizards Tail, Bloody Dock, Society Garlic, Mosaic and Obedient Plant adorn streams and waterfalls.

Though Swan’s specializes in water gardens, they take pride in their landscaping as well. Diane’s love and knowledge of perennial and native plants has led to a large following of plant lovers from all around the Kansas City metro to visit and enjoy the many expanding landscape gardens.

The “Secret Garden” is host to many shade plants. The “Kansas Native Garden” is home to a pondless waterfall and stream, a visitor favorite.

The “Strolling Garden” path lined with a birch tree tunnel leads to the dainty “Pink and White Garden” that invites you to sit and enjoy the views of the lavender field and large natural pond complete with singing bull frogs. A stroll through Swan’s many gardens will surely leave you more at peace than when you arrived.

THE RETAIL VILLAGE In addition to the peaceful gardens, you'll find so much more at the retail village. Everything you need for your water garden can all be found in one place. Liner, underlayment and an under-gravel filtration system if you're looking to build your own feature. For those water gardeners who enjoy doing maintenance you'll find pumps, aerators and algae control products to ensure your feature always looks its best.

Accent your feature with aquatic marginals, lilies, lotus, landscape annuals and perennials. Don't forget to take home a new koi or goldfish friend too!

AQUATIC PLANTS

Our retail village specializes in aquatic plants so you can add your personal touch and bring more life to your water feature. Available varieties fluctuate throughout the season but we always have a diverse selection of styles and sizes to accent your feature. This includes: hardy & tropical water lilies night blooming lilies miniature lilies hardy & tropical marginals floating hyacinth & water lettuce oxygenators lotus Let us help you bring life to your water feature!

A SWAN'S WATER GARDEN With a Swan's Water Garden you can rest easy knowing your feature has been built by experienced hands who have a true passion for water gardens and the joy they bring.

leak are revealed. You can relax and enjoy the peace and tranquility your water garden provides without worry.

The experienced and passionate installation crew will make what were once dreams a reality. We are the only full-service water garden company in the Kansas City Metro area with a five year, leak-free guarantee, and we stand behind it 100 percent. We truly leave a piece of ourselves behind with every project!

Contact us for a project quote.

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP

Once a Swan's feature is built the relationship doesn't end there. As a fullservice water garden company spanning several departments, Swan's has the resources and the man-power to assist you with all things water gardening. For those who want all the perks of a flourishing water feature, but just don't have the time, Swan's Water Gardens offers spring cleanouts as well as a twelve or eight month maintenance program for worry free water gardening. We also service ponds on an as needed basis for those who occasionally need extra assistance. Our dedicated maintenance crew works to ensure that your feature will always look its best.

Throughout the Kansas City area we have been building and maintaining water gardens for more than 26 years. Over those many years our pond building techniques have been honed to perfection through hard work and experience.

If you are more hands on we also cater to the DIY water gardener. Our pond supply store carries all the necessary materials to build and care for your water feature including pond liner, pumps, plants, product and more. The educated staff can also lend support and direction along the way.

Not only will you marvel at the precise excavation of your pond but you'll be amazed at how well your finished water garden actually blends into your existing landscape.

We don't stop there. We also offer light packages and paver patio add-ons. Let us help complete your outdoor living space so you can enjoy your water feature 365 days a year.

Once the excavation is complete the true artistry of the building process begins. It's also where our secrets to building ponds that don't

Visit our retail location to view several display features, paver patios and landscape lighting.

Come see what living in paradise looks like!

EVENTS & CLASSES

The changing of the seasons brings a whole new experience to our gardens. Whether it's a ladies night, miniature garden workshop or a snowy Christmas village we love to share our little piece of paradise with you. Starting in the spring and continuing throughout the summer and fall we host many events and classes at our retail village.

Some events to come this year include the annual Lotus and Lavender Days, Succulent Saturday's, Fairy Friday's, Ladies Nights, Fall Festival, Lily Blossom Festival, and the Old Time Christmas Village.

Our events often include a fun workshop for all and occasionally complementary snacks. The lavender lemonade and lavender sugar cookies are a customer favorite during Lotus and Lavender Days!

Follow our Facebook page to stay updated on what events are coming up this year. You won't want to miss out!

OPEN FOR SPRING

Our spring hours begin soon! Starting March 30th visit us anytime Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm or Saturday 9am-4pm.

To gardeners, water gardeners, and lovers of the outdoors we invite you to experience water garden paradise like we do every single day! We can't wait to share our passion with you and we hope to see you soon!

MAKE YOUR PLANS TO VISIT SWAN'S WATER GARDENS IN 2021 AND SHOP IN PARADISE WITH THE POND PROFESSIONALS!

4385 W 247th St. Louisburg, KS 66053 Tues-Fri 9am-5pm & Sat 9am-4pm

swanswatergardens@gmail.com swanswatergardens.com 913-837-3510

editor’s notes

The Kansas City

GARDENER Independently owned and operated since 1996 PUBLISHER Michael Cavanaugh EDITOR Elizabeth Cavanaugh CONTRIBUTORS Josh Cherington Jim Earnest Charles Hammer Nik and Theresa Hiremath Sean Holland Lenora Larson Jason Mispagel Dennis Patton Judy Penner Tamra Reall Denise Sullivan Scott Woodbury DISTRIBUTION Publishers Delivery Solutions, Inc. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISTRIBUTE the magazine at your place of business, please contact Mike Cavanaugh mike@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 NEED MORE MAGAZINES? mike@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 CONTACT US P.O. Box 8725 Prairie Village, KS 66208 913-648-4728 ADVERTISING Mike Cavanaugh mike@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 EDITORIAL and SUBSCRIPTIONS Elizabeth Cavanaugh elizabeth@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 HOW TO SUBSCRIBE See details on page 39.

WEBSITE kcgmag.com

T

Early spring musings

he garden was fertilized before the rains came. Boxwood pruning has begun.

The Dianthus ‘Rockin Red’ seeds ordered last fall have been started in trays. Admitting the completion of those few garden tasks so early in the season is satisfying. For once, it seems I’m gardening on time, instead of trying to play catch up (or skip those tasks entirely). It feels good to be active in the garden again.

I spent time in the backyard, at the property line, where three evergreen trees have grown high to the sky. Aging well, all current energy goes to supporting the top threequarters. The remaining lower branches have thinned, or died altogether. And other branching has encroached too far into the neighbor’s landscape. Time for trimming.

Here’s where having the right tool for the job pays off. A folding hand saw made quick work of trimming lower limbs at the trunk. Now I can walk underneath without worrying about a random dead branch poking my eye out!

Planted beneath these giants are plenty of hosta and ferns, and a couple of hellebores (name tags long lost) that I found blooming

right on time. On my wish list this growing season is to add more of these beauties. Available in a multitude of colors, I’ll not be choosy about selection. In a shaded woodland setting like this part of the garden, hellebores grow reasonably well.

My enthusiasm for garden time is tempered only by daylight. Once I’m committed, geared up and making good progress, stopping is the last thing on my mind. Even as the sun begins to set, I am unphased. In fact I’ve been seen pulling oak tree seedlings from the garden guided by landscape lighting.

One of my favorite gardening quotes is from Margaret Atwood, “In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” I love that smell, along with the physical memory (a.k.a. back pain) of a hard day’s labor. That’s what happens when you do too much in a short period of time. Yet the pain, although shortlived, feels so good.

Last month I received a handwritten note from Lucie in Kansas

City sharing her comments on the magazine anniversary, and her life remembrances as a 90-year-old widow. Her words were gratitude filled—grateful for good health and to live on her own, and for the family that offers assistance when needed. With all that said, it is these words that remain with me, “I can’t even imagine how my life would be without my garden.”

Me too, Lucie! Me too.

I’ll see you in the garden!

In this issue

April 2021 | kcgmag.com 6 Ask the Experts 8 Wax On Cedar Waxwing 10 Kids Ask Dr. Bug 12 Resilient Ozark Plants 14 Plants on Your Plate 16 Spring Weed Control 18 Feed the Children 20 Ferns 22 Make a Fruitful Difference 24 Indoor Gardening

26 The Pawpaw Tree 28 Spring Inspiration 30 UPCLOSE 32 Miami County Farm Tour 34 Beauty, Unjustly Condemned 36 Garden Events 38 Garden Calendar 39 Rose Report 39 Subscribe 39 Hotlines

About the cover: Autumn ‘Brilliance’ fern is a perennial with fantastic spring and fall colorful foliage.

Learn about more fern varieties for the landscape beginning on page 20.

44

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TheThe Kansas CityCity Gardener | October Kansas Gardener | April2020 2021

5

Ask the Experts TIMELY GARDEN CLEANUP PROTECTS OVERWINTERING INSECTS Question: I read that I can help protect any overwintering beneficial insects and pollinators in my garden by modifying my spring cleanup. Determining when to do the cleanup is confusing. The sources I read vary and I have a hard time finding something for the KC area. What are your recommendations?

Answer: Delaying garden clean up provides additional time for any overwintering stages of beneficial insects to develop and exit the debris. But it is difficult to know when it is safe. My take is to wait until there is about a week of high temperatures in the 50s. This should give them enough time to emerge from their winter slumber.

Besides waiting for Mother Nature to do her thing, here are a few other tips. Restrain yourself from finely chopping and stuffing the debris into a sack for recycling.

Instead, remove the dead waste and pile it loosely in a hidden corner of the garden, allowing it to naturally compost. Then you know for sure all is clear and even provided more nesting material for the summer.

The second tip is to chop the debris into 4 to 6 inches pieces and let drop back in and around the plants.

This allows for late-maturing insects to develop, reduces waste, and becomes a natural mulch.

Personally, I like to use a combination of these options. I pull dead material off the plants and leave it in the garden for mulch. Hope these hints help you help our pollinators.

TOMATO CAGES Question: I am tired of the cheap tomato cages that are either not tall enough or strong enough to support a healthy plant. Can you tell me what you would recommend?

Answer: I know what you mean. Those wimpy wire cages are not worth dragging home for tomatoes. My recommendation, and

what I use, is a cage constructed from concrete reinforcing wire.

Concrete wire is usually 5 feet high, comes in 100-foot rolls with 6-inch openings, and available for purchase at hardware stores. Lengths of 6 to 7 feet cut and formed into a round cage make a 20 to 24 inches in diameter cage that works great.

Tomato plants need sturdy cage.

Tomato hornworm caterpillar.

These cages may need a stake to ensure they stay upright on windy days. The plus side is they will last for years, and the 6-inch openings makes harvesting easy. The downside is a roll of wire makes numerous cages, probably more than you may need.

and place them on your sacrificial cherry tomato. This protects your plants for harvest and allows the hornworm to have a food source to develop. It is a win-win. What more could you ask for!

PLANT A FOOD SOURCE SPECIFICIALLY FOR TOMATO HORNWORM Question: As I learn more about pollinators, I realize the dreaded tomato hornworm that devours the foliage is also a good pollinator. How can the two exist together? How can I keep them from eating my plants while also allowing them to develop and pollinate other plants?

Answer: The larval stage of the tomato hornworm, large and green, can strip the foliage off a tomato plant, significantly reducing yields.

DENNIS PATTON Horticulture Agent 6

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

The adult stage is a night flying sphinx moth and is a beneficial pollinator.

Here is how the two can coexist.

Plant a fast-growing rangy cherry tomato and let it be the food source for the larvae. As they develop during the summer, simply pick them off the “good” tomato plants

NEED CLARITY FOR USING ROUNDUP Question: I know Roundup is controversial, but I like to use the product to get rid of pesky weeds.

Do you have any guidelines for how long to wait between applying and replanting? When I search the internet, I find a lot of information but no clear answer to my question.

Answer: The best solution to this question is found on the label for the glyphosate or Roundup product. Of course, you will need to retrieve your magnifying lens, a bright light and tip your bifocals just right to read it. Can they make

the print any smaller or put more creases in the paper?

A simple answer is this. Roundup is not active once it dries. It does take time for the chemical to translocate through the plant for effective elimination. My take is give it a few days before you start working around the plants. Roundup does not have soil action affecting the germination or establishment of the plant. If you plan to till the soil, then I am not sure you need to apply. Whenever you disturb the soil, more than likely, weeds will sprout, which means you could need another application. I think Roundup is best used in locations where the soil will not be tilled. According to a Roundup website, they say wait one day for ornamentals and three days for lawns, vegetables and herbs. Please read the information on the label for your situation. It is your best and only source.

HOW TO KNOW IF MY PLANTS SURVIVED Question: I am concerned some of my plants didn’t survive the winter cold. How can I tell if they are alive or dead?

Answer: You are not alone in wondering about the health of your plants after the February arctic blast. Here is the simple way to tell.

Wait and see. As spring arrives, the plant will tell you. Plants damaged will be slow to emerge, or growth may come from below ground. It may be well into May until a damaged plant shows signs of life.

You can also scratch a branch.

If the cambium layer is green and moist, the plant is alive. If it is dry and brown, well, that is not a good sign. Lastly, get a sharp knife and cut through some of the bigger buds. The bud inside should be green and showing signs of life. A brown bud is not alive.

My advice is to be patient and wait before making any pruning cuts. Nature will let us know if or how much damage was caused by the extreme winter temperatures.

Dennis Patton is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.

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7

Wax on Look for Cedar Waxwing plucking berries from bushes

W

e just had a small flock of Cedar Waxwings come to our backyard this morning which triggered me to write about this beautiful bird.

While it’s not common to see them at your backyard feeders, they can be seen around your yard.

They have striking plumage which will be the first thing you’ll notice and very unique and easily differentiated from other birds.

They are slightly smaller than a Cardinal and more slender. They are also somewhat similar in that they have a crest, which is often laid back and droops over the head instead of upright like on a Cardinal. The most easily distinguished marking is the black mask with a white outline around their eyes. I think it makes them look like bandits. Don’t bother trying to tell the male from the female in a flock, because they are indistinguishable.

Cedar Waxwings are pale brown on the head and chest with a paleyellow belly. The feathers are gray with darker ends. The two most distinct feather colorations are the bright yellow tips of the tail feathers and a red tip on the secondary wing feathers which are actual waxy secretions. This red tip looks like they’ve been dipped in wax and thus part of their namesake of a waxwing. These red tips can be difficult to see.

Cedar Waxwings are very social and tend to be in flocks. You’ll see them among fruit and berry producing bushes and trees. Some of their favorites include serviceberries, mulberry, dogwood, honeysuckle, juniper, madrone, raspberries, strawberries, and crabapple to name a few. The other favorite are cedar berries, and as you’ve probably guessed, where the first part of their name is derived from.

NIK HIREMATH Birding Expert 8

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Wooded areas, orchards, and yards with these trees and bushes are likely places to spot a flock. They can be seen in great numbers in our area in late May. While a predominant portion of their diet is fruit, they also supplement with insects as well. Accordingly, they can be sighted near water sources where insect populations are larger. One odd byproduct of their heavy fruit diet when they eat overly ripe fruit is they can become drunk from the sugars which have fermented into alcohol.

As another demonstration of coevolution between plants and birds and their codependency, the nesting cycle of Cedar Waxwings are determined by when their fruits are ripening. Thus, they tend to be late nesters starting in the later part of June and continuing into August to ensure an adequate food source for both parents and newborns. They

build their cup style nests anywhere from three to 50 feet above the ground in the crux between limbs on trees. The female usually does most of the nest building which can take from five to six days and sometimes more than 2,500 trips to gather building materials. If the pair has a second brood, the male might help build the second nest.

While I don’t have any scientific proof, I have often seen flocks of Cedar Waxwings and Red-breasted Grosbeaks flying together. So when I see one, I also look for the other.

Maybe this holds true or maybe not, but it is certainly worth a couple of extra minutes to scan the horizon for the other bird if you see one.

Since Cedar Waxwings rarely visit feeders, I hope you’ll soon have the chance to see one of these beautiful birds in the landscape or on your next nature walk.

Local birding experts Nik and Theresa Hiremath own and operate Wild Birds Unlimited of Leawood at 11711 Roe Avenue, Leawood, Kansas. Contact them at 913-491-4887.

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9

Kids Ask Dr. Bug

about the curious things found in the garden Why do insects have six legs?

Owen, 7 Insects have six legs because it works for them! Not all insects use their legs the same way – some hop, some walk and run, and some dig. Some legs on each kind of insect are used in different ways, too. A grasshopper’s hind legs are the powerhouse for hopping, but they use the other two sets of legs for balance and grooming. A mole cricket’s forelegs are built for digging and the hind legs help push the soil out and push the insect through the excavated tunnel.

Something else interesting about the mole cricket’s legs - its ears are on its front legs! For some insects that walk and run, such as ground beetles, they move in an interesting pattern. They lift two legs on one side while using two legs on the other side – three legs are always on the ground at a time, like a tripod. This is a very stable position and allows the insects to crawl over rough ground very quickly!

I heard we need to save the bugs. I don’t like bugs. Why do we need to save them?

Samantha, 9 Insects are an incredibly important part of our environment. Most insects help us, some insects are interesting but neutral, and only a few are pests. Here are a few ways insects help us: • Pollinating flowers so we have delicious food to eat • Recycling nutrients from dead plants, dead animals, and poop • Eating pest insects • Being food for other animals (including humans!)

• Giving us ideas for new technologies Consider learning more about insects so you will appreciate them more. You can do this by taking a class with 4-H, reading books,

and watching videos about insects.

Without insects, our world would be in trouble. We now have fewer insects, especially beneficial insects, because of the loss of insect habitat (food and places to live).

You can help by planting flowers, leaving the flower stems up over the winter into late spring, and not using insecticides whenever possible.

What are the easiest bugs to catch? Blaine, 9 Some of the easy insects and multi-legged critters to catch are caterpillars, millipedes, and roly polys. However, be careful of hairy caterpillars! Just because they are easy to catch doesn’t mean they are safe. The hairs on caterpillars could be itchy or cause blisters. And, just because they may be easy to catch, doesn’t mean they are easy to find!

It’s usually best to look, but not touch. Many critters hide in crev-

TAMRA REALL Horticulture Specialist 10

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

ices, under rocks, in logs, in the soil, or their bodies are colored in a way that makes them look like the plants they live on. If you find them (and if you hold them), remember to put them back and gently replace the rocks or logs.

Some insects will come to you, such as mosquitoes and horse flies!

Granted, even if they land on you doesn’t mean that they are easy to catch. Insects that feed on people are very adept at being able to avoid being caught so they don’t get swatted or killed.

Message from Dr. Bug: While we’re talking about mosquitoes, this is a good time to remind you to avoid mosquito bites. Wear long sleeves and pants outside, and/or wear insect repellant. Even better, avoid giving mosquitoes a place to live in your yard – empty containers of standing water, including toys in the yard, tire swings, yard

ornaments, and gutters, especially after a rainstorm.

While most insects are beneficial, mosquitoes are not beneficial to humans and our health. Do you know what is the most dangerous animal on earth?

That’s right, mosquitoes!

Check out this video for more information (scan QR code or type: https://youtu.be/HZFmlBTYGSQ).

Do you have a question for Dr. Bug? Send them to ReallT@Missouri.edu. Please include KADB in the subject, and your name and age. To help me learn what you learn from this column, please consider filling out this survey: bit.ly/KidsAskDrBugSurvey. Thank you!

Dr. Tamra Reall (@MUExtBugN Garden) is the horticulture specialist for MU Extension in Jackson County.

For free, research-based gardening tips, call 816-833-TREE (8733), email mggkc.hotline@gmail.com, or visit www.extension2.missouri.edu.

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11

Photos by Scott Woodbury.

Resilient Ozark Plants: On the Run and Old as the Hills

Above: Campanula rotundifolia Below: Hamamelis vernalis

M

ore species of plants exist in the Ozark Highlands— one of the oldest mountain ranges on the planet—than anywhere in the lower Midwest. Why? Because the Ozarks are an ancient crossroads for migrating plants.

They are a tapestry of plants, uprooted and on the run from everchanging climate and advancing glaciers.

During the last two million years, many plants and animals

Filapendula rubra

migrated to the warmer climate of the Ozarks as they were pushed south and west by advancing glaciers. As the climate warmed, and glaciers retreated back north, most cooler-loving species followed. But some species (called glacial relics) stayed behind. They found refuge in the bottoms of cool sinkholes, north-facing slopes, box canyons, and wetland fens. To this day, glacially disconnected animals like wood frogs and four-toed salamanders still hang out in these cool and moist, shady safe-havens, while the majority of their population exists far to the north and east.

The same is true of plants like queen-of-the-prairie (Filapendula rubra) and Ridell’s goldenrod (Solidago ridellii), both living in wetland fens, and also harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) and white camas (Zigadenus elegans) that cling to north-facing bluffs along the Jacks Fork River. These are disconnected species (called disjunct) because they exist beyond or at the edge of their natural ranges. According to Dr. Julian Steyermark, author of The Flora of Missouri,

SCOTT WOODBURY Horticulturist 12

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Penstemon cobaea, Echinacea pallida, Oenothera macrocarpa many other plants have found a second home in the Ozarks, beyond or at the edge of their normal ranges, including tall larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum), barren strawberry (Waldsteinia virginiana), soapweed (Yucca glauca), dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata), common witchazel (Hamamelus virginiana), beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), mountain azalea (Rhododendron prinophyllum), rose turtlehead (Chelone obliqua), yellowwood (Cladrastis kentuckia), limber honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica), Texas greeneyes (Berlandiera texana) and dense blazingstar (Liatris spicata).

But what about the plants that originally came from the Ozark crossroads, and never left home (called endemic)?

They apparently began to evolve there (and continue to evolve) one hundred million years ago. Not quite as old as the five hundred million years old hills, but pretty old nevertheless. Common garden

plants endemic to the Ozarks include woodland spiderwort (Tradescantia ernestiana), Fremont’s leatherflower (Clematis fremontii), little-flower alumroot (Heuchera puberula), Ozark witchazel (Hamamelis vernalis), Bush’s poppy mallow (Callirhoe bushii), shining bluestar (Amsonia illustris), purple beardtongue (Penstemon cobaea), cliff goldenrod (Solidago drummondii), Missouri black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia missouriensis) and yellow coneflower (Echinacea paradoxa) to name a few.

So if you are taken by the origin stories of native plants, like I am, then pick up a few Ozark native plants the next time you are at a garden center or plant sale near you. They have been around a long, long time, and chances are, they will continue to hang on, deep in the Ozark Highlands, and possibly in your back yard. Happy gardening!

Find suppliers of native plants and seeds at www.grownative.org, Resource Guide.

Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmore Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, MO, where he has worked with native plant propagation, design, and education for 30 years. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program.

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925 Southwest Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66103 Hours 9a-6p • Tuesday – Thursday – Saturday The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

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Plants on Your Plate Green Peas potassium, folate and vitamins A and K). A half-cup of cooked green peas contains 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, 12 grams of carbohydrate, and 641 IU of vitamin A. On the flip side, peas also contain phytic acid and lectins, which are often referred to as anti-nutrients, that may interfere with nutrient absorption and promote bloating in some people. To minimize these effects keep serving sizes to around 1/3 to ½ cup, eat them fully cooked

instead of raw, and try sprouted or fermented preparations.

Peas can be enjoyed alone as a side dish, or added into soups, stews, or salads. Green peas can even be baked (tossed with a little olive oil and spices) on a baking sheet for a healthy, crunchy snack.

Combining fresh peas with grape tomatoes, the pasta dish below can be served warm as a hearty main dish or chilled as a salad by thinning the cheese mixture with lemon juice.

Easy Peasy Pasta MAKES 6 SERVINGS

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utside of lettuce or other types of leafy greens, peas are one of the early season garden goodies I look forward to every year. While some people might find the shelling of peas a tedious task, I prefer it to snapping beans and find it rather satisfying to ‘zip’ open the pod to get to the treasure inside.

For most purposes, peas may be classified as garden or English peas, snow peas, and sugar snap peas. English peas are further divided into smooth or wrinkled seed varieties. Smooth-seeded varieties are starchier, while wrinkled varieties are sweeter and are commonly used for home and commercial growing. Snow peas are meant to be harvested as flat, tender pods before the peas inside develop at all.

Sugar snap peas have been developed from garden peas to have lowfiber pods that can be snapped and eaten along with the slightly mature peas inside. The starchier smoothseeded varieties are used to produce ripe seed kernels that are fractured to be used to make split-pea soup.

The Southern pea, or cowpea is an entirely different vegetable that is planted and grown in the same manner as beans and legumes.

In the mid 1900s, studies by Gregor Mendel working with seven characteristics of pea plants (plant height, pod shape and color, seed shape and color, and flower position and color) laid the foundation for modern genetics by identifying dominant and recessive traits in organisms.

Peas are the seed of the Pisum sativum plant, which originated in the Mediterranean region of Greece, Syria and Turkey. They are a frost-hardy, cool-season vegetable grown wherever a cool season of sufficient duration exists. Today, most production occurring outside of the United States is in colder regions like Canada, Russia, England, and France. The highest producing states in the U.S. are Washington, Montana, and North Dakota.

No matter how you roll them, peas are nutrient-dense packages of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals (especially iron,

DENISE SULLIVAN Nutrition Ninja 14

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

INGREDIENTS 2 cups fresh (or frozen) peas 1 pound whole wheat pasta 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese ¼ cup (loosely packed) fresh parsley, chopped ¼ cup parmesan cheese 1 lemon, zested (yellow part only), about 1 teaspoon ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cups grape tomatoes Cook pasta as directed on box. Add peas to pasta during last two minutes of cooking time.

While pasta is cooking, combine ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large skillet, health olive oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes or until tomatoes burst and are heated through.

Remove ½ cup pasta water and set aside.

Drain pasta and peas.

Transfer tomatoes to pasta pot and add pasta and peas along with reserved pasta water. Stir to combine.

Spoon pasta mixture into 6 bowls, top each bowl with ricotta mixture and serve.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Calories: 430 Total Fat: 9.5g, Saturated Fat: .4g, Sodium: 305mg, Carbohydrates: 62g, Fiber: 10g, Protein: 21g Recipe adapted from Seasonal and Simple, analyzed by verywellfit.com.

Denise Sullivan is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, programming in Jackson and Platte Counties. For research-based nutrition and food safety information and programs, visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/jackson.

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The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

15

Spring Weed Control Three cultural practices for a lush, green lawn this spring.

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aintaining a thick, healthy lawn is the best defense against weeds in your lawn. Spring is here and while the grass is greening up and the lawns are beginning to take shape, we will inevitably have to deal with weeds in the lawn.

When we talk about lawn care, weed control is a high priority for many homeowners. They take away from the beauty and enjoyment of our lawns while robbing the turf of nutrients and water. Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer, or you hire a professional to maintain your lawn, an Integrated approach to weed control is the best approach.

It is probably safe to assume, that when we think of weed control methods we usually think of chemical control methods like herbicides.

But there are other methods that will help reduce and control the weeds in your turf. Cultural methods are also effective measures of weed control. Cultural weed control refers to techniques that involve maintaining your lawn in a way that weeds are less likely to become established and/or increase in number. In fact, you likely already do these as they are important steps in maintaining healthy turf.

There are three primary methods of cultural weed control: mowing, fertilization, and irrigation.

Cultural Weed Control Method #1 — Mowing To maintain healthy and thick turf you should mow regularly, at the right time and at the right frequency. Try to adhere to the onethird rule when mowing. This simply means never remove more than one-third of the leaf tissue at any one time you are mowing. By following the one-third rule, you will mow frequently enough to stimulate lateral growth, which will help thicken the turf. Also, you will prevent scalping the lawn and causing

stress to the turf.

Generally speaking, we recommend mowing at a height of approximately three inches in the spring, for a common tall fescue lawn. Mowing height recommendations will change with the seasons. A majority of our lawns are tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, or a combination of the two and these cool-season grasses grow faster in the spring months. In turn, it means more frequent mowing.

Weeds thrive in bare soil, or areas where the turf is thin. Proper mowing techniques and timing will ensure that your turf is thicker and denser, thus keeping the crabgrass, dandelions, and clover reduced in your lawn.

Cultural Weed Control Method #2 — Fertilization Another important cultural practice is fertilization. Timely fertility for the lawn will help maintain a thick and healthy turf that will naturally suppress weeds. Fertilizer gives the lawn important nutrients to improve the overall health, pro-

JOSH CHERINGTON Turf Manager 16

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

mote root growth and improve vigor. Generally, we recommend feeding the lawn in the spring, summer, fall and winter.

Fertility is essential. An underfertilized lawn will result in poor soil conditions and increase the weed pressure. Likewise, too much fertilizer will damage the lawn leaving it stressed and inviting weeds.

If you are unsure of what type of fertilizer to use, or the proper timing of the treatment, consult with your lawn care provider or a professional at a local garden center.

Cultural Weed Control Method #3 — Irrigation The last Primary Cultural Weed Control practice is irrigation. Irrigation is critical to the health and success of your lawn. Weeds such as crabgrass, oxalis, and knotweed thrive in drought-like conditions.

Unirrigated or dormant lawns do not stand up to our summer heat and it can leave your lawn more susceptible to weed pressure. Too much irrigation will cause moss, water waste, potential fertilizer

runoff, and increased disease pressure. Consult with your lawn care professional for watering recommendations, on proper duration and frequency.

More to Consider In addition to the three primary cultural weed control practices, aerating and overseeding are excellent cultural practices that can reduce weeds in your lawn. Cultivation, or aeration, relieves soil compaction and improves water rate to the soil, it works great with overseeding which will help fill in the thin or bare turf, where the weed pressure is the greatest.

These cultural methods of weed control can be used with herbicides as an integrated approach to weed management for your lawn. Weeds are relentless. They will spoil the look of your lawn and take away from the aesthetics. You might not completely eliminate all weeds from your turf, but these cultural weed control practices will help you towards achieving the weedfree lawn that you desire.

Josh Cherington is a Turf Manager at Ryan Lawn and Tree and has worked for RYAN for four years. Josh graduated from the University of Central Missouri with a B.S. in Economics and has 12 years of experience in the green industry.

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The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

17

Feeding the Children

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Loss of Habitat Means Loss of Hostplants Like most of our wild friends, butterfly populations are plummeting. This year fewer than 1,000 Monarchs from west of the Rocky Mountains were counted at their overwintering sites in California coastal groves near San Diego and Santa Cruz. This population is functionally extinct due to loss of habitat. Our Midwestern Monarch population that overwinters near Mexico City has dropped 89% in the past 20 years due to habitat loss. Over 20 species of butterflies and moth are currently considered as “pending extinction” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department. In each case, habitat loss is the primary culprit. Each native butterfly has unique native hostplant(s) so when human encroachment destroys that plant, there can be no caterpillars and therefore no adults.

What can we do?

Many more butterflies would be facing extinction if they had to depend on gardeners to start planting specific hostplants to replace

Photos by Lenora Larson.

have been proselytizing for butterflies since 2005 with a focus on hostplants to feed the caterpillars. It should be obvious: if you don’t feed the children, there will be no beautiful adults. Still, my most frequently asked question is, “What flowers should I plant to attract more butterflies?” ARRRGH! Planting more flowers will not increase the number or diversity of butterflies coming to a garden. I understand the confusion because it’s hard to connect the dots between crawling caterpillars and winged adults. In fact, scientists didn’t realize that caterpillars and adult butterflies were the same animal until the mid-1700s. As late as 1830, the German naturalist Renous was arrested and charged as a heretic because he claimed that caterpillars turn into butterflies!

“Plant it and they will come.” All you need is one pregnant female to find your pipevine and lay eggs which will hatch into the charming caterpillars.

For Pipevine Swallowtails, you must plant a pipevine. Aristolochia machrophylla is the best choice. native habitat. Fortunately, “unintentional butterfly gardens” pop up whenever humans unwittingly plant hostplants. For instance, Giant Swallowtail caterpillars eat members of the citrus family, so anyone who plants an orange tree, lemon tree or rue plant for themselves has also become an unintentional butterfly gardener if (the BIG IF) they avoid using insecticides. Almost everyone who plants a member of the carrot family like dill, parsley or fennel soon sees the “parsley worms”, beautiful caterpillars that become the Black Swallowtail butterfly. Many hostplants are large trees, so if you have tulip trees, hackberries, cherry or willow trees in your yard, you are an accidental butterfly gardener. Best is to become an intentional butterfly gardener and deliberately plant for

LENORA LARSON Butterfly Maven 18

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

The result: beautiful adults like this male Pipevine Swallowtail sipping petunia nectar. butterflies. To learn the hostplants, purchase a butterfly gardening book or a field guide or Google the name of the butterfly that you would like to attract and you’ll find the caterpillar food listed.

Shopping for Hostplants The next challenge? Finding sources for buying hostplants.

Most nurseries now carry milkweeds, a hostplant exclusively for Monarchs. If the desired hostplant is a native like pipevines and spicebushes and sennas, they will be found at native plant nurseries and at the many local native plant sales in our area each spring. The Extension Master Gardener plant sales also usually include butterfly hostplants. In particular the Marais des Cygnes (Paola) focuses on hostplants. We will have over 30

species of hostplants this year at our new location, 913 North Pearl in Paola. We now have a huge parking lot that will allow for social distancing and we’ll abide by COVID-19 restrictions. We’ve also extended the hours to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 6th; Friday, May 7th; and Saturday, May 8th. I will be present for most of the sale to assist gardeners with their hostplant selections.

A True Butterfly Garden: Hostplants and Flowers Of course, you want flowers for your butterflies. They are absolutely essential to migrating butterflies in spring and fall, and a source of nourishment for courting butterflies. But if there are no foods for the caterpillars, there will be no butterflies sipping nectar.

Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardener, Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society member, Lenora Larson gardens and hosts butterflies in the cruel winds and clay soil of Paola, Kansas.

Contact her at lenora.longlips@gmail.com.

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a

Ferns

prized garden treasures proper for shade

s a small child, I remember playing in my grandparents’ back yard under their giant Eastern Hemlock tree. I had to be careful, as Grandpa’s prized fern garden lived in this “playground” of mine, and we were always told to “stay away from the ferns!” I now know and appreciate that he transplanted these native Christmas Ferns from a hillside at the Lake of the Ozarks to his garden in town back in the 1950s, and we still divide and share these same ferns among family members to add interest to our shade beds 70 years later. Plants truly are a way to remind us of the ones we love whenever we see them flourishing in our gardens.

Ferns are one of the most underused plants in contemporary landscapes, often overlooked for showier flowers and other foliage plants. Emerging over 360 million years ago, they predate the dinosaurs and flowering plants by hundreds of millions of years! The Missouri Department of Conservation states that of over 10,000 species of ferns, there are 69 native to Missouri woodlands. As one of the most unique and diverse groups of plants, there are many uses for the home gardener, especially those who appreciate using native plants in the landscape.

Shady gardens are challenging to design as it seems that there are about five sunny perennials for every shady perennial available in retail. The various growth habits and textures of ferns lend them to be a great addition to shady woodland gardens. Graceful, arching fronds can give a different texture to a bed otherwise filled with Hostas. Either planted in masses or as a specimen, ferns mix well interplanted with a variety of Hosta, Heuchera and Tiarella. If the area needs more color and receives some dappled light or morning sun, just add Coleus or New Guinea Impatiens to give it just a little splash of color without drawing too much attention away from the fern planting.

A low-maintenance perennial, most fern varieties available in garden centers are native to woodland settings. They can tolerate rabbits, heavy shade, and a wide range of conditions that

Northern Maidenhair (Adiantum Adiantum)) Soft, delicate native that may reach 2’ tall.

Provide regular water during mid-late summer to prevent foliage from turning brown. Small plants may be grown in terrariums.

Wood Fern (Dryopteris Dryopteris)) Native, semi-evergreen that grows up to 3’ tall. Keep protected from wind to prevent broken leaves.

Lady Fern (Athyrium Athyrium)) Native, up to 3’ tall and wide. Graceful, evenly shaped, and clump forming. Benefits from division every 3-5 years. Easy to grow species.

Maidenhair Midwest weather provides, but will keep their best appearance if planted in fertile, rich, moist soils. Mulching with ground hardwood or pine straw will help keep the soil evenly moist (not saturated), while providing nutrients as it breaks down. There is rarely a need to fertilize as long as there is plenty of organic matter in the soil. Some varieties are more drought-tolerant than others, but all varieties will appreciate water during the prolonged heat of the summer. Propagation by spore is possible, but fairly difficult; most species can be propagated by division in spring once mature clumps or colonies form.

Autumn Fern (Dryopteris Dryopteris)) Non-native, semi-evergreen with thick leaves in clumps up to 2’ tall. ‘Brilliance’ variety has long-lasting red leaves in spring and fall when temperatures are cooler, with glossy dark green foliage throughout summer.

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia Matteuccia)) Absolutely huge native that can grow fronds over 5’ in height! Performs best when planted in full shade with plenty of moisture during the extreme heat of the summer. Will grow into a dense colony over time. Protect from wind.

SEAN HOLLAND Perennials Manager 20

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum Osmundastrum)) Native, up to 3’ tall and wide. Soft, upright growth prefers to be in a very shady, very moist area. Can tolerate wet soils along stream banks and edges of water gardens.

Christmas Fern (Polystichum Polystichum)) Tough, hardy, native evergreen up to 2’ tall and wide. Can tolerate wide range of conditions including rocky soils. Looks nice in masses. Old growth may be removed in early spring to clean up its appearance.

Painted Ferns (Athyrium Athyrium)) Small, non-native 1-2’ tall and wide. Uniquely colored foliage with highlights of silver and purple. Many new cultivars selected in recent years for showy traits. ‘Ghost’, ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Crested Surf’ each make showy specimens in a shady bed. Do not allow soil to dry completely.

Boston and Kimberly Queen Ferns (Nephrolepis Nephrolepis)) Tropical and must be brought in during winter months when temperatures fall below 50 degrees. Can be used in combo containers, or as a large specimen on a patio or entryway. Boston Ferns are well-suited for hanging baskets. Kimberly Queen is a great choice for sunnier locations; just provide it plenty of water.

Sean Holland is Perennials Manager at Suburban Lawn & Garden, 135th and Wornall location, in Kansas City, Missouri. You may reach him at seanh@suburbanlg.com.

Cinnamon

Crested Surf

Christmas Photo by Walters Gardens.

Ghost Photo by Walters Gardens.

Photo by Walters Gardens.

Photo by Missouri Botanical Garden.

Kimberly Queen

Photo by Walters Gardens.

Photo by Walters Gardens.

Photo by Missouri Botanical Garden.

Japanese Painted Godzilla Wood

Ostrich

Autumn

Lady

The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

21

Photo by Walters Gardens.

Make a Fruitful Difference this Arbor Day How Planting Fruit Trees Can Benefit Home Gardens and Communities

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othing sparks as much excitement and anticipation for Kansas City gardeners as the warmer temperatures and longer days that come in April. Every year we anxiously await the thawing of soil so that we may tenderly plant, care for, and harvest our annual vegetable gardens, enjoying the fruits of our labors for many months of the year. Tomatoes, peppers, greens, and beans are sure to be on your list of veggies this year, but have you considered adding a fruit tree to the mix?

In addition to delivering the first full month of spring, April also brings us Arbor Day, an annual celebration of tree planting that dates to the sixteenth century. Here are three reasons to consider planting a fruit tree in your garden this month to celebrate Arbor Day (April 30): 1. Fruit trees are the gift that keeps giving. Unlike vegetable gardens, fruit trees are a perennial food source. Though most orchardists recommend waiting until year three for fruit production so the tree can establish a strong branch structure to support its fruit, many trees reach full production by year

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April 2021 | kcgmag.com

six and continue producing well for 20 to 30 years. Jujube trees, which grow successfully in our region, often produce fruit (known as the Chinese date) for 50 years or more.

2. Homegrown fruit is delicious and bountiful. Just as a homegrown vegetable is more flavorful than its grocery store counterpart, the same goes for homegrown fruit. Commercial growers often pick fruit before it is fully ripe, which can result in bland flavors. Growing fruit in your backyard allows you to harvest and enjoy pears, apples, peaches and more at their peak, right off the tree. The bounty is often plentiful enough to share with your neighbors; some apple varieties in Kansas City can produce 300 pounds of fruit each year. Once the trees are well established, they require little more maintenance than a typical garden.

3. Trees support garden and community health. Trees, including dwarf fruit trees, offer many environmental benefits for your yard, garden, and neighborhood.

Fruit tree nectar draws pollinators to your garden and entices them to stay while the tree blooms. Hon-

eybees especially love fruit trees, and with their dwindling numbers, organically grown fruit trees offer a safe and nutritious food source.

Fruit trees also help retain rainwater in your yard, keeping the soil more moist for your garden. In addition, growing your own fruit helps reduce the demand for commercially grown fruit, which cuts down on carbon dioxide caused by harvesting and transporting fruit from commercial facilities.

If you are enticed by the idea of planting a fruit tree this year, consider using organic practices to ensure the health of the fruit eater and the earth. Organizations such as The Giving Grove, based in Kansas City, offer simple-to-follow educational resources for organic fruit production that have been tried and tested locally for almost a decade.

These free how-to guides are available at www.givinggrove.org/resources.

The Giving Grove creates opportunities for communities to grow, harvest, and share healthy food by providing resources to plant edible tree gardens in areas of the city where access to fresh foods

is limited. There are more than 200 Giving Grove orchards in Kansas City, planted with the support of Giving Grove’s partner, Kansas City Community Gardens. The benefits of these neighborhood orchards expand past good nutrition.

The urban orchards create safe and clean green space, help lower urban air temperatures, reduce stormwater run-off, and absorb carbon dioxide.

If growing a fruit tree is not feasible for your garden this year, you can still plant fruit trees this Arbor Day by supporting The Giving Grove. Thanks to the success of the Kansas City neighborhood orchards, The Giving Grove is expanding its reach to cities across the country with high rates of food insecurity. A $50 donation can provide a fruit tree and the supplies needed for its upkeep. Monthly donations of $50 for one year can fund an entire urban orchard, providing nearly 12,000 servings of free, fresh food for a neighborhood.

To learn more about The Giving Grove and how you can plant fruit trees this Arbor Day, please visit www.givinggrove.org/arborday.

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23

Indoor Gardening: Perpetual Greens

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ne of my favorite things about growing edible plants indoors is that it allows you to have the food you want, when you want it. By taking control of environmental conditions like temperature, humidity and lighting, we effectively take control over the timing of our harvests. Even with a foot of snow on the ground outside, fresh produce can be picked right off the vine inside the comfort of our homes. That’s no slight against outdoor gardening, and it’s certainly not meant to force a choice between one or the other. It’s simply shining light on an opportunity created by advances in technology.

Whether you’ve joined (or are thinking about joining) the “grow your own food” movement because of concerns around food safety, security, cost, ethical issues, or just the satisfaction of being self-sufficient, indoor gardening meets each-and-every one of those criteria. There’s a prevalent, and unfortunate misconception that growing food indoors requires use of synthetic fertilizers, hydroponics and all sorts of fancy gadgets and gizmos. While that path is certainly available, the reality is that indoor food production can be quite practical, affordable, organic and not overly complex. And with just a little bit of planning, you can time your planting and harvests to coincide with your schedule.

To illustrate how this can work in your own home, let’s walk through the entire process for producing loose-headed buttercrunch (bibb) lettuce so that you’re harvesting enough fresh greens for a family of 4 every single week! This is a great variety to start out with because it grows quickly and requires minimal amounts of light, space and nutrition. It’s also extremely versatile in the kitchen – use it in a salad, put a slice on your sandwich, roll it up as a wrap or even blend it

into your smoothie.

I’ll preface by saying that this is not the only way to grow lettuce at home. It’s intended to be just one example of what’s achievable.

Assuming you’ve already acquired your seeds, it’s time to pick out containers. Lettuce has a fairly shallow root system and doesn’t get too large, so half-gallon square plastic pots (5.5” x 5.5” x 6”) with drain holes at the bottom would work well. For this scenario, we’ll need 18.

Fill them with a lightweight potting mix. A 1.5 cubic foot bag of soil will be enough to fill all 18 pots. If you’re using a soil that’s dense with compost and organic matter, mix in some coco coir to provide better aeration and drainage. Place them on a tray or pan to keep your space clean and collect any run-off from overwatering or soil that may fall from the containers.

Now it’s time to find the right location for your plants. The ideal temperature for growing lettuce is 60°F to 70°F and seeds will germinate best in the upper part of that range. We’ll need about 16 square feet to space the pots apart and 2

JASON MISPAGEL Indoor Gardener 24

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

feet above them to hang a light. A 4’ x 4’ square on an unfinished basement floor or a metal rack in a storage room would do just fine. We’ll go with the basement floor.

As I mentioned previously, lettuce doesn’t require much light, but it does prefer a cool, blue spectrum.

T5 Fluorescent tubes or LEDs (light emitting diodes) would be ideal in this case. I prefer LEDs because of their energy efficiency and lifespan. A 100-watt LED that covers 16 square feet in the ideal color spectrum will cost about $150 and should last 5 to 10 years. Hang the light about 2 feet above the center of your 4’ x 4’ square.

Lettuce grows best with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness each day. Plug your light into an outlet timer to make sure this cycle occurs consistently.

It’s time to plant! Moisten the soil in 6 of your pots and use a pen to create a shallow hole in the cen-

ter of each. Drop your seeds into the holes. Within a few days, you’ll have sprouts. Pinch off the top of all but the one, best sprout in each container. Keep the soil evenly moist but not water-logged and in 4 weeks, you’ll be ready to harvest the outer leaves of your lettuce. In week 5, you’ll be able to harvest again, composting whatever plant material and roots remain in the containers after you’re done.

So, what happens in week 6?

That’s where proper timing comes into play. Two weeks after you planted your first 6 containers, you planted 6 more. Two weeks after that, you planted the final six. And then after another 2 weeks, you’re planting in the containers you just finished emptying. If you continue the process of planting 6 containers every 2 weeks, you’ll be harvesting fresh buttercrunch lettuce for the whole family EVERY SINGLE WEEK all year-round!

Jason Mispagel is the co-owner and operator of Year-Round Garden, a grower’s supply center serving both home and commercial customers since 2016. To contact Jason, call (816) 216-6917 or jason@year-roundgarden.com.

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The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

25

The Pawpaw Tree a tree with four seasons of interest

W

alk along the Bluff Trail at the Overland Park Arboretum and you will see thousands of Pawpaw trees (Asimina triloba). If you are there in mid-April to early May you will see beautiful purple flowers hanging from the branches of the trees just as the leaves begin to emerge.

In late summer to early fall there will be yellowish-green to brown fruit on the tree.

Then in October you will be treated to a seemingly never-ending view of beautiful yellow leaves under the canopy of the other trees along the trail.

The Pawpaw looks like a tropical plant, largely because of its upto-one-foot long, drooping pearshaped leaves. You might even

wonder if a tropical tree could be growing in Kansas. There are over 100 members of the Annonaceae (Custard-apple) family and virtually all are tropical or subtropical in their distribution. The Pawpaw, however, is native over the eastern one-third of Kansas and much of eastern North America, growing in bottomlands and along creeks as an under-story tree.

The tree is small to medium sized, typically growing to 15-20 feet, and is the primary food source and home for the beautiful zebra swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus). In the wild, the Pawpaw spreads by root suckers forming colonies or thickets – remember the song “Way Down Yonder In The Pawpaw Patch?” It can be

JIM EARNEST Local Plantsman 26

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

grown in the landscape as a small ornamental tree with one or two stems if properly pruned while the tree is young.

Attractive cup-shaped purple flowers with six petals, two tiers of three petals each, emerge in the spring, just as the leaves begin to appear. Each flower contains both male and female parts (monoecious). Carrion flies and scavenger beetles pollinate the flowers, typically by cross-pollination from a nearby tree.

The fruit of the Pawpaw is technically classified as a berry (fruit that is fleshy or pulpy throughout, develops from a single flower with a single ovary and has two or more seeds – tomatoes and bananas are berries).

Pawpaw flowers give way to the fruits, large bean-shaped and yellow-green that turn dark brown to black when ripe. They are the largest berries produced by any of our native trees, frequently reaching six inches in length. Sometimes the fruits develop in clusters like bananas, and indeed they are similar to very ripe bananas. When opened the fruit contains a fleshy pulp of creamy banana custardlike consistency and several large seeds in a row. They are tasty to most humans. The fruit is rich in Vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants and a number of other beneficial elements. Squirrels, raccoons and opossum must know this, as they also love the fruit of this interesting tree.

Jim Earnest, is on the Education Committee at the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and a long-time member of Kansas Native Plant Society.

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Meet us at one of these locations in the KC area. Give us your order by Tuesday before a sale, and we will bring it to the location. Plants purchased at events away from the nursery cost 10% more, which covers sales tax and shipping. Event sales cost less than having them shipped by UPS from the nursery.

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Prairie Village Pool Parking Lot, 7711 Delmar Street, Prairie Village KS 66208 Deep Roots Native Plant Sale. April 10, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. sarah@deeprootskc.org. Pre-Orders plus limited in-person shopping. See deeprootskc.org

SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS!

Anita B Gorman Cons. Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave. KC MO. Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Pre-Order Sale. April 17, 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Tell them you saw their ad in The Kansas City Gardener

Shawnee Indian Mission, 3403 West 53rd St, Fairway KS 66205. Shawnee

Indian Mission Native Plant Sale. Pre-orders only. April 24, 11a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Backyard Bird Center 6212 NW Barry Rd, KC MO 64154. Burroughs Audubon Native Plant Sale. Pre-Orders only. April 24, 10 a.m. - 12 noon.

New Mark Middle School Parking Lot. 515 NE 106th St, KC MO 64155 Backyard Blowout Sale (includes our native plants). Pre-Orders & On site shopping. May 1, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Kansas City Community Gardens, 6917 Kensington Ave, KC MO 64132.

Westport Garden Club native plant sale. Pre-Orders only. May 1, 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

KCGMAG.COM

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The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

27

Spring Inspiration Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City host June garden tour

S

The Missouri Natives Bed: The gardeners have planted popular native plants including an impressively enormous false indigo, purple poppy mallow, tickseed, coneflowers, and other natives—there is always something in bloom.

The Monarch Bed: This certified Monarch waystation contains a variety of milkweeds, tickseed, rattlesnake master, and more. Handouts with information about Monarchs from the Missouri Department of Conservation are available at this station.

The Perennial Natives Bed: This next bed of natives is happily mixed with other perennials like coneflowers, daylilies, and snapdragons.

The Vegetable Bed: Each year the vegetable selections change, giving the ability to grow unusual produce for the community to sample.

There is a box for seasonal recipes and sample bed diagrams for taking home. A nearby stand allows community gardeners to share their extra produce with others in the garden.

When visiting this garden, please sign up for the raffle to win the garden basket full of gardening supplies!

pring has arrived and it’s time to get outside and enjoy beautiful weather. It will be the perfect opportunity to stroll gardens on June 11 and 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The MU Extension Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City is hosting their 2021 Garden Tour with 7+ gardens to tempt your senses. Here are descriptions of three sites you will want to visit in June.

Ticket sales and more details about the tour to come. Until then, save the dates!

Blue Springs Historical Museum Garden Started by Mary Potter as president of the Blue Springs Historical Society, this heritage plant garden outside the Blue Springs Historical Museum reflects the types of flowers that would have grown here in 1900, when the museum was first built.

The museum house was originally built by a prominent Blue Springs resident in 1906 and the grounds consequently hold historical interest for visitors. Many of the perennials are original to the first planting of the garden. A Kansas City Master Gardener was instrumental in its design and construction in 2010, and the garden has evolved over time to showcase native perennials particularly suited to tolerate Missouri’s climate.

These gardens boast heritage plants, like roses and herbs, as well as Missouri natives, both sun and shade varieties, including columbine, purple coneflowers, old-fashioned daylilies, lamb’s ears, clematis, butterfly weed, bee balm, Shasta daisies, loosestrife, and New England asters.

Not only is there a combination of flowers and herbs in the beds behind the museum house, but the historic 1879 hotel next door also has raised vegetable beds indicative of a working hotel housing rail travelers in the late 1800s.

Blue Springs Community Garden The Community Garden in Blue Springs is not your average community garden. In an effort to address all types of gardening—not just vegetables—the Kansas City Master Gardeners have reserved five raised beds to highlight different gardening themes. Each bed contains an artful display box with information about the plants in that bed, often accompanied by handouts for visitors who are interested in recreating similar gardens themselves.

Here are the five Master Gardener raised beds you will find at the community garden: The Rose Bed: There are eight different varieties of roses chosen for their varying color, height, and winter resistance. Be sure to pick up a handout about rose gardening in Kansas City and how to select the perfect rose for your yard.

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April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Above: The enormous false indigo, and blooming phlox underneath are planted in the Missouri Natives Bed. Below: A mason bee house welcomes important pollinators to the Perennial Bed. Both located at the Blue Springs Community Garden.

Hundreds of Hostas Shades of green and a variety of textures— from feathery grasses to hardy magnolias to the delicate leaves of Japanese maples—permeate this well-kept and manicured garden. The grass is lush and vibrant, and flower beds like verdant islands rise up from the lawn with tulips, Asian lilies, tree lilies, hibiscus, and various other healthy and happy perennials.

While the garden may seem organized and happily balanced today, this process was a labor of love as well as hard work. The owners had originally purchased the lot with unhealthily overgrown trees that had not been pruned nor cared for in some time. Thoughtful pruning and management of the trees allowed more sun to filter into the garden, and flower beds were created wherever trees were removed. Still a woodland, the garden is now also a healthy and colorful peaceful retreat.

In addition to the plants, this garden treats the viewer with artistic installments, including water fountains, wind sculptures, and decorative stone features, all rising from the depths of the thriving, prolific greenery surrounding them.

This garden draws in leisurely strollers with soft paths of lawn inviting exploration beneath the trees and borders overflowing with hundreds of hostas, five varieties of redbuds, prolific hydrangeas, ninebark, and caladiums.

The advice owners offer to home gardeners hoping to create their own shady paradises?

Bring in several truckloads of compost each year!

Spring Has Sprung 27610 E Wyatt Rd. Blue Springs, MO 816.229.1277 colonialgardenskc.com 'an expreience to inspire'

The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

29

Up Close

with Cara Mullen

WALDO GREENHOUSE co-owner and operator

THERE ARE GREEN INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS DEDICATED TO THEIR CRAFT, MADE OBVIOUS BY THEIR CAREER CHOICE. WE ARE CURIOUS ABOUT THE INFLUENCES TOWARD THEIR CAREER, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERESTING ASPECTS OF THEIR LIFE. Company: Waldo Greenhouse and Flower Garden Transformations (woman-owned landscaping company) Owners: Cara Mullen (featured here) and Craig Fischman Products/Services: Greenhouse inventory includes house plants and tropicals, annual bedding plants, trees, shrubs, vegetables (plants and fresh Amish produce), and herbs.

More than 75 percent of our plants come from farmers and growers within 250 miles of our greenhouse. We also stock soil, compost, mulch, pest control and fertilizers, pottery and other accessories like gloves and spades. Christmas is a festive time around here with trees, Christmas Cactus, décor, handmade wreaths, German wassail, cookies, and finding Snoopy for a chocolate bomb. We’ll help plant containers for you, or teach you if you’d like.

Also, we offer Landscape Design using pictures of your own house.

Staff: Waldo Greenhouse employees four full-time employees. Cody Noyes, who is an expert with seeds and growing seeds up. He has been with us since we opened. Nick Smith is graduating soon with a degree in horticulture. He has also been with us since we opened. Both guys have a little competition going on with their tomato plants. Both help with landscaping. We have a few part time workers. Ex-marine Louise Kendrick knows her plants!

Libby Moore a school teacher and loves to design. Meg Holcolmb, a single mother, knows her plants and is a blast to be around.

Background: Cara’s ancestors and grandparents were farmers in the Kingman, Kansas area since the 1862 Homestead Act. She was blessed with a green thumb, love for plants, and nature. Yep, for 30

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

some, it does come naturally. She attended Kansas State University then Indiana University, and graduated with a degree in Biology then received certifications in Medical Laboratory and Cytogenetics. She ended up at Indiana University due to her husband at the time being in the military. From Indiana, Texas, Kentucky, Arizona, and Germany, she always made her house a home by building flower gardens.

Cara worked for several years in various careers as a medical technologist, cytogenetic technologist, surgical pathology and morgue coordinator, ethanol plant manager, and ethanol plant consultant.

All while raising three children as a single mother and assisting them with college. She also has gone to Haiti twice to help with their sustainability with a non profit group.

In 2016 she obtained a certification in horticulture and opened a woman-owned landscaping company.

In 2019 Craig and Cara purchased the greenhouse business from Angelo Casa.

Of strong interest: We are working to offer more native plants, include them as much as possible in our landscape designs, and teach the importance of biodiversity. Native plants are usually non invasive, plus natives are easier to grow and less expensive to care for–easy on the gardener and the gardener’s budget. And of course, birds, butterflies, and pollinators need native plants. For example, did you know that pollinators facilitate the reproduction in 90 percent of the world’s flowering plants?

When the work is done: Cara’s favorite outdoor activity is squeezing in more landscaping plants at home. Home looks like Disney exploded with flowers. She has also taken over the neighbors’ yards.

Spare time she spends with her family, that includes two adorable grandsons, as well as two rescue dogs that will likely greet you at the greenhouse when you visit.

What’s trending: During the pandemic, there has been a growing realization of the need for horticulture therapy and the happiness plants bring to people. More people work from home and want to relax in a beautiful space. Maybe it’s the need for house plants to soften the background of a room where zoom meetings occur. Perhaps it is time to turn the dream of having a patio herb garden come into fruition.

Also people are interested in gardening with their kids and growing their own food. Clean food! We do not use fertilizers or chemicals on our vegetables, herbs, or fruit trees.

If I wouldn’t feed it to my grandsons, then I wouldn’t feed it to your family.

What every gardener and homeowner should know: Please don’t hire landscapers who are not de-

greed or do not have several years of experience. So many times, people go with cheap and that’s what they will get. After a few times replacing everything that has died you might as well have hired a professional. Landscaping isn’t just throwing a plant in a hole. Different plants have different requirements when it comes to sun, soil, and water.

Little-known secret: Epson salt is a great fertilizer to soak your plants in. Especially ferns. About two tablespoons a gallon once a week.

Contact information: Located at 436 W. 85th Street, Kansas City, MO 64114; ph 816-444-7661. Beginning April 1st, our hours of operation will be 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Email us at waldogreenhousekc@ gmail.com.

Waldo Greenhouse | Facebook www.waldogreenhouse.com Flower Garden Transformations | Facebook We are also on TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

TREES WORK

health for your

Feeling tired?

Spending just 20 minutes outside can give your brain an energy boost comparable to a cup of coffee.

Spending time in nature, conservation areas, woods, backyards, and urban parks may ease stress levels.

Getting away from busy schedules allows people to connect with nature and themselves in a way that brings calm and a sense of well-being.

Taking a nature walk may increase attention spans and creative problem-solving skills by as much as 50 percent.

Exposure to nature contributes to physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

Get healthy in nature this year. Visit mdc.mo.gov/places-go or download the free MO Outdoors app for ideas on where to go near you.

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Android

The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

31

Miami County Farm Tour May 8-9 Come see people and products at local farms

Five Mile Farm New Lancaster General Store

M

iami County farms will welcome visitors from across the region May 8-9 for a fun look at rural life in Eastern Kansas.

The event offers an inside look at farm life with interactive educational opportunities set within the region’s natural beauty. The tour is free and consists of about a dozen farm stops, including three additions.

Five Mile Farms: This familyrun operation is passionate about regenerative farming. Visitors will get an educational look at their pastures and soil fields while getting a taste of their nutritional and delicious beef and poultry.

Madd House Hill: The Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats the live at Madd House provide the milk that is turned into lotions, soaps and other goods. Visitors can meet and play with the goats while learning about the care needed to keep them happy and healthy.

Sweet Streams Lavender Company: The family behind Sweet Streams is dedicated to creating organic, high quality lavender products. Visitors will enjoy the serene surroundings of the lavender fields while getting an informational look into the growing, harvesting and processing of the lavender.

The farm tour offers families an opportunity to spend time outdoors enjoying the more rural aspects of Miami County. Each site offers educational activities. Animals range from alpacas to Hereford cattle and 32

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

bison. Most stops offer picnic and rest area amenities. Those on the lookout for the perfect photo should keep an eye out for selfie stations.

Each stop is committed to following local health protocols. As a result, a farm may be unexpectedly closed for the weekend. Each farm will have cleaning and safety supplies on hand.

New to the tour this year is a digital scavenger hunt. Registration is free. Participants should look for the QR Code at each location or find it on the tour website, www.MiCoFarmTour.com. As visitors explore the farms. they will be asked to solve a clue leading them to identify something special at each location. By snapping a picture and uploading it to the app, families can enter for door prizes at each site.

Weather plays a big role in the weekend, so visitors are encouraged to watch the forecast. Warmer weather may limit the activity level of some animals, so visitors may want to schedule those stops earlier in the day. Bees and other flying insects are important to nature’s cycle. Many of the farms intentionally feature plants that encourage pollination. Visitors with allergies are encouraged to be prepared.

Several stops will have products for sale that may require refrigeration, so participants are encouraged to bring a cooler. Products include cheese, pecans, fresh vegetables, honey, wine and blackberries. Not

Whispering Elm Farm bee hive

Timber View Farm all locations accept credit cards, so visitors may want to carry cash if they plan on making any purchases.

This self-guided tour celebrates the county-s diversity and highlights local farm products found on the back roads of Miami County.

Watch for directional signs the day of the tour and visit as many of the tour stops as you like. Parking areas will be designated at each stop.

While parking is available at each site, please be aware that weather and terrain may create some physi-

cal challenges.

Although this event is child friendly, each site is a working farm. Visitors are asked to encourage respect for the farm’s operations, plants and animals. Please leave pets at home.

For more information about the farm tour or to receive a map of the sites please call 913-294-4045. The tour’s website, www.MiCoFarmTour.com features a map of the sites and information about their location.

Koi Pond and Water Feature Designs

Are you our next great employee?

The difference between Wild Birds Unlimited and other retailers goes far beyond what we sell.

It’s who we are. Enthusiasm, professionalism, informed advice and superior customer service are the hallmarks of our staff.

We are seeking a Sales Associate with great retail and service skills.

Working at your locally-owned Wild Birds Unlimited store is an opportunity to support and educate our friendly customers about birds and nature.

New Installations, Remodels Upgrades, Repairs and Maintenance Services Wendy Hix • 913.481.5416 Tate Foster • 913.406.6804 www.hixandsonaquatics.com

Planters Seed Co. • Since 1927 •

Our Sales Associates work with other staff, including the owner, to bring to life the store’s mission – “We Bring People and Nature Together®…And We Do It With Excellence!” To that end, we provide training with regard to backyard bird feeding, bird watching and product knowledge.

Requirements: • Previous retail experience preferred, but not required.

• Ability to lift and carry seed for our customers – a foundation of our service!

• Will consider both full-time and part-time applications that meet the needs of the business, but a flexible schedule and the ability to work weekends are required.

Our goal is to provide quality products, service, expertise and a high energy shopping experience. Help customers bring nature into their own backyards and lives. Come join our team!

Call us at 913-491-4887 or email us at wbuleawood@att.net for an application.

Retail • Wholesale Lawn • Garden • Farm 513 Walnut, KCMO • 816-842-3651

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11711 Roe Avenue (NE corner 119th and Roe) • 913-491-4887 Store Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm; Sat 9am-5pm; Sun noon-4pm

2021 Wyandotte County Extension Master Gardeners

Online Plant Sale Friday, April 30th 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 1st 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Vegetable Plants – tomatoes, peppers, herbs and more – and Perennial and Native Flowers grown by our Extension Master Gardeners for this sale.

The online sales catalogue will be posted a week before the sale begins. Shopping begins the day of the sale. Visit Extension Website: www.wyandotte.k-state.edu for a link to the catalogue, and further information. Secure payment online by credit or debit card at the time of placing your order.

Order pick-up by appointment during sales hours at the parking lot outside the Extension Office Wildcat Room, 1200 N. 79th St, Kansas City, KS. Extension Master Gardeners will be wearing masks and practicing social distancing to protect everyone from the spread of Covid-19.

Wyandotte County K-State Research & Extension Office 1216 N 79th Street Kansas City KS 66112 913-299-9300 https://www.wyandotte.k-state.edu Find us on Facebook: Wyandotte County Master Gardeners

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Kansas State University is committed to making its services, activities, and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision or hearing disability, contact Lynn Loughary, Horticulture Extension Agent, 913-299-9300, ext. 104.

The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

33

Beauty, Unjustly Condemned Discontent with Branding of Purple Loosestrife

By Charles Hammer

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April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Photos courtesy of Charles Hammer.

I

t is beautiful. It’s the Marilyn Monroe, the Princess Diana, the Beyonce of wildflowers—and so easy to cultivate. I speak of the lovely waterside Purple Loosestrife, lythrum salicaria, which can grow five feet tall and adorns itself with yard-long spires of color.

You may have seen this perennial in public television shows about English castles or near lakeside mansions in those productions of Jane Austen classics like “Pride and Prejudice.”

But Purple Loosestrife is condemned in my home state, Kansas—illegal to sell or even plant here since 2002. Condemned as well in most of the United States as a “Beautiful Killer,” and one of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s list of 100 World’s Worst Invasive Species.

I disagree with this death sentence on a great wildflower. That is because I know what I’ve seen in my long life as a gardener. I am 86 years old. Fifty-four years ago I planted two cultivated varieties, lythrum Morden’s Gleam and Morden’s Pink, on shorelines of two lakes at my Kansas homes association.

All these years later, with virtually no effort made to suppress the plant, lythrum brings June-September color to less than 5 percent of our shorelines. Purple Loosestrife seldom survives dry summers away from the lakes here without artificial watering. So during bloom season I have followed the creek below our lakes down toward the Kansas river searching for seedstarted plants and found not one.

It is said by some that these two fancy varieties do not set seed like wild Loosestrife, and—quite the contrary by others—that planting fancy varieties is no protection against rampant intercrossing between the types and huge seed production. I will let the two viewpoints argue those opposing views between themselves.

I concede that the loosestrife may be a problem in bogs of Canada and the Great Lakes region—not that I have seen it. But killing off

Shimmering reflections of Purple Loosestrife and the real thing paint a waterside composition on the pond near my Kansas home. this plant in the lower Midwest will do nothing to solve the problem on northern bogs.

I have a dozen times navigated Missouri spring-fed rivers in a canoe, for 20 years annually hiked the Flint Hills prairies of Kansas, traveled widely by car through the Midwest. Never have I seen a place where lythrum has become a plague. A young Kansas state official told me the absence of such problems results from their state control efforts starting in 2002 (a few years after he was born, I suspect). Nonsense. I saw no problem in the previous century and see none now. I speak with the common sense of long experience.

This is supported by a scientific paper in the journal Biological Invasions researched by biologist Dr. Claude Lavoie, department head of the Graduate School of Regional Planning and Development at Laval University in Canada. He said the statement that Purple Loosestrife “has large negative impacts on wetlands is probably exaggerated.”

“Unfortunately, nobody took time to investigate those wetlands before initiating a coast-to-coast

campaign against Purple Loosestrife…” Dr. Lavoie wrote. “Studies on St. Lawrence River wetlands may have delayed control programs by some years, but where was the emergency considering that the plant had already been present in North America for 150 years? Such studies would have probably indicated that the situation was much less problematic than suspected.”

He said the most common accusation that purple loosestrife crowds out native plants and forms a monoculture “is controversial and has not been observed in nature (with maybe one exception).” He said there is evidence that lythrum may help control two far more invasive plants, flowering rush and reed canary grass.

Lavoie finds no evidence that Purple Loosestrife “kills wetlands or creates biological deserts,” and “there are no published studies [in peer-reviewed journals] demonstrating that purple loosestrife has an impact on waterfowl or fishes.”

It does happen to be a source of nectar and pollen for bees.

Meanwhile, he wrote, the press has painted an exaggerated story of Purple Loosestrife causing severe

habitat decline. Lavoie reviewed 902 articles about the plant from 1982 through 2008. Common descriptions of the plant were Invader, Menace, Plague, Killer, and Scourge. Lavoie blames the public misperception largely on a few researchers who have emphasized the negative impacts of Purple-Loosestrife without solid scientific support.

Because Purple Loosestrife is among those 100 Worst Species, I couldn’t resist searching that list for lonicera maackii, Asian Amur bush honeysuckle. This monster shrub leafs out early in spring and sheds its leaves late in fall, thus shading out all competition. It’s widespread across America and terrible along woodland trails in Johnson County near my home. It forms dense hedges 15 feet high that crowd out native plants like redbud, grey dogwood, American buckeye and pawpaw. It is the Big Bad Wolf set against lythrum’s Red Riding Hood. Yet, though it’s discouraged in most of America, bush honeysuckle didn’t make that list of 100 evil species.

It is ironic that state wildlife agencies often include in their websites photos showing many dead-level acres of stunning Purple Loosestrife in full bloom, thus proving—they think—what a ravenous beast this plant is. And, I think, what homeowner living beside such a spectacle would not prefer this radiant color to the bleak brown bog it conceals?

Which comes around to a point: after you kill out the invader— whether loosestrife or bush honeysuckle—how do you fill that spot?

With native plants, the authorities tell us. So my homes association spent $700 buying a huge assortment of two-inch plant plugs featuring native wildflowers and sedges. Our volunteer gardeners found plenty of room between existing vegetation and planted them.

The following year I saw some spikes of Cardinal Flower, lobelia cardinalis—lovely if frail. One year later that whole contingent of plants simply failed to reappear.

Safe Digging starts with

Imported from Europe 150 years ago, Purple Loosestrife flowers among limestone rip-rap bracing the dam of the lake where I live.

That’s no argument against native plants. They are wonderful put in at the right place at the right time.

As is lythrum salicaria. In Kansas we cannot move it legally from one place to another.

But where I planted it in 1966— and with a little spread—Purple

Loosestrife soldiers on, more beautiful every year.

An avid old guy gardener, Charles Hammer is somewhat cross that a gloriously beautiful plant has been condemned. Mr. Hammer is a long-ago KC Star reporter, still writing a monthly column for Star 913.

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Popular Johnson County Extension Master Gardener Tour Returns

Five private gardens will be opened to the public during the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension Master Gardener Public Tour, May 21 and 22. Kansas City’s premier garden tour is an opportunity to get up close and view some of the most beautiful private gardens in Kansas City.

The tour was originally scheduled for 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each garden is owned and maintained by an Extension Master Gardener.

The gardens are selected for their individual qualities and personalities with something for everyone.

This tour is popular because the owners are passionate about gardening and have transformed suburban lots into their own personal oasis. The garden owners and Extension Master Gardener volunteers will be on hand to answer questions. Visitors receive information about the garden’s development, along with educational tips to take home and incorporate into their own landscapes. Photography is encouraged.

Tour tickets for this springtime, rain-or-shine event are $20. Tickets are available through Johnson County Extension beginning April 1. Check the website for additional outlets for purchasing tickets. Learn more and take a virtual tour at www.johnson.k-state.edu or call (913) 715-7000.

Water Garden Society 2021 Tour The 28th annual Greater KC Water Garden Society tour will have a new and improved look for the 2021 summer season. In gardening terms, we have hybridized and divided the July weekend-only tour, we are distributing an inoculation of blooming happiness on six different Saturdays.

Our “Puddle Jumping Water Garden Tour” will span most of the summer spotlighting locations around the entire metro area including Lawrence, Kansas.

A season pass for the six tours is $20 and single tours are available for $5 and are available now on Eventbrite. Garden centers across the area will also have season pass tickets and tour books available June 1st.

While being socially responsible, a summer of tours would be a wonderful gift idea for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Another new feature for this summer is the inclusion of one builder-sponsored night party at each of the six tours. A water garden takes on a different ambience with lighting, music, and those magnificent night-blooming tropical lilies. If you are considering having a water feature in your own yard, you won’t want to miss these opportunities to meet and see different styles of water gardens and get your questions answered.

The 2021 KC Water Garden Society season of tours are the following Saturdays: Tour #1, J une 26, South KC, Cass County, MO., and Southern Jackson County, MO. Tour #2, July 10, Central KC, and Northern Jackson County, MO. Tour #3, July 24, Central Johnson County, KS. Tour #4, Southern Johnson County, KS. Tour #5, August 21, Lawrence, Kansas Tour #6, September 11, Missouri & Kansas North of the River.

Each tour will feature six to ten water gardens in a relatively small geographic area. These six tours give you plenty of time to visit beautiful water gardens in geographic proximity, reducing drive times and maximizing your pleasure. Plan now to attend the Puddle Jumping Water Garden Tour!

36

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Garden Events

Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City Speakers Bureau is ready for 2021!

Master Gardener volunteers bring science to gardeners in the metropolitan Kansas City area through fun, engaging talks based on research-based gardening information. The Speakers Bureau offers a wide variety of topics to garden clubs, plant societies, adult education programs and community groups. Check out available topics and contact information at website: www.mggkc.org/.

It’s All About the Soil and Compost Apr 6, 6:30pm; Virtual session via Zoom.

Johnson County Extension class presented by Nancy Chapman, Johnson County Extension Master Gardener. Soil is the building block of life. Gardeners can often overlook the importance of improving and maintaining fertile soils for growth. In this class, learn how to create, build and maintain a healthy soil profile and the vital role compost plays in your garden. Register at www.johnson.ksu.edu/classes-events or 913-715-7000. Registration required to receive the link. Cost is $5.00 per person.

TreeKeepers Apr 6-22, 9-11am; Heartland Tree Alliance is offering an online learning opportunity six consecutive Tuesdays and Thursdays with one hands-on workday, Tues Apr 20, 9am-noon. Great course for anyone wanting to learn more about shade and ornamental trees. Learn about soils, biology, selection, pruning, ID, and planting.

Classroom and hands-on learning taught by various local experts. Must register in advance to obtain zoom information, $50 fee. https://tinyurl.com/TKMO21 or call Sarah 816-561-1086.

Thyme for Kids Plant Sale Apr 14-29; Online at cornerstonesofcare. org/plantsale. Shop our online sale to stock up on plants, flowers and herbs for your home or workspace. Orders can be picked up for free or delivered directly to you. Your purchase supports our Build Trybe program, a vocational and life skills program that empowers youth with employable skills in the culinary, building trades, horticulture and landscaping fields.

Dates/times of no-contact pick up and nocontact delivery are assigned once orders are placed. Free no-contact pick up available Sat Apr 24, Sun Apr 25, Sat May 1 and Sun May 2, at Cornerstones of Care– Ozanam Campus’ Sims Greenhouse, 421 E 137th St, Kansas City, MO. No-contact delivery also available for a $20 donation Tues Apr 27, Wed Apr 28, Tues May 4 and Wed May 5. For more information about the Plant Sale, delivery or pick up, contact Stefanie at stefanie.caravella@cornerstonesofcare.org.

High Style Container Gardens Apr 21, 6:30pm; Virtual session via Zoom.

Johnson County Extension class, presented by Karen Lyman, Johnson County Extension Master Gardener. Container gardens are some of the most versatile plantings. They brighten up an entryway or bring into focus areas of interest in the landscape. Karen is a professional designer and will walk you through the steps to

ensure your containers this year have flare and style. Register at www.johnson.ksu. edu/classes-events or 913-715-7000. Registration required to receive the link. Cost is $5.00 per person.

Wyandotte County EMG Online Plant Sale Apr 30, 9am-5pm and May 1, 9am-2pm.

Vegetable Plants: tomatoes, peppers, herbs and more, and Perennial and Native Flowers grown by our Extension Master Gardeners for this sale. The online sales catalogue will be posted a week before the sale begins. Shopping begins the day of the sale. The link to the catalogue, and further information, will be on our Extension Website: www.wyandotte.k-state. edu. Secure payment online by credit or debit card at the time of placing your order. Order pick-up by appointment during sales hours at the parking lot outside the Extension Office Wildcat Room, 1200 N 79th St, Kansas City KS. Extension Master Gardeners will be wearing masks and practicing social distancing to protect everyone from the spread of Covid-19.

Fabulous Foliage May 4, 6:30pm; Virtual session via Zoom.

Johnson County Extension class presented

by Merle Sharpe, Johnson County Extension Master Gardener. Flowers are usually thought of as the stars of the show in our gardens. But flowers come and go. It is the foliage that is the workhorse throughout the season. Plants with distinct foliage deserve more attention in our landscape.

This class will open your eyes to the wonderful world of fabulous foliage to complete the look in your garden. Register at www.johnson.ksu.edu/classes-events or 913-715-7000. Registration required to receive the link. Cost is $5.00 per person.

Paola Plant Sale May 6-8, 9am-5pm; NEW LOCATION: 913 N Pearl, Paola, KS 66071. The sale will be held in the parking lot of the new Extension Offices. Native Plants/Trees.

Butterfly Host Plants. Pollinator Plants.

Annuals. Perennials. Tropicals. Succulents. Veggies. Hanging Baskets. Combination Planters. Sponsored by K-State Master Gardeners Marais des Cygnes District. COVID protocols observed.

Heartland Hosta & Shade Plant Society Sale May 22; Location TBD. Details to come.

Kansas City Rose Society Rose Show and Rose Day Jun 5-6. Activities will be based on the current status of COVID regulations. For updated information, check website www. kansascityrosesociety.org.

Promote plant sales, club meetings, classes, and other gardening events for FREE! Send details to: elizabeth@kcgmag.com.

Deadline for publishing in the May issue is April 5.

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The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

37

GARDEN CALENDAR April list of what to do in the garden.

Lawn

• Repair mowers before the season begins.

• Check and sharpen mower blade.

• Mow bluegrass and tall fescue at 3”.

• Mow based on the growth rate, removing no more than one third of the leaf blade.

• Let grass clippings fall, no need to catch.

• Sweep or blow clippings back onto the lawn.

• Sweep or blow fertilizer and herbicide pellets back onto the lawn.

• Apply crabgrass preventers by mid-April for best results.

• Delay fertilizing zoysia until mid to late May. • Withhold watering unless vital to increase summer heat and drought resistance.

Vegetables and Fruits

• Fertilize soil and add organic matter for good growth.

• Plant carrots, onions and beets over salad crops.

• Thin after germination to promote good growth.

• Harvest asparagus until spear size decreases, about six to eight weeks.

• Harvest rhubarb leaves by pulling. Remove seed stalks from rhubarb.

• Prune fruit trees if not already done.

• Remove winter mulch from strawberry bed.

• Prune raspberry and blackberry plantings.

• Plant asparagus and rhubarb.

• Spray fruit trees on a regular basis for insect and disease-free fruit.

• Avoid spraying insecticides during bloom time to protect honeybees.

• Cultivate soil to control weed growth.

• Turn compost pile regularly to hasten the breakdown.

Trees and Shrubs

• Prune spring flowering shrubs after bloom to stimulate new growth.

• Prune deciduous trees now for quick healing.

• Never top a tree as part of a pruning program.

• Plant new trees and shrubs.

• Apply mulch around young trees and shrubs to conserve moisture and control weeds.

• Water newly planted trees and shrubs regularly.

• Fertilize young trees to promote growth.

• Check pine trees for needle diseases and control if needed.

Flowers

• Remove winter mulch from the perennial garden.

• Cut back last year’s growth from perennials.

• Divide any overgrown perennials.

• Remove mulch layers from roses.

• Prune roses.

• Plant new rose bushes.

• Fertilize roses to promote strong growth and good flowers.

• Fertilize spring flower bulbs before flowering.

• Remove seed heads from spring flowering bulbs.

• Leave foliage on bulbs until it dies back naturally.

• Plant annuals from transplants or seed.

• Make notes of areas for planting of bulbs in fall.

• Improve the garden soil by adding organic matter such as compost or peat moss.

• Clean up ground covers by raking or mowing over the tops at highest setting.

MY GARDEN (Use this space to list additional tasks to accomplish in your garden.)

• • • •

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension recommends environmentally-friendly gardening practices. This starts by identifying and monitoring problems. Cultural practices and controls are the best approach for a healthy garden. If needed, use physical, biological or chemical controls. Always consider the least toxic approach first. Dennis Patton is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.

38

April 2021 | kcgmag.com

Rose Report

I

t is the first week of March when writing this article, and our temperatures are in the 60s and 70s, when only two weeks earlier we had snow with arctic temperatures in the single digits.

Spring in the Kansas City area is when rose gardeners need to pay careful attention to the weather and fight the urge to push the roses with fertilizer. The sap typically starts to rise in the canes late February and early March and often gardeners mistake that as the time to prune.

Please have a bit more patience even if the weather is nice, wait until the signature yellow of forsythia in bloom. This is nature’s way of letting us know rose pruning time is here in the Midwest.

Even after the forsythia blooms,

large swings in temperatures can still occur and cause damage to the roses. When it comes to uncovering your roses, it is wise to keep the mulch in the rose beds, in the event that we have a late freeze. This allows you to quickly cover up your roses in a hurry if needed.

When the rose leaves start to emerge in April, it is time to start spraying with a fungicide. Prevention is key to controlling the spread of blackspot and spraying every 1014 days (depending on the product) is necessary during the growing season. Please remember when using fungicides and insecticides, to always read the label and don’t depend on memory from year to year.

It is best to read and refresh yourself on the instructions and safety

JUDY PENNER Expert Rosarian

warnings on the label.

Many people do not want to use chemicals in the garden and if you decide this course, a few guidelines can help you in this journey.

Carefully selecting roses that are disease resistant will reduce the need for spraying.

Physically removing weeds, diseased leaves and canes from the rose beds will reduce disease spore production.

Properly pruning the rose bush by opening up the center of the bush for good air circulation, will help reduce the environment that most diseases desire.

Proper watering applying 1 inch per week and making sure the leaves have time to dry off before nightfall.

Judy Penner is an ARS Consulting Rosarian and Director at Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri. You may reach her at judyssecretgardens@gmail.com.

Hotlines for Gardeners Extension Master Gardeners are ready to answer your gardening questions.

CASS COUNTY

816-380-8494; Wed, 9am-noon

DOUGLAS COUNTY

785-843-7058; dgcogardenhotline@gmail.com; Mon, Wed, Fri, 1-4pm

GREATER KANSAS CITY MISSOURI AREA

816-833-8733 (TREE); Mon-Fri, 9am-noon; mggkc.hotline@gmail.com

JOHNSON COUNTY, KS

913-715-7050; Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm; garden.help@jocogov.org

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ui de to Su A Mon thly cc es Guid e to Suc October 2014 sf ul cess ful Gard Garde ning G ar de enin g to Succe ssful August 2015 ni ng A Mont hly Guide

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E-mail: Where did you pick up The Kansas City Gardener?

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913-299-9300; Mon, Wed, Fri, 9am-4pm

QUESTIONS ABOUT ROSES?

Ask a Rosarian; kcrosehelp@gmail.com; www.kansascityrosesociety.org

nd the Wate Butterflies and Bee s Love These rlilies s nt Pla Spooky

July

2015

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for the Octobe

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Name: Address:

660-747-3193; Wed, 9am-noon

GAR G A RENEDREN E R N D E D R GA ER Beyo The K T ty K an sa Cihe s C it y a n s a s C Th e Ka ns as ity A M on th ly G

JOHNSON COUNTY, MO

913-294-4306; Thurs, 8am-noon

That being said, all roses get blackspot in our area. But by removing infected leaves or canes and dead or damaged canes throughout the year, it will help reduce disease issues.

On a side note, last fall I cut back the roses to 2 1/2 feet, cleaned up all the dead wood and removed all the leaves from the roses canes.

My friend Charlie Anctil always did this in his garden and had great success. It always seemed an overwhelming task with 3,000 roses to maintain, but last year I tried it and found it beneficial by reducing the amount of pruning and clean up needed during this busy spring season.

Remember to Stop and Smell the Roses!

City, State, Zip:

Please enclose your check payable to The Kansas City Gardener and mail with this form to: P.O. Box 8725, Prairie Village, KS 66208 The Kansas City Gardener is published monthly Jan. through Dec.

The Kansas City Gardener | April 2021

39

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