KCG Jan21

The Kansas City

GARDENER January 2021 | kcgmag.com

All-America Selections Announces 2021 Winners

editor’s notes

The Kansas City

GARDENER Independently owned and operated since 1996

Dreaming and birding

PUBLISHER Michael Cavanaugh EDITOR Elizabeth Cavanaugh CONTRIBUTORS Nik and Theresa Hiremath Stephanie Parker Dennis Patton Tamra Reall Phil Roudebush 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 at 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 at mike@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728

J

anuary is that winter month we welcome. The holidays are a distant memory, house décor is back to normal, and the calendar is completely open. Finally, some down time! Now we can get to those seed catalogs that have been piling up, locate that new garden journal, and start dreaming of another growing season.

In my garden journal, there are pages for practical gardening where I outline with dates reminders of chores to be done and when, as well as new plants I would like to incorporate. Like adding hellebores, ferns and other woodland plants to the shadier part of the landscape.

Then there are pages for wishful gardening where I explore options if money was unlimited. Like water features, outdoor living areas, and replacing the backyard fence.

Another few pages are permitted for simple wild abandon. This is the dreamy uninhibited space. For example, what would gardening be like if we lived on the Kansas plains with lots of acreage. Or how about container gardening on the balcony of a condo. I have many dreams, too many to list here.

Back to reality and needing a break from paper and pencil, I turn my attention outdoors. With a warm cup of tea, I wander from window to window, counting the

EDITORIAL Elizabeth Cavanaugh elizabeth@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728

WEBSITE kcgmag.com

Participating is easy, fun to do alone, or with others, and can be done anywhere you find birds. This is a terrific outdoor family occasion. Why not create a neighborhood project, socially distanced of course. To learn how to participate in this free event, visit the website (www.birdcount.org) for details.

In the meantime, enjoy the down time, whatever that is for you. Savor the solitude it offers, and allow room for the joy that lies within.

I’ll see you in the garden!

In this issue

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE See details on page 19.

SUBSCRIPTION Elizabeth Cavanaugh elizabeth@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728

bird varieties that visit and observing their activity. While Robins feed on fruit from the crabapple trees, Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Sparrows, Finches and Carolina Wrens take turns at the feeders. And the Flickers, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers devour the suet. The diverse collection is always entertaining. The leafless trees allow high visibility making all of them easy to see. Naturally, I have strategically placed feeders and access to water to bring the birds “up close and personal.” I can almost touch them.

On the calendar for next month is the Great Backyard Bird Count, February 12-15, 2021. Each year people from around the world come together to watch, learn about, count, and celebrate birds.

Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) was the first online citizen science project, also referred to as community science, to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real time.

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

4 6 8 9 10 12

Ask the Experts Kids Ask Dr. Bug Plants on Your Plate – Citrus UP CLOSE All-America Selections 2021 Carolina Wren

13 Plant Profile: Caladium 14 Wetland Container Gardening 16 Popular Landscape Trends in 2020 17 Paola Spring Plant Sale 18 Garden Calendar 19 Subscribe

About the cover: Zinnia Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor (photo courtesy of All-America Selections), floriferous during summer months and compact in form, wins the coveted AAS Gold Medal. Learn about all the 2021 winners beginning on page 10.

2

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

Feed your passion.

Osmocote® Smart-Release® Plant Food Outdoor & Indoor.

Your partner in a beautiful world. It’s fortified with 11 essential nutrients to feed plants continuously and consistently for up to six full months When perfection matters, why trust anything else? © 2021, The Scotts Company, LLC. All rights reserved

The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

3

Ask the Experts LEAF GALLS NO CONSEQUENCE TO COMPOST Question: I compost my leaves in the fall. I noticed my oak leaves this year were loaded with galls, the little bumps on the leaves.

Is it okay to compost leaves having galls? Will the insects survive the composting process and make matters worse next year?

Answer: Composting fall leaves is an excelling way to dispose of nature’s bounty. We know the value of adding compost to our heavy clay soils. Don’t worry, as the galls on the leaves will not cause any issues. By the time the leaves drop, there are no insects left in the galls. Leaf galls are created in the spring when a wasp-like insect stings the leaf, injecting a growth hormone that forms the gall. The insect usually lays an egg inside the gall. It hatches and the insect either drops to the soil to finish its life cycle or emerges as an adult to overwinter. Basically, the gall structure is empty by fall. Fun fact – there are many different sizes and shapes of galls and each is caused by a different insect. Leaf galls cause no harm to the tree nor your compost pile.

WHITEFLIES, ANNOYING AND HARD TO CONTROL Question: Help! I brought whiteflies into my home with several plants. How do I get rid of these little pests? They seem to really like my tropical hibiscus.

Answer: Whiteflies are a pain in the backside. They were abundant in the garden this past fall. I don’t ever remember getting as many questions in past years on them. They rarely cause harm and control is not warranted outdoors.

Indoors is another story, as they can be a mess. They are sucking insects and excrete a sticky substance referred to as honeydew. Honeydew can result in a discoloration of the leaf and creates a mess on the floors around the plant.

Control is difficult. Insecticidal

Oak gall leaves

Finished compost

Septoria leaf spot

soaps or neem oil can be used to reduce the number of whiteflies. It is best to stay on top of the population as once they build up, eliminating them may be next to impossible.

Read and follow labeled instructions for use. Hey, if this does not work, try the vacuum and suck those pesky pests right out of the air!

for good growth. Remember, this part of the country is often called the “bread basket of the world.”

start to yellow, die off from the bottom up and by late summer there is just not enough healthy foliage to support the plant.

Answer: Septoria Leaf Spot is the number one problem we see on tomatoes. If it makes you feel better, you are not alone. This fungal disease overwinters on plant debris and blows or splashes onto transplants starting the cycle again. This makes prevention and control difficult. Reducing damage begins with cultural practices.

Thoroughly clean up plant debris in the fall to reduce overwintering spores. During the growing season, keep the foliage dry as moisture on the leaf allows the spores to germinate and affect the plant. Other tips are to increase the spacing between plants. Plant in an area with good air movement.

Cage, mulch and remove a few of the suckers creating a less dense plant and improving airflow.

The best practice might be to remove the lower leaves. As the transplant grows, pinch off leaves and suckers up to the first cluster of flowers. Raising the canopy a foot or so slows spores movement from the soil splashing onto the leaves.

The disease starts at the base and works up the plant. Take steps to prevent it from affecting the lower leaves early in the season and slowing its development. Unfortunately, controlling humidity and rainfall is out of our hands, resulting in higher disease pressure like last year.

When all else fails, fungicide treatments are necessary.

HOW MUCH COMPOST TO ADD WHEN AMENDING CLAY SOIL Question: I understand that adding compost is the best solution for battling our clay soils. My question is how much compost should I add? Rarely does the information tell me how much.

Answer: Great question that I receive frequently. This is my take – add as much as you can afford.

There are billions and billions of microscopic clay particles in the soil that like to stick together. This makes them heavy, poorly drained and overall just a pain to garden.

Changing how these particles bond together is difficult. Organic matter, such as compost, has been shown to break the bond, improving the soil structure for gardening.

My recommendation is to incorporate three to four inches of quality organic matter six to eight inches deep. This amount will make a noticeable change. The downside is every time you till the soil, you lose some of the compost’s power. Thus, additional applications will need to be made to keep up the organic content. Here is the good news about clay. While it may be hard to till, it retains most nutrients needed

DENNIS PATTON Horticulture Agent 4

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

TIPS TO OVERWINTER ROSEMARY PLANT Question: I am attempting to overwinter my rosemary plant.

Just a month into winter and it seems to be a losing battle. I have it in the brightest window, but it still seems to be losing leaves.

What can I do to help it thrive?

Answer: My gut is telling me you are not doing anything wrong.

Rosemary is a full-sun plant and in most homes, even a brightly lit south or west window does not provide enough light to match that of the outdoors. The result of low light is leaf drop and poor or spindly growth. Your goal is to keep the plant alive to move it back outdoors come spring.

Here are some tips. Provide as much sunlight as possible. Place it close to the window and pull back curtains. Consider adding supplemental lighting. Keep the light close to the plant, six to eight inches, and maybe leave it on 24/7.

Keep the plant out of hot and cold drafts. Reduce watering, keeping it on the dry side and do not fertilize.

Hope these tips help your rosemary hang on until spring.

GROWING TOMATOES, AVOIDING FUNGAL DISEASE Question: Can you give me some tips on growing tomatoes?

Last year I had an issue diagnosed as Septoria Leaf Spot. The leaves

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.

My 2021 Plant Goals Vegetable Garden

Houseplant Wishlist

Landscape Ideas

Spring Flowers

27610 E Wyatt Rd. Blue Springs, MO 64014 816.229.1277 colonialgardenskc.com 'an experience to inspire'

The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

5

Kids Ask Dr. Bug

about the curious things found in the garden Are insects right- or left-handed? Charlotte, 9 It turns out that some insects have a preference for right or left – honey bees, bumble bees, ants, locusts, and cockroaches are some of the insects that scientists have discovered have “handedness.” Roaches are right-handed.

Ants have a left bias. Individual bumble bees tend to turn one way more frequently. Individual locusts reach with a preferred foreleg when crossing a gap. And, many individual honey bees prefer to go in the same direction when given a choice, even when more difficult.

Scientists don’t know why animals have handedness but think it might help them be more efficient.

Do bugs carry viruses that humans can get?

Janette, kid at heart Yes, and there is a name for insects that transmit diseases – vec-

tors. The germs, or pathogens, that cause these diseases are bacteria, protists, fungi, nematodes, and even viruses. Mosquitoes are an example of a vector that can carry many diseases. In fact, the mosquito is the most dangerous animal on earth (https://youtu.be/HZFmlBTYGSQ, or scan the QR code below). Some viruses vectored by mosquitoes are Zika, West Nile, and Chikungunya. A mosquito can pick up the virus when feeding on an infected person. Then, some of the virus is regurgitated when she feeds on another person.

The best defense against getting these diseases is to eliminate standing water, such as in gutters or containers after a storm, and to wear insect repellent. Some insects can also vector diseases to plants, such

TAMRA REALL Horticulture Specialist 6

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

as the peach-potato aphid that can infest more than 700 plant species and vectors over 100 viruses.

Follow-up: Have insects gotten sick from viruses and died of them? Janette There are many diseases that insects can get – some kill insects, others can keep their victims from reproducing, and sometimes, there is no noticeable effect. Some diseases can hurt insects that we want to protect, such as bees that get deformed wing virus vectored by a mite, or Monarch butterflies that are infected by the protozoan (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha). Monarchs are usually only killed by this pathogen when people raise them. So, we recommend leaving Monarch caterpillars outside in the milkweed patches. On the other hand, sometimes we use pathogens to control unwanted insects. These natural diseases can be used to control

pests and are called biological controls.

Do some spiders only have 2 eyes? Brydn, 11 While most spiders have eight eyes, and some have only six or four, there are a few that only have two. An example is some spiders in the Caponiidae family. These tiny spiders are found in Central and South America. These two simple eyes see the motion, size, and shape of objects to help find their prey, and keep them from being eaten themselves. Another interesting fact: Scientists in Europe discovered a spider species deep in a cave that doesn’t have eyes as adults!

With no light to see, their eyes went away.

Are you curious about one of your discoveries? Do you have a questions for Dr. Bug? Send them to ReallT@Missouri.edu.

Dr. Tamra Reall (@MUExtBugN Garden) is the horticulture specialist for MU Extension in Jackson County, Urban West Region. For free, research-based gardening tips, call 816-833-TREE (8733), email mggkc.hotline@gmail.com, or visit www.extension2.missouri.edu.

Bringing glorious living color to your garden since 1977.

Review our plant list and dream about spring!

Winter hours: Call for an appointment. We’d love to see you.

Gift cards available for your favorite gardener!

Follow us on Facebook! #NeedMoreFlowers

Our hours have changed!

TUES-FRI 9am-4pm

As the seasons change so does the ambiance of your water feature. Whether it is colorful blooms in the summer or breath-taking ice sculptures in the winter, with a FOUR seasons water feature you can enjoy paradise 365 days of the year!

After 25 years of being dedicated to transforming boring backyards into a one of a kind magical experience we have learned what makes a water garden paradise no matter the season.

Find all your winter pond supplies at Swan’s Water Gardens. Your one stop shop for all things water gardening. Come visit us in paradise!

913-837-3510

4385 W 247th St. Louisburg, KS

www.arnoldsgreenhouse.com info@arnoldsgreenhouse.com (620) 964-2463 • 1430 Hwy 58, LeRoy, KS 66857

Office Hours: Tues-Fri 9am-4pm www.swanswatergardens.com

Your Wholesale Source

here chick, chick, Chickadee ...

for Landscaping Products and Services Mulch

Top Soils

• Premium I • Pulverized Top Soil • Colored Mulches • Custom Soil Mixes (red, brown & black) • Green Roof Soil Blends • Cedar • Rain Garden Soil Blends • Hardwood Chips • Erosion Stabilization Compost • Nature Wise

Services

• Industrial Tub Grinding • Custom Screening • Contract Consulting

$25 off

LARGEST SELECTION

Nature Wise Compost

of wild bird supplies in the KC area, including bird seed, feeders, houses and hardware.

3 or more yards

Family-owned & operated since 1990.

Ask about our Missouri Organic

6979 WEST 75TH STREET OVERLAND PARK, KS

4480 SOUTH NOLAND RD INDEPENDENCE, MO

Organic Resource Management

913•341•0700

816-924-4924

7700 E. 40 Hwy Kansas City, MO 64129

HOURS:

HOURS:

MON-SAT 10A-5P | CLOSED SUN

MON-SAT 10A-5P | CLOSED SUN

816.483.0908

WildBirdHouseStore.com

Find us on Facebook!

products in bags

www.missouriorganic.com The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

7

PLANTS ON YOUR PLATE Citrus

A

s my husband and I completed the end-of-season garden clean-up, I found myself a little sad that our little garden plot had come to an end. Granted, I still have plenty of spaghetti squash in the basement and a pantry full of pickles and salsa that are the evidence of our efforts, but I will miss the goodness of a just-picked tomato or cucumber.

As I found myself pondering the fresh produce options over the coming months, I decided to ask my Facebook friends for their ‘go-to’ fruit and vegetable choices during the winter. Some of the responses were humorous, others were inspiring, but I saw a theme when it came to fruit choices. By far, the most common fruit was some form of citrus…and why not? Though not a local food option, citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit are easy to find year-round, even during a Midwest winter.

Citrus fruits are a rich source of Vitamins A and C, antioxidants that may reduce your risk for heart disease and certain cancers. Vitamin A is also beneficial for eye health and Vitamin C aids in wound healing and helps the body’s absorption of iron. Vitamin C supports the function of both the innate and adaptive immune system. Though popularly thought to prevent the common cold, research does not support this theory. However, taking increased doses of Vitamin C during a cold can slightly reduce the length of the illness, typically by about one day. As a water-soluble vitamin, Vitamin C is readily absorbed into body tissues for immediate use.

Because they are not stored in the body, water-soluble vitamins need to be replenished regularly in our

diet. Any excess of water-soluble vitamins is excreted in urine. The Linus Pauling Institute, a lead Vitamin C research institute at Oregon State University, recommends that generally healthy adults consume 400 milligrams of Vitamin C daily.

Oranges and orange juice are usually the first foods thought of when Vitamin C is mentioned. One large orange contains about 100 milligrams of Vitamin C and has about 65 calories, while 6 ounces of orange juice has about the same about of Vitamin C and contains about 100 calories.

About 70% of the oranges in the United States are grown in Florida.

The first citrus was planted by early explorers in the 1500s, perhaps even by Ponce de Leon, and have been grown commercially since the 1800s. But there are even options within the family of oranges.

According to US Citrus, the main types of oranges are Blood oranges, with a deep red flesh; Valencia oranges, which are sweet and juicy (and grown in California); Bergamot oranges that are used for Earl Grey tea as well as perfumes, Navel oranges, which are the most common variety though not the sweetest; and Mandarin oranges, the small, sweet, easy to peel variety popular among children.

I guess I’m a big kid, because I prefer clementines, a specific type of mandarin. They are very common in the winter months and their easy peel skin and sweet-tart flavor make them a favorite for many people. Not only are they a quick and healthy snack, they are a great addition to salads. The recipe on this page is a popular one with my family and our cooking class participants.

DENISE SULLIVAN Nutrition Ninja 8

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

Brown Rice and Orange Salad MAKES 8 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS

1 cup brown rice 4 small clementines 3 green onions 1 large lemon 1/2 cup slivered almonds 1 cup frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans) ½ cup dried cranberries ½ cup dried apricots, chopped 1 Tablespoon honey 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 Tablespoons canola oil 1. C ook rice following package instructions. Remove from heat.

Let stand covered for 10 minutes. Scoop out into a large bowl to cool. While rice is cooling, prepare rest of salad.

2. Peel clementines and separate into segments.

3. Wash and chop green onions.

4. Rinse lemon and cut in half. In a small bowl, squeeze juice from both halves. Discard seeds.

5. Lightly toast the almonds in a heavy skillet. Watch closely so they do not burn.

6. Fill a small pot with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add edamame. Cook for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.

7. Add clementines or mandarin oranges, edamame, green onions, almonds, dried cranberries, and dried apricots to bowl with rice and mix.

8. In a second small bowl, use a fork to whisk together lemon juice, honey, and ground black pepper. While still whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil until combined.

9. Pour the dressing over the salad. Mix well. Let salad rest at room temperature for 10 minutes so flavors can combine.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: 237, Total Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 6mg, Carbohydrates: 29g, Fiber: 4g, Protein: 6g

Recipe adapted from Cooking Matters, analyzed by verywellfit.com.

Denise Sullivan (@MUExtJacksonCo) is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in Jackson County. For research based nutrition and food safety information and programs, call 816-4825850 or visit https://extension2.missouri.edu/.tasty side dish for a late-summer picnic.

Up Close

with Jason Mispagel

YEAR-ROUND GARDEN 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. Established: January 2016 Owner(s) name(s): Jason Mispagel (featured here) and James DeWitt From concept to launching a business: YearRound Garden (YRG) came about by way of my passion for indoor gardening. After moving to Kansas in 2013, it quickly became apparent that there was a lack of garden stores that catered to the indoor grower. With all the advancement in gardening technology and equipment over the past decade, it’s much more practical and affordable to grow indoors, whether bringing your plants in for the winter or keeping a perpetual harvest of edible plants going year-round. Even though the concept of indoor gardening is nothing new, most garden centers and big box stores only carried a product or two and it required a considerable amount of work to piece together a setup. My wheels got to turning and I began toying with the concept of opening a store to address that niche in the market and to share with the community my passion for indoor gardening.

Background: I grew up in Littleton, Colorado and always had a liking for working outdoors.

Early work experiences included daily maintenance/landscaping at golf courses, and building ponds and water features for a landscape company. The passion and desire to work with nature and plants continued to slowly build. Shortly after Colorado passed the law for medical cannabis, a friend suggested that we try becoming caregivers, producing medical cannabis for licensed patients. After acquiring a license and a handful of patients, my love for being in nature and working with plants quickly shifted to indoor gardening/ cultivating. I was hooked! As time progressed, I pursued and received a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in investigations.

During the same period, I met my wife and moved to Kansas where she was living. I quickly realized that the Kansas City area was lacking indoor gardening stores compared to what I had been used to back in Colorado. That’s when the idea for Year-Round Garden came about.

Tell us about Year-Round Garden: YRG is a home and commercial grower’s supply center, located in Kansas City, Missouri. We focus primarily on indoor gardening but offer a variety of products and solutions for outdoor growers as well.

We currently have two owner/operators and one part-time employee with the goal of adding 1-2 additional part-time employees in early 2021.

Services/products offered: Our main purpose is to provide everyone from individual home gardener/cultivators, to micro-green/produce growers, to hemp farmers, to large scale commercial operations, with the equipment and supplies they need to be successful–from seeds to harvest equipment. Some of our most popular items are grow lights, grow media, soil amendments, seeds, grow tents, fans and filters, plant nutrients and hydroponic setups. With the constant evolution of products available and many individuals entering the indoor gardening world for the first time, we try to take a very consultative approach with each customer. That means getting to know them and understanding their goals, experience-level, budget, etc., to provide the right tools for the job.

No doubt COVID-19 has affected your company and operations: It has been challenging for everyone, businesses and customers alike. Due to our strong customer support, online sales and curb-side pick-up orders, we are weathering the storm. There’s also been a significant increase in demand from individuals looking to grow their own food at home. Some people are concerned about food safety and availability while others are looking for a recreational activity to replace others that have been restricted due to COVID-19. Our location allows room for social distancing, and we take pride in keeping our store

as clean and safe as possible, providing complimentary hand sanitizer and masks to customers.

What is trending on the home gardening scene? In general, the home/indoor gardening scene is growing by the day. More and more people are interested in growing their own food, either for food security or food safety reasons.

They want to ensure that they’ll have a consistent supply of the food they need when they need it, and that it’s safe for consumption. Growing at home, either indoors or outdoors, allows individuals and families peace of mind when it comes to their food source. In particular, we’ve seen the trend towards indoor gardening pick up as both the electrical efficiency and price of lighting have improved. This makes it affordable to produce fresh food that can be harvested consistently and perpetually.

What every gardener should know: Anyone can grow a plant indoors. You don’t need a green thumb or a formal education in horticulture, or botany. If you’re willing to spend a small amount of time learning the basics of how plants grow and can commit a few minutes each day to managing your garden, you’ll be up and growing in no time.

Contact: Located at 1225 West 103rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64114; store hours M-F 10am6pm, Sa 10am-4pm, Su 10am-2pm; Jason@ year-roundgarden.com; (816) 216-6917; www. year-roundgarden.com.

The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

9

All-America Selections Announces 2021 Winners A

ll-America Selections is an independent non-profit organization that tests new, never-before-sold varieties for the home gardener. After a full season of anonymous trialing by volunteer horticulture professionals, only the top garden performers are given the AAS Winner award designation for their superior performance.

Please keep in mind that these may not be readily available for purchase at your favorite retail garden center this gardening season. However, winner seed and cuttings are available for purchase now.

Take time to peruse the All-America Selections website, all-americselections.org. There you will find all the details about the plants listed here, as well as information on past winners. Why not choose a few for your garden next growing season.

Zinnia Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor AAS Ornamental from Seed Winner GOLD MEDAL National Winner “JUST SO CUTE! WOW, WOW WOW!” When multiple judges write comments like that, you know it’s a great entry! Introducing a goldmedal winning beautiful new bicolor addition to the popular Profusion series of zinnias. This gorgeous zinnia starts the season with a bold vibrant red center ring surrounded by golden yellow outer petals. As the season progresses, the aging flowers morph into soft, beautiful shades of apricot, salmon, and dusty rose bringing a plethora of color to the garden, all from one variety! Trial garden visitors clamored over this floriferous and compact plant during the summer trials noting how well the plant continued to bloom new flowers over old so there was never a decline in the beauty presented by Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor.

Squash Goldilocks F1 AAS Edible Vegetable Winner Once upon a time, there was an acorn squash 10

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

named Goldilocks. In summer trials all across North America, the vigorous plant, high yield, disease tolerance, and rich nutty flavor of this variety had our judges saying, “Ahhh, this squash is just right!” like in the fairy tale. The bright orange fruits with uniform shape and color double as an ornamental decoration. Makes a great compliment to AAS Winner Honey Bear acorn squash.

Pepper Pot-a-peño F1 AAS Edible Winner Regional Winner: Great Lakes and West/Northwest Pot-a-peño is a fun new jalapeno pepper with a compact habit perfect for growing in containers and hanging baskets. Plentiful small, green jalapeño fruits have a traditional spicy zip that is great in any dish where you want a little punch of spice. Simply leave the fruit on the vine a few extra weeks and they will ripen to red for a sweet, spicy flavor. This variety is earlier to mature than other jalapenos giving you a head start on your garden’s harvest. A unique trait of Pot-a-peno is how the fruit hangs down beneath the plant making it very easy to harvest without damaging the appearance or productivity of the plant. A dense foliage canopy makes for an attractive addition to your patio or balcony garden.

Leucanthemum Sweet Daisy™ Birdy AAS Perennial Winner Regional Winner: Mountain/Southwest Sweet Daisy™ Birdy leucanthemum is a beautiful perennial with robust, long-lasting blooms and carefree longevity in gardens down to zone 3. In the AAS Trials, it demonstrated excellent cold and heat tolerance and maintained a tidy, sturdy habit over the three-year trial. The cheery flowers are large and pure white in color, appearing earlier in the season than the comparison varieties. The 5” reflexed daisy blooms feature small feathery petals around golden yellow button centers. Leucanthemums, also known as Shasta Daisies, are used for both cut flowers and

garden highlights while also providing food and habitat for many kinds of pollinators. Enjoy this beauty in the garden as a medium-height bright spot (great for moonlight gardens) that will provide years of beauty with very little maintenance other than deadheading spent blooms if desired, but not necessary. Available in plant form only.

Echalion Crème Brulee (BGS-270) F1 AAS Edible Winner Regional Winner: Southeast, Great Lakes, West/ Northwest This echalion is the first ever shallot to win the AAS Winner designation so it’s exciting to see such a beautiful and great tasting variety join the ranks. Growing a shallot from seed is fun and unexpectedly easy. Easy to peel, single-centered bulbs have a bright coppery pink outer skin and a pretty rosy purple interior with thick rings. The sweet tender bulbs are earlier to mature than the comparisons and have a slight citrusy flavor when eaten raw. When caramelized, things get even better as the natural sugars are enhanced and do not leave any overpowering aftertastes. A fantastic variety for the home gardener as well as farm or fresh market growers.

Celosia Kelos® Candela Pink AAS Flower Winner You know it’s good when an AAS Judge calls an entry the “Energizer Bunny” that just kept blooming! Across the board, the judges loved the bright pink blooms that rose above the foliage, almost like a tall, tapered candle! Unique, showy plumes of pink flowers kept their color all season long and the judges agree that this is a perfect filler plant to add height and interest to a combination container planting. But it is also useful in mass plantings, borders, and general garden use.

Another added bonus: it works as a dried flower.

Available in plant form only.

Content and photos courtesy of All-America Selections, all-americaselections.org.

2

1

2

1. Celosia Kelos® Candela Pink 2. Zinnia Profusion Red Yellow Bicolor 3. Squash Goldilocks F1 4. Echalion Crème Brulee (BGS-270) F1 5. Leucanthemum Sweet Daisy™ Birdy 6. Pepper Pot-a-peño F1

3

4

5

6 The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

11

Carolina Wren adorable and adaptable year round backyard bird

P

erhaps like many of you, I’m not able to “bird by ear,” a skill some people have developed to be able to identify a bird from their songs and sounds. But the one joyous and full-throated song I enjoy hearing every morning is that of a Carolina Wren. It always amazes me how such a small bird can create so much volume and such variety in their song. More endearing is seeing how they harness the entirety of their body to produce their song; it recalls the image of a small child trying to sing as loud as they can. And because they are here year round, you can always enjoy their beautiful songs.

They are small birds about 5 inches long, darker brown on top and buff color underside. There are two distinguishing traits which make it easy to identify them. The first, is the upturned tail feathers almost making a V-shape with their body.

The other is the white stripe above

their eye like an eyebrow. They also have a long slender beak. They are quite common throughout the area and are frequent visitors to backyard bird feeders. They love sunflower seeds, suet and mealworms and are usually one of the first birds at the feeder in the morning.

Even though they ae readily found at your feeders, they are primarily insect eaters. In fact, they are a good friend to gardeners as they eat caterpillars, moths, beetles, crickets, leafhoppers and spiders to name a few. In fact, more than 90% of the Carolina Wren diet is comprised of insects. They’ll also eat small reptiles and tree frogs and during the winter various berries.

One of the reasons why Carolina Wrens are quite plentiful in both urban, suburban, and rural areas is their adaptability to nest in various locations. It is the one bird most cited for the unusual places their nests are found. Nests have

NIK HIREMATH Birding Expert 12

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

been found in abandoned shoes in the yard, wreaths hung on doors, on top of the downspout below the roof overhang, hanging flower baskets, propane tank covers, an open shelf in the garage to name a few.

They prefer cavity nests and use old woodpecker holes and hollows in trees.

In addition to their unique nesting locations is the fascinating behavior of their courtship. The male will find multiple cavities or nesting boxes and place a few twigs, leaves and other nest building materials in each of the cavities. Then, he will perch on top of or near the cavities and start to call out to and serenade nearby females. In essence, he’s proclaiming that he’s a great provider and has secured great accommodations for their nest and inviting her to join him. An interested female will inspect one or a few of the prospective cavities and select one. Shortly after she has chosen,

she will empty the contents the male had placed in the cavity and begin building a nest from scratch. You can almost hear her saying “nice try, but leave the nest building to me.” It is this behavior that leads many who are trying to attract Carolina Wrens to nest nearby to put out several nesting boxes, hoping one of them will be chosen.

Carolina Wrens remain bonded year-round, and are prolific breeders. They will have 2 to 3 clutches a season and 4 to 8 eggs in each clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 2 weeks and fledglings leave the nest about two weeks after hatching. Both the male and female participate in feeding the babies and start the cycle again.

So the next time you hear a cheery song in the morning, perhaps you’ll look out to see this tiny brown ball of a bird singing its heart out to greet you and wish you a happy day.

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.

Plant Profile:

Heart to Heart® ‘Blushing Bride’

sun or shade Caladium ‘Blushing Bride’ is a Strap leaf Caladium that features bright deep pink leaf areas with a green border, the main veins may turn whiter depending on growing conditions. It is a true “beautiful bride” among caladiums.

Individual leaves are moderately frilly and may average about 7” long. It will tolerate both sun and shade conditions. Caladiums are also generally considered to be houseplants where they prefer bright light or a sunny window. Pet owners: Caladiums can be an irritant if ingested.

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners.

Use Our Natural Products All Year For Containers, Gardens, Turf Shrubs, Trees, And Ponds

MISSED AN ISSUE? FIND BACK ISSUES AT KCGMAG.COM

Mowing • Trimming Planting • Mulching

GRAB A CUP OF COFFEE, SIT BACK AND ENJOY OUR ARCHIVES

Seeding • Aeration Fertilization • Clean Up

KCGMAG.COM

The metro’s

Exclusive pond retailer Friendly personable knowledgeable service

Fish and Pond Supplies for all your fish care needs!

Nets and Deicers in stock. Stop in today!

We serve the entire Kansas City metro!

Welcome Lawrence Hobbyists!

Check our Facebook page for current winter hours.

816-842-5012 • pondskc.com 1557 Swift Ave., KCMO

Barclay Berberian 913-208-5941 LawnsByBarclay.com

JOHNSON COUNTY TOPSOIL & LANDSCAPE MATERIALS, LLC TOPSOIL • GARDEN MIXES BULK MULCH • FLAGSTONE WALLSTONE • BOULDERS RIVER GRAVEL • WATER GARDEN ROCK

913-681-2629 2 BLOCKS WEST OF US69 ON 199TH ST.

STILWELL, KS WWW.JOHNSONCOUNTYTOPSOIL.COM

Beat the rush!

Get your mowers and equipment in for a SPRING TUNE UP before you need them.

Tune ups include changing the oil and filter, replace spark plug, air filter, and sharpening blades.

Mowers, Blowers, Hedge Clippers and Chain Saws are in stock now! All equipment assembled, serviced and ready to go when you buy it.

Nothing goes out of here in a box!

We service what we sell and more!

We also carry Lawn & Garden supplies, pet supplies and bird seed.

Northland Feed

4807 N. Brighton, KCMO • www.mowerpartskc.com 816-452-8393 • Mon.-Fri. 9-6 • Sat. 9-4

Serving the Northland for 35 years

EARTH RIGHT SUPER STUFF® is the perfect product to apply in spring, especially before a rain. Prepare the soil now for a better lawn and great gardens.

Planting with THE MUSHROOM STUFF® will quick start your sping gadens, shrubs & trees. Use in containers too!

Our SURE BLOOM® NATURAL & SURE BLOOM® 6-7-6 contain vitamins, trace minerals, enzymes & organic acids not found in commercial fertilizers. Experience great results in containers & gardens, around trees & shrubs & on the lawn.

NATURAL PRODUCTS THAT KEEP YOUR GARDENS, LAWNS & PONDS HAPPY & HEALTHY

Plan now for Spring and Summer.

POND STUFF Maintains a clear water supply and it’s safe for all wildlife!

For information on all Earth Right products call us at 913-492-2992.

If you want to have our products applied contact Tobin Lawn & Landscape at 816-765-5565 or Big Green Turf Management (816-600-4936).

www.greenleafkc.com

816.916.5171

Read Our Blog

The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

13

Easy Care Wetland Container Gardening Photo by Scott Woodbury.

I

f you want low maintenance, plant a garden in a container. If you want even less maintenance than that, plant a wetland garden in a container.

To understand how wetland container gardens work, let’s look at four essential elements. First, the container or planter. Containers come in dry-cast limestone, ceramic, steel or concrete and need to hold water to function for native wetland plants. These kinds of planters either lack a drain hole, or the hole is plugged with a rubber stopper smeared with silicone.

Galvanized stock tanks can work because they have threaded drain plugs that make draining easy, though they look rustic.

Planter size matters. Planters need to be large enough to buffer evaporation during hot summer months. This is important to reduce maintenance because small pots will evaporate quickly and need topping off often. Large planters can go weeks between refills. At a minimum, select a planter that is 15 inches high by 30 inches wide.

Remember, the bigger, the better.

Also remember that containers will crack if mishandled or left outside over winter full of water. It is a good idea to place ceramic containers on something that will absorb the shock like a knee pad or floor pad when moving into place. Wetland containers are replanted every year (see planting instructions below). The best time of year to buy a planter is in fall or winter when they go on sale, but be careful to avoid planters with hairline cracks.

Second, wetland container gardens have standing water at the surface and enough depth (6 or more inches) to potentially attract frogs

Aquatic wetland species Arrowhead grows in shallow water. that look for suitable places to lay eggs in spring. In the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, our wetland containers often attract gray tree frogs, and occasionally American toads, both of which love eating mosquito larvae. Because frogs don’t appear every year, we add seven or eight guppies (a tropical fish available at pet shops), which also love to eat mosquito larvae. They aren’t big enough to eat pollywogs and die when water drops below 60 degrees. To save guppies over winter, scoop them out of planters with a minnow net in early October and keep indoors in a warm fish tank until spring.

SCOTT WOODBURY Horticulturist 14

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

Third, use native emergent aquatic wetland species (the ones that grow in shallow water) like aquatic milkweed (Asclepias perennis), pickerel weed (Pontedaria cordata), arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia), arrow arum (Peltandra virginica), wild canna (Thalia dealbata), yellow lotus (Nelumbo lutea), fragrant water-lily (Nymphaea odorata), soft rush (Juncus effusus), and chairmaker’s rush (Scirpus americanus). Wetland species like these look exotic, with broad or fine leaves, but are native right here in Missouri and parts of surrounding states. Though these species are available and are a good place to get your fingers wet, look to the horizon as you gain experience with wetland planters. Any native emergent aquatic wetland species will do, even cattail! There are so many

species of rush, bulrush, spike rush, bur reed, flatsedge, and sedge that grow in water along creeks, rivers. or drainage ditches. Learn how to propagate them—always collecting seeds from the wild with permission from the landowner—and the wetland world will become your planter.

Finally, soil matters. Don’t use regular potting soil because its ingredients (peat moss and perlite) float. Also, be careful with commercially available “topsoil” in bags, which is often mostly compost. This will make a huge mess.

You need 100 percent mineralbased topsoil, the kind that comes from a shovel-full from your yard.

Don’t worry if you think it has too much clay—wetland plants love clay soil. Also, many of these wetland species grow extremely

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 28 years, and which is supported by the Missouri Dept. of Conservation. He also is an advisor to the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program.

Photo by Carol Davit.

Photo by Scott Woodbury.

Photo by Scott Woodbury.

large if given rich soil or fertilizer.

Regular, abused suburban clay soil works best. In late April, lay soil 8 to 10 inches deep on the bottom of a low-profile planter (15 to 20 inches deep). Plant wetland species of your choice, 10 inches apart if small, or further apart if large. I prefer starting with smaller plants because large potted plants will float to the surface. Cover the crown of each plant with an inch of topsoil and then an inch of gravel. Pea gravel will work, though I like to

use half-inch river gravel. If you have a collection of marbles or sea glass, you can use them too. The idea is to cover the plants with enough weight to hold them down until they root in. The last step is to carefully fill the planter with water to prevent muddying the water. The water may be murky at first, but will become clear in a few hours.

For deep-profile planters (24 to 36 inches or deeper), add soil nearly to the top of a 10- to 16-inch-tall plastic pot (multiple tall, narrow pots work best). Plant, and then add one inch of gravel above the topsoil and inside the plastic pot. If the gravel is at the very top of the plastic pot, little of the plastic edge shows. Place the pots in the planter so that they loosely touch each other and the sides of the planter. For really deep planters, you may need to carefully place bricks or flagstone at the bottom to prop the pots up to a suitable height. Remember to allow six to eight inches of open water at the top for tadpoles and/ or guppies. The plants listed above will grow in water this deep. When selecting a planter, keep in mind that deep planters must have thick enough walls to support such a large volume of water.

Using multiple plastic pots makes dismantling in fall much easier. Simply remove the plastic pots and drain the water from the planter with a hose siphon. Then either turn the planter upside down or cover to keep the rain out. I prefer leaving rubber stoppers in permanently because siphoning is easier than getting a good seal on a rubber stopper. You can overwinter the plants in the plastic pots outside the containers (sink into a leaf pile) and then stick it back into the container in spring. However, using new plants, or repotting the plants every year or so, is preferred.

Don’t be surprised to find aquatic insects that visit, especially dragonflies and bees. You may want to float a flat piece of wood for bees to perch on for a drink.

Also don’t be surprised if you discover children with their arms sunk in the planter in search of wiggly pollywogs. After all, the most popular features in our gardens are the ones full of critters.

Happy gardening!

Find suppliers of wetland plants for wetland container gardens and other native plant resources at www. grownative.org, Resource Guide.

Planters Seed Co. • Since 1927 •

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

Mon-Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-3pm

2021 SEEDS arriving daily!

Flowers & Vegetable Seed ~ Largest Selection in the Area ~ Grass Seeds • Fertilizers • Mulches • Bulbs • Bird Supplies • Pottery

Best Quality of “Locally Grown” Bird Seed!

January Planting Dates Plant Above-Ground Crops: 13, 16-18, 21-23, 26, 27 • Plant Root Crops: 26, 27 Transplant: 26, 27 • Plant Flowers: 13, 16-18 • Control Plant Pests: 10, 11

Koi Pond and Water Feature Designs

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

Landscape Design & Installation Services From trees and shrubs to perennials, mulch and stone, expert Landscape Designers are ready to help with your next project!

Call today for an At-Home Consultation.

7130 Troost, Kansas City, Mo. www.soilservice.com Garden Center • 816-444-3403 Nursery • 816-333-3232 The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

15

H

Top 5 Most Popular Landscape Trends from 2020

appy New Year! I don’t know about you, but I cannot wait to see how 2021 unfolds! Who would have thought that the year 2020 would have ever provided us with the “new norm”?

With so much uncertainty in the world, design professionals across the board are seeing a trend of homeowners getting back to the basics. That trend was definitely seen in our list of the top five most popular landscape elements from 2020!

As landscape design professionals, we found ourselves addressing this “back-to-basics” trend with multiple projects throughout the last year. With our industry focus on nature, we looked at landscaping as an extension of the home or commercial building—creating “open-air rooms” with natural and flowing areas as a part of every design.

This year has provided home and business owners with a desire to incorporate natural spaces that encourage relaxation, comfort and inspiration around their properties.

While many of the items on our list are not new in the industry, you may not have considered some of these top 2020 trends until spending the majority of 2020 at home.

Drainage: In the middle of your Zoom meeting, you hear your sump pump continuously running and it has not rained for days. You go outside and notice grass suddenly does not seem to grow on one side of your house, and it is very muddy.

With so many remote workers, customers clearly took notice of this scenario and called for a French drain system installation. These systems are designed to relocate the water being shed from the roof and channel the majority of the water underground to areas where it will be used more efficiently on the property, allowing grass to grow naturally.

Outdoor Living Spaces: Ahh, vacations! For most, those were few and far between in 2020, but clients wanted to still remember that feeling they had when they were in a beautiful vacation spot that allowed them to unwind, relax and enjoy family and friends! There was a tremendous demand to give clients that same feeling from the comfort of their own backyards!

Outdoor kitchens, fire and water features, hot tubs and pools, beautiful and low maintenance plantings, efficient and well-placed urban gardens—we built “private resorts,” large and small, for customers who were ready to escape to an oasis at a moment’s notice without leaving home!

Curb Appeal: When was the last time you noticed your home before you pulled into the garage? In the current real estate market, have you ever wondered just how much you could get for your home? With walks around the neighborhood being a prime form of entertainment in 2020, we helped many clients give their neighbors and potential buyers a great first impression that set the tone for the rest of their home.

Homeowners were looking to create a welcoming feeling even be-

STEPHANIE PARKER Landscape Designer 16

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

fore opening their front door. Customers favored low-maintenance, native and hybrid plants, butterfly gardens, living and structural privacy screens, artfully placed boulders, and water features from the many possible ideas we offered.

Outdoor Lighting: Have you ever come home at night and realized you forgot to leave your house lights on? Are you interested in the additional security and safety that outdoor lighting offers? Whether for beauty, practicality, or safety and security, customers who didn’t have outdoor lighting already chose to install various lighting elements on their property. We helped clients navigate the plethora of outdoor lighting solutions on the market and many chose to install lowvoltage, ambient outdoor lighting.

Clients chose brands that offered long-term warranties as well as plenty of options from fixture colors and materials to zone dimming and color options. And many added maintenance packages to help keep their lighting operating at its best.

Lighting that synced with smart apps were super popular as well.

Smart Irrigation: Speaking of smart technology, irrigation systems that allowed customers to

transform their watering strategy for energy savings and water efficiency trended in 2020. Customers are over the days when their irrigation system would run while it was raining or freezing outside! They took a serious look at today’s lowmaintenance irrigation systems that allow a smart controller to do their watering for them. Smart irrigation controllers are user-friendly and can easily be adjusted from a smartphone. These systems work in conjunction with local weather stations and monitor the weather so homeowners could concentrate on more important things.

I expect to see many of these same trends continue for 2021.

With the global pandemic continuing, many companies have extended remote working into at least summer. Meanwhile, schools continue to flip-flop virtual and in-school learning, sending many students back home to learn. Likely due to these circumstances, there are two new landscape design elements I expect to enter the top five for 2021: pools and detached athome offices! Whatever your idea of a home oasis is, a landscape designer can make your home living dreams a reality.

Stephanie Parker is a landscape designer and employee-owner with Ryan Lawn & Tree. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida School of Agriculture. Before joining RYAN, she owned and operated a design and installation firm in the Kansas City area. To reach Stephanie and the team at Ryan Outdoor Living, call 913-381-1505 or email sparker@ryanlawn.com.

PAOLA SPRING PLANT SALE Thurs., April 29, Fri., April 30 and Sat., May 1, 9am-5pm NEW LOCATION: the parking lot of the new Marais des Cygnes Extension Offices, 913 N Pearl (Old KC Road), Paola, KS. As part of the MdC Extension Master Gardeners’ mission to educate the public and help save our essential insects, the sale will feature butterfly host plants and pollinator plants, in addition to annuals, perennials, native plants, tropicals, succulents, herbs and veggies, all from local growers.

Expert EMGs, including butterfly expert Lenora Larson, will be on hand to assist shoppers throughout the sale.

Keep growing all year round Mention code KC15 and get 15% off your purchase

(816) 216-6917 | www.year-roundgarden.com 1225 W 103rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64114 Store Hours: M-F 10a-6p | Sa 10a-4p | Su 10a-2p

More info at www.maraisdescygnes.ksu.edu.

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdcemg.

Don't Let Snow Slow You Down Power Clear®

399

$

38472

• Starts in 1 or 2 pulls with a Guaranteed-to-Start warranty • Power Curve® Technology shreds snow fast and reduces clogging • Put snow where you want it with the locking deflector

Winter SuperBlend™ The Season’s SuperFood for Your Birds

See dealer for full warranty details

Winter is a wonderful time to feed the birds. It’s a chance to help birds get the necessary fats for surviving longer nights and colder temperatures, and to see a wide variety of birds visiting your feeders.

Our Winter SuperBlend™ is a high-fat seed blend, specifically formulated to provide birds the essential energy and fats needed to survive whatever winter throws at them. This super food is packed full of sunflower chips, pecans, peanuts, tree nuts, Bark Butter® Bits and NutraSaff. It is highly attractive to a wide variety of birds and available in loose seed or as a seed cylinder.

*See dealer for full warranty details.

Power Max®

899

$

37798

• 24" Clearing Width - throw snow up to 45' • Quickly change chute and deflector direction in a single motion • Steel chute for added durability

of Leawood, KS See dealer for full warranty details

Locally Owned and Proudly serving Kansas City for 32 years

*See dealer for full warranty details.

www.toro.com

Reynolds Lawn and Leisure, Inc. 12902 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Shawnee, Kansas 913-268-4288 www.reynoldsll.com

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

Join us at www.facebook.com/wbuleawoodks

BIRDSEED • FEEDERS • BIRDBATHS • OPTICS • GARDEN ACCENTS

The Kansas City Gardener | January 2021

17

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

LAWN

• Avoid walking on frozen lawns as it may injure the grass.

• Rake fallen leaves to prevent the grass from suffocating.

• Proper mower maintenance is important, tune-up now.

• Scatter snow instead of piling up on the lawn next to drives and walks.

• Talk with your lawn service company now about summer contracts.

• Dormant seed following a light snow or rainfall.

FLOWERS

• Scan nursery catalogs for new introductions. Order early for the best selection.

• Plant any forgotten spring bulbs.

• Start seeds throughout the winter, depending on growth requirements.

• Water fall-planted perennials as needed to prevent desiccation.

• Watch for signs of frost heaving and cover tender roots.

• Replace mulch layers as needed.

• Check stored bulbs for rot and decay. Discard damaged ones.

• Curl up with a good book and learn more about gardening.

TREES AND SHRUBS

• Gently brush off heavy snow from tree and shrub limbs to reduce damage.

• Prune storm-damaged limbs quickly to reduce damage and prevent tearing of the bark.

• Allow ice to melt naturally from limbs.

• Bring twigs of flowering trees and shrubs indoors for forced spring blossoms.

• Avoid the temptation to prune on a warm winter day.

• Water fall-planted trees and shrubs when soil is dry and not frozen.

• Watch out for rabbit damage to bark of trees and shrubs.

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

• Peruse seed catalogs and prepare order.

• Store seeds in a cool and dry location to help keep them fresh.

• Soil test and prepare for spring planting by making required additions.

• Start vegetable transplants for the garden under grow lights.

• Order fruit trees.

• Pick up fallen fruit before spring arrives and discard.

• Look for rabbit and rodent damage to fruit tree bark.

HOUSEPLANTS

• Wash the dust off plant leaves to allow more sunlight to reach the leaves.

• Water plants with room temperature water.

• Use insecticidal soap sprays to remove any pests.

• Wipe off mealybugs and scales with a swab soaked in rubbing alcohol.

• Rotate plants to develop a well-rounded plant.

• Keep new plants separated to be sure they do not harbor insects.

• Reduce fertilizer use until spring, when more sunlight is available for growth.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Repair garden tools.

• Sand and seal tool handles to prevent splinters.

• Apply brightly colored paint to tool handles to make them easier to spot in the garden.

• Refill bird feeders and water supply for feathered friends.

• Keep compost pile moist and increase pile size to build more internal heat as the process slows in cold weather.

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.

18

January 2021 | kcgmag.com

Pets & Plants: Lilies

Garden Events

By Phil Roudebush, DVM, DACVIM

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

Deadline for publishing in the February issue is January 5.

M

embers of the Lilium and Hemerocallis genera of plants are very poisonous to cats. Examples of hazardous plants for our feline companions include Lilium longiflorum (Easter lilies), L. tigrinum (tiger lilies), L. auratum (stargazer lilies), L. speciosum (rubrum lilies), L. lancifolium (Japanese show lilies) and Hemerocallis species (daylilies). It is important to remember that not all plants containing the name “lily” are considered true lilies. For example, lily-of-thevalley (Convallaria majalis), peace lily (Spathiphyllum species) and calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) are also potentially poisonous to animals but are not nearly as dangerous to cats as true lilies and daylilies.

The specific toxic compound in lilies has not been identified but appears to be in the water-soluble fraction of the plant. Exposure to any part of the plant is dangerous but ingestion of leaves or flowers is most common. Eating as few as two to three leaves or flower petals can cause problems and some cats are purported to become ill

after grooming pollen from their hair coat after rubbing against the flowers. Lily poisoning causes acute kidney failure in cats, which is often life threatening. Clinical signs include sudden onset of vomiting, depression and loss of appetite. Early decontamination and treatment is necessary to prevent irreversible kidney damage.

Interestingly, dogs only develop mild gastrointestinal signs after ingesting large quantities of lily plant material, which suggests that the cat’s unique metabolism somehow contributes to the clinical problems.

Sudden onset of health problems in cats that have exposure to true lilies and daylilies should prompt immediate veterinary medical attention.

Phil Roudebush is a retired veterinarian and specialist in small animal internal medicine. He was an Extension Master Gardener in Shawnee County, Kansas before moving to western North Carolina five years ago, where he is an Extension Master Gardener in Buncombe County.

He can be reached at philroudebush@ gmail.com.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

GAR G A RENEDREN E R N D E D R A G ER Beyon 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 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

For convenient mail delivery, complete the form below and send with your check for $25.00. You will receive a one-year subscription to The Kansas City Gardener.

d the W ate Butterflies and Bee s Love These rlilies Spooky Plants

July

2015

r Garden

for the Octobe

ity with Grasses Beauty and Divers een Not Just for HallowCall 811 Orange and Black: Lemon rd of Digth Control BeforeBiYou Daylily: Beau Park eM ty for fy Weeds for Better Identi Decis ThanBu ion Time: ShouSeeded Lawn More a tte Dayrfl onth: Blue In the bird y Ask andExpe Feeding of Newly ld You Remove YourGaAsh rdenTree Conserva rts about weed Proper Carethe with tories control, oozin g sap and more Marvin Snyder

Name: Address: City, State, Zip: Phone: E-mail: Where did you pick up The Kansas City Gardener?

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 | January 2021

19

Start Spring Now! All you need to get a head start

Refresh 20% off all Tropical/House Plants*

on your spring garden.

• Grow lights • Seed trays • Flower/Vegetable Seeds • Seed Starter Kits • Potting Soil

Small Accents

Floor Plants

Blooming Gifts

Breathe new life into your home Tropical Plants 20% off*

Besides making a room feel fresh and welcoming, plants actually supply fresh oxygen and purify the air. Create a healthier home for less this month with fresh, colorful foliage and blooms. *Sale Jan 2nd - Jan 31st Earn 5% reward dollars on all purchases.

Join Suburban’s Reward Program in store or online today!

Don’t Forget the Birds Suburban Lawn & Garden has a large selection of:

• Birdhouses • Bird Feeders • Bird Seed

105th & Roe (913) 649-8700

K-7 & Prairie Star Pkwy (913) 897-5100

135th & Wornall (816) 942-2921

#suburbanlg // suburbanlg.com