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The Kansas City

GARDENER May 2022 | kcgmag.com

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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 28 years ago specializing in the creation of naturalistic waterfalls, streams and

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May 2022 | kcgmag.com

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 gr own to be so much more in just 8 short years. Now surrounded by 11 water features, strolling gardens, and even a small lavender garden, 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 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 full-service 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 28 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!

HELP WANTED!

Looking for energetic, self-starting individuals to join our water garden team. Enjoy creating Paradise in Customers' Backyards. Immediate Openings. Call today 913-837-3510.

MAKE YOUR PLANS TO VISIT SWAN'S WATER GARDENS IN 2022 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

The Kansas City Gardener | October 2020

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editor’s notes

The Kansas City

GARDENER

Spring memories

Independently owned and operated since 1996 EDITOR Elizabeth Cavanaugh CONTRIBUTORS Lauren English Stacey Hirvela Sean Holland Lenora Larson Susan Mertz Jason Mispagel Ken O’Dell Dennis Patton 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 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 EDITORIAL Elizabeth Cavanaugh elizabeth@kcgmag.com 913-648-4728 HOW TO SUBSCRIBE See details on page 35.

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

S

pring days have been cloudy, cool and wet, putting a damper on my otherwise cheery nature. Rarely will I complain about the weather. It is what it is, and complaining is unproductive. Plus, while I might be influential in some circles, I assure you that I cannot influence the weather one way or another. However, this lingering limbo between winter and spring weather has me in a funk. Thankfully, I am surrounded by cheery gardens that provoke cheery memories and influence my mood.

There is a charming patch of daffodils across the street in my neighbor’s garden. While in bloom, the sunny yellow color caught my eye, and I’m grateful for how they made me smile.

Noticing them reminded me of a family project of planting bulbs many seasons ago. When the kids were young and in elementary school, using dad’s power tools was cool. That was all the motivation needed for helping in the garden. One person drilled the hole, another dropped in the bulb. Taking turns, they decided amongst themselves when to switch jobs. I’m not sure who enjoyed it more, us or the neighbors watching our antics.

Those kids are grown adults now and remember with fondness that

day. Those are the joys of gardening—the impact today and tomorrow. And not just for ourselves but for neighbors and passersby.

In that same neighbor’s driveway is a basketball hoop where kids often gather. The sound of children at play is another reason to smile.

To witness and hear their carefree nature is sweetness that soothes the soul.

It’s the sound of a bouncing basketball in spring that brings about a specific memory, one we still joke about. We call it the “Hosta Howl.”

It started when the days grew warmer and longer, and kids and balls congregated in our driveway where the regulation basketball hoop was anchored. Friends and family would be out there practicing shooting hoops, or playing a game of H-O-R-S-E. “If I make this shot,” Mr. Gardener would say, “then everybody gets ice cream!” I wonder how many trips to the local ice cream shop were actually made?

Things would get a little dicey at the driveway edge, where hosta was making its way up and out of the ground with nothing to protect the new growth. Any activity nearby, especially a dribbling basketball, would initiate shouts of “WATCH OUT FOR THE HOS-

TA!” Mr. Gardener would bellow a reminder of the tender perennial, “DON’T STEP ON THE HOSTA!” He continues this mantra still today, “CAN’T YOU SEE …

DON’T STEP … WATCH OUT!” Only now his bellow is aimed at unknowing grandkids and racing dogs. C’est la vie.

Oh the memories of adorable young kids in the garden. How sweet is the touch on my heart, and what a delightful difference in my day.

I’ll see you in the garden!

In this issue

May 2022 | kcgmag.com 6 Ask the Experts 8 Kids Ask Dr. Bug 10 Plants that Ramble 12 Indoor Gardening–Cucurbits 14 Rose Report 16 Hydrangea Care Calendar 18 Create Mini Gardens 20 UPCLOSE Vinland Valley Nursery 21 Summer Youth Program

22 24 26 28 31 32 34 35 35

Silver-spotted Skippers Plants on Your Plate–Bok Choy Elevating the Summer Display Year of the Verbena Become an Ext Master Gardener Upcoming Garden Events Garden Calendar Subscribe Hotlines

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Ask the Experts DAFFODILS MESSY FOLIAGE IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE PLANT Question: I love daffodils but don’t like the messy foliage after bloom. I see people tie together the foliage after bloom to keep the garden looking neat. Is this a recommended practice?

Answer: If you love your daffodils and want maximum bloom next year you would not tie, braid or twist together the foliage of daffodils. Doing so restricts the amount of leaf surface area exposed to the sun, which reduces photosynthesis.

Less production of energy means less blooms.

The best answer is let the foliage dieback naturally and then remove. Once it starts to yellow it can be removed. My take is the foliage is part of the plant and pretty much all plants have a downside. For daffodils it is the vigorous floppy foliage in the garden.

TRANSPLANT OPTIONS FOR DAFFODILS Question: Daffodils part two.

I know you transplant daffodils when they are dormant. The problem is I cannot locate them in the fall. Do you have any tips?

Answer: Once spring bulbs dieback and the foliage is removed, they are hard to relocate. I have two suggestions. Your first option is to dig the bulbs once the foliage yellows in the late spring. The bulbs can either be replanted or held cool and dry until fall and replant then.

Option two is to mark the location with a plant label making it easy to find in the fall. My suggestion is to dig and replant in the spring.

BEST MOLE CONTROL Question: When is the best time to apply grub control to get the mole issues under control?

Answer: Grub control is not an effective or recommended way of handling moles. Moles can wreak havoc in your lawn with or without grubs. True grubs are one food

The foliage on daffodils is needed beyond bloom time, in order to produce energy for next season blooms. source but so are many other tasty insects in the soil.

Mole activity is commonly found in large lots surrounded by natural areas providing a large area to search for food. Moles are best controlled with a trap. Granted, they are not easy to set and sometimes require luck to catch. Moles can cause damage from late winter through fall.

Grubs are usually found in larger numbers in higher maintenance lawns which are watered during the summer and on a higher nitrogen fertility level. Grub control is best applied as a preventative in midJune through early-July. The two issues should be treated separately to prevent damage.

OLD, UNOPENED FERTILIZER STILL VIABLE? Question: I was cleaning out my mother’s garage and found a couple of bags of opened fertilizer.

I am not sure how long it has been there. Is it still safe to use?

Answer: If the fertilizer is still granular and not rock hard, I would still go ahead and use it. Over the years some of the nutrients could have vaporized but it will still have

DENNIS PATTON Horticulture Agent 6

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

This is Hydrangea arborescens, Annabelle, that blooms on new wood. some nutrient value. Does it contain other ingredients such as pesticides? Read and follow labeled instructions for use. It could be applied to the lawn or other plants at the recommended times.

If the product has absorbed moisture, it may have solidified and not easy to apply. If this is the case, you could attempt to break it up to spread. Using a fertilizer or pesticide as recommend is better than throwing it in the trash or taking it to a recycling center.

QUESTIONS ABOUT PRUNING HYDRANGEA? WELCOME TO THE CLUB Question: Hydrangea pruning really confuses me. I get so confused with blooms on old wood, blooms on new wood. How do I know when to prune?

Answer: You are not alone.

Pruning all plants confuses a lot of

people. I have learned most people are afraid to prune and as a result they don’t at all, which compounds issues. Let’s break down hydrangeas to make it simple.

The first challenge is to know your species. Two species bloom on old wood. That is Hydrangea macrophylla, Bigleaf (Endless Summer varieties) and Hydrangea quercifolia, Oakleaf. These bloom on old wood and pruning should be done after flowering in the spring or early summer. Not to confuse you but many newer varieties of bigleaf hydrangea also bloom on new growth in late summer or fall. Pruning time does not matter on those newer varieties.

Hydrangea paniculate, Panicle and Hydrangea arborescens, Smooth or Annabelle, bloom on new wood and pruning should be done in early spring. Hope this helps.

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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The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

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Kids Ask Dr. Bug

about the curious things found in the garden

O

ne of the best parts of being a scientist is collaborating with others. This month, Jody Green joins me in answering your questions. Dr. Jody Green is an educator and entomologist with Nebraska Extension. Jody delivers insect-related information to the community through a variety of methods and media, including Twitter (@JodyBugsMeUNL), television (Backyard Farmer), and a podcast (Arthro-pod).

It can be dangerous to be a praying mantis!

All photos by Jody Green.

Do female praying mantises really eat males that mate with her?

Yes, it is true that some species of female praying mantises consume their mate, but this has only been found to occur in the wild 30% of the time. It depends on the circumstances surrounding the mating event, which includes available food resource, hunger level of the female, and ability of the male to escape the female. Praying mantises are predators and natural enemies of each other – newly emerged nymphs are known to cannibalize each other. So, it isn’t surprising that adults may also show aggressive behavior and that mating poses significant risk to male praying mantids. There are benefits to the females who receive this extra nourishment, which may increase the survival of the offspring.

I hadn’t witnessed the cannibalism myself until one morning in September in 2020. I came home and saw a pair of Carolina mantids (Stagmomantis Carolina) mating on the sedum, the male was missing his head (see photo). The female didn’t seem to notice that there was a male’s body attached to her, she went about catching and eating flies. The next morning, I found the male’s carcass discarded in the plants, and the female was back to catching insects in the garden. ~Dr. Green

Rabbit bot fly (left) and warble (right) What insect looks cute, but is gross?

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, what is cute to one person may not be cute to another. If this is an entomologist opinion only, I present the bot fly (Cuterebra buccata) as my choice for cute insect.

Adult rabbit bot flies are large, furry flies that resemble the size

TAMRA REALL Horticulture Specialist 8

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

and shape of a bumble bee. Rabbit bot flies are black, white, and gray in color with large heads and black eyes that have a distinct red band down the center (see photo). They have dark spots that look like freckles on their very round (and cute) cheeks. Adults do not feed so they have no distinct mouthparts.

Now for the “but gross” part:

Bot flies are also referred to as warble flies and their larvae are called warbles. All flies undergo complete metamorphosis, so their immature stage is vastly different in form and function than the adult fly. Warble flies are parasites of a variety of animals like cattle, deer, or squirrels.

The rabbit bot fly larvae is a parasite found under the skin of rabbits both wild and domestic.

The rabbit bot fly lays a single egg on the rabbit or near vegetation where rabbits are found. The egg is picked by the rabbit, and when it hatches, the larva/warble tunnels under the rabbit’s skin, feeding, and growing (leaving a breathing hole in the skin). The warble does not seem to affect the health of the rabbits they infect, but large growths or lumps can be seen on the shoulder or rump of the animal. When the warble is ready to pupate, it exits the host, leaving a large nasty, weeping wound. ~Dr. Green Why do some caterpillars have long hair?

Caterpillar hair, called setae, is thought to be a protection for the plump and tasty larvae. Many of these caterpillars are harmless to us as humans, but sometimes these bristles can have toxins. An example is the io moth caterpillar. This beautiful larva is one to stay away from. If you get pricked by the hairs, the toxins could get into your skin and cause a severe reaction.

Hungry animals don’t want that in their mouth and so they are likely to leave these caterpillars alone. ~Dr. Bug Do you have questions for Dr. Bug? Send them to ReallT@Missouri.edu or https://bit.ly/KidsAskDrBug. Include your name and age. To help me learn what you learn from this monthly column, would you please consider filling out this survey: bit. ly/KidsAskDrBugSurvey. Thank you!

Dr. Tamra Reall (@MUExtBugN Garden) is a horticulture specialist for MU Extension–Urban West Region.

For free, research-based gardening tips, call 816-833-TREE (8733), email mggkc.hotline@gmail.com, or visit www.extension.missouri.edu. The University of Missouri is an equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer.

The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

9

Plants that Ramble Photos by Scott Woodbury.

L

ong-distance dispersal is how species migrate long distances, maintain genetic variability, and will potentially adapt to climate change. This is why frogs hop like crazy on rainy days in summer: to mate with distant frogs and hopefully keep a healthy and diverse bloodline going. This is why male black bears and timber rattlesnakes wander far from the den in summer. Occasionally, unusual longdistance dispersals take place, including a bald eagle that got caught up in a storm over the Atlantic and came down in Scotland, and a Chinese duck that flew all the way to the West Coast of North America.

Who knows what hitchhiking seeds they may have carried with them to distant lands. Coconuts float across oceans, and with luck, sprout on a faraway island. In the short run, the chances for successful dispersal (in rare cases) might appear slim, but over geologic time (thousands of years), the chance for success becomes more plausible. That said, common dispersal happens all the time and close to home.

Along Ozark rivers, wild gourds, with fruits that resemble large bobbers, can float for hundreds of miles when the waters rise.

I’ve seen them floating into West Valley at Shaw Nature Reserve on rising spring floodwaters. Native Americans used wild gourds as floats for fishing nets. Other native riparian (living near creeks and rivers) plants with floating or buoyant seeds include sedge, rush, iris, arrowhead, rose mallow, monkey flower, water plantain, and pipevine. The muddy floodwaters of autumn are a stew of silt, sand, muscle shells, river glass, and seeds that get deposited far away downstream.

Milkweed, willow, aster, groundsel, goldenrod, and blazing star (most species in the Aster family) have fluffy seeds that can fly for hundreds of miles on a steady breeze. Willow seeds fluff out and take to the breeze in May. That’s

Wild gourds, Cucurbita pepo var. ozarkana

Butterfly milkweed fluffing out why black willow (Salix nigra) quickly shows up in every ditch and pond. Milkweeds begin their aerial journey in late summer and fall. It is not uncommon to see them floating in the breeze at the same time that monarch butterflies begin their migration south. Candles in the wind.

My favorite example of dispersal are tumbleweeds. You know, the ones that appear in old westerns. A drive through Kansas or Colorado reveals how they roll and bounce across the Great Plains during the dry season, until they get caught by a fence.

We have tumbleweeds here in

SCOTT WOODBURY Horticulturist 10

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

the lower mid-west.

You don’t typically see them on highways, but you may see them rambling across the backyard, or an ancient wild prairie remnant, where they are free to travel long distances, with the assistance of strong winds. Our local tumbleweeds are blue (Baptisia australis) and white wild indigo (Baptisia alba). Yellow wild indigo (Baptisia sphaerocarpa) is less common in the wild, but more common in gardens. They begin tumbling in late November or December when the

base of the main stalk rots off neatly at ground level. At this point, the mass of dead plant stems, leaves, and viable seeds in black pods is as wide as it is tall, and is the shape and weight of a beach ball. You can imagine how fast and far a beach ball can travel, bouncing over a wide-open prairie. They eventually run into a fence or a woodland edge where they come to rest, until the wind changes direction! Wild indigos carry their seed in pods that are tightly held at first, but when they dry out and start bouncing over the ground, seeds fall out along the way: long-distance dispersal. So do weevils that like to eat wild indigo seeds—dispersal of two species, all for the price of one.

So in your garden, don’t cut that stalk. Wait for the first winds of winter to jostle your indigos free. And when they hit the other side of the garden, wait for them to go the other way the next time the wind picks up in the other direction. Who knew how much fun could be had with tumbleweeds in the confines of a tiny urban yard.

Happy gardening ya’ll.

Horticulturist Scott Woodbury is the Curator of the Whitmore Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit, Missouri, 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. Find suppliers of native plants, shrubs, trees, seeds and native plant services at www.grownative.org, Resource Guide.

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11

Indoor Gardening: Cultivating Cucurbits

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henever I hear someone say, “you can’t grow that indoors,” I’m always quick to think, “au contraire…” I’d say that out loud, but I’m not a fan of confrontation and I’d elaborate, but that’s the extent of my French.

All jokes aside, one lesson I’ve learned over the years is while it’s easy to write about how anything is possible, practical application is a whole different story. Yes, you can grow enough wheat in your basement to bake bread for your family all year-round. Is it cost effective?

Absolutely not! I’ll be the first to admit, there are some edible plants that are utterly impractical, yet possible, to grow indoors… coconuts, bananas, etc. At the same time, there are varieties perfectly conducive to indoor growing that have received an unfair reputation as being “outdoor-only.” Unfortunately, there is an entire family of such plants, cucurbits, who are often victims of this rhetoric.

Zucchini, squash, pumpkin and watermelon are a few names among almost 1,000 species comprising the Cucurbitaceae, or gourd, family. As botanical berries, cucurbits are comprised of seed-filled fleshy fruit, produced within the ovary of a flower on either vines or bushes.

In that sense they are quite similar to tomatoes. Where they begin to differ is in the formation of their fruit. Unlike tomatoes where each flower contains both male and female reproductive organs and pollination can occur with very little outside influence, cucurbits produce separate flowers of each gender on the same plant. That’s the first challenge to overcome when growing them indoors. Without a house full of pollinators like bees, how does pollen transfer from the male stamen to the female pistils?

First, you can employ an oscillating fan in your grow space.

The negative to this method is that

you’re quite literally scattering pollen to the wind throughout your home and hoping some of it reaches the female flowers – not exactly

Yes, you can successfully grow cucurbits indoors. efficient. The second, more ideal, option is to manually transfer pollen from the anther (pollen covered head of each filament stalk within the male flower) to the stigma (sticky bulb atop the style stalk at the center of each female flower).

This can be done with a paintbrush by either transferring directly from one flower to the other or by first collecting the pollen in a container and then applying it to the female

JASON MISPAGEL Indoor Gardener 12

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

stigma. Tapping on the male flower may be enough to release the pollen but holding an electric toothbrush or razer along the vine just behind

the flower can also be extremely effective.

The other complication can be the sheer size of each plant. Bushing varieties don’t tend to cause much issue, but vining varieties can become extremely cumbersome if you aren’t prepared. If you don’t have sufficient floor space for your vines, a trellis net or frame can provide additional linear feet by weaving new growth through each

opening. Once fruit begins to form (especially for larger cucurbits like pumpkins), either adjust the vine so your produce rests on the ground or add a small support structure to handle the added weight.

Now that you’ve become comfortable managing your space and performing manual pollination, the rest of the growing process is a breeze. A 3- to 5-gallon pot filled with loose, well-draining soil, rich in organic matter is a good starting point. During early vegetative growth, water-in a liquid fertilizer or mix-in a granular fertilizer with even levels of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K) (i.e., 10-10-10) once per week.

Aim for a pH of 6.0 to 6.7. When flowering begins or you’d like to encourage flowering, begin using a fertilizer with lower levels of N (i.e., 5-10-10).

Soil should be watered consistently so it’s moist throughout the entire container and never dries out completely. Soggy soil from overwatering, though, can prevent oxygen from reaching the roots and lead to rot.

Maintain temperatures in the 70°F to 80°F range whenever possible with bright full spectrum grow lights. Cucurbits will utilize much of the blue light for vegetative growth and the red for flowering. Fortunately, they’re dayneutral, meaning the number of consistent dark hours they receive each day does not induce flowering. That means cucurbits can be grown under anywhere from 8 to 14 (or more) hours of direct light each day. As a general rule, the less intense the light, the longer it should remain running.

Even though you are growing indoors, you do not have to sacrifice on yield. Harvesting should still occur when fruit reaches the full mature size for that particular variety.

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.

The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

13

May Rose Report blooming busy

E

ach year, the question I receive most often from visitors to the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden in Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri, is when do the roses start blooming?

The answer is May! Let’s start with what we are doing in the Rose Garden and what you can do in yours.

This is the month to plant potted roses purchased from your local nurseries. Make sure you wait to plant until the threat of frost has passed.

Did you test your soil in April?

If not, check the following resources: Kansas State, https://www. johnson.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/ soil-testing/or the University of Missouri, https://extension.missouri.edu/mp555. Roses do best in slightly acidic soil – pH 6.0-6.5.

Testing will help you know what amendments your soil needs in order to improve the clay soil so prevalent in Kansas and Missouri.

It is time to fertilize and dress your rose beds with compost or mulch. For the last three years, we have used local organic compost at the Rose Garden instead of hard wood mulch. This has worked great to loosen and aerate the clay soil and keep weeds to a minimum.

Many newer roses are marked disease resistant and do not need preventative spraying for black spot. However, if your roses are susceptible to black spot, spray every 7 to 14 days with a preventative fungicide. Only spray for insects if you have a problem. Take care to read the directions on your product. Even organic products can be harmful when inhaled or soaked into your skin. Cover your eyes, nose and skin and wash your clothes separately after spraying and take a shower if possible.

Water a minimum of one inch per week if rain is not in the forecast. Each bush should receive

The Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden in Loose Park roses is a crown jewel of Kansas City. a gallon or two of water by hose, drip system or watering can (if you just have a few roses). I would not recommend relying on an overhead sprinkler system, as it may encourage fungal disease issues on the roses if the moisture stays on the leaves too long.

Begin pruning spent blooms by the end of May, so new growth can flourish.

Have you had a Tetanus shot in the last 10 years? Tetanus is found in soil and manure and can enter your body through thorn punctures.

Having followed the above tips, your garden should produce a bloom or two or a rose photo-

LAUREN ENGLISH Consulting Rosarian 14

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

graph to enter in the Kansas City Rose Society’s annual Rose Show!

All entrants may bring their roses and rose photographs between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., on Saturday June 4 to the Loose Park Garden Center. All are eligible for ribbons, but only KCRS members may win trophies. The Rose Show roses and photographs will be on public display at the annual Rose Day on Sunday June 5 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Garden Center.

Also, don’t miss free food, face painting, live music and dancing in the Rose Garden. For more information about Rose Show rules and regulations and Rose Day festivi-

ties, go to kansascityrosesociety. org.

I look forward to seeing many of you in the Rose Garden this month. Say hello to Dana Flemming, the Kansas City Parks and Recreation’s new Rosarian! And, don’t forget to scan the QR codes on the signs of your favorite roses or go to kcrsroselibrary.com any time. The Rose Library website is an excellent resource, organized by rose name, classification, color, hybridizer and fragrance award winners. The Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden remains the Crown Jewel of our city and country!

Lauren English is the Kansas City Rose Society Garden Chair at the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden in Loose Park and an American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian. She can be reached at laurenenglish.kcrs@ gmail.com or at the Ask a Rosarian hotline, kcrosehelp@gmail.com.

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.

Download for

Android

The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

15

Incrediball® Hydrangea arborescens hedge after spring pruning

Incrediball® Hydrangea arborescens hedge in full bloom

Hydrangea Care Calendar: Part 1

W

ith their seemingly endless display of beauty in landscapes, gardens, and containers, it’s no wonder hydrangeas are some of North America’s most popular plants. Though they are surprisingly easy to grow, this guide to caring for hydrangeas in spring will help you get the best performance from your plants.

March Panicle and Smooth Hydrangeas – New Wood For these types that bloom on new wood, it’s a good time to prune them back by about one-third of their total height, cutting just above a set of buds. Remove any thin, spindly side branches as well. This ensures thick, sturdy stems that grow and flower vigorously; it also removes any old flower heads still clinging to the plant.

Oakleaf, Bigleaf, and Mountain Hydrangeas – Old Wood Once you see the new growth beginning to appear on the stems of these old wood blooming hydrangeas, you can safely cut off any portions of the plant that aren’t

showing signs of life, as well as any old flower heads that are still clinging to the plant.

Do not prune these types of hydrangeas any more than this, as they have already formed their flower buds for the coming summer, and pruning beyond this amount will remove those flower buds. This holds true for reblooming bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas, which have new and old wood buds.

Once bigleaf and mountain hydrangeas begin to emerge, keep an eye on the weather for any spring frosts or freezes, as their delicate new foliage is very sensitive to cold and these extremes can damage the developing flower bud, destroying a chance of bloom. If a frost or freeze is forecast once the plant is showing green, cover them with an old sheet or blanket for the night.

This provides enough protection to prevent the cold air from contacting the green leaves and buds; remove the sheet the next morning, when the danger of frost has passed. Oakleaf hydrangeas are not as sensitive to late-season frosts and freezes and should not require protection.

If you wish to change the color

STACEY HIRVELA Horticulturist 16

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

of your bigleaf or mountain hydrangea, get your soil tested now.

This will help you determine what treatment you need to use to affect the color change.

If the soil has thawed, this is also a good time to fertilize all your hydrangeas using a granular fertilizer formulated for woody plants, like a rose fertilizer.

March is also a good time to transplant hydrangeas. It’s a pretty straightforward job since hydrangeas are shallow-rooted and it’s best to transplant when they are still dormant. Save any pruning for after transplanting – that gives you the chance to repair branches that may have broken mid-move.

April – Old and New wood bloomers Fertilize if desired, one month after the previous application (if you fertilized in March). If you have deer, protect plants with a repellent or structure – though deer favor hydrangeas in general, this time of year is particularly crucial because they are very hungry, and the tender emerging growth is extra-appealing.

May – Old and new wood bloomers Fertilize if desired, one month after the previous application. If you have a reblooming hydrangea that blooms on old and new wood, monthly fertilizing is recommended for best results. This is also a great time to put down a 2-3” layer of shredded bark mulch to keep the roots cool and moist in the coming heat. Repeat the frost protection outlined above as needed.

If attempting to change the color of your hydrangea, treatment based on the results of your soil test should begin now.

If you just read this article and you are a little behind on the March upkeep, do not worry! You can safely carry out all the first quarter instructions now. Just make sure you are only fertilizing once a month.

Next time we’ll cover hydrangea care for June-August, and you’ll be set for the summer! If you want more information, you can find a full video hydrangea care series, plus the Hydrangeas Demystified flier at https://www.mypwcolorchoices.com/hydrangea-info/.

A graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, Stacey Hirvela currently works as the marketing manager for Proven Winners® Color Choice® shrubs.

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www.enrightgardens.com The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

17

Create MINI

GARDENS

containers of stunning seasonal display

P

erhaps these are the most frequently asked questions by customers—“How do I get season-long color on my porch or patio?” and “Do you have plants that look pretty and are low-maintenance?” Container gardening can definitely answer the first question, and with some careful selection of plant varieties, even answer the second.

Placing containers, or “combo pots,” as we often call them, are a great way to add interest to an entry way or patio, or even in the garden.

From the pot to the plant selection, they add color and creativity to these high-use areas of the outdoor space, and creating them is a fun spring gardening “task” that you can enjoy all season.

The first consideration is the pot to be used, and the choices are vast. Some gardeners prefer to use plastic or resin pots, while others enjoy using glazed pottery to add additional color and interest to the combo. Some prefer the simplicity of the old-fashioned terra cotta pots as well; the options are endless.

If using a brilliantly colored pot, be sure to select flower colors that compliment it. For example, if using a cobalt blue glazed container, oranges, pinks, and lime green tend to stand out against the cool colors of the pot. Monochromatic (singlecolor) designs are another option, where the gardener uses colors similar to that of the container, and all of the flowers in the combo are of the same palette.

Be careful not to get overzealous and overfill the container with plants. Combos with too many plants stuffed into them will overgrow, look weedy and the plants in it will not thrive. A good way to avoid overfilling pots is to use the

“thriller, filler, spiller” method of planting.

By thinking of a combo as a mini garden, you can make selections that will compliment the pot as well as the space where the pot is located. Thrillers are the focal point of the combo. They usually add height and texture in the center or back of the pot; some thrillers are foliage plants with no bloom. Common thrillers are Dracaena/Spikes, Cordyline, fountain grass, Angelonia, Salvia, and Canna.

Fillers are the main source of color for the combo. Plant them around the thriller plant to make it pop with color. Common fillers include Lantana, Impatiens, Begonias, Euphorbia, Coleus, Bidens, and Petunias to name a few.

Spillers are the final addition to the combination. As the name suggests, they are generally trailing plants that cascade over the edge of the pot. Creeping Jenny, vinca vine, trailing ivy, and Dichondra are popular spillers. Some vigorous plants like trailing petunias (Wave® and Supertunia® types) as well as Calibrachoa (Million Bells) may function as a blooming filler and spiller.

When choosing your plants, don’t limit yourself to the annuals section of your local garden center.

Consider using small one or two gallon shrubs if you have large urns (2 ft diameter or more). Perennials also make a great statement in combinations. Coneflowers, Hosta, and Brunnera add interest to annual combos, and may be planted in the ground at the end of the season to grow the following year as a perennial in the landscape.

Planting a combo pot once you make your plant selection is very easy. An old wives’ tale says that you should load the bottom of the

SEAN HOLLAND Perennials Manager 18

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

pot with gravel or packing peanuts to “help with drainage” or otherwise save on potting soil expenses.

I do not recommend this; by filling the pot all the way and avoiding fill, the plant has more room for deeper root growth, and the pot has better water holding capacity, which makes stronger, healthier plants, and may even reduce the amount of regular watering. When filling with potting soil (never use garden/topsoil in containers), leave an inch at the top to create a reservoir for watering. I like to mix in a slow-release, balanced fertilizer at planting, like Osmocote® so that the plants get fed even if I forget to give them supplemental bloomboosting fertilizer.

Once planted, water regularly, depending on the types and varieties of plants you chose. Fertilize with a supplemental balanced or bloom-boosting fertilizer every few weeks (read the instructions or consult your garden center). Most annuals do not need cleaned or trimmed, but sometimes they can get unruly as the summer progresses. Trailing plants often require a haircut midway through the summer, and coleus may need a trim to keep it to scale with the rest of the container.

If you need help selecting plants for your own combos, ask your garden center professionals; helping gardeners to find the perfect plants is why we do what we do. If you are doing your research at home and are having trouble getting ideas, I recommend

the “Recipe Search” on the Proven Winners website (www.provenwinners.com). Even if specifically named varieties in their recipes aren’t available, the garden center professionals will be able to help find a good substitute. The possibilities are endless.

Finally, container gardening makes a great family activity. I remember helping my mother and grandmothers plant their pots every year, one grandma always planted red geraniums in pots along her front porch, while the other loved to stuff them full of begonias and impatiens and Mom always had giant combos along the front walk.

May is the perfect time to grab the kids, go to the garden center and explore, then go home and have a fun afternoon planting with the kids. It may inspire the next generation of future gardeners!

Proven Winners Photo Below: Shadowland® ‘Coast to Coast’ Hosta Dolce® ‘Cherry Truffles’ Coral Bells Fun and Games® ‘Eye Spy’ Foamy Bells

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.

Canna

Thrillers

Angelonia

Petunia

Ivy

Spillers

Salvia

Hosta

Fountain grass

Coleus

Creeping Jenny

Creeping Jenny Begonia Heuchera Flax Grass

Calibrachoa

Brunnera Heuchera Cordyline Foxtail Fern

Fillers

Lantana

Begonia

Combos

Stellar Geranium Lantana SunPatiens Canna

Torenia New Guinea Impatiens Blue Arrows Soft Rush The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

19

Up Close

with Amy Albright, Doug Davison and crew of VINLAND VALLEY NURSERY

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. Lane

OWNERS: Doug Davison and Amy Albright PRODUCTS/SERVICES: Plants of all kinds, design, installation and maintenance, bulk products and delivery, pottery and gardening supplies!

THEN AND NOW: VVN was established in the spring of 1998 by Amy Albright and Doug Davison, whose dream to build a family-operated nursery conveniently coincided with a desire to be self-employed. Their literal mom and pop establishment started with just one greenhouse and three toddler daughters, whose toys eventually became an evolving mainstay for any children who came with their families to the nursery.

Now more than 20 years later, they have grown their Douglas County business into the area’s leading purveyor of sustainably grown native perennials and plants that support the environment.

Amy and Doug can still be found on site along with a staff of five full-time plant enthusiasts— including the youngest of the aforementioned toddlers, who now drives the tractor instead of a tricycle. These days the crew can be found not only at the nursery selling plants, pottery, seeds, garden supplies and bulk mulch and soil, but also in the community providing landscape design, installation, and maintenance services.

FLORA, FAUNA & FUN FACTS FROM VINLAND: Amy and Doug earned their degrees in art and started out as wildlife rehabilitators in the area more than 30 years ago. Doug fantasizes of a life in Formula One or piloting his own aircraft.

Amy can be found creating fabric designs, treasure hunting at thrift stores or playing cut-throat card games with family members.

2022 marks the 15th year at VVN for landscape manager Ryan. This drummer, artist, and erstwhile-bartender enjoys consulting with gardeners, and is inspired by Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kauffman Gardens, and Northern California’s Muir Woods and the parks of San Francisco. His work brings national park-like beauty to landscapes throughout the area.

Long before she came to VVN, greenhouse manager Electa learned a love of gardening from her parents. Her horticultural enthusiasm continued, even leading to a position as a judge for 4-H contests. These days she can be found 20

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

Doug

Bess

Ryan Electa

James

Amy

listening to music, riding her mountain bike, and playing ultimate frisbee in a local league when not in the greenhouse tending plants, keeping track of what’s growing and where, and helping customers.

James has been part of the Common Ground community garden in Lawrence for 10 years, helping people grow their own food at low or no cost. When he’s not at the nursery, James works in editorial photography. He was a contributing photographer for Saveur Magazine for six years and continues to work with its former editor-inchief on a new book series, World Food (WF Paris and WF Mexico City out now and available for purchase in the VVN garden shop and other fine booksellers!).

Former business lacky Lane gave the corporate world his best effort, but decided his calling was in growing plants and beautifying landscapes. In his spare time, he finds tranquility in hiking and enjoys spending time with his fiancée, Great Pyrenees and two kittens.

Former toddler Bess feels right at home at the nursery, which makes sense having spent her formative years digging in the dirt at VVN. Bess enjoys hanging out with friends and taking the family dogs on adventures. She enjoys boating and floating, and deftly turned an amateur soccer career into an amateur kickball career.

Amy’s parents, Judy Moser and Ken O’Dell are frequent contributors to The Kansas City Gardener magazine, and are plant experts in their own right. Without their encouragement and wisdom, Vinland Valley Nursery might still be only a dream. They continue to grow native perennials, tomatoes and peppers, and a variety of small woody plants for VVN! WHAT’S TRENDING: Butterfly gardening is a big deal, and we’re thrilled since gardening for wildlife has been our thing for more than two decades. When you grow plants and avoid hazardous chemicals to shelter and feed butterflies you’re inadvertently creating safe and welcoming spaces for birds and other creatures up and down the food chain.

WHAT EVERY GARDENER SHOULD KNOW: If you plant the right plant in the right place you’ll save yourself loads of work and get hooked on plants! We are full of helpful information to pinpoint exactly what you need for any space and condition, so you should never hesitate to ask us.

CONTACT INFORMATION: vinlandvalleynursery. com; 785-594-2966; 1606 N 600 Road, Baldwin City, Kansas 66006; Open starting March 1 through Dec 15-ish, Mon-Sat 9am to 5pm, Sun 11am to 4pm; Dec 16 – Feb 28 By Appt. Come see us. We’d love to meet you!

Summer Youth Gardening Program

Cultivating a neighborhood historic walking tour Saturday, June 4 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

U

niversity of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City is conducting a summer gardening program for youth ages 9-13. In the Garden ’N Grow Program, youths learn not only vegetable gardening, but also “cultivate” other science, math, and language arts skills and have fun! The goals of this program are to experience the fun of gardening, to enjoy a feeling of success, and to have the satisfaction of sharing harvested food with family and/or local food banks.

The development of the whole child is emphasized as well as team building as they garden.

Master Gardeners use cooperative teaching skills to educate youth about seeds, transplants, garden planning and design, site preparation, soils, plant growth and development, costs of production, garden pests, plant health care, human nutrition, food value, food needs in the local community, and horticultural career opportunities. Each Master Gardener is trained by University of Missouri Extension specialists.

The Garden ’N Grow Program will be held on Mondays and Thursdays from 9:00-11:00 a.m. from June 6 through August 12, 2022 at Fairview Christian Church in Gladstone. A supply fee of $45 is to be paid by cash or check the first week of Garden ’N Grow.

For more information on how to register for the program please contact Debbie Johnson, Extension Master Gardener at djw602@ gmail.com or Cass Sullivan, Extension Master Gardener at Jsull5@ juno.com. NO WALK INS.

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21

Photos by Lenora Larson.

They always nectar with closed wings so the silver splotch is easily seen.

From the top, it’s a typical brownish skipper, but this view is rarely visible.

A 5th instar caterpillar, unrolled from its nest. You can see the silk it produces from its mouth to knit the leaves together.

Lead Plant graces dry sunny gardens with beautiful gray foliage and longlasting blue flowers.

Silver-spotted Skippers

A

s temperatures warm in April, the butterfly chrysalids awaken to complete their metamorphosis from caterpillar soup to winged adult, complete with genitalia and ready for love.

The Silver-spotted Skipper is one of the earliest butterflies to emerge and will be a familiar sight cruising your garden until October since there are multiple broods each year.

The Kansas City area hosts about 30 species of skippers, a family of LBBs (Little Brown Butterflies), with furry bodies, tented wings, proportionally large eyes and a jerky flight pattern. Rather than knobs at the end of their antennae like the other butterflies, skippers sport jaunty little “crochet hooks.”

I despair of identifying most of the LBBs, but even beginning butterfly gardeners can easily identify the Silver-spotted Skipper by the large

metallic silver splash on the darkbrown hindwing.

Host Plants Male butterflies emerge from their chrysalis about a week before the females so they can fuel up on nectar and choose their territory.

They perch on tall weeds and ambush females who are flying by in search of nectar or their host plant.

After mating with multiple males, the egg-filled lady seeks out her caterpillar’s food plants, woody members of the pea family, such as Wisteria, Black and Honey Locusts and several species of False Indigo.

Unlike most butterflies that lay their eggs directly on the host plant, Silver- spotted Skippers lay single eggs near the host trees or shrubs.

The tiny newly-emerged caterpillars must go crawling to find their first meal. Fortunately, they can de-

LENORA LARSON Butterfly Maven 22

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

tect the aroma of their host plant so it’s a quick search.

To attract Silver-spotted Skippers, False Indigo shrubs (Amorpha species) are recommended for gardens as easy-care natives whose beauty should earn them a place in full-sun locations. Their large vivid blue or violet racemes of flowers attract many species of pollinators and the caterpillars of both Silverspotted Skipper and Gray Hairstreak butterflies use them as hosts.

For a dry area, choose the prairie’s silvery 3 to 4 foot-tall Lead Plant (Amorpha canescens). From the wetlands, False Indigo Bush (Amorpha fruticosa) reaches 6 to 8 feet and is ideal for rain gardens.

The Caterpillar’s Superpowers To avoid being on a predator’s menu, caterpillars exhibit far more interesting behaviors than the sex-

crazed adults. In spring and summer, examine your garden’s woody legumes for the caterpillar nests, leaves folded like “leaf tacos.” Gently roll it open to see the chartreuse caterpillar, with a brown head like a beebee and two bright orange fake eyes. The leaf nests protect against any predator’s scrutiny. If the caterpillar is out eating or making a new nest, the snake-like fake eyes deter birds. However, predatory and parasitic wasps are their primary threats. Not only do these wasps recognize the folded leaf nests, they also locate their caterpillar prey by the aroma of the accumulating frass, the caterpillar’s poop. As a defense, the Silver-spotted Skipper caterpillar is equipped with a “fecal catapult,” which hurls its fecal pellet up to 38 times its body length.

Imagine hurling your poop as your superpower!

A Marais des Cygnes Master Gardener, Lenora is a member of the Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society. She gardens in the clay soil and cruel winds of Paola, KS. She may be contacted at lenora.longlips@gmail.com.

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@yrroundgarden www.year-roundgarden.com The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

23

PLANTS ON YOUR PLATE Bok Choy eties of this vegetable, known as baby bok choy are often cut in half lengthwise and roasted or grilled.

An easy way to start enjoying bok choy is to add to a fresh green sal-

ad or to your favorite stir fry. The recipe below is a simple and tasty dish that you can customize with your favorite protein add-in if you desire.

Bok Choy and Mushroom Stir-Fry MAKES 4 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS

C

abbage is a common spring vegetable that is enjoyed by many. I’ve always liked it in just about any form - cooked, fresh, and fermented, but have typically chosen standard head cabbage. Recently I’ve been trying other varieties and I have discovered that I really like bok choy.

Bok choy (sometimes spelled bok choi, pak choy or pak choi) is a variety of Chinese cabbage and a member of the Brassicaceae family, within the sub-variety chinensis.

This variety of cabbage does not form heads as other cabbages do, rather they have long, green leaves, with a lighter colored bulbous base that looks somewhat similar to celery. Bok choy originated in China, with records of cultivation going back to the 5th century and moved throughout Asia until the 15th century. It was introduced in Europe in the 18th century and eventually to North America in the 19th century.

Bok choy is grown year-round in California and Hawaii and seasonally in a handful of states across the United States. It is a cool season crop and will be one of the vegetables that shows up in Midwest

growing seasons in the early spring and fall. Most of the world’s crop is still grown throughout Asia, where limited farmland has led to sustainable practices of vertical farming. Bok choy is the crop of choice for vertical farming in Singapore, growing in towers up to 30 feet tall and producing nearly 1000 pounds annually for local consumption!

Like most leafy greens, bok choy is low in calories but rich in nutrients. One cup of chopped bok choy has only 9 calories, 1 gram of fiber and is rich in vitamins A, C, K, and folate and calcium. Like other members of the Brassicaceae family, bok choy is also rich in glucosinolates, and selenium, both of which are shown to be effective in cancer prevention and management of blood sugar. Bok choy has flavor that is spinach-like in the leafy portion, while the crunchy stem end is similar to water chestnuts, with a slightly peppery undertone.

For most preparations, leaves and stems are either chopped or julienned. Bok choy is the main ingredient in traditional kim chi, a spicy fermented side dish common in Korean cuisine. Smaller vari-

DENISE SULLIVAN Nutrition Ninja 24

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

1 pound bok choy 1 large carrot 8 dried shitake mushrooms 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced ginger ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 6 scallions, chopped 2 cups cooked brown rice Wash hands and work surfaces. Wash bok choy and carrot and drain on paper towel.

Prepare vegetables: chop bok choy leaves and stems into 1-inch slices. Using a vegetable peeler, cut carrot into long ribbons lengthwise. Soak mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes, drain and slice.

Heat wok over medium high heat; add oil, garlic and ginger and heat until fragrant.

Add mushrooms and stir fry 2 minutes. Add bok choy and carrots; stir fry 1-2 minutes.

Combine broth, sesame oil, oyster sauce and cornstarch; add to wok and heat until thickened.

Serve over brown rice; sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions before serving.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Calories: 293, Total Fat: 7.5g, Saturated Fat: .8g, Sodium: 565mg, Carbohydrates: 52g, Fiber: 8g, Protein: 9g

Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats, analyzed by verywellfit.com.

Denise Sullivan (@MUExtJacksonCo) is a Nutrition and Health Education Specialist for MU Extension in the Urban West Region, serving Jackson and Platte Counties. For research based nutrition and food safety information and programs, call 816-482-5850 or visit https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/urban-west-region.

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The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

25

Elevating the Summer Display

David T. Beals III Woodland & Stream Garden

H

ave you ever walked through your garden and wondered what happened? The garden was enchanting when the spring bulbs and ephemerals were flowering. But, then what? Summer came along and the garden was not as exciting as it could be. My first year or so at Powell Gardens, I had that experience when walking through an established garden.

On a hot summer afternoon, I realized once again how much I appreciated the shade provided by the mature canopy of the David T. Beals III Woodland and Stream Garden. The sound of songbirds chirping and water flowing through the streams was wonderful. A coworker had a laptop out and was sitting on a deck overlooking a stream while at work. It was all delightful, yet I paused, trying to figure out what was missing. And

realized we were missing the mark on our summer display.

Log planters! That was the answer. I asked our horticulture staff to use fallen trees to create planters to highlight tropical plants from a collection house. Placed along the sidewalks, planting pockets were chiseled out in the logs and potting soil added. The first year, the logs were planted with ferns, bromeliads, and impatiens. Soon after, I frequently saw visitors taking pictures and talking about trying the idea at home. This year, we will continue to use a mix of plants from our collection house and focus on ones with interesting, contrasting foliage. In this setting, deer resistant plants are always a must. Groundcovers at the base of the logs will be added to complement the planters.

We have a good mix of hostas in the garden but it’s a battle keeping

SUSAN MERTZ Plantswoman 26

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

the deer away. Deer-resistant perennials are working their way into the designs. Variegated Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum falcatum ‘Variegatum’) will be planted along the base of three American Hophornbeams (Ostrya virginiana) where there is space for the perennials to colonize. As Powell Gardens has become an affiliated garden of the Hardy Fern Foundation, increasing our collection of ferns is a priority.

Revitalizing our astilbe collection is also an easy solution to improving the summer display.

Another summer highlight for this garden is developing the secret trail. The trail has been there for years. It cuts through the woods and crosses the stream in a couple of places. During the spring, the banks of the streamway are covered with bulbs and hellebores that have naturalized. Now, spring through

fall, we have forest dwellings along the path of the secret trail. Some are tucked away and hard to find. Others are more obvious. All are delightful. It is a fun game for visitors of all ages to find eleven houses.

Containers on the two streamway decks have also become features in the summer display. For this summer, I love the idea of fishtail palms in large terracotta pots with some colorful foliage plants at the base. We could hang staghorn ferns on trees leading to a deck as a fun surprise.

With another phase of improving the design, we’ll focus on plants with good fall display. Pearl Glam® Beautyberry (Callicarpa x Pearl Glam®) and Low Scape Snowfire™ Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa ‘SMNAMPEM’) are on the list. Do you have any favorites to recommend?

With over 25 years in the horticulture industry and public gardening community, Susan is Director of Horticulture at Powell Gardens. Married, with grown children and a granddaughter, Susan and her husband love to travel and want to see the world. Or, as much of the world as is covered by their frequent flyer miles. As long as there is a garden or two included in each vacation spot, her suitcase and camera bag are packed.

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The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

27

Verbena Vanessa™ Compact Deep Pink Danziger

V

erbena are known for withstanding the pressure of hot, dry conditions. Luckily for all of us, there are many new hybrids that have been bred just for this job!

Verbena is a member of the Verbenaceae family, which is comprised of 800 species in 32 genera, many of them native to the Americas and Asia. This family is characterized by clumps or spikes of flowers on heat-loving herbs, shrubs, trees, or vines. Other notable members of this family include Lemon Verbena (Aloysia spp), Lantana, Porterweed (Stachytarpheta spp.), and Sandpaper vine (Petrea volubilis). For purposes of this article, we are focusing only on the annual verbena types for successful home gardens.

While verbena was used as a medicinal herb and holy plant in the Egyptian, Roman, and Greek ancient civilizations, today they are prized for their ornamental value.

There are many varied types and habits, including upright and tall, as well as mounded and trailing.

Basic Types and Variety Names Most verbenas on the market are hybrid cultivars bred to have a winning combination of traits from many different verbena species.

These hybrid varieties generally have larger flowers, brighter and more saturated colors, and larger, more weather-tolerant leaves than their species relatives. They are also bred to be more heat, water-stress, and disease tolerant (especially powdery mildew). These cultivars

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May 2022 | kcgmag.com

Verbena Temari Patio Blue Suntory Flowers

Verbena Obsession Cotton Candy Mix Syngenta

Year of the VERBENA are often available in a series that includes verbenas with similar characteristics and in different colors.

Leaves and foliage are often dense and in many species “hairy.”

Its flowers are small with five petals, arranged in dense clusters.

Typical colors include shades of blue and purple, but they can also be found in white and pink shades.

Environmental factors can determine the flowering time and size of a verbena plant. As temperatures rise, some plants may go out of color and stay green until a cooloff. Others are bred to withstand heat and humidity with flowers and bulky growth non-stop through the growing season.

Pollinators love verbena! Hummingbirds, butterflies, and moths are all frequent visitors. Bees of all types love verbena, too.

Gardening Tips While verbena seed is available, many of the newer varieties that have the desirable traits are vegetatively propagated and can be found as young plants at your local garden retailer in the spring.

Verbena looks their best when their soil is kept moist, but not wet as they do not like soggy feet. If the growing medium dries down too much it can cause flushing. Flushing is commonly known as cycling out of color where the plant loses blooms but remains green and leafy.

Verbena plants should be placed in sunny locations, aiming for 6+ hours of direct light. Most species perform well in the ground or landscape. They can also be displayed

in hanging baskets and patio containers. For the compact-growing verbena, those work best in pots and do not have the root vigor for garden bed applications. For prolonged flowering, deadhead verbena by cutting or pulling off spent flower heads.

Powdery Mildew (PM) is an unfortunate occurrence on some verbena. The best practice is to look for newer varieties that have a built-in resistance. If PM does appear (it will present as white patches of fluffy fungus on leaves or stem) treat with a neem spray or your favorite fungicide. Catching PM early is the best solution, as this disease can spread quickly, and its fungus blocks sunlight to the plant’s nutrition system, making the plant unable to produce food, which will ultimately cause the plant to perish.

Gardening with verbenas can elevate your landscape design and add texture and color to your patio containers. You’ll appreciate their colorful branches and how well they play with other flowers in your garden. Whether you live in northern climates and enjoy them for a single summer season, or watch them return year after year in warm, southern climes, verbena is an excellent choice for plant lovers of all levels of garden abilities.

Verbena Varieties to Look For: • Aztec Series has big clusters of vibrant flowers that provide an eye-catching display in containers, beds, and hanging baskets. Freeflowering through heat and humidity on a mounding trailing plant.

• EnduraScape™ Pink Bicolor is a 2017 All-America Selections winner. This vigorous and spreading, long-flowering plant can be considered a hardy annual (zone 7) since it thrives in the heat and can take some chilling temperatures as well.

• Firehouse™ Purple Fizz is a top performer at many university flower trials. This medium-vigor purple and white bicolor verbena has a beautiful mounded habit perfect for hanging baskets and landscapes. This variety, and the others in the Firehouse series, have superior powdery mildew tolerance and prolonged summer flowering.

• Lanai has distinct color patterns that remain strong and stable (and powdery mildew resistant) throughout the growing season. Lanais come in three types: regular, compact, and upright.

• Obsession series is known for bold colors and a twister pattern and are one of the few verbenas still available from seed.

• Superbena® Imperial Blue™ is a new-to-market variety with an attractive and truly unique blue color on large flowers. This Superbena boasts exceptional branching on a tidy, manageable habit. It’s tough as nails and will continue blooming late through the summer.

• Temari® trailing are a range of broad-leaved verbenas, which produce vigorous branches that quickly form mounds of color via large bold blooms.

Article and photos courtesy of National Garden Bureau, ngb.org.

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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.

Shawnee Indian Mission Foundation - Native Plant Sale at 3403 W. 53rd St, Fairway KS 66205. Saturday, April 30, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Native Plant Sale by Burroughs Audubon at 6212 NW Barry Rd. KC MO 64154. Backyard Bird Center 816-746-1113. Saturday, April 30, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Missouri Prairie Foundation Native Plant Sale at Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave, Kansas City MO 64110.

Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Shopping at our Brazito (Jefferson City) location: Our retail “store” (outdoor sales area) is open for you to make selections. You can also send a pre-order and pick it up at the nursery. Open 9 to 5 Monday through Saturday, noon to 5 Sunday.

We can ship your order! We ship plants on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays all year. UPS usually delivers the next day to Missouri and the surrounding states. Shipping charges apply.

The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

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S

ix hundred species of oak trees in the world, 90 species of oak trees in the United States, 19 species in Missouri, 11 species in Kansas and we have 6 species of oaks trees on our farm in Miami County, Kansas. Many of the homes in our great cities have at least one oak tree gracing the front yard or shading the neighbor’s patio. It is truly the national tree of the United States. Fourteen other countries of the world also designate the oak as their national tree.

Located near the University of Missouri-Kansas City Volker Campus (5109 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64110), the arboretum at Linda Hall Library has 31 different species of oak trees or oak hybrids, and all are individually labeled. These hybrids are either naturally made or purposefully developed by humans. Linda Hall has handwritten records on these trees with some of the records dating back to 1946 when Linda Hall Library was established. The history of these trees add to the noble existence and interest of the individual tree.

Oak trees produce separate male and female flowers on the same tree. These flowers are not very noticeable but are easily wind pollinated and this produces the acorns with which we are all so familiar.

Acorns are classified as a nut. A nut is a fruit with a hard shell and a seed. Of the thousands of acorns that a single oak tree may produce in a good year, the chances of one seed growing into a living, surviving tree is slim to none.

Oak trees are often divided into the white oak group or the red oak group. The difference is noted in bristles on the tips of the red oak group, and also that the red oaks take two years to mature their fruit or nuts. Red oak acorns have a bitter tannin and for humans would

Photos by Ken O’Dell.

The Great Oak Trees at Linda Hall Library

Above: There are 20 different oak trees in this northwest section of Linda Hall Library arboretum, and all are labeled. Below: Hybrid oak tree Quercus acutissima x quercus lyrata – you must see this one up close. not be edible. Leaves of the white oak group are smooth and wavy along the edge with smooth, rounded ends and the sweet, edible fruit matures in 6 months. If you want to plant red oak seed you can put it in the fridge at 38 degrees and hold it for several months before planting but the white oak group does not have a dormancy such as the red oaks so we must immediately plant the white oak seed when we see it falling from the trees.

There is so much to learn about oak trees, with lots of books, local professionals, websites to reference. Consider these local reference books: Kansas State University has been working to update

KEN O’DELL Expert Plantsman 30

May 2022 | kcgmag.com

Trees, Shrubs and Woody Vines in Kansas. (Editor’s comment: Update completion date unknown at the time of this printing.) The Missouri Botanical Garden jointly sponsored with Missouri Department of Conservation to update Steyermark’s Flora of Missouri, a book originally published in 1963. The Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens has a complete set of the new Flora of Missouri books. Either of these books will give much information about the great oaks growing at Linda Hall Library.

Ken O’Dell is the Kansas City Regional Leader of the Kansas Native Plant Society. He is a long-time volunteer at the Overland Park Arboretum. You may reach him via email at Ken@springvalleynursery.com.

Become an Extension Master Gardener

The Greater Kansas City Water Garden Society Presents

Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour 2022

Applications now available

A

re you interested in learning more about gardening, the outdoor environment, and best practices in horticulture? Are you interested in helping others become better gardeners?

If the answer is yes, consider becoming an Extension Master Gardener (EMG)!

Extension Master Gardeners of Greater Kansas City are volunteers for MU Extension. They share MU Extension’s mission of improving the quality of life for all Missourians, providing researchbased horticultural information, and “helping others learn to grow.”

EMGs volunteer with children’s gardening programs, historic gardens, community gardens, wildflower gardens that benefit pollinators, the Gardeners’ Hotline, Speakers Bureau, #TuesdayTip videos, and many other exciting and worthwhile programs and activities.

We are offering EMG training this fall, 2022.

When: Thursdays, starting August 17. 12:30-3:30pm via Zoom, plus optional in-person field trips.

What: The 15-week EMG training course includes intensive horticultural training taught by University faculty and local experts, individual or group projects.

Cost: $200. A limited number of scholarships are available. Information on scholarships is available upon request.

Extension Master Gardener Training includes: • Basic plant science • Maintaining healthy soil • Fruit and vegetable gardening • Tree, shrub, and lawn care • Insects – beneficials and pests • Integrated pest management • Landscape design • Ornamental annuals, perennials, and native plants • And more!

After training, Year 1 EMGs volunteer 30 hours in locally approved projects to become certified EMGs. Years 2+ EMGs offer 20 hours of volunteer service and 6 hours of continuing education to recertify.

Applications are now available. Go to www.mggkc.org and click on “How to Join” to access the application. Applications are due by July 23, 2022. If your application is accepted, payment for EMG Training is due by August 10, 2022, 5pm.

For more information, contact Tamra Reall (ReallT@Missouri. edu) or Cathy Bylinowski (BylinowskiC@missouri.edu).

MU Extension via the Columbia campus also offers two online EMG training sessions each year – spring and fall. Online graduates join their local chapters to fulfill volunteer requirements. More information can be found at https://extension.missouri.edu/programs/ master-gardener.

29th Annual Tour continues with multi-day format of 5 Saturdays in July and August.

Our “Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour” will highlight different locations around the entire metropolitan area. As we celebrate the art of nature, we will continue to host plein air artists during the day at each site and will conclude with a local business-sponsored evening garden party.

The 2022 Season of Tours are on the following Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Rain or Shine Tour # 1

July 9, Kansas South: Leawood, Lenexa, Overland Park, Olathe and Louisburg

Tour # 2

July 23, Missouri North Zone: Clay and Platte Counties

Tour # 3

Aug 6, Kansas North Zone: Merriam, Shawnee, Prairie Village, Wyandotte County and Leavenworth County

Tour # 4

Aug 20, Missouri Central Zone: Jackson County North and west of 435, Independence, Blue Springs, and Raytown

Tour # 5

Aug 27, Missouri South Zone: Jackson County south and east of 435, Lee’s Summit, Lake Winnebago, Cass and Ray Counties

The Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour is a laid back, go- at- your- own- speed kind of tour. Take your time to drink in the sights and sounds as you stroll around the different water features. Each water garden has a unique feel, sometimes dictated by the style and era of the home, lay of the land or homeowners dreams. You may see formal symmetry, a casual relaxed flavor or a rustic and charming cottage flair.

At each turn you will find a surprise, whether it be a garden train traveling over a rushing stream, chickens and ducks calling your name, or museum quality statuary and everything in between. Full-sun backyards with riotous, noisy colors of lilies and Lotus or dappled shade gardens with ferns, hostas, and mosses whispering their secrets can be found on all 5 Saturdays.

Tickets for all 5 tours are $10. Tour one or all five for the same price. Children under 14 attend free. Purchase tickets through Eventbrite beginning May 1, visit kcwatergardens.com/tour. Garden Centers and other retail outlets will have tour books/tickets available in June.

Our Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour is our only fundraiser to build ponds for schools and other nonprofits. To date we have built and sustained over 60 water features. Plan to attend 50 plus water features this summer. It’s sure to be turtley awesome!

The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

31

Upcoming Garden Events Artful Gardens: Painted Garden Sun, May 1, 3-6pm; at Powell Gardens. $50 | 10% less for members. Which came first, the artist or the garden? The plants that make up botanical gardens are thoughtfully curated, just like the paintings that are hung in art museums. To explore the connection between visual art and the natural world join us for Artful Gardens with “Docent Donna” Houtteman of Art Blocks KC. The Garden is waking up in the spring.

Snowdrops are the first to awaken, then the azaleas, and 100,000 daffodil bulbs will be in season. This event includes a 90-minute presentation showcasing artists that use nature and gardens as their inspiration. After the presentation, guests will enjoy wine or beer, and light snacks while receiving a private guided tour of the Conservatory as well as the current blooms on display at Powell Gardens. Register at powellgardens.org/calendar.

Olathe Garden & Civic Club’s Annual Plant Sale Tues, May 3, 4-7p and Wed, May 4, 8a12p; at 18505 W 114th St, Olathe, KS. *Credit & Electronic Payments Accepted in addition to cash/check!* Come get some great new plants for your outdoor and indoor spaces while helping us raise money; this is our annual fundraiser for all of our philanthropic and educational activities throughout the year! You may find: perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetables, flowers, pollinator-friendly plants, shade plants, sun-loving plants, house plants, and even garden art! Come meet the members of Kansas’s oldest garden club; established in 1929. Plant love and knowledge will be freely shared!

Garden Club of Shawnee Thurs, May 5, 7p; at the Town Hall at Shawnee Town 1929, 11600 Johnson Dr, Shawnee, KS. Johnson County Master Gardener Karen Lyman will present “Container with Style.” This will also be our spring plant, seed, and bulb exchange. Snacks will be provided and door prizes awarded. Please visit our website gardenclubofshawnee. org and our Facebook page for information about our club.

Plant Sale Sat, May 7, 9a-noon; at Agriculture Hall, 1 Expo Dr, Topeka, KS 66604 (at the corner of 17th and Topeka). Sponsored by Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners.

Are you ready to grow? Stock up on your favorite vegetables, perennials, annuals and herbs! All plants are raised by our Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners and are proven to produce, even in extreme weather. Pick up special items, including Mother’s Day baskets, and discover hidden gems in the Garden Shed Thrift Shop. Plants for sale include: vinca, zinnia, coleus, petunia, red salvia, milkweed, pollinator plants, native plants, peppers, herbs, tomatoes, perennials. Cash, Check or Cards Accepted.

Gardening 101: All About Roses Sat, May 7, 11a-noon; at Powell Gardens. $20 | $8 for members. Anyone can grow

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beautiful roses. All it takes is choosing the right varieties and understanding the growing conditions that help them thrive. This class will explore the history of roses, how new rose varieties are developed, and how to select the best roses for your gardening needs. We will discuss basic rose care, and tips for successful rose gardening. Laura Dickinson is an American Rose Society Master Consulting Rosarian and is Vice President of the Kansas City Rose Society. She was a Johnson Co. Kansas Extension Master Gardener from 2001 through 2017. She is retired from a career in science education and program management.

She lives in Leawood, KS and has a special interest in easy-care landscape roses. Tickets include general admission to Powell Gardens’ spring festival, Painted Garden, a $12 value. Register at powellgardens.org/ calendar.

Spring Farm Day by the Kaw Valley Farm Tour and Douglas County K-State Extension Sat, May 7, 9a-5p. 9 Venues. Lavender Farm, U-Pick Strawberries, flowers, herbs, shrubs, and Goats! Free event, more info at www.kawvalleyfarmtour.org Organic Rare Heirloom Tomato Plant Sale May 7-14, 9a-6p, until sold out; at the Broadmoor Urban Farm Greenhouse (SMSD Center for Academic Achievement), 8200 W 71st St, Overland Park, KS 66204. $4 each, 3 for $11. Plant Partnership for Farm Education with Cultivate KC and Roots for Refugees. Donations welcomed.

Cross-Pollinate Photography Exhibition Sat, May 7, 5-8p; at HJ’s Art Gallery, 6425 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64113.

Proceeds benefit Journey House & Peace House, KCMO. By Johnson County gardener and photographer Jack Stuber. Learn more at jackstuber.com.

Native Prairie Series: Tallgrass Prairie Tues, May 10, 1-4p; at Powell Gardens. $90 per class | $240 for three-part series; *10% membership discount only applied when signing up for an individual class in this series. Ona Gieschen’s Native Prairie, located just outside of Sedalia, Missouri, is owned and managed by Powell Gardens. The Native Prairie Series, a series of workshops taught at Ona’s Prairie by staff Conservationist Julie Copley, aims to provide participants valuable perspective on this critical Midwest ecosystem.

Each workshop will highlight topics surrounding the tallgrass prairie such as biodiversity, management, and conservation, as well as include a discussion of the highlighted prairie plant species for additional community context. In the first workshop, participants will receive an introduction to tallgrass prairies, including ecological perspectives and distinction amidst other grassland types. Additionally, identification of the major plant families found in this ecosystem as well as techniques for plant identification will be presented. The plant of focus for this class is Painted Cup (Castilleja coccinea). Participants can sign

up for all three classes in the series or select individual classes based on the topics presented. Classes will be held outside at Ona’s Prairie, so please wear close-toed shoes, long pants, hats, and bug spray.

There will be a picnic area and water available for a break time. Portable toilets will also be onsite. Register at powellgardens. org/calendar.

Leavenworth County Master Gardeners Wed, May 11, 11a; at Riverfront Community Center, 123 Esplanade St, Leavenworth KS 66048. Kevin Jensen, owner of Oak Creek Nursery in Basehor KS, will be giving a presentation on the best turf options for the Northeast Kansas area, along with how to handle some of the problematic insects in our region. The meeting is free. Visitors are welcome. For more information contact the Leavenworth County Extension office at 913-364-5700.

Mums, Mums and More Mums Wed, May 11, 7-8pm; at Basehor Community Library, 1400, 158th St, Basehor, KS 66007. Pat Matthews, a Leavenworth County Master Gardener, will give a presentation on how to easily propagate mums using cuttings and rooting them. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Jackie Lee at 816-8101430.

Liberty Town & Country Garden Club Annual Plant Share Sat, May 14, 8a until all plant are gone; at Rotary Plaza, 100 West Franklin St, Liberty, MO 64068. Free plants. Keeping our communities beautiful.

Idalia Butterfly Society Sat, May 14, 6p; at Prairie Village City Hall, 7700 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS. Pollinators don’t know that they are the love connection for plants, so the flower must first attract them with color, fragrance and/ or shape. They then bribe the pollinators to return by repeatedly dispensing small doses of delectable nectar. This presentation introduces participants to the pollinators in our area, the threats that they face, and how we can help them. Lenora Larson is a Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardener and member of local chapters of both the Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society. Lenora is a proud ‘science geek’ with a degree in microbiology from Michigan State University. She writes about butterfly gardening for numerous publications and is a frequent presenter to gardeners throughout the Midwest.

KC Cactus and Succulent Society Sun, May 15, 1:30-3:30p; at the Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO. Club meeting. We welcome visitors and value your attendance. **Please note: Jun 9-12 is the Mid-States Cactus and Succulent Conference, including a 7-vendor plant and pottery sale that Friday and Saturday. Check our website: www.kccactus. com or visit us on Facebook for information on the KCCSS and the upcoming conference and plant/pottery sale.

Shade Gardens: Tips, Tricks and Plant Selection Thurs, May 19, 7-8p; at Leavenworth Public Library, 417 Spruce St, Leavenworth, KS 66048. Joseph O’Neill, a Leavenworth County Master Gardener, will give a presentation on shade gardens. He will cover site selection, types of shade, landscaping design, inexpensive decorative ideas and types of plants suitable for shade gardens in our area. A handout will be provided.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

For more information contact Jackie Lee at 816-810-1430.

Garden to Glass: Vodka Edition Sat, May 21, 2-3p; at Powell Gardens. $20 | 10% less for members. Have you ever wondered how vodka is made or what ingredients go into your favorite clear liquor?

In this edition of Garden to Glass, attendees will learn about the vodka distillation process while making their own strawberry basil cocktail to enjoy. For added goodness, the strawberries and basil are fresh from Powell Gardens! Guests will also receive a Powell Gardens branded cocktail glass to take home. Must be 21+ to attend. Register at powellgardens.org/calendar.

Iris Flower Show Sat, May 21; at Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes, Kansas City, MO. Set-up and Judging 8a; Open to the public 12-4p. The Greater Kansas City Iris Society invites you to their first Iris Show in two years.

There’s sure to be a beautiful display of the latest varieties and well as heirloom varieties for your enjoyment. Participation is open to the public. If you would like to enter specimens or designs in the competition, email dhughes936@gmail.com. Mark your calendars as our public sale is set for Aug 13, 10a-3p at the Trailside Center.

Train Garden Tour Sat, Jun 4, 10a-4p and Sun, Jun 5, Noon4p. Adults and kids are invited to tour the unique train gardens at homes in the greater Kansas City area. They are like a miniature world with model trains running through garden landscaping, with small houses and buildings, trees, plants, water features, bridges and tunnels. Hosted by the MOKAN Garden Railroaders, the admission cost for this self-guided tour to all gardens is $10 per car. Fifty percent of proceeds go to Harvesters Food Network. For tickets and tour guide, go to www.mokangardenrailroaders.org.

Cultivating a Neighborhood Historic Walking Tour Sat, Jun 4, 10a-4pm; Brookside Neighborhood. Discover little known historic facts and visit fascinating places and spaces in the Brookside neighborhood! “Cultivating a Neighborhood” explores how the Brookside neighborhood went from remote Wornall family farm to thriving residential and commercial neighborhood in the heart of Kansas City. The walking tour traces an approximately two-and-a-half mile path through the Brookside commercial district and Wornall Homestead Homes Association neighborhood. Participants

will receive a map and digital booklet to guide their tour. Several notable stops will be available for tour and Wornall/ Majors representatives will be scattered along the route to provide assistance and answer questions. In addition to learning fascinating historic information, guests will enjoy sips and surprises from reenactors along the route. Tickets are $20 or $15 for Wornall/Majors members. Information at https://brooksidewalkingtour.eventbrite. com Native Plant Sale Sat, Jun 4, 9a-2:30p; at Douglas County Fairgrounds. Plants are $4 each or 3 for $10. Plants are pollinator and bee friendly.

Sponsored by Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners. You will be able to preorder native plant Bloom Boxes beginning in May. See all the available Bloom Box plants at https://dgemgks.com/nativeplant. We will also have individual plants available to purchase the day of the sale.

See the full list of Native Plant Sale plants at https://dgemgks.com/2022-nativeplant-sale-plants/ Kansas City Rose Show Jun 4; at Loose Park Garden Center. Free and open to all rose gardeners with assistance provided for first-time exhibitors.

Classes for live blooms and rose photographs. Entries accepted 8a to Noon. Visit https://www.kansascityrosesociety.org for the show handbook with class list and show rules. Also find links to tips on how to grow and show prize-winning roses.

Kansas City Rose Day Jun 5, 1-5 p; at Laura Conyers Smith Rose Garden in Loose Park. View the results of the rose show with hundreds of blueribbon winners and gleaming trophies. Enjoy family activities, live entertainment, and an afternoon of beauty in this worldrenowned rose garden. Free. Visit https:// www.kansascityrosesociety.org for further information.

27th Annual Town and Country Garden Tour, Hermann, MO Jun 4-5. The Garden Tour includes both a walking tour of gardens in downtown Historic Hermann and a driving tour to gardens in the hills around Hermann. The $15 ticket price includes visits to at least four private gardens; these gardens are both in town and in the country and include a traditional four-square garden. Tickets will be sold online before the tour at Eventeny and at Topiaries (138 E. 4th) in downtown Hermann during the tour from 10-5 Sat and 10-3 Sun. A map to the gardens will be provided starting on Sat Jun 4 at the Topiaries ticket sale site. The Hermann Garden Club’s website www.hermanngardentours. com provides all details.

Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour The 29th annual Greater KC Water Garden Society tour will continue with the successful multi-day format success of 5 separate Saturdays in proximity this July and August. Our “Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour” will highlight different loca-

tions around the entire metropolitan area.

As we celebrate the art of nature, we will continue to host plen--air artists during the day at each site and will conclude with a local business-sponsored evening garden party. Eventbrite will begin selling $10 tickets May 1st and tour books and tickets will be available at area garden centers June 1st. Our Turtle Crawl Water Garden Tour is our only fundraiser to build ponds for schools and other nonprofits. To date we have built and sustained over 60 water features. Plan to attend 50 plus water features this summer. Tickets for all 5 tours are $10 and will be available on May 1st at Eventbrite.com and June 1st in local garden centers. Children under 14 attend free. The tour dates are July 9th and 23rd and August 6th, 20th and 27th. Tour 1 or all five for the same price. It’s sure to be turtley awesome!

Garden Symposium Sat, Sep 17, 8:30a-4p; at the Riverfront Community Center in Leavenworth, KS. Leavenworth Co Master Gardeners will host a Garden Symposium “Live Life in Full Bloom.” The speakers are; Kelly Norris, Crystal Miles and Jonah Nelson. Tickets are $45 and will go on sale June 1st. A box lunch is included. For more information contact Mikey Stafford at 913-4263794 or Anne Reilly at 913-683-4646.

Northwest Missouri Master Gardener’s Garden Symposium Sat, Sep 24, 8a-4p; at Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art, 2818 Frederick Ave, St Joseph, MO 64506. Speakers/Topics: Tim Moloney - The Art of Plunking; Lenora Larson - Be A Butterfly Bartender; The Artistic Garden; Carol Davit - Grow Missouri Natives. Registration opens May 1, 2022. $35.00 includes Breakfast pastries, Lunch, and snacks. Check in registration 8:00. Vendors 8:00 - 3:00. Welcome/Keynote 9:00. Seating is limited. Send $35.00 check payable to University of Missouri Extension, 4125 Mitchell Ave, St Joseph, MO 64507. Call Extension Office for questions 816-279-1691.

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

Deadline for publishing in the June issue is May 5.

SPEAKERS’ BUREAU Need a speaker for your church, civic group or garden club? The Johnson County Extension Speakers’ Bureau have the speakers you are looking for on just about any topic like environmentally safe lawn care, or perennial flower gardening.

We can adapt to meet your group’s needs, from a short 20minute presentation to a longer format, if needed. While there are no fees for a volunteer speaker, a donation to Extension or the chosen volunteer organization is appreciated.

To schedule a speaker for your group, please contact the office. For more information on this service, call 913-715-7000.

JOIN US ON JUNE 5TH IN THE LAURA CONYERS SMITH ROSE GARDEN! MOONSTONE Exhibition quality Hybrid Tea Rose.

Go to Earth Right website for details on how to use Earth Right products on roses.

On Rose Day enjoy the beautiful garden, activities, attend the Rose Show and talk about your roses with Rose Society members. Hope to see you there - 51st Street and Wornall. For those who would like to volunteer in the rose garden, contact a member when you attend. https://www.kansascityrosesociety.org/

Accept only Original Earth Right Products for the health and beauty of your lawn and garden!

Often Copied NEVER DUPLICATED

Earth Right proudly supports The Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden.

In the rose garden all of our products have been applied (including our professional products). We hope you have as much fun in your garden as we have at the park.

MADE IN THE HEARTLAND! 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).

Earth Right: (913) 492-2992 - www.superlawnstuff.com The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

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

LAWN

• Core aerate zoysia to reduce thatch layer • Sod or sprig zoysia lawns • Fertilize zoysia with high nitrogen fertilizer to promote green up and summer growth • Mow zoysia at 1 to 2 inches tall • Fertilize bluegrass and tall fescue only if watering during summer with a slowrelease fertilizer • Mow bluegrass and tall fescue at 3 inches • Withhold watering until needed to promote more drought-tolerant lawns • Let clippings fall to return needed nutrients to the turf • Keep mower blade sharp for a clean cut • Spot treat summer broadleaf weeds such as spurge or clover to help with control • Sweep walks and drives after fertilizer and pesticide applications to reduce runoff

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

• Plant tomato, pepper, and eggplant transplants in early May • Seed sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, beans, and other warm season vegetables • Lightly cultivate soil with a hoe to control weed growth • Mound soil around potato plants to encourage tuber formation • Harvest fresh asparagus until the spear size decreases

• Remove rhubarb seed stalks to encourage leaf growth • Plant kitchen herbs for summer use in dishes or food preservation • Treat fruit trees with needed pesticides to control insects and disease • Thin heavy fruit set on apples to increase fruit size and next year’s crop • Harvest salad crops and enjoy • Keep broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage well fertilized for big yields

TREES AND SHRUBS

• Plant new trees and shrubs • Prune spring flowering shrubs after bloom to shape the plant and encourage flowers next year • Mulch around young trees and shrubs to conserve moisture and control weed growth • Water young ornamentals as needed • Remove tree wraps for summer growth • Remove tree stakes that have been in place more than one growing season • Fertilize trees to help increase growth rates • Caution, use line trimmers around trees and shrubs carefully so as not to damage tender bark

• Continue to plant and divide perennials • Mulch perennial and annual gardens for weed control and moisture retention • Begin pinching chrysanthemums and other perennials for a more compact plant • Do not remove foliage from spring bulbs until it dies down naturally, this develops stronger blooms for next year • Plant container gardens and hanging baskets using a good quality potting mix • Keep a garden journal for permanent reference • Watch for weed growth and control while they are small for ease of removal

HOUSEPLANTS

• Move plants outdoors for summer by gradually increasing the exposure to sunlight • Fertilize plants to promote summer development • Rotate plants to develop a well-rounded plant • Wash dusty leaves in the shower under room temperature water • Four-to-6-inch cuttings are a great way to start new plants • Repot plants into a one-inch larger pot • Check for insects

FLOWERS

• Plant annual flowers for summer color

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.

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May 2022 | kcgmag.com

Miami County Farm Tour May 7-8

M

iami County farms will welcome visitors from across the region May 7-8 for a fun look at rural life in Eastern Kansas. The tour is free and consists of 14 farm stops. 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 bison. Most stops offer picnic and rest area amenities.

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.

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 their 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.

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, be aware that weather and terrain may create some physical challenges.

Although this event is child friendly, each site is a working farm. Visitors are asked to encourage to 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.

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CASS COUNTY

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

DOUGLAS COUNTY

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

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

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JOHNSON COUNTY, KS

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

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MIAMI COUNTY & LINN COUNTY

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.

913-364-5700; Leave a message. A Master Gardener will contact you.

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

WYANDOTTE COUNTY

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

QUESTIONS ABOUT ROSES?

Ask a Rosarian; kcrosehelp@gmail.com; www.kansascityrosesociety.org The Kansas City Gardener | May 2022

35

Annuals & Perennials

Fresh blooming annuals and perennials, many grown on our own local farms and trucked in daily for you!

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TREE SALE Fresh new trees, many grown on our own local farms, trucked in daily.

Selected varieties and sizes on sale 20-40% Off

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‘ Blue Muffin’ Viburnum

FLOWERING & EVERGREEN SHRUBS Select varieties and sizes

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