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Enough Rain Already!
(May, 2019: 38" YTD, 2019: 65" Average Annual Total: 42")
June 2019 / Volume 147
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Know what you should be doing in the month of JUNE. A selection of garden tips (Turfgrass, Fruits & Nuts, Trees & Shrubs, Flowers, and more on General Landscape) can be found by clicking GARDEN TIPS.
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Coming Up This Weekend: June 8-9, 2019
TMG Showcase Garden Tour:
"Pollinators R Us"
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This self-guided tour of the Tulsa Master Gardener's (TMG) own gardens is sure to provide inspiration for your own landscape or garden. Five homes will be featured on the tour, showcasing large and smaller garden spaces, an abundance of pollinator plants, diversity of plants and picture perfect gardens. Master Gardeners will be stationed in the gardens to answer all of your questions on plant material, and the home owners will be present to share information about their gardens.
This year's theme will focus on
"Pollinators R Us" which will inform local gardeners about the perfect plant material needed to attract butterflies, bees and birds. Informative presentations given by Master Gardeners will be held on both days at one of the gardens. There will also be a mosaic culture demonstration.
This Garden Tour is a great way to learn how the Master Gardeners have overcome their own garden problems to create successful gardens in Tulsa. This year's tour will feature three homes in midtown Tulsa and two in Broken Arrow. Tickets are on sale on our website at
www.tulsamastergardeners.com. Click on "Garden Tour".
100% of all proceeds go to the Tulsa Master Gardener Foundation which helps to pay for all of the various programs we deliver to your Tulsa community throughout the year.
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Poison Ivy - Not Just A Weed
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With all the rain we've had this spring, our plants are so green and lush. Unfortunately, the weeds are as well. It doesn't take a hike in the woods to find poison ivy as it often can be found just about anywhere, and may take many forms. Learning about this pervasive plant - how to recognize it, what to do if contacted, and how to control its growth if necessary will protect you and your family from unnecessary itchy misery, not only this summer, but throughout the year.
Click on POISON IVY to learn more about the various forms it can take, how to control its growth, and what to do if contact is made.
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Landscaping With Ornamental Grasses
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One of the most versatile plants you can place in your landscape is an ornamental grass. The myriad of shapes, sizes and colors are virtually endless and their year-round beauty make them a wise choice to enhance your landscape. Determining whether to select perennials or annuals, their watering needs and which are best for our zone is easier than you may think.
Click on GRASSES to read about the various ways to use ornamental grasses to create added interest in your landscape.
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June Short Story #1
Some
Common Composting Questions
How Long does it Take Compost to Form?
The time of completion will vary according to the type and amount of materials used, the climate, the size and type of bin or pile used, and the amount of aeration or turning of the pile. With the correct carbon to nitrogen ratio, water, and air, compost should be ready to use in 4-6 months. If the pile is turned more frequently, the compost should be ready more quickly. The smaller the individual pieces of material in the pile, the more surface area the microorganisms have to work on and the faster the materials will decompose. Shredding or chipping branches decreases the decomposition time.
When is the Compost "Done?"
Compost is ready when the temperature of the pile falls to ambient levels, the material is dark, crumbles easily, pieces are small and there is no odor.
How can the Process be Sped Up?
Mixing frequently provides more air for the bacteria. Keep the material moist with soaking about once a week. Break the materials into smaller pieces.
What can be Composted?
- Most yard waste such as grass clippings, leaves, twigs, excess vegetation
- Non-fat containing food scraps
- Twigs or chipped branches
- Coffee grounds, tea leaves
What cannot be Composted?
- Large branches
- Fatty foods and grease, meats, dairy products, fish
- Bones
- Synthetic products such as plastics
- Diseased plants
- Weeds and vegetables that produce abundant seeds
- Pet or human waste
Why Make Compost?
- Recycle natural materials
- Reduce amount of chemical fertilizer used
- Reduce amount of material going to landfills
- Reduce landfill tipping fees for individuals or communities
- Prolong landfill life
What can Compost be Used For?
- Improve soil structure and texture
- Increase water-holding capacity of sandy soil
- Loosen clay soil and improve drainage
- Add nutrients to improve soil fertility
- Aid erosion control
- Potting soil
- Mulch around shrubs to retain moisture
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For more information on this subject, see the article below titled "The Benefit$ of Compo$ting".
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Monthly Pest Alert:
Lawn Army Worms
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Over the next several weeks, the larvae of the Fall Army Worm will be hatching out. The eggs have been laid on the tree leaves of host plants and they will be coming down from the tree leaves to the lawns, which will be their food supply.
Armyworms are not actually worms. They are the larvae, or caterpillar, of a moth and they love to eat grassy plants. They prefer grain crops (peanuts, cotton, soybean, wheat), but they can spill over into nearby lawns and move from lawn to lawn from there. Large numbers can consume all above-ground plant parts, and they are capable of killing or severely retarding the growth of grasses. The overall numbers are more pronounced in dry years.
They produce several generations per summer, but the September generation is the one that generally damages lawns.
Click on
ARMY WORMS
to learn more about these pests and what to do about them.
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A Few Other Common Pests To Watch Out For This Time Of Year
- Bagworms
- Tomato Hornworms
- White Grubs
- Webworms (1st Generation)
- Stinging Insects (Yellow Jackets)
- Lace Bugs (Azaleas, etc.)
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Orchids: Part 1
Friend of Foe?
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We've all seen the beautiful blooming orchids in most stores or greenhouses, and possibly wondered if we could purchase something like that and have it prosper in our home environment. The answer is both YES and NO.
In most cases our home environment is poorly suited to the needs of plants, but there are ways to increase the likelihood of their survival and our success. It is easier to purchase a plant that tolerates the environmental conditions of our home than to alter the environment to suit the plant! Orchids, in spite of their intimidating reputations, often thrive in the household environment and can bring many months (even years) of pleasure.
Click on ORCHIDS
to learn more about this beautiful plant in Part 1. Then, next month, tune in for Part 2 of this series as we explore more about proper Orchid care and maintenance..
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June Short Story #2
What Colors Attract What Pollinators?
These Colors: Attract:
Bright White, Yellow, Blue Bees
Yellow, Orange, Red, Purple Butterflies
White, Pale Pink, Purple Moths & Skippers
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The Benefit$ Of Compo$ting
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We see it each year in the spring, again mid-summer, then again late summer. Bags of fertilizer and weed killer spread over turf grasses in hopes of having lush lawns. Sprays for fungus and sprays for plant diseases. Bags of soil amendments to loosen clay soil or make sandy soil hold more water. Sometimes gardening seems like a war against wild nature . . . and a costly one at that. There is a great way, though, of reducing these battles and reducing the cost of maintaining your landscape and gardens. COMPOSTING!
Above was a short primer about composting. But, there is much more to learn and know. Click on COMPO$TING for much more information on how to properly prepare and use compost.
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Looking for some really cheap summertime entertainment? Hang a hummingbird feeder!
Hummingbirds are the tiny jewels of the summer garden. These iridescent flying marvels, flitting from flower to flower, seem to defy gravity, flying up and down and often hovering in mid-air.
These endearing miniature dynamos are ready to put on a show of acrobatics in your own yard.
Consider their size. A ruby-throat weighs about one-ninth of an ounce. That's lighter than a nickel. At rest, they may breathe four times a second and their heart may beat more than 20 times per second. During their high-speed action, their wings may beat 80 times per second.
Interested in knowing more? Click on HUMMINGBIRDS to learn more these garden acrobats.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The Tulsa Master Gardener Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization. As such, it receives no city, state or federal funding for its Tulsa community outreach programs. In fact, the Tulsa's Master Gardener programs are self-funded by its own fundraisers, from member donations, and from public donations.
The main Tulsa Master Gardener fundraiser is its Annual Spring Plant Sale that is held each April. Other fundraisers include the Garden Tour and Garage Sale in June. And, one of the most important income sources that sometimes gets overlooked are the personal and corporate donations. These are so important in helping us to meet our financial obligations and we want you to know they are very much appreciated.
MG Endowment Fund
Did you know that we have been around for over three decades, since 1983? And, we plan to be around for many more decades. Did you know that
we are one of the top five Master Gardener county programs in the entire nation? We are, indeed, because of the size of our Foundation membership, the diversity and activity level of our community outreach programs, and our overall financial strength!
So, we are pleased to announce, in partnership with the Tulsa Community Foundation, the Master Gardener Foundation has established an Endowment Fund to ensure our long-term financial strength. Our plans are to build this fund for many years before making any withdrawals from it. Please consider us as you make your annual gift giving as well as longer-term estate planning decisions. Remember, all donations are fully tax deductible!
We thank you for having been such faithful contributors both in the past and in advance for your future consideration and participation! The Tulsa area is such a giving community!
GENERAL FUND
Dianne Nail
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Got a Question? Or Maybe a Soil or Plant Sample?
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Our Master Gardeners are on hand to assist you with even the toughest gardening questions. Visit us in person, by phone, via email or online! Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m.
Address: 4116 E. 15th Street, Gate 6 at the Fairgrounds
Phone: (918) 746-3701
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All about butterfly gardening in Tulsa County.
How to Take a Soil Test
How to collect a good sample of soil from your lawn or garden and get it tested at the OSU lab.
Once you have collected your soil test and gotten the results back, now what? Find out here.
Show and tell.
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State horticulturists, nurseries and growers pick favorite plants, shrubs and trees for use in the Oklahoma landscape. See the winners for this year and years past.
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A list of recommended trees with descriptions.
A list of over 60, by size and color.
Visit our demonstration garden on
15th Street, open 7 days a week.
Current and historical source of rainfall, air temperatures, soil temps and much more. Click on Bixby station.
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Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.
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