Several years ago there was a Meet Me In the Garden program at the Spooner Agriculture Research Station Teaching and Display Garden featuring growing in containers with invites to compete/show a container from home. I happened to win a door prize of some grow bags with the picture of the plant on the front.

I found that using potting soil mixed with compost proved to be too heavy for those bags. The rain and weight prompted the bottoms to fall apart.  I’ve used several different types of bags since then and have been able to reuse them for almost 5 years now. I have them on my decks facing south and east.

The display grow bags are from Gardener’s Supply Company, which provides many different sizes. Since our garden site is very sunny and often quite windy I chose to use potting MIX with moisture control in all the bags. I also used an organic Tomato fertilizer as well a soluble fertilizer for the other plants.

There is a purple potato bag planted with purple fingerling potatoes, a dwarf tomato plant called Arctic Rose as well as other vegetables.  There are two large black bags one of which contains Kale, eggplant and Spooky Squash which I received from Seed Savers. If the lone squash left survives the critters, it will provide enough for a pie. The other grow bag I used as the “right plant in the right place” of succulents needing less water and lovers of sun.

Like any container you need to water them often, which in our garden setting has been quite the challenge this year. At home, since they are lighter and have handles, I’ve been able to move them out of harm’s way during strong hail and thunderstorms.

I hope that you enjoy this display and consider trying them, a kitchen garden on a patio would be a good place for a large black bag.

Carol Taylor, UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

​Make an eye-catching garden more enjoyable by including fragrant plants.  Incorporating aromatic flowers into the landscape adds an unforgettable dimension.  Fragrant plants tend to bring up pleasant memories, and scented flowers also attract pollinators, such as bees and butterflies.
Fragrance is produced by plants when their essential oils evaporate and the molecules enter the air.  The most fragrant flowers are white and pastel.

​Create your own fragrant garden with these tips:

1.  Avoid using pesticides and chemical fertilizers.  They detract from the pleasant odors and can kill or harm beneficial creatures like birds and butterflies.
2. Use drip irrigation.  Overhead watering interferes with the release of nectar in aromatic plants, which will cause them not to smell.  Drip keeps the water at the root zone and off the plants.  If you can’t install drip irrigation, try to water at the roots.
3. Plant aromatic plants in high traffic areas.  You want the plants close enough so you can smell them.  Good locations include entryways, passageways, and enclosed areas where the odors can linger, such as patios, courtyards, and atriums.  Spots near windows that you open are also good.
4. Locate low-growing fragrant plants near nose level.  Place short aromatic plants where they can easily be appreciated, rather than on the ground.  Good locations include elevated containers located on tabletops and hanging baskets.
5. Consider time of day.  Some plants only smell at certain times of the day.  Weather can also make a difference.  Hot days tend to stir up the volatile oils in plants more than cool days, which means you’ll have a more fragrant garden when the weather is warm.
6. Balance and layer.  Avoid putting too many different types of fragrant plants into your landscape.  The results of doing this can be overpowering and even unpleasant.  Some plants, like night-blooming jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum), are so strong that you only need one in your yard.  Other flowers, like alyssum, require that you plant several in order to notice the scent.

​The specific plants in our fragrant garden are:
Bordering the walkway is Sweet Alyssum (Rosie O’Day).  Starting to cascade up and over on our arbor are both Moonflower and Sweet Pea.  In the main part of the garden are Bee Balm,  Carnation, Chocolate Flower, Heliotrope, Hyssop, Lupine, Marigold, Nicotiana, and Penstemon.   

​Submitted by Roseann Meixelsperger, Master Gardener Volunteer

To Pre-Register & for more information call the Spooner Agricultural Research Station @ 715-635-3506
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​Start Small with theme gardens
We will begin small by creating a garden with a dinner salad in mind. We will plant salad greens, lettuce, arugula, spinach, and herbs and tall greens, kale, parsley and chives — all are kid-friendly and easy to grow. Kids like to see the result of their effort, so we will also be planting crops that grow quickly such as green beans that will grow up the mast of our pirate’s ship.  We will plant colorful flowers in our rainbow garden.

We offer flexible scheduling, meeting on Monday afternoons from 4 pm to 5:30 pm, repeating the session on Tuesday morning from 9:30 am to 11 am. Odds are kids and parents alike will enjoy the time they spend together and learn a little something along the way. We hope you will join us!

Our 2019 schedule is:
**A parent or an adult is required to stay with children under 10 years of age.**

We all are getting excited for the growing season.
We start to visit our local greenhouses and nurseries.  We all are ready for green and color!
A Weather Reminder
50 + degrees - annuals are safe outside
40 + degrees - cool weather annuals are safe outside
40 degrees or below - cover up annuals and pull inside

The trees most likely to die from oak wilt infection are in the red oak group, including northern pin oak, northern red oak, red oak and black oak. The white oak group is more likely to survive infection and includes bur oak, swamp white oak, white oak and English oak.
Tree paint or wound dressing is not normally recommended on pruned or wounded surfaces, but for damaged oaks an immediate light application of these products may be the only defense against oak wilt infection from April through July.
Pruning in spring can be damaging to any deciduous tree because their energy reserves are low as they produce new buds and leaves following the winter months. In general, the best time to prune is in winter when trees are dormant. 
As of January 31, oak wilt has been found in all Wisconsin counties except Ashland, Iron, Forest, Taylor, Door, Kewaunee, Calumet and Manitowoc counties. Several of these counties contain the highest abundance of healthy and productive oak forests in the state. Taking recommended precautions will help keep them that way for years to come.
Oak wilt and other diseases move easily on or in firewood logs year-round, so keeping firewood local, or purchasing Wisconsin-certified firewood, is another important component of protecting trees and keeping forests healthy. Visit the DNR firewood page for more information and a directory of certified firewood vendors.
More information, including a recently released oak wilt video, is available at the DNR oak wilt page. Additional information about proper pruning techniques is available from community foresters or through DNR resources such as this tree pruning poster. 

Late winter and early spring are the time to check out catalogs, place seed orders and start seeds.  Learn more about several seed starting techniques from Sue Reinardy, UW-Extension Master Gardener Volunteer in an upcoming webinar.  Sue has volunteered her time to create and deliver this webinar that will feature:  deciphering catalog and seed package jargon, proper planting conditions and several techniques including the winter sown planted method that you can start now.  

This webinar can be attended from any home computer or device with an internet connection, microphone and camera.  Instructions to access the course will be provided a few days before the start of the class.   Registration is required through WITC at courses.witc.edu   Enter "Early Seed Starting" in the search box.   The registration fee is $13.50, and for those 62+ it is $9.00 . 

Mowing:  According to David Bayer from UWEX Outagamie County the most important cultural practice associated with turf care is proper mowing.  Mow high (3 inches) during the spring and summer months when grass reaches 4 inches.  Continue mowing in the fall until the grass stops growing.  Mow shorter in the last few mowings.  For the last mowing set the mower 1 inch shorter to prevent snow mold in spring and to discourage moles, voles, and mice from burrowing in your lawn all winter. 
Fertilizer:  A fertilizer program is recommended based on your personal preference.  A minimum maintenance program is to apply a winterizer fertilizer (26-0-12) in early September.  If you prefer a more lush lawn, fertilizer can be applied two times; add an early June application to the September application.  For our area a maximum application of three times is recommended; for a high maintenance lawn apply fertilizer in early June, July, and early September.  The July fertilizer application can be skipped if a mulching mower is used.  These are the active grass growing periods in Wisconsin.  Never apply fertilizer during dormant periods.
Seeding:  The best time to establish a new lawn or reseed is between August 15 and September 20; mid-May is also a good time.  It pays to buy quality seed; it will contain less weed seed and better grass varieties.   According to the University Extension, “the only way to evaluate the quality of a mix is to read and understand the label. “  Extension recommends paying attention to these points when checking out labels:

• Avoid mixes that contain annual ryegrass (Lolium multiforum) because it dies after a year and may prevent desirable grass species from becoming established.
• Do not purchase seed with any noxious weed seed or if the seed is labeld as “VNS” or “Variety Not Stated” as you cannot be sure what species of grass you are purchasing.
• Purchase and use certified seed within 12 months of the date tested.
• For sunny area the grass blend should come close to 65% Kentucky Blue Grass, 20% Fine Fescue, and 15% Perennial Rye Grass.
• For Shady areas look for a blend close to a mix of 40% Kentucky Blue Grass, 50% Fine Fescue, and 15% Perennial Rye Grass.

Why a mix?  Each grass has positive and negative characteristics that may be important for success in your lawn.   According to UW Extension the best low-maintenance grass species for lawns included a mix of tall fescue, fine fescues (Chewings, hard, or red) and common—not improved—varieties of Kentucky Blue Grass. 
 
Kentucky Blue Grass is one of the most popular grasses in Wisconsin.  It is winter hardy, grows by rhizomes, is soft to touch, and mows well.  However it goes into summer dormancy, does not tolerate heat well, is shade intolerant, and has high fertilizer needs.   Most sod is Kentucky Blue Grass. 
Perennial Rye Grass is quick to germinate, but is not very winter hardy and is intolerant of summer stress of heat or drought.   It is usually put into seed mixtures because it is quick to germinate and helps with early erosion control. 
Fine Fescues ( Hard, Red, or Chewings) have low fertilizer needs, are slow growing (less mowing), can be grown in shade or sun, and have some drought tolerance.   However they are susceptible to disease in high traffic areas, and can get summer patch and snow mold.  It is good to have a mix of Fine Fescues to help offset the negatives. 
The type of seed will determine the number of fertilizer applications needed and how much you want to mow.  For example, a mix with a high percentage of Kentucky Blue Grass may not do well if you plan to fertilize once per year.    Each seed type has its advantages and disadvantages.  There are none that are perfect for every situation.  


UW Extension Bulletins
These bulletins and more can be viewed and downloaded as a PDF file or purchased from the
https://learningstore.uwex.edu/

• Do-It-Yourself Alternative Lawn Care (A3964)
• Calibrating and Using Lawn Fertilizer and Lime Spreaders (A2306)
• Lawn Establishment and Renovation (A3434)
• Lawn Fertilization (A2303)
• Lawn Maintenance (A3435)

 

Seed Saving, Harvest, and Fall Clean-up
 
August, 2018 Spooner, Wisconsin.    On Saturday morning at 10:00, September 8, gardeners will be meeting in the award-winning Teaching and Display Garden at the Spooner Agriculture Research Station and all are invited to discuss late season gardening.  The program will focus on harvesting, seed saving and clean-up.  Learn tips and resources on storing and preserving fresh produce.  Several types of seed saving techniques will be demonstrated and there will be checklists for fall clean-up.  The garden will still be at its peak to enjoy.  University of Wisconsin-Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will share their tips gathered through experience and university-based research.

This year’s theme is “Get Social in the Garden”, a part of the All American Selections #AASWinners.  The Garden is one of eight in Wisconsin that display vegetable and flower varieties who have been awarded this designation as an outstanding cultivar.   
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Remember to bring your own lawn chair for the Meet Me in the Garden Seminar.  The session is free and open to the public and will be held rain or shine – please dress accordingly.  In case of inclement weather, the program will be held at the Station Building at W6646 Highway 70, Spooner.    The garden is located on Orchard Lane, 1.5 miles east of Spooner on Highway 70 or 1/2 mile west of the Hwy 70/53 interchange.  Watch for garden meeting signs.
 
For more information and a map visit the station’s web site at: http://spooner.ars.wisc.edu/ or contact Kevin Schoessow or Lorraine Toman at the Spooner Area UW-Extension Office at 715-635-3506 or 1-800-528-1914.