Predatory Ground Beetle Calosoma

Beetles in the genus Calosoma are called caterpillar hunters. They are among the largest in the Carabidae ground beetle family. Adults and larvae are active predators. Calosoma sycophanta is a large, metallic green beetle that was imported from Europe to New England for the biological control of the gypsy moth in 1905. The larva feeds day and night, consuming 50 caterpillars during its two-week developmental period. The adult will eat several hundred caterpillars during a life span of two to four years. There are also several native species of Calosoma. We have had several reports of these insects already this spring.
From Steve Bambara, NCSU Extension Entomologist

Composting Bonanza - March 19th - 10:00am

Presentations on Backyard & Business Composting.
Plus, Vermicomposting Workshop - Take home your own worm bin!

Saturday, March 19th 10:00-3:00. NC Cooperative Extension, Jackson Park

Guest Speakers:
Brian Rosa, NCDENR Composting Specialist
Chandler Cummins, Advanced Composting Technologies
Janice Sitton, Good Green Graces
Katie Breckheimer, Blue Ridge BBQ Festival

Cost: $35 for entire Bonanza or $15 for presentations only
Compost Bins will be available for purchase through Henderson County

Pre-registration is required by calling ECO office at (828)692-0385. Space is limited!

Henderson County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers are offering a series of lectures for a small fee of $5.00 per participant for each program. Money raised is used to support future educational efforts by the Volunteers. All lectures will be held on at 3:00pm in the classroom at the Bullington Center.

Spring 2011 Schedule

February 28 – A Walk in the Woods: Getting t0 know wildflowers of the Southern Appalachians – Alan Mizeras

March 21 – Divide and Multiply: Vegetative Plant Propagation – Pierre Hart

March 28 – Herb Gardening - Betty Lockwood

April 4 - Grow a Great WNC Lawn - Dave Zorich

To register for these or other upcoming Mastering Your Garden Lectures, call the Extension office at 697-4891. Keep checking our county website for more information on upcoming lectures.

Gardening Like a Forest with Dave Jacke

Learn from Dave Jacke, author of Edible Forest Gardens, about designing forest gardens in a rare local appearance at Warren Wilson College.

Gardening like a Forest: Home-Scale Ecological Food Production.
Date: February 12 7-9PM
FREE evening lecture at Bryson Gym of Warren Wilson College.

Healthy forests maintain, fertilize, and renew themselves, naturally. Wouldn’t you like to grow an abundant food-producing ecosystem like this in your back yard? You can! Edible forest gardens mimic the structure and function of natural forests through all their stages of development and grow food, fuel, fiber, fodder, fertilizers, farmaceuticals, and fun. We can meet our own needs and regenerate healthy ecosystems at the same time!

Ecosystem Agriculture: Patterns, Principles, and Practices
Date: February 13 9-5PM
Workshop $90 early bird special (register before Jan. 22) $115 after Jan. 22 at Bryson Gym of Warren Wilson College.

Ecosystem agriculture attempts to mimic the structure and function of natural ecosystems in food-producing ecologies. This workshop explores the vision, theory, and design practices of ecosystem agriculture using the temperate deciduous forest as a model. Lectures and experiential exercises will reveal the nature of ecosystem architecture and social structure, as well as give you an embodied sense of how to design ecosystems composed of functional guilds and polycultures. The main themes of these experiences lead to a range of practical principles, practices, patterns, and processes for garden design and management.

This is an introductory workshop for gardeners, designers, and students of gardening, ecology, and design. Space is limited so REGISTER NOW online at this website.

N.C. Cooperative Extension partners with 10% Campaign to promote local foods

Renay Knapp and Susan Colucci with North Carolina Cooperative Extension in Henderson County will be extension’s local foods coordinators, supporting the 10% Campaign. The campaign is an effort to encourage North Carolina consumers to spend 10 percent of their food dollars on foods from local sources.

Through the campaign website – www.nc10percent.com -- consumers and business will pledge to spend 10 percent of their food dollars locally, purchasing products from area farmers and food producers. Campaign participants will receive weekly email reminders to report how much money they spent on local food. The website will show consumers how their dollars spent on local foods grow.

North Carolinians spend about $35 billion a year on food. If each person spent just 10 percent on food locally – roughly $1.05 per day – then approximately $3.5 billion would be available in the state’s economy.

Cooperative Extension’s local foods coordinators will help connect consumers and food producers and support local businesses and organizations who want to spend 10 percent of their food dollars locally. Local food coordinators will personally contact businesses and organizations that register through the website to help them develop a plan for purchasing local products.

In addition, the 10% Campaign website provides a “Find Local Foods” page with links to help consumers find local food and farm products in their own communities. A “Learn More” page includes links to information on a variety of partner organizations, such as Slow Food USA and Eat Smart, Move More NC. There are also links to educational information on topics ranging from how to set up a workplace community-supported agriculture program to how to cook seasonal, local products.
To find out what’s happening with local foods in your county, visit your Cooperative Extension website http://henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/. A link to the Local Foods page can be found in the left hand column of your county center’s home page. Help us build North Carolina's local food economy by joining the campaign and encouraging your family, friends and neighbors to do the same.

The Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) and Cooperative Extension are partners in the campaign. Extension, based at N.C. State and N.C. A&T State universities, serves all the state’s 100 counties and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee. CEFS is a partnership of N.C. State, N.C. A&T State and the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Sciences that provides research, outreach and education on sustainable agriculture and promotes local food economies in North Carolina.

The Compass Group of Charlotte, the world’s largest food service provider, is leading the way in the campaign by pledging to purchase 10 percent of its food from local sources. Compass Group is developing a parallel model farm-to-institution buying program and will purchase 10 percent of the produce it serves in its North Carolina accounts from local farmers in the state.

Funding for the 10 Campaign and website is provided by Golden LEAF.

Edited by Sue Colucci, area extension agent

Blossom-end rot on tomatoes

We have been receiving several calls lately concerning tomatoes that are rotting on the blossom end. The problem is blossom-end rot. Blossom-end rot is a fruit disorder that causes the blossom end of a tomato fruit to rot. The rot is dark brown in color and has a tough, leathery feel. It is usually worse on the first fruit cluster but can be a problem throughout the season.

Blossom-end rot is caused by a lack of calcium in the fruit. If the soil pH is too low, calcium is not available to the plant. Dry weather contributes to the problem.

You can also reduce blossom-end rot by spraying with a calcium chloride solution. Ideally, you should start spraying when the first green tomatoes are about the size of a silver dollar then spray once a week for three to four weeks.

Inconsistent watering encourages the problem of blossom-end rot. So, water as needed to maintain uniform soil moisture. Tomatoes need about 1 inch of water per week. During hot dry weather they may need more. Blossom-end rot tends to be worse on staked tomato plants and when high rates of nitrogen fertilizer have been applied.

While the tomatoes that are already affected will continue to be deformed, they are safe to eat. Simply cut out the bad portion and eat the rest.

For more information see: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-28-d.html

Photo credit: Darrell Blackwelder

Haywood County Garden Tour

The Haywood County Garden Tour is just a month away. On June, 26, 2010 you will have the opportunity to visit several of the counties finest gardens. The tour will begin at 9am and run till 4pm, rain or shine and the cost is only $10 per person. The tour will begin this year at the Haywood County Extension Center at 589 Raccoon Road in Waynesville. Advance tickets are available at the Extension Center, Rux Gardens, Mountain View Nursery and Hazelwood Soap and Twigs & Leaves. Tickets will also be available on the day of the tour at the Extension Center. For more information, call 828-456-3575.

Bring the Outside Inside for the Holidays

Many different kinds of greenery can be used for holiday decorations. Pines, firs and cedars are good to use for indoor decoration since they dry out slowly and hold their needles best at warm interior temperatures. They may last for several weeks if properly treated and cared for. Hemlock, spruces and most broadleaf evergreens will last longer if used outdoors.

Below are some suggested varieties to use in holiday decorating.

White Pine: This soft, bluish-green, long-needled pine has excellent needle retention but wilts visibly if dry.

Virginia Pine: This native pine has shorter, coarser needles, and is long-lasting, with excellent needle retention.

Junipers: Fragrant, short, green or silver-blue foliage that may be adorned with small blue berries. The needles are often sticky.

Firs: All firs have wonderful scent and good tolerance of hot, dry indoor conditions. The needles are short and flat with excellent color and needle retention. Fraser fir wreaths and swags are commonly available from commercial sources.

Spruce: Wreaths are the main use for spruce greens. The branches are stiff with short, sharp needles. Blue spruce is especially attractive because of its color, and it holds its needles better than other spruce. Needle retention is poorer on spruce than on other conifer greens.

Ivy: This vigorous vine is readily available in many yards. It makes an excellent green for holiday arrangements. The cut ends must be kept in water, or the ivy will quickly wilt.

Holly: This most traditional holiday green comes in several forms, both green and variegated. Female plants display bright red berries. Make sure that holly does not freeze after cutting, or the leaves and berries may blacken.

Mountain Laurel: This is a traditional evergreen in the South for wreaths and garlands. As with other broad-leaved evergreens, however, laurel holds up best when used outdoors.

Magnolia: The large leaves are a glossy, dark green that contrast well with the velvety, brown undersides. Magnolia leaves make stunning wreaths and bases for large decorations. The leaves hold up very well even without water.

Some other excellent evergreens that can be used for holiday greenery include:

* Arborvitae
* Ligustrum
* Pittosporum
* Podocarpus
* Viburnum
* Leyland Cypress
* Nandina
* Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica)
* Hemlock

However you choose to decorate this holiday season, be safe and have a Merry Christmas.

Parts taken from Decorating with Holiday Greenery, Clemson Cooperative Extension

Heather Loves our Acidic Soils

Heather generally refers to a group of evergreen plants in the Ericaceae family, most often: Calluna (Scotch heather or ling), Erica (heath) and Daboecia (Irish Heath). While not native to North America, many heathers are well suited to our mountains of western North Carolina.

Many gardeners do not think about the versatility of heathers. They are evergreen, with delicate foliage, woody stems, and small long lasting flowers. Some individuals find these plants to be finicky, but once established they should be long-lived. All heathers do well in acidic soil amended with with organic matter.

Calluna vulgaris, is the true heather and perhaps the hardiest and most varied - from small tufts to spreading ‘carpeters’ and upright shrubs. Flowers in white and every shade of pink, mauve, lavender and red last for 6-8 weeks beginning late summer/early fall. Foliage is scaly, rather than needle-like and often changes to spectacular shades of yellow, orange, gold, bronze and red during the colder months. Callunas must have full sun, acid soil and good drainage. They must not be allowed to dry out their first year, but after that are drought tolerant. Hardy to zone 4 or 5.

Only a handful of the 800 species of Erica are commonly cultivated. The two easiest to grow also happen to be the two winter-bloomers:

Erica carnea or winter heath is a low, fast-growing and spreading plant with needle-like leaves and bell-shaped flowers. Its foliage is not as colorful as the Callunas’. Flowers in shades from white to pink, red, magenta, mauve appear in early to mid-winter and last well into spring. New spring growth often is a lovely contrasting color. Foliage is yellow green to very deep green. Tolerates more shade and more soil types than other heathers.

Erica x darleyensis is another very easy-to-grow species, quite similar to E. carnea, but taller and bushier. Most varieties have pink or cream tips in spring and bronze or dark green foliage. Buds form in late summer or very early fall, and some cultivars begin to bloom as early as late September, lasting into mid-spring. Flowers open pale and deepen as the season progresses. These plants should survive in zone 6 with some protection.

Heathers would be a good addition to any perennial border, rock garden, or as an accent plant with conifers. See website below for more information.

Parts taken from honeybeesandheather.com

Encourage Birds in Your Landscape

Birds have three main requirements in life; food, water, and shelter. These needs should be met through proper management of the backyard habitat.

The bird species in our area and their food requirements change with the seasons. A primary food source for migrant and residents birds in the spring is caterpillars and other insects. As we progress throughout the summer, breeding birds feed on insects and fruits as the become available. As migrant birds and their offspring fly south in the fall, they seek out fruits, which are high in energy and help to offset the energy lost during migration.

As you visit local garden centers this time of year for good deals, keep in mind that fall is a great time for planting. Reevaluate your landscape and make sure you include early and late fruiting plants that provide food such as blueberries, spicebush, or a variety of hollies.

If you can tolerate it, and your neighbors will allow, leave an area of your landscape unmanicured to promote additional fruit and seed production. Keep in mind that plant diversity, especially native plants, are as important as the fruit and seeds that produce. You want to plant variety of species that will serve as a home to leaf eating insects that birds devour.

Bird feeders may serve as a supplement to the natural foods in our backyard. Common seeds to consider buying include black oil sunflower, safflower, and white millet. Purchasing these seeds in bulk make prove to be a bit cheaper in the long run. If you decide to provide feeders, remember that you should continue to provide this food source throughout the year.

Normally water is not considered a limiting component of bird habitat in western North Carolina, however it may become scarce in years of drought. Birds normally obtain water from food sources, rain pools, or permanent sources. If you decide to provide a bird bath, remember to keep it shallow (2-3 inches deep). Place the bird bath within 10 feet of shrubby protection and close to the ground. Some birds will not use a bath that is high off the ground.

Dense vegetation will provide birds with a place to escape from harsh weather and predators. A variety of plant types should cover most of the needs for different bird species. Use grasses, shrubs, and trees to cover all your bases. Remember that evergreens are an important component to any wildlife habitat throughout the year.

Learn more about creating habitat for birds and other wildlife with native plants from NCSU’s website, Going Native: Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants,

http://www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/

Photo taken by Fred Hurteau

Plant Name Pronunciation

Do you ever look at the Latin name of a plant and feel the dread of saying it aloud, not knowing if others will laugh because you completely missed the correct pronunciation. I am here to tell you that I have that fear often but have been introduced to a site that will help. Check out the Fine Gardening Pronunciation Guide and feel more confident next time Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum comes up in the middle of a conversation. Enjoy!

Look out for leaves of three.. but don't be fooled

Anyone who knows me has seen the importance of why I should stay away from poison ivy. This woody vine occurs as a weed of landscapes, woods, and fields. Poison ivy is the major cause of allergenic dermatitis in the eastern United States, which causes inflammation, blistering, and itching of the skin. Honestly, it can be down right painful and uncomfortable!

This first photo Here is a photo of some poison ivy climbing a tree here in Jackson Park.

Leaves occur on petioles and are divided into three leaflets which are generally oval in shape. Leaflets may be either toothed, untoothed, or lobed. Older leaves are generally either toothed and lobed or untoothed and lobed.

The two lateral leaflets occur on very short petioles, while the central leaflet occurs on a much longer petiole. Although leaf shape is highly variable, the lateral leaflets are often distinctly lobed on one side of the leaflet and not on the other. Each leaflet is hairless and ranges from 3/4 to 4 inches in length and width.

This picture taken a few feet from the first picture is not poison ivy, but instead it is boxelder. A tree in the maple family that is commonly mistaken for poison ivy. If you look closely, you will see that the leaflets of a boxelder are opposite and those of poison ivy are alternate.

For more information of poison ivy, visit this site Poison Ivy.

"Dog Vomit" Slime Mold

There’s been a bumper crop of slime molds in landscape beds this year, and we’ll see them throughout the summer and into the fall. By far the species most often noticed is Fuligo septica, a.k.a. the “dog vomit” slime mold. Despite the unpleasant name, it is completely harmless to humans, animals and plants.

Slime molds spend most of their lives as amoeboid cells or inconspicuous plasmodia that creep slowly through soil, leaf litter, mulch, etc. A plasmodium feeds by engulfing bacteria, spores, and bits of organic matter. It eventually moves out to a more exposed location on top of mulch, pine straw, a stump, a low-growing plant, or even the foundation of a building. There it stops moving and transforms into a fruiting (spore-producing) body. This is when Fuligo septica first gets noticed as a bright yellow, frothy mass a few inches to up to a foot in diameter. It quickly fades to a dull orange and then a light tan as its surface dries to a crust. After a few days it breaks apart to release its dark-colored spores, which blow away to start the life cycle anew. Within a week or two, all that’s left is a dusting of leftover spores and bits of gray or yellowish crust.

Control measures for Fuligo septica are neither effective nor necessary. If considered intolerably unsightly, they can be removed by hand or washed off with a hose, but there's a good chance that new ones will pop up at a later date, though probably not next year, unless new mulch is applied.

Written by: Mike Munster, Department of Plant Pathology

Pesticide Pick up Day Scheduled

On Wednesday, June 3rd, farmers and homeowners can dispose of their unwanted or unused pesticides. The Haywood County Extension Center along with NCDA&CS will be sponsoring a pesticide disposal collection day from 10:00am - 2:00pm at the Extension office on Raccoon Road in Waynesville.

We will be able to collect any pesticide (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.) that are in original containers and are clearly labeled. There is no charge to the public for this service.

Materials of unknown identity, paints, or other hazardous waste will not be accepted.

For more information contact Tim Mathews at 828-456-3575.

Henderson County Gardening Guide

The Henderson County Master Gardener Volunteers are proud to announce the release of their “Gardening Guide.” The Gardening Guide is a product of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program and was written by a small group of those volunteers who have gone to great effort to produce a beneficial tool for both the novice and experienced gardener.

The Guide provides research-based information to help the gardener deal specifically with local growing conditions that have proven to be a concern. To obtain a copy of the Henderson County Gardening Guide, stop by NC Cooperative Extension in Jackson Park to purchase your booklet for the affordable price of $5.00.

Community Garden - Henderson County

Just because you do not have a garden or a space for a garden, does not mean you cannot grow your own fresh, organic produce close to home.

Come join your neighbors in Jackson Park at the Bountiful Harvest Community Garden scheduled to open on April 22, 2009, Earth Day.

Applications for a soil amended 4’ X 16’ plot are available at the Henderson County Cooperative Extension Office, also in Jackson Park. The cost is only $5 for the entire season!

Gardening help from Extension master gardener volunteers, classes, free seeds, and even harvest information are all included with your garden plot at no extra charge.

Call 697-4891 for more information. Watch this video produced by WLOS to see what all the excitement is about.

WLOS Community Garden

Garden Tour 2009

This year’s garden tour was a great success thanks to our tour committee. We had well over 500 people attend this annual tour that is designed to educate and inspire participants to improve on their own gardens. Our committee has already begun to search out gardens for the 2009 tour. If you would like to have your garden considered for the next tour or if you know of someone who would, please contact me at 456-3575.

Haywood County Garden Tour

The Haywood County Garden Tour is approaching fast. The date for this years tour is Saturday, June 28th from 9am-4pm (rain or shine). The cost of the tour is $10 per person. You will enjoy seven beautiful gardens filled with flowers, organic vegetables and stunning water features. Bring your cameras and notebooks and take home a wealth of new ideas. This year the tour will begin at Junaluska Elementary School garden located at 2238 Asheville Highway, Waynesvile. Here you will pick up directions to all the other gardens. Your can purchase tickets for the tour by calling the Haywood County Extension office at 828-456-3575 or on the day of the tour at Junaluska Elementary.

Garden Jubilee in Hendersonville

Henderson County Master Gardeners would like to invite you to downtown Hendersonville this weekend to the Garden Jubilee festival. We have set up a booth and are selling cookbooks, garden gloves, and other items with proceeds going to future educational projects for Henderson County. Be sure to stop by to purchase a few items or to just ask a gardening question. See you in downtown Hendersonville.

Plant Clinic now open

Every year Haywood County Extension trains Master Gardener Volunteers to help answer your horticultural questions. Once trained, these volunteers staff the hotline in our plant clinic from 9am-noon daily, Monday-Friday. Please take advantage of this service by calling 456-3575 or feel free to stop by with your samples.