Winter Daphne

One of my favorite evergreen shrubs is now in full bloom. If you get a moment to stop by the Extension Office in Jackson Park you can enjoy the magnificent aroma of Daphne odora, also known as winter Daphne. Each year we have many people stop in to ask the name of the fragrant shrub outside our door that is blooming in early March. It is not something one can ignore.

Winter Daphne can be fickle to grow. They do not tolerate poorly drained soils or extreme temperature fluctuations. We have ours planted in the front beds so they are protected by the building, and seem to be very happy. They tolerate full sun, but prefer a part shade environment.

No Spray Roses for Southeastern US

Black spot (Diplocarpon rosae, Marssonina rosae) is one of the most common and important diseases of roses throughout the world. Black spot will cause a general weakening of the plant so that progressively fewer and fewer blooms are formed if the disease is left unchecked. Spots are nearly circular with fringed or feathery margins and vary in size. Surrounding leaf tissue turns yellow before dropping. Bottom leaves are normally affected first. Conditions that favor the development are 75-85 degrees F, temperatures with relative humidity above 85%, overcrowding and reduced air flow.

Cercospora leafspot (Cercospora puderi, Cercospora rosicola) is characterized by the appearance of numerous tiny maroon to purple oval spots scattered randomly across the leaf surface. Later the center of the spot turns tan to gray in color while the margins remain maroon to dark purple. Heavily spotted leaves will turn yellow and prematurely shed. This infection can be easily confused with Blackspot. Same weather conditions that produce Blackspot will provide optimal growing conditions for Cercospora.

A homeowner may use a fungicide labeled for control of Blackspot to control both of these fungal infections. Fungicides, such as Daconil and Immunox, which are recommended as weekly treatments for blackspot control, should also provide good protection from Cercospora leaf spot when applied on the same schedule.

The University of Tennessee has been conducting a no-spray rose trial for the last two years. A total of 136 cultivars were evaluated for their resistance to black spot and cercospora leaf spot in 3 test locations across the state. Below you will find a listing of the most resistant cultivars of shrub roses. If you would like a full listing of rose cultivars tested, please contact me for a handout.

o Carefree Sunshine (Yellow)
o Hansa (Mauve)
o Homerun (Flame Red)
o Knockout (Cherry Red)
o Palmengarten Frankfurt (Mauve Pink)
o Pink Knockout (Pink)
o Wildberry Breeze (Mauve)

Information provided by Alan Windham, University of Tennessee Extension Service.
American Rose Society http://www.ars.org/

Drought Information

While we have received some precipitation over the past several weeks, the drought conditions in North Carolina still exists. I received an email today with a couple of websites that may be of help as you deal with the ongoing drought conditions. I hope you find these sites useful.

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/difference/drought/

http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/DM_state.htm?NC,SE

Master Your Garden Lectures

Henderson County Extension Master Gardeners are offering a series of lectures to the public. There will be a small fee of $5.00 per participant for each program to support future educational efforts by the Master Gardeners. All lectures will be held on Mondays in March, April and May at 3:30pm in the classroom at the Bullington Center.

Spring 2008 Schedule
March 3rd – Growing Herbs – Betty Lockwood
March 17th – Beware of Green Invaders – Alan Mizeras
April 7th – Proper Planting Techniques – Jane Davis
April 21st – Growing Wildflowers - Pierre Hart
May 5th – Learn to Make a Rain Barrel - Kathy Connors & Barbara Patton
May 19th – Vegetable Gardening – Pierre Hart

To register for these or other upcoming Mastering Your Garden Lectures, call the Extension office at 697-4891. Keep checking our website http://henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/ for more information on upcoming lectures.

Successful Gardening in the Mountains

Coming soon!

This is a program designed for homeowners who want to learn more about how to successfully manage their home landscapes and gardens. This class consists of 10 participants who will travel to each of the other participants homes to discuss issues related to their specific location. This class meets twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am-12pm. Participants will learn about plant selection, pruning, planting, pest issues and other issues that arise during the class. This class is conducted in the field and requires the ability to navigate different terrains. The initial meeting will be conducted at the extension office. This class will last 5 weeks. Cost for this program $25.

The first session of this program will begin on Tuesday, May 13th. For more information call 456-3575

Beware of De-icers

In WNC for the past few years, we have had minimal snowfall and ice. However, knowing how to properly get rid of snow and ice when we are faced with it, will help gardeners prevent permanent damage to plants.

Sodium chloride or rock salt has been used since the 1940’s as a common deicer that can burn plants and corrode metal and concrete. If you must use salt, use it judiciously, and erect barriers with plastic fencing, burlap or snow fencing to protect sensitive plants and minimize contact with salt. We can also reduce salt damage by mixing salt with sand and/or removing snow before salting.

When possible, use de-icing agents with calcium chloride, or calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), a salt-free melting agent made from limestone and acetic acid. You may also have some success with using cat litter or sawdust to create traction on sidewalks.

Do not pile snow containing salt around plants and trees or put it where runoff will flow over root zones. Plants placed near roadways and sidewalks should be salt tolerant. Many plants can recover from occasional salt spray. If it is a yearly occurrence however, death of the plant may result. See your local Extension office for salt tolerant plants recommended for your area.

Symptoms of salt injury can include desiccation, stunting, and branch dieback or plants. If salt buildup occurs, water liberally before spring growth by applying 2" of water over a 2-3 hour period and repeating this a few days later to "flush" the sodium from the soil.

Community Garden

On February 19th, there will be a meeting for everyone interested in participating the the 2008 Haywood County Community Garden. This meeting will be held at the Haywood County Extension Center, 5pm-6:30pm in conference Room A. The garden is located in Canton and is available to all Haywood County Residents interested in growing their own food. During this meeting, we will discuss start dates and rules for this years garden.

There is no cost to attend this meeting but there is a $35.00 fee to participate in the garden. For more information contact Tim Mathews or Erin Freeman at 456-3575.