HortMemo - A University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Newsletter
for the Kentucky Nursery/Landscape Industry
by Winston C. Dunwell, Professor - Nursery Crops Development Center
UK Department of Horticulture
To subscribe send an e-mail to cforsyth@uky.edu or call Christi, 270.365.7541 x 221.
click here for Upcoming Meetings
1999 HortMemo Archives
2000 HortMemo Archives
2001HortMemo Archives
HortMemo 2008
HORTMEMO 4
TO: Horticulturists interested in Ornamental Horticulture
FROM: Win Dunwell, Extension Horticulturist
SUBJECT: Miscellaneous Information and Announcements.
Amy Fulcher is planning her annual Scouting Nursery Crops program for Thursday, July 10, 2008, at the Shelby Co. Extension Office (Shelbyville) and Wilson Nurseries, Shelby, Co. Randy Zondag, Lake County, Ohio, Nursery Specialist, will be on the program with other production specialists. For more info contact Amy, 859.257.1273, afulcher@uky.edu
The Nursery/Landscape Sustainability conference/program is still in the planning stages if you have any input please contact, Win Dunwell, wdunwell@uky.edu or 270.365.7541 x 209.
The Woody Plant Seed Manual, Agriculture Handbook No. 450, is on-line. Mark Halcomb, UT Area Nursery Specialist sent out the news. The two editions (1948 and 1974) are some of the most coveted books in Ornamental Horticulture. I am so excited, I would love to have a copy of the complete new edition in my hands and on my bookshelf next to the other two, but this one I can access from where ever I am without dragging a large heavy book with me and it will be constantly updated as information is added. Mark wrote “Apparently, they are in the process of updating the manual, but rather than waiting for the new version to come out, they are posting the new information to the web version as it becomes available. Here is the main web site -- http://www.nsl.fs.fed.us/wpsm/. If you click on genera, you can find details on germination requirements of specific plants.” Happy Days!
Cicadas are coming to Kentucky. They will appear Statewide, except for Purchase and possibly Pennyrile areas. ENTFACT-446, Periodical Cicadas In Kentucky is available at http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef446.asp
Schedule notes by Lee Townsend appeared in Kentucky Pest News Number 1152, February 11, 2008." Here are a few significant dates from a study of the emergence of this brood back in 1991 at Robinson Forest by Dr. Paul Kaliz, UK Forestry Dept. Emergence began on May 4 with wide spread activity by May 10. There was a 9-day difference between dates of peak emergence from upper south slopes and lower slopes. The last nymph was caught leaving the soil on May 31. The last adult was heard calling on June 16, apparently there was no answer."
From Nursery Notes for April 30, 2008 by Mark Halcomb I cut and pasted the following “Periodical Cicadas will visit some places in May. If you had cicadas 17 years ago in 1991, you can expect them to return soon. They will emerge when the soil temperature 4 inches deep reaches 64 degrees. The males begin a high pitched singing 4 days after emerging. Their dry empty skin is found attached to branches. It is impossible to prevent the damage the female does to pencil size branches as she lays her eggs. The wound will later resemble a zipper. Cicadas emerge, sing, mate, lay eggs and die. Pesticides are ineffective since they do not eat. They can lay many eggs, damage many ornamentals before they encounter sufficient pesticide to die. They may live 4 to 5 weeks. Nursery fields surrounded by woods will have larger populations since they have already spent 17 years sucking sap from tree roots."
HORTMEMO 3
TO: Horticulturists interested in Ornamental Horticulture
FROM: Win Dunwell, Extension Horticulturist
SUBJECT: Miscellaneous Information and Announcements.
I was looking for a web site for Allan M. Armitage after realizing my Books link to a faculty UGA site was no longer working. I found GOLD at Armitage Images; http://www.armitageimages.net/ for those in the plant game check it out!!! It is not only images of herbaceous plants but includes grasses, trees, and shrubs.
While you are at it, for those interested in native plant and wildflower propagation see William Cullina’s page at http://www.williamcullina.com/ He is the author of an excellent resource The New England Wild Flower Society Guide to Growing and Propagating Wildflowers of the United States and Canada, (Houghlin Mifflin, 2000)
National Arbor Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April which is April 25, 2008 (Arbor Day Foundation http://www.arborday.org/index.cfm).
I am curious if anyone has had any experience with Cornus xrutgerensis ‘Rutlan’ (Ruth Ellen®) Dogwood. I saw one I really liked at the Morris arboretum. Someone had told me it wasn’t special. If you have comments to share send me an e-mail wdunwell@uky.edu or call 270.365.7541 x 209 (comments are KNLA Nursery Views Spring 2008; Paul Cappiello says it is prone to disease, more so than other of Dr. Elwin Orton’s hybrids).
I was preparing a plant presentation and rummaging around in The Year in Trees by Kim Tripp and late J. C. Raulston when I came across a penciled note “Buddy Hubbuch likes it a lot” looking over to the underlined plant in question I found ‘Henry Hicks’ (Magnolia virginiana cv.). So out to the UKREC Magnolia collection to see how ‘Henry Hicks’ compares to ‘ Green Bay’. At the UKREC in Princeton, KY ‘Green Bay’ is spot free while the old foliage of ‘Henry Hicks’ has small black spots, otherwise for this winter they both have had good evergreen foliage all winter. The Magnolias in general look great even ‘Jon Jon’ that was killed to the ground in the 2007 April freeze has flower buds opening.
So far I have not received any nominees for the 2009 and 2010 Theodore Klein Plant Award. The committee will meet after the spring rush so please send in any nominations you have to wdunwell@uky.edu thanks.
HORTMEMO 2
TO: Horticulturists interested in Ornamental Horticulture
FROM: Win Dunwell, Extension Horticulturist
SUBJECT: Miscellaneous Information and Announcements.
OK, HortMemo is actually coming out a few days after February 29th. I just had to keep the once every four years date.
I was reading Horticulture magazine and came across several good, even great, articles. Paul Cappiello wrote about Don Shadow in both an informative and eloquent fashion. I particularly liked the “ -- Tennessee twang so sharp it could slice the shine off the mornin’ dew.” I checked, this pub is not available on-line at the Horticulture Magazine site but C. Coleston Burrell’s publication series on Invasive Species and alternatives to them are on-line at http://www.hortmag.com/article/The_Invasive_Problem1/ and http://www.hortmag.com/article/the_Invasive_problem2. Another article was interesting because I was not aware of the Wister Award for Daffodils and searched the web site of the American Daffodil Society site and found that the award normally given once a year had 9 daffodils awarded in 2007 and 2 in 2008; so I must assume they are trying to catch up or there has been a lot of breeding work going on in recent years. Those for 2008 are 'Brackenhurst’, a red and yellow large-cupped daffodil and 'Hawera’, a miniature yellow triandrus hybrid with several blooms per stem.
To recommend nominees for the 2009 and 2010 Theodore Klein Plant Award selections please e-mail or call Win Dunwell, wdunwell@uky.edu or 270.365.7541 x 209. The committee always ends up with many more than we can award so it is a difficult decision and frequently we hear - why didn’t such & such win; it has to be on the list to be considered.
I went to Bernheim Arboretum on February 27th and it started snowing but with cell phone guidance from Tony Nold I found the Acer henryi I spoke of in last months HortMemo. The plant I observed was similar to others I have seen; a multi-trunk plant about 20-30 feet tall with light-gray bark. The branch angles make for a slingshot provider if I ever saw one. It is near and behind a redbud on the sun shade trail. I forgot to document the redbud name but will report that later.
So many plants, so many great plants people, so many gardens and arboreta, so many nurseries and garden centers, so little time: I must hurry. Thankfully, we have many wonderful places worthy of a visit within a day trip of where any Kentuckian lives. See Plant Study Sites web page for information. http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/gardenslib.html
If you know of any meetings I should add to the Upcoming Meetings list please e-mail me at wdunwell@uky.edu or Christi at cforsyth@uky.edu
HORTMEMO 1
TO: Horticulturists interested in Ornamental Horticulture
FROM: Win Dunwell, Extension Horticulturist
SUBJECT: Miscellaneous Information and Announcements.
Amy Fulcher’s 2008 IPM Calendar is posted to and can be printed from http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/ipmcalendar2008.pdf
Lee Townsend’s publication Calendar for Common Kentucky Shade Tree and Woody Ornamental Pests is a good companion information source as is, Timing control actions for landscape insect pests using flowering plants as indicators
A REMINDER : The Nursery Winter Workshop 2008: Management/Marketing and 2008 Pest Management Update will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, February 13, 2008, at the Hardin County Extension Office, 201 Peterson Drive, Elizabethtown, KY 42701-9370 (Eastern Standard Time). CEUs available for Cat 3, 10, 14. Contact: Contact: Amy Fulcher, 859.257.1273, afulcher@uky.edu or Jeremy Griffith, 270.365.7541 x 279; e-mail, j.griffith@uky.edu or Win Dunwell, 270.365.7541 x 209, wdunwell@uky.edu. Get the program and registration forms at: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/UKNursWntrWrkshp08.html and http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/NurseryWinterWorkshopreform2008.doc
The 31st Annual Turf and Landscape Short Course will be February 18-22, 2008 at the Executive Inn East, Louisville, KY. Contact: Donna Michael, Extension Horticulture Agent, Jefferson County Jefferson County Extension Service, 810 Barret Ave., Louisville KY 40204; 502.425.4482; e-mail, dmichael@uky.edu or A.J. Powell, Jr., Extension Specialist-Turf, 859.257.5606; e-mail, ajpowell@uky.edu url, http://www.uky.edu/Ag/ukturf/ Description and registration form at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/ukturf/Short_course%202008.pdf Program and CEUs list at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/ukturf/2008_shortcourse_program.pdf
And so it is that Dr. Robert “Bob” McNiel fully retired January 31, 2008, maybe, he will still be teaching in the department this semester. I have been inarticulate when speaking about the many wonderful years Bob and I have shared with Bob Geneve, other faculty and all the great students. I frequently give Bob credit for “saving me” from the mid-career slump by inviting me so many years ago to travel with he and the students. Those worldwide travel experiences: seeing the great nurseries, landscapes, gardens, arboreta, with a few cultural locations mixed in for good measure got me excited about knowing more about ornamental plants, all of them, not just the woodies I was partial to, and plant use and production, and the peoples and cultures of the world. The production part and plant development has always been a great part of the learning process for all who traveled with him; visiting Jellito in Germany when our friends Alan and Mary represent the company in the US and are right here in Kentucky and J. Frank Schmidt on the west coast when their representative is UK Dept of Hort. Alumni Kit Shaughnessy. Of course, his students enjoyed the hard working teacher; their mentor and friend; someone to learn from and even share a joke with; even if the joke might have been at his expense. I find myself continuing to be inarticulate. As Mark Krautman, Heritage Seedlings, always tells our students – “You have to have the fire in the belly”, the passion for what you are doing, and Bob always has had that! I guess what I would like to ask is that you share your stories about him with others let’s make Dr. Robert E. “Bob” McNiel one of the legends.
2008 Theodore Klein Plant Awards Winners
Fagus sylvatica 'Lanciniata'or 'Asplenifolia' – Cut Leaf European Beech
Parrotia persica – Persian Parrotia
Cercis canadensis ‘Silver Cloud’ – Silver Cloud Red Bud
Asimina triloba – Paw Paw
Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Karmina’ – Karmina Geranium
The Perennial Plant of the Year® for 2008 is Geranium ‘Roxanne’. For more information go to http://www.perennialplant.org
The Mid-States Expo and MANTS proved to be great learning experiences. I really was excited to see that the Moffitt’s had Acer henryi on the Snowhill Nursery, Shelbyville, KY plant availability list at Mid-States. I want one of the cold hardy (at Bernheim for many, many years) small trees approximately 30 feet or less with attractive trifoliate foliage that Mike Dirr says emerges red. In Maples of the World -- A. henryi was listed as rare in cultivation; of course, that was published in 1994. The pendulous racemes of “usually sterile” seeds are stunning as they emerge green then turn red and the yellow-red fall color is considered beautiful, but I have never observed it. I will make a point of it this year. Once I was on to Melvin having the A. henryi I made a point of checking to see what every one had and to talk to people about the good stuff. I found a great tight small Boxwood that was very interesting and I heard a rumor about a new Acer truncatum cultivar that sounds good; I will let you know when I get the word on that one. I noticed at MANTS that the clientele walking the halls were looking to see what booths had that was unique; some thing they were not already getting from suppliers they had long-term business relationships with.
HORTMEMO 00
TO: Horticulturists interested in Ornamental Horticulture
FROM: Win Dunwell, Extension Horticulturist
SUBJECT: Miscellaneous Information and Announcements. To subscribe send an e-mail to cforsyth@uky.edu or call Christi, 270.365.7541 x 221
Garden Gurus X with Roger Swain and Felder Rushing as featured presenters and Dava Hayden and Drs. Win Dunwell and Rich Durham on the program is from 8:30 registration to the conclusion of the speakers forum that starts at 3:15, Saturday, January 19, 2008 at Cherry Civic Center, 2701 Park Ave, Paducah, KY. There are displays and auctions. For more information. url, http://www.pamga.org
This 2008 - 00 HortMemo is to announce the Nursery Winter Workshop 2008: Management/Marketing and 2008 Pest Management Update with information on the Marketing/Pest management program prepared by Jeremy Griffith (marketing) and Amy Fulcher (pest management). CEUs for Cat 3, 10, 14 have been applied for. It will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. Wednesday, February 13, 2008, at the Hardin County Extension Office, 201 Peterson Drive, Elizabethtown, KY 42701-9370 (Eastern time zone).
The announcement can be found at http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/UKNursWntrWrkshp08.html
The registration form is on-line as a Word Doc file so it can be filled in on participant’s computers. It can be found by using the link from the announcement or going to: http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/NurseryWinterWorkshopreform2008.doc
For MoreNursery Winter Workshop 2008 Information contact:
Amy Fulcher, Extension Associate for Nursery Crops, 859.257.1273, afulcher@uky.edu,
Jeremy Griffith, Extension Associate for Nursery Crops, 270.365.7541 x 279, jegrif0@email.uky.edu
or Win Dunwell, Extension Specialist for Nursery Crops, 270.365.7541 x 209, wdunwell@uky.edu