Gardening doesn’t have to be complicated. Growing flowers and veggies in containers is quick and easy. It’s a great way to get outside and brighten up your landscape. The following video will give you some great tips for container flower gardens.
By: Cassie Homan
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021.
This continue
s to be a tough time for many people and the IRS wants to continue to do everything possible to help taxpayers navigate the unusual circumstances related to the pandemic. Even with the new deadline, taxpayers are urged to consider filing as soon as possible, especially those who are owed refunds.
Filing electronically with direct deposit is the quickest way to get refunds and it can help some taxpayers more quickly receive any remaining stimulus payments they may be entitled to.
Individual taxpayers can also postpone federal income tax payments for the 2020 tax year due on April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021, without penalties and interest, regardless of the amount owed. Penalties, interest and additions to tax will begin to accrue on any remaining unpaid balances as of May 17, 2021.
By: Brenda Langdon
Crabgrass preventers are another name for preemergence herbicides that prevent crabgrass seeds from developing into mature plants. Many people have a somewhat foggy idea of how they work and assume they kill the weed seed. Such is not the case. They do not kill the seed or even keep the seed from germinating but rather kill the young plant after it germinates. Therefore, they do not prevent germination but prevent emergence.
Crabgrass preventers are just that – preventers. With few exceptions they have no effect on existing crabgrass plants, so they must be applied before germination. Additionally, preventers do not last forever once applied to the soil. Microorganisms and natural processes begin to gradually break them down soon after they are applied. If some products are applied too early, they may have lost much of their strength by the time they are needed. Most crabgrass preventers are fairly ineffective after about 60 days, but there is considerable variation among products.
For most of Kansas, crabgrass typically begins to germinate around May 1 or a little later. April 15 is normally a good target date for applying preventer because it gives active ingredients time to evenly disperse in the soil before crabgrass germination starts. Even better, base timing on the bloom of ornamental plants. The Eastern Redbud tree is a good choice for this purpose. When the trees in your area approach full bloom, apply crabgrass preventer. A follow-up application will be needed about 8 weeks later unless you are using Dimension or Barricade. Products that do require a follow-up application include pendimethalin (Scotts Halts) and Team (Hi-Yield Crabgrass Control).
We recommend crabgrass preventers be applied before fertilizer so that the grass isn’t encouraged to put on too much growth too early. However, it may be difficult to find products that contain preemergents without fertilizer. Those that don’t contain fertilizer are listed below.
Barricade – Howard Johnson Crabgrass Control Plus with 0.37 Prodiamine 00-00-07
Pendimethalin – Scotts Halts
Team (Benefin + Trifluralin) – Hi-Yield Crabgrass Control
Dimension – Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed and Grass Stopper
By: Cassie Homan
Gene’s Heartland Foods of Smith Center and Post Rock Extension are excited to announce the implementation of a produce basket program! “Simply Produce” offers customers approximately 15 pounds of produce for $15.00. Produce baskets will contain a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and may vary slightly from what is typically available on the produce department’s shelves. Basket contents will be different for each ordering period as well. In addition to produce, customers will receive a recipe highlighting basket items, as well as educational materials on food storage and produce handling.
Produce baskets are purchased through the Grocery store register and must be paid for at time of ordering. The purchase is taxable. For the first distribution, baskets must be ordered April 8 through April 13th at Noon prior to the distribution days which will occur on the third Friday of each month. April’s distribution is set for April 16th from 12-12:30pm at the Mary’s Parish Hall, 403 US-36 in Smith Center. Customers will drive up to the Parish Hall and volunteers will bring out their purchased basket(s).
Produce basket distribution that utilizes local retail venues is designed to
increase access to healthy fruits and vegetables for consumers, while stimulating positive economic impact and building regional food system sustainability. We are proud to partner with Gene’s Heartland Foods to promote this great opportunity for our residents.
For more information, please contact Post Rock Extension agents, Ashley Svaty (asvaty@ksu.edu) or Brenda Langdon (bklangdon@ksu.edu). Volunteers are needed to assist during distribution days. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Extension Office. Follow us on Facebook to stay updated on future distributions at https://www.facebook.com/postrockextension/
By: Ashley Svaty
The Kansas Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) is a Federally Funded Program that helps eligible households pay a portion of their home energy costs by providing a one-time per year benefit. The application period is from January 4 through March 28, however this year it has been extended to May 28, 2021.
With the unprecedented winter weather in February, many households will face higher than normal energy bills. You can apply online or contact your local DCF office. This year the income guidelines have increased slightly so more Kansans can benefit from this program. The benefit amount may not be based on the amount owed to the utility company. The benefit amount is based on several factors including number of applicants, type of primary heating fuel and household income along with other requirements. Reach out to the local DCF office or contact your local extension office for assistance.
By: Brenda Langdon
Now is the time to ensure your canner’s dial 
gauge is accurate!
It is highly recommended to have your canner checked annually to ensure you are preserving food safely. We will test your gauges and contact you with any adjustments which might need to be made. Contact Ashley at asvaty@ksu.edu with any food preservation questions or to schedule a time to test your dial gauge.
Visit our KSRE Food Preservation Site here: https://www.rrc.k-state.edu/preservation/
By: Ashley Svaty
The veggies that we grow in the garden fit into two groups, based on their temperature preferences – cool season and warm season crops.
Most cool season crops can be planted and will germinate when soil temperatures average 45F. These include:
Most warm season crops will not germinate and should not be planted until soil temperatures are 55F- some even 60F. These veggies are:
We typically reach the 45F level about mid to late March and the 55F level about late April.
The next step is to know what the soil temperature is. K-State Mesonet Site is a great resource to find local soil temperatures. https://mesonet.k-state.edu/
By: Cassie Homan
