Cool season vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower are prone to cabbage worms. These pests are hard to spot because they are often the same
color of green as the plant leaves. Early control is important. Follow this link for more information on controlling cabbage worms.
By: Cassie Homan
This is the time of year that onions grow and develop rapidly. Regular watering and a light fertilization are helpful to maximize growth. If your soil tends to be alkaline, use ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) at the rate of ½ cup per 10 feet of row. Alternatively, you could use a lawn fertilizer such as a 29-5-5, 27-3-3 or anything similar, but only use 1/3 cup per 10 feet of row. Make sure the lawn fertilizer does not have a weed preventer or weed killer included. Sprinkle the fertilizer 2 to 3 inches alongside the row and water in. Do not fertilize after the onions start to bulb. Onions develop so that as much as 2/3 of the bulb remains out of the soil. This is normal and there is no need to cover the bulb with soil.
By: Cassie Homan
The month of May is a busy time for gardeners. Temperatures start warming up so we can plant more and more in the garden. There are also flower bed and lawn care tasks to take care of. For a full list of May tasks, visit our website.
https://www.postrock.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/gardening_calendar/MayGardenCalendar.pdf
By: Cassie Homan
On May 4th we will discuss new annual flower varieties. Annuals are a bright and colorful addition to your landscape. Join us to learn how to choose the best varieties to thrive all season long.
Sign up at – https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/k-state-garden-hour-webinar-series/k_state_garden_hour.html
By: Cassie Homan
You will not want to miss K-State Garden Hour on April 6th at noon. We will be discussing pollinator plants for continuous food sources. You will learn how to provide season long pollen and nectar sources in the garden for our pollinators to forage on.
We also have a large library of past webinars for you to view to help with spring gardening.
Register here: https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/k-state-garden-hour-webinar-series/k_state_garden_hour.html
By: Cassie Homan
New strawberry plantings should be set early in the growing season so that mother plants become established while the weather is still cool. The mother plants develop a strong root system during this cool period when soil temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees F. The most appropriate planting time is mid- to late March in southern Kansas and late March to mid-April in the northern areas of the state. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.
Later in the season, daughter plants develop. The earlier the mother plants are set, the sooner the first daughter plant will be formed and take root. These first daughter plants will be the largest daughter plants at the end of the growing season and will bear more berries per plant the following spring. When planting is done later, the higher temperatures stress the mother plants resulting in reduced growth, weaker mother plants and delays in daughter plant formation. Fewer and smaller daughter plants produce fewer berries, resulting in a smaller crop.
Remove all flowers during the first year. New plants have limited energy reserves that need to go toward establishing the mother plants and making runners rather than making fruit. If fruit is allowed to develop the first year, the amount of fruit produced the second year is drastically reduced due to smaller, weaker daughter plants.
Keep row width at 12 to 18 inches as strawberries bear most on the edges of the row rather than the center. A rototiller or hoe can be used to keep the row at the recommended width.
By: Cassie Homan
One of the most neglected tools for vegetable gardeners is a soil thermometer. Soil temperature is a much better measure of when to plant than air temperature or the calendar. Planting when soil is too cool can cause some seeds to rot and transplants to not root successfully.
A number of vegetables can germinate and grow at cool temperatures. For example, peas will germinate and grow well at a soil temperature of 40 F. Though lettuce, parsnips, and spinach can sprout at a soil temperature of 35 F, they prefer at least 45 F for best germination and growth. Radishes also do well at a soil temperature of 45 F. Even if the seeds of these cool- season crops are planted below the recommended soil temperature, the seed will rarely rot.
Warm-season crops such as tomatoes, sweet corn and beans are different.
They prefer at least 55 F for germination (or transplanting), but others such as peppers, cucumbers, melons and sweet potatoes need it even warmer, about 60 F. If planted when soils are too cool, they likely will rot before germinating.
To take the temperature of your soil first, use a metal soil thermometer, which is sold in many garden stores. Take temperature 2.5 inches deep at about 10 to 11 a.m. Temperature variations throughout the day and night affect soil temperature, with lowest readings after dawn and warmest around mid-afternoon. The late-morning reading gives a good average temperature. Be sure to get a consistent reading for four to five days in a row before planting, and make sure a cold snap is not predicted.
By: Cassie Homan
