Home and Garden Show Time! Can Spring Be Far Away!

Do you have cabin fever or the winter blues and you can’t wait for spring? Just in time to cure those blues, comes the 2009 Home and Garden Seminar and Show Feb. 14 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.

“The show will feature interesting displays and talks by experts in several fields,” said Don Plunkett, Jefferson County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

The 21st annual show, which is free, opens to the public at 8 a.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m. It’s sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service, Master Gardeners and the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Clean and Beautiful Commission.

Plunkett said the show attracted more than 1,500 people last year.

Below are the seminars, starting times and speakers:

· Herbs You’re Going to Love, 9 a.m., Debbie Tripp
· Color and Design in Lighting Outside, 10:15 a.m., Diane Crowder
· Must-have Plants for the Garden, 11:15 a.m., Janet Carson
· Diabetics – Healthy Cooking, 12:45 a.m., Mary Ann Kizer and Vanessa Woods Evans.
· Bones of the Garden, 2 p.m., Michael Fess
· Creating the Wow Factor, 3 p.m., Chris Olsen

Plunkett said the show is seeking additional sponsorship for the event. The seminars will be in the Banquet Room, near the Registration area. Door prizes will be awarded.

For more information, contact the Jefferson County extension office at (870) 534-1033.

The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.

Now Is The Time For Shade-Tree Pruning

While most pruning can be done any time of the year, pruning shade trees is a job usually reserved for the winter months, which is a dormant season for plants, says Mark Keaton, Baxter County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Shade-tree pruning should be limited to shaping and removing dead, diseased or damaged limbs. Dehorning — the practice of cutting large limbs back to within a few inches of the trunk — should be done only in cases of severe injury by wind, ice or storm, Keaton says.

Remove only those limbs that interfere with the natural shape of a tree, advises Keaton.

“Dehorning won’t help shape a tree because a tree tends to assume the shape of its particular species anyway,” he says. “Dehorning can lead to insect and disease problems and severe dehorning can kill a tree.”

Blooming trees present special problems. Most won’t bloom if they’re pruned at the wrong time of the year. Dogwoods and redbuds should be pruned immediately after flowering, if it’s necessary to prune.

Pruning now won’t hurt them; it only will remove the flower buds, according to Keaton.

“Shrubs grown mainly for their flowers such as azaleas, forsythia, weigela, flowering quince and spring-blooming spireas should be pruned after they bloom,” he says. “They set their buds in late summer and fall, and pruning before spring removes flowering wood.”

Crepe myrtles bloom on current growth. This means they flower only on new wood. The more new wood, the more flowers. Pruning should be done just before new growth begins in the spring (late February-early March). Remove one-third to one-half of the last year’s growth.

Pruning is more than just cutting off limbs.

“A mistake can cost you a valuable landscape plant,” Keaton warns.

If you’re not sure how to prune a specific plant, talk to your county agent and ask for the “Pruning Ornamental Plants” publication. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.

Small Steps Make Getting Organized a Manageable Task

We all have it. Whether it’s a drawer, room, garage or entire house, we all have at least one area in our homes that is always messy, cluttered and a headache to see. It may seem like too much of a mountain to climb, but you can get organized in small steps.

“It can be overwhelming, but organizing your desk, your home or even your junk drawer can be incredibly satisfying and freeing,” says Joy Buffalo, family consumer science specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. “If you look at getting organized as a series of small steps, you can fit it into your schedule and see progress immediately.”

First step: Set small goals. It could be something as simple as collecting all the rubber bands in a drawer and making a rubber band ball or emptying the refrigerator of old food and almost-empty containers.

“That’s what keeps a lot of people from tackling projects like home offices and garages,” Buffalo says. “It looks like too much to even think about at first; but, if you tell yourself you are going to gather all the papers off the floor one day, the next day it won’t be so overwhelming to sort that pile.”

Next: Make a plan. How do you want the room to look? Do you see hooks on the wall to hang rakes, shovels and brooms in the garage? Shelves in the corner for a workstation? If your garage doubles as a lawn-and-garden center as well as automotive repair and storage, inventory what you need to keep in the area and how much room there is to accommodate it. Then, you will be able to sort what should stay and what should be stored elsewhere.

Speaking of sorting, divide your belongings into three piles: keep, donate and throw away. If you are sorting clothes, shoes and accessories in your closet, remember a few rules-of-thumb:
· If you have not worn it in two years, give it to a loved one or donate it to a nonprofit;
· If the item is ripped, stained or beyond repair, throw it out; and
· If the item no longer fits (and you have to be honest with yourself), give it away.

“Another thing to keep in mind is if you had it in high school or college and have not worn it since then, throw it out,” Buffalo says. “It won’t come back in style, and it’s only taking up room you need for other things.”

So approach getting organized the same way you’d go swimming in the lake for the first time in the summer: one toe at a time, and pretty soon, it’s all in.

For more information about getting organized, visit extension's Web site, or contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.

Plant of the Week: Dogwood (Cornus stolonifera Isanti)

Mentioning the name dogwood usually conjures up images of white billowy trees with beautiful flowers. But in reality, dogwoods are a diverse group of plants with most species growing as sprawling shrubs, not trees. Some of these, especially the red twig dogwoods, have found their way into gardens.

Several species of dogwoods produce red twigs during winter with the Siberian Cornus alba (Tatarian dogwood)¸ the European C. sanguinea (Bloodtwig dogwood) and the North American C. sericea (Redosier dogwood) the most common in the nursery trade. These three species look much alike in leaf and growth form, differing primarily in fruit color and ripening period.

The red twig dogwoods are shrubs of the cool northland where they grow along streams in thick tangles whereas the flowering dogwood is primarily a plant of the South.

Cornus sericea (long known as C. stolonifera), the redosier dogwood, grows from Newfoundland, south through the Appalachian Mountains to Georgia, through much of the upper Midwest, and even scattered in high elevations in the Rocky Mountains. It, like most of the other red-stemmed dogwoods, has an aversion for heat and humidity so they typically occur in the wild in places where temperatures are cool and moist. Because of their northern heritage it is hardy to zone 2 north but only zone 7 on the southern end of its range.

Redosier dogwood (the word “osier” is an Old English name used to describe willows with long, slender stems used in basket making) is a stoloniferous deciduous shrub growing to 10 feet tall but forming thickets wider than tall. Leaves are 3 to 5 inches long and similar in appearance to the more common dogwood.

Selections of redosier dogwoods have been made throughout their range and provide a variety of growth forms and plant sizes. Stem coloration develops on the youngest branches after the leaves fall.

‘Kelseyi’ is a dwarf form growing only 2 to 2.5 feet tall and wide with small, twiggy bright red stems. ‘Isanti’ is a more upright form growing to 5 feet tall. ‘Cardinal’ is a good red-stemmed form growing to 8 feet tall. ‘Nitida’ and ‘Flaviranea’ are chartreuse to yellow-stemmed selections. ‘Sunshine’ is a white-variegated form with golden stems. A red-stemmed variegated form is also available.

Small, off-white flowers appear in late spring after plants have leafed out in flat-topped clusters to 2 ½ inches across. The flowers are not especially showy; in the fall they are followed by clusters of white berries.

Red twig dogwoods are best used in mass plantings or as a single specimen amongst a low-growing groundcover. In the summertime, except for the variegated forms, these plants are coarse and relatively nondescript. Their biggest impact comes in the fall when they shed their leaves. The bright red coloration is most effective when displayed against snow cover or, in areas where snow is uncommon during the winter, against an evergreen backdrop.

The red twig dogwoods do best in a uniformly moist, bright location with a moderately fertile soil. They will grow in moist areas where their roots can creep into the water but will not endure standing water. High temperature and humidity cause leafspot diseases that give plants a ratty look in hot parts of the country.

As the stems get older than 3 or 4 years old they begin to develop brown bark. Cutting the plant to the plant to the ground every few years in the spring before new growth begins helps control size and maintains bright wintertime stem color.

You can find more information about horticulture, see other Plant of the Week columns, or contact your county extension agent. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the U of A Division of Agriculture.

Arkansas Master Naturalist - Northwest AR Chapter

If you were interested in the "Master Naturalist" news item but were unwilling to commute back and forth to the Little Rock area, there will be Northwest AR Chapter. The training will now be at the Hobbs State Park Conservation area. The "Northwest AR Chapter" schedule, dates, and application can be found here. Note the due date for applications is January 16th.

Cost is $135.00

Arkansas Master Naturalists - "Working to keep Arkansas in its Natural State"
Interested in the Master Naturalist program and live in NW Arkansas?

Becoming a Master Naturalist involves attending at least forty hours of initial training on Arkansas animals, plants, geology and conservation.

To become a Certified Master Naturalist you would then complete at least forty hours of volunteer work and eight hours of advanced training each year.

March 7th am-Eco-regions of AR Ellen Turner pm-Water Systems Dr. Robert Morgan

March 14th am-Geology pm-Herpetology Kelly Irwin -AGFC

March 21st am-Stream Team Dave Evans - AGFC

March 28th Trails Bert Turner - CAMN

April 4th am-Karst Darrell Pennington U of Ark pm-Bears/Large Mammels Jason Kindall - Ozark Sci Ctr.

April 11th Ornithology Ellen Turner

May 2nd am-Interpretation Kelly Farrell St Parks

May 9th am-Archaeology Jamie Brandon

May 23rd Graduation and Celebration


Email us with questions or comments.

Contact Anne Massey or call her at (501) 666-1411

"Garden Thyme" Seminar by Magnolia Master Gardeners.

The Magnolia Master Gardeners will be holding a "Garden Thyme" seminar on Saturday, January 31, at Immanuel Baptist Church in Magnolia, 1823 East North St. (right across the highway from Wal-Mart on Hwy 82)

The seminar will begin at 9:00 am and last until noon. Registration is $5. Proceeds are used for the MG sponsored Columbia County 4H Gardening Contest.

Speakers are Janet Carson, Extension Horticulture Specialist; Dr. Charles Allen - Botanist for Fort Polk, LA speaking on "Landscaping with Native Plants"; and Patty Bishop, President of Red Dirt MG in Texarkana speaking on "Chatting About Herbs."

Contact Janet Warren at 870-904-2258 or 870-515-0127 to register by phone.