Horticulture Winter 2024
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Horticulture Newsletter Winter 2024
Tips from Annette
Winter is a great time to plan for the upcoming growing season. Also enjoy the winter landscape.
· It is not too late to test your garden soil for nutrients needed by vegetable plants and to check the pH level to avoid adding lime if not needed.
· Plan the vegetable and flower garden early to be able get the seeds of your favorite varieties.
· Try a new variety of a vegetable with disease resistance because you may find something better and more productive.
|· Try to plan for growing vegetables in late winter through fall. Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky, https://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ID/ID128/ID128.pdf, provides information on growing through the seasons in one site.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Farmers Market Informational Meeting and Sign-Up at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office at 6:00 p.m.
Monday, February 12, 2024
The Basics: What to Consider When Planting Fruit Trees at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office at 1:00 or 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 17, 2024
“Pruning and Care of Fruit Trees” at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office at 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
“Preparing the Vegetable Garden for Success” and Opening of the Seed Library at Daviess County Public Library at 2:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 22, 2024
“New and Beginning Beekeeping” with Steve Hahus at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 24, 2024
“New and Beginning Beekeeping” with Steve Hahus at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. (same as Feb. 22)
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
“High Tunnel Production in Kentucky: Growing Cool Season Crops During Winter in the Backyard” with Kevin Collard at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office at 1:00 p.m.
Monday, March 11, 2024
“Intermediate and Experienced Beekeeping” with Steve Hahus at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Farmers’ Market Member Meeting at Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Urban Gardening Series begins at OCTC Downtown Campus at 6:00 p.m.
Ordering Seeds for Vegetable Gardens
By: Kim Leonberger, Plant Pathology Extension Associate, and Nicole Gauthier, Plant Pathology Extension Specialist
Spring may feel far away, but vegetable garden planning begins during the cold months of winter. Seed catalogs, store displays, and online retailers present a number of different options (Figure 1). However, successful production begins with the selection of the right seeds for each garden. Gardeners often have preferences towards certain cultivars or varieties, but if plant diseases have plagued plants in the past then it may be time to consider a change.
Selection of a disease tolerant or resistant cultivar is one way to prevent or limit the impact of plant diseases in the vegetable garden. A number of cultivars are labeled as tolerant, which means that while plants may become diseased, plants still yield sufficient amounts of produce. Resistant cultivars do not become diseased, and therefore produce higher yields than those that are susceptible to disease.
While no single cultivar is resistant or tolerant to all plant diseases, use of resistant cultivars can reduce or elevate the need for additional plant disease management practices, such as fungicide sprays. Gardeners should choose cultivars that are tolerant/resistant to the diseases of greatest concern in their garden. It is advisable to keep a garden journal of cultivars that have been grown in the past, as well as a record of disease issues. Proper diagnosis of plant diseases is important for future disease management. If issues arise in the vegetable garden, contact a local county Extension agent for assistance.
Select a tolerant or resistant cultivar by reviewing information on websites, seed packets, or seed catalogs. Note that disease names may be abbreviated, or a coding system may be used to indicate resistance or tolerance to specific diseases. Varieties with resistance/tolerance to common vegetable disease issues are detailed below. Additional information about resistant/tolerant varieties can be found in Vegetable Cultivars for Kentucky Gardens (ID-133) or by contacting a local county Extension agent.
Tomato
Early blight is the most common disease of tomatoes in Kentucky, and often co-occurs with Septoria leaf spot. Tomatoes with some resistance to early blight are ‘Jasper,’ ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry,’ ‘Mountain Magic,’ and ‘Sun Gold’ (small cherry tomatoes), ‘Indigo Rose,’ ‘Plum Regal,’ and ‘Verona’ (Roma size), and ‘Defiant,’ ‘Iron Lady,’ ‘Mountain Fresh Plus,’ ‘Mountain Merit,’ and ‘Stellar’ (slicing size).
Pepper
The bacterial spot pathogen causes the most common disease of peppers. There are at least ten races of the pathogen, and pepper resistance is race-specific. Commonly occurring races can vary by location, so it is recommended to choose cultivars with resistance to as many races as possible. Some suggested cultivars include: ‘Boca,’ ‘Ninja,’ ‘Outsider,’ ‘Playmaker,’ ‘Samurai,’ and ‘Tracer.’
Cucurbits (Cucumber, Squashes, Muskmelon, Watermelon, Pumpkin & Zucchini)
Many powdery mildew resistant cultivars of picklers, slicers, pumpkins, and squash are available. Cultivars that are less susceptible to bacterial wilt include the pickle cukes ‘Cross Country’ and ‘County Fair,’ ‘Howden’ pumpkins, and ‘Waltham Butternut’ squash. Manage cucumber beetles for best management of bacterial wilt. All watermelons have natural resistance to bacterial wilt.
Leafy Greens
-Many lettuces have been bred for resistance to downy mildew. Consider head lettuces ‘Kweik,’ and ‘Pirat,’ green leafed lettuces ‘Black Seeded Simpson,’ and ‘Nevada,’ and red leafed lettuces ‘Galactic,’ ‘Red Zin,’ and ‘Rustica’ for their additional resistance to bacterial disease and/or white mold (drop).
-Powdery mildew-resistant lettuces include ‘Jericho’ and ‘Super Jericho’ (romaines), ‘Sandy’ (oakleaf), ‘Loma,’ ‘Red Salad Bowl,’ and ‘Skyphos’ and ‘Red Cross’ (red butterheads).
- ‘Regal’ and ‘Samish’ spinaches are resistant to downy mildew and white rust.
-Kale, collards, turnip greens, and mustards are naturally less susceptible to many diseases.
Legume Vegetables (Beans & Peas)
-Many French and green beans have been bred for resistance to anthracnose, but resistance in other types of beans is unavailable.
-‘Caprice,’ ‘Espada,’ ‘Kentucky Blue,’ ‘Romano II,’ ‘Volunteer,’ and ‘Goldkist’ are fungal leaf spot and/or rust resistant bean varieties, with additional resistance to various viral diseases (viruses are not common in KY).
-‘Green Arrow,’ ‘Cascadia,’ ‘Sugar Daddy,’ and ‘Oregon Sugar Pod II’ are pea cultivars suggested for their resistance to powdery mildew, Fusarium wilt, and Verticillium wilt.
Welcome Back Ashley Marshall!!
You may have seen a new but familiar face at the office recently. Ashley Marshall is our newest Staff Assistant.
She is excited to be back at the Extension Office and serve Daviess County after spending two years in Charleston, South Carolina. She has a Bachelors degree in English Literature and a Master's degree in Library and Information Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling.
Planning for Your Future Garden
Source: Kathryn Pettigrew, Horticulture Research Analyst, and Rachel Rudolph, Horticulture Assistant Professor
Winter is an excellent time for planning next year’s garden. Take advantage of the shorter days and cooler weather to create a vision for the upcoming growing season.
The first step is to look back on the previous growing season. Revisit any photos taken to refresh your memory of the plants that brought enjoyment, utility or challenges. What grew well and what did not perform as expected? If you took any notes or recorded activities in your calendar, review those items. If something was done a little late or too early, think about how you could change your approach.
Evaluate the produce your household consumed last year. Consider if you need to grow additional quantities or increase the amount grown. Also ask yourself if there are other varieties that you would like to try.
For your garden, list the plants you intend to grow and consider where they will be planted. Even a rough-draft map can help you better understand what is possible. These records can serve as a shopping list and a reference for later. Digital tools such as spreadsheets are excellent for this purpose as they can be easily located in subsequent seasons and revised. However, the pen-and-paper method can serve the same purpose and be great for mapping out the location of plantings. There are also apps available to digitally plan your garden bed.
Once you have a general idea of the plants you want for your home garden, you can more confidently turn your attention to sourcing seeds. Seed companies can be located online, but if you prefer a physical catalog, call and request one. Reputable seed sources will identify the variety sold as well as a description, germination rate and lot number.
If you’re unsure whether a seed company is reputable, don't hesitate to contact your county extension agent. Seeds for popular varieties can sell out quickly, so purchasing things ahead of springtime is a good idea. Extra or unused seeds can be stored in sealed bags or a plastic bin in a cool place and saved for later.
For more information on horticulture success, contact Daviess County Extension office.
