January 2019 News for Polk County
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Director's Focus: Let's Talk Rain...and Berries
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Is it really 2020? We hear the old adage all the time that life flies by, but it’s really the truth! For those of us that love plants, we think of years in terms of how many harvests we will have or how much our tree will grow. So for us, the time is
now
to plant all those things you’ve always wanted.
Luckily, it’s
time for the annual Polk County Extension blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, asparagus and strawberry plant sale!
This year, due to great demand, we have added asparagus back to the offering as well as increased our blackberry availability. The other varieties we sell of blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are hand-selected and tested in our own research trials. Our office is committed to providing the best varieties for the best prices around.
All of the proceeds from this sale help us to conduct research and teach classes for the benefit of Polk County. We appreciate your support of our local Extension office. You can place your order in person at the Extension office, download and print your own form, or even order online. Don’t wait! Place your order soon to ensure availability, as quantities are limited and
we will sell out
!
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The Annual Berry & Asparagus Sale is Here!
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Get Your Order in by February 22
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Prepare for a luscious berry crop this year (and asparagus crops in future years!) by ordering your strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, and asparagus plants through the Extension. All orders must be placed and paid for by February 22. Plants will be ready for pickup by mid-March.
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Home Lawn and Garden Tips for January
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Houseplants
The four major causes of houseplant deaths during the winter months are: over-fertilizing, over-watering, under-watering, and improper light. Do not fertilize houseplants in the wintertime. Let your plants go into a dormant (rest) period, a period of reduced growth, so that they will be ready for vigorous growth in the spring months. Make sure you provide your plants with a bright location or supplemental light from florescent bulbs. Misting your plants with water from a spray bottle is often a good idea due to the lower winter humidity in most homes.
Winter Watering
Typically, in cold weather, you need to pay close attention to the moisture levels of your outdoor plants. This year, with our heavy rains, it may not be quite as much of an issue, but there are still some types of vegetation to pay attention to. Evergreens continue to take up moisture in the winter. When the ground is frozen, or during a dry period, moisture is not available. High winds and warm sun on cold days will increase the amount of moisture the plant needs to survive. You can protect these susceptible plants by planting them in a sheltered area and providing additional water during dry periods or before an expected hard freeze. You should place potted plants in warmer areas to keep the root ball from freezing for days on end. Frozen roots for several days can kill potted plants.
Snow & Ice Damage
When snow and ice are predicted, your plants can get an injury from heavy precipitation falling from the roof onto frozen branches--as we have already seen happen some places this season. You can wrap wide tape or cloth around an evergreen to prevent broken branches. This technique is also helpful for boxwoods and arborvitaes. You can also go out during the snow or ice to brush off the snow, but do so carefully. If it’s frozen to the branches, they can easily break. If branches are bent and broken over by heavy ice or snow, wait a few days before pruning or cleaning up. Branches will often recover without your help.
Here are some other steps to protect your plants from cold damage:
- Only plant vegetation that is hardy to our zone (Polk County is Zone 7B).
- Try to plant tender plants in the highest part of the landscape. Cold air settles in lower lying areas.
- Protect plants from cold winds with a fence or an evergreen hedge of tall trees.
- Provide some shade for plants from direct winter sun, especially early morning sun. Plants that freeze slowly and thaw slowly will have the least amount of damage.
- Stop fertilizing plants in late summer and let them harden off for the winter.
Bulbs
Check bulbs in storage. Often dahlia tubers and gladiolus corms are attacked by rot in storage; throw out any with rot. Fertilize spring flowering bulbs when 1” of growth is seen above ground. Use one rounded teaspoon of 10-10-10 per square foot. Or you can add additional compost around your bulbs for an organic boost.
Recycling a Christmas Tree
There are several ways to dispose of or recycle your tree. (Before recycling your tree, remove all tinsel and ornaments.)
- Place the tree in the yard or garden for use by birds and other wildlife. The branches provide shelter from strong winds and cold. Food can be supplied by hanging fruit slices, seed cakes, or suet bags on its branches. You can also smear peanut butter and seeds in pine cones and hang them in the tree.
- Prune off the branches and place over perennials as winter mulch.
- Chip the tree and use as mulch around trees, shrubs or in flower beds.
- Sink the tree into ponds and reservoirs. The fish will use the branches of tree to hide from predators, or feed on snails and aquatic insects found on the structure. It can also provide shade for fish during hot sunny days.
In the Garden
Replenish mulch around trees and shrubs to 3-6 inches in depth. Think about your spring vegetable garden and begin planting seeds indoors by the end of January. Florescent lights hung right over your plants will give you a better plant than simply using a window. Take time now to plan landscapes for spring plantings. Garden catalogs arrive early this month. Order seed early while stock is adequate.
Prepping Strawberry Beds
Mulch strawberry beds for winter protection using wheat straw or pine needles. Pull the mulch back when blooms appear.
Pruning Muscadines
January is the best calendar month to prune muscadines. Muscadines are very vigorous vines that require annual pruning to restrict growth and to encourage annual bearing. You will want to develop a main trunk. This is permanent on a muscadine vine. Remove any tendrils that have wrapped around the cordons or spurs. Also remove old fruit stems since they are sites for overwintering diseases.
Lawn Care
During a rainy winter period our fescue lawns can look pretty poor. You will notice yellowing and browning of the lawn due to the cold and wet conditions. You can help to mitigate this by applying a nitrogen fertilizer during warm periods of the winter. You will also want to apply a fungicide in early March to ensure all the water doesn’t lead to out of control fungal problems in the spring.
Should you need more information on any of these topics please stop by the Polk County Cooperative Extension office located at 79 Carmel Lane just outside of Columbus, or pop us an
email
or give us a call at 828-894-8218.
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The 4-H program prides itself on developing life skills. Through the completion of a record book young people learn skills such as planning, goal setting, communication, organization, and a greater understanding of what they learned in their specific project area.
Did you participate in Cooking Club, Goat Club, Sewing Club, or Woodworking Club in 2019? Join us for a 4-H Project Record workshop on January 28 at 3:30pm here at the NC Cooperative Extension of Polk County. All project records completed will be judged at the county level and winners will even be forwarded to the state level. Medals and cash prizes are available to winners in each category!
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January is Slow Cooking Month
Americans’ busy lifestyles often show up in their cooking and eating habits. Over 30 percent of calories are consumed away from home, with more than 40 percent of food dollars spent on these food purchases. Meals made outside the home are typically higher in calories and fat and lower in calcium, fiber, and iron. Planning meals ahead can improve health while saving time and money. When families eat together, meals are likely to be more nutritious. Family meals also provide a great time for children and parents to reconnect.
January is National Slow Cooking Month and one way to increase meals at home is to use a slow cooker. Many slow cooker meals are easy enough to prepare in the morning, then cook while you go about your day. Check out the following information on slow cooker benefits, food safety, and recipe ideas.
Know your slow cooker
. Most slow cookers have two or three settings. Food typically cooks in six to 10 hours on the low setting and four to six hours on the high setting. If possible, turn the slow cooker on the high setting for the first hour of cooking time and then use the setting that fits your needs. Read your slow cooker instruction manual and follow manufacturers directions. Slow cookers are available in different sizes, so instructions will vary.
Slow cookers and food safety.
Begin with a clean cooker, utensils and work area. Keep perishable foods refrigerated until preparation time. Store cut-up meat and vegetables separately in the fridge. Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Vegetables cook slower than meat and poultry, so if using them, put vegetables in first. Then add meat and liquid suggested in the recipe, such as broth, water or sauce. Keep the lid in place, removing only to stir the food or check for doneness.
Recipe conversions.
Most recipes can be converted. Because liquids do not boil away in a slow cooker, you can usually reduce liquids by one-third to one-half. This reduction in liquid does not apply to soups. Pasta may become mushy if added too early, so it could be added at the end of the cooking process or cooked separately and added just before serving. Milk, cheese and cream may be added one hour before serving.
When it’s cold outside plan ahead and come home to some warm soup.
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Healthy Eating with Your Instant Pot
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Certainly, pressure cooking is not a new culinary method, but the Instant Pot has brought it back into popularity, thanks to the appliance's safety and ease of use. Did you know that the Instant Pot can encourage healthy habits, too?
The Instant Pot makes quick work of cooking whole grains and legumes that we all want to eat more often. With the right recipes, proteins like fish and chicken also benefit from the Instant Pot’s controlled cooking environment.
Did you receive an Instant Pot for Christmas, or has one been sitting on your shelf because you weren't sure how to integrate it into your kitchen? We're considering offering a "
Healthy Eating with Your Instant Pot"
workshop, and would like to know if there is interest in this class. Take the survey below to let us know if this is a workshop that you would appreciate in the near future.
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Would you be interested in an Instapot Workshop?
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Jimmi Buell
is the Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in Polk County
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