June 2020 News for Polk County

Extension Office Now Open Our office is now open to the public, with safety protocols in place. We are sanitizing entry ways and common areas throughout the day and limiting the number of people in the reception area. Our ongoing goal is to keep our visitors and staff healthy while meeting your needs!

In This Issue

Director's Feature: Deep Solar Minimum Home, Lawn, & Garden Tips for June Growing Vegetables from Scraps Asian Giant Hornet Comparison Guide Virtual Statewide 4-H Summer Opportunities

Virtual Statewide 4-H Summer Opportunities Preschool Gardening Activity Guide Workshop: Making Jams & Jellies Eating Healthy Doesn't Have to Be Bland Coronavirus Food Assistance Program for Livestock Producers

Director's Feature

I was reading an article recently about the current solar minimum we are starting. This is when the sun takes a break and cools slightly due to the lack of sun spots. The last deep solar minimum, called the Dalton minimum, lasted from 1790 to 1830. The one prior to the Dalton (called the Maunder minimum) lasted from 1645 to 1715. This period was very cold and snowy and resembles the predictions of the current minimum with almost no sun spots at all. During the Dalton minimum we experienced the famous “year without summer” in 1816 causing crop failures, brutal cold and volcanic eruptions. It’s yet to be seen how this new minimum will play out, but if the past has any bearing on the future, it might just be a cold few years ahead!

Scott Welborn is the County Extension Director for Polk County

Home, Lawn and Garden Tips for June

Perennial Flowers Spring and summer is the perfect time to plant herbaceous perennial flowers. You will find these plants at all garden centers and big box stores for the entire summer based on their bloom times. The key to growing good perennial flowers is drainage. Once established, they need relatively little irrigation and thrive with good soil drainage. The biggest killer of these plants is water hanging around the roots during the winter so soil prep is the key to enduring plants.   Flower Care Many plants will stop blooming once the plant begins to set seed. You can prolong the bloom period of both annuals and perennials by “deadheading” the spent flowers (pinching or cutting off the flower stem below the spent flower and just above the first set of full, healthy leaves.) Continue to pinch back herbs. Prune climbing roses after they bloom; fertilize at that time. Prune your traditional hydrangeas after the blooms fade. You can also do light pruning on hollies and hedging plants all though the summer season to keep them looking tidy. Fescue Lawn Care Brown patch can be a big problem in tall fescue lawns and is already making itself known by appearing as brown circular patches in the lawn. In order to limit damage, mow when grass is dry and avoid fertilizers with high nitrogen. There are several fungicides that you can choose from to treat brown patch such as “Heritage” (Azoxystrobin), “Banner Maxx” (Propaconozil) or “Headway,” which is a combination of both. They are available in liquid form but can also be purchased in a granular which is the easiest to apply for most people. There are other fungicides available, just make sure to choose one labeled for brown patch. When planting a fescue lawn, try to use a seed mixture that contains at least 3 varieties of fescue to prevent entire lawn death when diseases hit. Also, remember to water in the morning so as not to allow the grass to stay wet all night. Water is important for fescue that is being mowed. It needs an inch per week, or it may start to look really bad and could possibly die--especially during droughts. If watering isn’t your thing, consider Zoysia or Bermuda which are generally more drought tolerant. For more fescue info, explore our blog:  4 Steps That Help Fescue Thrive Pest Control Bagworms are relatively easy to control at this time of year on plants such as junipers, arborvitae and leyland cypress. Inspect susceptible plants for tiny worms and spray with Dipel or Thuricide (these are biological controls that contain a bacteria). Japanese Beetles These unwelcome guests hold their family reunion at your house in June/July. Hand-pick by holding a container of soapy water under the branch and tapping the branch. The beetle’s natural instinct is to drop when disturbed from above. Or, you may spray with pesticides labeled for Japanese Beetles. Spray late in the day, if possible, since that's when bees are no longer active. Traps are  not  recommended. If you do use them, put them as far away as possible from the plant you want to protect, and be sure to empty them every 2 days. Apply a soil insecticide to kill Japanese Beetle grubs in early August.  Fire Ants These critters are a problem we all face, especially in the lower elevations. Pastures can become overrun with ants if we don’t treat regularly. For small infestations, liquid Carbaryl (Sevin) can be drenched over the mounds. Typically, it takes 1 gallon of mixture to eliminate a mound. In larger areas you may consider purchasing fire ant baits that are spread in a granular form. These baits take a while to eliminate mounds as the workers must take the bait into the nest for the queen to consume. In small areas, drenching the mound with Carbaryl is the quickest, most satisfying way to eliminate an active fire ant mound. For more information about managing fire ants in the landscape, pick up a copy of our Polk County Fire Ant Brochure at the Extension Center. NOTE: The use of brand names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named nor discrimination against similar products or services not mentioned. 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.

No Seeds, No Problem: Growing Vegetables From Scraps The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a shortage in the availability of seeds for home gardeners. But did you know that you can grow some of your favorite vegetables from leftovers? Read more news.ncsu.edu

Asian Giant Hornet Comparison Guide The following are some insects that might be confused for the Asian Giant Hornet (also referred to in the media as the "Murder Hornet") which is not in North Carolina at this time. As of this writing they have only been seen in the Pacific Northwest. Read more entomology.ces.ncsu.edu

VIRTUAL STATEWIDE 4-H SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES

Preschool Gardening Activity Guide Hot off the Press . . . The Natural Learning Initiative Gardening Activity Guide is for preschool teachers, parents and students it is chock full of fun ideas about Seeds, Preparing Beds, Planting, Watering, Weeding, & much more! Read more gardening.ces.ncsu.edu

Helen Blackwell is the 4-H Youth Development Agent for Polk County

The first of three "Canning & Preserving Made Easy" workshops is coming up this month ! This will be an in-person workshop, but don't worry...we'll be practicing safe social distancing protocols throughout the class! Find Out More

We have all been told “Eat your vegetables...they are good for you.” We just didn't know how good they taste if you add some spices. Fruits and vegetables provide vitamin A (and beta carotene) and C. Some are also good sources of folate, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron. Each of these nutrients helps your body function, while reducing the risks of some cancers, heart disease, and other health problems. The latest research shows that by including more fruits and vegetables in our diet, Americans can decrease risk of many chronic diseases. The key to adding more of those good fruits and vegetables is to go for the taste and eat a wide assortment. A good rule of thumb is to eat at least three different colors each day. A great way to increase fruit and vegetable servings for yourself and your family is to make them readily available to eat. That's especially true for kids and teenagers. To make eating fruits and vegetables fun, try these ideas: Clean carrots and celery, then cut into bite-size snacking pieces, or buy bags of baby carrots and chopped, ready-to-eat vegetables. Keep a bowl of colorful assorted fruit on the counter to remind the family to help themselves. Offer crisp broccoli and cauliflower florets for dipping and in salads. They taste best and keep longer when blanched for a minute in boiling water and then refreshed in ice water. Drain well and chill. Have dried fruit - such as raisins or apricots on hand for snacks, or lunch boxes. Let the kids “decorate” pizza with fresh, cut-up vegetables, such as sliced tomatoes, zucchini, or mushrooms. For warm weather treats, try freezing fresh fruit like seedless green and red grapes. Dip slices of banana into lemon juice and stick in a toothpick before freezing. Add pureed vegetables to sauces and casseroles. Mix chopped or grated vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, and zucchini, into your pasta sauces.  Research shows that including more fruits and vegetables in our diet keeps us health. Ready for a recipe that will “spice up” a fruit salad in a healthy and delicious way? Click the button below to view the full post and recipe.

Get the Recipe

Jimmi Buell is the Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences in Polk County

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Hopefully by this point you have been made aware of this program that has been established for livestock producers. If not, I want to make sure each livestock producer realizes there is a chance for a supplement to lost income by submitting an application at the FSA office. Background CFAP provides vital financial assistance to producers of agricultural commodities who have suffered a 5%-or-greater price decline due to COVID-19 and face additional significant marketing costs as a result of lower demand, surplus production, and disruptions to shipping patterns and the orderly marketing of commodities. Support Available Farmers and ranchers will receive direct support, drawn from two possible funding sources. The first source of funding is $9.5 billion in appropriated funding provided in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act to compensate farmers for losses due to price declines that occurred between mid- January 2020 and mid-April 2020. It provides support for specialty crops that had been shipped from the farm between the same time period but subsequently spoiled due to loss of marketing channels. The second funding source uses the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act to compensate producers for $6.5 billion in losses due to on-going market disruptions.   Livestock eligible for CFAP include cattle, lambs, yearlings and hogs. The total payment will be calculated using the sum of the producer’s number of livestock sold between January 15 and April 15, 2020, multiplied by the payment rates per head, and the highest inventory number of livestock between April 16 and May 14, 2020, multiplied by the payment rate per head.     Applying for Assistance Producers can apply for assistance beginning on May 26, 2020. Additional information and application forms can be found at farmers.gov/cfap. Producers of all eligible commodities will apply through their local FSA office. Documentation to support the producer’s application and certification may be requested. FSA has streamlined the signup process so that an acreage report is not needed at the time of application, and a USDA farm number may not be immediately needed. Applications will be accepted through August 28, 2020.  Download the full fact sheet below. Have other questions? Call me at 828-593-7946

Download Fact Sheet

Noah Henson is the Area Agent, Agriculture - Livestock, Dairy, Equine, Forages

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