FEBRUARY ISSUE | 2021
WHAT'S IN THIS ISSUE?
Garden Education Programs ONLINE
February Garden Chores
Growing Microgreens Indoors
Videos to Learn By: Veg Gardening 101,
Starting Seeds Indoors & Pruning Blackberries/Raspberries
Pruning Trees and Shrubs
Pruning Tool Selection
Cutting Back Perennials & Grasses
Lawn Care: Pollinators & Fertilizers
Soil & Water Seedling Sale
Bare root Plant Care
Helpful NCSU Resources, Master Gardener Blog & more!
JOIN US ONLINE!
GARDENING IN THE MOUNTAINS
Thursday, February 18, 2021
10 to 11 a.m.
Presenter: Judy Deutsch, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

In 2018, the first roses were planted in the Learning Rose Garden. This garden is part of a group of gardens on the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension campus known collectively as The Learning Garden. Today, the Learning Rose Garden has 51 different roses, representing over 20 varieties.  

One objective of this garden was to determine which roses, particularly new roses, grow well in Western North Carolina. This talk covers some basics of rose care and selection but will focus on 14 roses that have performed particularly well in the garden. Color, size, fragrance, disease resistance, and vase-life are factors considered in selection. There should be something for everyone, no matter if your garden is large or small, if you want one rose or a bed of roses. You will also learn where you can obtain these and other roses not available at your local nurseries.

Registration: The talk is free, but registration is required. Please click on the link below to register. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.

SATURDAY SEMINAR
Saturday, February 27, 2021
10 to 11 a.m
Presenter: Debbie Green, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

Craving homegrown veggies, herbs, or flowers, but not much space, poor growing conditions, contaminated soils, or past failures with container gardening? Learn how to succeed with EarthBoxes®! Although Extension Master Gardener volunteers don’t endorse commercial products, these boxes are the result of research to develop a growing system that manages water and nutrients for optimal plant growth. 
We will cover planning, planting, watering and other maintenance, harvesting, overwintering, and long-term strategies for using these types of growing systems. 

Registration: The talk is free, but registration is required. Please click on the link below to register. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.
FEBRUARY GARDEN CHORES
Do You Grow
FRESH GREENS THROUGH THE WINTER?
THANK YOU for answering this question in the January Newsletter!

130 responses:
Dont know how 54.6%
Dont garden in the winter 28.5%
Dont have space 12/3%
Dont like greens 4.5%

Mark your calendars NOW to purchase seeds or plant starts for a
fall garden planting of greens! Also the supplies needed to protect and extend the garden into winter.
GROW MICROGREENS INDOORS!
Microgreens are nutrient rich, easy to grow in a windowsill, can be an alternative to growing greens in the garden AND can be started now!

HERE TO LEARN WHAT MICROGREENS ARE
HERE TO LEARN HOW TO GROW THEM!
Photo: Francesco Di Gioia, Penn State
 for the
Western North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs
STARTING YOUR  FIRST VEGETABLE GARDEN?
Getting a good start helps when you first begin to garden. Start small, select a site with good light and access to water, take time to amend the soil and grow vegetables and flowers that will produce without too much fuss. 

Consider radishes*, salad greens* (lettuce, spinach, arugula and corn salad), green beans*, green onions, strawberries, peppers, bush zucchini*, cherry or bush tomatoes, herbs, annual flowers, zinnias*. 

The ones with an * can be started easily from seed direct sown into the garden. Otherwise look for starts or transplants at your local nursery or tailgate market as they become available in the coming months.

Don't be discouraged. Each growing season is another opportunity to learn and grow!
to learn more
VIDEOS TO LEARN BY...
VEGETABLE GARDENING 101
CLICK ON THE IMAGE ABOVE
to learn from Barbara Harrison, Extension Master Garden Volunteer of Buncombe County about starting a summer vegetable garden in Western North Carolina. This three part presentation covers all aspects and may be viewed in succession, or individually. The presentation covers:
Part 1 – Garden Site Selection
Part 2 – Types of Gardens
Part 3 – Planting Seeds and Transplants
VIDEOS TO LEARN BY...
WINTER SOWING
How to start seeds indoors!
Have you started seeds and aren't sure how to get them
from the house and into the garden?

Click on the image above and check out PART 3 of this three-part video series, "Winter Sowing" by John Bowen Buncombe EMG, to learn how!
OR...
attend Start Your Seeds Indoors Workshop with John Bowen, the first of the 2021 Zoom Sowing Circle Series.

On Sat., Feb. 13, 10 am, John Bowen, Buncombe Master Gardener Volunteer, will hold a one hour free zoom workshop on starting seeds indoors and their requirements.  
Please register at 

The passcode for the meeting is Bowen.

This presentation is sponsored by the Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library in partnership with the Buncombe County Master GardenerSM Volunteers
VIDEOS TO LEARN BY...
TIME TO PRUNE
BLACKBERRIES & RASPBERRIES
Caneberry Winter Pruning

Winter Pruning All blackberries and raspberries must be pruned and trained. Annual pruning helps keep the plants manageable, healthy, and productive. Below is a quick checklist of winter pruning tasks for caneberries. Make trellis repairs after...

Read more
henderson.ces.ncsu.edu
ENJOY THE WINTER LANDSCAPE
Early color in the garden brings hope for spring to come!
Snowdrops have been up for several weeks in many gardens, heralding the coming of spring!
This perennial bulb is good for cool sites and semi shade conditions found in woodlands or beneath shade trees. This non-native bulb is resistant to deer and the effects of Black Walnuts. It can self seed and naturalize to form large drifts overtime.
What's happening in your garden?
LOOK UP SNOWDROPS IN THE PLANT TOOL BOX BELOW
and learn how to pronounce the name in latin!
PLANT TOOLBOX
THE NC EXTENSION GARDENER PLANT TOOLBOX is a new plant database to help with plant selection for gardeners throughout North Carolina. Detailed descriptions and photographs of over 4000 plants are included.
Search for plants based on cultural condition, landscape function,
whole plants traits, flower and foliage color.
Use the Plant Toolbox to search for all the plants listed above!
CHECK OUT THE NC EXTENSION GARDENER PLANT TOOLBOX HERE

LEARN HOW TO SELECT A PLANT USING THE PLANT TOOLBOX HERE
 STOP BEFORE YOU PRUNE
Take a moment before you go outside to prune to ask yourself the following questions... knowing WHY you prune will help you know
HOW and WHEN to prune.

#1 Do I know the plant and its natural habit?
- If the answer is YES proceed to #2
- If the answer is NO read up on the plant and get to know it better. 

Plants are like people and have a natural shape and character. Unless you are shearing a hedge, creating a topiary or maintaining a bonsai, pruning is needed only to help maintain it's natural form, health and appearance of the plant.
 
#2 Do I know when this plant typically blooms?
- If the answer is YES proceed to #3
- If the answer is NO and you are pruning a flowering shrub or vine go back to #1

It is important to do know when the plant typically flowers. Pruning at the wrong time of year is a common problem. This usually happens when spring flowering shrubs, such as Mop head hydrangeas, forsythia, and azaleas are pruned in the winter, removing flower buds.

#3 Am I pruning to.....
  • Improve health and appearance
  • Maintain or reduce size
  • Enhance its natural form
  • Increase light and air circulation
  • Remove weak growth and spent flowers
  • Remove Dead, Dying, Diseases and Damaged wood?

- If the answer is YES then proceed to #4
- If the answer is NO then put the pruners up and go back in the house!

#4 Do I know where to begin? 
- If the answer is YES - Go for it!
- If the answer is NO proceed to #5

#5 Use the list below to help guide what cuts to make.
  • 4 D's - Dead, Dying, Diseased and Damaged
  • Inward growing, crossing or rubbing
  • Suckers
  • Vigorous upright shoots and sprouts
  • Co-dominate Leaders in trees
  • Growth below graft unions
  • Low branches

Go slow and stop often, Step back to review and gauge your progress. It's important to know when to stop. You can cut off a branch but you can't stick it back on.

Sometimes removing deadwood and branches that are
crossing or growing inwards is all that is needed!

 For more information on pruning landscape plants
WHICH TOOL IS BEST FOR PRUNING?
Below is a selection of tools best suited for most pruning jobs and the diameter wood best cut by each tool. Often we attempt to cut large diameter stems with a hand pruner and find ourselves having to bare down hard to make a cut. When this happens STOP and use a hand saw to finish the job!
Bypass pruners – up to ¾” inch diameter wood
Scissor type blades that overlap

Anvil pruners – up to ¾” inch
Straight upper blades that cut against flat lower plates

Long Handled Loppers - 2" or more
Provides extra reach and leverage

Pruning saws - 1" or more
•Provides good access to narrow spaces.
Fine toothed, curved - good for branches up to 2” dia.
Coarse toothed better for branches 3” or more dia

Hedge shears
Small, succulent or dried stems
 
Pole pruners
Out of reach branches up to 2” in diameter
NOW IS THE TIME TO.....
CUT BACK PERENNIALS & ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
FOR PERENNIALS : 
Look for green foliage at the base of stems 
left from last year. Cut to remove old stems leaving 
green foliage in place.

FOR ORNAMENTAL GRASSES: 
Cut back old stems within 6 - 12" of the ground.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), located in The Learning Garden at the Buncombe County Extension Center, is a good example of the nice winter interest ornamental grasses provide during the winter months.

By now general wear and tear by the wind and winter weather causes ornamental grasses to lodge and fall over. Cutting them back, when this happens, allows the new growth to emerge come spring.
FEBRUARY FERTILIZER FOR LAWNS 
NCSU recommends fertilizing cool season lawns in September, November and February. The one application in February is all that is needed for the season until September rolls around again.

High rates or repeated low rates of nitrogen applied to cool-season grasses in the spring or summer may increase the severity of brown patch (Rhizoctonia species), which can kill the grass.

Soil testing is recommended every 2-3 years. A failure to do so can result lead to over or under application rates which can lead to plant damage, contamination of storm water, and unnecessary expense.

CLICK HERE to for a Cool Season Lawn Maintenance Calendar

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO ON THE BEE LAWN PROJECT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Adding flowering plants to the lawn that withstand mowing are good for pollinators, reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers and scan till look nice! Consider making changes to your lawn care practices to
benefit the important pollinators in your garden!
SOIL & WATER
ANNUAL SEEDLING SALE
Annual Seedling Sale: Order Now-Feb. 28

The Buncombe County Soil & Water annual seedling sale runs now through Sunday, Feb. 28. To order, use the link here . Please note, some seedlings might sell out before Feb. 28. Seedling pickup will be March 4-5, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. If you have...

Read more
www.buncombecounty.org
HANDLING BARE ROOT PLANTS
Many small and tree fruit plants are shipped bare root this time of year.

This means they are dormant (not actively growing) and do not contain soil or planting medium around the roots. 

Handling these plants in a timely manner is critical for good establishment and growth.

GO HERE for a publication from UGA providing information on storing, planting and caring for your bare root fruit plants.  
Photo credit: Mary Carol Sheffield
CHECK OUT THE
BUNCOMBE MASTER GARDENER BLOG!
The Buncombe County Extension Master GardenerSM
volunteers have a blog on a variety of topics including current insect and disease issues and gardening tips and activities for all ages and abilities. 

Posts are short, fun to read, and offer good information compiled by your Buncombe County Extension Master Gardeners. 
CLICK HERE to sign up!
VIDEOS FOR ALL GARDENERS!
Extension Master Gardener volunteers have created several gardening videos to help gardeners learn about vegetable gardening in
raised bed and straw bales.

CHECK THEM OUT ON THEIR WEBSITE

A GARDENING GUIDE TO OUR MOUNTAINS
Created by the Extension Master Gardener (BCEMG) volunteers in Buncombe County, this guide provides a complete month-by-month description of what to do (and not to do), along with tips on invasive species, mulching, composting and creating bird- and pollinator-friendly habitats.

. Funds raised through this publication go to support the many educational and outreach programs provided by BCEMG volunteers.

How to order: Send $12 (checks payable to Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener) to the Cooperative Extension Office, 49 Mount Carmel Road, Asheville, N.C. ATTN: Buncombe County Master Gardener. Include mailing address for shipping.

Copies are available at the office for pick up for $10. Please note that due to Covid-19 office hours are limited and so please call in advance. 828-255-5522.
RESOURCES FROM NCSU
for market and home gardening!
Vegetables

North Carolina is a strong national producer of fresh and processed vegetable commodities, serving local and international market demands. The U.S. Agriculture 2012 report ranked the state a top ten vegetable producer in sweet potatoes,...

Read more
horticulture.ces.ncsu.edu
Small Fruits

The Horticultural Science Small Fruit Programs are focused on optimizing production of bunch grapes, muscadines, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Breeding programs are active in developing varieties of strawberry,...

Read more
horticulture.ces.ncsu.edu
Tree Fruits & Nuts

Success in horticulture necessitates a multi-disciplinary approach; NC State's tree fruit research is based on this foundation. Tree fruit information is specific to North Carolina production with valuable support and information shared from...

Read more
horticulture.ces.ncsu.edu

Soil Testing Information for Gardeners

If you are curious to learn more about why and how to soil test your lawn and garden, check out the links listed in the link below.

Read more
gardening.ces.ncsu.edu
COVID - 19 RESOURCES - NC STATE EXTENSION
The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted everyone! NC State Extension COVID-19 RESOURCES & INFORMATION website has information and resources helpful for home gardeners, agriculture, families and youth.

STAY SAFE * STAY CONNECTED * STAY HEALTHY
THE OFFICE IS OPEN...
CALL FIRST BEFORE COMING!
The Extension office is open but with limited staffing.
SOIL BOXES & FORMS ARE OUTSIDE THE FRONT DOOR
AND CAN BE PICKED UP 24/7
Please make appointments for dropping off samples and seeking information. 
Call the office or contact the agent directly using this link.