Tomatoes are the one vegetable—or fruit, botanically speaking—that most of us look forward to when we plant our gardens in the spring, however; this year more than most it seems diseases are lurking around every corner threatening to destroy our harvest. There are dozens of diseases that can infect tomatoes, however, it is usually a handful that cause major problems. Continue reading
Author Archives: andreastith
Seed Saving
In the last Seed Saver article we gave a brief introduction to some of the basic concepts of seed saving. In this edition we will continue our discussion with more information on harvesting and storing seeds that you are saving. Continue reading
Should I Fertilize the Lawn with Nitrogen?
At the first sign of green grass in the spring, it is tempting to dust off the fertilizer spreader to apply nitrogen to the lawn. If you applied nitrogen late last fall or winter, there’s no need to apply nitrogen this spring because the lawn already should be starting to green up. Continue reading
Winter Injury to Trees & Shrubs
Late fall arrived with snow and lower than normal temperatures. This was followed by warmer than average temperatures in early winter. Late winter brought the coldest temperatures in recent years. These fluctuating temperatures made it difficult for plants to acclimate. Continue reading
Is It Invasive?
Plant lovers are often asked to name their favorite plant. A common response is, “The next one I discover!” While new discoveries keep life exciting, the unknown can also bring threats of danger. A large number of invasive plant species are the result of horticultural introductions. These include bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii and L. tatarica); Callery pears (Pyrus calleryana); autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata); Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and numerous others. Their commonality is that with the best of intentions they were all intentionally introduced as ornamentals. The challenge of green industry professionals is to recognize common traits that increase the potential to be invasive and apply these to the selection process. Continue reading
Fall Garden Cleanup
Removing plant debris from gardening areas when the growing season ends, usually after the first hard frost, reduces the likelihood that a number of diseases will develop on flowers, vegetables or fruits next year. Continue reading
Kentucky Hort News 