The Sunshine Gardening Podcast Kristin G. Hildabrand
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- Leisure
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The Sunshine Gardening podcast covers research-based information from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service to help inspire and encourage gardeners in the Kentucky garden and landscape. Kristin Hildabrand, Warren County Extension Agent for Horticulture, shines the light on various gardening topics from fruit and vegetable production, gardening techniques, care and maintenance tips, pests, insects, and more to help the sun shine brighter over the Kentucky garden!
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The Ultimate Do's and Don'ts of Spring Lawn Care in Kentucky
Welcome to the Sunshine Gardening Podcast, where we aim to help you nurture your passion for gardening! I’m Kristin Hildabrand, your host. In today’s episode, we talk with guest Kenneth Clayton, University of Kentucky Extension Associate in Turfgrass, who will share some valuable tips on spring lawn care for Kentucky. We will discuss the dos and don'ts of maintaining a healthy Kentucky lawn, from rejuvenating grass to avoiding common pitfalls. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and skills to cultivate a lush, thriving lawn that will last throughout the season. So, dust off your lawnmowers, roll up your sleeves, and join us as we dive into spring lawn care!
Interview with Kenneth Clayton:
1. Can you explain the dos and don’ts of Spring Lawn Care in Kentucky? What should we do first? starts at 2:42.
2. Would you recommend seeding the lawn in the spring if you want to improve it significantly if it is thinning? starts at 7:07.
* Spring is the second best time for seeding the home lawn in Kentucky.
* It is a little more challenging because grassy weeds are now germinating.
* If seeding in the spring, you don't want to apply the pre-emergent herbicide.
3. Talk to us about weed and feed products in spring. Yes or no? starts at 8:47
4. What are your guidelines for fertilizing the lawn in the spring? starts at 10:02
5. Spring mowing will soon start. What general recommendations do you give for mowing? starts at 15:18.
6. Are there things we should avoid for spring lawn care in the Kentucky lawn? starts at 19:23.
* Don't just fertilize to fertilize. You may not need fertility if the grass is healthy and growing well.
* Nitrogen may be the only ingredient needed. Usually, a healthy Kentucky lawn requires 1-2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year. Soils are generally rich in phosphorus and potassium.
* Don't scalp the lawns.
* If you do get rain and can't get mowed, raise the mower's height and come in a couple of days later to mow it down so that the clippings do not smother the lawn.
7. What do you recommend for areas in the lawn that receive a lot more shade and not a lot of sunlight? starts at 21:33.
8. If homeowners have questions about home lawn care for Kentucky, do you have a website where they can get more information?
* https://ukturf.ca.uky.edu/
Thank you for listening to the Sunshine Gardening Podcast! We hope you found today's episode on the dos and don'ts of spring lawn care in Kentucky informative and helpful in enhancing your gardening skills. Remember, proper care and attention are crucial for maintaining a rob... -
E25- How to Control Spring Weeds in the Kentucky Lawn
Welcome to the Sunshine Gardening Podcast, where we explore everything related to gardening to assist you in creating the garden of your dreams. I'm Kristin Hildabrand, your host. In today's episode, episode 25, we'll discuss a topic that every homeowner thinks about as spring approaches: weed control on the lawn.
We will speak with an expert and UK Extension Associate in Turfgrass, Kenneth Clayton, about common spring lawn weeds found in Kentucky, pre-emergent herbicides and how they work, and the optimal timing to control grassy weeds effectively. We will also recommend helpful resources to help control spring weeds on Kentucky lawns.
So, grab your gardening gloves and favorite beverage, and let's learn how to transform your yard into the envy of the neighborhood. Let's get started!
Episode 25 Information:
Several homeowners come into the office asking questions about weed control for Kentucky lawns during the spring. What weeds are in the lawn in the spring? Can you give some examples? (starts at 2:12)
What control measures are best for those weeds during the spring? (starts at 5:15)
Can you explain pre-emergent herbicides? How do they work? (starts at 7:03)
Can you explain the timing and when to apply those pre-emergent herbicides? Does the forsythia shrub in bloom help with the application? (starts at 8:53)
What are some common examples of pre-emergence herbicides for lawns? Where can we purchase them? (starts at 12:21)
Is there a good resource to recommend using pre-emergent herbicides for the lawn?
* Preemergence Herbicides Cooperative Extension Service for Kentucky Lawns: AGR-272: Preemergence Herbicides for Kentucky Lawns (uky.edu)
* Identification and Control of Henbit and Purple Deadnettle: AGR-226: Identification and Control of the Very Similar Winter Weeds Henbit and Purple Deadnettle (uky.edu
* Weed Control for Kentucky Home Lawns: AGR-208: Weed Control for Kentucky Home Lawns (uky.edu)
Get ready because Kenneth Clayton is returning in the next episode to share all the dos and don'ts for spring lawn care in Kentucky! Keep an eye out for this exciting segment in the future!
That concludes another episode of the Sunshine Gardening Podcast! We hope you enjoyed learning about spring weed control and gained valuable insights to help you tackle those pesky invaders in your Kentucky lawn. A big shout-out to our guest, Kenneth Clayton, for joining us today! To access the show notes for episode 25, please visit our blog at warrencountyagriculture.com!
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E24: Kentucky Climate Trends, Kentucky Mesonet App & USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map
In Episode 24, Shane Holinde, the Outreach Manager for the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center, discusses various topics. He discusses the KY Mesonet, the free downloadable app, and Kentucky Climate Trends. He also talks about the recent USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map change. Additionally, Shane has over 22 years of experience working in television as a meteorologist at WBKO-TV in Bowling Green, KY.
Click on episode 24 of the Sunshine Gardening Podcast to listen to the entire show! It is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify!
Links:
* Kentucky Mesonet Site: https://www.kymesonet.org/
* Link to Download the Kentucky Mesonet App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kentucky-mesonet/id1365272874 -
E23- Leave the Fall Leaves
It’s officially Fall now in Kentucky, and the leaves are beginning to fall to the ground. What is your motto for fallen leaves? Do you bag them up and put them near the street? Do you recycle them and re-use them in your garden to enhance the soil? Or do you simply do nothing with them and let mother nature take care of the leaves. Well, in this episode of the Sunshine Gardening Podcast, I chat with wildlife biologist Shannon Trimboli and podcaster of Backyard Ecology, to get her perspective on reasons why it is important to leave the fallen leaves in the landscape. Shannon goes on to explain other reasons for leaving the fall leaves as well as tips for finding the balance for fallen leaves in the garden and landscape. To hear more on those thoughts, stay right here for more on the Sunshine Gardening Podcast!
Guest- Shannon Trimboli
Wildlife Biologist and Podcaster for Backyard Ecology
I hope that you enjoyed our discussion today about leaving the fall leaves with guest Shannon Trimboli! To see Shannon’s blog articles and podcast from Backyard Ecology, which was mentioned in today’s show, make sure to see the show notes for episode 23 by visiting me on the blog at Warren County Agriculture. You can find me at www.warrencountyagriculture.com.
Thanks for listening to the Sunshine Gardening Podcast! As always gardeners, keep digging into gardening and remember to add a little sunshine!
Episode 23 References:
Backyard Ecology website: https://www.backyardecology.net/
Shannon's blog article about leaving the leaves: https://www.backyardecology.net/leave-your-fall-leaves-for-pollinators-and-wildlife/
Other popular podcast episodes from Backyard Ecology mentioned in today's show:
* Gardening with Native Plants, https://www.backyardecology.net/gardening-with-native-plants/
* Learning to See and Identify Plants with Alan Weakley, a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.backyardecology.net%2Flearning-to-see-and-identify-plants-with-alan-weakley%2F&data=05%7C01%7Ckristin.goodin%40uky.edu%7Cf65bef7c4a3d4c71d4e108dbca97f8a4%7C2b30530b69b64457b818481cb53d42ae%7C0%7C0%7C638326526289630903%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7... -
Tree Selection and Planting for the Kentucky Landscape
Fall is a suitable time of year to think about installing and planting trees for the Kentucky landscape. Trees can offer a lot of benefits to the homeowner! They offer social benefits. It has been shown that spending time among trees and green spaces reduces the amount of stress that we carry around with us in our daily lives. Trees provide economic benefits. The value of a beautifully landscaped home with mature healthy trees can be as much as 10% higher than a similar home with little to no landscaping. With careful selection and planning, trees can be an asset to our entire community!
Hi, I am Kristin Hildabrand, Warren County Extension Agent for Horticulture and in today’s episode, episode number 22, trees are the topic of today’s discussion on the Sunshine Gardening Podcast! To talk more on trees, I sit down to chat with City Arborist Jared Weaver to learn more about proper tree selection and tree planting procedures for the Kentucky landscape. To get the full scoop on tree selection and planting, make sure to stay right here for more on the Sunshine Gardening Podcast!
I hope that you enjoyed our discussion today about tree selection and planting for the Kentucky landscape with guest Jared Weaver! To see the show notes today from this episode, make sure to visit me on the blog at Warren County Agriculture. You can find us at www.warrencountyagriculture.com.
In the show notes, I have posted the link to the Bowling Green Tree Board website that Jared mentioned during the show, https://www.bgky.org/tree/treeweek, if you want to head on over and check out what other activities that you can do to help celebrate Tree Week! Also, here is the link to 811 before you dig for the state of Kentucky, if you want to visit them online at https://kentucky811.org/submit-a-ticket/.
Also, the Warren County Extension Office is hosting a Tree Selection & Tree Planting Seminar on Tuesday, October 10th from 10 AM until 12:00 Noon. After the educational class, participants will go outside to see the proper way to plant a tree in the landscape. Contact the Warren County Extension Office at (270) 842-1681 to register. Note that class will be held at the office which is located at 5162 Russellville Road in Bowling Green, KY in conjunction with the Tree Week celebration.
Thanks for listening to the Sunshine Gardening Podcast! As always gardeners, keep digging into gardening and remember to add a little sunshine!
Resources:
HO-114: Planting Container-Grown Trees and Shrubs in the Landscape http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/HO/HO114/HO114.pdf
HO-91: Planting Balled and Burlapped Trees and Shrubs in the Landscape http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ho/ho91/ho91.pdf -
Orchid Love in the Home
Orchids are a popular and colorful addition to any home setting. In this episode of the Sunshine Gardening Podcast, I called up Dr. Rick Durham, Extension Professor and Consumer Horticulture Specialist to have him answer common questions about how to properly care for orchids in the home! To get the full scoop on showing orchid love in the home, stay right here for more on the Sunshine Gardening podcast!
Tell us about some of the common orchid types for the home.
Phalaenopsis – Moth Orchid – Southeast Asia
* Often considered easiest to grow* Epiphytic* Require moderate light and good moisture* Temperatures of mid 60s night, 70-80 days* Flower spikes often produce new buds after flowering* May bloom anytime of the year, many flowers* Individual flowers last from a few days to a month or more
Moth Orchids
Dendrobium – many resemble Phalaenopsis, Philippines, Australia, East Asia
* Epiphytic* More light than Phalaenopsis* Temperature variable, most require nights of 55-60, daytime in 70-80.* Somewhat forgiving of dry medium –pseudobulbs, some like a dormancy period* Seasonal bloom periods* Flowers may last for 6 weeks or more
Dendrobium Orchids
What kind of care is needed to keep orchids happy at home? Tell us more about the cultural requirements needed for orchids such as light, growing media, and humidity.
Light• Orchids generally need bright, often indirect, light• Those listed above will grow in the home under proper conditions• Southeast or south exposure window is best for those needing lots of light: Cattleya, Oncidium, Dendrobium, close to window• East or west exposure window is best for lower-light species: Phalaenopsis and Paphiopedilum• No mid-day sun for any, may benefit from summers outdoors but no direct mid-day sun• Also - possible to grow orchids under lights
Epiphytes - grow on trees• Light, airy growing medium• Tree fern fiber, fir bark, sphagnum peat, vermiculite, redwood fiber, lava rock, mounted on cork• Pots should have ample drainage• Pot-in-pot systems may increase humidity around root system, avoid standing water• Repot every 2-3 years as medium breaks down and plants out grow their pot• The presence of aerial roots is normal and healthy• Soft, dark colored roots are a sign of too much water
Humidity• Many orchid species are native to tropical rain forests• Home humidity levels can be quite low (both summerand winter)• Avoid drafts of forced air (hot and cold)• Use room humidifier, group plants together, or place plants on pebble-filled trays with water• Spraying plants with water is less beneficial• Orchids may benefit from summers outdoors– protect from mid-day sun– step up watering and increase fertility
How often should you water orchids? How often should you apply fertilizer?
Watering• Water often enough so that medium stays moist, brief periods of dryness is ok• Pots will become light – indication that water is needed• If water accumulates in saucer or outer pot, pour it out soon after watering• Ice can be used as a substitute for watering, I prefer to do so only occasionally• Note pseudobulbs – They should be plump and firm, naturally shrivel with age
Fertilization• Fertilization is most crucial when new growth is occurring (after flowering)• Orchids...
Customer Reviews
Very helpful!
I’m in Oldham county starting my first (very ambitious) garden. Such great tips here. Love the diy seed tape idea!
So Helpful
I listen to other gardening podcasts and I’m so glad we have this local show to hear info pertinent to our area. I would love to hear about native trees and perennials as we are trying to add those to our back lot. Thank you, Kristin!
Great Instructional Gardening Podcast
It’s simple, practical and easy to understand. I love having someone who talks normal tell me how to do this stuff!😉