Horticulture June 2024 Newsletter
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Cicadas 2024: What to Know
Brood XIX cicadas have been dormant for the past 13 years. They will start emerging across the midwest and parts of Kentucky around mid-May through mid-June.
Fourteen states are slated to see the emergence of Brood XIX this year. Kentucky is one of those states. Where will they emerge from in Kentucky? According to the cicadiamania.com, only a few counties in Kentucky will bear the brunt of the cicada outbreak. Those counties are Allen, Caldwell, Christian, and Trigg counties in the western part of the state.
The life cycle of a cicada consists of egg, nymph, and adult. After mating, female cicadas lay eggs in a groove etched out in the bark of a tree. When the eggs hatch, they briefly feed on tree sap, then drop to the ground and burrow into the ground until they are about eight feet underground. Nymphs sustain themselves by feeding on plant roots. They remain deep underground for 2-17 years, depending on the species.
Cicadas begin to emerge when the soil temperature reaches 64 degrees eight inches below the ground. On the nearest vertical surface, the nymphs will shed their exoskeleton and molt into winged adult form. The adult cicadas will live for about five weeks to mate and lay eggs before they begin to die and the cycle begins all over.
Male cicadas have sound boxes on their abdomens called tymbal. They expand and contract the tymbal to create a loud, shrill noise that attracts females. The hotter it is, the louder the sound they make. The females respond by clicking their wings.
This year Brood 13 (emerges every 13 years) and Brood 19 (emerges every 17 years) will emerge in the same year for the first time since 2015. There is very little interbreeding because cicadas do not respond to mating calls of other species. Annual cicadas emerge every year, but their numbers are not large enough to attract much attention.
Cicadas do not sting or bite. They are not harmful to pets, crops, or gardens. Although they may eat some sap from trees and shrubs, they won’t eat leaves, flowers, fruits or vegetables. They can, however, damage young trees when the female makes grooves to lay her eggs. Protect young trees with mesh or netting if necessary. Otherwise, just treat them like any other insect.
Ailene Foster, Master Gardener
Calendar of Events
2024 Horticulture Fair Project Days
Repotting Succulents into a Succulent Garden
Have you ever wanted a succulent garden? If your succulents need to be repotted, this could be the perfect time to make your own. Maybe you have some that have outgrown their current location or some that have produced lots of pups or offshoots and need to be thinned. As you are picking which of your plants to repot, also consider their height, size, and shape. Having a variety will make your arrangement look more interesting.
Before you replant, consider what time of year is the dormant season for your succulents. It’s best to replant them right before they start to grow. Spring and summer are good for many succulents. Aloe is an example of a succulent that is dormant in the summer and grows during the winter so you would want to replant in the fall. Take a moment to double check which time of year is best for your succulents.
A day or two before you want to do your repotting, water your succulents thoroughly in their current pots. They need to soak up some water before the move.
When you are ready to repot, gather up your materials by choosing a shallow, well-draining dish and soil mixed for succulents. You want the soil to be able to drain well!
As you arrange your succulents in their new dish, don’t be afraid to leave some blank space. An open area of rocks between plants can show off their shape and help encourage the soil to dry out between watering. As you gently place your succulents how you want them, keep their leaves above the soil line.
After you’ve transplanted them, wait at least a couple of days before you water again. Keep an eye on your new arrangement. It may not need as much water right away as the plants get settled in their new location. Make sure the soil is dry completely between waterings to avoid root rot.
Starr Garrett, Master Gardener
Hummingbird Kids Activity Day at the Taylor County Farmers' Market
Bernheim Forest Busy Bloomer Garden Club trip
Building a Butterfly Garden
Butterflies can be found all summer long, but did you know there are ways to attract these beautiful creatures? With the hot weather, summer is peak butterfly season with the prime temperatures staying between 50 and 85 degrees. The warm season is when these insects like to find mates, visit flowers (increasing pollination), and lay their eggs. Having beautiful and ornate yet extremely delicate wings, these flapping appendages are actually covered with thousands of tiny scales overlapping in rows. So what can we, as gardeners, do to help bring these colorful creatures towards our garden areas?
Butterflies love sun due to being cold blooded insects. A perfect spot will allow flat rocks or resting spots where butterflies can bask in the sun and soak in the warmth. Just like humans, a butterfly needs the morning sun to orientate them for a days worth of flight! A close proximity of shelter is also a plus to protect them from wind, rain, or other potentially hazardous predators. A simple perch in an out of the way spot may lend just as well as a shrub or bush! Butterfly houses can also be purchased and placed around the garden area.
As much as butterflies love the sun, they also need a watering hole. Remember, though, any watering station must be shallow - anything too deep and you will find your butterfly saturated. These insects like to rest on or near the water and absorb the moisture and the minerals. A shallow dish with small pebbles or rocks protruding as a landing area may be the perfect spot for your colorful insect friends!
Along with sun and water, butterflies are attracted to bright, flowering plants that differ in color and bloom. Options in a butterfly garden are a plus as you see them float from flower to flower! These insects feed on tubular flowers that have a natural ‘landing strip’. Think Coneflowers, Black Eyed Susans, Asters, Phlox, and the ever popular Butterfly Bush. The Butterfly Bush is easy to care for and is fast growing. Up to 12 foot tall, many butterfly varieties will rest and feed upon their flowering stems.
Ever flowering annuals will provide a spread of color throughout the growing season, which is important to keep the butterflies returning to the area. Good annuals to place in a butterfly garden area include Zinnias, Marigolds, Petunias, and the Mexican Sunflower. Sprinkling these annuals in amid the above-mentioned perennials will ensure a wide range of colored blossoms. Both annuals and perennials should be of varying heights to further attract the species. Flowering containers can also allow you to switch out the blooms throughout the season to keep the garden attractive to a butterfly.
For those truly wanting to proliferate butterflies in a certain area, remember to avoid pesticides. Weeds should be hand pulled. Planting a wide variety of different plant materials should keep invasive insects from not being too attracted to the area. The ecological system of a butterfly is very sensitive, and herbicide and insecticides can be very dangerous, if not fatal, to this insect. Even organic pesticides as well as many soaps can also be harmful. Hand pick off any pests when seen or use a spray of water to remove them from the plant.
When simple elements are added to an outdoor area, it can attract these wonderful insects, add color to the area, and help to increase the pollination factor. A simple yet thought out butterfly garden can increase the visitation of butterflies which will tickle the human senses with their colorful wings and gentle floating rhythms. Not sure where to start? A simple shallow dish with flat rocks and water and a beautifully placed annual pot may do the trick! Robyn Nola, well known nature photographer, stated that butterflies are nature’s angels and they remind us what a gift it is to be alive. Let us all be reminded of this daily -- and may your butterflies abound throughout your garden area!
Laura Howard, Master Gardener
Honey Bees
Cheryl Frankowicz, Master Gardener
Apis Mellifera, Latin for honey-bearing bee, has been around for some time. Fossils of bees have been dated as far back as 150 million years!
Honey bees are just amazing creatures. Every time I look into the hives I am amazed. These miniscule insects are hard working and short lived. The honey bee works her entire life without pause. Once emerging from her cell, she will clean the comb and prep it for the next generation as well as feed the young larvae. Roughly three weeks later, she will change job positions and become a forager before her short life comes to an end. Honey bees visit over 2 million flowers to produce 1 lb. of honey. Planting large groups of crops increases the chance of the local beekeeper harvesting varietal honey. Varietal honey contains 48% of a monofloral pollen.
Planting large plots of nectar rich flowers like clover, and buckwheat provide a source that could be varietal for your local beekeeper. As a pollinator, bees provide a service to gardeners all over the world. With so many garden tasks to do, the honey bee lightens the gardeners load by pollinating the garden. More than 80 percent of flowering plants, and more than 130 fruits and vegetables are pollinated by honeybees each year. Fresh melons, blueberries, strawberries couldn't be enjoyed at all, without the honeybees work. Can you imagine having to hand pollinate? Next time you see a honey bee, thank her for the hard work she put in to making the garden a success.
A Newbie Gardeners Valuable Friend
Marigolds are a beginning gardener’s “GOOD FRIEND.” If it is a pat on the back you wish for, planting Marigolds is a way to earn it.
Marigolds are an annual, which means they have a lifetime of one year.
Marigolds are native to Central America (Guatemala and Mexico).
There are three main types of Marigolds: French, African and Signet. African Marigolds did not originate in Africa but were brought by traders. French Marigolds were brought to France for their beauty in the French gardens.
The French variety of Marigolds are the most popular and easiest to grow in a garden due to their smaller size and bushier plants.
Marigolds are easy to grow as they germinate within 5 days, they grow quickly, and come in an array of colors from yellow, brown, orange, variegated, and even white. They need full sun to provide blooms all season long. They don’t need to be deadheaded, but benefit from this process.
Marigolds give off a natural repellant (pyrethrin) that keeps deer and rabbits away. Now your garden will be a cornucopia of color and blooms.
New gardeners, BE CAREFUL not to fall into the trap of planting seeds too deep as 1/4 inch is all that is required. Remember, Marigold represents strength, power and light that lives within us - but don’t use too much strength when planting as you will plant too deep.
Thank you for reading and have a full bloom gardening day!
Marian Braun, Master Gardener
Blackberry Lemon Upside Down Cake
