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 Master
Gardener
Cornell University Can Help With Home Gardening Projects [ Return to Top ] Tips For Saving Storm-damaged Trees Offered by Arborists at Cornell Plantations Snow falling on cedars -- and other kinds of trees and shrubs in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states this winter -- has caused serious damage that can be remedied, according to experts at Cornell Plantations. The Plantations horticulturists, who tend more than 700 acres of botanical gardens, natural areas and the F.R. Newman Arboretum at Cornell University, are still assessing storm damage from the unusually snowy winter of 2002-03. They offer to private property owners some advice, which they plan to follow themselves, for the restoration of greenery. "Remember that not all the winter damage is yet visible," says Plantations' Director of Horticulture Mary Hirshfeld. "Once the accumulated layers of snow begin to melt away, most likely more fallen branches and shrubs that have been broken by falling limb will be revealed." Plantations workers are calling accumulated damage to the university's famed rhododendron collection "the lasagna effect," but Hirshfeld says it's more like a multi-layered ice-cream sandwich. "Be patient. Wait for the snow and ice to melt, then see what you have to work with," she advises. Jagged stubs from fallen branches should be cut back cleanly to the branch collar, with pruning clippers or a pole saw, so that wounds can heal quickly. But damage to larger specimens might merit the attention of professional arborists. Hirshfeld calls major tree work a dangerous, strenuous business and warns, "Keep those pole saws away from electric lines." Shrubs that have been crushed often can be cut back to 4 to 5 inches above ground level, permitting them to resprout. "Suckering shrubs, such as shrubby dogwoods, respond well to this treatment," Hirshfeld says. "Clump-forming shrubs, such as fragrant viburnum, will be slower to regain normal size and form, and always will bear the marks of this corrective pruning." Techniques are taught in publications such as "An Illustrated Guide to Pruning Ornamental Trees and Shrubs" from Cornell Cooperative Extension (http://www.cce.cornell.edu/store). Small trees and large shrubs that spent the winter with their tops bent over beneath the snow might spring back to a vertical position once the snow has melted. "Give them some time," Hirshfeld suggests, "and if they remain bent, cut them back either to 4 to 5 inches above ground or to a point below where they have been bent. Use judgment and think carefully about how the plant will respond, where it will break new buds and what form the pruning cuts will encourage." Spring thaw is a good time to check for hidden rodent damage to stems and surface roots. "Tunneling rodents, particularly voles, may have moved beneath this winter's long-standing snow cover," Hirshfeld says. "Make plans to protect plants from rodents -- or whatever else is eating them -- before next winter." If plants are so badly damaged that they must be removed and replaced, try to learn from experience and plan accordingly, says Hirshfeld. This spring, for example, Cornell Plantations arborists will replace spruce budworm-infested evergreens with disease-resistant varieties. County Cooperative Extension agents can advise property owners about appropriate varieties for differing local conditions, Hirshfeld says. She recommends publications with localized information, such as the pamphlet series from Cornell Plantations and the Urban Horticulture Institute, "Tough Trees for Tough Sites." These are keyed to plantings that can be viewed at the university. "Before you invest in a new tree or shrub, try to visit a local public garden or arboretum, see what's thriving in your area, ask lots of questions and learn from others' experience," Hirshfeld says. Source: Cornell News Service; Contact: Roger Segelken, hrs2@cornell.edu [ Return to Top ] New CD-ROM Set Helps Gardeners Identify and Manage Weeds Gardeners tending even the most modest pea patches know it’s a jungle out there when it comes to managing weeds. But a new two-volume CD-ROM set, developed and produced by a Cornell University weed scientist, provides comprehensive, user-friendly instruction whether you’re weeding a backyard garden or landscaping a golf course. The innovative program, now available to the public, is humbly titles “Wee Identification, Biology and Management,” and it’s an encyclopedia tour de plantes of more than 100 Northeastern weed species. “You don’t have to be a botanist or a taxonomist to understand the program; it’s practical and accessible to just about anyone,” said Antonio DiTommaso, Cornell assistant professor of wed science in the university’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences. “We’re hoping this CD package helps people to learn more about these often strikingly beautiful plants, which at times interfere with our activities.” Easy to navigate, the CD-ROM program provides detailed, high-resolution photographs of the weed seeds, seedlings, juvenile plants and close-ups of flowering plants. Other special features include information on nomenclature, distribution, habitats, morphology (form and structure), life history, biology and management options for each weed species. Plants are arranged alphabetically by Latin name (genus and species); weeds from A to L are in volume 1, while weeds from M to Z are in Volume 2. Weeds also are indexed by plant family, common name and by attributes, including flower color, seedling morphology and a vegetative key for common grass weds. An illustrated glossary helps to explain technical terms, and a “Reference and Selected Readings” section provides additional sources of information. For a preview of the CD-ROM, visit Cornell’s Weed Ecology Web site at http://www.css.cornell.edu/WeedEco/. For more information about the program, contact DiTommaso at (607) 254-4702 or by e-mail at ad97@cornell.edu. SOURCE: Cornell News; July 6, 2004; Contact: Franklin Crawford, fac10@cornell.edu.[ Return to Top ] Garlic Mustard: Fast Becoming A Serious Invasive Plant Garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata, is a biennial plant that is becoming a serious invasive weed throughout the area. It reproduces by seed and tolerates all kinds of soils, but prefers moist shaded areas including roadsides, open woods, waste places, and near buildings. The first year the seed germinates, it produces a relatively low growing leafy rosette, 4 to 6 inches high, looking a bit like Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara), with its broad, dark green, large-toothed leaves. These young seedlings may cover large areas of open ground. The second year, the plant eventually produces a tall spike, 1 to 3 feet tall with large, light green, toothed leaves and small white flowers near the top of the stem. These flowers will eventually turn into seedpods or capsules that are filled with hundreds of seeds. If allowed to disperse, these seeds will produce next year's crop. It is critical then, to keep the plant from going to seed and this can be accomplished by frequent mowing or chopping down. Seldom does garlic mustard grow in mowed areas because it cannot tolerate frequent mowing. It is relatively easy to pull up, especially after a rainfall, so that is one way to keep its population in check. However, because it is so common "in the wild," we will probably never eliminate it from our landscape. Garlic mustard is a native of Europe and has now become an invasive pest in forests in the eastern United States. Settlers that valued the herb for its high vitamin C content originally brought it here. However, like many other invasives, garlic mustard is very difficult to control and is thought to be one of the leading causes of native plant species extinction. Garlic mustard's increase in abundance may be due to the fact that deer don't feed on it, allowing it to out compete the native plants and wildflowers. Other sources of information about garlic mustard include http://www.invasiveplants.net/plants/garlicmustard.htm , http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/ and www.invasivespecies.gov/profiles/garlmust.shtml. Source: Joel Allen, Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia County The "NEWS". [ Return to Top ] NY Master Forest Owner/ COVERTS Program The Master Forest Owner (MFO)/COVERTS program provides private forest owners of NY State with the information and encouragement necessary to manage their forest holdings wisely. Over 140 experienced and highly motivated volunteer MFOs are available statewide, ready to assist neighbor forest owners with the information needed to start managing their forests. All MFOs are graduates of a 3-day training program where they learn about saw timber and wildlife management, forest economics and ecology. The MFOs continue to receive information updates, attend refresher classes and maintain contact with natural resource managers from private, public and academic organizations. [ Return to Top ] Growing Grapes in Your New York Garden Grapes are the most widely grown fruit in the world and unlike most fruit crops, grapes are native to North America. The wild grapes found by early settlers were quickly rejected because they were high in acid, low in sugar and uniquely flavored. Grapevines brought from the emigrants' native countries failed to survive on the new continent. It took years to learn that disease and European grapes did not tolerate insect pests unique to North America. Grapes can be eaten fresh, made into juice, dried to make raisins or made into wine. With many varieties to choose from, a gardener can have a long season of delicious grapes with a full range of flavors, colors, and uses. Varieties for New York There isn't a simple answer to the question of what grapes you can grow at your location. The question that you must first answer is how cold can it gets in winter. A single night at subzero temperatures will make growing difficult, but not necessarily impossible. Grapevines grow well at many locations where they will not produce fruit, usually due to cold winter temperatures that the vegetative buds, but not the flower buds, can survive. If the summers are warm and sunny it is possible to protect vines from winter cold by burying them during the coldest time of the year. Most grape varieties you find in your supermarket, such as "Thompson seedless" will not survive even the mildest winter temperatures in New York (even underground). If you live in an area of the state where grapes are grown commercially, you obviously can grow grapes in your garden. Grapes are grouped into American, hybrid and European types. The American Concord variety is the most widely planted grape in New York. It can be eaten fresh, made into wine, and it is the basis of the grape juice industry. In addition, it is cold hardy and disease resistant. Recently developed hybrid seedless grape varieties can be made into juice, wine, or raisins in addition to their intended use as table grapes. They are more sensitive to cold winters than Concord. There are two excellent publications from the grape specialist at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station that discusses suitable varieties for New York State: Table Grape Varieties for Cool Climates and Wine and Juice Grape Varieties for Cool Climates. Contact the Cooperative Extension Office at 518-762-3909 about cost and availability. Planting Vines should be spaced 8 feet apart in rows 8 to 10 feet apart. Vines are usually planted in the spring and should be well watered during the first growing season. Each year grapevines grow long shoots that not only produce the fruit of the current growing season, but also produce the buds that make the next season's fruit. The brown overwintering shots are called canes and the number and length of canes left at pruning determines the amount and quality of the next crop. Trellising Grapes are vines, and in the wild, they grow to the tops of trees in the forest. They do not do well on the ground and don't stand up well on their own. Grapes can be trained (actually tied) to many different supports. The simplest, or really the easiest, to construct and maintain is 12.5 gauge high tensile wires (two or three) stretched between posts 16 to 24 feet apart. Hopefully a heavy crop of fruit will make sturdy posts and end anchors mandatory. The top wire is usually 5 feet from the ground. An arbor is a fancier and horticulturally more pleasing support, but it makes grape growing more difficult. Trellis support should be provided for the grapevines as soon as they are planted, even temporary support if necessary. Also, grapevines growing on the ground are very prone to disease. Training Young Grape Vines Young vines must grow for several years before they are strong enough to support fruit. When the vines are planted they should be cut back to 2 or 3 buds. Allow several shoots to grow. The goal is to have an abundance of leaves on the vine to permit the formation of a strong root system. The second year, select two sturdy canes, remove the rest and allow three to four shoots to develop about 4 feet from the ground and make sure they stay attached to the trellis. Remove flower clusters as they form. During the third year you can start regular pruning and allow some fruit to develop. Pruning Grapes require annual pruning. Unpruned grapevines get very dense, diseases get difficult to control, and fruit quality declines. Pruning is not difficult and can be done anytime during the dormant season. Vines are pruned so that they can produce an optimum crop of ripe grapes. The more buds left at pruning, the more fruit will develop. However, if too many fruits are left through the season, the fruit will be small and even worse, may not ripen. A good rule is that big vines can have more buds an, therefore, more fruit than small vines. Keep new growth on the vines near the center of the vine. Harsh winters occasionally damage trunks and new trunks (renewals) should be selected from the suckers growing from the base of the vine. With some varieties this must be done every year and as many as 4 trunks of different ages left during the growing season. It is simple to leave just enough vine during pruning to allow it to grow to fill the space allotted along the wire (about 8 feet long). Fruit thinning to no more than one cluster for each rapidly growing shoot can then control the crop. Fruit thinning is frequently necessary to assure maximum quality and ripening. It is possible (and often necessary) to control excessive cropping by removing fruit during the growing season. The earlier this is done the more effective it will be. To have large grapes and large clusters, small or imperfect flower clusters can be removed as soon as they appear. Pest Management Grapes have few insect pests, but many diseases. The grape berry moth, native to New York State and always close by where it feeds on our common wild grapes, is our worst insect pest. The adult moth lays eggs in the young fruit which hatch into larvae (fruit worms). It can be controlled without spraying pesticides by the use of pheromones that disrupt mating and decrease egg laying. Alternatively, infected fruit can be picked off the cluster and discarded. One or two insecticide applications can fully prevent damage, if desired. Major diseases are powdery and downy mildews, and black rot. Concord grapes can tolerate these diseases with minimal control, but other varieties need more frequent fungicide treatment. Some varieties of grapes can be grown in New York using organic growing techniques. With many grapes, birds and raccoons need to be controlled as the grapes ripen. Netting is an excellent way of repelling birds. Interestingly, birds do not bother Concord grapes. If netting is required for your grapes, you may be able to use the net earlier in the season on other crops making its purchase more economical. Raccoons, skunks and opossums love grapes. It is not reasonable to assume that you could grow enough grapes to fill them. A low (6 inches from the ground) electric fence is the best control, but again has additional uses. Weeds are difficult to control, but any weeds within several feet of the vine must be removed. Harvest Grapes are ready to harvest when they taste good. Some varieties of grapes ripen before Labor Day and others barely before killing frost. Once the leaves are killed by frost the grapes will not develop further and might as well be picked. Happy harvest! [ Return to Top ] Master Gardener Program Cooperative Extension's volunteer master gardeners can be found across most counties in New York State answering telephone and email questions from home gardeners, researching solutions to pest control problems, presenting plant clinics and programs on a myriad of topics as well as teaching youth and adults in a broad spectrum of settings. Here's more information about joining the local program. What is the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program?
What Do I Need to be a Master Gardener?
How Do I Become a Master Gardener? To become a Master Gardener you must complete a 45-hour training course. The course will cover: Basic Plant Pathology, Soils and Fertilizers, Garden Botany, Annuals & Perennials, Basic Entomology, Organic Gardening & Composting, Vegetable Gardening, Fruits, Trees & Shrubs, Pruning, Ecological Lawn Care, Nuisance Wildlife, Herbs, and more. In return for the course, participants will be expected to attend Master Gardener organizational meetings and complete 100 hours of volunteer Master Gardener service within two years. Beginning in the Fall of 2006, residents in Chenango, Fulton & Montgomery, Herkimer, Otsego, and Schoharie Counties, will be able to attend Master Gardener Volunteer Training at SUNY Cobleskill. Classes will run for ten consecutive Tuesdays, September through November, 2006. The cost is $130 per person, which includes the Master Gardener manual and all basic materials for the course. If you are interested or have questions about the Master Gardener Program, please contact the Cooperative Extension office in your county. In Fulton and Montgomery Counties call 518-762-3909 or email us at fultonmontgomery@cornell.edu. [ Return to Top ] Consumer Horticulture Program The Consumer Horticulture Program provides consumer horticulture audiences in Fulton and Montgomery Counties with unbiased, research-based knowledge and information. Over 1,200 consumer inquiries relating to horticultural and pesticide control issues are handled yearly through our offices in Johnstown with the assistance of the Master Gardener Volunteer Program.
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