November 2023 Horticulture Newsletter
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String of Turtles
This plant is native to Brazil, and is a trailing/vining plant that has round succulent leaves. The pattern on the leaves
inspired the name of the plant. They look like little turtle shells. String of Turtles do well as potted plants and can even
be used in terrariums. They also do well in the outdoor containers and hanging baskets. However, if you have them
outside in the summer be sure to bring them inside when the weather cools.
String of Turtles will spread, but it is not an aggressive plant. They need evenly moist soil, but can die from overwatering. This plant likes to be a little pot bound. So, don’t put it into too large of a container.
The genus of this plant is peperomia. It can be propagated by leaf cuttings. The flowers of String of Turtles are brown/copper or red/burgundy in color.
Source: http://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/peperomia
Calendar of Events
Mushroom Tips
Mushroom foraging is a very fun activity. However, it is important to do so safely. Some mushroom toxins can just cause a mild stomach ache. While others can cause liver failure and death. The Destroying Angel (aka Death Cap) is an example of the latter which kills a few people each year.
Sometimes there are look-alike mushrooms like the Jack-O’-Lantern which looks like edible chanterelles. If you get these mixed up you may experience an upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Mushrooms can also absorb toxins from the environment. If a mushroom doesn’t contain a toxin, that doesn’t mean you won’t be allergic to them. Also, illness can be caused by improper storage of the mushrooms.
Seven tips for foraging for mushrooms:
• Learn to identify mushrooms
• Learn which mushrooms are edible
• Start by eating small portions.
• Know mushroom look-a-likes.
• Don’t trust folklore. (example: not all white mushrooms are safe)
• Store mushrooms properly.
• When in doubt, throw it out.
For more information come to our Mushroom Foraging class Thursday, November 2nd, at 5:30 p.m.
Source: mushrooms.ca.uky.edu/sites/mushrooms.ca.uky.edu/files/ppfs-gen-14.pdf
CEU Lawncare Course
Mushroom Foraging
Hat Making Class
Intro to Cut Flower Farming
Master Gardener Classes
Christmas Door Swag
Growing Cut Flowers
Visit kyhortcouncil.org/ky-cut-flower-grower-resources/ to watch 11 cut flowers webinars covering topics such as how to layout your flower farm, price your flowers, virtually tour farms, etc. You can also watch the nine recorded cut flower sessions that occurred at the 2023 Fruit and Vegetable Conference back in January.
A cut flower arrangement playlist can also be found at this site by clicking on the word playlist located within the KY Grown Cut Flower Promotion Group section. Many additional UK publications and resources can be found at the end of the website as well as several from other universities.
For more information and to speak with a very successful cut flower farmer, come to our Intro to Cut Flower Farming class on Tuesday, November 14th, at 1:30 p.m. at the Taylor County Extension Office. Our speaker will be the Horticulture Agent Alexis Sheffield of Boyle County and owner of Wild Roots Cut Flowers.
Gardening by Month - November
Trees & Shrubs
• Continue watering trees and shrubs, especially evergreens, until the ground freezes.
• Horned and gouty oak galls may be more evident as oaks lose their leaves .
• Roses should be winterized after a heavy frost. Place a 6-10 inch layer of mulch over the plant. Prune sparingly, just enough to shorten overly long canes. Climbing roses should not be pruned at this time.
• As the ground can be worked, trees and shrubs can be planted. Plant them at the depth they grew in the nursery and no deeper. Remove all wires, ropes, and non-biodegradable materials before back-filling. Add mulch and ensure proper watering until the ground freezes.
• Apply mulch as a "donut" around trees as opposed to "volcano" mulching which can cause plant damage such as root girdling.
• Use tree bark protectors and keep mulch pulled away from trunks to protect trees from animal damage.
Annuals & Perennials
• Remove spent flowers and foliage of perennials if they are damaged by frost. Some plants that should have foliage removed include hostas, daylilies, and irises.
• If a plant had fungal issues on the foliage, be sure to dispose of the plant material to reduce overwintering fungi.
• Tulips can be planted until the ground freezes. Once the ground freezes, apply mulch to spring bulb beds.
• When mums finish flowering, leave the flowers and foliage intact to protect the crown of the plant and encourage better survival over the winter. Mulching will contribute added protection as well.
• Hardy bulbs (daffodils, hyacinth, crocus, muscari) require a chilling period of 10 weeks at 35-45oF. This can be done in the fridge or by planting outdoors.
Miscellaneous
• Mulch garden beds to prevent injury to plants from frost heaving and to protect plant roots from severe cold temperatures.
• Now is a good time to collect soil samples to test for pH and nutrient levels.
• Clean and winterize yard and garden equipment: roll up and store hoses, shut off outdoor water pipes and valves, and winterize the lawn mower. This is also a good time to clean and oil garden hand tools.
• For cyclamen to bloom well indoors, they need exposure to cool temperatures in the 50-60 degree range, bright light, evenly moist soils, and regular fertilization.
• Reduce or eliminate fertilizing of houseplants until spring.
• Warm weather followed by sudden freezing temperatures can result in damage to plants. Some of this damage won't be evident until the next growing season.
• Be sure to check houseplants and treat them appropriately for spider mites, scales, whiteflies, mealybugs, and fungus gnats.
• By the end of November or early December, paperwhite narcissus and amaryllis bulbs can be forced indoors. No chilling period is required. Simply pot up the bulbs and water sparingly until growth begins. They should bloom in 4-6 weeks.
Fruits & Vegetables
• Till edible garden beds to expose any pests to the winter cold.
• Harvest pecans when they start to drop from trees.
• Add finished compost to garden beds to improve soils.
• To prevent diseases from overwintering in the garden, clean up and dispose of diseased plant material. Compost all other plant material.
• Ensure all spoiled, mummified, and fallen fruit is cleaned up.
• Mulch strawberries with straw for winter before temperatures drop into the teens. Apply straw loosely but in a thick layer to hide plants from view.
Lawns
• Keep leaves raked off of the lawn to prevent smothering the grass and use leaves as a mulch in garden beds. Another option is to mow over the leaves to break them up into small pieces. This prevents smothering the lawn and the lawn will receive fertilizer from the decomposing leaves.
• Continue mowing the lawn until the grass stops growing.
• A final application of fertilizer can be applied to cool-season lawns.
Sweet Potato Crisp Recipe
