Heirloom tomato study – Ward Upham of K-State reported recently on a study on heirloom tomatoes done by Tom Fowler of the University of Missouri Extension Service. Fowler did a trial of several varieties, and here’s what he recorded for each:
Before the weather outside turns too beautiful to be indoors, Karen Blakeslee, a Kansas State University food scientist, recommends choosing a day or two to clean the kitchen.
Vintage dishware doesn’t have to gather dust in the china cabinet.
Small rooms need small furniture, but large families need large tables. This problem has been solved in a variety of ways since the 17th century.
Snow was on the ground and a chill was in the air as people made their way indoors for the first day of the Outdoor Living and Landscape Show on Friday at Century II. It was perfect weather to go looking for an early taste of spring, on display at the show in blooming tulips, baby ducks, tomato plants and deck chairs.
Don’t work wet soil – I’d love to hold all this snow moisture in the soil for a long time. But eventually we’ll want to plant in it. And then you should test it to be sure it’s dry enough. Working soil while it is wet destroys its structure, creating clods that may not break down all summer, Ward Upham of K-State says. Do this test to see if the soil has dried enough: Take a handful of soil at the depth you plan to work and squeeze. It water comes out, it’s much too wet. If it’s not dripping, push a finger into it. If it leaves an indentation, you still need to wait. If it crumbles instead, you’re good to go.
Botanica will have a contest for best fairy house or gnome home made out of natural materials. The entries will be displayed during the Tulips, Fairies & Friends event in the Downing Children’s Garden from March 23 to April 13. Entries are due by April 12. For more information, go to the website www.botanica.org, e-mail nthiessen@botanica.org or call Gabby Brandt at 316-264-0448, ext. 110.Designer Q&A
Wichita’s latest version of a garden show debuted last year and will expand just a bit this year when it is staged next weekend in Century II’s Expo Hall.
Snow equals rain – Wichita’s snow will equal about 1 1/2 inches of rain if it melts slowly and sinks in rather than running off, extension agent Rebecca McMahon says. Let’s hope it’s the beginning of a new trend – in moisture, not in being homebound.
Q: All of the furniture I have is family hand-me-downs or Ikea pieces chosen for practical reasons. I have about $1,000 that I’d like to spend on a nice piece of furniture. I could really replace anything. Do you have suggestions on how to decide where to start when buying nice furniture that I can keep for many years?
Deborah Bardo, the new first lady of Wichita State University, is a collector. But unlike some collectors who keep taking in, and eventually have to relegate their finds to boxes, rarely to be seen, Bardo puts limits on her collecting that somehow make it more meaningful – and accessible.
As I wrote a story for last Sunday’s paper about the drought and the possibility of water restrictions in Wichita, it seemed that a different attitude was being brought to the use of water.
Last week, standing alongside the rock garden in Botanica, at the base of the curved wooden bridge, I gazed around me and was astounded at the number and variety of plants I saw.
Fertilizing spring-flowering bulbs – We tend to want to fertilize spring-flowering bulbs when they flower, but the roots are starting to die at that point, so fertilizing then is wasted, Ward Upham of K-State says. Roots are active when the foliage first pushes up through the ground, so that’s the time to fertilize. But even then, the food is for next year’s flowering, not this year’s, Upham says. If you’ve fertilized in the past, the bulbs may not need any more. The only way to know for sure is with a soil test.
Don’t lose heart if you’re still looking for something heartfelt to give a loved one this Valentine’s Day. You can easily and inexpensively make a gift.
Floral fads may ebb and flow, but the rose’s appeal remains constant, well beyond a Valentine’s Day vaseful.
The Home Show starts Thursday at Century II for people interested in building a house, remodeling their house or improving their “day-to-day homemaking,” according to the Wichita Area Builders Association. The association sponsors the show, which is in its 59th year.
Seed-starting calendar – This week in K-State’s Horticulture 2013 newsletter, horticulturist Ward Upham gives dates for starting seed indoors and for planting outdoors for several types of vegetables. The dates he gives are ranges, and he suggests going a week or two earlier for those of us who live in southern Kansas. So here are the recommendations given a week earlier for our climate:
One morning you wake up surrounded by mounds of white stuff.
Q: I like the look of mixed gold and silver metals, but what are the rules? Can you throw in some black metal and bronze as well? How do you prevent a room from descending into metallic chaos?
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