Wichita gardener’s almanac for June 13

Flooding problems — The longer plants are in saturated soil, the more likely they will be damaged by a lack of oxygen, Ward Upham of K-State says in this week’s Horticulture 2015 newsletter.

“Usually, as long as water drains away within 24 hours, the impact on plant health is minimal,” Upham writes. “However, shallow, stagnant water under hot, sunny conditions can literally cook plants, reducing survival time to as little as a few hours.”

Here are some of the things to be aware of in various areas of the landscape as rain continues to be forecast:

▪ In the vegetable garden, standing water should not make produce unsafe to eat as long as the above-ground portions of a plant remain healthy, Upham says. But don’t use produce from plants that have yellowed, or that have been flooded with water contaminated with sewage (lagoon) or animal manure.

Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, sweet corn, squash and cucumbers that develop after the waters have subsided can be eaten as long as the fruit is not cracked or soft, Upham says. Always wash vegetables thoroughly before eating.

▪ In the lawn, areas of stagnant water can damage the grass in hot, sunny conditions, Upham says. Note such areas and fill them in with more soil once the waters have subsided, he says.

▪ Some trees have mechanisms for getting oxygen to the roots in saturated soil, and others do not. “However, most trees will maintain health if flood waters recede in seven days or less,” Upham writes. “It also helps if water is flowing rather than stagnant as flowing water contains more oxygen. If the roots of sensitive trees are flooded for long periods of time, damage will occur, including leaf drop, iron chlorosis, leaf curl, branch dieback, and in some cases, tree death.”

Another problem for trees is buildup of sediment, which can also restrict oxygen to the roots. Remove deep layers of sediment as soon as possible when conditions permit. Also, flooding damages roots, making them less efficient in making use of available water, so be sure to water trees in a timely fashion once the weather turns dry, Upham says, and remove dead or dying branches that could serve as a point of entry for disease organisms or insects.

▪ Once floodwaters have subsided, you’ll find that soils have become compacted and crusty, Upham says. Lightly scrape the soil to break up the crust.

▪ If you think excessively wet weather will continue, bed up rows a couple of inches before planting for better drainage, Upham says.

Mulch — We may be back in the rainy season, but the past week’s heat quickly pointed up the need for mulch to keep plants from drying out when it’s not raining. Be sure to mulch your garden areas if you haven’t done so yet.

When to fertilize tomatoes — Tomatoes should be fertilized three times during the season, Upham says: one to two weeks before the first tomato ripens, two weeks after the first tomato ripens, and one month after the second. It should be with a nitrogen-only fertilizer such as nitrate of soda, urea or ammonium sulfate or with blood meal, Upham says.

Fruit tips — Upham expects fruit crops to be good this year as long as we don’t get severe weather. He gives these tips for fruit plants healthy:

▪ Remove some fruit from heavily loaded apples and peaches (if the flower buds weren’t killed by frost) to improve fruit size and prevent limbs from breaking. Apples should be spaced, on average, every 4 inches and peaches every 6 to 8. Two fruits can be closer together if the average is maintained.

▪ Remove suckers from the base of fruit trees and grape vines.

▪ Remove water sprouts that grow straight up from branches.

▪ "Comb" new growth on grape vines so the new shoots hang down for greater exposure to sunlight.

▪ Continue disease and insect control to prevent fruit damage.

Plant — Next time the soil has dried out enough, it’s time to plant sweet potatoes, sweet corn, winter squash and tomatoes.

Project Beauty 2015 Beautification Awards — Project Beauty has recognized three yards for their creative landscaping. The honorees are Richard and Mathew Buckingham, 5220 E. Douglas; Carol and Scott McClure; and Dennis and Joanne Cross, 6021 E. Lincoln.

Garden events

Newton garden tour this weekend — The Newton-North Newton Flower & Garden Tour will be going on from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8 at any of the stops on the tour: 908 Westridge Drive in Newton, 504 Witmarsum Drive in North Newton, 207 W. 22nd in North Newton, Presbyterian Manor at 1200 E. Seventh in Newton. Proceeds benefit the Newton Public Library.

Pond tour next weekend — The Kansas Pond Society will have its annual pond tour from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 20 and noon to 6 p.m. June 21. The cost is $10 per car. There are 16 stops, including two garden centers and Botanica, and one night-lighted garden in Mulvane that will be open until 10 p.m. June 20. Tickets, which include descriptions of the sites and maps, can be purchased at garden centers, Botanica, Easton Sod Farm and Tails & Scales in Derby, and Atwoods in Andover.

Shade Tree Tour — Extension agent Bob Neier will lead a walking tour of the Extension Arboretum at 21st and Ridge Road from 9 to 11 a.m. June 20. It will focus on great shade trees. This will be Neier’s last tour of a collection he has worked with for more than 20 years. The tour is free; meet at the flagpole in frnot of the Extension Center.

“The History of Botanica” — Author Keith Wondra will be at Botanica on Wednesday June 17 to talk about his most recent book, “Botanica, The Wichita Gardens.” The lunchtime lecture, at 12:15, is included in Botanica admission or membership. Lunch from Blue Moon Caterers is $8 extra from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Father’s Day Kite Fest — Dads will get in to Botanica free on Father’s Day and admission will be $5 for everyone else on June 21 for the Father’s Day Kite Fest. People can buy and/or fly a kite, and there will be a synchronized kite show, food trucks, carnival rides, music, face painting, crafts and games. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information: www.botanica.org.

“Earth Elements” — An exhibit of nature-inspired works by Pam Sullivan of Lawrence (abstracts using textiles, paint, stitching) and Wichita native Chris Wolf Edmonds (hand-painted and -printed fabrics and quilts, aluminum art) is on exhibit through June 26 at the Fiber Studio, 418 Commerce. It’s free; call 316-303-1996.

Annie Calovich

This story was originally published June 11, 2015 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Wichita gardener’s almanac for June 13."