Wichita gardener’s almanac for Jan. 9
Shop and prep for onion seeds — If you want to try new or different onion varieties, seeds will give you many more types to choose from than sets or plants. And because onions take a long time to grow from seed and can be set out relatively early in the garden, seed starting should be done in mid- to late January, Ward Upham of K-State writes in the Horticulture 2016 newsletter. He gives these instructions:
Onion seed should be placed 1/2 to 3/4 inch apart in a pot, or flat filled with a seed starting mix. Place the container in a warm location (75 to 80 degrees) until young seedlings emerge. Move to a cooler location (60 to 65 degrees) when the seedlings are 1 to 2 inches tall. Make sure they have plenty of light, using fluorescent lights if needed. Start fertilizing when the seedlings reach 2 to 3 inches tall using a soluble fertilizer with each or every other watering.
Onion seedlings tend to be spindly, with the remains of the seed sticking to the end of a leaf for several weeks. Encourage stockiness by trimming the ends of the leaves when the plants reach 4 to 5 inches tall. Start hardening off the onions in early March by moving the plants to a protected outdoor location. You may have to move them inside temporarily to protect them from extreme cold snaps before planting them around late March.
Christmas-tree recycling and mulch — The county’s Christmas-tree recycling sites are open through Jan. 24. Remove all decorations before leaving the tree. The trees are chipped, and the resulting mulch is available for free. Here are the locations:
In Wichita: Boston Park, 6655 E. Zimmerly; Buffalo Park, 10209 Hardtner; College Hill United Methodist Church, First and Erie; Earhart school, 4401 N. Arkansas; Edgemoor Park, 5815 E. Ninth St.; Extension Center, 7001 W. 21st St.; Great Plains Nature Center, 6232 E. 29th St. North; Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 Museum Blvd.; Osage Park, 2121 W. 31st St. South; South Linwood Park, Hydraulic and Mount Vernon.
In Cheney, East South Ave. and Garfield; Clearwater, Aquatic Center parking lot; Colwich, 115 N. Third; Derby, 2801 E. James; Garden Plain, water tower; Goddard, Means Park; Kechi, 107 Sioux; Maize, 201 S. Park; Mount Hope, 400 S. Thomas; Mulvane, 117 E. Main; Park City, 6801 N. Hydraulic; Valley Center, Veterans Park.
Garden events
Winter farmers market this weekend — The Kansas Grown Farmers Market will have an indoor market from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Extension Center, 21st and Ridge Road. More than 50 farmers and crafters will be there. Among the food items will be meats, spinach, lettuce, herbs, salsa, jams, jellies and baked items. Non-food items will include hand-made soap, candles, skin-care products, knitted items, wood crafts and leather goods. Admission is free.
Flower-arranging program — The notice of the first garden-club meeting of 2016 has arrived! Floanna Crowley will give a program on flower arranging during the meeting of the Suburban Garden Club at 9:45 a.m. Monday at Botanica. Lunch for those interested will be afterward at Larkspur.
Program on new 2016 roses — The Wichita Rose Society will have a slide show featuring rose introductions for 2016 during its meeting Tuesday at Botanica. The event, which is free and open to the public, starts at 6:30 p.m. with social time and refreshments.
Wichita on Wheels/collector cars talk — Mike Berry of The Eagle will be at Botanica on Wednesday to give a lunchtime lecture about the Wichita on Wheels page that he arranges weekly for the newspaper. Berry will talk about how the page was created 13 years ago and how it operates today, and he will show favorite photographs of the collector cars that have been featured. The lecture, at 12:15, is included in Botanica admission or membership.
Talk on bee population collapse — Sustainable farmer and beekeeper Deborah McSweeney will be at Dyck Arboretum of the Plains in Hesston on Jan. 26 to kick off the annual Winter Lecture Series with a talk on bee population collapse. McSweeney will talk about what may be causing Colony Collapse Disorder and about the techniques she uses in native habitat restoration and sustainable farming that are in sync with healthy bees. The lecture will be at 6:30 p.m.; an optional soup supper will be at 6. The cost is $2 for the talk, or $7 for supper and talk. Supper reservations should be made by the Friday before the Tuesday lecture by calling 620-327-8127.
Design & Grow Gardening Workshop — The Sedgwick County Extension and master gardeners are offering a daylong Design & Grow Gardening Workshop, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Extension Center at 21st and Ridge Road.
Topics will include landscape design made simple, best trees and shrubs, your gardening personality, starting plants from seeds, vegetable gardening and raised bed gardening, presented by K-State experts and master gardeners. The cost is $15 before Jan. 22 and $25 after. Register online at sedgwick.ksu.edu (click on the list of events to the right).
Farmers market vendor workshop — A workshop for people who are or who want to be vendors at a farmers market, as well as those who want to improve soil or network with growers, will be offered Feb. 6 at the Extension Education Center. Karen Pendleton of Pendleton’s Kaw Valley Country Market in Lawrence will give a keynote talk on “Growing and Selling on a Diversified Farm.” The Central Kansas Market Grower and Vendor Workshop will also feature talks on topics including beekeeping, building healthy soil, scaling up production of local foods, food safety and resources. The workshop will be from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. and costs $20 for registration by Jan. 29 and $25 after. Register online at sedgwick.ksu.edu (click on the list of events to the right) or call 316-660-0100.
Annie Calovich
This story was originally published January 7, 2016 at 6:41 PM with the headline "Wichita gardener’s almanac for Jan. 9."