Wichita gardener’s almanac for Jan. 16
Diagnosing African violets — Ward Upham of Kansas State gives a diagnosis of some of the conditions that can affect African violets in this week’s Horticulture 2016 newsletter:
▪ Spotted leaves: Cool water has touched the leaves. Use only room-temperature water.
▪ Small plants with pale yellow leaves: Probably too much light and too little fertilizer.
▪ Leaves curled downward: Temperature may be too low (below 60 degrees).
▪ Long leaf stalks and a few or small blooms: Usually not enough light.
▪ Buds dry up: May be too little moisture in the air or soil, and the temperature is too high.
▪ Plants wilt quickly, and the crown rots: Likely too much water and/or the drainage is not good (because of the potting mix or lack of drainage holes in the pot), or the plants were set too deeply in the soil.
▪ Leaf stalks rot against pot edge: High salt concentrations on the sides of the pot and near the soil surface damage the stalks, allowing the Botrytis disease organism to enter. Put a strip of aluminum foil, paraffin or a cardboard cover around the rim.
▪ No flowers: Could be too cold, too much fertilizer, too much light or too much shade, too much or not enough water, or stove gas in the air.
Last week for treecycling — 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
Talk on terminology — Wichitan Karl Miller, owner of Lark Label, will be at Botanica next week, during seed-catalog season, to explain the difference between terms such as species, variety, hybrid and heirloom. His lunchtime lecture, at 12:15, is included in Botanica admission. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for $8. (Note: Botanica will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.)
Design & Grow Gardening Workshop — The Sedgwick County Education 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 Education Center at 21st and Ridge Road. 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) or call 316-660-0100.
Kids Grow Too Workshop — In conjunction with the Design & Grow Gardening Workshop on Jan. 30 at the Extension Education Center, there will be a morning session on gardening for children who are in second through fifth grades. The Kids Grow Too Workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon and will be limited to 20 children. The cost is $10. Register online at sedgwick.ksu.edu (click on the list of events to the right) or call 316-660-0100.
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.” Other talks at the Central Kansas Market Grower and Vendor Workshop will include 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 14, 2016 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Wichita gardener’s almanac for Jan. 16."