Consider these spring garden preparations as we enjoy a few warmer days this week

Gardening may be the last thing on many peoples mind this time of the year, but remember these very important gardening chores you can be completing now to save time and headaches as the garden season rolls around.

• Order seeds before it's too late for this year's planting.  You still have time to order from your favorite garden catalog.  You may consider testing leftover garden seed for germination. Place 10 seeds between moist paper toweling or cover with a thin layer of soil. Keep seeds warm and moist. If less than six seeds germinate, then fresh seed should be purchased. 

• Sketch garden plans for your ornamental and edible gardens, including plants that need to be replaced.  Remember to rotate your edible plants each year if you can.  This will reduce insect and disease pressure on those plants you plant each year.   

• Prepare or repair lawn and garden tools for the upcoming season. See below for more detailed information.  

• Start seeds indoors for cool-season vegetables so they will be ready for transplanting to the garden early in the season. Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage seeds should be started five to seven weeks prior to transplanting.  Look below for a link to the recommended planting dates for all vegetables in Indiana

Helpful Publications:

  Starting Seeds Indoors

  Caring for Garden Tools

  Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar

Attention Private Applicators - PARP Training Scheduled February 4th

Success with African Violets

The African violet, known botanically as Saintpaulia, is one of the most popular flowering houseplants. African violets are easy to grow for the beginning gardener, yet offer a wide range of cultivars to satisfy the serious grower. African violets adapt well to typical growing conditions found in the home. Because of their small stature, they also adapt well to limited space gardens such as those in apartments with just a few windowsills. 

Many cultivars of African violets are available, ranging from miniatures (plants 6 inches or less in diameter) to large (over 16 inches in diameter). Flowers come in blue, purple, lavender, pink, red, and white as well as bicolored and multi-colored forms. Flower shapes also vary from single, star-shaped blooms to double, semidouble, fringed, and ruffled. Even the leaves come in different types, including ruffled, scalloped, quilted, and variegated.   

I often have questions about common problems regarding growing African violets.  Take a look at this comprehensive list for answers to some of the problems associated with African violet culture:

1) Spotted leaves - this occurs if you allow cool water to contact the leaves. Use only room temperature water.

2) Small plants with pale yellow leaves - often caused by too much light and inadequate fertilization.

3) Leaves curled downward - may be a result of too low temperatures (below 60 degrees).

4) Long leaf stalks and a few or small blooms - often results when plants don't get enough light.

5) Buds dry up - this might happen if there is not enough moisture in the air or soil and if temperatures are too high.

6) Plants wilt quickly and crown rots - likely they are getting watered too frequently and/or the drainage may be poor (due to potting mix or lack of container holes) or the plants were set too deep into the soil.

7) Leaf stalks rot where they rub against pot edge - high salt concentrations on the sides of the pot and near the soil surface damage the leaf stalks allowing the Botrytis disease organism to enter. You can protect the stalks by putting a strip of aluminum foil, paraffin, or a cardboard cover around the rim of the container.

8) No flowers - may be due to one or more of the following: temperature too low, soil is overfertilized, too much light or too much shade, too much or not enough water, or air contains stove gas. 

Excerpts taken from K-State Horticulture Newsletter by Ward Upham and the Purdue African Violet Care publication written by B. Rosie Lerner and Michael N. Dana

Rosie Lerner Addresses Early Bud Break in Indiana Gardens

Q. During the mild December weather, some of our bulbs started to come up. What will happen to these plants when the weather turns colder this winter? Will they still flower this spring?

A. We’ve heard many similar reports from across the state about bulbs, perennials and some woodies coming out of dormancy. December 2015 was the third mildest on record in central Indiana, according to the National Weather Service. Some plants require less chilling units than others, resulting in some plants responding to mild conditions while others not. Many urban dwellers, in particular, may notice microclimate effects where protected locations seem more prone to this response.  

Tulip bulb emerging

In general, this is not the first or last time that plants have gone through similar or more extreme temperature fluctuations. While it is not likely to cause long-term damage, there could be decreased flowering potential if plants come further out of dormancy followed by normal or below-normal cold temperatures. There is much more weather to get through this winter before we can know the outcome!

Rosie Lerner - Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulturist

The Hamilton County 4-H Council is now accepting applications for a 2016 4-H Summer Assistant. The Summer Assistant helps coordinate various summer programs such as Exploring 4-H Day Camp, the First Year 4-H Family Event, and 4-H Fair activities. Interested persons should contact the Hamilton County Extension Office at 317-776-0854 for an application or check out our Website by clicking here. Completed applications should be returned to the Extension Office by January 22, 2016.