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Welcome to the Blog!

Create your own colorful summer Container Garden

4/3/2024

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Story by Joanne K. and Ann H., NC State Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers. All photos by Ann Hamze, CC BY 4.0.
With local nurseries and big-box stores overflowing with colorful blooms and leafy greens, gardeners are ready to create their summer container gardens.
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Dusty Miller, Snapdragon, and Chinese Sedum provide height and depth in this container.

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Heuchera, Coral Bells, and Creeping Charlie gracefully cascade from this container.

These gardens offer you the opportunity to create a new look every summer, combining old and new plants, annuals and perennials, or vegetables and herbs.

If you have a small yard or live in an apartment or want to downsize your garden, containers allow you to grow flowers, vegetables, and herbs for your own enjoyment with less work.

Containers are good for patios, small spaces, walkways, and as garden accents.

Each season Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteers create a display at the Pitt County Arboretum in a set of three large containers by the entrance to the Eugene James Auditorium at the Pitt County Extension Building.

The container team selects plants that do well in full sun and follow the theme of thriller (tall plants), filler (medium-size or mounding plants), and spiller (trailing plants) to add a display that will last a full season, in this case, from spring to late summer.

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Bedding Begonia, Ascot Rainbow Spurge, American Winterberry, Stonecrop, and Elephant Ears provide variations in height, texture, and form.

The container gardens featured here were displayed at the Arboretum in the spring and summer of 2023. Other Arboretum container gardens can be seen in front and on the sides of the building and under the green canopy.

We hope that these gardens will inspire you to create your own colorful container garden. And be sure to visit the Arboretum to see what's growing this year!

For more information on creating and maintaining container gardens, go to the NC Extension Gardener Handbook.

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Tips for growing tomatoes in Eastern NC

3/25/2024

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By Joanne K. and John W., NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers

When sunny 70+ degree days start popping up in March in eastern NC, gardeners become eager to start digging in the dirt to plant their veggies.

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Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) come in a variety of sizes and colors. Anh Van, Public Domain Mark 1.0
However, not all vegetables are happy in the ground when temperatures fluctuate between 30°F and 70°F, with the possibility of frost lingering in the air.

One of these vegetables is every gardener's favorite — the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum).

Who doesn't love the taste of the homegrown tomato, freshly picked and warm from the sun! It's the quintessential taste of summer!
Types of Plants
When deciding which varieties to plant, there are two types to consider:
1) Determinate tomatoes grow to a certain height and are good for container planting. The fruit ripens in 3 to 4 weeks and then the plant is done. Most of the disease-resistant varieties are determinate.

2) Indeterminate ones grow from 5 to 20 feet tall, fruiting all season if the climate is favorable. They need a support system such as cages, poles, or trellises to prevent drooping or breaking.

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Tomatoes grown in porous terracotta pots on a porch. Sharon_K, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Vines climbing on support fuentedelateja. CC-BY-SA 2.0
The seed packet or plant tag will identify the type of tomato. In our hot coastal plain, tomatoes do best that range in size from cherries to tennis balls. Some favorites are ‘Sweet Million,’ ‘Super Sweet 100,’ and ‘Juliet.’
Growing Requirements
Tomatoes need fertile well-drained garden soil, full sun, warmth, and moderate water. They prefer moist, loamy, and slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.8 to 6.8.
When to Plant
Since nurseries carry only a limited variety of tomatoes, you may choose to start your own from seeds for more taste and variety. In this case, early February is the time to start seeds.

The time to transplant either seedlings or transplants is mid- to late-April when the soil has warmed up to a minimum of 65°-70°F. Air temperatures below 50°F may slow plant growth.


Tomatoes will grow roots anywhere along the stem that is underground so planting in an inclined trench is often recommended.  Remove all leaves except the top bunch and lay the plant with its root ball in the deepest part of trench.
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Tomato seedling. Airflore CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
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Plant tomatoes sideways in a trench. Remove leaves from lower part of the stem and roots will grow from the planted stem.
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Hornworm (Manduca sexta) on tomato; Joanne K.
To prevent cutworm damage, add an aluminum foil collar about 2" high, wrapping it loosely around the stem with 1/2" of height below the soil line. Remove the foil when the plant gets bigger.

Water and cover the soil around the plant with mulch to prevent soil-borne diseases and reduce evaporation.

 Caring for Your Plants 
Depending on the variety, tomatoes need anywhere from no support to 15-foot poles.

Water when the soil starts to dry out. Drip irrigation is better than overhead to reduce disease problems. Tomatoes need 1" to 1 1/2" of rain or water each week.

Do a soil test to determine your fertilizer needs. Use a plant-starting fertilizer solution when putting the tomatoes in the ground.

Tomatoes are heavy feeders and will need two to three tablespoons per plant of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 when the fruit starts to set and every 4-6 weeks afterward.

Suckers are the new growth that forms at the axial joint. Removing the suckers encourages fewer but bigger tomatoes. It also allows more air flow between plants and discourages insect and disease populations.

Remove suckers by pinching close to the stem with your fingers or cutting with pruners. The suckers can be planted to create new plants.

Problems
If deer visit your garden, you will need a fence.

Birds will usually take one or two pecks in ripe fruit. You can eat around the wound.

Squirrels can take large bites out of ripe tomatoes.

Rabbits may nibble on small plants, but they generally don't bother larger ones.

Turtles like to eat the ripe fruit that they can reach.

Using foil when planting deters cutworms.

Check for tomato horn worms whose green coloration makes them hard to spot. They can be picked off by hand and squashed.

Diseases
Unfortunately, tomatoes are susceptible to many types of disease with very few cures.

Control methods include:

1.    Plant disease-resistant varieties.
2.    Cut off the bottom leaves if the problem starts there (Septoria leaf spot).
3.    Pull out the problem plant and dispose of it in the garbage.
4.    Plant extra plants.
5.    Rotate crops so that the same plant is not grown in the same area for 3 to 4 years. Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants are all in the Solanaceae or nightshade family, and should not follow one another in the garden.                    

Other Problems
If the plant has all leaves, but few flowers, too much nitrogen fertilizer was used.

If there are lots of flowers but few tomatoes, the air temperature is too high.

Tomatoes with black ends have blossom-end rot, indicating a lack of calcium in the soil and/or irregular soil moisture.

Cracking occurs when the fruit is almost ripe and there is a heavy rain. Try picking tomatoes just as they start to color. Ripen them indoors.

For more information on growing tomatoes go to the NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox at:
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/solanum-lycopersicum/

Also check these other NC State Extension links:
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/eastern-north-carolina-planting-calendar-for-annual-vegetables-fruits-and-herbs

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/insect-and-related-pests-of-vegetables/pests-of-tomato
https://vegetables.ces.ncsu.edu/tomatoes-diseases/


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Dividing Perennials

3/8/2024

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Joanne K.,  Pitt County Arboretum E Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

As spring bulbs start to bloom, you will also start to see tips of your perennials poking above ground or showing some new growth. Late winter, early spring is a great time to divide your perennials.

Plant division allows you to maintain the desired plant size, revitalize its growth, and produce more plants for yourself or to share with fellow gardeners.

Division is not needed every year. Many perennials, however, can become too thick after growing for two or three years in the same place resulting in smaller, fewer, or no blooms at all.

Other signs that a plant should be divided include a dead center, sluggish growth, or too large for its space.

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1. Aster roots can be easily pulled apart for division.
Perennials can be divided in the fall when the foliage dies back or in the spring when shoots are 2 or 3 inches above ground. Since the plants are not blooming, their energy is directed to establishing roots and encouraging leaf growth before the flowers appear.

If divided in the summer when the plants are actively growing, reestablishing them is much slower. Plants in flower require a lot of energy and dividing them at that time stresses the plant. Also summer heat places a strain on divisions and requires attentive watering, sometimes daily.

Before dividing your perennials, water them thoroughly so it's easier to handle them. Keep the roots moist before planting them in the ground. A bucket with water will replenish the moisture as needed.

With a sharp pointed shovel dig under the roots carefully lifting up the plant. Shake off the excess soil removing any dead leaves, stems, or damaged roots. Be sure to keep part of the growing point (crown) and root system together.

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2. Bee Balm, Monarda didyma, is also easy to separate by hand.
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3. Daylilies, Hemerocallis spp., with their big clumps need a sharp knife for division.
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4. Hosta plants form thick roots requiring a handsaw to separate them.
For some plants the root system can be pulled apart by hand such as Asters and bee balm (Monarda). For bigger clumps such as daylilies (Hemerocallis spp.) and Hostas, you may need to use a sharp knife or handsaw to cut between the crowns maintaining a good section of root. Three to five shoots are recommended for each division.
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5. Iris rhizomes can be easily cut apart but be careful not to damage them.
Irises, which grow from rhizomes, will stop flowering when the rhizomes are crowded. A rhizome division needs a few inches of rhizome and one fan of leaves, cut halfway back.

Don't over divide as a small clump will be slow to flower after transplanting.

Immediately plant your divisions in the ground or planter to the same depth as they were. Tamp the soil down to close air pockets and water well.

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6. Hellebore plants are best propagated through their seedlings.
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7. Columbine should never be divided.
Mature Lenten Roses (Hellebore) are difficult to move. The species spreads easily so digging up and replanting the seedlings will be more successful.

Some plants should never be divided such as butterfly weed (Asclepias), columbines (Aquilegia), and indigo (Baptisia).

More instructions on how and when to divide perennials can be found at:

http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/landscape/flowers/hgic1150.html

More information on the individual plants above can be found at the NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox at:
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/

Photo credits:
1.    Aster, Joanne K.
2.    Bee Balm, Monarda—Red tubular flowers Dy-e CCBY-SA 3.0
3.    Daylilies, Hemerocallis spp., Joanne K.
4.    Hosta, Joanne K.
5.    Iris, Joanne K.
6.    Lenten Rose, Hellebore, Joanne K.
7.    Columbines, Aquilegia, Joanne K.

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How To Find Answers To Your Lawn and Garden Problems

2/13/2024

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By John W., Cindy C., and Joanne K., Pitt County Arboretum Extension Master Gardener Volunteers
What should you do when you walk in your garden and find that something has eaten the cabbage, the tomatoes have black ends, the azalea leaves have been eaten, a plant failed to grow, and dead patches have appeared in your lawn?


Most gardeners have run into these or similar problems. Below are resources to help you try to solve your problems.

First, carefully look at the plant problem, collecting as much information as possible. The more you know about the problem, the easier it is to find a solution. Here are some questions to consider:

  • Is the plant dying or being eaten?
  • Is the whole plant dying or just part of it?
  • Are similar plants around it healthy or do they have the same problem?
  • Does the problem start at the bottom or the top of the plant?
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Cinch bugs, Blissus leucopterus, love hot dry weather. They cause irregular brown patches to appear in turf. Photo: D.S. Reiland
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Corky root disease in tomatoes, Solanum lycopersicum, is caused by a fungus, Pyrenochaeta lycopersici. Photo: Scot Nelson, Public Domain Mark 1.0
  • Are there spots on the leaves or discoloration on the stems?
  • What do the under sides of the leaves look like?
  • If the plant is being eaten, is the damage major or minor?
  • If minor, are insects or caterpillars present? Look closely as some pests are carefully camouflaged. If major, deer or rabbits could be the culprit.
  •  Have you spotted animal droppings in your yard?
  • Is the damage to one species or several different species?
  • Is the damage above ground or below?
    For instance, voles can eat entire plant root systems, causing plants to die.



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Brown patch is a summer foliar disease on fescue grass, caused by the fungus Rhizoctonia solani. Photo: M. Bertone, NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic.
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White grubs are beetle larvae that hatch mid-to-late June and just love your lawn to death. Photo: M. Bertone, NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic.
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Heuchera Phytophthoa is a blight and root rot on annuals and herbaceous perennials such as the Coral Bells (Heuchera sanguinea) shown here. Photo: NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic.
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Photo: NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic. Bacterial leaf spot is caused by Xanthomonas on greenhouse ornamentals such as on the Geranium (Pelargonium) leaves shown here. Photo: NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic.
Damping Off, Phytopythium vexans, is a fungus that affects small seedlings such as the Pansy (Viola x wittrockiana) shown here. Photo: NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic.

After completing your detective work, you can often solve your problem.

If not, try the following resources:

Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Info Line:
This is a telephone or in-person service staffed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 am to noon. Call 252-902-1705 or visit 403 Government Circle, #2, in Greenville. You can also leave a voice mail message at 252-902-1705 describing your problem and how to contact you. Your call will be returned when Master Gardeners are in the office. These gardeners live in Pitt and Beaufort Counties, have completed an NC Extension Service Master Gardening training program, are long-time gardeners, and have usually gardened for many years in this area.
  • They will research the question if they don’t know the answer.
  • They can demonstrate how to take a good soil sample and interpret the results.
  • They can confer directly with you when you bring in a sample of your problem.
  • They can confer with extension agents in the office for additional help.

North Carolina State Extension – ces.ncsu.edu
NC State Ag faculty and Ag Extension agents provide research-based gardening information. Type your question in the search box for links to articles concerning your question.
Type turffiles in the search box for lawn diseases, pests, and maintenance practice questions. Type NCSU turffiles into your search engine to go directly to this site.

Clemson University
– hgic.clemson.edu
Clemson's Home and Garden Information Center offers research-based gardening solutions for home gardeners. Search the categories across the top or use the search box for available articles.

Missouri Botanical Gardens
– missouribotanicalgardens.org
If your plant is growing poorly, this website summarizes the ideal growing conditions for your plant. However, not every plant is in their database.

We hope these resources will help you become a better gardener!

Photo credits:
1.
Chinch bug nymphal instars and adult, D.S Reiland
2. Tomatoes - Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on variety 'Pixie' Scot Nelson Public Domain Mark 1.0
3. Figure 9-36. A brown area on tall fescue grass, NC State Turf Pathology
4. White grub. M. Bertone, NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic
5. Symptoms of root and crown rot on Heuchera, NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic
6. Bacterial leaf spot on geranium, NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic

7. Pansy affected by damping-off fungi, NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic
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Building a Home Vegetable Garden One Step at a Time

1/31/2024

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Story by Susann C., Pitt County Arboretum Extension Master Gardener Volunteer
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Why do people like to grow vegetables?
There are so many different reasons. Many people find gardening to be a source of relaxation, a way to enjoy their backyards. Some people like growing their own produce because they like to know where their food comes from and whether it has been sprayed with herbicides or is organic. Others appreciate being less dependent on grocery stores with their rising prices and limited inventory. Then there are folks who welcome variety and trying new foods. Finally, the satisfaction obtained from eating and sharing fresh produce with friends and neighbors, and giving away the surplus is hard to beat.

In this mini-guide, we’ll take you through the key steps to growing vegetables in your own yard.

Selecting a site
It begins with selecting a site.
Some factors to consider include:

Getting enough sun
Since vegetable plants need at least six hours of direct sunlight every day, selecting a sunny area is crucial. If you have a sun-filled patch in your yard, you can plant rows of vegetables in an in-ground garden or in containers. Plant the vegetables away from the shade cast by buildings, fences, and shrubs.

Beans, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and melons — among the plants that flower and set fruit — need more sunlight. Some vegetables tolerate shade better than others. These include broccoli, kale, cabbage, collards, lettuce, parsley and spinach — vegetables that produce edible stems and leaves. Plants with edible roots, such as beets, carrots, radishes and turnips also tolerate shade.
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Access to irrigation
Situate your garden near a water source such as a hose so that it can easily be watered in drier periods. Or install an irrigation system such as the one shown.

Well-drained soil
Avoid putting your garden where water pools in your yard. Avoid planting your garden at the bottom of a hill for the same reason. Place your garden where the water will drain in less than twenty-four hours following a major storm.


Good quality soil: Testing your soil
Ideal gardening soil has a pH between 5.8 and 7.0. Several weeks before starting your garden, it’s a good idea to find out if your soil has all the nutrients it needs to grow vegetables. You can pick up special boxes to collect your soil from the Cooperative Extension office. Take a soil sample from soil where you’re planning to locate your garden and send it to the NC Department of Agriculture.  They will analyze the completed sample to find out if your soil needs amendments before you start planting seeds or plants.

Both clay and sand can be amended to create a loamy texture, ideal for growing vegetables. For more information on soil testing go to
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https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/agronomic-services/soil-testing

Avoid using garden soil for container gardening because garden soil is heavier and can quickly become compacted and waterlogged in containers. Garden centers have soil specifically formulated for containers.

The New Demonstration Vegetable Garden at the Pitt County Arboretum
The new demonstration vegetable garden is to the left of the Pitt County Agricultural Center as you come in, and then around the side.
Step 1: Site selection
The site was selected, measured, cleared, and leveled. The team sketched out where containers of various sizes and shapes would be placed. Containers were assembled and placed in their desired positions. Soil and compost were added.

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Step 2: Installing irrigation
In the case of the Demonstration Vegetable Garden at the Pitt County Arboretum, a micro-spray irrigation system was installed to ensure that plants have a regular, reliable source of water. Drip irrigation is actually a more economical use of water, but is more time consuming. Home gardeners might prefer drip irrigation for water conservation. Timers can also be used to ensure that vegetables are watered on a regular basis.


Make sure you will be home or have a friend who can tend your plants while you are away. While a watering system on a timer can help, you need to have someone at least look in on your crops while you are away.

If you’re going to be out of town for part of the summer, consider growing fall crops that require less maintenance, such as lettuces, kale, peas, and root vegetables.

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Step 3: Selecting what to grow
✓    Choose what you and your family like to eat.
✓    Don’t overplant. You want growing vegetables to be a pleasurable activity, not something that becomes a chore because you’ve planted way too much.
✓    Consider what’s readily available locally. For instance, it’s easy to find red tomatoes, but not heritage tomatoes, and you will pay a premium for these. A basket of orange cherry tomatoes will set you back a small fortune in the grocery store. Or you buy one plant and harvest hundreds of tomatoes over months.
✓    You can buy common herbs or grow them for pennies from seeds. In addition to being inexpensive, the quality and taste of what you grow may also be superior to what you can purchase.

The decision was made to plant vegetables that are commonly grown and consumed in Eastern North Carolina in the demonstration garden. These include fall crops such as carrot, spinach, kale, and lettuce seeds.

Step 4: Planting seeds
Most vegetables will grow from seeds. Check near the bottom of your seed packet for the expiry date. You can buy seeds at local stores or, for more specialized seeds, through online catalogues. You can also buy seedlings or small plants, from local nurseries.

Using a grid
Intensively planting in a grid pattern helps to maximize harvest and save water and time. The demo garden uses a small diameter tubing to create 16 12-inch grids in a four by four raised bed, but any materials can be used to create the grid pattern to help visualize where plants and seeds go and to keep the garden looking neat. Guides are available to help plan how closely you can successfully plant. Large plants such as tomatoes may require multiple grid areas while several beans or peppers can be planted in one 12 by 12 inch grid. This method of gardening reduces the need for weeding and for watering since the close spacing of plants reduces  open areas (as in long row planting) where weeds can grow and the soil dries faster.
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Stagger your planting
Plant seeds at different times so that you will have a supply of lettuce or other produce through the season rather than too large a supply at one point. Consider that some crops mature quickly (e.g. radishes and bush beans), while others take many more days to mature (e.g. tomatoes, peppers).

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Companion planting
Tall plants can provide shade or support for other plants. For example, climbing beans can grow up sunflower stalks or sweet corn.

Certain vegetables pair well together, either by deterring pests or attracting beneficial insects.

✓    In addition to being a natural culinary pairing, basil protects tomato plants by repelling thrips and disorienting moths, which lay tomato hornworms. Basil also attracts bees. Parsley also attracts beneficial insects to protect and pollinate tomatoes.
✓   Caterpillars enjoy kale, cabbage, and broccoli. But growing nasturtiums – edible flowers – close to these vegetables will keep caterpillars out.
✓   Most insects in the garden are beneficial insects, helping with pollination. Some plants attract beneficial insects. For example, borage attracts pollinating insects to boost flowering crop plants such as tomatoes and squash.

Eastern North Carolina is fortunate to have a long growing season, with the opportunity to plant thousands of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Many sources of information are readily available for learning how to grow a home vegetable garden. Here are just a few:

Information Sources:
Agronomic Division. Soil Testing: Enhancing land productivity, nutrient use efficiency & environmental quality. 2008. Raleigh, NC: N.D. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Accessed at
https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/agronomic-services/soil-testing


Shawn Banks and Lucy Bradley. 2023. Vegetable Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide. NC State Extension, available at
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/home-vegetable-gardening-a-quick-reference-guide

Farmer’s Almanac. Vegetable Gardening for Beginners: The Complete Guide. At  
https://www.almanac.com/vegetable-gardening-for-beginners
See the online planting instructions, gardening calendars, as well as guides for how to design a vegetable garden.

Michael Fine. Growing Vegetables in Central North Carolina. March 24, 2022. Zoom presentation sponsored by the North Carolina Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association (NCEMGVA).
https://growforit.ces.ncsu.edu/activities-for-kids/square-foot-gardening/


Kathleen Moore & Lucy K. Bradley, editors. “Chapter 16: Vegetable Gardening,” in North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook. 2018. North Carolina State University.

This mini-guide was written by Susann Camus, an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) with Pitt County, with assistance from Matt Stevens, the Pitt County Extension Director and Horticulture Agent, and Pitt County Demonstration Vegetable Garden EMGV team members, Alta Andrews, Dell Enecks, Tommy McDaniel, and Diane Strathy.

Published on the Pitt County Arboretum website in January 2024.

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Look for signs of spring in your garden

1/22/2024

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Story by Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

Although the recent cold snap says winter, signs of spring are everywhere in eastern North Carolina as evidenced by the swelling buds of many trees and woody shrubs.

But you might wonder, what is a bud and how does it know to start growing?

A bud is an undeveloped shoot from which new leaves or flower parts arise.

In summer while the trees and shrubs are covered with leaves, next year's flower and leaf buds are already forming in the axil of the leaves (the small angle between the plant's stem and the leaf attachment).  

Bud formation happens because the plant has received enough sunshine to store energy in the form of sugar and proteins for next year's growth. The buds will grow to a certain size in summer and fall, and then rest for the winter.

These winter or resting buds contain the shapes of next year's leaves and flowers.

While breaking dormancy is a complex process, it results when more day light and higher temperatures encourage buds to start enlarging.

Our mild eastern North Carolina winters, combined with longer December days, encourage some tree and shrub buds to start growing in December and January.


They do this by using their stored energy.
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Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum
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Saucer Magnolia, Magnolia x soulangeana
Two trees with very prominent buds are the Saucer Magnolia, Magnolia x soulangeana, and the Star Magnolia, Magnolia stellata. Dense silvery hairs cover the bulbous-shaped buds, giving them a soft glow in the sunlight.They do this by using their stored energy.

The Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida, has buds that look like tiny black knobs on the end of the stems.

The buds of the Japanese Maple, Acer palmatum, are tiny, deep purple/black in color, and are often doubled and clearly visible on the branches.

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Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida
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Forsythia, Forsythia x intermedia
On Forsythia, Forsythia x intermedia, the brown or green buds are pointed, with the flower buds opening first. As the flowers fade, the leaves start to appear.

White Flowering Quince buds, Chaenomeles speciosa, are round green balls, with the flowers blooming ahead of the leaves.

Each tree and shrub species has its own distinctive buds. These vary in shape, size, texture, placement, and color. These distinctions are identifying marks in winter.
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White Flowering Quince buds, Chaenomeles speciosa
Take a stroll around your yard and neighborhood to look closely at the trees and shrubs. Spend a few minutes along the Walking Trail in the Arboretum. You'll marvel at the early signs of life you'll see in the buds.

All pictures by Joanne K.

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Berries for Birds and Beauty

1/7/2024

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By Joanne K., Pitt County Arboretum Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

With the leaves on the ground and winter upon us, this is a great time to see the bones of your garden to determine if changes and/or additions are needed. Perhaps a shrub didn't live up to expectations or has outgrown its space. Maybe a tree has been damaged beyond recovery. Or your plants are fine, but you'd like to add more color and variety to your landscape in order to attract more birds.
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1. Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)
In any case, when adding new plants, consider native plants with their colorful flowers, seeds, fruits, and fall leaves that will provide year-round beauty in your garden, as well as food sources for the birds.

Commercial and residential developments over the years have reduced the number of natural habitats that supply the nutrients needed by birds to thrive. The extensive planting of nonnative species, which have less of the fats, carbohydrates, and nutrients required in the birds' diets, threatens their existence.

Native plants and birds have evolved together, making them beneficial to each other. Year-round, the plants provide food for the birds through their flowers, fruits, seeds, and the insects that they attract. In turn, the birds propagate the plants by pollinating them and spreading their fruits and seeds and eating harmful insects. The birds also feed the insects that are high in protein to their young.

However, during the fall and winter, food is scarce, so late fruit-bearing trees and shrubs are a welcome source of nutrition for both resident and migrating birds. Since migrating birds use a lot of energy, the berries and insects provide an important source of fuel.

Hollies are always a popular choice with both gardeners and birds. Their bright red berries add vibrant color to the winter landscape and are bird magnets. The native Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria) is beloved by cedar waxwings, gorge eaters that swoop down en masse, demolishing all of its berries in minutes and getting a little tipsy in the process. Hollies also bring in catbirds, mockingbirds, robins, thrashers, thrushes, and woodpeckers.

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7. A cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) in Juniperus-virginiana
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2. Ilex serrata x verticillata 'Sparkleberry'
These birds also enjoy feasting on other hollies, including the native deciduous Winterberry Holly (Ilex serrata x verticillata 'Sparkleberry') with its show-stopping red berry display and the Native Holly (Ilex opaca), a heavy fruit bearer.

The native Beautyberry Shrub (Callicarpa americana) has lavender, pink, and white flowers that turn into purple berries that really stand out once the leaves drop. Catbirds, mockingbirds, robins, thrushes, and thrashers are attracted to them.
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3. Native Holly (Ilex opaca)
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4. Beauty Berry (Callicarpa americana)
Other natives, such as Dogwood (Cornus florida), Possumhaw viburnum (Viburnum nudum), Carolina Cherry Laurel (Prunus caroliniana), Hawthorne (Crataegus viridis), Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), and Southern Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera) also attract a variety of birds as their berries have a high fat, carbohydrate, and nutrient content.
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5. Dogwood berry  (Cornus-florida)
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6. Possumhaw Viburnum (Viburnum nudum)
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8. Eastern Red Cedar berry (Juniperus-virginiana)
Enjoy the year-round beauty of native plants and the colorful array of birds they attract by adding these plants to your garden.

For information about specific native plants, go to
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/
For information about the plants birds prefer and when these plants produce berries, go to:
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/managing-backyards-and-other-urban-habitats-for-birds
For information on landscaping for wildlife, go to
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/landscaping-for-wildlife-with-native-plants


Photos:
1. Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria)—Joanne K.
2. Winterberry Holly—Female (Ilex serrata x verticillata 'Sparkleberry')—Joanne K.
3. Native Holly (Ilex opaca)—Joanne K.
4. Beautyberry Shrub (Callicarpa americana)—Joanne K.
5. Berry—Dogwood (Cornus florida)
    Fruit-Fall-Moore Co., NC
    Cathy DeWitt
    CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
6. Possumhaw Viburnum (Viburnum nudum)—Joanne K.7
7. Cedar waxwing in Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
    Janet and Phil
    CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
8. Berry—Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)
    CameliaTWU
    CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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Evergreens as Christmas Symbols

12/11/2023

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By Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

With the holiday season upon us, evergreens are decorating everything from churches and front doors to streetlights and car bumpers! These greens appear in many forms, including trees, wreaths, and garlands.

Evergreens as Christmas symbols were derived from pagan-inspired traditions begun thousands of years ago when greens were used as decorations for pagan winter festivals.

During the winter solstice, Egyptians celebrated Ra, the Sun God, by making wreaths and garlands and decorating conifers. Druids decorated evergreens to ensure a fruitful year.

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Christmas Wreath (Pinaceae family)
Vikings used evergreen decorations to ward off evil spirits associated with the winter solstice. Fir trees served as New Year's decorations for the Romans.
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Christmas Tree (Pinaceae family)
As the pagans were evangelized over time, their symbols were adapted by Christians for their own rituals and given religious meaning.

For example, it's believed that Christmas trees (Pinaceae family) originated in sixteenth-century Germany, where some Northern European cultures held that the evergreen fir tree had godlike powers. Evergreen boughs decorated homes to protect them during winter, ensuring the return of spring.
As Christianity spread, Christians saw evergreens as representing everlasting life with God, and incorporated them into their celebrations.

Holly (Ilex) was considered a sacred plant by Druids, for whom it symbolized fertility, and eternal life. Romans used it to decorate during Saturnalia, the feast of Saturn, the god of agriculture and harvest. For Christians, holly came to symbolize Jesus Christ, with the berries representing his blood, and the thorns the crown that was placed on his head before he died.
Picture
Holly (Ilax)
Picture
Ivy (Hedera helix)
Ivy (Hedera helix) is another green used by the ancients to represent eternal life and the return of spring. Romans associated it with Bacchus, the good of wine and intoxication. In some cultures, it symbolized marriage. For some it represented prosperity and fortune, which early Christians saw as a sign to help those less fortunate.
Ivy and holly are frequently used together to make wreaths and other Christmas decorations.

Laurel (Taurus nobilis) represents triumph over suffering and persecution. It's one of the greens used to create Advent wreaths, whose circular shape represents the continuity of life and God eternal.

Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum) has a long history in folklore. Ancient Greeks, thinking it had healing properties, used it as a remedy for various disorders, as well as using it as an aphrodisiac.
The Druids thought that mistletoe was a sacred plant because it didn't grow from roots in the ground. They wore it for good luck and protection from evil spirits. Mistletoe over a doorway allowed only happiness to enter the house.

Hanging mistletoe as decorations started with Saturnalia, the Roman winter holiday. Its association with Christmas isn't clear, but by the 18th century, it was widely used in winter holiday celebrations.

In the 1700s in northern Europe, kissing balls with mistletoe hung in doorways. A single lady giving a kiss under the mistletoe increased her chances of marriage.



Picture
Laurel (Taurus nobilis)
Picture
Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)
Although the history of how Christmas and evergreens came together may be open to different interpretations, it's a beautiful tradition celebrating the spirit of the season.

Photo Credits
Christmas Tree (Pinaceae family)—Joanne K.
Christmas Wreath (Pinaceae family)—Joanne K.
Holly (Ilex)—Joanne K.
Ivy (Hedera helix)—Joanne K.
Bay Laurel (Taurus nobilis)—Leaves, Twinning Valley Nurseries CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Mistletoe (Phoradendron serotinum)—Joanne K.


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Come visit the Arboretum’s new Vegetable Garden

11/5/2023

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By Joanne K., with contributions from Diane S., Dell E., Tommy M., and Alta A.,
Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers


Gardens are always changing, and the Arboretum gardens are no exception. Plants die, outgrow their space, fail to thrive, or a garden just needs to be rejuvenated. A case in point is our new vegetable garden, the latest work in progress!

When the irrigation system no longer functioned in the old vegetable garden adjacent to the Children's Garden, the vegetable garden team, in consultation with the Horticultural Extension Agent, decided to create a new one in an area west of the county auditorium.

Picture
Sprinkler System
Picture
Low Metal Elliptical Raised Bed
This new location showcases small space gardening in raised beds. In the accompanying photos, you can see some of the various types of raised beds available to home gardeners.

There are three standing accessible beds. The two Elevated Plastic Rectangular Accessible Beds eliminate the need to kneel when planting and tending your plants. The Elevated Wooden Wheelchair Accessible Bed is designed for wheelchair users. The Low Metal Elliptical Raised Bed and the Low Wooden Square Raised Bed are good for areas where poor soil, poor drainage, lots of roots, or some other issue makes planting directly in the soil too difficult.

Each bed has its own irrigation system (see accompanying picture), which the team monitors and adjusts as needed. Team members are usually at the Arboretum to water the beds three times a week in hotter weather, two to three times when cooler, unless it has rained. Raised beds can dry out faster than ground beds.

Picture
Elevated Plastic Rectangular Accessible Bed
Picture
Elevated Wooden Wheelchair Accessible Bed
Picture
Low Wooden Square Raised Bed
The beds were filled with a mix of composted cow manure, aged pine bark fines, perlite, dolomitic lime, and sand, which was bought in bulk. This formulation provides excellent drainage for vegetable or flower gardening.

Fall lettuces are currently growing in the new beds, along with radishes, kale, beets, carrots, broccoli, and peas. All of the harvest will be donated.

Picture
Brassica napus (Pabularia group)  'Siberian' Kale
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Lactuca salvia Mesclun - Spring Mix Lettuce
Depending on the size of the beds, anything can be grown in them. In fact, there are even compact varieties of tomato and cucumber plants that do well in the smallest of spaces.

Future plans include an in-ground plot as well as an arbor and a space to showcase more portable planting ideas, such as grow bags. To show that vegetable gardens can be attractive, a border will be added around the garden with a seating area in the center. The team hopes to do educational workshops when construction is complete.

The team purchased their beds locally and online. Two elevated planters are plastic, and the low elliptical planter is metal. The square bed and the double-height u-shaped bed are made of cedar, the recommended wood for these products.

Small-space gardening has become very popular, and it is getting easier to find kits and pre-made beds, which are available from many big box stores and online retailers.

All but the recycled plastic bed in the garden required assembly. The team had a little help with the u-shaped planter. But other than that, it has been all-girl power!

Pitt County Soil and Water Conservation staff provided site preparation. They used their machinery to dig up the turf, level the ground, and install crush-and-run to make a nice walking/wheeling surface. For the home gardener, some sources recommend removing the turf from under the beds, but team members know people who have placed their beds right on top of existing grass with no problems.
 
For information on creating your own raised beds, go to the North Carolina Community Gardens Handbook at https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/collard-greens-and-common-ground-a-north-carolina-community-food-gardening-handbook/soil-plots-and-planters.

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Extend the Life of Your Summer Annuals

9/10/2023

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By Joanne K., Pitt County EMGV
Coleus displays  in many home and public container gardens around the area have been spectacular this year. Perhaps you have a favorite coleus or another summer annual that you don't want to lose when the frost comes.
Picture
Coleus Green (Coleus scutellarioides) in late summer.
Photo by Joanne K.
As summer winds down, many annuals have luxuriant growth from which cuttings can be taken to propagate over the winter to enjoy in your garden next spring. Propagating cuttings is a fun way to extend your gardening season.

Following are two easy propagation methods using stem cuttings.

Picture
Picture
i) Angel Wing Begonia (Begonia coccinea) leaf about
   
to be cut. 
ii) Angel Wing Begonia leaf cut in half horizontally.

Photos by Dick W.
1. Use a pot with good drainage and fill it with a commercial seed starting mix or perlite.

Select a healthy stem or a large leaf with a stem.

Cut a 4"-6" long stem with several leaves between nodes. When cutting a single large leaf such as an angel wing begonia, cut it in half horizontally to encourage root development.

Remove flowers and any leaves from the bottom half of the stem, moisten it, and then dip it in rooting hormone (available at garden centers). The stem of the single leaf should also be dipped in the rooting hormone.

Make a hole in the moist commercial seed starting mix or perlite and place the stem or the large leaf in it. The stem should have one node below the soil line for root growth.

Several cuttings can be placed in a single container. It's a good idea to take more than one cutting to ensure successful rooting.

Cover the container with a bottomless milk jug or a clear plastic bag to maintain high humidity. Be careful to keep the leaves clear of the covering to prevent mold from developing.

Keep away from direct sunlight and water lightly if needed to keep the mixture moist but not soggy.


2. Rooting in water (begonia, coleus, geranium, and impatiens)

Take a 4"-6" stem cutting and place it in a jar of water, removing any leaves below the water line.

Change the water every three days to give new oxygen to the plant. Keep the container out of direct sunlight.


What to do once the cutting forms roots
How will you know it's time?
Most cuttings root in 4 to 6 weeks. A gentle tug on the stem cutting will have some resistance.

You may also see new growth at the base of the leaf cutting. In water, the roots are visible.

You are ready to pot it up in a planter with regular potting soil. Place each cutting in a separate planter and water. Don't water again until the top inch of soil is dry.

Picture
Beefsteak Begonia (Begonia erythrophylla) leaf cutting showing new leaf at base.
Photo by Joanne K.

Place the planter in a properly lit place for the type of plant you have. Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer when needed according to package directions.
Picture
Six Beefsteak Begonia (Begonia erythrophylla) leaf cuttings rooting in one container.
Photo by Joanne K.

The following annuals respond well to home propagation, but feel free to experiment with propagating your other container and bedding plants. You may be surprised how easy it is to do.

Floss flower, Ageratum; Wax begonia, Begonia ? semperflorens-cultorum; Dragon wing begonia, Begonia; Angel wing begonia, Begonia coccinea; Coleus, Coleus scutellarioides; Geranium, Pelargonium; Polka dot plant, Hypoestes; Impatiens, Impatiens walleriana; Persian shield, Strobilanthes dyerianus; Petunia, Petunia; Sweet Potato Vine, Ipomoea batatas; Verbena, Verbena; Vinca, Catharanthus roseus.



Picture
Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) stem cutting rooted in water.
Photo by Joanne K.

For an excellent series of plant propagation photos and instructions go to the following Missouri Botanical Garden site:

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/visual-guides/propagating-plants-by-cuttings#:~:text=Some plants will root in,rot if kept too wet.

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