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Image Courtesy Ruth McLeod Roots & Shoots Roots & Shoots August 2010 August 2010
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Roots & ShootsRoots & Shoots
August 2010August 2010
EDITOR: Vineetha Kartha ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Carlene Warner COPY EDITORS: Meg Paterson, Karen Sankman CALENDAR: Karen Sankman WEBSITE QUESTIONS: Kristen Wagner 602/827-8200 x311 USPS MAIL QUESTIONS: Debbie Mauldin 602/827-8200 x308
Deadline is the 18th of the month prior.
Roots & Shoots, published monthly by & for Maricopa Co. Master Gardeners, is printed under the direction of:
THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION MARICOPA COUNTY OFFICE
4341 E. BROADWAY RD. / PHOENIX, AZ 85040-8807 PHONE 602.827.8200 FAX 602.827.8292
HOURS: 8:00AM-5:00PM WEEKDAYS maricopamastergardeners.org
STAFF: Kelly Young, Assistant Agent, ANR/Urban Horticulture
602-827-8200 x319, [email protected] Kristen Wagner, Program Coordinator, Sr.
602-827-8200 x311 / [email protected] James Truman, Program Coordinator, Sr
602-827-8200 x306 / [email protected] Debbie Mauldin, Admin. Ass’t
602/827-8200 x308 / [email protected]
Roots & Shoots In this edition: People Spotlight MG Update Diggings A Visit to a Small Cactus Houseplant of the month And many more!!
Maricopa County Master Gardeners MG CONTACT LIST: For a complete listing, see the organizational chart under MG Business on the MG Central website East Valley Satellite: Wayne Hall -----------------------480-507-5422 Director at Large: Vacant Carl Rutherford ----------------- 480-325-1469 Educational Materials: Vacant NE Valley Satellite: Debbie Lyding ------------------- 602-789-7377 Demonstration Garden: Pam Perry 602-279-6250 Linda Belous --------------------- 480-991-4306 MG Support: Cherie Czaplicki 623-975-5397 Linda Thiedke ------------------- 480-614-0150 Public Events: Vacant NW Valley Satellite: Marianna Hancin -----------------623-566-1737 Public Training: Jim Oravetz 623-584-6068 Kris Coates ------------------------623-915-3337 Helen Zinn ------------------------ 623-271-7518 SATELLITE OFFICES: EAST VALLEY: 480-985-0338 NORTHEAST VALLEY: 480-312-5810 NORTHWEST VALLEY: 623-546-1672 Red Mtn. Multi-Generational Center Via Linda Senior Center PORA Office 7550 E. Adobe 10440 E Via Linda 13815 Camino del Sol Blvd Mesa, AZ 85207 Scottsdale, AZ 85258-6099 Sun City West, AZ 85375 Mon. & Thurs. 9:00a.m.-Noon Mon. 9 -12:30 p.m.; Thurs. 9 -4 p.m. Weekdays 9:00a.m.-Noon The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. Persons with a disability may request a reason-able accommodation, such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting Kristen Wagner, Program Coordinator, at [email protected] 602-470-8086x311. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Ex-tension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James A. Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, The University of Arizona.
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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter
Kelly completed recent graduate coursework from the University of Arizona in weed science, plant pathology, greenhouse pest management, plant growth and development, crop physiology. During that time she con-ducted research investigating sweet sorghum as a feedstock for ethanol production. Currently an intern with Project CENTRL (Center for Rural Leadership), Kelly advocates for the green industry while developing strong ties with decision makers throughout Arizona .
How did you come to be interested in urban horticulture? I became interested in horticulture while pretty young. My father was an avid flower gardener and took great pride in his roses and immaculate lawn. When I was five or six I planted some watermelon seeds that I had spit out and grew two huge fruits. I've always been fascinated by animals and the garden is a great place to observe nature. What are your work responsibilities & daily routine? My primary responsibility is to deliver educational programming through research to the nursery and land-scape industries. Additionally, I will provide oversight to the Master Gardener program. Right now, I am visit-ing nurseries and becoming involved with Arizona Nursery Association and the Arizona Landscape Contrac-tors' Association. What is your favorite part of the job and the least favorite part of the job? It's a new job, although it has the Urban Horticulture title, there is a large Commercial Horticulture element. It will be created as we go along. I love that. Each day is different, I'm meeting new people, seeing new plants and encountering new insects. For me, it doesn't get any better than that. At this point, I can't say there is any part of the job I don't like! What are the current day challenges to urban horticulture? There are huge challenges right now for the nursery industry. When the housing market is down, there is a direct impact to the nursery industry. Everyone, everywhere is doing more with less. What is the best action master gardeners can take today to make a difference? Master Gardeners teach others. It is crucial that we are all delivering research-based information. I really hope that MGs are staying informed and modifying what they tell others based on new information that comes in. We need to use less water in our landscapes and be more judicious in our applications of insecti-cides. Also, MGs can support the nursery industry by buying more plants!
Kelly Young came to the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Maricopa County in 2003 as a program coordinator for the Urban Hor-ticulture program and for the last several years has been doing re-search with field and vegetable crops. Kelly earned a master’s degree in Botany from Arizona State University and has been working with, and teaching people about plants ever since. The youngest of seven children and the first native Arizonan in her family, Kelly’s family owned and operated a small landscape maintenance company in Phoenix. She has dug many planting holes and moved countless shovels of crushed granite. Proud parents to two adult daughters, Kelly and her husband Robert enjoy paddling dragon boats competitively in their spare time.
People SPOTLIGHT Behind the scenes - Kelly Young
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MG Update Seasonal Selection of Vegetables By Deb Sparrow For Your Garden
WHO: Pam Perry remembers planting tomatoes with her mom in Vermont when she was three years old. She grew up with gardening and feels lucky to have had the opportunity to turn this avocation into a vocation. Pam has worked as a grower and design consultant in both retail and wholesale nurseries. She is a graduate of the College of Agriculture and Life Science at the University of Vermont and a certified Coopera-tive Extension Master Gardener in three states, including Arizona. When she lived in California, she was the grower for Morningsun Herb Farm, a wonderful place with demon-stration gardens, trial gardens for heirloom vegetables and hoop houses for year round growing. Here in Phoenix, Pam worked at a local resort, overseeing the design, installation, and maintenance of landscaping projects throughout the resort. She included vegetables in her ornamental beds of annuals there. At our own Maricopa County Cooperative Extension offices she offers classes for the public through the Desert Garden Institute and the ‘Grow and Preserve Workshops’. She teaches the Vegetables chapter of the Master Gar-dener training classes. And as the Director of the Extension’s Demonstration Gardens, Pam offers volunteers hands-on experience in desert gardening, fruit tree care, weekly vegetable gardening, and the care of desert adapted plants in the landscape. WHAT: Seasonal Selection of Vegetables for Your Garden - After all her gardening experience in other states, Pam finds Arizona’s year round gardening a real treat. She likes to explore just how to keep the vegetable garden producing interesting veggies all year round, and that is what this month’s update is about. If you want to grow vegetables year round here, you can. We’re not talking about keeping particular plants alive forever. Most vegetables are annuals and are more productive as annuals. This is about making the seasons really work for us. Selecting appropriate varieties for the season is key. Pam will discuss varieties of some of our favorite veggies like, tomatoes, corn, onions and broccoli. Well, not just broccoli. Pam says there is life beyond broccoli in what is known as the Brassica family. The Brassica family (a.k.a. Mustard and Cruciferae) is full of many beautiful and tasty veggies. In recent years a variety of Kales have been more widely planted, ornamental and edible, with wonderful names like Dinosaur Kale, a particularly verdant green and tasty kale. Some Brassicas are cut and grow again, like mustard greens. There has been a veritable explosion of choices in these. Seed for many Asian varieties is now avail-able. Other Brassicas, like some Broccolis, are harvested once and you’re done. And if you don’t like Broccoli or Mustard, think again. There is great variation in the flavor of different varieties of both. And there are better ways of cooking them that make them really tasty. But maybe you’ve been tangling with cabbage loopers and not sure if it’s really worth the effort. If you are wondering how to grow cabbage instead of cabbage loopers (larvae of a common moth), Pam will tell you how she’s figured this out. It’s all about tim-ing. So many Tomato choices - Big Boy, Early Girl, Zebra, Brandywine, Juliette, Sungold, Pearson, Sweet 100s, seems like a never ending variety. It is wonderful, but how do you know which one to plant and when? Pam will tell us how to narrow it down. She’ll talk about cold and warm season tomatoes and criteria for determining what plants will work in which season. We’ll learn how to use the information provided in seed catalogues and on seed packets, like day length and time to maturity. And Pam will discuss some less common vegetables like favas and Florence fennel, two favorites of Mary Irish. She’s sure to come up with more by the update. You’ll have to be there to find out! Pam will share her explorations in vegetable varie-ties for our seasons and invites you to bring in a list of your favorite vegetable varieties and why you grow them. WHEN: August 11, Wednesday morning, 9:00 am WHERE: at the extension office, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix
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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter
Diggings in the Garden by Pam Perry
The amaranth are hanging heavy heads, time to corral these in bags for seed harvest, and hope we do not get too much rain… now there is a conundrum. Interns have joined us, and compost has been incorporated in anticipation of plantings of corn, beans, and maybe some squash. I just removed the remains of plants infested with squash bugs, so I may wait a couple weeks to plant more squash. Pruning and clean up will begin around the grounds, lots of projects under-way… Sighted in the tropical collection this year are a very happy giant devil’s claw plant and several hibiscus sab-dariffa. The banana is doing famously, the herbs are holding steady. Seed collected in that garden will be available anywhere you find the Herb Association selling plants, and sharing how to grow herbs in the desert! We are welcoming Kelly Young as a new Horticulture agent. She has been busy with many projects at the Extension, and has served as a master gardener coordinator, and is no stranger to our climate! She has some interesting ideas for the gardens and I look forward to seeing how we can help get these underway! Welcome Kelly!
Summer in the garden this year has seen the demise of squash, melons and cukes. The Armenian cukes got a late start, but may catch up. Three kinds of okra are looking profitable and the tomatoes performed handsomely after a very accommodating May! Sunflowers are being reduced, we had so many this spring! The teddy bear variety that were directly planted were fat and pretty, and a multi-headed lemon variety attracts the dearest little green bees, all laden with pollen early in the morning. Sweet potatoes are finally taking off, and the watermelon from Native Seed Search is most ambitious!
Interns hard at work at the Demonstration Garden. Images courtesy Charles Stephens
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Recently, my wife and I visited the Vermilion Cliffs to see con-dors. During the trip we were treated to another rarity. The owner of the Lees Ferry Lodge, where we stayed, told us that down the highway there was an unmarked gate leading to a plot of Pediocactus bra-dyi. This cactus was listed as endangered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in 1979. Attempts to block access in the past have been circum-vented by vandals who have torn out locked gates and fences.
After traversing a short, bumpy dirt road, we arrived at a narrow ridge of Marble Canyon overlooking the Colorado River. We parked and as we walked we had to look sharp not to step on the 3-centimeters-in-diameter cacti, with an average of only 1 ½ centimeters peeping above ground. There were a total of no more than 60 plants and after moving about we noticed that some were labeled with aluminum tags. That made them easier to find. Monitoring is apparently conducted by the Bureau of Land Management.
P. bradyi is one fussy cactus. It will grow only on a mixture of Moenkopi shale and Kaibab limestone and likes to live only in the Great Basin Desertscrub Community. This habitat is found only on the Colo-rado Plateau at about 1200 m elevation on the east and west rims of Marble Canyon in Coconino County, Arizona. It is apparently possible to grow the plant away from its habitat only by grafting. Since its discov-ery in 1958, P. bradyi has experienced a serious decline because of col-lecting, drought, insects, vehicle traffic and livestock trampling.
A Visit to a Small Cactus by Tim Cullison
Did you ever feel sorry for a cactus? I experienced the emotion after viewing the pitifully few remaining specimens of P. bradyi.
They were . . . just cute! But so fragile. Who was the comedian who said that his life was like having one foot on a precipice and the other on a banana peel? That’s the case for these small cacti!.
SNAPSHOT FOR (Brady's pincushion cactus) P. BRADYI Group: Dicot Family: Cactaceae Duration: Perennial Growth Habit: Shrub Native Status: Brady pincushion cactus United States: Endangered Arizona: Highly Safeguarded Image courtesy http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PEBR2&photoID=pebr2_3h.jpg, accessed on July 30, 2010.
Images courtesy Paula Cullison
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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter
Rustic Sphinx Moth by Sue Hakala
The rustic sphinx moth is a really big moth with a 4-5 inch wing span. The one that buzzed my head was so large I thought it was a bat. They are a chocolate brown color with zigzagged black and white lines at the edges. Look for them in your yard after 10 p.m. on warm nights when they become active and feed on the nectar in the flowers of the desert willow, honeysuckle, jasmine, datura, and other deep-throated flowers. Manduca rustica can be found scattered in the Southeastern part of the U.S., in Arizona, Baja and Sonora, Mexico, and further south in other warm locales to Uruguay. The female calls her mate with phero-mones on the night breeze. She will lay two broods from July to November. The caterpillar looks a lot like the hook-worm caterpillar of the sphinx moth: a fat green tube with purple and white stripes on its sides that help it to look like a leaf. It will pupate underground in a reddish brown cocoon that has a long hook on one end. They are harm-less creatures that hover in front of flowers drinking nectar and pollinating plants. Count yourself lucky if you see one while you are sitting out this summer!
As Master Gardeners you know the reasons landscape plants drop their leaves, but do you know the reasons why your houseplant leaves drop? They will periodically have leaves that turn yellow and drop off. There are various reasons for yellowing and/or leaf drop and a little detective work must be done to determine and remedy the problem. One of the main factors is light. The entire plant needs plenty of light for leaves to remain green and healthy and stay on the plant. Light is also important to the plants ability to produce food for itself and to keep its leaves in top condition. The older leaves are the first to suffer when there are not enough nutrients. The for-mation of new leaves also sometimes results in the yellowing and dropping of a few older leaves. There are other possible reasons for the decline of leaves on a plant. Something may have taken place while the leaf was forming that caused it to yellow, or physical injury to a leaf or part of the plant could cause yel-lowing. Soil that has been allowed to get particularly dry, tremendously bright light, or cold temperatures can cause the decline of a small section of a plant. A location change and subsequent change in the environment can also result in the downfall of older leaves, and they may be shed during the adjustment phase. There are also root problems that can cause the decline of older leaves. Things, such as over fertilization or a soil with a high insect population feeding on the roots, could be reasons for leaf decline. A waterlogged soil is particularly detrimental to the roots. The limited oxygen could cause death of the roots and then the leaves. This situation can occur due to lack of adequate drainage holes in the container. So, check your watering practices, use a 5-10-5 houseplant fertilizer, and rotate your plants so they don’t al-ways lean towards the light and both you and your houseplants will be happy.
Houseplant of the Month by Pauline Marx
Images courtesy http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/zeeb/butterflies/Sphynx.html, ac-cessed on July 30, 2010
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Hang It and They Will Come by Sheryl Stradling
Why attracting Peach-faced Lovebirds is good for your garden...
Fabulous, bright color spots Low maintenance Flourish in both growing seasons Heat tolerant Low water usage Clean up spilled seeds and fruit Eco-friendly; green Talkative, intelligent conversationalists What’s not to love about them, anyway?
Fall 2010 Garden Institute By Louise Wakem
The Fall 2010 Desert Garden Institute offers five interesting and inspiring classes and our Master Gardeners are invited to attend. The classes will be held at the Maricopa County Extension office at 4341 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix. Vegetable Gardening with Pam Perry - Saturday, September 18 Perry puts a different spin on this class and will discuss the art of reading seed catalogs, understanding the nuances of vegetable variety selection and will be concentrating on why some vegetables work here and why others don’t, and the “which and when” of planting. Wildflowers with Judy Curtis - Saturday. September 25 Curtis will discuss the many varieties available and the how, where and when to plant for a glorious Spring show to get ready for the premier planting season in the Low Desert. Herbs in the Desert Landscape with Carolyn Hills - Saturday, October 2 Learn how to prepare your soil, how and where to plant, which varieties do best in our climate, and how to care for herbs in the desert landscape. Aloes, Agaves and Cactus with Michelle Anderson- Saturday, October 16 Anderson will lead you through the dizzying array of plant materials and teach you about the differences be-tween aloes and agaves, how to live with them, care for them and incorporate them and the many varieties of cactus available to us in your landscape. The Nature of Design with Jo Miller - Saturday, November 6 Jo Miller will give you the basics on designing for water and energy efficiency, to design or renovate your landscape by working with natural systems to grow edibles, attract wildlife, or simply maintain healthy plants. Classes are available free of charge to Master Gardeners. but you must make a reservation for each class you want to attend. Master Gardener attendance is limited to 20 people. Call the extension office at 602.827.8200 x301 to make your reservation. The classes are offered to the general public at $25/class.
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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter
Traveling Gardener, wandering, wondering, noticing… Fantasy Gardens by Linda Larson
The July heat storms in and drives me inside. Putting away my gardening gloves, it is time to engage in some fantasy gardening. I imagine a garden where the plants stay in optimum health, the blooms unfold in predictable order of color and quality is assured by a perfect feeding schedule and ideal watering. A garden always orderly, where any storm damage is minimized and cleared promptly by industrious garden gnomes. Yes, I realize it is a fantasy but since children may escape the day to day world by visiting a magic kingdom, why can’t a gardener escape to a magic garden? George Washington Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate in Ashe-ville, North Carolina is the ultimate fantasy garden com-plete with an enormous castle! Fredrick Law Olmstead, considered the father of American Landscape, designed the gardens and worked throughout the original 400,000 acres in 1895. The magnificent home today open to the public now occupies 8000 acres and the remaining grounds are a gardener’s delight. Simply arriving at the great house is a pleasure. The 3 mile long entrance curves through a remarkable land-scape “of rhododendron, mountain laurel and azalea, passing from woods to open meadow . . . At every turn is a new surprise: a stream, a pool, a blanket of wildflowers, a thicket of river cane.” (A Guide to Biltmore Estate) Looking back from the steps of the house you see a front lawn rolling down a gentle incline to the limestone bridge. The view then draws your eye back up the hill to a ga-zebo placed before a double grove of hemlock trees that form the letter “V” for the Vanderbilts. That exceeds all my fantasies, a stand of trees grown to form the initial of your family name! Olmstead designed a 250 acre pleasure garden around the house. There are walled gardens, terraces, pergola, a conservatory, water gardens and an Italian garden. There are grand views of the gardens from any window of the majestic home. For a gardener it is a hard decision to choose where to linger when touring, outside in the gar-dens or inside the home? Mr. Vanderbilt envisioned a self sustaining estate and organized farms to yield fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, dairy and honey. There was a lumber mill and a 300 acre nursery to supply the estate. He and Olmstead began the “Biltmore Forest School in 1898--the first institute for scientific forestry in America.” Van-derbilt was doing organic and sustainable gardening in 1895.
Images courtesy Rich Larson
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Traveling Gardener continued
Wandering through these grounds today is to step into a fantasy garden. The Biltmore name is a combination of two words, “Bildt” the name of the Dutch town from which the Vanderbilts originated and “moor” the old English word for “open rolling lands.” Arizona has our own Biltmore! A grand piece of archi-tecture, it opened in 1929 not long after the original Biltmore. It too was once a private estate with exten-sive lands outside the city. A grand drive into the now public hotel still exists though the landscape is less uniformly designed today. Here too a gardener can fantasize. I visited on one of our hot July days and wandered through the manicured grounds of blooming hibiscus, portulaca, lantana, and pentas. Lush green shrubs are accented by annuals that provided bursts of color all around. Even when building the AZ Biltmore, the focus of the building materials was organic with use of sand and copper. Our current interest in sustainable green actions may not be such a new concept but one perhaps lost over the years since these two great structures were built.
A group of 9 Master Gardeners met at Pam Perry's home to sort and label seeds on Monday, July 19. It was dusty, dirty and hot but fun. We learned a lot and accomplished a lot. We now have seeds separated and jarred and labeled for the Fall Festival. Seeds include Cerinthe, Somniferum Poppy, Calendula, Larkspur, Pen-stemon Parri, Caltrop and Superstition Mallow. Photos by Ruth McLeod
Sorting and Labeling Seeds by Ruth McLeod
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Maricopa County’s Master Gardener Newsletter
Fertilizers can be divided into two categories – natural (seaweed and manures) and chemical. Organic fertilizers encourage soil organisms and help build soils. Chemical fertilizers are fast acting, and nutrients are provided in balanced ratios. In addition, they can meet specific needs for specific plants. (Rowney 97) When purchasing natural fertilizers, remember: “In the scientific world, the term ‘organic’ refers to any carbon-containing compound—a very different meaning from the one gardeners assign to the word. And there is no national legal defini-tion of what constitutes an organic product. Manufacturers have broad discretion in how they use the term. Organic fertilizers are mild and release their nutrients slowly. Be wary of a fertilizer labeled organic that has an N-P-K ratio adding up to more than 15.” (Halpin 37) The three macro nutrients required by plants are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and Potassium (K). General guidelines for application are provided in the table below, but always follow package instructions. When in doubt, test by applying ¼ to ½ of the prescribed amount.
Vegetable Gardening in Arizona by Kellie Guteridge Fertilizing Vegetables
Nutrient Purpose Sources Application Rate
Nitrogen String growth, leaf color, photosynthesis Excess retards fruits and flower formation
Alfalfa meal Blood Meal Crab or seafood meal Feather meal Fish meal Bat Guano Manure Teas
25-50 lbs/1,000 sf 10-30 lbs/1,000 sf 50-150 lbs /1,000 sf 10-30 lbs/1,000 sf 10-30 lbs/1,000 sf Side-dress, starter for seedlings, or use in potted plants Dilue to pale tea color and use only on well watered plants. Do not wet foliage
Phosphorus Root growth Ripening of seeds & fruit
Bone meal Colloidal phosphate Rock phosphate
1-3 lbs/100 foot row 50 lbs/1,000 sf every 5 years, apply in fall 50 lbs/1,000 sf
Potassium Fruit formation, Photosynthesis Nutrient uptake Maintain plant rigidity Flowering If adding nitrogen, its wise to add potas-sium
Mined minerals: Granite meal Greensand Potassium sulfate Sulfate of potash-magnesia
50 lbs/1,000 sf 50 lbs/1,000 sf Not recommended for gardens 5-10 lbs/1,000 sf or no more than 1lb/100 ft root
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Water toma-toes regularly and fertilize only when the plant is in full blossom. Give weak compost tea or fish emul-sion. Avoid giving plant too much nitrogen. Fruit may not set if tempera-tures are over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Also known as the “love ap-ple.” (Burnie 258)
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Vegetable Gardening continued ...
(Rowney 97) (Carr 100-104) (Halpin 35) Never apply fertilizer to dry soil – it increases the chances of burning plant roots. (Rowney 96) Fertilizing times, types and amounts vary by plant. Some plants, for instance, require high amounts of potassium but little nitrogen, while other plants prefer high nitrogen and low potassium. To achieve maximum productivity, individual fertilization programs should be created for each plant variety. (Carr 85) Examples of timing in-clude: After the first tomato clusters form; when sweet corn is “knee high” and again when tassels develop; when cucumbers, melons and squash start producing runners. (Oebker 2) When applying fertilizer to indi-vidual plants, always apply around the drip line and slightly beyond so the fertilizer is accessible to plant feeder roots. Work fertilizer lightly into the soil then water it in. (Halpin 40) Nutrient deficiencies can often look similar and care should be taken to ensure proper diagnosis. Too much of any nutrient can be toxic to plants and frequently appears with salt burns symptoms: marginal browning of leaves, separated from green leaf tissue by a narrow yellow halo. The browning pattern, also called necro-sis, begins at the tip and proceeds to the base of the leaf along the edge of the leaf. (Hosier 1) A complete description of nutrient deficiency symptoms can be found in the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Pub-lication AZ1106.
Nutrient Purpose Sources Application Rate
Trace Minerals Plant Growth Kelp Extract (Also contains Potash) Kelp Meal ( Also contains potash)
1 Tbl liquid or 1 tsp powder per gallon per 500 sq ft 5-20 lbs/1,000 sf
NPK, Trace Overall Health Earthworm Cross-ings
50 lbs/1,000 sf
Minerals & Organic Material
0.5-0.5-0.3 N-P-K 11 Trace Minerals 50% Organic Mate-rial
Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,
and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.
August 2010 Events Calendar Submit events to Karen Sankman
Aug 13 Southwest Horticulture Annual Day of Education
7 am-5 pm, Renaissance Glendale Hotel, next to Cardinal Stadium at 9495 W. Coyotes Boulevard. $118. Sponsored by Arizona Nursery Assoc. Register now for this event on Aug. 13. Info/Register
Aug 27, 28 Sustainable Gardening for Homes and Communities
9:30 am-4 pm Friday, 7:45 am-5 pm Sat, Mazatzal Casino, at Highway 87, Mile Marker 251 just south of Payson, AZ. $30 for demonstration tour on Friday, $105 for garden conference on Sat. Sponsored by Gila County Cooperative Extension. Info/Register
Aug 28 Phoenix Permaculture: Fall 2010 Design Course
Now registering for a 72 hour design class beginning the weekend of Aug. 28 and ending Nov. 13. $750. Info/Register
Sept. 7 Desert Landscaper Certification Program
Desert Botanical Garden is accepting applications for 9 mos. class starting Sept. 7, 2010. $1275. Info/Register
Mon 2 Ask a Master Gardener
10 am-noon, Sun City Library, Bell Branch, 16828 N. 99th Ave, Sun City. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice. Cherie Czaplicki or Antje Schneider
Mon 2 Valley of the Sun Gardeners Meeting
6:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Orvalita Hopkins
Mon 2 Orchid Society of AZ Monthly Meeting
7-9 pm, Arizona State Veteran Home, 4141 N. 3rd St, Phoenix. Julie Rathbun (602) 843-0223. Orchid Society of Arizona
Tue 3
Tuesday in the Garden
6 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250
Tue 3 Master Gardener Training Class: Weed Science
9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Speaker: Dr. F. Edward Northam, Program Coordinator of Invasive Plants
Tue 3 Down to Earth Toastmasters
6-7:15 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Olivette Aviso (480) 235-5989. Down to Earth Toastmasters
Tue 3 Sun Country Iris Meeting
7 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Ardi Kary at (480) 949-0253, Sun Country Iris Society
Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,
and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.
Wed 4 Phoenix Permaculture: Indoor Gardening
6:30-8 pm, Tempe Transportation Center, 200 E. 5th St., 2nd Floor, Tempe. $10 donation. Info/Register
Thu 5 NW Satellite Office Diagnostic Clinic
10 am-noon, 13815 Camino del Sol, Sun City West. MaryAnn Garewal (623) 546-1672. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.
Fri 6 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic
8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.
Fri 6, 7, 8 Maricopa County Home & Garden Show
10 am-7 pm Fri & Sat, 10 am-5 pm Sun, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale. Info/Discounts
Sat 7 Phoenix Permaculture: Beginning Seed Saving
9-10:30 am, ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus, UCENT Bldg, Rm. 234, 411 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. $10 donation. Info/Register
Sat 7 Master Gardener Q&A Session
10 am-2 pm, Northwest Regional Library located in the Surprise Recreation Complex, 16089 N. Bullard Ave, Surprise, AZ. Marianna Hancin. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.
Sun 8 Gourd Art Class 9 am-1 pm, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn to burn, paint, etch and emboss decorative gourds. $30 mem/$37.50 non-mem. Info/Register
Tue 10
Tuesday in the Garden
6 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250
Tue 10 Master Gardener Training Class: Insects
9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Speaker: Carl Olson, Assoc. Curator, U of A Dept of Entomology
Tue 10 Sonoran Desert Iris Society Monthly Meeting
7 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Contact: Darol Jurn (623) 932-3412
Wed 11
Master Gardener Update
9 am-noon, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Topic: Seasonal selection of vegetables for your garden with Pam Perry. Deb Sparrow
Wed 11 Phoenix Permaculture: New Volunteer Orientation
6:30-8 pm, Downtown Phoenix Public Market Meeting Room, SE Corner of Central Ave. & McKinley St, Phoenix. Info
Wed 11 Scottsdale Rose Society Monthly Meeting
7:30 pm, Eldorado Community Center, 2311 N. Miller Road, Scottsdale. Michael Levitt (480) 206-3806
Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,
and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.
Thu 12 Tolleson Gourd Patch Monthly Meeting
2:00-4:30 pm, Tolleson Senior Center, 9555 W. VanBuren, Tolleson, AZ. Lana Hinde (602) 843-9015, Tolleson Gourd Patch
Thu 12 Spirit of the Desert Gourd Patch Meeting
4:30-6:30 pm, Sewing Room at the Sun Lakes Oakwood Arts & Crafts Center at the intersection of Riggs Rd and EJ Robson Blvd, Sun Lakes. Sally Kiste (480) 895-7638 or Barbara Crossland (480) 802-6891, Spirit of the Desert
Thu 12 Mesa East Valley Rose Society Monthly Meeting
7 pm, Mesa Community College Library, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. (480) 807-3475. Mesa East Valley Rose Society
Thu 12
AZ Rare Fruit Growers Monthly Meeting
7:30 pm, Palo Verde Room at Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. AZ Rare Fruit, Monte Palmer (480) 688-2087
Fri 13 Southwest Horticulture Annual Day of Education
7 am-5 pm, Renaissance Glendale Hotel, next to Cardinal Stadium at 9495 W. Coyotes Boulevard. $118. Sponsored by Arizona Nursery Assoc. Info/Register
Fri 13 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic
8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.
Fri 13 Old Town Garden Club Meeting
10 am, Harper’s Nursery, 2529 Hayden Road, Scottsdale. Jen Donovan
Sat 14 Intro to Composting 10:30 am-1 pm, Avondale City Hall Sonoran Room, 11465 W. Civic Center Dr., Avondale. Free. Register at Esmie Avila (623) 333-4422
Sun 15 Photo Shoot and Botany Walk Workshop
6:30 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. $30 mem/$37.50 non-mem. Info/Register
Sun 15 Tree Tour 8:30 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Guided tour of trees with Terry Mikel. Info
Sun 15 Prickly Pear Cactus Class
10:30-11:30 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn to harvest prickly pear fruit and sample prickly pear snacks. Free with admission. Info
Tue 17 West Valley Gourd Patch Monthly Meeting
1:30 pm, Glendale Library at 59th Ave. and Brown. Contact Joanne Griner (623) 937-3268, West Valley Gourd Patch
Tue 17
Tuesday in the Garden
6 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250
Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,
and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.
Tue 17 Master Gardener Training Class: Entomology 101
9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Speaker: Stacey Bealmear, Asst. Urban Horticulture Agent for Yuma County Cooperative Extension.
Tue 17 Down to Earth Toastmasters
6-7:15 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Olivette Aviso (480) 235-5989, Down to Earth Toastmasters
Tue 17 The Dirt on Compost 6-9 pm, Desert Botanical Garden $30 mem/$36 non-mem. Info/Register
Tue 17 Phoenix Rose Society Meeting
7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Phoenix Rose Society, Jeannie Cochell (602) 493-0238
Wed 18 Phoenix Permaculture: Introduction to Permaculture
6:30-8 pm, Tempe Transportation Center, 200 E. 5th St, 2nd Floor, Tempe. $10 donation. Info/Register
Wed 18 AZ Gourd Society Monthly Meeting
7-9 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Rd., Phoenix. Contact Cheri Williams (623) 322-5660, AZ Gourd Society
Wed 18 Phoenix Chrysanthemum Society Meeting
7:30 pm, Valley Garden Center, 1809 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix. Contact: Wayne Wight (602) 943-7418
Thu 19 Desert Valley Orchid Society Meeting
6:30 pm, Scottsdale Senior Center, 10440 E. Via Linda, Scottsdale. Steve Grass (602) 508-1808, Desert Valley Orchid Society
Thu 19 Dry It, You’ll Like It! 6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $40 mem/$48 non-mem. Info/Register
Fri 20 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic
8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.
Sat 21 Mesa East Valley Rose Society Deadheaders
6-8 am deadheading, 8 am meeting/ refreshments, Mesa Community College Rose Garden, 1833 W. Southern Ave, Mesa. Bring gloves and pruners/shears. Mickey Kundrat, Mesa East Valley Rose Society
Sat 21 Plants of the Bible Guided Tour
8:30 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about botany, history, and scripture on this slow-paced walk. Free. Info
Sat 21 Desert Sun African Violet Society Meeting
10 am, for location contact: Ann Stoetzer (623) 872-9020. Desert Sun African Violet Society
Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,
and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.
Sat 21 Ask a Master Gardener
10:30-1:30 pm, Civic Center Library, 11350 W. Civic Center Drive, Avondale. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice. George Salamunec
Sat 21 Bonsai of Scottsdale 1:30 pm, Granite Reef Senior Center, Rm 7, 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd, Scottsdale. Pat Mitchell (480) 575-5649
Sun 22 Edible/Medicinal Desert Plant Guided Walk
8:30 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn about native desert plants have fed, clothed, and healed indigenous peoples for millennia. Enjoy mesquite flour waffles with pomegranate syrup. Free. Info
Tue 24
Tuesday in the Garden
6 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250
Tue 24 Master Gardener Training Class: Turf Management
9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Speaker: Sharon Dewey, Instructional Specialist for Marciopa County Cooperative Extension.
Wed 25 and Sat 28
Propagating and Cultivating Herbs
6-9 pm on Wed, 7-10 am on Sat, Desert Botanical Garden, $60 mem/$72 non-mem. Info/Register
Wed 25 Phoenix Permaculture: Growing Herbs
6:30-8 pm, Lady Bug Pest Control Office, 1641 E. University Dr., Mesa. $10 donation. Instructor: Doreen Pollack. Info/Register
Thu 26 New River Gourd Patch Meeting
9-11:30 am, New River Senior Center, 48606 N. 17th Avenue, New River, AZ 85087. Camille Massey (602) 708-0416
Thu 26 Can It! 6:30-8:30 pm, Desert Botanical Garden, $40 mem/$48 non-mem Info/Register
Fri 27 Main Office Diagnostic Clinic
8 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring plant or pest samples for ID and advice.
Sat 27, and Sun 28
Sustainable Gardening for Homes and Communities
9:30 am-4 pm Friday, 7:45 am-5 pm Sat, Mazatzal Casino, at Highway 87, Mile Marker 251 just south of Payson, AZ. $30 for demonstration tour on Friday, $105 for garden conference on Sat. Sponsored by Gila County Cooperative Extension. Info/Register
Sat 28 Native Plants Walk 8 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Info
Sat 28
City of Avondale: Irrigation Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and Repair
10:30 am-1 pm, Care 1st Resource Annex Center, 328 W. Western Ave, Avondale. Free. Register at Esmie Avila (623) 333-4422
Items in green denote an event sponsored by the Maricopa County Cooperative Extension Service,
and/or an opportunity for volunteer hours. Underlined words are links to websites or e-mail addresses.
Sat 28 Prickly Pear Cactus Class
10:30-11:30 am, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, 37615 U.S. Highway 60, Superior, AZ. Learn to harvest prickly pear fruit and sample prickly pear snacks. Free with admission. Info
Sun 29 Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society Meeting
2 pm, Dorrance Hall at Desert Botanical Garden. Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society . Judy Braun-Brody (480) 481-8129
Tue 31 Tuesday in the Garden
6 am, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Bring gloves and tools that you like to help with maintenance in the vegetable garden. Pam Perry (602) 279-6250
Tue 31 Master Gardener Training Class: Pruning
9:30 am-12:30 pm, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway, Phoenix. Speaker: Steve Preibe, City of Phoenix Horticulturist.
Tue 31 Basic Yard Makeovers 6:30-8:45 pm, Chandler Senior Center, 202 E. Boston St., Chandler. Instructor: Cathy Rymer. Free, Info/Register
