Dig This!

Our Reno County Extension Master Gardener's ( RCEMG ) hosted a booth Saturday October 21st at the Farmer's Market, 2nd and Washington, in Hutchinson. The annual Plant Swap of perennials, houseplants, and seeds was well received. Jacqui Wood RCEMG  shares plants with David & Liz Welty 4H family...Lanae, Isaac and Evan all enjoy gardening and are members of the Royal Clovers 4H club. The swap was a great success. With about 25 different participants bringing items for the farmers market customers.  All plants were shared free of charge to gardeners and plant lovers young and old. One master gardener, Allen Hirst, collected over 15,000 milkweed seeds. Milkweed is desired by monarch butterflies. Monarch butterflies depend on the milkweed plants. They lay their eggs on them because they are the only food the monarch caterpillars eat. Monarch numbers are declining, partly due to the loss of open spaces where milkweeds grow. You can ...

Our Reno County Extension Master Gardener's ( RCEMG ) host a booth each 3rd Saturday at the Farmer's Market, 2nd and Washington, in Hutchinson. Folks who stop by the booth can sign up for the Reno County Extension's quarterly electronic newsletter. The newsletter has research and up-to-date information in the related fields of Horticulture, Agriculture, Family Consumer, and 4-H.     Rae Leen Chesney  is September's winner of the door prize @   RCEMG booth @Reno County Farmer Market. The prize was a set of plant ID stakes and a notebook from the Kansas Prescribed Fire Council. The September booth's theme was fall landscaping and fire preparedness. A big thank you to Jess Crockford for sharing his expertise. Fall is a good time to clear cedars out of pastures and mow the tall grasses to limit the amount of fuel available and therefore limit wild fire damage around homes and farmsteads. Another late summer Farmer's Market RCEMG prize winner wa...

Joe Pye Weed attracts beneficial insects Here are some favorite plants blooming and growing this time of year when I want to enjoy my garden more than work in it.  This is Heirloom Kale, I love the purple, crinkly look of it Chard , not only healthy but ornamental, red stems are striking Variegated Plectranthus, low maintenance. Overwinter it indoors Perennial Oregano , a staple, always comes back. Love the yellow green against purple, dark green, or reds. Perennial Salvia, aromatic. Jewels of Opar, reseeds but is not agressive. I like the yellow green, works well in pots , not fussy. See the tiny jewels on the stems?   Purple Basil is aromatic, ornamental, & great for cooking Gardening tips for late season, August & early September: Continue to deadhead for maximum blooms until frost Start/seed your fall, cooler weather, garden. Continue to feed annuals & container plants with a co...