Be sure to check out the Brown County Free Fair in Horton, KS on July 12-18. A schedule of events can be found on our website: http://www.brown.k-state.edu/ along with this year’s Fairbook. You can also follow along on Brown Co 4-H and Brown County Kansas Fair Facebook page for results and pictures. This year’s fair theme is Blue Jeans & Country Dreams.
K-State horticulture expert gives tips for maximizing growth of Onions and Tomatoes
Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) will soon be in a rapid vegetative growth stage. Sericea lespedeza continues to be a major concern on rangeland, pasture, and some CRP acres in Kansas.
Meat thermometer is the best defense in keeping food safe
K-State horticulture expert says not all trees should be salvaged
Soils are warm enough now that tomatoes can benefit from mulching. Tomatoes prefer even levels of soil moisture and mulches provide such by preventing excessive evaporation. Other benefits of mulching include weed suppression, moderating soil temperatures and preventing the formation of a hard crust on the soil. Crusted soils restrict air movement into and out of the soil and slow the water infiltration rate. Hay and straw mulches are very popular for tomatoes but may contain weed or volunteer grain seeds. Grass clippings can also be used but should be applied as a relatively thin layer – only 2 to 3 inches thick. Clippings should also be dry as wet clipping can mold and become so hard that water can’t pass through. Also, do not use clippings from lawns that have been treated with a weed killer until some time has passed. With most types of weed killers, clippings from the fourth mowing after treatment may be used. If the lawn was treated with a product containing quinclorac (Drive), the clippings should not be used as mulch. If the weed killer used has a crabgrass killer, it likely contains quinclorac.
Protecting New Vegetable Transplants from the Wind