Welcome to Garden Zone, the monthly newsletter produced by Extension Master Gardeners of Mecklenburg County. We encourage you to share Garden Zone with friends and neighbors! They can subscribe here . View in your browser We want YOU! Are you interested in becoming an Extension Master Gardener volunteer in Mecklenburg County? Now is the time to apply for the 2020 program! To be considered, you must submit an application by Aug. 30. The process includes an informal interview and background check of each candidate. Classes run from mid-January until the end of May. They're held once a week -- on Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students in the Mecklenburg program receive 70 hours of classroom training. Topics include soils, botany, vegetables, fruit, lawns, water quality, woody plants, integrated pest management and diagnosing plant problems. After completing the training, the learning continues through volunteer work that ranges from working with school groups to staffing Ask a Master Gardener booths at farmers markets and other venues. Have questions? Stop by our Open House on Thursday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at the extension office at 1418 Armory Drive (near Independence and E. 7th Street). We'll have folks there to provide more details about the program. The 2019 class Off with their heads: deadheading Deadheading -- the practice of removing spent blossoms -- is a way to keep your garden in bloom. It makes sense for repeat bloomers, such as roses and some annuals, such as marigolds, to keep them blooming. For most other plants, it's a matter of appearance and the personal taste of the gardener. Annuals : Pinch off the faded flowers on annuals, such as petunias, geraniums, marigolds, zinnias, and snapdragons, on a regular basis to prevent seed formation and promote additional flowering. Perennials : The flowering period of many perennials, such as coreopsis, garden phlox and shasta daisy, can also be prolonged by deadheading. Delphiniums may bloom a second time in late summer if the old stems are cut back after flowering. Before removing every spent flower in sight, be sure you know which plants produce attractive seeds or seed pods that you'll miss if you deadhead everything near the end of summer. The more plants you allow to form seeds, the more likely seed-eating birds will visit your garden regularly. August gardening tasks August can be a good month in the garden. Many plants are still in bloom and the variety of fruits and vegetables can be spectacular. Don't forget local farmers markets for fresh produce! Some tasks to consider for your home garden: Perennials & annuals Did you know ferns can become dormant if they get too dry? Check the soil regularly for watering needs. It's time to sow seeds for next summer's blooms -- e.g., Hollyhocks, Poppies, Larkspur, Shasta daisies, Columbine, Purple Coneflower, Cardinal Flower. Vegetables Start seeds now for fall and winter vegetables. Pinch the stems of basil regularly to prevent flowering, and harvest about once a week. Gather herbs for drying as they mature. Trees & shrubs No fertilizing is necessary this month. Trees and shrubs should NOT be pruned after Aug. 15. Lawn & landscaping Watch out for yellow patches, leaf curl or poor growth. You may need to increase watering if you see these signs. Remember to cut your turf high -- about 2-3 inches. Watering tips Water outdoor container plants daily, if needed, as they dry out quicker than plants in the ground. Water early morning. Deep watering is essential if drought conditions exist. For a complete list, see our gardening tasks for August . Pest of the Month: Corn Earworm Corn on the cob! You’ve waited patiently to harvest your first few ears of corn only to peel back the shucks to find… worms! The corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea Boddie) technically is a caterpillar. It can attack the corn when it's in what's called the whorled stage early in its growth habit (March/April), resulting in a stunted plant. It can also attack the cob, eating a few kernels or taking out a section of the entire cob (July/August). Several can infest the cob but only one will dominate since they resort to cannibalism once inside. Insecticides can be effective in controlling this pest at the whorled stage. However, the caterpillars make their way deep inside the layers of the plant so most will not be impacted. Never spray insecticides on or near developing corn cobs (or any developing fruit or vegetables). Corn earworm is not limited to corn production and can also attack other vegetables. The caterpillar will eventually morph into a moth and fly to other crops and lay eggs beginning another generation to attack nearby vegetables. For the home gardener, the best approach to controlling this pest is to observe your crops starting in early June and pick off any caterpillars you see. Also, planting earlier in the season may protect the crop from infestation. NCSU: Corn earworm NCSU: Whorled stage of corn production No space? No problem! If you have limited space to garden, there's a growing trend that might just suit your lifestyle. Why not give air plants a try? Air plants require minimal space, minimal care and are sure to brighten your indoor space. Air plants are flowering perennials in the Tillandsia genus and are native in zone 9 and higher. If you've seen Spanish Moss growing on trees in the south, then you have seen one type of Tillandsia. There are many unique shapes and colors of Tillandsia that can be used in a variety of containers to make a stunning indoor decorative piece. To keep your air plant healthy, give it bright indirect sunlight, good air circulation and light watering. A simple misting or dunk in the sink once or twice a week will be enough. Although the air plant has roots, they are used only for attaching to a support structure. Nutrients and moisture are absorbed through the leaves. Since they don’t need to be confined to a pot with soil, you can let your creative display ideas abound. Mounting them on a piece of bark, inside a glass globe, or attached to a decorative structure are all great options. Give these unique beauties a try in your home! Here's more information . There are well over 550 different varieties of air plants. Photo: Pixabay Master Gardeners in the Community For Master Gardener Rita Stanley, her love of gardening led her to sign up for the Therapeutic Horticulture course at UNC-Chapel Hill. Therapeutic Horticulture is the process through which participants enhance their well-being through active or passive involvement in plant and plant-related activities. Examples include journaling and leaf crafts, as well as gardening. Rita was in the first class of its kind at UNC. The program runs 10 months with an additional 6-month internship. Initially, Rita was looking for a way to combine her love of gardening and the work she does with the disabled. However, after being in the class and surveying her options, she's going to offer classes through her church on positive ways to experience depression and grief. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to healing or surviving a tragedy. Therapeutic horticulture is adaptable to an individual’s needs and can help them revisit their view of life. For anyone who gardens, it can bring a sense of peace and being in sync with nature. It makes a person feel better, physically and mentally. Now that there's more evidence to support this belief, maybe more people will step outside and play in the dirt. Rita Stanley Keep SLF out of North Carolina! Expect to hear more about Spotted Lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) in upcoming months. It's a highly invasive insect pest with infestations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and northern Virginia. It has an enormous host range, and is particularly devastating to grapes. Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), an invasive plant found throughout North Carolina and much of the U.S., is the preferred host plant of Spotted Lanternfly. Of equal concern is the copious amounts of honeydew these gregarious insects secrete -- attracting ants, wasps and black sooty mold to neighborhoods and businesses, affecting property values, tourism and human health. This pest has not yet been sighted in North Carolina but early detection is critical for protecting North Carolina residents, businesses and agriculture. What can you do? See the overview on the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services' web site. If you think you’ve seen Spotted Lanternfly, submit a photograph and details to
[email protected] . If you plan to visit any of the northeastern states in which Spotted Lanternfly has been found, it's recommended you thoroughly wash and inspect your vehicles before leaving. Also, do not move firewood. All life stages of Spotted Lanternfly can hitchhike, but the eggs and adults pose the greatest risk for movement. In northern states, adults can lay their eggs on any outdoor flat surfaces from July to December. Photos: NCDA&CS Check these upcoming events! Patio Farming Basics. Mon., Aug. 12; 6:30-8 p.m. Sponsored by SkillPop and The Patio Farmer. Event location: Hygge Coworking, 809 W. Hill St., Ste. C, (near Panther Stadium). Please register online . A Force for Nature: Lucy Braun; enjoy a movie & garden tour . Sun., Aug. 11; 2-4 p.m. Sponsors: Southern Piedmont Native Plant Society & UNCC Botanical Gardens. Event location: 9090 Craver Rd. (park in Lot 5). See Facebook details . Pressure Canning. Fri., Aug. 23; 12-1 p.m. Sponsored by Mecklenburg County Cooperative Extension, 1480 Armory Dr. Preregistration is required . Pesticides: Good, Bad & Ugly . Wed., Aug. 28, 12-1 p.m. Sponsored by Mecklenburg County Cooperative Extension, 1480 Armory Dr. You must preregister . Follow us on Social media The Mecklenburg Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) program operates under the Mecklenburg Center of the NC Cooperative Extension Service (NCCES), a part of
