Calendar of Events

Friday, November 24, 2023

Growing herbs for holidays meals...and as gifts!

Do you love using fresh herbs in your culinary creations? Consider growing your herbs indoors where you can snip a fresh branch as you're cooking your meals! PSST- they're wonderful gifts for that hard-to-shop-for person!

For an indoor culinary garden consider growing garlic, chives, basil, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme. If you want to grow a tea garden you may want to plant spearmint, peppermint, lemon balm, lemon verbena, chamomile or catnip. It's not too late to start from seeds. 

Be sure to choose a container that provides good drainage, and fill with one or more of your favorite herbs. Light is very important so place your herb garden in a sunny location that receives at least half a day of sun. New information about indoor lighting has made it easier for the home gardeners. For grow lights, those labeled "cool white" work well. "Warm white" and "Daylight" may also work. Lamps tailored to a plant's needs are also available. Be to water regularly. After the threat of frost passes, you can place your garden outdoors and enjoy fresh herbs all year round.

With Christmas just around the corner, herb starts in pots are a welcome gift, both for hosts and under the tree. It also encourages growing fresh food in our homes.


For more information on herb gardening in Idaho, the University of Idaho Extension provides this excellent resource: Idaho Green Thumb How-To's.

Choosing Deicers That Are Friendly to Plants, Animals, and the Earth

While applying products to keep our walkways clear of snow and ice, it’s important to remember the nearby plant life. Deicing products, primarily composed of salt, can injure plant material, but is there a safer product to use around desirable vegetation? What about around pets? What about the run-off in our rivers and watershed?

  • Salts can cause injury to trees, lawns, and shrubs
  • Salt run-off can harm our groundwater
  • Salts can corrode concrete
  • Salts can do bodily harm to humans if handled improperly
  • Salts are hard on the little paws of your four-legged friends

So you may be thinking salt is salt, right? No, not all salt is not the same. Think table salts (Sodium chloride) and Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate). If you remember your days in chemistry, salts are combinations of negatively charged anions and positively charged cations. Examples are sodium chloride (table salt), potassium chloride (used as a fertilizer), and magnesium chloride (the one you see trucks spraying on our roads). The most problematic element in these salts is chloride, a corrosive ion that damages metal and concrete. Chloride is also toxic to plants.

Salt damages plants by dehydrating plant tissues, causing burns, or being toxic at high levels. While most plants have some tolerance to salt injury, repeated applications of deicing products during the winter can result in dieback or even death the following spring. Misapplications of deicers (i.e. dumping piles or using too much) can leach through the ground and into the water table or wash into the storm sewers, causing pollution. Before buying or using any product, read the label carefully and use only as directed.

Here are a few of the salt products you might run into while shopping:

Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA)
It has low corrosion potential, so it’s less damaging to cars, metals, sidewalks, and plants. Notice it’s not a chloride product, the “salt” comes from the calcium-magnesium mix and the acetate replaces the chloride. Plus, it’s biodegradable! Its ice-melting properties are equivalent to traditional deicers, but the cost may be 20-30 times as expensive as sodium chloride products. These are often touted as “pet friendly”. 

Magnesium chloride
Commonly referred to as “mag chloride”. Applied as a brine, it’s the most common product used on our roadways before storms because it lowers the freezing point of soon-to-arrive precipitation. It can melt ice down to -15° F, which is a nice benefit. If applied in moderate amounts, it’s relatively safe for plants and pets. Its corrosion potential is low, as is its pollutant possibilities.

Potassium chloride
It’s expensive and not as widely used as a deicer because of the rising costs of fertilizer. This works best when temperatures are above 15° F. Because it’s most commonly used as a fertilizer, it’s relatively safe to apply near plants.

Sodium chloride
It’s the most widely available and the cheapest. It doesn’t cause corrosion to concrete and melts ice best when temperatures are in the 20s. It is the most damaging to plant material. If you use this product, use it sparingly and in small amounts!

Before using any de-icing product, clear away as much snow and ice with a shovel as possible. If heavy snow is predicted, then try to shovel more frequently. Remember, deicing products are not meant to melt all snow and ice, but rather aid you in your removal efforts. If you want to avoid adding chemicals to your landscape, then consider using sand or kitty litter. While they don’t melt snow, they can provide traction in slippery spots. Sand and kitty litter are also safe for pets and plants and can be swept up when the snow melts.

If you use deicing products near vegetative areas, then use caution with potential salt build-up and consider a soil test in the spring.  If it’s an especially snowy year, you may consider rinsing the areas next spring with clean water. Try not to scoop snow laced with deicing products directly on top of plants, especially if they are sensitive. If you have the opportunity, consider planting more salt-tolerant plants near walkways and driveways. Here's a great publication on plant tolerance to salts.

For more information about sustainable gardening, contact your local University of Idaho Extension Office. 

 

Saturday, November 4, 2023

Know How to Grow - Become a Master Gardener!

Have you ever been elbow deep in dirt and wondered 
why or what is happening to your plant? Do you wish you knew more about your soil and how to make your plants happier? Are you looking for research-based information that will allow you to reduce pesticide use and help work together with beneficial bugs? If you said yes to any of the above, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! 

Become an Idaho Master Gardener in Canyon County - learn the art and science of horticulture. Our series of classes provides you with a variety of ways to improve your gardening skills...and share your passion and knowledge with others. Do you want to connect with other gardeners in your community? Then you will not want to miss this opportunity! 

Classroom learning

The Idaho Master Gardener program consists of TWO phases:  

Phase One: This 48 hours of classroom training provides a stress-free, engaging learning environment. Fresh coffee and tea at each session is also a great perk! Maybe even food...

Phase Two: After the classroom training, you will complete 40 hours of practicum via volunteer educational service. 

Hands-on field trip
You will have the opportunity to choose from areas in which you would like to complete your hands-on experiences with various teams: Tree & Turf, Integrated Pest Management, Junior Master Gardener, Outreach, Plant Sale, and Social Media. Teams build comradery and skills. FUN, too!

Start Date: University of Idaho Extension, Canyon County (Caldwell, ID) Idaho Master Gardener classes start January 10 and run through May 8, 2024.  Classes are held on Wednesday mornings from 9am-12pm at the Canyon County Extension Office, 501 Main Street, Caldwell, Idaho.  

Cost: The cost for the 2024 Canyon County Master Gardener program is $175 (scholarships and payment plans are available).  This cost includes a handbook (electronic or hard copy), a soil test, several hands-on labs, at least two field trips, a background check, a Master Gardener t-shirt and a name badge at the end of the course.

Application Deadline: The deadline to apply for the Canyon County Idaho Master Gardener program is December 22, 2023. Get your spot early as space is limited in class.  We at U of I want everyone to be comfortable and safe learning about horticulture. We offer in-person classes (while spots are available). If you need another way to attend, please contact us with any questions. Complete your application today!

IPM Scouting Walk
The Idaho Master Gardener program is NOT ONLY a gardening class.  It is VOLUNTEER TRAINING.  The University of Idaho Master Gardener Volunteer Program serves as an educational and volunteer organization. All course participants must be willing and able to contribute 40 hours of practicum volunteer service prior to September 30, 2024, to complete certification. There will be plenty of time and lots of opportunities to complete your hours. We look forward to having you join our team.
Helping people grow is what we do. 

Apply here 👉 https://bit.ly/2024_ApplicationPacket

Call us today 👉  (208) 459-6003 

Follow us here 👉

Facebook @2CMasterGardeners   

 Instagram @2cMasterGardeners 


Twitter  [now
@2cUIHort

Friday, November 3, 2023

Mulching leaves is a better solution than disposal...Here's Why!

Credit: Pexels

 by Virginia Tech  Turf experts explain why mulching leaves is a better solution than disposal 

October is peak season for admiring fall foliage and soon those leaves will begin to fall, if they haven't already done so. Before you start to clean them up, Virginia Tech turf experts suggest that you try a different approach instead of bagging and tossing.

"If you collect leaves, it's ideal to compost them rather than disposing of them in the landfills," says Virginia Tech turf grass expert Mike Goatley. "The biggest concern with landfills is that the leaves occupy space that would be much better served for typical landfill debris, instead of organic waste that can be used in a proactive way for the lawn, landscape, garden, and/or flower beds."

"Research has shown that plastic bags filled with leaves can last for years in the landfill." Goatley says it's important to note that most municipalities will not accept leaves collected in non-biodegradable bags (i.e., plastic bags) in their community leaf-collection programs.

Mulching leaves in yards, instead of removing them, actually benefits lawns and gardens, according to experts.

"Using a mulching mower to not only mow but to mulch leaves will help keep your lawn properly trimmed, but also accelerate the rate of leaf decomposition into beneficial soil organic matter," says Dan Sandor, who is also an expert in turf grass science at Virginia Tech. "While the tree leaves do not have a lot of nutritional value, chopping them up and returning them to the soil is a great way to increase soil organic matter levels." Some research has even shown that leaves from specific tree species may provide some control of broadleaf-weeds and/or may provide nitrogen-fertilizer benefits.

According to Sandor, the best time to mulch leaves is when they are slightly moist because they are easier to shred. "It's important to wear eye protection during this process and make sure you have removed all other debris that might be a hazard. Remember, you are using a mower to mulch leaves, not grind stumps."

You also want to be sure not to let your yard get too many leaves on it. "A heavy leaf cover can significantly reduce the photosynthetic activity of the turf grasses in your lawn, restricting them from the beneficial sunlight that are required for optimal growth and development," explains Goatley. "If this is the case, you'll need to rake some of them and consider adding those to your compost pile, otherwise you will need to run the mulching mower over the leaves several times so they can be more-readily broken down into soil organic matter."

Provided by Virginia Tech