Green Thumb Gazette, June 2024

Blossom End Rot on Tomatoes and Squash
Blossom-end rot is a physiological disorder caused by a lack of sufficient calcium in the blossom end of the fruit. This causes the blossom end of the tomato, squash, pepper, etc. to rot. You start to notice this disorder more when the ground or raised bed is either too wet or too dry. reduce blossom-end rot in tomato, implement the following steps :

Lime soils to pH 6.5 to 6.7 -- Home gardens not limed in the past 2 to 3 years will need 2 cups of lime for each plant. The lime should be worked into the soil 12 inches deep. To determine the exact amount of lime, take a soil sample! (Call Cari Rosenbalml, Horticulture Agent, to learn more: 828-632-4451).

Fertilize properly -- Applying too much fertilizer at one time can result in blossom-end rot. Following soil test recommendations is the best way to insure proper fertilization. For home gardens not soil tested, apply 5 pints of 8-8-8 per 100 ft of row and work it thoroughly into the top 8 inches of soil.

Mulch plants -- Use straw, pine straw, decomposed sawdust, ground decomposed corn cobs, plastic, or newspapers. Mulches conserve moisture and reduce blossom-end rot. In extreme drought, plastic may increase blossom-end rot if plants are not watered.

Irrigate when necessary -- Tomato plants require about 1.5 inches of water per week during fruiting. This amount of water should be supplied by rain or irrigation. Extreme fluctuations in soil moisture result in a greater incidence of blossom-end rot.

Spray calcium -- The plants may be sprayed with a calcium solution at the rate of 4 lb of calcium nitrate or calcium chloride per 100 gal of water (or 4 level Tbs per gal of water). This spray should be applied 2 to 3 times a week, beginning at the time the second fruit clusters bloom. These materials can be mixed with the spray that is used for control of foliar diseases. Chelated calcium solutions also provide an excellent source of calcium. When using these chelates, follow label directions. Several foliar spray materials containing calcium are available and all work well for tomatoes.

Staking your Tomatoes Using the Florida Weave or Basket Weave!!
If you have more than a few tomatoes this season, you may want to consider ditching the cages and picking up a few wood or metal T posts and some tomato twine (any twine will do as long as you can tie it fairly tight).
You will place your T posts at either end of your rows and depending on how long your rows are, you may need a few in the middle. You will then tie your string to one end of the stake and weave in and out of your tomato plants, keeping the twine tight as you go. Once you get to the last post, you can either tie it off there, or loop back around to do the other side. When going back down the other side of the row, you will weave in the opposite direction, this will make your tomatoes fit snugly between each string. You will repeat this process up your posts as your plants get taller.
This will also help your tomatoes stay upright, making for an easier harvest, with less disease pressure. Click for more information on the Florida Weave.

The Appalachian grizzled skipper primarily inhabits holarctic regions, mainly within the northern hemisphere, including Alaska and Canada. Nevertheless, scattered populations also occur along the Rocky Mountains, extending southward to New Mexico and also the Appalachian Mountains, branching down to North Carolina.

This species prefers sunny edge habitats and areas of disturbance with abundant floral resources, such as transmission lines, clearcuts, and forest edges. Appalachian grizzled skippers have been observed even colonizing newly constructed highway bypass projects, as evidenced by one isolated population discovered in Ohio.

This species relies on the dwarf cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis) as its host plant. As a ground-dwelling plant species, Appalachian grizzled skippers have evolved to blend seamlessly into the forest floor while fluttering between patches of cinquefoil. However, when threatened by predators, it resorts to hiding within the vegetation.

June is National Pollinators Month
June is National Pollinators Month!! And to celebrate, we will be sharing ALL the information on pollinators with you via our Facebook Page (Alexander County Cooperative Extension)!!
National Pollinator month is really a continuation of National Pollinator Week, which was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. Pollinator Week has now grown into an international celebration, promoting the valuable ecosystem services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles, moths, wasps, and flies.

Visit the Pollinator Partnership website to learn more about pollinators through FREE webinars this month! Also, check out these other great resources below and stay tuned for events, webinars, information, etc. this month, especially during #PollinatorWeek! #powerinpollinators

For more informationation regarding pollinators:
Top 25 Pollinator Plants
Alternative Pollinators: Native Bees - ATTRA
Butterflies in your Backyard - NC State University
Hummingbirds and Butterflies - NC State University
Pollinator Friendly Practices - North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
Pollinator Resource Center - The Xerces Society

Attracting Pollinators to your Garden Using Native Plants - U.S. Forest Service

Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants - NC State University
Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants - NC State University
The Bees of North Carolina - NC State Extension

Bee Basics: an Introduction to our Native Bees - USDA Forest Service & Pollinator Partnership

The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees
Bee ID Blog - Pollinator PartnershipBumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide
Bumble Bees of the Eastern United States
Butterflies and Moths of North America
Butterflies of North Carolina

National Pollinator Week Photo Contest

In honor of all our great pollinators, we are hosting an online photo contest where you can showcase your photography skills and the pollinators in your life! Photos will be accepted NOW through Wed. June 16th!! Contest starts on Mon. June 17th. The photo with the most likes on the original post, by Sat. June 22nd @ 5pm will be our winner!

*Multiple submissions are accepted!
*Winner will receive a prize, along with their photo published in the Taylorsville Times!

#PollinatorWeek #PowerinPollinators

2024 Farmers Market Season!!

The Alexander County Farmers market has started back and is at 2 locations this season!! Vendors are at the Alexander County Services building parking lot on Saturdays from 8am-12pm and in Bethlehem at Mt. Bethel Methodist Church on Thursday evenings from 3-6pm. Plan to stop by and support your local vendors this season!! If you are interested in being a farmers market vendor at either market in Alexander County, please feel free to contact Cari Rosenbalm at 828-632-4451. We always look forward to adding new vendors who either hand make, bake, or grow their own products!

Community Garden & Workdays

If you don’t know already, Alexander County has a community garden! All beds are now rented for the season, BUT this year we have implemented "Community Share Beds" that will be planted for the community to harvest from. Because these beds are for the community, it is our hope that the community will help us maintain those beds (weeding, watering, harvesting, etc.). Our workdays for these beds will be on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-11am. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Cari Rosenbalm at 828-632-4451 or cari_rosenbalm@ncsu.edu. We will need all the help we can get!

Taylorsville Community Garden