From The Ground Up
Quick Bite Session Features Basic Pet Care
By Pamela Redwine
If you get the paper before noon on Thursday, Aug. 26, you may want to join us for our Quick Bite Session on Basic Pet Care tips. The session will also have a demonstration on the latest treatment options in areas such as physical rehabilitation, dentistry and more. This program is presented to us by MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Health Center.
Don’t forget the Cattlemen’s Meeting on Tuesday, Aug.t 31 at 7 p.m. A light meal will be served, registration is required by Aug. 30. You can call our office at 662.675.2730 or email us at yalobusha@ext.msstate.edu to let us know you will be coming.
The Yalobusha County Forestry Association will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at 6:30 p.m.
Horticulture Tips
It may be hard to think about winter weeds when the temperature reaches triple digits in these “Dog Days of August” but now is the time to begin doing something about preventing annual weeds that show up as young seedlings in the fall and become quite unsightly by mid-winter through spring.
A pre-emergence herbicide applied before these weeds germinate is the most efficient way of control. Pre-emergence herbicides have little effect on weeds that have already germinated so it is important to get the herbicide out soon (late August north to mid-September along the coast). Labor Day is generally a good target date. To ensure that the herbicide is activated and moves into the surface soil to form a uniform weed control barrier, a minimum of one-half inch of water either from rain or irrigation should follow shortly after the herbicide application. Pre-emergence herbicides are formulated as liquids, wettable powders or water dispersible granules that are applied in spray form, and also as dry granules or coated on fertilizers. Choose a formulation that is best suited for you and ALWAYS READ THE LABEL for specific application instructions, weeds controlled, and safety precautions. Extension publications 1532 and 1322 provide information to help select the appropriate herbicides for specific weeds. These publications can be obtained from the Yalobusha County Extension Office or downloaded from the www.msucares.com web.
Vegetable gardeners who like something both edible and entertaining may want to try growing their own walking stick. Some people call it walking stick kale, others call it walking stick collards, but it is a member of the cabbage family supposedly developed on the Isle of Jersey many years ago. It is grown like any other collard, but the stem will elongate up to six feet if the leaves are harvested when they reach the right size and new leaves are allowed to grow. The stem can be made into a walking stick by allowing it to dry and finishing it with varnish. Seed are available from several mail order seed companies.
Apple growers should be watching their fruit carefully as it is approaching harvest time for Gala, Red Chief, and Arkansas Gold. Other varieties will be ready shortly. High temperatures and high humidity may cause the fruit to ripen more quickly than usual and nobody likes over ripe apples.
There are so many new lettuces on the market it is difficult to choose among them. It is better to wait until night temperatures are consistently in the sixties before planting seed, but you might try some of the leaf lettuces now if you have a shady spot that can be easily watered.
Strawberry growers should be lining up their plants for planting in October. Talk with your garden supply store about which variety you wish to grow and how many plants you will need. The average plant produces slightly less than one pound of fruit over several weeks, so plan your production area to meet your needs. If you are just looking for a handful of berries to put on your cereal, consider container production of an ever-bearing type. Try June bearers if you want to make preserves.
