northeast region horticulture news/media/system/5/3/d/7... · volume 1, issue 3 the answer is a...

NE Region Master Gardener

Groups: NORTHEAST LOUISIANA MASTER

GARDENERS, OUACHITA PARISH.

RIVER RIDGE MASTER GARDENERS,

WEST CARROLL AND EAST CARROLL

PARISHES.

DELTA MASTER GARDENERS, CON-

CORDIA, CATAHOULA, AND TENSAS

PARISHES.

D’ARBONNE MASTER GARDENERS,

UNION PARISH.

KERRY HEAFNER: MOREHOUSE, OUACHITA, AND UNION PARISHES

DONNA LEE: EAST CARROLL, WEST CARROLL, AND MADISON PARISHES.

KYLIE MILLER: CATAHOULA AND CONCORDIA PARISHES

CAROL PINNELL-ALISON: FRANKLIN AND RICHLAND PARISHES

Northeast Region

Horticulture Agents:

Volume 1, Issue 3

Northeast Region Horticulture News

Fall, 2018

There’s a Fungus Among Us! By Kerry D. Heafner

As daytime temperatures moderate and relative humidity levels remain high, the flora of fleshy fungi in North Louisiana really shows out. Conditions are perfect for mush-rooms to show themselves in our landscapes and many clients may be intimidated by mush-rooms and not fully understand what they rep-resent or may wonder if they are harmful to their gardens. Other people may wonder if the mushrooms growing on their property are edi-ble and be tempted to trial them on a dinner plate. Of course, the LSU AgCenter does not recommend that wild mushrooms be con-sumed unless their identification has been confirmed by an experienced, professional mycologist (one who studies fungi). The good news is that only a small percentage of mushrooms are dangerously tox-ic, and simply touching a deadly poisonous mushroom is essentially harmless. The tissue has to be ingested in order for the dangerously toxic mushrooms to do their damage. And, that damage comes in the form of organ failure up to 48 hours AFTER ingestion. Some mushrooms are just mildly toxic and cause stomach upset of varying degrees. A common mushroom found in lawns in our area is called “The Vomiter” for good reason. Chlo-rophyllum molybidtes is a large, white mush-room typically forming “fairy rings” in lawns of all our turfgrasses. Because they are almost solid white, they bear a striking resemblance to some of the lethally toxic mushrooms called “Destroying Angels” or “Death Angels” in the genus Amanita. C. molybdites can be readily distinguished from it’s lethal cousins by its habi-tat (open, grassy areas instead of wooded are-as), and by the white gills turning sea foam green shortly after the mushroom is picked. Gills of Amanita stay white after being picked.

Top: Cap of Chlorophyllum molybdites is white and

may be large. Middle: The gills of C. molybdites turn

sea foam green shortly after the mushroom is picked.

Bottom: A fairy ring of C. molybdites in a grassy road

median. Pictures by Kerry D. Heafner.


A Fungus Among Us! (continued)

Dangerously toxic species in our area fall into the genus Amanita, spe-

cifically for our area: A. bisporigera, A. elliptosperma, and A. virosiformis

groups, all grouped into Section Phalloideae of the genus Amanita.

They are found under canopies of oak and pine because they are symbi-

otic with tree roots and allow the trees to more efficiently absorb some

nutrients and water from the soil. Solid white mushrooms, white gills,

white cap, white stalk, white spores, distinguish dangerous taxa from

other white mushrooms. Another important character is the little cup,

just at ground level, that the stalk sits in. This is called the volva

(obscured by a piece of bark in the picture at left), and is a hallmark

character of the genus Amanita. Their wooded habitats are also distin-

guished from a lawn or pasture habitat where other white mushrooms

may occur.

Members of the genus Agaricus (bottom left) are white mush-

rooms that often occur in lawns or pastures and may be mistaken for

one of the deadly amanitas. In fact, A. bisporus is cultivated as the

widely sold grocery store mushroom. We call them protobello mush-

rooms when they are fully expanded. When A. bisporus and A. cam-

pestris, another common lawn mushroom, are fairly young, gills are pink

and turn brown either as the mushroom ages or soon after the mush-

room is picked. Unlike in Amanitas, members of the genus Agaricus will

have no volva at the stalk’s base. It should be emphasized that just

because some mushrooms found in lawns and pastures are in the

same genus as the grocery store mushroom does NOT mean that they

are safe to consume!

As we all know, small children have a propensity for putting

things they pick up into their mouths. Fortunately, wild mushroom poi-

sonings are rare in our area. However, parents still need to be aware of

what may be out in the yard that little ones may encounter. Simply

touching a poisonous mushroom is not dangerous. Mushroom tissue

has to be ingested for any toxins to take effect.

Top: Amanita bisporigera and similar species are deadly poisonous and distinguished

from other species by their solid white body and gills. They will also often have an

unpleasant, chlorox-like odor. They are found under oaks and pines.

Bottom: The genus Agaricus is comprised of common lawn mushrooms that may be

mistaken for deadly Amanitas. Pink gills that quickly turn chocolate brown distinguish

them from dangerous species. Pictures by Kerry Heafner.

Volume 1, Issue 3

There’s a Fungus Among Us! (continued)

Fall Landscapes By Kylie C. Miller

Other species of white mush-

rooms may also be mistaken

for deadly Amanitas. Leucoag-

aricus americanus (Left) is

often found in beds mulched

with wood chips. Ink caps,

Coprinus and Coprinopsis, are

solid white at first, then deli-

quesce into a black liquid as a

way to disperse spores (Right).

Photographs by Kerry Heafner.

A change of season brings on a change in dé-

cor and landscape. Garden mums are a fall favorite,

sold in almost every nursery or garden center, and

begin blooming in late September and October. These

plants, also known as chrysanthemums, are short,

dome shaped, and covered in flowers. These popular

plants come in colors of yellow, bronze, white, pink,

orange, and purple that attractively fit into any land-

scape design. If you are looking for instant impact for

an event, you may select mums that are already in full

bloom. However, if you choose plants with closed

buds and healthy foliage they may last you as long as 6

weeks. Mums that are bought already in full bloom,

will not stay attractive as long. Once you get them

home, you can replant garden mums in your beds or in

new containers. They perform best in full sun and need

water daily to keep the soil moist, but not saturated. It

is best to water from the base of the plant, under the

blooms, using a watering can or garden hose.

Aside from the traditional mums, another

increasingly popular option is ornamental kale and

cabbage. Their attractive leaves com in brilliant

Garden mums are fall staples in Louisiana! Photograph by Randy

LaBauve, LSU AgCenter.

cool season colors that look great in beds or containers. Orna-

mental kale and cabbage transplants are often found together

in garden centers and have only a few differences. Ornamental

cabbage is more uniform and has relatively smooth leaves. Kale

has textured or feathery leaves. Together, the mix of different

colors and leaf textures is eye catching in your containers or

landscape. Selecting the correct variety to grow depends on

your individual preference or location needs. Redbor kale,

which is also edible, is a Louisiana Super Plant.

Fall Landscapes (continued)


Kale and cabbage both like well-drained soil in full

sun. Unfortunately, like our gardens, insect control will be

important to retain the aesthetics. Worms are the largest

concern and there are several insecticides labeled for control.

Treat them when you begin to see insect activity, and follow

label directions.

Kale Cabbage

Redbor Glamour Red Chidori Red Nogoya Peacock

Osaka Toyko Pigeon

Purple

Another interesting plant to add to your landscape is

‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard. It has hardy petioles of rainbow

colors like red, gold, yellow, and white that look stunning in

the landscape. It is also edible, and a good source of calcium,

potassium, iron, vitamins A and C and riboflavin. Swiss chard is

easy to grow, requires full sun, and can be cooked like spinach

or other mild greens. It looks great mixed with pansies, kale,

or any other plants in your landscape.

Finally, you might want to consider ornamental

peppers in your fall landscapes. These attention grabbing

plants come with bright fruit and foliage that come in many

sizes and colors. Ornamental peppers can be purple, yellow,

red, or orange and may have multiple colors on the same

plant. Plant pepper plants in full sun and space plants accord-

ing to their maturity size.

These traditional and non-traditional ornamentals

produce many bright colors and leaf textures that make your

landscape and containers interesting. They look great when

you mix and match your favorites to create your own personal

fall display.

‘Redbor’ kale (picture right)

is an excellent choice for

achieving cool season color

and texture. Edible and

ornamental, it is a Louisiana

Super Plant!

Photograph by Igor Kamalov.

Do We Need to Continue With Lawn Care in the Fall? By Donna R. Lee

Volume 1, Issue 3

The answer is a resounding yes!

Although our lawns do not need as much

tender care as they do in the active growing seasons

of spring and summer, there are still tasks we can

complete to improve our lawn health.

Typically in the fall months our temperature

begins to decrease which will slow down the growth

of our lawns. This does not mean no growth. We will

still need to mow as needed but most likely not as

often. Remember to cut a 1/3 of the grass blade or

less. At this amount the clippings will be smaller

which means no raking and also will compost much

easier back into the soil. If you were unable to keep

to a regular mowing schedule and must take more

than a 1/3 off rake this excess. The excess can be

used in a compost bin or ornamental bed as mulch.

Leaving it on the lawn can lead to smothering the

roots. The same can be said for fall leave drop. Fall

leaves left on the lawn can hold an excessive amount

of moisture which leads to disease. Leaves will also

smother the lawn.

Another task to think about is aeration. Soil can become compacted even in lawns which decreas-es air circulation and water and sunlight penetration. An aerator pulls small core plugs from the soil allow-ing air circulation and water and sunlight penetration.

Did you have issues in your lawn during the growing season? Now is a great time to pull a soil sample for analysis. Soil samples tell you exactly which nutrients are deficient and how much to apply. Too much of any one nutrient can cause issues such as disease to become prevalent. However, the only nu-trient which would should be applied during the fall would be potassium. Potassium is the nutrient associ-ated with winterizing fertilizer that we see in nurseries and stores.

If you are thinking about putting out potassium make sure to pull a soil sample as stated above. If your analysis calls for other nu-trients to be applied then do so in April once the lawn has begun growing. Did you have areas with water standing for long periods? Fall would be a great time to take care of that issue. You may not want to grade your lawn for improved drainage, I know I would not, but you can see if adding a bit of top soil to fill the low area will help. This will probably work best on small areas. Once this is done you can reseed, plant plugs, rolls of sod or squares of sod.

Were weeds an issue? First, identify the weed then find the correct herbicide to use. Both of these problems can be solved with the help of your local county agent or horticulture agent. For fall you would need a pre-emerge herbicide that will kill the weed as it emerges. Early spring would be the time to apply a post-emerge herbicide that will take care of the weed that has emerged.

Remember, a healthy lawn will smother out weeds, en-dure drought and freezing temperatures much better and re-sistant disease development.

If you have questions call your local county agent or horticulture agent.


Louisiana Super Plants for Cool Weather! The onset of cooler weather doesn’t mean

color in the landscape has to be compromised!

When visiting nurseries and garden center for fall

plants, seek out Louisiana Super Plant selections for

performance dependability.

If you’re a traditionalist and plant pansies

and violas every fall, consider the ’Sorbet’ series of

violas. They are early bloomers and are available in

a variety of colors.

Full sun

Grows 6” tall by 12” wide

Space 10” to 12” apart

Plant fall through early spring

‘Yellow Duet’ (top) and ‘Yellow’ Sorbet violas will make fall

beds explode with color! Photographs by LSU Ag Center.

‘Amazon’ dianthus (above) is a stunning

hybrid series that has deep green foliage and flow-

ers in three electric hues : Neon Purple, Neon

Cherry, and Rose Magic. Plant now for inter-

mittent blooms during winter and a stunning dis-

play in early spring.

Full sun

18” to 36” tall by 10” to 16” wide

Space 12” to 16” apart

Plant now through March

Volume 1, Issue 3

Louisiana Super Plants for Cool Weather! (continued)

Blue is often thought of as a cooling color in beds

enduring summer heat. Blue is also a welcome sight dur-

ing the grey of winter! ’Diamonds Blue’ delphinium (right)

makes a real splash when mixed with yellows or pinks and

reds.

Full to part sun

Plant now through February

Grows 14” to 16” tall by 12” to 14” wide

Space 12” apart

Don’t think just in terms of cool season annuals. Now is the perfect

time to get perennials like shrubs planted, too! In our area, camellias

are the go-to shrubs for fall and winter color. ‘Leslie Ann’ camellia

(left) is no stranger to Louisiana landscapes. It’s dependability led to

being selected as a Super Plant in 2015! A sasanqua, ‘Leslie Ann’ will

get larger than its companion Super Plant ‘Shi Shi Gashira’ and will

have bi– or tri-colored petals that contain white, pink, and red hues.

Plant in well-drained, acidic soil

Sun to part shade

Grows to 8’ tall by 4’ or 5’ wide

Blooms late October through early January

If you like roses and are short on space or simply don’t want

the maintenance involved with caring for hybrid teas, consider

adding ‘Drift’ roses (right) to your landscape for season-long

color next summer. They are quickly overtaking Knock Out®

roses in commercial markets and it’s easy to see why. Fall is

the perfect time to plant roses!

Full sun

Well-worked soil with good drainage

Grows 14” to 16” tall and as wide

Available in a variety of colors

Plant now through February

L S U A G C E N T E R

It’s Time to Plant Spring-Flowering Bulbs! By Carol Pinnell-Alison

One of the most care free gardening rewards is planting

spring flowering bulbs. Once planted these plants can give a gar-

dener years of beautiful blooms. October and November are the

months we should plants these bulbs. Garden centers will start

stocking bulbs soon or they can be ordered from seed companies.

Make sure you select healthy, mature, disease free bulbs. General-

ly, the larger the bulb the larger the bloom. Most spring flowering

bulbs prefer a sunny, or partial shaded location in a well-drained

soil.

Bulbs can be planted in exiting beds or in newly-prepared

beds. If planting bulbs in a prepared bed, be careful with the

amount of fertilizer added to the bed as fertilizer may cause bulb

burn and injury. Think about where to plant the bulbs for the best

display of color, texture, length of bloom and size of flowers. A

large planting of the same color catches the eye better than a

scattering of several colors.

Bulbs that do well in our area are daffodils, narcissi, jon-

quils, hyacinths, Dutch iris and snow flake. These bulbs will give

years of repeated bloom with little care. Tulips are a poplar bulb

but are not adapted to our mild climate. Tulips need to be placed

in the refrigerator for 45 to 60 days prior to planting. Do not freeze

the bulbs. Plant immediately after removal from the refrigerator in

December or early January. Tulip bulbs can be dug after blooming

but usually do not store well for planting another year.

Plant daffodils, narcissi, jonquils, hyacinth, and tulip bulbs

2-5 inches deep depending on the size of the bulb. Dutch iris and

snow flake bulbs are planted 3-4 inches deep. Make sure the roots

of the bulb are in contact with soil, no air pockets. After a few

years, the bulbs may need to be dug, separated, and replanted.

Daffodils (Top), Paperwhites (Middle), and Hyacinths (Bottom)

make spring sparkle with color and fragrance. Plant bulbs now

for the spring bloom. Photographs by Carol Pinnell-Alison.

Go to the Ag Journal page at www.myarklamiss.com to submit

your lawn or garden question. Tune in to Louisiana Living with

Ashley Doughty on Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m., and LSU AgCenter

Horticulturist Kerry Heafner will answer your questions!

Agents’ Q & A for Fall

Question: The leaves on my tropical hibiscus are turning yellow then falling off. What ’ s caus-

ing this and what should I do?

Answer: As we’ve moved into fall, the number of daylight hours has been decreasing since June

21st. We’ll have the fewest number of daylight hours on or about December 21st. Because this

“photoperiod” is decreasing, plants halt production of chlorophyll and don’t replace what gets

oxidized in green leaves. The green pigment gives way to other pigments that have been

masked by chlorophyll. Some tropical plants, which normally aren’t exposed to seasons, may be

particularly responsive to this effect. Move the plant indoors to a high light situation.

Question: Should I winterize my lawn?

Answer: Only if it needs it. Remember, Deep South turfgrasses are headed into dormancy

during this time of year. Bombing them with nitrogen will stress them. Instead, use a fertilizer

with a higher potash (potassium) content than nitrogen to promote healthy root growth.

Mark Your Calendar!

northeast region horticulture news/media/system/5/3/d/7... · volume 1, issue 3 the answer is a...

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