Master Gardener starts Thursday night

Participants in the new session of the Master Gardener Course will meet at the Warren County Administrative Office Building on 12 consecutive Thursday night starting Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m.

The Master Gardener Course is an intensive educational program that offers 36 hours of instructions in several gardening and landscaping topics. Master Gardeners receive instruction in botany, soils, water, landscaping, flowers, gardening, lawn care and establishment, tree and small fruit production, and insect and disease problems and controls for the home garden and landscape. Master Gardener also receive their personal copy of the Tennessee Master Gardener Handbook.

Master Gardener Courses have been held in here in Warren County for the past six years and they have been very well received. If you?d like to get in on this year?s course show up at the County Administrative building Thursday night. We?ll fit you in.

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BLAME BULL FOR POOR QUALITY CALVES

Cow calf producers like other businesses need to access blame for poor production or lack of profitability if they want to improve their business.

In the cow calf business the herd sire can be held accountable for many problems that reduce income. Calving problems can be blamed on the bull, however they can be the result of poor breeding decisions made by the owner. For example, breeding a group of small heifers to a large frame size bull and not being available at calving time is asking for trouble. Blame the bull for not getting cows bred quickly, but this may be a sign that available forages during the breeding season are not sufficient to get the cows to cycle and settle.

You can blame the bull for about half the genetics in your herd because that?s what he is. He?s half the calf. If the calf don?t suit you change something; calving season, breed, forage program, health program, something.

Folks, there is a lot of talk about what cattle buyers look for when they purchase our calves. Its changes all the time but it is apparent that in the future their will be a wider gap between what the top calves sell for and what all the other calves bring. Genetics will be a big part of the difference. Where will your calves fit? It?s pretty easy to change the genetics of your next calf crop. The UT Performance Tested Bull Sale in Spring Hill is next Thursday at noon. I?ve got catalogs here at the office or I can print you one from the Internet. Many of these bulls will meet the standards for the state grant program.

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Prune Trees in the Winter

Pruning unnecessary or unwanted branches from trees is a common practice. Homeowners sometimes remove branches because they obstruct buildings or infringe on the chore of mowing. In forest plantation settings, branches are removed so that crop trees can grow higher-grade lumber that is marketed for more valuable wood products.

David Mercker, forest management specialist with University of Tennessee Extension, says the winter is a good time to trim trees. According to Dr. Mercker in January and February trees in our region are in their winter dormancy period, and their sap flow will be limited. This is important because flowing sap from a new wound often attracts insects, which in turn can be carriers of unwanted tree diseases.

Mercker said by March and April most trees in this region are no longer dormant and their sap will flow freely. Pruning during these warmer months may put some trees at risk for disease. Dr. Mercker recommends the following practices for healthy pruning:

? Prune branches while they are still small, preferably having a caliper of 1 inch or less. Try to anticipate which branches will need to be removed while the tree is still young.

? Do not prune flush to the tree trunk, nor leave an obvious stub; both of these will make healing difficult. Instead, prune to the edge of the branch collar (a slight swelling where the branch meets the trunk).

? Use a sharp saw, never an ax or hatchet. This will allow for a clean cut, which will heal more quickly.

? Prior to using the saw, clean it with rubbing alcohol. This will prevent the possible spread of disease from the tool to the tree.

? For larger limbs, make an ?under cut? first on the branch to be removed. If you don?t, the bark directly under the stem may peel as it falls. This creates a larger wound.

? Do not paint the new wound. Healthy trees are capable of rapid cell division, soon enclosing the wound (called compartmentalization).

? Follow safety precautions, particularly when using a ladder or when pruning near utilities or structures.

? Finally, maintain favorable growing conditions following the pruning. In yard settings, this could include mulching, fertilization and protection of the soil and base of the tree. In a forest plantation setting, thinning to control stocking will maintain vigor.

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Try Winterberry in your landscape

I?ve had a few calls the past few weeks from folks asking about red berries that they see on shrubs around the area.

Now my first inclination when someone mentions red berries this time of year would be to think of nandinas or some of the hollies. One that more folks are using is the Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata and hybrids). This shrub will grow to 9-12 feet tall and has excellent berries from November to February. Dark green leaves in the summer and flowers that few will notice. Lots of varieties and like most hollies a male pollinator is needed. Many of the landscape and garden centers have this plant. Try some in your home landscape.