Gasconade County Master Gardeners

Did you know that during warm weather you should harvest your tomatoes once they develop color but do not turn fully red? The red color in tomato fruit does not... form when temperatures are above 86F. Fruits allowed to ripen on the vine may be yellowish orange in extreme summer heat. For this reason, it is advisable to pick tomatoes in the pink stage and allow them to ripen indoors for optimum color development. About 70F is ideal to ripen tomatoes. See OSU fact sheet HLA 6012 "Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden" at osufacts.okstate.edu for more information See more

IT IS WITH HEAVY HEARTS THAT THE OMG WIA COMMITTEE HAS DECIDED TO CANCEL OUR 2020 EVENT!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE IN 2021!

Hammerhead worms first came to the attention of MU Extension Horticulture last spring via our Ask A Missouri Master Gardener group. To join, Like the Universit...y of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners Facebook page, and tap the "Join Group" button. COLUMBIA, Mo. Some Missouri gardeners are finding a new type of flatworm in landscape soils. The hammerhead worm is a voracious, top-level predator, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Kelly McGowan. It will eat anything in its path, she says. It primarily feeds on native earthworms. Not much is known about the hammerhead worm, which belongs to a family of flatworms called land planarians. The worm gets its nickname from the blunt shape of its head. McGowan says its effect on soil fertility and nutrient cycling remains unknown. It is soft and flat and bears striping in different colors. It likes dark, cool, moist areas and moves and feeds mostly at night. Not only is it deadly to earthworms, it leaves a nasty trail of mucus and excrement that helps it glide along. It produces sexually by laying eggs and asexually by fragmenting and growing new heads and tails when cut into pieces. McGowan says the hammerhead worm likely hitchhiked to Missouri in potted nursery plants. It is small and difficult to see in potting soil but can grow to several inches long. McGowan suggests putting the soil in a wheelbarrow and looking for the flat worms. No known treatments exist, but gardeners can rid the soil of these predators by heating the soil to 93 degrees for five minutes. They survive freezing temperatures. Its one good quality is that it preys on slugs. For more information, contact your local MU Extension center or follow Ask a Missouri Master Gardener on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/AskaMissouriMasterGardener #ExtendMU #2xAg2030

Another interesting newsletter.

Pollinators play a crucial role in the production of fruits & veggies but their populations are in decline. You can help protect them by becoming a Master Pollinator Steward! A new online, self-paced course starts May 27! Learn more and register today. http://ow.ly/JqVa50zJjEz