The Coshocton County Beacon April 3, 2019 - Page 14

Ag extension talk
David L Marrison | Contributed
C ustom E mbroidEry & V inyl G raphiCs
COSHOCTON - Hello Coshocton County! I don’t know
about you, but I am ready for spring! It has been nice to
get out, prune our grapes, pick-up the yard and to pull
soil samples on our garden and pastures. I was surprised
how sore I was after working outside this past weekend!
As you get limbered up to take on your spring gar-
dening, I would like to remind you about soil testing,
give some tips on mulching, and invite you to two great
horticulture programs.
Soil Testing: OSU Extension recommends that you
soil test your garden, lawn, or crop fields every three
to five years. The major reason to soil test is so that you
will know what the pH of the soil is. Our soils tend to be
acidic which means that you may need to add lime oc-
casionally. The only way to know how much to add is to
measure the pH. Or as our Master Gardeners say, “Don’t
guess - soil test!”
Additionally, the soil test will give phosphorus and po-
tassium levels and provides a recommendation for nitro-
gen. These are the three major nutrients which all plants
need. Each soil test summary will provide you with a
• Commercial Embroidery • Window & Vehicle Lettering
• Signs and Banners
• Screen Print & Heat Press
Monday - Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM
1020 R Cedar St. - Coshocton Ohio
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The featured speaker will be Ashley Kul-
hanek, entomologist and OSU Extension Educator from
Medina County. There is no charge for this program but
reservations are being requested so that adequate pro-
gram materials can be printed. Call Coshocton County
Extension at 740-622-2265 to register.
Gardeners may also be interested in attending our Hy-
drangea School which will be held on Tuesday, April 30
at the County Services Building in Room 145 from 6:30 to
8:30 p.m. We are delighted that OSU Extension Educator
Eric Barrett will be here from Mahoning County to help
participants discover the types, care, pruning and bloom
times of hydrangeas. The registration fee for this work-
shop is $30 per person, which includes handouts, light
refreshments and a hydrangea plant to take home for
your landscape.
Pre-registration is required by April 21 for the Hydran-
gea School. Find a registration flyer at coshocton.osu.
edu or call Coshocton County Extension at 740-622-2265
for more information. Do not miss your chance to learn
from one of Ohio State’s leading authorities on hydran-
geas!
To close, I would like to share a quote from May Sarton
who stated, “Everything that slows us down and forc-
es patience, everything that sets us back into the slow
circles of nature, is a help. Gardening is an instrument of
grace.” Have a good and safe day.
David Marrison is an associate professor and extension
educator, agriculture and natural resources with Ohio
State University Extension. He can be reached at 740-622-
2265 or [e-mail].
740-622-6528
prescription of what fertilizer is needed. Soil test kits can
be purchased at the Coshocton County Extension office
for $16 per test. Stop in today and get your soil test kit!
Mulching: As it begins to warm up, you may have the
urge to start on yard work like mulching. But it is best to
wait. Even though we have had warmer weather, our soil
temperatures remain below 50 degrees.
Mulching too early keeps the soil wet and cold which
could damage the root systems of plants. Also beware
that heaping mounds of mulch against tree trunks,
often referred to as volcano mulching, can be damaging.
Moisture captured by the mulch can keep the plant’s
bark in a continued state of wetness. This can cause the
bark to decay, and lead to insects, fungi, and bacteria
feeding on the damaged tissue. Not a good thing!
Mulch put on at the proper time and at the proper
depth of 2-3 inches, can have many benefits including
the prevention of weed growth, conservation of moisture
in the soil, stabilization of soil temperatures, and the ad-
dition of organic matter to the soil. My general guideline
is that mulch should never be applied before Mother’s
Day which is still weeks away. Remember, patience is a
virtue!
Upcoming Workshops: Each year our Master Gardener
Volunteers help identify hundreds of insects for folks.
Some are good, some are bad, and some are just plain
creepy. One of our missions is to encourage people to be
life-long learners and we have a great program coming
up in April which will help you identify insects better.
OSU Extension will be offering a “Bug Detective - What
is Bugging You” workshop on Thursday, April 11 at the
Coshocton County Services Building in Room 145 from
Taking care of
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www.coshoctonbeacontoday.com
APRIL 3, 2019