About The Sylvania times. (Sylvania, Ga.) 2022-current | View Entire Issue (May 4, 2022)
thesy lvaniatimes .com The Sylvania Times Wednesday, May 4, 2022 - Page 11 Farm and Land Talmadge Fries Cjardeninj wit ft 'TaCmadae Why I love Iris’s Irises come in different varieties including dutch and bearded and in bulb fomi. I love both types and each has unique qual ities. I’ll start with bulb Iris. The bulb Iris is planted in the fall and blooms in the spring. The bulbs, once established in a bed will return and bloom yearly. The flowers are graceful and always full of color. The blooms can be cut to use in a fresh cut arrange ment and are long lasting. Dutch and bearded iris are tubular plants, where the tubule needs to be partiality exposed on top of the dirt. The iris plant stays green year-round, they just need to be sep arated every couple of years and cleaned up year ly. Always remember to keep the tubule partially exposed on top of the dirt and fertilize twice a year. The blooms are astound ing and can be used in a cut flower arrangement in fresh water. Tubular type Iris love full sun and well-drained soil. Wet soil will cause the roots to rot. They will thrive in full sun where other flowers will not. Tubular Iris is rugged and tough and deer resistant. With a little attention and care, tubular iris will mul tiply, and you will be able to establish other beds or swap with fellow garden ers. Also, when the iris begins to bloom, you will have a broad range of viv idly bright colors with ele gant petals that will make your fresh arrangement look endlessly elegant and beautiful. As always, join your local garden club for a wealth of fellowship and information. ^ I iS “Iron Deficiency of Centipede” The past few weeks has been very challeng ing for our centipede lawn owners. I can tell when things are not quite right, as the phone calls tell the tale. In the last article submitted, I wrote in detail about the effect of the late freeze(s.) Well, this last little Easter snap a few weeks ago did not do us any favors. The main complaint has been the yellow ing, or in the science world, chlorotic plant tissue. Centipede is a favorite among the many grass choices. It is a “low maintenance” lawn, requiring little to no work. Centipede grows well in an acidic environment with a pH of 5.0-6.0. Which suits our soils. However, as the pH goes above 6.0, Iron availability de creases. Let’s circle back to the large yellowing areas I was first describing. While only confirmed through a tissue test, the yellowing most people are calling about is an Iron deficiency. The availability of Iron to the plant decreases as soil temperature and air temperature suddenly drop. The Easter snap a couple of weeks ago fits this bill perfectly. In addition, soils with high Phosphorous lev els also makes Iron unavailable for plant uptake. The best and fastest method of correcting an Iron issue is to ap ply a liquid Iron che late fertilizer. You can get this formulation at any local feed and seed store or big box re tailer. There are many -Wade Parker Interim County Extension Coordinator different rates, based on different formula tions, so follow label instructions carefully. You will notice a quick greening of your grass within days of applica tion. The only way to tell if soil Phosphorous is too high is to pull a soil sample, again high levels of Phosphorous will limit Iron uptake. On a side note, be care ful not to fertilize with too much Nitrogen, as Centipede will become dark green and disease susceptible. Applying to much Nitrogen is “to much of a good thing.” I know we all heard that saying before on any is sue! Here is an additional resource from UGA Extension that goes into detail on manag ing centipedegrass: C 1003_3.PDF (uga.edu) Open Burning Rules for Georgia The Georgia Rules for Air Quality define open burning as any outdoor fire from which the products of combustion are emitted directly into the open air without passing through a stack, chimney, or duct. Such burn ing releases smoke, oxides of nitrogen, and other pollutants that have a negative impact onl Georgia’s air quality. Georgia’s open burning rules were created to improve air quality in our state. 13 Legal Burn Types Open burning in Georgia is prohibited with the exception of 13 types of legal bum activities: (1) reduction of leaves on premises, (2) agricultural procedures for production or harvesting of crops (if land tract is 5 acres or less), (3) burning vegetative material for agricultural operations (if land tract is greater than 5 acres), (4) prescribed burning, (5) recreational purposes and cooking, (6) fire-fighting training, (7) acquired stmcture bums, (8) vegetative debris from storms, (9) weed abatement, disease, and pest prevention, (10) open flame devices, (11), land clearing, constmction, and right-of-way maintenance, (12) disposal of packaging materials for explosives, and (13) land clearing with an air curtain destmctor. Outdoor burning in Georgia requires a permit from the Georgia Forestry Com mission (GFC) for burn activities 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, and 13. GFC Permits are not required for burn activities 1, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 12. At the same time it is unlawful in Georgia to bum man made materials such as tires, shingles, plastics, lumber, or household garbage, even in a bum barrel. Additional burning restrictions may apply based on Screven county and time of the year. The Director of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division may waive these additional restrictions upon a determination that such open burning is necessary to protect public health, safety or welfare, or there are no reasonable alternatives. Arcq Hospice Caring For You! (912)764-8441 2 (800)236.1142 200 Donehoo Street Statesboro, Georgia ogeecReeareahospice.org OjeecheeArea Hojp«F'W.des tare regahSess tifau center re g on naLona! ore n lestfe diagiosis. or ab ty to pay GA L cenas ¥C16 K The Farm Wife at Two Pennies Farm Strawberry Season I have looked forward to strawberry season since January. I tried growing strawberries when we first moved here, but lost them in the never ending war with Bermuda grass. Three years ago I had my first taste of berries from Hodges Strawberry Farm. They were big, juicy, and best of all, they tasted like strawberries should, sweet with in tense flavor. And since Hodges is only four miles from my house, why was I trying to grow my own? Picking your own berries is fun if you have littles or grand kids, but I can pick strawberries, or I can preserve them, but I can’t do both. So I choose to buy one of Hodg es pre-picked flats and start hulling them that day. The next day I make a batch of jam, and keep hulling. The day after I dice and bag up several 1 cup measures of berries and freeze them for Strawberry Cream Cheese muffins, and keep hulling. I’ll sugar up two batches of about 5 cups of berries and chunk them into the freezer for cob bler and keep hulling. (The hulls all go to the goats who simply adore this seasonal treat.) This all makes a serious dent in that flat of berries, but I make sure to have enough left for my Victorian Strawberry Shortcake. My Mother-In-Law was famous for her pound cake. It’s hubs’ favorite cake. I asked him early on if I should learn to make it, but he said it wouldn’t be the same, so I never tried. About 20 years ago I found a Victorian recipe for shortcake and gave it a try. I’m working away and think ing, “Man, this is a lot of batter.” It took all my strength to get the cake out of the oven. Pound cake. I had made a giant pound cake. But sliced, covered with fresh berries and real whipped cream it was pretty dam good. So once a year during strawberry season I find an excuse to make it. We’re celebrating my dad’s 93rd Birthday this weekend, and I’m bringing a Victorian Strawberry Shortcake. Strawberries mark the start of fresh fruit season here at the farm. For us that it runs: berries, stone fruits (peaches, plums...) figs, melons, tree fruits (pears), grapes, pome granate, citrus and persimmons. We grow Fuyu persim mons and Sand pears and the fruit of those can stay on the trees almost till Christmas. From New Years till mid- March, we rely on whatever I’ve managed to put up and the grocery store for fruit, so you can see why we’re ex cited for Strawberry Season. Eating seasonal and local has its pros and cons. On the pro side, fruit tastes best and costs less in season. And buying local and in bulk supports our local farmers. The only con I can think of is that occasionally it’s an incon venience to mn out to the farm to get what I want. We gorge on whatever fruit is in season, and by the time the season has ran its course; we’re almost tired of that fruit and ready to move on to whatever’s next. Go out to a local farm and treat yourself to some fresh strawberries. You might get hooked on eating fresh, local and in-season. Need Lawn Maintenance? Call Lane Today! - Grass Cutting Yard VCbrk - Pine Straw - Shrub Trimming - £ IVlore Little Pink Houses Lawn Care Services Lane Clark. Owner (912)4254)277 Brinson’s Tree & Stump Removal ' 'Gw? f+L i i r h', E"- r aM ■ M Brian Brinson: 706-526-8686 LooatLy Owned & Operoled litemed & Insured
