K-State’s Garden Hour – “Pruning Like a Pro”

The K-State Garden Hour – a popular online program featuring horticulture experts from across the state – will discuss tips for pruning trees and shrubs on Wednesday, March 17^th from noon to 1 p.m.

Pruning is both an art and a science, which means there are many ways to do it correctly.

Every snip, clip, or cut can affect plants in different ways.

Learn how trees and shrubs respond to pruning so that you can prune like a pro.

Garden hour programs will continue two times a month through the summer.

To register and participate in the K-State Garden Hour, visit www.ksre-learn.com/KStateGardenHour-register

For more information, please contact Krista Harding, horticulture agent, at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

Winter is still holding on, although I’m optimistic that spring might be within sight. Hopefully we will get some nice warm days here in March since February didn’t have very many to offer us. When we do, have your dormant oil sprays ready for application.

There are a number of dormant sprays used on fruit trees and other plants to control various diseases and insects. However, a dormant oil spray is designed to control scale insects, aphids and mites. Just like the name implies, dormant oils are applied before the tree begins to bud. Dormant oil sprays are important because some pests attack before visible growth even begins. If you have a problem with scale, now is the time to start watching the weather and look for an opportunity to spray.

Scale insects can be seen easily this time of year since there a no leaves. Scale insects are easily overlooked because they are small and immobile most of their lives, and they do not resemble most other insects. Many of them resemble small shells that are oval or circular. Coloring varies but can include white, tan and brown. Plants that should be inspected for scales include apple, pear, other fruit trees, lilac, crabapple, oak, ash, elm, maple, arborvitae, juniper, pine, spruce, euonymus and yew.

Plants are not harmed if only a few scales are present, but scale population can increase dramatically during the growing season. Heavy scale infestations can damage fruit crops, destroy branches and kill entire plants.

Normally sprays should be applied around March 1, especially with peaches and nectarines. Apples are tougher and application may be delayed up to the green tip stage. Temperatures need to be at least 40 degrees so spray has a chance to dry before freezing. If the spray does freeze before it dries, plant injury can occur. Applying the spray during the morning will help insure that it dries properly. It is much easier to achieve good spray coverage if the tree is pruned before spraying.

The Extension office has several publications outlining the fruit spray schedule for the entire growing season.

Now is an excellent time to prune. Pruning can be done in March. Prune on days when the temperature is above 20 degrees to prevent injury. Prune older trees first because older, larger wood tolerates lower temperatures than young trees with small diameter wood.

If your trees are overgrown, out of control and you just don’t know where to begin, stop by the Extension office and pick up a pruning publication. This publication offers step-by-step instructions on pruning overgrown trees and it also has nice diagrams.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District.  She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Most often financial preparedness comes to mind when we think about retirement. There are a lot of variables that can create a big gray area in knowing if you have put enough back to live comfortably and do the things you have longed to do in retirement.

Feeling financially prepared can relieve a lot of worry and lends to the thought there will be smooth sailing in retirement. However, we may not be giving enough consideration to our mental preparedness toward retirement.

Retirement is an exciting adventure for most. The term liberation comes to mind. There may be a sense of freedom to do what you want when you want and the ability to start tackling your bucket list. It’s a major transition – moving from a structured work life as you are “getting a new life.” Be prepared to be patient with yourself and those in your household who are experiencing this “new life” transition along with you.

Being productive and having purpose is important in retirement. Getting that all figured out is a normal process for retirees. Having some hobbies in place before retirement is helpful in creating that sense of purpose. Give thought to volunteer opportunities that may be available. Be vigilant in concentrating on those undertakings that are important to you. Volunteering can fill a void and foster new relationships and environments to spend productive time. On the other hand, committing to too much can be overwhelming and taxing on your health.

When considering retirement, it is important to be aware of the effects retirement might have on your most meaningful relationships. Being together with your loved ones more frequently can be wonderful but may also be too much at the same time. The key is to talk about your fears, expectations, and concerns with your loved ones and friends ahead of time. Some helpful questions to consider discussing with family members and close friends include:

1. When I retire, I picture spending my time doing ______. How do you feel about that? How/when would you like to be involved?
2. What would you like for us to accomplish together once I retire?
3. How do you picture balancing our personal space/personal interests with participating in joint activities or socializing together once I retire?

Our expectations and assumptions for retirement may not match up with those we plan to spend time with. There may be expectations that more time together will be automatically accepted. That may not be the desired outcome for one of the parties. It’s good to get those out in the open prior to transitioning.

Retirement can be a rollercoaster of emotions and adventures, both fun and nerve-wracking. Not only are you leaving something, you will be starting something new. There will likely be not one but many transitions. Prepare yourself mentally for the unexpected. Realizing that ups-and-downs are likely to happen, and that it is okay, will help in re-establishing your sense of purpose and assist in enjoying retired life.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

4-H Beef

In the beef project, youth will learn all aspects of the beef industry by raising a market steer or building your own herd by raising heifers and cows.

There is 4-H Curriculum that can be purchased for anyone interested in the beef project. Here is a breakdown of what youth can learn at different levels:

Things to Learn/Do in the Project

Age 7-9

• Identify breeds of beef cattle

• Learn the parts of a calf

• Compare animal differences 

• Halter break a calf

Age 10-13

• Learn about cattle feeds and how they are digested

• Judge beef cattle and present oral reasons

• Show a calf and learn showing techniques

Age 14 and Older

• Use performance data to make breeding decisions

• Evaluate beef carcasses and identify meat products

• Explore impact of technology and career opportunities in the beef industry

In addition to the curriculum, youth are also offered the opportunity to attend project meetings held by volunteers. Each year, youth are able to demonstrate their hard work locally at the county fair and depending on age and placing, the Kansas State Fair. There are other local and state shows available to youth as well.

The beef project is a great opportunity for youth to learn important life skills. For more information about this project or the workshop, contact Jennifer K. Terrell, 4-H Youth Development for K-State Research and Extension – Southwind District at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

The K-State Garden Hour – a popular online program featuring horticulture experts from across the state – will highlight best plants for a beginning landscape on Wednesday, March 3^rd from noon to 1 p.m. Learn how to choose the right plants for your landscape including tough plants that will grow well for any level of gardener.

Garden hour programs will continue two times a month through the summer. To register and participate in the K-State Garden Hour, visit www.ksre-learn.com/KStateGardenHour-register

For more information, please contact Krista Harding, horticulture agent, at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Sir Winston Churchill

Conflict is challenging – I don’t enjoy it and I dread when I know in advance that conflict is headed my way. Most people perceive “conflict” as a difficulty rather than as an opportunity. Those who view conflict as the difficulty in every opportunity are not necessarily pes­simists, however they may not be viewing the conflict as a creative dynamic. The reality is, no matter what you do or how you act, there will always be some conflict — especially when you serve as a community board member.

Conflict can be both positive and negative. Conflict allows people to learn about a problem from different sides, and often the most creative ideas and solutions emerge from conflict. Negative aspects of conflict can involve frustration or confusion and sometimes lead to violence. The key to approaching conflict constructively is to recognize it as a process to be managed, not something to be avoided or eliminated.

Managing conflict requires certain skills and techniques that may not always be easy to implement.

For example, when a person learns to paint it involves learning strokes and techniques to create an image. However, only after continuous practice does the person finally become an artist. You may think of conflict management as an art that benefits everyone through learning the skills, but it takes practice implementing the tech­niques to be a skilled conflict manager.

The skills and techniques outlined here work best when the person applying them carries the attitude that conflict is about a problem that needs solving, rather than something to win.

Listen Actively

Listening involves more than simply hearing the words spoken, it also requires active involvement that includes understanding, acknowledging, and responding. To make sure you understand what the person has said summarize by saying out loud, “What I think I heard you say was … Is that right?”

Keep Emotions in Check

Although Newton is famous for stating, “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,” he was referring to objects, not people. Objects react, but people can chose not to. You can’t change your emotions, but you can decide how you want to act.

Separate People from the Problem

In every conflict there exists both the content of the problem and the human relationships. As a consequence, “people and the problem” often become entangled in discussions that sometimes lead to treating people and the problem as one.

Reframe

Reframing is a powerful method to reinterpret a state­ment or comment into a problem-solving frame. For example, if someone is yelling and screaming, don’t think of the person as being disrespectful and rude, but reframe your perception of that person as having limited skills in communication. (Easier said than done, right?) In addition, help the other person reframe the conflict into a problem by asking for their advice. For example, “What would you suggest I do?” “Knowing what my interests are, what would you do if you were in my shoes?” 

Conflict is just a part of our lives. Let’s work together to turn a little conflict into a lot of opportunity. For more information about leadership and community vitality, visit the Southwind Extension website at www.southwind.k-state.edu or find us on Facebook.

Carla Nemecek
Southwind Extension District
Director & Agent
[email protected]
620-365-2242
1006 N. State, Iola, KS 66749