The “dog days of summer” is often a drab time of year for our landscapes. The heat has taken its toll on many annuals, perennials have already done their thing for the year and lots gardens have been overtaken by weeds. In thinking ahead to next year’s planting, there are shrubs that flower later in the growing season that you may want to put in the landscape to brighten it during the summer.

• Rose of Sharon – a tall shrub that produces single or double flowers. Colors range from white to red, purple or violet, or combinations depending on the variety.
• Crapemyrtle – dwarf to tall shrubs or trees. Flower color varies from white, pink, to purple or deep red on different plants.
• Bluebeard – this is also known as blue-spirea, blue-mist shrub, or caryopteris. It is usually found with blue flowers, but some cultivars have a bluish-violet to violet flower color.
• Sweet Autumn Clematis – this is a vigorous vine with large masses of small, white flowers that have a wonderful fragrance. However, use caution as it can outgrow its bounds.
• Davidiana Clematis – this is a bush-type clematis with small but interesting violet-blue flowers. Female plants bear interesting fluffy seed heads into the winter.
• The PeeGee Hydrangea – a coarse plant that develops large clusters of white flowers. It can be trained into a tree-like form.

Even though the summer growing season is winding down, it is the perfect time to think about putting in a fall garden. I know it can be hard to think about getting out in the garden and starting over when it is 90+ degrees out, but fall is a fantastic time to garden!

Salad crops such as lettuce, radishes, spinach, turnips, mustard and other greens can be planted from mid-August to early September for fall harvest. Plant seeds slightly deeper than you did in the spring. This will keep the seed slightly cooler though still warm and the soil should retain moisture longer. Water frequently until seedlings start to emerge. Once the plants emerge, reduce the frequency of watering.

And if you’re needing to improve your “green thumb,” consider taking the Master Gardener training class that will be offered in Chanute this fall. Applications are being accepted until August 27^th. The fall training class will begin September 10^th and will be every Monday through October 15^th from 9 am until 4 pm. Area resident are welcome to attend the training, and one does not need to reside in Neosho county. The Master Gardener training consists of 50 hours of instruction in all aspects of horticulture. Instructors include state specialists from Kansas State University. After training is completed, individuals donate and equivalent number of hours of service as was received in instruction.

Applications can be picked up at the Extension office, e-mailed or mailed to you. The fee for the course is $85 which covers the cost of the Master Gardener course notebook.

Don’t let the summer blahs get you down! There is still plenty of growing season left. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District.

Area plant lovers will have a great opportunity this fall to participate in an outstanding horticulture program!

The Master Gardener training will be held in Chanute starting September 10^th and will conclude on October 15^th. The training is held during the day from 9 am to 4 pm. The Master Gardener program is a volunteer program in which K-State Research and Extension “trades” classroom training for volunteer time.

Master Gardener training consists of 40 to 50 hours of instruction in all aspects of horticulture.

Instructors include state specialists from Kansas State University, local extension agents and local experts. After training is completed, volunteers donate an equivalent number of hours of service as was received in instruction.

Topics that will be covered in the training include:

• Plant Growth & Development
• Soils, Water and Fertilizer
• Vegetable Gardening
• Insect Diagnosis & Management
• Fruit Gardening
• Annuals & Perennials
• Woody and Grassy Ornamentals
• Turfgrass
• Landscape Maintenance
• Plant Disease Diagnosis & Management
• Pesticide Use and Safety

Although the Master Gardener program is a volunteer activity, there are some requirements that must be met prior to the selection process. Each individual wishing to participate in the Master Gardener training must meet the following requirements:

• You need to be available for about 40 hours of community horticulture service during the first year. The number of hours to be donated is equal to the number of hours of training received.
• You must have at least a High School Diploma or the equivalent.
• You must be willing to travel to the training site for all classes.
• Enjoy sharing your love of gardening with others through various Extension Master Gardener projects.

The Southwind Extension District currently has an active Master Gardener program consisting of 25 individuals. The Master Gardeners have completed volunteer projects such as demonstration flower beds, vegetable research trials and various other projects in Erie, Chanute, Iola, Humboldt, Moran and Fort Scott. In addition, educational tours and activities are also planned.

Applications are available now and are due to the Southwind Extension District by August 27^th. Applications can be picked up at any of our four Extension office locations, e-mailed or mailed to you. The fee for the course is $85 which covers the cost of the Master Gardener resource notebook. For more information about the Master Gardener training, please contact the Extension office.

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.

Thursday at the Bourbon County Fair started with the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Weekly Coffee and the Open Class Swine Contest. The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office served lunch at the Chuck Wagon eatery at the fair and in the evening was the 4-H Fashion Revue at Fort Scott Community College. There was a corn hole contest fundraiser presented by the Uniontown FFA in the arena.

Friday at the fair includes the livestock judging contest, viewing of open class exhibits, the 4-H Barnyard Olympics, the Buyer’s Appreciation Supper and the Junior Livestock Sale.

Saturday is checking out exhibits and clean-up. There will be a Missouri State Tractor Pullers Contest at the grandstand in the evening.

The Youth Conservation Corp from the Fort Scott National Historic Site were first-time visitors to the Chamber Coffee. They announced Family Day this Saturday at the Fort. Cooking, gardening, and small arms demonstrations will be in the morning session. Crafts and games will be in the afternoon session. Check out what this group planned as part of their duties at the Fort: For Families: Art Show July 28; Scavenger Hunt August 4 at The Fort

From left: Reaghn Dowell, Kaden Primm, Jesseden Kiwan and Anthea Montojo, all of Fort Scott High School, comprise the YCC.

The following are the entries that won Grand Champion in the Open Class Department, housed in the Myers Building.

The Swine Contest was held in the arena.

More Grand Champions in the 4-H Building:

Results for the 4-H Clubs:

Uniontown FFA did a corn hole contest fundraiser:

According to the University of Nebraska Extension Professor Bruce Anderson, while it may be uncomfortable [outside] for you and me, it is particularly hard on livestock out on pasture. To help them survive, much less thrive, under these conditions, they need plenty of good, clean water.

Not only do they need plenty of good, clean water – they need it close by. Once upon a time, it was common to make cattle walk a mile or more to water. And they’d do it.

But just think how hard it is on animals in this heat and humidity. Once they get to the water, the last thing they want to do is turn around and go all the way back to where they came from to graze. As a result, they do little grazing more than a half mile away from water.

In fact, research shows that when cattle need to travel more than 1000 feet to water, they spend less time grazing, they burn off pounds walking, and they graze distant areas incompletely.

So, how can you improve your water and grazing distribution?

More ponds, wells, windmills, and dugouts will help, but they can get expensive. Plus, they can only be placed in certain locations and can’t be moved.

So maybe a pipeline would be better. They can be put almost anywhere. And if you want to add more water locations, pipelines can be tapped into anywhere along the line. You might even qualify for cost-share dollars to help pay for the installation. Check with your local Natural Resources Conservation Service office for more information. You also can leave your pipe on top of the ground, saving trenching costs, if you only need water during the growing season. Over time, water improvements pay for themselves with better grass and improved animal performance.

Contact your local Southwind Extension District office in Fort Scott, Erie, Iola, or Yates Center for more details. I am happy to visit with you about your livestock watering systems, and am available via e-mail at [email protected], by telephone at 620-223-3720, or for on-site farm visits.

Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District, Director & Agent

With the addition of Woodson County to the Southwind District, July 1, 2018, marks an important mark in time for K-State Research and Extension. The extension districting model has been in place in Kansas since 1994 when Lincoln and Mitchell Counties formed the Post Rock District, and currently contains 50 counties in 17 Districts across the State.

Increased efficiency and effectiveness were major forces when the 1991 Kansas Legislature passed the Extension District Act. The merger of county extension councils can result in increased efficiency of resources and greater effectiveness of personnel through specialization, resulting in higher quality educational programming for Kansas citizens.

Locally, the Southwind District was formed in 2010 with Allen and Neosho Counties, Bourbon County was added in 2011, and Woodson County joined our family this week. Prior to districting, all extension units operated within their own counties, most commonly with two agents in each office to represent agriculture and family & consumer sciences with shared responsibility for 4-H.

In our Southwind district model, each local office houses two agents, but job responsibilities are more focused for better specialization and agents travel throughout the district to meet the needs of local residents.

In my opinion, the district model creates an environment of teamwork and synergy that we never had as an isolated county office. Extension staff is supervised and report to the District Board, which consists of four residents from each county who are elected in the general election of odd-numbered years.

Woodson County representatives were appointed by the County Commissioners for their first term.

As District Director, I am responsible for working with our finance committee to complete the annual budget, working with the personnel committee to set goals and conduct performance reviews, and the marketing committee promotes the district through various media avenues.

We remain strongly connected to Kansas State University as it relates to funding, staffing, personnel, educational requirements, and the organizational structure of extension councils and districts. An operational agreement and memorandum of understanding were developed with the district and Kansas State University.

With the addition of Woodson County, there is a new level of energy and excitement across our staff and offices. We have high expectations for expanded opportunities for all of our programs, and we look forward to including Woodson County for years to come.

If you haven’t already, please find more information about Southwind District on our website, www.southwind.ksu.edu or our Facebook page: Southwind Extension District. Folks are welcome to contact me anytime [email protected] or 620-365-2242.

Kansas State University Southwind Extension District Agents hosted an Open House in Yates Center on Thursday, June 28 as Woodson County joins Allen, Bourbon and Neosho Counties in the Extension District.

Agents pictured include Joy Miller, Krista Harding, Carla Nemecek, Christopher Petty, Jennifer Terrell, Dale Lanham, Barbara Stockebrand and Kathy McEwan.

Nineteen years – that’s how long I have been a K-State Extension agent and it has been a very good career for me! I thoroughly enjoy visiting with people and helping whenever I can.

When I began as an agent, I was amazed by the fact that not everyone knew what the Extension service was. I always heard the phrase “Extension is the best-kept secret” and I thought to myself….I’m going to change that!

Unfortunately, nineteen years later, I still frequently visit with folks that have absolutely no idea of the services the Extension office can provide. So many services in fact, it’s too numerous to list. But one of those that I want to draw your attention to is our horticulture services.

Anyone that has a lawn or landscape can benefit from the local Extension office. The weeds you try to keep from growing in your lawn, or the tree that has holes in the trunk, or the spots on your tomato leaves are all areas the Extension office can help you.

We offer you that one-on-one personal service that you cannot get from Google.

From the Extension office, you can obtain information on trees, turf, flowers, insects, gardens, soils and other related topics specific to Kansas. The key point here is – specific to KANSAS.

It is so easy to just turn to the internet to find information. However, many times the information you find is from another state and it is not relevant to our area. Or worse, it is inaccurate.

The Extension office can assist you with any specific plant or insect problem you may encounter – free of charge. Home visits are also available.

There are never any dumb questions when you call the Extension office. My job is to help the public with whatever question or issue they may have and to try to educate them. I may not always have the answer they are looking for immediately, but 99% of the time I can find an answer. We also have access to K-State specialists and laboratory diagnostic services.

This summer, there are three demonstration gardens in the Southwind District for people to view and take notes of plant performance.

Pepper plants are being trialed at the Elm Creek Community Garden in Iola, tomato plants at the Cherry Street Youth Center and squash at the community garden in Fort Scott. The plots are labeled so feel free to stop by and take a look.

I am most excited about the tomato trials at Cherry Street. This is a great learning opportunity for the youth! They are working under the direction of Denise Hastings who is an Extension Master Gardener. The youth will record data and make careful observations of the varieties. At the end of the season, results will be reported to K-State and combined with other data from other trials across the state. All of this data will be used to help update the list of K-State recommended vegetable cultivars.

During the growing season, I am in the Erie office Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; Iola on Tuesday and Fort Scott on Thursday.

However, you can always reach me by e-mailing [email protected] or call 620-244-3826.

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

Please join the Southwind Extension District next Thursday, July 28 as we host an Open House to welcome Woodson County to Southwind Family.

Effective July 1, 2018, Woodson County Extension will join the Southwind Extension District. We will celebrate this important merger with refreshments and fellowship on Thursday, July 28 at a come-and-go reception in the Yates Center Office, 211 W. Butler from 2pm-6pm.

Staff and board members will be present at the Extension Office to answer your questions about the District and explain what K-State Research & Extension can do to better serve the residents of Woodson County.

Currently, the Extension programs in Neosho, Bourbon, Allen and Woodson Counties consists of 4 Office Professionals and 8 Agents with specialized expertise in 4-H & Youth Development, Food & Nutrition, Adult Development & Aging, Financial Management, Horticulture, Community Leadership, Livestock Production, and Forage Management.

For more information, please contact Carla Nemecek, Southwind District Director at 620-365-2242.