The weather has beat me to covering the strawberries with snow. Strawberries are hardy. Straw, hay or in my case ornamental grass is used to prevent early bloom, frost heaving and to keep the berries out of the dirt. Anytime you can get around to mulching them will be fine.
Trees pruned correctly will seal over to prevent insect and disease from having an opening. These pictures represent the process. The pruning cut is made outside the branch collar which is a swollen area where the branch and trunk meet. Now is a fine time to manage your trees and make limb removal decisions. 
Applying fertilizer takes some effort. The easiest way is to measure the square feet of area. This is done by multipling length times widith. Use the right amount of product to get 1 to 1.5 pounds of actual nitrogen per thousand square feet. Put the fertilizer setting low and go over the lawn in several directions until the fertilizer is used up.
Last year it got cold fast and my hybrid tea roses went through several hard freezes before I got the mulch put on them. None died but they were very small and took a while to bloom. The forecast called for really cold temperatures so I hurriedly got them covered this year with woodchip mulch. 
After preventing deer from eating the leaves of the sweet potatoes, they are now ready for harvest.
My Amur Maple tree allee is suffering from Verticillium wilt. This disease is found in catalpa, redbud, maples, and Russian olive. I have lots of redbuds without this disease. Affected trees show a rapid wilting and drying of leaves in a portion of the tree crown, or in some cases, throughout the entire crown. Vascular discoloration can sometimes be seen on the cut ends of wilted branches.The school bells are ringing once again, and it is hard to believe that summer has about ended! Now is the time to start a school routine that is sure to earn “A’s.” Has your family mapped out the school course?
· Lay out clothes the night before, and this will cut down on some of the morning rush.
· If packing a lunch, pack what can be packed the night before. Place all room temperature items, such a
s crackers, chips, napkins, silverware, etc. in the box or bag. Add the refrigerated items in the morning before you step out the door.
· Gather your backpack goods before you head to bed. Have it all together, and ready by your front door.
· Set aside a designated homework “spot.” Keep pencils, pens, erasers, markers, crayons, rulers and paper at this site.
· Determine a homework time, and stick to it.
· Get plenty of sleep. Brains function better on sleep. Try to keep bedtimes consistent each night.
· Eat breakfast before you dart out the door. Breakfast is the most important brain fuel.
How did you do? If the above items become your school habits, then you will definitely make the grade this year. Good luck!!
This tomato, I've been growing in a 5 gallon bucket using only compost from the KSU beef unit compost. It has done poorly on account that there appears to be some residual herbicide in the compost. Note the distorted leaves. It does have a few tomatoes.It doesn’t matter what we do or where we go on vacation, it’s just important that we get away. According to Joe Robinson, author of “Work to Live- A Guide to Getting a Life,” taking a vacation is as important as watching your cholesterol or exercising. Americans forfeited an average of four vacation days each last year. Approximately 574 million vacation days were lost. Don’t let your vacation days go to waste.
If you are searching for a low-cost vacation, a couple of options come to mind. Did you know that Rock Springs 4-H Center offers family camping opportunities? Yep, the entire family can stay for a weekend and experience the “Spirit of the Springs”. Family camps are offered:
July 3 - 5
July 10 - 12
July 31 - August 2
August 14-16
September 4-6
You can decide whether you want to rough it in tents or pamper yourself in Leadership Lodge. Rock Springs staff will take care of the cooking while you enjoy swimming, canoeing, horseback riding and the other fun activities that Rock Springs has to offer. More information is available at http://www.rocksprings.net/.
Another fun option for a stay-at-home vacation is the Riley County Fair, July 23-27 at CiCo Park in Manhattan. There’s lots of fun things for the whole family to enjoy. You can see 4-H exhibits and livestock, take part in the pedal tractor pull, or enjoy food on the mid-way. On July 23, 24 and 25 you can catch a performance of the Kaw Valley Rodeo. The Ottaway Amusements carnival will be at the fair and offer $20 wristbands each night. You can also check out local talent at the Riley County Idol Contest, July 24-26 in the entertainment tent. Live local entertainment will follow the Idol performance each evening. For a complete schedule and more detailed information, visit http://www.rileycountyfair.com/.
Whether you decide to check out one of these options or one of your own, travel safe and enjoy your summer!
Something had been harvesting my berries before I could. I first thought it was sowbugs (roly-polies). Some carbaryl products are labeled for use with only a 1 day waiting period which would be do able. I went out early in the morning and didn't find any so I haven't treated. 
e to fix dinner. Tuesday evening the family had to be at the school for awards night by 7:00. Again, not much time to fix dinner. Wednesday night my husband had to be at a City Council meeting by 6:30. For the third night in a row, the meal fixing window was short. I could have run by the grocery store or through the drive-thru for takeout, but we don’t need the extra calories and it’s hard to feed a family of four takeout for less than $20, even if it is fast food. Lucky for me, I had a stock pile of meals prepared and in the freezer for weeks such as this. 
Freezer meals are a great way to make sure my family gets a nutritious meal and that we have time to eat together. Usually about once a month I have a major cooking session, fill all the pans in my cupboards with food and stick them in the freezer. Some of our family favorites are beef stroganoff, lasagna, and chicken enchiladas. These meals are a life saver!
I actually harvested three heads of broccoli last night. One was ready and I needed the other two to make enough to serve.
Harvest terminal heads while the floret is tight and of green color. The flowers are yellow and if that color is starting, harvest immediately. Smaller side shoots will develop after the main head is cut.
I never sprayed mine for cabbage worm since the row cover has been left on the whole time.
I fertilized my broccoli with some urea (straight nitrogen) fertilizer. I pulled back the row cover to fertilize and watered it in. I then put the row cover back.
Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cabbage can be fertilized 3 weeks after field transplanting with a half a pound of urea (46-0-0) per 100 feet of row. Or half a tablespoon of urea per plant.
Broccoli is good for you and will more likely get eaten when grown at home. Fortunately, everyone in our family will eat broccoli. Now is the time to get the spring crop planted. It can also be planted in early August for a fall harvest.
This is one of my favorite vegetable crops to grow because it is very productive. After the main head is harvested, it will continue to produce side heads that can be harvested. Use wide spacing of up to 3 feet if you want to harvest large central heads. Closer spacing will produce smaller central heads. But if you harvest secondary heads you will get a greater total yield from the closer spacing.
Select short and stocky broccoli plants that have four or five true leaves for planting. Larger, older transplants are more likely to bolt when exposed to cool temperatures in the garden. Some cultivars will form small “button” heads when the weather turns warm following a 10 day stretch when high temperatures only reach the 40s F.
At transplanting, use a cup of liquid fertilizer that contains phosphorus to get them off to a quick start. Too much nitrogen fertilizer may cause hollow stems.
Plants have shallow roots. Use mulch or hand weeding verse cultivation. They like moist and well-drained soil. Give the crop one inch of water per week when rainfall is lacking. Be particularly generous with water as the head starts to develop.
Fertilizer applied will produce a large plant and a larger head. Sprinkle additional fertilizer after planting along the row every 2-3 weeks as the crop develops. Well manured gardens or soil with added compost will need less added fertilizer.
Full sun is best for quick growth. It will grow in part sun but will take longer to mature. Green Comet is the quickest at around 40 days. Packman takes 50 to 73 days. Premium Crop is a long one at 62 to 82 days.
The imported cabbage worm and occasionally the cabbage looper will want their share of the harvest. You can observe these caterpillars feeding on the underside of the leaves and in the broccoli head. Several insecticides can be used such as Bacillus thuringiensis or spinosad. I use a barrier called a floating row cover to keep the butterflies from being able to lay their eggs.
Planting now, one can expect to begin harvesting in mid to late June and July. Harvest the florets when they are tight and have a good green color. Once the buds start to open and yellow appears, it is getting late for harvest.
The word "discipline" often comes with a negative connotation. In reality, discipline is simply a teaching tool to model and praise good behavior. When done properly, discipline teaches our children self-control and helps them to start setting their own limits and develop their own morals and inhibitions. Discipline should not be a tool to enforce power or make a child feel inferior. The number one thing to remember about discipline is to stay POSITIVE! Don’t just punish bad behaviors; model and praise good behaviors and teach the proper or alternative behavior to a misbehavior.
Children of different ages respond to discipline techniques differently. Therefore, it is important to mold your discipline style to fit your child's age. You can’t tell a newborn to “stop crying because it hurts my ears” because obviously the child cannot understand the language. The following is a simple list of discipline tips and techniques that can be used at varying ages. Keep in mind that all children are different, have different temperaments, and grow and mature in different ways. What works for one child may not work for the next. Patience, practice, and perseverance are key to developing more positive discipline tactics.
Birth – 18 months
-Infants cannot obey or disobey their parents/caregivers.
-No discipline is needed at this age, instead, focus on developing a warm relationship with the child.
-Praise the baby with hugs, smiles, attention, and time
-Ignore minor misbehaviors that are not issues of safety.
-Prevent many problems from occurring by baby-proofing the home.
-Always model and teach behaviors that you feel are appropriate.
18 months – 2 years
-Toddlers still don’t easily obey commands.
-If child is doing something you wish to stop, try distraction techniques.
-Get the child’s attention by doing things the child likes and will engage in sharing behaviors.
-Using reasoning and talking to a toddler usually doesn’t work.
-Rearrange your environment (remove objects that could cause problems) to avoid problems.
2-4 years
-Children of this age start to develop strong routines and natural tendencies – work with these tendencies if possible.
-Avoid giving complex choices.
-Do not expect children of this age to wait for things or easily share with others.
-Praise good behaviors and continue modeling acceptable behavior.
-Use distraction techniques to change the subject or get them interested in something else.
-Use a child’s natural tendencies – for example, if a child loves to climb, but is always getting in trouble for climbing on the furniture, take him/her to the park and let him/her climb all he/she wants with your supervision.
-Make sure the limits and boundaries you set are reasonable for the age and maturity of the child.
4-6 years
-Continue praise and compliments for good behaviors.
-Whispering is sometimes an effective tool.
-Keep few rules, but be rigid when enforcing them. Make sure your rules have meaning and specific consequences, and make sure your children are aware of them.
-Many “bad” behaviors are simply immaturities. Be patient and remember your child is still maturing and learning.
-Avoid punishment (spanking, yelling, etc.) if at all possible. If you feel it is necessary, do so calmly and after you have cooled down - NEVER punish out of anger!
6-11 years
-Prevent problems before they happen to avoid having to punish.
-Continue praise and compliments for good behavior.
-Allow children of this age the freedom to make simple choices and feel independent.
-Allow children to fail (as long as failing isn’t an issue of safety or extreme danger), but support them through it.
-Show your child the natural and logical consequences of their actions – for example – “If you go outside in the snow with no gloves on, your hands will get cold” is a natural consequence. “We do not eat dinner without washing our hands, so you won’t be able to eat with us until your hands are washed” is a logical consequence. Make sure your rules have consequences that make sense.
-If a child is expected to do chores, tell him/her about them in advance, then remind the child before he/she forgets.
-Save using direct commands for important things.
-Motivate the child with time, attention, and approval.
-Allow for some independence, but make sure your expectations are not beyond your child’s maturity level.
Teenage years
-Pay attention to your body language and tone when talking with your teen. Keep your tone friendly and not demeaning. Try to talk with your teen, not at your teen.
-Allow your teen to fail and use those times to teach valuable lessons and discuss what went wrong. Do not place blame for failure, but use it as a discussion topic.
-Make your teen feel included by allowing them to have a reasonable say in curfews, rules, decisions, and guidelines. Make discussions about rules be a conversation and listen to your teen’s point of view.
-Rules should be logical, explained, and make sense to your teen.
-Listen to your teen and validate their ideas, even if you don’t agree with them.
-Go easy on initial offenses. Use these times to explain why they were wrong, and discuss ways to improve in the future.
Stay tuned for more discipline and behavior-management tips in later blog posts!
Be sure to check out this resource from The University of Maine Cooperative Extension relating to discipline through different ages.
http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4140.htm
Imagine having the life of a college student. Attend interesting classes, take part in tours and off-campus field trips, experience life in the residence halls and try out campus entertainment. This mini-college experience happens during Discovery Days!
Youth age 13 through 18 are invited to participate in this year's conference, to be held at Kansas State University, June 2-5. Attend classes on animal science, cooking, golf, horse judging, environment, dancing, art, engineering and much more. Last year's event brought over 600 youth together from across the state of Kansas! This event certainly has "endless opportunities" for growth this year too!
In order to get your favorite classes, register EARLY. Registration is due April 15, but register sooner to have the best class selection. Visit http://www.kansas4h.org/Events/DiscoveryDays/Default.htm to check out the class catalog and to learn more about this awesome opportunity. Register online, and find out immediately if you got your favorite classes at https://4hyp-ts.oznet.ksu.edu/wconnect/ace/home.htm
Have you attended Discovery Days in the past? If so, share your favorite part about Discovery Days in the comment section below. See you there!
are invited to participate as campers.
After being inspired by a recent anniversary dinner at a fancy restaurant, I decided to try recreating one of my favorite appetizers – bruschetta.
Method:
In another bowl, combine diced tomatoes (canned or fresh) with about 3 tsp. basil and mix.
Slice bread at an angle and place on a clean surface to prepare for seasoning.
Rub with a smashed clove of garlic, or sprinkle with garlic salt. Drizzle both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt, pepper, and basil. For authentic bruschetta, grill the bread pieces on a grill. You can get a smiliar effect from using an electric kitchen grill as shown below. You can also broil for several minutes on each side until bread is golden brown, use a toaster oven, or a hot regular oven to toast the bread.
To serve:
When ready to eat, spread cheese/olives onto toast and top with tomatoes. Enjoy!
Restaurant bruschetta: $14 (!)
