The Extension Master Gardener program through K-State Research and Extension is a valuable volunteer program that trades classroom hours of study with the experts in horticulture. In return, the Master gardeners give back to their communities with the knowledge they received. Two Master Gardeners for Barton County are Monica Bowers and Karen Morton of Great Bend. I asked them to write a little bit about their experiences in the program to share this week. You can also stop by the Brit Spaugh Zoo when you have a chance to see the beautiful results of all of their hard work! For more information about the Master Gardener program, and how you can get involved, call the Extension office at 793-1910.
After experiencing the KSU Master Gardener educational program last year, our eyes have been opened to the possibilities of spreading the knowledge of horticultural beauty through our communities. The professionals who instructed us and the research information provided to us are tools we consider as gifts for creating and promoting horticultural beauty in our own area.
Anyone can have at least a bit of plant and flower beauty with the help of the Prairie Star Annuals list (recently updated), the Prairie Bloom list, both by K-State Research and Extension and the horticulture education information available on the barton.ksu.edu website. The Prairie Star annual flowers are varieties best adapted to our challenging climate. They have to perform superbly for two years or more in controlled test areas throughout Kansas to make this list. The Prairie Bloom perennial flowers have to show superior performance for three to five years or more in controlled test areas throughout Kansas to make this publication. In August, 2015 we attended a review of one such test area at the KSU Experiment Station in Hays. This particular test area also included various grass plots provided by Sharp Bros Seed Co..
In the summer of 2015, at the Barton County Historical Village, we did some bed planting work consisting mostly of perennials. Several of these plants were chosen from the Prairie Bloom list and publication, courtesy of K-State Research and Extension. Most of the potted plants at Brit Spaugh Zoo in Great Bend this past summer featured plants from the Prairie Star list and publication. We experienced a few marginal successes but most were prolific bloomers as promised. These two publications have been invaluable in choosing adaptable plants for our central Kansas zone. We have been working in these locations again in 2016, using KSRE information, and have labeled the plants in the zoo so visitors can learn more about the varieties we planted.
Our education was broadened during the summer as we learned from experience the value of mulching, the water requirements of different plants and how the different physical locations of the same type plant could affect its growth.
As Master Gardeners we seek information of successes and marginal outcomes. We continue our effort to share this knowledge; it is our mission to encourage others in their quest to grow and nurture prolific plants and flowers. Put to use, this will beautify our own properties and those in public areas. We encourage you to use the barton.ksu.edu extension website to further your knowledge of horticulture including annuals, perennials, vegetables, trees, turf, and so much more. Of course, many publications are also available at the Barton County Extension Office in Great Bend.
Beautify your own areas and that of your town. Just ask...there’s an area for you to help make more eye appealing nearby!
Alicia Boor is the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Barton County K-State Research and Extension. You can contact her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910