Rick Durham, Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky

Tips to get that Christmas cactus to bloom.

Christmas cactus (and Thanksgiving cactus) sometimes seem temperamental when it comes to blooming on schedule. It is not uncommon to see these plants in flower anytime from late October through February or March. However, if given the right stimulation, these plants can usually be induced to flower around Thanksgiving or Christmas. The key is providing the right types of stimuli to encourage flowering. First, keeping the plants on the dry side in September will help with initiation of flower buds. Don't let the plants dry out completely, just reduce the normal watering by about half. The naturally shorter days of autumn and cooler nights will also help to initiate flower buds. Move plants outdoors where they can experience a natural day/night cycle (away from unnatural light sources such as outdoor lighting or bright windows) until late October. Cover plants or move them to a garage or protected patio if there is a chance of frost. If you can't move them outdoor, consider placing them in a closet or similar area where the plants can get about 14 hours of uninterrupted darkness each night. In late October, bring the plants back to their former location in the house and resume normal watering. Flowering should begin in 3-6 weeks.
 

All America Selections for 2001.

Here are descriptions for the 2001 All America Selections taken from their recent press release. For more information you can visit their web site at <www.all-americaselections.org>. These varieties have been evaluated at sites all across the U.S. and have proven to perform well under a wide variety of conditions.

• Zinnia 'Profusion White' - All America Selection Gold Medal Winner! This is the latest addition to the Profusion series. 'Profusion Orange' and 'Profusion Cherry' have been past All America Selections. 'Profusion White' is very similar to the others. The plants are resistant to powdery mildew and have 2½ white daisy-like flowers. The plants may look a little leggy in spring when sold in small pots, however, they will grow on and spread to 24 inches in the garden when planted in full sun.
• Portulaca 'Margarita Rosita' - Semi-double 1½-inch-wide rose flowers are produced on this compact plant. The plant will spread 12-14 inches, but will only attain a height of about 4 inches. The plants require lots of sun and are very heat and drought tolerant. These characteristics will make 'Margarita Rosita' an excellent addition to a container garden.
• Eustoma 'Forever Blue' - Blue flowers are often hard to come by in the garden so 'Forever Blue' is a welcomed addition. This lisianthus has 2 ½ inch flowers produced on a vigorous plant with a very dense branching habit. The plants reach about 12 inches in height. 'Forever Blue' will tolerate heat but must have spent flowers removed (deadheaded) to bloom throughout the season.
• Nicotiana 'Avalon Bright Pink' - These compact plants reach a height of about 10 inches with a similar spread. The bright pink, star shaped blooms keep coming and coming without the need for deadheading. The plants are also heat tolerant.
• Sunflower 'Ring of Fire' - This five inch sunflower has a dark brown center with bicolor red and golden petals. The impression truly is a "ring of fire." This variety is late blooming, sometimes requiring 120 days from planting, but this will make it a welcome addition to the late summer garden. The plants are not tall by sunflower standards but still reach a height of 4 to 5 feet with a spread of 2 to 3 feet.
• Sweet Corn 'Honey Select' - This flavorful yellow sweet corn variety has a combination of sugary enhanced (se) and supersweet (sh2) genetics. Unlike other supersweet types, however, 'Honey Select' does not require isolation from other corn pollinizers when the ears are in silk. The 8-inch-long ears mature in about 79 days and can be harvested over an extended time without loss of eating quality.
• Tomato 'Jolly' - 'Jolly' is a new pink tomato with 1 ½ ounce fruit that are produced on vigorous indeterminate vines. The fruit are born in clusters of 9-14 tomatoes and ripen in about 70-75 days after transplanting. The vigorous vines will produce best quality fruit when excess growth is pruned and the vines are supported.
• Pepper 'Giant Marconi' - This is a 6-8 inch long Italian grilling pepper that turns from green to red upon maturity. The fruit can be eaten raw but is best when grilled. The 30 inch tall plants are resistant to Potato Virus Y and Tobacco Mosaic Virus. Green peppers can be harvested about 72 days from transplanting.
• Onion 'Super Star' - This improved white sweet onion is recommended for the spring garden. When started early from transplants, 'Super Star' bulbs can weigh one pound or more when they reach maturity after about 100 days. The plants are resistant to pink root. 'Super Star' is milder and sweeter than 'White Sweet Spanish', the closest comparison, and is best eaten fresh, in salads, or on sandwiches.

 

• Remove fallen fruit and leaves from beneath fruit trees. Many insects and diseases that plague home fruit production spend the winter on fallen fruit and leaves. So raking up any fallen fruit and leaves will help reduce the incidence of fruit pest next year. Composting these materials will both eliminate the pest problem and provide good organic matter that can be used elsewhere in the garden.
• September is the time to divide existing or plant new perennials such as bearded iris, daylilies, peonies, and phlox. Many perennials either produce fewer blooms or fail to bloom altogether when they become too crowded. To divide, loosen the soil around the clump and gently lift the plants. Shake off excess soil so that the growth pattern is apparent. Divisions should contain some of the edges of the clump (most recent growth) and contain two or three stems or groups of leaves. The stems or leaves should be cut back to about 2 to 3 inches long and also cut back any damaged roots. Plant these divisions in newly worked soil at about the same depth they were growing in the garden.
• Pumpkins and winter squash should be harvested when the skin is tough and can not be easily damaged with your fingernail. The squash and pumpkins can be left in the field as long as there are vines or other vegetation to shield them from direct sunlight, but move them to a protected cool, dry place once freezing temperatures occur.
• If you still have an itch to do some vegetable gardening, there's still time to get in a few more crops. Mustard greens, turnips (as well as turnip greens), spinach, and leaf lettuce will all do well if seeded in early September. Radishes can be planted as late as October 1st.