Horticulture

Horticulture

Horticulture

Our horticulture program provides educational training and technical assistance to our community. Our technical services include soil testing, disease diagnosis, and plant, weed, and insect identification.

What is Horticulture Extension?

The Boone County Extension Office Horticulture program provides educational training and technical assistance to our community. Our technical services include soil testing, disease diagnosis, and plant, weed, and insect identification. Cooperative Extension is the major provider of research-based information for consumers and horticulture businesses.

Boone Hort News

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Additional Information

Kentucky Extension Master Gardener

 Join the Kentucky Extension Master Gardener Program! 

Learn about botany, tree identification, soils, propagation, disease and insect identification, and much more. Complete the program requirements, then use your new knowledge by volunteering 40 hours at Extension-approved sites in order to become a Certified Master Gardener! 

Nature Center Demonstration Gardens

The Nature Center Demonstration Gardens are located at the Boone County Environmental and Nature Center. This garden is used by the horticulture the department where Northern Kentucky Master Gardeners can volunteer as part of Dig Day.

Nature center

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This 1-acre garden and orchard located on the property are used to teach hands-on programs such as Evenings in the Garden, the Power of Flowers, best gardening practices, how to raise cut flowers, best vegetable varieties, and lots more. Thousands of pounds of fresh produce are grown every year from the garden and donated to local food banks providing healthy, nutritional food to many of our neighbors in need.

Fire Blight Alert and Risk Map Overview

Apple and pear trees are at or approaching bloom. Infection by the fire blight bacterium occurs during bloom, thus, protectant antibiotics should be applied when the risk is high. 

The risk for infection can be assessed using the Fire Blight Disease Prediction Model. Growers can assess local risk by selecting their county and orchard history. This model incorporates the previous 4 days of weather data plus adds a 7-day forecast for estimating leaf wetness and temperature (thereby estimating the risk for bacterial growth and infection). There are 66 Mesonet weather stations throughout Kentucky, thus, weather information for the model is based on data from the closest weather station. A mobile (phone or tablet) friendly version of this site is here.

Remember that apple and pear trees must be in bloom for predictions to be accurate. The map overview presented here indicates fire blight risk as of March 28, 2022 (Figure 1). According to the current assessment, the risk is low for the state. Growers are encouraged to check the model regularly for the most accurate analyses and county-specific forecasts.

Additional Resources

Information regarding the prevention and management of fire blight can be found in:

  • Using Prediction Models to Manage Diseases in Fruit (PPFS-FR-T-07)
  • Commercial Fruit Pest Management Guide (ID-232)
  • Backyard Apple Disease Management Using Cultural Practices (PPFS-FR-T-21)
  • Fire blight (PPFS-FR-T-12)
  • Fire blight of Apple (Video)
Fire Blight map

Figure 1: Fire blight risk for Kentucky counties as of March 28, 2022.

By: Nicole Gauthier, Plant Pathology Extension Specialist, and Kimberly Leonberger, Plant Pathology Extension Associate

 

Check out these additional UK Publications about Early Blight & Septoria Leaf Spot of Tomato – Disease Management for Commercial & Residential Growers

For Commerical Growers

For Residential Growers 

Robert D. Brockman

Extension Agent, Horticulture

(859) 586-6101 rdbr232@uky.edu Boone County Extension Office 6028 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington, Kentucky 41005-0876

Melissa Pilcher

Extension Assistant, Horticulture

(859) 586-6101 melissa.pilcher@uky.edu Boone County Extension Office 6028 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington, Kentucky 41005-0876

Joe Smith

Extension Assistant, Horticulture

(859) 586-6101 joseph.smith2@uky.edu Boone County Extension Office 6028 Camp Ernst Road, Burlington, Kentucky 41005-0876

Boone County Arboretum

Be sure to check out the Boone County Arboretum! Located at 9190 Camp Ernst Road, Union KY 41091.

Boone County Arboretum is also known as Central Park and was the nation’s first arboretum within an active recreation park setting. The specialized arrangements of plant families and 12 athletic fields are connected by a 2+ mile winding multi-use trail. 

ARBORETUM - (ar-bo-re'-tum): A place for the scientific study and public exhibition of many species of trees and shrubs.

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Contact Information

6028 Camp Ernst Road P.O. Box 876 Burlington, KY 41005-0876

(859) 586-6101

boone.ext@uky.edu