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May 3, 2000

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Confessions of a Savvygardener
This is the moment that you've either been secretly hoping for or unconciously dreading - my admission of imperfection.  I am sad and humbled to share with you that some of our seedlings started indoors did not survive. I wish I could say the cats ate them but that is not the case. The sad truth is that I did not give them proper attention.  Here's the story.  Kevin travels a bit and I am left to baby-sit our little seedlings all by myself. Between being a mother of three, keeping up the house, and entering the world of internet publishing these little seedlings were always on the bottom of my "To Do" list. It seems like I would always remember them when I got up to bed and was turning out the light. By then I was thinking "I'll just take care of those little guys in the morning."  Well, morning would roll around, I would go to the basement to check on them and they looked as if they had been living in the desert. You could almost hear their parched pleas for water. After a good drink (for them not me) I would stand there and wait for them to perk up. Some did and the others, well let's just say that I will be purchasing some plants from the local nursery.  I am not seeking pity through my confession, though I will take what I can get.  I just want you to know that gardening takes patience, passion and luck.  Not every endeavor will work out.  Some will exceed your greatest expectations.  Learn from your failures and bask in the glory of your triumphs.
~ Shelly               

Rhizomes and Tubers and Corms, Oh My!
Often referred to simply as summer-flowering bulbs Dahlias, Gladioli, Cannas, Caladium, and Daylilies bring such a profusion of color and variety to the garden.  Now that the danger of frost is past you can safely plant these "bulbs" in your Kansas City garden.

We've put together a feature article to help you through the process.  Click here to read it.


Recipe for Aging Gracefully...
If you like the worn-in look of an established garden but find yourself looking at brand new pots, statuary, and stepping stones try some moss.  The gray/green patina of moss makes almost anything look like it's been there for a long, long time.  This is a wacky little tip that scores of gardeners swear by for accelerating the growth of moss just about anywhere:
  • Find some moss, preferably a dense, low-growing variety and put a handful in a container.
  • Pick out and discard any small stones.
  • Add a couple of cups of buttermilk.   (I told you it was wacky.) Buttermilk apparently contains something that moss really likes.
  • Put the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.  Add water as appropriate to create a consistency that pours like latex paint.
  • Pour or brush this concoction anywhere you want to encourage moss growth.  Remember that for moss to survive it must be kept damp.   A hot, sunny location will prove to be more trouble than it's worth.

The Arthur Murray School of Mowing?
Most of us are creatures of habit.  When it comes to mowing your lawn you probably follow the same back and forth pattern every time you cut the grass.  Unfortunately this regular practice will eventually wear ruts in the lawn where the mower wheels repeatedly follow the same path.  To avoid this problem try a four-way rotation of cutting patterns.  Picture your lawn as a sheet of paper and try these patterns.  Next week - tango lessons:
  1. Horizontal - left-to-right, turn, right-to-left across the lawn
  2. Vertical - top-to-bottom, turn, bottom-to-top across the lawn
  3. Diagonal 1 - bottom-left to top-right, turn, top-right to bottom-left.  Work toward corners.
  4. Diagonal 2 - bottom-right to top-left, turn, top-left to bottom-right.  Work toward corners.

Thirsty Trees...
  Don't forget your trees during this dry weather.  They are looking for at least one inch of precipitation per week and not getting it from Mother Nature.  If you haven't been watering them they are probably very thirsty.  We are still using the Tree I.V. that we bought at the Metropolitan Lawn & Garden Show this year.  It is particularly effective on young trees as they can require 5-20 gallons of water per week.

The tree experts at Ryan Lawn & Tree remind us that if you fertilize your trees now make sure you use fertilizer stakes.   Liquid fertilizers should not be used this time of year as they will cause additional stress to the tree.


What's Hot on the Hotline...
A growing number of Hotline calls concern dead and dying pine trees.  Within the past few years, most of our pines have been assaulted by diseases that cause them to brown, lose needles prematurely, and often to die. The problem has become so severe that homeowners are encouraged to limit their planting of evergreens to members of the native Juniperus genus like J. virginiana, a.k.a. Red Cedar or related varieties such as J. chinensis or the spreading Junipers.

Click here to read answers to the many questions about this problem.


How Dry I Am.  How Dry Will I Be?
Unless you've been vacationing on the moon for the last four weeks you probably know that April, 2000 was the driest April in Kansas City history.  While it is far too early to declare a drought-like growing season we are a little nervous.  One approach is to make sure you plant some drought-tolerant flowers.  Our gardens will include the following:

Annuals

Burning Bush, Kochia Gazania, Gazania
Creeping Zinnia, Sanvitalia Mexican Sunflower, Tithonia
Dusty Miller, Senecio Rose Moss, Portulaca
Four o’Clock, Mirabilis Salvia, Salvia farinacea

Perennials

Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia Iris, Iris
Blanket Flower, Gaillardia Sage, Salvia
Butterfly Flower, Asclepias Sedum
Gayfeather, Liatris Tickseed, Coreopsis

For a more complete list of drought-tolerant flowers that grow well  in the Kansas City area click here.


A Little Dressing for Those Vegetables
If you're growing cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower they are probably thriving now due to our warmer spring weather. Now is an excellent time to side-dress an application of nitrogen fertilizer along the row as the crop is growing. Use dry fertilizer placed along the row and tilled into the soil or liquid fertilizer mixed with water and sprinkled along the row.  Repeat every 2-3 weeks until just before harvest.  If it doesn't rain within 3-4 days of application you will want to water it in yourself.

Finally...

"A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust."   

- Gertrude Jekyll, Garden Designer, Writer, 1843-1932

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