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June 28, 2000

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Autumn Dreams...
As you will read toward the end of this week's newsletter I'm spending more evenings in the garden lately.  As I get older and wiser I spend far less time working in the mid-day heat.  I find that 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM is a great time to get caught up on weeding and dead-heading without feeling like I am going to wilt with my tender plantings.  To take my mind off the heat I am already dreaming about planting this fall.  The front of our house is in need of some inspiration and I have some ideas that I must get on paper.  It seems like only yesterday when all I could think about was planting for spring!

Good news for all of you SavvyChatters!  We have switched to a new format that is more user friendly and less buggy.  We've imported some of the postings from the old SavvyChat and even had a few new postings already.  If you've got a gardening question or want to share your personal wisdom please check it out! 

Boy, you wish for a little rain and you get buckets!  The weather has been somewhat wacky these last couple of weeks with that terrible heat spell and then the torrential rains.  I sure am enjoying the cooler days however.  Unfortunately those hot humid days can't be far away.

~ Shelly               

Soapy Suds For Garden Bugs...
As part of our coverage of non-chemical alternatives to commercial chemical insecticides we thought we should spend some time on insecticidal soaps.  

Not to be confused with personal or household soaps, insecticidal soaps are made from the salts of fatty acids, components of the fats and oils found in plants and animals.  Upon contact with an insect the fatty acids disrupt the structure and permeability of the insect's cell membranes enabling the cell contents to leak from the damaged cells, causing the insect to die.  This rather morbid process is only effective against soft-bodied pests like aphids, thrips, whiteflies, leafhoppers, mealybugs and mites.  

Because they work on contact only, insecticidal soaps should be applied when conditions favor slow drying like the early morning hours with dew coverage or in the early evening.

In some instances insecticidal soaps could cause burning of sensitive plants.  Most insecticidal soaps include a list of susceptible plants on the label but if you're uncertain simply test it on a single leaf.  If damage is going to occur it will likely happen within 24 hours. 


Timing Is Everything...
Some of us are morning people, others need more time to get going every day.  The same is true for garden vegetables!  The time of day you pick your vegetables can actually have a dramatic effect on their taste and texture.  For instance,  your lettuce and cucumbers will be crispier if picked early before the hot sun has had a chance to wilt your crop.  On the other hand corn and peas will be sweeter if you wait until later in the day when their sugar levels are highest.  Yum!

Brown Lawns - Dormez Vous?
We've had a number of Savvygardeners ask about letting lawns go dormant during summer.  This time of year many cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue and perennial rye will naturally go dormant and turn brown due to lack of water or too much heat.  Remember, the lawn is not dead - it's only dormant and will green up again when the weather is more favorable in the fall.  Mow it regularly to about three inches and water during extended dry periods.  

Now, we've been around long enough to know that most of you can't stand the idea of brown grass all summer.  If you wish to keep the lawn green you will need to follow a regular watering routine before the lawn begins to brown.  Once the lawn goes dormant watering will not generally green it up until fall.  You will need about 1 inch of rain or irrigation per week.  It is better to give the lawn a good soaking (to a 6 inch depth) once a week than frequent light watering.  Always water early in the day to reduce disease occurrence.


Rose Tips by Al Karsten

 

July means special care for our roses.  Spider mites, cutter bees, heat, drought, the list goes on.  Luckily Al Karsten is sharing his rose wisdom with Savvygardeners.  Jump to Rose Tips for more...

You're Driving Me Nuts...
Have you ever noticed that some plants don't do well under a walnut tree?   It's because walnut trees are a source of the toxin juglone.  This chemical leaches into the soil from decaying nuts, leaves, sticks, and roots of the walnut tree.  Symptoms of black walnut toxicity include reduced growth, yellowing of foliage, wilting, and eventual death of the plant.

Vegetables susceptible to juglone include tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, cabbage, and potato.  Tolerant plants include lima beans, snap beans, beets, corn, onions and parsnips.

You can avoid problems by locating susceptible plants well beyond the dripline of walnut trees.  Don't use wood chips derived from walnuts as a mulch around sensitive plants.  Keep in mind that removing the walnut tree may not solve the problem as decaying roots may release juglone for some years after a tree is removed.


What's Hot On The Hotline...
Many gardeners plant annuals for summer color.  The Hotline has received several requests for the name of perennial plants that both thrive in this area, and can be relied on for colorful, relatively carefree performance.  Our experts share their answers in this week's Hotline...

Working The Nightshift...
When the summer heat starts starts beating down us Savvygardeners we need to re-think our daily gardening schedules.  It's often just too darn hot, even after work, to get outside and toil in the garden.  To cope I usually shift most of my gardening activities into the evening.  It's still light out, even at eight o'clock, and usually a bit cooler.  Evening and nighttime gardening is made even more pleasurable if you've planted some of the following flowers: 
  • Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata) - Nicotiana produces fragrant, flowers that open in evening.  Flowers are pink, purple, red, white, or yellow.
  • Four o'clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) - Four-o'clocks, as their name suggests open in late afternoon.  They are quite fragrant and will scent the air before closing the following morning.  The small trumpet-shaped flowers come in shades of red, yellow, white or rose.
  • Moonflower (Ipomea alba) - The moonflower is a sweetly fragrant flowering vine with large heart shaped leaves.  The flowers open in the evening and last until the next morning.
  • Showy evening primrose (Oenothera speciosa) - The showy evening primrose has white flowers with yellow centers.  The pale flowers open in late evening and release a sweet aroma.
  • White angel's trumpet (Datura inoxia) - This low-growing, spreading perennial has large trumpet-shaped blooms that open in the evening and close again by late-morning the following day.  The fragrant flowers are white but can be tinged with pink or purple.

Finally...
"One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve."

~ Henry David Thoreau

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