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July 5, 2000

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Click Here for Great Soil and Compost!

The Grass Is Always Greener...
I hope all of you Savvygardeners had a fun and safe 4th of July!  After an extended holiday weekend it is time to get back to work in the garden.

The summer heat is here as predicted and it is taking a toll on our lawn.  We have Kentucky bluegrass planted in both the front and backyard and with all of the hard rains we have had it looks as if the grass is growing sideways!  It is true what they say, "You always seem to want what you can't have."  I for one  would love to have a thick lush lawn.  There is one small problem.  No sun.  Our house is surrounded by great big trees creating shade, shade and more shade.  However, I would never sacrifice these trees to have a thick lush lawn because they benefit our house and landscape so much.  So for now I will continue to gaze upon other lawns and wish that mine might be as thick and lush.  Some might say I am green with envy!

Keep an eye on all pots and planters with the temperatures climbing so high.  They may need a drink first thing in the morning and another around midday to see them through.

~ Shelly               

Savvygardeners Bee-ware! 
This time of year means bees.  Don't get me wrong, bees are great.  They assist in pollination, make honey, and some even feed on other garden pests.  However they also have the ability to ruin our day or make some of us very sick if they decide to turn their stingers on us.  For the most part the bees we see live solitary lives, and they don't want to tangle with us any more than we want to tangle with them.  But social bees, like yellow-jackets, bumble bees, and honey bees have individuals in the colony whose task it is to defend the nest.  If the nest is disturbed or perceived to have been disturbed these guys will launch an impressive counter-attack.  Stinging isn't limited to these security guards either.  Even the lone foragers will sting if they are disturbed as they go about their activities.

Despite your best efforts you may still get stung.  If the sting is caused by a honey bee the barbed stinger usually remains in the skin.  You should remove the stinger as quickly as possible because venom continues to enter the skin from the stinger for 45 to 60 seconds following a sting.  To remove, scrape it away with a sideways movement (one quick scrape) with a fingernail.  Avoid using the thumb and forefinger or tweezers to pinch out the stinger since this may force  more venom from the sac into the wound.  If the stinger is removed within 15 seconds of the sting the severity is reduced.  After the stinger is removed wash the wound and treat it.


Healthy Mowing Aids Summer Growing...
Remember about a month ago when your lawn looked sooo good?  Well, lots of us are now facing less than perfect lawns and while the summer heat has a lot to do with it there are other factors that contribute to a stressed-out lawn.  Mowing for instance can make or break your turf especially in the summer heat.  We asked our friends at NaturaLawn, a local lawn service specializing in environmentally responsible lawn care, "How should we cut our grass?"  A simple question with some very helpful answers in our feature article, "Healthy Lawn Mowing."

Lessen The Toil When Digging The Soil...
OK, gardening is hard work but Savvygardeners can often make it a little easier by simply taking better care of our tools.  Spades, trowels, hoes and other digging tools are meant to be smooth along their faces. Oftentimes we let rust build up on the face of our tools and consequently make them far less useful.  Even a light amount of rust makes digging quite a bit harder.  If your tools have rust on them you should take some time to brush it off with a hard-wire brush.  If you won't be using them for a few days apply a light coating of vegetable oil to the tool's face to prevent new rust from forming.  Feel free to use the cheapest stuff you can find but for ease of use consider using a generic vegetable oil spray.  Keep the oil near where you store your tools for convenience.  Don't use petroleum-based oils as they will wind up in your soil. 

Off With Their Heads!  (But Spare the Mums...)

 

In previous newsletters I've talked about pinching back or deadheading your flowers.  As your flowers fade removing the blooms will stimulate another round of growth.  Dead heading is also an effective means of preventing perennials from re-seeding.  However, If you have been pinching back mums you should stop this week or next to ensure they develop a full display of flowers for fall.

When To Pick Berries...
When trying to determine if berries are ripe enough simply give them a little tug.  If they come off easily they are ripe and ready to eat.  If they resist wait a little longer.  Unfortunately birds aren't so picky - they will happily eat under-ripe berries.  Cover them (the berries not the birds) with netting to keep them safe from feathered bandits.

What's Hot on the Hotline...
The theme of recent Hotline calls seems to be "There's a fungus among us."  The damp cool weather has brought a bumper crop of fungi from toadstools of every size (reportedly one 14 inches in diameter was recently brought in) to mold on grass and plant leaves.  Our experts share their wisdom in this week's Hotline...

It's 90 In The Shade.  Time To Prepare For Winter?
Summer care of trees and shrubs is so important to their good health.  Continue watering and make certain root areas are well mulched.  Fertilizing, however, is something that should be discontinued right now.  The trouble with fertilizing now is that it will promote new growth that may not sufficiently harden-off before winter sets in.  The result could be significant injury caused by early winter freezes - always a possibility in Kansas City.

Finally...
"Perfumes are the feelings of flowers."

~ Heinrich Heine, 1797-1856, German poet

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