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Making
Time For A Make-Over... |
The
change in weather has really motivated us. It's time to
think about fall planting. Kevin and I are making a list of
things we want to buy and plant. Funny, you would think the
list would be getting shorter instead of longer. No such
luck here. Not only is the list getting longer but more
expensive. We are currently shopping for trees (evergreens)
and some shrubs. We have been casually looking but the time
has come to get serious. It is also time for the lawn's fall
make-over. With the assistance of Ryan Lawn & Tree we
will thin a shade tree, aerate, verticut and seed. It makes
me look forward to spring. The lawn will look great and we
will be rewarded with perennials making their return to the new
garden.
Kevin and I
are happy to introduce the Savvygardener.com Buyer's
Guide. The Buyer's Guide will be a place to access
information about local nurseries, garden centers, lawn and
landscape companies, tree care, irrigation and many others.
We hope you find it useful. It's just getting started but
look for lots of additions to it soon!
I encourage
you to visit your local Earl
May garden center. They are receiving fall merchandise
daily and everything looks fantastic. Don't forget about Missouri
Organic Recycling! They offer great selections of soil
blends, different varieties of mulch and many other products that
will help you out with your fall make-over.
Enjoy this
fall-like weather! We are! |
~ Shelly |
Totally
Tulips (Part I)... |
One
of the best ways to keep your spring garden blooming is by
planting bulbs that bloom at different times. The possibilities
are endless. In fact you can plant only tulips if you like
and still have staged blooms. This week we focus
on some of the earlier blooming tulips. Look for
these in your favorite catalogs and at local retailers:
- Single
Early Tulips are among the earliest tulips to bloom.
The flowers, available in a wide range of colors, are produced
on strong, 10 to 18-inch-long stems. The flowers of
several varieties have a sweet fragrance. Single early
tulips are excellent for rock gardens, beds, and forcing.
- Double
Early Tulips produce semi-double to double, peony-like
flowers. The flowers, measuring up to 4 inches in
diameter, are borne on strong, short stems. The color
range of double early tulips is smaller than for most other
tulip classes.
- Greigii
Tulips are noted for their brightly-colored flowers and
purple striped or mottled foliage. Plant height varies
from 8 to 12 inches. Because of their short stature,
Greigii tulips are excellent choices for borders or rock
gardens.
- Kaufmanniana
Tulips are long-lived perennial tulips. In sunlight,
the flowers open fully. The open flowers resemble a star
or water lily. Flower colors include white, yellow,
pink, and intermediary colors. The foliage is bluish
green or chocolate brown striped. Kaufmanniana tulips
are small plants with an average height of 4 to 8
inches. Their compact size makes them good choices for
border edges and rock gardens.
- Fosteriana
Tulips produce some of the largest flowers of the
genus. They also perennialize well. 'Red
Emperor' is a widely grown variety in this class.
Fosteriana tulips are sometimes referred to as emperor tulips.
- Species
Tulips include wild species, horticultural varieties, and
hybrids. Most are early blooming, short-statured
plants. Species tulips are available in a wide array of
colors. They perennialize well and are excellent plants
for rock and heirloom gardens.
Next week,
the "middle" bloomers...
Source
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Shady
Characters In the Lawn... |
There's
nothing quite as relaxing as sitting under a big shade tree with a
lush carpet of soft grass beneath. I wish! Growing
grass under shade trees isn't exactly child's play. All too
often the tree provides so much shade that the grass
suffers. What's a Savvygardener to do? Here are some
tips:
- Thin the
tree canopy by pruning lower branches to a height of 8
feet.
- Selective
pruning in the upper limbs will also help sunlight filter
through without sacrificing too much shade.
- Avoid
excess nitrogen fertilization. Grasses in shade should
receive no more than 2 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square
feet per year, preferably in the fall.
- Mow at 2
1/2 to 3 inches to allow maximum interception of available
light. Mow frequently enough to avoid scalping
turf. Decline of turf in the shade often begins after a
single scalping episode. Ouch!
- Moisture
demand in the shade is half to a third as much as in full
sun. Water only if wilt symptoms appear and then only in
the early morning so that the grass has a chance to dry and
therefore avoid some diseases.
- Shaded
turf will not recover well from wear. Try to limit foot
traffic.
- Establish
new areas, or renovate old ones, by planting shade mixes that
contain 60% to 100% hard or Chewing’s fescue. Use 4 to
6 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. Other acceptable
seed mixture components are turf-type tall fescue and Kentucky
bluegrass. Avoid shade mixes containing more than 25%
perennial ryegrass.
Source
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Happy
and Humming... |
We've
noticed a few hummingbirds loitering around the garden
lately. Aren't they just the most amazing birds? If
you've seen one recently chances are it was a Ruby-Throated
hummingbird migrating to Mexico or Central America for the
season. Frankly, I don't blame them. It does get
awfully cold here.
They will return, as always, next
April. You stand a better chance of attracting them to your
garden by planting shrubs that they love. Try these:
- Azaleas
Rhododendron spp.
- Butterfly
Bush Buddleia davidii
- Flowering
Quince Chaenomeles japonica
- Honeysuckle
Lonicera spp.
- Weigela Weigela
spp.
They'll be
back before you know it!
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The
Great Divide... |
Thank
goodness the temperatures have fallen. There's work to be
done! Those perennials that seem to be bursting from their
beds need some relief. If they are done blooming for the
year it's time to divide them.
You'll know
your plants need to be divided if:
- They are
spreading beyond your desired range for them.
- The
flowers are not producing as well as in the past.
- The
center of the clump of of flowers is dying.
- The lower
areas of foliage are sickly.
For a quick
but effective description of the dividing process you can read
"Dividing Spring Blooming Perennials" in our Features
section.
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Extending
the Season... |
If
you haven't planted your fall crops yet you may be rewarded for
having waited until now. The ridiculously high recent temperatures
would not have been kind to young plants. Assuming the worst
is behind us you should get your cool season crops in the ground
as soon as possible. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower,
Brussels sprouts, spinach, and lettuce are good choices.
The savviest
of Savvygardeners will make use of a cold frame or hot bed when
the temperatures really start to dip. Want to know more
about these season extenders? We've got a great
article just for you.
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Root
Burlap: Friend or Faux? |
If
you are planting a balled and burlapped (B&B) tree or shrub
this fall pay close attention to the material of the
"burlap". Many B&B's are now sold with
synthetic burlap that will not decompose in the ground. If
this plastic burlap remains around the roots the plant will become
root-bound and and will not grow properly. Since some of
this new material closely resembles traditional cotton burlap you
need to be careful. If you have any doubt at all cut it away
from the root ball once it's in place.
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What's
Hot On the Hotline... |
Lawns
and their condition top the list of Hotline inquiries this week.
After a prolonged period of drought and excessive heat, green
lawns are few and far between! Expert tips are in this
week's Hotline...
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Finally... |
"The
comfortable and comforting people are those who look upon the
bright side of life; gathering its roses and sunshine and making
the most that happens seem the best."
-
Dorothy Dix - Journalist (1861-1951)
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