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August 22, 2001

Puppy Love...
I just had to have a puppy.  So instead of just three kids, a garden, a house and three cats I now have added a puppy to the already chaotic life I lead.  Bear with me while I throw myself my very own pity party.  The boys and I were out walking Sam Parker on Tuesday morning and it was like a three-ring circus.  The boys of course had to ride their big-wheel bikes.  That would not normally be such a problem but Jake seems to make it half way up the block and then needs me to either carry him or the bike.  Now keep in mind that I have Sam Parker on a leash and in the other hand I am carrying the handy dandy poop picker-upper (nothing too fancy in our house, just a plastic bag and sand shovel.)  So we head out for our big walk around the block.  Once out of the driveway the dog from down the street (whose name happens to be Elvis) shows up and decides that he is going on the walk with us.  Elvis is a very large black Labrador with a mind of his own and his owners find it very difficult to keep an eye on him.  Well I must say that Sam Parker was absolutely delighted that Elvis wanted to join us.  Of course they were busy doing the dog thing and it was very difficult to keep Sam Parker out from under foot of Elvis.  I kept telling Elvis to go home but he listens sort of like my kids.  You know, they look at you like they're listening and then they do whatever they want.  After resigning to the fact that Elvis would be a member of our caravan we continued at a very slow pace.  This is where is gets really good.  Heading around the corner, Sam Parker discovers a baby squirrel on the ground.  As you know I am not a squirrel lover but he was really cute and my great fear was that Sam Parker would have this baby squirrel for lunch!  I am sure you are following this scene now because once Sam Parker spied this squirrel so did Elvis.  Here I am, this grown woman being pulled along by a little beagle all the while screaming like a mad woman at Elvis. "Don't touch that squirrel!"  My older son Noah took Sam Parker so I could divert Elvis.  The good news is that the squirrel lived to tell the story.  A pretty interesting sight for the neighbors I am sure!  Oh, one other element I forgot to mention.  It was one of the hottest days this year so we were all a little tired, hot and irritable after our amble around the block.  Sounds like fun doesn't it? 

I have been watering like a mad woman and I am deathly afraid of what my water bill is going to be.  The half-inch we received last week was wonderful but we could use some more moisture soon - like today.  Wasn't last week's weather fantastic?  Wow, what a nice reprieve.  It looks as if the heat is here once again and we can be found at the pool or inside.  Is anyone else feeling my pain?  

Join us and fellow gardeners this Saturday for a Gardener's Gathering in Prairie Village, Kansas.  It's a full day of lawn and gardening fun, information, exhibits and demonstrations for the entire family.  It's also free!  See you there...

~ Shelly  

They Test So We Can Rest...
K-State Research & Extension is such a tremendous resource.  For instance, they spend a great deal of time and energy determining which grasses are best for our lawns. 
A good cool-season lawn turf in our area starts with good species selection.  Around here it boils down to two choices: tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass.  Both do well in fall and spring, but tall fescue is the best-adapted cool-season grass for year-round lawn use.  Although K-31 has been planted for many years, the newer turf-type cultivars far surpass it in quality.  Turf-type tall fescues are denser, finer-textured, darker green and not as prone to "clumping." 

Their recommendations come from the most recent national tall fescue trial.  This trial included the newest varieties, some holdovers from the 1992 trial, and some old standards such as K-31 for purposes of comparison.  Based on performance in Kansas, the top varieties from this past year included:

Airlie Arid 3 Bonsai 2000 Bravo
Durana Dynasty Falcon 2 Glen Eagle
Jaguar 3 Masterpiece Millennium Mustang II
Plantation Rembrandt Scorpio Shenandoah II
Southern Choice TF 66 Watchdog  

In spite of there being preferred varieties, it is still better to use a blend of multiple varieties to take advantage of each of their strengths and better manage your risk.  Fortunately many commercial blends use KSU variety trials as the basis for what varieties they contain. 

Some additional food for thought: while differences among the best turf-type tall fescues are often rather subtle, there is a tremendous difference between the turf-types and K-31.  K-31 seed is popular for its price and availability but keep an eye out for weed seed contamination.  Seed bags are required to provide this information, so being an informed and judicious consumer can help save headaches later on, particularly with the perennial weed orchardgrass, a common seed contaminant that cannot be selectively removed from tall fescue.

Source

Garden Toppers...
If you have a vegetable or annual garden that is normally empty in the fall and through winter you should consider planting a green manure crop there at the end of this growing season.  The name green manure is given to any crop which is grown only to be tilled back into the soil.  As it rots, the nutrients in the crop foliage and roots will be taken up by the next crop planted in the same place.  Green manures from the legume family, such as peas, beans, and clovers, have an added bonus - nitrogen-fixing bacteria living around their roots can draw nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form the plant can absorb.  This nitrogen will then be available to subsequent crops.

Green manures also act as "cover crops" protecting the soil from compaction and erosion caused by wind and rain, and also reducing the extent that weeds take over on bare soil.

Simple Slug Solution...
Are slugs still driving you crazy?  Here is a quick-and-easy method for reducing your slug population without having to make direct contact with the slimy critters.  Simply put out squares of cardboard in your garden each night.  In the morning, pick them up, and if there are any slugs clinging to the underside, discard the whole square in a trash bag.  The number and size of the squares depend on the size of your garden and how heavy the infestation of slugs.

Source

Well Rooted Evergreens...
Early fall is a good time to plant a balled and burlapped (B&B) evergreen tree.  The key here is "early".  Because evergreens transpire (lose moisture) throughout the winter months, fall planting of B&B evergreens should be done in September to allow time for the roots to become established before the ground freezes.  The trick is to make sure your newly planted evergreen has enough moisture in its roots to weather some dry spells when the ground may be frozen.

Another consideration - If you leave the cloth burlap around the roots do not leave any sticking above the ground as it may wick away moisture and dry out the root ball.  After planting, mulch around the plant to a depth of 2-4 inches.

source

The Sunflower Shake...
You don't have to be a Kansas Savvygardener to appreciate the beauty of sunflowers.  For those of you who want to harvest your sunflower seeds and don't know when they're ready just look for these tell-tale signs:

  • The flower's head is droopy and faces the ground.
  • Most of the petals have fallen off.
  • The birds are starting to enjoy the seeds.

Gently shake the head of the flower and the seeds will fall off.  Store them in a nice dry place for planting next spring!

What's Hot On The Hotline...
Oak Wilt.  Real problem or really over-hyped?  Find out in this week's What's Hot on the Hotline... 

Logical Landscaping...
If you have big landscaping plans for this fall it's time to start making decisions on which plants you will purchase and where they will be placed.  As you do your shopping try to imagine how long you will live in your current home.  The average American family moves every five years.  If you think you might be among those moving within five years consider buying the biggest plants you can afford.  If you buy small you won't be around to fully appreciate your garden when it finally matures.

Finally...
"He stood beside a cottage lone 
And listened to a lute, 
One summer's eve, when the breeze was gone, 
And the nightingale was mute."

~ Thomas K. Hervey, 1799-1859, The Devil's Progress

 

 

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