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August 29, 2001

Change In The Air...
I believe there is a hint of Autumn in the air.  The mornings have been so wonderfully cool and I think the evenings will soon be cooling down as well.  Oh, the change of seasons.  The excitement is almost unbearable!  Of course we still have September to get through but I can feel a gradual change already.  It was so great to receive some rain.  I know here in Westwood we received at least 2½ inches and I must say that my garden couldn't be happier.  After a good ground soaking it (and I) am certainly ready for fall weather and planting.  Just this week we core-aerated our lawn and will verticut the front and put new seed down in the front and back.  I hope those ugly lawn days are a thing of the past.  The color brown is not my preference of lawn color.  

This past weekend the entire Marsh family experienced the Gardener's Gathering at Prairie School in Prairie Village (photos).  It was sponsored by the Kansas State Extension Office and they certainly had a great turn out.  What a sight to see so many Master Gardeners in one building.  They are always so eager to assist gardeners with questions, they are indeed a great resource for all of us.  It's always a pleasure seeing friends like Al Karsten, Honey Barnekoff and many, many more.  Of course, Kevin and I took the opportunity to tell some new people about Savvygardener.com.  It is hard to believe that there are thousands of Kansas City area gardeners who know nothing about us!  We need your help!  Make sure you are spreading the word about Savvygardener.com! 

I would like to thank a special Savvygardener by the name of Carol Newman.  She writes the Indulgences column which appears in the Sunday FYI section of the Kansas City Star.  Last Sunday's edition featured me!  Thanks a million Carol!  We greatly appreciate the press.  

Have a terrific holiday weekend.  The weather is supposed to be superb.  I believe I will be in the garden!

~ Shelly  

Colorful Closers...
Mums are a gardener's best friend in the fall.  As the latest blooming flowers they provide color and beauty to a garden that has otherwise been worn out for the season. 

When choosing mums from your local retailer buy healthy looking plants that have been taken care of - no broken stems, wilted leaves, etc...  Plants with existing blooms will be limited in their ability to provide much more flowering.  Those with buds about to bloom will provide you with flowers into the fall.  We usually buy several plants in bloom for immediate gratification and quite a few more that we expect to bloom over the coming weeks.  What a great exclamation point at the end of the season!

Taking A Powder...
Just about the time the summer heat subsides Savvygardeners will have to be on the lookout for another problem - powdery mildew.  Powdery mildew generally coincides with cool nights followed by warm days - a lot like a Kansas City September.  The presence of a white, dusty mildew on infected plant parts makes powdery mildew easy to diagnose.  Plants that commonly show signs of powdery mildew include lilac, viburnum, crabapple, phlox, rose, zinnia, begonia, and turf.  It can occur on leaves, stems, buds, and flowers.  It tends to be most common in shaded areas and in sites where plants are crowded and air circulation is poor.

A number of measures can be taken to control powdery mildew:

  • Plant mildew resistant cultivars when available.
  • Keep plants properly spaced and pruned to promote good air circulation.
  • Plant where sunlight will be adequate.
  • Remove and discard diseased plant tissue at the end of the season to prevent overwintering of the fungus. 

Fungicides may be applied at the first signs of disease.  Read the fungicide label to be sure the product is labeled for the plant in question.  The use of fungicides is generally not warranted for woody plants that show powdery mildew late in the season.   By that time the leaves have served their purpose for the season and will soon be dropping.

Source

Tater Tidbits...
If you're harvesting potatoes remember that they will continue to grow as long as the tops are green.  So dig only as many as you need for immediate use.  The ones left in the ground will actually keep better there than in your home.

 


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Making The Cut...
When your plants fall victim to disease one of the first courses of action is the removal of the diseased portions.  Careful!  The same pruners that you use to cut away diseased foliage can then transfer the disease to otherwise healthy plants.  It is generally recommended that a one in ten solution of bleach and water be used to disinfect pruners.  Rather than keep a bucket of solution nearby try mixing the solution in a small spray bottle.  Carry it with you and spray your pruners after each cut. 

Reading The Leaves...
Last weekend's downpour notwithstanding, August brought us a fair amount of heat and little precipitation.  As a result t
he leaves of many trees may begin to turn yellow and drop prematurely.  

How can you tell if it's the heat making leaves fall as opposed to pests or disease?  By inspecting the fallen leaves.  Those dropping as a result of drought typically do not show leaf spotting or insect feeding.  Some trees like maples and red oaks may not drop leaves but will exhibit marginal leaf scorching.  

The solution of course is water.  Make sure your trees get a good deep watering.  Soaker hoses are very effective as well as the locally produced Tree I.V. which we use successfully.

Source

What's Hot On The Hotline...
Beginning gardeners are all too often intimidated when faced with the Latin botanical names of their favorite plants.  Why not just use the common names?  A rose is a rose is a rose after all.  Well, it turns out that botanical Latin has a rich history, is extremely useful for all gardeners, and sometimes kind of fun.  Read a brief history and explanation n this week's What's Hot on the Hotline... 

Good To The Core...
Whether you're seeding, overseeding, or leaving well enough alone you should consider core aerating your lawn in the coming weeks.  Core aerating is an effective way to provide a channel through which air, fertilizer and water can enter the soil.  This channel, cut through the thatch layer and into the soil, helps reduce soil compaction, increase root growth and redistribute soil on the upper surface of the thatch.  

Make sure your soil is prepared for the aeration process.  It should be sufficiently moist so that the coring machine can penetrate.  Rule of thumb - If a screwdriver can be pushed by hand 3 inches into the ground, the soil is about right.  Don't soak it though.  Soils that are too wet will clog the hollow tines of the aerator and prevent core removal.

Once finished you will have a lawn covered with somewhat strange looking soil cores.  Leave them on the lawn to create a more favorable environment for breakdown of the thatch layer by naturally occurring soil microbes.

Source

Finally...
"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment.  My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams.  The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful."

~ Abram L. Urban, Author

 

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