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October 10, 2001

My Healing Garden...
I have been glued to the radio these days as the United States enters war with the Taliban in Afghanistan.  It is hard to concentrate on everyday life with so much going on in our world.  I find myself continuously tuning in to National Public Radio while I shuttle the kids to and from school.  A couple of weeks ago, as I was taxiing the kids from one destination to another, a particular segment caught my attention.  They were interviewing several Americans on how they are dealing with the day-to-day stress of what is going on in our world.  A woman who lived in Connecticut talked about how her garden has become her distraction.  She talked about going out to her garden and toiling in the dirt, planting, getting her hands dirty and creating an area of beauty.  She talked about how working in the garden made her feel safe because it was her world and not the whole world.  As I listened to what she was saying I found myself agreeing with everything.  Our gardens are special places and the healing power that comes along with gardening is enormous. Wouldn't you agree?

I am sure that all of you Savvygardener's brought in your houseplants by now.  If not please do so before it gets really cold.  I took a couple hours last Saturday preparing mine to come inside for the winter.  For those of you who are interested "Fern" is still alive.  "Fern" is, you guessed it, a fern that I purchased three years ago.  The fact that she is still alive is quite a big deal.  You see I am not really good with indoor plants.  It's all about keeping an eye on them.  Watering, rotating and misting are all very important and sometimes it just does not happen.  I am trying to be better and the fact that "Fern" is on her third year inside for the winter is a huge success for me.  So if you're not good at keeping plants indoors give it a shot.  Who knows we can all get better together!

Speaking of houseplants The Sweet Onion is having a great sale - 75% off of all houseplants!  What a deal!  Don't forget to tell them that Savvygardener.com sent you.

~ Shelly  

For Leaf Lovers Only...
Our son Noah (age five) has spent the better part of the last two weeks collecting leaves.  He seems to have inexhaustible energy when it comes to wandering the neighborhood and filling his bag with "just one more leaf".  Thanks to our friends at NaturaLawn of America we can explore the lore and facts of how nature delivers these wonderful fall collectibles:

Many people suppose that Jack Frost causes fall color change, but we know he doesn't, because some of the leaves begin to turn before we have any frosts.  Some individuals picture wood elves, on autumn days with a liberal supply of paint, beautifully coloring the leaves of the trees and other plants.  Native American lore attributes it to the celestial hunters having slain the Great Bear - its blood dripping on the forests changes many trees to red.  Other trees are turned yellow by the fat that splattered out of the kettle as the hunters cooked the meat.  Even today some people aren't quite sure what causes leaves to change color.

Unfortunately for fairy tale lovers the primary factor is the amount of sunlight a region receives during the course of a year.  As the fall season marches on, the days become shorter.  The decrease in sunlight intensity, shorter hours, and cooler temperatures reduce the growth and food-making processes that normally flourish during the spring and summer seasons.

A couple of weeks before the leaves change color, a hardened cell layer forms at the base of the leaf (petiole) due to decreased photosynthesis.  This layer blocks nutrients (phosphorus & magnesium) and moisture flow to the leaf, inhibiting further production of chlorophyll.

As the green color starts to diminish with dropping chlorophyll levels (since chlorophyll reflects green wavelengths), the yellow pigments that have existed in the leaf since spring are able to show.  Red and violet pigments are formed when the sugars become trapped within the leaves.  A lot of sunlight and cool nights allow the red pigments to become more vibrant.  These pigments extend the life of the dying leaves by protecting them from frost.  The brown colors are the last pigments to remain in the leaf tissue.

Why are some fall foliage displays more dramatic than others?  It all has to do with the weather.  For vibrant colors, an abundant amount of precipitation and sunlight during the summer is necessary for big healthy leaves.  During the fall season, the days need to be sunny with cool nights.  Clouds decrease the sugar production, and cold temperatures (near or below freezing) harm the leaves, resulting in an earlier dropping from the tree.  The violet, red, orange, yellow and gold colors of a tree all depend on the acidity of plant cell fluid.  Each species is different.  It is possible that leaves directly exposed to the sun may turn red, while those leaves on the shady side turn yellow.  Why do some trees change color before others?  Usually this means that these trees are unhealthy or under stress.  If a tree has a large wound in its bark, is newly planted, or is located close to roads where it is exposed to harmful exhaust or winter salt, it will most likely drop its leaves before one that is positioned better in the landscape.

 

Look Who's Sleeping In The Garden Bed...
Many disease-causing viruses overwinter in the roots of perennial weeds.  Tomato mosaic virus overwinters in the roots of ground cherry, horsenettle, jimson weed, nightshade, and bittersweet; cucumber mosaic virus lives in the roots of milkweed, catnip, and pokeweed; bean mosaic overwinters in white sweet clover roots; and many cabbage diseases spread from wild members of the cole family.  A good fall cleanup is essential.  Don't wait!

Source

Houseplant Hints...
As the days get shorter and light intensity is reduced your houseplants will naturally slow their growth.  This means that they will need less frequent watering and fertilizing until next spring.  Too much of either in the winter months can cause weak growth.

Christmas Cacti Countdown...
If you own any Christmas cacti it's time for the special care that will produce flowers in December.  To promote bud formation keep the cacti in a place where temperatures are between 50 and 60 degrees.   The plants should also be exposed to at least 13 hours of complete darkness each night.  Putting them in a spare room or closet is well worth the extra effort it may take for the spectacular display of blooms that will follow.

Pick Up To Prevent Pests...
No one likes worms and other pests in their fruit trees. Fortunately a simple clean up now can dramatically reduce the number of pests that return next year. Just pick up and destroy any fallen fruit, branches, and leaves. Worms and other pests feed on this fruit and debris, overwinter in the soil, and emerge in the spring to lay eggs and start the cycle all over again.

Show What You Grow...
Savvygardeners can prepare for Thanksgiving bouquets by cutting chrysanthemum stems before heavy frosts.  Once cut, remove all leaves and plunge the stems into a pail of water leaving only the blossoms exposed on top.  Store the flowers in a cool garage or cellar where they will not freeze.  You can then display the bounty of your garden by making flower arrangements five to seven days before the holiday.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
So far we've managed to dodge the first frost but it's easy to see that cold weather (and winter) is not too far away.  There are late fall chores to be done and a good overview of them can be found in this week's What's Hot on the Hotline... 

Leaf Drop, Leaf Chop...
As your trees start to drop their leaves it is important to prevent a heavy layer from building-up on your lawn before winter.  Heavy layers of tree leaves will over-shade the grass and can smother and kill the turf this fall.  On top of that, tree leaf cover favors a damaging winter turf disease called snow mold.  

That being said the easiest way to dispose of leaves is to simply mow them into the turf.  Regular mowing during the fall will chop the leaves into small pieces and allow them to filter into the turf.  Research at Purdue University and others shows that tree leaves can be mulched without any detrimental effects on the soil or turf.  In fact, tree leaf mulching may help improve the soil.  Use common sense of course.  Some Savvygardeners (like us) have far too many fallen leaves to use this method exclusively.  We will mulch our leaves now and for the next few weeks before the density of fallen leaves becomes too much for mowing.

Finally...
"Gray drip-wet dawn 
Leafless tree in solitude - 
Remembers the robin."

~ Reverend Don Sax

 

 

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