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October 10, 2001 My
Healing Garden... 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.
For Leaf
Lovers Only... 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... Houseplant
Hints... Christmas
Cacti Countdown... Pick Up
To Prevent Pests... Show
What You Grow...
What's
Hot On The Hotline... Leaf
Drop, Leaf Chop... 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... ~ Reverend Don Sax |
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