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October 24, 2001

Pumpkin Heads...
The Marsh family loaded up the mini-van this past weekend for our annual autumn trip to Weston Missouri to the Red Barn Farm and Vaughn's Apple Orchard
(photos).  A trip the entire family looks forward to.  Our adventure always starts out at Red Barn Farm where we visit with the farm animals, ride on a horse drawn hay rack, play at Fort Hay and meander around to look at all of the different shaped pumpkins.  In years past we have always taken a ride out to the pumpkin patch to choose our own pumpkins right off the vine but this year we were lucky enough to receive pumpkins from my Dad that he grew in his own garden.  What a special treat for us all to be able to carve a pumpkin grown from someone so dear to us.  After enjoying all of the activities at Red Barn Farm we head across the street to Vaughn's Apple Orchard to satisfy our hunger pains with crown's of apples smothered with caramel sauce (my favorite) or gobbling up a couple of hot apple fritters sprinkled with powdered sugar.  This year Morgan, her friend Kelly and I bravely took on the haunted house at Vaughn's Apple Orchard.  I am one who is faint of heart so I was being very brave to enter with these younger girls.  Actually it wasn't that bad and we came away without screaming too many times.  To top things off the weather was perfect.  What a great way to spend a day with the family.  A tradition that will be around the Marsh house for years to come. 

It sounds like it might be time to get the woollies out.  The extended forecast is calling for very cold temperatures this weekend.  One particular forecast that Kevin and I receive mentioned something about snow flakes.  Yikes!  I am not quite sure I am ready for that.  If you still have some fall cleanup to do now is the time before the extreme cold heads our way.  I fear our fall is on its way out.  A beautiful one at that.  Although winter is still a couple of months away the change will be upon us soon and we will sit inside where it is warm and cozy to simply dream of spring.

~ Shelly  

Time To Transplant Trees?
There are many reasons you may be considering transplanting a tree.  Maybe you're changing your landscape and an existing tree no longer fits your new plans.  Other reasons include relieving a tree from an overcrowded placement, adopting one from a friend that may otherwise cut it down, etc...  

Regardless of the reasons you should transplant deciduous (non-evergreen) trees once all their leaves have dropped in Fall.  Make sure you dig a hole that's at least 2-3 times the size of the root ball for the transplant.  After filling in the hole water thoroughly, mulch, and make sure the tree gets a good soaking every ten to fourteen days.

Keep It Interesting...
As you clean up the garden and prepare it for bed try to leave some plants in place to maintain some winter interest.  Ornamental grasses in particular look great in wintertime.  Seedpods on spent flower stems, especially in bunches, give the wintertime garden a very special dimension also.

Don't Leave Those Leaves...
Those leaves that are falling all over the region are pretty but leaving lots of them on your lawn can mean trouble.  When they are dry they shade your grass from much needed fall sun.  When wet they can smother grass turning it yellow and possibly killing it.  Just keep the leaves raked up a few times per week and you should be fine.  Better yet, mow and bag them in your lawnmower and use the shredded leaves in your garden or compost pile.

 


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What's Up Doc?
During the winter months, rabbits often gnaw on the bark of many woody plants.  Heavy browsing can result in the complete girdling of small trees and small branches clipped off at snow level.  Apple, pear, crabapple, and serviceberry are frequent targets of these furry critters.  Smaller trees with smooth, thin bark tend to be the most vulnerable.  Other frequently damaged plants include the winged euonymus or burning bush, Japanese barberry, dogwood, roses, and raspberries.

The best way to prevent rabbit damage to young trees is to place a cylinder of hardware cloth (1/4 inch mesh wire fencing) around the tree trunk.  The hardware cloth cylinder should stand about 1 to 2 inches from the tree trunk and 20 inches above the ground.  The bottom 2 to 3 inches should be buried beneath the soil.

Source

Press The Squash...
When you harvest your winter squash (Acorn or Butternut) check for maturity with your thumbnail.  When pressed with your nail the rind of a ripe squash will not be punctured.  To harvest the squash, cut the stem, don’t break it off.  The cut stems will dry and seal the squash so it will last for months in storage.  It is no exaggeration to say the squash you harvest in October and store in a dry place at around 50° to 55° F. can still be good to eat in April of next year.

Source

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
The Hotline will be closing for the season soon.  In fact next week will be the last issue until next spring.  Our Hotline pros are using this time to give us all some tips on readying our gardens for the winter.  Getting ready for winter in this week's What's Hot on the Hotline... 

Don't Go With A Low Mow...
Contrary to some old-time recommendations and habits you should not reduce lawn mowing height in the weeks before winter sets in.  This is because photosynthesis will continue until the plant is dormant, even in spite of cool temperatures.  Photosynthesis at this time of the year allows the plant to store energy for winter and next spring, which is crucial for its survival.  Scalping off grass leaves now reduces the photosynthetic capacity of the plant, reducing energy storage, and decreasing turf survival this winter and performance next summer.

Source

Finally...
"An addiction to gardening is not all bad when you consider all the other choices in life . . ."

~ Cora Lea Bell

 

 

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