February
13, 2002
Running
In Circles...
Where do I begin? I have been trying to catch up ever
since we finally had our power restored last Thursday (Kevin's
ice storm photos here).
It seems like the last two weeks have been somewhat of a blur.
I guess that happens when you are not living at your own home.
Kevin and I really didn't get a chance to enjoy being back to the
comforts of our home because we spent the entire weekend at the
Metropolitan Lawn & Garden Show. What a great time!
Our feet are still recovering but it was so much fun meeting current
Savvygardener readers as well as adding nearly 1,000 new
ones. Thanks to all of you for taking the time to stop by
and visit! Kevin and I are so lucky to have so many
gardening friends and acquaintances. Welcome new
subscribers! I hope you enjoy reading Savvygardener.com.
Please feel free to share
it with a friend!
Spring is right around the corner and we have a lot in store for
you. Kevin and I will be featured in the March/April issue
of Kansas City Homes & Gardens so rush out and pick one up
when it hits the newsstands! Our good friend, Kelly Daniels
of The
Kelly Gallery will also be featured in Midwest Living's
March/April issue. This is an article you won't want to
miss! I had an opportunity to preview the feature and it
highlights Kelly's accomplishments as an accomplished garden
photographer. It also includes pictures of her beautiful
gardens. Totally delightful!
We are still buried in tree limbs here in Westwood but the city
is working like crazy to clear away the debris. Our yard is
a mess and I must admit that all I can think about is getting out
there and picking up every little twig that lays in my yard.
Of course I am still trying to catch up on the laundry around
here so for now I am concentrating on the inside and will be
exerting my efforts outdoors this weekend when the temps are
supposed to be in the mid-50's. It will be a perfect time
to be outside cleaning up.
One last note.... don't forget that special Valentine! Happy
Valentine's Day!
~
Shelly
Terrific
Trees...
Last week we gave you some great links to articles about
caring for those storm-damaged trees. But some of those
trees are beyond repair and will have to be replaced. Why
not make the best of a bad situation and plant something new and
more desirable? Here are two exceptional articles to get
you started...
- Recommended
Trees - Published by the Missouri Department of
Conservation these are trees that are recommended by their
Urban & Community Forestry experts. Great
descriptions with full color photos.
- Undesirable
Trees - This is great! Published by the same folks
as above but these are the trees to avoid due to brittle wood
and structural weaknesses, serious insect or disease problems,
nuisance fruits or nuts, or general messiness. Undesirable
characteristics are noted in each species description.
Dealing
With Damping Off...
Savvygardeners starting seeds indoors need to be aware of damping
off disease. "Damping off" describes the usually sudden destruction of newly
germinated seeds or seedlings. Young plants can be attacked
at all stages, before germination (pre-emergence damping off) and
after seedlings grow from the soil (post-emergence damping
off). All types of plants including turf, trees,
vegetables, and flowering plant seedlings can be
affected.
Several
organisms can cause damping off. Pythium, Phytophthora,
Fusarium, and Rhizoctonia are the most common culprits.
These fungi can be found in most soils. However,
appropriate environmental conditions are essential for disease
development. Cool, wet soil conditions are favorable for
infection by damping off fungi. Plants grow slowly at cool
temperatures, making them vulnerable to fungal attack.
Also, many fungi prefer moist environments.
The
following management strategies can help:
- Use
planting media free of disease organisms.
- Avoid
setting flats or pots on the ground.
- Use good
quality seed.
- Plant
seeds at densities that will allow air circulation and light
penetration; and reduce competition for nutrients.
- Keep the
temperature at a level that will promote plant growth.
- Avoid
excess moisture.
- Use
fungicides
and treated seeds as available and appropriate.
Source
Reading
Roses...
Whether you're giving roses to your sweetheart or just
planting some new ones in the garden this year it's always
helpful to know what message you might be sending.
- Red -
Love, Respect
- Deep Pink
- Gratitude, Appreciation
- Light
Pink - Admiration, Sympathy
- White -
Reverence, Humility
- Yellow -
Joy, Gladness
- Orange -
Enthusiasm, Desire
- Red &
Yellow Blend - Gaiety, Joviality
- Pale
Blended Tones - Sociability, Friendship
Of course
you should feel free to break the rules to accommodate a favorite
color. If your valentine prefers yellow over red we suggest
you stick with yellow.
Source
Dursban
Details...
The recent ban on the popular insecticide Dursban has many
Savvygardeners wondering how it affects them. Basically we
are no longer able to buy Dursban for residential use (though we can
continue to use any Dursban we may have on hand).
Savvygardeners
who use chemicals in the garden should always use great
caution when handling them. These are poisons after
all. Dursban is especially powerful stuff and has been
linked to blurred vision, muscle weakness, headaches and memory
loss after high exposures. It's especially important to
remember that children are at a greater risk for some pesticides
for a number of reasons. Children's internal organs are
still developing and maturing and their enzymatic, metabolic, and
immune systems may provide less natural protection than those of
an adult. According to the EPA, "There are
"critical periods" in human development when exposure
to a toxin can permanently alter the way an individual's
biological system operates."
This may be
a good opportunity for Savvygardeners to research and experiment
with alternatives to chemical insecticides. Send
us some of your personal favorites and we will include them
in an upcoming issue.
Visit The
Sweet Onion!
We're officially closed this month but
still working in the Greenhouse. Give us a call if
you need something.
We'd love to see you!
Click
Here Now!
|
Winter
Wisdom...
Dealing with those damaged trees remains a hot topic this
week. The hotline experts weigh in with their
recommendations for replacement trees - especially for those
weak-limbed Bradford pears. Don't miss this
week's Winter
Wisdom...
Appropriate
Use Of Force...
One of the great winter pleasures is forcing the stems of
certain woody plants into bloom for indoor display. Three
of the easiest are forsythia, pussy willow and flowering quince.
These plants have now gone through enough cold weather to satisfy
their chilling requirement and should bloom if given the right
conditions.
Choose a
day that is above freezing for collecting branches for blooming.
Cut the stems, keeping the stem length to 3 feet or less and
place them in a bucket of water. Once you have all the
branches you want, bring them into the house and soak them in
warm water for several hours to ensure that the stems and buds
are fully hydrated (a bathtub works well for this). Next,
place them in a container that has a warm preservative solution
and place them in an environment with high humidity and plenty of
light. Floral preservatives accomplish two functions; they
prevent bacterial growth in your water and provide nutrients and
energy for the life processes of the plants.
Normally,
forsythia will take about 9 days to flower, quince will require
between 12 to 20, and pussy willow needs from 5 to 15 days.
The time required will vary depending on your indoor conditions
and how late in the winter the branches were collected with less
time being required for later collections. Most woody
plants will remain in flower for about a week before the blooms
start to fade.
Source
Finally... "Alone
with myself
The trees bend to caress me
The shade hugs my heart" ~
Candy Polgar, Poet |