May
22, 2002
The
Battle Has Begun...
I have my weapons out and I am prepared to fight to the end.
The slug population has moved in and they are eating everything
in sight. What do they think this is? The salad bar
at Shoney's? So die I say. I have been using
the old "beer in a shallow pan method" (actually a Tupperware
lid) because it gives me great satisfaction to walk out into the
garden in the morning to see how many I've eliminated! They
will not discourage me. I was raised to be tough and a few
slimy slugs are not going to eat away my beautiful garden.
I will prevail!
The slugs are just the icing on the cake. Throw in a couple
of persistent chipmunks and my pal Sam Parker and I basically
need to stand on the deck all day with weapons in hand. Sam
Parker is totally into digging. So, as I was taught in
puppy school, "off" is the magic word. Get
this - I am also supposed to put his toys in a predetermined area
and begin to dig (as though I am the dog) and then he is supposed
to get the idea that he should only dig in that particular spot.
Right. I wonder how many times I am going to have to do
that to make him stop. The neighbors are going to think
that I am out of my mind! Oh the lengths we go to protect
our flowers!
We have some exciting news! No, there is not going to be
another Marsh running around the house but instead we are working
with some local landscape and gardening supply companies to show
you the step by step process of a front yard makeover. Keep
reading in the next few weeks. We will have pictures from
beginning to end. It is going to be great!
~
Shelly
Perfect
Peonies...
Our peonies are in full bloom right now. What
a sight! But it just doesn't last long enough. If you
were hoping to have some cut for Memorial Day or a June wedding
read on...
According
to Karen Gast at the Kansas
State University Research & Extension gardeners should
pick peonies when the buds are showing color and are soft like a
marshmallow. Red cultivars should exhibit a soft center
when pressed down too. Bunch the flowers in no more than
ten stems to a bunch making sure the flowers are dry before you
place them in a large bag. Seal the bag and place it in the
refrigerator or cold storage at a temperature below 40°F.
If you want to store them longer than Memorial Day, say for a
wedding in June or July, you can give the flowers a drink of 10%
sugar water before cold storage. Let the flowers sit for
about 30 minutes after harvest and re-cut the stems just before
you put them in the 10% sugar water solution. Keep the
flowers in the sugar water for two hours at room temperature.
When done, dry the stems and place in plastic bags and then into
the refrigerator.
When you
are ready to use the flowers, take them out of cold storage or
the refrigerator the day before, re-cut the stems underwater and
place in water. If harvested at the right stage the flowers
should be open the next day (if not before). Not all peony
cultivars store well. For long term storage, store at least
25% to 50% more than you think you need.
Source
Rain
Drain...
All that rain we've had over the last few weeks? Great,
right? Well, mostly yes. But it may have leached
fertilizers from the root zone of many cool-season vegetable
plants. These crops are growing rapidly now and require
adequate fertilizer to complete their growth cycle early.
If you notice that foliage color is slightly pale and plants are
not growing as fast as you'd expect, a side-dressing of
fertilizer may be in order.
Use a general-use fertilizer or
one high in nitrogen. Organic fertilizers such as blood
meal contain good levels of nitrogen and work well as a
side-dressing. Apply fertilizers along the crop row and
lightly cultivate or hoe to make sure the fertilizer is
incorporated lightly to quickly dissolve. With rainfall,
the fertilizer nitrogen dissolves and is carried into the plant
root zone.
Source
For the
Birds...
Unlike my children whose daily requirements seem endless,
birds have only five basic needs: food, water, shelter (from hot
and cold weather), nesting sites, and protection from predators.
Supply these and you will have many birds around your home to
entertain you and control insect pests. Be sure feeders and
nesting boxes are located where they cannot be reached by cats.
A smooth, metal cylinder or cone at least 12 inches long attached
to the pole or tree will cat-proof most locations. Bird
feeders aren't just for winter either. Keep them filled all
year long!
Source
In support of
the local gardening community Savvygardener.com is pleased
to offer
special rates on web sites for your garden club
or other non-profit organization!
Click
Here For Details!
|
Vine
Crop Vigilantes...
Savvygardeners need to be vigilant for the two most
destructive insect foes of vine crops - the cucumber beetle and
the squash bug. Cucumber
beetles, like most vegetable insects must be controlled early to
prevent damage to the seedling and transmission of diseases like
bacterial wilt. Planting a trap crop, applying neem oil
soap and using row covers are effective non-chemical methods to
manage this insect pest. Squash bugs can be repelled with
insecticidal soap in addition to garlic and pepper sprays.
Source
Thin Is
In...
A bountiful vegetable patch requires thinning when crops are
grown from seed. Be aware that vegetables behave like weeds when they are
overabundant and overcrowding among root crops causes poorly
formed roots. A good thinning program will:
- Reduce
the competition among seedlings for soil nutrients and water.
- Promote
better air circulation around the plants thereby reducing the
chances of disease development.
- Ultimately
make higher yields possible.
For a list
of common garden vegetables and recommendations for their spacing
click here.
What's
Hot On The Hotline...
April showers bring may flowers... and insects! Whether
they are leaf eaters, turf damaging grubs or both you'll want to
be on guard and prepared to deal with them. Find out what's
lurking in your garden in this
week's What's
Hot on the Hotline...
Zoysia
Tips...
Zoysia
lawns are finally looking good all around the metro. Now
that they are greening up and growing you will want to make sure
you do the following:
- Reduce
thatch layers from zoysia by verticutting or core aerating.
- Sod or
sprig zoysia lawns to fill in bare areas.
- Fertilize
zoysia lawns with high nitrogen to promote green up and summer
growth.
- Mow
zoysia to 2 to 2½ inches tall.
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 |