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July 3, 2002

Another Garden Completed...
After some very hard work by several very good local companies our Front Yard Makeover is complete.  Both Kevin and I are delighted with the results and can't wait for fall to arrive so that we can fill the new beds with more plants.  We have planted a few things but have decided to hold off on any more as the heat of summer will take its toll on any new plants.  I am amazed by the transformation.  When I look at the front yard it is hard for me to remember what it looked like before we added the new walk and extra gardens.  Either I am getting old (a strong possibility) or the "before" was just too ugly to remember.  One thing I do notice when I look at the old pictures is how green the grass was.  You can tell it was late spring when those pictures were taken because the grass is a lush color of green compared to the current dull color caused by the stress of summer's heat and humidity.  I am glad the project finished when it did.  I am in the midst of preparing for our trip to the Outer Banks in North Carolina so having not to worry about whether or not the project is going smoothly is a huge relief.

I am not quite sure about this weather but from the extended forecast I've seen it looks like we are in the deep throws of summer and it seems as if the pattern is going to continue.  So stay faithful to your plants to help them to survive this heat.

Have a very safe and happy 4th of July!

~ Shelly  

Timing Is Everything...
Sometimes the hardest part of growing great vegetables is knowing when they're ready for harvest.  Timing is everything as they say and that's certainly true for your garden's bounty.  To make your job a little easier we've compiled a list of common garden vegetables and the guidelines you should follow to determine if they are ready for harvest.  You will find "When to Harvest Vegetables" in the Features section of our website.

A Slimy Situation...
A common sight on turf during the humid days in spring, summer and fall is slime mold.  Slime mold is a primitive organism sporting large numbers of small gray, white, or purple fruiting structures, called sporangia, on the leaf blades.  Affected areas are often from several inches to about one foot in diameter.  During wet weather, the fruiting structures may appear slimy.  As the structures dry out in hot weather, they become ash-gray, and break up easily when touched.  Homeowners often are concerned that this is a disease organism that will kill the grass.  Actually, slime mold feeds on bacteria, other fungi and dead organic matter.  It simply uses the turf as a structure on which to grow.  However, slime mold can damage turf by completely covering individual leaf blades and interfering with photosynthesis.  Chemical control of slime molds is not necessary.  Use of a broom or a heavy spray of water often is sufficient to dislodge the otherwise harmless mold.

Source

Soapy Suds For Garden Bugs...
We get lots of inquiries about safer alternatives to chemical insecticides.  An old and popular favorite worth consideration is insecticidal soap.
  Not to be confused with personal or household soaps, insecticidal soaps are made from the salts of fatty acids, components of the fats and oils found in plants and animals.  Upon contact with an insect the fatty acids disrupt the structure and permeability of the insect's cell membranes enabling the cell contents to leak from the damaged cells, causing the insect to die.  This rather morbid process is only effective against soft-bodied pests like aphids, thrips, whiteflies, leafhoppers, mealybugs and mites.  

Because they work on contact only, insecticidal soaps should be applied when conditions favor slow drying like the early morning hours with dew coverage or in the early evening.

In some instances insecticidal soaps could cause burning of sensitive plants.  Most insecticidal soaps include a list of susceptible plants on the label but if you're uncertain simply test it on a single leaf.  If damage is going to occur it will likely happen within 24 hours. 

 


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There's One Born Every Minute...
What do you call those little shoots that appear on and around your trees this time of year?  Well, suckers are the ones that grow out of the trunk near ground level.  The ones that come out of the trunk or main limbs and grow straight up are watersprouts.  Now that you know what they are called you can proceed to remove them.  Simply cut them as close to the tree as possible with clean sharp pruners.  This will allow much needed sunlight to reach the branches that will bear fruit and/or flowers.

Cucumber Care...
When it comes to harvest time remember that cucumbers have a very short "vine storage time".  Under warm, humid conditions, fruits on the vine may remain in prime condition for less than 12 hours.  For the best tasting cukes, pick them early and often.  Once picked they can be stored for up to two weeks at 45° to 50°F and 95 percent relative humidity.  Lower temperatures may cause chilling damage, and higher temperatures encourage yellowing.  Yellowing is also accelerated if cucumbers are stored with tomatoes or apples.

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What's Hot On The Hotline...
Several topics are vying for popularity with the Hotline callers this week.  We've mentioned most of them in recent articles, but the amount of interest makes another visit worthwhile.  Mites and grubs, fungus and nutsedge and more are in this week's What's Hot on the Hotline...

Fear Of Fungus...
Late afternoon and evening lawn watering should be avoided like the plague, or at least like a fungus.  The right combination of darkness, warmth and humidity can lead to lawn diseases that may be hard to recover from.  A good rule of thumb is that when the night-time temperature plus relative humidity equals 150 or more the conditions are right for an outbreak of turf fungus.  Trust me, you do not want a bad case of lawn fungus!

Finally...
"That beautiful season the Summer! 
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;
and the landscape Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood."

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Poet, 1807-1882

 

 

Earl May

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