July
17, 2002
There's
No Place Like Home...
No, I am not Dorothy but I am glad to be home. Don't
get me wrong, vacationing on the beach was terrific but there is
something to be said about being home around your own personal
things. We arrived home early Tuesday morning and once I
stepped off the plane I knew we must be in Kansas. "No
ocean breeze here", was my first thought. My second
thought was that of wanting to see the gardens. Of course
it was a feeling of mixed emotions after having been gone for so
long. You never know what you are going to come home to.
I must give credit however to the young man who cared for our other
children while we were away. Considering the extreme
heat and humidity everything looked well watered and taken care
of. I lost a couple of plants but I am not sure they would
have survived if I had been here to care for them. So for
that I am grateful.
Boy, could
we use some rain! Kevin emptied the rain gauge when we
arrived and dumped about 3/4 of an inch out of the gauge so at
least we know that we had some precipitation while we were gone.
Rain, rain come our way and stay for a couple of days!
I will be appearing on KCTV
5 Sunday morning July 21st at around 9:30 to discuss our
front yard make-over. Tune in to hear me talk about how we
went about creating a design, how we decided on what material to
use and then the implementation of the design. It will be
tons of fun! I always look forward to working with Valissa
Smith and Bob Thill. They are great news professionals and
they make me feel at home on the set.
If you are looking for a way to fine tune your gardening brain
make sure you are tuning in every Sunday morning to the Gard'n
Wise Guys gardening show on WDAF
61 country from 7AM - 8AM. John Bruntzel and Jan Olson
are quite the comical team. They will answer any gardening
question and I must say that I have learned quite a bit from
those two. They make gardening fun so call in and ask a
question or just plain listen to their show. Tune in this
Sunday!
~
Shelly
Hot And
Bothered Tomatoes...
This
can be a frustrating time for area tomato growers. The
really hot weather we've been experiencing can cause our tomato
plants to drop their blossoms before fruit sets. Many
gardeners believe that tomatoes love hot weather. Actually
they prefer daytime temperatures in the 70's and 80's coupled
with nighttime temperatures in the 60's and 70's. Our
temperatures have been well above ideal lately. Some
gardeners respond by using "Blossom Set" but according
to the Missouri
Botanical Garden Extension Service (MOBOT) they may be
wasting their time and money. Blossom Set contains a
hormone that solves the blossom drop problem when it is due to
overnight temperatures falling below 60°F.
During hot weather, above 90°F, it is not
effective. According to MOBOT there is no real solution to
the problem and no cultivars exist which seem better than others.
Source
Invigorating
Irises...
To promote growth, vigor and optimum flowering, iris clumps
may be raised and divided every three years or so. Dig up
the rhizomes carefully to avoid damage to rhizomes and their
roots. Examine them for the presence of worm-like insects
called iris borers, which may seriously damage or destroy the
plant. If they are found, remove them, cut out the affected
tissue and dust with a garden insecticide, such as Sevin, before
replanting. Select sound rhizomes with two or more growing
points. Rhizomes may be cut apart with a sharp knife, or
snapped apart by hand. Be sure to preserve as many rhizome
roots as possible. The best time to divide iris is in
mid-summer while the plants are dormant. Late July through
mid August is preferred.
Source
The
Right SPF For Veggies?
Hard
working gardeners aren't the only ones subject to sunburn.
Exposure to the sun will turn your potato tubers and carrot
shoulders green giving them an unpleasant taste. This will
occur when they are not planted deeply enough or have not been
sufficiently mulched. The green portions of the potato
actually contain a bitter alkaloid that is moderately poisonous.
Simply cover the exposed tubers and/or shoulders with soil or
mulch and they should retain their intended taste and goodness.
Seeking
Shade...
Looking for a good, low exertion chore for the hot weather?
Try inspecting your shade trees and the grass below them.
Those trees may be getting so full of branches that not enough sunlight
filters through to your lawn. If your lawn is just not
making it under a particular tree you can stand in its shade and
make some notes for future pruning. You'd be surprised how
well grass will respond to even a moderate amount of increased
sunlight.
Fall
Crops Begin Now...
A fall harvest of cabbage, vine crops, broccoli, cauliflower, and
Brussels sprouts means setting transplants in late July.
For lettuce, radish, carrots, beets, turnips, kale, and spinach,
you should sow seeds in late July to early August.
Brussels
sprouts are especially good fall crops as their flavor is
enhanced by a mild frost. They are hungry little guys so
make monthly applications of 5-10-10 fertilizer at a rate of ½
cup per square yard from the time the plants are 4 inches tall
through harvest.
What's
Hot On The Hotline...
Hotline volunteers are often asked whether or not to apply
mulch around plants, shrubs and trees, and if so, what material
is best. There
are several good reasons for the use of mulch, and the reason, as
well as the plant in question may influence the type of mulch
used. You
will learn about the mulch options and benefits this
week's What's
Hot on the Hotline...
On The
Cutting Edge...
If you've noticed a brown or grayish cast over your lawn it
is likely due to your mower blade. Mower blades that
shred grass rather than cutting it can cause this unattractive
problem. Usually the blade just needs sharpening.
Also make sure that the blade is installed properly. An
unbalanced blade or one installed upside down isn't doing you any
favors.
Finally... "As
I work among my flowers, I find myself talking to them, reasoning
and remonstrating with them, and adoring them as if they were
human beings. Much laughter I provoke among my friends by
so doing, but that is of no consequence. We are on such
good terms, my flowers and I." ~
Celia Thaxter, 1835-1894 |