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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. 

 


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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.

 


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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

 

 

Earl May

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