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July
24, 2002
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Dog Days
Indeed...
Even Sam
Parker is unhappy with the weather. When we go to put
him outside he resists, digging his paws in as if saying,
"It is way too hot out there, even for a dog!"
For those of you who received some rain on Monday,
congratulations. I must say I am green with envy. Here
in Westwood we counted at least four drops. I am sure that
my water bill is going to shock me once it arrives. Every
time I see a gathering of clouds I cross my fingers in hopes that
we will see an inch or two of rain. So far my fingers are
permanently crossed, never to be uncrossed again.
I have been cutting back some of my spring blooming perennials.
Most of their leaves are turning brown so I have cut them back to
eliminate all of the dead foliage. Boy, it is hard to keep
things alive this time of the year! Speaking of keeping
things alive, we are presently fighting brown patch in the front
lawn. Our lawn care specialist, Chris Karcher with NaturaLawn
of America has applied some fungicide so hopefully we are on
the mend. So many things to worry about. How about
the bugs? They are everywhere, inside and out. Along
with the rabbits and chipmunks these creatures will continue to
consume the foliage on our plants due to the lack of rain.
We have to hang in there. After all, we just had two
incredibly nice low humid days so that must mean that rain is
around the corner! Oh the power of positive thinking!
~
Shelly
Drinks
For The Droopy?
It's not uncommon to venture out to the garden at the end of
a hot day to find some pretty droopy plants. Don't
immediately assume that they need to be watered. It may be
that there is adequate moisture in the soil but your plant's
roots just can't keep up with the needs of the leaves. If
the soil is already moist you are better off letting the plants
catch up on their own overnight. If they're still droopy in
the morning give them a drink.
Start
Fall Veggies Now...
Beginning now and over the next few weeks you can start to
set out broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower transplants for your
fall garden. You can also sow seeds of collards, kale,
sweet corn, summer squash, carrots, beets and turnips.
If you're
planning a fall harvest of vegetables remember that the
late-summer heat can really put a strain on seeds and seedlings.
To improve your success apply a thin mulch over the rows
immediately after sowing the fall crop. Mulching keeps the
soil cooler, prevents the rapid drying of moist soil, and
protects seedlings as they emerge. Make sure the mulch is
thin enough that it doesn't interfere with seedling emergence.
Bonus
- Vegetables maturing in the fall often have better flavor
because of the cooler growing conditions. Yum!
Orange
Means Hot...
This heat is going to affect tomato harvests. Tomatoes ripen best
when temperatures stay below eighty-five degrees. When the
temperatures hover in the mid-nineties several problems can
occur. The ripening process slows down and color compounds do
not form properly. Instead of a bright red tomato you may
wind up with an orange-red one. Try picking the tomatoes at the first flush of color and ripening
them indoors.
Source
Plucking
Petunias...
Deadheading petunias is a sure-fire way to keep them blooming
all summer long. But sometimes gardeners have trouble
knowing which ones stay and which ones go. Spent blossoms
often look very much like unopened petunia buds. If you're
unsure just remember that spent petunia blossoms are shrunken and
have little substance to them and come off with a gentle
tug. Immature buds feel full and hang on a little
tighter.
Source
Sweet
& Corny...
Corn lovers know that standard sweet corn is at its peak for only a day or
so (supersweet corn maintains its peak quality for a
little longer). Timing is everything. For the
sweetest corn harvest when silks begin to dry, and kernels exude a
milky (rather than watery or doughy) juice when punctured.
What's
Hot On The Hotline...
Along with the hot weather of summer come some recurring
pleasures that offer an opportunity to share in the
accomplishments of others, and to wonder at the diverse and
outstanding products of their hard work and talent. In
other words, it's County Fair time, and our area of mid-America
is second to none in the variety and enthusiasm our County Fair
exhibitors show! Read what our hotline experts think about
county fairs in this
week's What's
Hot on the Hotline...
Telltale
Turf...
Did you know your lawn might be sending you signals that it is
thirsty? Before more serious symptoms arise many turf
grasses in need of moisture will lie flat after being walked on.
Look behind you as you cross the yard. Leaving footprints?
Time to water!
Remember it
is better to give your lawn a good soaking only once or twice a
week rather than many lighter waterings. Also, always water
in the early morning. Afternoon watering wastes water and
evening watering promotes turf diseases.
Finally... "I
walk without flinching through the burning cathedral of the
summer. My bank of wild grass is majestic and full of
music. It is a fire that solitude presses against my lips." ~
Violette Leduc, Mad in Pursuit |