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July 31, 2002

 

Got Shade?
When Kevin and I purchased this house seven years ago it was because of the older homes and the mature trees.  Boy, back then I never would have guessed the role that those mature trees would play in our lives.  We lost our air conditioning this past weekend.  The compressor seized up and, well, I guess you can probably figure out the rest.  It got HOT!  REALLY HOT!  It happened Friday afternoon so we were without air Friday evening, all day Saturday and finally on Sunday we were back in business with a new air conditioner.  I can't imagine how hot it would of been if we had not had the shade of the trees in our yard as well as our neighbors.  Yes, it was really hot inside but I know that without the shade the temperature would have been at least 10-15 degrees warmer and with the temperature outside pushing 105° who needs an extra 5-10 degrees?  So needless to say I have not been too excited about going outside and spending anytime in the garden.

How about that rain?  We received ¾ of an inch here in Westwood.  Not enough, but beggars can't be choosy.  It was a relief to step outside Monday morning to a cooler, drier air.  I could feel a dramatic change in the humidity and I have to say the breeze was cool and wonderful.  Not for long however as the sun came out and warmed everything up once again.  Just so you know, my garden enthusiasm is waning.  It takes everything I have just to water.  I need a longer break from the heat to recoup my gardening passion.  I am barely hanging on while wishing for cooler temperatures.

~ Shelly  

The Cutting Gardener...
OK, it's been way too hot to enjoy my gardens outdoors.  What's a Savvygardener to do?  Enjoy the garden indoors of course!  I make sure to cut some of my prettiest flowers and bring them inside to enjoy.  Before you do the same, there are some procedures to follow if you really want to do it right:

  • Start when flower stems are full of water - either early morning (6 to 8 AM) or late evening (7 to 9 PM).
  • Carry a clean bucket filled with very warm (100 to 120º F) water.
  • Always use sharp, very clean scissors or pruners when cutting. 
  • Immediately place any cut flowers in the bucket of warm water.
  • When you bring the flowers in, re-cut each flower under water.  This pulls water into the stems more quickly.  Flowers that are not re-cut immediately after picking can lose up to 60% of their vase life.
  • Place the bucket of re-cut flowers in a cool area, such as the basement and allow them to hydrate or harden for at least one hour (although overnight is best).
  • Arrange, display, enjoy!

Source

Honk If You Have Hornworms...
Tomato hornworms are serious garden pests.  They like to eat the leaves of tomato plants and will do so completely to the mid-rib of the leaf.  Fortunately they can be dealt with without drenching the entire plant in pesticide.  The trick is early detection and removal.  While it's hard to see a green caterpillar on a green leaf the black droppings from the caterpillar are a bit more obvious.  When you see the droppings look closely for the caterpillar and remove it immediately.

Thump Goes The Melon...
Watermelon growers probably have some pretty big fruit by now.  You don't want to harvest your melons too early!  Just check for these tell-tale indicators of ripeness: 

  • The underside ground spot turns from whitish to creamy yellow.
  • The tendril closest to the melon turns brown and shrivels.
  • The rind loses its gloss and appears dull.
  • The melon produces a dull thud rather than a ringing sound when thumped.

 


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Pesticide Problem Prevention...
During these hot, rain-scarce days of summer it is especially important to take care when applying pesticides.  Make sure you take the time to water your plants several hours before applying pesticides.  You see, those drought-stressed plants have less water in their plant tissues and the chemicals that enter the leaves will consequently be more concentrated.  This in turn can lead to an unwanted burn-like condition on the leaves.

Ozone, Mowzone...
By now you've heard your favorite weather personality refer to Orange and Red Ozone Alert Days.  These are the hot, humid days that have lead to unhealthy concentrations of ground-level ozone pollution.  One contributor to the problem is gas-powered lawn mowers.  Oversimplifying a little, daytime heat, sun, and mower emissions combine to create the "bad" ozone.  Here's where you come in!  By waiting until evening to mow your lawn you can realize the following benefits:

  • Your gas powered mower will produce fewer ozone-creating emissions.  
  • Your lawn will have the relatively cooler night to recover from the cutting before being exposed to the daytime sun and heat.

Everyone wins!

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
The crowning delights, and easily the most popular products of the summer garden, are tomatoes and peppers.  Whether started from seed and lovingly nurtured, or bought as plants, many gardeners anxiously count the 60 to 70 days needed to bring them to ruddy, juicy maturity.  But what if they're not on schedule?  Not the color we want?  Find out why and what to do about it in this week's What's Hot on the Hotline...

Tangled Turf Tips...
There is so much (often contradictory) information about proper lawn watering procedures that many Savvygardeners are writing in for advice.  Keep in mind that lawn care, like any gardening activity, requires proactive and reactive measures based on weather conditions.  Deep, infrequent watering has been the best proactive course of action - preparing our lawns for the heat and stress of mid to late summer.  

Recent high heat however means reacting with a different strategy.  According to Matt Fagerness at K-State Extension it's time to, "consider moving to a lighter and more regular irrigation schedule.  Watering for the benefit of roots is no longer valid because, with the heat, roots will continue to decline even if they are watered deeply.  A better strategy is to water less at any one time but do so more often to minimize the onset of stress.  This will curtail the appearance of turf plants that are crispy or have a pale, grayish hue, both classic signs of summer stress." 

Source

Finally...
"There are those who say that trees shade the garden too much, and interfere with the growth of the vegetables.  There may be something in this: but when I go down the potato rows, the rays of the sun glancing upon my shining blade, the sweat pouring down my face, I should be grateful for shade."

~ Charles Dudley Warner, Author 1829-1900

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