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August 14, 2002

Good Show, K-State!
Kevin and I attended an open house at the K-State Extension Research Trials on Saturday and what a time we had!  You should have seen the flowers (actually you can, just click here).  I could not believe the way they looked considering the extreme summer conditions we have experienced.   What a magnificent show!  Vaughn Fletcher from Syngenta Seeds, was giving detailed information about each row of flowers and the different cultivars that grow especially well in our area.  Of course Kevin and I were busily taking notes and pictures and will have more information to share with you once the "Prairie Star" winners have been announced for 2003.  I am impressed with the way that K-State Research & Extension is working toward providing better cultivars of plants, grasses, fruits and vegetables for us Midwest gardeners.  They are  dedicated to providing us with more heat tolerant, drought tolerant and better flowering plants.  Isn't it nice to know that these researchers are working daily to make our gardening lives more fun and productive?

I have to talk about the weather because WOW we received some much needed rain and refreshingly cooler temperatures all in just a matter of 24 hours!   What more could a gardener ask for?  As I walked Sam Parker this morning I was bundled up in my running pants and sweatshirt and enjoyed the coolness in the air.  All I could think about was that this will soon be a typical morning, the leaves will start changing and fall will be upon us.  I am excited!  I have had my fill of summer and am ready for the arrival of the next season.  Of course there is fall planting to think about and who could possibly not be excited about that opportunity?  I am almost giddy with enthusiasm about what lies ahead for Kevin and I this fall.  There will be the planting of some foundations shrubs, new perennials, bulbs, bulbs and more bulbs.  All in preparation for next spring!  You must think I am crazy.  Summer is not even over and I am talking about next spring.  It never hurts to plan ahead!

~ Shelly  

Lush Lawns Are Looming...
Fall is just around the corner and there's no better time of year to renovate your lawn.  Take a hard look at your grass and decide just how much work you have ahead of you.

  • If you just need to thicken it up a round of over-seeding will probably do the trick.  To ensure good seed to soil contact you might want to make use of a verticutter.  This handy machine, which can be rented locally, makes nice vertical cuts in your existing lawn and soil.  Over this cutting you can broadcast your seeds.  Seeds should find their way into the soil where they will germinate nicely.
  • Every other year or so you should try core aerating your lawn.  Doing so will control and prevent problems such as thatch and soil compaction.  Core aerating machines will pull up numerous plugs of soil about the diameter of a pencil, making holes into the lawn.  Leave the plugs on the surface and work the lawn as usual.
  • If your lawn is so overridden with perennial weeds or you're ready to try a new type of grass altogether you will need to eliminate what's there with Round Up or other appropriate herbicide.  Once the grass and weeds are dead use a verticutter or roto-tiller to prepare the soil for new seed.

A note about weeds - If crabgrass is appearing in your lawn in mid to late summer, remember that it's an annual and will die-off as temperatures drop later this fall.  For perennial weeds it is best to delay herbicide applications until a newly planted lawn has been mowed at least 3 times.  This gives the new grass time to mature to a point where it is not so sensitive to the weed killer.

Bitter Cucumbers Or Better Cumbers?
Wondering why your cucumbers are bitter?  Well, the bitter taste in cucumbers is the result of stress that can be caused by a number of factors including heredity, moisture, temperature, soil characteristics and disease.  Most often this occurs during the hot part of the summer or later in the growing season.  Sometimes these happen at the same time.  

Two compounds, cucurbitacins B and C, give rise to the bitter taste.  Though often only the stem end is affected, at times the entire fruit is bitter.  Also, most of the bitter taste is found in and just under the skin.  Bitter fruit is not the result of cucumbers cross pollinating with squash or melons.  These plants cannot cross pollinate with one another. 

Often newer varieties are less likely to become bitter than older ones.  Proper cultural care is also helpful.  Make sure your plants have the following.

  • Well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.  Plenty of organic matter also helps. 
  • Mulch. A mulch helps conserve moisture and keep roots cool during hot, dry weather. 
  • Adequate water especially during the fruiting season. 
  • Disease and insect control.

Source

 


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Nuisance of the Week - Spurge
Prostrate spurge is one of the more difficult broadleaf weeds to control.  It is a summer annual that must come from seed each year.  Therefore the best control is a thick turf that prevents weed seed germination.  Effective chemical applications are possible however.  In a study by K-State researchers two herbicides available to homeowners, Dimension and Turflon Ester and Trimec provided reasonable control of spurge.  Details and photos are in this week's Nuisance of the Week. 

Rose Tips by Al Karsten
OK, rose growers, we didn't give you much notice on this one.  Make sure you get out between now and this weekend to fertilize those roses one last time before they begin the process of going dormant.  Complete instructions and a host of other good late summer suggestions can be found in Rose Tips by Al Karsten...

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
The Hotline volunteers are frequently asked questions regarding chemicals and their use.  In some cases confusion exists as to their use and their control targets.  We cannot overemphasize the critical importance of reading and heeding the directions and warnings on product labels.  You'll find some garden chemical basics in this week's What's Hot on the Hotline...

Final Feeding...
Savvygardeners growing warm-season grasses like zoysia should make their last application of fertilizer this week.  Fertilizing into fall can interfere with the all important hardening-off process that prepares the grass for winter.

Finally...
"How beautiful is the rain! 
After the dust and the heat, 
In the broad and fiery street, 
In the narrow lane, 
How beautiful is the rain!"

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Rain in Summer

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