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September 11, 2002

Falling For The Weather...
Of course I would be crazy if I didn't start this editorial by talking about the weather.  I was the last one to get out of bed this morning and when I came downstairs the front door was open and the fresh cool morning air was irresistible!  I decided that before I did anything, I was going to go out back on the deck to drink in some more of that terrific fall feeling.  All of my senses were so stimulated and alive!  The cool breeze, the bright sunlight, the great smell in the air - does it get any better than this?  Add a little rain to the equation and it becomes perfect.  Rain, something I remember as wet, soothing and great for the garden.  Hopefully my memory will soon be refreshed by an inch or two (preferably nice and slow as opposed to a torrential downpour).

Fall is always such a special time.  Since the weather has taken a turn for the better, I have noticed that the neighborhood has come back to life.  Families out walking the dog, children playing outside instead of inside and clusters of neighbors gathering in the street to talk about the happenings in their lives.  Isn't it interesting to think that the change of the weather can bring about a change in your community?

I hope that all of you Savvygardeners are out busy buying plants.  Take advantage of this time to create a new fresh look in your garden by planting mums, asters or pansies.  You will be pleasantly surprised by how adding just a splash of fall color will give you new inspiration to start creating again, not only for fall but for next spring!

~ Shelly  

Totally Tulips (Part I)...
We published this four-part series two years ago and have brought it back in response to reader request.

One of the best ways to keep your spring garden blooming is by planting bulbs that bloom at different times.  The possibilities are endless.  In fact you can plant only tulips if you like and still have staged blooms.  This week we focus on some of the earlier blooming tulips.  Look for these in your favorite catalogs and at local retailers:

  • Single Early Tulips are among the earliest tulips to bloom.  The flowers, available in a wide range of colors, are produced on strong, 10 to 18-inch-long stems.  The flowers of several varieties have a sweet fragrance.  Single early tulips are excellent for rock gardens, beds, and forcing.
  • Double Early Tulips produce semi-double to double, peony-like flowers.  The flowers, measuring up to 4 inches in diameter, are borne on strong, short stems.  The color range of double early tulips is smaller than for most other tulip classes.
  • Greigii Tulips are noted for their brightly-colored flowers and purple striped or mottled foliage.  Plant height varies from 8 to 12 inches.  Because of their short stature, Greigii tulips are excellent choices for borders or rock gardens.
  • Kaufmanniana Tulips are long-lived perennial tulips.  In sunlight, the flowers open fully.  The open flowers resemble a star or water lily.  Flower colors include white, yellow, pink, and intermediary colors.  The foliage is bluish green or chocolate brown striped.  Kaufmanniana tulips are small plants with an average height of 4 to 8 inches.  Their compact size makes them good choices for border edges and rock gardens.
  • Fosteriana Tulips produce some of the largest flowers of the genus.  They also perennialize well.  'Red Emperor' is a widely grown variety in this class.  Fosteriana tulips are sometimes referred to as emperor tulips.
  • Species Tulips include wild species, horticultural varieties, and hybrids.  Most are early blooming, short-statured plants.  Species tulips are available in a wide array of colors.  They perennialize well and are excellent plants for rock and heirloom gardens.

Next week, the "middle" bloomers...

Source

Happy And Humming...
We've noticed a few hummingbirds loitering around the garden lately.  If you've seen one recently chances are it was a Ruby-Throated hummingbird heading off to the warmer climes of Mexico or Central America for the season.  Frankly, I don't blame them.  It does get awfully cold here in Kansas City.  

They will return, as always, next April.  You stand a better chance of attracting them to your garden by planting shrubs that they love.  Try these:

  • Azaleas Rhododendron spp.
  • Butterfly Bush Buddleia davidii
  • Flowering Quince Chaenomeles japonica
  • Honeysuckle Lonicera spp.
  • Weigela Weigela spp.

They'll be back before you know it!

Squash Harvest Hints...
Don't be too hasty in harvesting all your winter squash!  For longer keeping let winter squash stay on the vines as long as possible.  Wait until the vines die back or there is danger of frost.  Check by pressing with your thumbnail, if the skin is easily broken they are not fully matured and may not keep well.  

When you harvest leave two to three inches of stem on the squash.  Allow them to cure in a warm, dry, well-ventilated place for a couple of weeks before placing them in storage.  Also, never wash your squash until just before using and never carry squash or pumpkins by the stem.

Source

 

 

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Nuisance of the Week - Fall Webworm
Fall webworm feeds on almost all fruit, shade, and ornamental trees except conifers.  This insect is present more often on trees that are not surrounded by other trees.  The larvae begin by constructing small webs near the ends of branches.  The insect will gradually increase the size of the web as the need for food increases.  Mature caterpillars are yellowish with black and brown markings, and have many tufts of long hair.  As larvae mature, they crawl down the tree and spend the winter as pupa in the leaf litter under the tree. 

High populations of fall webworm can completely defoliate host plants but do not kill them.  Pruning and destroying the infested portions of branches is a common control practice while webs are still small.  Also, a stick or pole with a nail inserted crosswise can be used to snag individual webs.  Twisting the pole after insertion will cause the web to wrap around the pole where it can be removed and destroyed.  Insecticides can also be used for control but a commercial quality, high pressure sprayer is needed to penetrate the webs.  We are late enough in the season that control is not needed to protect the health of the tree.

Photos

Savvy Seed Savers...
If you are growing "heirloom" flowers or vegetables make sure you collect their seeds for planting next year and for sharing with others.  They need to be dry and should be stored in an envelope or jar with some silica gel until next spring.  Don't bother saving the seeds of hybrids as they won't be true to the parent plant.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
We mentioned tulips at the beginning of this newsletter but there are of course many more bulbs and "bulb-like" flowers that you'll want to plant this fall.  Whether it's bulbs, corms, rhizomes or tubers our hotline staffers have them covered in this week's What's Hot on the Hotline...

Fertilizer Figures...
Savvygardeners with cool-season grasses (bluegrass, fescue, and/or ryegrass) should plan on three applications of fertilizer each year - one in spring and two in fall.  Fall is the most important time to fertilize as it really encourages strong root growth resulting in healthier growth next spring.  September is a great month for the first fall application followed by another in November.

You're going to need about 1 to 1.5 pounds of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn.  That's the amount of actual Nitrogen, not fertilizer product.  The amount of actual nitrogen in a fertilizer product is indicated by the first digit of the N-P-K number on the label of a fertilizer bag.  The N-P-K number indicates percentages by weight of the nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).  For example, a bag with a N-P-K of 20-4-4 has 20 percent nitrogen.  Therefore it will take 5 pounds of this fertilizer to provide 1 pound of actual nitrogen.

Finally...
"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

~ Marcel Proust, Author, 1871-1922

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