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November 13, 2002 |
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Awesome Autumn...
I have to say that Mother Nature came through for us this
past weekend. Kevin and I planted
close to 600 bulbs as well as three new shrubs.
Our timing could not have been
better considering that after planting on Saturday we received a
nice slow rain early Sunday. Now
that is the way it is suppose to work. Plant
something, then stand back and let
Mother Nature do her job. I wish
it was always that easy!
Wasn't
Saturday the perfect fall day? Kevin
and I spent most of it out in the garden knowing that
our days are numbered.
It sure was fun playing in the
leaves with the kids and getting our hands nice and dirty in the
soil. Those are the types
of memories that help sustain me during winter.
I tend to go through a period of
huge adjustment between autumn and winter. There
is something about the whole time change and the darkness closing
in on us so early. It makes me a
bit gritchy (use your imagination to guess the
meaning of that word)! Can't
stand the thought of winter arriving and being trapped by colder
temperatures! Ugh!
I am crossing my fingers for a
mild winter.
Join Kevin
and I in attending Steve Hess's annual
Holiday Gift Open House at the Hess's November 20-24th.
Steve and fellow artists turn
the Hess household into a one-stop
Christmas shop. Everything you
can imagine from garden stones, stained glass, jewelry and lots
of other great items for the home and garden. An
event you won't want to miss! Bring
that Christmas list and get a jump on
holiday shopping! Hope
to see you there!
~
Shelly
Moving
Mums...
Once again this fall I've bought a lot of potted mums.
There's no better way to get that late fall color in the garden!
Many gardeners (myself
included) choose to transplant their potted mums into the
garden. Well, now is the time to do it. For best results follow these
important tips:
-
Transplant mums into well-drained soil. Winter injury is most
common when mums are planted in poorly-drained soils.
- Before
planting, make sure there is an adequate amount of organic
matter incorporated into the area. Potted mums are often grown
in a mix that is very high in organic matter. If these are
planted in very heavy clay soil without first amending it, the
difference between the two soil situations often prevents good
root establishment and increases the chance of winter kill.
- After
leaves have turned brown, cut back the tops and apply six
inches of loose mulch. The purpose of this mulch is to provide
wind protection and keep the soil shaded and frozen so that
frost heaving is minimized. Protective mulch may be removed or
pulled away from the crown by early to mid-April after danger
of severe cold is past.
Source
Cold
Storage At You Feet...
Looking for a good place to store root crops? Just look
down! Carrots, radishes, turnips and Jerusalem artichokes store
well outdoors in the ground. Just before the ground freezes,
bury them under a deep layer of leaves or straw to protect the
ground from freezing. Simply harvest them as needed during
winter by pulling back this protective mulch and digging them
up. Just make sure you replace the mulch after each visit!
African
Violets, American Favorites...
Among houseplants African violets are a favorite of many
gardeners. If you want to grow some this winter remember these
tips:
- They do
best when planted in rather small pots. A good general rule is
to use a pot one-third the diameter of the plant.
- To
humidify African violets, surround the pot with moist peat
contained in a second pot.
- When
buying new plants, avoid those with any signs of yellowing
leaves.
- African
violets require a day temperature of 70ºF
and a night temperature of 65ºF. They
may die if the air temperature dips below 55ºF.
- African
violets do well under fluorescent lights 12 to 14 hours a day;
lights should be 8 to 12 inches from the plant.
Don't Miss The Hess's Open House!
Exceptional Handmade Garden Gifts
for the Ones You Love!
Garden Stones, Bird Baths, Planters,
Wood Carving, and Much More!
All Handcrafted by 18 Area Artists
Click Here For Details!
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When
Fruits And Vegetables Don't Get Along...
If you decide to store your vegetables indoors (instead of in
the ground like we mentioned above) make sure you don't place
them with any apples or pears. As they sit these fruits give off
ethylene gas which speeds up the breakdown of vegetables and
causes them to develop off-flavors. Yuck!
Cold
Cuts...
Now that we've got a couple of killing frosts under our belts
it's time to do some cutting back of dormant perennials. Cut
them back to about 3 inches above the soil surface. Once the
ground is frozen, they can be mulched to guard against
displacement due to soil heaving. These simple steps will help
ensure a successful show of foliage and color next season.
Winter Wisdom...
There are still many productive days left for gardeners
before the onset of winter. Cleaning,
mulching and pruning are but a few of the chores we can (and
should) be tackling right now. Get the details in this
week's
Winter Wisdom...
There's
No Mold Like Snow Mold...
One of the main problems facing lawns over winter is snow
mold disease. Remember all the crusty patches early last spring
as the snow melted away? Lawns left very high for the winter,
along with being covered with debris such as leaves, are prime
candidates for damage. Other factors increasing the chances for
snow mold include excess nitrogen fertilizer, shade, poor
drainage, and excess thatch.
You can
prevent heavy snow mold development by cleaning up fallen leaves
and other debris from your lawn. Make sure the lawn is not too
tall (but not too short either) as winter sets in - about 2½ to 3
inches should do. Also avoid packing down snow cover on lawns,
as slowly melting areas may be more prone to snow mold early next
spring.
Finally... "For
man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together.
For nature, it is a time of
sowing, of scattering abroad." ~
Edwin Way Teale, American Naturalist |