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May 21, 2003

Ten, Nine, Eight, Seven...
The countdown to summer has begun.  The first official day of summer, June 21st is just a month away.  It is hard to imagine that we will soon experience those familiar hot and humid conditions.  This cooler weather sure has me spoiled and I must admit that I would be quite happy if the temperatures didn't start climbing until late June early July.  I guess there's no sense in worrying about how hot is it going to get (it has never helped in the past).  

Our gardens have never looked better!  The combination of rain and moderate temperatures have been perfect for growing.  Of course if you are wanting tomatoes anytime soon we are going to need to see a rise in temperatures both daytime and evening.  Warm weather is a must especially when you are trying to grow Kansas City's Tastiest Tomato.  

After numerous reader requests we quietly added a donation link to (at left) for those of you who enjoy Savvygardener.com and want to contribute to our cause.  Thanks to those of you that have contributed - it really helps!  

We've also been getting a lot of great feedback on our garden photos.  We'll do our best to keep posting them every week.  Just look for the "Garden Photos" link in the new "In This Issue" box at the top of each newsletter.

Missouri Organic Recycling will be delivering 12 cubic yards of cedar mulch tomorrow so Kevin and I already have our long weekend planned.  We will finish planting annuals, then make sure that every bed has a nice layer of mulch on it.  Lots of work but we are sure looking forward to it.  We can't think of a better way to spend a long weekend then doing what we love - gardening!

Have a great Memorial Day!

~ Shelly  

Perfect Peonies...
Our peonies are in full bloom right now.  What a sight!  But it just doesn't last long enough.  If you were hoping to have some cut for Memorial Day or a June wedding read on...

According to Karen Gast at the Kansas State University Research & Extension gardeners should pick peonies when the buds are showing color and are soft like a marshmallow.  Red cultivars should exhibit a soft center when pressed down too.  Bunch the flowers in no more than ten stems to a bunch making sure the flowers are dry before you place them in a large bag.  Seal the bag and place it in the refrigerator or cold storage at a temperature below 40°F.  If you want to store them longer than Memorial Day, say for a wedding in June or July, you can give the flowers a drink of 10% sugar water before cold storage.  Let the flowers sit for about 30 minutes after harvest and re-cut the stems just before you put them in the 10% sugar water solution.  Keep the flowers in the sugar water for two hours at room temperature.  When done, dry the stems and place in plastic bags and then into the refrigerator.

When you are ready to use the flowers, take them out of cold storage or the refrigerator the day before, re-cut the stems underwater and place in water.  If harvested at the right stage the flowers should be open the next day (if not before).  Not all peony cultivars store well.  For long term storage, store at least 25% to 50% more than you think you need.

Source

Vine Crop Vigilantes...
Savvygardeners need to be vigilant for the two most destructive insect foes of vine crops - the cucumber beetle and the squash bug.  Cucumber beetles, like most vegetable insects must be controlled early to prevent damage to the seedling and transmission of diseases like bacterial wilt.  Planting a trap crop, applying neem oil soap and using row covers are effective non-chemical methods to manage this insect pest.  Squash bugs can be repelled with insecticidal soap in addition to garlic and pepper sprays.

Source

Rain Drain...
All that rain we've had over the last few weeks?  Great, right?  Well, mostly yes.  But it may have leached fertilizers from the root zone of many cool-season vegetable plants.  These crops are growing rapidly now and require adequate fertilizer to complete their growth cycle early.  If you notice that foliage color is slightly pale and plants are not growing as fast as you'd expect, a side-dressing of fertilizer may be in order.  

Use a general-use fertilizer or one high in nitrogen.  Organic fertilizers such as blood meal contain good levels of nitrogen and work well as a side-dressing.  Apply fertilizers along the crop row and lightly cultivate or hoe to make sure the fertilizer is incorporated lightly to quickly dissolve.  With rainfall, the fertilizer nitrogen dissolves and is carried into the plant root zone.

Source

 


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Winning By Thinning...
A bountiful vegetable patch requires thinning when crops are grown from seed.  Be aware that vegetables behave like weeds when they are overabundant and overcrowding among root crops causes poorly formed roots.  A good thinning program will:

  • Reduce the competition among seedlings for soil nutrients and water.
  • Promote better air circulation around the plants thereby reducing the chances of disease development.
  • Ultimately make higher yields possible.

For a list of common garden vegetables and recommendations for their spacing click here.

Getting Antsy About Aphids...
When you see ants crawling on your garden plants, look closely for aphids as well.  Some ant species protect aphids, moving them from plant to plant and even taking them underground into the anthill for overnight safety (seriously!).  The ants do this to ensure a supply of honeydew, a sugary water substance secreted by aphids, on which ants feed.

Source

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
April showers have continued into May, and combined with cooler temperatures, have made for a colorful and prolonged spring flowering period. The wind has been a problem, even the straight-line variety, and Hosta growers in some locations have felt the destructive power of hail. in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Zoysia Tips...
Zoysia lawns are finally looking good all around the metro.  Now that they are greening up and growing you will want to make sure you do the following:

  • Reduce thatch layers from zoysia by verticutting or core aerating. 
  • Sod or sprig zoysia lawns to fill in bare areas.
  • Fertilize zoysia lawns with high nitrogen to promote green up and summer growth. 
  • Mow zoysia to 2 to 2½ inches tall.

Finally...
"And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together."

~ Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels

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