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Lawn Ranger

June 4, 2003

The Savvy Salad Bar...
I am waging a war against slugs and rabbits this year.  I have planted lots of petunias, and between the slugs and the rabbits gnawing away at them they are really starting to look a bit tattered
(see for yourself).  I have applied some slug bait and will have to pull some other tricks out of the hat soon if there is no improvement.  Then there are the rabbits.  Boy has the population exploded in our neighborhood this spring!  Of course Sam Parker is good for chasing the ones in the back yard but it is the ones out front that are giving me the problem.  We have tried some fox urine around the perimeter of the garden hoping that will hold them at bay!  Whew, it's not enough that you have to worry about weeds and getting everything planted but then making sure that it has a chance to survive!  It would be different if I wasn't so compassionate about everything I planted. (I am sure you can relate).  I tend to be very competitive by nature so those slugs and rabbits will not get the best of me, so there!

For those of you who missed The Kelly Gallery spring party in April do not despair.  Join them this Saturday, June 7th from 10 AM - 3 PM to view their new rose gardens!  I have not had a chance to see them myself but knowing Kelly I am sure the display is spectacular!

I would like to welcome aboard a new sponsor, The Lawn Ranger.  The Lawn Ranger has been doing business in the Kansas City-area since 1985 and offers an array of gardening services.  Their specialty is designing and creating perennial flower gardens but also offer a wide variety of other lawn and landscape services.  You can learn more at their website.  Make sure you let them know that you are a Savvygardener and you appreciate their support!

~ Shelly  

Be A Deadheader...
So your perennials have bloomed and they are starting to look as if they are finished?  Hold on a minute...  If you trim off the dead blooms they will likely bloom again!  I'm talking about roses, bachelor buttons, coreopsis and dianthus (just to name a few)Sure, it's extra work (especially dianthus, it's wickedly time-consuming to trim all of those flowers back) but the reward is well worth it once you see them re-blooming.  If you are not sure whether your perennial will bloom again cut it back anyway to keep a neat appearance in the garden.

You should also deadhead petunias, snapdragons, geraniums, marigolds and zinnias.  This will prevent seed formation and promote continued flowering.

Monitor Those Melons...
The recent and coming warmer temperatures are sure to give watermelons a growth boost.  Keep an eye on them!  As vines from different plants begin to intermingle, and the canopy becomes thicker, the chances of developing anthracnose increase.  It's a good idea to scout watermelon patches once or twice a week for this disease.  Look for multiple small brown to black spots on leaves.  These spots are typically associated with leaf veins.  As the spots coalesce and dry out, the leaf may appear tattered.  It's a good idea to implement a preventive fungicide spray schedule, especially during rainy periods.  Chlorothalonil, mancozeb and azoxystrobin (Quadris) are labeled for anthracnose control.  Azoxystrobin should be rotated with one of the other fungicides to help prevent potential resistance problems.

Source

Erupting Soon In A Garden Near You...
This time of year it's not uncommon to have a period of wet weather followed by some rather warm early summer temperatures.  If you have mulched areas in your garden, that unique combination is going to lead to something that's pretty disgusting to look at - slime mold eruptions.  You see, slime mold spores will grow and expand (at an alarming rate) until they "erupt" over the surface of the mulch.  It's not very pretty to look at but rest assured it's harmless.  Try to scoop it up whole (so you don't inadvertently release more spores) and dispose of it in a compost pile or trash can.  

 

 

Itchy, Scratchy, Savvy...
Poison ivy rash is an unfortunate byproduct of working outdoors for many gardeners.  The rash we get from our exposure to poison ivy (as well as poison oak and sumac) is an allergic reaction to contact with an oil called urushiol (oo-ROO-she-ol).  All species of poison ivy, oak and sumac have urushiol in their roots, stems, leaves and fruit.  The oil or sap is released when plants are bruised.  For this reason poison ivy rashes are more common in the spring and early summer when leaves and stems are tender.  The sap may be deposited on the skin by direct contact with the plant, through contact with contaminated objects such as shoes, clothing, tools and animals, or as airborne urushiol particles from burning plants.  

I'll bet you still cling to at least one of the poison ivy myths below.  Now is a good time to set the record straight: 

  • Myth 1 
    Scratching poison ivy blisters will spread the rash.  Not true.  Fluid discharged from blisters will not spread the rash.  Well before the blisters form, however, you may spread the urushiol on your hands to other parts of your body. 
  • Myth 2
    Poison ivy is contagious.  Not true.  The rash is simply a reaction to urushiol.  The rash cannot pass from person to person; only the urushiol can be spread by direct contact. 
  • Myth 3 
    You can "catch" poison ivy simply by being near the plants.  Not true.  Direct contact or contact with smoke from burning plants is needed to introduce urushiol onto the victim. 
  • Myth 4
    Once allergic, always allergic to poison ivy.  Not true.  A person's sensitivity changes over time, even from season to season.  People who were sensitive to urushiol as children may not be allergic as adults. 
  • Myth 5 
    There's no need to worry about dead plants.  Not true.  Urushiol remains active on any surface, including dead plants, for up to 5 years! 
  • Myth 6
    One way to protect yourself from poison ivy is to keep yourself covered outdoors.  Partly true.  Urushiol can stick to your clothes which you can touch and spread to your skin later.

Source

Timing Is Everything...
Sometimes the hardest part of growing great vegetables is knowing when they're ready for harvest.  Timing is everything as they say and that's certainly true for your garden's bounty.  To make your job a little easier we've compiled a list of common garden vegetables and the guidelines you should follow to determine if they are ready for harvest.  You will find "When to Harvest Vegetables" in the Features section of our website.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
I
t is evident from the number of questions received these days by the K-State Research and Extension Master Gardener Hotline volunteers, that our area gardeners not only have an extensive interest in growing perennial and annual ornamentals, but a considerable interest in growing edibles in a home vegetable garden.  Find out what the experts have to say in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Heading Off Seedheads...
Cool season turfgrasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are currently producing seedheads - a natural phenomenon triggered by the current day length.  Seedheads are a nuisance for several reasons:

  • They grow quickly and unevenly detracting from the appearance of a lawn. 
  • The seed stalk is tougher than grass blades so they do not cut cleanly except with the sharpest of mower blades.  
  • After mowing, the grass may also appear a lighter green to yellow because of the exposed seed stalks.  
  • Turfgrass plants also expend a lot of energy producing seedheads and turf density may also decrease slightly as a result. 

The most effective way to control seedheads is through frequent mowing with a sharp mower blade.  Avoid the temptation to lower your cutting height as doing so will cause the rest of your turf to suffer as summer approaches.

Source

Finally...
"Shall I not have intelligence with the earth?  Am I not partly leaves and vegetable mould myself."

~ Henry David Thoreau

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