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~ Dividing Spring Blooming Perennials
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Lawn Ranger

 

June 11, 2003

Good News, Bad News...
After planting like a mad woman all weekend I think that I am done!  Annuals are in place, pots on the deck have been potted and the color combinations I have chosen this year are very appealing.  Decorating the deck is such a thrill for me.  Combining plants, flowers and gardens ornaments is my way of creating a place of comfort and beauty - a place for us to retreat after a long day.  Now the challenge begins - keeping everything looking the way that it does right now!  Beautiful!  

We hope to be sharing more photos after we replace our digital camera.  We had a very unfortunate incident last Friday night.  Our home was burglarized in the middle of the night while we were all sound asleep.  A number of important Savvygardener items were taken including our computers and digital camera.  We'll get them replaced as time and money allow.  In the mean time we will get this newsletter published each week through some fancy footwork on Kevin's part.

If you have not been to visit The Sweet Onion lately you have to visit soon!  Andrea Neumann, owner and Master Gardener, has an array of flowers and vegetables to choose from.  She also has created some magnificent pots to help you decorate that special place, the deck, garden or any other place you want to brighten with a splash of color.  Make sure you mention Savvygardener.com when visiting!

Family Tree Nursery has a terrific coupon this month.  Actually they have a terrific coupon every month but I particularly like this one because it is for the 'Becky' Shasta Daisy, a real show stopper!  Print off your coupon today and save!

~ Shelly  

Onward Onions...
Your onions should be growing rapidly and enlarging about now. Onions have a pretty shallow root system and need regular watering and fertilizing to keep growing.  A light application of fertilizer or compost along the row will keep them growing vigorously.  Don't be alarmed if you see a fair amount of the onion developing above the soil line.  This is normal.  When tops begin to get weak and fall over, onion bulbs are about full grown.  At this point, you can break over tops to encourage the necks to dry.  After a few days dig them up to keep bulbs from getting sunburned.  Allow your onions to dry with the tops attached for 1 to 2 weeks before cutting the tops, wiping (not washing) any excess soil from the bulbs, and placing them in a cool, dry location for storage (or eating).

Source

Is That A Volcano In Your Garden?
When mulching try to avoid creating "mulch volcanoes" at the base of your trees.  Unfortunately it is quite common to see trees mulched in this manner - a ring of mulch that gets progressively deeper as it approaches the trunk.  While this is better than no mulch at all, Chris Starbuck at University of Missouri Extension advises us that there are some real problems to consider:

  • When mulch is placed more than about 4 inches deep, roots tend to "migrate" up into the mulch during rainy periods or when the area is irrigated.  Then, when drought conditions occur, the plant may come under severe stress because many of its roots are growing in a material with much less water holding capacity than real soil.
  • The surfaces of the mulch volcanoes can become hydrophobic due to fungal activity and will act as very effective umbrellas, shedding water to the surrounding turf.  This could easily kill a young tree by depriving it of much needed water.
  • Other possible problems with mulch volcanoes are promotion of fungal canker diseases by constant moisture around the lower trunk, stress from poor gas exchange by the cells in the bark and damage from rodents that may take up residence in the volcano.

Source

Dialed In...
Are you using a sundial as a garden ornament?  Well, don't just use it as a pretty decoration.  Set it up to tell time also!  This Sunday, June 15 is the magical date on which sundials should be set.  Simply place it so the shadow falls on the twelve o'clock position at exactly 1 PMWhy 1 PM?  It's actually Noon, but with Daylight Savings taken into account.

 

Family Tree Special

Give 'Em Room To Breathe...
Just because your plant is wilting don't assume it's due to lack of water.  Plants can wilt from lack of oxygen too!  Soil can become over-compacted and cause root systems to suffocate.  The problem is often made worse by assuming the plant is thirsty and adding water unnecessarily.

Improving the soil for better air and water circulation is easy.  Simply add peat moss or other loose organic material in and around the root area of your plants. Everyone will breathe easier!

Dividing Daylilies...
One of the reasons we love daylilies is their fuss-free nature.  Generally they don't need to be divided as often as many other perennials.  However if you want to increase the number of your favorite cultivars you may want to divide them once in a while.  Savvygardeners should be able to get four new plants from a healthy, 4-year old daylily.  Divide them immediately after flowering, and replant them right away.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
After several days of cool weather and more than normal rainfall, it appears that warmer, more seasonal weather may be returning.  Gardeners are generally more alert than others to the effects these changes bring.  For example, recent rainfall has helped improve drought conditions that have prevailed for many months.  However, we have many reports that the soil is found to be unusually dry only a few inches below the surface.  Dealing with the long-term effects of drought is discussed in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Stay Sharp...
Now would be a good time to have your lawn mower blade sharpened.  Sharp blades keep your grass healthy and good looking.  A dull blade leaves brown, frayed tips on your turf and is not particularly good for the overall health of the lawn.

Finally...
"Nature is a revelation of God;
Art a revelation of man."

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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