Savvygardener.com


 

Visit Our Website
Previous Issues
Buyer's Guide  
Tell A Friend  

Donations

Send A Postcard!

Bookstore  
Magazines 
Gardening Catalogs

Site Search
Contact Us
Submit A Tip

Feature Articles

~ Houseplant Care
~ When to Start
Seeds Indoors
~ Seed Starting Indoors
~ Vegetable Garden Calendar
~ Seed Starting Tomatoes

~

Shrub Pruning Calendar
~ Pruning Clematis 
~ Gardening in the Shade
~ Summer-Flowering Bulb Care
~ Drought-Tolerant Flowers for KC
~ Preparing for a Soil Test
~ Changing the pH of Your Soil
~ Growing Herbs
~ All About Composting
~ All About Mulch
~ Worm Composting
~ When to Harvest Vegetables
~ Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
~ Organic Pesticides & Biopesticides
~ Cold Frames & Hot Beds
~ When to Divide Perennials
~ Dividing Spring Blooming Perennials
~ Forcing Bulbs Indoors
~ Overseeding A Lawn
~ Pruning Trees
~ Pruning Shrubs
~ More...

Rose Tips
What's Hot... 
Nuisance of the Week
Turf Tips...
Winter Wisdom
Gardener's Glossary 

SavvyChat
~ On-Line Gardening Forum

Books We Love
Great Products
Web Resources
Event Calendar

Local Sponsors

~ Bradfield Industries
~ Family Tree Nursery
~ The Kelly Gallery
~ Missouri Organic Recycling
~ The Sweet Onion

Subscribe

Tell A Friend

Privacy Pledge

 

 

 

Click Here for Great Soil and Compost!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lawn Ranger

 

June 25, 2003

Off To A Great Start...
As I type this editorial the temperature outside is a mere 68
°.  Sounds almost chilly compared to what we have experienced over the last couple of days.  On Tuesday when the heat index hit 100° my thoughts were of Mother Nature pulling out her big bag of summer tricks - combining hot and humid temperatures and lots of wind, all in one day!  Leaving us nothing to wait for.  A bonus from the hot, humid weather have been some really great thunderstorms!  The lightening storm on Monday was grand!  Don't forget that we here in the Marsh house are a little crazy when it comes to storms.  The more threatening the better!  I am glad to say the larger storms did not hit our area but we sure did enjoy what little came our way.  Isn't it nice to have a couple of nice hot days, rain one day and then a cooler day with less humidity?  Not a bad start to summer.

We actually got a chance to enjoy some fresh basil from the garden tonight!  What a special treat!  I had an opportunity to venture over to the Overland Park Farmer's Market today to take advantage of some home-grown tomatoes.  We also picked up some Georgia peaches that were ripe and ready to eat.  Along with some fresh blueberries that Jake picked with a friend last week, we are really enjoying all of the fruits and vegetables of summer.  Eating is such a great pleasure this time of the year!

By the way, pictures are back!  Check them out!

~ Shelly  

Look Who's Hopped Into Town...
Readers have been asking about recent damage to their potatoes.  Just in time, our buddies at K-State Research & Extension issued an alert on the aptly named Potato Leafhopper.  This is a small, elongated insect that feeds on potato plants and can cause a lot of damage to the vines. The potato leafhopper is aptly named because it hops when the plant is disturbed.  For that reason, many gardeners are unaware that an insect may be causing the damage they see.  Here's the problem...  As leafhoppers feed, they inject a toxin into the plant so the edges of the leaves dry up, turn brown and often die in sections.  It appears the edges of the leaves might have been singed or burnt - hence the name for the damage is called hopperburn.  

A small amount of damage to potatoes that are near harvest is not a cause for worry; however, plants that are still growing and filling out tubers can be damaged so that yields are significantly reduced.  Damage to potato foliage at this critical time should be treated with insecticide controls.  Most general use insecticides will control potato leafhopper; however, complete coverage is necessary to make sure leafhoppers don't hide from you!

Source

When Good Mulch Goes Bad...
Hardwood mulch can become a liability if left too long in a damp pile.  Not only does it smell bad once it "sours" it can adversely affect plants that it comes in contact with.  Symptoms look like fertilizer or pesticide burn or water stress.  Damage can be severe enough to actually kill plants - yikes!

Sour mulch results from anaerobic decomposition of hardwood mulches that have been stored in large piles.  The pH of such mulches are extremely acidic; reportedly 1.8 to 3.6.  Normal mulch by contrast is closer to a neutral pH of 7.0.  Sour mulch smells like vinegar, sulfur, or silage.  The compounds that cause the acidity are capable of injuring plants quickly; usually within one day and often within hours of application.  

Depending on the extent of the injury, plants are often able to recover.  Savvygardeners should water affected plants during hot, dry periods to prevent further stress. 

Mulch that has soured can still be used if it is "mellowed" before application.  Simply spread the mulch in shallow layers and allow it to air out for several days until it no longer smells.  It may also be helpful to water the mulch before application to wash away any toxic substances.

Source

Plan for Halloween By Planting Pumpkins Now...
Want to grow a perfect pumpkin for your very own jack-o-lantern this year?  It may sound like a long way off but depending on the variety you want to grow you need to get your pumpkins planted now for carving on Halloween.  Typically pumpkins mature in 90 - 120 days.  Check your seed pack to determine your pumpkin's specific days to maturity and work backwards from October 31st.

Remember that these things get big.  Allow 8 to 10 feet between rows and place seeds every 2 feet in the row.  When fruit begins to appear it's time to start protecting the pumpkin from rot.  Try placing a barrier under ripening pumpkins to lift them off the soil.  A material that doesn't trap water will be best.

 

Family Tree Special

A Pinch In Time...
Chrysanthemum growers use chemical sprays to increase branching and to dwarf the plants, so the plants are short in the garden center but will be taller the next year in our gardens.  To have shorter, well-branched plants, remove the growing points once or twice during early growth.  Pinch them back when the plants are about 6 inches tall to induce branching.  When the branches are 6-8 inches long (about mid-July), remove their tips to induce more branching.  This procedure may seem drastic, but the results will be bushy, well-shaped plants that flower abundantly.  

Many old garden sayings have a grain of truth to them.  The axiom "Pinch mums until the Fourth of July" may help you remember how to care for your mums.

Source

Timely Tomato Tips...
Tomatoes are growing vigorously now.  However, the end of spring and the onset of hot, dry weather can lead to several problems in tomatoes.  Tomatoes that experience early vigorous growth often drop some blossoms during the transition to summer weather.   Don't worry.  New blooms should develop rapidly to replace the fallen ones.  

Also, tomato plants may be subject to leaf curl where the leaves roll up from the edges.  This is a short-term condition that develops as the tomato is trying to reduce it's leaf surface to allow the roots to develop.

Source

 


Tell Your Friends About
Savvygardener.com!

You Could Win A $50 Gift Certificate

Click Here For Details...

 

 

What's Hot On The Hotline...
Summer began in earnest last weekend.  This week reminded us of what's in store for the next few months.  Our hotline staffers have tackled the topic of summer this week - from the roots and meaning of the word to the do's and don't of planting.  You'll find it all in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

A Cut Above...
The next few months will likely be very taxing for your fescue or bluegrass lawn.  Long, hot and humid days, with little rainfall can make even the greenest lawns wilt.  While it's probably not possible to keep your turf looking perfectly lush and green all summer you can prepare it for the heat by raising the cutting height of your mower.  Fescues and bluegrass should be cut at a height of 3 to 3½ inches.  Determine your mowing frequency by cutting no more than one-third of the blade height with each cutting.  This means cutting when it reaches 4½ inches or so.

Finally...
"The serene philosophy of the pink rose is steadying. Its fragrant, delicate petals open fully and are ready to fall, without regret or disillusion, after only a day in the sun. I t is so every summer.  One can almost hear their pink, fragrant murmur as they settle down upon the grass:
'Summer, summer, it will always be summer'."

~ Rachel Peden, Author

To change your e-mail address, delivery method, or to stop delivery please follow the "Update Your Profile"  link at the bottom of your e-mailed newsletter.

Click Here for Organic Gardening Magazine!

© 1999-2003 Savvygardener.com, Inc. All rights reserved.  If you wish to copy, transmit, or otherwise duplicate any of the material from our website please ask us first.  Thank you.