|
July 2, 2003 |
|
Slowing Down For Summer...
So far, summer in the garden has been
pretty painless. With an occasional rain shower here and
there most everything is pretty well
watered. I am thankful for our heat and
drought-tolerant plants
- especially as
the temperatures are soaring into the 90's. The pots on the other
hand are something that I watch closely and water when needed
(almost daily). I will say that I could be dead-heading
more but have not been too interested. I can't believe I said
that but it is true. I do have my waning moments when the garden
is just not a priority. I think the intense heat has something to
do with it.
Lucky
me!
I have always wanted a
cedar potting bench, so Kevin
designed and built
one for me over the weekend. Of course I haven't
used it for potting yet but have
been busy trying to decide how to make it functional.
Where to hang the tools, what type of
cool containers to put potting soil and compost in, what types of
pots and watering cans I want sitting on it,
etc... All the necessary items to fancy it up. I am enjoying
putting things on and around it. It is kind of like decorating a
room. Wouldn't you agree?
Have a safe
and patriotic Independence Day!
~
Shelly
Dogs And
Cocoa Bean Mulch...
A reader recently contacted us with a
warning about cocoa bean mulch and its potential poisoning
effects on dogs and other pets. We did some sleuthing and,
sure enough, there's potential for harm. According to the
Animal Poison Control Center of the ASPCA, cocoa beans naturally
contain the stimulants caffeine and theobromine. Dogs are
highly sensitive to these chemicals and low doses can cause mild
gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal
pain); higher doses can cause rapid heart rate, muscle tremors,
seizures, and death. For example, eaten by a 50-pound dog,
about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal
upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces,
seizures; and over 9 ounces, death.
Source
A Slimy Situation...
A common sight on turf during the humid days in spring,
summer and fall is slime mold. Slime mold is a primitive
organism sporting large numbers of small gray, white, or purple
fruiting structures, called sporangia, on the leaf blades.
Affected areas are often from several inches to about one foot in
diameter. During wet weather, the fruiting structures may appear
slimy. As the structures dry out in hot weather, they become
ash-gray, and break up easily when touched. Homeowners often are
concerned that this is a disease organism that will kill the
grass. Actually, slime mold feeds on bacteria, other fungi and
dead organic matter. It simply uses the turf as a structure on
which to grow. However, slime mold can damage turf by completely
covering individual leaf blades and interfering with
photosynthesis. Chemical control of slime molds is not
necessary. Use of a broom or a heavy spray of water often is
sufficient to dislodge the otherwise harmless mold.
Source
Cucumber Care...
When it comes to harvest time remember that cucumbers have a
very short "vine storage time". Under warm, humid conditions,
fruits on the vine may remain in prime condition for less than 12
hours. For the best tasting cukes, pick them early and often.
Once picked they can be stored for up to two weeks at 45°to 50°F
and 95 percent relative humidity. Lower temperatures may cause
chilling damage, and higher temperatures encourage yellowing.
Yellowing is also accelerated if cucumbers are stored with
tomatoes or apples.
Source
Soapy Suds For Garden Bugs...
We get lots of inquiries about safer alternatives to chemical
insecticides. An old and popular favorite worth consideration is
insecticidal soap.
Not to be
confused with personal or household soaps, insecticidal soaps are
made from the salts of fatty acids, components of the fats and
oils found in plants and animals. Upon contact with an insect
the fatty acids disrupt the structure and permeability of the
insect's cell membranes enabling the cell contents to leak from
the damaged cells, causing the insect to die. This rather morbid
process is only effective against soft-bodied pests like aphids,
thrips, whiteflies, leafhoppers, mealybugs and mites.
Because
they work on contact only, insecticidal soaps should be applied
when conditions favor slow drying like the early morning hours
with dew coverage or in the early evening.
In some
instances insecticidal soaps could cause burning of sensitive
plants. Most insecticidal soaps include a list of susceptible
plants on the label but if you're uncertain simply test it on a
single leaf. If damage is going to occur it will likely happen
within 24 hours.
West Nile Returns...
Lots of
news reports lately about the reappearance this year of West
Nile Virus in the Kansas City metro. Mosquitoes of course
are the carriers of the disease. Savvygardeners can do
their part to reduce mosquito populations by eliminating breeding
grounds. Common, but often overlooked, breeding areas
include standing water in flower pots, watering cans, bird baths,
buckets, and barrels. Emptying these items twice a week
should prevent any mosquito eggs from fully developing. For
more prevention tips you can check out the
Center for Disease Control's site.
What's Hot On The Hotline...
The past five years have seen a steady
increase in interest and enthusiasm for Clematis, an amazingly
versatile and rewarding genus of vines and herbaceous shrubs.
In the first quarter of the 20th Century in the United States,
Clematis ran a close second to roses in popularity with American
gardeners! If you love clematis or just want to learn a bit
more about these beauties check out this
week's
What's Hot On the Hotline...
Fear Of Fungus...
Late afternoon and evening lawn watering should be avoided
like the plague, or at least like a fungus. The right
combination of darkness, warmth and humidity can lead to lawn
diseases that may be hard to recover from. A good rule of thumb
is that when the night-time temperature plus relative humidity
equals 150 or more the conditions are right for an outbreak of
turf fungus. We were victims of this several
years ago and trust me, you do not want a bad case of lawn
fungus!
Finally... "What is a weed? I
have heard it said that there are sixty definitions.
For me, a weed is a plant out of
place." ~
Donald Culross Peattie, 1898-1964,
Botanist & Author |