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July 30, 2003

A Day In The Garden...
I finally did it! I spent a whole day in the garden Tuesday, weeding, watering and just plain getting my hands dirty. I had not spent much time in the garden in the last few weeks so needless to say, it was time. Vacation can sure make you feel like things in the garden are spinning out of control and quite honestly the heat has put a damper on my gardening spirit. Enough excuses, time to get serious and back to doing what I love best - gardening. It was warm on Tuesday but not nearly as warm as it has been. I'll take the high 80's over the 100's any day. I mowed, watered, dead-headed, edged and cut back several perennials that seem too tired to endure the heat. What a great sense of accomplishment I felt after I was finished! Gardening is hard work but is also rewarding. After one too many weeks of procrastination the gardens are finally starting to take shape again. I guess my timing wasn't so bad after all!

Sunday is a big day for all of you tomato growers.  The Tastiest Tomato contest is here!  Those of you who have been working all summer to grow the tastiest tomato do not have to wait any longer. If you're interested in being a contestant you will need to register. The contest will take place at Family Tree Nursery in Overland Park starting at 10:30 AM. Judges include myself, Kevin and those crazy Gard'n-Wise Guys, Jan Olson & John Bruntzel. Terrific prizes will be given to the first, second and third place winners. Everyone is welcome to attend but to enter the contest you must register. Hope to see you there!

Looks like July 2003 is going to enter the record books as the driest ever!  Make sure you are watering everything you don't want to lose.

~ Shelly  

The Cutting Gardener...
OK, it's been way too hot to enjoy my gardens outdoors.  What's a Savvygardener to do?  Enjoy the garden indoors of course!  I make sure to cut some of my prettiest flowers and bring them inside to enjoy.  Before you do the same, there are some procedures to follow if you really want to do it right:

  • Start when flower stems are full of water - either early morning (6 to 8 AM) or late evening (7 to 9 PM).
  • Carry a clean bucket filled with very warm (100 to 120º F) water.
  • Always use sharp, very clean scissors or pruners when cutting. 
  • Immediately place any cut flowers in the bucket of warm water.
  • When you bring the flowers in, re-cut each flower under water.  This pulls water into the stems more quickly.  Flowers that are not re-cut immediately after picking can lose up to 60% of their vase life.
  • Place the bucket of re-cut flowers in a cool area, such as the basement and allow them to hydrate or harden for at least one hour (although overnight is best).
  • Arrange, display, enjoy!

Source

You Say Cicada, I Say...
If you're brave enough to venture out in the evening heat these days your ears will no doubt be overwhelmed by the din of cicadas.  Cicadas leave lots of people puzzled so we dug up some dirt on these noisy critters:

  • The dog-day cicada is what we hear this year and virtually every year.  
  • It is related to the 17-year cicada (last seen in K.C. in 1998) and is usually found on oaks, maples, and other mature, well-established trees. 
  • Dog-day cicadas appear during the long, summer days of July and August hence their nick-name. 
  • They have two to five-year life cycles but their broods overlap and therefore seemingly appear every summer. 
  • Dog-day cicadas are larger than 17-year cicadas and have brown-black bodies with whitish highlights and green wing margins. 
  • Dog-day cicadas do not ordinarily cause much damage though they (and the shells they leave behind) are a bit unattractive.
  • The 17-year cicada will not be back in our area until 2015 but dog-day cicadas are likely every summer.

Don't Miss This One...
Every year the K-State Horticultural Research Center has a wonderful open house.  It's being held at the Research Center this Saturday.  It's a great opportunity to see hundreds of different cultivars of flowers, fruits and vegetables.  Many are plants that won't reach the market for several years (or at all depending on the results of the tests and trials).  Click here for more information... 

 


The Tastiest Tomato Contest
Is this Weekend!

Over $150 In Prizes!

Click Here to Register!

 

 

Bulbs That Bloom In Autumn...
The savviest of Savvygardeners know that there are a number of autumn-blooming bulbs that really perk up the fall garden and landscape.  Autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) also known as meadow saffron, mysteria, or naked boys produces pink to lavender crocus-like flowers in the fall and there is no foliage present when the plants are in bloom.  Dark green leaves will emerge in the spring, remain until summer, then turn yellow and die to the ground.  After which, the flowers magically appear in the fall again.

Colchicums should be planted immediately after purchase or delivery in August or September or they will start to bloom in their packaging.  Plant the corms in clumps, 2-3 inches deep in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.  Pretty!

Time To Divide Iris...
There's some very rewarding summer work to be done right now. It's time to divide your irises. After 3 to 5 years of growth irises will become crowded and should be divided so they don't starve each other for soil nutrients. Here's a few simple steps to get the job done:

  1. Cut the leaves back to one-third their length.
  2. Dig the rhizome clump with a fork or spade and wash the soil off with a hose.
  3. Cut the rhizomes apart so that each section has at least one healthy fan of leaves and firm, white roots.
  4. Discard soft rhizomes and any older leafless rhizomes toward the center of the clump.
  5. Plant the divisions 12 - 18 inches apart in shallow holes in a sunny location.
  6. Water immediately and again in ten days if rain is scarce.

Following these steps now allows adequate time for the divisions to get established before winter and also reduces the chance of frost heaving in late winter.

 


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Dead Or Dormant?
Several weeks ago we talked about lawns going dormant during the summer heat.  This inevitably raises the question: "Is it dormant or dead?"  To check, pull up some grass and separate the leaves from the crown. (The crown is the area between the leaves and the roots.) If it is still hard and not papery and dry, the plant is still alive.

Normally, a healthy lawn can stay dormant for 5 to 8 weeks without harm. But it is important to keep the crown hydrated because if the crown dies, the plant dies. About 1/4 inch of water every two weeks is enough to hydrate the crown.

Source

Finally...
"There is no spot of ground, however arid, bare or ugly, that cannot be tamed into such a state as may give an impression of beauty and delight."

~ Gertrude Jekyll, Writer, 1843-1932

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