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August 20, 2003 |
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Enough
Already!
Is anyone else tired of this heat? Summer is one of my
favorite seasons but I must admit I have had enough. Too hot, not
enough rain, blah, blah, blah! That's how I feel. The gardens are
doing OK, it is the gardener who
is wilting away. I am only hoping that cooler temperatures
(you know something in the high 80's) and rain arrive soon! As
the saying goes it is either feast or famine!
If you are
looking for a gardening boost, don't forget to listen to those
crazy Gard' n Wise Guys on Sunday mornings from 7-9 AM. For those
of you who tuned in last Sunday to 61 Country and couldn't
find the show do not despair. Same great show just a different
station. Tune in to News Radio 980 KMBZ and you'll be able to
enjoy two hours of gardening knowledge with a bit of an attitude!
This time
of the year is a perfect time to start planning for fall garden
renovation! Give our sponsor
The Lawn
Ranger a call and have a professional show you the
possibilities!
Stay Cool!
~
Shelly
Drinks For The Droopy?
We ran this tip last month but it's
especially true now. Just because your plants are droopy at
the end of a steamy hot day don't immediately assume that
they need to be watered. It may be that there is adequate
moisture in the soil but your plant's roots just can't keep up
with the needs of the leaves. If the soil is already moist you
are better off letting the plants catch up on their own
overnight. If they're still droopy in the morning give them a
drink.
This Stinks!
The folks at
K-State
Extension have been seeing samples of tomatoes with
golden-yellow, pink or white spots on the fruit. This type of
damage is often caused by stink bugs, the shield-shaped insects
that emit a foul odor when disturbed. The stink bug injures the
fruit by using its mouthparts to probe. Color development is
affected wherever probing occurs, which results in the off-color,
cloudy spots. Heavy feeding causes the spots to spread so
tomatoes may develop a golden color. If you look closely, you can
see the pinprick-sized puncture wounds in the middle of the
spots. You will also find hard,
whitish, callous tissue beneath the skin at the area of wounding.
By the time the spots are noticed, the stink bugs are often gone
so control is impossible. Silver lining?
Affected tomatoes are safe to consume.
Source and Photo
Garden Toppers...
If you have a vegetable or annual garden that is normally empty
in the fall and through winter you should consider planting a
green manure crop there at the end of this growing season.
The name green manure is given to any crop which is grown only to
be tilled back into the soil. As it rots, the nutrients in the
crop foliage and roots will be taken up by the next crop planted
in the same place. Green manures from the legume family, such as
peas, beans, and clovers, have an added bonus - nitrogen-fixing
bacteria living around their roots can draw nitrogen from the air
and convert it to a form the plant can absorb. This nitrogen
will then be available to subsequent crops.
Green
manures also act as "cover crops" protecting the soil from
compaction and erosion caused by wind and rain, as
well as reducing the extent that weeds take over bare
soil.
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Well Rooted Evergreens...
Early fall is a good time to plant a balled and burlapped (B&B)
evergreen tree. The key here is "early". Because evergreens
transpire (lose moisture) throughout the winter months, fall
planting of B&B evergreens should be done in September to allow
time for the roots to become established before the ground
freezes. The trick is to make sure your newly planted evergreen
has enough moisture in its roots to weather some dry spells when
the ground may be frozen.
Another
consideration - If you leave the cloth burlap around the roots do
not leave any sticking above the ground as it may wick away
moisture and dry out the root ball. After planting, mulch around
the plant to a depth of 2-4 inches.
source
The Sunflower Shake...
You don't have to be a Kansas Savvygardener to appreciate the
beauty of sunflowers. For those of you who want to harvest your
sunflower seeds and don't know when they're ready just look for
these tell-tale signs:
- The flower's head
is droopy and faces the ground.
- Most of the
petals have fallen off.
- The birds are
starting to enjoy the seeds.
Gently
shake the head of the flower and the seeds will fall off. Store
them in a nice dry place for planting next spring!
What's Hot On The Hotline...
Savvygardeners love peonies! There
are so many varieties and they're not too hard to grow either.
For the peony aficionado however there is certainly a lot to know
about these beauties. You'll learn more than a thing or two
about peonies in this
week's
What's Hot On the Hotline...
Syringing Savvy...
If your lawn
is getting enough water every several days but still exhibiting
signs of stress you might want to consider 'syringing' it.
Syringing is simply a watering technique whereby you lightly
water the grass with cool water for only a minute or or so.
Unlike deep watering, syringing is best done midday when the
grass is feeling (and reeling from) the heat.
Finally... "All your renown is
like the summer flower that blooms and dies; because the sunny
glow which brings it forth, soon slays with parching power." ~
Dante Alighieri, Italian Poet, 1265-1321 |