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August 20, 2003

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!

 


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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

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