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October 1, 2003

Changing Seasons...
Brrr... It is a wet, damp and chilly Tuesday! The thermometer says its 44
° but it feels a bit colder than that. I better brace myself! I am not quite ready for temperatures to start dipping into the 30's. That means that our first frost is closer than I want it to be. Ugh! I guess it is time to face the inevitable, winter is right around the corner.

This past weekend was perfect for working in the garden. Kevin, the boys, and I planted pansies, mums, asters and even a little grass (photos). It is so much fun to watch the garden transition. The stems on my Black-eyed Susan's are turning this wonderful deep shade of red. What a great performer! It was so beautiful this summer with never ending bright yellow flowers and now it is surprising me with its change. How exciting! Look closely at all of your summer blooming perennials. You might be surprised by there appearance and their contribution to the fall garden.

It sounds as if the weather for the rest of this week is going to be perfect! High's in the upper 60's to 70's and lows in the 40's. Perfect for planting peonies!  Make sure you give our friends at Bannister Garden Center a visit! Get outside and enjoy!

~ Shelly  

Totally Tulips (Part 4)...
It's a sad and sometimes frustrating fact that hybridized tulips "burn-out" every few years or so.  You might be surprised to know that species tulips are not prone to burn-out and will return to the garden every spring for many years.  Now don't be mistaken, species tulips are different than hybrids.  They perform best in rock garden-like locations, require full sun, and well-drained, almost gravelly soils that drain quickly between rains.  

Species tulips are smaller in size than their hybrid relatives.  Most grow just 4 to 12 inches in height and do not like the competition of other plants around them.  Species tulips spread by self sown seeds or stolons.  Many have foliage which is mottled or gray to blue green in color.  They also offer more in the way of bloom.  Many have multiple blooms per stem, some have up to seven!

Interested?  Some species to try include:

  • Tulipa batalinii has soft yellow, fragrant flowers appearing in early spring.  It grows just 5 inches tall.
  • Tulipa clusiana grows 10 to 12 inches tall and blooms in early spring.  The flowers have a white interior with a crimson central star and a pink exterior.  It naturalizes very well.
  • Tulipa greigii comes in pink, yellow, orange, red, buff, cream, and apricot.  It grows 8 to 12 inches tall and blooms in mid-spring.  The blossoms are large - 4 to 5 inches when fully open.
  • Tulipa kaufmanniana grows 6 to 8 inches tall and is available in a wide variety of colors.  It blooms in early spring.
  • Tulipa linifolia grows 4 to 6 inches tall with brilliant red flowers.
  • Tulipa pulchella is a tiny plant growing 3 to 5 inches tall.  It has violet purple fragrant flowers in early spring.
  • Tulipa saxatillis naturalizes readily.  The flowers, lavender-pink with a yellow base, appear mid-spring.  Plants grow 6 to 8 inches tall.
  • Tulipa sylvestris grows 10 to 12 inches tall with fragrant yellow flowers.  Flowers occur 3 to 7 per stem.
  • Tulipa tarda flowers are yellow with white tips.  Plants grow 4 to 6 inches tall.  This tulip is easy to grow!
  • Tulipa turkestanica has cream colored flowers occurring 3 to 5 per stem.  Flowers appear in early spring.  Plants grow 5 to 8 inches tall.

All the species tulips listed above are hardy in zones 4 through 7 with the exception of Tulipa pulchella and Tulipa turkestanica which are hardy in zones 5 to 8.  All should do fine in the greater Kansas City area.

When preparing the site, amend the area several inches wider and deeper than the bulbs will occupy with sand or gravel.  Planting on a gentle slope or in a raised bed assures good drainage.  Plant the bulbs 5 to 8 inches deep.  Species tulips are also suitable for planting in containers.

Source

Moisture Minders...
One of the problems with all this wonderfully cool weather is that it makes us forgetful.  Even Savvygardeners sometimes cut back on watering too much during the fall.  Your perennials, trees, shrubs, and lawn need that moisture - not like they did in mid-summer but about an inch a week or so.  Watering now and through November helps ensure your plants have a healthy root structure going into our often harsh winters.

Plants That Came In From The Cold...
As chilly overnight temperatures become the norm you will need to bring your winter houseplants back insideWhen you do, make sure to check them for pests.  Simply rinsing the plants' leaves, and soaking the pots in water for 15 to 20 minutes will drown most soil-dwelling pests.  Also, clean the windows where plants will be placed.  It can dramatically increase available sunlight and make for a much healthier plant!

 


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Tidy Up Around Fruit Trees...
No one likes worms and other pests in their fruit trees.  A simple clean up now can dramatically reduce the number of pests that return next year.  Just pick up and destroy any fallen fruit, branches, and leaves.  Worms and other pests feed on this fruit and debris, overwinter in the soil, and emerge in the spring to lay eggs and start the cycle all over again.

Garlic Lovers Get Ready!
Garlic needs to be in the ground at least one month before the soil freezes so now through mid-October is the ideal time for planting.  Start by planting the small cloves that are divisions of the large bulb.  The larger the clove, the larger the size of the mature bulb at harvest.  Do not divide the bulb until immediately before planting.  Although some people have had good luck planting the garlic from the grocery store, seedstock from a nursery or via mail-order is recommended.  

Garlic needs a full-sun site with loose soil rich in organic matter.  Adding compost to the bed is usually a good idea.  Plant the cloves (with their pointy sides up) three to five inches apart at a depth of two to three inches.  Add a light layer of mulch.  Allow 18 to 30 inches between rows or plant five inches apart in all directions if  you're using raised beds.  Next spring the garlic will push through the soil and mulch.  We'll wait until then to complete the directions through harvest.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
Autumn began officially on September 23rd, marking the return of the gardening public to their lawns and gardens after a dry and torrid summer. Cooler temperatures and the advent of measurable rainfall are luring many outdoors to survey the damage and get actively involved in restoration.  Find out what to do in early fall in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Oh Say Can You Seed...
It's not too late to overseed your lawn - but it's getting close.  You should be able to successfully overseed for the next week to 10 days.  After that your success will depend on how quickly winter arrives.  Two quick tips to increase your success:

  1. Keep your new turf well watered through the rest of fall.
  2. Read our very popular article, Overseeding A Lawn.

The great thing about seeding and overseeding is the low cost and high return.  Grass seed is cheap.  If your seeding is successful you wind up with a priceless lawn next spring.  If it's not 100% successful you haven't lost much.

Finally...
"I always thought a yard was three feet, then I started mowing the lawn."

~ C.E. Cowman, Author

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