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October 22, 2003

How About This Weather?
I have to admit that Monday got a little too warm. At one point I was close to turning on the air conditioner but did not because I am totally against paying high electric bills once fall has arrived. We suffered through the heat of the day anxiously awaiting the cool of the night. All in all, however, I would say that everyone in the Marsh family is enjoying this Indian Summer.

It has been none stop for me outside. Planting, dead-heading, cutting back perennials and trying to keep the leaves at bay. Westwood is a small community with many large trees. With large trees come many leaves! From now until the first of December every member of the Marsh family will play a part in keeping the leaves raked neatly in a large pile so that the big leaf vacuum (as my two boys Noah and Jake like to call it) can come by and suck them right up off the lawn. Pretty cool huh? A service that the City of Westwood offers and boy are we glad for it!

Kevin's parents are here for a stay and we are all excited. Of course with the leaves just peaking here it will be fun to take them out and about to different places. Weston will be a destination so that we can visit The Red Barn Farm to find the perfect pumpkin. Looking at the seven-day forecast it looks as if we might get rain this weekend and maybe a frost for outer lying areas Saturday night. Watch the weather and be prepared. All too soon, much to my dismay, it will be too cold to be in the garden!

~ Shelly  

Breakfast In Bed...
If your spring-flowering bulb beds have been fertilized in the past there is often plenty of phosphorus and potassium present in the soil already.  However, it is best to take a soil test to be sure.  If the soil needs phosphorus and potassium, use a complete fertilizer (such as 10- 10-10, 9-9-6, etc.) at the rate of 2½ pounds per 100 square feet. This would equal 1 rounded teaspoon per square foot.  If phosphorus and potassium are not needed, blood meal makes an excellent fertilizer.  It should be applied at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet or 1 teaspoon per square foot.  Turf fertilizers such as a 27-3-3 or 30-3-3 can also be used but the rate would have to be cut to 1 pound per 100 square feet.

Source

Salvaging the Season...
As the heat and drought of late summer reduced fruit set and quality, this turned out to be a less than perfect season for tomatoes. However, with the cool weather and rainfall of early autumn, many tomato plants have recovered and are now loaded with green or ripening fruit. The goal is to keep those tomatoes for as long as possible.

As tomatoes cannot be stored at temperatures below 50° F. You need to find a location that is above 50° F but as close to 50° as possible. For most, this will probably be the coolest part of your basement. On the afternoon before the first freeze is forecast pick all the fruit on the plant that are full-sized (regardless of color). Discard any with severe cracks, disease spots, bruises, or that are otherwise defective. Divide them into three groups: those that are full-sized and still green, those that are showing some color, and those that are mostly red or nearly red. Plan to use the red group first. Layer the other two groups in a box or carton separated by newspapers so you can remove tomatoes without having to disturb others in the box.

As you need tomatoes, bring some from the "turning color" group to your kitchen counter for a few days to allow them to develop their full ripe color. After this group is used up, begin to use those from the mature green group. Keep your eye (and nose) out for tomatoes that are starting to rot and discard them. The newspaper will absorb juice from rotted tomatoes without damaging those nearby.

Source

Keep It Interesting...
As you clean up the garden and prepare it for bed try to leave some plants in place to maintain some winter interest.  Ornamental grasses in particular look great in wintertime.  Seedpods on spent flower stems, especially in bunches, give the wintertime garden a very special dimension also.

 


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What's Up Doc?
During the winter months, rabbits often gnaw on the bark of many woody plants.  Heavy browsing can result in the complete girdling of small trees and small branches clipped off at snow level.  Apple, pear, crabapple, and serviceberry are frequent targets of these furry critters.  Smaller trees with smooth, thin bark tend to be the most vulnerable.  Other frequently damaged plants include the winged euonymus or burning bush, Japanese barberry, dogwood, roses, and raspberries.

The best way to prevent rabbit damage to young trees is to place a cylinder of hardware cloth (¼ inch mesh wire fencing) around the tree trunk.  The hardware cloth cylinder should stand about 1 to 2 inches from the tree trunk and 20 inches above the ground.  The bottom 2 to 3 inches should be buried beneath the soil.

Source

Don't Leave Those Leaves...
Those leaves that are falling all over the region are pretty but leaving lots of them on your lawn can mean trouble.  When they are dry they shade your grass from much needed fall sun.  When wet they can smother grass turning it yellow and possibly killing it.  Just keep the leaves raked up a few times per week and you should be fine.  Better yet, mow and bag them in your lawnmower and use the shredded leaves in your garden or compost pile.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
The Kansas State Research and Extension system takes pride in fulfilling its mission of bringing research-based information to the public. The Johnson County (Kansas) Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) play an important role in the Extension system. Our weekly contribution of articles to Savvygardener.com is but one of these EMG services to residents of the eastern Kansas and western Missouri community. Find out what goes into, and comes out of, this great program in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Cure For The Common Crabgrass...
As you view your October lawn you may see a horrifying crop of crabgrass. Much of it has already gone to seed and the rest will soon follow. The good news is that crabgrass is an annual. The bad news is that it reseeds freely. All that stands between you and a lawn of pure crabgrass next year is pre-emergent herbicide. Be ready to apply this in April or whenever the weather indicates.

Source

Finally...
"The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."

~ John Ruskin, Essayist 1819-1900

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