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February 11, 2004 |
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Wonderfully White Winter...
I guess it would be safe to say that Mother Nature finally
dumped on us. Last week's snow totaled
close to 9 inches here in Westwood. What a sight! I can't
remember the last time I saw so much snow. Wasn't it beautiful?
The kids and I played outside Thursday just wandering around
disturbing the freshly fallen snow. It was hard to resist the
pristine spots so we either ran through them or threw ourselves
to the ground to see who could make the best snow angel. It was
fun to be outside even though we weren't in the garden.
Kevin and I
like so many others anxious for spring spent some time this past
weekend at the Metropolitan Lawn & Garden Show. We visited with
sponsors and leisurely walked around taking in the sights, sounds
and smells of spring. Ah, an awakening of the senses. Speaking of
spring, I hope you have marked February 27th-29th on your
calendar for the
Johnson County Home & Garden Show. It will be held at the
Overland Park Convention Center. Our booth number is 642 so stop
by to say hello. We always enjoy talking with out readers.
Here is a
great Valentine's Day tip: Instead of buying roses from a florist
this year, visit your nearest garden center and surprise your
Valentine with a live rose plant. Why not give them roses that
last a lifetime instead of a few days?
~
Shelly
Seed Starting With
Structure...
Starting more than three or four different varieties of seed
indoors can get confusing if you're not organized. To keep from
missing the start date for any of your seeds you might try our
simple procedure:
- Organize
your seed packets in piles based on the number of weeks before
"last frost" to start them indoors. This should be indicated on
the seed packet and can be found in our feature
When To Start Seeds Indoors.
- Pick the
date which you feel safe calling "last frost".
We use the first full weekend in
May.
- In our
example we are now 8½ weeks from the weekend we will transplant
our seedlings. That means that by this weekend we will have
already started any seeds that indicate starting dates nine
weeks and higher.
- For the
remainder of your seeds secure them together in their
respective groups with a rubber band.
- For each
group attach a sticky note with the date of the weekend they
need to be started.
- Place
the packets front-to-back, in order by starting date, in a
small box.
- Each
weekend remove the packets at the front of the box for
starting. Next weekend's seeds are now at the front and
awaiting your return in seven days.
Adding It Up...
We sure got a lot of snow last week. Many of us saw 8+
inches. Welcome moisture for our gardens for sure, but how
much is it really? Every snowfall has its own unique
moisture content or rainfall equivalence. Sometimes 8
inches of snow equals 1 inch of rainfall, sometimes its 2 or
more. With tools as simple as a bucket and ruler we've
determined that last week's snow had a rainfall equivalence of
6:1 -every six inches was worth about one inch of rainfall.
Housekeeping, Houseplants...
Next time you're dusting the furniture also consider dusting
the plants. With the short days of winter we need to make sure
as much light as possible reaches our houseplants. Simply wipe
dust from broad-leaf plants at regular intervals using a cloth
dampened with clean water.
Trim Now, Butterflies Later...
Our butterfly bush rewards me and my family to great
gatherings of butterflies every summer. To make sure it's in top
shape I usually trim it back to about 12 inches this time of
year. This helps promote a well shaped bush with larger flowers.
Dealing With Damping Off...
Savvygardeners starting seeds indoors need to be aware of
damping off disease. "Damping off" describes the usually sudden
destruction of newly germinated seeds or seedlings. Young plants
can be attacked at all stages, before germination (pre-emergence
damping off) and after seedlings grow from the soil
(post-emergence damping off). All types of plants including
turf, trees, vegetables, and flowering plant seedlings can be
affected.
Several
organisms can cause damping off. Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium,
and Rhizoctonia are the most common culprits. These fungi can be
found in most soils. However, appropriate environmental
conditions are essential for disease development. Cool, wet soil
conditions are favorable for infection by damping off fungi.
Plants grow slowly at cool temperatures, making them vulnerable
to fungal attack. Also, many fungi prefer moist environments.
The
following management strategies can help:
- Use planting
media free of disease organisms.
- Avoid setting
flats or pots on the ground.
- Use good quality
seed.
- Plant seeds at
densities that will allow air circulation and light
penetration; and reduce competition for nutrients.
- Keep the
temperature at a level that will promote plant growth.
- Avoid excess
moisture.
- Use fungicides
and treated seeds as available and appropriate.
Source
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Winter Wisdom...
Against the
background of the reclusive behavior of a legendary Pennsylvania rodent,
and of further evidence that Nature retains the upper hand over human
meteorological prognostications, at least in our immediate geographical
area, we would like to remark on some positive aspects of winter weather,
particularly for gardeners! You'll find it in this
week's
Winter
Wisdom...
Reading Roses...
Whether you're giving roses to your sweetheart or just
planting some new ones in the garden this year it's always
helpful to know what message you might be sending.
- Red -
Love, Respect
- Deep
Pink - Gratitude, Appreciation
- Light
Pink - Admiration, Sympathy
- White -
Reverence, Humility
- Yellow -
Joy, Gladness
- Orange -
Enthusiasm, Desire
- Red &
Yellow Blend - Gaiety, Joviality
- Pale
Blended Tones - Sociability, Friendship
Of course
you should feel free to break the rules to accommodate a favorite
color. If your valentine prefers yellow over red we suggest you
stick with yellow.
Source
Finally... "I ne'er was struck
before that hour,
With love so sudden and so sweet,
Her face bloomed like a sweet flower,
And stole my heart complete." ~
John Clare, Poet |