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May 19, 2004

Just Ducky...
I think that I am growing webs between my feet. The weather these last two weeks has been better for ducks than for gardeners. Just when you think it is going to be dry for a couple of days, a front moves through bringing torrential rains leaving the gardens too wet to work. I know that I shouldn't complain. If the approaching summer is typical of most Midwest summers I am sure come July I will be begging for rain. For now I will be tolerant of what Mother Nature dishes out - like I have a choice.

If you are still in search of some peonies to plant or just want to purchase some just to enjoy, visit Bannister Garden Center in Kansas City, Missouri. I spoke with them on the phone Tuesday and they said that there are hundreds of peonies in bloom. Tony, Neva and Margie, the peony experts, will be able to assist you with any questions you might have regarding this spectacular spring bloomer. If you are interested in reading more about peonies, check out Peonies - A New Old Favorite in our features section. Maybe you'll learn something new about this oldie but a goodie.

Looking for something to do first thing Sunday mornings? Tune in to 980 AM KMBZ to the Gard-N-Wise Guys show featuring my good friends John Bruntzel and Jan Olson. The show starts bright and early at 7:00 AM and ends at 9:00 AM. John and Jan are great about answering gardening questions and having fun doing it. Oh yeah, every now and then they let me join them and boy do we have a great time. So tune in, learn something new and have a few laughs. You'll be glad you did!

~ Shelly  

Rain Drain...
All that rain we've had over the last two weeks?  Great, right?  Well, mostly yes.  But it may have leached fertilizers from the root zone of many cool-season vegetable plants.  These crops are growing rapidly now and require adequate fertilizer to complete their growth cycle early.  If you notice that foliage color is slightly pale and plants are not growing as fast as you'd expect, a side-dressing of fertilizer may be in order.  

Use a general-use fertilizer or one high in nitrogen.  Organic fertilizers such as blood meal contain good levels of nitrogen and work well as a side-dressing.  Apply fertilizers along the crop row and lightly cultivate or hoe to make sure the fertilizer is incorporated lightly to quickly dissolve.  With rainfall, the fertilizer nitrogen dissolves and is carried into the plant root zone.

Source

Vine Crop Vigilantes...
Savvygardeners need to be vigilant for the two most destructive insect foes of vine crops - the cucumber beetle and the squash bug.  Cucumber beetles, like most vegetable insects must be controlled early to prevent damage to the seedling and transmission of diseases like bacterial wilt.  Planting a trap crop, applying neem oil soap and using row covers are effective non-chemical methods to manage this insect pest.  Squash bugs can be repelled with insecticidal soap in addition to garlic and pepper sprays.

Source

Winning By Thinning...
A bountiful vegetable patch requires thinning when crops are grown from seed.  Be aware that vegetables behave like weeds when they are overabundant and overcrowding among root crops causes poorly formed roots.  A good thinning program will:

  • Reduce the competition among seedlings for soil nutrients and water.
  • Promote better air circulation around the plants thereby reducing the chances of disease development.
  • Ultimately make higher yields possible.

For a list of common garden vegetables and recommendations for their spacing click here.

 


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Getting Antsy About Aphids...
When you see ants crawling on your garden plants, look closely for aphids as well.  Some ant species protect aphids, moving them from plant to plant and even taking them underground into the anthill for overnight safety (seriously!).  The ants do this to ensure a supply of honeydew, a sugary water substance secreted by aphids, on which ants feed.

Source

Zoysia Tips...
Zoysia lawns are finally looking good all around the metro.  Now that they are greening up and growing you will want to make sure you do the following:

  • Reduce thatch layers from zoysia by verticutting or core aerating. 
  • Sod or sprig zoysia lawns to fill in bare areas.
  • Fertilize zoysia lawns with high nitrogen to promote green up and summer growth. 
  • Mow zoysia to 2 to 2½ inches tall.

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
Last week we mentioned the number of calls we had received concerning fungus appearing on the leaves of trees and shrubs. Another concern of callers to our Hotline is the appearance of a variety of fungi on turfgrasses during the early spring. These may appear as a rusty brown or as a white powdery growth on the surface of the cool-season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass or to a lesser degree on the tall fescues. Sound familiar?  Read more in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Dull Blade Equals Brown Blades...
We just bought a new lawnmower.  Nice little machine.  However we were quite surprised to find our grass turning brown at the tips several days after mowing
(photo).  A quick look under the mowing deck explained it all.  The mower blade was not sufficiently sharp.  Pretty disappointing in a new mower.  A quick visit to the local hardware store fixed the problem and $5 later we were back in business.

Remember to sharpen your mower blade several times each season.  It's even a good idea to keep a spare blade on hand.  That way you always have a sharp one.

Finally...
"The good rain, like the bad preacher, does not know when to leave off."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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