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June 2, 2004 |
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Competing
Priorities...
With the school year behind us, this
is the first official day of summer for the kids and me. It was
sure nice to sleep a little later than
normal. We have chosen slower paced mornings as opposed to the
rush around early morning behaviors typical of
the school year. I am ready for the change and will enjoy it for
the time being. The kids are all about
sleepovers and swimming pools. As far as I'm concerned it's
still a little cool
out for the pool. Unfortunately my vote doesn't always count. Do you
think it would be unreasonable to ask the kids to just kind of
hang out in the garden with mom until
it becomes too hot and miserable? Wishful
thinking on my part!
Missouri
Organic delivered six cubic yards of mulch to our house last
Wednesday
(photo). Due to the crazy wet weather and lack of time Kevin and
I are still trying to get the gardens covered. I am really
excited about the mulch we chose this year. In years past we have
always used cedar. I wanted to try something new this year so we
chose Missouri Organic's Premium 1 Mulch. It is a 100% natural
ground cover and looks very similar to topsoil
(from a distance) when spread in the
gardens. I love the look. Their prices are unbeatable so call and
have some delivered to your house today!
The cooler temperatures
and lower humidity are a nice change. Hopefully Mother Nature is
done unleashing her wrath upon us and surrounding states. It has
been a tough two weeks for many of our gardening friends. Weather
is such a critical part of the gardening recipe. Sometimes it's
good and sometimes it's not. I guess you just have to make do
with what you get.
~
Shelly
Erupting Soon In A Garden Near You...
This time of year it's not uncommon to have a period of wet
weather followed by some rather
warm early summer temperatures. If you have mulched areas in
your garden, that unique combination is
going to lead to something that's pretty disgusting to look at -
slime mold eruptions. You see, slime mold spores will grow and
expand (at an alarming rate) until they "erupt" over the surface
of the mulch. It's not very pretty to look at but rest assured
it's harmless. Try to scoop it up whole (so you don't
inadvertently release more spores) and dispose of it in a compost
pile or trash can.
Be A Deadheader...
So your perennials have bloomed and they are starting to look
as if they are finished? Hold on a
minute... If you trim off the dead
blooms they will likely bloom again!
I'm talking about roses, bachelor buttons, coreopsis and dianthus
(just to name a few).
Sure, it's extra work (especially
dianthus, it's wickedly time-consuming
to trim all of those flowers back) but
the reward is well worth it once you see them re-blooming. If
you are not sure whether your perennial will bloom again cut it
back anyway to keep a neat appearance in the garden.
You should
also deadhead petunias, snapdragons, geraniums, marigolds and
zinnias. This will prevent seed formation and promote continued
flowering.
Timing Is Everything...
Sometimes the hardest part of growing great vegetables is
knowing when they're ready for harvest. Timing is everything as
they say and that's certainly true for your garden's bounty. To
make your job a little easier we've compiled a list of common
garden vegetables and the guidelines you should follow to
determine if they are ready for harvest. You will find
"When to Harvest Vegetables" in the Features
section of our website.
Itchy, Scratchy, Savvy...
Poison ivy rash is an unfortunate byproduct of working
outdoors for many gardeners. The rash we get from our exposure
to poison ivy (as well as poison oak and sumac) is an allergic
reaction to contact with an oil called urushiol (oo-ROO-she-ol).
All species of poison ivy, oak and sumac have urushiol in their
roots, stems, leaves and fruit. The oil or sap is released when
plants are bruised. For this reason poison ivy rashes are more
common in the spring and early summer when leaves and stems are
tender. The sap may be deposited on the skin by direct contact
with the plant, through contact with contaminated objects such as
shoes, clothing, tools and animals, or as airborne urushiol
particles from burning plants.
We're betting
that
you still cling to at least one of the poison ivy myths below.
Now is a good time to set the record straight:
- Myth
1 - Scratching poison ivy
blisters spreads
the rash.
Not true. Fluid discharged from blisters will not spread the
rash. Well before the blisters form, however, you may spread
the urushiol on your hands to other parts of your body.
- Myth
2 - Poison ivy is contagious.
Not true. The rash is simply a reaction to urushiol. The rash
cannot pass from person to person; only the urushiol can be
spread by direct contact.
- Myth
3 - You can "catch" poison ivy
by being near it.
Not true. Direct contact or contact with smoke from burning
plants is needed to introduce urushiol onto the victim.
- Myth
4 - Once allergic, always allergic to
poison ivy.
Not true. A person's sensitivity changes over time, even from
season to season. People who were sensitive to urushiol as
children may not be allergic as adults.
- Myth
5 - There's no need to worry
about dead plants.
Not true. Urushiol remains active on any surface,
including dead plants, for up to 5 years!
- Myth
6 - Covering up is good protection.
Partly true. Urushiol can stick to your clothes which you
can touch and spread to your skin later.
Source
It's A Wrap!
Ever wonder how gardeners produce the perfect blooms that are
entered in flower shows? Our
flowers look great but they don't all
hold up to extra-close inspection. Here's one secret to
perfectly beautiful blooms:
- Start
with a piece of spun-bonded, polyester row cover material.
- Cut a
square large enough to cover the desired bud.
- Loosely
wrap each bloom with the fabric gathering the edges with strong
thread so the material is snug against the stem.
- Keep the
bloom wrapped until cutting time.
This nifty
trick will prevent insects from getting to your prized buds.
Tell Your Friends About
Savvygardener.com!
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Could Win A $50 Gift Certificate
Details...
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What's Hot On The Hotline...
Think that leaf curl on your plants is due
to disease. Maybe not. All too often we are finding
similar damage caused by the overspraying of herbicides in breezy
weather. That observation and more are in this
week's
What's Hot On the Hotline...
Heading Off Seedheads...
Cool season turfgrasses such as Kentucky bluegrass and
perennial ryegrass are currently producing seedheads - a natural
phenomenon triggered by the current day length. Seedheads are a
nuisance for several reasons:
- They grow quickly
and unevenly detracting from the appearance of a lawn.
- The seed stalk is
tougher than grass blades so they do not cut cleanly except
with the sharpest of mower blades.
- After mowing, the
grass may also appear a lighter green to yellow because of the
exposed seed stalks.
- Turfgrass plants
also expend a lot of energy producing seedheads and turf
density may also decrease slightly as a result.
The most
effective way to control seedheads is through frequent mowing
with a sharp mower blade. Avoid the temptation to lower your
cutting height as doing so will cause the rest of your turf to
suffer as summer approaches.
Source
Finally... "Flowers are
beautiful hieroglyphics of nature, with which she indicates how
much she loves us." ~
Wolfgang von Geothe, Author |