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June 16, 2004 |
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Rain, Rain, Go
Away...
OK, enough already! It is Wednesday afternoon and well,
it is raining! For the most part my gardens are quite happy.
I do however have four red-twig
dogwoods that are more than a little
droopy. Too wet. I have pulled the mulch away from their bases
so that they might get a chance to dry
out - if the rain stops. What they
really need is a few warm, not too hot, dry days. (The kids and
I too!) Too
much rain, not enough rain... the trials and tribulations of a
gardener. I keep reminding myself that the rain will stop and
summer will arrive with a vengeance. I won't have to wait much
longer. The Summer Solstice arrives Monday, June 21st, the
longest day of the year. Hopefully it won't rain all day!
Our
new patio and waterfall project is
coming along nicely. How exciting it is to have something new to
plant around. It is still a bit premature to be planting but I
have several ideas of things I would like to experiment with. I
have never had the opportunity to work with water plants so I am
looking forward to expanding my knowledge in an area that has
become so popular. I have to say that the sound of water gently
falling over some rocks is quite soothing.
~
Shelly
When Good Mulch Goes Bad...
There's bound to be a few Savvygardeners
out there that had a pile of mulch delivered just before
all this rain began. If you didn't get your mulch covered
be careful. Hardwood mulch can become a
real problem if left too long in a damp pile. Not only
does it smell bad once it "sours" it can adversely affect plants
that it comes in contact with. Symptoms look like fertilizer or
pesticide burn or water stress. Damage can be severe enough to
actually kill plants - yikes!
Depending on the extent of the injury, plants are often able to
recover. Savvygardeners should water affected plants during hot,
dry periods to prevent further stress.
Mulch that
has soured can still be used if it is "mellowed" before
application. Simply spread the mulch in shallow layers and allow
it to air out for several days until it no longer smells. It may
also be helpful to water the mulch before application to wash
away any toxic substances.
Fruit Dropping, Branch Propping...
Don't be alarmed if tree fruit is dropping this time of year.
It's just Mother nature's natural thinning process designed to
prevent excessive loads. Just in case the branch loads remain
too heavy you should thin remaining fruit by hand or prop up
heavy branches to avoid breakage. Most fruit should be spaced 6
to 8 inches apart on a branch.
Source
Onward Onions...
Your onions
should be growing rapidly and enlarging
about now. Onions have a
pretty shallow root system and need
regular watering and fertilizing to keep growing.
A light application of fertilizer or
compost along the row will keep them
growing vigorously. Don't be alarmed if you
see a fair amount of the onion developing above the soil line.
This is normal. When tops begin to get weak and fall
over, onion bulbs are about full grown. At
this point, you can break over tops to encourage the necks to
dry. After a few days dig
them up to keep bulbs from
getting sunburned.
Allow your
onions to dry with the tops attached for 1 to 2 weeks before
cutting the tops, wiping
(not washing) any excess soil from the
bulbs, and placing them in a cool, dry
location for storage (or eating).
Source
Is That A Volcano In
Your Garden?
When mulching try to avoid creating "mulch volcanoes" at the
base of your trees. Unfortunately it is quite common to see
trees mulched in this manner - a ring of mulch that gets
progressively deeper as it approaches the trunk. While this is
better than no mulch at all, Chris Starbuck at University of
Missouri Extension advises us that there are some real problems
to consider:
- When mulch is placed
more than about 4 inches deep, roots tend to "migrate" up into
the mulch during rainy periods or when the area is irrigated.
Then, when drought conditions occur, the plant may come under
severe stress because many of its roots are growing in a
material with much less water holding capacity than real soil.
- The surfaces of the
mulch volcanoes can become hydrophobic due to fungal activity
and will act as very effective umbrellas, shedding water to the
surrounding turf. This could easily kill a young tree by
depriving it of much needed water.
- Other possible problems
with mulch volcanoes are promotion of fungal canker diseases by
constant moisture around the lower trunk, stress from poor gas
exchange by the cells in the bark and damage from rodents that
may take up residence in the volcano.
Source
Boil, Boil, Weeds In
Trouble...
Many gardeners are looking for alternatives to chemical
herbicides. Here's an option: If you're just trying to rid your
driveway and sidewalk of weeds and grass try some boiling water.
Pour it directly on any plants you wish to eradicate. They are
not likely to survive.
Please note
that this alternative to chemicals is not without its own risks.
Hot water is dangerous in its own right and must be handled
carefully. Make sure you don't spill any on the plants you want
to keep either!
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What's Hot On The Hotline...
Gardeners and
horticulturists alike may share with pride in the celebration of the
centennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. During their 1804-1806
exploratory expedition of the territories included in the Louisiana
Purchase, both gentlemen and their entourage recorded data and in-depth
information regarding the flora and fauna they encountered throughout the
length of their journey. Do you know which two flowers
were named for these famous Americans? Find out in this
week's
What's Hot On the Hotline...
A Cut Above...
The next few months will likely be very taxing for your
fescue or bluegrass lawn. Long, hot and humid days, with little
rainfall can make even the greenest lawns wilt. While it's
probably not possible to keep your turf looking perfectly lush
and green all summer you can prepare it for the heat by raising
the cutting height of your mower. Fescues and bluegrass should
be cut at a height of 3 to 3½ inches. Determine your
mowing frequency by cutting no more than one-third of the blade
height with each cutting. This means cutting when it reaches 4½
inches or so.
Finally... "I go to nature to
be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." ~
John Burroughs, Author, 1837-1921 |