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July 7, 2004 |
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Wake Up Call...
Wow! What a storm we had Tuesday morning! Kevin and I awoke
at 3:00 AM to a bright flash of lightning and a crash of thunder
that shook the whole house. I am not sure that was the alarm we
were looking for but nonetheless we were wide awake after that. I
guess that if storms like that are going to continue to bring us
the moisture we need and lower the temperatures as well as the
humidity then what the heck. Enduring a good scare for the sake
of great gardening weather is the least we can do.
I hope
everyone enjoyed the long holiday weekend. On Saturday, Kevin,
the kids and I traveled by bus to the downtown airport to take in
the air show. Lots of people, lots of fun and it wasn't too
terribly hot. Not only did we enjoy the air show but we also had
an opportunity to view a grand display of Black-eyed
Susans planted at the entrance of the airport
(photo).
Quite impressive! Black-eyed Susan's
are one of my favorite summer blooming perennials. They are heat
tolerant, drought tolerant and make quite an impact on any sun
loving perennial garden. Oh, and did I mention how much I like
that flower!
The fourth
was spent with friends outside enjoying the weather and the
gardens. After eating way too much, we traveled a short distance
to Mission Hills to enjoy the fireworks. The perfect end to a
perfect evening.
If you are
looking for something to give your gardens or landscape a little
pick me up, how about a new patio, retaining wall or rock path?
It is the perfect time of the year to install something of this
nature and the place to purchase your materials is
Randy's Lakeview Nursery & Bulk Supercenter. They have
everything you need - pavers, pebbles, flagstone and many other
types of rock that would be beneficial in helping you complete
your project. Give them a call and talk with their well-trained
staff. You will be pleased with what they have to offer.
~
Shelly
Nurturing Nature's Night
Lights...
Some
things just mean summer to me. Fireflies (lightning bugs to some
of you) fit that category nicely. My kids could spend hours
catching these magical creatures and putting them in a jar or
cage. Before calling it a night however, I make sure they let
the fireflies escape. Anglers call it catch and
release. We call it good gardening. You
see, the larvae of fireflies dine on cutworms, mites, slugs,
snails, soft-bodied insects and the larvae of other insects.
They apparently have voracious appetites and quietly do wonders
keeping pests at bay.
Timing Is Everything...
Some of
us are morning people, others need more time to get going every
day. The same is true for garden vegetables! The time of day
you pick your vegetables can actually have a dramatic effect on
their taste and texture. For instance, your lettuce and
cucumbers will be crispier if picked early - before the hot sun
has had a chance to wilt your crop. On the other hand corn and
peas will be sweeter if you wait until later in the day when
their sugar levels are highest. Yum!
Reason Number 44...
Why we don't like squirrels. A couple in Bittendorf, Iowa
had tied yellow ribbons around their trees in support of their
son and other troops in Iraq. Trouble was, the ribbons kept
disappearing. With three ribbons disappearing in as many days,
the couple set up a surveillance camera to catch the unpatriotic
prankster. Turned out to be a squirrel. We're still
waiting for John Ashcroft's reaction.
Source
Tomatoes On Potatoes?...
Under
favorable weather conditions, potatoes produce fruit. These
structures are borne on the top of the plant and look much like
small tomatoes. (Tomatoes and potatoes are closely related).
Potato fruits are not edible. They contain a toxic substance (solanine)
that can cause illness if eaten. Also, potato fruits should not
be saved for seed because progeny does not come true. Rather,
remove and dispose of fruit so that they are not eaten by
children.
Source
Shake It Up...
Although tomatoes are self-pollinating, they need movement to
transfer pollen. If it is hot and calm for several days you may
need to gently shake your plants to assure that pollen is
properly transferred. Very hot temperatures can also interfere
with blossom set. One solution is to mist the plants
periodically throughout the day. Careful here! Wet leaves can
promote other diseases. If you choose to mist do it during the
day when plants will have adequate time to dry out before
nightfall.
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What's Hot On The Hotline...
We are often asked for additional information on IPM or
Integrated Pest Management. The IPM concept consists of
alternative solutions to pest and disease control that is growing
in acceptance with gardeners and growers. IPM combines cultural,
biological, physical and chemical control measures to prevent and
control a variety of problems. Learn
more about IPM in this
week's
What's Hot On the Hotline...
Battling Brown
Patch...
Our buddies at
Ryan Lawn & Tree were just
by for a visit. While they were here they treated the lawn
for brown patch. We've got a mild case of it in the back
yard and want to nip it in the bud. All of our late
afternoon rain has made this a particularly tough year
for brown patch. You will recognize this problem by thinning of
your turf in clustered, roughly circular patches. The
patches will expand as the problem gets worse.
This is a
disease that remains in the soil, so you're not going to get rid
of it completely. All you can do is prevent it through
smart horticultural practices and treat it when necessary with
appropriately labeled fungicides. Smart practices include:
- Avoiding heavy,
early spring and summer fertilization, particularly with
soluble nitrogen.
- Watering in the
early morning. Late afternoon and evening watering should
be avoided.
- Remove and
dispose of clippings from infected areas or when conditions are
conducive to disease development. (Mulching mowers that chop
clippings to
¼
inch or less do not contribute to brown patch development.)
Finally...
"Desire
the gardener to be very attentive to the seeds and plants which,
at different times, I have sent to him to sow and cultivate, and
to raise what seeds he can from them." ~
George Washington, letter to manager Anthony
Whiting, May 5, 1793 |
