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July 21, 2004

Gardens, By George!
It seems as if we returned from vacation just in time to experience the heat of a typical Kansas City summer. It was warm on the East coast but somehow when you are laying on the beach it is a little easier to endure. Our vacation was great but towards the end I started to feel displaced and needed to be home. I was dying to get back so that I could check on the gardens. What a homecoming! Once we pulled into the drive I could not believe the explosion of color. Everything looks great! It seems as if only a short time ago the gardens were plodding along with some blooms here and there and then suddenly the warmer temperatures helped my plantings burst into full bloom. I am always thrilled when my summer garden peaks. So much beauty to behold. I feel such a great sense of accomplishment. Gardening is such a rewarding endeavor!

While on vacation Kevin, the kids and I visited Mt. Vernon. Wow! What an incredible place with incredible gardens (photos). I remember studying about what a great man George Washington was but somehow had forgotten the part about his being a terrific farmer and gardener. I was so impressed by the way he landscaped different areas of the property. Truly magnificent. The trees, the flowers, the vegetables, a garden to admire. I was glad that we had the opportunity to share the rich American history with our children but after leaving all I could think about was how beautiful a place Mt. Vernon is. A place I highly recommend for the history buff as well as the gardener.

Since it is heating up outside why not concentrate on the inside of your home. Have you seen the disappearing screen? Give my friends at The Remodeling Center in Lee's Summit, Missouri a call and have them tell you more. A new innovative product perfect for any home.

Don't forget the Tastiest Tomato Contest, Sunday August 15th @ 10:00 AM, Family Tree Nursery, Overland Park.

~ Shelly  

Get More Blooms...
Deadheading roses and annuals such as petunias, marigolds, and zinnias will promote reblooming throughout the season. You can fool biannuals, like hollyhocks and foxglove, into thinking they are perennials by cutting off the old blossoms before seed pods form.

To deadhead a rose, cut the flower stem back to an outward facing bud just above a 5- leaflet or 7- leaflet leaf.  For most other flowers simply cut the stem just below the spent bloom

Houseplants, Douse Plants...
This is a great time of year to take your houseplants outside for a bath. Insect and mite populations can sometimes creep up on you this time of year, but not to worry. Take houseplants outside and gently hose them off. This will not only wash away harmful pests, but will remove dust from the leaf surfaces and leave plant pores cleaner and able to breathe easier.

Sweet & Corny...
Corn lovers know that standard sweet corn is at its peak for only a day or so (supersweet corn maintains its peak quality for a little longer).  Timing is everything.  For the sweetest corn harvest when silks begin to dry, and kernels exude a milky (rather than watery or doughy) juice when punctured.

 


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Proper Propagation...
Readers have been asking about plant propagation through cuttings.  This is a simple way to add perennials to your garden without spending much money.  You are also assured that the new plant will have the same characteristics of it's parent.  Want to know more?  Read our article, Growing Garden and Landscape Plants from Cuttings.

Plucking Petunias...
As mentioned above,
deadheading petunias is a sure-fire way to keep them blooming all summer long.  But sometimes gardeners have trouble knowing which ones stay and which ones go.  Spent blossoms often look very much like unopened petunia buds.  If you're unsure just remember that spent petunia blossoms are shrunken and have little substance to them and come off with a gentle tug.  Immature buds feel full and hang on a little tighter. 

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
For the last week or so, common factors affecting the central and eastern parts of Kansas have been the cooler than usual weather and the equally unusual abundance of rainfall! The result has been many questions that reflect these conditions or their effect on our trees, shrubs or other plants. See what the experts say in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Too Tall Turf?
If you've been away on vacation and your lawn is extra tall be careful about cutting too much at once.  As a rule you should cut no more than one-third of the grass height at a time. If necessary, try setting your mower height to the highest setting for a first cutting.  Then wait two-three days and cut again at a reduced height.

Finally...
"It is always in one's power to cut a tree down, but time only can place them where one would have them, after the ground is stripped..."

~ George Washington, from a letter to his manager, 1795

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