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August 18, 2004 |
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New Chapters...
This is a big week for the Marsh family. Our youngest son
Jake started first grade leaving Kevin and me kid-less during the
day. There was a time when I thought that day would never come.
Now that it is here I am saddened by the fact that I am no longer
needed on a minute by minute basis. I hope to take this new
found time to renew some old
friendships, help out in the kids'
classrooms and yes, spend more time in
the garden. I am beginning a new chapter of my life and I am
looking forward to it's rewards and challenges.
A big
thanks to all of the Savvygardener's who turned out to either
compete in or watch the Tastiest Tomato contest. We had a great
time and let me just say that all of the tomatoes were delicious.
A special thanks to
Family Tree Nursery for hosting the contest and to those
crazy
Gard 'n-Wise Guys, John Bruntzel and Jan Olson for helping us
choose the tastiest tomato. If you were not able to enter in this
year's contest don't worry. The
Tastiest Tomato contest is an annual event
so you have until spring to decide what type of tomato you will
grow and enter in next year's contest.
Congratulations to this year's winners!
I guess
summer is finally here (or back).
The heat index was 100°F
today and it was a bit unpleasant outside this afternoon. I
worked in the garden this morning while it was still
reasonable. I cut back tired looking
perennials and did some basic garden clean up. I sure am getting
tired of looking at the same old flowers. It's
time for me to transition the garden and I
will do so in the next week or two with mums and pansies.
Soon fall will arrive and the summer palette will have faded. The
fall colors will bring new life to the garden and I can't wait!
~
Shelly
The Hole Story...
Don't know about you, but we've seen an
extraordinary number of small holes appearing in lawns lately
(photo).
Not coincidentally we've also seen (and heard) an increase in
dog-day cicadas. Here's the story: The holes are
caused by cicadas emerging from underground for their final
"molt". After emerging they will climb trees, fence posts or
any other convenient place and attach themselves with their claws.
Soon after, the
exoskeleton will split down the middle of the back, and the adult
will pull itself free, leaving the shell behind. Adults live for
five to six weeks during which time the eggs are laid for the
whole process to begin again.
Garden Toppers...
If you have a vegetable or annual garden that is normally empty
in the fall and through winter you should consider planting a
green manure crop there at the end of this growing season.
The name green manure is given to any crop which is grown only to
be tilled back into the soil. As it rots, the nutrients in the
crop foliage and roots will be taken up by the next crop planted
in the same place. Green manures from the legume family, such as
peas, beans, and clovers, have an added bonus - nitrogen-fixing
bacteria living around their roots can draw nitrogen from the air
and convert it to a form the plant can absorb. This nitrogen
will then be available to subsequent crops.
Green
manures also act as "cover crops" protecting the soil from
compaction and erosion caused by wind and rain, as
well as reducing the extent that weeds take over bare
soil.
Well Rooted Evergreens...
Early fall is a good time to plant a balled and burlapped (B&B)
evergreen tree. The key here is "early". Because evergreens
transpire (lose moisture) throughout the winter months, fall
planting of B&B evergreens should be done in September to allow
time for the roots to become established before the ground
freezes. The trick is to make sure your newly planted evergreen
has enough moisture in its roots to weather some dry spells when
the ground may be frozen.
Another
consideration - If you leave the cloth burlap around the roots do
not leave any sticking above the ground as it may wick away
moisture and dry out the root ball. After planting, mulch around
the plant to a depth of 2-4 inches.
source
Drinks For The Droopy?
Just because your plants are droopy at the
end of a steamy hot day don't immediately assume that they
need to be watered. It may be that there is adequate moisture in
the soil but your plant's roots just can't keep up with the needs
of the leaves. If the soil is already moist you are better off
letting the plants catch up on their own overnight. If they're
still droopy in the morning give them a drink.
Honk If You Have Hornworms...
Tomato hornworms are serious garden pests. They like to eat
the leaves of tomato plants and will do so completely to the
mid-rib of the leaf. Fortunately they can be dealt with without
drenching the entire plant in pesticide. The trick is early
detection and removal. While it's hard to see a green
caterpillar on a green leaf the black droppings from the
caterpillar are a bit more obvious. When you see the droppings
look closely for the caterpillar and remove it immediately.
Tell Your Friends About
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What's Hot On The Hotline...
On the last day of July this year, the Johnson County K-State
Extension Master Gardeners joined with the staff of K-State to
host an Open House and Field Day at the newly improved K-State
Horticulture and Forestry Research Extension Center in Olathe.
The all-day event featured lectures and conducted tours aimed to
give the public an in-depth look at the research trials conducted
there with turf grass, ornamentals, flowers and vegetables.
Learn more in this
week's
What's Hot On the Hotline...
Oh Say Can You Seed?
Yes you can! The best time to start
new cool-season grass seed is late summer/early fall.
Considering the trend toward lower-than-average temperatures this
summer you may want to get started soon. Seeding this time
of year takes advantage of warm weather for proper seed
germination while allowing the new turf to thrive as the
temperatures cool into fall.
Finally... "Don't judge each
day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." ~
Robert Louis Stevenson, Writer 1850-1894 |