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August 25, 2004

False Starts...
Kevin and I thought we would get a jump on re-seeding the lawn so most of the day Sunday was spent diligently making sure that the bare spots were adequately covered. Unfortunately it looks as if we are going to have to start over. Most of the seed washed away with the heavy rains we received on Monday. The good news is two-fold, it will be easy enough to do again and there is still plenty of time to do it. In past years we have typically waited until the first week of September but cooler than normal temperatures and plenty of moisture were the signals for our go ahead this year. It is nice to know that one of many things to do on our fall garden checklist is out of the way (or soon to be).

If you have run out of ideas for things to plant this fall give some thought to peonies. Now is the perfect time to plant bare root peonies. The place to purchase any kind of peony is Bannister Garden Center. Owners, Neva & Tony Mistretta, known as the Queen and King of Peonies, have been growing peonies for over 37 years. Wow, 37 years of experience and knowledge. Why would you want to buy your peonies from any place else?

Rain, rain go away come again another day. Enough already. We have received over 2½ inches so far this week and it is only Wednesday. Some time to dry out would be nice. Tomorrow is supposed to be steamy hot with a possible chance of rain again on Friday. It sounds as if cooler temperatures are headed our way for the weekend. Something to look forward to.

~ Shelly  

Heirloom Tomato Seeds...
Heirloom Tomatoes have been increasing in popularity recently.  Saving seeds from these oldies-but-goodies is a great idea but maybe not as simple as you think.  First of all you need to take some precautions to prevent cross-pollination from other tomato varieties nearby or the seeds may not produce the tomato you wanted. If you grow more than one variety of tomato, they should be planted at least 20-25 feet apart. In addition, a tall barrier crop (corn, pole beans, fruit trees, etc), or a continuous pollen-producing crop (squash) should be planted between varieties to distract the bees. These precautions will prevent most wind caused cross-pollination, and cause bees to visit only one tomato variety at a time before returning to the hive to clean off their collected pollen.

Save the seeds from healthy plants with the best fruit quality. Pick the fruit when ripe, scoop out seeds and pulp into a bowl with a little water then leave to ferment for 4 days (no longer or some heirlooms will begin to sprout). Separate out seed from pulp, rinse the seeds, then dry them on paper towels or a screen in a warm, dry place with good air circulation (try outdoors on warm summer or fall days). After 5-7 days, place seeds in airtight containers (plastic film canisters are good) and store indoors in a dark, cool, dry place. If properly stored, your seeds should remain viable for 3-5 years.

Source

Savvy Strawberry Strategy...
It may be difficult to think about next year's strawberries already but this is a critical time for the 2005 crop.  In August and September the cell size of next spring's fruit bud is determined.  The more favorable the growing conditions now, the bigger the cells this fall, which means bigger berries in the spring.  Yes!  Unfortunately just a week without water can stress the plants and reduce next year's berry production.  Plants require one to two inches of water per week through the summer.  Take extra care in watering so that the soil does not remain soggy for any prolonged period of time.

Oak Wilt Worries...
This time of year always seems to bring lots of questions regarding "oak wilt"This troubling tree disease can really devastate our beautiful oak trees, but thankfully it's actually quite rare In case you've got an oak and are worried about oak wilt we've unearthed an excellent resource published by the USDA Forest Service.  How to Identify, Prevent, and Control Oak Wilt can be found  here...


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Colorful Closers...
Mums are a gardener's best friend in the fall.  As the latest blooming flowers they provide color and beauty to a garden that has otherwise been worn out for the season. 

When choosing mums from your local retailer buy healthy looking plants that have been taken care of - no broken stems, wilted leaves, etc...  Plants with existing blooms will be limited in their ability to provide much more flowering.  Those with buds about to bloom will provide you with flowers into the fall.  We usually buy several plants in bloom for immediate gratification and quite a few more that we expect to bloom over the coming weeks.  What a great exclamation point at the end of the season!

Tater Tidbits...
If you're harvesting potatoes remember that they will continue to grow as long as the tops are green.  So dig only as many as you need for immediate use.  The ones left in the ground will actually keep better there than in your home.


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
Despite a relatively mild and wet summer there remain signs of environmental stress among many of the area's trees.  This is largely due to the accumulated effects of several stressful summers prior to 2004.  Got stressed trees?  Read more in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Terrific Turf...
Each year K-State Extension rates the varieties of tall fescue and bluegrass that are best suited for our area.  With grass seed sowing time upon us we thought you would like to know about the top performers.  Note that most seed is purchased in blends or mixes.  Look for mixes with one or more of these varieties:

Tall Fescue - Falcon IV, Avenger, Scorpion, Cochise III, Coyote, Grande II, Picasso, Raptor, Millennium, Finelawn Elite, Legitimate, and Matadory

Bluegrass - Moon Shadow, Langara, Sonoma, NU Destiny, Freedom II, Misty, Award, Liberator, Awesome, Awesome, Champagne, and Glenmont.

Source

Finally...
"I have learned that if you must leave a place
That you have lived in and loved,
And where all of your yesterdays are buried deep --
Leave it any way except slow;
Leave it the fastest way you can.
Never turn back and believe that an hour you remember
Is a better hour because it is dead.
Past years seem safe ones, vanquished ones,
While the future lives in a cloud, formidable from a distance.
The cloud clears though, as you enter it.
I have learned this, but like everyone,
I learned it late"

~ Beryl Markham, Aviator, 1902-1986

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