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September 1, 2004

The Next Chapter...
What a doozey of a storm we had Friday night! Pots blown over, plants pounded by rain and hail, and water in the basement. Not an ideal way to start a weekend. We spent the better part of Saturday and Sunday cleaning up. The basement is a bit troublesome for us whenever it pours. It wasn't as bad as it has been in the past but it was a mess none the less. One thing we have learned over the years is that when receiving more that two or three inches of rain in an hour we are going to see some water in the basement. Rainfall in the Westwood area Friday night - 6
½ inches. Combined total of rainfall last week - close to 9 inches. Does it get any wetter than that?

If you have not re-seeded your lawn now is the time. If you wait much longer you will lose the opportunity to establish a hardy root system going into winter. The weather this week has been perfect for seed germination. Warm during the day and cool in the evening. Ideal conditions for growing grass so don't wait any longer.

Fall is right around the corner and with that comes a new color scheme. The brighter colors of summer fade and the deeper hues of fall over take the landscape. I love it when the garden transitions from one season to another. It is like opening the next chapter of a really good book. Wouldn't you agree?

~ Shelly  

Tomato Trickery...
With summer gradually coming to an end you may want to try a couple of tricks to get the most out of your tomato plants.  

  • By removing some of the leaves, more sunlight will be allowed to reach your tomatoes.  The shady protection they provide is not needed as much now that fall is closing in.
  • Lopping the tops off the plants will help ensure that the plants' energy will go into finishing existing fruit production rather than the now hopeless task of producing new fruit.

These tricks (and a little luck) will help keep those tomato plants producing as long as possible.

Salad Serendipity....
There's still time to seed some fall salad crops for this season. With the recent mild weather and rainfall some fall-season vegetables can still be seeded now with a decent chance of developing before freezing weather stops their progress. To increase your odds, try lettuce, radishes, and spinach.  These salad crops grow rapidly and can withstand a light freeze. A hard early freeze could st
op everything in its tracks but it's certainly worth the risk for fresh salad greens. 

The Great Divide...
It was certainly a good summer for many plants, and Savvygardeners who took good care of their perennials might notice them bursting from their beds.  Sound familiar?  If so, they need some relief.  Once they are done blooming for the year it's time to divide them.

You'll know your plants need to be divided if:

  • They are spreading beyond your desired range for them.
  • The flowers are not producing as well as in the past.
  • The center of the clump of flowers is dying.
  • The lower areas of foliage are sickly.

For a quick but effective description of the dividing process you can read "Dividing Spring Blooming Perennials" in our Features section. 

 


Randy's Lakeview Nursery
& Bulk Supercenter

Your one stop shop for all of your landscaping needs!

Find out more here!

 

 

What Weed Is What...
This week we had a reader request a good internet resource for weed identification.  The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has one of the best we've ever seen.  Search weeds by type, leaf, flower, growth characteristics, and more.  You can check it out for yourself here...

Packing Up The Peonies...
Peonies aren't particularly fond of being uprooted and transplanted but from time to time it may become necessary.  Maybe their home has become too shady or another project is displacing them.  Our friends at Bannister Garden Center offer a few simple steps to get it done right:

  1. Cut the stems to near ground level this month.
  2. Carefully dig up as much of the root system as possible.
  3. Replant the peony in a hole large enough for the roots.
  4. Make sure the buds are one to two inches below the soil surface.
  5. Toss in some bone meal and firm the soil around the plant.
  6. Water thoroughly.

Keep in mind - transplanted peonies often refuse to bloom the first spring after transplant.  Your patience will be rewarded in subsequent years.


How Will My Lawn Look Next Year?
It depends on what you do now.
Try Earth Right Super Stuff to soften the soil
so roots can grow deep and Mushroom Stuff
over seed for rapid germination and increased
root structure. These products work well on all
of your plants, trees and shrubs. Two great
products for a healthier, greener lawn and
garden all year long.

For more information call (913) 492-2992
or email at earthright@everestkc.net

 

What's Hot On The Hotline...
Fall is upon us and with it comes concerns about preparing perennial plantings, shrubs, trees and lawns for fall and winter seasons, and with the falling temperatures and humidity, the energy we need may return as well. We've got some early autumn chores for energetic gardeners in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

Weed Whackers...
Dandelions, clover, and other broadleaf weeds that were a problem last spring and all summer should be controlled this fall.  The period from late September to mid-November is the ideal time to control broadleaf weeds in turfgrass because broadleaf weeds are most susceptible to herbicides at this time.  The turf and weeds must be actively growing for this to be effective so be sure your lawn is well-watered before applying.  Apply on a sunny day with moderate temperatures, no wind, ample soil moisture and no rain in the 24-hour forecast.  An herbicide containing two or more active ingredients including 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, triclopyr, or clopyralid will control most broadleaf weeds with one application.  As always, be careful when using broadleaf herbicides as they may damage the stuff you want to keep - like flowers, trees, shrubs, or vegetables.

Source

Finally...
"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with dirty feet."

~ Mahatma Gandhi, Spiritual/Political Leader 1869-1948

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