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June 15, 2005

Away At The City By The Bay...
Kevin and I actually got an opportunity to steal away to San Francisco this week. Kevin had a conference to attend and fortunately I got to tag along. Those of you who have children know how hard it is to make that happen. Finding a sitter that can not only care of the kids but run them from one activity to another is sometimes a challenge. Thanks to some good neighbors and friends we found the right person to care for the kids for a few days. It was great to get away but returning home is the best part. The old saying "There's no place like home" is so true.

Kevin and I balanced business with some sightseeing and eating too. Monday was our first full day in the city and perfect it was. The temperature was 75° and the air was dry. The sky was a beautiful shade of light blue and there was a light breeze blowing in off the bay. Before the conference began we made a trip to the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. What a surprise that our first sightseeing event would have something to do with flowers. Although we were in town for a short three days we really had to balance our time between business and pleasure. Visiting the Botanical Gardens was amazing. I kept Kevin on his toes snapping picture after picture. I hope you enjoy the ones we have chosen and I wish we could show you them all. How fun it was getting to do two of the things I enjoy most. Being outside when the weather is perfect and getting to look at flowers I have never seen before. What a thrill.

It's great to be home and now I am preparing (mentally more so than physically) for the Breast Cancer 3-Day this weekend. Cross your fingers for good weather and keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I am looking forward to this journey. I have spent many hours and miles in training and the time has arrived to complete the challenge. I can't wait to share my experience with you in next week's newsletter.

Happy Father's Day to all of you Savvy Dads!

~ Shelly  

When Good Mulch Goes Bad...
There's bound to be a few Savvygardeners out there that had a pile of mulch delivered just before all this rain began.  If you didn't get your mulch covered be careful. Hardwood mulch can become a real problem if left too long in a damp pile.  Not only does it smell bad once it "sours" it can adversely affect plants that it comes in contact with.  Symptoms look like fertilizer or pesticide burn or water stress.  Damage can be severe enough to actually kill plants - yikes!  Depending on the extent of the injury, plants are often able to recover.  Savvygardeners should water affected plants during hot, dry periods to prevent further stress. 

Mulch that has soured can still be used if it is "mellowed" before application.  Simply spread the mulch in shallow layers and allow it to air out for several days until it no longer smells.  It may also be helpful to water the mulch before application to wash away any toxic substances.

Is That A Volcano In Your Garden?
Speaking of mulch... When mulching try to avoid creating "mulch volcanoes" at the base of your trees.  Unfortunately it is quite common to see trees mulched in this manner - a ring of mulch that gets progressively deeper as it approaches the trunk.  While this is better than no mulch at all, Chris Starbuck at University of Missouri Extension advises us that there are some real problems to consider:

  • When mulch is placed more than about 4 inches deep, roots tend to "migrate" up into the mulch during rainy periods or when the area is irrigated.  Then, when drought conditions occur, the plant may come under severe stress because many of its roots are growing in a material with much less water holding capacity than real soil.
  • The surfaces of the mulch volcanoes can become hydrophobic due to fungal activity and will act as very effective umbrellas, shedding water to the surrounding turf.  This could easily kill a young tree by depriving it of much needed water.
  • Other possible problems with mulch volcanoes are promotion of fungal canker diseases by constant moisture around the lower trunk, stress from poor gas exchange by the cells in the bark and damage from rodents that may take up residence in the volcano.

Source

Removing Tree Stumps...
Homeowners who have had a tree cut down on their property often find themselves with the left behind tree stump to contend with.  Stumps left behind from tree cutting can be variously described as unsightly, taking up valuable gardening space, and even hazardous.  Our latest feature article, Stump Removal Options for the Homeowner, explores the options with an emphasis on stump grinding.

 


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Fruit Dropping, Branch Propping...
Don't be alarmed if tree fruit is dropping this time of year. It's just Mother nature's natural thinning process designed to prevent excessive loads.  Just in case the branch loads remain too heavy you should thin remaining fruit by hand or prop up heavy branches to avoid breakage.  Most fruit should be spaced 6 to 8 inches apart on a branch.

Source

Onward Onions...
Your onions should be growing rapidly and enlarging about now. Onions have a pretty shallow root system and need regular watering and fertilizing to keep growing.  A light application of fertilizer or compost along the row will keep them growing vigorously.  Don't be alarmed if you see a fair amount of the onion developing above the soil line.  This is normal.  When tops begin to get weak and fall over, onion bulbs are about full grown.  At this point, you can break over tops to encourage the necks to dry.  After a few days dig them up to keep bulbs from getting sunburned.  Allow your onions to dry with the tops attached for 1 to 2 weeks before cutting the tops, wiping (not washing) any excess soil from the bulbs, and placing them in a cool, dry location for storage (or eating).

Source

A Cut Above...
The next few months will likely be very taxing for your fescue or bluegrass lawn.  Long, hot and humid days, with little rainfall can make even the greenest lawns wilt.  While it's probably not possible to keep your turf looking perfectly lush and green all summer you can prepare it for the heat by raising the cutting height of your mower.  Fescues and bluegrass should be cut at a height of 3 to 3½ inches.  Determine your mowing frequency by cutting no more than one-third of the blade height with each cutting.  This means cutting when it reaches 4½ inches or so.

Finally...
"Wisdom is oftentimes nearer when we stoop than when we soar."

~ William Wordsworth, 1798

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