This week's gardening tips from the Savvygardener

 

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October 12, 2005

Previews and Reviews...
My friend, John Bruntzel of Gard'n Wise Distributors invited me to Topeka on Monday for their annual "See What's New for Spring" event held at the Kansas Expocentre. I had the opportunity to see several new products that have either already been introduced or that will be introduced in the spring. I visited with new distributors and also supporters of Savvygardener.com. My good friends Jan, Belinda and Maddy Olson from Family Tree Nursery were there as well as the King and Queen of Peonies, Neva and Tony Mistretta. It was a great way to spend the day. Thanks for the invite John!

I could hardly wait to write my editorial this week so I could pass along some of the latest and greatest information about some of the products I previewed at the show. There is a product called "Ups A Daisy" which is quite exciting. It was available last spring and I can't believe I overlooked it. It is a planter insert that allows you to place plants in large pots without wasting potting soil. It is light in weight, durable and comes in several different sizes for different sized pots. I can't even think about how many times I have turned larger pots upside down inside another pot so that I could avoid using too much potting soil. Not only does this product allow you to use less potting soil but it also provides your plants with better air circulation and drainage. A nice combination for healthier, happier plants. To find this product visit a Gard'n Wise Guy dealer. To find more information on this product go to www.ups-a-daisy.com. What a great idea!

I will continue my product review throughout the following weeks. So, if you want to be a gardener in the know make sure you're reading Savvygardener.com.

~ Shelly  

Don't Dig Too Deep...
Planting a tree this fall?  Great idea!  Just make sure you do it right.  The planting depth of a new tree is extremely important and often done improperly. Trees that are planted too deep may not grow as fast or be as healthy as those planted properly.

Here's what to do. Dig a hole twice as wide and slightly shallower than the root ball. Roughen the sides and bottom of the hole with a pick or shovel so that roots can penetrate the soil. The root collar (where the trunk and roots meet) should be at least even with, and as much as an inch and a half higher than, the final grade.

Bedtime For Gardens?
We are often asked how and when to "put the garden to bed."  The term "putting the garden to bed" means preparing the garden for winter and the weather will dictate when that date is.  Our first frost is normally in mid-October (any time now).  How "hard" that first frost is will help you decide whether or not it is time to cut back all perennials and rid the garden of all annuals.  We always like to squeeze as much time as possible out of the fall garden knowing that once that hard frost hits winter is well on its way. We'll keep you posted on the weather and when that first hard frost is coming.

Why Isn't My Red Maple Red?
Why do some red maple trees have yellow fall foliage instead of brilliant red? Although fall color will vary with different environmental conditions, in many cases the yellow foliage of these red maples is simply due to the genetics of the individual tree. Unnamed red maple trees grown from seed are not always brilliant red. They have highly variable fall color. If you want a red maple with red foliage in the fall, choose named, vegetatively propagated red maple cultivars such as Red Sunset, Magnificent Magenta or Autumn Flame. October Glory has outstanding foliage color but is late in acclimating for winter and can be damaged by early cold snaps. However, even these "good" cultivars will vary in the level of "redness" from year to year. A number of things can reduce the intensity of color including extreme heat or drought during the summer and cloudy days and warm nights in the fall.

 


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Oak Galls?
What are those round bumpy lesions that are appearing on some local oak trees?  Very possibly Oak Galls.  A number of tiny non-stinging wasps, mites and flies are the culprits behind abnormal growths that develop on the leaves of twigs of oak trees.  These galls can include growths that are round, spiny, flattened, elongated or star-shaped.

Generally, these gall insects do not cause significant damage to their hosts though some of the leaf galls can cause deformity to make a tree unsightly.  Also, severe infestations of twig galls can cause twig dieback or, in rare cases, death.  However, just because a twig is covered with galls does not mean that it is dead.  Twigs that otherwise look like a solid mass of galls may still leaf out in the spring.  More details and a photo are available here...

Moving The Mums...
Your potted mums can be transplanted into the garden for many years of enjoyment.  For best results, transplant them into well-drained soil as winter injury is most common when mums are planted in poorly-drained soils.  Potted mums are often grown in a mix that is very high in organic matter.  If these are planted in very heavy clay soil without first amending it, the difference between the two soil situations often prevents good root establishment and increases the chance of winter kill.  

After the leaves have turned brown, cut back the tops and apply a loose airy mulch several inches thick allowing light to get to the small basal shoots during the winter. The purpose of this mulch is to provide wind protection and keep the soil shaded and frozen so that frost heaving is minimized.  This protective mulch may be removed or pulled away from the crown by early to mid-April after danger of severe cold is past.

Source

Hackberry Psyllids In Homes...
Sometimes called jumping plant lice, these small dark-colored insects resemble cicadas in miniature form.  They are about 1/8- to 1/5-inch long and small enough to enter homes through ordinary screens.   These insects overwinter in buildings or in bark crevices on trees.  After mating in the spring, the females deposit eggs on newly emerging hackberry leaves.  Nymphs hatch from the eggs and start feeding on the underside of the leaves.  

Since these insects are specific to hackberry trees, only homes near a hackberry tree are affected.  If hackberry psyllids become a nuisance inside, use a vacuum cleaner to suck them up.  Be sure to discard the bag immediately after vacuuming so they don't escape and re-infest the home.

Source

If It's Growing We're Mowing...
When do Savvygardeners stop mowing their lawns? When the grass stops growing of course. As long as it continues to grow keep bluegrass cut to 2 inches and tall fescue to 2½ inches.  

Don't forget to keep the leaves from piling up and smothering the grass below!

Finally...
"There is no season when such pleasant and sunny spots may be lighted on, and produce so pleasant an effect on the feelings, as now in October."

~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

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