~ June 4, 2008 ~

Gotta' Get To Work...
Wow - those were some kind of storms that passed through here last night. Our rain gauge is broken (I have ordered a new one) so I am not exactly sure how much precipitation we received. I overheard someone from Olathe say they had close to 6 inches. A lot of rain in a very short period of time. We experienced some pea size hail but fortunately there was no damage in our area. One unfortunate mishap was rain in the basement. When it rains like it did last night we always have a couple of areas where the water seeps in. My guess is that we were not the only people affected by the same problem. Hopefully we will have an opportunity to dry out before the next deluge.

Controlling Critters On Your Cukes...
The striped cucumber beetle is a serious threat to cucurbits, such as squash, cucumber, melon and pumpkin.  The larvae will cause severe damage to roots and beetles can do a real number on an emerging plant by feeding on the lower surface of its leaves.  These menaces also spread bacterial wilt, cucumber mosaic, and squash mosaic virus.

Although there are several insecticides that control the cucumber beetle, only a few chemicals can be used on cucurbit plants because of their sensitivity to chemical injury. Hand-picking is an organic approach and should be done in the early morning when most feeding occurs. These beetles are easy to kill but reinforcements arriving on the plants make this a very time consuming job.

Insecticides labeled for vegetables containing pyrethrum, rotenone, methoxychlor, or carbaryl (Sevin) should control the beetles.  As always, follow directions and warnings carefully when using chemicals.

Dividing Daylilies...
One of the reasons we love daylilies is their fuss-free nature. Generally they don't need to be divided as often as many other perennials. However if you want to increase the number of your favorite cultivars you may want to divide them once in a while. Savvygardeners should be able to get four new plants from a healthy, 4-year old daylily. Divide them immediately after flowering, and replant them right away.

Monitor Those Melons...
Recent and upcoming warmer temperatures are sure to give watermelons a growth boost. Keep an eye on them! As vines from different plants begin to intermingle, and the canopy becomes thicker, the chances of developing anthracnose increase.  It's a good idea to scout watermelon patches once or twice a week for this disease.  Look for multiple small brown to black spots on leaves. These spots are typically associated with leaf veins. As the spots coalesce and dry out, the leaf may appear tattered.

Crop rotation and the use of resistant cultivars are your best non-chemical preventive measures against anthracnose. If you want to use chemicals it's a good idea to implement a preventive fungicide spray schedule, especially during rainy periods. Available fungicides change yearly so check with your local garden center and follow the directions carefully.

Give 'Em Room To Breathe...
Just because your plant is wilting don't assume it's due to lack of water. Plants can wilt from lack of oxygen too! Soil can become over-compacted and cause root systems to suffocate.  The problem is often made worse by assuming the plant is thirsty and adding water unnecessarily.

Improving the soil for better air and water circulation is easy. Simply add peat moss or other loose organic material in and around the root area of your plants. Everyone will breathe easier!

New Trees From Cuttings...
Now is a good time to start new trees and shrubs from existing ones. Many ornamental trees and shrubs can be reproduced by taking cuttings from new growth that occurred this spring. Though these softwood cuttings root relatively easily, they are susceptible to wilting and need close attention to watering and relative humidity.

Though some plants can be rooted directly in water, roots formed in water do not adapt well to soil.  When roots are about 1 inch long, cuttings can be removed from the propagation chamber and potted.

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Dividing Ornamental Grass...
If large clumps of ornamental grasses such as maiden grass have hollow centers, this is a sign they need dividing for best growth. Large clumps can have massive roots and be quite heavy, so we find it easier to just divide pieces off the sides rather than to lift the whole clump. A square-tipped spade works best for this. You may even need to get such divisions started with a hatchet!

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Disappointing Turf?
If the appearance of your lawn after mowing is not what you expect there are a few things worth evaluating.

1. Check your mowing height.  You should mow as high as possible for the specific grass type (2½ to 3 inches is a healthy height for most lawn grasses).
2. Consider your mowing frequency. A higher mowed turf will need to be mowed less frequently and scalp less often than a closely mowed turf.
3. Probably most importantly, check the sharpness of your mower blade.  Dull or damaged mower blades do not cut cleanly and leave ragged leaf tips. These ragged wounds are very stressful to the turf plant, and provide an excellent opportunity for some disease pathogens to penetrate and infect the plant.

Finally...
"And because the breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air (where it comes and goes, like the warbling of music) than in the hand, therefore nothing is more fit for that delight than to know what be the flowers and plants that do best perfume the air."

~ Francis Bacon