~ September 8, 2010 ~
Tropical Treat...
Batten down the hatches! Hermine is headed our way! That's right, tropical storm Hermine is expected
to hit our area this evening dropping anywhere from 2-5 inches of rain. It looks as if we are not going
to get hit as hard as Texas or Oklahoma but 5 inches is still a lot of rain. I say bring it on! We sure
could use the rain. Everything is so dry. This summer's heat has really taken its toll. The lawn looks
awful. It is bi-colored and I am guessing you know the colors I am talking about. Yep, brown and green
with brown being the prominent color. It really is in bad shape but I know that once the cooler, fall
temperatures come to stay it too will start to green up again (kind of like my gardening spirit). We
will not overseed this fall due to some construction we have going on at the house. The contractors need space
to work and it looks as if the lawn is the space they need, so I am trying to not get too uptight about
how bad it looks for now. I do hope that if you need to seed that you are already in the process of doing so.
Now is the time to take advantage of the warm ground and cooler air temperatures. This
weather is perfect for new seed growth and once the rain comes it will give you a day off of watering.
What are you waiting for?
~ Shelly
Mulch Ado About Trees...
Fall is a great time to plant a tree. Keeping it alive is an
all-season affair. Mulching is so important for new trees but
it's not as simple as dumping a bag of wood chips at the base of
a tree. Here are some tips to help you avoid the most common mistakes:
- Don't
pile mulch around the trunk. This keeps the trunk wet, which
can allow diseases and insects to invade. Keep the mulch at
least 6 inches from the trunk.
- Don't
put on too little or too much. A 1-inch-deep layer doesn't do
the job. A settled depth of 3 to 5 inches gives you the full
benefits of mulch, including good weed control. Mulch depths
of a foot or two are excessive and may smother roots.
- Don't
apply sour-smelling mulch. If it smells like a litter box it's
probably been stored on a waterlogged site. The ammonia that
builds in this situation can harm your tree. Sour mulch is a
rare occurrence, but your nose will give you a clear warning of
it.
- Don't
use freshly chipped chips. While the chance of disease
transmission is small it's easy to go zero-risk by aging
chips for six weeks or more before using them around your
trees.
Continue Mosquito Control...
In case you haven't noticed, mosquitoes
continue to be present in large numbers and will continue to pose
a threat right up until our first hard frost. Limiting their
breeding area is one of the most effective ways to keep their
numbers in check. Mosquitoes can breed in very small
amounts of standing water, sometimes even in water collected on a
plastic bag or under a small saucer under a plant. Change water
in birdbaths and pets water dishes regularly - at least twice a
week.
Counting On Crickets...
The temperatures are dropping but how much? I guess you
could be a traditionalist and look at a thermometer. Or you
could show your savvy by listening to the crickets. Seriously.
Count the number of chirps a common cricket makes during a
15-second period. Add 40 to the number of chirps. The total
will be pretty close to the actual temperature in Fahrenheit.
Planting Perennials Properly...
Fall is here and that means we're planting perennials at our
house. By planting perennials now Savvygardeners will benefit
from the plant establishing a strong root structure during the
autumn months. This in turn leads to a bigger, healthier plant
next spring.
Perennials are generally sold in pots or bare-root. Here are the steps to
follow when planting a bare root perennial:
- Remove
the plant from its package, and carefully remove all loose
packing material (peat moss and sawdust are commonly used).
- Soak the
roots in a bucket of water for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Examine
the root system, and trim away any rotted, moldy, broken or
elongated roots with a sharp knife or your pruning shears.
- Dig a
hole deep and wide enough to allow the roots to fan out from
the crown at about 45° angle. It sometimes helps to make a
cone-shaped mound of soil in the bottom of the hole and spread
the roots around it. Remember, the crown of most perennials
should be roughly level with the surrounding ground.
- Cover
the roots with soil and press down firmly. Make sure all the
roots - especially those under the crown are in contact with
soil.
- Water
the plant well and add a layer of mulch.
Source
Apple Storage...
Last week we told readers when to pick apples. This week
we'll share with you how long you can store them. Not
surprisingly some cultivars can be stored longer than others.
Some can be stored for as long as eight months and still be
tasty and crispy. The approximate length of time of those
that keep well under refrigerated conditions follows:
Cultivar |
Days |
|
Cultivar |
Days |
Wealthy |
60 |
Braeburn |
180 |
Paulared |
90 |
Idared |
200 |
Gala |
120 |
Rome Beauty |
220 |
Jonathan |
120 |
Winesap |
220 |
Grimes Golden |
120 |
Fuji |
240 |
Golden Delicious |
150 |
Granny Smith |
240 |
Empire |
150 |
Arkansas Black |
240 |
Delicious |
160 |
|
|
For best results:
- Store only the best quality.
- Pick as they are first maturing.
- Avoid skin breaks, disease or insect damage, and bruises on individual fruit.
- Store in a plastic bag to help retain moisture in the apples. The bag should have a few small
holes for air exchange. The bags of apples may be stored in boxes to prevent bruising if they must be stacked or moved
from time to time.
- Refrigerate at about 35º F.
- Sort about every 30 to 40 days to remove fruit that may be beginning to rot.
Source
Hummingbird Attractors...
We saw our hummingbird friends again this year but next year we'd like to see even more!
If you're looking for plants that are likely to attract
hummingbirds consider planting these this fall:
Trumpet Vine |
Catalpa |
Coralberry |
Weigela |
Nicotiana |
Petunia |
Salvia |
Hollyhock |
Columbine |
Delphinium |
Foxglove |
Gladiolus |
Daylily |
Hibiscus |
Liatris |
Tiger Lily |
Penstemon |
Phlox |
Sweet William |
Snap Dragon |
Larkspur |
A Dandy Time to Stop Dandelions...
So, all summer long you've been battling a few (or a few
dozen) dandelions for control of your lawn. Well, they say the
best way to control dandelions and other broad-leaf weeds is by
maintaining a lush, healthy turf. But you've still got to knock
out those pesky weeds that just won't go away and fall is a great
time to do it. Options are many but generally the most effective
controls result with a liquid broadleaf weed herbicide sprayed
under these conditions:
- The
weeds are actively growing.
- Soil
moisture is plentiful (never in drought).
- Air
temperatures are between 60°and 75°F (never above 80°).
- Wind
speeds are below 5 mph.
- The lawn
will not receive moisture through rain or irrigation for at
least 24 hours.
- The lawn
will not be mowed for several days before or after the
application.
- The
person doing the applying reads and follows herbicide label
instructions carefully.
Finally...
"Autumn is the mellower season,
and what we lose in flowers
we more than gain in fruits."
~ Samuel Butler, Novelist
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