One of Our Favorite Books!
The Missouri Gardener's Companion
by Becky Homan
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Greetings!
They say rain is on the way. When I look at the weather map I see a line of rain but it looks as if we might only get the tail end of it. I will be disappointed if we don't get a good soaking. I am looking for a good downpour; one that will wash away the catkins, the maple helicopter seeds and the thick layer of pollen. It is difficult to keep the patio tidy this time of year. It really is a mess!
Cooler spring-like temperatures are back for the next few days. Highs in the 60's lows in the 40's. No signs of frost and Easter is this weekend. Our last frost-free date is typically April 21st. We're almost out of the woods, I hope. As crazy as this weather has been I'm not betting on anything.
Our friends at Johnson Farms located in Belton, MO are open! Johnson Farms is a family-owned, 140 acre working farm celebrating their 11th anniversary! If you have never been to Johnson Farms you are truly missing out. They have the best assortment of hanging baskets, perennials and annuals. If you can't find it at Johnson Farms you are not looking hard enough. I suggest you like their Facebook page and join their email distribution list for weekly and monthly specials. Who doesn't like to save on plants? One other thing. When you visit take a vehicle with plenty of room. You are going to want to buy everything!
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Tuckered Out Tulips...
Unfortunately it's not uncommon for many modern tulip varieties to "wear out" after a few years and eventually produce insignificant blooms or no blooms at all. Here are some tips to increase the chances of perennial blooming of your tulips:
- Plant the bulbs at the depth indicated on the packaged they arrived in.
- Water them - especially in the fall - to help develop strong roots.
- Clip off flower heads after they have bloomed.
- Do not remove the foliage until it has turned brown and withered.
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Simple Thinning...
Last week we warned you about sowing vegetable seeds too close together. Unfortunately some seeds (carrots are a good example) are impossibly small and difficult to evenly sow even by the savviest of Savvygardeners. If your carrots (and lettuce, spinach, and beets for that matter) start coming up in overcrowded masses it's pretty easy to thin them. Simply pluck them from the ground or snip their tops off with a pair of small scissors.
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Circular Logic...
A popular and effective way to prevent disease in the vegetable garden is called crop rotation. By rotating the location of vegetable plantings within the garden each season you can greatly reduce the likelihood of soil-borne disease. This method works best when you rotate crop families from place to place and the rotation includes at least three families. The effectiveness of crop rotation is diminished when the total gardening area is quite small. Just do your best! Here's a list of the most common home garden vegetables and their associated families:
Family | Family Members | Alliaceae | Chive, garlic, leek, onion, shallot | Apiaceae | Carrot, celery, parsley, parsnip | Asteraceae | Endive, lettuce | Brassicaceae | Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga, turnip | Chenopodiaceae | Beet, Swiss chard, spinach | Convolvulaceae | Sweet potato | Curcurbitaceae | Cucumber, gourd, melons, pumpkin, squash | Fabaceae | Lima bean, pea, snap bean, soy bean | Malvaceae | Okra | Poaceae | Corn | Solanaceae | Eggplant, pepper, potato, tomato |
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Organic Gardening
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Urban Farm
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Horticulture
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Country Gardens
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The Forsythia Clock...
When the forsythia have finished blooming (and this year they are definitely done blooming already), it is a sign to do several things.
- Apply a preemergent herbicide such as Preen (if desired) to garden beds as the soil temperature is now conducive to weed growth.
- Rake back mulch around roses and discard.
- Prune your roses and dig in a balanced fertilizer.
- Apply a crabgrass preventer to lawns if you had a problem last year.
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Daffodil's Deadly Secret...
If you decide to cut some flowering bulbs from the garden make sure you keep the daffodils separated from other cuttings. Daffodil stems secrete a fluid that can drastically reduce the life of other cut flowers in the same vase. After a couple of days in a vase by themselves they should be OK for sharing the same space.
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Second Chance Dandelions...
Readers of our newsletter know that we recommend that dandelions be controlled in the fall. However, if you missed the fall application, a second opportunity for dandelion control is approaching. Research by Purdue University has shown that good control can be achieved with an herbicide applied during or soon after the first flush of flowers. Use a combination product that contains 2,4-D, MCPP and dicamba. Examples would include products such as Trimec, Weed Out, Weed-B-Gon and Weed Free Zone.
We're obviously not opposed to using chemicals when warranted. However, we do encourage you to use them sensibly. So...
- If you have only a few dandelions, consider spot treatment rather than a blanket application. Not only is this better for the environment, it will save you some money as well.
- Avoid spraying on windy days! There are many ornamental plants that are very sensitive to drift from herbicides (synthetic as well as natural). Don't let them become collateral damage.
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The Hard Facts...
Plants bought from greenhouses (locally or by mail order) need to be "hardened off", or acclimatized, before they are permanently placed in the garden. Basically you're just preparing them for a rather significant change in temperatures, humidity, and sunlight. Start by placing newly purchased plants outside only during the day, bringing them in at night as protection from cool, night temperatures. Gradually leave the plants outside for longer periods of time until they have fully acclimated and can be planted.
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Finally...
"I appreciate the misunderstanding I have had with Nature over my perennial border. I think it is a flower garden; she thinks it is a meadow lacking grass, and tries to correct the error."
~ Sara Stein, My Weeds
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