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Greetings!
Even though the heat has returned to the 90's this week I am still enjoying the cooler mornings and evenings. Last weekend was such a treat. Mild temperatures and a cool breeze allowed Kevin and I to spend most of our weekend outdoors. I didn't do much of anything in the yard but I did get to leisurely sit outside relaxing on the patio. Relaxing in my own back yard is a challenge. It is hard for me to ignore the work that needs done whether it's weeding, watering or just cleaning up. I would be surprised if I was the only one with that problem. Our family has enjoyed watching a pair of humming birds right outside our dining room window. They are enjoying the sugar water we have put out for them and are quite active. They are very photogenic but are not easy to photograph. Kevin is very patient at his craft and has been able to snap some really great photos. I was weeding in the garden where they are feeding and after awhile they seem to have gotten used to me. They would buzz right by me and occasionally stop right in front of me. Such fascinating creatures! I was going to try and get through this week's editorial without talking about rain. So I am only going to say this. Please, please, please rain Gods, could we please get some measurable amount of rain this week? |
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Tomato Trickery...
Longer shadows and shorter days are a sure sign that summer is gradually coming to an end. Make sure you don't miss out on any tomatoes by employing a couple of tricks to get the most out of your tomato plants.
- By removing some of the leaves, more sunlight will be allowed to reach your tomatoes. The shady protection they provide is not needed as much now that fall is closing in.
- Lopping the tops off the plants will help ensure that the plants' energy will go into finishing existing fruit production rather than the now hopeless task of producing new fruit.
These tricks (and a little luck) will help keep those tomato plants producing as long as possible.
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Salad Serendipity...
There's still time to seed some fall salad crops for this season. With milder weather and rainfall (hopefully) around the corner some fall-season vegetables can still be seeded now with a decent chance of developing before freezing weather stops their progress. To increase your odds, try lettuce, radishes, and spinach. These salad crops grow rapidly and can withstand a light freeze. A hard early freeze could stop everything in its tracks but it's certainly worth the risk for fresh salad greens.
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The Great Divide...
Savvygardeners who took good care of their perennials this summer might notice them bursting from their beds. Sound familiar? If so, they need some relief. Once they are done blooming for the year it's time to divide them.
You'll know your plants need to be divided if:
- They are spreading beyond your desired range for them.
- The flowers are not producing as well as in the past.
- The center of the clump of flowers is dying.
- The lower areas of foliage are sickly.
For a quick but effective description of the dividing process you can read "Spring Blooming Perennials" in our Features section.
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Reinvigorate Wisteria...
Root pruning is a practice sometimes used in late fall to restore blooming on older Wisteria plants. It serves to check top growth and favor flower production and must be combined with summer pruning to be effective. Use a spade to cut vertically into the soil (about 18 inches deep) and about four feet from the main trunk, all around the vine.
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Weed Whackers...
Dandelions, clover, and other broadleaf weeds that were a problem this spring and summer should be controlled this fall. The period from late September to mid-November is the ideal time to control broadleaf weeds in turfgrass because broadleaf weeds are most susceptible to herbicides at this time. The turf and weeds must be actively growing for this to be effective so be sure your lawn is well-watered before applying. Apply on a sunny day with moderate temperatures, no wind, ample soil moisture and no rain in the 24-hour forecast. An herbicide containing two or more active ingredients including 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, triclopyr, or clopyralid will control most broadleaf weeds with one application. As always, be careful when using broadleaf herbicides as they may damage the stuff you want to keep - like flowers, trees, shrubs, or vegetables.
Editor's Note: (We recognize that the best and safest controls are cultural. i.e. keep your turf healthy. However we also know that many of our readers will use herbicides. Using them effectively is certainly better than using too much at the wrong times of year.)
Source
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Late Season Grubs...
If your lawn has large dead patches, check to be sure that the damage has not been caused by grubs. This is easily done by pulling up handfuls of dead turf. If the turf comes up like a carpet, then you have grubs. Chemical treatments this late in the season are best done with trichlorfon (Dylox, Bayer 24-hr Grub Control). It is important that this product be watered in immediately after application. Waiting as little as 24 hours can reduce effectiveness to the point that grubs are not controlled. Apply 1/4 inch of water to insure the insecticide reaches the grubs.
A non-chemical alternative may be beneficial nematodes. There are a number of commercially available products that claim effectiveness against white grubs (the ones that work against Japanese Beetle grubs are of little use in the Kansas City area at this time).
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Finally...
"It is only the constant exertion and working of our sensitive, intellectual, moral, and physical machinery that keep us from rusting, and so becoming useless."
~ Charles Simmons
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