Archive for October, 2009
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Garden Success Tip of the Week
Light up the holidays and winter seasons – Okay, we’ve shown you how to light up your yard and containers with spring bulbs, so today, we’ll show you how to light up holidays and winter season, with, you guessed it, holiday bulbs! Amaryllis and paperwhites are the most common and easy ways to add bright colorful flowers indoors, especially during the holidays and winter season. First, let’s look at the paperwhites, which not only add great flower colors, butthey also add a wonderful fragrance.
Paperwhites can be planted in almost any size container, as they only need a couple inches deep for their roots to grow. Paperwhite bulbs can be planted in a pot (with good drainage) and some good potting mix. Simply fill the pot with potting mix, and then nestle the bulbs down into the soil with the tops showing, close but not touching, and water as needed.
Paperwhites can be nestled into the tops of small jars or vases partially filled with water, allowing just the bottom of the bulb to touch the water.
They can also be planted in saucers filled with gravel. Again, nestle the paperwhite bulbs down into the gravel. Then, add water, so that the water is barely touching the bottoms of the bulbs.
Place your planted paperwhites in a cool well lit area, add water as needed, and watch those paperwhites do their thing! It should take about 4-5 weeks for the bulbs to start to produce their flowers. And remember to buy extra bulbs, store them away in a cool dark area until you’re ready to plant, and then stagger your plantings, so you’ll have paperwhites flowering off and on all winter long.
If your paperwhites seem to be growing too quickly, you can slow them down by placing them in a cooler area for a short period of time. Or if they seem to get leggy, add some gin to the water. Yep, a splash of gin (or vodka or clear alcohol) will actually help to keep your paperwhites shorter and stocker. And unfortunately, paperwhite bulbs are a one shot deal. Once they’re finished flowering, throw them away. But trust me; the one shot is well worth it during the holidays or even better, during those cold winters’ days.
Next, it’s the ever-popular Amaryllis! Amaryllis bulbs are available in many different colors, single and double flowers, and give one outstanding show when in bloom. When buying your amaryllis bulbs, remember the larger the bulb, the more flower stalks you’re likely to have when it flowers.
Plant your amaryllis bulbs using a 6-8 inch pot with good drainage. Wider pots or the weight of clay or ceramic helps keep these tall flowers from falling over. Use a good grade potting mix to plant in. Plant your bulb so that it’s buried to just below the neck of the bulb, and water in.
Place your potted bulb in a warm, well lit area, water sparingly at first, and then water as needed as it grows. In about 6-8 weeks your amaryllis will should be in full color. It’s as easy as that.
Remember, about 6-8 weeks to flower once they start growing, so plan accordingly. And do buy extras for staggered plantings. That way you can enjoy these beautiful flowers all winter long. Oh, one last point. These are recyclable. So when they’re finished blooming cut off the old flower stalk and let them grow until next August feeding them on a regular basis. We’ll tell you how to get them to re-flower come next August.
[There was a knock at the front door. I answered it, but all that was there was a snail. I picked it up and threw it into the street. Two weeks later - another knock on the door. I opened the door and it was the snail again. He looked up at me and said, "What was that all about?"]
Tags: holiday bulbs
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Plant of the Week
Fall is one of the best times for planting, especially when it comes to planting most trees. And when it comes to choosing larger growing shade trees, I think the “oaks” get pushed to the back of the choices. Not sure why – maybe because many are not considered “fast” growers and some will produce acorns, which may be considered messy to some. But for long term, tough, durable, strong, wonderful handsome trees, you really can’t beat many of the “oaks”. Now you’ll find several species being grown in our area: Sawtooth, White, Swamp White, Red, Pin, Shingle, Willow, Scarlet, Chestnut, Chinkapin, Overcup, English, and one of my favorites, Bur Oak. Today, let’s take a look at three of these oaks:
Quercus macrocarpa (Bur Oak) – This is a very large growing native oak – 50′ x 50′ plus – extremely hardy – oval when young, wide open tree when mature – slower grower – rough deep ridged bark – lustrous dark green base fiddle shaped leaves (4-10″ long) – yellow fall color – fairly large acorn which is almost entirely covered with a fringed cap.
Quercus rubra (Red Oak) – Another large growing native oak (50′ plus) – very hardy – rounded symmetrical top – actually considered a fast grower of the oaks – lustrous dark green leaves (4-8″) with russet to bright red fall colors – 3/4″ acorn – strong branching – very handsome oak!
Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak) – Large growing native oak (50′ plus) – very hardy – broad rounded head – rugged bark – lustrous dark green lobed leaves (3-7″) with a yellow bronze fall color – medium growth rate – 1 ” acorn – tolerates poorly drained soils or dry soils.
And the 2009 Urban Tree of the Year? Quercus muehlenbergii, or commonly known as ‘Chinkapin Oak’!
[I always wanted to be somebody. Guess I should have been more specific.]
Tags: oak tree, oaks
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Problems in the Garden this Week
Well, this is it! Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) final report for the year! So I would like to take a moment and that him for all the great information he has shared with us this year, his great sense of humor, and we look forward to his weekly updates in 2010. Now, on with the final BJB report!
This week, BJB is reporting flour beetles, drugstore beetles and Indianmeal moths showing up indoors, impatiens with alternaria leaf spot, tuberous begonias and New guinea impatiens with necrotic spot virus, pin oak leaves with tubakia leaf spot, spruce with rhizosphaera needle cast, pumpkin sample with yellow vine decline (a newer disease for pumpkins, squash, and other vine plants) which is a bacterium vectored by the squash bug, continued reports of home invaders (as the temps cool down) including the Marmorated stink bug (new to our area), as well as reminding everyone about the importance of cleaning up the garden and landscape beds in the fall, to help get them off to a cleaner start next year, to keep mowing as long as the grass is growing, and don’t forget that last fall feeding coming up in November.
Again, special thanks to Joe and everyone at OSU Extension for all their great work in helping to educate all of us!
-Catch the Buggy Joe Boggs Report Saturday mornings at 8:42am on 55KRC The Talk Station.
[Buggy Joe recently took up meditation. He said it beats sitting around doing nothing.]
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Garden Questions of the Week
“I have a container outdoors that I would like to do something decorative with it for the rest of the year, without planting fall flowers. Any suggestions?” -Absolutely! Simply grab a pair of pruners, and start looking around the yard. Cut yourself a few evergreen branches, get a mix a greens if you can, some branches with fruits or berries, branches with interesting bark like burning bush, and whatever else looks interesting. Take your collection of cuttings and begin sticking in your container to make a nice natural arrangement. As the holidays come along, you can place items in the planter that go with the holiday, and after the holiday season is over, this planter will look good for you all winter long.
“I would like to use the leaves I collect for winter mulching or for adding to the soil. But I need them to be ground up in smaller pieces. Any suggestions how to grind them up?” – Try mowing those several times to help chop them up. Also adds some grass clippings to the mix. If you’re collecting whole leaves, simply place them in an empty garbage can, get out the string trimmer, and use it like a food blender. It’ll chop those leaves into small pieces, perfect for the garden and for mulching. Make sure you use eye protectors when doing this, and do be careful!
“What are your thoughts on using a cover crop on my garden during the winter?” -I think it’s a fine idea. Cover crops can help protect the soil from eroding, and it adds organic matter and nutrients back to the soil when it’s cut back and tilled in next spring. There are many types to choose from, and I’d say winter rye is probably the most common used. It can be planted thru mid October (sometimes later) and still germinate and grow. But do remember that you need to cut it short and till it in at least 4 weeks before you plan on planting in the spring. You can also collect the foliage and compost it or use it later as a mulching, rather than trying to till it in the soil as well as the thick roots of the rye. Personally, I suggest adding compost, manures, finely ground leaves and grass clippings, etc and tilling them in before late fall and winter. A light tilling in the spring and you’re ready to grow. But whichever you chose, fall is the best time to add soil amendments, whether it be organic matter or growing a cover crop.
“Do you know how to distinguish an Asian from the other Lady Beetles?” -They have dots or black markings on the back of the head that form an “M”. Look closely next time you see a Lady Beetle. Hey, did you know that the Lady Bug (or Lady Beetle) is Ohio’s state insect? There are over 450 species found in North America. Did you know that the Black Racer is the Ohio state reptile? Of course, you know “Hang on Sloop” is the state rock song, but do you know the state beverage? It’s tomato juice!
“I heard you saying that it’s better to NOT have grass growing around the base of a tree. Why’s that?” -Well, research has shown that grass around the base of a tree can actually compete with trees (especially newly planted ones) for nutrients and water, and will slow down their growth rate. And, having grass around the base of a tree also sets the tree up for possible lawn mower damages (mowing and nicking the tree) and long term string trimmer damages (string trimming around the base of the tree). So if you have grass growing around the base, get rid of it and replace with a nicely mulched area. Remember to mulch 1-3 inches deep, and never place the mulch against the trunk of the tree. When finished mulching, your mulch ring should look like a donut!
[Did you see where all the toilets were stolen out of the police station? The police have nothing to go on.]
Tags: beetles, containers, mulching
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Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
From the Garden to the Kitchen
Yardboy, we have been working non-stop splitting wood for next year. We have almost 4 cords stacked. Problem is there’s not much time to think about supper. That’s when this recipe comes in so handy.
Rita’s potato soup like Friday’s
If you want a smoother soup, try Yukon Gold potatoes. Russet or baking potatoes have more starch, giving this soup a naturally thick base. You can always add some dry, instant mashed potato flakes to thicken any cream soup for a boost of vitamin C, calcium and iron without any added fat. I’ve given you lower fat equivalents here but I’ll tell you straight out – I think Friday’s goes full tilt on the ingredients which is why the soup tastes so good
1-1/2 -2 cups chopped onions
4-6 cups diced potatoes with some skin left on
3 cans chicken broth or vegetable broth
1-1/2 cups half & half, milk or fat free half & half
1 to 1-1/2 cups dry instant mashed potato flakes (opt)
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish: Cheddar cheese, bacon, green onions, sour cream, etc.
Sauté onions in a bit of butter or olive oil until just starting to turn limp but not brown. Add potatoes (you can use cooked potatoes or leftover baked potatoes, in which case your soup will be done in record time). Add broth and bring to a boil. Boil, if using raw potatoes, until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. If using cooked potatoes, bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Add half & half and simmer until flavors blend. Puree some of the potatoes with a hand blender or potato masher, or leave as is and start adding potato flakes. Be careful here – they will thicken the soup pretty quickly. Season to taste. Serves 6-8
Tips from Rita’s kitchen:
Peel power: White potatoes are natural healers. The healing qualities start in the peel. Potatoes with skin rival bananas for potassium – a medium potato, about 8 oz, contains more than twice the potassium of a medium-sized banana. Potassium has been shown to lower blood pressure. Potatoes, a complex carb, contain vitamin C. Baking and steaming are best for preserving nutrients.
Rita Heikenfeld, CCP, p.t. witchdoctor and maker of strange potions www.abouteating.com
[According to our Witchdoctor Rita, Halloween lore said that to cure the plague and leprosy, one might swallow a buttered spider. How about that one, Buggy Joe? According to Witchdoctor Rita, to cure a toothache, spit into the mouth of a frog and ask it to carry away the pain. No kissing, just spitting! According to Witchdoctor Rita, the word witch comes from the Saxon word "wicca" which means "wise one". (Uh, yeah.) According to Witchdoctor Rita, over 30,000 werewolf cases were tried in France between 1520 and 1630. She should know - she was there. According to Witchdoctor Rita, we can expect a full moon on Halloween in 2020. Hope I'm still around to see it! And, according to Witchdoctor Rita, a popular Irish Halloween drink in the 18th century was made from roasted, crushed apples and milk. It was called "Lamb's Wool". She was there to make that, too!]
That’s it for this Week
OBKB. That’s it for this week. Don’t forget to change your clocks Sunday morning – go back one hour – it’s the end of Daylight Saving Time. Now, do yourself a favor. Go out and have the absolute best Halloween weekend of your life. See ya. RW, the Yardboy. (Go Bucks, Go Bearcats, Go Bengals, and Go Tony Stewart!)
[Why does Rita use a broom to fly on? -She says vacuum cleaners are too heavy.]
Tags: potato soup
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Garden Success Tip of the Week
SPRING BULBS IN CONTAINERS: You can light- up you yard next spring by planting spring bulbs now. But guess what? You can do the same thing, to light up your outdoor containers or to bring spring bulb colors inside your home. Instead of planting bulbs in the ground, simply plant them in a pot!
Growing spring bulbs in a container
Now here’s what you’ll need for your potted spring bulbs project:
8 inch or larger pots, with good drainage holes in the bottom
Soil-less potting mix for our potting medium
A little of Espoma’s Bulb Food
And the bulbs of your choice. Any of the spring flowering bulbs will work, so let’s do some pots of tulips, daffodils, hyacinths for great fragrances, and a few minor bulbs, like these crocus, for early colors.
1.) Take your pots and place about 2-3 inches or so of soil-less potting mix in the bottom.
2.) Then, evenly distribute your bulbs in the mix, point up, and feel free to plant them a little closer than you would normally in the ground. For the tulips, place the flat side of the bulb to the outside of the pot.
3.) Cover your bulbs with more of your soil-less mix, sprinkle on a little bulb food, and then continue to fill the pot to the top, lightly compressing the soil as you fill.
4.) Water your potted bulbs thoroughly.
5.) Now, here’s the secret. You must over winter your potted bulbs in a cold area. So, leave your pots of bulbs outside. Once the temperatures outside have become very cold, consistently, move the planted bulb pots inside an unheated garage or shed, put them down in a window well, or actually heel them in the ground for the winter, and cover with leaves or mulch. Check to make sure they even moisture over the winter, and otherwise, just let them sit.
6.) Early next spring, when the bulbs start to grow, bring them in to the house, or place your potted bulbs in an outdoor planter, give them a light feeding, water as needed, and let them do their ’spring thing’. When they’re totally finished, you can take them out of the pot, plant them in the garden and enjoy them for years to come!
Fall Clean-Up
Don’t forget that fall is for planting and is also for cleanup. Cleanup meaning getting rid of dead annual and perennial foliage, raking and gathering leaves as needed, possible weed control to clean up weeds before next year, clean up debris blowing into the beds, cleanup jagged bed lines as needed, cover water gardens and ponds with netting to prevent debris falling into the water to help with future cleanup, cleanout gutters, cleanup dirty and rusty tools, cleanup remaining fruits and vegetables, cleanup birdfeeders if they haven’t been cleaned for a while, and on and on. Clean up in the fall, so your garden gets off to a ‘clean’ start next spring. (Ps. start a compost pile and take advantage of much of the vegetation and yard debris you collect. Turn yard debris into garden gold for next year. And easy way to get started making a compost bin is taking 4 wooden pallets and connecting them together to form a square box (open on top and bottom), with one side hinged so it can be opened to access the compost. Makes a great inexpensive compost bin!
FALL FERTILIZING: No doubt about it – fall is here and winter is right around the corner. From squirrels to ants, critters are gathering food and storing it away for the winter. And guess what? So are your plants! As the tops of plants shut down for the winter, the roots are getting fired up! More roots are developed in the fall than any other time of the year. So, the nutrients plants get now are being converted to food that they’ll store away in those roots, and use this fall, this winter, and right on thru next spring. So feeding in mid to late fall can help to insure healthier and more robust plants next year.
Lawns – Now hopefully you’ve already fed the lawn this fall, but if you haven’t, there’s still time. An application of a slow release high nitrogen fertilizer now, and then again after the lawn stops growing for the season (usually mid to late November), will keep your lawn greener for the winter, and off to a much better start next spring. These are the most important feedings you can give your lawn.
Landscape beds – When it comes to feeding the landscape beds, a general all-purpose garden food works just fine. And why not try the all natural fertilizers like those in the Espoma lines? These natural fertilizers not only feed the plants, but feed the soil as well. As usual, follow the directions and apply accordingly as a surface application.
Evergreens – For those hollies, azaleas, rhodos, boxwood, and other evergreens, use Espoma’s Hollytone – again a wonderful natural fertilizer perfect for feeding those evergreens. But for evergreens, we recommend feeding later in the fall, and use ½ the normal application rate. We’ll feed those evergreens again next spring at the normal rates. Again, apply according to the directions as a surface feeding.
Larger trees and shrubs – And for those larger trees and shrubs, I think one of the best ways for a homeowner to feed them is by using a Ross Root Feeder. This tool injects a water-soluble fertilizer right into the root zone of the plants. This injection process also helps open small holes in the soil, allowing more air and water movement down into the root zone, as well as adding much needed soil moisture for the plants before they go into the winter. Winter is right around the corner – and your plants are hungry for the nutrients to survive and stay healthy. What do you say? Get out one weekend mid to late fall and have lunch with your landscape.
[Ever notice how some river valleys are absolutely gorges?]
Tags: fall clean-up, spring bulbs
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Plant of the Week
As we look around the landscapes right now, it’s amazing all the great fall colors we’re starting to see. You know, so many times when we’re considering plants for our landscape, we look at the spring flowers and then how the plant looks during the season, and don’t even pay attention to what the plants can add to the landscape in the fall. And in many cases, the colors they add to the fall landscape by far out surpass their spring colors and usually last way longer! So when you’re choosing new plants for your landscape, make sure you consider the fall colors as well.
 Compact Burning Bush And showing right now, with their great fall color, is Euonymus alatus ‘Compacta’, or commonly known as “Compact Burning Bush”. Now, don’t let the name fool you, as it has many people over the years. “Compact Burning Bush” can grow 8-10 feet tall and wide. And is typically planted in areas where a shrub needs to be maintained at 3-4 feet. So we’ll see these poor shrubs sheared and hacked back every spring and summer to keep them smaller. And fortunately, they are forgiving and will exist under those conditions. It’s actually called “Compact” because the regular ‘alatus’ will get 12-15 feet tall and wide! Euonymus a. ‘Compacta’ is a very hardy shrub (zone 3), and is ideal for hedging, mass plantings, or as a specimen plant. Corky winged bark, good green leaves during the growing season, and of course, the brilliant hues of reds during the fall season – thus the name “Burning Bush”. By the way, there is a true ‘compact’ selection that actually stays compact, called “Rudy Haag”. Rudy grows to about 3-5 feet high and wide.
[Ever notice that when you lose something, you always find it in the last place you looked?]
Tags: compact burning bush
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Problems in the Garden this Week
Buggy Joe Boggs is off this week, but will be back next week with one of his final 2009 BJB Reports (weather gets cold – Buggy Joe goes into hibernation. Hey, would you expect anything else from a guy named “Buggy Joe”?). In the meantime, here’s some cool stuff on trying to predict what this winter will be like!
Folklore / Predicting the Winter Ahead – For years and years, folks have been using signs of nature to help predict the weather, especially predicting the upcoming winter weather. And there are many signs of nature that have been used for these predictions, including Aunt Betty’s aches and pains in her bunions or corns, and cousin Vern’s twinges of rheumatism or arthritis.
So here are a few of those signs that we have collected over the years:
Animals predicting a bad winter: -Squirrels frantically gathering nuts in the fall -Watching to see if geese fly south earlier than usual -Squirrels building nests low in the trees -Fur on animals (cows, horses, dogs, rabbits, squirrels) is thicker than usual -Fur on rabbit’s feet is thicker than usual -Squirrel tails bushier than usual / squirrels fatter than usual -Mice working hard to invade the home and barn -Birds eat berries earlier in the season -Birds huddle on the ground -Even the breastbone of a cooked turkey helps to predict the winter (light colored indicates a mild winter / dark blue or purple says a harsh winter is ahead) -Fatter than usual skunks (who’s going to measure them?)
Plants predicting a bad winter: -Husks on corn is thicker than usual -Leaves drop before giving good fall colors -Heavy holly and dogwood berry production -Excess numbers of acorns, hickory nuts and walnuts -Numerous pine, spruce and fir cones at the tops of the evergreens -Weeds growing taller than usual in the summer (predicting deeper snows) -Rough / thick onion skins -Fruit trees blooming twice
Weather predicting the weather: -If the first week of August is hot, it will be a cold winter -The more fog during August, the more snowfall. -If September is hot, look for a mild winter at first, but the end to be very cold -Warm falls are followed by cold winters -Lots of rolling thunder during late fall means a harsh winter -An early killing frost means a harsh winter to come -A dry summer means a cold winter
Smoke predicting the weather: -Smoke from a chimney flows toward or settles on the ground, it will be a harsh winter -There is a chance of snow if it is cloudy and smoke rises -It will snow within 26 days of smoke from the chimney settling on the ground
Insects predicting a bad winter: -If there are more spiders in the fall than usual -Thickness of spider webs -Ants build their nests high -Heights of hornet nests in the trees -
And of course, the famous Woolly Worm! (Heavy coats, lots of them moving around, slow movement, amount of black color on the bands, seeing them crawling before the first frost are all signs of a bad winter) Oh yes, the all-time favorite and most common predictor of the winter to come is the Wooly Worm, also known as Wooly Bear, Fuzzy Bear, Black-ended Bear, Banded Woolly Bear (which is the name approved by the Entomological Society of America), and Hedgehog Caterpillar. The scientific name for Wooly Worms is Pyrrhactia Isabella, and they are the larval stage of the Isabella Tiger Moth, and orange – yellow moth with a wing span of about 2 inches. (The genus Pyrrhactia has many species; some are solid black, without any bands and others have bands varying in sizes.) Wooly Worms are most noticed in the fall, as they travel about, especially crossing the streets, looking for that perfect place to curl up and spend the winter, which is usually under bark, a rock, a log, etc. Their heavy coats, along with natural organic antifreeze they produce, help them over winter. They can actually survive -90 degree temperatures! (Yes, there are woolly worms in the Arctic!) In the spring, it warms back up, begins to feed for a while, then forms a cocoon, pupates, and emerges as the Isabella Tiger Moth. Fertilized females lay their eggs on a variety of plants including birch, elm, maples, asters, sunflowers, spinach, cabbage, grass, plantain, etc., where the eggs hatch, the small caterpillars begin to feed (making them herbivores), and the process starts all over again. There are usually 2-3 generations each year, and it’s the last generation that over winters as the Wooly Worm. Wooly worms have very tiny eyes, and a limited range of sight. They also have 13 segments to the body, and 3 sets of legs (one each one the first 3 body segments). And they actually go through up to 6 larval stages before entering their pupal stage. That means molting 6 times before reaching the stage that you see in the fall, during which the color and size of its bands on the 13 body segments may change. And it’s those bands that folklore uses to help predict the winter.
Now, according to folklore, the amount of black on the Woolly Worm in the autumn varies proportionately with the severity of the upcoming winter. The longer the black bands, the longer, colder, snowier and more severe the winter will be. The wider the middle brown band, the milder the winter will be. And the position of the bands indicates which part of winter will be the coldest. If the head is dark, the winter starts out severe. If the tail is dark, the end will be cold. And, being the Woolly Worm has 13 body segments; folklore says each one (beginning at the head) corresponds with the 13 weeks of winter. So reading each band could actually forecast each week of the winter. Other signs from the Woolly Worm include thicker coats mean colder winters, and if they seem to be traveling south, they are trying to escape the cold conditions of the north. On the other hand, if they are traveling north, that indicates a milder winter. But, research has shown us that the Wooly Worm’s coloring is actually based on how long the caterpillar has been feeding, its age, and of course, the species. The better the growing season, the bigger it will grow, and this results in a narrower red-orange band in its middle. So, the width of the banding is actually an indicator of the current or past season’s growth, rather than an indicator of the severity of the upcoming winter. Coloring also indicates the age. These caterpillars may molt as many as 6 times before reaching adult size and the colors will change with each molt, actually becoming less black and more reddish. (And now you know the rest of the story!) Nevertheless, I still think these folklore signs to help predict the winter weather is a lot of fun and in many cases, have been exactly on the mark! Take a look at the signs in your area, and see what happens this winter.
Ps. One of my favorite stories about predicting the weather is this one: It was fall, and the Indians on the remote reservation asked their new chief if the winter was going to be mild or cold. Since he was an Indian Chief in a modern society, he had never been taught the old secrets, so when he looked to the sky, he couldn’t tell what the weather would be. Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his tribe that the winter was going to be cold and the members should collect wood to be prepared. But, also being a practical leader, after several days, he got an idea. He went to the phone booth and called the National Weather Service to see what the coming winter was predicted to be like. The meteorologist told the chief that it looked like it was going to be a cold winter, so the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more wood in order to be prepared.
A week later, the Chief called the National Weather Service again and asked if they were still predicting a cold winter. His answer was a strong, “Yes, most definitely a cold winter.” He then went back to the tribe and ordered them to collect every scrap of wood they could find. Two weeks later, the Chief called the National Weather Service again just to make sure they were still predicting a cold winter. “Absolutely”, they told the Chief, “it’s going to be one the coldest winters ever!” The Chief then asked how they could be so sure about their predictions. The weatherman replied, “Because the Indians are collecting wood like crazy!”
[Last week I ran thru a screen door and think I strained myself.]
Tags: winter
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
Garden Questions of the Week
“Some people say you should cut your lawn short for the winter, while others swear you should leave it long. What’s the real story?” The real story is you’ll get bazillion opinions when it comes to turf care. My opinion is that as long as the grass is growing, you keep mowing. Once it stops growing you quit mowing. And that’s it. Now, if you’d like, it is acceptable to lower your mowing height ½ inch for the final couple mowings, to help compensate for any late season growth. Folks in areas where heavy snowfalls occur will do this as well to help protect against snow mold. So either keep it at the same height and mow till it quits growing, or feel free to lower it ½ inch for the final couple mowings, but still mow until it stops growing. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it!
“I take cuttings of my orn. sweet potato vines and over winter them indoors. I’ve noticed there are tubers in the ground. Are those sweet potatoes and are they edible?” -Yes they are, and yes they are – very bland tasting, but also very edible! By the way, cuttings will insure the same color vine for next year. Saving the tubers and starting new sweet potato slips next spring works, but you may not get the same color vines as the parent vine.
“I was mowing the grass by my garage, and stirred up some of the biggest mosquitoes I’ve ever seen. They are approx. 2 inches long. Now I see them everywhere. What do you think they are?” -I think you may have mosquitoes on steroids! Run for your life! Okay, just kidding, but that’s what Crane Flies look like. Their larvae, called leathernecks, live in the turf and turn into these giant mosquito looking critters. Don’t worry – no stinger or anything. And really nothing to worry about. But it seems like a good year for them in some areas.
“I want to mulch around trees that have grass growing around them. It’s a lot of work to try and remove all that sod! Do I have to remove all the grass before I mulch?” -Well, this is one time we can cheat a little bit, if needed. Mark the size of the ring you’d like to make around the tree, and using a sharp edged spade, cut the bed edge around the tree. Take those pieces away – do not throw them back into the area that will be mulched. Then, spray the grass with Roundup. This will kill the grass in the circle, but not affect the tree. Give the Roundup a few days to start working, then go ahead and mulch on top of the treated grass. Remember, 1-3 inches deep maximum, and never place mulch against the trunk of the tree. Mulching around trees should look like a donut. Speaking of mulching, be sure to lightly mulch around newly planted trees and shrubs after planting. But if you’re winter mulching, don’t do that until the ground temperatures dip close to 40 or into the 30’s. The idea is to keep the soil at that temperature throughout the winter. We’ll talk more about that at a later date.
“When is the time to apply WiltStop on my evergreens for added winter protection?” -WiltStop is an all natural antidessicant that helps to seal moisture inside evergreen needles and leaves to help protect against moisture loss and winter burn. But it’s too early to apply WiltStop. We’ll do this later in the fall, possibly around early to mid December.
“Can I dig my summer bulbs now and store them away for the winter?” -Yes, you can, or you can wait a bit longer for the heavier frosts to kill off all the foliage. Your call.
“Can I apply Preen now that I’m finished planting my spring bulbs?” -Absolutely to help stop those pesky winter annuals. But make sure you do it again next spring. If the bulb foliage has appeared next spring when you’re ready to Preen, just keep it off the bulb’s foliage.
“When should I prune my Knockout roses for the winter?” -If you have roses, including the Knockouts, just keep enjoying those flowers until the season ends. In another month or so, we’ll tell you how to put the roses away for the winter. But that’s in another month! (And you won’t be pruning that Knockout!)
“Tell me about berries on plants and whether they are poisonous or not. I have berries on my Japanese Yews, Blue hollies, and Hawthorn trees. Good or bad berries?” - Well, for the wildlife, they’re all good berries, but they’re not so good for humans. Hawthorn berries could be eaten, but are rather bland in taste and to be honest, I wouldn’t eat them. Holly berries, if several are eaten, can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. So leave them alone. On the Japanese yews, there are male and female Japanese yews, and of course, the berry is on the females. The outer fleshy part of the berry is actually edible; slimy and not tasty, but could be eaten (BUT DON’T!). It’s the black seed inside that is highly toxic if crushed. So bottom line is this – consider the entire berry on Japanese yews poisonous and do not eat them. As a matter of fact, the foliage is highly toxic, to all forms of livestock, so be cautious planting them if you own livestock. (Unfortunately, even thought they’re toxic to livestock, it’s one of the deer’s favorite landscape plants to munch on.) Again, bottom line is this – simply tell the kids “DO NOT EAT ANY BERRIES GROWING ON PLANTS.” THAT’S THE SAFEST WAY TO APPROACH IT.
“Can you give me the name of the book you were recommending on attracting birds and butterflies to the landscape?” -It’s “Attracting Birds, Butterflies & Other Winged Wonders to Your Backyard” by Kris Wetherbee. A really, really nice book, and is available online at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, or order signed copies at www.kriswetherbee.com . A great book for you and a great one for a Holiday gift!
“My pines are turning yellow and dropping needles! Help!” – Don’t panic. It’s all a part of the fall process. Yellowing or browning of older pine needles in the fall doesn’t normally indicate an insect or disease problem. Evergreen trees really don’t stay evergreen forever. They naturally drop needles after one or more years, depending on the species. And granted, some years it may go somewhat unnoticed, where other years they may all shed close to the same time, triggered by weather and other environmental or physical stress factors. White pine is the most noticeable, as they usually only hold one to two years worth of needles. Austrian and other pines may hold 2-4 years worth, again depending on the weather, and be less noticeable when they shed inner needles. And some evergreens needles turn brown or reddish and are just not as noticeable. Spruce hold needles from 3-5 years back and not as noticeable when they shed. Arborvitae will turn yellow to brown and can be very noticeable. Japanese yews yellow and shed needles in the spring or early summer, and unless the plant is extremely stressed or more open in branching, is rarely ever noticed. And of course, we have bald cypress and dawn redwood, both of which will shed all their needles in the fall and re-grow them next spring. So as long as the needles that are yellowing right now are on the inside of the pines, chances are they’re okay. But if the yellowing goes to the tips of the branches, then you have problems, and so does the pine!
[Did you see where the wind stopped blowing for one minute in Chicago? Everyone fell down.]
Tags: berries, butterflies, grass, lawn
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
From the Garden to the Kitchen with Culinary Expert, Rita Heikenfeld
Yardboy, we picked a couple bushels of Keifer pears and boy, did I wish I was less ambitious in picking. That’s a lot of pears to can. But once I got started, I was on a roll. Anyway, along with canning the pears I’m making fruit rollups/leather and also pear sauce and pear butter. Here’s the recipe for both applesauce and leather (you can use pears or apples).
Homemade Applesauce and Fruit Rollups/Leather
Wash, core and cut 3-5 pounds fruit into chunks (apples and pears work well). Leave skin on because there is pectin in the peel and that pulls cholesterol out of your body.
Cooking options:
Crockpot – Spray pot with a nonstick spray. Put fruit in. Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 until fruit is soft enough to mash.
Stovetop – Place in heavy or nonstick large pot. Add up to 1 cup water, cider or apple juice (to keep fruit from sticking), and simmer until fruit is soft. You may have to add a bit more liquid. Be careful here because the mixture tends to sputter up.
To Puree – After fruit is cooked, run through food mill or sieve, a blender, food processor. desired, sweeten to taste with sugar, Stevia or Splenda. Add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to taste. Do this while fruit is still warm. Now you have the best tasting homemade applesauce!
To turn the applesauce into fruit leather, you need to dry it to let all the moisture evaporate out, and here’s how you do it (drying to make fruit rollups/leather):
In the sun – Cover cookie sheets with foil, dark side facing up so that the fruit absorbs the sun more. Spray and spread mixture on foil, about 1/4″ thick. Place outside in the sun and bring in at night or if it rains. It will take 2 days to a week.
In the oven – Dry in warm oven. It will take anywhere from 4-8 hours or more depending upon the kind of apples, etc.
How to tell if the fruit leather is done: It should pull up from the pan in one sheet.
Storing – In refrigerator, up to 6 months, and up to l year in freezer.
Rita Heikenfeld, CCP www.abouteating.com
[Our first family dog was a 'boxer'. Good dog, except every time a bell rang, he would run and sit in the corner.]
That’s it for this Week
OBKB. That’s it for this week. Still plenty of time to get out and plant – so get growing! Now, do yourself a favor. Go out and have the best weekend of your life. See ya. RW, the Yardboy. (Go Bucks, Go Cats, Go Bengals, and Go Tony Stewart!)
Tags: applesauce
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