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Week 16
(6/15/06)
What a beautiful week this has been! Lower temperatures, sunny days -
just wonderful mid June days. Hey, not much more I can say besides,
"Thank you Mother Nature" (Although it looks like very hot
temperatures moving in for the weekend!). Father's Day is this
weekend, so don't forget good ole dad. Some good news here, dads. it
looks like spending for Father's Day gifts will be up this year! Not
as much spending going on as on Mother's Day, but hey, we'll take it,
right?
[It is a wise father that knows his own child. -Wm. Shakespeare]
*Whether it's the weather -
Lovely weather
this week, but nevertheless, newly planted annuals and perennials will
dry out quickly with these sunny days. Thoroughly soak your lawn and
larger root balled plants all at one time, using the 1 inch of
rainfall every 10 days or so rule (of course always monitor the soil
and root balls to make sure they aren't drying out quicker, or staying
wet longer), and thoroughly soak your annuals and perennials when you
do water, which may wind up being every 2 days, 3 days, 4 days -
again, just depends on the soil, the plants and the rainfall. Point
being, don't be a water tease and just mist these plants every day.
Water less frequently, and when you do water, water thoroughly and
deeply. And in most cases, it's best to water the soil, not the
plant.
[Any man can be
a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.]
*What's bugging you?
-Have you been watching for those bagworms? Well, at this stage, they
have pretty much all hatched, and ballooned to wherever they wanted to
go. So keep an eye on those evergreens just to make sure they didn't
balloon to your yard. If so, a quick shot of Bt will do the trick.
This week, Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting a lot of
reports from homeowners whose honeylocusts are experiencing
'problems'. Several things causing these problems include late
frosts, calico scales, and plant bugs. And now we're seeing mimosa
webworm and honeylocust spider mites. Bottom line is have someone try
to id the problem before you attempt control. In many cases, nothing
can be done, besides feeding and watering as needed and keeping those
stressed locust as healthy as you can! Chinch bugs are showing up in
lawns (a sucking insect which if you look closely down into the canopy
of the turf, you can see them), earwigs are showing up in landscape
beds, potato leaf hoppers are showing up on trees, and all the things
Joe talked about last week, are still happening this week. (That's an
easy way to get out of typing more bug stuff!) Catch the Buggy Joe
Boggs Report every Saturday at
8:42am on 55KRC
radio.
ps - Now is the time to apply grub preventer to your lawn!
[A father is
always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman
he turns her back again. -Enid Bagnold]
*Question mark and the Mysterians
- Here are a few gardening questions from this weeks emailed news bag:
"I have little
black bugs on my potato leaves. What are they and what do I do?"
-Probably flea beetles, and it's a very common problem on many
vegetable plants. They feed on tops and bottoms of leaves, and are
quick boogers in the garden, so they move when you move! Sprays of
rotenone, even diatomaceous earth dustings may help. For regular
insecticides, use Eight vegetable spray or dust, and make sure you do
the tops and bottoms of the leaves.
"This may be a
dumb question, but what are the cone shaped things hanging from the
top branches of my Norway spruce? They're 2-3 inches long, and
smooth, unlike pine cones. Bagworms?" -Not bagworms, and not pine
cones - they're spruce cones! And they haven't opened up yet - but
they will.
"I am finding
small holes in my yard, and next to the holes, I'm finding these
paper-like cocoons or casings. What is that?" -Great question! The
holes are from the birds digging in the turf looking for bugs. The
paper-like cocoons are the silk casings that sod webworm caterpillars
live in! Birds dig them out of the ground, and then eat the
caterpillar out of the silk cocoon. The birds are actually aerating
the lawn, and getting rid of the bad bugs at the same time!
"Is there any
type of repellent for snakes in my garden?" -Actually there is a
snake repellent available for you to sprinkle in the garden. Never
used it myself, but lot's of folks do! Remember, snakes are a good
thing in the garden, as long as they stay away from me!
"Are coffee
grounds good fertilizer for all plants, or just hydrangeas?" -Coffee
Grounds to “Wake Up” the Garden! The next time you’re in Starbucks
or your favorite coffee shop, place your order for your favorite
morning jolt, and then say, “One bag of used coffee grounds to go,
please.” Spent coffee grounds, if used properly (and in moderation),
are an excellent way to wake up the plants in your garden. At
Starbucks, coffee shops, at home, or at the coffee machine at work,
spent coffee grounds are generated every day, and FREE for you to use
in your garden, adding all its benefits, as well as reducing the
amount of coffee waste going to landfills. Benefits of reusing
Coffee Grounds: -Great source of organic matter added to the soil,
whether in-ground, or in containers. -Helps to improve texture,
moisture retention capabilities, and fertility of the soil. -Valuable
source of nutrients, especially nitrogen, as well as low levels of
potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur. (Carbon-Nitrogen ratio of
about 20:1) -Combined with brown material (leaves, straw, etc.) they
generate heat which helps speed up the composting process. -Acidity
of used coffee grounds will lower the soil pH. Always test the soil
for proper pH levels. -Worms absolutely love coffee grounds!
Possible ways to use coffee grounds for your plants and soil:
-Add the used coffee grounds directly to the soil surface (landscape,
flower and vegetable gardens) as a soil amendment, and till them in.
-Simply sprinkle around plants and water it in. Azaleas, hollies,
hydrangeas, evergreens and acid loving plants will certainly
appreciate a shot of coffee grounds. Rose growers have been using
coffee grounds around their roses for years! As always, use in
moderation, and always check the soil’s pH levels. -Used
coffee grounds have been reported to act as a natural ‘soil’ insect
repellent. -Sprinkle of few grounds around your indoor plants, or mix
in with the potting soil. Some gardeners have seen reductions of
fungus gnats when using coffee grounds. -Scatter them (sparingly) in
the lawn before rain or watering. -Add them to your compost pile;
they help speed up the composting process, and whether you add them to
the compost or mix in the soil; earthworms will love you for adding
coffee grounds! It’s one of their favorite foods! -Great for vermi-composting
(combined with other worm-feeding materials). -Home brew liquid
fertilizer, using about ½ pound of wet used grounds in 5 gallons of
water. Let sit for 24 hours and apply around plants. Now just like
anything, apply used coffee grounds in moderation. Lighter is better
than heavier applications. They will lower the pH of the soil, so we
do suggest a simple pH soil test on a regular basis, to assure proper
pH levels for the plants growing in that area.
[Fatherhood is
pretending the present you love most is 'soap on a rope'. -Bill
Cosby]
This week's Success Tip for you garden
- As we move into the summer season, it's time to finalize that summer
mulching. As we all know, mulching helps to reduce weeds, helps to
control soil temperatures, helps to retain soil moisture, and it just
looks good! But so many times, 'over mulching' becomes a detriment to
our landscapes and the plants trying to grow in them. There are many
types of mulches available, and in most cases, what is used becomes a
personal preference. Personally, I like the fine pine bark or pine
straw (pine needles), and the new 'SoftScape Mulch' has gotten my
attention as well. I also like using composted materials such as
mushroom compost, Posy Power or SweetPeet. They break down and add
organic matter back to the soil. Pine bark is the same way. Shredded
hardwood (the dark brown / black mulch) remains the most popular with
homeowners, but is also the mulch that we can see more mushrooms and
dog barf fungus, artillery fungus, and crusty tops. But again, it
becomes personal preference. Our point today is this - no matter
which mulch you use, more is not better. As a general rule, mulching
is done in depths of 1-3inches, deeper mulch usually being around
larger trees and shrubs or established landscape beds. But as far as
I'm concerned, the thinner the layer of mulch, the better. Deep mulch
can set your plants up for troubles like roots moving into the mulch,
then becoming susceptible to drought when the mulch dries out, or it
can set up a situation where the deep mulch actually acts as an
umbrella, and sheds the water off to other areas besides the roots
below! Deep mulch can cut down on oxygen getting into the soil and
roots. And as we have preached for years, mulch piled up against the
trunks of trees can actually set up the tree for diseases on the
trunk, which will cause tree decline and eventual death. And if that
doesn't kill the tree, the rodents living in the deep mulch chewing on
the tree trunks will! Keep mulch depths to a desirable depth for the
plants you're mulching around, and by all means, never, ever, pile
mulch against the trunks of trees.
[A father is a
guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be.
-Unknown]
*From the Garden to the Kitchen / Hey Rita, what's cooking?
- Yardboy, we have been having so much fun in the garden, picking
peas, mesclun greens, including mizuna, and so much spinach! And I’m
getting teased by family and friends about my manure tea “brewing”
right in the middle of the herb garden. It’s well rotted chicken
manure in a big bucket of water. After a week or so, this makes a
nourishing, natural, fertilizing drink for my herbs, flowers and
veggies. Granted, it doesn’t have the most aromatic smell but, hey, it
works.
YUMMY POTATO
PANCAKES WITH CHIVES AND FRESH SPINACH - The easy part is if you use
frozen, shredded hash browns. Plan to spend more time if you use fresh
potatoes. I love adding a handful of chopped chives from the herb
garden instead of the onions. This is a great accompaniment to any
grilled meats, or as a side for bacon and eggs. You can make larger
potato pancakes (sometimes I make ones that fill the skillet) if you
like. Here's what you'll need: -1 pound shredded fresh potatoes, or
frozen potatoes, thawed and squeezed pretty dry -2 eggs, lightly
beaten or egg substitute -2 tablespoons flour or bit more to hold
mixture together -Salt and pepper or seasoning salt to taste -1/2 to 1
cup fresh chopped chives or 1 small onion, minced -Couple of handfuls
or so of chopped, fresh spinach. Mix everything together. With a
small ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out portions of
potatoes on hot griddle or omelet pan which has been filmed with a
light coating of olive oil. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
SPICED GARLIC
SPINACH - Fill the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil, about 3
tablespoons or so. Add a tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/4 to 1/2
teaspoon red pepper flakes, and sauté just until fragrant. Add lots of
fresh spinach, 2 bags, 10 oz each, will do it. Toss with tongs until
wilted and season with salt. You’ll be surprised, Yardboy, that your
yield with all this fresh spinach will be a couple of cups. This
makes a great bed for sautéed poultry, seafood, or as a side dish.
-Rita Nader
Heikenfeld, CCP / Macy’s Regional Culinary Professional / Herbalist /
Author / Local TV and Radio Cooking Expert / Adjunct Professor U.C.
Clermont College / Community Press Papers / [life@communitypress.com attn:
Rita or
www.abouteating.com]
[By the time a man
realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son (or
daughter) who thinks he's wrong. -Charles Wadsworth]
*Yardboy's
plant to ponder
- Let's take a look at 3 perennials (of the many!) that have my
attention right now. 1.) Brunnera, or commonly known as 'Bugloss',
and the cultivar I really like is 'Jack Frost'. It's a 15-18 inch
mounding perennial, with blue spring flowers, growing best in partial
shade but handles deep shade as well, and the foliage is absolutely
wonderful! The leaves are ovate and can get 8 inches in diameter, and
with 'Jack Frost', they are an outstanding silvery variegation, which
really makes them pop in the shade garden! A great substitute for
hosta. 2.) Ligularia, and the name 'The Rocket' is assigned to many
species. Large clumps of upright foliage, some green some maroon,
serrated and ovate (8inches diameter), with flower stalks (yellow)
that can reach 5 feet or more! This one loves the sun, but actually
grows best in filtered sun or eastern exposure (they will wilt during
hot afternoon suns). 3.) Delphinium, or 'Larkspur', is another
upright grower reaching 4-6 feet, large leaves, early to midsummer
bloomer (several colors to chose - main flower is blue), loves the sun
and makes a good backdrop plant. Three great perennials to consider
for your landscape or perennial garden.
["Father's Day
is like Mother's Day, except you don't spend as much money." -3rd
grader's description]
A
little bit of this and a little bit of that
- If your fruit trees are beginning to droop from the weight of the
excessive fruit, you may want to consider thinning to prevent branch
damage, as well as help increase the size of the fruit that remains!
If your tree automatically drops a few fruits, it already knows it's
better to do that for it's own sake! Keep mowing on a regular
basis, as remember to mow at a higher mowing height - 3 to 31/2
inches. Throw those clippings back onto the existing turf, and make
sure you have those mower blades sharpened on a regular basis. If you
see your grass developing a yellow tint on the tips of the blades,
look closely and you'll see that the blade is tearing the blade, not
cutting it cleanly. This can stress your grass, and set it up for
insect and disease problems.
Did you see
the latest report on the newest 'organic' fungicide? It's cornmeal!
Researchers noticed that peanuts planted after a crop of corn didn't
suffer the usual fungus diseases. Further research showed that
cornmeal contained beneficial organisms that were as effective as
common chemical fungicides. So, research continues and is finding
cornmeal effective on many things from turf grass to roses and
blackspot. And it can be used on edibles as well. So far, research
has been using it in the soil or as a spray. 2 pounds of cornmeal
worked into every 100 square feet of soil, or soak 1 cup of cornmeal
in 1 gallon of water overnight, strain the liquid, and use as a spray
on susceptible plants. Again, this is a new thing still being
researched, but if try it, let us know how it worked for you!
If you're
looking for the perfect gift for dad this Father's Day, why not get
him something for the garden? A new gardening tool, hose or
sprinkler, or better yet, have a tree planted for dad! Our garden
stores are having a great special on planting fees to plant that tree
for dad. For more details, click on the Father's Day Special at the
beginning of this newsletter (right hand side).
While you're
visiting the garden stores this weekend, look for extra specials like
41/2 inch annuals now $2.49, or potted roses 30% off (does not include
Knockouts), or selected nursery plants 10-50% off, fresh growing herbs
5 or more $2.99 each, and selected garden gifts, 10-50% off.
[There's
something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words
when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to
be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth
that feels like love itself. -J. Brown]
Classes, Seminars, and upcoming Special Events
- Join the yardboy, Ron Wilson, this evening from 7-8pm, for a walking
landscape tour of Homerama at Long Cove. Plant identification,
thoughts about the designs, and answering your gardening questions
will all be a part of the walk. It's free with your Homerama
admission - meet at the concession tent.
Tour the Clear
Channel Concept Home 'free'. Located on Carmelle Woods Drive in
Mason, this is a state of the art home with the latest in styles and
designs. Donations are welcome. For more info, visit
www.wkrc.com.
"Mason in
Bloom" presents "Art in the Garden", Saturday, June 17, beginning at
10:00am. Quilts on the Lawn, Book signings, Giveaways, door prizes,
and of course, the garden tour through some of the most unique gardens
in Mason. It all starts at the Mason Library. For more information,
visit
www.masoninbloom.com.
"Natorp's
$10,000 Landscape Makeover - We start the makeover next week, so keep
visiting our website and stay turned to 'HomewoRx' on Local 12 to see
the landscape makeover in progress and, of course, the final results!
June 17
(18).
Friends of Baker Hunt "Heritage
Garden Fare"
- 620 Greenup St., Covington. Noon to 5pm Art Exhibition and
Demonstrations Garden Tours Garden Related Items Garden Lecture
Series: Sat. 1pm Denny McKeown 2pm Ron Wilson 3pm Jim Hansel Sun.
1pm
Steve Foltz 2pm Tim Young 3pm Marvin Duran. Visit:
www.bakerhunt.com
June 21. Lunch
and Learn Series: Hostas
at the Civic
Garden
Center,11:30
am – 12:30 pm. Mary Raterman, Master Gardener, CGC Volunteer,
and Hosta connoisseur, will lead us through the Pat Kipp Memorial
Shade Garden for an up close look at the Hosta genus. Many excellent
varieties grow right here at the CGC, so if you have shade in your
yard and don’t know what to plant – don’t miss this class! The
program is free, but an advance reservation is requested; call 513/
221-0981, Ext. 18.
June 23. "Flavors
of Neighborhood Gardens - 25 Years and Growing"
Celebrate the Civic Garden Centers 25th Anniversary of the
Neighborhood Gardens program. Food, wine, beer and the sounds of 'Liquid
Village'.
6-8:30pm Civic Garden Center $25 in advance $30 at the door RSVP by
June 16th 513-221-0981 ext 18.
June 24. "Summer
Garden Tour" - Monfort Heights / White Oak Community
10am -4pm 5 great gardens to tour Tickets are $10 and available in
advance at the Monfort Heights branch of the Cheviot Savings Bank on
Cheviot Road.
[To be in your
children's memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.
-B. Johnson]
That's it
for this week. It is Father's Day weekend, and as I look at the U.C.
graduation pictures from last weekend (posted here above my desk), I
see the greatest 2 Father's Day gifts that I could ever ask for - both
of my daughters. Now, do yourself a favor. Go out and have the best
weekend of your life. See ya. RW, the Yardboy.
[Catch Natorp’s
own grown yardboy Ron Wilson every Saturday, 6-9am, ‘In the Garden’ on
55KRC Thee Talk Station (home of the Big Dog Tony Bender and Joe
"without Joe this show just wouldn't go" Strecker) , every Friday
morning 8:06am on ‘The Morning Show’ with Jerry Thomas and Craig Kopp
(55KRC), every Thursday and Saturday morning on Local 12 –WKRC
Homeworx Team, and occasional appearances on 'Homeworx' (Sundays at
11:30am Local 12). |
