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[How many weeks are there in a light year?]

*Whether it's the weather - The heat wave continues on!  Fortunately, my yard and others close by or in the path of the thunderstorm were watered quite nicely.  Unfortunately, those outside of the path (which was less than a mile away in some cases) received nothing.  Stick with your supplemental watering as needed.  Remember, we're 4 weeks away from September, which hopefully also spells r-e-l-i-e-f.  While it's hot, make sure you have raised the mowing height on the lawn, don't feed the lawn while it's hot and dry, do your gardening chores in the morning or evening, deep water when you do water, keep an extra watering eye on those container plants, keep deadheading those spent flowers, and keep those weeds under control.  As a matter of fact, if need to spray insecticides, read the label for temperature restrictions, and make sure the plants have been watered in advance of spraying them.  Don't spray plants that are under heat or drought stress.

FLUFF YOUR MULCH - This time of the year can be hard on mulches, especially shredded hardwoods, and more specifically the finer shredded stuff.  The moisture and heat can actually bake it into a nice crusty form, that gets so hard, it actually repels water!  Get a hard rake, or better yet, get out that old Garden Weasel, and fluff up your mulch.  Keep it open and airy, the soil breathes better, moisture penetrates it better, and in many cases, you won't have as many occurrences of mushrooms and that ever popular 'Dog Barf Fungus'!

[Can you buy an entire chess set in a 'pawn-shop'?]

*What's bugging you? - We're getting a lot of calls right now from folks who are seeing holes in the leaves of many different types of trees and shrubs, but see no insects, and yet want to spray to stop the damages.  There are many leaf eaters out there right now from beetles to caterpillars that may have eaten and already moved on.  And usually the leaf damages (holes in the leaves) are strictly aesthetic and won't hurt the plant.  We don't want to spray what we cannot see, so do not spray unless you know what the problem is and see them, physically on the plant.  And, in many cases, the damages are so minimal, spraying is not even recommended.  Do not spray needlessly.  Still time to apply a grub preventer to the lawn if needed, but when it comes to treating for weeds or feeding the lawn, I wouldn't - not with this heat!   Buggy Joe Boggs has just returned from a wonderful family vacation in St. Augustine, so we'll let him have this week off to try and get caught up with all his phone messages and emails.  But, he will be back Saturday with his weekly report!
-Catch the 'Buggy Joe Boggs Report' Saturdays at 8:42am on 55KRC radio.

[If a jogger ran at the speed of sound, could he still hear his walkman?]

*Question mark and the Mysterians - Here are a few gardening questions from this weeks emailed news bag:

"What is the blue green stuff growing on the trunks of my pear trees?  Should I spray them with something?"?   -That's a very common thing called 'lichens'.  It's actually algae and fungus growing together on the outside of the bark.  Does not harm the tree, all natural, so leave it be.

"Do I cut off the dead blooms from my crepe myrtle to get it to rebloom?"   -Flowers come from new growth on the crepe myrtle, so removing earlier spent flowers as soon as they fade may encourage a flush of new growth and a late bloom.

"Very nice having Rita Heikenfeld and Rebecca Kolls on your show Saturday!  What was Rebecca's web site, and what is the name of her new magazine?"   -Rita is always a pleasure to have on the show, and what a super nice person Rebecca is - and she plans on being a part of the show several times throughout the year!  So I'm fortunate to have 2 great gardening sources like Rita and Rebecca joining us!  Rebecca Kolls'  web site is www.rebeccasgarden.com, and the name of her magazine is "Seasons" by Rebecca Kolls.  I get it and do enjoy it.  Rita also has a great web site which is www.abouteating.com. that you may want to check out!

"I moved from Ohio to Tennessee and still enjoy getting your newsletter.  I have a remedy for those tomato / tobacco hornworms on tomato plants.  A "good ole boy" at the Co-Op store told me to plant dill in front of my tomatoes.  I did and haven't seen a hornworm in 3 years."   -Interesting!  Thanks for the tip. (Seen any parsley worms on the dill?)

"We purchased a Blackberry Lily at the Outlet Sale last year and it is absolutely beautiful.  It's 3 times the original size.  Can this be divided?"   -Yes it can, carefully, either spring or fall.  But it does reseed itself quite easily, and that's probably what you're seeing.  Which is a good thing as the parent plant may not grow more than 2-3 years.  Digging and transplanting the seedlings is the easiest way to reduce the size and add more to other parts of the garden.  If it's reseeding too much, get rid of the flower heads / seed heads before they drop to the ground.  Let some reseed, again to insure plants for the future.

"Can you tell me how to take care of my hibiscus I just purchased?"   Yes, I can, but first, you need to tell me what type of hibiscus it is!  It's usually one of the following three: -Tropical Hibiscus, and for a container grown plant, it’s one of your best bangs for the buck for all summer flowers.  Glossy foliage, great flowers in many colors, and they love the summer.  But these are tropical, and are not hardy for our area.  They need to be taken back inside before the cold weather gets here, and grown indoors as a houseplant over the winter.  -Hardy hibiscus, or commonly known as ‘Rose of Sharon’.  Now these are hardy woody shrubs, many reaching 10 feet or more, and begin flowering in early summer and keep flowering until the fall.  But again, they are a woody plant that is very hardy for our area.  - And then there is the perennial hibiscus, which is also hardy for our area, but as most perennials do, die back over winter, and re-grow the following season.  They too flower in mid summer with gorgeous dinner plate sized flowers.  But again, are a hardy perennial plant.  So now that you know the difference between the hibiscus, email me back and I’ll tell you how to take care of the one that you have.  Still not sure?  Email us a picture. 

"I want to do a mound planting next to an existing tree, but have heard that I can't do this as it may kill my tree.  Why is that?"  -A tree's root system can be found in the top 30 inches or so of the soil, and some at an even more shallow figure.  The reason is simple - the deeper they go, the less oxygen, less nutrients, sometimes less water, and in some cases, the soils are too hard to even grow deeper.  So, if you pile soil on top of the existing soil level (with roots directly underneath that), you have just cut off the oxygen, nutrients, and sometimes moisture that those roots were originally getting.  The roots decline, and when the roots decline, so does the top of the tree, and that spells death.  On this same line, never pile soil (or mulch) against the trunk of the tree.  This causes decay, rotting, and again, eventual decline of the roots and top of the tree, resulting in death.

"My clematis has up and wilted, and many of the branches are dead.  Is that clematis wilt?"  -Could be - I say that because yes, there is a disease called Clematis Wilt, but wilting can also occur from water logging, root disease, graft failure, high winds, and insect, rodent or slug damage to the stems.  To be honest, Clematis Wilt is still somewhat of a mystery to us.  So dealing with it, well there are several suggestions, one of which is rarely recommending the use of a fungicide (some folks have used Benomyl or sulfur with some success, and must be started early in the season).  And we do know that its usually the larger flowering selections that seem to get it the worst.  So, things to do is try to start out doing what you can for the perfect environment for clematis - plant in full to partial sun, well drained yet rich loamy soils, cool shaded root system (mulch 2 inches deep or surrounding plants to shade the roots), plant 2 inches deeper, regular seasonal feedings and watering, etc.  If your clematis does wilt, prune out the infected branches immediately at least 6-12 inches below the infection.  Amazingly enough, clematis wilt rarely ever kills the plant.  I've seen them actually die back to the ground, and come back a season and half later, or right away.  Also, look for selections that have shown better resistance to clematis wilt, most of which are smaller flowering selections.

"I have some black-eyed Susan in pots on our deck, but would like to plant them in the meadow.  Do I plant them yet this year in the meadow, or over-winter them in the pots and plant in the spring?"   -Fall is a great time for planting perennials.  I would look to remove them from the pots and plant them in the ground anywhere from early September thru mid October.  Make sure you water them in well, and water as needed if we have a dry fall.

"I noticed that my red-twig dogwood had a LOT of creamy white worms, up to l and 1/4 inches long, which had riddled the leaves.  I sprayed with a systemic insecticide and when I checked this morning the surrounding ground area had numerous ones crawling around.  These worms are like nothing I've encountered before as they leave a while powdery substance on you when you pick them off.  I am concerned because this bed is planted with boxwoods, knockout roses and variegated liriope."  -That's dogwood sawflies, and there are several species.  The one you have covers itself with a white powder.  Very odd critter.  Hand pick, and spray with Sevin, Eight, Orthene, or Insecticidal soap.  They are dogwood focused, and not after the other plants.

[If swimming is good for your shape, why do whales look the way they do?]

This week's Success Tip for your garden - Controlling Slugs (and snails) in the Garden:  What are slugs and what do they do? Slugs are simply shell-less snails.  These slimy creatures are mollusks, vary in size from ¼ inch to 5 inches plus, range from dark black-brown to orange in color, are hermaphroditic (male and female) laying up to 100 eggs or more (spring and summer), and are highly dependent on moisture in the ground and surrounding habitat.  The slime trails they leave behind (when moving) become silvery when dry, and is used to identify the presence of slugs (along with holes in the plant’s foliage!).  Slugs over winter as adults in the ground. In the summer, they hide during the day under garden debris, mulch, rocks, boards, weeds and groundcover, to stay out of the sun and wind.  A slug is 80% water, and its slime is 98% water, so cool, dark and damp living conditions are important, and the main reason they feed at night, or during cloudy days.  Slugs are especially active after rainfalls or irrigation periods.  Slugs (snails) feed on a variety of living plants as well as decaying plant matter.  They have chewing mouthparts and cause plant damage by creating large irregularly shaped holes in leaves with tattered edges.  They prefer succulent foliage or flowers, seedlings, herbaceous plants, and fruit lying on or close to the ground, etc., but eat anything from garbage to feeding on bones.  Hostas, by the way, are definitely one of their favorite plants!   How can I control Slugs in my garden?  There are several ways to help control slug populations, and in most cases, a combination of methods works best.  Cultural Controls:  Eliminate places where slugs can hide, like stones, debris, weeds, and heavy mulches, and try to use plants less susceptible to slug damages.  Open up the areas to more sunlight and airflow, which slugs do not like.  Handpicking:  Have a ‘Slugfest’ to see who can pick the most slugs.  Pick at night with a flashlight in hand.  This is effective if done on a regular basis.  Water the area before picking to entice the slugs out.  Trapping:  Inverted melon rinds or grapefruit halves make excellent traps.  Scrape off the accumulated slugs daily and destroy them.  Beer-baited traps work nicely.  Use empty tuna cans, place in the ground around plants and fill with beer (non alcoholic beer works best).  Slugs are attracted to the beer, fall in the can and drown.  Empty and refill with beer as needed.  Barriers:  Copper barriers around beds will keep slugs from entering.  Using coarse sand, crushed egg shells, or used coffee grounds around desirable plants creates a border that may help keep slugs out.  Sprinkling the soil and or foliage with Diatomaceous Earth acts as a barrier; when slugs crawl across it, they are sliced and dehydrate.  Even using pine straw for mulch seems to help deter slug populations.  Baits:  Slug baits are probably the most consistent method of slug control.  Deadline, Bug-Geta Plus and SlugGeta are 3 of the most common poison baits.  Please read the label for best application methods and restrictions (some not used around edibles).  Covered containers or bait traps can be used to minimize poisoning concerns. (Cut a 2 liter pop bottle in half and then invert the top part into the bottom part to create a no escape entryway into this homemade trap.  Put your baits inside the container, which now protects it from the kids and wildlife.)  Sluggo and SlugMagic are safer to use slug baits, and can be used around children, pets, wildlife, the garden, etc; a bit less toxic and much safer around the kids and pets.  Natural Enemies:  Slugs have natural enemies, including ducks, geese, chickens, snakes, toads, turtles, birds, beetles, spiders, ants, harvestmen and firefly larvae.  Invite these guys to your slugfest!  *Always read and follow the label / directions on each recommended product before use.  Actual slug control will vary due to many factors, and rarely is there ever 100% control.  We do not recommend the use of salt in or on top of the soil for slug control.

[If white wine goes with fish, do white grapes go with sushi?]

*From the Garden to the Kitchen / Hey Rita, what's cooking? - Yardboy, it’s just too hot to cook. (By the way, our rooster – your namesake – crowed for the first time last week – it’s still a squeaky sort of puberty-like crow, but I’m sure within a couple of weeks, he’ll be a full fledged crower!).  Luckily, my garden supplies most of what we needed for supper tonight.  From the Cherokee reds to the German stripe to the tiny yellow pear, I am inundated with tomatoes! Vine ripened tomatoes and cucumbers are on our table just about every day. This dish is loaded with nutrients and just bursting with fresh flavors! Adding mint, a great digestive herb and basil, which contains iron and potassium, adds even more punch.  Add a deli-roasted chicken, and you’ve got dinner!

COOKING FROM THE GARDEN: GREEK SUPPER SALAD WITH DELI ROASTED CHICKEN - For a fairly large platter:  Mixed baby greens or greens of your choice, cut up of necessary,  8 oz Feta cheese (if you use Kroger’s Feta with basil and sundried tomatoes, then you won’t have to add fresh basil), handful of fresh mint, chopped, handful of fresh basil, julienned, your choice: 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4” slice or coarsely chopped, or cherry, pear or grape tomatoes in different colors, halved, one cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced small or Handful of salad burnet leaves, chopped, Kalamata or Nicoise olives, pitted and halved or olives of your choice. 

Lemony Dressing on top: Now this makes enough for a couple plates of salad. I usually double or triple this for a platter.  You'll need: 1/4 cup Olive oil, 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar, juice of one lemon, about 4 teaspoons, few sprigs of garlic chives, minced, or minced garlic, to taste.

 Make a layer of greens on platter or plate. Crumble feta, add mint and basil and set aside. Arrange tomatoes overlapping slightly or, if using cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes, just sprinkle, on top of greens.  Sprinkle with cucumbers or salad burnet**. Sprinkle olives on top.

 Whisk olive oil, vinegar, chives and juice. Season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle over salad. Scatter Feta on top and garnish with more mint and basil.

-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]

*Yardboy's plant to ponder - Perennial Hibiscus - have you ever seen a flower as large and colorful as those from the perennial hibiscus?  Perennial hibiscus, or sometimes known as 'Rose Mallow' are large growing woody-like stemmed perennials that actually die back over the winter and then re-grow during the following season.  If they don’t totally die back, we cut them back close to the ground in the spring to stimulate new growth and a whole new plant.  Perennial hibiscus are mid to late summer bloomers, and come in many colors and sizes, ranging from pinks, to whites, to lavenders, some with red centers - and the foliage can vary from smooth leaves to deeply serrated leaves, to maroon colored leaves.  Some of the most popular varieties include: -Disco Belle Mix, with an assortment of wonderful colors for your garden -Lord Baltimore with his outstanding large red flowers -Fireball with its bronzy cut leaves and another outstanding red flower -Kopper King with its bronzy foliage, and supporting a pinkish white flower with a red eye -And how about Turn of the Century with its unique shades of pink in a stripped fashion - absolutely gorgeous!  Perennial hibiscus tolerate full sun to light shade, loves moist soils but will grow in drier soils as well, are easy to grow and easy to maintain, and definitely something that you should consider adding to your perennial garden.

[If you can't drink and drive, why do bars have parking lots?]

Classes, Seminars, and upcoming Special Events - MARK YOUR CALENDARS!  NATORP'S WHOLESALE NURSERY OUTLET SALE IS COMING IN SEPTEMBER!   For 5 days, Natorp's will open their wholesale nursery on Snider Road in Mason to the public!  Come straight to the source for over 30,000 shrubs, evergreens, pre-dug and container trees, and over 125,000 potted perennials.  Cash n Carry, and ready for immediate pick-up.  (Installation pricing will be available for larger trees).  Dates are 9/15, 16, 17 and 9/23 &24.  Hours are Friday 11am-7:30pm, Saturdays 9am-5pm, and Sundays 12-5pm.  For more information, visit our website at www.natorp.com. (Sorry, due to daily changes in inventory, we are unable to provide a plant availability list.  You’ll just have to come and see all the great plants available at really great prices!)  Tell your friends and family, tell the neighbors, and tell everyone at work.  This is one sale you won't want anyone to miss!

"Landscape Drawing for the Professional" - August 25, 2006, 8:30am to 5:30pm, U.C. Campus, $140 fee, (513) 247-9997 for questions, 556-4678 to register.  Workshop is designed for the student or professional in horticulture, landscape architecture, architecture, or any design field.  Refreshments and lunch are included.  U.C. Horticulture Program.

$10,000 Natorp Landscape Makeover - Catch the final episode of the makeover Sunday, August 6, at 11:30am on Local 12's HomewoRx with Gary Sullivan.  I think you'll like the final look of the new landscape!

Granny's Garden School in Loveland is seeking donations of pint and quart jars, as well as funds for purchasing new sprinklers.  Send donations to Granny's Garden School, c/o Loveland Primary School, 550 Loveland Madeira Rd., Loveland Ohio 45140.  Or contact Roberta Paolo / schoolgarden@fuse.net.

Tomato Tasting Party, Thursday, August 17, 6:30pm at the Boone County Extension Office.  For admission, you need to bring one or more tomatoes for sampling (make sure you know the variety).  FREE  - Call 859-586-6101.

[Is a fly without wings called a walk?]

OBKB.  That's it for this week.  Another hot one, so take your time when working in the lawn or garden.  Believe it or not, September is only 4 weeks away!  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 during the week:  -55KRC The Talk Station 'In the Garden with Ron Wilson' every Saturday from 6-9am  - Satellite Radio / XM TalkRadio 165 every Saturday from 6-9am  -610 WTVN (Columbus) every Saturday from 10-12pm  -Friday mornings at 8:06am on 55KRC's 'The Morning Show' with Jerry Thomas and Craig Kopp  -Thursday and Saturday mornings on Local 12 News (WKRC) Homeworx Team   -Garden expert for 'HomewoRx' with Gary Sullivan on Local 12, Sunday at 11:30am.  Be sure to listen to 55KRC The Talk Station for the best in talk radio! (Home of  Tony 'Big Dog' Bender, and  Joe 'the original Joe Pro, who without Joe, the gardening show just wouldn't go' Strecker.)

[While watching a World War II movie, I had to wonder.  Why did the kamikaze pilots wear helmets?  -Big Dog's point to ponder.]