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As I look around the landscape, it is very apparent that the drought is a serious one!  Forecasted rainfall has skirted most of our immediate areas.  Down 2 inches or more just in the past month, many plants are really starting to show the symptoms.  The grass is gray green, larger trees shedding leaves and beginning to turn fall colors, annuals and perennials looking tired and worn.  And today I'm seeing cracks in the ground 1-2 inches wide.  This is no joke, but a very serious situation.  If you have larger trees, water them first (use a Ross Root Feeder).  Then work on the smaller shrubs, annuals and perennials and the lawn.  Again, it's no joke.  Your plants are very thirsty and beginning to suffer.  Join them for a drink!    (By the way, 9 more days and counting!)

[Is there ever a day that mattresses are not on sale?]

*Whether it's the weather - Enough said in the opener.  By the way, if showers are predicted in your area, get the sprinklers going before they arrive.  That will help to soften the soil and allow more of the rain to soak in, rather than run off.  And, unless they're calling for a lot of rain, I'd keep them going even while it's raining.  Call me crazy, but it is a great way to capitalize on the rainfall that you get - especially when it is already so dry!

[Why is it that when to try to catch something falling off the table, you always manage to knock something else over?]

*What's bugging you? - Not much, really, besides checking out all the bagworms I can see and no one else seems to see.  And, I don't see many sprinklers going, or Ross Root Feeders watering trees and shrubs.  I don't think most folks actually realize how dry it is, and how bad this is on their plants.  The dog day cicadas behind our house (in the woods) have been the loudest I have ever heard, and I think I've actually seen more than usual.  Crazy.

This week Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting that bagworm control has now gone physical ("physical, physical, I wanna get physical"), which means handpicking from this point forward (hey, I warned you earlier!).  BJB is also reporting multiple reports of leaf scorch (duh, there is a drought going on out there!), insect and mite galls maturing and dropping from trees (sorry, nothing you can do about them), black widow spiders are on the upswing (just to help you feel a bit better, black widows are not aggressive and would rather be living in non occupied buildings - nevertheless, the bite packs a punch!), adult wheel bugs are out and about looking for things to eat (other bugs), walnut leaves are falling due to drought and anthracnose, daylily rust is showing up here and there, along with leaf spot, web blight, and nutrient deficient plants. 
-Catch the 'Buggy Joe Boggs Report' Saturdays at 8:42am on 55KRC radio.

Speaking of galls (Joe was!), did you know they occur in several colors -- green, brown, red, yellow and blue -- and these oak galls formerly were used for dyes, tanning leather, and making ink?  As a matter of fact, the inks made from oak galls were used by Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, van Gogh, Bach, and even Thomas Jefferson for writing the you know what!  That's right, the Declaration of Independence. 

[Just curious - how do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?]

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

"My mums have ants on them.  What should I do?"   -Don't worry about the ants, but look closer for possible aphids.  The ants graze them on plants like a farmer grazes cattle, then they drink the honeydew from the aphids.  Its the aphids that can do some damages.  Blow them off with a strong stream of water, or spray if needed with Insecticidal soaps, Eight, etc.

"I heard you talking about the extinct tree Franklinia (extinct growing in the wild), and it certainly sounds interesting with all that you said!  So, where can I find one?"   -Well, it is a hard tree to find, but I can tell you that Natorp's has started growing a few this year, and will do more as time goes along.  The other source that I know of in our area is Earthscapes, located on Rt. 48 in Loveland.  I also spoke about 'Evodia', another very unique smaller tree, and the same goes for that unique tree. 

"Is there any control for wild violets in my yard?"  Kind of.  If you're in Rita Heikenfeld's yard, the violets stay.  She makes a great jelly from the flowers!  Violets are one of the toughest to control and yes, there are a couple consumer products available that list violets - Bonide's BK-32 is a systemic that lists violets and many other hard to kill lawn invaders.  In some cases, killing everything with Roundup and starting over is the best bet.  Try the BK-32 later in October, and let me know how it worked for you.

"I have many weeds coming up in our groundcover.  What all will 'Over the Top' kill?"   Over the Top is a weedy grass killer only.  It can be sprayed right over the top of many, many landscape plants without harming the plants, but only kills grasses.  By the way, don't forget to add a pre emergent such as Preen to your landscape beds one last time for the fall.  Helps control things like henbit and chickweed.

"You keep mentioning mixes and blends with grass seed.  Is there a difference, and why would I need a mix or blend?"   -Technically speaking, a mix would be a mix of different types of compatible grasses.  For instance, a common mix would be a bluegrass, perennial rye, and creeping red fescue mix.  All compatible, grow well together, and help to complement each other.  A blend would be a blending of 2 or more selections of the same type of grass.  An example here, would be a blend of 2-3 types of turf type tall fescues.  The reason for this is that each one has it's own benefits (disease resistance, color, traffic tolerance, etc), and again, help complement each other.  It is typically better to have a mix or blend in your lawn, rather than just one particular type or selection.  That's why, even though I really like the Titan Limited tall fescue, I will suggest doing a blend with 2-3 other selections of tall fescues.  Rather than an all bluegrass lawn, I would recommend a mix of compatible grasses to go with the bluegrass.  And many times, within that 'mix', you'll find a 'blend' or blues and or ryes! 

"Why am I always getting rust in my lawn?"  -Weather conditions are right, and the type of grass your growing is right for the taking.  Actually, it can show on blues, ryes, fescues, and even zoysia.  It affects grass blades, and in many cases not treated.  But if it persists or needs to be controlled, spray with a systemic fungicide 7-10 days apart until you see improvement.  Feed the lawn, mow frequently, and in this case, collecting the grass blades can help.

"What's the best way to harvest my potatoes?  They still have some foliage."   -Potatoes underground will continue to develop as long as there is foliage on top.  So if you want potatoes now, dig what you need, but leave the rest in the ground.  They'll continue to grow, and it's actually a good place to store them!

"Ron, just wanted you to know that 2 years ago, I bought the Bionic Gardening Gloves you are always talking about, and am now working on my second pair!  They are the best gardening gloves I have ever worn.  Thanks again for the recommendation!"

[Why is it that we keep going back to the refrigerator hoping that something new to eat will have materialized?]

This week's Success Tip for your garden - It's time to evaluate your turf's condition!  September is right around the corner, so evaluating your lawn now will help you to make your lawn care plans for the fall. -If the turf is all brown, look closely to see if the crowns are still green and viable.  If so, they will fill back in this fall with the usual fall fertilization.  -If there are voids in Bluegrass lawns, 4-6 inches in diameter, they should fill in on their own (bluegrass sends out rhizomes).  But if those voids are in tall fescue lawns (without Titan Limited, which does send out rhizomes) or perennial rye lawns (these are both bunching grasses - again, unless its Titan), spot seeding will be needed to fill the voids.  -If you find perennial grassy weeds like zoysia, tall fescue clumps in bluegrass or rye lawns, or nimblewill growing in the turf, treat those now with Roundup, kill everything, then reseed or resod in early September.  If zoysia is being killed, make sure it gets killed!  For added protection, removing the zoysia sod may help.  -If your lawn is 50% or more weeds, then you should consider total renovation, which means everything is killed with Roundup (2 applications 10 days apart), and then reseed or resod the area in early September.  You can kill, mow it low, and slice seed right through the dead stuff!   -If the lawn is 70% turf grass and 30% or less weeds, over-seeding (slice seeding) and fertilizing, then spraying the weeds in mid to late October works well.  You'll still do the last feeding in late November.

Remember, late August and early September is turf time, which means you need to have your plan in place.  Core aerating, seeding, over seeding, sodding and the first fall feeding is right around the corner.

[Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use, the bubbles are always white?]

*From the Garden to the Kitchen / Hey Rita, what's cooking? - Yardboy,  my herb garden is still giving me an abundant harvest. But this heat is taking its toll, especially on the annual herbs, which are flowering and going to seed almost quicker than I can pick them. Today I’m sharing some tips for preserving all those wonderful herbs.  For more methods of preserving herbs, readers can go to my web page www.abouteating.com. 

PRESERVING HERBS BY DRYING:  Except for lavender (the flower buds contain the most flavor and fragrance),  I like to use the leafy portion of the herbs - the flavor of herbs is best right when the plant is beginning to form buds, but most of the time, I harvest whenever I can. Sometimes it’s at this stage, other times the herbs are in full flower. And remember, the flowers of culinary herbs are edible, so if you want to dry them, that’s OK.  My thought is at least I’m getting them harvested! 

TRADITIONAL BUNCHING OF THE WHOLE PLANT:  Herbs like basil, catnip, chives, feverfew, lemon balm, marjoram, mints, except apple mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, among others, dry nicely by these traditional methods:  1.  Strip an inch or so from the bottom of the stem and hang upside down secured with a rubber band or string away from heat, light and moisture (or hang upside down in paper bag).  2.  You can also place the leaves in single layers in a basket, on a cloth or screen.  When they crinkle between your fingers, they’re dry. Strips leaves from stems and leave whole if possible.  Volatile oils stay intact until you crush them for cooking.  Store away from heat and light. To use dry herbs in place of fresh, use l/3 of the amount called for, since dry herbs are stronger.  Herbs hung in bunches, dried naturally usually turn a grayish green. To keep a brighter color, see “Chopping up Herbs” below.

CHOPPING UP HERBS TO DRY ON SCREENS, ETC.: Although you can dry herbs by the traditional methods above, if you want better color, some herbs are best if chopped and dried quickly in leaf or flower form only.  I think that some herbs, like apple mint, basil, chamomile (flowers), chive flowers and leaves, dill, lovage, oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme, even rose petals, dry with better color when they are removed from the stems and cut into small pieces, except for chamomile – I dry the whole flower. After chopping,  put them in a single layer and dry on screens for large amounts, or on cookie sheets in a barely warm oven (keep the door ajar if necessary) for small amounts. Stir every day, and then store.  Herbs preserved in this manner will dry more quickly than those hung on the stems and thus keep their color better.   Witness this: Last summer I had a paper grocery bag full of fresh herbs in the trunk of my car. It was hot, hot, hot.  Within a week or so, they dried and retained a nice color.  Now herbs are supposed to dry away from heat and light.  As I said, herbs don’t always follow the rules!

SAVE SEEDS FOR WINTER DISHES!  To save seeds to use in cooking (or for planting next year), remove seed heads and lay them out in an airy, dry, dark place.  When they are dry, shake them out and store in containers away from heat, light and moisture.  Or tie stems of herb seeds with a rubber band and hang upside down in a bag.  Seeds will drop into the bag as they fall off.

NOTE:  Riat, I'm glad this is your tip for the week!  Joe Strecker, exec. producer for the gardening show, has an 'Earthbox' that I gave him to experiment with, and he chose to grow an herb garden in it!  The herbs have outdone themselves, as well as outdone the amount of herbs one family can use!  So, Joe can now read this, go home and begin drying his herbs for later use!

-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]

[How come Superman could stop bullets with his chest, but he always ducked when someone threw the gun at him?]

*Yardboy's plant to ponder - If you ever visit down south, one of the outstanding trees you’ll see, especially around the swamps and lakes, is the Baldcypress.  So, I’m always getting the question, will Baldcypress grow in our area?  And the answer is, yes, and we’ve been growing here for a long time!  It's called  Taxodium distichum, or commonly known as Baldcypress.  And although its natural range is in the south, this wonderful tree is hardy enough to be grown as far north as Minnesota and southern Canada.  Granted Baldcypress enjoys moist soils, but will also adapt to wet, dry or well drained soils.  As a matter of fact, we’re now using Baldcypress as a suggested street tree!  Baldcypress is a big tree, so give it plenty of room to grow.  Its reddish brown fibrous bark is very distinctive, along with its sage green needle foliage that turns a nice orange to pumpkin brown in the fall.   That’s right - they loose their needles in the fall, just like the trees shed their leaves! 

   And if you’re looking for something a little different, check out the Pondcypress, or Pond Baldcypress.  Same growing conditions as the regular Baldcypress, and although Pondcypress can reach 70 feet in height, it’s a narrow tree getting about 20 feet wide.  But here’s what’s so unique about Pondcypress - no needles like the regular Baldcypress - a more juniper like foliage!  The foliage is a nice green during the season, and turns a wonderful fox red in the fall.  And what about the cypress ‘knees” you always see in the swamps?  They typically only form when the Baldcypress is growing in wet areas.  Plant them in well drained soils - usually no knees!  

   If you like the look of the Baldcypress, then you'll probably also like the look of Metasequoia glyptostroboides - or commonly known as Dawn Redwood.  Another very large growing tree, with 'taxus' or Japanese yew type needled foliage that also turn orange brown in the fall and drop, reddish brown bark, and also grows in all soil conditions from moist to well drained.  I like this tree, and like the look a little more than that of the Baldcypress.  But it is definitely an under-used, larger growing, evergreen-looking tree for the landscape. 

[If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?]

A little bit of this and a little bit of that - Just so you can say you're always ahead of the game, here are a few of the 2007 award winning plants:  2007 Hosta of the Year / Hosta 'Paradigm - leaves are heart shaped, puckered, gold with a blue green margin - grows 24 x 36inches - leaves approximately 8 x 10 inches.   2007 Herb of the Year / Melissa officinalis 'Lemon Balm'- perennial herb, member of the mint family, used in culinary and medicinal purposes, lemony scented leaves, hardy to zone 4.   2007 Perennial of the Year / Nepeta f. 'Walkers Low' -common name Catmint - gray-green aromatic foliage that cat's love- long blooming soft lavender blue flowers - used as a taller border plant - loves the heat and the sun - attracts butterflies, hummingbirds but repels deer and rabbits.  2007 AARS / 'Rainbow' Knockout Rose (yellow-eyed pink / shrub), 'Moondance' (white / floribunda), and 'Strike It Rich' (orange-gold / grandiflora).  We'll keep you posted as more 2007 award winning plants are announced!

"EH"?  A recent Ipsos Reid survey in Canada says that 21% of Canadians prefer working in the backyard to intimate interludes.  The survey also showed that 1 in 5 homeowners compete with neighbors for the best garden and greenest lawn, with the men feeling the most need to be the best, and that 17% of the group surveyed admitted to stealing flowers from other gardens.  Geez.

An unapproved genetically engineered creeping bentgrass (developed to be resistant to Roundup) has been discovered growing wild in central Oregon near the site of field tests that took place a few years ago.  A small patch was found by ecologists at the EPA; they have stated that the small grass patch should not pose an ecological threat.  This is the first time in the US where a bio-technology plant has established itself outside a farm.  -New York Times

[If you mixed vodka with orange juice and milk of magnesia, would you get a Phillip's Screwdriver?]

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!

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden  invites you to check out their annual plant trials for 2006!  Visit the Zoo and not only enjoy the animals, but see one of the best display of beautiful gardens.  Over 150 varieties of annuals are planted in the gardens, both in ground and in containers.  And, they're all labeled so you'll know what they are!  Director of horticulture Steve Foltz and his staff has really outdone themselves with this years plantings.  The Zoo's top picks for 2006 will be published in a pamphlet later on.  Past years picks pamphlets are available at the Botanical Center, or online at www.cincyzoo.org.

"City of Mason Farmer's Market" - Every Saturday thru Oct. 14 - 8:00am until 12:00pm - Mason Middle School parking lot on the corner of Tylersville and Mason Montgomery Rd. - Enjoy fresh picked seasonal produce 'direct from the farm' and the folks who grew it - Come visit with old friends and meet new ones at your Mason Farmer's Market, and enjoy fresh picked great tasting home grown produce!

"Gardening with Perennials" - presented by The Perennial Plant Association and OSU - Monday, September 11, 8:30am to 5:00pm - OSU's Kottman Hall Auditorium (2021 Coffey Rd) - $75 fee - Speakers include Adrian Bloom, Dr. Denise Adams, Tracy DiSabato-Aust, Paul Tukey, Troy Marden, and Dr. Steven Still.  This is one power-packed information filled day of learning.  1-614-771-8431 to register or for more information.

[If you take a man from the orient and spin him around, does he become disoriented?]

That's it for this week.  I want to wish a Happy Anniversary to my wife, who has put up with me for over 31 years.  That's a long time to deal with this ole yardboy.  Yes, she is a saint!  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 programming director Tony 'Big Dog' Bender, and executive producer Joe 'the original Joe Pro, who without Joe, the show just wouldn't go' Strecker.)

[Why do we say something is out of whack?  What is a whack? - Big Dog's point to ponder]

A message from Granny's Garden School:
Volunteer breakfast: Have you volunteered or are you considering volunteering to coordinate or help with gardening in your child's classroom? You are invited to attend a volunteer breakfast Tuesday, August 29th 9:30-11:30 in the gardens.  Breakfast will be served at 9:30 and be followed by and opportunity for new volunteers to network with experienced coordinators and an hour of basic training.  If necessary, you are welcome to bring a younger sibling.  Please RSVP by responding to this e-mail.
Granny's Garden School is launching a fundraising campaign to raise funds for four much needed part time staff positions.  The Meshewa Farm Foundation is offering a $10,000 matching grant.  They will match every dollar donated to the garden  program between now and Thanksgiving.  Granny's Garden School is a 501 (c) (3) non profit so your donations are tax deductible.  Mail donations to Granny's Garden School, 20 Miamiview, Loveland, OH 45140

Raise funds while searching the internet:  How often do you search the internet?  Now, every time you search, you can make a donation to Granny's Garden School.  Follow the link below, enter Grannys Garden School as the charity you are supporting, then add the page to your favorites.  It's that easy.  http://www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=816045  Now, every time you search the internet, the garden program will receive a penny.  It might not sound like much but consider this: 100 supporters search the internet just twice a day = $730/year.  Please let me know if you sign up and please ask others to help as well.