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In This Issue
Weather It's The
Weather
What's Bugging
You
Questionmark and
Mysterian
Success Tip of
the Week
From the Garden
to the Kitchen
Plant to Ponder
Contact
Information
Up
Coming Events
Help Granny in the Perennial and Herb Garden, and get FREE
Perennials in exchange for your time! July 1-8
schoolgarden@fuse.net
grannysgardenschool.com
Greater Cincinnati Daylily and Hosta Society's Annual
Daylily Show
July 7th Northgate Mall
Show 1-6pm
Daylily Sale
10am to 6pm
gcdhs.org
Civic Garden Center 2007 Neighborhhood Gardens Tour / July
12 (evening)
Bus Tour, so Reservations are needed. Call (513) 221-0981
ext. 18.
This is a very "Special" Tour - $10 ticket
Emerald Ash Borer Update for N.Ky.
July 31 / 6:30pm
1045 Eaton Dr.
Ft. Wright, Ky.
Free but please RSVP
859-586-6101
Boone Co. Extension
Meyer Aquascapes
Pondarama Pond Tour
July 28 and 29
Self Guided Tour
26 Landscaped Ponds
$10 Ticket
(513) 941-8500
aquascapes.com
26th Ohio Prairie Conference July 27 /28
"Prairies are for People"
Open to the Public
www.ohioprairie.org
Quick Links
$10,000 Landscape
Makeover
Newsletter
Archive
Success Tip Sheets
Landscape Design Kit
Gift Cards
Rita's Recipes
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Whether It's The Weather
Interesting how Mother Nature comes through just when you
think it's all over! Recent showers have been a true
blessing, IF you were in line with the showers. Still
getting reports from folks around the area who have
experienced 1 inch or less of rainfall over the past week or
so. Still a serious situation out there. Keep reading the
rain gauge and keep watering as needed. Newly planted trees
and shrubs (within the past year or so) need watering right
into their immediate root ball, then the surrounding soils.
Larger established trees and evergreens need your help if it
continues to stay dry.
Couple
good things out of the drier conditions - fewer gnats,
horseflies and deerflies, and fewer reports of mosquitoes.
And drier soils means fewer grub eggs being laid and fewer
hatching (they need soil moisture for both). And, I think
we've seen less foliage diseases as well.
[I used to work in a blanket factory, but it folded.]
What's Bugging You
I had a
few biting flies bugging the heck out of me, but sounds like
that's nothing compared to the outbreak of blood sucking
black flies in Spain! Seems there are hoards of these
critters along rivers and reservoirs, and they come out in
early morning or at dusk. Now get this - they're only 2-3
millimeters long which makes them harder to spot than
mosquitoes. And are you ready for this? Their voracious
bite with their vigorous jaws (impressive use of words, eh?)
releases a cocktail of chemicals that produce allergic
reactions. But the kicker is yet to come! You don't notice
the bite because they inject an anesthetic into your skin,
as well as an anti-clotting agent and a vasodilator. So the
damage is done and you don't even know it until you start to
swell up around the bites. Makes you appreciate the
mosquito, which by the way, likes still stagnant water to
breed in, where the blood sucking black fly enjoys clean
river water. And that, my friend, is why the populations
are increasing in Spain - they've drastically improved their
water quality over the past several years. Go figure!
This
week, Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension), who says M-80's and
Cherry Bombs were his choice of July 4th fireworks (he is
definitely out of control), is reporting Canada thistle now
in full bloom (and setting those thousands of seeds which
will all blow into your landscape mulch), locust leafminer
in Black Locust (that's why they turn a reddish brown
color), time to treat for bagworms if you haven't already (I
have yet to see an active colony (colony?) of bagworms!),
pockets of Japanese beetles here and there, ash flower gall
mites attacking leaf buds rather than flower buds (darned
confused mites), red headed ash bores adults partying,
mating and laying eggs (I hear they throw a pretty wild
party), there's a new kid in town - the annual bluegrass
weevil has been reported in Cleveland (Cleveland?), and
those nasty emailed rumors about Brown Recluse spider bites
are circulating again. Joe says do remember that they are
rarely seen in Ohio, and even in the southern states where
they are common, very few bites have actually been
documented. (Maybe because the people died? Just kidding! A
little pre-4th humor.).
Catch
The Buggy Joe Boggs Report Saturdays at 8:42am on 55KRC The
Talk Station.
Stay
informed about the Emerald Ash Borer! Go to
ashalert.osu.edu or
www.emeraldashborer.info.
[Joe used to work as a lumberjack, but he couldn't hack it,
so they gave him the ax.]
Questionmark and the Mysterians -
Your Questions Answered
"I am a
new herb grower after listening to Rita Heikenfeld on Ron's
show. But I have a question. What part of the dill do you
use - the flower head or the green leafy part? And if I'm
canning later this summer (pickles) will I still have
dill?" -Well, let's see what our herbalist Riat has to
say! "Dill does not take to pruning as well as, say,
basil. You'll get side growth but the flower heads that
form again won't be as big as the original. For pickling, I
use the flower and the leafy part. The flower is more
"dilly" tasting to my palate. You can also use the dill
seeds if they have formed. Just be sure to use plenty of
dill in each jar. Depending on when the cucumbers are ready
you may have time to plant more dill seeds. The rate of
germination now is usually pretty good. If you can't find
seeds, try using the ones in the jar on the pantry shelf.
They should grow!"
"I'm not
getting any fruits yet on my squash and cucs. What's up?"
-I always blame 2 things. 1.) When it's really hot, some
plants just shut down fruit production. 2.) Many times,
you'll get male flowers but no females. Just wait, as the
males appear first, females appear later. And also remember
they need really good pollination to set fruit. No bees, or
low populations of bees, and there's no pollination or very
little. Invite those bees into the garden, or it'll be you
and a q-tip doing what the bees would have done! (Speaking
of bees, check our our bee tip a little further along in the
newsletter.)
"How do
I get rid of those white stains that shown up on my clay
pots?" -That's usually salt build-up. In the spring,
before you pot them up, clean them thoroughly with a bleach
and water solution (10% bleach), rinse well, and let them
dry. Then treat the insides of the clay pots with a pot
sealer (usually a silicone spray). Not only will this cut
down on salt buildup, it also cuts down on water being drawn
into the clay pot which causes the pot to dry out quicker!
"I
noticed a couple red flowers on my Pink Knock Outs. Why is
that?" -"Reversion on the mutation", says Tim Wood from
Conard Pyle. Knock Outs can be genetically unstable and
"sports readily". That's how we get new colors!"
[When you dream in color, it's a pigment of your
imagination.]
Success Tip of the Week
Gardening with the Bees - Isn't it interesting that whenever
we see a honeybee, our first reaction is to kill it? Of
course, if you've been stung before, you know how it can
hurt. So naturally you become defensive (especially if
you're allergic to bee stings). But if at all possible, we
need to change that defensive mode, and turn it into an
offensive bee mode. You see, honeybee populations are
extremely low, and with the sudden Colony Collapse Disorder
we're now experiencing, honeybee populations are taking an
even bigger hit. Some reports say the bee populations have
been reduced by 50% over the past 50 years! And without the
bees and their pollinating abilities, we won't have fruits
and vegetables to eat!
Granted if you or your children are allergic to bee stings,
then choosing plants which will not attract bees may be a
good choice. On the other hand, if no one is allergic, try
to plant flowering trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and
vegetables that will attract honeybees. Educate the
children as to the importance of the bee, and how to watch
for and avoid the bees as they do their job in the garden
(they are generally non-aggressive). And if a swarm of
honeybees should visit your yard, don't panic. Again,
they're usually not aggressive at this stage. Give them
time to move on (looking for a nesting area) or call your
local Extension Office for phone numbers of beekeepers who
will come and remove the hive safely and transport it
elsewhere.
Controlling destructive insects without harming the bees
-One big question that always comes up is how to control
destructive insects in the garden without harming the bees?
Well, it can be a little tough, but here are some
suggestions:
-Think organic gardening and organic methods of insect
control. Hosing off insects, hand picking, knocking them
off into a bucket of soapy water, grow covers, etc. are
several ways to help control the "bad" bugs without even
spraying.
-Use
integrated pest management methods, so the use of
insecticides is limited.
-If
insecticides are needed, use those that are less toxic to
bees. This list includes Bt, Pyrethrum, Rotenone,
Insecticidal Soap, Horticultural Oil, Methoxychlor, and
Dylox.
-Be
sure to spray when the bees are less active - early morning
or early evening, and if possible, don't spray any flowering
plants that are attractive to bees.
NOTE:
Pesticides vary in their effect on bees. Dusts and wettable
powders are more hazardous to bees than solutions or
emulsifiable concentrates. Systemic insecticides are a safe
way to control many harmful insects without sprays (that may
harm the bees), but may contaminate nectar or pollen, which
could kill the bees in the hive. Pesticides that are highly
toxic to bees include Diazinon, Lindane, Malathion, Orthene,
and Sevin. (Malathion and Sevin are actually low in
toxicity and used on veggies, crops and turf, but are very
toxic to bees.) As always, read the labels before
applications, and follow the directions as listed. By the
way, "most" fungicides and herbicides are relatively low in
toxicity to bees.
So
let's all do our part to invite and allow these honeybees to
due their jobs in our gardens. And the next time you smack
or step on a honeybee, just think about the impact you've
made on our world! Do you really want to imagine what the
world would "bee" like without our honeybees?
-Natorp's 07
[When two egotists meet, it's an I for an I.]
From the Garden to the Kitchen
"Hey
Rita what's Cooking?"
Yardboy,
my lavender is finally recovering from almost being wiped
out with that freeze we had early in spring. So now it's
time to make one of my family's favorite summer desserts.
And if you're in the neighborhood, Yardboy, stop by and I'll
set an extra place. I could also use some help in the herb
garden.
CITRUS PANNA COTTA WITH LAVENDER
Now if you don't have lavender, really any sweet herb will
do: rose geranium, any of the mints, lemon verbena, etc. Or
just make it plain, without herbs at all. Still fantastic!
1 cup whole milk
2-1/4 teaspoons gelatin
3 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons fresh or a generous tablespoon dry lavender
buds or leaves,
bruised
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 ramekins, 1/2 cup size, or whatever you like, sprayed
lightly
Pour
milk in saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over evenly and let
sit 10 minutes to soften. In a bowl, mix whipping cream,
lavender and vanilla together. Put whipping cream mixture,
sugar and salt in the pan with the milk and gelatin. Over
medium heat and stirring constantly, cook until it is hot
but not boiling and sugar and gelatin have dissolved. This
will take just a few minutes. Strain, pushing hard on the
solids, and add up to 1/4 lemon juice if desired.
Distribute evenly among ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate until firm - about 4 hours. Garnish with fresh
lavender.
Serves 8.
Tips
from Rita's garden: This lovely perennial herb likes a
good soil with excellent drainage. When you plant lavender,
place a spadeful of sand in the bottom of the hole. Harvest
lavender before noon - actually anywhere from about 9:30
till 12:00 works. Earlier, and lavender may still be wet
with dew; later than noon the heat makes the volatile oils
escape - witness the haunting fragrance of lavender mid-day
during the summer. To harvest lavender, check the flower
head. When the bottom two flowers are open and the rest are
still in bud, go ahead and pick. If you wait until all the
flowers are open, the fragrance and oils won't be as
intense.
-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 / Part time Witchdoctor / Maker of
strange potions /
www.abouteating.com
[Dijon vu - the same mustard as before.]
Yardboy's "Plant to Ponder"
This
week’s plant is a somewhat new perennial (new to me) that
was suggested by a gardening friend Kelly V, who just
planted to recently some! Its Stachys m. 'Hummelo', or
commonly known as "Lambs Ear". Now, if you're saying, "Ron
didn't know about Lambs Ear?", well back off Jack! This
isn't your ordinary Lambs Ear that's all fuzzy, feels good
when you rub a leaf on your forehead, and takes over the
garden! No sir-ree! This doesn't even look like Lambs
Ear! This tight growing clumping perennial (that gets about
18 inches tall) has glossy dark green foliage and a show of
sturdy spikes of rosy lavender flowers that is totally
impressive in mid summer. It's tough, hardy to Zone 4,
loves the sun or partial sun, does well in containers (or in
the ground), and to top it all off, is resistant to deer and
rabbits! So Kelly V, thanks for suggesting 'Hummelo' Lambs
Ear, this weeks plant to ponder.
[A pessimist's blood type is always B-negative.]
A Little
Bit of This, A Little Bit of That
Just a
few reminders here - if you used Preen or a pre emergent in
your landscape beds, they need to be reapplied every 70 days
or so (Corn Gluen about every 30-40 days). Deer and critter
repellents the same way. Speaking of which, if you have
success keeping critters out of your garden, how do you do
it? Let us know. Keep mowing as needed, and do keep that
blade sharpened. Through all this dry weather, the best
reports for lawns are coming back from folks who are mowing
3 - 3 1/2 and 4 inches high. Mow higher for a nicer lawn!
(not you, the lawn) Keep deadheading those spent flowers on
annuals and perennials, and cut back leggy annuals if
needed. Shear off the first set of blooms on the summer
blooming spireas for a second flush of flowers.
[I fired
my masseuse today. She rubbed me the wrong way.]
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