|
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
Natorp's Wholesale Nursery Outlet Sale
Sept. 14,15,16, 22, 23
BIG SALE!
8601 Snider Rd.
Over 150,000 plants!
visit www.natorp.com
for more info!
Quick Links
$10,000 Landscape
Makeover
Newsletter
Archive
Success Tip Sheets
Landscape Design Kit
Gift Cards
Rita's Recipes
|
|
Whether It's The Weather
Hello-o-o-o-o-o summer! Yes, summer temperatures have moved
in and yes, it is hot! And to add to it all, no rain in
sight until next week. Yes, we are still in a drought
situation. Yes, this is tough on plants that have been
stressed from the drought, and yes, we're even seeing some
plants that had suffered extreme damages with our late cold
snap, now losing leaves and dying back more. This just
shows us that there was more tissue damage in some
plant's branches than we had expected. This also reminds us
that in many cases, plant damages which occur from weather
extremes may not show up until later in the season, or even
in years to come. It's hot outside - stay cool.
What's Bugging You
Again,
another week in the Yardboy's yard where bugs have not been
an issue - besides that spider hanging out at our back
door! It's a big one, and once again got me this morning as
I went out the door to get the trash can! Man I hate that!
I know it's hanging around somewhere laughing it's butt off
watching me do the spider web dance. Darn spider.
This
week, Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting continued
bagworm feeding, and although they are reaching stages where
chemical sprays will no longer be effective, spraying at
this stage actually triggers the bagworms to stop feeding on
your plants, and start pupating into adults (which do not
eat). So if you are having bagworm problems at this stage,
pick off what you can, spray what you can't reach, they stop
eating your plants, then next year around mid June, watch
for the ones left to hatch out, at which time sprays are
very effective in killing bagworms! Whew, that was a long
explanation! BJB is also reporting Hickory tussock
caterpillars eating various tree leaves, blister beetles
eating on amaranthus foliage and other various foliages
(blister beetles can release a toxic chemical which will
cause blisters on your skin, or can make you sick it you eat
them - but why would you want to eat a blister beetle?),
magnolia serpintine leafminer working on bigleaf magnolias,
yucca plant bugs sucking away at the yucca juices which make
the foliage turn yellow (and those black spots you see are
their little excrement spots!), slime flux / wet wood
showing on elms, oaks, maples, mulberry, poplar, willow,
apple, birch,and even hemlock, dog vomit fungus appearing on
shredded hardwood mulch, corn smut showing up (yes, on
corn), raised bird's eye like spots on tomatoes (bacterial
spot - also gets on peppers), septoria leaf spot on tomato
foliage, chinch bug and billbug damages now showing on
bluegrass lawns, rust starting to appear in some lawns, and
finally, grubs are now getting large enough to start to show
some turf damage in lawns that are under drought stress.
There is still time to apply Imidacloprid, as long as you
make sure it is watering in well!
-Catch
the Buggy Joe Boggs Report Saturdays at 8:42am on 55KRC The
Talk Station.
Stay
in touch with the Emerald Ash Borer. Visit either or both:
ashalert.osu.edu
www.emeraldashborer.info
Questionmark and the Mysterians -
Your Questions Answered
"Is it
too late to apply the grub preventers to my lawn?" -NO!
As a matter of fact, we're seeing some grubs now becoming
large enough to start to cause damages in stressed or thin
lawns. Imidacloprid applied now and watered in well will
still work in helping to control grub populations.
"Did you
ever get a reason why those Endless Summer Hydrangeas we
planted 2-3 years ago are not blooming this year? Great
foliage, but no flowers. I thought they flowered on new
growth?" -Last week, I spoke with some of the growers at
Bailey Nursery in Minnesota, where this plant was
developed. The explanation was two fold. The late warm
weather and then sudden drop into cold winter temps
definitely wiped out much of the top growth. Then, as we
began the earlier than usual spring warm-up, followed by the
sudden extended sever cold snap, not only was the new growth
killed out, but so were many of the new branches that had
not even started to grow yet from below the ground. So, as
a stressed plant reaction, these hydrangeas have chosen to
strictly re-grow, re-root, re-establish, and not flower.
But they are telling me that next year should be like a
normal year for flowering. By the way, in one of their
experimental gardens, they had mulched over the base an
lower parts of the hydrangea plants with pinebark mulch
(similar to winter mulching roses), and they were still
covered when the second cold snap happened. After they were
uncovered, they re-grew and are flowering normally. The
base of the plant as well as everything under the soil was
protected. (Remember, they're a zone 4, so they do extra
winter protecting!)
On this
same token, I also spent time with growers from Conard Pyle,
talking about the Knock Out Roses. One comment (which I
have said all along!) was that if Knock Out roses are not
cut back to 12 inches or so each spring, or at least every 3
years or so, they can become a cyclic bloomer. Bloom heavy,
stop, bloom some, stop, etc. We can see this occasionally,
but more so in established plants that have been left to
grow to 4-5 feet. By cutting them back in the spring, you
are rejuvenating the plant and stimulating much more new
growth. They also mentioned to use this past spring as a
reminder about waiting to cut your roses back until early to
mid April.
"My
neighbor is still planting things in his vegetable garden!
What do you plant this late in the season?" -Greens!
Cabbage, kale, collards, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, beets,
radishes, onions, beans - if it matures in less that 60-75
days or is cold hardy, you can plant it now. Remember most
greens prefer the cooler temps, which they will get mid
September thru the rest of the fall season. Hey, you can
even plant potatoes right now if you want! I doubt you'll
find seed potatoes now, so go buy a few organic grown
potatoes at the produce store, and use those. When the
foliage gets frosted, harvest a crop of "new potatoes" (not
full size). And yes, these can all be done in containers.
"Can I
cut the stems off perennials like Star Gazer lily and Bee
Balm after the blossoms are gone? The Bee Balm has
mildew." -Remove the flower head from the lily about 2
inches below the old head, but leave the foliage until it
starts to yellow and brown. Yes, go ahead and cut back
those bee balms and pitch the infested foliage. They will
flush up new growth yet this year!
"What
kind of flower or plant would you suggest for my
bosses office? She had a peace lily but it's about shot."
- I love the Peace Lily (spathyphyllum), but my new
indestructible indoor plant is the "ZZ Plant" (Zamioculcas
zamiifolia - hard to pronounce, easy to grow, thus the name
ZZ Plant!). Trust me, the way to kill this plant is either
try growing it in the dark, cold temperatures, or
overwatering it. It tolerates all types of light
conditions, and does not like to be over watered. (And it
hates cold temps). ZZ gets about 3-4 feet tall, bushy
plant, extremely shiny leaves all the time, and does flower
(mature plants) but not much to look at. But the plant
surely is! What more could you ask for in a houseplant? I
have one in my office - 21/2 feet tall - wide - water it
once a month. Everyone that dares to come into my office
asks right away, "what is that cool plant?" This should
give you a few bonus points with the boss!
"When is
the best time to divide a rhubarb clump?" -Spring or early
fall will work, with spring being the best (just as the
little eyes start to pop out of the ground).
"When is
the best time to dig and divide my iris?" -Right now.
August thru early September will work. Make sure you pitch
infested or rotten tubers.
"When is
a good time to plant turnips?" -Right now!
"Radishes?" -Right now!
"Knock
Out Roses?" -Right now!
"Summer
blooming perennials?" -Right now!
"Garden mums? -Well, you definitely can plant them now, as
they are available at the garden stores. But when you are
purchasing garden mums, remember that if they are showing
colors now, they will probably last (colors) about 4-5 weeks
depending on the weather. If you want later colors, buy and
plant mums with NO colors showing whatsoever - and with tiny
buds.
Success Tip of the Week
"Leaves of Three Let it Be!"
There
aren't many things worse than working in the yard or playing
outdoors and coming in contact with poison ivy! In most
cases, you don't even know it until later on when the rash
and itching begins. So let's take a look at how to
recognize it, and how to get rid of it.
Recognizing Poison Ivy-
"Leaves of three let it be" says it best when trying to
identify poison ivy. Shiny when younger, the leaves grow in
groups of 3; the middle being larger than the two on its
sides. New shoots tend to be reddish green in color and
droopy, solid green during the season, and turn a brilliant
orange to red fall color. The leaf edges may be irregularly
toothed, lobed or smooth, and can range from 2 inches to
8-10 inches long. Poison ivy can be found growing in many
different forms - growing lower than the height of a mowed
lawn (vining right in the turf), as a low or tall shrub, or
as a woody vine growing in or on existing trees and shrubs
(the vine attaches with aerial roots that makes a mature
vine look like a fuzzy rope). It is very good at hiding and
disguising its look! Poison ivy flowers in the spring
(greenish white clusters) and produces gray-white berries.
It can be found growing along roadways, fence lines, stone
walls, woodlands, stream banks, landscape and flower beds,
in the turf - just about anywhere, so be cautious.
Remember, all parts of this plant are poisonous!
Reactions to Poison Ivy-
The oil in poison ivy ("Urushiol") is found in all parts of
the plant and is released when the plant is crushed or
bruised. It is also released into the smoke if the plant is
burned, so never ever burn poison ivy, no matter how old and
dead the vines or stems may seem.
Wood cutters using chain saws can also inhale urushiol that
was volatilized during the cutting process so do be
cautious! If your skin comes in contact with poison ivy,
wash immediately with soap and cool water. Consult a
physician if an allergic reaction is severe. Contrary to
popular belief, the oils are not spread by contact with open
sores. But, the tacky poisonous oils can be spread by
contact with pets, garden tools, gloves, shoes, golf balls,
or anything that comes in contact with the poison ivy
plant. Skin lotions are now available to help protect
against urushiol, but even so, still cover up with long
sleeves, plastic gloves, regular gloves, etc. When
finished, take off the gloves, then the shirt and other
clothes, and the plastic gloves last, so you're never
touching any contaminated material. Pitch this stuff in a
bag and throw it away, or if saving the clothes, wash them
by themselves. Don't touch them, and wash your hands with
soap and cool water. Maybe take a shower to be sure.
Controlling Poison Ivy-
There are several options for controlling poison ivy in the
landscape, but before doing anything, make sure you are
protected from the plant touching your skin, and be careful
handling the plant and any equipment being used that is
exposed to the plant. 1.) Grubbing or hand pulling,
especially when there is good moisture in the ground, is
very effective. Be sure to get as many roots as you can.
Again, make sure you're careful handling the plants and its
parts. 2.) Vines can be severed at the ground, causing the
tops to die. If regrowth appears at the base, treat with a
non selective herbicide like Roundup or Kleenup (vinegar or
Espoma's Weed and Grass Killer for natural products). You
may also try treating the vine (without cutting) with VINEX,
painted on the stem or vine, killing the tops and roots.
Again, make sure you clean any tools used to cut the
vines. 3.) Direct spraying of the foliage with non
selective herbicides will work, but may take repeated
applications. Easy to do in open areas, but a bit more
challenging in planted areas or in the lawn. Spot treating
the leaves will be needed. These sprays can only be applied
when the plant is in full leaf and actively growing. There
are other sprays for poison ivy control as well - make sure
what you use has it listed on the label. One last
note: Once your poison ivy dies from cutting, pulling,
hoeing, spraying, etc, you'll still need to get rid of the
poisonous plants and it parts! Throw it away. Put it in a
plastic trash bag, tie it closed, and then double bag it so
your garbage man doesn't get the poison oil. Remember, dead
or alive, that oil is still active in the plant, so be sure
to always protect yourself. Take you time, use skin barrier
lotions, then gloves and other protection, and remember,
it's on the 'other' protection so be careful when taking it
off.
From the Garden to the Kitchen
"Hey
Rita what's Cooking?"
Yardboy,
my grandkids will be spending the night and with this heat,
I like to have some healthy popsicles and snacks on hand for
them. Here are a couple of favorites, guaranteed to cool the
little ones (and the big ones) off!
PINEAPPLE POPSICLES
Process in batches in a food processor or blender until as
smooth as you like:
3
cups fresh pineapple chunks, or 1 can, 14.5 oz, chunks
packed in juice, not syrup, drained, 1/3 cup milk and a few
tablespoons of sugar if it needs sweetened - start with 3
tablespoons and go from there. Pour into molds or cups,
with wooden sticks inserted if necessary. Freeze several
hours. Makes 8.
FROZEN GRAPE SKEWERS
Use a flat head toothpick and let the kids skewer 3-4 grapes
on each one. Freeze hard uncovered and then put into freezer
containers. Let the kids eat these right out of the freezer.
CHOCOLATE NUTTY BANANA POPS
Yardboy, sometimes I'll add several sprigs of banana mint to
the melting chocolate to add another layer of banana flavor.
Take out the mint before dipping.
Cut
bananas in half width wise for easy handling. Dip the
bananas in melted chocolate chips, then roll in nuts (if the
kids don't like nuts, leave them off). Push a popsicle stick
into the end and freeze until hard.
Tips
from Rita's kitchen:
-
Fresh
pineapple helps keeps bones strong by providing manganese
- this helps make collagen, a protein that helps build
bone, skin and cartilage. Pineapple also improves
digestion and even helps relieve cold symptoms with its
high vitamin C content (Mom used to give us pineapple
juice when we had sore throats).
Milk
contains calcium and grapes, especially if they're red,
contain powerful anti-oxidants.
Save your banana peels (this is actually your tip, Yardboy).
Chop up and add to plants for a boost of potassium.
-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
Yardboy's "Plant to Ponder"
Okay, so
you vacationed down south or in areas with growing zones of
6 or higher, and you just loved those crepe myrtle flowering
in the summer. Boy, you wish you could grow one here. Well
guess what? You can!
Over
the past several years, we are finding varieties of crepe
myrtle that are doing fairly well in southern zone 5. Most
of them are dwarf or smaller growing selections, but still,
they are crepe myrtle! Crepe myrtle offer a lot to the
landscape - multi-stemmed plant - gray brown bark that
begins to exfoliate over time - wonderful summer colors -
and believe it or not, great fall colors of oranges reds and
yellows! And don't forget crepe myrtle will do quite well
as a container plant!
Here are
3 crepe myrtle that you may want to try:
-Hopi
-It's a semi dwarf crepe myrtle, usually reaching 5-10
feet. Shows good hardiness, good leaf disease resistance,
and of course, wonderful crepe paper like pink flowers.
-Dynamite - Again good disease resistance, good hardiness,
and simply loaded with cherry red summer flowers.
-Pink
Velour - 6-10 feet, hardy and disease resistance, but
what's so unique about Pink Velour, is you have 2 great
shows of colors. 1.) Dark maroon green foliage which is
really unique, and serves as 2.) the perfect background for
those absolutely hot pink summer flowers.
Remember, they love the sun, and flower on new growth. So
enjoy them thru the summer, let them be for the winter, then
next mid to late spring (just before they leaf out),
deadhead, cut off the old seed pods, prune as needed, and
feed to encourage new growth. And if it's a tough winter
and they happen to die back, clean up and remove the
deadwood, they will re-grow, and still flower that same
summer on the new growth. Crepe myrtle - they're not just
for the south anymore!
A Little
Bit of This, A Little Bit of That
Nothing
again this week. You get off with an easy read!
|
