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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
"Raptors, Birds of Prey, to Visit Wild Bird Center!"
Sun. Oct 14 at 1:00pm
Wild Bird Center
Deerfield Towne Center
(off Mason
Montgomery Rd.)
October is Raptor Month!
www.wildbird.com/mas
513-234-0789
See Patrick "The Bird and Bug Guy" McCollum!
2007 Jennys Dream Bash for Autism
Nov.18 6-9pm
Brazenhead Irish Pub
Auction, Raffles, Door Prizes, Food and drink
"Great Time for a Great Cause"
513 266 4404
jennysdream.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
WARMER
THAN USUAL WEATHER + SUNNY DAYS + LACK OF RAINFALL = MAKE
SURE YOU KEEP WATERING!
COOLER
WEATHER + SUNNY DAYS + LACK OF RAINFALL = WATERING LASTS
LONGER IN THE SOIL, BUT YOU STILL NEED TO WATER!
[Why
doesn't Tarzan have a beard?]
What's Bugging You
Last
week, as we were re-doing Joe Strecker's front lawn, Joe was
also treated to seeing a 'doodle bug' or 'antlion' hard at
work digging its funnel shaped trap in the dry loose soil
along the foundation of Joe's house. Weird looking bug, but
a reminder to Joe that not all bugs are bad, as this one
actually is a predator and eats bad bugs.
This
week, Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting giant
mutant mosquitoes reappearing in lawns, which are actually
the adult and very harmless crane flies (but they do look
scary), disintegrating grasshoppers still clinging to
goldenrod stems (due to a fungal grasshopper pathogen), and
on a positive note, Joe is pointing out the very attractive
"weeds" that give us such great fall shows including white
heath asters, New England asters, Canada goldenrod, and
common pokeweed. Also in this list, lets add the
outstanding fall colors of the poison ivy vine, which is
absolutely spectacular, but beware! These leaves are still
highly toxic and yes, you will get the rash by touching
them! So please beware!
Catch
the Buggy Joe Boggs Report, Saturdays at 8:42am on 55KRC
Thee Talk Station.
ashalert.osu.edu
www.emeraldashborer.info
[Are part time band leaders semi conductors?]
Questionmark and the Mysterians -
Your Questions Answered
"I heard you say that fall is the best time to feed the
lawn. I haven't done anything yet. Too late to get
started?" -The answer is absolutely not! 2 lawn
feedings in the fall are the most important feedings you can
give your lawn. If you have not done any feeding to date,
go ahead and apply a high nitrogen fertilizer now, and
you'll do it again in about 6-8 weeks, or once the lawn has
basically shut down for the season. And trust me, after a
summer and early fall like we've had so far, your lawn will
thank you for the nitrogen as it tries to recover from this
past summer.
Another question I get right now is concerning weeds in the
lawn, and what to do about those. Well, believe it or not,
October is actually the best time to attack weeds in the
lawn! As the season begins to wind down, broadleaf weeds
are beginning to put all their energy down into the roots
for over-wintering. So by applying lawn weed killers now,
they will shoot those killers right to the roots, and the
kill is much more effective than any other time. Harder to
kill weeds are best controlled when treated in mid to late
October. Remember, there's no need to spray the entire yard
for weeds. Spot treat using a concentrate and tank sprayer
or using a Ready to Use applicator, and just treat the
individual weeds. And if you sowed grass seed this fall,
you cannot treat for weeds, unless that new grass has been
up, growing, and mowed times 3 times - this makes sure it's
tough enough to handle the weed killers.
"Can I
be applying fertilizers to my plants right now?" -Use them
sparingly if at all in the early fall, with exception to
feeding the lawn. We don't want to promote new growth on
woody plants, or change the plants shutting down process as
they harden off for the winter. Feed trees in late fall, or
after they begin showing the shut down for the fall. Same
goes for the other woody plants. Feed newly planted plants
and bulbs with a starter fertilizer, which basically is a
root stimulant. And be sure to feed the lawn at least 2
times, once in early fall and once after the lawn has
stopped growing for the season.
"I've
been told it is too late to core aerate my lawn. Is that
true?" -Nope. You still have time. It is best to core
aerate when the lawn is actively growing, so October still
works! I would get it done soon - the sooner the better.
And make sure you have good soil moisture for the aerator to
do the right job. Don't forget that lawns can be core
aerated in the spring as well.
"Help! My pine tree's needles are turning yellow and
falling off! What can I do to save them?" -Rake them up
and put them in a bag? Great way to save them - Okay, just
kidding. This is a very natural needle shedding process
that many evergreens go through, either in the spring or in
the fall. White pine and Austrian pine can scare you pretty
good as they loose all but this years new growth, but as
long as the yellowing stops at the new growth, your pines
are okay. If it goes to the end of the branches, then you
have troubles! And trust me, we're seeing that happen as
well, thanks to the heat and drought. And that is NOT a
good thing.
"I
saw your recommendation for The Nut Wizard, and ordered one
right away. Let me tell you, it works great! I needed to
pick up the acorns from my pin oak, as my puppy had eaten a
lot of them and almost died. He's doing fine now, and
collecting the acorns with The Nut Wizard made it a lot
easier." -Glad to hear it!
[Anyone ever seen a toad actually sit on a toadstool?]
Success Tip of the Week
Light Up Your Yard Next Spring! If
you're looking for a way to light up your yard next spring,
I've got the perfect answer. Plant spring bulbs! That's
right, plant spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils,
tulips, crocus, hyacinths, alliums, snowdrops and more!
Spring flowering bulbs are planted in the fall, because they
need a period of cold before they will bloom. Planting in
October gives them plenty of time to root in before winter,
and of course, winter provides the cold temperatures.
Now
here are a few tips when it comes to successful spring bulb
planting.
1.)
Take a moment and read the bulb labels. Not all bloom at
the same time, so by proper planning, you'll be able to
extend your spring flowering from late winter through late
spring.
2.)
Once you've decided on the bulbs you'd like, make sure the
actual bulbs you chose are firm, not soft, and look for the
largest bulbs. Make sure you mark the bags so you remember
which bulbs are which!
3.) Plant your bulbs in an area that receives at least ½ day
of full sun. Make sure the soil is well drained. Bulbs
won't
tolerate wet feet. Add Pine Soil Conditioner as a soil
amendment if needed.
4.) Plant your bulbs point up. If in doubt, plant the bulb
on its side. For the larger bulbs like tulips and daffs,
plant 6-8 inches deep, 6 inches apart. For the smaller
minor bulbs, plant around 4 inches deep, and 4 inches
apart. And be sure to plant your bulbs in masses or natural
patterns, not in rows like little toy soldiers.
5.)
For ease of planting, use a spade and dig out larger holes
for massed plantings, or try using the planting auger,
which attaches to your electric drill.
6.)
Be sure to feed your new bulbs with a good bulb food like
Espoma's Bulb Food, which can be sprinkled into the hole, or
over the top.
7.) Once you're finished planting, be sure to water your
bulbs thoroughly. If it stays dry through the fall, you'll
need to water the bulbs really well, about every 10 days
until we get close to Christmas.
If
squirrels and rodents have been a problem for your newly
planted bulbs, try some of the rodent repellents, or placing
chicken wire over top of the planting areas, or just forget
all the other bulbs and only plant Fritilaria and
daffodils. Rodents don't like them, and guess what?
Neither do the deer!
From the Garden to the Kitchen
"Hey
Rita what's Cooking?"
Yardboy, I
just love pasta. Here's one that I fix a lot during the
fall, simply because it's a great keeper and warms up
easily. And if you're trying to add whole wheat pasta to
your diet, Yardboy, this is a great one to do it in, as the
sauce is so flavorful they'll never notice the difference.
Whole wheat contains vitamin E and our bodies absorb it less
quickly than white flour so you don't get a surge of carbs/sugar
and plus, it fills you up longer!
EASY
BAKED PASTA WiTH RICOTTA
If you're vegetarian, use the soy "sausage" or turkey
sausage. Lean ground beef can be substituted, as well. Or
leave the meat out altogether.
For an
Italian flair, use Italian sausage or add a teaspoon Italian
seasonings to the sausage as it cooks.
Feel free to divide this recipe in half or even double it.
2 cups
Ricotta cheese
1/2 to 1 pound Italian or sausage of your choice, sauteed
and drained
3/4 to 1 pound Penne, Rigatoni, macaroni or other short
pasta shapes, cooked
3-4 cups favorite jarred pasta sauce
1 cup Parmesan cheese or 3 cups shredded Mozzarella plus
Parmesan for sprinkling on top
Spray
a 9x13 baking dish. (You may need to use a bigger dish or
another smaller one). Spread Ricotta evenly on bottom.
Sprinkle with sausage. Pour pasta over sausage. Pour sauce
over pasta. Sprinkle with cheese. Make a tent of foil and
cover. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven until heated
through, about 30-40 minutes. May be cooked in microwave on
medium high power about 20 minutes, covered, or until heated
through. Don't add the mozzarella if cooking in the
microwave until the last 10 minutes or so. Serves 8-10.
-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
[How many weeks are there in a light year?]
Yardboy's "Plant to Ponder"
This
past weekend, while visiting the Dorothy Lane Market in
Springboro, I had to drive up to one of the parking lot
island planting areas to look at a multi-stemmed large shrub
or small tree, that had been limbed up to expose the
multiple branching with a nice full rounded leafy top. The
small tree had come through the heat and drought quite
well. As a matter of fact, it was a really deep green,
which caught my attention (especially being in the middle of
a parking lot!). As soon as I got closer to the planting, I
knew right away what it was - definitely one of those plants
we just don't give a lot of credit to and is way underused
in the landscape. It was an Acer ginnala, or commonly known
as 'Amur maple'. This is a multi-stemmed plant that cam be
used as a very large shrub or small ornamental tree
depending on how you prune the bottom branches. It can reach
15-20 feet high and wide, but can be maintained smaller if
desired. A three lobed maple leaf with the center lobe much
longer than the side lobes, dark green with light green
undersides, and in the fall, become bright yellows and
reds. Small creamy flowers in spring (slight fragrance)
with winged fruits, many turning a good red. Small
specimen, patio tree, screen planting, mass plantings - even
does well in larger tree sized containers. Again, this one
held up very well with summer's heat and drought. Keep it
in mind for your future plantings!
[Can jellyfish get gas from eating jellybeans?]
A Little
Bit of This, A Little Bit of That
FALL IS
FOR PLANTING! You've seen it on banners. You've read about
it in magazines and advertisements. But is it true? Is
'Fall' really for planting? YES IT IS! Just when
folks are ready to "throw in the trowel" for the season,
we're tooting the horns saying it's time to get the trowel
out and get planting!
The
initial question about fall planting comes from the fact
that plants are loosing leaves, they've stopped growing, and
are shutting down for the winter. And that's true. But
what's interesting is that while the tops are shutting down,
the bottoms, or root systems, or firing up! More roots
are developed on plants during the fall season than any
other time the rest of the year. So, by planting in the
fall, you're giving those newly planted trees and shrubs a
head start on next year. When spring rolls around, and
those plants are thinking "flowers and leaves", they will
have already started developing a root system last fall,
that will help to support their spring growth.
(In addition to root development, planting in
the 'Fall' is less stressful on the plants and us with the
cooler temperatures, and under normal situations, Autumn's
natural rainfall helps with watering.)
Fall is
the best time for planting most trees, shrubs, evergreens,
lawns, perennials, spring flowering bulbs, as well as
planting all those great plants that provide us with great
colors late into the season like mums, asters, cabbage and
kale, Montauk daisies, pansies and violas, ornamental
peppers, fall flowering perennials, perennial herbs,
colorful hardy vines, and a wonderful selection of cold
hardy annuals. (Fall is also one of the best times for
transplanting most trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials,
etc, for all the same reasons that its such a good time for
planting.)
A
healthy, well planned landscape can add as much as 15-20% to
the value of your home, return as much as 200% on the
original landscape investment, and as realtors will tell
you, increases the resale value as well as improving the
curb appeal when trying to sell your home. It also provides
personal pleasure and enjoyment, as well as helping the
environment both aesthetically and functionally. And now
that you know 'Fall' is the best time to plant, what are you
waiting for? Get out and get planting today!
[If swimming is good for your shape, why do whales look like
they do?]
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