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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
Halloween Fun at the Boone Co. Arboretum!
Oct. 27 5-7pm
9190 Camp Ernst Rd.
Pumpkin painting, scary stories, scavenger hunt, prizes,
crafts,and more. Open to the public.
"Ya'all come!"
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
ISA Certified Arborist Workshop 10/26
UK Extension / Campbell
859-572-2600
Hypertufa Trough
11/3 9-noon
Civic Garden Center
513-221-0981 (18)
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
"I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain. What a
glorious feeling, I'm happy again. I walk down the lane,
with a happy refrain. I'm singing, singing in the rain!"
Seriously, this rainfall has been more of a life saver (for
plants) than many of us will ever know. Just when we
thought there was no end in sight, it rained and rained and
rained.
[According to witchdoctor Rita, to cure a toothache, spit
into the mouth of a frog and ask it to carry away the pain.
You don't have to kiss it, just spit in it!]
What's Bugging You
You
wanna know what's bugging me? You wanna know what makes me
sick? I actually heard "weather forecasters" talking about
how these gloomy doomy days will hopefully move out and
sunny days will be back shortly. SAY WHAT? Where have you
been all summer? "HELLO-O-O-O!" These rainy days are the
happiest, brightest days many of us has had in a very very
long time! And trust me, if plants could smile, they'd be
grinning ear to ear right now - wait, that would be leaf to
leaf right now. Or would it be branch to branch? Root to
root? Needle to needle? Okay, they'd just be smiling!
This
week, Buggy Joe Boggs (OSU Extension) is reporting home
invaders coming soon to your home! Hackberry psyllids,
clover mites, boxelder bugs, western pine cone leaffooted
bugs, attic flies, face flies, elm leaf beetles, and
multicolored Asian lady beetles are on ready to invade your
home for the winter. Be sure to seal off cracks and
crevices, fix rips in screens, check unscreened vents, seal
openings around the soffits, etc. Once these critters get
inside, the best way to get rid of them is to "Hooverize
them". Suck 'em up with the vacuum, but do make sure it is
a "by pass", meaning the bugs would not pass thru an
impeller. Then you would have created a bug-blender.
Catch
the Buggy Joe Boggs Report Saturday at 8:42am on 55KRC The
Talk Station.
ashalert.osu.edu
www.emeraldashborer.info
[According to witchdoctor Rita, the word witch comes from
the Saxon word "wicca" which means "wise one". Uh yeah,
sure thing Rita.]
Questionmark and the Mysterians -
Your Questions Answered
"I was chopping out fungus that pops up from an old
stump, when I found purple brown 'eggs' deeper in the soil.
It was gooey and looked like an eye, but the inside looked
like it could be some sort of mushroom. Several days later,
morel like things popped up out of the ground! What is
this? They're kinda creepy!" -Yeah, and usually smelly,
too. Those are the 'eggs' of the stink horn fungus. They
usually smell, which attracts flies and other bugs, who then
get the fungal spores on them, and transport them
elsewhere. That's how they spread. Sorry, no means of
control for the stink horn, although someone once saw slugs
eating them. YECH!
"I have
a maple and the larger limbs are starting to hang over the
house. I understand that the tree's roots also go out as
far as the branches, so now I'm concerned about tree roots
exerting pressure against my foundation causing it to
crack. I was told to trench between the foundation and the
tree, for root pruning. Do you agree or is there a better
way?" - Well, first, tree roots generally extend way out
beyond the drip line of the branches, so they go further
than what most folks think. Second, tree roots rarely ever
push against the sides of foundation walls. They get blamed
for that, but it's not root pressure that causes the cracks,
its the tree roots taking away soil moisture when its dry
outside, which allows the soil to pull away from the
foundation, allowing it to move and crack. That's why we
recommend watering your foundation when its extremely dry
outside. Can you trench and root prune? You could if you
wanted (stay closer to the foundation so you cut fewer
roots). Make sure after you trench, that you take a pair of
pruners and make a fresh clean cut on the ends of all the
roots (just like pruning branches). Then place an in ground
barrier of landscape fabric, roofing paper, shingles, etc.
Depth - 30 -36 inches max. But I could only see doing this
if the roots are indeed a problem.
"Our
irrigation company wants to winterize our system. What
about the drought? We need to water, right?" -That you
do, but in many cases, these companies can't take a chance
and wait too long to shut down your system, or they risk
freeze damages (which could be costly to repair). It would
be nice to be able to wait, but I'm afraid you may not be
able to. In that case, get out the hoses and sprinklers,
and go back to the old days of "pre-irrigation systems".
But do not stop watering if we're dry - and we still are.
"In
Northeastern Ohio we have a very big deer problem. Here is
my list of deer resistant plants that gave good color all
summer and into the fall until a hard frost. -Blue ageratum,
Victoria blue salvia, Moonbean coreopsis, and Dusty miller.
The deer didn't even look at these plants! I also include
Cleome in that mix - which will reseed itself for next
year. By the way, at the end of your newsletter, could you
say "Go Cleveland Indians"? -Thanks for the list! And
those are good bloomers! As for the Indians, well, see the
end of the newsletter.
"I take
cuttings of my sweet potato vines and over winter them
indoors. I've noticed there are tubers in the ground. Are
those sweet potatoes and are they edible?" -Yes they are,
and yes they are! Very bland tasting, but also very edible.
"I want
to mulch around trees that have grass growing around them.
It's a lot of work to try and remove all that sod! Do I
have to remove all the grass before I mulch?" -Well,
this is one time we can cheat a little bit, if needed.
Mark the size of the ring you'd like to make around the
tree, and using a sharp edged spade, cut the bed edge around
the tree. Take those pieces away - do not throw them back
into the area that will be mulched. Then, spray the grass
with Roundup. This will kill the grass in the circle, but
not affect the tree. Give the Roundup a few days to start
working, then go ahead and mulch on top of the treated
grass. Remember, 1-3 inches deep maximum, and never place
mulch against the trunk of the tree. Mulching around trees
should look like a donut.
Speaking of mulching, be sure to lightly mulch around newly
planted trees and shrubs after planting. But if you're
winter mulching, don't do that until the ground temperatures
dip close to 40 or into the 30's. The idea is to keep the
soil at that temperature throughout the winter. We'll talk
more about that at a later date.
"When
is the time to apply WiltStop on my evergreens for added
winter protection?" -WiltStop is an all natural
antidessicant that helps to seal moisture inside evergreen
needles and leaves to help protect against moisture loss and
winter burn. But it's too early to apply WiltStop. We'll
do this later in the fall, possibly around early to mid
December.
[According to witchdoctor Rita, we can expect a full moon on
Halloween in 2020. I can't wait!]
Success Tip of the Week
Attracting birds to your landscape is a great way to help
control insects in the summer, and a great way to liven up
those hum drum winter days. One of the best ways to attract
birds is gardening for birds, and it's a fun way to work
with nature, beautify your yard, and learn about wildlife at
the same time. Planting evergreens to provide year round
protection, planting deciduous trees and shrubs to provide a
habitat for the birds as well as a natural source of food,
and designing water in the garden, whether it's a small pond
or bird bath, are all ways to garden for the birds, as well
as creating an attractive landscape. Of course, the easiest
way to attract birds is by supplying them with a source of
food in a bird feeder. If you're already feeding the birds,
good for you! And if you aren't, it's never too late to
start. Now here are 3 very important tips about feeding the
birds: 1.) Always use a high-grade bird feed. Cheap
feed, although less expensive, has fillers most birds won't
eat, and actually becomes a waste of your money. 2.)
Always provide water for the birds. It's as important as
the food. 3.) Clean your bird feeders on a regular
basis; using 10% bleach, 90% water solution. Clean it well,
rinse well, let it dry, and refill with a high-grade bird
food. This process helps to eliminate moldy feed, which can
be life threatening to birds, as well as help sanitize the
feeder to prevent against unwanted bird diseases.
[According to witchdoctor Rita, over 30,000 werewolf cases
were tried in France between 1520 and 1630. Of she would
know, as she was there at the time.]
From the Garden to the Kitchen
"Hey
Rita what's Cooking?"
Yardboy,
it's that wicked, magical time again. Halloween is just
around the corner, and, as usual, I will be going trick 'r
treating with my grandkids as myself: the wicked witch of
the east. I think you should dress up as your namesake,
Yardboy, our now infamous rooster. Here's a fun recipe for
big, and little goblins.
Giant Caramel Apples
For
every apple you make, you'll need:
1 apple (large or small depending upon what you like)
Caramel Apple Wraps (one or two depending upon size of
apples) - there
are 5 in a package
1
popsicle stick (these are packed right in with the wraps)
Semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped nuts for each apple
Or same amount of M&M's, Heath Bar, Coconut, Chocolate or
Colored
Jimmies, etc.
Method:
Make sure apples are room temperature, otherwise the caramel
wrap won't stick. Wrap Caramel Apple Wraps around apple,
leaving a bit of the top of the apple around the stem
exposed if you want. Push a popsicle stick into the apple.
Dip
into melted chocolate. Let sit a couple of minutes before
rolling into topping of your choice. Or sprinkle topping
on. Place apple bottom side down in the topping first to get
a good base, then roll rest of apple into topping or
sprinkle rest of topping onto apple.
Gilding the lily: Drizzle lines of different flavored
chocolate on top of the topping.
Storing: Store in refrigerator, only lightly covered so
apples don't "sweat". Let sit out about half an hour or so
before slicing so that coating doesn't crack when you cut
into the apple.
-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
[According to our witchdoctor Rita (yes, the one just above
this), a popular Irish Halloween drink in the 18th century
was made from roasted crushed apples and milk, and was
called "Lambs Wool". The traditional Halloween dinner had "callcannon",
which was a combination of mashed potatoes, parsnips and
chopped onions. It was Rita's own recipe.]
Yardboy's "Plant to Ponder"
This
week, we let Buggy Joe Boggs pick the plant to ponder, and
Joe has chosen "Ornamental Cabbage". "This plant is
actually a biennial, but usually grown as an annual. The
leaves of the plant are separate, or in loose rosettes, and
do not make a solid head. The showy leaves open from the
center and are usually white or tinged with shades of pinks,
reds, or purples. The plant does well in cool temperatures
and is definitely a great addition to the fall garden."
-Thanks Joe!
[According to witchdoctor Rita Heikenfeld, Halloween is
still called "Cabbage Night" in some parts of New England.
Rita helped start this tradition of roaming the countryside
with cabbage stumps and smearing them on windows.]
A Little
Bit of This, A Little Bit of That
We've
looked at lighting up your yard with spring bulbs, lighting
up the indoors or planters with container grown spring
bulbs. So today, let's take a look at how you can light up
your holiday and the winter season, with, you guessed it,
container grown holiday bulbs. Amaryllis and paperwhites,
to be exact, and both bulbs are now available at the garden
stores. These bulbs are well known for their holiday colors
and fragrances, but with the right planning, can provide you
with the same color and fragrances all winter long.
Amaryllis come in many different colors, single and double
flowers, and gives one outstanding show when in bloom. When
buying your amaryllis bulbs, the larger the bulb, the more
flower stalks you're likely to have when it flowers. And
buy several. That way you can stagger the planting times,
so you'll have indoor colors not only for the holidays, but
throughout the winter as well. It takes about 6-8 weeks for
these bulbs to flower once they start growing, so plan
accordingly.
Plant
your amaryllis bulbs using a 6-8 inch pot, good drainage,
and use the soil-less potting mix. Plant your bulb so that
it's buried to just below the neck of the bulb. Place your
bulb in a warm, well lit area, water sparingly at first,
then water as needed as it grows, and in 6-8 weeks your
amaryllis will be in full color. It's as easy as that.
Remember - 6-8 weeks to flower once they start growing, so
plan accordingly. And do buy extras for staggered
plantings. That way you can enjoy these beautiful flowers
all winter long. Oh, one last point. These are
recyclable. So when they're finished blooming cut off the
old flower stalk and let them grow until next August feeding
them on a regular basis. We'll tell you how to get them to
reflower come next August.
Paperwhites not only add great colors, but they also a
wonderful fragrance. Planting your paperwhites is a little
different than planting the amaryllis, as we'll use saucers
and small gravel to plant in. They can also be nestled into
the tops of small jars, allowing just the bottom of the bulb
to touch the water. When planting in saucers, fill your
saucer with the gravel, and then nestle the paperwhite bulbs
down into the gravel. Add water, so that the water is
barely touching the bottoms of the bulbs. Place your
planted saucer in a warm, well lit area, add water as
needed, and watch those paperwhites do their thing!
Remember to buy extras, store them away in a cool dark area
until you're ready to plant, and then stagger your
plantings, so you'll have paperwhites flowering off and on
all winter long. Remember - 6-8 weeks to flower, once the
bulbs start growing.
If
your paperwhites seem to be growing too quickly, you can
slow them down by placing them in a cooler area for a period
of time. Or if they seem to get leggy, add some gin to the
water. Yep - a splash of gin will actually help to keep
your paperwhites shorter and stocker. And unfortunately,
paperwhite bulbs are a one shot deal. Once they're finished
flowering, throw them away. But trust me, the one shot is
well worth it during the holidays or even better, during
those cold winters days.
[A recent study found the average Amercian walks about 900
miles per year. Another study found that Americans, on
average, drink about 22 gallons of beer each year. So, if
my calculations are correct, those folks get about 41 miles
to the gallon. Not bad!]
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