March & April Tips of the Month!
August
1. Keep tall flowers staked & cut out dead flower stalks.
2. Disbudding chrysanthemums produces larger blooms later in the season.
3. Since container grown plants have limited area to absorb water, plants in a sunny location may require watering several times a week. Remember to check plants often to avoid water stress.
4. Check hanging baskets for watering daily during the summer. The wind & sun dry them much more quickly than other containers.
5. Pinch off onion flower buds from the top of the plants to direct all of the plant's energy inot the developing buld instead of seed production.
6. Pick summer squash and zucchini every day or two to keep the plants producing.
7. Remove old plant which have stopped producing to eliminate a shelter for insects and disease organisms.
8. Water the garden early in the day so plants can absorb the moisture before the hot sun dries the soil. Early morning watering also insures that the foliage dries before night. Wet foliage at night increases susceptibility to fungus diseases.
9. To reduce the number of pests on your fruit tree for the coming year, pick up and destroy all fallen fruit.
10. Do not add weeds with mature seed heads to the compost pile. Many weed seeds can remain viable and germinate next year when the compost is used.
September
1. Plant your peonies now, but make sure the crowns are buried only 1 1/2" to 2" below ground level. Planting them deeper than 2" may keep them from blooming.
2. Root cuttings from annual bedding plants such as begonias, coleus, geraniums, and impatiens. These plants can be overwintered in a sunny window and provide plants for next year's garden.
3. Perennial phlox can be divided about every third or fourth year. Divide big clumps of perennial phlox into thirds. Early fall or early spring are the best times to plant or transplant.
4. Select accent plants for your landscape that will provide autumn colors. Trees that have red fall color are flowering dogwood, red maple, sugar maple, Norway maple, red oak, and scarlet oak. Shrubs with red fall foliage include sumac, viburnum, winged euonymus and barberry.
5. Allow plants to finish the summer growth cycle in a normal manner. Never encourage growth with heavy applications of fertilizer or excessive pruning at this time. Plants will delay their dormancy process that has already begun in anticipation of winter in the months ahead. New growth can be injured by an early freeze.
6. Rake up leaves, twigs and fruit from crabapple trees and dispose of them in the trash to help control apple scab disease.
7. Water newly planted trees and shrubs to provide sufficient moisture and prevent winter damage. Add a 3" layer of mulch around the base of the plants to retain soil moisture and regulate soil temperature.
8. Save seeds from your favorite self-pollinating, non-hybrid flowers such as marigolds by allowing the flower heads to mature. Lay the seeds on a newspaper and turn them often while drying. Store the dry seeds in a glass jar or an envelope in a cool dark place.
9. Pot up chives, parsley and other herbs to extend the growing season in your house.
10. Pears should be picked at the hard ripe stage and allowed to finish ripening off the tree. The base color of yellow pears should change from green to yellow as the fruit approaches maturity.