image from starwalk.space Good morning…frosty morning as we had that killing frost at 26 degrees. BUT I was wondering how much of your garden was green with the dry fall we have had. IT is time for this season to come to an end and get ready for the season of rest in the garden. It doesn’t mean our work is done in the garden. Now the cleanup, putting away garden stuff, hoses, sprinklers. Cleaning up garden tools and getting the garden ready for next season.
For me, I need to clean up another rack of plants. Most of them are lily plants, so will dig up the bulbs and put them into brown paper sacks. I have tried to leave them in the pots or have dug up and just put them in containers. Either way not that successful. Here we go, work to do with the gardening. When I heard, it was going to get cold, I wondered when we would have that full moon, looks like this week on Thursday so close to this killing frost that we had. Here is some information about the full moon this month. Stay safe all of you. The full Moon on Thursday, October 17, 2024, is known by its nickname, the Hunter’s Moon—it appears low and large on the horizon. This year, it’s also the biggest and brightest Supermoon—so that should be quite a sight! The Hunter’s Moon will reach peak illumination at 7:26 A.M. Eastern Time on Thursday, October 17, 2024. It will be below the horizon, so wait until sunset to watch it rise and take its place in the sky. Like September’s Harvest Moon, the Hunter’s Moon rises around the same time for several nights, bringing early light to aid harvesting and hunting. October’s full Hunter Moon orbits closer to Earth than any of the other full Moons this year, making it one of the four supermoons of 2024! At its nearest point, the Hunter’s Moon will be 222,055 miles (357,363 kilometers) from Earth… this is the closest Supermoon of the year! “Supermoon” is a catchy term for what astronomers’ call “a perigean full Moon,” which is when the full Moon happens at or near its closest point to Earth in its oval-shaped orbit. While a supermoon is technically bigger and brighter than a regular full Moon, it only appears about 7% larger—which can be an imperceptible difference to the human eye, depending on other conditions. As the Moon drifts over the horizon around sunset, it may appear larger and more orange—how perfect for the fall season! But don’t be fooled by the “Moon Illusion,” which makes the Moon appear bigger than it is. For decades, the Almanac has referenced the monthly full Moons with names tied to early Native American, Colonial American, and European folklore. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred and through all of the Moon’s phases—not only the full Moon. The Harvest Moon and the Hunter’s Moon are unique in that they are not directly related to this folklore or restricted to a single month. Instead, they are tied to an astronomical event: the autumnal equinox! The Harvest Moon is the full Moon that occurs nearest to the autumnal equinox date (September 22, 2024). This means that either September or October’s full Moon may take on the name “Harvest Moon” instead of its traditional name. Similarly, the Hunter’s Moon is the first full Moon to follow the Harvest Moon, meaning it can occur in either October or November. This year, the Harvest Moon occurred on September 17, so the Hunter’s Moon will follow it one lunar cycle later, on October 17. Why Is It Called the Hunter’s Moon? This particular full Moon is commonly referred to as the full Hunter’s Moon. It is so-named because it was considered a signal for hunters to begin hunting in preparation for the upcoming cold winter. At this time, game animals were also fattening up to ready themselves for the winter season. Moreover, since fields had recently been cleared out under the Harvest Moon, hunters could easily spot deer and other animals that had come out to search for remaining scraps. Additionally, foxes and wolves would also come out to prey on these animals. The earliest use of the term “Hunter’s Moon,” cited in the Oxford English Dictionary, is from 1710. Some sources suggest that other names for the Hunter’s Moon are the Sanguine or Blood Moon, either associated with the blood from hunting or the color of the changing autumn leaves. Taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/full-moon-october Till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 [email protected]
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WOW I have to say you have missed me. I haven’t written since Sept 4, 2024. WHY? We left Sept 8th for a month visit to Australia. Larry’s sister Evelyn and Brother-in-law tom live there. She has been there 50 years as she has made many trips back to see all of us, it is our turn to see her. We had an awesome time. It is their spring, and it was cooler than they are used to. Cold temperature for them in the winter is just freezing which would be 0 C or 32 for us. It would get down to 1 C when we were there. They also had lots of wind, and more rain than usual for their spring. All the rain made everything green and very nice. Evelyn took us to several gardens, and I have lots of pictures of Australia plants. I don’t know much about them but will share them with you. Hopefully make up a program about the plants from DOWN UNDER.
What you see in the pictures are Kangaroo Paw. They come in many different colors. Now this spring I did have a gardener ask for them, as she has had them in other years. I have ordered the seeds and see if I can grow them for your gardens for next year. We are home. We got home 9:00 Saturday night (the 12th) and just left Australia at 7:00 Saturday morning. But wait. We traveled over 9000 miles, took 22 hours with the biggest flight was 14 hours. They are on daylight savings time so 17 hours ahead of us. We are feeling jet lag yet but sleeping well at night. We had an awesome time. We have lots of memories with family and visiting spots. So much within two hours’ drive from Sale where they live. Ocean, lakes, small mountains, temperate rain forest, gold mines, and at island for koala bears, golf courses that have wild kangaroos on them. There are lots of small cafes and every little town has small bakeries. Many family-owned businesses, that makes it interesting traveling thru the towns. Of course, it is the other side of the road they drive on, and the steering wheel is different from ours. I would at first smile and laugh at the driving styles. They have lots of turnabouts, so that was different. Evelyn and Tom were awesome hosts. Evelyn and Larry had some great visits, and he helped her in the garden with projects. Evelyn took me to lots of places with flowers and native plants. So different from ours. Now got back to those freezing temperatures. We are working on watering everything well and putting it into the greenhouse on the wagons. I will need to work to make room for the plants I want to keep in the greenhouse as we get colder. Larry is cleaning out the three stoves to start the heating season. He has work to do in the shop in a couple of days. Back to what we want to do. Getting ready for the next season during this fall time. I must get orders in for plugs for next year. AND the seasons just starts all over. We will share the stories when we see you. Our world is vast so made us realize how small we are in the scope of things. We just need to make the best of it each day in our small way. Till next time this is Becky Litterer Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 [email protected] Does this catch your eye? But I am talking about winter predictions for this year. See what it says.9/4/2024 image from Vectorstock.com Garden Royalty Free Vector image Good morning, what a lovely morning. Cool, clear blue sky and low humidity 72 at 12:00 noon high today of 78 low of 59. What great weather just to sit outside and enjoy. Fall isn’t here by the calendar, but it does feel like fall in the air. I have been hearing some talk about the winter and how we are going to get lots of snow, and it will be cold. This is what the Old Farmer's Almanac shared with our area this winter. As I read it, it doesn’t say lots of snow and cold…what do you think?
Region 10: Heartland The heartland of America mainly covers Iowa, Missouri, and eastern Kansas, as well as Nebraska. Cities include Des Moines, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, and Topeka. How Cold Will Winter Be? Winter will be warmer than normal throughout this agricultural area. The coldest periods in the heartland will occur in late January and early and late February. Will There Be Snow? Precipitation and snowfall will be below normal as well. The most snow will fall when temperatures are coldest in late January as well as early and late February. Taken from https://www.almanac.com Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 [email protected] image from dengarden.com It is a wonderful day and almost cool isn’t it. Does feel like fall in the air? We had rain so that helped but we are really dry so more would be good. I noticed the crops are slowly turning and fall harvest will be around the corner. WHERE O WHERE did this year go?
The growers I get plant plugs from are calling and telling me about some new stuff. I am not ready to think of that yet, but I suppose one of these days I better. I know this perennial is too late to plant for this year, but please give it some consideration for next year. Bees and pollinators need this in the fall. Asters enliven the garden in late summer and early fall when many flower blooms fade—providing a late-season treat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators! Plant these deer-resistant native perennials to keep the color going About Asters Cold-hardy perennials with daisy-like flowers, aster flowers are the pollinator stars of the garden from late summer through fall. Growing 1 to 6 feet tall, depending on variety, these upright flowering plants bear cheerful star-shaped flower heads ranging from purple to white to blue. Even though there are more than 600 aster species, the two most commonly encountered asters in home gardening are the New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) and the New York aster (S. novi-belgii). Several years ago, the Aster genus was split into multiple genera. Aster now covers most European and Asian asters, while those native to North America belong to Symphyotrichum. Some hybrid varieties are available in showy colors, yet “wild type” species native to your region are generally a wise choice for the ecologically minded gardener despite not being quite as flashy as the cultivated varieties in some cases. Learn more about recommended varieties further down this page. Aster is versatile: Depending on the height, it’s suitable for borders, rock gardens, or wildflower gardens. As well as being a valuable pollinator plant for bees and butterflies, its tasty seed heads are sought by cardinals, chickadees, finches, nuthatches, and many other seed eaters. According to the North Carolina Extension, “Any species or cultivars of this genus would be a lovely addition to any home garden. It may be planted in a container for use on a porch or patio. It will also add color to a cottage garden or border garden. Butterflies and bees will appreciate the flowers, particularly as summer is ending and the evenings are getting cooler.” Planting Asters prefer areas with cool, moist summers and cool nights in sites with full to partial sun. In warmer climates, asters do not like the hot midday sun. Soil should be moist but well-drained and loamy. Wet clay soil will lead to root rot, and dry sandy soil will lead to plant wilt. Mix 2 to 3 inches of compost into the soil before planting. When to Plant Asters The best time to put young aster plants in the ground is in mid-to-late spring after the danger of frost has passed. (See local frost dates.) Or, you can plant mature, potted asters when available at garden centers (typically in the late summer or early fall). Asters can be grown from seed, but germination can be uneven. If desired, plant seeds in the fall or start them indoors in the winter. How to Plant Asters When planting young aster plants outside in the spring, space them 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on the type and how large they’re expected to get. Fully grown asters, such as those available in late summer or early fall, should be planted about three feet apart. If planting seeds, sow 1 inch deep in pots or flats and refrigerate them for 4 to 6 weeks to simulate winter dormancy. This cold period will kick-start germination. Water well and spread mulch around the plants to keep the soil cool and prevent weeds. Aster and monarch butterfly Asters are highly attractive to pollinators, especially bees and butterflies. Growing Add a thin layer of compost (or a portion of balanced fertilizer) with a 2–inch layer of mulch around the plants every spring to encourage vigorous growth. If less than 1 inch of rain falls weekly in summer, water regularly. But beware. Many asters are sensitive to too much or too little moisture. They will lose their lower foliage or not flower well. Watch for stress and try a different watering method if your plants lose flowers. Stake the tall varieties to keep them from falling over. Pinch or cut back asters by one-third once or twice in the early summer to promote bushier growth and more blooms. Don’t worry; they can take it! Do the Chelsea Chop! In winter, cut back asters after the foliage has died, or leave them through the winter to add some off-season interest to your garden. Birds may munch on the seeds, too. Note: Aster flowers that mature fully may reseed themselves. The resulting asters may not bloom true to their parent. (In other words, you may not get the same color flowers you planted initially!) Divide every 2 to 3 years in the spring to maintain your plant’s vigor and flower quality. Types The most common asters available in North America are the New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) and the New York aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii). Both of these plants are native to North America and are great flowers for pollinators. We recommend planting a native species of aster over a non-native species when possible, so talk with your local Cooperative Extension or garden center about which species are best suited to your area. Look for varieties with disease resistance. North American Asters New England asters (S. novae-angliae): Varieties have a range of flower colors, from magenta to deep purple. They typically grow larger than New York asters, though some varieties are smaller. New York asters (S. novi-belgii): There are many, many varieties of New York asters available. Their flowers range from bright pink to bluish-purple and can be double, semi-double, or single. Blue wood aster (S. cordifolium): Bushy with small, blue-to-white flowers. Heath aster (S. ericoides): A low-growing ground cover (similar to creeping phlox) with small, white flowers. Smooth aster (S. laeve): A tall, upright aster with small, lavender flowers. Aromatic aster (S. oblongifolium): Multi-branched at the base, stiff upright stems, with lavender or pink flowers. European/Eurasian Asters Frikart’s aster (Aster x frikartii) ‘Mönch’: Hailing from Switzerland, this mid-sized aster has large, lilac-blue flowers. Rhone aster (A. sedifolius) ‘Nanus’: This aster is known for its small, star-shaped, lilac-blue flowers and compact growth. Harvesting Cut asters for flower arrangements when blooms are just beginning to open. Vase life is 5 to 10 days. Asters have side shoots, which will continue to develop. These can be cut for indoor arrangements once they are the size you like. Taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/asters Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 [email protected] image from Kelloggarden.com image from agricbooks.blogspot.com We got rain. It hasn’t rained here very much since July 4th. So, you know that the rain we got soaked in and don’t even notice it this morning. I am hearing from 3/4 “ to 1 ½” of rain. One of my gardeners wrote that now the weeds will pull easier. It sounds like the Labor Day weekend will be very mild, cooler and less humid for us here in Iowa. We will take it. Stay safe all and enjoy.
I don’t know if you have grown any of these vegetables but here is the advice when to harvest. Harvesting Eggplant, Peppers and Okra By National Gardening Association Editors The most important thing about harvesting eggplant, peppers and okra is to start as soon as there's something to eat. It's the job of the plant to make seeds, so too much of the plant's effort will go into ripening the fruit instead of producing new fruit if you don't harvest regularly and often. Make it a practice to go out every few days and pick what's ready to eat. Try to get the most out of each plant. After all, having good things to eat is one of the main reasons to garden. You can harvest peppers when they're as small as golf balls. Most peppers, except for a few varieties like Sweet Banana, are green when young. Don't be surprised if you see your bell peppers turn red; many of them do as they ripen. Harvest them by cutting through the stem of each fruit with a knife. You can have an almost-continuous harvest from your pepper plants by cutting often, as this encourages the plant to keep blossoming, especially in the beginning of the summer. Later in the season, leave some green peppers on your plants to turn red. They taste wonderful and are colorful in pepper relish. In the South, pepper plants can be cut back after the first big harvest to encourage another crop. That's because peppers are really a perennial plant, although they are most often grown as an annual. If your season is long enough, cut the plant back to a few inches above the soil surface. The plant will grow back and give you a second, large harvest. Don't forget to sidedress, though, so the plant will have enough food to continue its work. Eggplant Eggplant tastes best when harvested young. If you cut into an eggplant and find an abundance of brown seeds, it's already too late for prime eating. The fruit will be a dark, glossy purple when it's ready to harvest. The surface of the eggplant will turn dull and it will taste bitter as it gets older and past its prime. To harvest eggplant, cut through the stem above the green cap, or calyx, on the top. It's a tough stem, so have a sharp knife handy. The calyx can be prickly, so you may want to wear gloves. You can cut these plants back like peppers if your season is long enough for a second crop. Okra Gloves and a long-sleeved shirt are practically a must when you harvest okra. The pods and leaves are usually covered with little spines you can hardly see. These spines can get under your skin and make your hands and arms itch for days. Overripe okra is too tough to eat, and it grows so fast you may have to harvest every day. A pod that's ready one day will have gone by the next. The best pods, those not more than four inches long, should be cut with a knife or broken right below the cap on the bottom. Only one pod grows beneath each leaf, so break off the leaf after harvesting the pod. This helps you remember where you've already harvested and indicates where to start the next time. Okra plants grow so tall in the South you may have to stand on a ladder to harvest them! Okra doesn't get nearly that tall in the North. When the plants get too tall to harvest, southern gardeners can cut them back to 12 to 18 inches above the ground. This is usually done in July or August. The plants will sprout again to make a second crop. You can also grow dwarf varieties that grow less than six feet tall. Taken from https://garden.org/learn/articles/view/535/Harvesting-Eggplant-Peppers-and-Okra/ Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 image from creatlivelynature underwatering image from Jus_01 overwatering Good morning…sorry I haven’t posted for a while. I have been trying to get Larry’s Garage statements out from this spring. I am almost there which is good. IT is hot, humid out and this is the last day we are hearing. I find going out and in with A/C is hard. Uses up lots of energy for sure. I see tomatoes are starting to produce for many, canning to starting for them. I love to can but don’t know if it is the plans for this September. See what happens.
Our church the West Fork United Methodist church will be having their annual Ice Cream Social Sept 3 at 5:00. Beefburgers, homemade ice cream, chips, bars, drinks for a free will offering to the North Iowa Vietnam Vets. All proceeds will go to them. They use the money to give out $100 gift cards to the needed Veterans at Christmas. Hope to see you there. Overwatering or Underwatering? House plants by Su Reid-St. John Watering an indoor plant seems like a no-brainer—just pour in some water every week or so, right? But there’s more to it than that. Happily, learning how to water houseplants the right way is easy. We’ll explain how to tell if you’re overwatering or underwatering—and provide simple tips for ensuring your houseplants are watered correctly. If you do an online search for “the number one reason why houseplants die,” you’ll see that just about every top result point to a single culprit: overwatering. If you’re blushing with recognition right about now, you’re not alone. Photosynthesis, the process during which plants make their food from the sun’s energy, requires both water and air to create the glucose that provides energy to the plant. Water helps transport the nutrients and sugars produced by photosynthesis, as well as nutrients from the soil to every part of the plant. Water evaporates through the leaves (in a process called transpiration) to help keep the plant cool. Plants are up to 95 percent water, and that water is key to strong, healthy cell structure. Too much water can prevent oxygen from moving through the soil to reach the plant. If that happens, roots may begin to rot and, ironically, can no longer deliver the moisture the plant so desperately needs. Eventually, the roots will die—and the plant along with it. Of course, there’s also such a thing as underwatering (also called, let’s face it, forgetting to water). Without moisture, all the important processes mentioned above can’t happen. The result? The plant stops growing, the leaves turn dry and brown, the stem becomes brittle, and the plant will eventually die. Houseplants can be especially susceptible to underwatering in the summer when they’re growing faster, there’s more light, and the surrounding temperature is higher—all of which translates into water disappearing more quickly from the soil through use and evaporation. Signs of overwatering include droopy and/or yellowing leaves, leaves (even young ones) that fall off, mushy-feeling stems near the base of the plants, and soggy soil. Signs of underwatering include leaves that droop (but perk up after watering), turn brown, begin to curl, and/or even get a bit crispy. You may also notice a gap between the dry soil and the inside of the pot. Lots of people water their indoor plants every week on the same day, but while that may make it easier to remember, it’s not the best approach for your plants. See, your houseplants don’t all use water at the same rate. Some may be thirstier than others, depending on the size of both the plant and pot, the amount of sun it gets, whether or not it’s actively growing, how hot and dry the room is, etc. That being said, it’s fine to choose one day a week as the check-in-on-your-plants day to see if they need watering! Fortunately, the best way to ensure your houseplants get the right amount of water is the same. Every few days, stick your finger into the soil. Generally, if the top inch of potting mix (two inches for succulents) is dry, it’s time to water. You can also lift the pot to feel how heavy it is–if it feels oddly light, it’s time to water. Using room-temperature water (not too cold!), water the soil evenly around the base of the plant until water begins to run out of the drainage holes in the pot—make sure you have a saucer underneath. (If there are no drainage holes, water until the soil is well moistened, then switch to a pot with holes the next time you repot in containers.) It’s fine to use tap water, but if you live in an area with heavily chlorinated water, let it sit out uncovered overnight before using it to allow the chlorine to evaporate. Better yet, use water from your rain barrel. See? It’s a pretty straightforward path to keeping your houseplants happily hydrated. Taken from https://www.almanac.com/how-and-when-water-houseplants Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-930-9365 image from pixnio.com What a lovely morning. LOVE this temperature. I will work outside at the greenhouse this morning. Plastic to put away, of course watering to do, and will get organized to work with succulents. Have many to repot. Always have to plant for sure which is what I like to do. Fall is coming and one sign will be the monarch’s migration. Here is how you can help with that.
How to Help Monarch Butterflies We can all help monarch butterflies! Their numbers have plummeted by 90% in the past few decades. The Monarch Migration If you grow plentiful Ascelpias tuberosa—orange milkweed (also called butterfly weed)—then you may be blessed with plenty of monarch butterflies. These gorgeous orange and black pollinators will shelter in your garden for months, from March until October. Then, the monarch butterflies migrate south every fall—the only butterflies to migrate as birds do! They’ll fly over 3,000 miles with the Sun as their guide, traveling about 50 miles a day. The eastern population, which makes up the bulk of the monarch population in North America, travels from as far north as southern Canada down south to the border regions of Texas and Mexico, arriving at their roosting sites in November, where they’ll hibernate for the winter. Some monarchs live west of the Rockies, who gather in southern California instead. Monarchs may take as many as five generations to complete a migration south! Monarchs normally produce four generations in one calendar year. Each generation goes through a life cycle of four stages: the egg, the larva (caterpillar), the pupa (chrysalis), and the adult butterfly. The four generations are actually four different butterflies going through these four stages during 1 year until it is time to start with stage one and generation one again. The 5 Monarch Generations In February and March, monarchs come out of hibernation to find a mate. They then migrate north and east to find a place to lay their eggs. This starts stage one and generation one. In March and April, the eggs are laid on milkweed plants. They hatch into baby caterpillars, also called larvae. It takes about 4 days for the eggs to hatch. Then, the baby caterpillar eats milkweed to grow. After about 2 weeks, the caterpillar will be fully grown and will find a place to attach itself to start the transformation process. It attaches itself to a stem or a leaf, and then, using silk, it spins and transforms into a chrysalis. Within the chrysalis, the old body parts of the caterpillar undergo metamorphosis to become a butterfly that will emerge in 10 days and fly away. It feeds on flowers and fruit in gardens for 2 to 6 weeks. This first-generation monarch butterfly will then die after laying eggs for generation number two. The second generation of monarch butterflies is born in May and June, and then the third generation will be born in July and August. These monarch butterflies will go through exactly the same four-stage life cycle as the first generation did, dying 2 to 6 weeks after they become adult monarch butterflies. If the process starts early enough, there can even be a fourth generation in late August. The final generation of monarch butterflies is different from the others. It’s born in September and October and goes through exactly the same process as the previous generations except for one part: The butterflies don’t die after 2 to 6 weeks. Instead, they migrate to warmer climates like Texas, Mexico, and California, where they hibernate for 6 to 8 months until it is time to start the whole process over again. The Right Food for Monarchs Monarchs must time their migration to coincide with milkweed growth. No milkweed means no monarchs! Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed (Ascelpias tuberosa), which contains all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed to transform the larvae into butterflies. Adult butterflies also rely on milkweed as a nectar source, in addition to other backyard flowers. Vivid orange milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) in my garden is a magnet for monarchs. The native plant is easy to grow, drought-resistant and a colorful addition to flower beds. To attract and help adult monarchs during their fall migration, plant milkweed, native flowers, and a few fruit-bearing trees. They also like to drink from mushy slices of banana, oranges, and watermelon. Plant other fall-blooming flowers that provide nectar, like asters and goldenrods; there are native species of each in almost all parts of the country. Of course, avoid herbicides such as glyphosate and insecticides such as neonicotinoids, especially on fall-blooming plants. Taken from https://www.almanac.com/travel-safe-monarchs Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 image from Sue Sorry I haven’t been posting. I am still working on cleaning up the wagons and the plants. But mainly I have been working on bookwork for Larry’s Garage. I am gaining on it and will have statements to send out I hate to say from this spring. We had such a good season at the greenhouse, I couldn’t keep up with the bookwork. I have some call and see if I am still open which warms my heart, but I really don’t have plants for their gardens. I guess I would say I am closed. It was hard to keep all of them growing and well-watered when it was so hot during the Franklin Co Fair. Time to let them go. Thank you for a great season. Total of 83 days working in a row at the greenhouse, and then the next week attended the Franklin Co Fair. Few weeks later we attended the herb fest. That put us into the first of Aug. Not bad for someone my age and with 4 artificial joints.
I have seen these tomatoes dry at the top, and was asked why they are wilting like this. I looked it up and this is what I found. If yours did this, you will have to decide which reason why. We have to be plant detectives when it comes to figure out why something isn’t growing correctly. Good luck. Possible reasons for the tops of tomato plants wilting Lack of water Fungal wilt diseases Tomato spotted wilt virus Walnut toxicity Stalk borers Poor soil drainage Root-knot nematodes (a common pest affecting tomato plants) Tomatoes Wilting Due to Fungal diseases Fungal diseases Verticillium wilt and Fusarium wilt are two different fungi that will cause your tomatoes to wilt once infected. The spores of these fungi can survive in the soil over winter or on plant debris that is left out in the field, and will enter your next seasons’ plants through their root system. Both diseases will cause wilting by growing up inside the xylem of the plant and blocking the transport of water and nutrients, thus causing leaves and stems to lose their turgor. Tomato plants and other vegetables in the nightshade family can be affected at any stage of growth, although it is thought that in Northern climates Verticillium wilt affects plants later in the season when soil temperatures are at least 70- 75℉. Fusarium wilt is more prevalent in Southern regions as it prefers temperatures of 80 – 90℉. To confirm it is a fungal infection inside the plant, slice away a vertical section at the base of the stem and check for the presence of a brown substance inside. With Fusarium wilt sometimes only one side of the plant will wilt and yellow, or just the lower branches. Verticillium wilt starts affecting lower branches at first, and they may appear to recover at night only to wilt again during the daytime. Solutions and prevention: There is no cure for either of these fungal infections, and infected plants should be removed and thrown away immediately to prevent further spread- do not add to your compost pile! Take many preventative measures to keep these fungi out of your garden, as Fusarium wilt can survive in the soil for up to 10 years! Always remove plant debris at the end of the season, rotate crops in the nightshade family every season, solarize soil with tarps in the spring, buy resistant tomato varieties, and grow non-resistant varieties in pots to be sure these aggressive fungi have a very low chance of establishing themselves in your soil. Viral infection Can Causes Wilting In Tomato Plants Viral infection Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) will, as the name might suggest, cause your tomato plants to wilt and yellow. It is transmitted by thrips, a common pest for tomato plants, which will pass the virus from their gut into the plant tissue of your tomatoes when they are feeding on them. Identification: Symptoms of TSWV include stunted or lopsided growth, brown flecks on the leaves, and raised circular areas and spotting on the fruits. Wilting usually occurs at the growing tips and new growth rather than on older, lower branches. The only way to 100% confirm the presence of TSWV is to take a sample and send it into a local agricultural university lab. Solutions and prevention: Unfortunately, like the fungal infections, there is no cure for plants with TSWV. Infected plants should be removed ASAP and burnt or thrown out, and nearby weeds or plant debris should also be removed. Purchase tomato varieties that are resistant to TSWV, and other preventative measures are focused on managing thrip populations in your garden, since they are the main vector for the virus. Salicylic acid sprays can be used on tomatoes to ward off thrips, which won’t like to feed on plants with it on their surface. Sticky yellow and blue cards can be bought at plant centres or online and are particularly effective in greenhouses for catching thrips amongst other pests. Pests Can Cause Your Tomato Plant To Wilt Stalk borers and thrips can cause your tomato plant to wilt after they enter or feed from it. Stalk borers are small caterpillars- which turn into moths- that will bore a hole at the base of your tomato plant in the spring and tunnel into the main stem, impeding the flow of nutrients and water which causes wilting. Identification: There may be signs of a boring caterpillar such as excrement around the main bore hole somewhere near the bottom of the plant, or little holes that are used by the insect for breathing as it moves up the stem. These will often be quite difficult to spot, so try to eliminate other possibilities and get to this cause through process of elimination. Solutions and prevention: If signs of the pest are noticed before extensive wilting has taken place, it is possible to remove this pest through a somewhat risky surgery. If you have located a bore hole and/or insect excrement, you can make a vertical incision on the stem and try to remove the caterpillar with tweezers. After removal, the plant must be patched up with horticultural tape and be carefully monitored, as this kind of opening can weaken the plant and create an entrance for other pests and disease. If the plant is already severely wilted, the damage may already be done and the plant should be removed. Taken from https://www.gardeningchores.com/tomato-plants-wilting/ Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 image from mygardenandgreenhouse.com WOW it is hot and humid out this afternoon. JUST like we were told it would be. Clear, whisky clouds it had been overcast it wouldn’t be so warm. But it is. Now another round of storms tonight. Stay safe, stay cool.
Which perennials to divide in fall versus spring by Robin Sweetser Even if budgets are tight, you can fill up any empty garden spaces by splitting up your perennial plants. You’re not being cruel. Perennials don’t grow or flower well when they get overcrowded and you’re doing them a favor by dividing them. See which perennials get divided in fall versus spring, plus how to divide your perennials. Why Divide Perennial Plants? Perennials are plants that grow back each year (versus annuals). Dividing or splitting your plant into multiple plants helps it perform better. When plants get too crowded they become weakened, their flowers get smaller, and some may stop blossoming altogether. Annual vs. Perennial Plants: Everything You Should Know If you noticed some of your perennials did not bloom well this summer, they might benefit from division so they have more space for roots to grow and can better absorb nutrients and water. Splitting plants is also an effective way to keep spreading plants under control and manage their size. When to Divide Perennials Clump-forming plants like daisies, phlox, yarrow, feverfew, salvia, chives, daylilies, hostas, ornamental grass and many spring bloomers are easy to divide in the fall. Leave the autumn flowering plants such as asters and chrysanthemums until spring and never divide a plant when it is in bloom. Also don’t divide single-stemmed or tap-rooted plants. Which Common Perennials Are Divided in Fall Vs Spring Allium, Fall Aster, Spring Astilbe, Spring or fall Bee balm, Spring Black-eyed Susan, Spring or fall Catmint, Spring Clematis, Spring Columbine, Spring or late summer Coral bells, Spring or fall Daylily, Spring or after flowering in early fall Delphinium, Spring Echinacea, Spring or early fall Goldenrod, Spring or fall Hostas, Spring or fall Iris-Siberian, Spring or early fall Lily, Late summer/early fall Mint, Spring or fall Mum (Hardy), Spring Peony, Early fall only. Phlox, Spring or early fall Hibiscus, Spring or fall Sage (Salvia), Spring or fall Shasta daisies, Spring or fall Speedwell, Spring or early fall Sunflower, Spring or fall Yarrow, Spring or fall Steps to Multiple by Dividing 1. Dig around the rootball of the plant with a sharp spade and lift the clump. 2. Pull clumb apart by hand if you can, otherwise pry apart with 2 garden forks placed back-to-back. If that doesn’t work, cut into pieces with a sharp knife, saw, or even an axe! My friend has an electric carving knife she uses just for this purpose. (It has never seen a turkey!) Make sure each section has a good amount of roots and some top growth. The soil around the rootball was dry and made it easy to pull the plant apart into many smaller sections. 3. Replant right away. If you have to wait, keep the divisions covered with wet newspaper or wet burlap to keep them from drying out or plant them temporarily in containers or a holding bed until you can get them into their new homes. 4. This is the time to enrich the planting holes with compost and any other needed amendments. 5. Plant the divisions at the same depth they were previously growing at. Too deep will smother the crown and too shallow will leave roots exposed to weather. 6. Water well to get them settled and keep watering until the ground freezes, especially if the rains don’t cooperate. Some plants, like bee balm, Siberian iris or astilbe grow outward in a ring leaving a dead spot in the center. To renew them, dig up the whole clump, shake off as much soil as possible, and split the outer ring of healthy plants into smaller sections for replanting. Toss out the woody centers and any diseased or damaged parts of the plant. Fall is a great time for strenuous garden activities like digging since the weather has cooled down and abundant autumn rainfall helps with the chore of watering. If you act soon there will still be time for roots to get settled in before the ground freezes. If you can’t use all the new divisions, offer them up to your gardening friends or trade for a plant they have in overabundance. Some of my favorite plants have come from these kinds of swaps. Multiplying your plants by division is an easy way to get something for nothing but a bit of digging! Taken from https://www.almanac.com/when-and-how-divide-perennials Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 image from The Old Farmers Almanac WOW here we are 25th of July….wasn’t it just the 4th of July, wasn’t it fair time at Franklin Co. I am still watering 6 wagons of plants. With the help of grandsons, we started again with the unplanting. You always ask what we do with the extra plants, we unplant and compost them. Not my favorite thing to do, but if I work a couple of hours each day at it, then it will get done. I found that I go out at 6:30 and work my 2 hours out there early morning it is cooler and I can work outside and inside the greenhouse not too warm.
I will be at the Herb fest in Greene on Sunday July 28th. I will have perennials, some annuals, houseplants, succulents, and of course what herb plants I have. Look for the 2 SNAP on TOOL awnings in the park. I can remember my first herb fest and it was at the farm that the cruise boat would stop for lunch on the Shell Rock. We are looking easily at 25 years ago. I remember I had lisianthus plants and not many gardeners knew what they were. Now they are a great plant to grow for bouquets. I must really look to get the starter plants for these and haven’t had them since. I will continue to look for plugs so I can grow them for your gardens. It sounds like it will be warm starting Saturday through next week. I will be around Thursday and Friday and all next week if you are looking for anything to fill in your garden space. I might be in the house working in the office, but I will come out when I see you drive up. Give me a call or a text 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 to see if I have what you would like. Of course, all on sale. Trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals. Interesting article about humidity. It's Not the Heat, It's the Humidity! The uncomfortable weather of July is often due to humidity, not heat. Find out more about humidity and what it means to be humid! In most of the Northern Hemisphere, July is the hottest month. But when folks grumble about feeling uncomfortable, they often say, “It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity.” Want to know if it’s going to be humid? Look up to the skies! Here’s how. How Can You Tell That It’s Humid? You can quickly judge moisture by glancing up. A deep blue sky means dry air. A light blue sky with a nearly white horizon means average humidity. A sky that’s milky overhead is very humid. That’s the summertime norm in the Carolinas and the Gulf States. Warm air can hold far more water than cold air. And the best measurement of the air’s dampness is dewpoint. That’s the temperature at which the current air mass, if cooled down, would not hold its moisture anymore, so its water changes from invisible gas to countless liquid droplets. It’s when fog forms and dew appears. When you breathe on a mirror, it fogs up because the cool glass has lowered your breath to its dewpoint. What Is Humidity? Let’s make sense of humidity. Bear with me. Let’s say it’s early morning, the air is 68°F, and it’s holding all the water it can. This means that there’s fog outside or dew on the ground. Since this air is saturated at 68º, this air has a dewpoint of 68. Its relative humidity is 100%. The temperature and dewpoint are the same. But six hours later at midday, the air is 95°F. This hot air is now capable of holding twice as much water, so the relative humidity is now 50%. Thanks to the increased temperature, the relative humidity has changed radically. Yet it’s the same air as before, moisture-wise. Its dewpoint is still 68°. So, dewpoint is a much better gauge of air moisture than relative humidity. It’s the language spoken by meteorologists and weather nerds. When Is Air Humid? What’s important to know is that a dewpoint of 65ºF or higher means very humid air. A dewpoint in the low 60s is somewhat humid. A dewpoint in the 50s is pleasant. A dewpoint in the 40s feels wonderfully dry, like the air in Montana. Here’s one more very cool fact: Air never cools below its dewpoint. So by looking up the current dewpoint, you instantly know the lowest the temperature can get to tonight. That’s assuming some new air mass isn’t marching in. Taken from https://www.almanac.com/its-not-heat-its-humidity Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected] 641-794-3337 cell 641-903-9365 |
AuthorHi! My name is Becky and I am a Master Gardener. I own Becky's Greenhouse in Dougherty, Iowa. Archives
October 2024
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