| Preparing for the Winter Months: Gardening in | | | | the most commonly used watering method, |
| OctoberWhen you feel that first solid bite in | | | | particularly for lawns and large areas. |
| the breeze and you see the songbirds winging | | | | Sprinkler irrigation works best with |
| their way south, and the trees are bursting | | | | well-draining soils and shallow-rooted |
| with fire-laden hues, you know you can't be | | | | plants, or where a cooling effect is desired. |
| spending the weekend curled up by the | | | | But sprinklers have several disadvantages. |
| fireplace with a good book. Not for | | | | They waste water, since much of it is sprayed |
| long.While the weather is still | | | | on areas other than the root zone around the |
| gardener-friendly, you must shorten your | | | | plant. Because much of the water is thrown |
| "to-do" lists for the coming of late fall and | | | | high in the air, loss due to evaporation can |
| early winter. Now is the time to attack your | | | | be significant. Sprinklers can also foster |
| lawn and garden by planting your spring | | | | fungal diseases and other problems with some |
| bulbs, buying and maintaining your trees and | | | | plants such as roses that don't like having |
| shrubs, doing your late autumn lawn care, | | | | wet foliage. Sprinklers require good water |
| using common-sense watering strategies, | | | | pressure and are best used on plants which |
| building a compost bin and making your own | | | | are not in bloom. Several types of sprinklers |
| compost, controlling the many common garden | | | | are available.Building a Bin and Making Your |
| pests, and winning at the weed-whacking war | | | | Own CompostA bin will contain your compost |
| before the sudden onset of the fickle, cold | | | | pile and make it more attractive as well as |
| and all-enveloping winter season.Planting | | | | keep it from spilling or blowing over into |
| Your PerennialsPlant the spring-flowering | | | | your yard. A circular or square structure can |
| bulbs until the ground becomes frozen, and | | | | be made from fencing wire. The idea is to |
| prepare your tender but tenacious perennials | | | | push the compost material together to make it |
| for the coming seasonal changes. Remember | | | | heat up and rot properly. The bin should be |
| that in the milder climates, bulbs can still | | | | at least three feet wide and three feet deep |
| be divided and transplanted. Plant hardy | | | | to provide enough space for the spreading |
| bulbs anytime before the soil freezes, but | | | | material. Use untreated wood or metal fence |
| it's best to plant them early enough so the | | | | posts for the corners and wrap sturdy wire |
| root systems can grow before winter arrives. | | | | fencing around them. The fence mesh should be |
| In some climates, you can plant until | | | | small enough that rotting materials won't |
| Thanksgiving or even Christmas. Late-planted | | | | fall out. When the compost is ready, unwind |
| bulbs develop roots in the spring, and may | | | | the wire and scoop from the bottom of the |
| bloom late. But they'll arrive on time by | | | | pile. Then re-pile the undecomposed material |
| next year.Be sure to position the bulbs at | | | | and wrap the wire back around the heap.Many |
| their proper depth. They must be planted so | | | | hard-core gardeners feel that three compost |
| their bottoms rest at a depth two-and-a-half | | | | bins are the best for serious composting. By |
| times each bulb's diameter. In well-drained | | | | building a trio of bins you can compost in |
| or sandy soil, plant an inch or two deeper to | | | | stages: one bin will be ready, one will be |
| increase life and discourage rodents.Choosing | | | | brewing and one will always be starting. |
| Your Trees and ShrubsOctober is a wonderful | | | | Installing a cover, such as a plastic tarp or |
| time to shop for trees and shrubs at the | | | | a piece of wood, helps to cut odor, control |
| nursery. They're now showing their best and | | | | moisture and keep out wild pests. You will |
| brightest colors there. You can plant them | | | | also want to use the right ingredients for a |
| now and over the next few months, so that | | | | proper, lovely smelling rotting compost |
| strong, healthy roots will grow over the | | | | heap.It's easy to cook up your own pile. At |
| winter.You must carefully plan out your | | | | first, layer grass clippings with a dash of |
| landscape to choose which trees you wish to | | | | leaves and twigs to create a concoction that |
| plant for providing proper lawn coverage and | | | | turns into humus, the best plant food. Added |
| the most beautiful scenery. When an | | | | ingredients for the compost comes from |
| appropriate tree is purchased, selected and | | | | everyday waste in the kitchen and yard. But |
| planted in the right place, it frames your | | | | avoid any items that ruin your compost. Use |
| home and beautifies your land, making both | | | | green materials such as fruit and vegetable |
| more enjoyable. Trees can greatly increase | | | | scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, and grass |
| the resale value of property, and even save | | | | and plant clippings; and brown materials, |
| you on energy costs.Visualize your new trees | | | | such as leaves, wood and bark chips, shredded |
| at maturity while realizing that some trees | | | | newspaper, straw and sawdust from untreated |
| develop as much width as height if given | | | | wood. Avoid using any meat, oil, fat, grease, |
| enough space to develop. Picture each tree's | | | | diseased plants, sawdust or chips from |
| size and shape in relation to the overall | | | | pressure-treated wood, dog or cat feces, |
| landscape and the size and style of your | | | | weeds that go to seed or dairy products. |
| home. Trees peaking at forty feet do best | | | | These can befoul, spoil and make smelly and |
| near or behind a one-story home. Taller trees | | | | rancid a perfectly good productive compost |
| blend with two-story houses and large lots. | | | | heap.There are two types of composting: cold |
| Trees under thirty feet tall suit streetside | | | | and hot. Cold composting is as simple as |
| locations, small lots and enclosed areas such | | | | piling up your yard waste or taking out the |
| as decks and patios.There are two basic types | | | | organic materials in your trash such as fruit |
| of trees you will be considering for | | | | and vegetable peels, coffee grounds or egg |
| purchase. Deciduous trees include large shade | | | | shells and then piling them in your yard. |
| trees which frame areas with a cool summer | | | | Over the course of a year or so, the material |
| canopy and a colorful autumn rack of superior | | | | will decompose. Hot composting is for the |
| colors. In winter, their silhouettes provide | | | | more serious gardener; you'll get compost in |
| passage for sunlight. These trees can shade a | | | | one to three months during warm weather. Four |
| southern exposure from summertime heat, and | | | | ingredients are required for fast-cooking hot |
| allow winter sunlight to warm the house. | | | | compost: nitrogen, carbon, air and water. |
| Evergreen trees have dense green foliage that | | | | These items feed microorganisms, which speed |
| suits them for planting as privacy screens, | | | | up the process of decay.Concentrated Pest |
| windbreaks or backdrops for flowering trees | | | | ControlSlugs and other pests don't disappear |
| and shrubs. But they are handsome enough to | | | | as the weather gets cooler. You'll find them |
| stand alone. They do not lose their leaves, | | | | at all life stages in October, from eggs to |
| called needles, and provide year-round | | | | youngsters and adults. For slugs, use |
| shelter and color. You should be sure to | | | | whatever measures you prefer, salt, slug bait |
| include a wide variety of both kinds of trees | | | | or saucers of beer to eliminate them. It's |
| in your landscape to avoid losing them to | | | | best to catch them at the early stages to |
| diseases or pests. Buy disease- and | | | | stop the reproduction cycle. And keep the |
| pest-resistant trees.When buying a tree, look | | | | ground well-raked and tidied to reduce their |
| for healthy green leaves if it has any, and | | | | natural habitat.Here's a list of common |
| also well-developed top growth. Branches | | | | garden pests and how to control them:Thrips: |
| should be unbroken and balanced around the | | | | Adult thrips are about one-sixteenth-inch |
| trunk, and on dormant or bare-root stock they | | | | long and have dark bodies with four fringed |
| should be pliable. Examine the roots, which | | | | wings. Their size makes them difficult to |
| should form a balanced, fully-formed mass. | | | | detect in the garden. They attack young |
| Reject trees with broken or dried-out roots. | | | | leaves, flower stalks and buds. Spray young |
| Avoid trees showing signs of disease, pests | | | | foliage, developing buds and the soil around |
| or stress such as wilting, discoloration, | | | | the bush with an insecticide containing |
| misshapen leaves, scarred bark and | | | | acephate.Cane borer: This insect is the |
| nonvigorous growth. Consider the size of the | | | | maggot of the eggs laid by sawflies or |
| tree. Young trees have a better rate of | | | | carpenter bees in the freshly-cut cane of the |
| success when planted, and most flowering | | | | rose after pruning. One telltale sign is a |
| trees grow quickly, so start with less | | | | neatly-punctured hole visible on the top of |
| expensive, smaller specimens. And be sure and | | | | the cane. To remove the pest, cut several |
| buy all your plants from a good quality | | | | inches down the cane until there are no more |
| nursery with a decent reputation.Don't prune | | | | signs of the maggot or pith-eaten core. Seal |
| a newly planted tree unless its form needs | | | | all pruning cuts with pruning sealer.Japanese |
| improving. Prune flowering trees in spring, | | | | beetle, Fuller rose beetle: These will eat |
| after blooming, to correct unsightly | | | | parts of the foliage and sometimes the |
| problems. Crab apple trees are an exception | | | | flowers. Pick beetles off the bush by hand. |
| and should be pruned in late winter. But you | | | | Or spray foliage and flowers with an |
| can remove diseased or dead branches anytime | | | | insecticide containing acepate or |
| of the year, and much of this is done during | | | | malathion.Leaf miner: This insect can be |
| the winter. Apply fertilizer when needed in | | | | spotted on foliage by the appearance of |
| the second and subsequent growing seasons. | | | | irregular white chain-like blisters |
| Mulch to conserve moisture, reduce weeds and | | | | containing its grub. Remove foliage and |
| eliminate mowing near the tree. Spread wood | | | | discard it to prevent further |
| chips or bark four inches deep and as wide as | | | | infestation.Spittle bug: This small, |
| the tree's canopy around the base. But don't | | | | greenish-yellow insect hides inside a |
| mulch poorly drained oversaturated soil. Wrap | | | | circular mass of white foam on the surface of |
| tree trunks after planting to prevent winter | | | | new stems, usually during the development of |
| damage from weather and pests. And stake | | | | the first bloom cycle in early spring. Spray |
| young trees, especially bare-root trees and | | | | a jet of water to remove the foam and the |
| evergreens, to fortify them against strong | | | | insect.Roseslug: When you see new foliage |
| winds. Stake loosely and allow the tree to | | | | with a skeletonized pattern, indicating that |
| bend slightly, and remove stakes after one | | | | it has been eaten, chances are it's the |
| year.Shrubs are often planted and used merely | | | | roseslug. Remove the infected foliage and |
| as foundation plants or privacy screens. But | | | | spray with insecticidal soap or an |
| shrubbery foliage is vastly more versatile, | | | | insecticide that contains acephate.Leaf |
| and can go a long way toward livening up your | | | | cutter bee: As its name implies, this very |
| landscaping. Countless varieties of | | | | small yellowish-green insect jumps on the |
| gorgeously hued and beautifully leafed shrubs | | | | undersides of foliage to feast, often leaving |
| are available through nurseries and garden | | | | its white skin behind. The damage caused by |
| catalogs.You must start by learning what | | | | this insect often results in defoliation. Use |
| varieties thrive in your area. Try visiting | | | | an insecticide containing acephate or |
| your local arboretum, where you may view | | | | malathion to prevent it from establishing a |
| different kinds of shrubs and decide whether | | | | strong colony.Rose scale: This insect hides |
| they fit your gardening plans. Decide what | | | | under gray scales, normally on old canes or |
| overall look you want at different times of | | | | stems. It feeds by sucking the sap, weakening |
| the year, and then find out which shrubs will | | | | the plant. If the infestation is localized, |
| be flowering, producing berries or sporting | | | | try removing it with a fingernail. Or spray |
| colorful foliage at those times. Compare what | | | | with an insecticide containing acephate.Weed |
| you find to the inventory at your local | | | | Whacking Made EasyActually, this is a slight |
| nursery, and ask the professionals who work | | | | exaggeration. There's no rest for the wicked. |
| there lots of questions.Understand the | | | | Keep staying ahead of your nasty weeds all |
| characteristics of each shrub before you | | | | this and next month. They serve as Home Sweet |
| plant it. Flowering and fruit-bearing shrubs | | | | Home for all manner of pests and bugs, and |
| enhance a new home, but improper pruning and | | | | destroying them before they flower and seed |
| care will ruin the beauty of all your hard | | | | will save you much work in the |
| work. Some shrubs bloom on second- or | | | | future.Preparation is the key. All gardeners |
| third-year wood. If you're maintaining a | | | | know what it's like to have their yards |
| shrub because you're hoping it's going to | | | | invaded by unwelcome plants. Although there's |
| blossom, but you're cutting off first-year | | | | no really easy way to banish weeds, there are |
| wood every year, it's never going to | | | | a few solid techniques you can use to reclaim |
| bloom.Some varieties are a foot tall at | | | | your turf. At the very least, you can limit |
| maturity, while others reach over fifteen | | | | this utmost in hostile takeovers.Here is a |
| feet. A large shrub will usually require more | | | | simple outline of effective battle strategies |
| pruning. Also determine the plant's ability | | | | you can use in the fall:1) Be a mulching |
| to tolerate various soil conditions, wind, | | | | maniac. Mulch acts as a suffocating blanket |
| sun and shade. You don't put a plant that's | | | | by preventing light from reaching weed seeds. |
| sensitive to the elements in an open area. | | | | At the same time, it holds moisture for your |
| Use hardier plants to shelter it.Not all | | | | plants and provides nutrients for your soil |
| shrubs work in every climate. Witch hazel, | | | | as it decomposes. Apply coarse mulch, such as |
| for example, blooms in fall or winter and is | | | | bark or wood chips, directly onto soil. |
| hardiest where minimum temperatures range | | | | Leaves, grass clippings, or straw work better |
| from thirty degrees below zero to twenty | | | | as a weed deterrent with a separating layer |
| degrees above. It would not be a good choice | | | | of newspaper, cardboard or fabric between |
| for very dry, hot climates. But some shrubs | | | | them and the soil.2) Water those weeds. |
| such as buddleia, hydrangea and spirea | | | | Pulling weeds is easier and more efficient |
| perform well across a wide range of growing | | | | when the soil is moist. You are more likely |
| zones.Late Autumn Lawn CareAerate lawns in | | | | to get the whole root system, and your |
| mid- to late-October, while the grass can | | | | yanking won't disturb surrounding plants as |
| recover easily. If you core aerate, make your | | | | much either. No rain? Turn on the sprinkler |
| cores three inches deep, spaced about every | | | | or even water individual weeds, leave for a |
| six inches. Break up the cores and spread | | | | few hours and then get your hands dirty. Just |
| them around. If your lawn needs it, thatch | | | | ignore the strange looks from your neighbors |
| and follow with a fall or winter fertilizer. | | | | as you lovingly water your weeds.3) Cut weeds |
| Even if thatching isn't needed, your lawn | | | | down in their prime. Weeds love open soil. |
| will be happy for a dusting of fertilizer to | | | | But if you till or cultivate and then wait to |
| help roots gain strength before the spring | | | | plant, you can outmaneuver the weeds. Till |
| growing season. Overseed bald patches or | | | | the ground at least twice before you plant. |
| whole lawns as needed. | | | | Your first digging will bring dormant weed |
| | | | seeds to the surface where they can |
| Rake and compost leaves as they fall, as | | | | germinate. Watch and wait for a few weeks |
| well as grass clippings from mowing. If left | | | | until they begin to grow. Then slice up the |
| on the ground now, they'll make a wet, | | | | weeds again with a tiller or a hoe, only |
| slippery mess that's inviting to pests.Good | | | | don't dig as deep. Now it should be safe to |
| gardeners use heavy-duty molded plastic for | | | | put precious plants into the soil.4) Pass the |
| shaping neat edges of beds. You can buy these | | | | salt. Try sweeping rock salt into crevices |
| from garden centers, nurseries and mail order | | | | between paths. Although more harsh, borax |
| suppliers in rolls of flat, four- to | | | | also works well. Be sure to wear rubber |
| six-inch-tall plastic, and the edging | | | | gloves with the latter material. You might |
| installs easily. You'll save yourself | | | | need to apply a few doses, but be aware of |
| countless hours of removing grass and weeds | | | | any surrounding plants because both products |
| that otherwise creep into your beds.Watering | | | | kill the good plants along with the bad.Food |
| Your Lawn and GardenYou can't forget about | | | | for ThoughtIn addition to performing these |
| watering in the middle of fall. The summer's | | | | autumnal lawn and garden duties, you may want |
| long over, but proper moisture now is key to | | | | to harvest your fall vegetables such as the |
| your plants' survival over the cold winter | | | | perennial squashes. Do a taste test and |
| months. You're likely to hear two pieces of | | | | harvest them when flavor is at its peak. If |
| advice on watering. One is that you should | | | | you'd like to extend the harvest of carrots, |
| give established plants an inch of water per | | | | turnips and other root vegetables, leave some |
| week, whether from rain or irrigation. The | | | | in the ground to mulch as the weather gets |
| other is that personal observation of your | | | | colder. Early next month, before temperatures |
| own garden is the only way to judge how much | | | | drop too much, seed cover crops such as |
| water it needs. One fact about which there is | | | | clover, peas or vetch to enrich the soil. It |
| more agreement: the ideal is to maintain | | | | will serve as a natural fertilizer, stifle |
| constant moisture, not a cycle of wet soil | | | | weed growth and help loosen up the soil for |
| followed by dry soil.Although overwatering | | | | next year's crops.As for your houseplants |
| can be as big a problem as underwatering, | | | | that you've put outside for the summer, if |
| most gardeners err on the side of too little. | | | | September was mild enough that your geraniums |
| Your needs will vary through the year | | | | and other such plants are still outdoors, be |
| depending on the rate of evapotranspiration | | | | sure to make them cozy inside before the |
| in your garden. Evapotranspiration refers to | | | | first frost takes a bite out of them. Take |
| the two ways that plants lose water. There's | | | | geranium cuttings of two to four inches to |
| evaporation, the loss of water to the air | | | | root indoors. If you treat houseplants |
| from soil, water and other surfaces. Then the | | | | chemically, be sure to keep them warm and |
| other way is called transpiration, or water | | | | away from direct sunlight. Fertilize |
| lost primarily from the leaves and stems of | | | | houseplants now and they won't need it again |
| the plants. You can often obtain | | | | until March. And remember to get your |
| evapotranspiration rates for local areas from | | | | poinsettias and your Thanksgiving and |
| water departments and other agencies. You | | | | Christmas cacti ready for well-timed holiday |
| will see a graphic description of how a | | | | color. Give them a daily dose of ten hours of |
| plant's natural need for water changes during | | | | bright daylight or four hours of direct sun |
| the growing season.In the meantime, keep | | | | and fourteen hours of night darkness. Cacti |
| these pointers in mind:1) Water when it's | | | | need a cool environment of fifty to sixty |
| needed, not according to the calendar. Check | | | | degrees, while poinsettias prefer a warmer |
| the top six inches of the soil. If it's dry | | | | sixty-five to seventy degrees. Be sure and |
| and falls apart easily, water. Your plants | | | | let your cacti dry out between waterings.For |
| will also show signs that they need water. | | | | a true gardenaholic, winter is often |
| Wilting, curling or brown leaves mean that | | | | considered to be the enemy. But with a few |
| your plants may lack adequate water. | | | | steps toward preparation in the early- to |
| Meanwhile, bear in mind that excess water | | | | mid-fall, you can take care of your lawn, |
| creates a lack of oxygen in plants, making | | | | garden and houseplants in a way that will |
| them show similar symptoms to | | | | keep them thriving and surviving until the |
| underwatering.2) Water slowly, not more than | | | | dawning of yet another most welcome and |
| one-half inch of water per hour. Too much | | | | bountiful springtime.The information in this |
| water can be lost to runoff. This is why | | | | article was gleaned from the MSN House and |
| handheld watering cans or handheld hoses | | | | Home website and the Better Homes and Gardens |
| generally work only for watering small | | | | website.RAINBOW WRITING, INC. -- featuring |
| areas.3) Water deeply. With established | | | | Karen Peralta, copy editor, ghost writer and |
| vegetables and flowers, six inches is a | | | | book author -- EXPERT FREE DOWNLOAD COMPUTER |
| minimum. With trees and shrubs, water one to | | | | FIXER PROGRAM! We also offer inexpensive |
| two feet or more. Shallow watering does more | | | | professional freelance and contracted |
| harm than good; it discourages plants from | | | | writing, editing, copy editing and writing, |
| developing the deep roots they need to find | | | | rewriting, ghost writing, graphics design and |
| their own water. Except when you are watering | | | | CAD, Internet marketing, publishing |
| seedlings, soil should never be wet only in | | | | assistance, search engine optimization, |
| the top layer.The increased use of piped | | | | professional free services and supercheap |
| municipal water and the invention of | | | | dedicated web hosting and website development |
| sprinklers have made mechanical irrigation | | | | services. |