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