June 2004

Edible

Prevent disease in the vegetable garden:

  • Buy disease resistant varieties.
  • Choose a sunny location. Vegetables need at least six to eight hours of sun.
  • Purchase healthy transplants. Avoid plants with yellowing or browning leaves.
  • Water the garden before 10 a.m. Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) . Watering at this time will cause the loss of 50 percent of the water applied.
  • Avoid working in the garden when the foliage is wet. This will help to prevent the spread of disease.
  • Remove diseased plants from the garden.
  • Do not over fertilize. Too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen, can make vegetables susceptible to disease.
  • Do not plant the same vegetable in the same area in the garden more than two to three years in a row.

Time to pick strawberries. Eight medium strawberries have as much vitamin C as an orange. For a listing of local strawberry farms, call 773-233-0476 or check out the web site, Strawberries and More at www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/strawberries.

Ornamental

Mow lawns at a height of two to three inches. Mowing at two inches is OK when the turf is growing rapidly, but as temperatures warm and growth slows, raise the height to three inches. Mowing too short is an open invitation to weeds.

Return lawn clippings to the lawn. Clippings are about 80 percent water and will decompose rapidly. As the clippings decompose, they add nutrients to the lawn, reducing the need for fertilization. A University of Illinois study indicated that mulching mowers are not any more efficient in returning clippings to the lawn than conventional mowers.

Apply a two to four inch layer of mulch around trees to the drip line of the tree. Keep mulch at least four to six inches from the trunk. Piling mulch up against the trunk resulting in the ' volcano effect ‘ can cause crown and root rot and may eventually kill the tree.

Control the height of most pines by cutting back new growth called candles[thick shoots form the terminal end of each branch} one - half to two thirds. This will encourage denser growth. Cut the central leader at the top of the tree back twelve inches and cut side branches back to maintain a pyramidal shape.

Trim back the taller varieties of asters. This will reduce the need for staking and will delay flowering by two to three weeks.

Prevent blackspot on roses by starting a fungicide spray program. Symptoms include black spots on the upper surface of the leaves starting from the bottom of the plant and working their way up. Mulch around roses to prevent splashing which can spread the disease.

Ants on peonies are not a problem. Peony buds give off a sugary substance which attracts ants. The ants protect the buds from other insects that may feed on the buds.

Move houseplants outdoors when night temperatures are above 55 degrees. Place the plants in areas with dappled shade and that offer some protection from hot summer winds. Sinking the pots into the ground will keep roots cool and will help to reduce watering.