 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
|||
 |
|
body |
Yes, it's that wonderful time of year when deciduous trees decide they've had it for the year and start to drop their leaves en masse, often on our lawns. While not a lot of fun, removing leaves can be an important part of a fall lawn care program, especially if new turf was planted in early fall.
Fallen leaves are not an appreciable source of nutrients for turf and are not toxic. They can be a valuable source of organic matter, a benefit to soil quality. The problem with leaves is that they create shade. Cool-season turfgrass plants are now experiencing optimal growth conditions. Excessive shade from a layer of fallen tree leaves diminishes the chance for turf to take advantage of them. This is not to say that leaves need to be removed immediately. But leaving a thick layer of leaves on a lawn for more than 3-4 days can reduce potential growth and, in extreme cases, cause turfgrass plants to lose some green color due to lack of sunlight. In that case, leaf removal will help turf bounce back fairly quickly. Young turf plants, with thin leaf blades and immature root systems, are particularly sensitive to shade stress and leaves should be removed more frequently than from established turf.
Disposal of leaves can involve raking and bagging, composting or mulching back into the turf. Be sure to check with your local trash service or transfer station to make sure they'll take leaves. When raking leaves, be extra careful with new turf. Aggressive raking may pull young plants out of the ground. Composting can be effective but is facilitated if the leaves are tilled or mulched to break them up. Use of a mulching mower to return leaf material to the ground is not detrimental to established turf, provided the mulched leaves aren't so thick that the turf gets limited sunlight. With a good mulching mower, up to 3-4 inches of leaves can be mulched successfully into an existing turf. Be more careful with mulch mowing leaves on new turf as the seedlings are more sensitive to both shade and mechanical stress. Once you've mowed a new or renovated lawn at least once, mulching leaves with your rotary mower should no tharm the turf. By keeping fallen leaves from hampering turfgrass growth, we can maximize the benefit of fall growth that we have the luxury of here in Kansas. (MF)
Many people like to enjoy tomatoes as long as possible after harvest. Tomatoes will ripen if they have reached a certain stage of development called the 'mature green stage'. In this case, the tomato is full sized, has developed the jelly-like substance in the seed cavities called locular jelly, and the seeds are fully formed. This stage is often indicated by a white, star-shaped zone at the bottom (flower end) of the tomato fruit around the stylar scar at the very end of the green fruit.
Divide tomatoes into three groups- those that are mature green- showing no signs of color, those that are slightly turning color, and those that have a predominance of red color. Remove any tomatoes that show any signs of rots, breaks in the skin, or defects. On occasion a tomato will rot and leak juices to nearby fruit so you may want to consider separating the fruit with layers of newspapers in boxes or cartons. Store all tomatoes in a location that is as close to 55 degrees as possible. Avoid any location that drops below 50 degrees ever.
As you need tomatoes bring the fruit to 'room temperature' conditions to speed up the ripening process. Plan to use the red-colored fruit first, then the slightly turning, and finally the mature green.
Inspect all the tomatoes every now and then to discard any defective fruits.
You should be able to have tomatoes for Thanksgiving dinner nd even Christmas dinner if you are lucky. (CWM)
Fall is the time for cleaning up gardens. Normally, we recommend "clear cutting" dead stems during the fall to help control insect and disease problems. With herbaceous perennials that have been pest free, you might consider leaving some to provide structure, form and color to the winter garden. For example, ornamental grasses may be attractive even during the winter months. Those near structures should be cut to the ground because they can pose a fire hazard. Perennials with evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage may provide color. Of course, some perennials are naturally messy after dormancy and should be cut back in the fall.
There are other reasons for leaving foliage. Foliage left on marginally hardy plants such as mums and tender ferns helps ensure overwintering of plant crowns. Seed heads of some perennial plants supply food for birds. (WU)
If you plan to develop or add to your fruit garden next year, now is a good time to begin to prepare the planting site. Grass areas should be tilled so the grass does not compete with the fruit plants for soil moisture and nutrients. Have the soil analyzed for plant nutrients. Your county Extension agent has information to guide you in taking the soil sample. From that sample, the agent can provide recommendations on what and how much fertilizer to add to correct any nutrient deficiencies. Organic materials such as compost, grass clippings, leaves, hay, straw or dried manure, can be tilled into the soil to help improve its condition. Time and weather conditions generally are more suitable in the fall than in the late winter and spring for preparing soil. If fruit plants can be planted by early April, they will have a stronger root system developed to support plant growth than later plantings. (WU)
Contributors:
Ward Upham, Extension Associate; Chuck Marr, Vegetables; Matt Fagerness, Turfgrass
Horticulture 2006 E-mail Subscription
For questions or further information contact: Hort
WebMeister.
KSU, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cooperating.
All educational programs and materials available without discrimination on the basis of
race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
Extension Horticulture Home Page | Horticulture Information Center