Hi gardeners
I asked for a rain dance last week and some of you must have done it. I got some very good rains on Wednesday and Thursday of last week, and we are supposed to get more tonight and tomorrow. The garden thanks you.
Can you believe it’s September? Meteorologists count September as a fall
month, although technically fall starts with the fall equinox on the 22nd. If you are outside in the evening you definitely
know the days are getting shorter. The plants know it too, the first seeping in
of oranges, reds and purples has begun.
I am disappointed that my white anemone is not going to give
me a good show this year. Usually it’s about 3 feet high and loaded with
flowers, but this year either the late cold in the spring or something eating
on it damaged the growing stems. I have a basal clump of foliage but the stems
that did emerge are blackened and bare at the tips. A new pink anemone I
planted this year does have buds, but the plant is only about 6 inches high.
I do have some dahlias that are just now beginning to bloom
in the front beds that should help extend the color a bit longer. Autumn Joy
sedum is starting to bloom. Toad lilies will bloom soon. And the hardy hibiscus are doing their best to
add color. Still in bloom are black eyed susan’s, one prolific purple daylily, mums,
ligularia, hosta, and of course the annuals.
I was outside weeding last evening, and I was cutting back
the browning ferns in the front bed. Ostrich ferns are lovely in the spring and
summer although they do take over a bed. In the late summer and fall though they
get crappy looking, especially when its dry. And they hide things, like the
hydrangea plant I discovered when I cut some back.
I don’t remember planting a hydrangea in that spot. I checked my records and nope, no mention of
hydrangea. It’s a pretty large clump, doesn’t look like a seedling. Nice foliage
about a foot high. The only thing I can think of is that I moved it from
somewhere last fall but wracking my brain I can’t think of where that would
have been. So, a nice mystery. I am
going to mark it and make sure it doesn’t get overwhelmed by ferns next year
and maybe I’ll get blooms.
I am starting to look at the houseplants that went out for a
summer vacation and wonder where I am going to put them all, now that most have
grown a lot, when I bring them back in. I think I may have to thin out the
ranks again this year. I did buy a new
growlight, a three-armed LED thing to replace some of my cobbled together
contraptions. (There are lots of garden bargains right now, keep your eyes
open.) But there is only so much room in
this tiny house.
I hope everyone has a good Labor Day holiday, but remember-
social distance, wear a mask, and stay safe.
New
information about powdery mildew on plants
Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease infecting many
types of garden plants. It makes plants look bad and diminishes their vigor but
seldom kills plants outright. Many people decide to ignore the fungal disease
and hope plants will recover. Fungal
diseases can’t be cured once they start anyway.
But we may want to start rethinking how we treat plants with
powdery mildew. There are numerous strains of powdery mildew. Some start early
in the season, others later. Some infect one species of plants, some infect
many. Plants can get more than one infection of the fungus. New findings
published in the Aug. 31 issue of Nature Ecology & Evolution
found that how we treat the first symptoms of powdery mildew may affect how
healthy the plant will continue to be.
Plants that got powdery mildew early in the season were more
likely to get another infection later in the season. Researchers found that rather than the
disease providing immunity to later infections, one infection makes plants more
susceptible to other strains of powdery mildew. And some strains of powdery
mildew are more likely to weaken the plants defenses if they occur first in the
season.
Of course, any plant that’s weakened by disease might have
trouble fending off the next assault. But it seems that in powdery mildew at
least, early strains of the disease may actually facilitate later infections.
The takeaway here is that if gardeners want healthy plants,
they may want to prevent fungal infections from happening. This can be by
preventative sprays for susceptible plants, by providing good airflow in the
garden and proper watering practices, and by planting varieties with resistance
to powdery mildew. Preventing early infection may keep plants healthy later in
the season.
Read more here
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200831112349.htm
September almanac
This month the various Farmers Almanacs come out for 2021.
(There’s the Old Farmer’s almanac and Farmer’s Almanac.) September is a month of transition, from
summer to fall, back to school, back to sweatshirts and sweaters. Most
gardeners will want to think about bringing in the houseplants, if they
summered outside.
The Corn (full) moon occurs this month on September 4th.
If it’s the closest full moon to the autumn equinox it’s also called the Harvest
moon. This year the title of Harvest moon goes to the full moon on October 1. Moon perigee is the 18th and apogee
is the 6th. Isn’t it funny
that despite how “advanced we have become that people still track the phases of
the moon? They are on most calendars, at least the full, new and quarter moons.
The autumn equinox, the start of fall is September 22nd. We’ll be down to 12 hours of daylight then,
give or take 8 minutes, depending on where you are. On this day the sun sets exactly due west and
rises due east of your home. Go outside
and position a marker or note it on a landmark and you will always know the
true directions around your home.
September in my area is when the hummingbirds and orioles
generally leave along with some other songbirds, for their winter hibernation
areas. Many hawks will also be migrating south, they fly at night, so the
flocks are rarely seen. Some say
woodchucks go into hibernation this month but here if it’s warm they will be
out feeding through October.
The birth flower for September is the aster or in some places, the morning glory. Asters are said to symbolize powerful love and morning glories just affection so choose the flower you give this month accordingly. The September birthstone is sapphire.
September is Hispanic Heritage Month, National Chicken
month, Honey month, Classical Music month, National Preparedness month, and
International Square-Dancing month.
Besides Labor Day (7th ) holidays in September
include Patriots day on the 11th, Grandparents day the 13th
(who honors us grandparents anyway?) and the 13th is National Peanut
day, the 14th is Pet Memorial Day, the 19th is National
POW-MIA day, 21st is International Peace Day, the 26th is
Native American Day and the 28th is both Good Neighbor Day and Ask a
Stupid Question day.
September garden chores
Clean up any veggie garden crops you have finished
harvesting. Remove foliage and any fruits left to the compost pile to avoid
overwintering pests and diseases in the garden.
Dig potatoes if the vines have died. Let them cure spread
out in a shady spot outside for 24 hours before storing.
Harvest and prepare apples, grapes and other fruit for
storage.
Start removing sod and weeds for any new gardens you plan to
add next year. Fall prep gives you a head start.
Order spring blooming bulbs for later fall planting. Plant
lily bulbs as soon as you receive them.
If any houseplants, whether presently outside or inside,
need repotting, now is the time to do so. Treat houseplants with a systemic
pesticide like Bonide before you bring them inside. This will help prevent
problems with aphids, scale and other insects once plants are inside for the
winter.
If you are going to overwinter any tender perennials like
coleus, geraniums, sweet potato, gerbera daisy and so on you should be getting
them potted if they are now in the ground. They can stay outside in pots until
frost is predicted. Make sure to keep the pots watered.
Collect seeds for
saving. Store seeds in paper packets, not plastic. Make sure they are ripe and dry before
storage.
Take down hummingbird and jelly feeders when you feel
hummers and orioles have left. Start feeding seed and suet if you don’t feed
the birds all summer.
Those in northern zones should watch the weather predictions
carefully now and be ready to cover or move plants inside if frost threatens. Many
areas have frost by the end of September.
Goldenrod is beginning to bloom. Before you start sneezing and laying blame on it, please understand goldenrod does not cause your seasonal allergies. In late summer and fall, before a hard freeze, the primary culprit for seasonal allergies is ragweed, stinging nettles and amaranths. Goldenrod, a beautiful showy flower is not the cause of allergies.
Goldenrod pollen is heavy and doesn’t travel well on the
wind. Goldenrod is very beneficial for
pollinators and it’s a pretty plant so leave it alone please. But if you have
allergies don’t cut goldenrod and bring it inside. Inside, in warm and dry conditions, the
pollen dries out and may drift just enough to cause you problems.
There are several types of Goldenrod that can be found in
the northeast but the two most common are Gray Goldenrod, Solidago nemoralis,
and Tall Goldenrod, Solidago altissima.
Both have the sprays of tiny gold flowers for which the plant is
named. Gray Goldenrod is shorter, the
flower sprays are not as wide and arched as Tall Goldenrod and each long narrow
leaf has two short leaves by it where it attaches to the stem. Tall Goldenrod can grow to 5 feet high in
good conditions and the flower spikes tend to from a pyramidal shape at the top
of the plant. Both plants have rough,
stiff stems and the leaves and stems are slightly hairy.
The sprays of gold are formed by hundreds of tiny yellow,
daisy-like flowers which each have a nectar tube. This nectar is an important food for
butterflies fueling up to fly south and bees preparing for winter as is the
abundant, heavy pollen. Goldenrod begins
blooming in late summer and blooms until a heavy frost. Goldenrod will grow
almost anywhere, in sun and light shade, in moist or dry locations. It’s a common roadside and field wildflower.
Ragweed
Ragweed is also blooming now, although most won’t notice its
plain Jane flowers and it’s the cause of allergic symptoms for many people this
time of year. Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) has a Latin name
many associate with something delightful, but this almost unnoticed plant is anything
but delightful to millions of hay fever suffers.
Ragweed was once confined to the east coast but has spread throughout the United States. Ragweed is an annual plant which begins growing from over-wintered seeds as soon as the soil warms above 50 degrees. Young Ragweed leaves have more rounded points to their divided leaves and may be spotted with purple. They are hairy on the leaf surface.
As ragweed grows, the leaves become more sharply divided. Many
people mistake the Ragweed plants for marigolds or tomatoes as the fern-like
leaves are similar. In cooler fall weather the leaves may take on a reddish or
purplish tint at the edges. Ragweed plants can get quite large, up to 5 feet
high and branching many times.
In late summer, about the time goldenrod blooms, ragweed
also blooms. The small greenish flowers
are clustered in long wands at the ends of branches and don’t draw much notice.
The pollen that they release into the wind and which can float for miles, does make
many notice it though. If you look at it under a microscope you could see the
hooks and barbs each pollen piece carries, which can wreak havoc on human nasal
and respiratory passages.
Ragweed will grow in almost any soil, although it prefers
heavy, moist soil. It likes full sun but
will tolerate some shade. It is found in
crops and gardens as a weed, on roadsides and in un-mowed fields. The seeds of Ragweed can survive for more
than 80 years in soil, waiting for the right time to germinate, so the plant is
hard to eliminate.
Giant ragweed, (Ambrosia trifida), a relative of common ragweed, has 3 lobed (sometimes 5) palmate (hand like) leaves that remind some people of marihuana, hence the common name wild hemp. The margins of the leaflets are toothed, but not as obviously as those of true marihuana, and the leaflets much broader. And giant ragweed leaves do not have any of the pleasant qualities of marihuana. The leaves are arranged opposite each other on the woody stem. Both stems and leaves are covered with fine hairs. The leaf stem is winged near the main stem. Some plants may have several large branches. Plants have a short taproot and a large fibrous root mat.
The flowers of giant ragweed are greenish white and
inconspicuous although the pollen they produce and release into the wind can
cause much distress to hay fever sufferers.
Male flowers are produced on spikes at the top of the plant, so the
pollen is better distributed into the wind. Female flowers are below them in short
clusters in leaf axils. Each female
flower makes a single seed.
The woody stems and seed pods of giant ragweed will persist
well into winter. Plants will grow in sun or partial shade and prefer fertile,
moist soil although they can pop up in many places. They grow from seed. It is
a native plant and found throughout much of the US and Canada.
Stinging nettles
Stinging nettle pollen is also allergenic and it’s shedding
pollen now too. I know a lot of
herbalists rave over stinging nettles and there’s much folklore involving cures
but if you keep some around at least keep the flowers trimmed off so there
won’t be pollen or seeds.
Stinging nettles is a tall (3-7 feet) sturdy perennial plant. The leaves are dark green, 1-6 inches long and heavily toothed on the edges. Leaves are arranged oppositely on the tough, squared stem. The plants usually aren’t branched.
The surface of the leaves and stems are covered with hairs,
some of which are larger and contain the poison that causes such misery. These
hairs, called trichomes, are hollow, with a bulbous base that contains
acetylcholine, histamine, 5-HT (serotonin), moroidin, leukotrienes, and
possibly formic acid. They act like a needle to inject the poison as a defense.
These hairs are meant to protect the plant from animals eating them and they do
a good job. They also break off in human skin causing welts, stinging and
itching. When the plants are dried or
cooked the poison disappears.
Stinging nettle flowers come in male and female versions on
the same plant. They are small clusters of greenish white and appear in the
leaf axils throughout the summer. The female flowers produce tiny egg-shaped
seeds of tan to brown.
Amaranths, pigweed and others
Pigweeds, of which there are several types, began flowering
in late June and bloom on and off until a hard frost. They can cause allergy
symptoms when pollinating. Pigweeds belong to the amaranth family. This diverse
family has some edible seeded varieties and some ornamental varieties such as
Love Lies Bleeding, which allergy prone gardeners may want to avoid. Lambsquarters, Chenopodium album, another
common weed that blooms in late summer and fall can also cause allergy symptoms
Other than ornamental grasses and amaranths, most garden
plants in the late summer garden do not cause any serious nasal allergy
threat. However, when some flowers are
cut and brought indoors, the pollen dries out and has a greater tendency to
cause nasal allergies, especially if allergy sensitive people are close to the
cut flowers. Lilies, members of the daisy family and as mentioned, goldenrod
are frequent culprits here.
After a hard frost most pollen shedding will stop. However, another nasal allergen trigger may then
cause problems. Moldy tree leaves can trigger nasal allergies. Plants that have heavy infestations of white
fly, aphids or scale insects often develop sooty mold. Sooty mold grows on sweet secretions or
excrement from insects eating plant sap. Houseplants often have these pests and
then can indirectly cause nasal allergies.
If your allergies peak in late summer, don’t blame
goldenrod. Instead look for the sneaky
weeds that are the real culprits.
Catfacing, cracking and zippering in
tomatoes
Catfacing is a term for tomatoes that seem to have constricted areas of flesh or cavities on the bottom of the tomato. It may look like several tomatoes fused or that areas of gray, scabby tissue have divided the fruit. Catfacing may cause projections of flesh, often shown in photos where someone is giggling over the resemblance to a penis sticking out of the fruit.
Another similar problem of tomatoes is zippering- it looks
like the tomato has a zipper running up the side usually with a hole at one end
of the “zipper”. Zippering and catfacing
often occur on the same fruit. They can be seen on green as well as ripe fruit.
Cracking usually occurs on the stem end and looks like
scabby rings running around the tomato. Or cracks can radiate out from the stem
downward, forming a star-like pattern at the fruit top. The fruit actually
cracks open and heals in some cases, with the scabby cover forming or before it
heals it may mold. Both ripe and green
fruit can crack, but ripe fruit is more likely to mold or rot after cracking.
All of these conditions are physiological disorders,
that is they are not caused by disease. There is little you can do under garden
conditions to prevent the problems. Some
varieties of tomatoes have more trouble with these problems, particularly large
round fruited, older varieties. The fruits are lumpy and unappealing but
perfectly edible.
Catfacing and zippering are generally caused by interference
with pollination/fertilization. If
tomato flowers don’t get pollinated correctly the fruit is misshapen. Nights below 60 degrees during, or even for 3
weeks before flowering, or very hot and humid days during flowering are common
causes. Insects feeding on flowers may damage reproductive parts, causing poor
pollination.
If you are heavily pruning indeterminate plants, you may
cause a lack of auxins (a plant hormone) which may also cause fruits to develop
abnormally. High levels of nitrogen
may also be a cause. Infrequently
pesticide drift may be a cause.
Cracking is associated with water problems, usually too much
water, sometimes by allowing the plant to get too dry and then watering
heavily. If it’s hot and humid the cracks may develop mold and insects are
attracted to the cracks also.
There is nothing you can add to the soil or put on the
plants to solve these problems. Epsom salt or fertilizers will not help and can
actually cause more problems. Choosing varieties resistant to the problems,
like plum shaped tomatoes, could help if you frequently have these problems. The
good news is that if the weather changes new fruit may not be affected.
Remove badly catfaced and all cracked tomatoes from the plant
when you find them, so the plant doesn’t expend more energy on them and so they
don’t attract insects. This will encourage more bloom, hopefully in better
conditions.
Tomatoes affected by catfacing, cracking or zippering are
safe to eat if they aren’t insect infested or moldy. Experts warn that they
shouldn’t be used for canning though, as they may be hard to peel and harbor
bacteria or be less acidic than normal tomatoes. Tomatoes with mild zippering
are probably safe to use. Canning is not
for produce you don’t want to eat fresh; diseased, overripe, badly bruised or
cracked produce should be used fresh or discarded.
Fresh
salsa
When you have a lot of tomatoes at the end of the season you
may want to consider making a quick batch of salsa. This salsa recipe doesn’t
involve cooking and should be refrigerated if it isn’t eaten and saved for only
a day or two. Don’t make too much, since it can’t be held long, but don’t
underestimate how much you can scarf down with some good chips.
I don’t peel the tomatoes in this fresh salsa, and it works
just fine.
Core some tomatoes and coarsely chop them. Measure what you
have.
For every 3 cups of chopped tomatoes add about a cup of
chopped peppers and onion (combined).
For hot salsa use hot peppers, for milder salsa use bell
peppers or sweet banana peppers. You can use any color peppers; many colors
make for a pretty dish. Any onions can be used, I like yellow sweet onion like Vidalia
in mine.
For about 4 cups of salsa add a ¼ cup vinegar, a teaspoon of
sugar, salt to your taste and other seasonings.
Many people like the taste of cilantro in salsa so finely
chop a bit and add it if you like it. Garlic is a good seasoning to add. Many
people use a touch of cumin in salsa. Add some red pepper flakes if you want to
up the heat. Play around with spices, add a bit at a time and taste until you
get something you like.
I pulse the salsa a few times in a blender to smooth it out
a bit. If you don’t mind coarsely chopped veggies you can skip this. Don’t over
blend or you’ll have soup, just a pulse or two. It will be very “juicy”. You can pour it through
a strainer or simply pour a little of the fluid off. I save this fluid for cooking, it’s great on
steak or roast.
You can eat this salsa at once or cover it tightly and let
it sit in the refrigerator for an hour or two to enhance the flavors. Tightly
cover and refrigerate any leftover salsa. Toss out leftovers after two days.
“The old summer's-end melancholy nips at my heels. There's no school to go back to; no detail of my life will change come the onset of September; yet still, I feel the old trepidation.”
― Sara Baume, A Line Made by Walking
Kim Willis
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permission.
And So On….
Find
Michigan garden events/classes here:
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is the Lapeer County Gardeners facebook page)
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