Pansy Comeback

It is Pansy time again in the Midwest. Temperatures have cooled off enough for these little gems to thrive. (A good friend in Virginia planted some a few weeks ago.)

Pansies do best in full sun. In the spring, it is okay to plant them in partial shade to insulate them a little against climbing temperatures. However, in the fall, it is probably best to plant them in full sun.

During a mild winter, it is possible pansies will survive to make an appearance again in spring. However, a hard frost will do them in. (Pansies are grown as a perennial in some places, just not the Midwest or the South. They don't do well if it gets too cold in the winter or too hot in the summer.)

If you need more than mums this fall, give them a try.

SweeTango Apple

To continue the trend of posting about produce, I picked up a new apple variety at the store last night. It is called "SweeTango." It was developed by the University of Minnesota, who previously released the "HoneyCrisp" variety.

"SweeTango" started a touch tart, but overall was very sweet. "SweeTango" is a cross between the "HoneyCrisp" and "Zestar" varieties. It reminded me of "Pink Lady." I enjoy the overall sweetness of the "HoneyCrisp" better than this latest release, but I encourage all of you to pick up a "SweeTango" and give it a try.

Pumpkin Shortage

The cool, wet weather during the growing season has led to a shortage of pumpkins this year. Prices for carving pumpkins will likely go up, and you may have to give up traditional pumpkin pie as the shortage crosses over to a scarcity of canned pumpkin.

I learned this tonight after a bit of Internet searching. I was excited to make some cranberry pumpkin muffins to kick off the fall season and had trouble finding canned pumpkin. One grocery store posted a sign noting pumpkin will be back in stock October 7. The second store I visited said they were told they wouldn't have pumpkin until November.

One thing is for sure: if you are a fan of pumpkin pie and other pumpkin-based desserts, buy pumpkin when you see it. It may not last long!

P.S. Those of you who planted pumpkins in your home garden are smiling now.

You've Seeded, Now What?

If you've recently seeded your lawn, there are certain care practices that will ensure a good stand of grass.

Watering:
The most important is watering. Be sure to keep the ground continually moist the first 3 weeks after seeding. After that, water every other day until you mow the first time. After that, just make sure your lawn gets 1 inch of water per week.

Mowing:
Mow your new grass once it has reached a height of 2-3 inches.

Fertilizing:
You put down a starter fertilizer with your seed. Consider fertilizing again 4-6 weeks after seeding for the best lawn next spring.

Weeds:
The processes involved in seeding churn the soil, which means weed seeds that were laying low are disturbed and may germinate. This is normal. If you want to treat, wait until you have mowed your new grass 2-3 times.

I hope this answers some of your questions about what to do once new grass seed is in the ground. If you have additional questions, send them to tarapatty at ryanlawn dot com.

'Shrooms in the Lawn

Photo from Flickr.

Mushrooms are not a threat to your lawn, but when environmental conditions are right, they may pop up from time to time.

They usually won't stick around long, but to keep up appearances, you can kick them over.

Mushrooms have popped up on this blog a lot lately. Just to recap: Mushrooms in your lawn are okay. Mushrooms on your tree should be checked out by a professional.

Suspicious Mounds in Your Lawn

Photo Credit: A co-worker of Jim Sullivan, the author of the humorous blog post referenced below.

Late summer is when Cicada Killer Wasps emerge from their underground burrows to feed on, well, cicadas, naturally.

When they burrow out, they leave a six to eight inch diameter horseshoe-shaped pile of dirt around the nest entrance.

Usually, the wasps nest in already disturbed soil, or loose, sandy soil and are not a problem in thick, well-maintained lawns. That said, female wasps are solitary and non-aggressive--while they can sting, they rarely do. Male cicada killers are more aggressive than their female counterparts, but are unable to sting.

If you want to learn more about these creatures, you have to check out this hilarious blog post by a man in Massachusetts who observes a population at his office every year.

Mums

We are transitioning into the last cycle of gardening in the Midwest--the fall garden. Mums are out at local supermarkets and pansies are once again in the greenhouses.

As for my fall garden, I will mostly be busy preparing for next spring. I am going to plant tulips, hyacinths, and, if I have time, daffodils. I am still turning the idea of Irises over in my head.

I wouldn't count out the possibility of one or two pots of mums with some decorative gourds for the front porch, though.