IF YOU'RE DREAMIN OF FALL, YOU'LL SOON GET YOUR WISH - PROMISE!
SEPTEMBER 2022 / VOLUME 186
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Back by popular demand for the sixth consecutive year your Tulsa Master Gardeners are once again partnering with the Tulsa City-County Central Library to bring you our Fall Lunch-N-Learn series. We are excited about being able to present and teach in person on subjects such as composting, tree/shrub selection/planting, fall/winter garden prep, and winter bird survival tips. Details below. Tell your family, friends, and neighbors. We'll see you there soon!
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SEPTEMBER HORTICULTURAL
AND GARDEN TIPS
A variety of topics (Landscape, Vegetables, and Lawn) are highlighted this month. So, learn about what you should be doing in the month of SEPTEMBER by clicking on GARDEN TIPS.
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FROM GREEN COUNTRY MASTER COMPOSTERS |
A common, often inevitable, concern of new composters is compost that has turned smelly, slimy, soggy, or is dry, not decomposing, not hot enough, or too hot. There are always reasons for these conditions and almost all which aids in decomposition. This leads to "troubleshooting" for an unhealthy compost pile. In order to avoid problems, be sure to regularly turn or rotate the pile especially when adding ingredients. Mix well, add water, and turn frequently.
Maintaining balanced compost includes the following basic components: water, greens, browns, and aeration. Try to maintain a ratio of 3-4:1. That is, three to four parts of "brown" to one part "green" in order to produce healthy compost. If this ratio isn't balanced it can lead to the problems as described above.
"Greens" are the materials that add nitrogen and protein. They help the compost create heat which, in turn, aids in decomposition. These include: green grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, trimmings from perennial and annual plants.
"Browns" provide carbon and carbohydrates as food for organisms which also aids in decomposition. These include: fall leaves, shredded newspapers, tea and coffee filters, small twigs, chipped tree branches, and bark.
If your compost pile is too smelly, slimy, or soggy, your pile may be too moist. To correct, try adding browns (i.e. leaves) to help balance the ratio. If your compost pile is still getting too much water, say from rain, consider covering it with a tarp to keep it from getting too wet in the elements.
If your compost is too dry, you can add more greens, turn it with a pitchfork, and add moisture. If your pile isn't decomposing, check the moisture. A simple method is to simply squeeze a handful of compost. It should be the consistency of a wrung-out sponge. If you squeeze out drops of water, it's too wet. Add dry leaves or other browns to balance the moisture.
If your compost is too hot, it might kill all beneficial bacteria. If it's not hot enough, it won't aid in decomposition. This is a good reason to purchase a reasonably-priced yet reliable compost temperature gauge. A good temperature range is 135 - 160 degrees F.
If your pile isn't bringing your desired results, you now have some suggestions to help restore balance for healthy compost production. Soon (very soon) you will be on your way to building and maintaining a healthy compost pile by correctly adjusting the amount of carbon, nitrogen, aeration, and moisture.
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TOOL OF THE MONTH:
BULB AUGER
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Ok, so it's not the latest revolutionary idea but, if someone had a lot of bulbs to plant and didn't know about these handy little augers, this just might make their day. Paired with your favorite cordless drill, bulb augers can make the job much easier and faster.
Not even gonna try to recommend one over the other as there are many brands, makes, and models online and on the market. Just Google it, Amazon it, or go by your favorite nursery to see what's available. It'll save you a ton of work vs digging by hand, particularly if the soil is of the challenging type.
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FALL VEGGIE GARDEN
WAIT NO LONGER - PLANT NOW!
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So, if you’re dreaming about that fall veggie garden, don’t linger much longer in slumber. Now is the time to get those vegetables going.
There are always several considerations when planning your fall planting: soil preparation and temperature, space for the garden and space for each crop, irrigation needs, time to maturity, whether to plant seeds or seedlings...to name a few.
And what to plant? Fortunately, OSU has assembled an informative fact sheet - HLA-6009: Fall Gardening - including extremely useful planting illustrations and a chart documenting what, when and how to plant various crops for a fall harvest. It’s a great resource to print and attach to your fridge!
Generally, the time to plant is dictated by two things. Click on FALL VEGGIE GARDENING to find out what they are as well as additional information and resources on this subject. Happy fall planting!
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NIGHTMARE ON OAK STREET:
HYPOXYLON CANKER &
SUDDEN OAK DEATH
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Final Stages of Hypoxylon Canker |
Hypoxylon Canker and Sudden Oak Death (SOD) are definitely brutal to oak trees. One develops under the tree bark and you can’t see it coming; the other provides very evident warning signs. Most of the time they are both fatal to oak trees and, while they are different diseases, an improper diagnosis may send you in the wrong direction.
First, the good news. Sudden Oak Death is not prevalent in Oklahoma. While mostly found in California, there is some evidence that it may have inadvertently made its way to Oklahoma from a California nursery in rhododendrons a few years ago. You will generally not read about a disease that does not substantially affect us, but thought it would be wise to provide some education on the subject. OSU has a Pest e-Alert on this disease and can be found by clicking SOD.
Next, the bad news. Hypoxylon Canker is certainly prevalent in Oklahoma. The pathogen lies dormant beneath the tree bark, many times for years. It generally does not attack the host tree until it is in a stressed condition (i.e. drought conditions that we have witnessed over the past few years). It is almost always fatal once found.
For more information on both of these diseases, click on HYPOXYLON CANKER AND SOD. You will find an excellent white paper along with a plethora of additional hyperlinked resource material for your reading pleasure.
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BULB SELECTION & PLANTING |
Bulb is a general term gardeners use when referring to true bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes, and tuberous roots. All of these are storage structures for plants which hold nutrients and water to support the plant during the growing season and through dormancy in winter.
Sept - Oct is an excellent time to start your selection of spring-flowering bulbs. Oct - early Nov is an excellent time to plant your selections.
Remember:
The earlier you shop - the bigger the selection.
The bigger the bulb, the better.
The larger the bulb, the bigger the flower!
For some excellent information on selection and planting of both spring and summer-flowering bulbs, click on BULBS.
CONVERSION TIP: 10cm = 4"; 15cm = 6"
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CONSIDER
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
WHITE (FALL) CLOVER
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Fall is almost here and, for many of us, it is time to seed our lawns with cool season grasses. Consider adding white clover to your seed mix as an Earth Kind way to help keep your lawn green this fall and winter.
It's environmentally friendly and there are many advantages to seeding with it instead of or in addition to regular fescue. To learn of the advantages as well as when best to seed it, click on WHITE CLOVER.
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IT'S ALMOST TIME FOR FESCUE |
It’s almost fall, y’all, and that means it is time to plant cool season grasses. Here in Green Country the most popular cool season grass is tall fescue. September through October when the nights are longer and the daytime highs aren’t quite so hot is the best time to plant. Hint - actually better than in the spring.
You may very well know the routine of fescue seeding/reseeding by now but, if you're new to doing this or would like to have an update on the subject, click on FALL FESCUE for some key tips.
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MANAGING MUSHROOMS & FAIRY RINGS |
Many of us have seen mushrooms integrated on a variety of lawns throughout the city. These mushrooms live off decaying organic matter, such as decaying tree roots, which are in the soil. As they develop, they form a ring, referred to as a fairy ring.
Are they controllable? Very difficult.
Should you ignore them? No.
Can they do significant damage to turf? Absolutely!
So, for more information on what causes this phenomenon, why it's so destructive, and several tips on managing (notice we didn't say "eliminating") them, click on MUSHROOMS & FAIRY RINGS.
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For some homeowners, during the upcoming fall season these guys may make themselves comfortable in your landscape. They’ve likely been squatting on your property awhile, volunteering their skilled pruning services on your favorite pecan, dogwood or fruit trees. But, don’t despair. Armed with a little knowledge, detective work and some yard sanitation this fall, you’ve taken the first steps in evicting these resident critters.
Click on TWIG GIRDLERS to find out exactly what these guys are, their life cycle, their favorite tree hosts, as well as prevention and control.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Since 1983, the Tulsa Master Gardeners have been serving the public by offering research-based horticultural information to residents of Tulsa and the surrounding area. The Tulsa Master Gardener Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) organization. As such, it receives no city, state or federal funding for its Tulsa community outreach programs. In fact, the Tulsa's Master Gardener programs are self-funded by its own fundraisers, from member donations, and from public donations.
The main Tulsa Master Gardener fundraiser is its Annual Spring Plant Sale that is held each April. Other fundraisers include the Garden Tour and Garage Sale in June. And, one of the most important income sources that sometimes gets overlooked are the personal and corporate donations. These are so important in helping us to meet our financial obligations and we want you to know they are very much appreciated.
MG Endowment Fund
The Tulsa Master Gardeners have been around for over three decades and we plan to be around for many more decades. Furthermore, we are considered one of the top five Master Gardener county programs in the entire nation. We are because of the size of our Foundation membership, the number, diversity and activity level of our various community outreach programs, and our overall financial strength!
So, we are pleased to announce, in partnership with the Tulsa Community Foundation, the Master Gardener Foundation has established an Endowment Fund to ensure our long-term financial strength. Our plans are to build this fund for many years before making any withdrawals from it. Please consider us as you make your annual gift giving as well as longer-term estate planning decisions. Remember, all donations are fully tax deductible!
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to help fund the long-term success of the Tulsa Master Gardener program, click on
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to help fund the Tulsa Master Gardener program's annual expenses, click on
We thank ALL of you for having been such faithful contributors both in the past and in advance for your future consideration and participation! So proud to be a part of the Tulsa area - such a giving community!
======================================================== Oklahoma State University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.
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TULSA MASTER GARDENERS
4116 East 15th Street Tulsa, OK 74112
918-746-3701
mg@tulsamastergardeners.org
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