Hot Weather Keeps Dedicated Gardeners Indoors

With the summer temperatures reaching the upper nineties and the humidity skyrocketing, many home gardeners are staying put indoors these days.  Although there is a strong tempting urge to trek out in the heat and pick the dried up vegetable garden, pull weeds out of the overgrown flower bed, or mow the dusty yard, the heat and sweat are just too overbearing.  Gardeners can’t even go out early in the morning or late in the evening without having to wipe sweat out of his or her eyes and change into another set of clothes. Besides, there is a limit to how many sweat showers and regular showers that a person can go thorough in a 24 hour span.  Due to the heat and dry weather, many gardeners have given up on the yard for now and may be staying inside watching HGTV or drooling over photos in garden magazines. But unfortunately, the garden and yard still needs help and demands attention.

As I too was sitting inside, hiding from the heat, I began to think of all the outdoor chores that needed to be done. Here are a few things that a home gardener might have to do outside, regardless or not if there is a break from the heat:

1. Water the Lawn.  The Tallapoosa County area is still very dry despite a few popcorn thunderstorms here and there.  Many lawns, including my centipedegrass, may have perked up this past week from a little rainfall but are back suffering from drought stress.  If the lawn is going to survive the drought, it will have to receive adequate water.  That means us gardeners will have to get the water hoses and sprinklers back out and start watering the lawn.   It is best to irrigate lawns early in the mornings.  Apply about 1½ inches of water per week.  Two to three applications per week where the lawn is deeply soaked is much better than watering lightly everyday. 
2. Pull Weeds.  If there are any plants that will thrive in the heat, naturally it will be the aggravating weeds.  Many gardens, flowerbeds, and lawns are flourishing with summer annual weeds, such as crabgrass.  The first impulse may be to say the heck with it and let the weeds have it.  Well, despite such an honorable surrender, the battle is just beginning against the weeds.  If the weeds are allowed to mature and disperse seeds, the problem will only be much worse next year.  Hand pulling when the weed first comes up is by far the easiest and the best strategy.  Some spot treating early with a recommended herbicide may help too. But once the weeds get big, the chore becomes much more difficult and challenging.  Then it’s too late; roll up your sleeves and start pulling!       
3. Plant the fall vegetable garden. The first of August marks the time when many fall vegetables are started.  You may laugh and say nothing is gonna survive out there in this heat.  Well, that is true but if you plan on eating collards and turnip greens this fall you better get to planting.  Gardeners will have to help the fall vegetables along by watering regularly and adding mulch around the plants.   Surely this drought and heat wave will end and cooler weather will be here soon.  Hurry up September!    

It 6 p.m. now and it has cooled off down to a comfortable 93 ºF. Time for me to go do some chores outside and around the house and garden before dark.  Might pull some pesky weeds out of the flowerbed before I eat supper.  Besides, I was needing a third shower for the day anyway.            

Another Master Gardener Course

The Tallapoosa County Extension office is seeking applications from people who are interested in participating in a Master Gardener Course this fall.  Conducting a 2006 fall Master Gardener course is purely a proposal at this time, but if we have enough interested, there is a good chance we will conduct another class.  The master gardener course would be held every Friday for about 12-14 straight weeks at the Tallapoosa County Courthouse in Dadeville. The course would have to begin in early September and would end in early December.  Many horticulture topics, everything from fertilizer to bugs to lawn care to fruits and more will be discussed. The cost is $85, which is used to cover the expenses for two catered meals, weekly refreshments, publication and course handbooks, paper supplies, etc. 

If you are interested in taking the Master Gardener course, then please contact us at the Tallapoosa County Extension office.  Applications, additional course information, and answers to all your questions can all be obtained by calling at 256-825-1050 or visiting us online at www.aces.edu/Tallapoosa.