During the rains, one of the main hindrances for gardeners is stagnation of water in their gardens. Plants cannot survive if there is a lot of water in their soil, they will easily wither away and droop. So, to avoid the stagnation of water in your garden, it is best to build a raised bed so that your plants can live and stay healthy always.

These raised beds for gardens during the monsoon season is necessary as it will boost the growth of your plants and help to prevent water logging too. Here we tell you some of the best ways on how to build a raised bed for your garden during the rainy season.

There are four things to keep in mind if you plan to build a raised bed for your garden during the monsoon season. Firstly, these raised beds are one step easier to keep free of encroaching grass when compared to the ground-level beds. Secondly, the elevated soil warms up earlier during the summer and drains much faster after a shower of rain. Thirdly, the soil does not become compacted, because one does not step on the growing area where the plants are and lastly these raised beds offer easier access for planting, weeding and harvesting.

With these important terms in mind, here are some of the things you need to keep in mind when you build a raised bed for your garden during the monsoon season.

1. The most basic rule to follow when you want to make a raised bed is, first select the site in your garden. If you know that you will be growing vegetables or herbs select a site that gets at least eight hours of sunlight. You should know that a flat, level area is also important. Make sure that the area has easy access to water sources.
2. You need to use the right type of wood when you build a raised bed to make sure that the wood does not rot during the monsoon season. Cedar is the best wood to use for garden beds because this wood is naturally rot resistant.
3. The height of the raised bed is important when you construct one. The bed needs to be built to a height of 38 inches.
4. The next step is painting the raised bed with water resistant paint. After painting the bed, do not forget to drill a few holes at the bottom so that it gives way to excess water.
5. Using a level, make sure your frame is in level at all directions. This is a necessary step because if your raised bed is not leveled, you will have a situation where water runs off at one part of the garden and sits in another causing stagnation. If part of your frame is high remove some of the soil beneath in order to be leveled.

These are some of the things you need to keep in mind if you plan to build a raised bed for your garden during the rainy season.

Mon Aug 19 2013, 12:49pm | 2 comments

That episode where the Doctor got a job in a shop has come in handy for Taylor S., who works at an Olive Garden and wrote about a little experiment of his on his tumblr The Stranger:

As a server, I did an experiment tonight, I was saying basically only Doctor Who quotes to my tables, some understood, others did not. These are a few of the phrases and people’s reactions:

[When greeting tables] “Oh hello! I’m The Doctor! I am here to help! Look, they gave me a badge with my name on it in case I forget who I am! Very thoughtful as that does happen.”

…

[Offering desserts (to the kids)] “You could have a slice of Triple Chocolate Strada for only $6.99 which I personally think is a bit steep. But then again, it’s your parent’s cash and they’ll only waste it on boring stuff like lamps and vegetables. Yawn!”

I actually sold every table the dessert I offered when I offered it this way. Few got the reference, the ones who understood “Hi I’m The Doctor” were completely losing their shit at this point in the meal, as I’d been dropping references all dinner.

There’s more. Check it out. Probably do not try this where you work.

Via Tor.com.

(If you stumble across a cool Doctor Who thing, feel free to email me with a link.)

Here we are, it’s already August. Most lawns are still green as we’ve had plenty of rainfall in our area. Crab grass is also growing well in areas with compacted soil or where lawns are sparse. In the past few weeks, our Master Gardeners have had many questions about plant disease and insect pests as well as several calls about pond weed identification and control.

We currently don’t have any confirmed cases of Late Blight of Tomato/Potato in Wayne County although conditions have been favorable for its development. Those growing tomatoes/potatoes should be vigilant. Pay special attention to plants in areas where they stay wet in the morning, near tree lines, or where there is poor air circulation. If you suspect that you have LB please contact us.

Training for our “Class of 2013” Master Gardener volunteers will begin in early September and run through mid-November. Classes will be on Wednesdays and will be held at the experimental station in Geneva. Cornell University staff will cover most of the topics for the training. After completing the training volunteers work out of our office in Newark advising on many different home landscape/garden issues. Some volunteers give presentations while others work in our demonstration garden or answer hotline and e-mail questions. There are always plenty of different opportunities for our volunteers. If you have an interest in horticulture/insects/composting etc. and would like to volunteer or would like to learn more about this program please contact me by Aug. 16 at ljv8@cornell.edu or 331-8415. Please leave a daytime phone number where I can reach you.

Upcoming events

Gardening Hotline: Call or stop in on Tuesdays and Fridays from a.m. to noon to talk with one of our Master Gardeners. Plant and insect samples can be left at our office at other times but should not be left over the weekend. You can also leave a message on our voicemail 331-8415 ext. 107 or e-mail questions to us at mgwayne@cornell.edu Please leave a daytime phone number where we can reach you with any additional questions we may have.

Wanted: Forest Owner Volunteers — Cornell Cooperative Extension is looking for a few good forest owner volunteers to meet and work with their neighbors. The NY Master Forest Owner Volunteer Program is entering its 23rd year with a new volunteer training scheduled for Sept. 25 to 29 at Cornell University’s Arnot Teaching and Research Forest Van Etten, N.Y. Volunteers who complete the 4-day workshop will join the corps of 200 plus certified volunteers across the state. Applications due by Sept. 11

Participants can commute daily, or accommodations are available at the Forest. There is a $100 fee that helps defray lodging, publications, food, and equipment costs. The workshop combines classroom and outdoor field experiences on a wide variety of subjects including; tree identification, finding boundaries, forest ecology, wildlife and sawtimber management, communication techniques, timber harvesting, and a visit to a nearby sawmill.

The goal of the MFO Program is to provide private forest owners with the information and encouragement necessary to manage their forests to enhance ownership satisfaction. MFOs do not perform management activities nor give professional advice. Rather, they meet with forest owners to listen to their concerns and questions, and offer advice as to sources of assistance based on their training and personal experience.

Some of the program’s biggest supporters are the volunteers who have worked with the program for years. Give one of them a call to learn of the program’s unique benefits. More information regarding the MFO Program, a listing of current volunteers, a sample training agenda and an application form is also available on our website at www.cornellmfo.info or call (607) 255-2115.

Free Woodlot Visits: Call 331-8415 ext. 107 to schedule a free woodlot site visit. These free site visits typically last up to 3 hours with our Master Forest Owners providing woodlot management information to Wayne County woodlot owners including best management practices for achieving management goals. During the visit our MFO’s can also provide you with   additional sources for assistance and information.

For information and webinars on forest health visit www.cornellforestconnect.ning.com.

Monthly garden and home grounds tips

• To decrease diseases such as Septoria Leaf Spot and Early Blight on your tomatoes follow a minimum crop rotation of three years if the disease is present. Stake and trellis to reduce soil contact with foliage. Mulch in the rows. Disinfect stakes before the season, or better yet, use new ones. Work in affected parts of the field last. Plant resistance! The new variety ‘Iron Lady’, developed by Cornell professors Martha Mutschler-Chu and Tom Zitter is resistant to Early Blight, Late Blight and Septoria. These diseases move from soil to plant and plant to plant.

• Scout for and remove weeds before they go to seed. Many weeds are forming seed heads now.

• Add mulch to cover bare or thin areas in garden beds and foundation plantings to help retain moisture and decrease weed germination. Mulch should be 2 to 3 inches thick and shouldn’t touch tree trunks or shrubs.

• Harvest onions when the tops fall over and cure in the sun for 3 to 5 days before storing.

• Garlic should be dug if you haven’t done so already. Examine bulbs and only save the best ones to replant in the early fall.

• Remove and destroy or compost fallen fruit to decrease fruit pests next year.

• If plant diseases occur clean up and destroy all diseased plant material. Don’t compost diseased plant material.

• Practices that promote deep rooting of turf are beneficial. Mow lawns high (3 inches) and consider core aeration to help alleviate compacted areas.

• Consider lawn renovation or repetitive over-seeding with appropriate grass variety in areas where turf is thin. Call us for recommendations specific to your conditions.

• There’s still time to plant broccoli (early)*, cauliflower (early)*, bibb and leaf lettuce, beets, Swiss chard, spinach and turnips for late fall harvests. Plant by early August. Use of low tunnels can extend crops as well. *indicates transplants.

On hot days herbaceous plantings will often show signs of sun wilt. Do not waste valuable water irrigating these during the day. With a cooler temperature in the evening these plants are well able to recover.

Should hot weather continue, save washing-up water and use this in late evening when it has a chance to soak down into the root zone rather than be evaporated into the atmosphere by the sun.

Dead head regularly. To prolong the display of colour in the borders nip off the faded and dead flower heads. This prevents energy going to seeds at the expense of future flower production.

Making compost? Good compost relies on moisture to keep the process active. In dry weather chuck a bucket of water over the heap regularly. Don’t forget to add a combination of green and woody material, mixing all together and turning regularly for best results.

Prevent tall plants in the herbaceous border flopping over each other by doing some staking and cutting back. Remember, some will have ornamental seed heads that, left alone, can provide autumn and winter interest. Others such as the large yellow composite Centaurea macrocephala are ideal to cut and dry for use as indoor decoration.

If your lawn is starting to look tired, raise the height of cut and extend the frequency of mowing. Move garden furniture regularly to prevent wear beneath.

This year’s high sunshine levels have seen blanket weed spread over ponds. This can be removed by drawing a split stick across the surface. Barley straw can be added to help keep it under control. Remove the spent flowers of water lilies and add a fertiliser tablet to the basket ensuring flowering to the first frosts.

Sow a catch crop of lettuce and a row of spinach. With the warmth in the soil and a splash of water in the seed drill germination will be rapid.

• Tony Garn is garden supervisor at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

My friend, Roberta Webb, who raises pecans commercially on a ranch near Lubbock, Texas, thinks she has the solution to my black bird problem.

She said crows were once stealing as many as 30 pounds of nuts per crow from her pecan groves until she mounted several big plastic owls atop twenty foot sections of PVC pipe and placed them around the trees and now the crows won’t come near because they’re afraid the owls will get them.

I have two rows of late bodacious sweet corn just starting to tassel. I also have two big great-horned plastic owls in the mail and I’ve already been to Lowe’s where I purchased two twelve-foot sections of two-inch PVC .

I figure that once I get my pipes in the ground, my owls will still be ten feet high and well above my sweet corn which only grows to about seven feet tall. The owls are supposed to be twenty-six inches tall and look very intimidating. Sunlight or the slightest breeze is supposed to make them move around and twist their heads and they’re supposed to scare off black birds and rabbits as well, which would make them serve the ultimate dual purpose. I’d be hard put upon to tell you which I hate more; black birds or rabbits.

I forgot to ask Roberta if the owls kept squirrels out of her pecans because I would have thought squirrels to be more of a problem than crows to a nut grower.

Anyway, I figure that if the owls don’t work in my corn patch, they’ll give all the neighbors something to talk about and provide photo-ops for people who occasionally drive up Charlie Brown Road just so they can say they’ve been here.

In the meantime, I have discovered that I can’t shoot a shotgun because Mr. Parkinson makes it wobble too much to aim and the couple of times I tried, I did almost as much damage to my sweet corn as the feathered vermin were doing. But I still managed to down three big starlings with one shot when about a hundred of them flew off in a swarm when they saw me coming. I couldn’t have missed them if I’d been blind folded.

I used fishing line to hang the carcasses from my corn tassels but the flock came back and ate the rest of my first crop while they held a funeral for their buddies. Bumper Adams, from Letcher County told me that this had happened one time to Everett Banks when he tried the same tactic with a dead crow.

In other gardening news, we have eggplant, okra, bell peppers, cucumbers, Roma beans and tomatoes and such ready to pick but my garden is more akin to an everglade than something you’d try to grow veggies in and I’ve already ruined two pairs of sneakers trying to get a cabbage head. So last Saturday Loretta dragged my knee-high, rubber boots out of the basement, sprayed them full of raid and then vacuumed them out to make sure all the brown recluse spiders that might be hiding in the toes were dead and gone.

So I pulled them on and headed for the bell peppers which are about fifty feet out from any edge of the garden. I picked a five-gallon bucket full an assortment of all the stuff mentioned above and started back to the house when, all of a sudden, I discovered that I couldn’t move either foot.

Six inches below the surface my garden is normally hard clay but it has rained so much over the last month or so that the stuff has softened up and now it’s like quick sand. I set my bucket down in front of me and used my good arm to pull one foot out and then the other and I did this for like ten steps. It was either that or leave my boots stuck in the mud and I was wet with sweat when I finally made it to high ground.

It’s too bad that Loretta didn’t have a video camera handy because we missed a perfect opportunity to win the grand prize on America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Posted: Friday, August 16, 2013 8:59 am

Yates offers August gardening tips

By Dianna F. Dandridge
Staff Writer

Sequoyah County Times

Through the long hot days of summer garden plants have produced a bountiful harvest and many of the gardeners are ready to call it quits.

But, fall is a great time to get a little more out of the garden, according to Tony Yates, Oklahoma State University Agricultural Extension agent.

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Friday, August 16, 2013 8:59 am.

Look for guidelines for remodeling a kitchen or bathroom and you’ll discover an embarrassment of riches, from books and magazines to hundreds of websites. You’ll find everything from decor suggestions and layout tips to technical expertise for tackling the hands-on work. That’s no surprise, as those two rooms are the most popular candidates for renovation.

But we all have other kinds of spaces, and some are equally important when it comes to determining the quality of life under the roof.

Bedrooms are one of those mostly unsung spaces. They aren’t “functional” in the same sense as a bath or kitchen, so they involve fewer goodies when it comes to fixtures and built-ins. And for much of the time we spend in them, we are asleep – so how critical can they be, right?

Why not just get a good mattress, a nice bedspread and some pillow shams and be done with it?

Well, it turns out bedrooms have at least one champion who thinks they should get some respect. Designer Candice Olson, who has transformed many kitchens and bathrooms through her “Divine Design” TV series and in previous books, explains that bedrooms are the most intimate and personal spaces in our homes.

At their best they serve as private sanctuaries where we go to be ourselves, recharge our life batteries and hold our worldly cares at bay until we’re rested enough to take them on again.

This role is Olson’s focus. A bedroom that offers both physical and visual comfort, she insists, simplifies and amplifies the senses and creates an experience of genuine restfulness and renewal. Good paint colors and nice linens are part of the package, but other elements figure just as prominently, whether they are big and bold gestures or smaller, more nuanced touches. Olson’s recent book, “Candice Olson Bedrooms,” features more than two dozen bedroom projects and breaks down the strategies she used to make them happen.

Given Olson’s premise that bedrooms are highly personal spaces, it makes sense that the solutions she finds for these homeowners are tailored to their specific life circumstances and design preferences. That said, there are some common themes that emerge in many of the examples, and they form a kind of basic toolbox:

Create zones: It’s common for many newer homes to be generous with square footage but not necessarily with good detail work. In bedrooms, the result is often a generic cube of a space with nothing but a door, window and closet. And when it’s a large room, things can get shapeless and sprawling, pushing the eye to meander but never settle on any real focal points. Olson fixes those spaces by designating a sleeping zone distinct from a sitting/reading area for informal relaxing. Some separation of zones can be achieved with furniture placement, area rugs and other simple elements, while other projects require structural changes in the room.

Enhance or create architectural features: Paint colors and fabulous fabrics can go only so far toward transforming a bland, boxy space. More effective elements include moldings, ceiling beams, wall niches or bump-outs, window seats and other details that can break up monotonous walls. One favorite of Olson’s is a feature wall that includes a fireplace and some built-in display storage for artwork or favorite items.

Add built-in storage: Built-in storage features improve the practical function of most bedrooms, but they also add visual interest and an opportunity to showcase a little custom woodwork or even just different paint colors and some decorative hardware. Built-ins are especially useful when angled roof lines, dormers, alcoves or odd subspaces in a room limit the use of freestanding furniture.

Use window treatments to maximum effect: The basic function of window treatments is to provide privacy and control daylight levels, but Olson chooses drapery fabrics to bring more colors and textures into the mix, and often uses floor-length drapes for greater impact, especially if the windows they cover are small and ordinary.

Create key focal points: The bed is a natural for this role, but fireplaces, small seating groups or prominent windows will also work. Visual environments are more soothing when the eye has distinct opportunities to rest and soak in the view. Reinforce these features with small accent touches of color, texture or artwork to make the look richer or more layered.

(Great Beyond and Morton Fox)

We’re all tired of customer service platitudes and the same spiels that every restaurant server gives. When someone finds a way to make the experience fresh and funny, it gets customers’ attention, for better or worse. One Olive Garden waiter writes that he decided to mix things up by pretending to be a favorite TV character: the title character from the BBC’s Doctor Who.

In its home country, Doctor Who is an intergenerational media institution that’s been on the air (not continuously) since 1963 and launched several spinoffs. Here in the Olive Garden’s home country, the show has more of a niche audience. That means that most customers has absolutely no idea who this waiter was pretending to be, but they loved it anyway. People who did know what he was up to enjoyed the act even more.

He wrote up the experience and posted it on Tumblr. Maybe the tactic’s success doesn’t have all that much to do with stealing funny lines from a fictional time-traveling alien. It’s more likely that guests found the wackiness amusing and were really rewarding him for the refreshing honesty of comments like this:

[Offering desserts (to the kids)] “You could have a slice of Triple Chocolate Strada for only $6.99 which I personally think is a bit steep. But then again, it’s your parent’s cash and they’ll only waste it on boring stuff like lamps and vegetables. Yawn!”

You do not expect to hear that from your waiter. What was the result of that spiel? Every table he used it on got that dessert. He also got much higher tips than usual, as well as one woman’s phone number.

Certain Doctor Who Phrases and how Olive Garden Customers React: An Experiment Done by a Server [Tumblr] (via Tor)

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The Autumn Equinox sends a signal to the backyard gardeners’ cerebral cortex, gently reminding us that the harvest season has arrived and that now is the time to be preserving and putting up food for the winter. Within just a couple of short months, the garden will once again die off for the year, becoming dormant and barren, giving the soil a time to rest. An avid gardener’s greatest bounty occurs at this time of year. The seasoned homesteaders and canners have it down to a science, putting up multiple jars of canned tomatoes, sauces, salsas, fruits, vegetables, jams and jellies. Hats off to those folks. Becoming skilled in this age old hobby requires knowledge of safety measures and temperature regulation to prevent risks of botulism and temperamental pressure canners. I would recommend taking a few classes through your local Extension Office before delving into the art of pressure canning. For beginners, it is best to stick to the basics such as hot water bath canning and freezing.

Freezing is an underutilized and excellent way to preserve your garden bounty – and it’s virtually fool-proof. Below are 5 suggestions:

1. For squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes or eggplant, fully cook or blanch and freeze them in a freezer bag for quick meal additions. For vegetables such as peppers, corn or onions, just chop and freeze them to later add to omelettes, quiches, stir-fries, or other meals. This will make meal preparation more convenient too!

2. With your harvest, cook large batches of soups or stews and freeze in freezer bags to thaw and heat in any amount you desire.

4. Make batches of sauces or salsas and freeze in individual labeled freezer bags.

5. Grill a large quantity of veggies at a time, cut into strips, and freeze in labeled freezer bags to have the taste of summer any time of the year.

Herbs are one of those garden glories that often get overlooked during the frenzy of harvest and canning season. Culinary herbs are not only flavorful, but are very nutritious and often highly medicinal. Common herbs and spices contain a plethora of medicinal qualities including antiseptic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Fresh herbs of course should be properly identified and researched before being ingested medicinally.  There are many contraindications such as during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Consult an herbalist to discover an herbal regimen that suits your needs.

In the meantime, start preserving your culinary herbs! Most of the herbs are at their prime right now. Don’t miss the chance to preserve that beautiful fresh herb flavor to use in all of your culinary creations throughout the winter months.

Here are 5 simple ways to preserve your herbs

Drying

Either hang bundled herbs upside down with a string in a dry place, or dry a food dehydrator.  When the leaves are crisp and dry, remove from stems and store in labeled glass jars. Be sure to include the date. Once you have multiple dried herbs, you can create custom spice blends. Create a handmade label and give as gifts to friends and family.

Freezing

One of the easiest ways to capture an herbs essence is to simply cut fresh herbs with a pair of scissors and freeze them in ice cube trays. Use fresh herbs. Cut the leaves from stems. Fill ice cube trays with water, and then place herbs into each cube space. Freeze overnight. Place frozen herb ice cubes in labeled freezer bags. These work well for adding to soups, stews or sauces.

Herbal Vinegars Olive Oils

Simply place clean, dry herbs in a jar of either vinegar or extra virgin olive oil. Store in airtight, labeled jars. Hardy herbs such as rosemary and thyme may stay in the jars. Remove leafy herbs such as basil and parsley after 1-2 weeks of steeping. Be sure to include the date on your label. No need to refrigerate. Use within 6 months.

Pesto Recipe

Pesto is a simple way to prolong the freshness of herbs. Pesto can be made with any leafy herb.  The basic pesto recipe is:

2 cups of fresh herb (leaves only)                                   

¼ cup of nuts (any nuts will work. You can also use sunflower or pumpkin seeds)                                                             

¼ cup of olive oil.                                                                  

Pinch of salt                                                                      

1 tablespoon of lemon juice to preserve freshness                                   

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until you reach desired consistency.

Pesto can be made from basil, parsley, cilantro, chervil, dill, mint, lemon balm, as well as from lettuce, arugula, kale and chard. Pesto can also be made from wild edible weeds such as lambs quarters and chickweed. Freeze excess pesto in labeled freezer bags or in ice cube trays which can be stored in freezer bags when frozen.

Herb Butters

Create your favorite herb combinations. Remove herb leaves from stems. (Use stems later in a broth.) Chop herbs finely. Melt a stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté herbs gently and remove from heat. Pour the melted butter in baby food jars. Stir while the jar is cooling. Once the butter has cooled, place in the refrigerator. If you desire whipped butter, simply whip the melted herb butter in a food processor and store in baby food jars in the refrigerator. 

Happy Harvesting Preserving!

 

How can I keep squirrels off my tomatoes?

A very simple old-fashioned way to discourage animals, including deer, from taking a bite out of your tomatoes is to sprinkle a little lime on the fruits. Use powdered agricultural lime. It washes off easily when you harvest. You’ll have to reapply after rains, so don’t overdo the lime because you don’t want to raise your soil pH too high. This method also can be useful on a short term basis to keep deer from eating foliage.

My hedge has gotten completely bare at the bottom over the years. How can I get it to fill in again? I shear it to a V shape twice a year.

Hedges must be wider at the bottom than the top, otherwise the bottom branches and leaves gradually get shaded out. Try to change the shape of your hedge over a few years by careful pruning. Unfortunately, the bottom of your hedge probably will not regenerate foliage.

University of Maryland Extension’s Home and Garden Information Center offers free gardening and pest information. Call 800-342-2507 or send a question to the website at extension.umd.edu/hgic.

Plant of the week

Red-Veined Dock

Rumex sanguineus

With a preference for damp soils, this dramatic foliage plant can be a terrific accent in mixed containers, borders, and along pond margins, but its best use is a container plant in water gardens and ponds. Lance-shaped leaves with striking burgundy veins provide excellent color and texture, so site it where the unique color can be appreciated close up. Dock prefers light shade and grows about 15 inches tall and wide and requires little care other than removing spent foliage and the insignificant flower spikes. This short clumping perennial is usually grown as an annual but, with USDA hardiness to zones 6-8, it can overwinter if given protection. In boggy soils it has been known to take over. — Marian Hengemihle