Stressed yews                                           Red Maples need more water                Too much mulch

by Denise Whitney and Ann Wolski
​
Even though we saw a deluge of rain showers recently, it had been an abnormally dry September and plants are stressing from a lack of water. After a couple of years in a row, the lack of water is adding up to create even more problems for plants, trees, and grass.

Deciduous plants such as maples, sweetgum, and oaks, show water stress by dropping leaves, turning colors early, or dying from the top down.

Evergreens are especially affected by drought.  One day they are green and healthy, the next day they are dead.

Drought conditions can severely affect the health of a lawn. Signs of drought include discoloration, blade curling and wilting, thinning and patchiness, slow or no grass growth, weed growth, dry crunchy grass, visible footprints on the lawn, and cracked soil.

Stressed plants are more susceptible to insects, diseases and other traumas like heat. They will not thrive. With this year being so hot and dry, foliage is extra stressed. Watering now is the best way to help them out.

Knowing the plant’s characteristics, hopefully, ensures that they will be watered properly. Watering needs to be done so that it reaches the root ball on new plants. Feeder roots are usually in the top 18” of soil. Plants that like moist soils will need more than plants that like well-drained soils. Over watering is just as bad as no water!

Right now, all plants need water. Water enough to go through the turf and mulch to reach the roots. Water at the drip edge of the plants where the feeder roots are. The drip edge is the area at the ends of the branches. Do not forget to water under the plant to ensure good coverage.

Evergreens are especially at risk of losing moisture as they constantly transpire throughout the winter. While deciduous plants drop their leaves, evergreens do not drop their needles, so they are always losing moisture. Evergreens are also likely to suffer winter burn if they are too dry. Evergreens can be watered throughout the winter months if the ground is not frozen. Evergreens should be mulched by applying mulch rings around the tree. The rings should be at least 3 feet in diameter and 2-3 inches deep. Leave a 2-3 inches space between the base of the trunk and the inner mulch ring. Trees need to breathe.

If turfgrass is not growing due to drought conditions, the lawn should be mowed less frequently. Never cut more than the top 1/3 of the grass and leave the clippings on the lawn to return vital moisture and nutrition to the soil.  Allow the grass to go a bit brown, irrigating as needed which is preferable. No need to water to saturation and trying to keep a perfectly green lawn. One inch of water a week will keep the grass from going dormant.
​
Even with the rain remnants of Hurricane Helene, Indiana is still in a state of dryness. Significant precipitation is not predicted for the near future, making proper watering techniques and overall correct plant care essential.

October is from the Latin octo, which means “eight”. The number “eight” is said to be a symbol of wealth, prosperity, peace and fertility. 

What flower bulbs do you plant in autumn? Think daffodils, crocuses, snowdrops, tulips, hyacinths, irises, and alliums. These flowers are call “dormant perennials.” They need the cool, moist autumn soil to awaken them from their dormancy so that they can begin growing roots in preparation for the spring.

Documented evidence of an activity resembling football can be found in the Chinese military manual Zhan Guo Ce compiled between the 3rd century and 1st century BC.

Once the hour of daylight dwindles during autumn and the green chlorophyll in leaves is gone, other pigments come out. Carotenoids give leaves their brilliant yellow and orange colors. Anthocyanins are found in deep red and purplish leaves. The presence of tannins means leaves will turn brownish or tan.

Trying to concoct an artificial substitute for rubber, General Electric engineer, James Wright, combined boric acid with silicone oil in 1943. The result was a gooey, bouncy blob which was not suitable for making tires but became a popular kids’ toy later called “Silly Putty”.

De-thatch and/or aerate your lawn.

Keep plants, especially newly planted stock, well-watered until the ground freezes.

The word "pumpkin" showed up for the first time in the fairy tale Cinderella.

Snakes use their tongues and a special structure in the roof of the mouth called the Jacobson’s organ to “taste” what is around them.
​
Sliced bread was invented right here in Indianapolis.  Wonder Bread’s Indianapolis branch was the first place to start selling pre-sliced loaves of bread.

Check out how we make our quality mulch, the beauty behind cloud iridesence and what the heck is an "old vine"! Click here to enjoy the SKI Landscape quarterly newsletter! ​https://conta.cc/3SgM8T5

​The proper name for a group of cats is a chowder. A group of kittens is called a kindle.

Don’t fertilize woody plants now. It stimulates late growth that won’t have time to harden off properly before winter.

All fast-food logos have elements of red and yellow. This is because red and yellow psychologically stimulate hunger.

White chocolate isn’t really chocolate. It doesn’t contain cocoa solids. Instead, white chocolate is made of cocoa butter, milk, and sugar. 

The feeling of falling when half asleep is called a ‘hypnic jerk.’ Scientifically, there is still no explanation for why we get hypnic jerks. However, anxiety, caffeine and physical activity close to bedtime make a hypnic jerk more likely. They are also more frequent in younger people.

People who collect ties are called “grabatologists”.

The Anglo-Saxons called the month of August “Weod month” because it’s a month when weeds and other plants grow rapidly!

Remove any old plants that have stopped producing to help eliminate insects and diseases from your garden.

This is a great time to plant evergreen trees and shrubs, such as pines, spruces, and firs, because the plants will have time to develop their roots before the winter conditions.
​
Indiana became a state on Dec. 11, 1816, when President James Madison signed the congressional resolution admitting Indiana to the Union as the 19th state. Corydon remained the first state capital until 1825, when the capital was moved to Indianapolis.

In the United States, the May Day holiday was first celebrated in 1886, as part of the struggle for the eight-hour workday. On May 1st of that year, hundreds of thousands of workers across the country went on strike, demanding better working conditions and shorter working hours.

Since 1875, The Kentucky Derby horse race has been held on the first Saturday in May, making it one of the oldest in the world. 

While pots of terra-cotta and stone are more attractive, they tend to require more frequent watering than nonporous plastic and fiberglass containers.

When shopping for plant material if the tag says partial or medium shade it means an area that is shaded for six hours per day. The area might get direct sun from 3:00 p.m. on, or direct sun only in the morning.

The Empire State Building opened its doors on May 1,1931. At this time, it held the record for being the tallest building in the world.

Cutting roses and trimming bushes can be a prickly job. To make the task pain free and fast, grip thorny stems with barbeque tongs or clothespins.

In Holland, the tulip capital of the world, tulip bulbs are dug up after they bloom, held in cold storage and replanted each fall.

You know you’re from Indiana if you know what the phrase “Knee-high by the Fourth of July” means.

Is it a hurricane or a typhoon? They’re actually the same type of event. What we call a hurricane in the United States is a typhoon if it forms in the northwestern Pacific. Meteorologists also use the general term tropical cyclone.
​
Panophobia—The fear of everything or tear that terrible things will happen.

The Titanic, which was thought to be unsinkable, encountered an iceberg on April 15, 1912, and sank two hours and forty minutes later. Only roughly 700 of the 2,224 passengers were rescued since there weren’t enough lifeboats to save everyone.

Heading out to do some gardening? Scrape your fingernails along a bar of soap to create a barrier that keeps dirt from getting deep under your nails. Once you’re done working, grab a nail brush and brush out the barrier as you wash your hands.

American President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in a crowded theater in Washington, DC, on April 14, 1865. The following day, April 14, Lincoln passed away.

Allow the foliage of spring-flowering bulbs to remain in place after blooms fade. Leaves manufacture the food reserves, which are then stored in the bulb for a repeat showing next year.

Plant a tree in celebration of Arbor Day, April 24. You should plant bare-root stock before new top growth begins. You can plant balled and burlapped and containerized stock later in spring.

Time to prepare your grill for summer cookouts. Try cleaning your grill without chemicals by using half an onion. Onions have natural antibacterial properties and help deep clean the grates. First, get the grill nice and hot to burn off any remaining food. Next, cut an onion in half and pierce it with a long grill fork and scrub. Happy grilling!

Plant hardy perennials, such as daylilies and delphiniums.

Your nose and ears continue growing throughout your entire life. 

In the 1800s, ketchup was believed to have healing properties and was used to treat ailments such as indigestion and a bad tummy.

The bubble wrap used to wrap fragile objects and that is fun to pop, was initially supposed to be 3D wallpaper.

The month of March symbolically represents new growth, fertility, and procreation in humans, plants and animals.

National Pi Day on March 14th recognizes the mathematical constant π. Also known as pi, the first three and most recognized digits are 3.14. The day is celebrated by pi enthusiasts and pie lovers alike!

March 10 is the start of Daylight Saving Time, which begins at 2:00 A.M. that day. Don’t forget to “spring forward” and set the clocks one hour ahead. The extra hour of daylight is intended to assist both our general mental health as well as agricultural employees, like farmers.

Starting seeds indoors allows you to gain a few precious weeks of growing time, which can really make a difference. It’s actually necessary for a number of plants--warm-season vegetables—such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.

Sprinkle salt on carpets to dry out muddy footprints before vacuuming. 

The first telephone was patented on March 7th, 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell.

Many cultures associate St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2024, with the color green. Green is the color of chlorophyll, the magical pigment that helps plants make their own food through photosynthesis. Although green is the color of envy and jealousy in some cultures, it's also the color of luck and prosperity in others!

Around March 20 or 21, the Vernal Equinox takes place. The duration of the day and night are equal at this time since the sun is directly overhead the equator.

Raspberries are part of the rose family as are cherries, apricots, plums, pears, apples, quinces, peaches, strawberries, and blackberries. Unlike roses though, these types of fruits typically have flowers with five equal petals arranged around a central core.
​
Spring cleaning? The roots of cleaning can be traced back all the way to 2800 BC. Archeologists discovered that ancient Babylonians started making soap around this time, as they excavated soap-like materials and various cylinders. These cylinders contained inscriptions saying “fat boiled with ash. Cleaning was also prevalent in other ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians. For instance, a medical document dating back to 1500 BC proves these people used vegetable and animal oil to form soap-like substances. They also relied on alkaline soap for washing.