GardenTIPS E-Newsletter Vol 1 Issue 2

May 2002, Vol 1 Issue 2

Welcome to the Garden TIPS E-Newsletter.
Listed below are tips and links to articles, or follow the headers to the main
GardenTIPS Web site for more information and links at: http://www.extension.purdue.edu/gardentips/

Avoid compacting garden soil; wait until it dries to plant

Indiana residents ready to plant their gardens should wait until the soil dries to prevent causing long-term damage to the soil, said a Purdue University expert.

Excessive rains sweeping across the state have saturated much of the soil. Tillers and garden spades used in wet soil can compact the soil causing lasting, negative effects.

"Soil compaction lasts a long time," said B. Rosie Lerner, Purdue Extension consumer horticulturist. "It takes a long time to build soil structure and very little time to destroy it."

Lerner said that disturbing wet soil by any method – even walking on it – will pack it.

Healthy soil consists of soil, air, water and nutrients mixed in a delicate balance. The long-term effects of compacted soil include poor aeration, poor drainage, reduced nutrient availability and the formation of large, rock hard dirt clods. It can take years to correct these problems, Lerner said.

Full Story, http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/020516.Lerner.compaction.html

After the Flood: Garden and Landscape Plants

Recent torrential rains have brought about flooded conditions in many gardens and landscapes. As flood waters recede and folks get about the business of putting homes and lives back together, questions arise as to the safety of produce from flooded gardens, as well as potential damage to landscape plants.

For those who have actually had a chance to put in early cool-season crops, the issue of food safety from the garden is best handled with caution. Clearly, if floodwaters are contaminated with raw sewage, it is risky to eat the produce.

Crops that can be washed thoroughly, peeled and/or boiled should pose minimal risks. However, crops that are eaten uncooked, especially leafy crops such as spinach and lettuce, will be more risky for consumption since it is so difficult to remove all of the contamination with just plain rinsing.

Full Story, http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/flood.html

Insects, Pests, and Diseases
Anthracnose, a fungus-caused plant disease, is showing up on trees throughout Indiana. Anthracnose becomes severe when cool, wet spring weather persists as leaves are first emerging. http://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/BP/BP_9_W.pdf

Garden Flowers
Sunflowers have long been included in the typical Midwestern garden, but modern hybrids have greatly expanded the palette of choices for today's garden. Whether you want short, medium or tall; yellow, burgundy, bronze or brown; seed for the birds; or just pretty look at, there's a sunflower for you.
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/sunflowers.html

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