NOVEMBER GARDEN CHECKLIST

• Sometime after a hard freeze, cleanup your perennials by cutting back dead stalks leaving 2 to 3 inch stalks and replenish the beds’ mulch. Remove old mulch in areas where you had a severe disease problem or an insect infestation. Diseases and insects can certainly overwinter in the old mulch.
• The easiest method to have more perennials from one plant, is division. Dividing perennials is not difficult and can be done as the plant begins to decline this fall. A general rule, plants that bloom in the spring, should be divided in the fall, with fall bloomers divided in the spring. Summer performers can be done either season, but many choose fall for a stronger plant next season. As the plants enter dormancy, the plant will spend its energy establishing roots, and not foliage, thus giving you a stronger plant next growing season. Lift the plants that need division, and divide them using a sharp knife or spade, being careful to have a crown for each division.
  
• If you have been needing to move some established plants around in the landscape, fall is the time to do so. Transplant deciduous plants after the leaves have dropped and evergreen plants can be transplanted after the first hard freeze.
  
• It’s time to replenish compost heaps with the ample supply of leaves. Remember to add some nitrogen to your layers of leaves for faster decomposition. You can use animal manure or commercial fertilizer for your nitrogen source. If you don’t have good directions on composting, call the Extension office and we will be glad to mail you a composting fact sheet with easy to follow directions.
  
• When planting pansies, be sure to use a fertilizer high in phosphorous. Superphosphate will work. This will stimulate root development which is needed to survive a cold winter. Pansies planted several weeks ago could use one more shot of nitrogen before winter sets in.
• Spring flowering bulbs need to be planted by early December. Later planted bulbs run the risk of not getting enough chilling hours to bloom properly especially if we have a mild winter. As a general rule, bulbs should be planted three times deeper than the diameter of the bulb.
• Don’t prune roses now. Fall pruning will encourage winter die back. Mulch roses up past graft union for winter protection.
• It’s not unusual to start seeing some spring flowering bulbs foliage starting to appear in the fall or early winter. Whatever you do, don’t cut off the foliage or you won’t have a flower next spring. Each bulb only contains one set of leaves, flowers and roots, and damaging these can damage your bulb. Simply ignore them, lightly mulch and wait for a bloom next spring.
• Recycle disease-free annual potted plants and potting medium by adding them to the compost pile or directly into the garden. Be sure to break up root balls from the plants.
• Clean up emptied pots with a 10 percent bleach solution to get rid of any plant pathogens.
• Empty and wash and dry sprayers before storing.
• Drain water out of hoses before storing. Water expands as it freezes and can burst hoses.
• Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus induce flower-buds this time of year when subjected to the cooler night temperatures. Pulling back on water will help initiate buds also. Do remember that they are frost sensitive, so bring plants indoors for the night when a frost is expected. Plants don’t require the cool night temperatures once you see flower buds.
• You can reduce the number of pests next year on fruit trees by picking up and destroying all fallen leaves, fruits and branches. Many diseases and insects overwinter in this debris. Make sure that no fruit is left hanging on the trees which mummifies and is loaded with disease spores. You can also spray with a dormant oil on a nice day after the leaves have fallen off. Be sure to follow label directions.

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.

GARDEN CHECKLIST FOR OCTOBER

• Applications are being taken for the upcoming Master Gardener training to be held on October 27, November 2 (Baxter County project tour), November 4, 11, 17, and 24 in Mountain Home. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Cost of the program is $75. For more information call 425-2335.
  
  
• If you didn’t seed your tall fescue lawn in September, do so by the middle of the month. Seed at a rate of 8-10 pounds per 1,000 square feet. For existing tall fescue lawns, overseed now to thicken them up at a rate of 4-5 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Tall fescue makes a wonderful lawn for the shade. Be sure to water it well until it is established. Fertilize now as well with a complete fertilizer.
  
  
• Planting trees and shrubs in the fall is ideal. Our ground temperature is still warm, so roots will begin to get established quickly. Rarely does our soil ever freeze solid, so the plants will continue to produce roots, even though the tops aren’t growing.
  
  
• Leaves should be collected as they fall. You don’t want a heavy covering of leaves entering the winter months. A dense layer can actually smother a lawn. People often leave leaves on the lawn until it turns cold and then rake them. If you have a covering of leaves on your lawn prior to the first frost, the leaves may prevent your lawn from going dormant. When you finally do rake up the leaves, you’ll expose actively growing grass to cold weather. Your lawn could suffer winter injury.
  
  
• Even though the weather is cooler this month, don’t forget to water an inch of water per week if natural rainfall doesn’t occur. It is especially important around trees and shrubs that were planted this year. Don’t severely prune shrubs now because this will encourage rapid regrowth, and the new growth won’t have time to harden off before cold weather arrives.
  
  
• In the garden plant a cover crop, such as wheat or rye (for green manure) and turn it under in the spring. This holds the soil and organic matter in place, provides insulation and adds nutrients to the soil. Cover crops also encourage continued activity of beneficial soil microorganisms.
  
  
• Do NOT compost or leave any diseased plants or plant parts in the garden.
  
  
• For you garlic lovers, it’s that time of the year to plant garlic for next years harvest. Grow garlic in a location that gets at least six hours of full sun each day, and plant in fertile, well drained soil from mid-October to mid-December. Before planting, separate the bulbs of culinary garlic into individual cloves. Set cloves right side up ½ to 1 inch deep and 3 to 5 inches apart in the row.
  
  
• It's time to set out winter pansies, flowering kale, flowering cabbage and fall mums.
  
  
• Have your soil tested and follow the test recommendations.
  
  
• Plant spring bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, Siberian squill, bulbous irises, Anemone and crocus. Select healthy, disease-free bulbs. Add bone meal or bulb fertilizer into the planting hole, as you prepare the soil.
  
  
• People become worried when their pine trees shed pine needles, but it is a natural process. As long as the needles that are dropping are not at the tip of the branches, everything is fine. Rake up the pine needles and use it as a mulch around your shrubs.
  
  
• Clean up around your perennial plants. Any leaves that have fallen can harbor insects and diseases for next year. Scatter dry seed heads or store the seeds for later use. Cut back any plants that have lost most of their leaves or that look bad now.
  
  
• Divide and transplant any perennials that typically bloom in the spring or summer. Plant new perennials. They too will get well established during the fall, winter and early spring. Fall planting can also give you blooms the first season after planting.
  
  

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.

 September Gardening Checklist

• Horticulture entries are sought for the Baxter County Fair (September 15-19). Entries range from all types of vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants, and field crops. The Baxter County Fair is held in Mountain Home with entries accepted Tuesday, September 15 from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. You can go to www.baxtercountyfair.org for complete details.

• September is the beginning of the cool-season lawn establishment period. Turf type tall fescues are best established from September to mid-October with late February through March as a poor second choice. Late seeded lawns will not be strong enough to survive the first summer. Prepare a good seed bed by tilling and bring a pint of soil to the Extension office to determine nutrient needs. Sow 8 to 10 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet for establishment. If you just need to thicken up your fescue lawn, overseed with 4-5 pounds per 1,000 square feet.

• To get the most out of a pre-emergent herbicide program for winter annual weed control, make the application now or at least by September 15. Applications made in late September or thereafter often miss the beginning of germination of winter annual grasses and broadleaves. Remember after applying the pre-emergent herbicide, it needs to be watered in within a few days to activate it. Don’t apply a pre-emergent to a lawn to be overseeded or a newly seeded lawn.

• Don’t fertilize or severely prune shrubs now because this will encourage rapid regrowth, and the new growth won’t have time to harden off before cold weather arrives.

• Now’s a good time to collect soil samples for your lawn, gardens, and shrubs and have them analyzed by the University of Arkansas. Your soil sample report should be back within two weeks. If the report calls for lime to reduce soil acidity, apply it in the fall. The lime will have several months to work before spring growth begins.

• Dig and divide spring blooming perennials.

• Save seeds from annuals and perennials for next year’s planting.

• Replenish mulch around trees and shrubs.

• This month bring life back to your landscape by planting pansies, ornamental cabbage or kale, snapdragons, dusty miller and dianthus as the temperatures begin to cool. Pansies planted by mid-October survive winters best and will put on a tremendous show this fall.
  

• Twig girdler insects should be making their appearance this month. Small branches of pecan, hickory, or elm are uniformly girdled from the tree and fall to the ground. The fallen twigs have eggs deposited in them os dispose of them immediately, to control the twig girdler. this will reduce next year's problem.
  

• Prepare your compost unit for the influx of fall cleanup which is just a few short weeks away. Clean out units and store compost in trash cans for fall gardening. If you are just starting to compost, come by the Extension office for information on composting or go to www.uaex.edu.
  

• Leaves should be collected as they fall. You don’t want a heavy covering of leaves entering the winter months. A dense layer can actually smother a lawn. People often leave leaves on the lawn until it turns cold and then rake them. If you have a covering of leaves on your lawn prior to the first frost, the leaves may prevent your lawn from going dormant. When you finally do rake up the leaves, you’ll expose actively growing grass to cold weather. Your lawn could suffer winter injury.

• Start acclimating your house plants for the trip back inside for the winter. Move plants to a less sunny area and then in a couple of weeks move them again to a location that simulates light conditions indoors. All this moving to lesser light outdoors will reduce plant shock when they are moved indoors next month.
  
  

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.

AUGUST GARDEN CHECKLIST

• August is the month to start your fall vegetable garden. Bush beans, cucumbers, summer squash and other short season vegetables can be planted now. Cool season vegetables such as radishes, beets, carrots, lettuce, and others can also be planted at this time. To ensure a good stand of fall crops from seed it’s best to cover rows with burlap, paper, straw or even boards to aid in keeping the soil moist and cool.
  
  
• With proper care, tomato plants can continue growing and set more fruit. Keep them watered and fertilize them towards the end of the month to ensure a good fall crop.
  
  
• Harvest seedheads of sunflowers as the heads begin to droop and leaves turn brown. Prompt harvest is necessary to protect the seeds from birds and from falling to the ground.
  
  
• Bermuda lawns can be fertilized for the last time this season with nitrogen fertilizer. Apply 3.5 pounds of 27-0-0 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet by mid-August. Around September 1 you can apply 2 pounds of 0-0-60 per 1,000 square feet for grass to develop a winter hardy root system.
  
  
• Sharpen or replace mower blades as needed. Shredded leaf blades are an invitation to disease and allow more stress on the grass. For an average lawn you should sharpen your blades three times a season.
  
  
• Fall webworms are showing up in trees. They particularly like pecan, cherry, and persimmon but can be found in almost any tree and occasionally shrubs. If control is needed, you can use BT, Sevin, malathion, acephate, or bifenthrin.
  
  
• Trees take a beating with high temperatures and lack of rain. If you have a prized tree you want to keep, water twice a week. When you water, water deep. It is better to water more in depth, less often and early in the morning.
  
  
• August/September is a good time to get rid of poison ivy and unwanted honeysuckle. Since they are perennials, applying glyphosate (example: Roundup) or triclopyr now can keep them from storing up nutrients for winter and reduce the chance of their surviving until spring. Don’t spray when plants are drought stressed. Wait until 3-4 days after a good rain. Be sure to follow the label directions.
  
  
• Avoid pruning spring flowering trees and shrubs now because they are setting flower buds. Adequate moisture now will give abundant color next spring. Avoid heavy pruning of others also at this time of year since you run the risk that the plant will not have sufficient time to harden off before frost. Light pruning or heading back can be done at any time.
  
  
• Strawberry plants are also setting flower buds this month and into September. Fertilize late this month to early September with 4 to 5 cups 27-0-0 fertilizer per 1,000 square foot bed. Moisture is also critical for good flower bud set and ultimately a good harvest next spring.
  
  
• Make your last fertilizer application in early August on your roses. Continue deadheading and spraying fungicide and insecticide. Propiconazole, myclobutanil, thiophanate-methyl, tebuconazole, or triforine will control most foliage diseases, while acephate is a good choice for insect problems. Rose beds can produce some of the best blooms in the fall. Be sure to keep the soil evenly moist.
  
  
• Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease. Crape myrtles, lilacs and dogwoods are very susceptible. If you have a powdery mildew problem, spray with propiconazole, myclobutanil, triforine, or chlorothalonil.
  
  
• Rejuvenate tired annuals by removing faded flowers and cutting back long, leggy stems. Feed with a fertilizer and the plants will be back in bloom in a few weeks. If they are too far gone, pull them out and replace with new ones for fall. Although marigolds are usually considered a summer annual, they are also an alternative to mums and may actually bloom longer.
  
  
• Stop pinching mums now. They will set flower buds as days get shorter. Fertilize mums once again and keep them watered during dry weather.
  
  
• Horticulture entries are sought for the Baxter County Fair (September 15-19). Entries range from all types of vegetables, fruits, flowers, plants, and field crops. The Baxter County Fair is held in Mountain Home with entries accepted Tuesday, September 15 from 2:00 to7:00 p.m. Check out the web site (www.baxtercountyfair.org) for more information.
  
  
• Cooperative Extension Service is conducting a horticulture judging training for people who are interested in judging at fairs. It will be on Thursday, August 20, at 9:00 a.m. – noon at the Baxter County Fairgrounds in Mtn. Home. We will cover the following topics: 1. Judging vegetables, fruits and herbs. 2. Judging flowers and plants. 3. Judging floral arrangements.
  

Mark Keaton - County extension Agent
Telephone: 425-2335
For more information on any of the above points, contact the U of A Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension office at 425-2335.

JULY CHECKLIST FOR GARDENERS

• It’s time to check for bagworms on all junipers and conifers. As most of you will agree bagworms can be found on any living plant, so check all surrounding plants if you notice some on their favorite host plant junipers. Some of the recommended insecticides are Sevin, malathion, acephate, Bt, bifenthrin, spinosad, and fluvalinate. Always read and follow label directions.
  
  
• Pumpkins are planted this time of year for harvest this fall just in time for the holiday season. Keep plants well watered and free of insect pests. Spray every 7 days, or as needed with bifenthrin.
  
  
• Start planning for a fall garden. Make plantings of squash, tomato, beans, cucumbers, southern peas, and any other vegetables which will mature before late October.
  
  
• If your tomato leaves are turning yellow with dark spots from the bottom up and defoliating, this is early blight. This is a disease that needs to be prevented before it starts. This fungus can survive in the soil for several years. If you have early blight on your tomato plants spray with chlorothalonil (Daconil) every 4-5 days.
  
  
• Tomato blossom drop is a problem as daytime temperature hits the upper 90s and night temperature does not fall below 75. As cooler temperatures come your tomato plants will set again. If blossom end rot is a problem, remember it is a calcium deficiency and can be minimized by keeping the moisture level constant and applying a soluble calcium called Stop Rot, Blossom End Rot Control or Blossom End Rot Preventer. Soil test to make sure your pH is in the proper range.
  
  
• As you wrap-up the harvest on your tame blackberries, cut out the old canes (this years producing cane) to allow space for all the new canes that will produce fruit next year. As the new canes reach shoulder height, tip prune to encourage side branching, which also prevents new canes from arching over and reaching for the ground.
  
  
• Water your shade trees before drought stress begins because you can never play catch up on watering trees. For well established trees, water deep once a week. Apply an inch or more water. Newly planted trees require watering twice a week during dry weather.
  
  
• Avoid heavy summer pruning. Light pruning is fine. Even small limbs in the way of the lawn mower are fine to remove during a hot summer.
  
  
• Raise your mower blades to cut your fescue lawn to 3 inches or more. Doing this will help protect grass roots from the summer heat and encourages a more extensive root system. Deeper roots will be beneficial during a drought. Water the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches every 3-4 days if possible. Don’t fertilize your fescue lawn during the summer.
  
  
• Spider mites can be a severe problem at this time of year. They become very active during hot weather. Most ornamentals and vegetable crops are subject to attack. Bifenthrin, malathion or insecticidal soap are good choices to use on ornamentals and malathion or insecticidal soap on vegetable crops. Read label directions before use and most important follow directions on days to harvest vegetables after use.
  
  
• Summer is the time to dig and divide irises. Irises do best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. High fertility encourages rhizomes to rot and fewer blooms. Fertilize lightly this fall for beds that you dig and divide this summer.
  
  
• Beds overrun with bermudagrass are a maintenance headache. You can use herbicides such as Fusilade (fluazifop-P), Segment (sethoxydim), or Envoy (clethodim) right over the top of selected ornamentals and as a directed spray to others to kill the invasive bermuda. In our trials fluazifop-P has been the most effective on bermudagrass. These herbicides are a little costly but it will clean up an eyesore. These are grass killers, so remember to avoid spraying your ornamental grasses. As with any herbicide be sure to read and follow label directions.
  
  
• If your summer annuals look like they are tired, fertilize them with half a pound (one cup) of 27-0-0 per 100 sq. ft. Watering is also important.
  
  
• If you haven't already done so, put your leftover garden seeds in a ziplock bag and drop them in the freezer. You can keep many garden seeds this way for several years including seeds you collect from the garden, flowers or vegetables.
  

Mark D. Keaton
County Extension Agent
For more information on any of the above topics, please feel free to contact the University Of Arkansas Division Of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at 425-2335.