Yard & Garden Line News Volume 1 Number 10                                                               September 1, 1999

Features this issue: Greening on Potato Tubers Scabby Looking, Russetted Apples Store Early Pumpkins Properly For Jack O'Lanterns Planting on the Edge/Growing the Unmentionables Yellowjackets and Food Foreign Grain Beetles Two-lined Chestnut Borer Late Season Caterpillar Defoliators The Sounds of Summer Bring Houseplants Indoors Before Nights Get Cold Elm Leaf Spot Leaf Spot of Walnut Black Spot of Rose Necrotic Ring Spot (Keeps Ringing and Ringing and Ringing…) Editorial Notes

Greening on Potato Tubers
Deborah Brown, Extension Horticulturist

Potatoes exposed to light will turn green. Photo credit: Cindy Tong

As you begin to harvest potatoes, regardless of their size, it's important to keep them out of the light. Exposure to light causes greening of the tissue just below the skin. These green portions taste bitter and are actually mildly toxic, due to a build-up of the compound solanine. You may use tubers with green portions; just be sure to peel or slice off the green tissue before cooking.

Sometimes tubers are partly green when you harvest them. This is most common in varieties with thin "white" skin. It means the plants weren't sufficiently mulched or hilled, so light was able to penetrate the soil. Or in a very dry year it could result from soil cracking, allowing light to enter through the cracks.

As for storage, allow the potatoes to surface dry (in a shady location) for a short time, then "cure" them by holding them 10 to 14 days at 45 to 60 degrees, in total darkness. This toughens the skin and helps them keep better. For long term storage, keep them as close to 40 degrees as possible without going any lower. Cooler temperatures give them an unappealing sugary flavor; it will dissipate only after the spuds are held at room temperature for several days.

Scabby Looking, Russetted Apples
Deborah Brown, Extension Horticulturist

Apple russet. Photo credit: Doug Foulk

Each year we see some scabby looking, cracked apples. Haralson apples seem particularly susceptible to this disorder. It hits home gardeners and commercial orchards, alike, and unfortunately, there seems to be no effective remedy or preventative measures that can be taken.

The problem is called russetting on apples. It's apparently caused by moist weather conditions at the time the young fruit are developing, though even that is not certain. What is certain is that the disorder is not caused by a fungal or bacterial organism, nor is it insect-related.

Some years the problem is worse than others; some years it doesn't show up at all. A cluster of apples may have one or two badly russetted fruit right alongside one or two clean, healthy-looking ones. This disorder is truly puzzling.

It might help somewhat to thin out a tree that has had lots of problems with russetting. Prune out branches in late February or March to encourage good air circulation during the growing season. Hand thin fruit clusters so each has no more than one or two apples developing, once June drop has passed. These measures help fruit dry off more rapidly when they're wet, and may discourage russetting. No guarantees, though!

Store Early Pumpkins Properly For Jack O'Lanterns
Jill MacKenzie, Extension Educator, Wright Co.

'Baby Bear' pumpkins. Photo credit: All America Selections

Pumpkins require a long, warm growing season to ripen, and they're easily damaged by temperatures below about 45 F. For these reasons, Minnesota gardeners and commercial vegetable growers sometimes experience crop failure, because the pumpkins are still green when frosty weather hits, and then they quickly rot. This year, though, pumpkins are turning orange two months before Halloween.

The challenge this year will be to store those ripe pumpkins. Many have already become part of Autumn decorations, but many more will have to be kept in perfect condition until the end of October. How?

Make sure that pumpkins you select for storage are in as perfect condition as possible. Handle them gently to prevent bruising or scratching them. Once the skin of a pumpkin is cut, bacteria can enter, causing rot. Sometimes a pumpkin can heal a cut by producing corky, tan callus tissue. The pumpkin won't look as perfect, but should be safe from spoilage.

Pumpkins should be "cured" outside for about two weeks after they turn orange, then moved indoors to a storage area. If low night temperatures threaten while they are curing, put a tarp or a cardboard box over them. It's best to move the pumpkins indoors once they're cured, since they may begin to rot from being in contact with moist soil, or they may be damaged by animals.

Like other winter squash, pumpkins require cool, dry storage, between 50 and 60 F at a relative humidity of 60% to 70%. Unheated basements are often just right for storing pumpkins, but put a thermometer wherever you plan to store them to be sure conditions are right. Make sure the pumpkins are dry when they go into storage by wiping each one off with a towel. Allow good ventilation by leaving the door of the storage room open or by opening a window.

If basement storage isn't an option, a garage or shed may also provide fair conditions, but is likely to be warmer during the day and colder at night than a basement, so the pumpkins may not last as long.

Planting on the Edge/Growing the Unmentionables
Mike Zins
University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Redbud-northern strain. Photo credit: Beth Jarvis

Non-hardy wisteria Photo credit: Jeff Gillman

Japanese maple. Photo credit: Beth Jarvis

It seems that every time discussions of borderline hardy plants arise, someone proudly mentions the unbridled success they have had growing a "Minnesota unmentionable." For those of us making recommendations/suggestions on hardy landscape plants, the backyard gardener with the southern green thumb gives us the blues. The question is not why they are growing that Blue Hydrangea, but how they are doing it. Other questions lurk around our Zone 4 minds like where did they buy it, or where did it originally come from or how do they get mulch to cover it. Or, what greenhouse do they garden in! All good stuff for a great garden mystery exposé that would make National Enquirer proud. But anyway, how do these wimpy Zone 5 and occasionally Zone 6 plants make it through a Minnesota winter? There are a few theories put forth that make sense, but most of the time the plants defy our "plant logic" and make us wonder why. Perhaps there is a bit of luck that the plants survive. And there probably are no plausible reasons at all why some of these far southern immigrants have prospered here for several decades or longer. As the late Dr. Leon C. Snyder once stated, "The plants haven't read the books yet." This probably says it all!

Those of us in the plant growing business have our explanations. We talk about seed origins, sources, east exposures, well-drained sites, microclimates, over-wintering, mulching, winter protection, proper cultural practices, etc. The list goes on. We also talk a lot about the weather; i.e., cold temperature, hot temperature, wet, dry, early frost, late frost, temperature fluctuations, early cold spell, mid-winter thaw, late winter cold spell, wimp winters, old-fashioned winters, open winters, good snow cover, etc. As you can see, we have the bases covered and can blame any one of these weather related issues. When we talk about the occasional flowering dogwood or Japanese maple found in our urban landscapes, we immediately say microclimate. Good technical term to impress the average citizen! But in the plant world where a few degrees warmer or colder makes the difference between death or survival, flowering or not flowering, this term makes sense. Those areas in the landscape tucked in between the corners, away from cold air drainage, and gleaning a bit of heat from the buildings, are the microclimates that make a difference. Gardeners have taken advantage of microclimates for years. One gardener I know used a microclimate by the basement foundation, near a window well to over-winter passion flowers - a Zone 10 plant.

To think Minnesota gardening is knowing how high one can reach to mulch or cover some plants for the winter. Everything from garden roses to peaches has been protected with mulches varying from marsh hay to pine needles. Winter burn on Dwarf Alberta Spruce has been thwarted for years at the Arboretum by wrapping with burlap. Even shrink wrap plastic has been observed on junipers growing on north facing landscapes!

Covering anything with soil is the surest method of winter protection, especially for garden roses. This common practice in Minnesota has given it the name of the Minnesota Tip Method. This method has been used successfully on other tender woody plants that can be laid at an angle for the winter. Tender vines such as some clematis can be grown on a chicken wire support and then rolled down to the ground and covered with mulch for the winter. Some plants technically are not fully hardy here but we can use them in our landscapes anyway. Spiraea x bumalda cultivars are grown as "dieback" shrubs because we can cut the old wood back to the ground each spring and get flowering on new wood. Some plants such as Royal Purple Smokebush may exhibit considerable twig dieback each year, but it can be grown as a foliage plant if it is cut back heavily each year. The function of the plant in the landscape can dictate the use of these less hardy plants.

Smokebush. Photo credit: Beth Jarvis

Another way to keep our fair weather friends from freezing frosts and fracturing failure is to keep them lean and trim. Avoid fattening them up with late summer/fall fertilizers that keep them from hardening off for the winter. Grow them in grass and avoid excessive watering in the late growing season, which may lead to soft vegetative wood going into winter. The bottom line is to keep them healthy, happy and prepared for the cold.

As a last resort, tender woody plants can be grown in large containers and brought into storage for the winter. Storage may be a cold garage for some, an old-fashioned root cellar for others or a small structure built especially for this purpose. At the Arboretum, we over-winter several Japanese Maples and many other ornamentals and fruits used in our breeding programs by placing them in a below ground "root cellar."

The question often goes begging for the answer of what can we grow successfully here in Minnesota. Of course, the answer is probably three times longer than what is already written. Obviously, the state is very diverse in climate and growing conditions. What may sneak along in Winona would probably be out of the question in Warren.

Rather than list every Zone 5 and 6 rated plant in the catalogs, I would suggest trying some plants that may have a chance in your situation. Soil types are critical for many plants. Proper exposure, sun/shade, etc. all play major roles in plant success. And just because a certain plant you like may fail, try again. A different source, season or location may be all that is needed to get the plant established and on its way. The success exhibited by many Minnesota unmentionables in our landscape has made me think there is indeed life after winter for those tender green thumbs!

Yellowjackets and Food
Jeffrey D. Hahn, Assistant Extension Entomologist

Yellowjacket Photo credit: Jeff Hahn

Wasp populations reach their peak at the end of the summer. Just by sheer numbers, people are more likely to encounter them. But this likelihood is dramatically increased as wasps switch their food preferences. As queens stop laying eggs in late summer, foraging workers are less interested in finding insects and other sources of protein that they would normally collect to feed to the larvae in their colony. Instead, they are more attracted to sweets and other sources of carbohydrates to maintain their own energy levels.

This leads wasps to human food. Any outdoor activity where food or drink is available is likely to attract these insects. However, not all wasps should be blamed for this invasion on our fun. Paper wasps and baldfaced hornets don't seem to be very interested in human food. The primary culprits are yellowjackets, Vespula spp. German yellowjackets, Vespula germanica, in particular aggressively forages around our food and drink. These confrontations increase the chance for stings.

It is not easy to discourage yellowjackets from sharing our food. But there are several common sense steps to take to try to minimize their presence from your outdoor activities. If you are serving food, don't uncover and serve it until people are ready to eat. The longer food is out, the more chance yellowjackets will find it. Promptly put food away when done. Put garbage into a container with a tight fitting lid to minimize attracting them.

You can reduce the chance for stings when yellowjackets are present. When they're flying around you and your food, gently brush them away to discourage them; don't try slap them or swat them. Check bottles and glasses before drinking to be sure a yellowjacket is not inside. If only a few yellowjackets are bothering you, it may be worthwhile to carefully kill them.

Traps are a popular control method to try to alleviate the problem of yellowjackets. Although they may catch an impressive number of insects, it is not enough to significantly reduce their populations. You will still see yellowjackets foraging for food around your event even with traps set up. There are just too many yellowjackets during late summer for traps to successfully eliminate the problem.

Foreign Grain Beetles
Jeffrey D. Hahn, Assistant Extension Entomologist

Foreign grain beetle Photo credit: Jeff Hahn

Foreign grain beetles, Ahasverus advena, are common at the end of summer when humidity is generally high. These small reddish brown insects (1/12 inch long), belong to the family of flat bark beetles (Cucujidae). Under magnification, you can identify foreign beetles by a pair of peg-like projections behind the head on the prothorax.

Because of their small size, foreign grain beetles are sometimes confused with fruit flies or fleas. While foreign grain beetles readily fly, they are hard-shelled while fruit flies are soft-bodied. They also fold up their wings out of sight when they land which fruit flies can not do. When they are walking, especially if they inadvertently land on somebody, it is possible to confuse foreign grain beetles with fleas. However, foreign grain beetles are flattened from top to bottom while fleas are flattened from side to side. Also fleas do not fly, while foreign grain beetles can.

People usually find foreign grain beetles around sinks, basins, bathtubs, condensation from pipes, and other sources of moisture. They are scavengers, feeding on fungi and mold and organic material. Despite their name, homeowners rarely see foreign grain beetles attacking dry food products, such as flour or pasta, unless it is old and moldy.

A few foreign grain beetles may fly into a home from the outside. However, in most cases when large numbers are present, they are associated with newly constructed buildings. Moisture from the green wood supports fungi which the foreign grain beetles feed on, allowing beetle numbers to build up in wall voids. When numbers are large, they come out from behind the walls into the living areas of homes.

Fortunately, foreign grain beetles are harmless, although they can be a nuisance when large numbers are present. The best control is to physically remove the insects with a vacuum cleaner. When foreign grain beetle are infesting new homes, they only persist for a few years and then go away on their own as the wood dries. Foreign grain beetles do not infest areas outside the walls (unless they find damp, moldy material).

Insecticides are not warranted because the problem is temporary and the insects do not cause any real harm. The effectiveness of an insecticide spray at best would be short-lived and would not prevent more foreign grain beetles from appearing.

Two-lined Chestnut Borer
Jeffrey D. Hahn, Assistant Extension Entomologist

Two-lined chestnut borer Photo credit: Univ. of Wisconsin

Damage to oaks is noticeable this time of year. People's first concern is often whether the problem is oak wilt. But twolined chestnut borer damage is also apparent now. In Minnesota, these borers equally attack most oaks, including red, white, and bur oaks, as well as ironwood trees. However not all oaks are equally susceptible to oak wilt. Red oaks are most susceptible to oak wilt while white and bur oaks are less susceptible.

Adult beetles emerge from wood in late May through July, causing characteristic D-shaped holes. They are slender, dark-colored beetles with two yellowish stripes, running from head to tail. These beetles are secondary borers, i.e. they attack unhealthy, stressed trees and do not survive in vigorously growing ones. Females lay eggs on the bark which hatch into worm-like larvae. These legless larvae bore through the bark into the phloem tissue.

Their meandering tunnels girdle the branches, cutting off the flow of nutrients and water, resulting in dieback just above the infestation. Attacks generally start in the upper crown. Leaves dry quickly and turn brown. These symptoms are first apparent in late summer. If the bark is removed from dead limbs, larval tunnels can be seen. The D-shaped exit holes may also be noticed from previous infestations. These dieback symptoms may be confused with oak wilt. The only sure way to correctly distinguish oak wilt is to have it tested at a diagnostic lab. Tree infested by two-lined chestnut borers are likely to be reattacked in successive years. Trees are usually killed after several years of such infestations.

The best management against two-lined chestnut borers is prevention; keeping trees healthy and vigorous will naturally allow woody plants to fight off invading borers on their own. Do this through proper watering and fertilizing. Also avoid compacting the soil, changing the soil grade or water drainage pattern, damaging the bark, allowing significant amounts of defoliation by insects or anything else that may stress the tree; anything that weakens tree health encourages borers.

Insecticides are of marginal value in protecting trees from borers. Properly timed applications in the spring can help prevent adults from laying eggs. However, coverage needs to be thorough, especially in the upper crown or it won't be effective. Also keep in mind that insecticides do not replace good health. If a tree continues to be stressed and unhealthy, insecticides will not save it from twolined chestnut borers.

Late Season Caterpillar Defoliators
Jeffrey D. Hahn, Assistant Extension Entomologist

Yellownecked caterpillar on apple. Photo credit: U of M Entomology Dept.

There are many different caterpillars that are seen this time of year on trees and shrubs. Some of the more common ones are fall webworms, walnut caterpillars, cecropia caterpillars, redhumped caterpillars, yellownecked caterpillars, and whitemarked tussock moths.

Fortunately, at this time of year, management of these insects is not important. Woody plants have been producing and storing food throughout the summer. Now with fall around the corner, the trees and shrubs will lose their leaves soon. Defoliation at this time of the year has very little impact, if any, on plant health.

While insects could be sprayed, remember that your goal is to protect ornamentals not to see how many insect you can kill. If treating a pest doesn't improve tree health, then it isn't necessary to take any action against it. Spraying caterpillars this summer does not reduce the number seen on your tree or shrub next year. If insecticides are sprayed indiscriminately, however, it could adversely affect predators and parasites which could allow defoliating insect populations to increase.

The Sounds of Summer
Jeffrey D. Hahn, Assistant Extension Entomologist

Dog day cicada Photo credit: Jeff Hahn

There are two insects that produce sounds commonly heard by people during late summer. The first is cicadas. Cicadas are one to two inches long, dark colored, with large, conspicuous wings. They are relatives of leafhoppers and treehoppers. Cicadas are much more frequently heard than seen. Males produce a loud, high-pitched whining sound during the day, sounding like the hum of a power line. They produce this sound by vibrating a membrane in an internal air chamber.

Cicadas spend most of their lives as immature nymphs feeding on the roots of trees. The species occurring In Minnesota are the annual or dog day cicadas, Tibicen spp. Although cicadas are present every year during July and August, it takes at least several years for individuals to finish their life cycle. Cicadas in Minnesota do not cause any important harm to plants and they do not need to be controlled.

Katydids also sing songs at this time of year. These insects are grasshopper-like and green with long antennae. They are commonly found at the tops of trees where they 'sing' at night. They make their sound by rubbing their wings together producing a pulsed, rasping sound. Like cicadas, you only hear the males as they call out for mates. They start at dusk and can continue singing throughout the night.

Some people find this sound very interesting to listen to. Others are very annoyed by the singing, complaining that it keeps them awoke most of the night. Unfortunately, there is no practical control for katydids. Assuming you could figure out which tree the katydid is in (which is not guaranteed), it would be difficult to reach the top of the tree where the katydid is likely to be located. It is not environmentally sound to embark on a spray campaign to treat one nuisance katydid. It is best to tolerate them until they go away on their own.

Get the low down on this month's insect pests at Insects http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/Ent.htm

Bring Houseplants Indoors Before Nights Get Cold
Susan Barrott, Horticulture Technician

Houseplants. Photo credit: U of M Extension Service

It’s time to bring your houseplants indoors before the night temperatures get too cool. Most houseplants originate from tropical climates where night time temperatures rarely drop below fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Chilly September nights can easily damage or stress these warmth loving plants.

Wash your plants before you bring them inside to remove dust that will limit the amount of light reaching the leaf surface. A few drops of mild dishwashing liquid in lukewarm water and a soft cloth may be used to clean large leaves. Small plants, or plants with fine-textured leaves may be turned upside down and swirled through a container of the same solution. Leaf shine products might make leaves look nice, but those shiny leaves will reflect light away and as the days get shorter plants need to absorb all the light available.

Take a few minutes to examine your plants for insect pests before washing. You’ll want to treat your plants if pests are present so they don’t spread to other plants inside. Spider mites, aphids and thrips are easier to see with the aide of a magnifying glass. Washing the plants will dislodge many of these unwanted house guests; you can follow-up with an insecticide treatment, such as insecticidal soap, to finish off the remaining pests. Be sure to follow the instructions on the insecticide label and that the product used is labeled for use indoors. It’s a good idea to isolate all the plants that you bring in from outside for the first few weeks so you can check them frequently for lingering pests. It may take more than one treatment of insecticide to clear up pest problems.

A sudden change in light levels or growing conditions may cause plants to drop their leaves. Place the plants you bring inside in the brightest spot you have for the first few weeks to acclimate to the lower light conditions indoors before moving them to their normal locations.

Test your diagnostic savvy monthly with Disease Watch at: http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/Plpa.htm
Elm Leaf Spot
Chad Behrendt, Extension Plant Pathologist

Elm leaf spot. Photo credit: Chad Behrendt

Elm leaf spot, often called black spot, is a common sight in late summer and early fall. Elm leaf spot, before the onset of Dutch elm disease, was considered the most prevalent disease of elm. This leaf spot, like most others, is stimulated by wet conditions. Therefore, you may see more leaf spotting occurring this year, than in previous years.

Elm leaf spot, a fungal disease caused by the fungus Stegophora ulmea, usually survives winter on fallen leaves. Spores released in the spring during rainy weather cause new infections on leaves in the lower portion of the tree. These leaves initially develop yellow spots.

After a few days, black fungal reproductive structures appear in the yellow spots. These structures appear as a black spot on the upper surface of the leaf, thus the name black spot of elm. Secondary spores produced in these lesions continue to cause repeated infections throughout the growing season. Although infection begins in the spring, the disease continues throughout the growing season, with the most severe symptoms developing in late summer (August).

Heavily infected leaves usually turn yellow and fall from the tree. In early fall and late winter these leaves produce reproductive structures, which cause new infections the following spring. Since black spot is not considered life threatening, no fungicides are recommended. Sanitation and cultural practices that increase tree vigor will help reduce the number of spring infections next year.

Leaf Spot of Walnut
Chad Behrendt, Extension Plant Pathologist

Walnut anthracnose-leaves.

Walnut anthracnose-tree. Photos: Chad Behrendt

Fall will soon be upon us and the leaves will be changing color and falling. The leaves of many walnut trees, however, have already turned yellow and started to fall. Fungal leaf diseases such as anthracnose or bull’s eye leaf spot most likely cause this premature color change and leaf loss in walnuts. These two diseases, like black spot of elm, become active in the spring and infect new leaves as spores are released during rainy periods.

Walnut anthracnose, caused by the fungus Gnomonia leptostyla, is commonly found wherever walnut trees grow. Symptoms typically appear on the leaves as dark circular spots that range in size from a pinprick to 1/2 inch in diameter. Later, small black spots (acervuli) produced within these lesions, usually on the lower side of the leaf, release spores that are responsible for secondary spread of the disease to nearby leaves and neighboring trees.

Control of walnut anthracnose is normally not warranted, since this disease does not usually harm trees. However, chemicals such as thiophanate-methyl or mancozeb are available as a preventative treatment for ornamental trees severely defoliated the previous season. Trees grown for edible nut production should not be treated with these fungicides. In addition, proper maintenance and cultural practices help increase the vigor of the tree and minimize disease severity.

Bull’s eye leaf spot, caused by the fungus Cristulariella pyramidalis, is not as common as walnut anthracnose. Symptoms of bull’s eye leaf spot typically appear as dark, round spots that are target-like in appearance. These spots can be easily distinguished from walnut anthracnose by looking for the target-shaped lesions. Control measures for bull’s eye leaf spot include proper maintenance and care. Chemical control measures are not warranted for this disease.

Black Spot of Rose
Chad Behrendt, Extension Plant Pathologist

Black spot on roses. Photos: Chad Behrendt

Black spot, one of the most common diseases of rose, typically infects the upper surface of leaves during wet, rainy periods in the spring. Yellow spots initially develop on the surface of the leaf. Later, black circular lesions with frayed margins develop within the yellow spot. A yellow ring (halo) may sometimes surround the black lesions.

As the disease progresses, numerous black spots may coalesce to form a large black patch on the leaf. Heavily infected leaves usually turn yellow and fall from the plant. If not properly managed, Black spot can severely defoliate susceptible roses by the end of the growing season. Severe defoliation stresses the plant making it more susceptible to winter injury and other diseases, but does not usually kill the plant.

Spores surviving winter on infected leaves cause new infections in late spring to early summer. Later, these lesions give rise to secondary spores, which continue to infect nearby leaves. As a result, infection is usually most noticeable and severe in late summer (August). This year is no exception.

Wet conditions earlier this season stimulated fungal growth and the onset of new infections. Although, black spot may be severe on a number of susceptible varieties, it is too late in the season to control or cure infected plants with fungicides.

To properly manage black spot plant resistant varieties whenever possible, remove and destroy all infected leaves, prune out dead or infected canes, and water plants at ground level early in the day. If black spot is severe year after year, fungicides can be applied as a preventative treatment. A variety of rose care products are available to homeowners. Choose a fungicide labeled for black spot and follow the directions. Preventative spraying typically begins in early June or at the first sign of disease.

Necrotic Ring Spot (Keeps Ringing and Ringing and Ringing…)
Chad Behrendt, Extension Plant Pathologist

Ringspot & close-up.

Necrotic ring spot an early and late season disease of newly sodded lawns, as stated in the May 15, 1999 issue of the Yard and Garden News, is still being observed in a number of home lawns. Necrotic ring spot is most active in early spring and late fall, but can persist throughout the growing season. As a result, the Yard and Garden Clinic has continued to receive weekly samples of necrotic ring spot.

Necrotic ring spot is stimulated by thick thatch layers and poor lawn care practices. Symptoms typically appear as circular patches or rings of dead, sunken grass. To manage necrotic ring spot properly, follow the recommendations listed in the May 15 article. However, the fungicide chlorothalonil, previously listed for necrotic ring spot, is not effective against this disease. A fungicide containing thiophanate-methyl (Cleary’s 3336 found in Bonomyl)should be applied.


Editorial Notes

Perovskia and sedum at Arboretum. Photo credit: Beth Jarvis

A friend and I visited the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum last weekend. It was lovely, as always. Perovskia is certainly widely planted, with good reason. The old faithful Sedum spectabile was renamed several years and is now Hylotelephium spectabile. 'Autumn Joy' is a hybrid of the Chinese native Hylotelephium spectabile and something else, so it's proper name is Hylotelephium x spectabile 'Autumn Joy'.

In my shaded backyard garden, the first tomatoes have finally ripened. I've heard of others who have been eating home grown tomatoes for weeks. The cucumbers are coming on thick and fast as is the summer squash.

Had an interesting experience with squash this year. A friend gave me seeds from a French red pumpkin he bought last year. I planted some along one side of a 4' x 8' raised bed where I'm raising summer squash. Squash vine borer absolutely ravaged the 4 pumpkin vines yet left the summer squash alone! I'm usually the only one I know who isn't over-run with summer squash as the squash vine borer normally wipes out the plants early on. This year may be the exception!

Coming up in the September 15th issue: Patrick Weicherding has promised an article on the woody plant physiology and winter's cold. In upcoming issues: is it worthwhile to know your apple's rootstock?, mycorhhizae, and what's new in the blueberry patch?

I'm still collecting suggestions for articles for the near future or even for next year. Drop me a note if you have ideas.

Deb Brown is a regularly scheduled guest on Minnesota Public Radio's MPR) "Midmorning" program on the first Thursday of every month at 10 a.m. Katherine Lanpher hosts the program that is broadcast on KNOW 91.1 FM, and available state-wide on the MPR news radio stations.

Back issues Yard & Garden Line News are on the Yard & Garden Line home page at www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/. Our newly revised home page has clickable links to most of the components of the Yard & Garden Line, such as Bell Museum of Natural History, INFO U and the Soil Testing Lab.

If you have gardening questions, please call the Yard & Garden Line at (612) 624-4771.

We publish the Yard & Garden Line News twice a month during the gardening season, on the first and 15th of the month. November through March, we publish monthly, on the first.

Please feel free to cut and paste any of the articles for use in your own newsletters. All we ask is that you give our authors credit.

For plant and insect questions, visit http://www.extension.umn.edu/askmg. Thousands of questions have been answered, so try the search option in the black bar at the top left of the board for the fastest answer.

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Happy gardening!

Beth Jarvis
Yard & Garden Line Project Coordinator

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