This past Sunday a tradition continued — making salsa with two of my four grandsons. We have been doing this for about 15 years and I love every minute of it. I am pleased to state that all of the tomatoes were my own this year, and I only had to get a few of the peppers at the farmers’ market.
Last year’s experiment growing tomatoes in large containers produced only a few tomatoes and the plants were scraggly. So this year, back in the garden in the spot where the grapes were kicked out. It’s a jungle of tomato plants and gorgeous tomatoes. If you have a choice, grow your veggies in an actual garden plot versus a pot/container. Last year’s pots were 10 gallons or more each, fresh bagged garden soil and nearly daily watering, with poor results. Most container plants will need daily watering in full sun as they drain quickly and the plant is limited in where it can search for water. This year, the pots were stuffed with some flowering annuals and herbs that did just fine.
Fall colors are starting and one of the more vibrant plants is a vine called Virginia creeper. This plant is related to the grape family, and sometimes called wild grape due to its blue fruit clusters in the fall. Virginia creeper is a native plant to the United States, and grows in wild or unkept areas. I have unkept areas — and a fair supply of Virginia creeper to call my own. This plant grows as an aggressive vine that quickly scrambles over buildings and up telephone poles or other trees.
As it grows, it often shades out, and consequently, can smother out desirable plants. The vine secures itself along with tendrils which also have sticky, adhesive type holdfasts, allowing it to stick tightly to walls and vertical plants like trees. To eliminate it, your best shot is to use an herbicide specifically for brush or woody plants. This type of herbicide is stronger than a type designed to kill softer plant tissue like dandelions. Once the plant is dead, the holdfasts will eventually loosen and the vine can be removed easier than if it was alive. A cultivated type of Virginia Creeper is Engelman Ivy. Unless they are in my evergreens, I don’t usually bother trying to eradicate them. It can be a full-time job.
Two of my mature Autumn Blaze maples are scheduled to receive treatments this fall. Holes will be drilled in the buttress/flare on the tree trunk and they will receive an infusion for iron chlorosis. If your hybrid maples trees are yellowing and changing color early, you may want to seek help for them. Other clues are smaller than usual leaves and a sparse canopy. Just driving through our communities — I’ve seen lots of this in recent years.
There are still a couple of weeks to plant spring bulbs, divide peonies or plant summer flowering bulbs like Asiatic lilies or alliums. Choose bulbs that are hardy to zone 4; I’m not convinced we are zone 5 yet and prefer to be safe. If you have a reliable microclimate area, you may be able to plant some zone 5 bulbs like Stargazer lilies.
Right after planting bulbs or peony roots (with the top growth pruned back), you can apply winter mulch at any time. It is important to mark your bulbs with a flag or garden stake. If you are an early spring digger, you might cut into the bulbs before they emerge with top growth. Typically, spring bulbs are poking through before we get our shovels out. The same issue can occur in the summer when you are adding plants to the garden and the tulips have completely died back. I know I have driven a shovel into my share of spring bulbs over the years.
Soon, even before frost, I hope to start the process of cutting back the garden. I know it’s early; I started early the last two years and noticed no suffering in the garden. With numerous garden beds, it takes a lot of days to get it all done. Cutting, raking, moving, dumping … another annual tradition!
The outdoor Mankato Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday at 8 a.m. until noon, and Tuesdays and Thursdays 3-5:30 p.m. It is located at the Best Buy parking lot on Adams Street in Mankato. Stop by and see me every Saturday at “Market Bakery” for all your fresh baked goods! The Bakery is only there three more weeks, so stock up for winter! We have nearly 50 vendors with a wide variety of goods and food items, produce, honey, flowers, plants, eggs and local meat!
Diane Dunham is a retired horticulture instructor and is the owner of Market Bakery.
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