Homegrown: Brucemore Garden & Art Show Preview

Around this time every year, I look forward to wandering the grounds and absorbing all the gardening information I can during the annual Brucemore Garden & Art Show in Cedar Rapids.

This year's show runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the historic estate at 2160 Linden Dr. SE. Admission is $6.

In addition to vendors selling items such as ceramics, plants, jewelry and sculpture, the event showcases experts who share information on trees, gardening, insects and more.

Linn County Master Gardener, Becki Lynch, will make one of the featured presentations, centering on fall garden chores. Here is a preview:

Does this summer's drought have any effect on Fall garden chores?  Becki Lynch will be presenting "Fall Garden Chores – To Do or Not To Do – That is the Question" at 10:00 am, Saturday, August 25, at the Brucemore Garden & Art Show.  Join her and other Master Gardeners to have your Fall questions answered – here is a preview :

Lawns –

Fall is a terrific time to aerate your lawn - think September/October timeframe.   Aeration involves making holes in the lawn either by pushing a rod into it or by "coring" or extracting soil plugs.  Aeration helps the soil "breathe" by improving the amount of oxygen getting to the roots.  It also helps fertilizers and nutrients reach the roots as well as water.  Aeration helps to break up thatch and improves tight, compacted soil, allowing the root system to grow.  Opinions are mixed regarding aerating during a drought.

Fall is also a great time to fertilize lawns. However plenty of established lawns do just fine without fertilizing if the soil is healthy.  If you fertilize only once a year early fall is the best time.  It's also the best time to control weeds such as dandelion and other broad leaf weeds.  If drought is severe, don't fertilize lawns that have gone dormant.  Late August or early September is a great time to establish a new lawn or over seed an existing lawn.  However, if our drought hasn't significantly broken, it's probably best not to start new lawns as they require consistent moisture.  If your lawn is dormant there's no need to mow.  It's a good idea to water ¼ to ½ inch once every two weeks to maintain minimal health of a lawn.

Shrubs and Trees –

Fall is generally the best time to transplant most plants, and trees & shrubs are no exception.  Fall weather is cooler and wetter, making the moves easier on the root system and allowing a period of root growth and establishment before the first hard frost.  However, in drought conditions, don't attempt to move anything, it's better to leave the roots undisturbed.

Based on the habit of the tree or shrub, pruning should occur after flowering, or in the late fall/winter/early spring timeframe.  In drought pruning should be avoided on already stressed trees & shrubs.

Use burlap or wire cages to wrap and protect your tender trees, fruit trees, tree seedlings and tender shrubs from rabbits and deer.  These toothy critters nibble without rhyme or reason.  Drought will cause wildlife to be even more aggressive in finding food throughout the winter.

Because trees and shrubs are the backbone of your landscape, watering should be a high priority for any that are new up to about 7 years in age.  Water thoroughly through frost.  Conifers are particularly susceptible when they are young and should be watered as long as temperatures permit.  Most want consistent moisture and well-drained soil.  In drought conditions, the general guideline for watering young trees is:  2-4 gallons per inch diameter of trunk of tree every 10 days to 2 weeks.  Go ahead and apply directly below canopy around trunk as root system is concentrated there.  Don't worry about slow application.