Dig This!

Faded plants left standing all winter can play a critical role in the overwintering of beneficial insects, as well as birds and mammals. These plants may contain seed or fruit , or offer hiding places during the off-season.  Image: Margaret Roach When to clean up the garden in the fall? The best time to start your fall garden preparation is after the first few freezing nights have killed back much of the flowers and foliage on the plants. Freezing temperatures are a trigger for perennials that it’s time to begin the process of going dormant for the winter. But don't start cutting back your plants too early, it could trigger new growth on the plants, and you don’t want to do that in the fall. Fall flower bed cleanup chores you can skip Leave the foliage on your plants –  Dead plant material is a wonderful place for beneficial insects to hibernate during the winter.  Litter is a critical habitat for various insects and other anthropods, like bumblebees that provide pollina...

Fall is a great time for dividing and planting garden perennials. The Reno County Extension Master Gardeners invite you to our yearly Perennial Plant Swap this Saturday, October 17 at the Reno County Farmers' Market from 8:00 to noon. Bring extra perennial plants (no annuals please) from your garden and exchange them for plants brought by others. Houseplants, seeds, garden tools and books are welcome to be exchanged as well. Please be sure to label your plants and seeds. For more information, contact the Reno County Extension Office.

The term jack-o-lantern comes from the phenomenon of a strange light flickering over peat bogs, called will-o-the-wisp or jack-o'-lantern . The name is also tied to the Irish legend of Stingy Jack, a drunkard who bargains with Satan and is doomed to roam the earth with only a hollowed turnip to light his way.  Jack-o-lanterns are a yearly Halloween tradition that came to the United States from Irish immigrants. In the 19th century, turnips were hollowed out to act as lanterns and carved with grotesque faces and used on Halloween in parts of Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. Left: A traditional Irish Jack-o-lantern in the Museum of Country Life, Ireland. Right: Modern carving of a Cornish Jack-o-lantern made from a turnip. Thanks to Wikipedia for the information! Orb-Weaver Spiders: Spooky Webs But Great For Pest Control Halloween is not too far away and nothing is more iconic than seeing an enormous spider web and a scary-looking spider in the center as part of your decoration...