October 2005

Edible

Watch for our first frost around mid-October, although it can occur earlier. At O’Hare the average first frost occurs around October 15. At Midway it occurs around October 24. Cover tender veggies like tomatoes and peppers with layers of newspapers, blankets, tarps, sheets or floating row covers. Remove the coverings soon after sunrise.

Find that perfect Halloween pumpkin at a local pumpkin farm. Choose pumpkins without cracks or soft spots on the bottom or around the stem. Do not carry pumpkins by the stem. If the stem breaks, decay is sure to follow. For a listing of pumpkin farms, call 773-233-0476 or check out the University of Illinois Extension website Pumpkins and More.

Watch for pantry pests like Indian meal moths in the warm environment of your home. Some pantry pests enter your home in dried dog and cat food, but many enter the home in birdseed Eggs, larvae, pupa and even adults can be found in birdseed. These pests can also be found in rice, cereals, pasta and ready-to-eat breakfast cereal. The adults of pantry pests look like a tiny-reddish brown speck and the larvae look like tiny whitish worms with brown heads. Sanitation is the best method of control. Remove all food, food packages, utensils, dishes, etc., from shelves. Using a strong suction vacuum cleaner with the proper attachment, clean up all spills, crumbs and pay special attention to all cracks and crevices in the storage area. Clean shelves with warm, soapy water and replace shelf paper. Keep dry pet foods and grain products in airtight containers. Without a source of food the pantry pests will eventually die.

Ornamental

Tender bulbs like dahlias, cannas and gladiolus should be carefully dug up and stored after the foliage is killed by frost. Rinse away any soil from the roots. If you have lots of bulbs, place the bulbs on a large mesh screen over a garbage can and wash the soil into the garbage can Get rid of any bulbs that show any signs of bruising or rot. Dry dahlias, caladiums and cannas for three days in a well-ventilated area at temperatures of 60 to 70 degrees. Gladiolus corms should be allowed to dry for three weeks before storage. Store dahlias and cannas in peat moss or vermiculite. Store gladiolus in labeled paper bags.

Overwinter your geraniums. There are a couple of ways to do this. You can dig up the plants before frost and pot them up. Cut the plant back one third to one half of its original height and water well. Place them in a sunny area. Water only when dry. Bring geraniums that were growing in pots indoors. Cut the plant back by one-half and store the plants in a cool, dark place. Water only enough to keep the stems from shriveling. Another method is hanging geraniums upside down in a basement or garage that doesn’t freeze. Before frost dig up the plants and shake off all the soil. Place the plant in individual paper bags that are barely open at the top. Check the bags periodically to see if the roots need to be misted. If the stems start to shrivel, soak the roots for an hour in a bucket of water.

Remove leaves from lawns so grass is not smothered. Leaves ground up by the lawn mower can be used as mulch around trees and shrubs. Avoid using leaves as mulch around perennials, especially if we have a very wet winter with more rain than snow. The wet weather will cause the leaves to mat together and kill live tissue.

Be aware that the Emerald Ash borer is very close to us in Michigan. Recently the pest was discovered for the first time in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The pest probably came in on firewood illegally moved into the area. Do not bring firewood form Michigan into Illinois. The adult beetles are 1/3 to ½ inch long with metallic emerald green wings. They emerge in late spring through 1/8-inch wide, D-shaped holes in the bark of ashes. The larvae make winding tunnels under the bark effectively girdling branches, causing them to die. The tree will die in two to three years. This insect has been responsible for the death of 15 million ash trees in Michigan since 2002. If you see the emerald ash borer or would like more information about the borer, please call 773-233-0476.

Enjoy the fall colors. Peak in Chicagoland usually occurs around mid-October, but I think it might be a little later this year because of our continuing warm summer-like temperatures. You may have seen some trees turning color already. These trees are showing early color because of stress from the drought. To keep up-to-date on the fall foliage season, check out the University of Illinois Extension web site The Miracle of Fall.