Wichita gardener’s almanac for Oct. 3
An October cooldown — October is starting on a lovely fall note; nighttime temperatures have even been hovering in the 40s. I’m hearing from people who have had late flushes of tomatoes that are still green. They can stay on the vine until a freeze.
Plant — Garlic, fescue grass seed (plant by mid-October).
Fertilize spring-flowering bulbs — It’s time to shop for, and even start planting, spring-flowering bulbs. Usually the small bulbs are planted earliest, followed by daffodils, then tulips (think Election Day). Earlier is always better for root growth, but bulbs can be planted into winter as long as the soil is not frozen.
October is also the time to fertilize existing beds of spring-flowering bulbs if they need it, Ward Upham of K-State says. If you’ve fertilized in the past, the soil often doesn’t need phosphorus or potassium; only a soil test can tell for sure. If your soil doesn’t need those two nutrients, blood meal can be used at the rate of 1 teaspoon per square foot, or 2 pounds per 100 square feet, Upham says. Lawn fertilizer such as 27-3-3 or 30-3-3 can be used, but cut the rate by a third, he says.
If you can’t remember exactly where your bulbs are planted, you can fertilize in the spring, but be sure to do it when the foliage first shows. If you wait until the bulbs are flowering, it doesn’t do any good, because the roots have begun to shut down by that time, Upham says.
Oak mites — If you missed the story in The Eagle earlier in the week, oak leaf itch mites are very active in the state this year, falling out of some oak trees (mainly pin and red oak) and onto people, causing itchy bites. There’s nothing to prevent their fall, but wear gloves when handling leaf debris, limit time under these trees, and shower within three hours of potentially being exposed to the mites, washing the clothes you were wearing as well. Products that can ease the itching include cortisone cream, an antihistamine and Calamine lotion. We might see them for several more weeks yet until a couple of hard freezes knock them out.
Garden events
Twilight Garden Tour — Scenic Landscapes Water Garden Nursery is having its annual Twilight Tour this weekend. From dusk (8 p.m.) to midnight Saturday, you can see the grounds at 5911 W. Maple with its more than 25 gardens and water features lighted with night lighting, candles and torches. New features are added each year. The band the Jukes will play starting at 9 p.m. Hot apple cider and popcorn will be provided, and you can roast a hot dog and marshmallow over the fire pit. It’s all free.
“Wichita and the Love of Movies” — Botanica will have a double-feature lunchtime lecture on Wednesday: Shan Jabara and Gray Brand will talk about the Tallgrass Film Festival, including its year-round programs, and then author and historian Keith Wondra will give the history of Wichita’s theaters and the city’s role in censorship. The back-to-back lectures will begin at 12:15 p.m. and are included in Botanica admission or membership. Lunch will be for sale from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. for $8.
Garden stroll at Botanica — Wesley Friends will have an Autumn Garden Stroll from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at Botanica. There will be live music, food, drinks, a photo booth and scavenger hunt in the gardens. People can take the half-mile stroll around the gardens or sit and relax. Activities will be moved indoors if the weather is inclement. The event is open to the public; admission is $8. To make a reservation, call Wesley Friends at 316-962-8400.
Project Beauty luncheon — Patricia McDonnell, director of the Wichita Art Museum, will be the speaker at Project Beauty’s October luncheon at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Wichita Country Club, 8501 E. 13th St. The cost is $17. To make a reservation, send a check to Jean Wellshear, 6411 Marjorie, 67208.
Annie Calovich
This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 6:31 PM with the headline "Wichita gardener’s almanac for Oct. 3."