KJFM NEWS – Garden Talk is produced monthly at the Adair County University of Missouri Extension Center in Kirksville, Mo.
Watermelon, cantaloupe, and other types of melons are ready for harvest in August. Sometimes, four-legged critters can beat us to them though causing a lot of frustration for many gardeners. Animal repellents applied regularly will help deter unwanted furry pests. I have used both Liquid Fence and generic animal repellents with success. These smelly sprays are made of organic ingredients like egg yolks, garlic, and pepper which the animals do not like. I spray the edge of the garden as well as the plants. I also use chicken wire to protect ripening melons. I currently have chicken wire over the top of several cantaloupes in my home garden, since groundhogs have been a problem in the past.
Sometimes melons rot in the garden. This is often due to sitting on bare soil where they are exposed to fungal diseases. When the plants start to run, I place 2-3 inches of straw around the melon plants, and this prevents the fruit from rotting. After being picked, watermelons will store at room temperature for about 1 week and at a temperature of 45 to 50 degrees F for 2 or 3 weeks. Cantaloupe (muskmelon) should be harvested when the stem slips easily from the fruit. Lift the melon, if ripe, it should separate easily from the vine.
Second plantings of cucumbers, squash, green beans, tomatoes, and peppers should be made by early August for harvest in the fall. These plants need full sun, so be aware of sun placement as the days get shorter. Straw mulch placed around plants will help hold in moisture and keep out weeds.
Cool-season crops such as lettuce, spinach, beets, carrots, turnips, broccoli, and cabbage can be planted into the garden in mid to late August for harvest in late September and October. Moisten the soil first with cold water, and keep the soil cool as plants emerge. Remember, these are cool-season crops. They like cool soil and cool weather. They can be covered with row cover in mid to late fall to extend the harvest into winter.
Leaf Scorch may be a problem during hot, dry Missouri summers. Shade trees most likely to develop leaf scorch are sugar maple, Norway maple, beech, horse chestnut, ash, oak, and linden. The problem occurs when weather conditions become unfavorable such as high temperatures, low soil moisture, and drying winds. Japanese red maples are more likely to scorch than other small trees. Dogwoods growing in full sunlight will also develop the problem even though growing conditions may appear good. When water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be replaced, the resulting condition appears as leaf scorch. Conditions that may lead to the reduction of water in leaves included hot, dry winds, temperatures above 90 degrees, windy and hot weather following a long period of wet and cloudy weather, drought conditions and low humidity, or drying winter winds when soil water is frozen. Deep watering will help increase water uptake. You can also conserve moisture by mulching trees and shrubs. When planting trees this fall, always remember to plant trees in the right place.
