Vol. 14, No.4
July/August/September 2010
University of Illinois Extension, Pike County Horticulture Newsletter
Pike County
1301 E. Washington St.
Pittsfield, IL 62363
Phone: (217) 285-5543
Fax: (217) 285-5735
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate
in any program we offer, please contact University of
Illinois Extension, Pike County at 217-285-5543.
Articles in This Issue:
Looking for Email Addresses .............................. 1
Upcoming Events ................................................. 1
Need a Gift? Get Your 4-H Cookbook Today ..... 1
Purchasing Canning Equipment ........................ 2
The Rules of Canning ......................................... 2
Controlling Crabgrass ........................................ 3
Yellowjacket More Intense Summers End .......... 4
Time to Choose Mosquito Repellent ................... 4
Burn Barrels Affect Air We Breathe ................... 5
Earthworms Where Being Slimy Isn’t Bad......... 5
Time to Seed Lawns ............................................. 6
It’s Apple Picking Time ....................................... 7
September Garden “To Do” List ......................... 8
Make Tasty Snacks from Seeds ........................... 9
Bed Bugs .............................................................. 9
Check Out Websites ............................................. 10
Garden Tidbits ..................................................... 10
If You Have an Email Address, Please Let
us Know!
If you would like to receive your “Down To
Earth” horticulture newsletter via email, please
send your email address to
cwestfal@illinois.edu and please let us know
if you prefer not to receive the newsletter
anymore. Thanks.
Upcoming Events
Fall 2010 Horticulture Telenets Offered
All sessions begin at 1:00 p.m. Please call our office at
(217) 285-5543 by the deadline for each session.
Save Money – Diversify Your Landscape with Trees Tuesday, September 21 at 1:00 p.m.
Borders of trees and shrubs can save you money and time –
by reducing mowing areas, reducing outdoor irrigation, and
lowering summer cooling and winter heating costs.
Learn how to select and place trees in broad borders and
mass plantings to reap savings, increase sustainability, and
add majesty to your home landscape. Make your landscape
really work for you! Deadline to register is Friday,
September 17.
Small Fruits in the Home Garden – Tuesday, October
5 at 1:00 p.m.
Fresh fruit growing in your own
backyard…strawberries, raspberries, and
blueberries. They can all be picked and eaten
on the same day. Learn how you can select,
plant, maintain, and enjoy an edible landscape!
Registration deadline: Friday, October 1.
Creating a Living Flower Arrangements – Spring Bulb
Forcing and Summer Bulb Layering – Tuesday, October
19 at 1:00 p.m.
Spring-blooming tulips and daffodils aren’t just for the
outdoors. Forcing them to bloom indoors is easy and fun.
You can also create beautiful summer containers with
summer-blooming bulbs such as “Star Gazer” lilies and
calla lilies. Stretch your container enjoyment with bulbs.
Deadline to register: Friday, October 15.
Registration Details: Each session is $5. Handout materials
will be in color. Advance registration is needed the Friday
before the program you attend. If you would like a CD of
the program, please add an additional $2. Please call 2855543 to register for more information.
Need a Gift? Get your 4-H Cookbook
Today!
Many members have nostalgic memories of
learning food skills through the great projects
and recipes offered through 4-H. The Illinois
4-H Cookbook has more than 150 recipes
from 4-H foods project books such as You
Learn to Bake, ABC’s of Food, Adventures in
Cooking, It’s Fun to Cook, Milk & Eggs,
Meat, Pastry and Yeast Breads in Your Meals
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
are included in this 8/12” x 11” spiral bound cookbook.
The cookbook costs $15.00. Call the extension office at
285-5543 or email cemyers@illinois.edu
Purchasing Canning Equipment
Shirley Camp, U of I Nutrition & Wellness Educator, Retired
For people new to home canning, the price of the canning
equipment may seem cost prohibitive. Freezer containers,
pressure canners, jars and all of the equipment necessary for
home food preservation can be very costly—especially if
you are just starting out.
Calls are received from individuals who
have decided to save money and shop
the local garage sales and auctions.
While this may be an appropriate place
to shop for some items, when it comes to
canning equipment, your bargain may be
very costly if you purchase faulty equipment or end up with
a cupboard full of spoiled food.
There are two types of canners needed for home food
preservation: boiling water bath canner and a pressure
canner. The boiling water bath canner is the least expensive
item. Usually these canners are large, enamelware pots
with a rack to hold the jars. You should be able to place the
jars in the canner with 1 to 2 inches of boiling water over
the top.
You may use the rack from a pressure canner or round cake
cooling racks in the bottom of the vessel to keep the jars off
the bottom of the canner. You can also purchase
replacement racks at many discount, hardware and farm
stores.
2
canner. The dial has a pointer that moves around its face
(dial), and you can see how much pressure is building up in
your canner. The weighted gauge will either rock or jiggle
to indicate that the pressure is being maintained. For this
reason, you do need the instruction book that comes with
the canner to determine how the weighted gauge operates.
Weighted gauges can be operated at 5, 10 or 15 pounds psig
(pressure per square inch on gauge), and there are several
different types of weights.
While we normally think of the lug-type closures on
canners as being antique, Camp says, in reality one of the
top-of-the-line canners currently being manufactured
features the lug type closure with no rubber gasket. These
canners also have both the weighted gauge and the dial
gauge.
If you have questions about your home food preservation
equipment, please contact your local University of Illinois
Extension office at 217-285-5543.
The Rules of Canning
Shirley Camp, U of I Nutrition & Wellness Educator, Retired
If home food preservation is one of the
activities on your summer agenda,
University of Illinois Extension has some
advice for you: know what type of process the
food you are preserving requires, or you may serve
up some unexpected foodborne bacteria next
winter.
Research on home food preservation has been conducted
since the early 1900’s, and while some of those recipes and
methods are still being used today, they may not be safe,
Pressure canners are a little trickier. Buying a pressure
canner at a garage sale or auction or taking it from an older
relative’s house may give you a canner that is not
recommended for use. If the canner is pitted, warped or
there are parts missing, it is best used as a decoration or
flower pot!
Every year we get calls on how long to ‘water bath’ green
beans and since green beans are a low acid food, they
MUST be processed in a pressure canner or frozen. The
rule is that all foods with a pH of 4.6 or above must be
processed in a pressure canner.
Pressure canners have springs and other parts within the
gauges and weights that help bring the canner up to
temperatures above boiling—which are needed for
processing many low-acid foods. Most canners also have a
rubber gasket around the lid and a safety valve. These can
wear out over time and need to be replaced.
Even tomatoes are iffy because the acidity level of tomatoes
varies with variety, growing conditions and condition of the
vines. Because of the variance, all tomatoes—no matter
what type—need to be acidified for canning which means
that 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon of
citric acid must be added to each pint of tomatoes. For
quarts, use 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of
citric acid.
There are two types of pressure canners—a dial gauge
canner and a weighted gauge canner. The dial gauge canner
has a pressure gauge that registers the pressure inside the
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
Vinegar can be used at the rate of 4 tablespoons per quart or
2 tablespoons per pint, but the vinegar can cause
undesirable flavor changes. No matter what you use, you
should not use tomatoes that are from diseased, dying or
dead vines. However, those tomatoes may still be frozen
safely.
3
tall fescue or quackgrass that come back every year once
they establish themselves in your lawn from vegetative
plant parts.
All vegetables, vegetable mixtures and meats are low acid
foods and must be processed in a pressure canner. The
canner should be large enough to hold 7 quart jars, so small
“pressure saucepans” should not be used.
Crabgrass management can take several different directions.
The most common is likely to be the application of
crabgrass preventer. These materials either inhibit the seed
from germinating or kill it before the young crabgrass plant
emerges from the soil. These materials are preventive in
nature and must be in place before any crabgrass seed can
germinate.
Fruits, pickles, acidified tomato products, jams and jellies
should be processed in a boiling water bath canner. Gone
are the days of filling the jar with hot product and letting it
seal on the counter. The boiling water bath canner adds
extra sterilization protection to the food being processed.
Additionally, these materials have a defined life span. If
applied too early in the spring, they will break down and
will not prevent crabgrass seed germination later in the
summer. To avoid this, apply preventer and spring
fertilizers separately.
Individuals wanting to preserve food at home should
purchase a reliable canning cookbook. The University of
Georgia Extension has an excellent book So Easy to
Preserve that is available in many local Extension offices
and also may be ordered online. The cost of the book is $18
plus S & H. The USDA Guide to Home Canning may can
be ordered by the Pike County Extension office, or you can
find it online.
If you have questions about home food preservation, contact
the University of Illinois Extension office, Pike County at
285-5543.
Controlling Crabgrass
Richard Hentschel, Extension Specialist, Green Industry
Programming
If you have a lawn, you likely have
had some crabgrass somewhere in the
yard despite your best efforts to
prevent it from growing. The rain and
temperatures have really challenged
the homeowner with crabgrass this year.
Crabgrass, also commonly called 'water grass,' is an annual
grass that needs warm soil temperatures and adequate soil
moisture to sprout and invade lawns. If conditions are right,
crabgrass can germinate all season."
There are two common kinds of crabgrass, smooth and
large, differing in appearance, both producing seed on thin
fingerlike seed heads. Crabgrass germinates, grows, flowers
and sets seed in a single season. Crabgrass relies on
producing a large amount of seed for future generations
since the plant itself will die at the end of the growing
season. This is different than our perennial lawn grasses like
If crabgrass is a serious problem, homeowners should
consider a mid-summer crabgrass preventer application to
carry the protection through fall. If you disturb the soil
surface, top-dress, or aerate the soil in any way, you will
break the barrier of protection and may allow crabgrass
germination.
There are a number of products to control crabgrass after it
has germinated. Timing is critical, as younger crabgrass
plants are more easily controlled than older, more
established plants. Crabgrass will not die immediately with
these products, but will take several days to show signs of
decline.
Lawn management also influences the potential for
crabgrass and weed growth. Lawns that are mowed on the
short side expose more soil to sunlight, which increases the
chance of crabgrass germination. A lawn that is mowed
higher shades the soil and conserves soil moisture for the
desired grasses, making them more competitive against
crabgrass.
As crabgrass grows, it radiates out in a circular pattern and
covers desirable lawn grasses. It also roots into the soil at
spots along the stem, making it difficult to pull out.
Crabgrass seedlings typically grow in groups and quickly
cover thin spots in the lawn.
If you see crabgrass seedlings early enough, they will be
easy to remove as their root system is not yet developed.
Crabgrass has wider leaf blades that are a much lighter
green that those of desirable lawn grasses, so spotting it is
not difficult.
Since crabgrass preventer works against annual grasses, it
will also control other unwanted grasses such as foxtail,
goose grass, fall panicum, and barnyard grass.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
When using a crabgrass preventer, read the label carefully
for the re-seeding interval because these materials will also
prevent desirable grasses from germinating. If you intend
to re-seed your lawn, avoid putting preventer on those areas.
Yellowjacket Battle Becomes More Intense
As Summer Ends
John Church, Extension Educator, Natural Resources
Management
Late summer can mean some pests become more of a
nuisance, such as the yellowjacket wasp. However,
remember that they are beneficial and care should be used
before destroying them in mass. Yellowjackets are 1/2inch-long, black-and-yellow-banded wasps. They live in
places such as underground nests, woodpiles, hollow trees
or holes in the wall of a building. Late in the summer, nests
may contain several thousand wasps. Of the Illinois bees
and wasps, this is probably the most likely to sting.
Yellowjackets are easily provoked and can sting more than
once. They may attack in force if their nest is disturbed.
Many people wonder why they seem to see so
many yellowjackets "all of a sudden".
They actually build up in population
throughout the summer. Late in the
summer, nests may contain 1,000 to 5,000 workers and may
measure three to four feet in diameter. Most of the insects
die over the winter and only queens survive. Her first new
adult generation emerges about June.
Yellowjackets often locate near places where food and
drinks are served such as backyard decks, picnic facilities,
or other gathering places. In late summer and fall, these
locations can have extremely high populations, since the
population is higher and there are fewer other natural nectar
sources available.
They are also attracted to open cans of garbage, bright
flowery clothing, and floral scented perfumes. Garbage cans
should be kept clean and well covered to help reduce
problems. The elimination of overripe fruit from gardens
and orchards can decrease the number of scavenging
yellowjackets.
In situations where the potential for repeated human contact
exists, Extension horticulturists offer the following advice.
Chemical control for ground-nesting yellowjackets should
include drenching the exit hole with an approved
insecticide. Yellowjacket entrance holes in buildings can be
treated with approved insecticide dusts. As the
yellowjackets walk through the dust they pick it up on their
legs and transport it into the nest. It may take up to a week
4
for the colony to die and repeated chemical applications
may be necessary. Do not block the entrance completely
with the dust so they will continue to use it.
Apply chemical control measures after dark or before dawn
when the wasps are in their nest. It may be prudent to call a
professional pest control company when access to the nest
is difficult. If the nest is located away from high traffic
areas around the home, a good option is to wait and do
nothing.
Since they do not reuse their nests, caulking cracks and
crevices in structures in winter and early spring, after the
nests have died, can help prevent yellowjackets from
constructing nests inside buildings. Outside openings to
active nests should not be caulked or closed, as they can
chew through interior walls into the house.
For further information on bee or wasp control, check the
website at
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/bugreview/index.html and
search for yellowjackets.
Time to Choose Mosquito Repellent
John Church, Extension Educator, Natural Resources
Management
This summer has had a high occurrence of mosquitoes that
can impact outdoor activities and also increase concerns
about West Nile Virus. Many people choose from various
methods to reduce the potential for mosquito bites, such as
wearing protective clothing and using repellents. If persons
choose to use repellents, the most effective ones contain
DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). DEET has been tested
against a variety of biting insects and has been shown to be
very effective and is recommended by the Center for
Disease Control.
The question of which DEET formulation to use often
comes up. The more DEET that a repellent contains, the
longer the time of protection provided from mosquito bites.
A higher percentage of DEET in a repellent does not mean
that the protection is better, just that it will last longer.
Based on studies, a product containing 23.8% DEET
provided an average of 5 hours of protection from mosquito
bites. A product containing 20% DEET provided almost 4
hours of protection. A product with 6.65% DEET provided
almost 2 hours of protection.
Products with 4.75% DEET and 2% soybean oil were both
able to provide roughly 1 and a half hour of protection.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
A higher percentage of DEET might be the best choice for a
person who will be outdoors for several hours, while a
lower percentage of DEET can be used if time outdoors will
be limited. It can be re-applied if you are outdoors for a
longer time than expected and start to be bitten by
mosquitoes. Choose a repellent that will be
likely to be used consistently and that
will provide sufficient protection for the
amount of time that will be spent
outdoors. Product labels often indicate the length of time
that protection can be expected from a product.
Use enough repellent to cover exposed skin or clothing. Do
not apply repellent to skin that is under clothing. Heavy
application is not necessary to achieve protection. Do not
apply repellent to cuts, wounds, or irritated skin. After
returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.
Do not apply aerosol or pump products directly to your
face. Spray hands and then rub them carefully over the face,
avoiding eyes and mouth.
Always follow all label directions when using a chemical
product. If there are questions about a product's safety,
consult a physician or pharmacist prior to use.
Persons choosing not to use a chemical repellent can wear
more protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, long
pants and socks. Non-chemical formulations of repellents
are also available and some have been shown to be
effective, but again vary in length of time of protection as
compared to DEET products.
More information on west nile virus in humans and pets and
the use of mosquito repellents, chemical and non-chemical,
can be found at U. of I. websites
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/westnile/repellent.html and
www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/westnile/about.html.
Burn Barrels Affect the Air You Breathe
Duane Friend, Extension Educator, Natural Resources
Management
Many people use burn barrels to get rid of household waste,
but the waste generated by today's households is much
different than what it was years ago. Bleached paper,
plastics and other synthetic materials make up a large part
of today's waste. When burned, many of these substances
release toxic pollutants.
The oxygen in a backyard burn
barrel is usually limited, which
makes the waste burn at a fairly
low temperature. This low-
5
temperature fire creates such pollutants as dioxins and
furans that are released into the atmosphere. The smoke
containing these substances can easily be inhaled, and
particulates can be deposited on plants and soil.
Dioxins and furans refer to a group of chemical compounds
that share certain similar chemical structures and biological
characteristics. Dioxins and furans are unwanted
byproducts of combustion that come from natural sources
like forest fires and from man-made sources like power
plants, burn barrels and industrial processes. Both chemicals
pose serious health concerns.
An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study
estimates the amount of dioxins and furans emitted from
burning household waste in the United States is greater than
all other sources, including residential and industrial wood
burning and utilities. In fact, burn barrels produced dioxins
at levels more than two times greater per ton of refuse than
municipal incinerators.
In Illinois, open burning of food waste, food packaging and
diapers is prohibited. Other items that cannot be burned
include furniture, construction debris and tires. Burning of
household waste is permitted only on the premises where it
is generated, and the premises must be more than one mile
outside any town with a population of 1,000 or more. Some
communities have even more restrictive burning rules.
If you do burn waste, do not overload the barrel. That way,
more oxygen will reach the fire and create a higher burn
temperature. To reduce the amount of material being
burned, buy fewer disposable items, recycle as appropriate
and compost if possible.
For more information on burn barrels, visit these websites:
Illinois EPA—www.epa.state.il.us and the United States
EPA—www.epa.gov.
Earthworms - Where Being Slimy Isn't All Bad
Sandra Mason, Unit Educator, Horticulture &
Environment
Rain may be a welcome event for gardeners but I think the
earthworms don't share our excitement. I assume their
wanderings across streets and parking lots have more to do
with their flooded homes than getting to the other side. If
you are slimy and live in the dark a parking lot is not the
place to be once the sun comes out. We humans just don't
have an affinity for slime once we get past the age of eight.
However as gardeners and agriculturists we shouldn't
underestimate the power of a bunch of earthworms.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
According to University of Illinois, a population of 500,000
earthworms per acre could:



Produce a drainage system equal to about 2,000
feet of 6-inch drainage tile.
Produce 50 tons of castings (a fancy word for
worm poop) - an equivalent of roughly 1/3 inch
surface applied manure per acre. That's like lining
up 100,000 one pound coffee cans filled with
castings.
Add 2 pounds of nitrate nitrogen, 15 pounds of
phosphorus, 36 pounds of potash, 45 pounds of
magnesium and 250 pounds of calcium to each acre
of soil annually.
Most people see worms as fish bait or as carcasses to step
over after a hard rain. Earthworms get no respect for all the
work they do. In one acre of land, there can be more than a
million earthworms improving our soils for growing healthy
plants.
Worms help to increase the amount of air and water that
gets into the soil. Their tunnels create a network of "pipes"
so rainwater and air can infiltrate soil. Worms help to
loosen the soil without tilling. Earthworms are like free
farm help. They help to "turn" the soil—bringing down
organic matter from the top and mixing it with the soil
below. Worms tunnel deeply in the soil and bring subsoil
closer to the surface mixing it with the
topsoil.
Earthworm slime contains nitrogen, an
important nutrient for plants. The
sticky slime also helps to hold
clusters of soil particles together for
good soil structure.
Worms leave behind (literally) castings that are valuable as
a fertilizer. Worms also break down organic matter, like
leaves and grass into nutrients that plants can use. Worms
can eat their weight each day. And yet they stay so slender.
6

Use mulch - shredded leaves work well; keep soil
covered all year either with mulch, compost or
cover crops.

Spread compost over gardens in the fall.

Till only when necessary.

Use little or no insecticides on soil.
Some gardeners choose to farm worms by making a wormcomposting bin. Worm composting, vermicomposting, is a
good way to get rid of your kitchen vegetable scraps and a
source of compost for garden plants. The worms used in
worm composting are not the same worms we find as
earthworms. These are the fish bait kind called red
wrigglers. Just stop by the bait store. I'm sure the worms
would appreciate being rescued from their watery doom.
Check out http://urbanext.illinois.edu/worms for some
really fun facts about worms.
Time to Seed Lawns
Sandra Mason, Unit Educator, Horticulture &
Environment
Oh to hear the lamentations of the lawn lovers, "What
happened to my lawn?" If your lawn is continuing its
impression of a brown Berber carpet than it is time to shed a
tear, pronounce it dead, and make plans for its replacement.
Good news, in central Illinois August 15 to September 15 is
an ideal time to seed lawns with our cool season grasses of
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fine fescues or tall
fescue. In contrast to spring seedings, fall seedings have less
weed competition, good temperatures and moisture for
quick growth and time to develop a good root system before
summer's heat.
Concentrate now to thicken and improve the desirable
grasses so crabgrass will have a difficult time returning.
Having worms in your garden is a good indicator of healthy
soil. Worms won't survive in really lousy soils. Worms live
where there is food, moisture, oxygen and a favorable
temperature. If they don't have these things, they go
somewhere else.
First evaluate the lawn to determine if
desirable grass remains. Overseeding
(adding seed to an existing lawn) to
thicken the lawn or fill in bare areas
may be all that is needed.
To get earthworms in your garden it is pretty much a "Build
it and they will come" philosophy.
Don't cut corners when preparing the soil
before seeding. Correcting problems after the turf is
established is tough.
Here are some simple tasks to encourage worms in your
garden:

Add organic matter regularly by loosening soil
rather than turning it over.
Preparation steps for seeding or sodding:
1. Control weeds. Eliminating weeds, especially
perennial grassy weeds such as quackgrass is much
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
easier before planting. Tilling seldom kills
perennial weeds. Non-selective herbicides such as
glyphosate may be used at this time. Wait to seed
until weeds are dead in case reapplication is
needed. There is no soil residual that will effect the
seed establishment. Read and follow all label
directions.
2. Rough grade site if necessary to facilitate surface
drainage.
3. If topsoil is needed, incorporate it into the existing
soil during rough grading. The final depth of
topsoil should be at least two inches.
4. Get soil tested. Soil testing provides valuable
information to determine how well soils can
support turf. For a small fee, commercial testing
laboratories will evaluate soil pH and some nutrient
levels.
5. Amend soil as necessary according to soil test.
Turfgrass does best with slightly acidic pH (6 to 7).
Don't add lime unless soil test recommends.
Generally 10 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer (or its
equivalent) per 1,000 square feet supplies minimal
fertility.
6. Amend heavy, clay soils with generous amounts of
organic matter to improve the soil's drainage,
aeration and nutrient holding capacity. If possible,
apply a two inch layer of compost or some other
quality organic material to soil..
7. With a rototiller work amendments into the soil to a
depth of 6 to 8 inches.
8. Fine grade the site. After rototilling soil particles
should be marble sized or smaller. Fine grade the
site until it is smooth. Eliminate depressions. Now
the site is ready for seeding or sodding.
After site is prepared:
1. Select proper seed for site. Use mixes of different
grasses.
2. Seed at appropriate rate for seed type.
3. Provide good seed-to-soil contact by raking and
light rolling.
4. Mulch with a thin layer of clean straw. Soil should
be visible beneath straw. Do not remove straw after
seed germinates.
7
5. Provide adequate water. Keep top ½ inch moist.
Germination duration - Kentucky bluegrass 10-30
days; perennial ryegrass 3-10 days and tall fescue
and fine fescue 7-14 days.
6. Once seedlings have emerged irrigate less
frequently but more thoroughly.
7. When seedlings reach two inches tall, fertilizer may
be applied at a rate of 1/2 pound of actual nitrogen
per 1,000 square feet (if applying 10-10-10, use 5
pounds per 1,000 square feet).
8. Maintain mowing heights at 2-3 inches. Never
remove more than one-third of the grass blades at
any mowing.
9. Limit heavy traffic during the first growing season.
For more information http://urbanext.illinois.edu/lawntalk/
It’s Apple Picking Time
Sandra Mason, Unit Educator, Horticulture &
Environment
Depending on the variety, apple harvest
can start in late July and continue into
early December. With over 2500 apple
varieties grown in the U.S., apple season
is long and fruitful. Harvest time for
individual varieties can vary from year to year depending on
the weather during the growing season. For the backyard
orchardist the perfect picking period can appear as a
botanical mystery.
For apples, the time to pick is when the fruit is fully mature
but before it becomes overripe.
Harvest time is determined by the time elapsed between full
bloom and expected harvest date, changes in flesh and skin
color, ease of fruit separation, fruit drop, and apple softness
and flavor.
Color both outside and beneath the skin is a very important
indicator of maturity. In varieties of apples that mature
yellow their maturity is indicated once green gives way to
yellow. Once mature, flesh color changes from green to
white in red and yellow varieties. Green skin varieties can
maintain some green flesh even at maturity.
Ease of separation from the spur usually occurs in mature
apples. To harvest apples, do not pull the apple straight
down but twist it upwards with a rotating motion. The apple
should easily separate from the little twig known as a spur.
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
This method also protects the spur and therefore future fruit
production.
Another maturity signal is when good fruit starts dropping
from the tree. A taste test is one of the best methods to
determine fruit maturity. When apples become softer and
taste sweet and juicy, it's pie time.
Fruits that are not going to be used immediately should be
stored in a cool place. Separate bruised and damaged fruits.
Only store those in good condition in well-ventilated
containers. Refrigerate if possible.
Apples also freeze and can well. For more info on growing
and preserving apples http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/apples/
If you don't have your own apple trees, there are plenty of
local orchards. Here is a tasty recipe using 3 pounds of
apples. Use firm cooking apples for making apple crisp —
Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, Baldwin, Jonathan,
Braeburn, or Jonagold. Any apples can be used for baking,
however, baking apples hold their shape
better.
Apple Cranberry Crisp
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup each, granulated sugar and brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) chilled butter or margarine cut into small
pieces
7 cups peeled diced apples (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons apple juice or cider
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat eight-inch baking dish
with cooking spray or oil and set aside. In a bowl, combine
flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon,
and nutmeg until well blended. Cut in chilled butter using a
pastry blender or clean fingers until the mixture is crumbly.
In another bowl, combine apples, apple juice and
cranberries. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared pan.
Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Cover with foil and bake for
30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or
until golden brown. Serve warm topped with ice cream or
yogurt.
8
September Garden “To-Do” List
Sandra Mason, Unit Educator, Horticulture &
Environment
September is our second chance to wildly work in the
garden. This reminder list should help get you started. If the
sight of this list makes you shudder, than you need to step
away from your garden and slowly put down your pruners.
Take a minute to breathe in the last moments of summer.
Flowers

Transplant and divide most perennials.

This is the best time to divide peonies. Be sure to
have 3-5 eyes per division. Replant so eyes are no
more than 2 inches deep.

Replant areas with frost tolerant plants such as
pansies and flowering kale.

Plant mums into well-drained areas. Planting on a
slight mound may help to provide proper drainage
to get mums through the winter.

Prepare houseplants for return trip indoors.
Thoroughly rinse leaves and container. Place in
halfway house such as a porch or carport.

Begin 2-3 month dormancy for amaryllis. Do not
water. Place indoors in cool dark place. Dormancy
begins once leaves yellow.

Purchase spring flowering bulbs for October
planting.

Discontinue fertilizing roses.
Herbs

Harvest herbs such as sage and oregano by hanging
clean stems upside down in dark space.

Pot chives, oregano, basil or rosemary for winter
use indoors.
Lawn

Mow and water as necessary. Mowing height may
be lowered to 2 inches as temperature decreases.

Fertilize in early September. This is the most
important application of the year.

Reseed bare or thin areas with improved cultivars.
Consider renting a slit seeder to get seed down into
soil of existing lawns.
Yield 9 servings.
If you are looking for recipes without so much sugar, check
out http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/diabetesrecipes/
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter

Reduce thatch if more then one half inch by using
core aerifiers or vertical mowers.

Core aerifiers may be used to reduce soil
compaction.

Establish turf by seed (best time). Prepare soil
properly and get good seed to soil contact. Select
turf mixes and blends appropriate to the site and to
maintenance practices. Northern Illinois – August
15- September 7; Central Illinois – August 15 –
September 15; Southern Illinois – September.
9
soil test to lower pH. Add organic matter such as
leaf compost.

Add plant debris to compost pile as you clean
flower and vegetable areas. Debris will decompose
faster if it is shredded or chopped. Also layer with
soil or compost.
Make Tasty, Healthy Snacks From Seeds
Sandra Mason, Unit Educator, Horticulture &
Environment
Vegetables

Continue harvesting vegetables to keep plants
productive.

Pumpkins and winter squash should have hard rind
before harvesting.

Seed bare areas with winter rye or barley for a
winter cover crop and to add organic matter to the
soil.

Plant spinach and other leafy vegetables for late fall
harvest.
Trees/Shrubs

Plant most trees and shrubs. Be sure not to plant
too deep. Check for trunk flare. It should be above
the soil line.

Water trees and shrubs. Plants, especially
evergreens, should be well hydrated entering
winter.


Avoid severe pruning now if possible. Wait until
February or March for most trees and shrubs.
Spring bloomers such as forsythia and lilac should
be pruned right after bloom.
Pick bagworms from evergreens if possible.
Pesticide sprays are not effective once caterpillars
stop feeding. Wait until next year to determine if
limbs will releaf. Spray with Bt products mid-late
June.
General

If you are planning to plant blueberries,
rhododendrons or blue hydrangeas, prepare the soil
now for a spring planting. Add sulfur according to
Roasting Pumpkin and Squash Seeds
Seperate the fiber from the pumpkin or squash seeds. Do
not wash the seeds. Combine two cups seeds,
1 ½ tablespoons melted butter, margarine or oil and
1 ¼ teaspoons salt. Bake at 250 degrees F. until crisp and
brown. Stir as needed during the baking period so the seeds
will brown evenly.
Roasting Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds may be eaten
without further preparation or
they may be roasted to produce a
more nut-like flavor. To roast,
cover the seeds with boiling water and allow to stand for
five minutes. Drain and dry the seeds. Spread in a thin
layer in a shallow pan. Sprinkle with salt and heat at 350 to
375 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
If desired, add two teaspoons of melted butter or oil to each
pound of seeds. Drain on absorbent paper.
Bed Bugs
Philip Nixon, Extension Specialist, PAT/Ornamental
Household Insects
The bed bug feeds at night on the blood of humans and
other warm-blooded animals including chickens, cage birds,
and other birds as well as dogs, cats, and other mammals.
Infestations can come from bird nests on buildings as well
as in clothes, luggage, and other materials transported from
infested areas. People generally do not react to the bites for
several weeks, but eventually develop red welts similar to
those of poison ivy. Frequently, several welts are produced
in the vicinity of a single bite and may even be produced on
other parts of the body remote from the bites. Bed bugs do
not transmit diseases with their bites, but secondary
infections can result from scratching the bites.
Bed bugs are active from about 9 p.m. until 7 a.m., being
most active from midnight to 3 a.m. They are relatively
fast-moving. Unfed bed bugs are flattened, tan, circular
Pike County Down To Earth Newsletter
bugs up to three-sixteenths inch in
diameter. Bugs that have recently fed are
blackish and somewhat rotund from their
blood meal. Eggs are white and elongate,
being of the size and color of house dust.
They are cemented to harborage surfaces and are difficult to
see without a hand lens. Bat bugs are close relatives that are
also commonly found. These bat parasites will feed on
humans, but typically die out once the bats are excluded
from the building. Thus, correct identification of the insects
is essential.
During the day, bed bugs hide in cracks and crevices near
where the person or other host sleeps. They are most
common in or near beds and upholstered furniture, being
most common under the dust cover of the box springs and
in cracks and crevices of the bed headboard. They are also
common along piping on the edge of the mattress and
springs, behind pictures and electrical outlet plates, under
baseboards, along the edge of carpeting and rugs, and in
cracks and crevices associated with the bed frame, bedside
table, and dresser. Most are located within three to four feet
of the sleeping person, but a few may be twenty or more
feet away. Detailed searching of these areas is essential in
locating them. They produce black fecal spots in their
harborage areas, making it easier to identify these areas
even if the bugs are not found.
Control of bed bugs involves a multi-pronged, IPM
approach. Bugs are killed with direct application of various
insecticides, steam, and cold. All are used by various pest
management professionals. Bed bugs show varying levels
of resistance to pyrethroids, but are effective when sprayed
directly onto bed bugs. There are no labeled insecticides
that are effective as a dried spray residue against all bed
bugs, but local populations are likely to be susceptible to
one or more labeled insecticides.
Bed bugs are also killed by exposure to at least 120 degrees
F for 30 minutes. Bugs may not be killed by washing, but
are killed by typical drying in a clothes dryer. Cold
treatment is less consistent in effectiveness, requiring subzero degrees F for 2-3 weeks. Mattresses and box springs
should be encased in high quality covers such as Protect-ABed to eliminate many harborage areas and to avoid direct
application of insecticide to them, although proper
insecticide application is acceptable. Traps, such as
Interceptor, are effective when placed under the legs of the
bedstead to catch migrating bugs.
Because bed bug control is very time consuming and
involves a multi-directed approach, costs of proper bed
control are considerably higher than that for many other
pests, whether done by a pest management professional or
as a do-it-yourself project.
10
Check Out These Websites!
Interested in Wildflowers?
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/wildflowers/
Planting a tree or shrub this fall?
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/treeselector/
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/ShrubSelector/
Looking for seasonal gardening information?
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gardenerscorner/
Garden Tidbits
● When the weather begins to cool in late September or
October, the boxelder bugs will be back. Now would be a
good time to caulk around windows and doors to minimize
the number that come into the house.
● Late summer into fall is a good time to start a compost
pile. You can add autumn leaves to the debris from garden
clean up and start a very nice pile.
Our office will be closed for the
Thanksgiving Holiday
November 25 & 26, 2010.
The articles in this newsletter have been provided
for you by University of Illinois Extension, Pike
County office.
Jennifer Mowen, County Extension Director
Newsletter Compiled and Designed by Cheryl Westfall, Office
Support Associate
If you have any questions or comments regarding the issue of “Down
To Earth”, please contact University of Illinois Extension, Pike
County, at (217) 285-5543.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Agricultural,
Consumer and Environmental Sciences
United States Department of Agriculture • Local Extension Councils
Cooperating University of Illinois Extension provides equal
opportunities in programs and employment.