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This is the time of the year that I keep hearing the question “When do I harvest my grapes?” Or sometimes the question is phrased “Are my grapes ripe yet?” And then there’s the “Are they ready yet?”

Yes, it’s that time of the year when grapes are turning color and homeowners are thinking about when their grapes will be harvested. But many homeowners think that when the color turns, the grapes are ready to eat. They pick a few colored berries and pop them in their mouths only to find that there is very little flavor and a puckering feeling hits their pallets.

Just because the color has turned on your grapes, it doesn’t mean they’re ripe. Generally speaking, grapes need one to three weeks after turning color to be considered ripe for harvest. But this time frame is dependent upon many factors including the variety, what the grapes are to be used for, and environmental conditions like the weather.

As the school busses begin to rumble down the road again we are reminded that the gardening season is drawing to a close. For the gardener with an eye toward next spring, however, the season still promises plenty to be done in preparation of a showy spring to come. Early fall is the time when we should be planting our bulbs.

Good soil drainage is paramount for spring-blooming bulb success. If you have a mostly clay soil be sure to mix in organic material such as compost to lighten the soil. The soil pH should be between 6 and 7. If you need assistance in determining your soil pH or in discovering how to manage its level refer to your local agricultural extension service for help.

Spring flowering bulbs are great for beds, in borders, and in rock gardens. These early risers prefer to be planted in areas which will not receive direct sunlight during the midday, especially once the hot summer months roll back around.

Do you have clay or layer of hard subsoil problems in your garden? Then gypsum may be the answer to help loosen the soil structure. It is not considered a miracle substance and you will find that it doesn’t work right away, but a 3 year program of applications should help improve the poor soil conditions. It is not expensive and is easy to spread where needed.

Gypsum also has a job of repairing the soil that has been damaged through compaction from heavy stock, machinery, in the recovery of sub-soils exposed by earth movement and in soils affected by salinity.

A gardener faces one of the biggest problems in a new or established garden if they have a clay or layer of hard subsoil type of soil. This type of soil creates poor drainage, soggy soil and soil compaction.

When you have a new garden you can work organic humus, which should be done anyway, to loosen the poor soil. Manure, compost, peat moss and soil mulches and conditioners are normally used for this purpose.

The technique of pruning varies with the type of rose and the landscape purpose for which it was planted, whether it’s growing in the ground or in a container. Pruning can range from removing unwanted buds to severely excising canes. Proper pruning stimulates growth at the buds closest to the cut, which produces new flowering stems.

The first step in pruning any type of rose is to remove any dead, damaged, diseased, or weak and thin canes, cutting them off flush with the bud union or, in the case of own-root plants, flush with the crown. Look for any canes that are broken or wounded, or that have cankers (dark, sunken lesions caused by a fungus), and prune below the injury, at the highest point where the pith (the central portion of the cane) is healthy and white. Make the cut exactly 1/4 inch above a growth bud. If the injury extends below that point, cut to a lower growth bud.

Quality Dutch tulip bulbs are easy to come by and fairly inexpensive to purchase. You can get them through a mail order catalogue or a reputable green house. It is becoming increasingly popular to buy flower bulbs from online nurseries. The downfall to buying bulbs online is that you cannot inspect the bulbs prior to purchase. The highest quality of bulbs, especially tulips, comes from Holland.

Tulip bulbs are best when purchased early in the planting season. Only buy firm, light colored bulbs where the skin peels off easily. This will insure that the bulbs are disease free. Buy by species, not by color. If the bin is simply labeled “yellow bulbs”, you do not know what exactly you are getting. If you are not sure when the best time to plant is, ask the greenhouse keeper about the conditions of your zone.

Spring bulbs such as tulips, need to be planted when it is cool enough to keep them from sprouting, but still warm enough for the roots to establish themselves before winter sets in. Plant tulips six inches deep and cover. If you have problems with moles and other little creatures digging up your tulips, you may plant them as deep as eight inches. If your bulbs are still being whisked away in the dead of night, there are bulbs planting cases you can get at the greenhouse. A little known fact about planting tulips, after the initial watering in after planting, do not water your tulips again until their leaves appear.

Pruning your roses is one of the most needed and the most annoyingly difficult tasks that goes with proper rose care. It takes a steady hand the proper procedure to ensure the best possible roses that you can get.

Pruning your roses is basically the act of getting rid of dead and damaged pieces, and teaching the new growth to grow in the correct outward facing direction. That just means that you are training them to grow facing the outside of the shrub or bush. This gives your roses the correct amount of circulating air to thrive in.

Here is a list of the proper techniques to guide through the pruning process.

* Soak your pruning shears in equal parts of water and bleach. This will help to protect your roses from diseases and insects.

* Pruning in the early spring, just after the snow melts is best. However you want to do it before any new growth appears. The best time would be when the buds are swelled, or red.

There’s a new garden in town. It is (mostly) easy to install, looks good year-round, requires almost no maintenance and has a terrifically upbeat impact on the environment. No wonder rain gardens are such a great new gardening trend!

Storm water runoff can be a big problem in summer during heavy thunderstorms. As the water rushes across roofs and driveways, it picks up oil and other pollutants. Municipal storm water treatment plants often can’t handle the deluge of water, and in many locations the untreated water ends up in natural waterways. The EPA estimates as much as 70 percent of the pollution in our streams, rivers, and lakes is carried there by storm water! By taking responsibility for the rainwater that falls on your own roof and driveway, you’ll be helping to protect our rivers, streams and lakes from stormwater pollution.

To reduce the excess water runoff, many towns are encouraging businesses and homeowners to install rain gardens in their yards. Rain gardens are specially constructed gardens located in low areas of a yard where storm water can collect. The idea is to have the water naturally funnel to this garden. The rain garden collects water runoff and stores and filters it until it can be slowly absorbed by the soil. Rather than rushing off into a storm sewer or a local waterway, the rainwater can collect in a garden where it will be naturally filtered by plants and soil.

I would like to know…………………

WHO STOLE SUMMER?????????????/

What did you do with it?

And where are you hiding it?

It seems as though just last week we were celebrating the beginning of summer.

Looking forward to our yards and gardens.

Planning vacations.

Now, parents are celebrating “BACK TO SCHOOL!”

That could mean more time in our yards and enjoying the fruits of our labor, however.

Enjoying our backyard guests.

We’ve seen visitors come and go.

And all the feathered families we helped raise.

Now it’s time to think of visitors heading south.

Keep your feeders cleaned and filled.

Very important is a source of fresh water.

Quite often a stranger will stop for a drink and you may be fortunate enough to see your guests.

You may want to keep a camera handy.

It’s getting time to think about fall projects in our yards.

It’s time to let annuals go to seed and let some perennials go as well.

Say……………. do you have any grasses in your yard?

I’m not referring to the grass you mow, or the stuff “Cheech and Chong” made so popular either.

There is nothing quite as relaxing as a leisurely evening soak in the hot tub after a long, hard day’s work. Sore muscles can finally relax as the water jets massage aches and pains away. It is no wonder that hot tubs are so popular. However, how do you decide which of the many outdoor hot tubs is right for you?

First, think about who will be using your new hot tub. If you and your spouse plan to spend quiet evenings soaking and relaxing, you will want a smaller hot tub than four friends who are sharing a small bungalow and plan to use their hot tub for entertaining. If a disabled person or an elderly person will be using the hot tub, look for handicap accessible features.

Next, consider whether you want to just soak quietly or whether you want the hot tub to really massage aching muscles. If you want to avoid having to scrunch down to have the jets reach your back, you will want to look for a tub with plenty of jets and a more powerful motor. You may also want to consider features such as an underwater light, a storm seat, and even a built in CD player. For those people who are attached to their television sets, there is even a model with a built in TV/DVD player combination.

Roses are the traditional gift given on Valentines Day, but they’re well-received any time of year. The color and type of rose does carry a meaning, though. Be aware of what you’re giving: the color of a rose can have a very different meaning from what you intend. If you’re giving roses as a gift, follow this guide to make sure you send the message you want to send:

? Red Roses: Red roses say, “I love you.” Red roses are the ultimate symbol of romantic love and enduring passion. Florists can’t keep up with the Valentines Day demand for red roses, which makes them especially expensive in February.

? Pale Pink Roses: Pale pink roses imply grace, gentleness, and joy.

? Light Pink Roses: Light pink roses express a sense of fun, happiness, and whimsy.

? Deep Pink Roses: Deep pink roses say, “Thank you.”

? Lilac Roses: Lilac roses indicate the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted. (To make sure the recipient doesn’t miss the message, an appropriate card might also be a good idea. The meaning of lilac roses isn’t as widely-known as the meaning of red roses, for instance.)