Gardeners throughout the region were disappointed in their tomato crop this year. Statewide, July was the coldest on record. Tomatoes are a heat-loving crop, and they just did not mature well with that cold weather.

The other problem was with tomato diseases. As in past years, there were plenty of diseases to go around. The most common were septoria leaf spot and early blight, fungal diseases that can overwinter in plant residue in the soil to re-infect the tomato plant the following season. They both require wet leaves (dew or rain) to infect, and we had plenty of moisture this summer.

Symptoms of septoria are very small, 1/8 inch across circular spots, with dark margins and grayish centers. Much of the tissue between these spots turns yellow. Early blight spots are larger, up to 1/2 inch across and are dark in color. You can find dark, concentric rings (like a target) within this area.

It is too late to do much this year, but you can take steps to reduce these diseases next year. First, rotate the area where you plant tomatoes in the garden. Do not plant in the same area for at least two years, and also avoid areas where potatoes were planted—since they are in the same family, and the same diseases can infect both.

Use some sort of ground cover (straw, newspapers, etc.) to prevent soil from splashing on the lower leaves. Since the disease can overwinter in the soil, eliminating the disease-containing soil splash will help reduce the disease spread. These diseases spread from lower leaves to upper. When you notice discolored leaves, remove them.

Stake or cage plants to help with air circulation, which will allow leaves to dry quicker. Eliminate all residue from the garden. Compost it. Till the garden in the fall to help aid decomposition of any plant residues. If all else fails, there are some fungicides that can offer some help.

Other common tomato diseases include bacterial spot and bacterial canker. Bacterial spots are very small, 1/16 inch in diameter and dark-colored. In between these spots, the leaves will turn yellow. This is one of the only tomato diseases you might find in the upper part of the plant first. Bacterial cankers are much larger dark spots, sometimes over an inch in size. They are almost always found on the margin of the leaf and are brown. For both bacterial diseases, follow the same recommendations listed above. Copper products can also help in their control.

Homeowners often strive for a picture-perfect lawn. But, this perfection also means an increased chance of lawn problems. Most homeowners consider no problem worse than lawn grubs.

Several grubs infest turfgrass, but the annual white grubs and Japanese beetle grubs are the most serious. Other grubs include the true grub and Ataenius grub. True grubs have a three-year lifecycle and can be found throughout the year. Turf damage is minimal due to low grub numbers. Ataenius grub damage usually occurs at the end of June through July. Ten years ago, Japanese beetle grubs were not common. However, in the last decade, as the beetles have become more common, so have their grubs.

Grubs are the larval stage of beetles. Most grubs are C-shaped and white with a dark brown head and gray rear end. The adult form of the annual white grub is one of those brown, nondescript beetles that hovers around lights during June and early July. Japanese beetle adults are metallic green with copper wings.

Beetles mate in June, and the female lays her eggs in early July. Eggs hatch one month later. Weather conditions can delay the mating and egg laying. Females prefer a pure stand of turfgrass compared to a weedy, bare area. Moist soils, common this year, are more conducive to egg laying and hatching.

Grubs feed on turfgrass roots. Plants wilt and die due to lack of water. Dead areas, still matted by underground stems, can be rolled up like carpet. If grass plants come up in tufts, the problem is likely
diseases or sod webworms.

Most lawns can tolerate 12 to 14 grubs per square foot, provided the grass is actively growing. However, most lawns in August and early September need fertilizer and cooler growing conditions. Two to four grubs per square foot may warrant treatment on dormant or slow growing lawns.

The only way to determine a grub problem is to examine the root system of the turfgrass. Most grubs will be located in the area between dead patches and green turf.

Many chemicals are available for grub control. Contact your local U of I Extension office for current
recommendations. Granular applications tend to provide better control than liquid formulations. Make sure the chemical is watered into the grass's root zone—1/4 to 1/2 inch of water is sufficient.

Grub applications should be applied before the middle of September. As grubs mature, chemical control is lowered.

Make sure you read and follow all application and safety information on the label.

• Don't park your vehicle under an Osage Orange tree in September … its 3- to 6-inch fruit has been known to dent hoods and even smash windows. A hedge-apple is the fruit from Maclura pomifera or Osage Orange. In late summer, the fruit falls off the tree and can be messy and even harmful.
• Osage Orange is a tough tree that can tolerate almost any adverse growing condition. It is easy to transplant, and will reach 12 to 15 feet tall in five years. Typically, it has a short trunk with low-growing, thorny branches. When grown close together, Osage Orange forms an impenetrable thicket.
• The wood of this tree contains a substance that is toxic to fungi, which makes the wood naturally rot-resistant. The wood is extremely hard and durable.
• Some people claim placing hedge-apples in a basement, cellar, or around the foundation of a home will repel boxelder bugs, cockroaches, crickets, Spiders, and other pests. To date, there is no research data that confirms this

1. Plant a fall garden. Many leafy crops such as broccoli and cauliflower, spinach and lettuce, and root crops such as radish, carrots, and turnips perform well in our fall climate. Some short-season crops such as lettuce, radish, and spinach can be direct seeded, while transplants are needed for longer maturing crops such as cabbage or broccoli. Most of these crops tolerate moderate frost. However, if a heavy freeze threatens, it's time to get the crop in or protect it with a floating row cover.

2. Clean up. Now is the time to remove spent plants, escaped weeds, and debris. Either compost these plant materials or mow or chop them up and turn them into the soil. To build a new compost pile, use leaves and lawn clippings as the "backbone" of the pile, and layer soil and garden debris with them. Clean support structures such as wire tomato cages and trellis fencing with a light bleach solution. Fungal spores and bacteria that cause disease over-winter in debris left on these structures, and can infect next year's crop.

3. Till the soil. When soils are dry in the fall, spade and/or till the garden. This will allow for faster drying and entry in the spring. And, fall tilling exposes over-wintering insects in soils to cold temperatures. Also at this time, work in any coarse organic materials such as chopped leaves or rough compost. These will further degrade through the winter, especially when in contact with the soil. Never work more than 1 to 2 inches of raw sawdust or bark chips into the soil, as these will be slower to break down.

4. Have your soil pH tested. If needed, work in lime or sulfur amendments this fall. Garden pH should range from 6.0 to 6.8. Lime will bring an acidic soil pH up, while sulfur will bring an alkaline pH down. The need to drop pH is rare, but it can be necessary in a few soil types which are naturally high in pH, or when you have added too much lime or wood ash to soils, or if you are planting blueberries or azaleas. Soil pH changes take time, and fall application of either of these amendments allows this time.

5. Control weeds. If you do not fall-till your garden, at least remove all the weeds. In the fall, certain weeds respond to light quantity and short days by going to seed very quickly. This occurs even when weeds are tiny. The diligent gardener who labored to keep the garden weed free and reduce weed seed contamination all summer can quickly lose the battle in the fall. Now is the time to apply herbicide sprays to perennial weeds around your property. Roundup™ is a good herbicide choice for grassy weeds and at a higher rates will also kill sedge and many broadleaf perennial weeds. 2,4-D is a broadleaf herbicide that is effective on a wide range of weeds but will not harm grass. Often, it is mixed with dicamba and/or MCPP, also broadleaf herbicides. All of these herbicides are systemic, and when applied in the late summer and early fall, are readily translocated to underground plant parts, resulting in better control.

6. Plant a cover crop. Annual cereal rye and wheat are good late-season choices, as well as vetch and other legumes. Cover crops build soils by adding root mass and top greens to soils when turned under in the spring. They can also bind and "mine" soil nutrients, making them available for next year's garden.

7. Build raised beds for next year. Some vegetables such as peas and radishes can be (and should be) planted very early. With pre-made raised beds, which drain and dry quickly, these crops can be planted without further tillage in the spring. You can also cover these beds with plastic to allow greater soil warming and keep beds even drier.

8. Mulch. Rhubarb, asparagus, strawberries, brambles, fall garlic, over-wintered spinach, root crops stored in-ground, and some herbs can all benefit from a straw mulch. Apply 2 to 4 inches deep, after the first killing freeze of the season.

9. Write down where vegetables were planted. Draw an outline map of your garden area, and assign various zone designations or areas (i.e. area A,B,C). Copy this map and use it as a master for writing in the crops planted in certain areas. This simple method can help you keep track of crop rotations and
soil treatments.

10. Care for equipment. Well cared for hand tools can last a lifetime, and proper care of power
machinery will extend motor life and get you off to a fast, prepared start in the spring. For hand tools, clean, sharpen, and apply a thin coating of oil to metal parts, linseed oil to wood handles. Machinery should be cleaned, greased at fittings, oil drained and changed, oil/air filters changed, and gas tanks drained or run fuel stablizer through the system.

Amaryllis bulbs are available in the fall at local garden centers and mail order houses. Although the cost for one bulb may seem high, the beautiful blooms and year-after-year long life makes this holiday flower well worth the cost.

For best results, plant bulbs in at least a 6-inch pot. Drainage is important, so place an inch or more of broken pottery or pebbles in the bottom of the pot. Use an artificial or lightweight potting mix and plant the bulb with 1/2 to 3/4 of the bulb above the soil line. Water well and place the bulb in a sunny window.

Keep the soil slightly dry until the flower shoot appears. This usually happens in two to three weeks. Don't overwater, since the bulb may rot. You'll increase the watering as the roots grow and fill the pot.

After flowers fade, cut them off, leaving all the foliage and the flower stalk. It is essential to keep the plant growing vigorously since it produces food for the following year's blossoms. As the flower stalk yellows, it can be cut back.

After the last spring frost, plunge the potted amaryllis into the ground, making the pot rim level with the surface of the soil. Choose a site with morning light and afternoon shade. Water and fertilize as you would any other garden plant.

Before the first autumn frost, bring the plant indoors and cut back the yellowing foliage. Set the plant in a cool, dry room and forget about it for four months. Don't water or fertilize it during this time. After this dormancy period, replace the top inch of old potting mix with new, water thoroughly, place in a sunny window, and start the process all over