Well our beautiful fall weather is finally coming to an end---and what a great fall this one has been.

I really look forward to this time of the year (I think I say that with each new season), because of all the pretty color changes in the trees. The ash tree in our back yard is just beautiful. Even the poison ivy growing in our trees out front is beautiful. (This is the only nice thing I can say about it)!

Trees are wonderful plants. They are so beneficial to your yard; such as taking the stress off lawns in time of drought and hot weather. A little shade is very good for grass. Trees also give a house and the landscaping "character".

I thought I would recap why trees change colors in the fall. It is always amazing to watch the transformation. Fall color is controlled by both the plant's genetic factors and the environment. Carotene and xanthophylls are yellow pigments produced in foliage all year, along with chlorophyll, the green pigment.

In Autumn, when short days and cool temperatures slow down the production of chlorophyll and the remaining chlorophyll breaks down and disappears, the yellow pigments which have been masked by chlorophyll show up. These pigments give the Ginkgo tree its clear yellow color. Redbud, Larch, Hickory, Birch and Witch Hazel turn hues of yellow and gold.

Some plants produce anthocyanins (red and purple pigments) that mask the yellow pigments. Some Maples, Dogwood, Black Tupelo, Oaks and Winged Euonymus seem to be on fire with red and purple. Anthocyanin production increases with increased sugars in the leaves. A fall season with sunny days and cool nights increases sugar content of the leaves and intensify of fall reds. This also explains the two-tone effect on Green Ash, which exhibit yellow on the leaves where they are exposed to sunlight. The tans and browns of Oaks are caused by tannins which accumulate as the chlorophyll disappears.

Fall colors start in September with Poison Ivy, Ashes, and Walnuts and ends in November with the Larches and Weeping Willow. Frost and freezing temperatures will stop the coloration process and blacken the leaves. There is still time for a

drive around the country-side to see this next season take hold. For more information about the spectacular displays of native trees check out "The Miracle of Fall" website. You can find it on the "Today's Features" of the Coles County Extension homepage www.extension.uiuc.edu/coles/.

Just a note to say thanks all of you for purchasing the plants at our plant sale last month in Charleston. We made over a $1000.00 of which will be put to good use for U of I Extension programming. We will have more plants at the Herb-Festival next spring. Just a reminder to consider signing up for the Master Gardener program. THE DEADLINE AGAIN is Friday, November 21st. Questions? Please call the extension office or one of us.

GARDEN QUESTIONS FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Q) When is the best time to prune my butterfly-bush (buddleia)? A) Spring is the correct time to prune buddleias. They should not be cut back in the fall because of the danger that a severe winter will injure them and necessitate still more pruning in the spring. A) How should I prepare my Hydrangea that was planted this spring, for winter? Do I need to cut it back? A) You must protect the canes from winter injury by covering them in the fall with a bushel basket or leaves held in place by chicken wire or something similar. It is not necessary to cut your hydrangea back at this time. In the spring, you can prune them if they have winter injury, but only to remove injured tips. Some common species, such as Hydrangea pancilata "Grand flora' and the hills of snow type, bloom on new wood, and can be pruned in the early spring. On a few other types, particularly the common greenhouse or French varieties, the buds originate near the tips of the canes, formed the preceding year, and should be pruned after flowering, or not at all. Q) I have some woody shrubs and herbs in large containers on my patio. Is it safe to leave them out over the winter? A) Probably not, unless you have no choice. Either the containers might crack from freezing soil or the plant roots might be killed by winter cold. Better to take them into a cool garage or cellar for over winter, but do not let the soil dry out. If the plants must be left outside, mulch them heavily. Push the containers together so they can protect each other. Water when the soil is dry. A) Is it too late to fertilize my lawn? A) No, in fact, fall fertilization is more important than doing it in the spring. If you fertilize once a year, do it in September; twice a year, early May and early September; three times a year (if no continued summer watering), in the early days of May, September and November; and if four times a year, early May, mid-June, early September and early November. Our choice is three times a year, with the November application a week after the mower is put away, but b. Q) How should climbing roses be protected for winter? A) For our area, mound soil over the bases of the plants. In severe climates remove the canes from their support and pin close to the ground, and then cover with soil. It is best to use soil rather than leaves or peat moss because; in this area there is alternate freezing and thawing. Also leaves and peat moss keep the canes too wet and encourage fungi. The best time to do this is after frost but before the ground freezes hard before the grass turns brown. Q) How can I keep the squirrels, moles and rabbits from digging up my bulbs? A) They are most likely to steal the smaller bulbs that are planted just a few inches underground. Sprinkle pebbles around each bulb as you set it in the ground. Or, lay chicken wire flat across the soil and place the mulch on top. Rabbits are attracted to tulips and many nibble the tender shoots that emerge from the ground. To deter rabbits, select daffodils instead of tulips. As I have said before, daffodils are poisonous, so rabbits are not inclined to destroy them.