Well is it "Fall" enough for you yet? I hope it stays like this for the rest of this season. Where did summer go? Our lawn is still looking pretty good, probably due to the fact that this was one of the coolest summers on record.

Right now is a really good time to go around and check yours trees and shrubs. There is a large juniper planted (which was on the property when we moved here), that just wasn't looking very perky. A friend was here so we started looking inside the branches and it didn't take long to see the problem. There was a rubber hose attached to a broom stick tied to the trunk of the Juniper—and it had "girdled" the trunk—meaning the bush is probably going to DIE!!!! I guess with all the rain we had earlier this spring the shrub probably doubled in size just within this growing season. So the moral of this is to be sure and remove the tags that come with the plants and any staking material before you lose your trees or bushes.

GARDEN QUESTIONS FOR CENTRAL ILLINOIS

Q) Could you give me some guidelines for caring for my lilac bush; such as pruning, etc.? A) I know I have answered this question before but I think it is worth mentioning again. I am sure you must know, lilac bushes need sunshine. The less sunshine they receive the fewer the flowers. If they do not receive enough air circulation, they will be prone to powdery mildew. This usually does not kill the bush but it does put it under stress. Transplanting injury, lack of sufficient water, too much fertilizer, or air pollution can sometimes cause the leaves to turn brown. Pruning your lilac bush is a very good idea. This can be done anytime after they bloom. The best way to start is to prune out most of the young suckers and all of the dead or diseased wood. Some of the older branches should be cut out also, to allow more light to reach the branches in the center of the plant. To control the height of your bush, you might consider cutting it down to within a foot of the ground and start entirely new plants. If you feel this is too drastic, you can thin out 1/3 of the branches over a 3 year period; this allows for continuous blooming. For those bushes that have all the growth at the top, leaving the lower part very unsightly, then it is recommended that these bushes be cut down to with in a foot of the ground. You will be surprised how nicely they grow back.

Q) I wanted to plant a magnolia this October, but my nurseryman said magnolias shouldn't be planted in the fall. Why not? A) For most trees, fall is the best time to plant. The soil is warm but not waterlogged the way it can be in the spring and trees without leaves make fewer demands on their roots to provide nutrients. A few tree, however, including the magnolia, birch, hawthorn, black gum, tulip tree, and most oaks, do not like to be planted in the fall. No one knows for sure, but researchers think that there is something that prevents the root structure from taking up enough water to overcome transplant shock, and then winter comes before the tree is ready for it. Some researchers have found that transplanting these trees when they are smaller increases the success rate for fall planting. Be sure to water your new trees that you plant regardless if they have leaves on them or not. Watering also settles the soil and helps eliminate any air pockets. Dormant trees planted in October or early November should need only that one deep, soothing watering to last them the winter.

Q) When planting trees is it best to mound the soil around them? A) You never want to mound soil or mulch around the trunk of you tree. This just makes a "haven" for rodents and other pests to eat on the trunk. Instead, leave a pocket around the base of the tree to hold moisture to soak down to the roots. Q) The leaves on my peony bushes are turning purple. They do this every year. Isn't there a treatment? (A) Peony Red Spot, Leaf Blotch or Measles is caused by the fungus Cladosporium paeoniae. Small, circular, red or purple spots ("measles") appear on the upper surface of young leaves just before the peony blooms. Later, the spots appear on the under leaf surface. The lower sides on infected leaves soon turn a dull chestnut brown, while the upper surface appears a glossy dark purple. These diseases cannot be stopped for this season. To control the problem for next year's foliage, remove all old tops to the ground level and destroy by burning, discard with the trash or bury in an area away from the peony beds. Do this in the fall or before new growth resumes next spring. Just before the shoots break through the soil surface in the spring, spray the soil around the plants with a fungicide mancozeb or maneb. Be sure to soak the soil surface area, stem stubs, and any other peony debris that may remain. Spray the plants weekly during cool, damp, overcast weather, starting when the shoots are 2 to 4 inches tall and continue until the flowers begin to open. Tip: I would also like to remind you to not trim back any of you spring blooming bushes, such as hydrangeas, at this time. Most of them will be blooming next spring on wood and buds that are being formed now. The best time for trimming is immediately after they bloom in the spring. So if you want blooms in the spring forgo pruning this fall.

Also—harvest flowers for drying when buds begin to open. Remove all unnecessary foliage. Tie loosely in bunches with the heads hanging down. Hang in dark, dry location. This method works best with flowers that wilt minimally or not at all, such as field grasses, goldenrod, celosia, salvia, strawflowers, baby breath, Dusty Miller, and Sedum. Dry larger flowers individually. Allow about two weeks for drying.