Well, I hate to say this, but fall is coming. That doesn't mean the garden season has to be over. Check out the calendar on the website (find it on the same side bar where you find this blog) for a couple of gardening classes. On September 30, from 7-9 p.m. I'll hold a class on selecting and planting spring flowering bulbs. On October 27, from 7-9 pm, I'll be talking about how to make your garden interesting even in winter, with a program entitled "The Fourth Season: The Garden in Winter". You can register right on the website.

I am also partnering with the Long Grove Park District to offer some fall classes at Reed Turner Woodland in Long Grove. On September 22, at 10:00 a.m., I will be offering the class "Fall Garden Wrap Up" which covers all those items that should be on your garden "to do" list for fall. On October 21, at 10 a.m. I will again be offering the class on Spring Flowering Bulbs. Go to the Long Grove Park District website to register (www.longgroveparkdistrict.com/ )

Even though it's late in the garden season, you can still get help from the Master Gardeners. They will be on summer hours (Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) through the end of October. Give them a call at 847-223-8627. The Master Gardeners are also hosting a few more plant clinics at local libraries in September. Here is the schedule of remaining plant clinics:

Thurs, Sept 3 at Warren Newport Library (Gurnee)

Wed Sept 9 at Zion-Benton Library (Zion)

Tues, Sept 15 at Antioch Library (Antioch)

Wed Sept 23 at Grayslake Library (Grayslake)

If you are growing tomatoes or potatoes here is some information you need to know. Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans)—the same disease responsible for the Irish potato famine is showing up this year in northern Illinois (this is not common to Illinois in a normal year.) This disease does not overwinter here, but can "blow in" during the season from other states where it does overwinter. The cool, wet conditions this season have been very conducive to its development, allowing its movement to a larger than normal area.

Homeowners have a few fungicide options for protection of plants not already showing serious signs of infection. Look for fungicides labeled for tomatoes/potatoes with one of the following active ingredients: mancozeb, maneb, fixed copper or chlorothalonil. Be sure the product you buy is specifically labeled for use on vegetables. The label will tell you how long to wait between the time you spray and the time you harvest the tomatoes. If home gardeners have been spraying regularly with one of these active ingredients for control of other common tomato/potato diseases (like Septoria or Early Blight), they should continue their program for continued protection against Late Blight this season.

For more information on this disease go to http://web.aces.uiuc.edu/vista/pdf_pubs/913.pdf. Thanks to University of Illinois Extension Specialist Elizabeth Wahle for providing this information.

Have you ever thought about becoming a Master Gardener? Now is the time to think about it. The next training will begin in January of 2010. Applications for the program will become available in early September (and that is just around the corner). Go to http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/lake/mg/index.html for full information. If you are interested in applying, or have some questions about the program, please contact me (phone 847-223-8627 or email yiesla@illinois.edu)

Check out our new website on wildflowers at http://urbanext.illinois.edu/wildflowers/. It now has a search function so you can select plants by flower color, bloom time or cultural needs. If you don't see your favorite wildflower now, check back later as I am still adding some plants to the site.

Be watching this blog and the website for information about upcoming programs. I will be posting information, hopefully within the next week, regarding some fall gardening classes to be held at the Grayslake Extension office. I will also be posting information regarding the 2010 Master Gardener training for Lake County that will start in January.

As you may have noticed, I tend to be a very irregular blogger. I will try to be better in the future in hopes that this blog will become useful to gardeners.

Probably the biggest question on our phone lines these days is about the Japanese beetles. If you have not seen this pest, consider yourself lucky. Of course everyone wants to know what to do about this insect that seems to eat everything. Unfortunately there is not an easy answer on this one. There are control measures, but most are not terribly satisfactory. If you have a small population, just flick them off the plant into a bucket of soapy water and drown them.

If you have a large population, your chances of control are not good. There are insecticides available, but Japanese beetles feed on a huge range of plants and it is not feasible or safe to be spraying everything in your yard. I suggest that if you have a couple of plants that are real favorites of yours, spray them and leave the rest alone. Covering a special plant with a fine mesh netting would also be a choice.

There are a couple of control measures that would best be left alone. One is the Japanese beetle trap. While many traps are useful in monitoring for or even giving partial control of a pest, the Japanese beetle trap is not one of them. The trap often brings in more beetles than can actually be trapped in the trap. So the problem may become worse, rather than better. Another control measure that really does not work in our area is the milky spore disease. This product works best in warm climates (like southern states, and even there it is a slow process) and does not perform well in colder climates (northern states).

I know that this insect causes a lot of frustration to the home gardener, but there is a bright side. Although the damage looks bad, usually the plant will not die.