A single queen that mated the previous fall and over
wintered as an adult founds new yellow jacket colonies
each spring. Nests are aerial or terrestrial, depending on
the species of the wasp. Regardless of location, each nest is a series of
horizontal combs completely surrounded by a paper envelope. Initially, the
solitary queen constructs the paper brood cells for her new colony. When the first offspring emerge they assume all tasks except egg laying. The queen
devotes the remainder of her life to this task and does not leave the nest. For most of the season the colony consists of sterile worker females, which are noticeably smaller than the queen. Workers progressively feed larvae a diet of insects. In autumn, larger cells are constructed for the next generation of queens. Larvae in these cells receive more food than do those in normal cells. At the same time, the queen begins to lay male eggs. After emergence, the new queens leave the colony and mate. The newly fertilized queens seek shelter for the winter and form new colonies in the spring. The old founder queen dies,
and the nest is not used again. If you have discovered a yellow jacket nest
in mid-October there is no need to attempt to kill the colony. However,
structure repairs should be done in late fall to keep a new colony
out of the structure next spring.
Buckthorn Removal
Buckthorn has become a huge problem in the Twin
Cities and beyond. Buckthorn was used for many
years in the landscape, but over time the alarm was
sent out about this plant escaping cultivation and it
ended up in places that made it a pest. The state of
Minnesota labeled this plant an invasive species and
nursery cultivation ended many years ago. This has
not stopped the spread of buckthorn in the city or the
countryside. Many cities have asked residents to
remove buckthorn from their properties. City parks
and state lands have organized removal drives to
clear public land of the
aggressive plant. The reason why this plant is so ggressive is because of its berry/seed production. The plant produces large quantities of these black
berries that the birds love to eat. As the seeds pass through the birds they
drop onto new ground. Once a buckthorn patch has been established it
becomes a thick stand of small trees and shrubs. These stands choke
out the native vegetation and drive away native animals.
Fall is the perfect time of year to remove buckthorn from your property. You
don’t have to know anything about which plants are buckthorn, nature will tell you. As the leaves change and fall off plants look for shrubs/trees that are still green (some with black berries on branches). Cut down the buckthorn and apply a brush killer to the stump. If there is a lot of buckthorn and little time to deal with it, there is a new product that will kill the weed down to the roots. It is easy to use because it has its own built-in paintbrush. It requires no mixing or pumping. The product is still effective in cold fall weather. The product is called VINE-X; simply paint a portion of the plant you want to kill. There is no bending or danger of spraying and killing other plants. Use VINE-X on all unwanted
woody plants. Read and follow labeled directions carefully.
Summer Flowering Tubers and Rhizomes
After frost has nipped the tops of the dahlias and
cannas it’s time to get them ready for winter storage.
With a garden fork, carefully lift the plant out of the
ground. Shake off any excess dirt and set the plant
aside in a sunny spot. Do not cut the tops back
because the plant will move moisture and nutrients
down to the roots. On sunny days that are above
freezing let the plants dry in the sun. If it’s cool and
rainy move roots to a dry, protected place. Once the
tops have dried down they can be removed. Cut off
2” above the root zone. Remove any remaining dirt and let the cut stem of the root dry before packing for winter. Once the roots are ready to
be packed away, get a cardboard box and some dry peat moss. Put a 2” layer of peat moss in the bottom of the box, then add a layer of roots and spread them out so that none are touching. Once the layer of roots is in place cover them with dry peat moss. Add another layer, do this until all roots are covered. Place the box in a cool dry place for the winter. Check the box monthly for rot or growth. Remove any spoiled roots to prevent others from rotting.
Cleaning up the Vegetable Garden
Once the frost has claimed the garden it’s time to start cleaning it up. Before you do, draw a map of the garden so the crops can be rotated next year. Try not to put the same types of vegetables in the same place year after year. Plants like peppers and tomatoes can’t tolerate frosts. These vegetables should be harvested before the frosty nights. If you’re not planning to make fried green
tomatoes just harvest the largest green fruit on the vine. Wrap the green
tomatoes in a layer of black print newspaper and place them stem side down
in an open cardboard box and store in a dark place. Clean up any leaves
and fallen fruit to prevent disease from over wintering.
Peppers can be harvested down to the smallest pepper, because they can be used even if immature. Use the smallest peppers first before eating the larger ones. Squash, melons, and cucumbers will be done for the year, so go ahead and harvest and remove the vines. Cool season vegetables like the cabbage
family, carrots and other root crops will love the cool nights of fall. Harvest
these as needed. As the weather starts to freeze, root crops can be covered
with straw to prevent the ground from freezing around the roots. Add
well-rotted manure or cover crops in the open areas of the garden.
Create a Pumpkin Scarecrow
Start with a round metal stake about five feet long (pick one up at a home supply store). Push the stake into the ground. Then take a large pumpkin and cut two holes (opposite each other). Slide the
pumpkin onto the stake. Repeat
with a second pumpkin. Carve
a face into the third pumpkin
and stack on top. Once you have
three pumpkins on the stake,
top the carved pumpkin with a
witches hat and feather boa
(purchase at local craft store).
Flowers and gifts from Bachman’s make any day a special one. When you order your flowers or gifts online, you know you’ll be getting a beautiful fresh floral arrangement from a trusted florist known for outstanding floral design, plus quality and service.
If you’re sending flowers or gifts out of town, you can rely on us to choose the best florist from either the FTD or Teleflora nationwide flower network. Florists who can be counted on to deliver the best fresh floral arrangements and gifts, even when doing a same day delivery.
