by Ron Kujawski

* Store harvested tomatoes at room temperature. Studies have shown that the chemical that gives tomatoes their mouth-watering aroma is diminished when tomatoes are placed in the refrigerator. As any cook will tell you, aroma is an important part of flavor. It’s also an important part of interpersonal relationships. Move on, Stinky!

* Mulch spring-planted trees if you haven't already done so. Though currently it has been moist, late August and September can suddenly become hot and dry.  A three-inch layer of wood chips, pine bark or pine needles will conserve the moisture now in the ground.

* Remember that bigger is not better when it comes to summer squash, eggplant and cucumbers; the smaller the fruit, the better the taste.

* Examine cherry, hickory, ash and walnut trees for fall webworm, a caterpillar which builds tent-like nests at the ends of branches on these and other trees and shrubs. Where possible, cut off the infested branch tips and dip the nest in soapy water to kill the webworms. Otherwise, spray with an organic insecticide, such as one containing B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis).

* Determine the severity of infestation before buying grub controls. Do this by cutting out square foot sections of grass with a shovel, and examine the soil and grass roots for grubs. Take an average of the number of grubs found in each sample. If it exceeds six per square foot, consider treatments.

* Apply gentle thumb pressure to the cantaloupe vine where it attaches to the fruit. If the melon makes a clean break, you can be sure the fruit was ripe.  If a portion of the vine remains attached to the fruit, you screwed up.

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What do you do when you can't sleep at night? Some people take pills; others drink warm milk or perhaps a little fermented juice of the grape. I walk around the garden. It's not only relaxing but provides a unique perspective of the garden. I most recently did this during the full moon. No, I didn't howl, nor did I run into any wandering spirits, but the garden did have an ethereal quality to it. White flowers especially seemed to glow in the moonlight. Also, because the green stems holding the flowers aloft are invisible at night, the flowers appeared to be floating in air. This effect is most stunning with open or airy-type plants, such as cosmos, which extend their blossoms on long thin stems. The floral spires of bugbane (Cimicifuga) actually looked like a burst of sky rockets. The tall and upright Striped Eulalia Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus') with its white striped leaves resembled a fountain of water. So, the next time you have trouble sleeping, or just feel like baying at the moon, take a midnight stroll about the garden. 

Ron Kujawski began gardening at an early age on his family's onion farm in upstate New York. Although now retired, he spent most of his career teaching at the UMass Extension Service. He serves on Berkshire Botanical Garden’s Horticulture Advisory Committee. His book, Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook, is available here.