Editor’s Note: Throughout the growing season, Franklin County OSU Extension Educator for Agriculture & Natural Resources Mike Hogan will be answering gardening questions submitted by Dispatch readers. Send your questions to hogan.1@osu.edu.
Q: Is it too late to test my soil this year? Some of the plants in my vegetable garden have not done well this season and I am wondering if soil fertility could be an issue.
A: Although the soil can be tested for fertility and pH at any time of the year, fall really is the best time of year to do it. At this time of year, soil testing labs are not inundated with samples like they are in the spring, so test results usually come in from the lab very quickly.
Regardless of what plants were grown in the soil you are trying to test, it is past the period when most plants are actively growing and removing nutrients from the soil, so a soil test done at this time of year will give a good understanding of this provides where nutrient levels are in the soil, which will be helpful at the start of the growing season next spring.
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If your soil test indicates a need for a large amount of phosphorus or potassium, fall is an excellent time to incorporate these fertilizers into the soil.
OSU Extension offers soil testing services and sampling kits can be purchased online or at the OSU Extension office in Franklin County, 2548 Carmack Road. For more information, see: franklin.osu.edu/program-areas/agriculture-and-natural-resources/soil-testing
Q: I need to clean up my perennial flower beds for the season and there are several plants in my beds that have had leaf spot diseases late in the season. Should I incorporate the diseased plant material into my compost heap or dispose of this material in the trash.
A: The answer really depends on how active you are as a composter! When properly managed, compost piles will heat up to around 150 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, pathogens and weed seeds are killed off, so there is no chance of pathogens or weed seeds being spread in the finished compost. However, to maintain a temperature of 150 degrees, the compost heap must be turned frequently and water added periodically when rainfall is insufficient or the compost heap is covered. So if you actively manage your compost pile, feel free to add diseased plant material, otherwise dispose of diseased plant material in your household waste.
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Q: I have a large collection of peonies and late this season I noticed that many of the leaves on some plants had large brown dead spots on the leaves. Should I remove these plants or will they recover next year?
A: It is common for peonies to become infected with peony leaf spot, particularly as plants age and plantings grow taller and thicker. This disease typically occurs late in the growing season and usually occurs on plants that have an abundance of leaves. This disease does not usually cause long-term damage to the overall health of the plant, so there is no need to remove affected plants.
The best way to treat this disease in established plantings is to aggressively prune foliage in late spring to increase air movement around the plants. This will help plants dry out faster after rain, reducing the chances of the disease developing. This time of year you should remove all leaves from peonies by cutting them 2 to 3 inches off the ground. Unless you are an active composter (see question above) I would discard diseased plant material in your household waste.
