Some shrubs and lawns are yellowing in the garden this week. The leaf or blade is a yellow color with green veins. Iron chlorosis is a tie-up of iron in the soil due to higher temperatures. While the iron is in the soil, the plants cannot take it up into their leaves. Some varieties like silver maples, amur maples, some of the viburnums, and some lawns with heavy clay soils are more prone to this condition. The use of hose-attached liquid chelated iron helps reduce the condition.
On apples and pears, there has been a lot of coddling moth larva damage in the fruit. Usually, they start at the stem end and burrow through the center. There is an apple maggot out there that burrows in the side of the fruit. It may be too late to do anything about it now. Next year if you have apples, get on an orchard spray schedule reading the directions starting early in the season. This also helps with scab and rust fungi.
If you are walking through the lawn and stir up dust, it is a rust disease. Rust has been troublesome this year. Rust causes orange to black spotting on grass blades and leaves. If you are watering, let the area dry out completely, reducing the spores. Fungicides prevent this, but it is too late now.
Another fungus is powdery mildew which looks like talcum powder sprinkled on the leaves. Lilacs will get this; however, it rarely harms the plants. In the garden is another matter. I get it on the vine crops every year is I do use a fungicide as a preventative.
With the coming cooler temperatures, September is a good time to use a parameter barrier spray around the home. It helps to keep the bugs and spiders from finding shelter in your house.
Onions are ready to store when the tops fall over and 2/3 have turned yellow. Dig up and allow them to dry for a couple of weeks in the shade before storing them. I set them on a window screen under a tree and bring them in if it is going to rain.
Last week I wrote about grasses making a good planting in hot, dry areas with poor soil. Some perennials to use if you want flowers are yarrows, lead plants, cone flowers, and Liatris. There are many other tough perennials you can buy.
Interesting note: did you know apples and pears descended from one fruiting tree. They separated and through generations became two fruits.