Garden Solutions - July 2016

PREPARE FOR “NEW” POLLINATORS            

            With fewer honeybees these days, it’s time to welcome alternative pollinators into your garden. We’ve all heard the news: Populations of the honeybee are declining. Factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and diseases have taken a toll on these heroes of the horticultural world.

            The story that seldom gets attention is that for home gardeners there are plenty of native pollinators. Roughly 4,000 species of bees are native to North America, including approximately 45 types of bumblebees. Plus, many types of flies, certain wasps, and even butterflies and bats can act as pollinators.

            By attracting a diversity of these beneficial visitors, pollination in your garden will improve. Thus, yields of edible crops like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, and berries will increase. You can take three steps to welcome pollinators to your garden.

1.         PROVIDE NECTAR AND POLLEN RICH PLANTS, INCLUDING NATIVES AND HERBS. The native pollinators in our region have co-evolved with the native plants, so use native wildflowers to draw them to your yard. To maintain a population of pollinators, it is important to have plants in bloom all season long. Even a small garden can support local pollinators.  Herbs can attract native pollinators and provide them with nourishment, too. Native plants are easy to grow because they are adapted to our local climate and growing conditions and, once established, are fairly low-maintenance.

2.         ENSURE THAT POLLINATORS HAVE NEST SITES. Many native pollinators nest underground, so have some open areas.  Bumblebees often make their homes in abandoned mouse and vole tunnels, while others prefer piles of rock. Small bees may fly only a few hundred yards from their nest when foraging; large bees will travel a mile or more in search of food. Mixing pollen and nectar plants among your fruit and vegetables will keep bees close to the plants you want them to pollinate.

3.         STOP USING PESTICIDES. Pesticides are toxic to pollinators. Pesticides should not be used on plants in bloom. If you must, apply pesticides either near dark or very early in the morning. At these times, insects are less active. The best choice is to use natural pesticides and there are many available today. Visit your local independent garden center for help with the best natural insect controls to use for different plant pests.

            Please consider joining the efforts of the City of Washington Parks Department and Washington In Bloom to help pollinators with the 100 Pollinator Garden Challenge Program and claim your garden as a pollinator habitat. Current gardens that include pollinator plants (blooming native, perennial and annual plants) can be registered, or you can find an area in your yard that receives at least 6 hours of sun to plant your garden including natives, perennials and annuals to provide nectar from April through October.

            To register your garden: bring a picture of your garden to the Washington Parks Department Office at 1220 Lakeshore Drive in Washington to register for certification and receive a certificate. Official Certified Pollinator Garden Metal Signs are also available through Washington Parks Department for $15.00. The signs are a great way to promote this challenge and enhance your beautiful garden. Call the Washington Parks Department at 636-390-1080 for more information.

Garden Solutions - August 2015

            Have you been paying any attention to the pleas for the care and addition of Pollination plants? The St Louis Zoo has a Pollinator Program, which opened this year. Looking to add Pollination plants to your landscape is a “trendy” and meaningful thing to consider. The “Million Pollinator Garden Challenge” is a campaign to register a million public and private gardens and landscapes to support pollinators. Pollinators are responsible for 1 out of 3 bites of food we take each day, and yet pollinators are at critical point in their own survival. Many reasons contribute to their recent decline. We know for certain, however, that more nectar and pollen sources provided by more flowering plants and trees will help improve their health and numbers. Increasing the number of pollinator-friendly gardens and landscapes will help revive the health of bees, butterflies, birds, bats and other pollinators across the country.

            Here's how you can help! From individuals, to schools, community groups, and businesses - everyone can make a difference! BEE Counted! Add a photo of your garden or landscape to the S.H.A.R.E map on the MPGC (Million Pollinator Garden Challenge) website at http://millionpollinatorgardens.org/. Anyone and any size garden can join in our campaign to reach 1 million sites for pollinators! Check it out and BEE counted!!

            Here are a few health benefits of enjoying the outdoors. To the non-gardener or hard-core athlete, gardening may seem like a sedentary activity, but it is not. Activities like carting mulch around in a wheelbarrow, digging in the soil, and all that bending and lifting involved in planting/weeding really does burn calories. Studies show that depending on the activity, gardening can burn between 250 and 500 calories per hour. For many people gardening is a creative outlet, for others it’s the change of scenery from the daily grind that makes a difference. Still others find that the satisfaction of reaping the rewards (those tasty fruits and vegetables, and beautiful flowers) of your efforts is what helps to reduce stress levels.

Here are tips for the heat and drought period of August:

Ÿ         Japanese beetles can be eliminated by trapping. Beetle traps are available and safe/organic to use.

Ÿ         Keep deadheading spent annual and perennial flowers for continued bloom.

Ÿ         Feed garden mums and asters for the last time.

Ÿ         Monitor plants for spider mite activity.

Ÿ         Soak shrubs periodically during dry spells with enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of 8-10 inches.

Ÿ         Prune to shape hedges for the last time this season.

Ÿ         Protect ripening fruits from birds by covering plants with bird netting, readily available at Garden Centers.

Ÿ         Pinch the growing tips of gourds once the adequate fruit set amount is achieved.

Ÿ         Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower transplants should be set out for the fall garden. Also, sow seeds of lettuce, radish, beans, beets, spinach and turnips now. (Spinach may germinate better if the seeds are refrigerated.)

 

Time to go...  See you in the Garden!!

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

 

 

Garden Solutions - June 2015

            Although I’ve never been accused of being short on words, there is often this blank in my mind about where to start the article. This month I will begin with a reminder that June is National Perennial Gardening Month. Perennials are herbaceous plants that die back to the ground in the winter but return year after year to dazzle us with color.

            Past and present Perennials of the Year (these are proven performance perennials that have been named since 1991) are usually great choices for anyone’s garden, as they are tried and true varieties.  Check the Perennial Plant Association website at http://www.perennialplant.org/ for perennial plants of the year since 1991 plus gardening tips.

My bigger focus this month will be on Pollinators and the importance they have in our society.  With fewer honeybees these days, it’s time to welcome alternative pollinators into your garden.  We’ve all heard the news: Populations of the honeybee are declining.  Factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and diseases have taken a toll on these heroes of the horticultural world.

The story that seldom gets attention is that for home gardeners there are plenty of native pollinators.  Roughly 4,000 species of bees are native to North America, including approximately 45 types of bumblebees.  Plus, many types of flies, certain wasps, and even butterflies and bats can act as pollinators.

By attracting a diversity of these beneficial visitors, pollination in your garden will improve.  Thus, yields of crops like tomatoes, squashes, cucumbers, peppers, and berries will increase. You can take three steps to welcome pollinators to your garden.

1.      PROVIDE NECTAR AND POLLEN RICH PLANTS, INCLUDING NATIVES AND HERBS.  The native pollinators in our region have co-evolved with the native plants, so use native wildflowers to draw them to your yard.  To maintain a population of pollinators, it is important to have plants in bloom all season long.  Even a small garden can support local pollinators.  Herbs can attract native pollinators and provide them with nourishment, too.  Native plants are easy to grow because they are adapted to our local climate and growing conditions and, once established, are fairly low-maintenance.

2.      ENSURE THAT POLLINATORS HAVE NEST SITES.  Many native pollinators nest underground, so have some open areas.  Bumblebees often make their homes in abandoned mouse and vole tunnels, while others prefer piles of rock.  Small bees may fly only a few hundred yards from their nest when foraging; large bees will travel a mile or more in search of food.  Mixing pollen and nectar plants among your fruit and vegetables will keep bees close to the plants you want them to pollinate.

3.      STOP USING PESTICIDES.  Pesticides are toxic to pollinators.  Pesticides should not be used on plants in bloom.  If you must, apply pesticides either near dark or very early in the morning.  At these times, insects are less active.  The best choice is to use natural pesticides and there are many available today.  We at Hillermann’s are turning our focus to natural controls in all areas.  We can help you.

  
Learn to enjoy your garden!

  Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions Article - April 2015

            April is the “opener” of spring. Grass greens up, trees leaf out, shrubs begin to bloom, perennials come back, and the birds continue to sing. This is truly my favorite time of year; the time of rebirth! The seasons move so fast, this is one that you really need to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n and enjoy every day.

            One of the bigger movements across the country this year is “Protecting the Pollinators”. Last year a huge push to “Save the Monarch Butterfly” was seen everywhere. A few years ago, the Honey Bee had been known as declining. Well, the decline of these most important Pollinators is still a strong concern. Therefore, we need to make ourselves aware of the push to save ALL pollinators. We can help with this push by being aware of your surroundings and eliminating the use of synthetic insecticide products, especially on blooming plants that are visited by pollinators. It you have an insect issue, talk to a representative at your local garden center about methods of controlling pests without harming pollinators. Our food supply depends on it.

            There is so much to talk about in April, I have made a short list of some of the more common, timely items that will need attention or guide you as we begin this most wonderful season of Spring!

·         When Crabapples are in bloom, hardy annuals can be planted.

·         Transplant trees, shrubs and perennials early in the month for best success.

·         Spots and bare patches in the lawn can still be over seeded if you did not apply a Crabgrass Preventer. During spring there are more issues to be aware of when seeding a lawn rather than in the fall.

·         Liquid weed control should be applied this month to control dandelions, henbit and other broadleaf weeds. New grass from seed MUST be mowed 3 times to make it strong enough to withstand weed chemicals.

·         Prune spring flowering shrubs after they finish blooming.

·         Start cucumber, squash, cantaloupe and watermelon seeds indoors this month.

·         Termites begin swarming. Termites can be distinguished from ants by their thick waists and straight antennae.

·         Ants have slender waists and elbowed antennae.

·         Mole young are born in chambers deep underground.

·        

Hang out hummingbird feeders the first of this month. Use a solution of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Change the solution frequently to keep if from fermenting. Food coloring is not needed nor is it recommended for the birds.

·         The last week of April is a good time to try an early sowing of warm season crops such as green beans, sweet corn, etc. Transplants of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and sweet potatoes can also start being planted outdoors.

·         Container gardening is good choice for flower and vegetable gardening if space is in short supply. It can be done by anyone, anywhere, check it out!!

·         “Natural Gardening” is here to stay………..keep your family safe and check out what organic/natural options are available to you when gardening this year. There are many.

Well, time is running short…see you in the garden,

Sandi Hillermann McDonald