Garden Solutions - April 2011

Vegetable gardening is making a comeback since food has made dramatic price increases over the past year. This is also because of the fact that more and more people are concerned with what they put on the family table. When you grow it yourself, you control what goes in the soil and on the plants, and you get to pick a much broader selection of vegetable varieties. The supermarket may have 2-3 varieties of tomatoes, where you can choose from dozens of varieties to plant yourself. Why are there more varieties available at garden centers? Tomatoes don’t ship well, and they taste a whole lot better home grown. In fact, a tomato from your own garden is the ultimate standard for taste. Some, who grow them annually, never buy them from the supermarket, because they pale in comparison to what they can grow in the summer.

If you’re thinking of growing a vegetable garden this year, you are not alone. If you’re a little timid, there is help available. Start small and expand as your interest and time permits. No summertime garden is complete without tomatoes, and the perfect accompaniment to fresh tomatoes on your table is basil. If your garden has anything this year, consider both. If you want a little more, some bush cucumbers will fit in small gardens, and so will the bush summer squash varieties. Most of these bush varieties can be planted in nontraditional garden areas like flower beds or as a small addition to the landscape. In short, a vegetable garden can find its way into every area of your home’s landscape. Whether it’s confined to its own area, combined into the annual or perennial gardens that you already have, or planted in containers on your deck or patio - it will provide the ultimate in fresh vegetable taste, and the safest vegetables you can produce for your family table.

The lengthening of daylight also seems to brighten peoples’ spirits and relieve some stress as we can now move outdoors and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer. Therefore, I invite you to go outside and “dig in.” Here are other areas of consideration:
• Remove winter mulch now from your rose bushes. Trim out dead and diseased canes. Cut all other green wood to about 18” on Floribunda and tea rose varieties. A 24-30” height is good on shrub roses.
• Fertilize your roses with a slow release fertilizer and begin fungicide treatments to control black spot disease.
• 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. Talk to a professional about seed choices and procedures.
• Easter lilies can be planted after they finish blooming. Set the bulbs 2-3” deeper then they are in the pot.
• 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.
• Asparagus and rhubarb harvests begin. Keep your hoe sharp!!
• Start cucumber, squash, cantaloupe and watermelon seeds indoors this month.
• Shrubs such as Crepe Myrtle, Butterfly Bush, and Hardy Hibiscus can be pruned back to green wood this month. REMINDER—that these plants leaf out very late (early May) and should not be considered to have died or be replaced until after Mother’s Day.
• Termites begin swarming. Termites can be distinguished from ants by their thick waists and straight antennae. Ants have slender waists and elbowed antennae.
• Apply Bayer Advance Insect Control this month to control borers in shade trees and shrubs.
• Remove old tree wraps from trees planted last fall so you don’t make a place for insects to harbor.
• Mole young are born in chambers deep underground.
• Protect bees and other pollinating insects. Do not spray insecticides on fruit trees that are in bloom. Bees are in danger and it is very important to be careful around them.
• Ornamental Pear trees need to be sprayed “during” the flowering stage to prevent “Fire Blight” disease.
• Water gardens may be cleaned out and the water changed. Do not scrub the walls since this will remove accumulated beneficial bacteria. Begin adding additional bacteria and barley bales now to begin the natural cycle of pond clean-up.
• 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 hummingbirds.
• 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 begin 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 a wave of the future………..keep your family safe and check out what organic 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

Garden Solutions - March 2011

March welcomes ‘Spring’, and it will be met with open arms this year!! This is the month to open up the gardens and get things in shape for the new growing season, which means there is plenty that can be done. To name a few; mowing time is upon us; have you sharpened those mower blades? To keep that lawn looking fantastic, it is time to add Fertilizer with Crabgrass Prevention. Make sure to follow directions and do not try to skimp on the amount of product used, so you get great coverage from the Crabgrass Prevention. If you feel you need to over-seed the lawn, check with the professionals on proper steps for spring treatments.

Clean up those perennial beds and cut down all Liriope and Ornamental Grasses to about 3-5” above the ground. Once this has been done, it is time to re-mulch your shrub and flower beds. Top-dress these areas with a slow release fertilizer as well, such as Osmocote. Do not put mulch or fertilizer too close to the crowns of plants. You could cause either rot or burning of the plant crown.

Nesting boxes for Bluebirds and Purple Martin houses should be put out early this month. Purple Martins return to our area between St. Patrick’s Day and the end of the month. So now is

the time to be prepared. Are you considering doing some vegetable gardening this year? Well there is no better time than now to start those preparations. You can start seed in the house for plants such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Plant or sow seed for peas, lettuce, radish, kohlrabi, collards, turnips, potatoes, spinach, onion sets, beets, carrots, and parsley outside this month. Set out broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and pansy transplants now. This month is also good to set out strawberries, blueberries, blackberries grapes and other fruiting plants. It is likely we will see an influx of home gardening this year. It can be done in containers on the patio, as square foot gardens, or large plot gardening. There is nothing better than a home grown tomato!! Check out our website for instructions on these items, www/hillermann.com.

Here is a fun project for the family to try --‘Taters in a Basket’. Have you ever tried growing potatoes in tough clay soil? The results are usually less than bad. However, here is the perfect solution for growing great potatoes. Grow them in a pot. Now, whether you’ve got clay soil, live in an apartment, or don’t have a garden at all, you can grow potatoes the ole’ yard boy way. And that’s in a container.

Here is what you will need:
1. The container, I like to use bushel baskets. They breathe well, allow for good drainage, and they look great! However, any container, plastic, wood or clay will work as long as it has good drainage and is at least 14-18 inches wide and at least 10-12 inches deep.
2. Soil-less potting mix works best. Use the good stuff for better results. If you have a compost pile, good compost will work too. Finely shredded is best. People have even used straw and ground leaves.
3. An all purpose garden food such as Osmocote is great.
4. Seed potatoes - these aren’t the ones you buy from the grocery store. They can be found at the garden center and are used specifically for growing potatoes. Do not use potatoes from the produce department at the grocery store; they have been treated with a growth inhibitor to keep them from sprouting.

Fill the bottom of your pot with 2-3 inches of soil-less mix or compost. Take a large seed potato, or a couple medium sized, cut up into pieces that contain the eyes, and evenly distribute those on top of the soil-less mix. You can plant 6-8-10 pieces with eyes per basket. If you’re not sure about the ‘eyes’, you can plant whole potatoes, or cut them in half and plant the halves. Cover with another 3-4 inches of soil-less mix, add the fertilizer and water in thoroughly, and place in the sun. Water as needed, thoroughly moistening the soil, then letting it dry before watering again. Once your potatoes start to grow, water regularly, being careful not to over water, which can cause the tubers to rot.

When your potatoes are growing, you have a couple options: 1) As the potatoes grow, keep adding soil-less mix or compost to the container, keeping about 4 inches of foliage showing. Continue this process until the container is filled to within 1 inch of the top of the basket. 2) Let the foliage grow until it’s approximately 3-4 inches above the basket, and then fill in around the foliage with your soil-less mix or compost unit the basket is full. Now you’re set for growing potatoes! Let your potatoes grow all summer. Don’t forget to keep them fed too. Come late summer or fall when the foliage starts to yellow, cut the foliage off, dump out your soil, and you’ll have a basket full of taters! It is that easy. Good Luck!!

Now it is time to go, so we will “See you in the garden!”
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - February 2011

You would think that we gardeners would spend the winter months curled up by the fire, perusing seed and bulb catalogs and daydreaming about our gardens in the warmer months ahead. That is well and good from about Christmas mid-January and then we start to get the itch - you know the one - our fingernails are just too clean and it’s time to get our hands in the soil. A great way to satisfy your green thumb during the winter is to tackle two classic indoor gardening projects: terrariums and, topiaries.

Terrariums
As temperatures cool, I turn my attention to the many ways I can enjoy the garden indoors. Houseplants are a popular option, but if you are like me, my woeful neglect of the plants often leads to their quick demise. I suppose that is why I am so excited about terrariums. These houseplant arrangements are simple to assemble and the best news is that they will pretty much take care of themselves.

I have a terrarium that has thrived for months with low light and no additional water. It's not so much a miracle as it is the science of nature. The plants inside the terrarium create their own miniclimate, transpiring water vapor that condenses on the glass and then flows back into the soil. Science aside, I find a terrarium fascinating to look at, like a miniature landscape in a jar.

Don't be intimidated by the process of building a terrarium. With all the supplies in hand, you can put one together in a few hours.

Materials:
• Wide-mouth glass container
• Something to cover the jar top such as clear plastic wrap, a pane of glass or Plexiglas
• Potting soil
• Small plants
• Pea gravel
• charcoal
• Watering can or spray bottle

Directions:
Select a container for the terrarium. For easy access, choose one that has a wide mouth. A fishbowl or aquarium is a good choice. Or an apothecary jar with a glass top is a great choice. If your container does not have a lid, you can cover it with clear plastic wrap, a piece of clear Plexiglas or a sheet of glass.

To avoid insect and disease problems, wash the gravel with hot water and use top-quality, sterile potting soil.

Fill the bottom of the container with about 1 inch of gravel. If your container is especially deep, you may want to use 2 inches. Next add about ½” to ¾’of charcoal, this helps keep the soil sweet and not sour to cause disease. Top the gravel with 3 inches of soil.

Now comes the fun part: planting the landscape. When you choose plants, select varieties that all have the same growing needs when it comes to light, water and humidity. Slow growers with small leaves are best suited for the confines of a terrarium.

Remove the plants from their pots and plant them in the terrarium just like you would in the garden. Place the taller plants in the back, mid-size plants in the middle and low-growing things like moss toward the front. If possible, keep the foliage away from the sides of the container. Once you have the plants in place, moisten the soil lightly and put the lid in place.

How often you will need to water your terrarium depends on how tightly the lid fits. A loose-fitting lid lets moisture escape. A good indication of when to water is the condensation on the glass. If there is no condensation, water the soil very lightly. If there is heavy condensation, remove the lid to allow the terrarium to air out.

The neat thing about terrariums is that you are only limited by your imagination. Add large rocks to represent craggy mountains or small mirrors for ponds. You can even create a desert landscape with succulents and cacti. Good terrarium plants include:
• Acorus African violets
• Creeping fig Moss
• Maidenhair FERN Needlepoint ivy
• Oxalis Peperomia
• Prayer plant Peacock moss OR Irish moss

Topiary
Topiary can be described as the art of clipping shrubs into ornamental forms to create living sculptures. The word comes from the Latin word topiarus, meaning landscape gardener. This artful form of gardening can be traced to 1st century A.D. Roman gardeners. I like topiary because, in spite of its rigid appearance, it is quite flexible in application. A standard topiary is an excellent choice for punctuating an entry or, when used in a series, to create a sense of rhythm. And of course, the fantastic forms one can create are a natural for bringing your garden a touch of whimsy.

I always enjoy discovering new and interesting plants. Wire vine is a vigorous climber ideal for training into topiaries. Usually plants that look this delicate can be fussy, but don’t let its appearance fool you. This little guy is tough and is a rapid grower. Wire vine is native to the Mediterranean region so it’s accustomed to hot, dry conditions. I think that’s why it’s so ideally suited to our homes because, particularly in the winter, the air can become hot and dry. It can also withstand the caretaker who forgets to water it from time to time. Other plants that make good indoor topiaries include ivy, rosemary, thyme and lavender.

So try your luck at indoor gardening this month! It will make every day feel like spring.

Till next month,
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

http://www.hillermann.com/

Garden Solutions - January 11

Winter is upon us in full force. Only 78 days until spring arrives! A combination of sleet and snow has made many food sources impossible to reach for many of the wild birds in mid Missouri. In normal winter conditions, most birds have ways of coping with the cold. To help survive cold nights, Chickadees can lower their normal 108-degree body temperature by 12-15 degrees to conserve energy. By dawn, they, like many birds, will quickly dart to a food source to fill their empty stomachs. That is why early morning and late evenings are some of the ‘largest crowds’ at bird feeders. Because most normal food sources are now either ice encrusted or covered by snow, wild birds need and greatly benefit by mid Missouri residents feeding them during times like this.

A good thing to feed the wild birds is hi-energy foods like black oil sunflower seeds, tree nut pieces and suet that give birds more energy per ounce consumed. While something is better than nothing, there is problem with cheap mixes full of oats and wheat or things like bread and cereal that people sometimes throw on the snow. These foods are not only low in energy, they are also the favorites of nuisance, non-native birds like Starlings and English Sparrows that compete, not only for food, but also nesting cavities that many native birds utilize in winter to stay warm. Several Central Missouri songbirds like Bluebirds and Chickadees often sleep in groups on extremely cold nights in cavities or nest boxes transferring heat from one body to the next. It is not uncommon for 6-9 Bluebirds to emerge from one box. A challenge of feeding suet is that Starlings love it. Feed suet in upside down suet feeders and hang them high as Starlings have a hard time hanging upside down to feed and Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches, and other desirable songbirds can easily hang upside down for feeding.

One need of wild birds often overlooked by consumers in cold weather is the need for ‘open water’. The main reason water is needed is that to keep warm, birds fluff out their feathers so they can better capture a ‘layer of air’ that acts as heated insulation. Matted, dirty feathers can’t be fluffed out, making a bird feel much like how a human feels that wears a down insulated jacket that’s all matted up and not very warm. That is why they need water throughout winter to bathe as well as drink. There are many birdbath heaters and heated birdbaths for as little or less that $20 to help keep water available for wild birds and cost pennies per day in electricity to run.

Does the weather keep you from getting out to your feeders? Just fling a spray of black oil seeds or a good quality wild bird mix out of a bucket or trash can and let it fly out across the top of the snow. Dozens of your feathered friends will soon add brilliant flashes of red and blue, and gray and white across the snow and you’ll hear their melodious songs as they sing ‘thanks’ to you for helping them survive.

If you can tolerate the cold weather, there are a number of things that you can do this month in your landscape that will lighten your workload for the rest of the season. The main item is pruning or thinning of your woody ornamentals. Deciduous trees such as maples, oaks, ash, etc., can be pruned at this time. Interior, broken, or crossing branches should be removed now while you can see exactly what you are removing. The general rule of thumb is that you should not touch spring flowering trees and shrubs at this time of year.

If the weather is extremely bad this month, then snow and/or ice removal are going to be the big tasks for this month. Heavy accumulations of snow or ice can easily damage plants. Dump a snow shovel full of wet snow on top of some of your shrubs and you may end up replacing the broken mass next spring. Snow plows can also do quite a bit of damage to plantings and lawn areas. Use location stakes with flags to show where your driveways and walkways are as well as where to “dump” excess snow. If you have to deal with ice, be extremely careful with the melting compound you use. Rock salt is the most widely used compound and it has the least temperature range for its effectiveness. In addition, rock salt will destroy concrete sidewalks, driveways, and concrete pavers. It will also kill most shrubs, perennials, and lawns. There are many other compounds used for melting ice that won’t damage your concrete or kill your plants. I recommend Calcium chloride or potassium chloride products. If you choose to use these, please read the labels thoroughly. Some work in very low temperatures, but are harmful to pets and wildlife. Others only work when the temperature is between 20 and 32 degrees. You can also use products such as birdseed, sawdust, and non-clumping cat litter to provide traction. Of course, these will not melt the ice, but they will not kill your plants, pets, or concrete.

If you have all of your pruning done, the snow or ice has been removed, and you still have time left to work on your outside to do list, don’t forget about your tools. If you haven’t already done so, it is time to thoroughly go over your lawn mower and make sure that it is already to go and will start on the first pull next spring. The same goes for all outdoor power equipment. Clean all of your hand tools, (pruners, shovels, rakes, etc.), removing any dirt, leaves, sap, from them. If they have wooden handles, inspect the handles for cracks, nicks, or splintering and either replace or repair them as needed. If they have a metal handle, check the welds for signs of breakage and have them repaired. If the tool is a cutting type, sharpen the edges as needed.

Time flies fast, so enjoy this winter preparing for spring, and we will “See you in the garden.”

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - December 2010

“The month of December brings the holiday season and warm thoughts of family, friends and community. I would like to say “Thank You,” and I wish you and yours a “Blessed Holiday Season” with all the best in the New Year!” Furthermore, fall will turn into winter this month. With the addition of fire pits in our outdoor living rooms, evenings outdoors can still be enjoyable sampling hot chocolate or cider with friends around the blaze of a comfortable warm fire. You can even gather the kids for the making of s’mores! Enjoy the crisp cool weather.

Plants get “chapped lips” too! Cold, dry winter winds and bright winter sun make our skin chapped and unhealthy. Those winds have a devastatingly similar effect on your plants, which are out in the winds all winter. No wonder your evergreens don’t look so great come spring. This drying effect is called desiccation and is often the most devastating aspect of winter damage on plants in our Midwest region. To fight desiccation, first choose the right plants for windy, dry areas. Especially try to avoid placing broadleaf evergreens, such as azaleas, in places shady in summer but sunny and windy in winter. Second, make sure to water your evergreens well through early December, before the ground freezes and plants can no longer “drink” from the soil. Third, mulch your plants for winter to retain soil moisture as well as soil temperature. Fourth, use an anti-desiccant. These products coat leaves and needles to slow down the loss of moisture. One of the best products to use is Wilt Stop by Bonide. This product is a natural polymer that covers plants with a FLEXIBLE coating to lock moisture in the plant tissue. The flexible coating is important to keep the coating on plants as they bend and sway in the wind. Wilt Stop lasts 45-60 days so apply the first treatment in early December and again in early February.

Here are a few tips on winter houseplant care. When the heat goes on and the daylight becomes shorter, houseplants sometimes begin to yellow and drop their leaves. It may be necessary to move the plants to a different place in the home and give them different treatment from that given during the summer. Flowering plants need at least half a day of direct sunlight to develop flower buds. Cacti and many succulents require a sunny location, and coleus and crotons need direct sun to maintain the decorative color. Foliage plants, such as ivy, philodendron, and dieffenbachia plants, do well in indirect light rather than direct sunlight. The ideal temperatures for foliage plants are 68-70 degrees during the day and slightly lower at night. Flowering plants retain blossoms longer at lower temperatures. Remember, windowsill locations are much colder during the winter and plants that did well there in summer and fall may need to be moved to prevent them from getting chilled. The amount of water the houseplants need declines during winter, so increase the amount of time between watering. Reduce fertilizing as well; flowering plants should be fertilized half as often and foliage plants should only be fertilized if needed.

December also brings the preparation time for the Holidays. Poinsettias are an all time favorite to add a festive look to any décor. Follow these simple poinsettia basics for success. They should have sun for at least ½ the day and keep them away from drafts, registers and radiators. The soil should dry only slightly between thorough watering. Be sure to punch holes in decorative foil wraps to prevent soggy soil conditions. Are you looking for that unusual color? Poinsettias can be painted to match any décor you desire. Here is another idea, try one painted to match colors for your sports team of choice. The possibilities are endless. In addition, you need not worry about the myth of poinsettias being poisonous; there is extensive scientific research that gives the poinsettia a clean bill of health. Enjoy one this year yourself.

Along with these Holiday tips, here are a few other ideas for the month:
• Hollies may be trimmed now and the trimmings can be used in holiday decorations.
• Use caution when spreading salt or calcium on ice or snow packed walks and driveways. Salt can damage lawns and plantings, calcium is much safer to use. Be sure to designate areas to for piling snow from plowing in advance to prevent damage to trees, shrubs and lawns.
• Clean and oil all garden hand tools before storing for the winter.
• Winterize all power equipment before storage. Change the oil and lubricate moving parts. Either drain fuel systems or mix gas-stabilizing additive into the tank.
• You can continue planting bulbs until frost in the ground prevents you from digging.
• Perennial beds and roses should have been put to rest for winter by now. If not, cut back, clean up and mulch. Roses should be mulched 10-12” deep.
• Continue to feed our fine feathered friends and place heated birdbaths with fresh water out for them.

Again, I wish you and your family a very Blessed Christmas season. Let’s get to work on planning those beautiful garden scenes for next year!!!

See you in the Garden…

Sandi Hillermann McDonald