Garden Solutions - May 2016

SAMPLE GUIDE TO EDIBLE GARDENING

Growing your own food can be a fun and satisfying activity that can nourish your body and your soul. Homegrown veggies and fruits can be more flavorful and nutritious than store-bought produce. Sometimes people think they don’t have the time to dedicate to an edible garden, but it can easily fit into ANY busy schedule. Once planted, an average-sized edible garden will require less than fifteen minutes a day to maintain. Most seasoned vegetable gardeners look forward to their time spent in their garden, because the rewards are so great! And the therapy it provides is even better!! Hillermann Nursery & Florist can provide you with all the plants and know how to make your garden a valuable, money saving asset for your home.

When it comes to location, choose the sunniest spot in your yard. Most edible plants prefer 6 or more hours of sun, although leaf veggies (like lettuce) can grow with less sunlight. Consider container gardens if you have a bright deck or patio. Edibles can also be incorporated into your flowerbeds and ornamental plantings as well. Be sure the area has good circulation or airflow.
When possible, raised beds offer ideal growing conditions for vegetables. This is done by mounding soil 8-12” high with or without framing it with word or blocks. Soil in raised beds heats up faster and produces a crop more quickly. If these beds are high enough, they may even deter dogs and rabbits from visiting, but be ready to put up screening or fencing if necessary. Raised beds also offer better drainage and reduce root rot. A garden bed should be no wider than 4’ to allow for easy access from both sides.

The key ingredient to a vegetable garden is the soil foundation. Amend the topsoil with compost, such as Black Gold (which is MO Botanical Garden Compost produced in St Louis!). Well-rotted manure and humus are also suitable for adding to the existing soil.
Base your crop selection on what your family likes to eat. Choose from Hillermann’s selection of plants that are known to be well suited for our area. We trail most of our offerings to ensure that they’ll be successful in your garden too!

Plant your tall crops (like corn and climbers) on the north side of the garden to prevent them from shading the other shorter plants. Plant medium sized plants (like peppers, tomatoes….) towards the center. Short crops, like carrots, radishes, and lettuce, should be planted on the south end. Try to orient your garden from north to south for best sun coverage.

Here is a sample plant list for a healthy family of four:
10 tomato plants:
-2 for munching (grape or cherry)
-2 for cooking (Roma)
-2 for slicing (Better Boy, Celebrity…)
-2 for colorful salads (Lemonboy…)
-2 for conversation (Mr. Stripey or other Heirlooms…)
4 cucumber plants
12 broccoli plants
8 cauliflower plants
20 lettuce plants
6 pepper plants
3 pumpkin plants
10 spinach plants
2 zucchini or squash plants

Essential herbs
-basil
-oregano
-parsley
-rosemary
-thyme
-cilantro
-dill
-bay
-French tarragon
-mint (very vigorous, so grow in a container!)
-fennel (for you and the butterflies!)

Other essentials…
Compost
Shovel, hard rake and tiller
Fertilizer—natural/organic or commercial
Tomato cages, stakes
I truly hope you enjoy the spring and summer season and try your hand a growing fresh produce for your family.  Here is a recipe you can try using your fresh produce:

Sweet and Sour Coleslaw
1 large head cabbage, shredded                       1 tsp. salt
1 large onion, chopped                               1 tsp. celery seed
1 large green pepper, chopped                   1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup sugar + 1 Tbsp. sugar                          ¾ cup salad oil

Combine the cabbage, onion and green pepper in a bowl.  Pour the 1 cup of sugar over the mixture.  Let set in refrigerator covered for 4 hours or overnight.  Boil together 1 Tbsp. sugar, salt, celery seed, vinegar and salad oil.  Let mixture cool.  Mix with slaw ½ to 1 hour before serving.  Bon appétit!

See you next month,
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - April 2016

            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.

            The Washington in Bloom (WIB) committee is supporting this program 100%.  In fact, the WIB group is promoting a separate program to PLANT 100 Pollinator gardens in the Washington area.  This will gain recognition in the America in Bloom national program, which we are graded on every year.  Washington is so excited to be partnered with this National group.  If you have questions on how this program works, please call the City Parks Dept or Hillermann Nursery & Florist.  We have A LOT of exciting things happening in Washington to increase sustainability and pollination.

            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

Garden Solutions - March 2016, Monarch Butterflies Face New Threats

Monarch Butterflies Face New Threats  

The monarch butterfly has always been the most popular, recognizable and well known species of its kind. These butterflies bring smiles to people across the United States.

Monarch butterfly numbers have been decreasing at an alarming rate.  In 2010, monarch butterflies at their migration destination in the mountains of Mexico occupied about 9.93 acres of habitat. However, that number had dropped drastically to 1.65 acres.  Experts point to three major reasons for this decline:

Changes in Weather and Climate Change-Extreme weather conditions are causing a disturbance in monarch migration.

Midwestern Agriculture-According to researchers, the biggest and most critical factor in the decline is the expansion of cropland and a big increase in the use of genetically modified crops that are resistant to herbicides, which in turn has led to more herbicide use against native plants that compete with crops.

Illegal Deforestation-Over the past several decades, logging in Mexico has destroyed large swaths of the country’s forests, including the few sites where monarchs overwinter. The Mexican government ruled logging illegal several years ago. However, illegal logging is still occurring, leaving monarchs with less and less suitable winter habitat.

What can you do to help?

Lucky for monarchs, there are ways you can help. Gardening for wildlife is a great way to help provide food, water, shelter and place to raise young for all types of wildlife.

For monarchs, you can plant native flowering plants, especially milkweed, to help feed the larvae of these beautiful butterflies! Learn how your garden can help the survival of monarchs and other wildlife.  This year also get involved in the www.millionpollinatorgardenchallenge.org.  This is a national push for pollinators involvement.

The City of Washington, Washington in Bloom, FC Master Gardeners and the Washington Garden Club will be pushing efforts to not only make awareness for Monarchs BUT ALL pollinators in this year’s programs.  Stay tuned to see what they have in store! 

Garden Solutions - February 2016

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 to mid-January and then we start to get the itch – you know the one – our fingernails are just to 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 a classic indoor gardening project. Mini gardens have become all the rage. They can be open topped terrariums, saucer planters or low dish gardens. The imagination can run wild with ideas to make it a “playful” space. My granddaughter loves to play with my gardens by moving in dinosaurs or fairies and playing “Princess Stories”. This is great way to get the children interested in plants.

 

It is also time to think about starting any garden and flower seeds in the house that you may want to grow this year. The choices are many. Our last frost date is around May 1^st, so back up the weeks on the calendar for seed starting so you know when the best time for planting in the house would be. Ample light is very important for this task. Seed varieties can be found in many forms also. Besides the tried and true varieties grown for years, heirlooms and organic seeds are now readily available. Botanical Interest is a wonderful line of garden seeds that offers health and recipe information on the packets. They are great for the beginner gardener.

 

Now going beyond the garden, we Americans have once again fallen in love with the great outdoors. Outdoor living is more than dressing up patios with a few containers. People are transforming their ordinary backyards into “specialty rooms”. Flowers, trees and shrubs are being used as accents, room dividers, carpets and curtains. As we go outdoors more often with our families, friends and pets, it is only natural to think more consciously about how safe our own backyards are, giving way to the new twist in outdoor living: the “eco-chic” movement. Environmentalism is on the upswing and is changing everything from the types of cars we drive to the food we eat and even the way we garden.

 

Last but not least, February is National Bird Feeding Month. So if you have not enjoyed this hobby before, it is not too late to start. Bird feeding is an entertaining and educational pastime that can be enjoyed by everyone. You can invite the kind of birds you want to your yard by choosing the right feeder and food they prefer to eat. They are many bird behaviors and seed preferences. The “sit and eat” birds stay at the feeder while they eat. Goldfinches and Siskins prefer Nyjer seed offered in tube feeders, and Cardinals and Grosbeaks prefer black oil sunflower seeds form a hopper, or platform type feeder. The “grab and go” birds include chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers. They take a seed and eat it somewhere else. They prefer black oil sunflower and peanuts out of the shell or split. These bird types come to tube, hopper or platform type feeders. The “floor feeder” birds are the ground feeding birds that may also eat on an elevated feeder. Juncos, Sparrows, Towhees, and Doves are in the group.

 

Until next month,

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

 

 

Garden Solutions - January 2016

 

Winter is upon us in full force. Only 78 days until spring arrives! A combination of sleet and snow can make 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 any food is better than nothing, there is problems 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 for them 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. 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