November Tips for the Garden 2008

We have definitely had more moisture than usual this year. However, you still want to watch for dry periods and water your plants if the soil dries out, especially for new plantings. Roots of plants grow in winter months and need moisture before the ground freezes. You can plant trees and shrubs anytime the ground is not frozen. This will give the plant more time to become established before the next hot summer. Add a fire pit to your outdoor living space and enjoy cool evenings around a crackling fire. Remember to turn your clocks back the first weekend in November. There are many things to do in the yard and garden before the season ends. So, dig in to the tasks listed below and enjoy the outdoors as much as you can!

• Now is a good time to collect soil samples and test the pH and nutritional levels. Lime will increase the pH level if it is low. Sulfur will lower the pH level if it is high. The product labels and the staff at your local Garden Center can help you determine the rate to use for your situation.
• Till the vegetable garden to expose many insect pests to winter cold and reduce their numbers in next year’s garden.
• Keep leaves raked up and off the lawn to prevent injury to turf grasses.
Continue mowing lawn grasses as long as they keep growing, 2-3” high is good.
• Apply Winterizer fertilizer to lawns to strengthen plant stems and roots for winter growth and early spring green up.
• If we have dry periods before the ground freezes, water perennial beds, shrubs, and trees.
• Plant tulips and other spring bulbs now through December.
• Start paperwhite, narcissus, and amaryllis bulbs indoors now thru December.
• After the first hard freeze, mulch rose bushes heavily to a depth of 12” to cover the plant graph area properly using bark, compost, or straw with rose collars. Prune back longer canes to 24-36” to prevent whipping from wind in the winter. Hold off on heavy pruning until April of next year.
• Roll up and store garden hoses on a warm, sunny day.
• Towards the end of the month, be sure to shut off and drain any outdoor water pipes or irrigation systems that may freeze during cold weather.
• Cover garden ponds with bird or pond netting to prevent leaves from fouling the water. Oxygen depletion from rotting organic matter can cause a winterkill of pond fish.
• Take steps to prevent garden ponds from freezing solid in winter. Using a floating garden heater in the pond will lessen the chance of ice damage.
• Mulch strawberries with straw for winter. The best time to do this is after several nights of 20° F, but before temperatures drop into the teens. Apply straw loosely, but thick enough to hide plants from view.
• Set up bird feeders. Birds also appreciate a source of unfrozen drinking water during the winter. Use one of the many styles of birdbath heaters or heated birdbaths available at garden centers.
• When feeding the birds, set up a variety of feeder types to get the best assortment of birds to come to your yard. Tube feeders are good for songbirds, platform feeders are good for cardinals and larger birds, and suet is a great source of fat and energy for woodpeckers and all bird types.

Winter houseplant care: reduce or eliminate fertilizer until spring, shorter days mean slower growth, slower growth means less frequent watering. Plants in plastic pots need less water than those in clay pots. Plants in cooler rooms need less water and will have slower growth than those in warm rooms. Creating additional humidity is always beneficial. An easy way to increase humidity is to use trays filled with water and large pebbles. Place the plants on the pebbles so they will not sit in the water, but they can get the benefit of a higher humidity level as the water evaporates.

The fall season is ending, but outdoor enjoyment can continue especially with the new outdoor living trends of today. Can you believe that it is November already? Wow, from November 1, there are only 27 more days until Thanksgiving, 51 days until the first day of winter, 55 more days until Christmas and 62 more days until January 1, 2009! And you know how fast the next 62 days are going to fly by! So fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the outdoors as you prepare for winter….Enjoy your yard and garden in every season!

Time to go….See you in the Garden....
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

October Tips for the Garden 2008

FALL-THE PERFECT TIME TO GARDEN:

Fall brings cooler air temperatures, continued warm soil temperatures, and more consistent rainfall - the perfect time to plant and transplant just about anything (especially trees) - and it is easier on us gardeners too! Tree planting is the most effective when it is done in the fall. This is because the tree roots continue to grow until the ground freezes and will grow again in spring allowing extra time for the tree to become established before our brutal summer weather hits. Trees should be fertilized towards the end of October, and tree fertilizer spikes placed at their drip line are a perfect choice. Use one tree spike per one inch of tree trunk diameter. This will make for beautiful foliage next spring! (The diameter of the tree is a measurement found at a cross section of the trunk 12” above the ground.)

Fall is also the best time to divide and transplant perennial clumps. Any spring or summer blooming perennial plants can be divided now. Make sure you prepare the area where the plants will be transplanted using some type of organic material, like cotton burr compost. Use compost at the rate of 1/3 compost to 2/3’s native soil for your garden projects. Cut back spent flower heads and foliage as it starts to die back for its winter dormant period. Leave ornamental grasses alone until early spring as their dried foliage will add a wispy, interesting texture to your winter landscape.

Lawn seeding should be finished by October 15th to insure germination and plant growth yet this fall. Choose a seed mix for your specific lawn area: sun, shade, sun/shade, play, drought, etc. Fescue mixtures are best for durability for our area. Fescue blends should be spread at a rate of 5 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. on bare ground, and 2-3 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. on a lawn with a 50% stand of grass. Be sure to aerate and renovate your yard when over seeding for the BEST results. Without these steps, it is like throwing grass seed on to concrete because our soil has such high clay content and compacts so easily.

It’s time to plan and plant for next spring’s bulb show! Tuck bulbs into your perennial border, mingle them amongst your ground cover, naturalize them around trees, or they can stand by themselves in beds and planters. Plant for a succession of blooms; start with the ‘early birds’ which include crocus and snowdrops, follow with an abundance of narcissus and hyacinth, and finish with a flourish of tulips and irises. When planting, fertilize with Dutch Bulb Food or Bone Meal and make planting easier by using bulb planters or bulb augers that fit your drill. For holiday blooms, buy paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs now to force blooms inside during the month of December.

DON ‘T take your hummingbird feeders down before mid October. The bird’s biological clock tells them when to migrate south. THEY ARE NOT dependent on us removing the feeders at a certain time! Hummingbirds who have started their migration from up north will appreciate finding your feeders along the way.

With winter coming, remember that gardening is not just confined to outside. Start an herb garden on a sunny windowsill and enjoy freshly snipped herbs or salad greens all winter long. Bring color and texture to any room-with blooming and foliage houseplants and cacti. Bring tropical plants that have spent the summer outside indoors before the night temperatures drop below 45F. Be sure to check carefully for signs of pests or diseases first, and treat as needed.

In October, you also need to prepare your water gardens for winter. Cut back dying foliage of hardy water plants and sink pots to the bottom of the pond. Cover your pond with a mesh netting to protect it from the buildup of falling leaves. In the winter, install a de-icer or pond heater to keep a hole in the ice for the fish to breathe. This will let the ammonia gases escape the pond. Stop feeding your fish when the water temperature reaches 55F.

Evaluate your summer plantings of annuals and vegetables while they are still fresh in your mind. What varieties worked well and what did not? Which varieties gave you the best flower display or yield? Remember that spring is just around the corner! So begin planning next spring’s flower and vegetable gardens now.

Enjoy your yard and garden in every season!
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

September Tips for the Garden 2008

By Sandi Hillermann McDonald, Hillermann Nursery & Florist

It’s fall already! Where did the summer go? The kids are already back in school and off to college. The weather has been quite different this year compared to last year’s drought, heat, etc. It was a nice change considering normal summer weather for our area.

If you like to garden, I am sure you have heard the phrase “Fall is for Planting,” but do you know why we say this? Fall plantings have a wonderful success rate, especially here in the Midwest. Given the temperate nature of our fall climate with mild temperatures and generally adequate rainfall, the conditions are excellent for establishing new plantings successfully. The result is plants that grow faster and bigger, and they bloom better. The plant’s root systems actually get a second growing season before they have to manage our (normally) hot, dry summers. Plant roots continue to develop long after the leaves drop off in the fall. Roots will continue to grow until freezing of the ground stops them.

Now is also the time to add color into the fall landscape with the cheerful faces of winter hardy pansies and violas, gorgeous garden mums, and unique varieties of ornamental cabbage and kale. Transform the entrance to your home into a welcoming, colorful fall display with potted mums, cabbage and kale, cornstalks, ornamental grasses, an assortment of pumpkins and squash, and maybe a scarecrow set on a hay bale.

Don’t forget spring flowering bulbs. Now is the time to get the best selection of varieties and colors and you have until the middle of December to get them planted. Fall bulb planting varieties include Tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils and Crocus to name a few. Planting depths vary but average 4-6” deep.

September is the perfect month for lawn renovation. Even though this year’s cooler, wetter summer was not as harsh on our lawns, now is the time to consider renovation and aeration. Aeration is one of the most important cultural practices available for your lawn. Aeration helps control thatch, improves the soil structure, helps create growth pockets for new roots, and opens the way for water and fertilizer to get to the roots of your lawn.

Aeration is the process of removing thousands of small cores of soil 1” to 3” in length from your lawn. These cores “melt” back into the lawn after a few rainfalls, mixing with whatever thatch exists on top of your lawn. The holes in the soil created by aeration make perfect pockets for catching fertilizer and water. Turf roots naturally grow toward these holes and thicken in the process. Aeration holes also relieve pressure from compacted soils, letting more oxygen and water move into the root zone of your lawn. Thatch on your lawn’s soil works like a thatched roof. It sheds water and prevents fertilizers and insect controls from moving freely into the soil. Thatch that has become too thick can require a major lawn renovation. Aeration helps thatch to break down naturally by mixing the soil cores into the thatch and speeding up the decomposition of the thatch.

Once aeration is accomplished, it is a perfect time to over seed your lawn. Fescue grass seed blends are most common here in the Mid-Missouri area. Fescue blends take our summer heat and drought conditions better than Bluegrass seed mixes, although Bluegrass types will work good in irrigated areas. Fescue lawn mixes tolerate heat, drought and traffic from kids and pets better. Over seed Fescue lawns at a rate of 2-3 lbs per 1,000 sq ft if you have a 50% stand of grass. Over seed Bluegrass lawns at a rate of 1-2 lbs. per 1,000 sq ft if you have a 50% stand of grass. After seeding, top dress with a starter type fertilizer, and you are ready to enjoy a beautiful green lawn for fall and spring!

The fall of the year is perfect timing for tree planting. You should give some thought to choosing varieties for that special spot. Sun exposure, soil moisture, and the available growth space, needs to be assessed to help with tree selection. The Washington Urban Forestry Council has developed a “Tree List” that can be found on the City of Washington’s website at http://ci.washington.mo.us/. Look under City Departments on the side menu, then Parks & Recreation and Urban Forestry Council. The list is broken down into different categories that make choosing a tree variety very easy. So, plant a tree this fall. You will help the environment, lower your electric bills, and enhance your property value.

Here are a few other quick tips for this month. Begin to adapt your houseplants for winter indoors. Check for pests and treat if necessary. Houseplants should be brought indoors at least one month before the heat is normally turned on. Sow fall vegetable crops through mid September. Harvest herbs now to freeze or dry for winter.

See you in the Garden……………………
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

August Tips for the Garden 2008

August brings us the dog days of summer... there is no doubt about that. July 2008 brought us milder temperatures and more moisture than usual for this time of year. I must say it was very welcome, too. This may help some of the trees and shrubs damaged from droughts and ice storms of the past years recover better. However, the ground dries fast in the summer heat and wind. Be sure to provide water for all your trees, shrubs, and plants when rain is not enough.

If you have not started enjoying “Outdoor Living,” it is NOT TOO LATE. With the price of gas lately, it is only understandable that more and more people are retreating to their own backyards for vacations at home this year. So, forget the stress of planning and traveling and enjoy your own “Stay-cation!” There are designers in the industry to help you with ideas that will turn your yard into an outdoor oasis. Look for inspiration at every “independent lawn and garden retailer.” Add patios, walkways, walls, water, hammocks and more!

Be sure to visit the Washington Town & Country Fair this year (August 6th-10th). Don’t miss these two educational areas: the Agri-Land booth (near the livestock barns) and Hillermann’s “Gardening for Fun and Smarts” (near the North Entrance Gate). Both of these booths offer hands on learning opportunities (for kids and adults) and helpful handout sheets on outdoor activities and gardening!

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


¨ It is not too late to put up Japanese Beetle traps to catch those pesky critters in a natural, safe way.
¨ You can still apply lawn insecticides until August 15 to guard off grubs, fleas, ticks, etc. in the yard.
¨ Compost or till under residues and debris from harvested crops.
¨ Prop up the branches of your fruit trees that are threatening to break under the weight of a heavy crop.
¨ Keep deadheading your spent annual and perennial flowers for continued blooms into fall.
¨ Feed hardy garden mums and asters for the last time this season.
¨ Monitor plants for spider mite activity. Hose affected plants off with a forceful spray of water, or spray with Bonide Eight (with Permethrin). To test for spider mites, hold a piece of white paper under the leaves. Tap on the leaves and then run your hand over the piece of white paper. If you see evidence of red streaks on the paper, you have an infestation of spider mites!
¨ Roses should receive no further nitrogen fertilizer after the end of August to prevent the production of late tender growth that could be damaged by fall frosts.
¨ Deep root water established trees around the drip line (this is where the edge of the branches stop) to help alleviate stress on trees going into winter.
¨ Soak shrubs periodically during dry spells with enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of 8-10 inches.
¨ Toward the end of August, dormant lawns should be soaked to encourage strong fall growth.
¨ Prune to shape hedges for the last time this season.
¨ Once bagworms reach full size, insecticides are ineffective. Pruning off or pulling and burning or discarding of large bags provides better control for next year.
¨ Watch for fall webworm activity. Apply Fertilome bagworm and Tent Caterpillar Spray when webs are first spotted. Rip open the web bag before spraying for best control.
¨ Cultivate Strawberries and apply weed preventer immediately, after fertilizing.
¨ Protect ripening fruits from birds by covering plants with bird netting. (This is a poly type product readily available at Garden Centers).
¨ Pinch the growing tips of gourds once the adequate fruit set amount is achieved. This directs energy into the ripening fruits, rather than vine production.
¨ 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.)
¨ Lawn renovation and over-seeding time is right around the corner. I will discuss this more in September.
¨ For additional information about garden tips for summer and all seasons, check out this website www.hillermann.com.

Time to go... See you in the Garden!!
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

July Tips for the Garden 2008

Here is a tip for the month of July - Sit back and relax! For many of us, the July 4th date marks the beginning of the entertainment season. And what a season it is! We plan, we phone, we shop, we decorate, we mow, we clean, we check supplies, we shop again, we cook, we carry lawn chairs and coolers outside, and we fret about the weather. When the guests arrive, it all starts over. Pouring, serving, clearing, fetching, and recycling can fill hours, if we let them. So part of the planning needs to include ways to have some time for you to sit back and enjoy your party, too. Maybe an e-mail sent to everyone with one push of the button can replace two hours of phone calls. Making your event a potluck will eliminate much of the shopping and cooking. Be sure to have everyone bring their own beverages, table service and lawn chairs. And finally, don’t mow the lawn. Your lawn will do better with foot traffic if it is a little bit longer. With all that taken care of, all that’s left for you to do is to have a good time! Now that we have talked about having parties and enjoying your yard and garden at home, let us get down to other tasks at hand for July.

It’s not too late to plant shrubs, perennials, and annual flowers, but you will need to give them a little TLC for the summer. If you have not been pinching back your garden mums, cut them back by half as soon as possible and fertilize them. You should do this task by mid July. This will help them to grow bushier and bloom when anticipated in the fall - until Thanksgiving for late blooming varieties. Avoid applying weed killers, insecticides, fungicides, and fertilizers to plants when the temperatures are above 90 degrees. Spray early in the morning when temperatures are below 85.

If Japanese beetles are attacking your plants, you have several options for controlling them, from handpicking (not my favorite), to trapping (the safest), to spraying them. Japanese beetle traps are readily available, safer for children and pets, and they do a fantastic job of eradicating the problem naturally.

Photo courtesy of http://www.rescue.com/

Remove infected leaves from roses and pick up fallen leaves. Continue fungicidal sprays as needed on these beauties. Keep deadheading spent annual and perennial flowers for continued bloom. Keep weeds from making seeds now. This will mean fewer weeds next year.
Hot, dry weather is ideal for spider mite development. Damage may be present even before the webs are noticeable. With spider mite damage, leaves may be speckled above and yellowed below. Evergreen needles appear dull gray-green to yellow to brown. Spray with permethrin to control this critter. Sweet corn is ripe when the silks turn brown. Blossom – end rot occurs on tomato and peppers when soil moisture is uneven and the calcium level in the soil is not right. Adding lime to the garden will help these issues next year.

Water conservation is of the utmost importance during our dry summer months. These following simple tips can save time and money. Water plants where it counts - at the roots, not the leaves. Drip irrigation systems in landscape beds do wonders for water conservation, and they are easy for the homeowner to install. Trees and shrubs would also benefit from a deep root watering this time of year. You can use a deep root feeder (without the fertilizer) for this purpose. Apply the water around the drip line of the tree for best success. Doing this every 2-3 weeks will keep your trees stress free. Trees have had a lot of stress the past couple of years with the late April freeze of ’07 and the continued drought conditions the past several summers. Water frequently enough to prevent wilting. When you mow your grass, cut it less frequently and at a higher level - Cutting it short promotes growth, and growth promotes water consumption. Longer grass blades shade the soil and conserve moisture. Plant drought tolerant, native plants where possible - Native plants are becoming more readily available in nursery settings.

Check your plant containers daily for water. Put your finger at least one inch down in the soil, if the soil is dry to that depth, water thoroughly. Hanging baskets will need a drink at least once a day, sometimes even twice a day depending on the weather. Provide water in the garden for birds during dry weather and they will repay you with wonderful antics and songs. They will even take care of some garden insects for you. Enjoy nature and your gardens this summer. You will not regret it…

See you in the Garden,
Sandi Hillermann McDonald