Garden Solutions - August 2012

            August………besides vacations, other activities that will pull you away from your list of gardening duties are fairs, festivals, family outings, and back to school preparations.  It really is a good thing that August is a slow month for working in your landscape.

            Your main tasks for this month begin with the letter W.  Weeding and watering.  Both tasks are pretty self-explanatory.  However, I feel the need to explain them to some extent. It is important to stay on top of the weeds.  If you let them get ahead of you and they go to seed, you are going to have hundreds more to deal with this fall and next spring.  Spraying weeds in landscape beds with an herbicide such as Roundup is one of the easiest ways to rid of weeds.    When using herbicides be sure to read and follow all label directions thoroughly.  They are written for your protection.  Generally, it is best to pull weeds that are growing in and immediately around your desirable plants, and spray those that are “in the open”. 

            As far as watering goes, it has been an extremely tough moisture year, so slow deep watering at the base of desirable trees and shrubs on a weekly basis is very important. Try to eliminate drought stress on your plants.  Weak plants open up avenues for disease and insects to overcome.  The drought we are experiencing actually goes back to spring of 2011.  Do you remember the very wet and cool spring of 2011?  Boy, I do.  Well we went into a dry summer, than a dry fall, and then we essentially had no snow this past winter and than a very dry spring of 2012.  Our water table is very low.  So please take care of your desirable plants with slow soaking waterings.  If you have questions, do not hesitate to give us a call.

            Bugs, they really bug me, and some of them can really mess up your plants.  Before you grab that bottle of insecticide and run out and spray every bug in sight, it is important that you identify the bug that is bugging you.  Most insecticides can’t tell the difference between a beneficial insect like a honey bee and the destructive spider mite.  Therefore, it is important that you know what bug you are trying to kill and the best method to do it.  If you collect some samples of your bug to bring in to be identified, please put them in a Ziploc bag and seal it before bringing it in.  Once we ID your pest, we can tell you the best way to control it.

            Mowing the lawn is another task that continues in August.  Due to the usually hot and dry conditions that are the norm in August, you may be able to space your mowings further apart.  It is also beneficial to let the grass grow longer to help shade the roots. 

            If you are thinking about a new addition to your landscape this fall, now is the time to talk to your favorite landscape designer.  Your designer can discuss your needs with you, design the changes or new additions, and get you on the schedule for a fall installation.

            This spring if you tried your hand at seasonal vegetable or square foot gardening, here are a few ways you can enjoy a fall garden.  Carry Tomatoes, Peppers and Basil over in your fall garden.  Direct sow Beets, Radishes, Peas, and Spinach now where other spring crops such as Broccoli and Cauliflower have come and gone for this year.  It is best to replant nursery starts of Broccoli and Cauliflower, and not sow them from seed this time of year.

            Last but not least, take care of yourself.  In the heat that is referred to as August, it is easy to over exert yourself.  Drink plenty of fluids and rest in the shade as needed.

See you next month……….in the garden

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - July 2012

Summer is officially here, so get out and soak up some of that vitamin D. The sun is not just good for plants, but we need it too! So now the tip for the month of July—Sit Back and Relax!! For many of us, the 4th of July 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. Your lawn will do better with foot traffic if it is left a little bit longer. With all that settled, all that’s left for you to do is enjoy a good time! Now that we have talked about having parties and enjoying your yard and garden at home, let’s 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 haven’t been pinching back your garden mums all summer, cut them back by half as soon as possible and feed them. This task shouldn’t be done much after the 4th of July. This will help them to grow bushier and bloom in the fall when anticipated until Thanksgiving for late blooming varieties. Avoid applying weed killers, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers to plants when the temperatures are above 90 degrees. Spray treatments 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) or spraying them. Japanese beetle traps are readily available and do a fantastic job of eradicating the problem naturally. 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 noticed. 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. Liming 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 where it counts, water at the roots, not the leaves. Drip irrigation systems in landscape beds do wonders for water conservation. Drip irrigation systems 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. Water them around the drip line of the tree for best success. Doing this every 2-3 weeks will keep your trees stress free. 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 it is dry, 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 bird song. Enjoy nature and your gardens this summer. You won’t regret it.

See you in the Garden,
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - June 2012

Let’s talk PERENNIALS! June is National Perennial Gardening Month. Perennials are plants that grow and flower every year, and only need to be planted once! They die back to the ground in the fall, but the roots remain alive and will produce new foliage in the spring. A wide range of sizes, flower colors and blooming times are available to fit any size garden. Most perennials are considered low maintenance and just need some general care to keep them happy and healthy.

It is important to choose plants that are appropriate to your garden site. You need to know whether it is a sun or shade garden. Full sun plants can be in areas with six or more hours of sunlight every day; four to six hours is partly sunny; four hours or less is a shade garden. Remove any grass or weeds from the area you wish to plant. Good drainage is essential for successful gardens. Amend the soil with Missouri Botanical Garden Compost, also known as Black Gold, now locally available. This will help improve drainage and aeration. Prepare the bed to a depth of 18” to allow for maximum root development. Fertilizer can be mixed into the soil prior to planting.

When planting, dig the hole as deep and twice as wide as the container it is currently growing in. Loosen the root ball and tease the roots so they will grow outward. The plants should be set at the same depth in the ground as they were growing in the container. After filling the hole back in with soil/compost mixture, water thoroughly and apply Fertilome Root Stimulator for plant success. Read the plant tags for spacing recommendations because many will spread more than their current size. Don’t be afraid to mix textures.

Perennials should receive 1-2” of water each week to develop a deep root system. A soaker hose works well for this purpose and saves water usage. Fertilize in Early Spring when new growth begins. During the growing season, fertilize once a month until the end of July. This will help the plants harden off for winter. Mulch should be applied after planting to help hold in moisture and reduce weeds. Apply 2” over the soil, leaving 2-3” of space around the base of the plant. Do not smother the crowns of shallow rooted plants. Additional mulch applied in winter is also recommended, especially for new plantings.

The art of deadheading is removing the faded, spent flowers on a plant. It will help lengthen the bloom season of many plants as well as improves the appearance of the plant. Some perennials with attractive seedpods such as Rudbeckia, Sedum, and Ornamental Grasses can be left alone. Once the initial display of flowering has ended, cut back the entire plant by two-thirds. This will help promote additional blooms.

I hope this information gives you the desire to plant some perennial color and texture in your yard! There has been a “Perennial of the Year” named by the Perennial Plant Association since 1991. These varieties are tried and true plants. You may check out the list at www.perennialplant.org.

Now in closing, let’s discuss several other tips for the month of June. Soaker hoses and Raindrip irrigation systems make the most efficient use of water during dry times. Check out the systems available. Continue spraying roses with fungicide to prevent black spot. Mow lawns frequently enough so you don’t have to remove more than 1/3 of the total height of grass per mowing. There is no need to remove grass clippings from the lawn unless they are excessive. Prune flowering shrubs after they have bloomed. Hand prune or shear evergreens now. Watch for bagworms AND JAPANESE BEETLES. Milky Spore, Grub killer, and Japanese Beetle traps are available to eradicate Japanese Beetles. For bagworms, use insecticide with the pest listed on the label or hand pick them if the numbers are light.

Plant pumpkin seeds now to have Jack-o-lanterns for Halloween. Stop harvesting asparagus when the spears become thin. Repeat plantings of corn and beans to extend the harvest season. As soon as cucumber and squash vines start to “run,” begin spray treatments of Permethrin to control cucumber beetles and squash vine borers.

Enjoy your harvest ... see you in the garden.
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - May 2012

Gardeners, start your containers!! Spring has sprung! The weather is beginning to turn warmer and the sun is beginning to hang around a little more each day. Now is the time to plant warm season annuals and vegetables. Container gardening continues to be a trendy thing. The many choices, styles, shapes, and colors of containers make great accent pieces for inside or out. Let your imagination soar and express yourself. Use imaginative containers you pick up at flea markets and auction yards. Learn to mix annuals and perennials for great combinations. Try hostas with begonias and impatiens….or hydrangeas with groundcovers. These containers can make great accent pieces on the front porch, the back deck, in a flower bed, around the pool, or at the end of the driveway. And you can rearrange them as often as you wish.

No room for a vegetable garden? Try one in a container. You can enjoy fresh tomatoes easily this way. Even small space gardeners can grow enough nutritious produce to prepare a few meals, supplement your diet, and save some bucks. With a little planning and attention, container gardens can produce like mini farms. Almost any vessel can be used as a container, but it must have drainage holes that allow water to freely flow through the pot. Most veggies only need 8” of soil depth. Trays and smaller containers work fine for lettuce, radishes, spinach, and peppers. Root crops like carrots and onions, and large plants like most tomatoes and squash, require containers larger than 16 inches in diameter. Generally as a rule, bigger is better for root growth and overall vigor.

Take your houseplants outdoors once the evening temperatures will remain above 50°. Move sun-loving plants (hibiscus, gardenias, mandevillas, etc.) gradually to sunny locations, as they have not had full sun in your home and will need to be acclimated to those conditions.

Plant summer bulbs now and fertilize with bone meal or bulb food. Pinch hardy garden mums back now and continue to do so until July 4 to insure proper fall blooming. Treat slugs in your garden with organic diatomaceous earth. This powder product is 100% safe, and is good for the treatment of slugs, ants, fleas and ticks outside, as well as roaches and ants indoors. This organic product is very safe to use and a good one to have on hand. “Natural Gardening” with eco-friendly products is a very SAFE thing to do for your own health as well as the environment. Check out the chemical-free options available to you today. Then sit back and watch your kids and pets enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

“Coming home” at the end of a day can be even more important to us now than ever before. Times are changing and everyone is busier than before with kids to coach, meetings to attend, and work to do. In addition, the cost of gas makes us want to leave the car parked when possible. So, enjoy daylight savings time and extend your living quarters to your yard and garden. Think of your outdoor spaces as an extension of your home. And in doing so, consider the floor, walls, and ceiling per se. Adding resting areas is easy to do…hang a hammock in a tree, set a bistro set in the perennial garden, or put benches in your Hosta beds. Then invite friends over and have a cook out. Let the nature in your yard tickle your senses with the sounds of birds, fragrance of flowers, sounds of running water, and splashes of color. Hardscapes can enhance your outdoor rooms by adding a “floor” to your area of enjoyment.

Until next month,…Enjoy connecting with nature and….see you in the garden….

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - April 2012

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 when they are 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 flowerbeds 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 Fertilome Tree & Shrub Systemic Insecticide Drench 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