Hi Gardeners
It’s a strange day here- rather typical sun and then showers
type April weather but a bit colder, and some of the showers have been the snow
type. It was quite nice yesterday, except for the wind. I have been trying to cut
back the bamboo and it’s almost impossible in the wind. As I cut down a bleached
stem it flies away on the wind. I am close to the road and 6 feet long bamboo stalks
flying down the road isn’t good. I have tried stuffing each stem into a garbage
can as I cut it, but they lift out of that and take off too. Those stems are so
light, and the dead leaves seem to give them wings.
In the garden the cold has slowed things down a bit. But the
forsythia is beginning to bloom, daffodils, hyacinths, corydalis and wind
anemones are in bloom. The willow and maple trees are blooming, and I can tell
the pollen season is ramping up. There are even dandelions in bloom in
sheltered places. I have seen a few bees on warm days so things in bloom are
good.
Yesterday I filled my hummingbird feeders and put them out. I
dropped one and broke it. But I have several. I haven’t seen any hummers yet or
even orioles, but they are being seen about 50 miles south of me. If they get
here, I want them to have something to eat. Our temps are supposed to fall into
the 20’s overnight but I think the feeders will be ok. Sugar water has a
slightly lower freezing point than regular water and I put out the sturdy
feeders.
I use a baby chick type waterer, the type that screws on a
canning jar as one feeder. It sits on platform I suspend from a pole. This
feeder can be used by a variety of birds, including orioles. These are also
easy to clean.
Remember that you don’t need red dye in a feeder to attract
hummers. And never use anything other than plain table sugar and water. Don’t
use artificial sweeteners, gator aide, fruit juice and so on. These things can
make birds sick or kill them.
I am considering changes to this blog. I know it gets
too long many times, so I intend to shorten it, with fewer and shorter
articles. I think longer articles will be kept on the pages listed on the right
side of the blog. I add to these pages from time to time. I’ll list some
highlights each week on the blog that are in those pages and you can read what
interests you.
I write the blog to keep my mind sharp and because I like to
share information. When I get the urge to research something, I like to share
what I found. And as many of you know, I have some very strong opinions I like
to express. I have been writing this blog
for over 8 years. I would like to get feedback on the blog. What type of things
do you like to read about? Do you prefer how to type articles or just general
talking about gardening? Are in depth articles about particular plant species
interesting to you? Do you like recipes being included?
If you would like to share your thoughts with me you can
include them in the blog comments box or send them to kimwillis151@gmail.com
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| Wind anemones |
A place
to get plants during stay at home restrictions
One of my garden writer friends just sent me some
information about a different kind of online plant delivery system. The company
Shrubbucket, has a limited delivery area, but it includes SE Michigan, Ohio,
parts of Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania and a few other northeast states. They
sell and deliver large potted shrubs, trees, perennials and a few vegetables
and herbs. These are 1-5 gallon, (or larger) pots like you would pick up at a
local nursery. They aren’t wrapped or boxed.
One of the company trucks simply delivers them to your house. The plants
come from a variety of wholesale growers.
I checked out the site briefly. There are lots of nice
things offered. It’s a little more expensive than most mailorder companies, but
the larger pot sizes are the reason. They offer free delivery for orders over
$45. If you have used the company, why not leave a comment or shoot me a line
to say what you thought of it. I have no connection to this company, and I am
not being paid to mention them.
Here’s the link.
Nutrient
deficiencies in plants caused by cold soil
If you rush to get plants into the ground in the spring you
may notice that some of them begin to turn reddish or purplish, or that leaves
turn yellow with green veins. White or yellow spots or leaf edges may occur. Plants
may not grow and appear stunted. These are signs of nutrient deficiencies,
particularly of phosphorus, iron, zinc and to some extent nitrogen.
The soils probably have these nutrients, but cold, wet
conditions make it impossible for plants to take up the nutrients. Sometimes
the nutrients are not able to be absorbed by root cells that don’t function in
cold conditions and sometimes cold wet conditions cause nutrients to bind to
other soil elements and become unavailable.
Usually these nutrient deficiencies are temporary, and the
plants will start looking better and growing when the soil warms up. Don’t try
to add fertilizers to correct the problem, they still won’t be available to the
plants and when it gets warmer too much of some nutrients will cause worse
problems.
Some plants are more susceptible to nutrient deficiencies
from cold soil than others. In our gardens, tomatoes are one of the plants that
often show symptoms of nutrient deficiencies from cold soil. This is one of the
reasons why everyone should consider soil temperatures before putting plants in
the ground. Keep reading for more information on soil temperatures.
Soil
temperatures and planting times
I know I talked about planting times last week, this week I
am going to focus more on soil temperatures and how knowing the soil temperature
will help guide you on when to plant things. For some people a device like a soil
thermometer takes the guesswork out of knowing when to plant and gives them
more confidence.
You can take the soil temperature by using a soil
thermometer, which are very inexpensive in garden shops. Push the thermometer
into the soil to about 8 inches deep. If you have an old fashioned “stick” type
air thermometer you can use it too, if you carefully insert it into the soil.
Most candy and meat thermometers won’t have low enough measurements to be
useful.
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| This Accu-rite soil thermometer is sold at Tractor Supply for $7.99 It's just an example, other thermometers are sold at other places. |
In this article I will also give a few phenological indicators
that generally are consistent with soil temperatures. This means I will note what
other common plants in your environment may be blooming when the soil
temperature is at a certain point. Remember that there can be microclimates in
every garden. If your neighbor a few houses down has a lilac in bloom it may
still be too cold in your garden bed for certain plants.
When we decide to plant crops, we consider the soil
temperature, air temperature and the plants preferred growing conditions. Sandy
soils and darker colored loam soils warm up faster than heavy clay soils. Soil
in raised beds also warms up faster. Wet, poorly drained soil stays cool a long
time.
Heavy layers of mulch will delay soil warming. Pull them
back in early spring so your soil can be warmed by the sun. You can replace
them after the soil is warm enough for what you want to plant has been planted.
Vegetables fall into 3 categories for the proper planting
time. The cool weather crops, mild weather crops and warm weather crops. The
very first crops to plant are peas and leaf lettuce. These vegetables will grow
in soil below 45 degrees and air temperatures just above freezing. Frost
doesn’t faze them. They can be planted as soon as your soil is dry enough to
work. Crocus, daffodils, and maples will be in bloom.
Dormant perennials hardy to your area, and dormant trees and
shrubs can be planted now. Grass seed can be sown.
Next crops to plant are kale, chard, spinach, pac choi,
radishes, onions, leeks, potatoes, and turnips. Soil temperatures of 50 degrees
are high enough and daytime air temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s. Light frosts
can still be expected. Depending on your location and the weather this can be
late April- early May. Dandelions will generally be blooming and the trees
starting to leaf out.
At this time blooming pansies can be planted in the flower
bed too. You can still plant dormant perennials, trees and shrubs. Potted growing perennials with minimal
leafing out can be planted.
Next crops to plant, with soil temperatures of 55-60 degrees
are carrots, beets, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts as
transplants or plant their seeds. Air temperatures should be 60’s and low 70’s.
This is usually early to mid-May. Popcorn can be planted, and you can take a
chance with an early planting of beans. If there are no frosts after the beans
emerge, your beans will do well. Frost will mean you have to re-plant. Some
people also like to gamble with a cold tolerant sweet corn around this time to
attempt an early corn crop.
At this soil temperature some flowers that can be planted
are calendula and snapdragons. You can direct seed most annual flowers, like
zinnias and marigolds at this time. It will take 10-14 days for them to emerge
from the soil and frost chances will be minimal. Most potted perennials and
trees and shrubs actively growing can now be planted.
Once the soil temperature reaches 70 degrees it’s time to
plant the rest of the garden. This includes sweet corn, the main crop of beans,
cucumbers, melons, squash, okra, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, tomatoes, eggplants,
and peppers. Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are set out as transplants. The
other crops can be seeds or plants.
Bedding annuals and hanging baskets can now be planted or
moved outside. If the danger of frost has passed houseplants and tender tropicals
can now go outside.
Don’t forget the houseplants
In the rush to get growing outside we may neglect the
houseplants. They may be putting out
lots of new growth and sun and warm temperatures may make the pots dry out
faster. Check to see if they need water
more frequently and if you haven’t fertilized yet, you may want to start.
Some plants that have been doing great on the windowsill may
now be getting too much strong sun and the leaves will scorch. Move them back from the windows just a few
inches. You may want to rotate plants, so all the new growth doesn’t appear on
the window side of the plant.
House plants also tend to have more pest problems in spring.
Watch for scale, aphids and white fly.
If you need to treat plants with pesticides you may want to move them on
to the porch or deck on a warm day that isn’t windy, spray with pesticides and
let them dry before moving them back inside.
The most painful place to get stung
by a bee
You have to wonder
just where our tax dollars are spent on research. A Cornell researcher spent 38 days and who
knows how much money letting himself be stung by bees five times a day on
various parts of his body. He rated the pain of each body part sting and
determined that being stung on the nostrils was the most painful, followed by
the upper lip and the penis. Why this information is useful I don’t know and a
researcher who lets himself be stung on the penis and other sensitive body
parts has got to be a bit nuts.
Spring Peepers
For most of the year you won’t see these tiny frogs very
often or hear them but in spring these 1½ inch frogs will cause a mighty song
to emanate from every tiny puddle and pool in the landscape. They are one of the first frogs to sing in
the spring, often before the ice is off of larger ponds and lakes. Their song
is a high-pitched trill that goes on day and night, although it’s strongest in
early evening. The sound can be heard more than a mile away.
The spring peeper is gray brown with a black X on its back
and some black markings on its legs. The belly is a lighter cream color. The
skin is smooth. The feet have both small webs like other frogs and suction pads
on the toes to help them climb. Females may be a little larger than males and often
lighter in color.
Spring peepers are tree frogs and can climb into low trees
and shrubs, but they spend a lot of time in leaf litter on the ground and low
vegetation looking for bugs. In the spring breeding season when they congregate
around any low spot that holds water. The singing or croaking if you must- is
caused by male frogs inflating a balloon like area of skin under their chins
and releasing the air. They sing to attract females.
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| Spring peeper |
In the winter spring peepers hibernate buried in soil. They
emerge with the first warm weather in the spring, earlier than most other
frogs. During spring breeding season in the north spring peepers frequently
encounter freezing nights and they have the ability to survive even if their
blood freezes for a short time. They lay strings of 700-1000 eggs at the edges
of ponds and pools, usually hidden near vegetation. The eggs hatch into
tadpoles in 4-10 days depending on weather. The race is then on to develop into
ting frogs before the pond or pool dries up. This can happen in as little as 45
days or as long as 60 days. Many
tadpoles are eaten by fish and even water bugs before they become frogs.
The main enemies of spring peepers once they become frogs
are snakes and other frogs and toads. They are great helpers in the garden,
eating many harmful insects and should be encouraged to stick around.
Pesticides sprayed on lawns and gardens can be harmful to these tiny guys and
it’s another reason to avoid using them.
Articles you may want to read
Growing forsythia
Growing Peas
“I think that no matter how old or
infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can
resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in
nature’s rebirth?”
– Edward Giobbi
Kim Willis
All parts of this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without
permission.
And So On….
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