Hello gardeners
 |
| Have a great Easter at home |
Yesterday was
a wonderful day to get outside and I tackled a big mess in one of my gardens.
It was a half circular bed in which there is my Harrisons Yellow rose and
another heirloom plant called clove current.
Both of those plants are terrible at suckering and they had come up all
over in the bed. There is also a lot of bee balm in there, goldenrod, golden
glow, some daylilies, and orien-pet lilies, purple echinacea and tons and tons
of comfrey.
By late fall last
year it was a mass of dying stems with the prickly rose sucker stems making it
difficult to do anything with. It never
got cleaned up, so I had to tackle it this spring. What a job. It is now a good
deal neater with the roses and current cut back into some semblance of order. The
deer can now find the tulips and daylilies that are coming up, so that’s not a
good thing, I guess. And the comfrey is just peeking above ground, it will soon
be the overwhelming problem it always is. That's for another day.
Last weekend
I cleaned up across the front yard, my long beds. My next job is to tackle
cutting down the bamboo in the bed next to the driveway and cleaning that out.
The bamboo dies to the ground most years, leaving dead bleached blond stems
flapping in the winds. They stand out jarringly against the new green
everywhere.
The bamboo might
green up again if I left the stems this year since winter was mild. I did that
once, in 2012. It takes a while for all
the bleached leaves to naturally be pushed off by new leaves and it isn’t
pretty for a while. But the stems will get twice as tall as normal, since they
have a head start. I cut the stems every year, remove the small leaf branches
and keep the bamboo “poles” for staking other things. In 2013 I had some 15
feet long poles. But I think this year it will all be cut down again.
I hope
everyone is taking the “stay at home” time to get outside and work on their
gardens. Working in the sunshine and
smelling the soil helps with depression. This year I am getting a lot more done
in the early days of April than last year when it was cold and wet. It’s
raining here today but it’s supposed to clear up tomorrow. April rain makes May
flowers. But I hope the chance for severe weather we have this evening doesn’t materialize.
All of the
crocus are now in bloom and the earliest daffodils have started to bloom. There
are leaves coming out on the barberry, honeysuckle and a few other things. The birds
are making a lot of noise outside singing, fighting, honking, and the frogs are
getting noisy too. And the grass will need to be mowed soon.
Poor wild birds,
one of the things I am having a hard time getting is the black oil sunflower
seeds. I mixed the last I had with some
parakeet seed, but they aren’t real happy with that. The local store where I am
getting curbside orders is out, and most online stores were out or just too
expensive. I did manage to order a 20-pound bag from Chewy.com but I don’t know
when it will get here. Why is sunflower
seed being hoarded?
And I am
still waiting for seeds I ordered weeks ago to be delivered. They are just
supposed to be delivered by the post office, but it just says they are on the
way each time I check. It’s my lettuce and kale seeds I want to get planted. I
think I am spending more time online looking for things and checking on orders
than I did with actual shopping.
I feel sorry
for the medical personnel and other essential workers that really can’t enjoy
the nice weather this year. And of course, for those too sick to enjoy their
gardens. My own physical mobility is somewhat limited, but for those of you who
are young, healthy and bored maybe you could offer to do some gardening for
someone on the front lines. You wouldn’t need to get physically close to them.
Articles you may want to read
Clove currents
Growing daffodils
Old varieties of roses
April almanac
April’s full
moon is today. The moon is also at perigee today. This is the closest the moon will be to earth
this year and it’s called a super moon. It will look larger and brighter than
normal- if it isn’t too cloudy to see. Oddly this is the 3rd super
moon in a row. There will be another super moon in May too.
April’s full
moon is known as the Pink moon, egg moon or grass moon. It will not look pink however.
It’s known as the pink moon because it is when the pink wild creeping phlox
usually blooms. The moon apogee is April 20th. The Lyrid
Meteor shower peaks on April 21st - 22nd. Viewing should be very good this year for this
meteor shower.
Holidays in
April are Golfers day the 10th, National Pecan Day 14th,
National Garlic Day 19th, Christian Easter the 12th, Earth
Day 22nd, Executive Administrative day and Zucchini bread day the 23rd,
Arbor day 25th, International Astronomy Day the 28th.
April is
National Lawn and Garden Month as well as Keep America Beautiful month. It’s
also National Humor month, National Pecan month and National Poetry month.
April’s birthstone is the diamond and the birth flower is the sweet pea. In the
language of flowers, the sweet pea means either goodbye or blissful love,
depending on who’s translating, I guess.
Garden chores
for April include seeding lawns, planting trees and shrubs, getting seeds and
bulbs started indoors in zones 5-6 and maybe planting lettuce and peas outside
and putting some pretty pansies in pots for color. In warmer zones you may be planting more
crops outside like onions, carrots and even tomatoes and peppers and planting
those annual bedding plants and containers.
April is a
good month to divide perennials and move plants you want to relocate. And get
those mowers tuned up and ready to go, most areas of the country will mow at
least once in April.
Making your own sterile seed starting
soil
It’s just
amazing what you can’t find in stores this year or even through online
shopping. People are telling me they can’t find sterile seed starting soil and
want to know if they can use compost, potting soil or garden soil. The answer is you could- but it isn’t a good
idea, unless you sterilize those things yourself.
Sterile seed
starting soil should be used for starting seeds because it greatly reduces the
chance of dampening off, a fungal disease that kills seedlings. Other diseases,
and insect and their eggs are also killed. It also prevents weed seeds from
germinating with the seeds you planted, which can confuse some people.
Fortunately, you
can sterilize garden soil, compost or regular potting soil at home. It takes
time and it will smell up your house, but you can do it. Here’s how. You’ll
want to sift or screen the planting medium of choice, so it is in fine pieces
with no big lumps or stones.
Spread the
medium you want to sterilize in a shallow layer on a tray. It should be a
little moist, but not sopping wet. Put those trays in an oven set at your
lowest setting, 175 degrees would be ideal but most ovens lowest setting is
higher than that. Bake for 30 minutes.
Stir up the
planting medium and let it cool before using it for planting. Do not add manure,
compost or anything “natural” to the planting medium or you will reintroduce
those diseases you were trying to prevent. You can mix in a commercial slow
release fertilizer. Yes, the natural micro biotics are killed with this method
but that won’t affect seedling growth. You can buy microbe treatments but I don’t
think seedlings need them for the short time they are in the seedling trays and
pots.
Natural Easter Egg Dyes
This year it
might be hard to find eggs to dye for Easter, but if you find them, you’ll want
to dye them with a safe dye so you can also eat them. With so many people
having a hard time even getting eggs it’s not the year to waste them, so make
sure you promptly refrigerate the eggs after dying them. Also hide the eggs
just before the hunt begins and refrigerate the eggs right after they are
found.
Some of the natural
ingredients may be hard to find this year too.
There are several choices given for each color so maybe you’ll be able
to find at least one for each color. And there’s no substitute for vinegar but
any kind of vinegar will work.
Many home egg
producers have hens which lay brown eggs or even blue and green eggs. White
eggs work best for dying, but light- to medium-brown eggs can also be colored. You
could also change the color of those blue and green colored eggs. Of course,
starting with colored eggs your dyed eggs may turn out differently than you
thought, try one or two before going to a bigger batch.
Children love
this egg dying project, but natural dyes can leave permanent stains so make
sure everyone wears an apron. Protect the table and floor too.
To make egg
dyes, mix two cups of water and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with any of the
items noted in the following list for various colors. You can mix the
ingredients listed below to create your own shades or use them separately. The
colors you get will be softer than commercial dyes and each egg will be unique.
All of the natural ingredients are safe to eat.
For blues, purples: Use any of the following:
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, crushed
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup concentrated grape juice
1–2 cups red onion skins
For reds, pinks, oranges: Choose from the following:
1–2 cups chopped fresh red beets
2 tablespoons paprika
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, crushed
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, crushed
1–2 cups of frozen concentrate for cherries,
cranberries, or raspberries
For Greens: Use either of the following:
1 cup of blueberries mixed with 2 tablespoons
turmeric
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
For Yellows, golds: Choose from the following:
2 cups yellow onion skins
1 cup concentrated orange juice
3 tablespoons cumin
3 tablespoons turmeric
1/4 cup celery seed
You can dye
your eggs using either of the following methods:
Boil the eggs
right in the pan with the dye products. If you want to cook the eggs in the dye
you must simmer the mixture for about 8 minutes to thoroughly cook the eggs. The
mixture should cover the eggs, so you may need to add additional water and
vinegar. Add the eggs before heating the dye and cook slowly so the eggs don’t
crack. Let the eggs stand in the hot water for 10 minutes after turning off the
heat.
Or boil the eggs
and make your dyes separately, and then soak the hard-boiled eggs in the dye.
To make the dye alone, bring the ingredients to a boil and then simmer for
about 2 minutes. Strain the dye mixture. Hard-boil the eggs separately. Then
soak the eggs in the dye until they are as colored as you want them. If you
soak them for more than 30 minutes, set the pan or bowl with the eggs and dye
in the refrigerator.
After
coloring, allow the eggs to dry and refrigerate them if they’re going to be
eaten later. If hard boiled eggs have
been outside the refrigerator for more than 2 hours do not eat them.
This year plant a tree for hope
This year,
with a deadly virus making us all feel our mortality, is a good year to plan
for the future. There are many sayings
about tree planting, but they all come down to planting trees for those who
come after us to enjoy. Of course, you may get some enjoyment or food from the
tree too, in a few years. But tree planting
is done with the future in mind- it’s hope, and we need that this year.
April is a
great month to plant trees for those in planting zones 6 and lower. A little care taken during tree planting will
do a lot to prevent tree failure. A tree
may leaf out and appear to grow the first season or even grow for several
seasons but failure of a tree in the first three years after planting is often
due to poor planting procedures. So
making sure the tree is planted correctly will save you time and money.
Bareroot,
ball and burlap, or potted trees all respond well to planting when the weather
is cool and wet. Early May is still fine
for bareroot trees that have been well cared for and balled or potted trees and
shrubs can be planted until late September if they are well cared for as they
acclimate to a new spot. If you are in zone 7 and 8 the best time for bareroot
planting is over but potted and balled plants can still be planted.
Unfortunately,
many old ideas about tree planting still exist among people who work in
landscaping nurseries and garden stores. These people are still giving old
advice to new (and experienced) gardeners. Research done at places such as
Michigan State University has helped us better understand the process a tree
goes through when it must re-establish itself after transplanting. The newer
advice, backed by research, helps ensure that your trees will get off to a
better start and continue to grow for many, many years. Here are some things that you should do or
have your landscaper do, to get those new trees off to a healthy start.
This advice
is for trees planted in the landscape, as ornamental or fruiting trees. A re-forestation project, involving hundreds
of small seedlings requires some adjustments to technique, although following
the advice below would give those trees a great start too.
Plant promptly and don’t soak the tree roots for long
Plan to plant
the trees as quickly as possible after you buy them or receive them in the
mail. Do not put bare root trees in a pail of water for longer than an hour.
You can moisten the packing material or wrap a bareroot tree in some moistened
paper, for holding for a day or two. Keep them in a cool place. Soaking the
roots too long will rot them and the tree will probably die.
Make sure
trees in pots or ball and burlap trees are watered if you store them for a few
days. They must be able to drain well. Do not sit pots or root balls directly
in water.
Preparing the hole
I am going to
assume you have chosen the right site to plant your tree by researching any
special needs it may have and knowing how large it will become at
maturity. It’s hard to move larger trees
so make sure you get the planting location right the first time. Make sure it
won’t grow into overhead wires as it matures, block walkways or driveways or
cover windows. And before you dig that
hole make sure you know where any buried lines or pipes are. Don’t plant trees
over or close to septic tanks or fields.
Prepare a
hole three times as wide, but no deeper than the root system of the new tree. Contrary to what most people think, most
types of trees have root systems that remain in the top three feet of soil.
Even if they are a species that has a deeper tap root, that root grows more
slowly than lateral roots when first transplanted. The tree needs to send out
lateral, (side) roots so that it can start grabbing water and minerals to
support new top growth and it needs to stabilize itself, so it doesn’t topple
in the wind. Having loose soil in a wide area around the root system is the key
to faster establishment.
Trees that
are not planted at the right depth may grow, although some species are fussier
about this than others. But the tree may be in for a lifetime of problems if it
wasn’t planted at the optimum level.
If you look
at a mature tree that was planted at the right depth in most species it will be
wider at the bottom, the wider part is called a root flare. Trees planted too
deeply will have trunks that appear to be straight, without widening, right to
the ground. A trunk that flares at the
bottom is stronger and able to withstand wind better.
You get a
tree planted at the right level by looking for that top root of your new tree.
The highest root branching off the main root on the tree should be just below
the ground, about 1 inch below it. On some very small bareroot trees you may
need to look closely at the main root to see where branching is beginning. If
the tree has no branching roots look for a dark mark on the trunk that shows
the soil level the tree was previously growing at.
Don’t buy soil amendments for planting
Don’t buy peat
or topsoil or anything else to add to the planting soil as you plant your tree.
Research has shown that trees establish better if the hole is refilled with
what you took out. After all, that is the soil that the tree will be living in
after the roots grow through your small amended area. It is easier for the tree
to adapt to new conditions if it starts right away and it doesn’t have to
re-adjust its root system when it grows through the amendments and into the
surrounding soil.
Holes filled
with “good stuff” may hold too much moisture next to roots, especially if you
throw a bag of peat into heavy clay soil. The roots sit in wet peat and rot. And
trees may not extend their roots quickly into surrounding soil if it’s easier
to grow roots inside an amended area. This can lead to circling roots, with the
tree being strangled or to a poorly established root system that can’t support
the tree in a windstorm or through a drought.
You can add a
little slow release fertilizer to the soil you are going to backfill with.
Don’t throw it in the hole, mix it into the soil you removed and then refill
the hole.
Preparing the tree for planting
To see where
the top branching root is in a ball and burlap or potted tree is, you need to
remove the burlap or pot. When trees are put into burlap coverings or pots, roots
may be twisted up higher than they were growing, and soil piled up above that.
You need to uncover the root system in that ball to see where the top root
naturally lies.
Another
reason to uncover the roots is to see if they are circling. Roots that have
circled around and around in pots or burlap balls will continue to grow in
circles after being placed into the ground. This may eventually strangle the
tree, even years after planting. Circling roots may also be caused by burlap or
peat pots being left on trees when they are planted.
Modern
“burlap” is often composed of synthetic materials that really don’t break down
quickly in soil. Tree roots may still be contained in those packages’ years
after planting. That’s not a good thing because the roots need to spread out to
support new top growth. And any burlap that gets exposed to the air wicks
moisture away from tree roots. Peat pots are even worse at restricting root
spreading. Trees need to get those lateral roots growing the first few months
after planting, not years down the line.
Many garden professionals are now advocating that all the soil be
washed off the roots of trees and shrubs that you purchase in pots or that are
ball and burlap. When you remove the
soil, you can see the root system and correct any problems or if the plant ‘s
roots are in horrible shape, you can return it for a refund- sometimes. Some
experts think removing the soil around the roots helps plants adjust more
quickly to the new soil they will be planted into.
To root wash all you do is remove pots or burlap and use a hose to
gently wash away all the soil. If you can’t use a hose, you can sometimes use
buckets of water or set the plants roots in a tub off water and swish it
gently. It can take a little work to get all the soil out if the plant is badly
pot bound.
In some cases of dry, sandy soil in the pot or burlap ball the soil
will fall away when the pot or burlap is removed, aided by a bit of brushing.
If you can see the roots well, you won’t need to wash them.
After the soil is washed away if you see roots that have circled the pot, the plant will probably not survive if planted like this. You can
untangle the roots, or clip off badly circling roots, and spread the roots out.
If you can loosen them with your fingers and spread them out that’s a
sign the circling wasn’t too advanced. Good nurseries either root trim or repot
trees to keep them from getting root bound.
If the roots
are thickly layered at the bottom of the pot or root ball, you’ll also need to
trim them. If it’s just at the bottom, trim off the roots, making a slice
across the bottom an inch or so deep. Then slightly flare out the remaining
soil and roots.
If you wash the roots and the plant has badly circling roots, the worst-case
scenario, you may want to take it back to where you purchased it for a
refund/replacement.
NOTE: there
is no need to trim roots if they look healthy and aren’t circling around. It
won’t help the tree grow.
Keep the roots damp as you work on them. Washing the roots doesn’t
usually damage them much, so don’t worry about that. And roots can withstand a bit of pruning
without harm too.
When you remove the soil, you must be prepared to plant the tree or
shrub immediately after any problems are corrected. You can’t leave it sitting
in the open air where the roots will dry out. If you are planting several trees
at once you could wrap the washed roots in wet cloth or paper for an hour or
so. Keep them out of the wind and sun until planted.
Here is where
many landscapers balk at the new recommendations that say all burlap, wire
cages and even so-called peat pots must be removed before filling in the hole. They
don’t want to do the work and some places will tell you your warranty is void
if you “disturb the root ball.” Yes they may have been doing it for years, but
that doesn’t mean it was a good practice and even they can’t tell you how many
of those trees failed a few years down the road.
Burlap and
peat pots must not be left on trees when they are planted. When contracting
with a nursery or landscaper to plant your trees make sure they are willing to
follow your directions and plant properly. You are the customer. If they say
your warranty is void if you remove burlap for example, you may want to use
another company. Or plant the tree yourself.
Now put it in the hole
Carefully
center the tree in the hole, making sure the top root branch will be just an
inch or so below the soil level after filling. You may have to add soil to the
bottom of the hole so it’s at the right level.
When planting
trees never wrap a root around the hole- spread it out horizontally. Never
spiral it around the hole. Spread roots sideways in the planting hole, except
for any central main root. Don’t squish all the roots down vertically into the
hole. If there is a long horizontal root that exceeds the width of your hole it’s
fine to trim it to fit.
Now refill
the hole around the roots with the soil you removed. Not topsoil or peat mixed with soil or
compost, the soil you removed only. See preparing the hole above. Do not tamp down the soil. Water the tree
to settle the soil and add more soil if needed. You can make a “dam” around the
tree if you like and have extra soil. This will collect a little more water for
the tree but isn’t necessary in most cases.
Make sure all
strings, wire, rope etc. are removed from the from the trunk and branches of a
tree. As a tree grows these things cut through the area that transports food
and water and any parts above the constricting item will die.
Don’t prune and don’t stake- usually
It’s not
necessary to remove one third of the tree as some older advice may lead you to
believe. Research has shown the tree needs top growth to make food so the root
system can grow. Prune off any broken branches and any branches that cross or
rub each other, that’s all. You can shape the tree once it has established
itself, usually after one growing season.
Most new
trees should not be staked. They grow stronger trunks and wider root systems if
the tree can sway in the wind. There are
some exceptions. New evergreens planted in the fall or in high wind areas may
need to be staked for one growing season. Some ornamental weeping trees will
need to be staked at least for a growing season, some for much longer.
The best
types of stakes and ties to use are the ring type that goes around the trunk
without touching the trunk. This allows the trunk to move a little. The ties
are attached to the ring and to stakes further away from the tree. Wires or
ropes should never be directly wrapped around the trunk. There must be some
kind of padding between them and the tree. The swaying of the tree in the wind
will cause a sawing motion and damage the tree trunk.
If you do
stake a tree check the ropes/wires several times a year to make sure they are
not cutting into the tree.
Don’t over water and don’t over mulch
Yes, newly
planted trees need to be well watered at planting and they should be watered
when needed during the first growing season to get them off to a good start.
But their roots don’t need to be constantly soaked. In really hot weather and
in sandy soil trees may need watering frequently but, in most situations, a
good watering once a week the first season will be enough.
Mulch is good
for trees, but it shouldn’t touch the tree trunk. Rot and disease can start where decomposing
mulch touches trees. And never use more than 3 inches of mulch. Too much mulch
absorbs or sheds water before it gets to the soil and it prevents oxygen from
reaching tree roots. To get water and air tree roots may grow up into the mulch
instead of down into the soil, which isn’t good for the tree.
A little care
taken during tree planting will do a lot to prevent tree failure. A tree may leaf out and appear to grow the
first season or even several seasons but failure of a tree in the first three
years after planting is often due to poor planting procedures. The nursery may
replace the tree, but you will have lost valuable growing time if it needs to
be replaced. And unfortunately, the tree may not start to decline until the
warranty is up.
You plant trees for the future.
Plant one this month.
Bacon and egg salad
Do you need a good way to eat up those
Easter eggs? Try this egg salad. Most people serve egg salad as a sandwich, but
it can be served on a bed of spring greens. Tender baby spinach leaves are
wonderful paired with egg salad. If you make it a sandwich, toasting the bread
that egg salad is served on adds a tasty touch. You can also wrap egg salad in
a flour tortilla or put it in a pita pocket.
Ingredients
6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup of minced green onion (chives
or any other onion can be substituted)
1/4 cup of finely diced celery
1/4 cup of cooked crispy, finely
crumbled bacon
1/4 cup of Miracle Whip® or similar
salad dressing
1½ tablespoons of sweet pickle relish
1½ teaspoons of mustard
salt and pepper to taste.
Blend all of the ingredients together.
Garnish with sweet paprika. Refrigerate
any egg salad that isn’t eaten immediately.
You can cheat and use bacon bits from
the store but use the real thing, not a bacon flavored bit. Add a teaspoon or so of grated or finely
shredded cheddar cheese to each serving as a top garnish. It will add calories to the recipe but it
sure tastes good.
Omitting the bacon gives you a basic egg
salad recipe. You could substitute finely cubed ham. To add some heat use
chopped jalapeño pepper in place of celery and a bit of red pepper.
This recipe makes about 4
servings. Each serving will have about
240 calories.
Plant a garden
"If your
purse no longer bulges
and you've lost your golden treasure,
If times you think you're lonely
and have hungry grown for pleasure,
Don't sit by your hearth and grumble,
don't let mind and spirit harden.
If it's thrills of joy you wish for
get to work and plant a garden!
If it's drama that you sigh for,
plant a garden and you'll get it
You will know the thrill of battle
fighting foes that will beset it
If you long for entertainment and
for pageantry most glowing,
Plant a garden and this summer spend
your time with green things growing."
- Edgar Guest, Plant a Garden
and you've lost your golden treasure,
If times you think you're lonely
and have hungry grown for pleasure,
Don't sit by your hearth and grumble,
don't let mind and spirit harden.
If it's thrills of joy you wish for
get to work and plant a garden!
If it's drama that you sigh for,
plant a garden and you'll get it
You will know the thrill of battle
fighting foes that will beset it
If you long for entertainment and
for pageantry most glowing,
Plant a garden and this summer spend
your time with green things growing."
- Edgar Guest, Plant a Garden
Kim Willis
All parts of this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without
permission.
And So On….
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publish what I want. Contact me at KimWillis151@gmail.com
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