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Tuesday, April 7, 2020

April 7, 2020, showers bring flowers


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 jalapeƱo 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


Kim Willis
All parts of this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without permission.

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