I am watching the sun try to come out and hoping it makes
it. After several days of needed rain, I am ready for some sun again. The
garden liked the rain though. The plants are looking perky and growing quickly.
Saturday was a good day for planting, and I got about half
of what I bought in the ground or in pots. But I also had some mail order
plants come that needed planting and I wanted to move the plants off the porch and
outside to wait for that wonderful rain. Sunday and yesterday I managed to get
some more things planted between showers but I still have a lot to do.
All my “unheated porch” plants are now outside. That’s the
pots of over wintering bulbs, geraniums, two huge jasmine plants and ginger.
Next week when the deck is cleared of things that need to be put in the ground,
I’ll start moving the houseplants outside. I have sweet corn seed to plant too.
Then there’s mowing and trimming that needs doing. It’s a busy time.
The redbud and magnolia are beginning to bloom. Every time I
step out the door I smell the delightful scent of clove viburnum in bloom. I
love that smell. The tulips look nice now and there are still a few daffodils
in bloom. Creeping phlox is in bloom. Forget me nots are still blooming.
Have you seen the burgundy version of the petunia 'Night Sky'? ( 'Starry Sky Burgundy') It’s a deep burgundy color with white blotches and it’s stunning. I bought just
one plant and I want to give it a prominent place and see how it holds up this
summer. I bought a pink version last year I ended up not caring much for. I
have been buying 'Night Sky' since they brought it out.
I’m kind of a petunia junkie. I walk down the greenhouse
aisle and there are so many beautiful ones.
I only have limited space for petunias, so I need to make choices but it’s
hard. I found this other petunia that’s sort of a blend of rose and brown, hard
to describe, that I had to have, now I am deciding what I am going to do with
it. And then there was the pretty blue variety called “Denim” and the rose ones
with a white throat – and so on.
I bought some nemesia to use this year in pots. I haven’t
grown that in a long time. And I bought a number of different types of fuchsia since
I discovered that they bloom all winter inside. Not that I need more plants
inside but still, they are so pretty.
Those daffodil flowered tuberous begonias I bought earlier in
the spring and potted up are just now beginning to sprout. I also found a big tuber I planted of some
sort, a mystery tuber, that’s sprouting and I didn’t label it. As soon as the leaves unfurl a bit the mystery
should be solved.
The hummingbirds are finally back. All of the bird feeders
have been being emptied at an astonishing rate. It’s that time of year. I
noticed that Rose Breasted Grosbeaks and Purple house finches are joining the
orioles and hummingbirds at the nectar feeders and at the jelly feeder. And I
saw an oriole eating suet too.
It’s hard for me to get suet right now, I order it with
every grocery order by the case, but they don’t always put it in the order. It’s
too expensive to mail order it. I believe in feeding suet all year round
because it attracts a lot of different birds you don’t normally see.
Memorial Day weekend is the upcoming one. It’s a traditional time to get the garden planted
and it looks like for most of the country it will be a good planting weekend. I hope everyone gets all the garden time they
want. Remember- stay safe – social distance.
 |
| Starry Sky Burgundy |
Moving
Houseplants outside
I strongly
believe that almost all plants benefit from a summer outside, just as our
children and pets benefit from being outside.
It’s a personal decision of course and there are situations where moving
houseplants outside isn’t practical. Some very tender or very valuable plants
may be better left inside and some people feel the indoor environment needs
plants as well as the outside.
When the
plants are in office or commercial settings it might be hard to move them in
and out. People who live in apartments
may not be able to give their plants a vacation. But when they can be moved outside into a
suitable environment there’s nothing better for plants than to be outside.
After a few
weeks in the right location your plants will be glowing with health. The wind
strengthens the stems and rains wash away dust.
They may put out lots of new growth. A few months outside will allow
them to survive all those winter months inside much better.
Transitioning
inside plants to outside
A successful
transition to summer outside for the plants takes a bit of care and planning.
The dangers of frost and freezing should be over of course, but some plants
also require even warmer conditions before they are happy outside. Know your
plant’s requirements for warmth.
Even plants
that like bright light and were in good sunlight from a window or under grow
lights can be harmed if they are placed in direct sunlight immediately. The UV
rays from the sun are much stronger outside than when they shine through a
window. I admit I have burnt some plants
by moving them into sun faster than they were able to acclimate. The damage
will show up as white blotches on leaves or browned areas. In most cases plants
recover and replace the damaged leaves but you want to avoid this trauma if you
can.
Choose a
shady spot to move plants into for a few days. If you know there’s a stretch of
mild but cloudy or rainy days ahead it’s the perfect time to move plants
outside, but even then move them into shade first. It’s not good to move inside
plants outside when it’s very hot, windy and dry.
Wind is a
shock to plants kept indoors also. Make sure your acclimation area is sheltered
from strong winds. Keep the plants well- watered for a few days to help them
adjust. Many houseplants don’t do well in a continuously windy area outside
after acclimation either. Banana leaves for example are often shredded in windy
locations. Siting them against fences or buildings may help.
After an
acclimation period of a few days some plants can take full sun. Those include
citrus and other potted fruit trees, hibiscus, brugmansia, rosemary, other
herbs, geraniums, desert type cacti, mums, mini roses, poinsettia, amaryllis,
some palms and croton.
Some plants
though, will never be able to go into full sun conditions outside. Those plants may surprise you- many
succulents, kalanchoes, jades, your Christmas and other forest cacti, Norfolk
pine, philodendrons, pothos, streptocarpus, calathea, prayer plants, ferns,
ficus, fuchsia, schefflera, some dracaena, cordyline, rex begonia, and many
others cannot take full sun even after an acclimation period. They will need
filtered shade or partial shade for the summer. Most people don’t move African
violets and orchids outside but if you do, they need partial shade to full
shade.
You may have
to move some plants several times to keep up with shifting seasonal light or
because they don’t seem happy with the spot they are in. If they are wilting frequently
or the leaves seem scorched, you need to move them to a shadier place. If they look spindly, get “leggy” and are
pale green they may need just a bit more light. But once you find the right
location for the plant you will know it by how healthy the plant looks.
Care of
houseplants outside
Make sure to
keep an eye on the water needs of plants you move outside. Some pots will need
watering frequently outside, especially those in sunnier locations. All pots
outside need to drain well, you may have to lift them up off the ground a
little for good drainage. Try putting a few small stones under the pot, making
sure not to block drain holes. Plants on patios and decks may also need a
slight elevation off the surface.
Check pots
after a spell of really wet weather to make sure pots aren’t too wet. If you
can’t improve the drainage try turning the pot on its side and elevating the
bottom slightly. This may allow water to drain off the top. If pots can drain
well too much rain is rarely a problem.
Fertilize
plants while they are outside for the summer if you want good growth and bloom.
Stop fertilizing about a month before your expected first frost and before you
bring the plants back inside.
People worry
about houseplants picking up insects outside, but some insect problems are
eliminated or controlled by moving plants outdoors. Outside natural enemies can find the
pests. Wind and rain wash and blow them
away. I rarely find that houseplants are bothered by insects like Japanese
beetles when they go outside. While it’s true insects may be carried inside
after plants are outside for the summer they can be treated just before the
move back inside to lessen the threat.
Ideas for
using houseplants outside
Many
houseplants can be worked into summer container gardens. Spider plants for
example, can be used in place of spikes in containers. (Actually, the dracaenas
sold as spikes make good houseplants and can be kept from year to year if moved
inside before frost.) Small ficus or palm trees can also provide height in
containers. Philodendron, pothos and bridal veil can be “spillers” from
containers.
Shade gardens
can have Norfolk pines added to provide texture and height or rex begonias can
be added for color. Cacti and succulents may be worked into rock gardens. Of
course, things like geraniums and hibiscus are excellent for porches and
patios.
If you intend
to bring plants back inside in the fall you may want to leave them in pots and
sink the pots into the ground or the potting medium in a container. This makes
it easier to move them in the fall.
Your
houseplants enjoy a summer vacation as well as you do. If you can indulge them, you’ll make them
healthier and nicer looking.
Plants that don't control
mosquitoes
Have you seen or
heard that keeping certain plants on the porch or planting them in the garden
will keep mosquitoes away? The plants you see in memes on social media will not work to repel mosquitoes if you simply sit near them or plant them in
gardens. This includes various mints and lemon balm, lavender, rosemary, catnip,
citronella, lemon grass, garlic, sage, ageratum, marigolds, scented geraniums
often marketed as “mosquito plants”, bee balm and other plants commonly
suggested in memes online. THESE
PLANTS DON’T REPEL MOSQUITOES.
In fact, so many garden
plants are said to be mosquito repellents that we shouldn’t have any mosquitoes
around most gardens. But as many of you have probably found out, it’s a waste
of time and money to plant these things to repel mosquitoes and a danger to
your health to rely on these plants to keep mosquitoes away.
Some of the above
plants may have some effect on repelling mosquitoes if they are made into
essential oils or other “potions” and applied to the skin, but they don’t repel
mosquitoes simply because you are near them. Some plants can be burnt, and the
smoke will repel mosquitoes to some extent but sitting in smoke isn’t exactly
good for anyone. And the plants listed above are not the plants in which
burning leaves is effective.
Research has shown
some small repellant effect of certain potted tropical plants, generally on one
or two species of mosquitoes. These plants include blue or African basil, tree
basil, L. uckambensis or fever tea, and Lantana camara. Lantana
can be found in garden centers, but it is also poisonous, considered to be an
invasive plant and only about 27% effective in repelling mosquitoes. I’ve
provided some references at the bottom of this article.
By the way there are
no plants that keep ticks, ants, cockroaches, flies, spiders or mice away
either, by simply planting them around the house or garden. If you want to use
the folklore simply to convince someone to plant a certain plant, fine, but they
may doubt your wisdom in the future.
Most people who
advocate this stuff don’t even use it themselves, they just repeat what they
have read. Believe me the art of repelling and killing mosquitoes has been
widely studied all over the world for a long time. And science tells us
mosquitoes just don’t care about what plants you are growing on the patio or in
the garden.
This is the worse kind of folklore and internet hogwash
because it can cause severe illness and death when people think this stuff is
true and they get a disease from a mosquito bite. It should be illegal to allow
clickbait articles or memes that promote this, since it’s a matter of public
health. If you see such a meme or link click on it and report it as false news
or misinformation.
What does repel mosquitoes
If you have no problem applying make-up, sunscreen, or using
over the counter allergy medications you should have no problem using a good
commercial mosquito repellant on your skin. Deet is the most studied
insecticide in the world and has been used for over 50 years. It is a synthetic
chemical product but if label directions are followed it is extremely safe,
probably safer than some sunscreens and many types of make-up. Since mosquitoes
can carry deadly diseases, keeping them from biting you is extremely
important.
To keep from getting bitten the CDC suggests using these
products on your body and clothing. Products with DEET including Off!, Cutter,
Sawyer, and Ultrathon brands. DEET also repels ticks.
Some other recommended mosquito repellants are products with
Picaridin, also known as KBR 3023, such as Bayrepel, and icaridin, Cutter
Advanced, and Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus. Products with IR3535 such as Skin So
Soft Bug Guard Plus, (another formula), Expedition, and SkinSmart are also
good. Products with oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol
(PMD) such as Repel are fairly effective. Some mosquitoes bite right through
clothes so a repellant safe to use on clothing should be sprayed over clothing
in high population areas.
Interestingly one research project found that using
Victoria’s Secret Bombshell perfume repelled mosquitoes. The ingredients are
secret, so we don’t know what causes the effect. However, you would have to
apply it all over your exposed skin and it’s expensive. I actually tried this as an experiment but
didn’t notice any difference in mosquito activity.
Along with repellant, wear long sleeves and pants when
working in mosquito infested areas, especially at dawn and dusk and on cloudy
days. There are nets you can wear over a hat that can protect your face
from mosquitoes. Sunny windy days make good days to garden without major
mosquito problems.
You may want to avoid floral scents on your body and clothes
and drinking alcohol before going out to garden. Research has indicated
these things attract more mosquitoes. And here’s a funny fact I found out about
mosquitoes- they are attracted to the smell of limburger cheese. Scientists
found that the cheese produces a bacterium very similar to that produced by
dirty, sweaty human feet, so similar that it fools mosquitoes. And since
mosquitoes like the smell of dirty, sweaty feet it might be good to keep your
feet cool and clean while gardening.
If you are sitting on the porch resting after gardening, one
of the most effective and safe mosquito repellants is a simple box fan, with
the air turned right on you. Mosquitoes won’t fly into a strong “wind”. This is
very safe and effective when protecting infants from mosquitoes.
Keep Bt products (Mosquito “dunks” or “bits”) in any water
features to kill mosquito larvae. These are harmless to pets, wildlife and
people. They may kill the larvae of some other water creatures like mayflies,
so don’t add them to natural bodies of water. Or add some small fish to water
features. Empty bird baths, pet dishes and other containers of standing water
frequently. Keep screens on rain barrels. Keep long vegetation mowed around the
house.
Don’t fall for the ads, or social media memes that have you
buying and planting various things in the garden and around the house to repel
mosquitoes. Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance; they are a health threat. Don’t
rely on old wives’ tales and cheerful nonsense to keep you safe, rely on
science and common sense.
More information, references
All the Lovely
Lilacs
Nothing can top the lovely fragrance of lilacs as spring
begins to slip into summer. Lilacs are a symbol that planting season is in full
swing, they are a phenological sign that warm weather plants can emerge or be
planted. When the lilacs are in full bloom in your area it’s generally safe to
plant things that can’t stand cold or frost.
Originally from colder areas of Asia and Europe, lilacs were
one of the first plants that early settlers brought to America. They are grown
around the world in temperate climates. Lilacs are so hardy and easy to grow
that they often persist for hundreds of years after the person that planted
them is gone, as many old abandoned farmsteads can attest. While considered old
fashioned by some, lilacs are one of the most planted landscape shrubs in North
America.
The large old-fashioned common bush lilacs, Syringa
vulgaris, make good privacy screens and hedges. Common lilacs grow best in
zones 3-7. Most are quite fragrant, they come in several colors and have heart
shaped leaves.
Tree lilacs, Syringa reticulata subsp. reticulata,
make excellent specimen trees as they have interesting bark and fall color as
well as white flowers. Tree lilacs have oval shaped leaves. They boom later
than common lilacs and the blooms have a slightly different scent than common
lilacs. Tree lilacs don’t grow well in hot climates, zone 7 is the limit.
There are dwarf and compact varieties of lilacs generally
from the species Syringa pubescens, that can be used in foundation
plantings and in perennial beds. Syringa x chinensis,
a hybrid lilac is somewhat more compact than common lilac and has oval shaped
leaves with rose purple flowers.
Gardeners in planting zones 8 and above may want to try and
find Syringa persica, Persian lilac, which tolerates heat better than
other lilacs. It has purple flowers and lance shaped leaves.
Lilac flowers range from lilac to deep wine-red, pink, white
and light yellow. There are now some lilacs with bi-color flowers. Lilac
flowers are born in large clusters in late spring. As they age the flowers may become lighter in
color.
Most common lilacs have that wonderful lilac scent, but
beware; some varieties have little or no fragrance. Lilacs bloom for only a
short time, so to prolong the heavenly scent; you can plant several varieties
that bloom at different times.
Growing Lilacs
Choose the site for your lilac carefully as they resent
being transplanted. Although they root
easily, they may not bloom for several years after being moved. Lilacs need
full sun for the best bloom and disease resistance. They prefer light sandy
soil that is slightly alkaline and well drained. They may not bloom well if the
soil is too acidic and may fail to grow in heavy, wet soil.
Common lilacs can get 15 feet high and wide, so make sure
the spot where you plant them will be big enough for their adult size. If you
are using lilacs as a hedge or screen, plant lilacs 6-10 foot apart.
Transplant lilacs in a cool period of the year; early spring
before they leaf out is ideal. Keep them watered while they get established. Too
much nitrogen will cause lilacs to have lots of leaves and few flowers, use a
little 5-10-10 fertilizer in the early spring if the plant seems to need a
boost.
Lilac problems
Lilacs sometimes get powdery mildew, a fungal disease that
makes the lilac leaves look like they were dusted with white powder. While it
looks bad, it doesn’t affect the lilac plant too much. You can use a garden
fungicide as a preventative spray once the weather starts getting warm. Planting
lilacs in full sun and spacing them so there is good airflow around them helps
prevent powdery mildew.
Another problem of lilacs is lilac borer. If lilac stems seem to be wilting, check them
for tiny holes. This usually affects
older, woody stems. If you find holes,
trim that stem off as close to the ground as you can and destroy it. Pruning
the oldest stems off lilacs helps prevent lilac borers from being attracted to
your bush. You can also treat the lilac with a systemic insecticide to kill
borers.
Pruning Lilacs
Lilacs bloom on old wood, the blooms form on stems that grew
the year before. Too much pruning at the wrong time will leave you with no
flowers. Prune lilacs immediately after
they flower. All lilacs benefit from removing the dead blooms, so they don’t
form seeds. Prune to shape and to keep stems at a reasonable height. Try not to
remove more than a third of the plant each year.
If the bush is too large and overgrown, take out the largest
and oldest stems first, the ones with woody bark. This keeps the plant thinned
out and healthier. Lilac borers are attracted to the largest woody stems and
removing these helps keep them away.
Unless you need a drastic pruning to restore order, don’t
remove more than 1/3 of the plant stems each year. Lilacs can be cut down
completely, right to the ground, and will generally recover although it may be
a couple years before they bloom again.
A common problem with lilacs is that they grow too tall and
the blooms are out of sight. You can trim the tops back to a more manageable
height, but you may not have many blooms the next year. You may want to cut
back a third of the plant each year.
Most shrub lilacs sucker, (produce new plants) from their
root system, remove suckers that are spreading too far into other areas. Keep
them thinned out so lilac stands don’t get too crowded and prone to disease. Suckers can be dug and transplanted to start
new lilacs.
Some varieties of lilac
There are hundreds of varieties of lilac. If you like the
look of old-fashioned lilacs, choose common lilac, Syringa vulgaris. Some
popular varieties include; “Lilac Sunday”- typical lilac color but many
more flowers, “Charles Joly”- double flowers of dark purple-red, “Rochester” -
white, “President Lincoln”- blue, “Krasavitsa Mosky”- double flowers of pearl
pink, “Primrose”- pale yellow, “James McFarlane”- a late blooming pink, and
“Sensation”- a violet red with white edge.
Dwarf and compact lilac varieties include “Miss Kim”-lilac
color and late blooming, “Tinkerbelle”- deep pink, and “Red Pixie”- wine
red. Tree lilacs are often sold as
“Chinese” or “Korean” tree lilacs. Most
tree lilacs have creamy white flowers but “Syringa meyeri” has
red-purple blooms.
Lilac edible and medicinal qualities
Lilac flowers are edible. They can be used in salads or as
garnishes on cakes and other sweets. The flowers are sometimes used to flavor
syrups or honey.
Lilac water was used as a cosmetic astringent and skin
toner. It was used to treat skin rashes and scrapes. Sometimes this was made
from a flower tea or from leaves and seeds of lilac.
The leaves and seeds of common lilac were used to make
medicine for expelling worms and to treat fevers. It was also used to treat malaria.
It is interesting to note that there is no true lilac
essential oil because the lilac scent is not dissolvable in water or alcohol. Almost all essential lilac oil is an artificial
compounded scent that smells close to real lilac scent. There is a new method
of CO2 distillation that can produce a waxy lilac “essential oil” that is very
expensive.
The heady scent of lilacs in the spring is something every
gardener should experience. There’s a lilac for every garden so if yours doesn’t
have one, it’s time to get one.
May: the lilacs are in bloom. Forget
yourself.
Marty Rubin
Kim Willis
All parts of this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without
permission.
And So On….
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