|
November 6, 2002 |
|
Out With The
Old...
I was out in the garden this past weekend for a short time.
It wasn't raining at the time but
boy was it chilly. Kevin and I
managed to rid the garden of some of its ugliness.
There is something about dead
impatiens that are not too attractive
- kind of like 3AM at the all night salad bar.
Out with the ugly frostbitten
annuals and time for planning and
planting for Spring (only about 150 days away).
I still have not had a chance to
plant any bulbs but there's still plenty of
time. I am really counting
on this weekend to be nice and free of any precipitation so that
I can get the job done.
Anyone else
notice the leaves this year? The maples are about as pretty
as I can remember - rich reds, bright yellows, deep oranges.
Lovely! But what about the rest of the trees? In
Westwood the oaks, elms, magnolias, and just about everything
else are either still green or only just starting to turn.
Hopefully when they catch up to the maples they will be just as
nice.
Please don't
pray for rain. We've had plenty for a while.
~
Shelly
Christmas Tree B & B...
It may seem a little early to be thinking about Christmas
trees but if you are considering a live, balled & burlapped tree
that will be planted after the holiday you should start planning
now. It's time now to choose the planting spot and, more
importantly, dig the hole for it. If you wait too long the
ground may be frozen by the time you think about it again.
After you
dig the hole fill it with leaves or straw to protect against any
early freezing (you might also cover it with plywood if the hole
presents an injury or accident risk). Keep the dirt from the
hole in a garage or shed so you have some loose soil to use
during planting.
Seed
Saving Savvy...
After you have collected seeds from your favorite flowers and
vegetables be careful how you store them. The
two words that best sum up the right conditions are
"cool" and
"dry". A seed is actually a living infant
plant with a limited amount of food to sustain it until it
germinates. Warm storage temperatures may let it consume too
much food and damp temperatures may encourage mold or bacteria to
use some of the food and kill the plant. Dry seeds in a paper
envelope will not trap moisture, and kept in a cool and dry
place, will survive well so you may plant them next year.
Source
Help For The Not So Hardy...
Now that we've
got that wicked first frost behind us it's time to do something
with those non-hardy bulbs we planted last spring. Here's
what to do:
-
Dahlias
Cut the tops of dahlia plants back to about 3 inches
above the soil. Then dig the roots out of the ground, being
careful not to break the neck. Place the root clumps upside
down and allow them to dry for several hours before storing.
-
Gladiolus
Cut gladiolus tops back close to the base, leaving no more than
an inch or so of the stem. Remove the excess soil from the
corms. Spread the corms out in a well-ventilated place, such as
a garage, for about three weeks. Once dried thoroughly, remove
the old corms, stems and husks and discard them. The healthy
new corms are then ready for storing.
-
Canna
Cut back canna stems to about 6 inches. Dig
the rhizomes out of the ground and dry for a few
hours in the sun. Then bring them in for storage.
-
Tuberous begonias
Dig tuberous begonias, tops and all, after frost blackens the
tops. Put them in a frost-free place for a week or 2 for
drying. Once dry, cut the tops back to about 3 inches from the
tuber. Let tubers dry for about 2 more weeks. Then break off
the stem stubs and shake the excess soil from the tubers.
Dahlias, cannas, and begonias can be stored surrounded by
vermiculite or peat moss in a shallow box. Gladioli should
be stored in a paper bag.
Source
Look
Who's Sleeping In The Garden Bed...
Many disease-causing viruses overwinter in the roots of
perennial weeds. Tomato mosaic virus overwinters in the roots of
ground cherry, horsenettle, jimson weed, nightshade, and
bittersweet; cucumber mosaic virus lives in the roots of
milkweed, catnip, and pokeweed; bean mosaic overwinters in white
sweet clover roots; and many cabbage diseases spread from wild
members of the cole family. A good fall cleanup is essential.
Don't wait!
Source
Clean
Cutters...
Your shears and loppers are probably getting a good workout
as you tidy up the garden and landscape. Keep them in good
working order by wiping them with a rag dipped in paint thinner
to remove sticky resins. Regular sharpening and a periodic
thorough oiling will help the better tools last forever.
What's
Hot On The Hotline / Winter Wisdom...
With this week’s
article, “What’s Hot on the Hotline?” begins its annual metamorphosis to
reemerge as “Winter Wisdom for Gardeners”. This
coincides with the closing of the EMG Hotline on October 31.
It will
reopen again March 1, 2003 reinvigorated and ready to go!
Late
fall/early winter gardening tips kick off this
week's
Winter Wisdom...
Fertilizer Finale...
A November application of fertilizer is extremely important
to keep your lawn healthy and looking good this fall and next
year. Late fall Nitrogen promotes good root development,
enhances storage of energy reserves, and extends color retention
this fall. Most of the benefits from late fall Nitrogen will be
seen next spring and summer with earlier green-up, improved
density, and improved tolerance to diseases and other stresses.
Apply near or after your last mowing of the year, but while grass
is still green. Timing is not overly critical as there may be a
month or more between your last mowing and the time the grass
turns brown or goes under snow cover. Generally
Thanksgiving is a good target fertilzing date
but because it's so late this year we'll shoot for any time in
the first few weeks of November. Use
a soluble Nitrogen source such as urea, ammonium nitrate, or
ammonium sulfate and apply 1 to 1½ lbs. N/1000 sq. ft.
Finally... "In
the evenings I scrape my fingernails clean, hunt through old
catalogues for new seed, oil workboots and shears.
This garden is no metaphor - more
a task that swallows you into itself, earth using, as always,
everything it can." ~
Jan Hirshfield, November, Remembering Voltaire |