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April 30, 2003

Getting Going...
I have been finding it difficult to get out into the garden these days.  Not enough time!  Then of course there is the rain, not that I am complaining, but you simply cannot work the soil when it is too wet.  So, believe it or not I am still in the clean-up phase of spring gardening.  I am still removing the winter blanket of mulched leaves and it seems to be taking much longer than I had remembered.  I must say however that I am still on schedule considering that I never plant too many things before Mother's Day anyway.  The weather has made it very tempting so we have purchased and planted a few things.  Slowly, (going on eight years now) our yard and gardens are finally coming together.  It is pretty exciting to see our long term plan starting to come to fruition
(photos).  Of course there is always more to do but for now we are pleased with the progress we have made.

Thanks to all of you Savvygardener's who made The Kelly Gallery's Spring Event a success.  What a beautiful day for touring Kelly's gardens and meandering through The Barn.  What a fabulous place!

It looks like this great spring weather we have been having will be hanging around for a few more days.  A nice day here, with a rainy day or two mixed in.  A perfect spring mix!  Could we possibly tire of seeing everything so green?

Hey all of you tomato lovers!  We are putting together our first annual Tastiest Tomato contest to be held later this summer.  Stay tuned for more details!

~ Shelly  

Hydrangea Helper...
Hydrangeas are wonderful.  Especially when they bloom.  You're not alone if you are sometimes (or often) frustrated by otherwise beautiful and healthy-looking hydrangeas that just won't bloom.  There are reasons for this of course.  Here are the likely ones:

  • Improper Pruning
    Some bloom on old wood, some on new season's growth.  For example, the popular 'Annabelle' varieties bloom on new growth and are consequently best cut back hard in the early spring.  By contrast, the Bigleaf hydrangea will grow in Kansas City but will not usually flower because the flowers develop on old (last season's growth) wood.  Since flower buds lack the cold hardiness of the foliage buds, they are often killed by our cold winters.
  • Too Much Shade
    While they will do all right in partial shade or full sunlight, too much shade could keep them from flowering
  • Too Much Nitrogen
    Fertilizing with high nitrogen fertilizers will limit blooms.  Try using a fertilizer with less nitrogen "N" and more Phosphorous "P".    

Source

Showers For Flowers...
April has lived up to it's traditional billing and graced us with much needed showers.  Hopefully we will continue to get the inch of rain per week that our gardens need.  Unfortunately most years bring us long periods of dry, hot weather requiring diligent watering to keep our flowers looking their best.

If staying on top of watering isn't your idea of a good time you can always choose your flowers accordingly.  A drought-tolerant flower garden should include the following:

Annuals

Burning Bush, Kochia Gazania, Gazania
Creeping Zinnia, Sanvitalia Mexican Sunflower, Tithonia
Dusty Miller, Senecio Rose Moss, Portulaca
Four O'Clock, Mirabilis Salvia, Salvia farinacea

Perennials

Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia Iris, Iris
Blanket Flower, Gaillardia Sage, Salvia
Butterfly Flower, Asclepias Sedum
Gayfeather, Liatris Tickseed, Coreopsis

For a more complete list of drought-tolerant flowers that grow well in the Kansas City area click here.

Time For Tomatoes?
Before you get too eager about planting remember that tomatoes are a warm-loving crop and don't begin to develop roots or establish themselves until soil temperatures are a fairly consistent 55°F.  Tomatoes planted earlier may 'survive' but won't thrive until warmer weather develops.  Later planted tomatoes will catch up with earlier ones every time.  

Also, remember that tomato plants need to be young, short and stocky to transplant well.  Tall, overgrown, or plants with heavy blooms or fruit not only don't transplant well but research has shown they never reach the productivity of those transplanted from smaller plants.  The old technique of 'burying' part of the long stem below ground doesn't help much - if any.  It does prevent the plant from blowing or whipping in the wind but does not compensate for planting an overgrown plant.

Source

 


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Ants In Your...
Not your pants, but your peonies!  If you have peonies you no doubt have noticed a proliferation of ants scurrying to and fro across the flower buds.   Those ants are the source of many "old gardener's tales" that have been handed down over the ages.  Here's the deal:  The ants are there because of the nectar-like substance secreted by the peony.  Chances are that the ants you see on your peonies are already living in your garden - the peonies just draw them out of the soil and make them more visible.  In other words, peonies are not increasing your local ant population (which creepily number in the hundreds of thousands or more).  Some say that the ants actually help peonies bloom.  Most experts disagree but since they do no harm it's best to just let them enjoy your peonies as much as you do.

Oh Say Can You Sow...
Savvygardeners all across the metro will be out this weekend buying bedding plants, vegetable seedlings, and all manner of transplants for the garden.  Keep in mind that some plants actually prefer to have their seeds sown directly in the garden.

  • Among vegetables these include: beans, beets, carrots, celery, peas, squash, and turnips.
  • Among flowers: alyssum, aster, bachelor's button, cosmos, marigold, morning glory, sunflower, sweet pea, and zinnia.

Buy the seeds, read the directions, watch them grow!

 


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What's Hot On The Hotline...
We receive frequent calls in the early spring from those who would like to raise some vegetables of their own, but are limited in space and the time they can devote to their garden.  A popular solution for many is raised bed gardening.  The smaller size and comparative ease of associated gardening tasks add to the popularity.  With a little imagination, the installation of raised beds can add attractiveness and variety to your garden landscape.  Read more in this week's What's Hot On the Hotline...

More Growin', More Mowin'...
Most of us have fallen into the habit of mowing the lawn every week.  This time of year however the grass is growing so fast that you probably need to mow it a bit more often.  Remember that you don't want to cut off more than 1/3 of the height of the grass in any single mowing.  In our yard that means mowing twice per week.  It won't last long and the extra investment in time will yield a healthier more durable lawn when the summer heat sets in.

Finally...
"If not ignored, nature will cultivate in the gardener a sense of well-being and peace.  The gardener may find deeper meaning in life by paying attention to the parables of the garden.  Nature teaches quiet lessons to the gardener who chooses to live within the paradigm of the garden."

~ Norman H. Hansen, The Worth of Gardening

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