This week's gardening tips from the Savvygardener

 

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May 25, 2005

May Flowers, No Showers...
It seems as if we have fallen into a dry pattern so be prepared to water. The gardens and lawn need at least an inch of water per week - so if Mother Nature is not going to provide it for us then we need to stay on our toes to keep our plants alive. The seven-day forecast looks pretty bleak with the highest chance of rain at 30% - and that is late Sunday evening. I would have to say the odds are not in our favor. The temperatures have not been too hot but warm enough to make everything a bit thirsty. I am already having to water most of my pots twice a day. Once in the morning and again in the evening. The beginning of a full-time job.

Don't forget you still have time to get to Bannister Garden Center to choose from over 100 varieties of peonies to plant. They have cut peonies to smell, peony plants to purchase and a Peonies Points Card all waiting for you. What's great about the Peonies Points Card is that for every $100 you spend they stamp your card and in the fall you receive a bare root peony for free! So if you are contemplating peonies Bannister Garden Center is the only place to go.

Another big thanks to Belinda and Jan Olson for donating a $500 Family Tree Nursery gift certificate to help me raise money for the Breast Cancer 3-Day. Deborah Reiman, the winner of the gift certificate was thrilled (photo). The generosity and support from the community has been overwhelming. Thanks to all of you!

~ Shelly  

Mulch Matters...
Well, the unofficial start of summer is this weekend (Memorial Day).  As the real thing sneaks up on Kansas City gardeners we must prepare our gardens for the heat and drought-like conditions that seem inevitable.  Mulching your garden is one of the best things you can do to help retain soil moisture and keep weeds at bay.  Missouri Organic Recycling just supplied us with lots of great mulch for our gardens.  Here are some common mulching materials and a few thoughts on each:

  • Bark Mulches are very common and effective.  They are available as chips, chunks, nuggets or shredded.  In addition to being generally attractive bark mulches resist compaction quite well.
  • Wood Chips are also common, effective and economical.  They can deplete the soil of nitrogen however so additional fertilizing may be required.
  • Pine Needles are especially good around acid loving plants like azaleas and blueberries.
  • Straw is inexpensive and is often used in large vegetable gardens.  Make sure it is free of crop and weed seeds or you're just making more work for yourself.
  • Grass Clippings should only be used after they have dried out thoroughly.  If the source lawn has weeds your mulched garden will likely get them too.  Not too attractive.
  • Rocks can be attractive and effective but they don't provide any of the decomposition benefits of organic mulches.  Rock mulch in direct sun can get quite hot causing problems for some tender plants.
  • Black Plastic and Fabric aren't much to look at but they do keep the weeds down.

As a general rule mulching with anything is better than not mulching at all.  It's that effective.

For an in-depth look at this important topic don't miss All About Mulch in our Features section.

Squirrel Damage To Trees...
People often wonder what clips the tips of branches off of trees. Though twig girdlers can cause this type of damage, squirrels are often the culprits. It is easy to tell the difference between twig girdler damage and squirrel damage. Girdler damage looks like a beaver has fed on the branch, leaving it smooth and cone shaped. Squirrel damage is more tattered and cut at an angle. We are not sure why squirrels do this though it may be to sharpen and clean their teeth.

Source

Tell Me Why...
One of the most common questions we get asked is simply, "Why won't my plant bloom?"  Why indeed.  There are often several factors involved but most can be explained by one of the following circumstances:

  • Age of Plant - Being too young or immature is a very common reason that many trees do not flower.  Plants need to reach a certain level of maturity before they begin to flower each year
  • Shade - Lack of adequate light is another very common reason that many types of plants do not flower.  Plants may grow but not flower in the shade.
  • Cold or Frost Injury - Cold weather may kill flower buds or partially opened flowers.  Plants that are not fully hardy in our area are the most susceptible to this type of cold injury.
  • Drought - Flowers or flower buds dry and drop off when there is temporary lack of moisture in the plants.
  • Improper Pruning - Some plants bloom only on last year’s wood.  Pruning plants at the wrong time of the year can remove the flower buds for next year’s blossoms.  Many spring flowering plants, such as azaleas begin setting next year’s flower buds in the late spring.  Pruning these plants in the summer or fall may prevent flowering next year.  Cutting back a plant severely, such as with climbing roses, can remove all the flowering wood.
  • Nutrient Imbalance - Too much nitrogen can cause plants to produce primarily leaves and stems.  The plant will be large and usually very green and healthy but will have few or no flowers.

Source

 


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Is That Poison Ivy?
Learning to identify poison ivy is vital if you wish to avoid the rash that accompanies exposure. Unfortunately, poison ivy can make identification difficult because it occurs in three forms: an erect woody shrub, a groundcover that creeps along the ground, and a woody vine that will climb trees. When poison ivy climbs, it forms numerous aerial roots that gives the vine the appearance of a fuzzy rope. The leaves of poison ivy also vary. Though the compound leaf always has three leaflets, the leaf margins may be toothed, incised, lobed or smooth. The size of the leaves can also vary though usually the middle leaflet is larger than the other two. Also, the middle leaflet is the only one with a long stalk; the other two are closely attached to the petiole (leaf stem). The number of leaves gives rise to the saying: "Leaves of three, let it be!" Poison ivy is often confused with Virginia creeper. Virginia creeper, however, has five leaflets rather than three.

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On Your Mark, Get Set, Pinch...
No this isn't a race but if you start pinching back aster, garden phlox and mums now you're sure to win later!  Pinching back the blooms will encourage bushier plants with more flowers.  After some of your summer perennials have tired out and are no longer blooming these plants will start to peak and will add that much needed color to your garden.  Soooo, no need to dust off the running shoes for this race just limber up those thumbs and start pinching!

 


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Tastier Herbs...
There are lots of good reasons to grow herbs.  First on my list is for cooking.  Nothing compares to the taste of fresh herbs added to your favorite dish.  I used to buy pesto in a jar.  I thought it was good until I started making my own from garden-fresh basil.  There's no going back folks.

If cooking is your goal make sure you do not fertilize your herbs too much.  The essential oils that provide flavor are more concentrated when herbs are grown in moderately rich soil with just enough fertilizer to keep them green.  Too much fertilizer encourages the plant to grow large but at the sacrifice of less flavor.  To get greater quantities without sacrificing quality simply grow many more, albeit smaller, plants.

Take A Powder...
A white powdery film on your lawn is likely an outbreak of powdery mildew. This fungal disease is favored by cool spring or fall weather, and is common in shaded areas. Kentucky bluegrass in shady areas is especially susceptible.  High nitrogen levels also favor disease development.  Fortunately, while it is not very attractive, powdery mildew rarely causes significant damage to turf.

Finally...
"Whatever is in any way beautiful has its source of beauty in itself, and is complete in itself; praise forms no part of it."

~ Marcus Aurelius

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